GEORGE WASHINGTON'S
1789 THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be - That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks - for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation - for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war - for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed - for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted - for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions - to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually - to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed - to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord - To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us - and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Perception: Creating Your Reality

by Alan Smith

• Matt. 12:22-24: Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"   Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

Perception: what a “word”!  How can this “word” be worthy of writing about, you might ask?  Well, I believe this “word” is the most powerful “word” in anyone’s life.  I am asking you to stay with me for a few minutes, as we explore the depth of this “word”.  Let’s first look at its meaning from the dictionary.  Perception: recognition and interpretation based chiefly on memory.  Perception is the result of perceiving or seeing.  It is how things look to us.  Sometimes perception even brings with it a mental image.  Our perception determines the reality we live in; just like the Pharisee’s perception did for them in the verse above.  Their perception was that Jesus was casting out demons in the name of the devil.  Do you think their perception of the event and the person was correct?  I think not.  Not only was their perception off, it was completely the opposite of the “truth”.  They had created their own personal reality based on their perception.  Have you ever done this?  You know, created your own reality based on your perception?  You might say, “Well Alan, you just don’t understand my circumstances in life.”  I know I don’t, but I do understand how we get “stuck” in life.  I understand that the reason for our feeling “stuck” is because our perceptions are holding us where we are.  The Pharisees were “stuck”, and they were “stuck” because they refused to be teachable.  They refused to allow their perceptions to be challenged and changed.  Are you and I like the Pharisees, or do we want to be challenged and changed?  Let’s take a closer look at how our perceptions are created and guarded.

Perceptions are the eyes of the soul.  The body has physical eyes which see physical things.  Our soul has eyes also, and these eyes are our perceptions.  This is how we view the world and all of those in it.  How we see things will determine how we react and respond to situations and circumstances.  Let’s look again at the definition of the word perception.  Perception: recognition and interpretation based chiefly on memory.  Memory is to perception what sunglasses are to the eyes.  Memory, like sunglasses, filters what is allowed to come in to be seen.  Perceptions are created by our observations passing through our memory filters.  These memory filters are created by our past experiences.  Therefore, our seeing or our perceptions of life today must pass through our filters or past experiences to create the reality we are living in today.  If you understand what I just wrote, you now understand the title of this Thought of the Day, “Perception: Creating Your Reality”.

The perceptions of the Pharisees created not only their realities, but the reality of the fate of Christ.  The Pharisees were “stuck”.  They were “stuck” in their religious perceptions, which in turn equaled death and not life.  Is anyone feeling “stuck” in a dead life, and not a life that is always coming into more excitement and into more abundant life?  Well, perhaps we need to allow our perceptions to be “born again”.  You may be wondering how this can happen.  Let’s look at another passage of scripture that is based on a healthy perception: a perception based on a deliberate influence of hope of the future and not the past.

• Matt. 9:20-22: Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

This woman was not willing to let her past history dictate her future.  Her perception of Jesus was different from that of the Pharisees.  Her perception of Him created a reality of faith; which in turn created an influence of hope.  Her perception was being influenced by the hope of a brighter future; because her perception of Jesus was that He loved her and cared for her.  She received from Him exactly what she sought after.  Her perception created a new reality for her life.  I realize that what I am saying here might be a stretch for you, but I am asking you to consider it.  Your life will not change until you change your perceptions about you and about your life.  If your perceptions stay the same, then your life will keep repeating itself over and over.  Your past history will dictate your future life.  So what have you got to lose?  Let’s change our perceptions so that the future we are about to walk in will create a positive history for us to look back on.  A healthy perception is a perception of life based on a filter of “faith” for the future and not a filter of “memory”.

• Heb. 11:1-2: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Do you see the perception of faith?  This is a perception based on hope and not on history repeating itself.  My prayer for you and I will be that we will let our “perceptions” be born again.  How do we know if it happens?  We will know because our lives will be full of faith: faith that all things are possible to those that believe.

• Mark 9:23: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Blessings,

Alan

Heaven Is Real: A Doctor’s Experience With the Afterlife

‘You have nothing to fear.’ ‘There is nothing you can do wrong.’ The message flooded me with a vast and crazy sensation of relief. (Photo illustration by Newsweek; Source: Buena Vista Images-Getty Images)

Glory Revealed

By: Alan Smith

Click here for video teaching.

• Matt. 5:15-16: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (KJV)

Does your light shine and radiate life before all men?  Or have you hidden it under a basket in your heart?  Do you believe and embrace this “new perception” about yourself: the perception of your light shining before men?  You know, are you shining and radiating light upon your realities?  Is your light so shining that others may see the way they should go?  According to Matthew 5:15-16, anyone who has trusted Christ has received this “light”, and this “light” is radiating.  Where is this “light” within you and from where does it come?  Let’s look a little closer in the scriptures for these answers.

• 2 Cor. 4:6: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (KJV)

This is absolutely incredible!  God Himself has shined this” light” and its destination is your heart.  It is an act of God and He compares this impartation of light to the light of creation.  Therefore, His “light” within you will be a creative “light”.  This creative “light” is full of the knowledge of God’s glory, which is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.  Since the Holy Spirit abides within you, this “light” will also radiate from your face.  Your face is the place of export of this “energy” of the “light” within.  How does your place of “export” look?  Is your face a reflection of darkness or is it a place which radiates “light”?  How can this “light” grow within you, until it is so great that it shines through your face?

This light comes from your “inner man”; your “heart”.  This is the place of your subconscious, and it is the innermost part of your being.  Here, all of the automatic functions of life are stored, such as your breathing or your heart beating.  You can also store learned behavior, such as playing the piano or typing, in this part of your being.  All of these types of functions can become automatic to you.  They do not have to pass through your conscious mind before they are projected into your realities.  Perhaps there has been a time that you did something you wish you had not.  Your response may have sounded like this, “Oh, I just was not thinking when I did that.  This is impossible.”  You have to think before you act; but this thinking can be coming from your subconscious mind, your “inner man”.  All through the day you are reacting to people and circumstances and wondering why you are not more productive and successful with these encounters.  I would like to suggest to you that your “inner man” or your subconscious mind is living your life for you more than your “outer man” or your conscious mind.  Your subconscious mind is louder than you think!  The information that is stored in your subconscious mind will come forth with no argument from your conscious mind; it just comes forth.  And remember, your conscious mind adds information, which it considers to be “truth”, to your “inner man”, whether it is truth or not.  It stores it regardless, and it is used when your brain calls for a reaction.  This is why the apostle Paul tells us to renew our minds, or make them fresh, with new ideas based on truth and faith.  You don’t want your “stinking thinking” to control your life.  Instead, you want the light of God that has been placed within you to control your life.  You want to “radiate” not “agitate”.  Without thinking, you can “radiate” through your face what is in your heart, if your inner man is not hiding this light of God under a basket.

This “inner man” is to be the center of your being, where your true authentic self lives and thrives.  This is where the “light” of God, His Son or sun, shines before you every day and every night.  It is at this point that all of the energy of the “light” is distributed through your entire body.  When this “light” shines, it actually produces an energy that is projected throughout your spirit, soul, and body; and this energy can bring healing to the spirit, soul, and body.  When this energy reaches higher levels and cannot be contained, it then seeks an exit, which is through your face.  It is at this point that others around you may see and feel this wonderful “light” of peace and safety.  This spiritual radiance will then have a drawing effect: a spiritual magnetism.  You just cannot stop the effect.  As Jesus was walking on this earth, He could not help but draw crowds of people seeking this glory that shown through His face.  His cup was running over with the “light” or energy and power of God.  Just the presence of a person that radiates this power and light of God will calm the most difficult situations of life.  A “radiating” life brings health to the person “radiating”, as well as to those around them.  It causes a pleasant atmosphere, which, once again, will draw people unto it.

When this “light” is covered or hidden by “fear”, the power and energy which is produced will begin to fade.  Fear, an enemy of the light, must be destroyed at all costs.  When the “light” begins to fade, it causes the spirit, soul, and body to become confused, tired, and sick.  The flow of the radiant power has been interrupted, causing chaos throughout the entire body.  I believe this is why some sicknesses and diseases get a foothold in the body.  This energy produced from the light of God within is like the “sun” to the body.  It is the source of eternal life given to man.  Just as your body needs the sun on the outside to receive certain vitamins; so your inner body needs the inner light of God within you.  This light is called “Jesus, the Son of God”.  The scriptures speak about fear and how fear does not come from God.  Let’s look further.

• 2 Tim. 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)

Do you see it?  God gives us power, love, and a sound mind.  All of these are to be stored in the “inner man” to bring health: “power” for the spirit; “love” for the soul; and a “sound mind” for the body.  A sound mind filled with love and power will radiate health to the entire body.  When this “light” becomes individualized, one person at a time, it brings a unique, spiritual dynamic in a corporate setting.  A corporate light and power is then ignited, which can soften the hardest heart and heal the broken spirit of individuals, towns, entire countries, and one day the entire earth.

