Broken Winged Bird!

Cor 2:8 “… had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

My wife, Debbie & I were hiking along a backwoods trail near downtown Centreville. The trail winds along portions of the Corsica River, complete with beaver, geese and jumping fish. As we rounded one corner I noticed an adult bird sitting on the ground. As soon as she saw me, she immediately spread her right wing in a very awkward fashion, causing it to appear as if she had a broken wing. She fluttered wildly across the brush as if trying in vain to escape what she had deemed was a giant predator.

I told Debbie to watch what would happen as I approached the broken winged bird. I said that she was feigning the broken wing to draw us away from her nest and her beloved brood of hatchlings. Debbie wasn’t so sure! As I drew nearer she kept up the act and moved me even further away from the nest, until I was right on top of her. Suddenly, she encountered a miraculous healing and took off flying. She had led us so far down the trail that we didn’t even attempt to go back and search for the nest.

I’m quite sure that sometimes the protective bird miscalculates the approaching predator and is not able to take off soon enough to escape becoming a feast for the attacker. Her love for her offspring is stronger that the threat of injury or even death.

The Bible talks about the wings of Jesus; “And under His wings you shall take refuge…” Psalm 91:4 There is safety and security under those wings.

The enemy of our souls was on the hunt looking for offspring of the Most High God, seeking in effect to devour and destroy the entire bunch. 1Pe 5:8 “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.” NLT He thought that if He could destroy Jesus that the entire plan would be undone; that mankind would be hopeless and that God’s attempt to redeem mankind, whatever it was, would fail.

On the cross at Calvary, Jesus spread His “broken wing” and led the predator away from the prize (You & Me) to a place where the enemy himself would become the one destroyed. (Hebrews 2:14) Jesus drew all the minions and forces of Hell toward and upon Himself…so that you and I would not be devoured and left hopeless and lost for all eternity. The attack became more ferocious and vicious as He was beaten, spit upon, whipped, mocked and hung upon the cross. All the while, the attention was being taken off of you and I…all the forces and focus of hell was inflicted upon HIM!

The Bible says in 1 Cor 2:8 “… had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Jesus wasn’t hoping to escape…He knew what lay before Him…The Cross and Death…Separation from the Father… more pain and suffering than anyone has ever endured.

The enemy didn’t know that they were being led away from the prize and toward certain defeat, doom and destruction. Jesus Did! Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” I'm sure that the enemy didn't notice the smallest hint of a joy filled smile in the corner of Jesus' mouth. Jesus played the role of the "defeated one" to perfection!

You and I are the joy that was set before Him!

Jesus feigned defeat…led the enemy away from the nest (He was the firstborn of many brethren Romans 8:29), away from the apple of God’s eye, (Psalm 17:8) . Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2:14

The wing was not really broken. Jesus rose up to the highest place of authority in existence. The nest is safe and the offspring are flourishing!

Rest in His presence!

Ken Bombard

CRAZY JOHN

Mark 1:6 “And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey...”

Crazy John…What kind of deacon Board would select John to be the preacher in their church today? His message was as rough as the clothing he wore. He preached a bold, uncompromised, simple message. “Repent, because God is arriving on the scene.” It didn’t matter to whom John was speaking, his message was always the same, “Repent!”

John never made a lot of friends but he did gain a lot of enemies and converts. Mark 1:5 “And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.” What was it about the crazy man, in the weird attire and the simple, but tough message, that pricked their hearts? Everything about him centered on his purpose and he lived right before their eyes. There was no preaching on message and living another in John’s life.

It has been said that you don’t have to live like the world to have an impact on the world. You don’t have to be like the crowd to change the crowd and you don’t have to lower yourself down to their level to lift them up to yours! I can tell you right now, that if you live like the world, they will have no respect for you or your message!

If you want to make a difference in the world, then live you life so that it lines up with Godliness. Let the world see a clear distinction in the way you live and they will listen to your message, just like they did to John. We call this living HOLY!

