Nothing is Impossible (Incomplete)

Sermon for Wednesday 1-28-2015

Nothing is Impossible

Isaiah 14:24-27 King James Version (KJV)

24 The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

Isaiah 14:24-27 New International Version (NIV)

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.
25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.”
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?
    His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

Surely as I have planned, so it will be. These are some words that I needed to hear myself. God made it evident to me on Tuesday that He meant it. I won't go into details but I was starting to think that for all of the times I had prayed to be sure that something was right and God seemed to be telling me yes, it was right and even sent me some threats as dreams if I went back on it, that God had let me down. Everything seemed dark and dingy. I became depressed. I didn't quite lose faith but I was certainly confused because I didn't know what was wrong. I didn't have all of the details. When I got the details, I was quite ashamed of my doubt.

No matter how strong your faith in Christ is, there are going to be times when we will doubt. Satan tries to throw us curves and make us wonder if we're making the right choices. Sometimes what God says is the right choice seems nearly impossible to achieve but if God said that it's the right thing then we must trust Him that He'll make a way.

“25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.'”

There have been times when I've been up against the wall, homeless, thrown in jail for a short period on false charges, and many other things but God has seen me through each one and made a way for me to walk through it without harm. At times it seemed that there was nothing that could make things better but just when I had completely given up hope, God turned things around. I even spoke truth to politicians... my big crime... so they set me up. They couldn't hold me for long since I hadn't done anything wrong but they refused me a phone call and refused me a lawyer. After about a week, I prayed to God and asked him what to do and he told me. A few days later, they sent me to court, I pleaded Nolo Contendere to the charges, and they let me go. I could have tried to represent myself but I knew that I didn't really have any chance against a lawyer so God put the idea of Agnew pleading Nolo Contendere in my head and that's what I did.

Luke 21:15 New International Version (NIV)

15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

Again from Isiah:

27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

If you have God on your side, not even the powers that be can hold you. When you've been doing nothing but God's work and you're being held and persecuted for something you didn't do, God can get you through it. If you have untold barriers between you and what God says that He has for you, those barriers will fall. It may seem to take more time than we think it should knowing that it has already been promised but God is true and faithful to His word.

In my particular situation, there are financial barriers, distance barriers, minor culture barriers, and other things to overcome but they will be overcome.

Sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is to be patient when we can almost taste something. We can see it, we can hear it, and we can almost feel it, but by all appearances, they're just out of distance. Having lived my life, I know that there ARE no barriers. The barriers are just something in our minds. Something that society has told us to believe. Maybe it's even something our parents told us to believe. If God wants it to happen, it's going to happen. You can count on that.

http://youtu.be/hnrCOSXVrSM

*Audio* Nothing Is Impossible: The Church Choir of The Houston First Baptist Church

Now, let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us when he said...

Matthew 6:9-13 King James Version (KJV)

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ be with you,

Elder Cal Jennings

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ARRRRrrrrgh!

I am at my wit's end today.  Most of you who are on faceboook know about the maddening weekend I had with the electricity getting cut off on the coldest day of the year so far, my mom losing $1200 of the money I was trying to save for an important purpose, and my sister being at Tomball Regional Medical Center during the alleged hostage situation with her father-in-law on the very floor where the situation was taking place.  Today, I had further maddening circumstances.

I got up to make coffee today and I don't even want to say what I found under the coffee pot but I will say that it was about a 1/8" layer of black, dead, decaying, compressed insect bodies that took a scouring pad to remove.  I had a talk with my mom about kitchen cleanliness... which probably did little good... and had to lay down because the counters are so low in this place that it's very hard on my back to work on the countertops.  This place was built for a short person.  She further agitated me by trying to say that Diane and I didn't keep our house clean which was CRAP.  SHE didn't keep HER house clean.  WE DID.  Nothing pisses me off more than lying.

