Nothing Can Separate, NOTHING.

How right they are to adore you. Song of Solomon 1:4 NLT 

Believers love Jesus with a deeper affection than they dare give any other being. They would sooner lose their father or mother than to part with Christ. They hold all earthly comforts with a loose hand, but they carry Jesus tightly in their embrace. They voluntarily deny themselves for His sake, but they cannot be driven to deny Him. It is a limited love that the fire of persecution can dry up—the true believer’s love is a deeper stream than that. People of every era have worked to divide the faithful from their Master, but their attempts have always been fruitless. Neither crowns of honor nor frowns of anger have untied this more-than-Gordian knot. This is no everyday attachment that the world’s power might ultimately dissolve. Neither humans nor demons have found a key to open this lock. Never has the deceitfulness of Satan been more blameworthy than when he has used it to try to divide this union of divinely welded hearts. It is written in God’s Word—and nothing can remove the sentence—how right they are to adore you. Christians’ love, however, should not be judged by its intensity but by what we long for. It is our daily regret that we cannot love enough. If only our hearts were capable of holding more, and reaching further! Like Samuel Rutherford, we sigh and cry, “Oh, for enough love to go around the earth and over heaven—yes, the heaven of heavens, and ten thousand worlds—that I might let it all out on the beautiful, beautiful, only beautiful Christ.” Sadly, our longest reach is just a few inches of love, and our affection is only a drop in a bucket compared with what He deserves. Measure our love by our intentions, and it is large indeed; we trust that the Lord will judge this to be true. Oh, that we could give all the love in all our hearts in one great whole—a gathering together of all love to the One who is altogether lovely!

- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

Romans is where God still has me...upon reading Spurgeon this morning, a different passage than what he chose comes to mind. 

Romans 8:35 "What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress,  or persecution,  or famine,  or nakedness,  or peril,  or sword?"

It was an eyebrow raiser to read "People of every era have worked to divide the faithful from their Master, but their attempts have always been fruitless."

Every era has people who are under the influence of Satan, trying to separate Christians from the relationship with their Savior.  

Every generation.  Every one!  Look at the Old Testament examples. Within a generation the people of Israel forgot the lessons learned or the blessings received or the triumph gained through their parents relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Every election for the last several it can be found said that we are one generation away from anarchy. One generation away from losing what we have. 

Satan is in this battle for souls whether or not you believe it or not.  

If you are a believer, he is out to shut you down or if achievable, get you discouraged enough not to follow Christ at all.

If you are not a follower of Christ, his aim and goal is to keep you there. 

The Scriptures are plainly understood we battle not against flesh and blood!

Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Mankind is never going to achieve true peace apart from God.  Even during the thousand year reign of Christ, mankind will hide its animosity and resentment of the rule of Christ. When Satan is released at the end, multitudes will gladly join Satan in the last rebellion. 

There is no peace apart from God and Satan does not want anyone to find it!

He has been at it since Adam and Eve to separate man from God. 

Whether or not you believe is irrelevant. Truth is truth.  The fact that you choose to ignore the facts doesn't alter the truth.  You can be a firm believer in your heart of hearts that something is real and all evidence to the contrary you won't change your mind.  But the Spirit can.  He can show you what truth really is...if you ask.

It's no where near a Christian film but some of the questions, answers and interactions are the same.  The Matrix.  

Neo: I can't go back, can I?

Morpheus: Knowing what you know now, would you want to?

When you experience the truth of God, things cannot and should not be the same for you. 

We get so wrapped up in rights and privileges yet neglect what we deserve and haven't received.  We don't deserve the rights and privileges we have in this life.  We deserve what is the wages of sin: death.  Granted that which we do not deserve: mercy. Granted God's unmerited favor: grace. 

We who are in Christ are no longer under the jurisdiction of Satan. We are visiting Earth only. Our Citizenship is of Heaven with God....and as this post is trying to show....nothing Satan has the powers to do...will ever change that.  His schemes are checked at the door by Jesus. He cannot touch a believer without permission.  He cannot do anything to us without the say-so of our Savior.  

If Christ said, and He did, that even a sparrow doesn't fall to the ground without His Father's knowledge,  how much more does He watch us? Matthew 10:29

Regardless of what you see in this life, you are in a war....for souls. 

In this life, this quote keeps coming back to me from another movie, Sneakers. 