Be the person who doesn’t join in the gossip and the crude jokes.
Be faithful to your spouse.
Love your children enough to stand up for what is right and Godly. Exercise correction and punishment when necessary!
Be the employee who put’s in a full days work without complaining. Be the best you can be!
Be the neighbor who cares about the other neighbor. Listen to them. Love them and pray for them.
Be the Believer who refuses to take a drink in public necause it may confuse or offend those who view your life!
Respect the Sabbath and take time apart for the Lord and for your personal rest.
Be a Champion for the oppressed, bruised and crushed who live among us. Love always!
Refuse to compromise on Christ!
DO NOT SPEAK ONE MESSAGE AND LIVE ANOTHER!

What if John’s life had not lined up with the words he spoke? What if he had preached holiness and lived an immoral life? What if he preached repentance and away from the crowds he joined in with the worldly bunch and their questionable practices? If John’s life had not matched his message, they would never have listened to him!

Is there anything in your life that does not line of with God’s Word and Ways? If you live a Holy and Godly life, they will flock to you for help and meaning in life! Jesus said that we “… are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

To call yourself a child of God is one thing. To be called a child of God by those who are watching our lives is another thing altogether! What are they secretly saying about you?

MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK

GOD’S WORD…THE BIBLE OR THE MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK!

1) LIFE…REAL LIVING COMES FROM THE WORD OF GOD…
Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man Does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

2) YOU DISCOVER …
A) THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD…HIS CHARACTER, HIS GREATNESS, HIS LOVE, HIS MOTIVATIONS.
B) THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE..WHAT’S GOD..WHAT’S NOT!
John 8: 31 ¶ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; 32 And ye will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

3) THE FAITH AND POWER TO ENJOY LIFE COMES FROM HIS WORD…Romans 10:17 17 Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

4) THE WORD GIVES US ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS TO LIFE’S PROBLEMS… Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

5) TEMPTATIONS ARE DEFEATED BY THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT(Eph 6:17)…
Ps 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

6) HEALING COMES FROM THE DISCOVERY & APPLICATION OF GOD’S WORD…

A) HEALING FOR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS…Ps 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

B) HEALING FOR THE DISAPOINTMENTS AND DEFEATS IN LIFE…Matthew 7: 24 Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock

C) HEALING FOR PHYSICAL DISEASES…
Prov 4: 20 Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. 21Don’t lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, 22for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning. NLT

D) HEALING FOR EMOTIONS OR DEPRESSION…Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Mark 4:1-25 The measure you measure the Word of God is the measure you receive in return! It's time to get serious about the Manufacturer's Handbook read and apply it it today. Everytime you read the Bible look to discover the Character and Nature of God and search for His prinicples to a cussessful way of living! Joshua 1: 8 "Meditate in this book day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein. You will make your way prosperous and you will have good success!"

JESUS IS COMING: PART FOUR

THE VALLEY OF MEGIDDO
Isaiah 24:23 "Then the Lord Almighty will mount His throne on Mount Zion. He will rule gloriously in Jerusalem, in the sight of all the leaders of His people. There will be such glory that the brightness of the sun and moon will seem to fade away.”

Israel has been re-established as a Nation and Jerusalem is her Capital city.
The United States has begun to lose her influence over the world.
Religions are now headed toward a one world ecumenical church, where any way to God is acceptable and sin is no longer deemed sin.
Fear of Nuclear holocaust has set the stage for a Global Community Leader…the Antichrist.
Nuclear war breaks out in the Middle East. You know it’s coming, the whole world knows it’s coming! Believers especially should know it. It’s in the Book!
1/3 of all the fresh water will be destroyed. (Undersea oil geysers?)
1/3 of the life in the seas will be destroyed.
The light of the sun and the number of stars in the heavens will be reduced by 1/3.
Vicious demons will be released upon unbelievers resulting in sores and pain unlike the world has ever known for a period of five months.
China will begin it’s march with a 200 million man army and 1/3 of the world’s remaining population is will die under their crushing blow.
In less than three years ½ of the earth’s people are killed and the worst is yet to come.
Cancers will be on all who have taken the mark of the beast.
The oceans will be turned to blood and all aquatic life will die and all fresh water turns to blood.

When the Church is taken up, Russia will make the biggest mistake in her history. Russia is already as mad as a hornet at Israel. Jews are like a bunch of pesky flies to Russia and her troops and allies will begin to march toward Israel. The battle is about to begin and Russia, with those who accompany her, will suffer an annihilating defeat on the outskirts of Israel.

