TIME OUT!

These are unprecedented times to say the least…

If you listen to the news and the talking heads, you'd be convinced the worst is yet to come and that any ray of hope has left the planet for good. That this plague that is now upon us is the end of all we know and that the word recovery doesn't even exist in the vocabulary of this dire situation. But as bleak as it looks, I want to calm your minds and present a different picture for you to consider.

Nothing happens without there being a greater purpose behind it. Whether it’s good or nefarious, there is always a story behind the story. This time is no different. Though doom and gloom vomit out of those who peddle fear, and hopelessness the feeling of so many right now, I believe we are being given a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to, shall we say, put our houses in order. 

There are no guarantees in this life. None. What you’ve gained can in a moment be taken away, as many of you have seen and are now experiencing. I’ve lost everything several times in my life. The death of my first-born from a heroin overdose, jobs that paid me lots of money and benefits, cancer, my home, savings, hundreds of thousands in investments… yes I’ve lost most of what I’ve ever had. Not to mention the many whom I've loved that have died from horrible diseases, including my precious mother who meant the world to me over these last 8 years. There are no guarantees. We are all going to have those times come to us living in this world. For me, I’ve had to learn to live my life with my hands wide open. To not hold tight to what I think is mine and allow myself to embrace not only the brevity of life and things, and to stop and fully smell the roses blooming right now. To value what’s right in front of me.

Every time something extremely challenging and difficult happens I come to realize that God is wanting me to embrace His perspective about things; though I will say that came neither fast or easy. It took me many years of trials and tribulations as well as a lot of Q&A with God… usually questions on my part and quiet on His. His favorite answer is, "TRUST ME!" as every loss and trial brought me closer to Him. Each one played a part in the eviction of my skewed perspectives, my anger and serious disappointment which kept me chained to a state of mind that only perpetuated my personal slavery to hopelessness. Not that I have now arrived by any means, I mean after all I am human, but I’ve gained valuable insight that, in hindsight and wisdom, is transferable. 

This is a global reality taking place. Not one place has not been touched. Not one person completely safe. I’ve faced death several times in my life, and though I don’t talk about them much, they have left lasting impressions on my soul. By design God has let me taste my own frailty and the brevity of life. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes that "all is vanity!" It's true. We think we own it... but we don't. Later James said it like this, “You don’t even know if you will be alive tomorrow! For all you are is a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears.” James 4:14 You know that old saying, "here today, gone tomorrow", well, it's true too. 

So this is what I believe. God has put the whole world in time out. He's taking advantage of the circumstances to teach us something. Every single human is being given an opportunity to evaluate their perspectives on time, life, possessions and most importantly, what they believe and where they stand with God. You can kick and fight and piss and moan, but when all is said and done, every soul is going to stand face to face with the living God. Perhaps other things have occupied way too much space in your brain and created an interrupted view or wall to seeing the only One that really matters? Maybe the world and its offerings have become way too sweet in your mouth which has created an addiction to those foods that are loaded with, you know, empty calories? Or even worse, the stress and worries along with all the cares of this life have so weighed you down that the idea of trusting anyone other than yourself and your abilities to get the job done is nonexistent, removing any possibilities of dependence upon God, even if He does love and cares for you far more than you could ever imagine. Whatever that is, whatever it may be, this time out is time for us to put it all things in perspective.

You see, no one can control or fix this. No one can stop it. No one has that magic wand to suddenly make it all go away. But as always, and throughout time, there is only one answer, one remedy, one solution and one hope: God whose name is Yahweh! The God of all creation is giving each of us an opportunity to clean house and get things strait with Him. He is your hope and your answer. He is the way, the truth and the life… no matter what anyone says. The world is dying. Yes, I said it; just like us, it too is dying. Go visit a graveyard. Every one of those tombstones are telling you the same thing. Every soul who has come and gone for thousands of years, if they could, would look you square in the face and tell you, “WAKE UP! DON’T WAIT! EVERYTHING THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT AFTER THIS LIFE IS TRUE!”

It is no coincidence that it’s happening to the entire world at once. Things are changing and the truth is, time is short. Your answers are all found in one place; relationship with God through His Son, Jesus who stood in the gap for you and took the ultimate punishment of death which belongs to you because of sin. There’s no candy coating this. This is a NOW moment for each and every one of us. If you don't know God it's as simple as realizing you are a sinner and can't save yourself. Tell Him that and ask Him to forgive you, to save and deliver you. A single drop of faith is all it takes.

I want to leave you with this thought. In this global time out, take the time to let fear go... no matter what things look like. Turn off the news. Turn off the TV. Stop, look and listen… the flowers are beginning to bloom, take the time to smell them. Seek God while we are in this time with your whole heart! You may not get this time again. Take advantage of it. Repent, reconnect and realign your heart and mind with the source of life Himself, Yahweh and His Son, Jesus. He’s listening. I promise.

© 2020 Steven Bliss

HE WILL...

This is for one and all, to encourage you in these very uncertain times. Though these are God's promises to us all, as individual believers, they are extremely personal. 25 years ago I heard God tell me that Psalm 91 will be the “Psalm of the End”. That I was to memorize, remember and remind myself of it constantly. It is the Passover Psalm that pertains specifically to the LAST EXODUS that will happen at the end when Jesus Himself returns (Jeremiah 16:14-15; 23:5-8 see below). This psalm is deeply intimate between the individual and Yahweh Himself.

I may not be telling you anything you don't already know, but I’m reminding and encouraging each one of you to consider what's being said here. Psalm 91 is a self-talk grocery list for each believer to recount and remind themselves that God's promises, in the most horrific of times, are both YES and AMEN and are enough to sustain each and everyone who trusts Him. As the believer concludes and affirms his confidence in God, Yahweh immediately responds to their love, trust and faith in Him.

“Because you love Me, therefore I will deliver you. I will set you securely on high, because you know My Name. You will call on Me and I will answer you. I will be with you in trouble. I will deliver you, and honor you, and with a long life I will satisfy you and let you see My SALVATION (Y'shua).” Psalm 91:14-16

Yes, y'shua-ti is the exact Hebrew word used here and not by accident. Why? Because the end is all about Y'shua, Jesus! His return, His rulership, His glory and His power! You will notice as well there are six "I will's" in these two verses. Six promises directly from the mouth of Yahweh Himself spoken to the heart and mind of the believer because of their faith and trust in Him. The ultimate expression of love between a Father and His child.

The time of Jacob's trouble has arrived. Let faith arise and God’s enemies be scattered. It’s time for the power of God to not just be reminisced about or bantered around as a thing of the past, but to be engaged and applied in each and every moment of our lives from this point on. Y'shua said, “When the Son of man returns, will He find faith in the earth?” I say, "YES LORD, YES!"

© 2020 Steven Bliss

“Therefore behold, the days come,” says the Lord, “that it will no more be said, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;’ but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the countries where he had driven them.’ I will bring them again into their land that I gave to their fathers. “Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the Lord, “and they will fish them up. Afterward I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain, from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.
Jeremiah 16:14-16

“Behold, the days come,” says the Lord, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch (Y'shua), and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. This is his name by which he will be called: The Lord our righteousness. “Therefore behold, the days come,” says the Lord, “that they will no more say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;’ but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up and who led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will dwell in their own land.”
Jeremiah 23:5-8