It's all about the information. What we see what we hear, it's all about the information.  Satan wants control.  That way in physical terms is full blown socialism.  Full control over people so that they do not have the capacity or capability to think and act for themselves. That's Satan's agenda. You find that the way Heaven is run is completely different. 

So if you heart is troubled these days there is a person to go to.  It's Jesus.  The Number One person that Satan doesn't want you going to. Because for thousands of years everyone who has come to Christ, Satan has lost. Every. One.

You will gain things in this life and lose them.  What you have in a relationship with Jesus is guaranteed never to be broken. 

Are you Watching?

“Watchman, how much longer until morning?” Isaiah 21:11 NLT 

What enemies are abroad today? Errors are a vast horde, and new ones appear every hour: what heresy must I guard against? Sins lurk about, creeping from their hiding places when darkness reigns; I must climb the watchtower, and pray. Our heavenly Protector can already see the attacks that will be made on us, and even while they are still only the desires of Satan, Jesus prays for us that our faith will not fail when we are sifted like wheat (Luke 22:31–32). Oh, gracious Watchman, continue to warn us of our enemies—and for Zion’s sake, don’t stop warning us. “Watchman, how much longer until morning?” What kind of weather is coming for the church? Are there gloomy clouds, or is it clear and fair overhead? We must care for the church of God with an ardent love—and now that false teaching and infidelity are both threatening, let us observe the signs of the times and prepare for conflict. “Watchman, how much longer until morning?” What stars are visible? What precious promises suit our present situation? You sound the alarm, give us comfort also. Christ, the North Star, is always in His place, and all the other stars are secure in their Lord’s right hand. “Watchman, how much longer until morning?” We still await the Bridegroom. Are there signs of Him, coming forth as the Sun of Righteousness? Hasn’t the morning star risen as the promise of day? When will the day dawn, and the darkness flee? Oh, Jesus, if you don’t come in person to your waiting church today, come in your Spirit to my yearning heart, and make it sing for joy. Now all the earth is bright and glad With the fresh morn; But all my heart is cold and dark and sad: Sun of the soul, let me behold thy dawn! Come, Jesus, Lord, Oh, quickly come, according to thy word! “Lord, Open My Eyes,” Christian Friedrich Richter (1704, translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1855) - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

The Watchman on the wall in Biblical times was perhaps the most important person in the town or village.   Taking their time to always be on the alert, scouring the horizon for any form of danger.  They were the ones that alerted the gate keepers as to when it was safe to have the gates be opened. 

We all need a Watchman when it comes to what enters our hearts and minds.  We are easy prey when it comes to manipulating our thoughts.  Don't think so?  Then why are suggestive words so easy to use on us that created a multi billion dollar industry for commercials. 

We are easy to stir up.  Show videos of evil practices to a group and you will get every range of emotions from shock to rage to physical reactions.  

We don't guard our minds and hearts the way we ought to.  As odd as it sounds we can't do it alone.  History is replete with people groups that have been every type possible in the range of human interaction.  From isolationists to those who go with anything happening.  You know what? All have the same problem with sin.  You can't get away from it til you die. Some believed that was their only recourse and woke up where they found out wrong. 

We need a guide, a Helper, and in Christ we have one.  The Ultimate Watchman on the wall of our hearts and minds.  The Holy Spirit.  Without Christ you're on your own.  You have to be on the alert all the time.  You have to figure out what's good and what's evil.  Reality is, apart from God you cannot know.  Only the Spirit convicts people of sin.  Only Him.  We cannot trust ourselves to make wise and right decisions because we have nothing to use to tell if we are right or not. A feeling or factual understanding isn't enough in a Spiritual war.  

A Watchman on the wall guarded against all dangers, the most trusted person in that place.   Who is the most trusted person in you?  If it's you, and you claim to be a Christian, then Jesus is not on the Throne of your heart.  Outside of Christ everyone is believing they are on their own Throne of their own lives. Yet in them their advisor is the sin nature and Satan. 

In Christ we have an Advocate, we have a Helper, we have the power, strength and wisdom of God at our disposal.  As long as Christ is on the Throne of our hearts, He calls the shots.  

We must be careful to listen as well.  Warnings will come.  We must heed them. Where He is working we must be attentive.  A good example is in the book of Nehemiah.   Working with one hand and your sword in the other. 

No where in the Bible does it say that in this life it's ok to let your guard down.  Peter did and in his first thought after confessing Jesus as the Christ face planted by tripping up and was rebuked. 