Your “inner man” is the place of this new beginning.  Your thoughts of the conscious mind are programming your “inner man” daily.  You must take these thoughts captive.  These thoughts are fuel to the light within.  The character of these thoughts determines if your “light” will shine or be hidden.  Remember what Jesus said about the light.  He said it would radiate throughout the whole house: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

You have been invited to: Let your light so shine before men.  The more you shine, the more energy will be radiated: energy of courage, hope, healing, and confidence.  You must be aware of the “light” that has been placed within every believer.  This awareness of the “light” within will destroy all fear, and it will bring harmony to the physical body and to the earth.  But, this awareness will do nothing by itself.  You must begin to release this “light”; and you do this through practice.  Just like an athlete gets better and better with practice, so shall we, the Body of Christ, become better at releasing the “light”, the power of God, as we practice it day by day.  My prayer is that our “inner man” will become one with God, walking and talking with Him.  Our actions and reactions will flow from an automatic “inner man” liken unto the Son of the Living God.

Blessings,

Alan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing the 66th UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2011.

Ladies and gentlemen, Israel has extended its hand in peace from the moment it was established 63 years ago. On behalf of Israel and the Jewish people, I extend that hand again today. I extend it to the people of Egypt and Jordan, with renewed friendship for neighbors with whom we have made peace. I extend it to the people of Turkey, with respect and good will. I extend it to the people of Libya and Tunisia, with admiration for those trying to build a democratic future. I extend it to the other peoples of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with whom we want to forge a new beginning. I extend it to the people of Syria, Lebanon and Iran, with awe at the courage of those fighting brutal repression.

But most especially, I extend my hand to the Palestinian people, with whom we seek a just and lasting peace.

Ladies and gentlemen, in Israel our hope for peace never wanes. Our scientists, doctors, innovators, apply their genius to improve the world of tomorrow. Our artists, our writers, enrich the heritage of humanity. Now, I know that this is not exactly the image of Israel that is often portrayed in this hall. After all, it was here in 1975 that the age-old yearning of my people to restore our national life in our ancient biblical homeland -- it was then that this was braided -- branded, rather -- shamefully, as racism. And it was here in 1980, right here, that the historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt wasn't praised; it was denounced! And it's here year after year that Israel is unjustly singled out for condemnation. It's singled out for condemnation more often than all the nations of the world combined. Twenty-one out of the 27 General Assembly resolutions condemn Israel -- the one true democracy in the Middle East.

Well, this is an unfortunate part of the UN institution. It's the -- the theater of the absurd. It doesn't only cast Israel as the villain; it often casts real villains in leading roles: Gadhafi's Libya chaired the UN Commission on Human Rights; Saddam's Iraq headed the UN Committee on Disarmament.

You might say: That's the past. Well, here's what's happening now -- right now, today. Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon now presides over the UN Security Council. This means, in effect, that a terror organization presides over the body entrusted with guaranteeing the world's security.

You couldn't make this thing up.

So here in the UN, automatic majorities can decide anything. They can decide that the sun sets in the west or rises in the west. I think the first has already been pre-ordained. But they can also decide -- they have decided that the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest place, is occupied Palestinian territory.

And yet even here in the General Assembly, the truth can sometimes break through. In 1984 when I was appointed Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, I visited the great rabbi of Lubavich. He said to me -- and ladies and gentlemen, I don't want any of you to be offended because from personal experience of serving here, I know there are many honorable men and women, many capable and decent people serving their nations here. But here's what the rebbe said to me. He said to me, you'll be serving in a house of many lies. And then he said, remember that even in the darkest place, the light of a single candle can be seen far and wide.

Today I hope that the light of truth will shine, if only for a few minutes, in a hall that for too long has been a place of darkness for my country. So as Israel's prime minister, I didn't come here to win applause. I came here to speak the truth. (Cheers, applause.) The truth is -- the truth is that Israel wants peace. The truth is that I want peace. The truth is that in the Middle East at all times, but especially during these turbulent days, peace must be anchored in security. The truth is that we cannot achieve peace through UN resolutions, but only through direct negotiations between the parties. The truth is that so far the Palestinians have refused to negotiate. The truth is that Israel wants peace with a Palestinian state, but the Palestinians want a state without peace. And the truth is you shouldn't let that happen.

Ladies and gentlemen, when I first came here 27 years ago, the world was divided between East and West. Since then the Cold War ended, great civilizations have risen from centuries of slumber, hundreds of millions have been lifted out of poverty, countless more are poised to follow, and the remarkable thing is that so far this monumental historic shift has largely occurred peacefully. Yet a malignancy is now growing between East and West that threatens the peace of all. It seeks not to liberate, but to enslave, not to build, but to destroy.

That malignancy is militant Islam. It cloaks itself in the mantle of a great faith, yet it murders Jews, Christians and Muslims alike with unforgiving impartiality. On September 11th it killed thousands of Americans, and it left the twin towers in smoldering ruins. Last night I laid a wreath on the 9/11 memorial. It was deeply moving. But as I was going there, one thing echoed in my mind: the outrageous words of the president of Iran on this podium yesterday. He implied that 9/11 was an American conspiracy. Some of you left this hall. All of you should have. (Applause.)

Since 9/11, militant Islamists slaughtered countless other innocents -- in London and Madrid, in Baghdad and Mumbai, in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, in every part of Israel. I believe that the greatest danger facing our world is that this fanaticism will arm itself with nuclear weapons. And this is precisely what Iran is trying to do.

Can you imagine that man who ranted here yesterday -- can you imagine him armed with nuclear weapons? The international community must stop Iran before it's too late. If Iran is not stopped, we will all face the specter of nuclear terrorism, and the Arab Spring could soon become an Iranian winter. That would be a tragedy. Millions of Arabs have taken to the streets to replace tyranny with liberty, and no one would benefit more than Israel if those committed to freedom and peace would prevail.

This is my fervent hope. But as the prime minister of Israel, I cannot risk the future of the Jewish state on wishful thinking. Leaders must see reality as it is, not as it ought to be. We must do our best to shape the future, but we cannot wish away the dangers of the present.

And the world around Israel is definitely becoming more dangerous. Militant Islam has already taken over Lebanon and Gaza. It's determined to tear apart the peace treaties between Israel and Egypt and between Israel and Jordan. It's poisoned many Arab minds against Jews and Israel, against America and the West. It opposes not the policies of Israel but the existence of Israel.

Now, some argue that the spread of militant Islam, especially in these turbulent times -- if you want to slow it down, they argue, Israel must hurry to make concessions, to make territorial compromises. And this theory sounds simple. Basically it goes like this: Leave the territory, and peace will be advanced. The moderates will be strengthened, the radicals will be kept at bay. And don't worry about the pesky details of how Israel will actually defend itself; international troops will do the job.

These people say to me constantly: Just make a sweeping offer, and everything will work out. You know, there's only one problem with that theory. We've tried it and it hasn't worked. In 2000 Israel made a sweeping peace offer that met virtually all of the Palestinian demands. Arafat rejected it. The Palestinians then launched a terror attack that claimed a thousand Israeli lives.

Prime Minister Olmert afterwards made an even more sweeping offer, in 2008. President Abbas didn't even respond to it.

But Israel did more than just make sweeping offers. We actually left territory. We withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 and from every square inch of Gaza in 2005. That didn't calm the Islamic storm, the militant Islamic storm that threatens us. It only brought the storm closer and make it stronger.

Hezbollah and Hamas fired thousands of rockets against our cities from the very territories we vacated. See, when Israel left Lebanon and Gaza, the moderates didn't defeat the radicals, the moderates were devoured by the radicals. And I regret to say that international troops like UNIFIL in Lebanon and UBAM (ph) in Gaza didn't stop the radicals from attacking Israel.

We left Gaza hoping for peace.

We didn't freeze the settlements in Gaza, we uprooted them. We did exactly what the theory says: Get out, go back to the 1967 borders, dismantle the settlements.

And I don't think people remember how far we went to achieve this. We uprooted thousands of people from their homes. We pulled children out of -- out of their schools and their kindergartens. We bulldozed synagogues. We even -- we even moved loved ones from their graves. And then, having done all that, we gave the keys of Gaza to President Abbas.

Now the theory says it should all work out, and President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority now could build a peaceful state in Gaza. You can remember that the entire world applauded. They applauded our withdrawal as an act of great statesmanship. It was a bold act of peace.

But ladies and gentlemen, we didn't get peace. We got war. We got Iran, which through its proxy Hamas promptly kicked out the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority collapsed in a day -- in one day.

President Abbas just said on this podium that the Palestinians are armed only with their hopes and dreams. Yeah, hopes, dreams and 10,000 missiles and Grad rockets supplied by Iran, not to mention the river of lethal weapons now flowing into Gaza from the Sinai, from Libya, and from elsewhere.

Thousands of missiles have already rained down on our cities. So you might understand that, given all this, Israelis rightly ask: What's to prevent this from happening again in the West Bank? See, most of our major cities in the south of the country are within a few dozen kilometers from Gaza. But in the center of the country, opposite the West Bank, our cities are a few hundred meters or at most a few kilometers away from the edge of the West Bank.

