Category Archives: Personal views & lessons

Not easily satisfied

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Often, we’re not easily satisfied. The general of an ancient king came to a prophet to be healed. The prophet didn’t even go out to meet him. Instead he sent a messenger to tell the general to go wash in a small, muddy local river. The general was incensed. “Is that all?” seemed to be the question of his heart.

Scripture explains the incident like this. “But the general was very angry and went away saying, ‘I thought surely the prophet would come out to me and stand, calling on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, recovering the leper.’”

Continuing his complaint, the general said, “Are not the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.”

This gets to be rather like what I wrote about in “Does God have a sense of Humor?” We can look at it now and smile at the petulant, pompous commander in his fit of pique. What a patient and loving God we have who could have just gotten fed up with the situation and struck the general dead on the spot. But instead, the Lord allowed the general’s servants to admonish and reason with the him.

The Bible says, “The general’s servants came near and spoke to him, saying, “My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean‘”?

And it all turned out to have a happy ending. Scripture goes on to say, “Then the general went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan River, according to the saying of the man of God. And the king’s flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child and he was clean.” This is all found in II Kings 5:10-14.

How about you? For that matter, how about me? I’ll admit that I may at times have a little of the attitude of that ancient military commander, Lord help and deliver me. There are times when I want to see some mighty moving of the hand of God in my life or in the world, when instead the message that comes back from heaven is rather like what it says in Zachariah, “despise not the day of small things.” (Zach. 4:10)

When Elijah was on the mountain and it was rent with fire and storm, the Bible goes on to say that the Lord wasn’t in either of those. But then, after the fire and storm, the Bible says that Elijah heard a “still, small voice”. (I Kings 19:12)

Some of us want the storm. I wrote about that recently in “Before the storm”. I don’t think that’s bad in itself. Jesus even named two of his top disciples, “Boanerges” which meant, “sons of thunder”.  (Mark 3:17)

But for all the times in our lives when we are swept up in the mighty power of the Lord, in huge reapings or winings of souls across a nation, miraculous healings, astounding revelations and life changing events, you have to admit that the majority of the time that’s just not how things usually go for most of us.

More often we are to be about our Father’s business in meaningful but simple daily tasks, whether they be physical or spiritual. But it’s easy for some of us to let dissatisfaction creep in. The Bible talks about “patient continuance in well doing” (Romans 2:7). But then we are tempted to “grow weary and faint in our minds” (Hebrews 12:3).

The Bible says, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful” (I Cor. 4:2). But our own wayward heart can find fault in this. We can find the temptation to boredom springing up in the garden of our heart. We can be like the people the Bible talks about who say, “‘My Lord delays his coming’ and they began to eat and drink and be merry” (Luke 12:45).

I wonder if Jesus was ever tempted with anything like this? It says He was “in all points tempted like we are” (Hebrews 4:15). But then I’m struck by the simple adverb that’s repeatedly used to describe the Lord towards the end of His time on this earth, “He set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51)

Steadfast. Not bored, not cynical, not jaded or double-minded, not weary in well doing and fainting in His mind.

Maybe the Holy Spirit is saying to some of us today what the king’s servants said to him long ago, “My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather then, when he said to you, “Wash, and be clean?”

We, or perhaps I should just speak for myself, I need to steadfastly continue in all the Lord has already shown me I should be doing, all that He has opened the door for and gotten started already. It’s not smart in any way to get impatient or dissatisfied with the ways of the Lord. It’s good to stay desperate with Him and to desire to stay close to Him. But the main thing is to continue to obey, follow and be satisfied with what He has been directing personally in our lives, as we delight ourselves in Him.

Continue in the things you have known

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Sometimes you don’t know what to do. You seem to be in fog. You become uncertain about your direction and even your vision and goals. I’ve been like that. And tonight I had to really go out and pray about it.

In these times there is a major cacophony of voices and proponents, fervently pointing to what they feel is the way forward. Meanwhile for most folks, it’s like what the verse says about “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14). What really is the way forward? Who actually does have the high ground when it comes to truth, relevancy and anything close to the voice of God and His love, truth and reason in these strange times?

I’ve been troubled and somewhat weighted down by these things for some months. Meanwhile I’ve been very embroiled in the physical side of making a move and buying house for the first time. I know it’s been the Lord and amazing things have worked out.

But it gets to be a little like what the apostles said in Acts chapter 6, “It is not right that we leave the word of God and serve tables.” (Acts 6:2) There are times when every person is called to just simply take care of things and of other people physically. But usually the Lord doesn’t want that to become our preoccupation. He has other things that are more pressing for the work of the Kingdom of God for us and I’ve certainly been feeling that.

