Eternity Is Reality

I think that I left off at me quiting football and starting to smoke. First of all I want to say that I have wonderful parents. My mom said that she has a lot of regrets about the way she raised us. She should not. My parents did not know any better. There were many generational curses that were brought down our family lines, and they had no knowledge of them. They did not have a proper view of God, so they did the best that they could. Unfortunately, humans always choose sin, and sin leads to destruction. We are rebels, and rightly deserve eternal seperation from Him.

When I was a sophmore I began hanging out with a friend that was in a band. Their bass player quit, despite the fact I had never picked up a bass in my life, I looked the part, so I was hired. Let the debauchery begin! My first gig with them was at Rock Island in Wichita. It was the biggest rock club in town. I was 15 years old, playing in bars. I thought I was the coolest guy on the planet. For the most part everyone around me agreed. Our band was called Nightrain, taken from a Guns N Roses song named after a cheap brand of wine. We made a little demo tape in the guitarists garage, I knew that this was the life. If I was recording and playing gigs at the age of 15 it was only a matter of time before I would make it big.

My relationship with my dad had mostly been great up until this point. The main reason that I started not to like him, is that sometimes it was ok to drink around him, and sometimes it wasn’t. I remember before a performance at the Indian Center in Wichita, he was drinking the keg backstage with my band mates. I guess he wanted to put me in my place or something, but he said that sonny boy could not drink that night. Needless to say I drank anyway (privately). This happened a lot over the next few years. He really made it hard for me to respect his authority when it would change so often. Plus he always got hammered with my boys!

We played a dance at my high school in Maize, KS. This was one crazy day from start to finish. The night before myself, and Ian Ottaway (the singer) stayed at the drummer’s house Brad Robinson. Brad was a senior at Maize. We all went to school, Ian included. Ian is the craziest and most talented person in the world! He began the day asking Brad’s mom to borrow her eye liner. Yes, he wore it. Then we went to school for a few hours. Then we take a huge cargo truck around Wichita loading up equipment for the performance that night. We used my dad’s PA system. I am not sure who’s brilliant idea that was. It had not been used in 10 plus years! Somehow after much difficulty we got it hooked up. There were so many crazy things that went on that night. There were students in the lighting system and catwalks drinking and smoking. After our legendary performance they decided to ban bands from performing there again. I am not sure if that is still in effect. Anyway the gig lasted about 3 songs, then the PA system blew out. Those 3 songs had to be in the top 10 band moments for me. To see all of my peers in school drool over me and my band was awesome! Something about being on stage, crowds just eat up. I can’t explain it, but you can totally suck, look cool and confident and people adore you.

Anyway the PA blows up and I invite the whole school to my house for a party! Daddy was cool that night. We had a wild party at the Nicholson’s house that night. My parents let me have many parties during school. I guess that my dad just needed a schedule and a little notice for him to get comfortable with me drinking that night.

Final note, I smoked grass for the first time around this time. I did not like it at first, but I stuck with it and after a period of a couple of years, I loved it!

This is Holli blogging and I must say that I have the most incredible husband. I could go on and on about his wonderful characteristics, but my point in this post is to say you need to come hear his teaching at Faith Community on July 6th. When he tought at Intro it was really awesome! I am so proud of him. God is taking both of us deeper into true communion with the Holy Spirit and Zack delivered a great teaching on what this really means and how to practically do it. It is coming from his heart and what God is speaking to him. If you can’t make it to Faith Community get a copy of the message.

Zack will be teaching at Faith Community Church on July 6 at 10:30am. I get to share the message. I was allowed to teach the Intro to IHOP class on Friday June 13. I spoke about our Union with Christ and Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit. It went well. I was not pelted with rocks and garbage, so I felt pretty good about it. Seriously, I was a bit nervous. I had never preached an actual sermon before. I had taught many times at house church gatherings, but this was the first time in a formal setting.

I recently studied the book of Daniel, and I wanted to share a few thoughts. I felt the Lord highlighting to me the fact that we must prepare ourselves, and those coming after us to be ready for the Second Coming of the Lord. There is an enormous amount of information in the Bible (over 150 chapters) concerning the Second Coming. In many passages throughout scripture it exhorts us to be ready for His return. In many of Jesus’ parables He speaks of the master delaying his return, and the servants are judged on the basis of what they did during the delay. It speaks in many places that people go on with business as usual not expecting his return, and are caught totally unprepared in that hour. The Bible speaks of a great apostasy at the end of the age as well. Jesus Himself asks will the Son of Man find faith on the earth when He returns.

When Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were carried away captive to Babylon, there were among many young Hebrews that went with them. There was no mention of any other Hebrews who stayed faithful to God. All of the other people acclimated to the Babylonian culture. Only four young men staying true is not a good percentage.

Daniel was given a vision concerning the great empires of history. The last one and it’s ruler were so terrifiying to Daniel that he needed an angelic visitation to help him regain strength after a period of time. Why was Daniel so terrified.

Christ’s return is imminent. If you are a believer you should have no doubt that He is returning, just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. If this be so it is our duty to fulfill our Biblical mandate to live as if this were going to take place within our life time. I myself am not 100 percent sure that it will happen in my lifetime, but many signs point to that fact. Even if it is not in my lifetime, it could be in my kids lifetime. With all of the wickedness that is so prevelant we must be diligent to keep ourselves pure and to be watching and waiting just as we are called to. The thing with delusion and deception is, that the people who are deceived do not realize it! If Daniel was so terrified and Jesus asks the question will He find faith on earth, should we be a little more concerned and diligent than what we are.

I am not saying that we need to run to the hills, buy guns, and look for black helicopters, but we need to join ourselves to God in prayer and understand the seriousness of the hour. Regardless if we live in THE last days or not, it is YOUR last days. You will not live forever. Are we living a life worthy of His calling? Are we preparing our kids and grandkids to live worthy of His calling? If you died today are your loved ones able to live a life for God with the tools you equipped them with? It is thought that Daniel was a teenager when he was carried to Babylon and made his stand.

People get ready Jesus is coming! How exciting! We will live forever with Him! Our quality of life in that age will be a direct reflection of how we lived this life!