America: Living a Romans One existence

^{In Galatians 6:7, the apostle Paul issues a warning, a strong word of advice for ALL followers of Christ for all time. He writes: "}Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."

  

Life is cyclical, not linear; we don't live from event to unrelated event. The principal of seedtime-to-harvest was initiated by our Creator in Genesis and it applies to everyone and everything for all time.

Today, we live in a world of casual sex. What could be more carnal than to feed the lusts of our flesh? Movies, TV, magazines, the internet, strip joints, we are being fed a steady diet of sexuality, nudity, seduction and "friends with benefits" relationships.

And we're falling for it. Even in The Church.

So, we issue condoms and pills to keep "accidents" from happening while we feed our urge to merge. If something happens, no problem! A woman can abort the unwanted child - er, um, birth tissue - even during the 9th month (to end the baby's life one day AFTER its birth is considered murder; too nonsensical to fathom). 

Don't have a lover? No problem! Prostitutes of both genders are easy to find these days. In fact, there's no need for another human at all as one can indulge in so much sexual self-gratification, they'll begin to lose the desire for the human touch all together. 

For those who are students of history, this will ring true: Every world eventually empire collapsed when they embraced homosexuality. 'Nuff about that. 

Immorality doesn't only encompass sexual sin, but any injustices perpetrated upon mankind from its government, for example, or its government upon other nations.

As I was reading Romans Chapter One today, I felt compelled to issue this warning. Read part of this short chapter here from the Common English translation...

God’s wrath is being revealed from Heaven against all the ungodly behavior and the injustice of human beings who silence the truth with injustice. This is because what is known about God should be plain to them because God made it plain to them. Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—God’s eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through the things God has made. 

So humans are without excuse. Although they knew God, they didn’t honor God as God or thank him. Instead, their reasoning became pointless, and their foolish hearts were darkened. While they were claiming to be wise, they made fools of themselves. They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images that look like mortal humans: birds, animals, and reptiles. 

So God abandoned them to their hearts’ desires, which led to the moral corruption of degrading their own bodies with each other. They traded God’s truth for a lie, and they worshipped and served the creation instead of the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

That’s why God abandoned them to degrading lust. Their females traded natural sexual relations for unnatural sexual relations. Also, in the same way, the males traded natural sexual relations with females, and burned with lust for each other. Males performed shameful actions with males, and they were paid back with the penalty they deserved for their mistake in their own bodies. 

Since they didn’t think it was worthwhile to acknowledge God, God abandoned them to a defective mind to do inappropriate things. 

So they were filled with all injustice, wicked behavior, greed, and evil behavior. They are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deception, and malice. They are gossips, they slander people, and they hate God. They are rude and proud, and they brag. They invent ways to be evil, and they are disobedient to their parents. They are without understanding, disloyal, without affection, and without mercy. Though they know God’s decision that those who persist in such practices deserve death, they not only keep doing these things but also approve others who practice them.

So, what are we reaping? STD's, broken hearts, shattered families, unwanted pregnancies, divorce, sadness, unworthiness, guilt, ungodly soul-ties destined to wreak havoc on any legitimate relationship that comes along afterward. 

How about murder, rape, soldiers dying and losing limbs, human beings forever traumatized and losing all hope? 

Then there's gossip, slander, pride, rudeness and SO many things for which we can be classified as nothing less than haters of our fellow man.

Does it HAVE to be this way? When I read about the Prayer Revivals of America's past, not to mention those worldwide throughout Church history, I can honestly say "NO! It does NOT have to be like this." We, those who claim to follow Jesus, have the power to change things. 

The word "Repent" literally means "to change one's mind." If each of us made that decision FOR OURSELVES, that would be a great start. 

Here, I'll go first....

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

Obama or Romney: Which man will save our nation?

I am convinced the average American is clueless as to how dangerously close we are to annihilation - either by an economic collapse, a nuclear war, or by both. All the while, Republi-Crats cast blame on each other, while the truth is BOTH major parties are equally to blame for the condition in which America now finds herself.

Far too often, I find myself wondering if the enemy we should be most concerned about is not any of the BRICS nations at all, but our own nation's capital. 

Don't worry, Mr. President... Governor Romney... the pressure's off. At least from me anyway. Neither of you has what it takes to save our country. Nothing short of a miracle can do that. The Good News? We serve a God of miracles!

A friend who served two terms as a Member of his State's House of Representatives told me "most politicians have only one goal and that's getting re-elected." I can see that. Anybody paid who is paid that much money, who is treated as royalty and makes a handsome salary for life after his term has ended, and who can make a boatload on speaking engagements and books when he is finished, would be a fool NOT to run again.

You wanna see some governing? Reduce the salary of a politician AND take money from his pay whenever any bill he pushes through loses money. But I even think the Super Bowl should be a winner-takes-all competition. Now THAT would be a game!