So I want to ask you. Would any of you -- would any of you bring danger so close to your cities, to your families? Would you act so recklessly with the lives of your citizens? Israel is prepared to have a Palestinian state in the West Bank, but we're not prepared to have another Gaza there. And that's why we need to have real security arrangements, which the Palestinians simply refuse to negotiate with us.

Israelis remember the bitter lessons of Gaza. Many of Israel's critics ignore them. They irresponsibly advise Israel to go down this same perilous path again. Your read what these people say and it's as if nothing happened -- just repeating the same advice, the same formulas as though none of this happened.

And these critics continue to press Israel to make far-reaching concessions without first assuring Israel's security. They praise those who unwittingly feed the insatiable crocodile of militant Islam as bold statesmen. They cast as enemies of peace those of us who insist that we must first erect a sturdy barrier to keep the crocodile out, or at the very least jam an iron bar between its gaping jaws.

So in the face of the labels and the libels, Israel must heed better advice. Better a bad press than a good eulogy, and better still would be a fair press whose sense of history extends beyond breakfast, and which recognizes Israel's legitimate security concerns.

I believe that in serious peace negotiations, these needs and concerns can be properly addressed, but they will not be addressed without negotiations. And the needs are many, because Israel is such a tiny country. Without Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, Israel is all of 9 miles wide.

I want to put it for you in perspective, because you're all in the city. That's about two-thirds the length of Manhattan. It's the distance between Battery Park and Columbia University. And don't forget that the people who live in Brooklyn and New Jersey are considerably nicer than some of Israel's neighbors.

So how do you -- how do you protect such a tiny country, surrounded by people sworn to its destruction and armed to the teeth by Iran? Obviously you can't defend it from within that narrow space alone. Israel needs greater strategic depth, and that's exactly why Security Council Resolution 242 didn't require Israel to leave all the territories it captured in the Six-Day War. It talked about withdrawal from territories, to secure and defensible boundaries. And to defend itself, Israel must therefore maintain a long-term Israeli military presence in critical strategic areas in the West Bank.

I explained this to President Abbas. He answered that if a Palestinian state was to be a sovereign country, it could never accept such arrangements. Why not? America has had troops in Japan, Germany and South Korea for more than a half a century. Britain has had an airspace in Cyprus or rather an air base in Cyprus. France has forces in three independent African nations. None of these states claim that they're not sovereign countries.

And there are many other vital security issues that also must be addressed. Take the issue of airspace. Again, Israel's small dimensions create huge security problems. America can be crossed by jet airplane in six hours. To fly across Israel, it takes three minutes. So is Israel's tiny airspace to be chopped in half and given to a Palestinian state not at peace with Israel?

Our major international airport is a few kilometers away from the West Bank. Without peace, will our planes become targets for antiaircraft missiles placed in the adjacent Palestinian state? And how will we stop the smuggling into the West Bank? It's not merely the West Bank, it's the West Bank mountains. It just dominates the coastal plain where most of Israel's population sits below. How could we prevent the smuggling into these mountains of those missiles that could be fired on our cities?

I bring up these problems because they're not theoretical problems. They're very real. And for Israelis, they're life-and- death matters. All these potential cracks in Israel's security have to be sealed in a peace agreement before a Palestinian state is declared, not afterwards, because if you leave it afterwards, they won't be sealed. And these problems will explode in our face and explode the peace.

The Palestinians should first make peace with Israel and then get their state. But I also want to tell you this. After such a peace agreement is signed, Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian state as a new member of the United Nations. We will be the first. (Applause.)

And there's one more thing. Hamas has been violating international law by holding our soldier Gilad Shalit captive for five years.

They haven't given even one Red Cross visit. He's held in a dungeon, in darkness, against all international norms. Gilad Shalit is the son of Aviva and Noam Shalit. He is the grandson of Zvi Shalit, who escaped the Holocaust by coming to the -- in the 1930s as a boy to the land of Israel. Gilad Shalit is the son of every Israeli family. Every nation represented here should demand his immediate release. (Applause.) If you want to -- if you want to pass a resolution about the Middle East today, that's the resolution you should pass. (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, last year in Israel in Bar-Ilan University, this year in the Knesset and in the U.S. Congress, I laid out my vision for peace in which a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the Jewish state. Yes, the Jewish state. After all, this is the body that recognized the Jewish state 64 years ago. Now, don't you think it's about time that Palestinians did the same?

The Jewish state of Israel will always protect the rights of all its minorities, including the more than 1 million Arab citizens of Israel. I wish I could say the same thing about a future Palestinian state, for as Palestinian officials made clear the other day -- in fact, I think they made it right here in New York -- they said the Palestinian state won't allow any Jews in it. They'll be Jew-free -- Judenrein. That's ethnic cleansing. There are laws today in Ramallah that make the selling of land to Jews punishable by death. That's racism. And you know which laws this evokes.

Israel has no intention whatsoever to change the democratic character of our state. We just don't want the Palestinians to try to change the Jewish character of our state. (Applause.) We want to give up -- we want them to give up the fantasy of flooding Israel with millions of Palestinians.

President Abbas just stood here, and he said that the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the settlements. Well, that's odd. Our conflict has been raging for -- was raging for nearly half a century before there was a single Israeli settlement in the West Bank. So if what President Abbas is saying was true, then the -- I guess that the settlements he's talking about are Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jaffa, Be'er Sheva. Maybe that's what he meant the other day when he said that Israel has been occupying Palestinian land for 63 years. He didn't say from 1967; he said from 1948. I hope somebody will bother to ask him this question because it illustrates a simple truth: The core of the conflict is not the settlements. The settlements are a result of the conflict. (Applause.)

The settlements have to be -- it's an issue that has to be addressed and resolved in the course of negotiations. But the core of the conflict has always been and unfortunately remains the refusal of the Palestinians to recognize a Jewish state in any border.

I think it's time that the Palestinian leadership recognizes what every serious international leader has recognized, from Lord Balfour and Lloyd George in 1917, to President Truman in 1948, to President Obama just two days ago right here: Israel is the Jewish state. (Applause.)

President Abbas, stop walking around this issue. Recognize the Jewish state, and make peace with us. In such a genuine peace, Israel is prepared to make painful compromises. We believe that the Palestinians should be neither the citizens of Israel nor its subjects. They should live in a free state of their own. But they should be ready, like us, for compromise. And we will know that they're ready for compromise and for peace when they start taking Israel's security requirements seriously and when they stop denying our historical connection to our ancient homeland.

I often hear them accuse Israel of Judaizing Jerusalem. That's like accusing America of Americanizing Washington, or the British of Anglicizing London. You know why we're called "Jews"? Because we come from Judea.

In my office in Jerusalem, there's a -- there's an ancient seal. It's a signet ring of a Jewish official from the time of the Bible. The seal was found right next to the Western Wall, and it dates back 2,700 years, to the time of King Hezekiah. Now, there's a name of the Jewish official inscribed on the ring in Hebrew. His name was Netanyahu. That's my last name. My first name, Benjamin, dates back a thousand years earlier to Benjamin -- Binyamin -- the son of Jacob, who was also known as Israel. Jacob and his 12 sons roamed these same hills of Judea and Sumeria 4,000 years ago, and there's been a continuous Jewish presence in the land ever since.

And for those Jews who were exiled from our land, they never stopped dreaming of coming back: Jews in Spain, on the eve of their expulsion; Jews in the Ukraine, fleeing the pogroms; Jews fighting the Warsaw Ghetto, as the Nazis were circling around it. They never stopped praying, they never stopped yearning. They whispered: Next year in Jerusalem. Next year in the promised land.

As the prime minister of Israel, I speak for a hundred generations of Jews who were dispersed throughout the lands, who suffered every evil under the Sun, but who never gave up hope of restoring their national life in the one and only Jewish state.

Ladies and gentlemen, I continue to hope that President Abbas will be my partner in peace. I've worked hard to advance that peace. The day I came into office, I called for direct negotiations without preconditions. President Abbas didn't respond. I outlined a vision of peace of two states for two peoples. He still didn't respond. I removed hundreds of roadblocks and checkpoints, to ease freedom of movement in the Palestinian areas; this facilitated a fantastic growth in the Palestinian economy. But again -- no response. I took the unprecedented step of freezing new buildings in the settlements for 10 months. No prime minister did that before, ever. (Scattered applause.) Once again -- you applaud, but there was no response. No response.

In the last few weeks, American officials have put forward ideas to restart peace talks. There were things in those ideas about borders that I didn't like. There were things there about the Jewish state that I'm sure the Palestinians didn't like.

But with all my reservations, I was willing to move forward on these American ideas.

President Abbas, why don't you join me? We have to stop negotiating about the negotiations. Let's just get on with it. Let's negotiate peace.

I spent years defending Israel on the battlefield. I spent decades defending Israel in the court of public opinion. President Abbas, you've dedicated your life to advancing the Palestinian cause. Must this conflict continue for generations, or will we enable our children and our grandchildren to speak in years ahead of how we found a way to end it? That's what we should aim for, and that's what I believe we can achieve.

