Unshackled

When you reach my age, you realize the importance of time. I stopped all the chiming clocks in my house because I hate to be reminded of just how fast time passes, how little life I have left to do the many things I want to accomplish, such as writing this commentary. The great writer CS Lewis said, e all age at the same rate of 60 minutes an hour“w.” When I was a child, this time of the year, time went so slow it seemed that Christmas would never come, now it seems like you have just finished with one Christmas when another is just around the corner. I constantly remind young people that time is so important; so much to learn, so much to do, unless, like so many of our fellow citizens, you just “throw your life away.” We do what we do because we believe what we believe, some believe in doing nothing.

Have you ever thought how much time you spend just waiting in traffic, sleeping, waiting patiently in a doctor's office. The average adult spends 5.4 hours a day watching television.

The world would be changed over night if those who call themselves “Christian”, who are deceived into thinking that God lives in their heart, would spend one hour a day studying God's Word. Someone asked me one time, “how you can recognize a Christian?” I said, “only one unfailing way: love for God's Word.” Don't tell me you are Christian unless you have studied God's Word, have committed most of it to memory. Don't tell me you are Christian if you support the Democrat party which promotes the killing of babies, euthanasia of adults, same-sex marriage, putting young people into astronomical debt.

Do not become shackled by false, deceptive fraud politics. Do not become shackled by satanic forces out to enslave you by addictions, evil acts such as pride, greed, gluttony, envy, lust. This week we have been besieged by revelations involving the corruption of government through WikiLeaks. Like the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, the lying and conniving of middle East warfare. Most informed Americans already know about the decadence of their government. Don't become depressed, compromised, shackled by the knowledge of government corruption, pray for your country.

When you have politicians, you have what politicians can do. When you have bureaucrats, you have what bureaucrats can do. When you have powerbrokers, chokers, strokers, you have what these people can do. But, when you have prayer, you have what God can do. We have reached the time in this country, in this world, when only God can straighten things out. Do not be shackled by your despair with people. Think of the “people-watching” despair God has witnessed from the creation, He destroyed all of them with the exception of one family, 4090 BC. Seven groups in Canaan, He mostly destroyed, after His chosen race had crossed the Jordan. On either side of the cross, He talked through people, natural disasters, a remnant have listened.

The small amount of faith that still exists, is real faith, unshackle yourselves from the pretenders. Real faith is a verb, action based on belief, sustained by confidence. The greatest disappointment of my life has been associating with pretenders in religion, pretenders in patriotism, pretenders in family, trust; unshackle yourself from pretenders, you will be lonely, but you will not be alone. You are not stuck where you start, life is a journey not a destination, on the journey, through rebirth you learn what is important and what is a waste of time. Many life activities, particularly with the unsaved in your surrounding, in your family, even with those with whom you work or worship, you will find is just a waste of your time, your energy, your concern, they do not know who you are, unshackle yourself from them, working to get their approval.

To KNOW God you must know God. You as a born-again Christian, are shackled to Christ. You owe it to him, bearing His burden, trusting Him. The best character, like the best suit, is homemade. You understand the indifference at the school house, the courthouse, the statehouse, the church house, shackled by satanic meanderings that take up your time, energy, spirituality.

This morning, someone brought to my attention, Thomas Kinkade, the artist known for window lighting in his canvas, such as his canvas of the Biltmore House in Asheville. I met him many years ago, a man of great talent, but like so many, shackled by addictions, uncontrolled impulses.

Greed is the greatest enslaver. Here in this town where I live, just a few miles from my house, a woman left her dead mother in her mother's house for many months, spraying her occasionally with disinfectant, so she could collect her mother's social security checks. I cannot possibly tell anyone how much money has been stolen from me, a blind man, in my effort to give people a job.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. (Proverbs 22:1) Nothing is worth being shackled as a thief; the pleasures of this world, the wealth of this world, are not worth the shackles of hell. Jesus Christ was either who He said He was, or the greatest hoax the world has ever known. Time has proven that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, the only hope of the world, do not be shackled by those at the school house, the university, the media-place, or anywhere else who would lead you otherwise, and shackle you, not only to an eternity of darkness, but hopelessness and haplessness while living on this earth.

The protractor over the compass is the emblem of the Freemasons, masons claim they started in the building of the Solomon's temples, they have an Egyptian influence, a cult founding. Historically, men thought the masonic emblem and membership gave them credence, generals of the army, Presidents, even some Christians (one-half of Washington's generals were masons). One does not need to be shackled by secret handshakes, membership rituals, the need for recognizing one another, special consideration at the courthouse or business place. Paul, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.(Roman 1:1) In this, Paul's first words to the church, we find our mission and message.