Sometimes we just lose the thread, lose the rhythm and the pace of our lives , lose what we feel the Lord is really leading and doing and what His highest and best is. It’s been that way for me for a while as I try to turn back to more of the will of God overall after months of consolidating this new housing change.

If you’re used to trying to maintain a relatively close link with the Lord, trying to abide in that place where you feel the Lord is leading you presently and specifically, then it can be a troubling thing to feel you’ve not heard clearly from the Lord for some time about what exactly He has for you. Of course some Christians, perhaps many, have never really been taught to try to have that kind of relationship with the Lord.

But for those who’ve had a lifetime of Christian service, you just take it on board that you need to do what you can to maintain a continuing link with the Lord through prayer, where you feel and know you’ve really continued to hear from the Lord personally, His answers coming back to you in response to your desperate prayers.

There are so many verses on this. One of my favorites is “Call unto me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you know not.” (Jeremiah 33:3). I was in a new Sunday school class last week and there was something in the lesson that opposed the idea of “name it and claim it” when it comes to Scripture. So I felt led to pipe up and say that actually there are times when we can and should claim and appropriate Scripture, bringing it before the Lord and claiming a verse in His Word that it will be fulfilled in our lives.

So I personally believe and live by the knowledge that we can get personal answers to prayer, directions, response, feedback and basic communications personally from the Lord to lead our lives and answer our prayers and needs.

That’s what happened tonight. I just really needed to get some response back, some direction from Him as He has done so regularly in my life for decades. I was looking for clarity, direction, some setting of the tone, some flash of lightning on what has been becoming an increasingly dark night.

And the Lord responded. Nothing shocking or profound but as is often the case, rather reasonable and what was almost common sense but also filled with wisdom, peace and strength. It could be boiled down to the verse which says something like “Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of”(II Timothy 3:14) . The Lord was telling me that I should just continue in all He’s been telling me to do for months and years now. All the projects that He has gotten me started on but that are far from finished, all the articles, all the videos, all the leadings and new directions which He’s already set me in motion towards which I’ve not in any way finished.

“The slothful man roasts not that which he took in hunting, but the substance of the diligent man is precious.” (Proverbs 12:27) I’ve got a lot of stuff like that. Unfinished videos, nearly done, which could be a help to so many people, in over a dozen languages. Articles unfinished, directions that Lord has pointed me down, all of which are like “half baked cakes” which means there is still plenty more to just do what the Lord has already shown me to do for some time now.

It was refreshing to get this feedback from the Lord. I need to continue in what He’s already shown me to do. I don’t have to have some new revelation at this time. If I’ll just continue with all the Lord has shown me already, all that He’s done already, then I will stay on track and continue to proceed towards these visions and goals.

“Then shall we know if we continue on to know the Lord.” (Hosea 6:3) This was a help to give me a little nudge and encouragement to continue to go forward with all the truth, love and direction that I have had already from the Lord. And probably, further down the line as I go forward for Him, He will show me even more. I feel better now, ha!

Before the storm

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Some of us are like water drops, before the storm. We’ve been in storms before. Now, we’re just floating around, tiny droplets who before were parts of mighty storms. But only God can do it. Storms, when they’re from God, are good. They bring rain and wind, they clear the air and actually shake things up, something that’s so often needed.

Then what? The storm passes and the clouds recede. Often calm returns. I don’t know if water drops have thoughts like this, I suppose they don’t.

But maybe somewhere someone wants to be part of a storm again. They have the vision for it; they feel it’s what they’re created for. The calm and mundane bore them and almost get on their nerves. They long to be part of the storm, part of the change, part of the shake-up, part of the revelation and part of the exposure of drooping, languid regularity that so often leads to lethargy and lassitude.

That’s how I am at least. I’ve been a part of storms all my life, often some really big ones. It was a storm of God that brought me to Jesus, the “Jesus movement” that was so powerful when I was in university and was an integral part of how I came to salvation.

I’ve seen the good they do, the stupor they shock, the indifferent indolence they overcome. “The Lord has his way in the whirl wind and the storm.” (Nahum 1:3) I wrote a blog article about that verse after a tornado passed directly over my parents’ house where I was a few years ago. You can read about that here.

But if we just go around trying to be storms, we’ll make a fool of ourselves and amount to nothing. The Lord has to do it, we can’t do it ourselves. He has to stir up the wind, He has to define and ordain the times.

Our part is to be in the right place, at the right time, in His will. Then we’ll be available, ready and willing when the circumstances are right and the Lord brings the storm. Perhaps, meanwhile, we’ll just be part of some scattered showers here and there. Normal little rains are also very needed and they are more prevalent than storms.