In two and a half years, we met in Jerusalem only once, even though my door has always been open to you. If you wish, I'll come to Ramallah. Actually, I have a better suggestion. We've both just flown thousands of miles to New York. Now we're in the same city. We're in the same building. So let's meet here today in the United Nations. Who's there to stop us? What is there to stop us? If we genuinely want peace, what is there to stop us from meeting today and beginning peace negotiations?

And I suggest we talk openly and honestly. Let's listen to one another. Let's do as we say in the Middle East: Let's talk "doogri". That means straightforward. I'll tell you my needs and concerns. You'll tell me yours. And with God's help, we'll find the common ground of peace.

There's an old Arab saying that you cannot applaud with one hand. Well, the same is true of peace. I cannot make peace alone. I cannot make peace without you. President Abbas, I extend my hand -- the hand of Israel -- in peace. I hope that you will grasp that hand. We are both the sons of Abraham. My people call him Avraham. Your people call him Ibrahim. We share the same patriarch. We dwell in the same land. Our destinies are intertwined. Let us realize the vision of Isaiah -- (speaks in Hebrew) -- "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light." Let that light be the light of peace.

Perceptions, Cynicism: A Deceptive Perception

By: Alan Smith

• Gal. 6:2-4: Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  Each one should test his own actions.

Cynicism, what a word!  How could this possibly be a problem, you might ask?  I thought being “cynical” was just a word for people who are not like me?  Let’s take a closer look at this word, because in my studies, I am finding that this is a spiritual disease.  A person who has allowed “cynicism” to be part of his/her “perceptions” is a person that will soon be divided from church, family, and friends.  Pretty strong statement, huh?  I believe when this spiritual disease invades a person’s mind that his/her spiritual man becomes sick and will eventually die!  Did you know that when “cynicism” has been introduced into your thoughts, your perceptions have been invaded by the powers of darkness?  Here is the definition of the word “cynicism”.

• Cynicism: An attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others.

Have you ever let your thoughts run wild, seeing only what is wrong with every thing?  Perhaps it has been more subtle than this for you.  Maybe you started out just trying to help some one in trouble, but then began to see yourself as the “great, wise one”.  Or maybe you have told yourself that your gift of discernment is kicking in when you have seen “hidden motives” in other people?  Remember, there is a very fine line between having “discernment” and being “cynical”.  Again, I believe being cynical is the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone.  The danger and destruction of this spiritual disease is staggering; and spiritually, it is deadly.  Most of the time, you do not even know you are doing it.  One of the problems with this deadly “perception” is that you believe it is the Holy Spirit giving you this internal prophetic information; when actually it is a projection from the dark side of your own heart.

Let’s do a brief history lesson on the origin of this word, cynical.  In ancient Greece there was a group founded by Antisthenes called Cynics, and cynicism was their philosophy.  Their belief system was built around the “perception” of neglecting anything that was not furthering their perfection of virtue.  Therefore, they considered themselves the chief judges in the matters of human behavior.  These Cynics were very intelligent and were even sought out for judgment about certain matters.  They perfected the art of “criticism” and used “sarcasm” as part of their language of communicating their beliefs.  One of their trademarks was that of ridiculing the behavior and motives of others.  As time progressed the Cynics sold their homes and all of their possessions.  Their “perception” was that all of these “things” were against “virtue” and were ultimately bad.  They believed in their philosophy of religion, which was cynicism, to the extent of neglecting personal hygiene, family obligations, and society.  Ultimately, they believed they were “happy” because every thing around them was bad, except for their perfect way of thinking.  Their “perceptions” of cynicism caused them to become isolated from every one around them, and therefore, singled them out of society.  The term “Cynics” is actually derived from the Greek word “kuon”.  In English the word is “dog”.  This word was given to Cynics because they ultimately lived like dogs in the outskirts of Rome.  Nearly 2000 years later, writers such as Shakespeare and Swift used heavy sarcasm and satire to ridicule human behavior, thus reviving cynicism into human culture.

I’m sure you may be wondering at this point how you can know if you have been infected by this spiritual disease?  First of all, you must understand that this disease or “spiritual destroyer” must have a place where it attaches itself and grows.  This place within you is “pride”, and pride is the fertile ground of this “fatal disease”.  Cynicism will take root and grow at a rapid pace in a perfect environment of pride.  It is a spiritual disease that must first seduce and then deceive its carrier.  How can you know if you have allowed this to happen?  You can know if you stop “carrying each others burdens” and start thinking too highly of yourself.  This disease is “pride” on steroids.  Christ has called us to help, and not to condemn one another.  Let’s explore cynicism further to see how it evolves within our thinking.

I believe there are 4 stages to the disease of cynicism.  Below, I have listed these stages of development.

Stage one of this fatal disease is “hopelessness”.  Cynicism starts taking over when “hope” begins to diminish.  Diminishing hope is “bate” on a spiritual hook.  Satan’s attack is to discourage you, because he knows when you are discouraged you are a candidate for his religion and philosophy of “cynicism”.  In this stage you will lose hope in your friends, family, and the church of Jesus Christ.  As imperfect as we all are, we are still to love each other in our imperfections, for we are looking unto that day that we will all be like Him.

• 1 John 3:2-3: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him , for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Hope in Him, and not in every thing that is wrong with every one, purifies your “thoughts” and helps create fresh perceptions that are full of fresh ideas of life and not of death.

Stage two of this false religion is “criticism”.  When you become better at “criticizing” than loving the unlovable, you know that you have started this journey of deceiving yourself.  This deceptive road is a very lonely road.  The further down this path you go, the less people you see traveling with you; thus creating a spirit of fear and loneliness.  For some reason you will say to yourself, “I feel the best I have ever felt in my entire life and I have never thought more clearly”.  However, deep inside, you feel alone, scared, tired, and very unhappy.  What a deception!  This “criticism” will cause you to bear a false witness in your heart against the ones you once loved and respected.  You have now not only taken the bait, but you have begun to swallow the hook.

• Exodus 20:16: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Stage three of this deadly spiritual disease is feeling very “intellectual”.  The further from the Spirit of God you get, the smarter you think you have become; only making it harder for the truth of God to invade your thoughts and change your perceptions.  This deceptive, lonely road has been paved with stones of pride laid by your very own intelligence.

• Gal. 6:3: If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Stage four is the stage of death.  The bait has been taken, swallowed, and now the hook has been set.  Your thoughts have been taken captive by the evil one.  When you have been fully captured by this false religion, you have lost “faith” in the things that once had tremendous spiritual value to you.  You can be certain that your “faith” has been robbed from you when this evil perception starts living in you.  This is the weapon of Satan to stop spiritual revival within you.  This type of thinking seems right, but it brings death to your soul and spirit.  This capturing of your thoughts is the most deceiving weapon upon the Christian church.  It is a subtle spiritual virus that will invade your perceptions, thus changing your realities into ones of dividing you from the Body of Jesus Christ and others.  It also prevents any harmony in your life.  Let’s once again consider this scripture.

• Gal. 6:2-4: Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  Each one should test his own actions.

My prayer is for each one of us to identify this scheme of the dark side and to not participate in any of its activity.  Each one of us must test our own actions to see if they are truly in harmony with the Kingdom of God.

Blessings,

Alan

The Four Winds,

The Sounding Trumpets, The Big Horns, and The Word

Chapter 3

By: Alan Smith

Trumpets: trumpets everywhere began to come forth from the heavens and rest upon the lips of some of the angels.  What an incredible sight to behold!  I could not understand why every angel did not have a trumpet in which to blow; but I just kept watching as the mystery unfolded.  There were trumpets of silver and of gold, each having a distinct shape which produced its own individual sound.  They also reflected, like that of the swords and shields, a light that intensified as the sounds they projected grew louder and louder.  Sounds: what unbelievable sounds came from the trumpets!  They were sounds of authority and direction.  I could not help but notice the notes as they came to attention when certain sounds came from them.  I could feel the presence of these sounding winds upon my face as I gazed in their direction.

“You must hurry; blow winds blow,” I heard the voice from behind me say.  Suddenly, the winds upon my face grew stronger and stronger.  I thought I would fall under their intense presence.  Sounds of light penetrated every part of my entire being.  My whole body grew transparent as the sounds of light entered in.  I knew at this point, that everyone in this heavenly host could see through me.  “Breathe in the sounds of the winds,” I heard the voice say.  “For when you do, you will become transparent before us and you will fly.”  When the sounds of the winds left the ends of the trumpets, they were round in their spiritual glory, but then became humble and began to flatten themselves as if to be a covering or a carpet.  The winds that the trumpets created were like little spiritual flying carpets, upon which the treble clef notes were riding toward their destination of planet earth.  I had not seen the spiritual carpets all of this time.  It was only now that I had eyes to see this part of the revelation of the Four Winds.