The one bright spot in my day today was when a special someone whom I admire talked to me and calmed me down with her sweet, gentle way of texting.  It's almost as nice as hearing her voice live on private video chat.  Well, that was going well until I mentioned something about some wedding plans that SHE had brought up.  Suddenly I'm the bad guy again.  WTF???  I remember another woman who did me that way.  Most of you remember Jill.  Now, this woman is generally much more stable than Jill but this kind of craziness is starting to make me wonder.  I am NOT going to spend time on something again where I'm the only one putting any effort into things.  I learned from my 15 year 'til death do us part marriage that the only way that anything can work between two people is if both people are committed to the friendship/relationship/marraige, whatever you want to call it.  As a matter of fact, that's exactly the order that the relationship with Diane went.  We lived together as "friends" then she wanted to call it a "relationship" then, after I had asked her once a year to marry me and had finally given up on asking, she decided that she wanted it to be a marriage.  Hell, I didn't care by then.  We'd do whatever the fuck she wanted.  We were together and we were committed to staying together.  That's all that mattered to me, though I really didn't appreciate her cheating when I tried so hard and DID resist temptation throughout the 15 years of our marriage.  When someone starts acting like they're not going to hold up their end though, it makes me very, very nervous.

Now, this person to whom I'm referring lights me up like a Christmas tree and has never given me any reason to doubt her.  I never even felt that way about Diane, I'm sad to say.  This person calms me, helps me, inspires me, and makes me feel better about myself.  She brought me back from the edge of death... make that PRIED me back from the edge of death... wanting me to give her a chance.  I really believe that she is and will prove to be the best thing that ever happened to me in my life.  Her actions today, though, made me very nervous.  Hell, I was DONE with love, DONE with relationships, DONE with LIFE!  I was ready to die and just get it all over with.  When she finally made me take a look at who she was... a long, hard look, I couldn't help but fall in love with her.  I have never laughed so hard so often with anyone in my life, never have been so compatible and had so many things in common with anyone in my life, and never had met anyone with so many extremely similar experiences in life as I had.  I don't WANT this to go wrong.  Am I scared?  HELL YES I'M SCARED!  You know of my past catastrophies.  I really, really, REALLY need this to work.  If not, I may need to borrow a 12 gague shotgun shell from someone because I don't think I can take anymore.  Haha

Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ be with you,

Cal-el

Sermon for Wednesday 12-30-2014 What's Really Needed In the World?

Mark 16:15-20 King James Version (KJV)
 
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

What's Really Needed In the World?

It's amazing how a seemingly unrelated post on Facebook can cause an epiphany!  

I was reading a post about Pat Benatar's husband's birthday and someone commented that if her husband hadn't gotten her to change to rock she would still be just a lounge singer.  JUST A LOUNGE SINGER?  Well, as some of you know, I'm a fan of torch singers so I went on a search for Pat Benatar singing one of her "lounge singer" songs to see how she sounded.  What I eventually found was this:

Here's My Heart by Pat Benatar, Film Version 

 

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If you haven't seen the film Metropolis to understand what it's about, I recommend you do so.  I haven't yet seen the 1984 version from which this was taken.  I first saw the pieced together original version in River Oaks at a theater there.  I recently saw it again.  When I saw this clip, I realized what I had been wanting to say all along and how it fit into my idea of WORLDstock, a vision that God had given me.

What is WORLDstock?

I have given my part of a shared vision, the idea of WORLDstock, to Aliza Hava who has a better location... Jerusalem.  After all, what better place to take this message than the root of where these things stem from? I feared that I might die before I could get the vision moving and I just hadn't anticipated running into anyone who would have access to the area and be able to put on a peace concert there before I met her.  She was working on a similar peace project so she was perfect to share my part of the vision with.  Anyway, onto the story.

I always related to Freder because I came from part of both worlds and had trouble resolving the conflict within when I stepped out of my life of relative privilege and saw what it was to live and work amongst the workers.  There was a terrible dichotomy inside me.  If only I could find someone to stand by my side to support me into trying to bring a resolution between the two worlds like Freder did. I need the love and encouragement to make it happen. I have the connections. I just need those who have faith enough in my idea to make it happen.

 When I saw this particular clip of Metropolis with Pat Benatar's song Here's My Heart, it struck me.  I think it shows how true love can truly bring understanding and lasting peace between opposing groups.  The groups aren't opposing in reality but need each other to exist. It's just that both groups have forgotten that they need each other and need to be compassionate toward one another.

