Author: Merlin Erb

David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my swords or any other weapons, because the king’s mission was urgent.” I Samuel 21:8 (NIV)

In no way today, am I advocating securing physical weapons to combat the offensive evil in our culture. I employed this verse because it implies urgency, in fact, David evidently was separated from his weapons when he got the urgent message necessitating his request of Ahimelek. So we today, are being lulled into complacency not realizing the approaching hour, and even though we Christ Follower’s (CF’s) are continually Spirit empowered and embolden as detailed in Ephesians 6:10-18 and always ready to be engaged, or to give an account…. Perhaps our non resistant culture has been so effectively euthanized by the both church and secular media we’ve become clueless of our 1.) spiritual reality, 2.) resources (remember people + prayer + His Presence = POWER), 3.) its transforming results, and 4.) then experiencing the restoration.

The question today is not merely “fight or flight” as with David’s request for weapons, but pushes us out much further far beyond fight or flight, to effectively encountering differing opinions, a lost art today. Perhaps the clip below serves as another example of our rich cultural legacy loosing its luster, and now, more or less, relegated to an enduring confining complacency.

Somewhere as a child or a teen, I read accounts that the underground CF’s, long before the anabaptists emerged, being frequently skilled artisans and educated, having fled the persecution in the cities and villages, taking refuge in the desolate areas of Europe becoming simple peasant farmers who in time, were credited with playing a major role in eroding the continuation of the Dark Ages because these observant focused scientific agriculturists flourished sufficiently providing sustenance to free others from food production to begin the innovative steps needed to birth the Industrial Revolution. They were the leaders in improving the breeds of milk and meat animals, but only by simple selection. They advocated crop rotation and the use of legumes, all of which is still being practiced on the Amos Miller’s farm.

Therefore, I read with interest the clip below also listening to the Tucker Carlson interview realizing now that both the church and our culture is in the process of reverting to the Dark Ages under the guise of a “Reset.” And yes, isn’t it interesting that agriculture and the church are both still the key components? To either flourish, as Christ established His church, or to “control” food production, just to eliminate billions of us. Even Communist China understands food production better than we Americans. Look at the stats on their stockpiling of commodities vs ours, and their refusal to practice the globalist insanity as did NA and Europe; but their absolute delight that we have so embraced this “Reset,” fueling their desire to “rent” our exquisite cropland ASAP.

John Kotter of the Harvard Business School, author of 21 books, in his 1996 book”Leading Change,” and his 2002 book “The Heart of Change,” describes his eight stage model developing urgency as an essential element for those wanting to be successful, for most people are more complacent than they realize. “Insufficient urgency,” he writes, “with all its consequences, can be found in winners and losers, businesses and governments. It can undermine a plant, an office, or a whole country. Conversely, in all of these situations, a high sense of urgency can help produce results, and a whole way of life.”

Need I say more? Just my two cents folks! I rest my case. Enjoy the clip. FYI, I’m planning to open the blog this week for your comments. It is time we burst the imposed bubble we’re in and begin actually communicating. However, please do so only in complete “wholeness!” Listen to Pastor Craig’s message from today on “Differing Opinions” on the Kidron Mennonite website for such “wholeness” details.

Blessings on your journey this week!

https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/amish-farmer-threatened-by-us-govt-shines-light-on-the-suppression-of-non-processed-foods/

Oct 12 Reading from The One Year Bible: The Message Version.

Thessalonians 5:1-28 MSG

[1-3] I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other-“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”-suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

[4-8] But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

[9-11] God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.

[12] And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

[13-15] Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

[16-18] Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

[19-22] Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

[23-24] May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together-spirit, soul, and body-and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!

[25-27] Friends, keep up your prayers for us. Greet all the followers of Jesus there with a holy embrace. And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don’t leave anyone out.

[28] The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!

First folks, I made a serious error in my last blog. The quote was actually from Keith Miller, a prolific author beginning his trail of admonitions back when I was a teen with his early on book “Taste of New Wine,” AND not Warren Wiersbe as I stated. Wiersbe was merely quoting the quote crediting Keith Miller. A simple fact my sister had told me correctly but that I failed to fully comprehend! Once again! My excuse is the integral internal liabililities accompanying later stage maturation!

Second, I will pass along an admonition of “later stage observations of future events” for Christ Followers by such as Dr David Jeremiah in his recently released book titled “The World Of The End: How Jesus’ Prophecy Shapes Our Priorities.” I’m halfway thru it on Audible and have ordered hard copy yesterday and highly recommend it for any CF seriously coordinating/reconciling today’s events with Matthew 24, known today as the Olivet Discourse. Today we are learning fear can indeed erode faith, IF we let it. We are learning from experience that staying mentally healthy in a crumbling world is our daily assignment and we can’t do it without a buoyant spiritual foundation for our lives. We need God, we need Christ and His teachings, we need the Holy Spirit and his indwelling, and we need the scriptures and its prophecies about the future.

There is a special scene in the Bible where the teachings of Christ, the inspiration of the HS, and the prophetic words of God, all come together in a gripping chapter that is too often overlooked. We call it the Olivet Discourse from the final week of Jesus’ natural life where he sat with four of his disciples on a ridge on the Mount of Olives where our Lord rolled out the blueprint of the ages, the master plan for the last days, beginning with the shocking prediction of the second massive temple complex tumbling down (which occurred within decades according to the reputable historian Flavius Josephus written accounts from AD 70. See “the destruction of the second temple” in templemount .org/desruct2.html . Actually the Roman soldiers with long iron bars toppled the stones off while reclaiming the melted silver and gold in the temples storehouses that ran down into the temple’s foundations fulfilling Jesus’ prediction. Later then, Jesus gazed forward to the precarious days prior his return in our days ever delivered and it is recorded beginning in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

And as in the infomercials, today there is another admonition!. As encouraged in prior blogs, go to dailylightdevotional.org and select Oct 8 for priceless “approaching end-times” admonitions for CF’s to read and memorize before the Shizzies hit fizzies in our domains. In fact, I suggest you hit your print button so you have hard copy for distribution later if and when we loose internet. Reminds me a tad perhaps of available oil in the ten wise / foolish virgins parable.

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves… (Matt 10:16, KJV) See gotquestions.org/wise

Time to go dig potatoes!!…… merlin