“Is this thunder?” I asked myself.  “My whole body is vibrating.  I am shaking from within.”  This vibration stimulated my spirit and soul and created a cadence deep within me.  As this new vibration took over my being, it produced a flutter deep within my soul.  I felt the depth of the flutter within me, and I also felt a sensation of many waters enter my being.  I then saw brass instruments, much larger than the trumpets, coming from the west.  The brass instruments moved more slowly and there were not as many of them as there were the trumpets; but they were huge.  I then noticed a few of the angels lowering themselves before these big horns, as if to bow.  What a sight to behold!  As they bowed before the big horns, the horns slipped over the heads of the angels almost becoming part of them.  The angels then blew into the mouth piece of the big horns and sounds began to come forth.  I wondered what sounds these could be.  What was their purpose?  They were so deep and wide as their sounds sent peace and safety throughout the heavens.  The vibrations of the big horns were flat in appearance and much bigger than those of the trumpets.  Their thunderous vibrations were much lower than the trumpet sounds and were not as piercing as they shook the heavens and all that were in it.

As sounds proceeded from these tremendous instruments, another angel moved beside the big horns and raised its sword and was swinging it back and forth as the voice from behind it gave instructions.  “Swing now,” the voice said.  When the voice gave the command, the angel moved the sword right in front of the big horn and the sounds proceeding were then cut into measures of vibrations.  These vibrations then produced other flying carpets with much depth and width.  These vibrations were not as fast as the others, but were needed when the “Symphony of Praise” would be gathered on earth.  Somehow, I knew that these sounds would be the foundation upon which all others notes would build.

I looked with amazement as the bass clef notes boarded the magnificent flying carpets of the big horns.  “All aboard, all aboard,” I heard the musical voices of the carpets say.  “We must hurry for the treble clef notes are waiting.”  Then the voice from behind me, with a thunderous applause from the notes, called the “Word” forward to commission the notes on their earthly journey.  Oh my, I could not believe what I was seeing.  I could feel the presence and power of the Word before His arrival.  All of the notes, along with me, began to vibrate with this anticipation of the Word.  “He is coming, He is coming,” I could hear the notes say.  Then they shouted, “Can you hear Him?  Can you hear Him?”  As I turned, I began to see an object appear in the far distant part of the heavens.  I heard the faint sound of horse hoofs, as though they were beating a drum.  The cadence was that of royalty entering this enormous congregation of sound.  I could just barely see the imprint of a horse and rider as He was approaching.  I felt He was already among us, even though I could see Him far away.  I could not understand my experience, for He was with me and He was coming for me all at the same time.  When I tried to understand it with my mind, the experience would turn to black and white with no life or color and it would leave me confused.  I started to lose hope when I used my mind to see.  But when I viewed it through my spirit, the experience turned into a full color production of the heavens and all hope returned.

His tangible presence came closer and closer.  The brightness of His coming was blinding to the soul but illuminating to the spirit.  The reflections of the trumpets, big horns, and shields gave strength and power to the notes as the “lights” of His presence entered them.  The more light they received, the greater the vibrations.  I had not noticed before, but as the notes were being empowered by the light, you could see their color intensify.  I somehow knew that the intensity of their color determined how much light and life they had stored within them.  “More Lord; more Lord,” I heard the angels say to the Lord at His appearing.  “Give them more, for they will need it for the great Symphony of Praise.”  The Word: I see Him, and I could also feel Him in the deepest part of my being.  The lights that projected from His presence were just incredible, for they were like swords of fire.  They were every color that could be imagined as they shone in the heavens.  They illuminated and penetrated the treble clef notes, the bass clef notes. and the flying carpets.

I never heard the Word speak audibly.  He just seemed to speak with His eyes.  He would look and somehow you knew what He was saying.  He then turned and looked toward the heavens.  Once again, I began vibrating and started looking transparent.  As I did, I felt a floating sensation and began to fly.

The Four Winds,

Musical Notes from Heaven

Chapter 2

By: Alan Smith

As I looked around, I saw more notes coming from the heavens.  I could see them, though very small, coming in droves.  Hundreds, thousands, millions, billions; it began to look like multiple trillions of notes emerging from the heavens.  Their colors were almost blinding as their lights shown against the black background of the heavens.  The blues were so blue and the reds were intensifying as the notes approached the earth.  All of the multiple colors of the notes were unbelievably brilliant as they raced to their final destinations.  All of a sudden, as I gazed into the heavens, I saw a great hoard of “angels”, dressed as if ready for battle.  They projected a vibration of life from their countenance that resonated in my spirit.  I felt such peace and love as I gazed upon this vast army in the heavens.  What a feeling; what a sight to behold!

I then began to notice all around the angels, silhouettes of other spiritual beings.  The “silhouettes” were also creating sounds; but they had no notes coming from them, only a vibration and the smell of something bitter.  These smells could not travel very fast at all, but instead, caught the spiritual draft that was created by the “wings of fire” as they traveled toward the earth.  All of the sounds from the “silhouettes” were dissonant and out of harmony.  Their vibrations were chaotic and out of rhythm.  They ran into each other and bounced around, seeming to have no direction at all.  They could barely organize themselves; only enough to create this awful smell of dissonant disunity.  I noticed the “silhouettes” had an intoxicating effect on my spiritual eyes as I continued to focus on them.  For some unidentified reason, I was drawn to them even though the smell was almost unbearable.   Their independence touched something deep within.  They sent me a vibration that caused me to feel puffed up, but also very empty.  The more I focused on them, the more of them I could see and smell.  The image of the angels was beginning to fade as the “silhouettes” captured my attention.  I knew I was being sucked into a darkness where there were no notes being created.  I began to cry out to the heavens with a loud voice, “Fill me; fill me once again with the notes from heaven.  Please fill me oh God, with Your sound, so I may see Your heavenly host and feel Your presence.”

I heard “the voice” from behind me once again as He said, “Open your mouth and let the wings of fire come.  Open wide my friend; open wide and breathe deeply once again.  Hurry, hurry for there isn’t much time.”  I opened my mouth and began to take a deep breath.  I inhaled until I thought I was going to burst.  Once I started the breathing process, the wind then took over the project of my “being filled”.  “More wind, more wind,” I could hear the voice say.  “Fill him; fill him once again.”  I could not see them, but could sense the notes entering my mouth by the droves.

All of a sudden, I began to float again.  “There they are,” I said with much joy.  First I saw the notes and then I saw the angels.  I saw them materializing again right before my eyes.  The angels and notes were there all the time, I only needed eyes to see and ears to hear.  As I focused on the vast army, it began to capture my attention.  The sounds drew me closer and closer to the angels, for I knew that was the place from where these sounds were coming.  As I drew closer, the notes were coming from everywhere: from the north, south, east, and west, notes and more notes were headed toward the earth.  I could not believe what I was seeing, so many notes and so many colors.  There was a reflection of light that began to shine from the angels.  The angels had armor of gold and silver with designs of passed victories stamped within them.  In their right hand they had a sword and in the left hand a shield.  The shield was the most unusual thing I had ever seen.  Stamped within these shields were musical instruments such as the harp, cymbals, bow instruments, and the flute.  I then saw the vast army of angels raising their swords.  I also saw musical instruments etched on the blade and handle of this mighty weapon of warfare.

As their swords were raised, I saw treble clef notes emerge from their tips in bursts of light.  These notes were red and blue in color: just red and blue.  They alternated: first the red and then two blue.  Over and over they emerged.  The red ones grew the “wings of fire”.  As these wings grew, they went faster and faster.  I then noticed that the red ones caught the blue ones by the hand.  A red one was in the middle of two blue ones as they made their way toward earth.  The sounds they made pierced my ears.  They pierced through the heavens, dividing the spiritual winds.  They divided the winds of darkness from the winds of light, and the colors of the notes of the treble clef intensified as the winds of light penetrated each one of them.

I then heard a voice from behind me say, “This is the second wind and it is greater than the first.”  Suddenly, the angels lowered their swords and looked at their shields.  They took their swords and began to hit their shields like striking a cymbal.  As their shields were struck, bass clef notes emerged from the realm around the shield.  Their sounds were lower than the notes of the sword, but they were released by the sword just the same. These notes created a cadence in the heavens, which was a vibration, and this cadence completed the banner of the “symphony of praise”.  These banners were placed on top of some of the notes as they passed by the angels; and they waved in the winds as the notes practiced their flying lessons.  At first I saw a single note with a banner attached, and then there were two and even three notes attaching themselves to one banner.  “Practice, practice”, I heard the angels say to the notes.  “You have only a few minutes until you begin your journey to the earth.”  As the notes practiced, they became brighter and brighter, reflecting this glorious multicolored light of life.  Then I heard a tinkling cymbal in the background begin to ring out over all the other sounds.  It was a simple sound, but one with much authority.  The voice from behind then said, “The announcement is about to be made.”  “What announcement?” I wondered.  “The trumpets are here! The trumpets are here,” I heard the angels say.  “Hurry, hurry everyone, for the notes of the “symphony of praise” are being commissioned.”