Seven years from now the grass in the Valley of Megiddo may bloom for the last time. The stage has been set. Since Russia and her allies have suffered an immeasurable defeat at the Hand of the Lord, Europe, led by the antichrist and China will gather tohether in the valley of Megiddo to advance against Israel, and it is written that their blood will flow “in a stream 200 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle.” Revelation 14:20

Israel is under attack from these joint forces and she is going down in apparent defeat. The United States is busy and the United Nations is out to lunch. Israel is all by herself. The last Israeli tank grinds to a halt and their last missile is fired. CNN is capturing the carnage for the whole world as they watch the tiny little strip of land in the Middle East falter.

Just when it seems that the Word of God has failed them and Israel is shouting that the Promises of God have failed, those TV cameras will all of a sudden swing toward the Eastern Sky and all of the battle sounds will be drowned out by noise from the heavens. Every blood soaked solder will peer into the heavens and they are going to see an army like they’ve never seen before. Jesus, the Lord of lords and King of kings is descending from heaven with you and me, all of His saints and the angelic hosts.

Israel will proclaim “Jeshua Messiach” or” Messiah has come! His Word is true!”

Jesus said when that “fig tree” generation comes into being…that generation will not pass until all these things come to pass. We are the “fig tree” generation!
WE NEED REVIVAL NOW, NOT JUST FOR US, FOR THOSE WHO COULD BE LEFT BEHIND TO EXPERIENCE THE TRIBULATION. WE NEED AN AWARENESS OF CHRIST AND HIS KINGDOM WORK SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE.

JESUS SAID THE HUNGRY PEOPLE GET FILLED. ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR HIM AND HIS PRESENCE? THERE’S GOT TO BE MORE THAN THIS! IT ALL BEGINS WITH YOU AND ME! ASK TODAY FOR HIM TO SET YOURSELF ON FIRE AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT PRAY THE SAME FOR ME TOO!

JESUS IS COMING!

JESUS IS COMING: PART THREE

Revelations 19: 11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven (US…white linen or robes of righteousness) followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Israel has been re-established as a Nation and Jerusalem is her Capital city.

The United States has begun to lose her influence over the world.

Religions are now headed toward a one world ecumenical church, where any way to God is acceptable and sin is no longer deemed sin.
Fear of Nuclear holocaust has set the stage for a Global Community Leader…the Antichrist.

Nuclear war breaks out in the Middle East. You know it’s coming, the whole world knows it’s coming! Believers especially should know it. It’s in the Book!

1/3 of all the fresh water will be destroyed.

1/3 of the life in the seas will be destroyed.

The light of the sun and the number of stars in the heavens will be reduced by 1/3.

Vicious demons will be released upon unbelievers resulting in sores and pain unlike the world has ever known for a period of five months. China will begin it’s march with a 200 million man army and 1/3 of the world’s remaining population will die under their crushing blow. In less than three years ½ of the earth’s people are killed and the worst is yet to come.

BUT before all that happens the Bible says this mortal shall put on immortality. The things we see are subject to change and believe the Word of God…there is a change coming! Every two thousand years a monumental change takes place on the earth . I can almost see Him now. Jesus is coming with all the hosts of Heaven. Like a crane with a giant magnet, we will leap though the air and crash against the magnet forever to be with Him. When eternity has begun and time is no more. When the end has become the beginning, I don’t know where you’ll be…under the earth, at work or in school, at home in your bed or praising God in Church.

There is coming a time when you’ll strap on your shoes one last time and one split second after we're going to meet Him in the air. There will be no more time to proclaim His Good news to our loved ones, friends and others. THE KING IS COMING AND WE NEED TO GET TO WORK!

Cancers will be on all who have taken the mark of the beast. The oceans will be turned to blood and all aquatic life will die. All fresh water turns to blood. It’s time to forget about our amusement, our social lives and extra curricular activities. Tomorrow may never get here! It’s time to spit in the devils eye and keep him under our feet where he belongs. It’s time to get your loved ones, coworkers and neighbors into the Kingdom, before it’s too late. God is speaking to His Church all over the earth. He is commanding His Bride to get ready for the Grand Finally!

