"I Chose You." -Jesus

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. John 15:-16-21

The concrete may as well been hardened steel, and by reason of the coldness it should have been a glacier. A mist forms before my face as I breathe out to test how cold it might be. A glassy chill set in as the sun hides itself on the horizon, but at least I have light, and buildings to block the wind. I curl up inside my coat leaving a small gap for fresh air, making every effort to conserve as much heat as possible carefully listening to any threat that could arise, gradually I lose consciousness, my head resting on the closest thing to a pillow, my Bible. I’ve never felt this cold, I had hoped my breath would keep me warm under my trench coat; it’s not enough just a couple of hours of sleep. I can feel the bones in my feet fracturing further as I casually limp the street light spattered sidewalks just to keep warm; Unless I keep moving I will freeze to death before the sun rises. … “Sun please rise.” I am familiar with my surroundings, and it's not that I had grown up there, or been there any length of time, I just somehow am completely immersed in all that I am sent to do, could be that my survival depends on keen observation and a mental map of my surroundings. Every person must be carefully discerned, it's hard to come to terms with this understanding, as Jesus told his disciples “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” You must understand that not everybody you meet has your best interest at heart, be alert, be wise, be discerning, warfare is happening in spiritual places and heavenly realms and you are a soldier for the Kingdom of Messiah. For his name you are hated and despised, an outcast in many circles, even circles you were once greeted with gladness.

Jesus said, “You did not choose me I chose you.” That makes the most sense, because initially I was bolting recklessly toward destruction.

Angels and Demons set in continual conflict over the realm of man, Demons will possess people and sometimes it’s enough to cripple the hosts life, you can feel it in their spiritual pressure, sense it in their essence, their presence seems to carry a dark cloud and your own resonance echoes danger. 

Two Angels were sent to Sodom and Gomorrah to seek after ten righteous men, Abraham pleaded with the Son of Man that if ten righteous men could be found the cities would be spared the great fiery judgment. Angels manifested among men and searched the city, none were worthy, saving Lot and his two daughters. Lot’s family and the Angels made haste out of the city before God’s fiery wrath of brimstone fell with great judgment, Lot’s wife clung to the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah and stopping and looking back she was turned into a pillar of salt as fire and brimstone meteor showered wonderfully upon the city.  

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” -Hebrews 13:2

Across the quiet street two cops watch me with a shivering hand take three or four newspapers to cover myself, the letters blurring in and out under the street light while the pages vibrate and rattle. Returning to my concrete bed, I unfold the newspapers, I am hopeful that these will be enough to calm the biting chill that seems to overwhelm my entire being. Thankfully I’ve already survived the worst of it, snow and freezing temperatures are enough to kill a person, and it does happen from time to time, I’ll see spring turning summer if I don’t die before then. Upon the edge of winter and threshold of spring the days are decent most of the time, but the nights are still an eternity of hard ships. I’ve learned compassion for the other homeless, I feel their pain and it shakes me to my core. One night we lined up under a bridge, good Samaritans handed out blankets and food, everyone ate, but not everyone had gotten a blanket. Chaotically needy people came seeking help of any kind… perhaps more than that, human kindness… only then might this world be less dark, less ugly…

As I look on their worn weathered faces, I see an ocean of despair. Nearly every one of them drug addicted, crazy, mentally ill, drunk, and most of them high even as we speak, symptoms of a dying society.

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. John 6:44-45 He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2