Christianity today is caught up in mixing in the rights of people.  In Christ our rights are not ours. We belong to God.  We serve at His direction.  We are not citizens of this world anymore.  It's easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment when situations happen.  The Spirit doesn't.  He always is on guard against such things. He sees through everyone's thoughts and intentions. 

The Watchman on the Wall is partly where this blog was inspired by.  Over a year ago God told me that I would be given things to say and it was up to me to say them.  Writers of books in the Old Testament were solemnly warned to tell the people exactly what God was telling them to say to the people.  It's the same responsibility as the Watchman on the wall.  If a danger was approaching and they said nothing the consequences fell upon them.  

I am not good enough on my own to watch me. I am not good enough on my own to write what you read here.  I can't do it. In Christ, I can.  In Christ only is true fruit grown with respect to Salvation.  Only in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, can we really know right thoughts from wrong thoughts.  People constantly misuse even Scripture to believe something about God that's not right.  Satan used that immediately in his temptations with Jesus. You don't think he wouldn't with you?  

God won't give me more than I can handle.  A lie.

No weapon formed against me will prosper.  A lie.

There are others.  Why are those a lie?  If you only were given what you could handle you wouldn't have a reliance on Christ.  Many Christian martyrs had weapons formed against them that certainly worked against them.  Throwing that verse around while not living a Christ centered life just makes it's misuse worse.  

You are not going to be on easy street after coming to Christ.  The world hated Jesus they aren't going to be fond of you.  He said that to us in the Bible.  A man's enemies would be members of their own house.  Sound like you only get what you can handle?  Not hardly. 

Be watchful.  Be on guard.  Take no input from people or social media or interactions in life for granted.  In Christ we have the power to do something about life.  Without Christ you don't stand a chance. 

Where God Blesses...

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. Romans 8:28 NLT

 Upon some points, we as believers are absolutely sure. We know, for instance, that God is in the bridge of the vessel when it rocks the most. We believe that an invisible hand is always on the world’s tiller, and that wherever providence may move, Jehovah steers it. That reassuring knowledge prepares us for everything. We look over the raging waters and see the spirit of Jesus walking on the waves, and we hear a voice saying, “It is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 ESV). We know too that God is always wise and, knowing this, we are confident that there can be no accidents or mistakes. Nothing can occur that ought not to happen. We can say, “If I lose all I have, it is better that I should lose it than have it, if that is God’s will; the worst calamity is the wisest and kindest thing that could happen to me if God ordains it.” We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. Christians do not merely hold this as a theory; we know it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good to this point: the poisonous drugs mixed in their proper proportions have effected a cure, the sharp cuts of the scalpel have cleaned out the diseased flesh and facilitated healing. Every event has so far worked out the most divinely blessed results—and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, and that He brings good out of evil, believers’ hearts are assured. We are enabled to calmly meet each trial as it comes. Believers can, in the spirit of true resignation, pray, “Send me what you want, my God, just as long as it comes from you. You have never sent your children anything bad from your supply.” Say not my soul, “From whence can God relieve my care?” Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere. His wisdom is sublime, his heart profoundly kind, God never is before His time, and never is behind. “Say Not My Soul from Whence,” Thomas T. Lynch (19th century) - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

We live in a fast paced world. 

This isn't by the design of our Creator, in my opinion, but that of Satan.  Advancements and technology are nice but not all are beneficial.  Slight of hand, misdirection, distraction are not just for magicians. They are the tools of Satan. 

Jesus often spoke of, and provided the examples of, getting away to be alone with God His Father. 

What does this have to do with the verse that opened this?  When you remove the distractions and the noise of life you can then focus on just how much God has improved and impacted your life.  You aren't going to do that amidst ear buds or television shows or movies or even sporting events. You only can when it's just you and Jesus. 

When alone with God you can think about the other truths like there being no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...such as you. 

When alone with God you can think about the extent He went through to show His love for you in that while we were yet sinners He died for you.

When alone with God stress seems to melt away.  Look at Mary n Martha as a good example.  Mary chose to sit quietly at Jesus's feet.  Peace was evident.  Not so with Martha. 

Daniel collected his thoughts in prayer 3 times a day and was well known for it.  People knew where to find him...spending time with Jesus. 

When our world wants to push Satan's agenda, being alone with God reveals it.

When men in Churches do things that don't quite make sense, God reveals it .