Lately, I keep thinking about 1 Samuel 8. Imagine, if you will, the people Israel, having direct access to God through His oracle, the prophet Samuel, daring to protest to him, "We want a king like all the other nations!"

Samuel, in dizzying disbelief, went to God. Here is God's response (I Samuel 8:7-22, Common English): 7 The Lord answered Samuel, “Comply with the people’s request—everything they ask of you—because they haven’t rejected you. No, they’ve rejected me as King over them. 8 They are doing to you only what they’ve been doing to me from the day I brought them out of Egypt to this very minute, abandoning me and worshipping other gods. 9 So comply with their request, but give them a clear warning, telling them how the king will rule over them and operate.” 10 Then Samuel explained everything the Lord had said to the people who were asking for a king. 11 “This is how the king will rule over you and operate,” Samuel said: “He will take your sons, and will use them for his chariots and his cavalry and as runners for his chariot. 12 He will use them as his commanders of troops of one thousand and troops of fifty, or to do his plowing and his harvesting, or to make his weapons or parts for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, or bakers. 14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants. 15 He will give one-tenth of your grain and your vineyards to his officials and servants. 16 He will take your male and female servants, along with the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys, and make them do his work. 17 He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and then you yourselves will become his slaves! 18 When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you chose for yourselves, but on that day the Lord won’t answer you.”

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel and said, “No! There must be a king over us 20 so we can be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.” 21 Samuel listened to everything the people said and repeated it directly to the Lord. 22 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Comply with their request. Give them a king.”

They wound up with Saul, a terrible king. Sure enough, the people's boys went off to war, taxes had to be paid, money was spent on weapons, thousands of people were on the king's payroll and his government's dole (even through entitlement programs)... everything we STILL contend with under our American system of government. In my opinion, our government only has the power we the people have given it as we surrender our liberties bit by bit.

I can't help it, folks, but every time I hear or read about wars, rapes, crime, adultery, Luciferian agendas, I can't help but place blame squarely on The Church. More specifically, I blame those in spiritual leadership. It's not because I expect all our paid professional clergy to do all the world-changing on their own; I don't. After all, sheep produce sheep; shepherds don't. Where I DO fault our nation's spiritual leaders is in being far too passive about that which would have had our fore-Ministers fuming and fighting.

Where are the rugged clergymen referred to by King George III as "The Black Robe Regiment" during our war for independence? The King recognized the influence and power held by these men of the cloth when it came to encouraging and mobilizing the Colonists to resist tyrannical oppression and fight for their liberty and he saw them as a definite threat to the British Crown.

These days, when most churches have already crawled in bed with the Fed by becoming what is referred to as a 501c3 non-profit corporation, though many complain about religious freedoms being taken away, truth is, they GAVE that freedom away when they filed the non-profit paperwork.

I can recall prayerfully considering completing that very same paperwork for my own ministry one day many years ago. So many of my mentors and friends in ministry had suggested, even urged, me to do so, I felt I had no choice. What caused me to refrain from filing? It happened when I realized Jesus and Paul, Finney and Wesley never did it. That was all I needed!

Today, we have petitions floating around, complaints against the government for telling churches what they can and cannot preach from the pulpit. As I see it, most ministers are unwittingly EMPLOYED by the government as a result of their 501c3 status. Why did The Church ever apply for that status in the first place - so donations could be written off on a Congregant's tax returns? Frankly, I've had people tell me they would support my ministry IF ONLY they could get the write-off! 

Show me THAT in Scripture!

This is just one example of what has happened to The Church, giving it "a form of godliness but denying the power thereof," (2 Timothy 3:5). Translations: We are big but we are weak. We are irrelevant in most communities. Far too often, we have settled for religious routine rather than that which would cause lives to be radically changed.

Folks, if lives aren't being changed in your church, LEAVE! An encounter with Christ is like an encounter with a milk truck and we SHOULD be forever changed as a result. If no change occurred, nothing took place but more meaningless Religious activity. In contrast, the early Church was accused of "turning the world upside down."

Go on and vote but, more importantly, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING! Don't be moved no matter which Candidate comes out on top - all they need is one good Damascus Road encounter with the living Christ to change their agenda completely around anyway. At that point, start praying for their physical safety. This is why we, The Church, are directed to "pray for those in authority," (I Timothy 2:2).  Go on! I dare you to pray for someone from the "other" party. Jesus has given US the power and authority to do all that is necessary to affect change, regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.

Now, go ahead and FORWARD to your church leaders.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

Member of the Black Robe Brigade

The Place of Weeping and Despair

"My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" 
(Matthew 26:38).

Does that verse describe you? 

Has it EVER?

On two occasions in my own life, one when I was wracked by pain from an "incurable" spinal disease (the Father, in His infinite mercy, saw fit to heal me) and the other when my marriage to my children's mother ended and the kids were gone when I came home from work, I despaired of my own life. 

I wanted to die. 