When the Church is taken up, Russia will make the biggest mistake in her history. Russia is already as mad as a hornet at Israel. Jews are like a bunch of pesky flies to Russia and her troops and allies will begin to march toward Israel. The battle is about to begin and Russia, with those who accompany her, will suffer an annihilating defeat on the outskirts of Israel.

Let those who have eyes to see, recognize what is happening in our lifetime.

NEXT BLOG: JESUS IS COMING CONCLUSION!

JESUS IS COMING: PART TWO

Isaiah 24:1 “See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants.”

We don’t have four hundred years or more until Jesus returns! His return is at hand. Jesus said no man knows the time, but we can know the seasons. I know the season and if you will take a moment and reflect on the times, you will recognize the season! In the year 1948 the “fig tree” nation of Israel was reborn. The Bible says the generation that sees this transpire will see the Day of the Lord.

Israel has been re-established as a Nation and Jerusalem is her Capital city.
The United States has begun to lose her influence over the world.
Religions are now headed toward a one world ecumenical church, where any way to God is acceptable and sin is no longer deemed sin.
Fear of Nuclear holocaust has set the stage for a Global Community Leader…the Antichrist.

Isaiah 24:5-6 “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.

Isaiah 24:17-21 “Terror and pit and snare await you, O people of the earth. Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare. The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls--never to rise again. In that day the LORD will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.”

In a relatively short period of time from now, the earth will rock and reel like a drunken man. Buildings will collapse into heaps of dust and asphalt highways are going to flap in the winds of eternity.

There will be a world economic collapse (The stage has already been set). Food will be over priced and hard to find and buy. There will be epedemics, continued breakdown of society, and increased famines and wars. Initially, one quarter of the world’s remaining population will die. (Remember, the Church is out of here!) The wrath of God is poured out on the inhabitants of earth and their sinful ways, like we can’t even begin to imagine.

IT’S TIME TO GET TO WORK, IT’S TIME TO PRAY FOR A HARVEST OF SOULS BEGINNING TODAY. IT’S TIME TO GET HOLY, STOP PLAYING CHURCH AND SELL OUT THE WHOLE ROUTE.

You can call me a fanatic, BUT right before the world begins to disintegrate and die, the moon starts bleeding and the furies of hell are unleashed on this earth, THERE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE CHANGED IN A MOMENT, IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO TWINKLE YOUR EYE AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD! JESUS IS COMING!

Nuclear war breaks out in the Middle East. You know it’s coming, the whole world knows it’s coming! Believers especially should know it. It’s in the Book!

1/3 of all the fresh water will be destroyed. (Undersea oil geysers?)
1/3 of the life in the seas will be destroyed.
The light of the sun and the number of stars in the heavens will be reduced by 1/3.

Now here’s the good news! Prior to all of this, rolling off of His seat next to the Father, Jesus, the Name Above All Names, at the Command of Father God, is going to travel through space and time and break the eastern horizon and we are going to meet Him in the air. He will have the scars to prove that He is THE GREAT I AM, THE ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST!

He will seemingly look at each of us at once and declare…” Come, good and faithful servant. Inherit the paradise I have prepared for you from the foundations of the world.”

The Stage has been set. I believe that the antichrist has already been born and is simply awaiting the departure of the Church, allowing him and his minions to exercise their rule openly and freely. It could be days, months or years from now…But one thing I know…Jesus is Coming!

Are you ready? Is your life a “living epistle?” What kind of Jesus do others see through your life’s witness? What kind of Gospel do you live? Is there enough power in your daily life, that others know that you are called by the name of the Lord? Are you living holy on Sundays and living like the devil the rest of the week? Are you praying for revival to break out in your own life; in the lives of your unsaved loved ones?

Re-read the two part series… it’s all going to happen, and we don’t want any of our friends or loved ones left behind to endure the tribulation of God’s wrath! Let’s all hear the call and rise to be the Church He has called us to be. A glorious, victorious Church, without spot or wrinkle walking daily in the power and proclamation of the Holy Spirit!

Next Blog: Jesus is Coming: Part 3