He reveals through prayer and people. But only when we are walking as we ought to before Him.  We are the worst at self condemnation.  King David knew his own faults. Knowing your limitations is one thing, obsessing over them is yet another. 

Knowing who you are in Christ frees you from so much in terms of self condemnation.  Of course you're not going to get life right 100 percent of the time.  You have a sin nature.  Until you receive your glorified body you always will have struggles as a believer. Paul had struggles. Peter had struggles. John had struggles.  All Christians have struggles.  

Knowing who you are and what you are in Christ is key to getting through life. 

God blesses you in both the good times and the apparent bad times.  Perception is everything.  What you perceive is real is reality.  

Your blessings will be more abundant throughout a life of obedience.  God has an infinite storehouse of potential blessings for those who live as His Word says. 

It's us who keep our blessings curtailed.  Our obstinate behaviour.  Our disobedience.  Look at what was written about the connection between obedience and blessings in the Old Testament.  

Even if our perception is life stinks, God is still there working it for our good as long as we have our eyes on Him. 

You hopefully don't go a day without being in your Bible. Hopefully you talk to Jesus throughout your day, not just when you remember before eating.  He is not your butler, He is not your genie in the bottle. He is not the keeper of the hardware store that can fill your needs and wants. 

Jesus is to be the best friend you ever had.  He is to be your Counselor, your Teacher, your go to one when life takes a turn.  Your Physician.  Your Savior. 

He doesn't stand by with a notepad to take your order. 

He knows your heart, knows your ways, they are ever present before Him. You have the Creator in your corner.  I see people in this world who are struggling and can't articulate it.  What they can't put into words because it's admitting weakness to them is they have no one to hope in.  As believers we have a solid hope in Christ.  Their hope is that things will get better.  My hope is that Jesus will always be near me. That my needs will be met.  Governments make promises to get votes then don't keep them.  Jesus makes promises and keeps them all the time. 

Our hope, our blessing, comes from above.  We who are in Christ are adopted into the family of God. This world is not our home anymore.  Our rights are the rights bestowed on those in our home...which is Heaven.  Our worldly rights are subjective to what God allows. He establishes rulers and removes them, not Satan.  He permits things to happen to get through to people to save them if they would but repent and turn to Jesus. 

Blessings come to both the believer and unbeliever but to be truly blessed requires Salvation in Christ Jesus.  Many unbelievers will tout their successes saying they have no need for Jesus.  Sure you can likely live without Him, but when you die you had better have Him as your Savior.  Your choices now determine your destination later. 

God Blesses alright...and yes He does cause all things to work together...for you to really experience that...make sure your priorities are right.  That you are living in a right relationship with Jesus. Without that my friend you aren't living you are existing. 

Worry is a prayer with no direction, an endless circle of no hope. 

Prayer is a worry sent to God to deal with, in whom we do hope.

Cannot Continue in Sin

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand 

in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.

Psalm 24:3–4a

God has rigid requirements for those who want to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. There is no easy access to God for those with unclean hands or an impure heart. It is an affront to holy God to assume that we can indulge in our sin and blatantly disobey His word, then brazenly enter the holy of holies. In Old Testament times, one's hands represented one's activities. Clean hands symbolized pure activities. Priests washed their hands before serving in the temple to symbolize that only those who were cleansed could worship holy God.

There are levels of intimacy with God. The moment you become a Christian you begin a relationship with the Lord. However, if you persist in your sin, sin will separate you from God and keep you from enjoying close fellowship with Him. If you follow only God's basic commandments but resist every time God gives you specific, personal directions, you will never fully experience the depths of God's Person. If, however, you are like the psalmist and understand the holiness of God, you will adjust your life to His standards and respond to His prompting so that you may have deeper fellowship with Him.

The closer you get to holy God, the more obvious even your smallest sins become. The more you know of God's character, the more you will realize the need to wash your hands and purify your heart before you can get close to Him.

Are you willing for Almighty God to make you absolutely pure before Him so that you can enjoy the maximum possible relationship with Him?

- Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Oh so many are attempting to live for themselves while claiming to live for Jesus!

When pressed throughout this pandemic, it's the rights of the individual that seem to be what's in the newsfeed on Facebook, the feed on Twitter, the news headlines as protesters of all kinds take to the streets. 

I read of hijacking a cause for a different purpose.  Have been reading of many of these in various forms.  

You realize that's what parasites and cancers do?