So, like the little local rains, we Christian water molecules will keep being part of the rain. “You, Lord, did send a plentiful rain whereby you did strengthen your inheritance, when it was weary.” (Psalm 68:9) The best ability is availability. Maybe we won’t right now be part of a storm but we can at least be available to be the rain. We can witness the Lord’s truth and love to individuals here and there, the ones who will hear it and even those who don’t.

But if you’re like me, you long for the storm, to be a part of something that’s bringing major change, ordained by the hand of God, that really stirs things up, that brings clarity like lightning does on a dark night.

The lightning of God strikes, illuminating all around it, profound, direct, unstoppable, unquestionable. And we little droplets of the waters of God are swept up in the mighty acts of God that move across the nations, affecting all before it and bringing the mind of God again to this befuddled world.

But God has His times. Sometimes the best is to just keep looking to Him, looking for opportunities, being faithful in season and out of season. Let’s face it, that’s how it has been for most Christians, down through the centuries. They haven’t been a part of the storms some of us have. They “despised not the day of small things.” (Zachariah 4:10) They “did what they could.” (Mark 14:8)

Nevertheless, we can pray. We can hope and look to the Lord that He will yet send another storm. Some of us feel that this is what we are ordained for, this is what we find our destiny in. As it was said to Esther in the Bible, “You are come into the kingdom for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)

But we are not the generals, we are not the Lord of hosts, the captain of the armies of God. We are just His soldiers who’ve fought for Him in campaigns in years past, having seen His mighty hand, having seen His mighty victories and rejoiced in the amazing light and clarity that was a part of those storms, those battles. United with other droplets, we are part of something greater, used of God and rising above to be a part of that moment when God is sweeping the world with His power, might, truth and love.

Maybe that will never happen again. Maybe we’ll just continue to be part of the showers that fall locally from time to time. Or just be the dew of the morning. And if that is His will, then His will be done.

But for me at least, I hope there will be another storm. I hope the Lord will bring the elements together, bring the wind, bring the magnitude of truth that He pours out in the times of mighty change that comes with His storms. And I pray that I and my many friends who’ve been a part of the storms of God in the past will yet again be swept up by His mighty will to bring refreshing, truth and change to this deeply confused and bewildered present world.

Not old-old

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My mom said to  me, “I’m old. But I’m not old-old.” She was in her 80’s at the time. That always struck me as an interesting viewpoint. Personally, I can’t really consider myself middle-aged any more. But I certainly don’t consider myself “old-old”.

I heard someone say, “You’re as old as your last revolution.” A similar thought is what was said about some people, that they “died at 30, were buried at 60.” They quit at 30 but didn’t die till 60.

However, when you have the Lord, when you have a vision, a purpose and a desire to keep alive so that you can continue to do something meaningful with you your life, somehow the Lord often comes through, sustains you and gives you a continuation of meaningful life beyond what you might otherwise have had if you’d lost the vision, lost a purpose or a zest for living and a desire for continuing to live for the Lord and others.

Way back in the 1970’s, there was some current teenage Asian guru who was quoted as saying, “We’re all old; we can die tomorrow.” Well, he was right about that. I’ve had several very dear friends pass on to their reward in recent times and it’s an emotion without name to ponder those dear friends who so recently were here and are now no longer with us.

Still, we are here. Still, there is a reason to stay alive, if nothing else to help others, to alleviate in whatever way we can the suffering that’s the plight of so many and to share the love of God with the world. I’ve written a number of articles somewhat on this subject in the past. I wrote about Solomon, king of Israel, who evidently had fallen away from God’s highest and best but he still had the vision to continue on in his calling and ministry. I wrote about that in “Still”.

Or there was Ruth in the Bible, returning to her own land in her old age, evidently in utter defeat and failure. But unknown to her, the most significant portion of her life was still ahead. I wrote about that in “So You Had To Go Home”.

One of the most famous series of movies ever had the hero, Obi Wan Kenobi, a washed up elderly Jedi living off in his cave, apparently beyond his time and his portion in life. But the best was yet to come. I wrote about that in “Obi wan Kenobi in his cave”.

They say, “Youth is wasted on the wrong people”, ha! Well, I don’t know. If you can find a place in time where you have the power and energy of youth but the wisdom, focus and balance of full adulthood, you’ve then come to a good place.

To be honest, my present early 70’s are ok. I have friends who’ve gone on to be with the Lord. But He’s allowed me to still be here for now. And He’s given me a vision and a sense of purpose that compels me to do what I can each day to put in a full day’s work for Him and others.