The Four Winds

Chapter 1

By: Alan Smith

Ezekiel 37:1-10: The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.  He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.  He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."  Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!  This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.  I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.  Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"  So I prophesied as I was commanded.  And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.  I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.  Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'"  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army. (NIV)

Do you need a breath of fresh air?  Do you feel slain and beaten down?  Were you once part of the active army of God, but are now feeling like you have lost your zeal for the spiritual battles?  I believe the dry bones are being called forth from all over the face of the earth for the final spiritual battle of the ages.  Spiritually, you may feel like you are just skin and bones; but get ready, for life is coming once again.  Set your face to the heavens for the Four Winds of God are beginning to blow upon the earth.  Let me share with you a prophetic experience I had.

I first sensed a faint sound in the spirit, of wind blowing gently in the trees.  The sensing was faint, but the wind that accompanied it was refreshing as it blew upon my face.  It felt as though “life” was being blown into my mouth.  It was gentle, but it was so refreshing.  Like a drink of cold water on a hot and dry day; not as a liquid but as wind from heaven.  As I looked around, I could see the earth from a heavenly view.  It was beautiful with all its colors brightly shining in the vastness of the heavens.  It was so blue with spots of white clouds decorating its face; moving across it as if to say, “I am living, just watch and listen.”  There was dead silence, but I could sense the sound of wind.  I could not hear it, but I could sense it coming.  I had a knowing deep down within me.  The anticipation of its coming was overwhelming to me.  I looked at the earth and then projected my face toward the open heavens.  I looked at the earth, and then back to the heavens.  I could feel something down inside of me begin to stir.  I felt like crying and laughing all at once.  Every emotion was stirring in me at the same time.  I looked at the earth and began to cry and pray and could once again sense the wind coming.  I turned and looked at the heavens, and with the presence of the wind, I could feel heat on my face.  All of a sudden the light began to appear.  This light was not from the sun, but from the heavens.  It became brighter and brighter as I gazed toward the heavens.  I then turned to the earth.  As I did, I noticed I had no tears, but instead, a knowing: a knowing that God was going to blow life back into the dry bones of His vast army.  No more tears of sadness, but instead, joy began to fill my face.  My praying then changed from a petition to a calling: a calling out to the dry bones.  Before I spoke to the earth, I took in a deep breath of air.  This breath of air was the deepest breath I had ever taken.  I inhaled for the longest time.  It seemed like I would never stop inhaling.  As I inhaled, I felt the wind begin to blow upon my face.  The more I inhaled, the stronger the winds blew.  As my lungs filled with this wind from heaven, they began to burn as though a fire had entered within.

The wind blew so strongly that I felt I must open my mouth to let more of it into my being.  As I did, I felt myself begin to float.  I was floating around the earth.  I could see the continents with their mountains and rivers.  They were so beautiful.  I heard sounds coming from the continents as though they were calling out for life.  There were groanings and callings.  I then sang to the continents as I passed by them.  Notes of music came out of my mouth.  I saw them before I heard them.  I saw the notes flying from my mouth.  They had wings of fire upon them as they traveled on the journey to the earth.  I kept singing, and the more I sang, the more notes came from my mouth.  The notes were very small at first, but then grew as they headed toward the earth.  As they entered the atmosphere, the wings of flames of fire grew hotter and hotter.  The notes then began to take each other by the hand as they soared through the air.  I would see some in groups of twos and others in threes.  They hit the earth and I saw an explosion upon the face of the earth.  I noticed that every continent took a hit at exactly the same time.  Not one was more special than another.  The notes divided themselves equally around the earth and began to hit the earth in a rhythm.  As they hit the earth and exploded, a sound was created that began to shake all that could be shaken.  I saw people upon the earth running to find the notes.  I heard a voice behind me say, “Open your mouths and let the notes go deep within.”  Some of the notes hit the ground and exploded and others went within the mouths of people.  Some people were standing around looking up to the heavens with their mouths open, like new born birds within their nest just waiting for the next meal.  The notes that hit the ground went only inches beneath the soil and sprouted into beautiful flowers.  These flowers brought beauty to the earth and a fragrance that was heavenly.  There were red ones, yellow ones, and even black and white ones; some with two colors and some with three mixed within them.  I saw every color that could be imagined.  I knew the flowers were the people upon each continent and that God had planted all of them.

The notes that entered the mouths of the people went deep within them and sprouted.  As they sprouted, they rushed to find an opening in which to exit and be heard.  These notes were not seen as the flowers, but were heard only by those that had ears to hear.  As the people opened their mouths, the notes emerged with the sounds of heaven.  As they emerged, the wings of fire were upon them once again.  Some of the notes with wings of fire flew and looked for another mouth that was open.  They entered them, went deep within, and sprouted once again.  Other notes with wings of fire flew back into the heavens as if they were going home.  I then heard a voice behind me say: “These that have their mouths open are being nourished and are my vast army.  They are to prophesy to the earth and say; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'”  They will prophesy to the earth and I will blow with my four winds.  From the north, south, east and west will the wind of heaven blow upon the face of the earth and my people will be revived.  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army.

GREETINGS FROM KENYA EAST AFRICA. REV, RON ROSS IS WELL AND WE ARE BEING BLESSED WITH HIM HERE.

From APOSTLE, RASHID O… to You
Sent Jun 28

By: Alan Smith

 Attitude of One Who Reigns

 Click here to watch video teaching.

• Rom. 5:16-17: For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (NIV)

To reign in life: what a perception!  Can you truly rule and reign over your circumstances of life?  When you look at this verse, you see that either “death” will reign or “life” will reign.  I think I would prefer life, how about you?  So how can you apprehend more life?  The scripture above shows us that more life is received by grace through believing in the life of Jesus.  His life was created by His “attitude” and His “attitude” was created by how He thought.  His “attitude” was of one who would rule over life and death: an “attitude” of a king.  A king of a heavenly country, but a king just the same.  You can see that Jesus’ “attitude” was one of ruling over heaven, earth, and His life.  He refused to think in ways that were contrary to reigning in life.  He chose to think in a creative way, a way of design.  He knew his thoughts were creative and that they set in motion the creative power of the Kingdom of heaven.  His “attitude” alone did not create; however, His “attitude” plus His “action” did.  He knew that His thoughts were to equal an action that would change the reality of the world.  He knew a secret of the spiritual world which was this: “thoughts” that equal “action” will equal changed “realities”.  This can be good realities or bad realities, and make no mistake about it: your “attitude” is your choice.  Your “attitude” will draw like “attitudes” unto you.  If you have a bad “attitude” about church or government or anything, it will draw a like, bad “attitude” unto you.  Fellowship will take place because there is a common denominator: a bad “attitude”.

On the opposite end of the spectrum on “attitude”, I am not just talking about having a good “attitude” either.  I am talking about an “attitude” of one who reigns in life.  This is more than just a good “attitude”.  This is an “attitude” of someone who knows who they are in Christ.  This is an “attitude” of life that knows more of it is on the way.  This “attitude” will compel mountains of life to be moved in your favor.  One who reigns in life understands this spiritual phenomenon.  It is an “attitude” of faith in the Kingdom of God.  You cannot create substance, but you can draw unto yourself things that are healthy and good, which in turn will change your realities into favorable ones.  You need to understand that the “attitude” of the Kingdom of God is for you to have life and to have it more abundantly.  Again, “attitude” is a choice and you must make this choice every minute of every day.

Let’s apply this concept to our own personal lives.  Before you can “reign” in life, you must prepare for what reigning will produce: an abundant life.  You must become comfortable with joy, success, and an abundance of substance in order to give to others.  You must have a mental image of yourself as one who is reigning with God, waiting to bless the earth with the substance of the Kingdom of God.  Your attitude of yourself must improve until you see yourself as one who can rule and reign.  This is not a competitive attitude, but rather, a creative one.  You are not to project your “attitude” upon others, but upon yourself.  Others will then follow your example of abundant life.  Jesus does not rule and reign with an “iron fist”; instead, he reigns in such a way that it draws you unto Him.  So it is to be with each of us.  You are to rule and reign in such a way that others will want to follow you on this “yellow brick road” unto the Kingdom of God.  It will draw others.  You cannot help it; they will just come.  When they come, they will bring blessings with them for you and for others.  In God’s economy everyone is blessed.

Do you really desire “more life”?  Well, remember, your purpose is to reign in life.  It is the testimony of the children of God.  You will reign with Him.  When you see this as your “purpose” and then add “faith” to it, you will start seeing the Kingdom of God being unveiled right before your very eyes.  You will see things that have not appeared, start appearing in the most unusual ways and places.  It is this vision of yourself that sets in motion all the creative forces of the Kingdom of God, and they are directed right at you.  God is the One who sets in motion the creative process; but it is up to you and me to understand our purpose of reigning in this process and of maintaining our faith and thankfulness.  When the blessings come, you will know where you are to distribute these blessings of the Kingdom of God.  These blessings will be substance that can be distributed: such as food, your time, jobs, money, a kind word, helping others, etc.  The substances of the blessings take on any form that might be needed by man.  God wants to bless the earth, and He wants to do it through you as you understand your purpose of reigning with Him.  This, in turn, will produce “more life” in you.  It is essential that you understand this secret of the Kingdom.  As you give unto another what is needed and not wanted, you then receive what you desire.