When in the desert, being tempted by Satan, in Matthew 4, Satan tried to get Jesus to create a situation whereby God would be forced to come to his rescue. If He was the Son of God that is.

Sounds like recent headlines to me from a Church in California. 

It's right up there, honestly, with those that want to bargain with God to do something different in life that it's apparent that God wants of someone's life.  If you just do this God then I'll do whatever you want.  If you do this, I promise you...

People so easily forget that He knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  They forget that it is He who searches the hearts of man.  All the while life is happening, that's what Jesus is doing.  

Does God need a crisis to showcase Himself to the world?  What of all the seriously disillusioned people who turned away from Salvation all because someone set a date for Christ to return and it passed.  How many lives are ruined by such things! 

My dear reader, Satan will indeed use every temptation that he used against Christ on us if allowed by God.  For believers he needs permission, for the unsaved he doesn't. Although if it's messing with someone being saved I have to wonder if there's limits to that. 

Should you attempt to create a grandstanding event on God's behalf, and it backfires, who takes the heat?  Sure the perpetrators will, but for sure Satan will make a media circus about it for several generations.  Perhaps you have read about a few?  

In the Old Testament, if such a one were to be prophesying and whatever it was didn't come true, they were stoned to death.  Deuteronomy 13. Because they encouraged the people to do something contrary to the will of God. 

The truth is we shouldn't try to instigate circumstances to create an opportunity for God to do something.  That's the temptation where Jesus told Satan you shouldn't put God to the test. 

The case in point in California they are twisting circumstances to say they are going to listen to God not man about being together as a congregation.  It is obviously lost on them that the early Church never met in big buildings.  They met in homes.  It's also historically obvious that God blesses the smaller Churches far more than the larger.  Perhaps it's to do with a greater ability for accountability.   It also prevents a puffing up of leaders above the people. Read Thessalonians and Timothy at least, to read of the future dangers that would come against the Church...they would come from WITHIN.  Not the world. 

Many Christians continue to live idol filled lives while going to Church.  The greatest damage from this pandemic isn't people's lives in the respect of life-and-death situations.  It's that God has removed idolatry on a grand scale and Satan is trying to recoup his losses.  He is encouraging binge watching of movies and television, of streaming services.  Encouraging people to do anything but get closer to God throughout this.

Lastly angry people don't really think with the brain God gave them.  The angrier someone is the easier to manipulate them.

Interestingly, this had been the punchline of most Loony Tunes cartoons. Get Elmer Fudd to get angry and Bugs would manipulate everything.  Get Daffy Duck angry and manipulate.  People get angry by a carefully orchestrated media attack and they are manipulated. 

Why are commercials so successful in the preservation of the lives of animals yet millions of lives of babies keep getting lost?  Oh that's right, if we had commercials that showed the plight of the unborn...

We cannot continue in sin in all its forms and yet keep coming to Christ asking for things to happen or situations to change. 

Paul, in Romans speaks quite a bit on practiced sin. It's intentional sin.  Sin we knowingly do and repeatedly do.  There's a flavor of sin for every opportunity.  Protesters of all kinds for virtually every form of sin exist.  Not against but for it!

They want gender equality. Including all forms of sexual perversion.  They want homosexual Pastors.  These are examples of sins being pushed as what should be right and normal.  Yet not according to God's Word.  

You cannot continue in sin that Grace may increase.  Read in Romans about it.

We cannot be provoking God by our decisions.  We are to JOIN God where HE is working not inventing situations FOR Him to work.  My friend, I did that myself over 30 years ago, thought I had God's plans for me figured out.  It was a disaster that almost cost me my life. 

Look at what motivates you to do what you do. When you are getting stirred up, is it for real Biblical reasons?  Are you on a bandwagon with others, not having done as the Berean Church and look it up for yourself?  You cannot continue in sin and expect God to answer your prayers. 

While there is yet light...