I filled out some forms recently and I was asked “Are you retired?” Ha! I almost laughed. In one way, maybe technically I’m retired. But in another way, I am utterly not retired. The Bible says, “There is no discharge in this war.” (Ecclesiastes 8:8) For those serving the Lord, on the wall of His will, keeping the faith and the vision, I don’t think there’s much in the way of retirement. Why should we? The need is still there, people are dying in despair and without God. How can we do less than continue to do our best for Him?

Of course there are those who are bed-ridden and in their final months, weeks and days. But there’s a wonderful thing about the life of faith and service for the Lord: as far as I can see, it’s not something you retire from, like some secular, worldly job.

It’s like if you suddenly got a call from your uncle or grandfather. You were shocked to hear that he was at 21,000 feet on a climb of Mount Everest. “Grandpa! Grandpa! Are you ok?!”, you said.

You had a good connection and could hear him clearly, “Yes, I’m fine. Things are good.”

So you said, “Grandpa, what’s it like?!”

He replied, “It’s so clear, a little cold but the air is amazing and I can see so far. We’ve established a camp and plan to push for the summit in the next days. It’s exhilarating.”

Maybe that’s not a perfect example but possibly that’s how it can and should be. Life is like a mountain climb and as we get closer to the summit, the view is better, the air is purer and many things fade into lesser meaning. I may not be that far along yet. But I’m just trying to tell you that it’s not so bad and there’s still an alive-ness that keeps kicking and the Lord really does keep things going.

Conflicting currents and viewpoints

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Six years ago I was told, “By 2020, Texas will be uninhabitable. The temperature will reach 120 degrees (50° Centigrade) each summer. Huge population migrations will happen as a result.” A dear friend with strong environmentalist views told me this.

Then last November I had a clash with a missionary friend who I’ve known for decades.  He was passionate about the need for assault rifles with large cartridges to hold dozens of bullets. And he was emphatic that the Corona virus vaccine would be the literal fulfillment of “the Mark of the Beast”, spoken of in the book of Revelation chapter 13.

Many were listening to him right then and I felt I had to speak what I felt. I told him I didn’t believe the corona virus vaccine was the fulfillment of the Mark of the Beast. It was unpleasant to be so frank with a good friend but I knew I needed to share what I believed was the truth. I asked him then about the American national election that was happening in a week, what did he see would be happening? With utter conviction he said that Donald Trump would be reelected as President and that the Democrats would then start prolonged, violent civil unrest throughout the USA because of it.

These people are dear to me and I want to stay friends with them. The Bible says, “If it be possible, as much as lies within you, live peaceably with all men”. (Romans 12:18) But other verses come into play and, reluctantly and with Godly caution, they must be considered at times. Jude said that there was a time when we need to “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3). Paul said “The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men,.. in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves …” (II Timothy 2:24-25).

Truthfully I think I can say I’ve seldom ever seen as much division and disunity among both Christians and people in general here in America. It’s particularly disheartening to have such division with close friends who I want so much to be of the same mind with. But often it’s just not how it is now.

I feel the danger is that there’s an incredible pull towards extremist views now that are not substantiated by the fundamentals of Christianity. Multitudes of Christians are being drawn into powerful vortexes of radical, fringe views that masquerade as Christian, or scientific, or with some supposed high ethical stand that all true Christians are seemingly compelled to follow.

I’ve had to take measures to simply hold on to the fundamental truths and basics of the Word of God that has sustained me through the last 50+ years. No matter how seemingly Christian, supposedly scientific or utterly substantiated some current view is that so many are being swept up in, I’ve had to exercise my spiritual discernment to try to sense the essence of some things and to ascertain what truth they may have, if any.

My friend told me 6 years ago that Texas would be uninhabitable by 2020. That wasn’t true, that didn’t happen. On the other hand, some serious weather events have happened here, both extreme droughts and in the recent winter extreme freezes. In driving through Texas now, I’ve never seen so many trees that have died of drought or prolonged frost. My friend’s timing may have been off. But it’s hard to not see that something is happening with the climate and the weather.

The song from the Buffalo Springfield back in the 1960’s said, “Something’s happening here. But what it is ain’t exactly clear..”. That well describes things currently. What to do? For me, I’m convinced that I can and should hold on the basics of God’s Word that have proven true for the people of faith for thousands of year. I may not have full understanding of all that’s taking place right now. In spite of that, I have in my grasp the fundamentals that God has given His people in His Word that will provide light and guidance in any time, no matter how confusing or unprecedented.