Yes, I seriously considered suicide. That powerful thought came out of nowhere, but I was at my most vulnerable state and Satan knew it. "What's the use?" I asked myself. 

I learned a few things as a result of those moments, those darkest hours of my soul. Allow me to share.

First of all, I learned the place of our greatest pain often becomes the place of our greatest triumph. In other words, the fruit doesn't grow on mountain tops; it grows in valleys. Gethsemane was the place of Jesus' greatest trial. Goodness! His sweat was drops of blood! Three times He asked the Father to let this trial pass, but it was not to be. 

Gethsemane means "The place of the skull." I've noticed the enemy's main point of attack is in our minds, the place of our skulls. That's where we need to kill all the thoughts and emotions trying to exalt themselves above the truths of God. When I was at my lowest, rather than a 'Woe is me' attitude, it might have served me much better to ask questions such as, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me through this?" or "What possible good can come as a result of this situation?"

Also, I realized Jesus was faced with the temptation to quit, too. But He knew His destiny needed to be fulfilled and He could not run from his assignment. It was a personal battle to persevere. 

Sometimes we face situations that cry out "That's it! I can NOT endure this any longer!" We want to throw in our towel of what little faith we have left. We conclude that this faith thing simply does not work. Folks, I've been there. Seems to me, Jesus was there, too.

Luke 22:43 tell us, "Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him." After Jesus asked the Father if this cup could pass from Him, an angel was sent to comfort Him. Though Father's answer to Jesus was "No, this cup will not pass," His compassion came in the form of a ministering angel. 

Some temptations seem they are more than we can bare. However, Scripture reminds us: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it," (1 Cor 10:13).

Finally, I learned when we persevere, we will find the place of our greatest battle becomes the place of our greatest victory. God will use your greatest failures and sorrows as a powerful force in your life and the lives of others. I have learned that, when Satan attacks, he ALWAYS shoots himself in the foot. When we Followers of Jesus fall, we fall forward. Your "Valley of Baca" (mean "weeping") will become a spring of refreshment and life for you and others. As life goes on, you will go from strength to strength (Ps 84:6) despite perceived challenges and calamities. 

Are you finding yourself in your own type of "Garden of Gethsemane"? If so, lay yourself at the feet of the only One who can sustain you. His Name is Jesus! "I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears," Psalm 34:4.

I hope this message encourages you. Please prayerfully consider anyone you know who might be blessed to read it as well.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

The Hand Prayer

Max Lucado is spearheading a national prayer initiative asking Christians to pray for the nation from September 28 until the election. We discussed "THE HAND PRAYER" today at Bible Study where we "Prayer" was our topic of study and discussion. In case you're interested, here's how it works...

THE HAND PRAYER (palms together in prayer)

Thumb... reminds us to pray for those Americans closest to us.

Pointer Finger... reminds us to pray for those in our nation who point the way (ministers, teachers, those who are defending the nation's constitutional and Godly heritage).

Middle Finger... the highest finger reminds us to pray for those in positions of Authority and positions of greatest influence from the President of the nation to the Mayor of our town to the single mom in charge of her family. Bear in mind the 7 Mountains of Societal Influence: Family, Religion, the Arts, Media, Education, Government, Business.

Ring Finger... considered the weakest finger, it reminds us to pray for those who are weak; sick people, struggling marriages, children of divorce, addicts, the unborn.

Pinky Finger... pray for your own needs, too!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

Ever tried your hand at Gardening?

Ever tried your hand at Gardening? 

Well, neither had we! 

My wife and I used to joke the plant hadn't been made that we couldn't kill! Well, the more we learn about Disaster Preparation, the more vital it appears we should ALL be gardening - even if only in buckets. Apartment and Mobile Home Park Dwellers and Nursing Home Residents, too! Kids LOVE gardening. As a couple, we've found gardening to be a great hobby for bonding!

Think about it: If the Stuff ever did hit the fan, aside from drinkable water, food will be your next most important provision. Dried foods are ok. We have those, too. Beans and rice and canned goods will do in a pinch. But what if you could carry seeds with you, learn to carry your groceries in your shirt pocket, and harvest from buckets and cans, eating, bartering, giving from what you have yielded? (EXAMPLE: One woman said her 24 watermelon seeds yielded 600 pounds of melons!)

This is GREAT! Did you know you can grow a fruit-bearing apple tree or pear tree INDOORS?

Here's a tip: Start your seeds in a cardboard egg crate, 3 seeds per cup. Moisten the dirt and slip the egg crate into a black plastic bag. Place in a dark, warm place (on top of water heater perhaps). After 5 days, it's those 3" seedlings you will be planting... wherever. Full sun, keep moist. 

Tah-dah! You're a Gardner!

This gardening thing is GREAT... 

despite us having "black thumbs."

Plant NOW and never run out of seeds!

Learn more by clicking the LOGO below.

Happy Harvesting!

Every blessing,

Michael in Texas, USA