Do not wait any longer to take action on reigning in life.  It is imperative that you start right now.  Do not look at your failure to reign with God in your past.  This is not the attitude of one who reigns.  Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead. Come follow me”.  Just because your life is not reflecting an attitude of “one who reigns”, this is no excuse.  Do not postpone any longer the substance of Heaven in your life today.  Do not look at the failures of the past, but look unto a future that is full of life which you will experience in its fullness.  If you look at the past, your mind will be divided between past and future.  You cannot have a divided mind because it will produce an ineffective future and one that will not stand.

• Matt. 12:25: And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: (KJV)

Don’t just sit there and do nothing.  Do not feel discouraged that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Let your creative impulses turn into an internal action that will change your “attitude” today, which will then change your realities.  Get ready to reign and receive.  Let’s leave a competitive attitude and move into a creative one.  Believe by “faith” in the “purpose” for which you have been created.  Act now and wait no longer.

Blessings,

Alan

“The Passion of Christ”

By: Alan Smith

• Acts 1:2-3—Until the day in which he (Christ) was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: (KJV)

Did you ever see the movie entitled “The Passion of Christ”?  It was absolutely the most powerful and emotionally charged portrayal of the death of Christ that has ever been produced.  God’s love shown through the death of His Son, Jesus, has impacted the world for over 2,000 years.  Why has the death of Christ been called His passion?  The word “passion” seems out of place when thinking about this event.  Could it be that we need to understand more about this emotional feeling called “passion”?  According to the dictionary, the definition for the word “passion”, in the context of Christ’s death, is as follows: “The sufferings of Christ in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion.”  From this definition we can understand that the time of the passion of Christ was a time of suffering for Christ.  Let’s take a closer look at Christ, our example.

The scriptures give us a reflection of the heart of Christ.

• John 15:13-14—Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. (NIV)

According to Christ, the greatest experience of love or passion is when a person lays down his/her life for a friend.  I do not understand this concept, but I am persuaded that it is true.  God’s love for us was and is so great that He laid down life itself for those He loved.  This dying produced life for others if they would only believe and receive this unbelievable love.  Therefore, suffering produced life.  How can I know if this type of love is within me?  Am I so selfish that I cannot even experience this incredible emotion?  What a struggle it must have been for Christ to yield to this love.  We know that He even asked God if it were possible, to remove this suffering from Him.

Before this type of love can be experienced, there must be a yielding: a yielding to something greater than ourselves.  This yielding is our love for our friends.  Christ’s love for us was so great that it produced a “passion” within Him; an emotion and desire so great that He laid down His life.  His burning desire or passion was for others to receive life, and to receive it more abundantly. 

This passion, when handled incorrectly, can equal death instead of life.  It can turn into a sad experience, instead of unbelievable peace.  How do I know this, you might ask?  I know because this is what happens to me. I have a great passion to see others healed and made whole; to see others happy and not sad; to see others in victory and not in defeat.  But when I start thinking about myself first, instead of others it feeds sadness instead of comfort and life.  The very thing from which I want to see others free, overtakes me.  I start spiraling down the emotional flight of life.  When I am falling, it is amazing how smart I think I am.  I am the smartest person I know.  I have conversations within my head going over all the evidence of how and why I am sad and why I deserve to be. This then starts a pain within my heart that no one can touch. Only God can bring revelation to me and give me understanding to take my hand and lead me out of this jungle of death. Perhaps this happens to you also.  You have a great passion for others, but you end up just like one of those that you are trying to help.  Christ had victory in experiencing “passion”.  He did not fall into this state of sadness and defeat.  He gave us the path to follow in this love experience.  Do you have a “passion” within you?  You know a burning desire for others to be healthy and whole?  Have you ever wondered what it really meant for Christ to be in you?  Could this “passion” that is in us be originating from another?  Could it be coming from the love of Christ that lives in our hearts?  Heaven has a hope and that hope is this:

• Col. 1:27—To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (KJV)

Heaven is hoping that we will let the glory of God come to this earth through Christ that lives in our hearts.  Let His “passion” live and flow through you this day.

Common Union in Christ

In a dream Bob had he was shown that 45% of church leadership were JUST and living a righteous life. However they were not accomplishing much because these leaders were not coming together in a common union or in agreement with one another.

You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favor] shall shine upon your ways. (Job 22:28)

As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. (Ezekiel 1:10)

And they went every one straight forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went, and they turned not when they went. (Ez. 1:12)

Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession. (Psalm 2:8)

It is like the precious ointment poured on the head, that ran down on the beard, even the beard of Aaron [the first high priest], that came down upon the collar and skirts of his garments [consecrating the whole body]. (Psalms 133:2)

Perception: Creating Your Reality

• Matt. 12:22-24: Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"   Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

Perception: what a “word”!  How can this “word” be worthy of writing about, you might ask?  Well, I believe this “word” is the most powerful “word” in anyone’s life.  I am asking you to stay with me for a few minutes, as we explore the depth of this “word”.  Let’s first look at its meaning from the dictionary.  Perception: observation and interpretation based chiefly on memory.  Perception is the result of perceiving or seeing.  It is how things look to us.  Sometimes perception even brings with it a mental image.  Our perception determines the reality we live in; just like the Pharisee’s perception did for them in the verse above.  Their perception was that Jesus was casting out demons in the name of the devil.  Do you think their perception of the event and the person was correct?  I think not.  Not only was their perception off, it was completely the opposite of the “truth”.  They had created their own personal reality based on their perception.  Have you ever done this?  You know, create your own reality based on your perception?  You might say, “Well Alan, you just don’t understand my circumstances in life.”  I know I don’t, but I do understand how we get “stuck” in life.  I understand that the reason for our feeling “stuck” is because our perceptions are holding us where we are.  The Pharisees were “stuck”, and they were “stuck” because they refused to be teachable.  They refused to allow their perceptions to be challenged and changed.  Are you and I like the Pharisees, or do we want to be challenged and changed?  Let’s take a closer look at how our perceptions are created and guarded.

Perceptions are the eyes of the soul.  The body has physical eyes which see physical things.  Our soul has eyes also, and these eyes are our perceptions.  This is how we view the world and all of those in it.  How we see things will determine how we react and respond to situations and circumstances.  Let’s look again at the definition of the word perception.  Perception: observation and interpretation based chiefly on memory.  Memory is to perception what sunglasses are to the eyes.  Memory, like sunglasses, filters what is allowed to come in to be seen.  Perceptions are created by our observations passing through our memory filters.  These memory filters are created by our past experiences.  Therefore, our seeing or our perceptions of life today must pass through our filters or past experiences to create the reality we are living in today.  If you understand what I just wrote, you now understand the title of this Thought of the Day, “Perception: Creating Your Reality”.

The perceptions of the Pharisees created not only their realities, but the reality of the fate of Christ.  The Pharisees were “stuck”.  They were “stuck” in their religious perceptions, which in turn equaled death and not life.  Is anyone feeling “stuck” in a dead life, and not a life that is always coming into more excitement and into more abundant life?  Well, perhaps we need to allow our perceptions to be “born again”.  You may be wondering how this can happen.  Let’s look at another passage of scripture that is based on a healthy perception: a perception based on a deliberate influence of hope of the future and not the past.

• Matt. 9:20-22: Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

This woman was not willing to let her past history dictate her future.  Her perception of Jesus was different from that of the Pharisees.  Her perception of Him created a reality of faith; which in turn created an influence of hope.  Her perception was being influenced by the hope of a brighter future; because her perception of Jesus was that He loved her and cared for her.  She received from Him exactly what she sought after.  Her perception created a new reality for her life.  I realize that what I am saying here might be a stretch for you, but I am asking you to consider it.  Your life will not change until you change your perceptions about you and about your life.  If your perceptions stay the same, then your life will keep repeating itself over and over.  Your past history will dictate your future life.  So what have you got to lose?  Let’s change our perceptions so that the future we are about to walk in will create a positive history for us to look back on.  A healthy perception is a perception of life based on a filter of “faith” for the future and not a filter of “memory”.

• Heb. 11:1-2: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Do you see the perception of faith?  This is a perception based on hope and not on history repeating itself.  My prayer for you and I will be that we will let our “perceptions” be born again.  How do we know if it happens?  We will know because our lives will be full of faith: faith that all things are possible to those that believe.

• Mark 9:23: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Blessings,

Alan

Alan Smith
I Press Toward the Mark
Teaching Video

(Swinging From Vine to Vine)

• Phil. 3:13-14: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

Do you remember the famous story of Tarzan of the jungle?  What a fearless character he was.  He seemed to have a sixth sense when he was in his element of the jungle.  He called the animals and they listened.  He lived with danger all around him and still kept himself out of harms way.  He moved through the trees with the greatest of ease; grabbing one vine and then the next, creating the image of flying through the jungle.  What fun and excitement his flying created for those who watched him on the big screen.  His eyes looked for the next vine to catch in his right hand, as he let go of the previous one in his left.  Right-then-left, as he flew through this jungle of danger with no fear.  It was very noticeable how important it was for him to grab the next vine; and it was equally as noticeable how important it was for him to let go of the last vine, so that he could move gracefully through this difficult environment.