There are serious, extremist views coming at all of us from both “the Left” and “the Right”, not to mention ceaseless modern heresies Driving-in-fogand multiple temptations thrown at us from the prince of this world. Sometimes we don’t know how to go forward. But if nothing else, we can hold on to the eternal truths we already know, until a time that always comes when the fog clears and directions and truths become more evident so that we can better understand our surroundings and which way we should go forward.

 

 

Did Jesus ever have seconds?

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Did Jesus ever have seconds? Did he taste something really good and decide to have a little more? Would that have been sin on the part of the Savior? I was thinking about that tonight as I had a glass of wine and a little snack of nuts. Did Jesus ever do that? Would that have been a sin for the Son of God?

Personally, I  think the answer to that is no, it would not have been a sin. And yes, at least perhaps He had seconds sometimes. The Bible says “he gives us richly all things to enjoy.” (I Timothy 6:17) In moderation, the pleasures of this life are a gift of God if we partake of them in Him and keep our eyes on Him, giving Him thanks in all things.

As you may know, this has been a raging religious controversy for around 2000 years. And to this day there are multitudes of Christians who will vehemently disagree with what I’ve written here. “Of course Jesus didn’t have seconds!!”, they will say.

But I just don’t think the Son of Man was some gaunt, austere, esthetic religionist. If He was, then why did His accusers call Him “a gluttonous man and a wine bibber”? (Luke 7:34) I think the Lord was the most real, authentic, alive human being that ever walked the earth. “Yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

But what may surprise some people is what God considers “without sin”, when it is done with faith in Him. “Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing which he allows.” (Romans 14:22)

Of course, in the big picture, the main thing isn’t whether you have seconds or you don’t but whether you’re fully set on a life of faith, obedience and service to Him. The Lord said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God… and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

“Even seconds, Lord? If I’m serving you, seeking first Your kingdom and following You, then will You allow me to have seconds on peanuts or almonds, Lord?”

What do you think the Lord would say to that? Well, it depends a lot on what kind of religious teachings you’ve been brought up with. For most people, their religious teachings will virtually never challenge them or lead them to go fully into Christian discipleship. Going to church on Sunday and supporting the correct political party is about the outer limits of Christianity for so many millions, sadly.

But for those who are seeking first His kingdom, laying down their lives for the brethren, feeding God’s sheep and following the Lord as much as they can, do you really think it would be a sin to have seconds?

And, you know? A lot of people will instinctively say yes to that question. Perhaps because their whole perspective on Christianity is based around what they are not supposed to do, rather than what they are supposed to do.

But, admittedly, with the overwhelming weakness of human nature, the deal is that so many of us can’t really handle the freedom of the Lord. “Seconds? We can have seconds?” And more than a few will therefore then have seconds, thirds and fourths.

The Lord can give us spiritual brakes so that we have the power to “keep under our body and bring it unto subjection”. (I Corinthians 9:27) But many Christians have not come to that place. So the most basic freedoms in the Lord that He wants to give us and can give us are just beyond our maturity. Therefore we have to be hedged in on every side since we have not accessed the powers of the Lord in the Spirit to know how to partake of the blessings of this life, without being overwhelmed by them.

Am I saying that you should have seconds because perhaps the Lord did? I don’t know. In one place the Lord said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” Matthew 9:29. “Have you faith? It is good neither to eat bread or drink [or have seconds] whereby your brother is offended. And he that eateth [seconds] is damned if he eat, if he eat ether not of faith. For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:21-23)

Personally I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ had the faith to eat seconds. But sadly I’m not so sure that the majority of Christians today have the same faith, because of the weakness of their faith and the teachings they have received.

Lord help us all to grow in Him, not just so we can have faith for seconds but that we can come to the full stature of Christian discipleship and maturity where the question of having seconds on peanuts is totally minor in our eyes, since we are filled with the vision of reaching the world for Him, taking up our cross daily to follow Him in this life and loving Him with all our hearts.

 

 

Fog

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Winston Churchill, writing about 1940 said, “Although it was a fine September, I was frightened of the fog.” Why? Because he knew that the fog was the best cover the enemy could have for a German invasion of Britain at that time. And that’s in many ways where we are now: in a fog.

Admittedly, some think they are seeing utterly clearly and can emphatically tell you who the good guys are and who are the bad. But sometimes, the wrong people have the right message and the right people have the wrong message. It’s rather like great confusion.

Have you ever looked up at the sky and seen some clouds going one direction but others going another at the same time? In one place in the Bible it says, “The winds were contrary.” (Acts 27:4) A bit like it is now, it seems to me. And it’s the easiest time for the enemy to invade the land or our own hearts: when we are in a fog and can’t really see as clearly many things that seemed clear not so long ago.