I have seen the tensions forming on both sides.  It's like a repeat of the movie Metropolis.  Both sides seem to be warring with each other and it is about to become a revolution that could destroy everything on earth.  Deep down, the rich know that it's not right to hoard everything and starve the workers who made their riches and machinery possible.  

Proverbs 11:26 King James Version (KJV)

²⁶ He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

Isaiah 23:18 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁸ And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Proverbs 28:27 King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Deep down, the poor know that it's not right to kill the rich and to destroy everything that they created which also supports them and their lifestyle.  Instead of a warring revolution with possible nuclear implications, what is needed is a meeting of the hearts.  Rather than revolution we need conflict resolution.  Though the following song is dated, its message is what the world really needs right now... not war, not revolutions, but true love.

James 3:13-18 King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
¹⁴ But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
¹⁵ This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
¹⁶ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Proverbs 13:4 King James Version (KJV)

⁴ The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 6:34 King James Version (KJV)

³⁴ For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

Jackie DeShannon - What the World Needs Now (with lyrics) 

 

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Now, it's true that at this point, the technology exists to tell the corporate masters to go to hell.  What people of those groups don't realize is that it's not something that would happen overnight.  Some people can't afford completely self-sustainable quarters and don't have the health to go out in search of their own food.  Not everyone can afford to relocate.  There are people living on the streets with no food and no housing.  They have no source of income and there are no jobs out there that they are capable of performing.  The Venus Project has some great ideas but these ideas take money and time to implement.  If none of the people who support the ideas have the money to make it happen, the ideas are irrelevant.  Still, a more compassionate view between the working class and the management class could acheive similar results and there would be no need for the wars and destruction that are likely to take place in the very near future if something doesn't change.  Don't be fooled.  The working class now has very powerful weapons at its disposal.  They have been stockpiling guns, grenades, missile launchers, and have even obtained nuclear weapons and support.  Spending your life hiding in an underground bunker, no matter how elaborate, is no substitute for living among others in a peaceful, compassionate fashion.  Shouldn't we find a way to make peace rather than revolt?  This was Jesus' vision.  It was God's message to mankind.  It was why God sent Jesus to the Jews and to all mankind.  Let's make the following verse a reality everyday as He intended.

Luke 2:14King James Version (KJV)

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Sometimes, I don't think women realize what an inspiration a woman can be to a man. She can wake all his hidden talents even if they've lain dormant for decades. Ladies, don't fear your man's talents and abilities. Don't suppress them. Help nurture and guide them so that he can make the most of them and you... And maybe the rest of the world... Will reap the rewards.  The reverse is true as well.  Support your women in their talents and dreams.

John 16:33 New International Version (NIV)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

True love can overcome any barrier whether it be social class, race, sex, or great distance.  As long as we truly open our hearts to one another, we will be surprised at how much more compatible we are than we previously thought.  I owe this to someone whom I truly admire, and yes, love.

John 16:33 King James Version (KJV)

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

I don't fear the world or what it can do to me. I know that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. I am quite comfortable being of good cheer in dangerous times because I've been through dangerous times and I know that He shall see me through until the end.

1 John 4:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

We should not be afraid of others. We should especially not be afraid of those who would keep us from doing God's will through threats of harm. These things will come and these things will pass.

Matthew 24:8-14 King James Version (KJV)

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

I know that tougher times are coming, but I've been there too and know that God will give me the words to say when it is time to say them. I shall endure unto the end. I shall be here until God calls me home.

Luke 12:11-12 King James Version (KJV)

11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

So, be of good cheer. If you have accepted Jesus into your heart, fear not. If you have not then I invite you to do it at this time. Here is a simple prayer you can pray.

Dear Jesus,

Come into my heart and teach me the things I need to know. Teach me how to love God with all of my heart and all of my soul. Teach me how to love you and to love others as you did. Teach me your ways and teach me of heavenly things that I might walk in your path until the end.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ be with you,

Cal-el