So was the life of Tarzan of the jungle.  I just can’t escape the analogy of Tarzan swinging through the jungle, as compared to our day-to-day lives.  Have you ever been stuck holding a vine; afraid to let go for fear of missing the next one?  Maybe you find yourself in this place right now.  You know, your life isn’t going anywhere; but instead, is looking at the same scenery each and every day.  What keeps you from moving forward?  What has stopped your forward motion in life?  Could it be that you have not let go of the previous vine, so that you can grab onto the next one?  Are you hanging on to an old vine that is not producing any fruit in your life; refusing to move forward and grab the opportunity that is right in front of you?  Could fear be the enemy of the next opportunity?

As a farmer, I am interested in things that grow and progress in life.  It is so beautiful to watch the transformation that a progressive life can bring, as it moves forward through this dangerous jungle of life.  Life is very unpredictable, and at times, is not very user friendly.  It seems to knock you down without picking you up with encouragement and acceptance.  How are you to make it?  How are you to succeed and progress in this life full of spiritual alligators?  How can you possibly move forward?  Let me make the following suggestion: “LET GO!”  Oh, I can hear you now: “I can’t; for if I do I will surely fall to the ground.”  Falling in life comes only from hanging on to the vine of the past.  If you hang on like this, then your present is actually your past.  You have the feeling of “just trying to hang on”, instead of moving forward and feeling the wind of life in your face.

Flying through the jungle, as well as flying through life, comes from letting go of the vine of the past and grabbing hold of the next one with all of your might.  You are to hang on; but only long enough to wait for the next one to appear.  There are times when you try to fly backward, as you grab hold of the old vines of the past.  You think you are noble in the remembrance of these past vines; and you think they will take you forward into your destiny.  You don’t understand, though, that they have already served their purpose in moving you to where you are now.  They have brought you to where you are, but they won’t take you to where you are going.

Let’s take hold of the wisdom given by the Apostle Paul: “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”  Here is the answer.  Can you see it?  This scripture says you must “reach forth”.  The next vine of life will appear as you reach forth.  Just try it.  Try it by faith.  Not faith in yourself, but faith that God will give you eyes to see the next vine of life on which to grab hold.  Press into this truth, for it will lead you to the true prize of life.  Your life is just waiting for you to press this spiritual button: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  You must leave before you can go; so “LET GO” and watch the hand of the Lord take you through this “jungle” journey of life.

Blessings,

Alan

God, the Man, and the Mountain

10/14/2010

Matthew 17:20 “…you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible.”

I had a vision: A VISION of someone BLINDED—not blinded by physical sight, but blinded by circumstances.

There was a man walking through life on a clearly defined pathway. The sky was blue, the air was clean, and he felt like the path was clear.  For weeks as he walked, he could see a huge mountain in the distance that he knew would eventually stand in the middle of his pathway: a mountain that he knew would cause problems for his journey.  So, he started praying that God would move the mountain.

He walked and he walked and with each step, he could see the mountain in the distance getting closer and closer.  As the man was thinking of the mountain in front of him, it caused him to worry about this huge obstacle.

After a long, tiresome day of walking, he reached the valley at the bottom of the mountain and stared up at the huge problem in front of him.  While standing there considering what he needed to do and praying to God to please move this mountain, a deep fog started to form in the valley.  The fog was so thick that it engulfed his entire surroundings and he could not see a thing.  While not being able to see anything, the man stood for days just praying and praying, “God please move the mountain.”  Then he added, “And please remove the fog that is keeping me from moving or seeing anything!”

Days went by and the fog remained.  The man became very frustrated and angry and cried out to God saying, “I prayed and prayed that you would move this mountain, and instead, I wound up in this thick fog and I can’t even see anything!”

God then said to the man, “I’ve answered your prayer.  I answered your prayer days ago. Your mountain has been removed from your sight so it no longer influences your insights.  Walk ahead, you have no more worries.”  The man replied, “Walk ahead?  I can’t see anything for this fog.  I can’t even see the mountain.”  God answered, “The fog is yours.  It is your faith.  You asked me to move the mountain and I did.  I will not choose for you and make you walk.  You alone must choose to step out in your faith and walk.  Even if you cannot see it now, KNOW that I have removed your mountain from your vision.  Trust me and walk in the fog and walk in confidence knowing that I have answered your prayer.  As you walk in the fog, you will walk through your mountain.  It will no longer be a hindrance to your path.”

So, I encourage you.  That mountain of a problem that you have been praying for God to remove from your life has been taken care of by Him.  You must choose to step out in faith, even if you can’t see.  Walk through the fog, and thus, walk through the mountain.

Amber S. Wallace

Truth Awaits

By: Alan Smith

• John 16:13: But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Have you ever really wanted to know the truth?  Perhaps the real question for all of us is can we really handle the truth when we hear it?  The truth is we are scared of truth because truth speaks change to our lives, and we don’t always embrace change.  We ignore, or sometimes even deny truth because of our fear of change or confrontation.  Why do we stay in denial and run from the truth when the truth can set us free?  Could it be that truth ignored is truth lost?  There are so many questions that we must answer within ourselves in order to move forward with truth in our lives.  In John 8:32 Jesus encouraged us to take hold of the truth when He said: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.  Perhaps we are waiting for the truth to set us free; but the truth is, that truth must be captured and experienced before freedom comes into our lives.  Truth is a word that requires action.  Why search for truth in the Bible and in various other places, if it only serves to flatter our ears?  We must put truth into action and embrace change.  Do you feel stuck in your life?  Do you feel there is no where to turn?  Do you feel that you are held captive by your circumstances?  All three of these questions represent false truth in our lives.  Why do we appropriate our faith in these false truths?  It is amazing to me how we have more faith for the non-truths than we do for truth.  It is imperative that we embrace real truth, and it is only then that we will walk in real freedom.  The more truth we walk in, the more freedom we will experience in life.  If we say no to truth or ignore truth, then truth is lost in that moment of time, and thus the freedom that came with it.  True freedom comes from life.  And true life comes from the truth that comes from the Spirit of the Lord.

In the verse above we see that the Holy Spirit comes to us with the purpose of guiding us into all truth.  Truth must be very important if this is the mission for which the Holy Spirit was sent.  Do you see?  He was sent as the Spirit of Truth; our comforter.  As the Holy Spirit guides us into truth, He will also comfort us during the changes brought about by truth and during the confrontation with truth.  I am encouraged to know that it is possible to live in innumerable truths each day of my life, since the Holy Spirit is guiding me in this fantastic journey.  Consider this: when we are living in truth, it is then that we can live in true reality; and only then, that we can move forward in life.  New truth awaits anyone who has a teachable spirit.

Let’s explore another possibility.  Could revelations of truth be plotted on the map of life’s journey to lead us to our created destination?  With the same token, could living a life in non truth equal a created destination of unhappiness, sadness, and much confusion?  Truth vs. non-truth: it is our choice, and in choosing, we are choosing the light or the darkness; life or death.  So now you might ask, how can I know that someone is speaking truth to me?  Let’s look at the following scripture to gain more understanding.

• Eph. 4:15: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

First of all, I can see that whoever has truth to give to another must give it from a heart of love.  This indicates to us that truth must be immersed or coated in this love before it can be swallowed.  If truth were a spiritual vitamin pill, it would have to have a buffered coating of love to be received into the heart of man.  Likewise, as we walk in truth with this coating of love, we will grow more into the likeness of Christ, as He is the example of living in truth coated in love.  How can we know this love coating is genuine?  Let’s read the next verse.

• 1 Corinthians 13:5-7: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

This love is a love that is very happy and full of joy.  It rejoices in this new truth that is being given.  This love is a love that protects the one who is receiving the new revelation of truth.  This love is a love that trusts in the truth that is being given.  This love is a love that never loses hope in the truth and what it accomplishes.  This love is a love that has a resolve and does not waiver.  This love is a love that perseveres and will not give up under the most unbelievable odds.  Furthermore, this lovely truth will sometimes cause you to be viewed as an enemy instead of a friend.  We can see this in the following verse.

• Gal. 4:16: Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Truth in love, when it is received by the recipient, causes things to change.  This change to our lives is not always received gladly, and it may even cause us to feel uncomfortable.  Truth is like a knife unto a surgeon: it will cut and bruise, but healing can then begin.  It is the truth that brings us out of darkness into light.  Light is what we need to see in this dark world.  More light is needed now than ever before.

• Eph. 5:8-10: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

We see in the verse above that we were once in darkness. This darkness is a life of living in false truths and of living in denial of real truths.  As the Holy Spirit guides us into real truths of reality, we start walking in light.  This new found light brings us into a new world of life and joy.  We are encouraged to be children of this light, as it will bring forth a fruit of goodness, righteousness, and more truth.  Be blessed this day as we call upon the Holy Spirit to guide us into more truth each and every day.  And, may He comfort us as we face the changes that real truth will bring into our lives.

Blessings,

Alan