It’s like that to some degree for me now and perhaps for many people. A dear friend said something to me a few days ago that was profound, although he didn’t probably intend it that way. He simply said that he was looking at individual issues rather than choosing one side or the other in the big picture.

I think that might hold a lot of wisdom for the Christian people of faith right now. For me it’s been a help. If I look at individual issues affecting the world right now, I can feel a leading of the Lord on them, if I just look at them one at a time. But forming some composite big picture, some “unified field” as they say in the realm of physics, I’m not really able to do that right now.

And maybe as a Christian disciple, I don’t need to. Maybe I don’t need to identify with the various yardsticks that are so prevalent and demanding right now. No, I don’t at all swear allegiance to one political party or the other, “left” or “right”. I just feel vehemently that my loyalty and allegiance should continue to be to the Son of God Who will ultimately return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, as He clearly said He would.

Should I move away from that? Should any of us come off the wall of Christian discipleship to become embroiled with “the course of this world” and “the affairs of this life”?  (Ephesians 2:2, II Tim. 2:4) No matter how loud the clamor is between one worldly faction and the other right now?

I just can’t, or at least shouldn’t. But there is a strong pull and I do have long-time Christian disciple friends who’ve now engaged themselves almost totally within those controversies and have, in so doing, moved away from their original calling to an allegiance with Christ and His service within this present evil world.

But the enemy can attack most easily when there is a fog. That may be why Paul said, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace.” (I Corinthians 14:33) If I let present contrary winds and an inability to as easily discern things as it seemed possible in the past, then I can allow that wedge to be a device of the enemy to move in heavily, as he always attempts to do, and to overwhelm me with uncertainty, perplexity and confusion. Before you know it, as Churchill feared the Germans would do in 1940, the enemy is landing troops upon your land and is advancing in a blitzkrieg war while you pause in perplexity, with your guard dropped.

The-fight-of-faithThe solution? Remain vigilant. “Strengthen the things that remain.”  (Revelation 3:2) “Be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” (I Peter 5:8)

Having perfect understanding and being able to see clearly the horizon in every direction is not guaranteed for Christian discipleship. Sometimes we simply don’t have that. We have to “walk by faith and not by sight.” (I Corinthians 5:8) But the enemy is always there to cast fiery darts into our hearts and minds, sowing fear, uncertainty, questions and doing all he can to reverse the polarity so that he can launch an attack on God’s homeland, which is our souls, especially when the overall outlook seems foggy.

I’ll have to admit, it has bothered me that I have not been able to feel I see things as clearly as I did until very recently. But on the other hand, I have more than enough of the Lord’s grace to handle all that is before me on the short term. So while the fog clears, I’m going to concentrate on the short term goals and vision which is still just fine. And perhaps before long, other things will become clearer. Still, I am going to remain vigilant against the attacks of the enemy who has already tried to attack me in this present somewhat foggy time.

The enemy is always threatening, broadcasting his woes and contrary confusion, all the much more when it is foggy. But the Lord’s directional systems still work just as well in fog as they do in clear skies.  Meanwhile, when it comes to the enemy of our souls, “We are not ignorant of his devices.” (II Corinthians 2:11)

Insufficient in prayer

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I was thinking tonight about how God has been really good to me. So much so that I can’t really express it or find the words. Sometimes you can’t equal with your words of thankfulness the measure of the abundant grace that the Lord has bestowed upon you. Words fail you. But the funny thing is for me, in earlier years, before I came to the Lord and salvation, I went through a time of horror and depravity. And back then words failed me to describe my experiences as they do again now, but at the opposite end of the scale

When I was university I was swept up in a near death experience that took place in the realm of darkness, the spiritual world but without Christ and God. Afterwards it was close to impossible to find words to describe that experience and those things. At the time I didn’t really have any idea what was happening to me or why.

I just knew something was exceedingly wrong and that it was my fault. I knew that word back then, “fault”, but I didn’t really know or accept the word “sin”. Then gradually, as I came through and out of it all, I found the vocabulary in the Bible that described the experiences and grapplings I’d had in the realm of darkness.

By the love of God I had been “delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Still, I could hardly talk about what I’d gone through. Now, decades later, I again have faced an inadequacy to put into words what is in my heart, but on the opposite side of the spectrum. He has blessed me, “above all I could ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) so that my feeble attempts to thank Him and to appreciate His abundant blessings seem utterly inadequate to do the subject justice.

