Ziggurat

ZIGGURAT : an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine (altar) at the top.

In ancient times the people built these enormous structures to house supplies, as our history teachers told us and yet that seemed like only part of it. Religion talks of these as well, the scriptures talk about them as well.

“The Ziggurat of Eridu” when throw out in conversation gets the deer in the headlights look instantly. Yet everyone in church know about the “Tower of Babel” The lust (unhealthy) for the knowledge of God so it could be used for gain, was the propellant for the construction. The desire for control and self satisfaction won out over the passion to serve others and worship a Perfect Saviour.

These temples were Altars to Satan because they had given up on God and His ways. They sacrificed innocent children to the Serpent. They perverted the design of worship with their murderous ways.

In my own life I have built many a ziggurats/altars, the only problem, I kept sacrificing the same people over and over again. My wife was sacrificed every year at the altar of football. My friends were constantly sacrificed at the altar of self/ego.

For this I must pray to God for His Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness as well as YOURS. I am an idiot.

Likewise I have built altars to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, designer clothing, temporal possessions, bands, food, politics, etc… and so help me God I am sorry, EVEN THE CHURCH was an altar. I gave far too much time, way too much of my God-given talent to god-less ideas and most assuredly too, too much of my money to these altars of emptiness.

May God have mercy on us all.

The corporate churches (yes a generalization) in America have done a woeful job of instructing the followers and as such there is the same divisions as there were in the time of Jesus’ disciples. People pray to “saints”, statues, angels, and everything, sometimes to the complete exclusion of the Lord of Hosts.

I pray you don’t think of me as better than anyone; ashamedly, I honestly took Paul’s words “chiefest of sinners” as a personal challenge. In like manner I know that I do not know everything and that God has gifted each of us in a way to fit His plan.

I have road many miles with biker gangs and businessmen; studied with professors and mental giants as well as mental midgets; I have served the community and its secret societies (I call them critter clubs as they have some beast as their symbol.) , they all are liars. The “church” was no different to me.

When I found religion I was no different, no flash of light here, simply a learned logical pattern for behavior. Ashamedly, I have belittled His magnificent creation, took hateful words to represent a Perfect Love, and fit my version of God into the world I wanted to live in.

When I found the God of All, YHWH, the King of Kings ….I yelled at Him (not real smart, but I figured Jacob wrestled, yelling isn’t THAT brave) … “I QUIT” , I quit it all, even the church thing, you can have those hypocrites!

In typical fashion, God shows right up when we decide to let Him in control …. flashes of light (fireworks in Heaven) and peals of thunder (applause because another son of Adam “got it”! ) and The Word written on my heart exploded to Life.

We, the “Church”……we need to be more than just a place where people meet Jesus, more than a pretty building, we need to believe we are more than Conquerors!

We need to be training the Ephesians 6 warrior. The helmet protects our mind and thoughts, breastplate guards our heart, the belt builds up our strength, and the Sword defends our beliefs. Far too many are frustrated trying to defend the beliefs in their own humanity and I know my flesh and it is flawed, imperfect, willful, envious, greedy (this is a big list)…..

God told Moses … “I am”; translated literally as “All” …. all of time, space, matter and existence….. the point is ….. whether it is 2 days, Tuesday, or today they are all happening right now with God because he already knows every tomorrow.

In obvious concern the world watches the events unfolding in nature; there are many that speak of the end of the world. Some scoff, some think, some embrace while some just ignore all of it. No matter your response, today will be “The end of the world” for someone, somewhere.

When asked, almost everyone (99.9% Dove soap kinda thing) say they want to go to heaven. No one immediately sign up for “eternal damnation” but they offer a tongue-in-cheek response like “I am divorced I have been to hell” or “Earth is my hell”. All that aside……do we really know what we ask of our Creator? To be in His presence?

Are we all still carrying around the delusion sold to us by the world about Glory? Are we willing to accept the reality of Heaven? The one John describes in Revelation, which is identical to the one described by Ezekiel, Daniel, Enoch, Elijah, and Jesus.

Rev. 4:5-11 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

I cant wait to Praise God personally….. I owe Him my life….. I cant figure why He wants it after I have done such damage to it…. We are the prodigal son/daughter, Judas’ kiss, the hammer that drove the nails….. and still HE LOVE US. Thank You Jesus!