Introspective Retrospective

Tempus fugit, and then some. I thought that introduction would be less cheesy than 'like sands through an hourglass' and the such.
Today I suddenly realized it has been almost two months since Homeward Bound was started, and to the faithful few who were here at the beginning, and the others who hopped on board at later dates, welcome, thank you, and God bless you.
Somehow during these two months we've managed not to teach on 1 Kings 17, discovering that there is more to Scripture than the fact 'the widow woman made the pancake for the man of God first', we've seen the Bible's beauty, its complexity and simplicity, it's unique power to chasten and to comfort simultaneously. Within its pages we have discovered wisdom, hope, rebuke, exhortation, and instruction as to how we can be fruitful and obedient servants of Christ.
We've also been able to reinsert what some consider taboo, or antiquated words, such as Jesus, repentance, the blood, and the cross, back into the Christian vocabulary and dialect, and it would seem by some of your comments that this is appreciated.
We haven't had a 'web-a-thon', asking for your immediate donations that we might continue to spread the word, because this web log is free, I haven't asked for support in buying a jet, because flying coach is perfectly fine, and the desk I bought at the local superstore for under $50 seems to be holding up quite nicely. The point I am trying to make, is that it doesn't take allot, to do allot for God. In fact, it's amazing what can be accomplished if one is merely willing to sacrifice of themselves, and be driven by the sincere desire to impart truth without fillers or filters.
Over the years I've been criticized by some in ministry for making available for free, what they would charge an arm and a leg for, being accused of not knowing how to 'play the game', or understanding the rules thereof.
On the contrary, I know he game all too well, I understand the rules better than some, and I find both the game and the rules, dehumanising, disgusting, and depraved. I am not playing a game. You don't play with men's faith, with men's souls, or with men's hopes! I am fulfilling my calling and doing what I have been commanded of God to do.
Would the ministry that God has entrusted to me be more successful in the eyes of the world if I had chosen to play the game? The answer is unequivocally, yes it would be. It's a guarantee that if I had gone the route of publicists, and agents, speaking fees and book signing tours, compromise and truth bending, the ministry would be larger, at least from a financial standpoint, but I would feel the kind of dirty that no amount of soap and water could wash away, or make clean.
It would be false modesty for me to say that I am not aware of my talent, or my gifts, and knowing what I am capable of, could probably crank out a cheesy, cliche filled, self-centered, self-involved, me driven bestseller in under six months. The rub of it however, is that I'd have to live with myself, and with the knowledge that I will never redeem the time I squandered in helping lukewarm Christians justify their duplicitous lives, not only for the rest of this lifetime, but for the rest of eternity. God sees the bright red splotches on men's hands even from a universe away, He sees the blood of innocents on the hands of pharisees from the heavens, and everyone, to the last, will be called to account.
The glow, and afterglow of worldly success fade eventually, and even the biggest of blockbuster books are eventually marked down to seventy percent off, so they can make room for a new batch. Thus passes the glory of the world. The hollowness however remains in perpetuity, and once you ring the bell of compromise it cannot be 'unrung'. Once we promote ourselves over Christ, once we insert ourselves, our ideas, our teachings into the Word, which is not given to subjective interpretation, we have muddied the truth, made the waters impure, and not fit for consumption.
As the old Latin expression so succinctly puts it, pure water flows from a pure spring. (A fonte puro pura defluit aqua.)
May we never forget that the pure spring of God's Word is free, and freely accessible, outlasting both kings and paupers, wise men and fools, from age to age, 'till eternity come.
Psalm 100:5, "For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.