So I just have to trust the Lord. The Lord knows what He has done. The Lord knows how He has worked in my life. Hopefully He is pleased that I at least realize and know it somewhat and understand it to some degree. How can we be equal to the magnitude of God? We can’t. It reminds me of what I wrote a few years ago about “Thimbles”. I was struck with my inadequacy to respond to the vastness of God, like having a thimble on the beach to measure the ocean before me.

But I try to praise and thank the Lord for what He has done in my life. So many things have happened that I just know are the Lord, His plan and pre-vision and pro-vision. The Lord can make something out of nothing and actually that’s the way He usually works. He has to make you utterly nothing and so that you know it. And then He can begin to put you back together “a better vessel” (Jeremiah 18:1-4).

You may find yourself speechless, trying to find words to thank the Lord with when it all comes so short of describing the magnity of what He’s done in your life. Maybe that’s not where you are at right now. Maybe you are really going through trails and testings and “contradictions of sinners against yourself” (Hebrews 12:3), like what happened to Jesus. But as each of us keep holding on, the Lord can bring us into a fair haven. (Psalm 107:30)  A verse that often speaks to me is how He can “restore the years that the cankerworm has eaten.” (Joel 2:25) Seemingly years of wasted and fruitless existence when you longed to have a purpose and a meaningful life. But He can restore.

We don’t have to be eloquent when it comes to our prayers. Just honest, sincere and real. Our words are us and we are just little people trying to speak to the King of kings and Lord of lords. So we should just speak from our heart, even if it all seems to be so insufficient to express how we feel or how God has dealt with us. “Pour out your heart before Him”, as King David said. (Psalm 62:8)

“We are not sufficient for these things,” (II Corinthians 2:16). Paul knew it was all far beyond him what the Lord was doing in his life and in the lives of others. But he just kept the faith and kept following, even if it got to where it was beyond what he could ask or understand or comprehend.

Should we change?

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Should we change? Big question. It depends. Does God change? He actually answered that. “I am the Lord, I change not.” (Malachi 3:6) But when we search the Scriptures, we see examples where the Lord’s way of dealing with His people changed over the centuries. “The word of God was precious in those days, there was no open vision.” (I Samuel 3:1) But then in later centuries there came a time and age of prophets raised up by the Lord who received visions.

Jesus seemed to advocate change. His original message from the beginning was a commandment to change. “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Repent, change, have a transformation or even more, be transformed by the power of God.

I guess it depends on what you are changing. There’s a time to not change. John the Beloved disciple said, “Let that therefore abide in your which you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son and in the Father.” (I John 2:24)

But, equally and on the other side, Jesus seemed to strongly advocate change.  When His disciples asked Him why the disciples of John fasted but they didn’t, He said, “No man having drunk old wine straightway desires the new for he says the old is better.” (Luke 5:39) His teaching was “new wine” but some people, very religious, were stuck back with the old wine and just couldn’t get on board with the new.

So it seems like we are supposed to do both: at times hold on to the old and at other times break away and follow the new. Solomon wrote, “Destroy not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set up.” (Proverbs 22:28) Seems like we are supposed to hold on to the original foundations we receive from our beginnings.

But other times we are supposed to forget the past and press on to that which is before. (Philippians 3:14) So the only way this will make sense is through the mind of Christ in which these things don’t contradict themselves at all. Let go of the ways the Lord is no longer leading in. And hold on and seek the new ways God has for us now in these times. That’s been the primary procedure and secret of truly following God and abiding in Him for 4000 years or more.

And, without complicating things, we could look briefly at another kind of change. Definitely the wrong one. Paul spoke of this when he said of his formerly loyal helper and companion, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” (II Timothy 4:10) Yes, some sadly (many even in these present times) make a change for the worse. They put their hand to the plow and look back. In Demas’s case they go back, they forsake their calling for “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4).

We have to follow God. What is He leading, saying and doing now? It actually won’t contradict what He has said before but at the same time He is fully able to lead us in some shocking and unusually ways which have often confounded His dearest followers. The Bible is full of times where God’s greats were stunned by His radical ways and often they were barely able to keep up with the Almighty.

We think of God as “the Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9) which is true. But at the same time He is the most present and future entity we could ever encounter. Only God is way out there in front and knows what’s going to happen and is able to lead us and guide us and show us what to do.

Sometimes we need to hold on and sometimes we need to let go. If you put both of those in their right context, both are right. Let go of your old ways of doing things, your old procedures that worked years ago and hold on to what the Lord has for now, what works for today, what He is seeing the need for today. And you’ll find that probably He has actually done it before at some time, only now evidently He is going to pull it out of His bag of tricks again as it’s what’s best for theses time.

