Heyy, how is life today? What is new? Why didn't the skeleton go trick-or-treating?? Because he had no body to go out with! Haha....Hey did you know I had 0.0% plans to write a blog today? I faced some strong emotions and prayed God would help me to express them in a journal and he did. And then I saw an opportunity to let you in on what I am thinking. Without further adieu, aqui esta mi message.

Today I don't know whether to cry spit or sing. You don't know what to do sometimes when you undergo and choose sin. Does that hurt to say? Heck yes. I stand in this golden-throne-room, a room nobody enters hastily, or should because the one with the scepter can crack your skull like snap-crackle-pop. I stand there and he knows me, a grain of sand on the shore, he knows me. But Grema Wormtongue darkens the King's splendor and slips a nasty whisper in his ear.

"Darkness knows not light, it does not comprehend it," the King rumbles in return.

"This man has the seal, he knows Jesus Christ and Christ knows him-Leave our counsel at once!"

       I have never seen someone wield a sword with such grace and ferocity like my king. Grema is a pitiful sight now, he can't even make a decision for himself, he is a rag, torn away from the King's robe, coming a going, destitute in the wind, who takes his side? This is when my singing cries ouuuwt with sad tears-I defend my accuser, Wormtongue, each day before the King-I fit right into his dissertation with the thesis statement:

"Joe Carter deserves to be destroyed, cut off from your kingdom and thrown into the fire, for his rebellion against your majesty." I say aloud-to the King!

"Amen," cry the servants in high places around us, at thunderous volume that crushes me. Maybe they think I said, "does not," there must be some misunderstanding. So I take a deep breath until my lungs fill with breath and time is still-all the encouragers appear faintly around me, my parents, Mrs. Marshall, John Rood, Seth Barnes Jr, Bill O'neil, Jamie O, my Panton church, my pastors, Dan Kehoe, my RLB brothers and many other brothers and sisters. It is as if my life is reaching the final culmination. My diaphragm pushes the air out and with all the man-power, gusto, will-power, track drive, school focus, human strength, and vocal power I yell to the chorus around me the thesis statement,

"JOE CARTER-" Out from behind the throne a familiar face jumps and he covers my mouth with his scarred hand-all in the matter of a second. He thunders, "-IS FORGIIIIVEENN!" The whole place erupts and wine is thrown everywhere and I'm Michael Jordan kicking in the air and I'm endorsing this scarred man like a Nike product, choking on the microphones in my face and all I can talk about is how great the continual moment is and I am Kevin Garnet shouting "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLLLLEEE!" and how it is all thanks to him. If this is the story after every time I rebel, what will the celebration be when Grema Wormtongue's dissertations and schemes are taken away forever?

We quiet down and quickly hush and step back. The man gets behind the throne-Grema has found another rebel. It's you and I can't help but think, do you know the scarred man is eagerly waiting to save you too? Will you force your way to the conclusion and smack his hand down? We want to celebrate badly. Grema whispers maliciously in the King's ear and spits on you. Will you rise above the shame? I wait eagerly...

Hebrews 2:10-11 "In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers."

2:14-15 "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."

3:1 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy in our time of need."

We need Jesus Christ!

Amen.

Thanks for spending the time to read my blog, I pray that we'll celebrate together one day at that throne because of the immense debt that Jesus cancelled for us! All for his glory-

Love Jose Carter