Only in the mind and wisdom of God can these two things be compatible and true at the same time. We need to change and not change. We need to be God’s new bottles, desiring the new wine of His radical ways and means to meet the challenges of right now and the future to come.

But also, equally and at the same time, we need to continue to be so rooted and grounded in the eternal truths of God that we in no way abandon the eternal foundation of faith and truth that has been the pillar and groundwork of all we’ve ever believed in.

Contradiction? Impossible to reconcile the two? Not in the Lord at all. But only with the mind of Christ which He gives us. Change and remain the same. Forge forward as we are led by the Spirit of God into greater victories of souls won and the sheep of God established in the faith. But at the same time, remain unmoved, rooted and established in the faith. Only in the heavenly minded can these things make sense and be the beacon for us that the Lord wants them to be.

Proponents of the Truth

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If there is anything a Christian should be known for, it should be for their truth. We should be known for our love, certainly. But if we’re weak in truth, it discredits the Lord and all He stood for. Jesus said, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice”. (John 18:37) He even said, “I am… the truth…” (John 14:6)

So truth, “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) and just loving truth the way we love God and Jesus should be at the core of every true Christian.

And the same way we are to “hate evil” (Psalm 97:10), we should have a disdain and abhorrence for falsehood and even half truths. But if ever there was a time when the shadows of darkness and, frankly, the lies of the devil are running rampant and making inroads into the minds and hearts of the believers, it seems to be now.

There’s an amazing thing that’s to be found in the Book of Revelation about the conditions of the time right before the Lord’s return. It’s somewhat mysterious but I think it speaks plainly about the level of falsehood that saturates our lives today.

Revelation 12 verses 15 & 16 say this  “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”

Waters in Scripture often represent words. Jesus said of His disciples, “Out of their bellies shall flow rivers of living water”, speaking of the Holy Spirit that they would receive. But conversely, the devil also has his “waters”, Satan’s lies and propaganda which evidently will really be poured out in the final days. [And are being poured out already right now!]

And it says that “the earth”, the ungodly of this world, will swallow those waters that the serpent cast out of his mouth. But, significantly, it doesn’t say the woman, the bride of Christ will swallow them.

If ever there was a time when Christians should be diligently focused on finding the truth, holding the truth, speaking the truth and shunning falsehood, it should be in these times. It’s such a poor testimony of the Lord when Christians are easily deceived into some worldly cause or movement that is in fact a pitifully poor substitute for the genuine and truthful cause of Christ and the truth of His Word.

Some people think about purity and they immediately think of something moral or immoral, as they understand it. But simply extolling and embracing truth, while feeling a repulsion to lies and even half truths, can be an even greater need and testimony. It grieves me when I see so many believers get sucked into the affairs of this life and secular political parties, even long time friends I’ve known from the mission field who now view politics as their service to God.

Jesus even in His lifetime talked about those who will “…think they do God service”. But what will they be actually doing? Jesus said in John 16:2, “The time will come that whosoever kills you will think they are doing God service.” As many of you know, there are oodles of Christians who’ve gotten so involved with the affairs of this life that they are convinced that they need to take up physical arms and to be willing to kill others in their service for the Lord!

Isn’t that pitiful?! What a travesty of true Christian discipleship! I wrote something 7 years ago called “A Strong Man, Armed” about when there may be some margin of place where, to physically defend your family, bearing arms may be justified.

But then so many here in the States at least, nominal Christians and sometimes genuinely sincere Christians, are convince that a huge stock of guns is the only alternative for the people of faith. It’s really sad how many believers of our times have veered from the example of the Early Church as well as the pattern and explanation we have in the prophetic Word about the church of the endtime, before the coming of the Lord.

I’m convinced that, just as the Early Church was, the final church of the Endtime before the coming of the Lord will be dependent utterly on Him, His Word and His miraculous intervention and direction. This all just shows us how very far astray much of  Christianity in our times has gone and how much we actually need the cleansing purifying of persecution which, among other things, will sweep away all those who “walk in the counsel of the ungodly and stand in the way of sinners.” (Psalm 1:1) Lord help us!

And He will. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. The Lord  is going to purify His church, purge out the abundant dross, worldly influences and political entanglements that are so utterly prevalent. He has to. Otherwise the believers of the final Endtime will in no way be prepared in any way for the onslaught that will come against them.

But it starts with truth. The deceptions that have captured so many believers of these times must be destroyed, like the idols the prophets of old had to smash and defy. It’s still the same today. Amen, Lord, do it.

PS   And this morning, as I somewhat hesitated to post this article, I heard verses quoted in a devotional which I know I’ve never noticed before.  “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, even as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (III John verses 3 & 4)