The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23 NLT 

Quietly contemplate the Lamb as the light of heaven. In Scripture, light is the symbol of joy. The joy of the saints in heaven comprises these truths: Jesus chose us, loved us, bought us, cleansed us, robed us, kept us, and glorified us. We will be in heaven entirely through the Lord Jesus. Each one of these thoughts is, to the saints in heaven, like a cluster of the grapes of Eshkol. Light is also the cause of beauty. Nothing is left of beauty when the light is gone. Without light, no radiance flashes from the sapphire; no warm glow proceeds from the pearl. In the same way, all the beauty of the saints above comes from Jesus. Like planets, they reflect the light of the Sun of Righteousness; they live as beams proceeding from the central star. If Jesus withdrew, they would die; if His glory were veiled, their glory would expire. Light is also a symbol of knowledge. In heaven our knowledge will be perfect, but the Lord Jesus himself will be the fountain of it. God’s mysterious ways, never before understood, will then be clearly seen, and all that puzzles us now will become plain to us in the light of the Lamb. Oh, what an unfolding there will be, and what glorifying of the God of love! Light also means manifestation: it shows everything clearly. In this world, “he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears” (1 John 3:2 NLT). God’s people are a hidden people, but when Christ receives them into heaven, He will touch them with the wand of His own love and change them into the image of His obvious glory. They were once poor and wretched, but what a transformation! They were once stained with sin, but with one touch of His finger they will be as bright as the sun and clear as crystal. What a manifestation! All of this comes from the exalted Lamb. Whatever splendor exists, Jesus is the center and soul of it. Oh, to be present and see Him in His own light, the King of kings and Lord of lords!- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

Jesus is indeed the light. Look at the reactions of people in Scripture as they encountered the Light.  

Two responses really. Either in horror at what was exposed, wanting it to go away or in awe and wanting more.  

Light comes first to reveal the truth.  Light without truth is really impossible. 

We see and hear of deceptions in various aspects of our lives, from those nearest to us to those in Government. 

As light comes, everything is exposed.  Truth is truth.  Be it an ugly truth or a beautiful truth.  It's still truth. 

Our reaction to it says much about where we are in Christ.  Do we scatter at its revealing luminescence or do we want more?  

I have been reading in Romans again.  It's a very rich book to read overall.  It's probably one of the book of books to read after the book of John.  

It's more than the Who's Who of facts on just what is sin, it's history, it's future and it's cure.

Take the verse that says the wages of sin is death.  Turn on the light of truth and that's exactly what is revealed.  Sin results in death.   But not the physical death.  All who live face that.  Spiritual death means either Heaven or Hell as your destination. 

The light of Scripture shows the reality of the physical world that impacts the Spiritual world.  When a light is turned on you cannot stop the truth from being seen.

You cannot take back what has been revealed.  Once Christ revealed truth to everyone He met there was no un-seeing it.  Revealing meant change. Either it meant changes for the better or it meant people furious at their being exposed. 

In Heaven there never will be a shifting shadow.  No place for deception or lies to hide.  In fact each day that Satan presents himself before the Throne of God even he has to speak the truth. 

Be it as a believer or an unbeliever you too will confess the truth before the host of Heaven.  Really consider what was just written. If Satan absolutely has to speak the truth before God, you certainly will as well.  Scripture says that in time there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. 

So what does this say about today? 

Today is your opportunity to acknowledge the light.  Today is your opportunity to embrace the light, to not run from it.

Today is your chance to make changes based on what the light of Christ reveals. 

We live in a world of decepticons.  Hollywood is all about deceptions.  Disguised as escapes from reality.  Politicians practice deceptions.  To get what they want plus get you to go along with it.  Satan is the master deceiver.  He has had many thousands of years to perfect deceptions.  Honestly you could be watching a CGI of a news broadcast and accept it as real and never know.  It's happened before.  Last year a video was created, complete with Breaking News! Scrolling across the bottom, depicting a plane making an emergency landing on a highway out west in a large city.  People believing it. The realism was that great.  It never happened.  

Our world serves but one...and it's not Christ.  Political powers, media powers, those in news and entertainment all work for one...Satan.  Those that speak the truth, are harder and harder to find.  Many have had to create their own network or even their own internet servers to keep the real truth out there to yet be seen.  

Yet in Christ all you will find is the light of truth.  Scripture says that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  It's incredibly important to make sure you are following the right light!

Therein is the necessity of being fruit inspectors.  We are told in the Bible that we will know people by their fruits.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad produce good. 

Do you embrace the light of Christ or do you try to hide from it?  That's what you need to settle today.  The only one you can count on to show you the truth is Christ.  All others are self serving.  Truth revealed by any other means will have shades of self interest or self deception. 

You cannot know the truth without exposure to it. Being in prayer, being in the Bible are absolutely necessary to reveal truth.  It's not found in any legislation or ancient manuscripts. Not found in rigged poles by news outlets.  

You must be in Christ to receive the light of Christ. Next comes letting Christ go wherever necessary in your life to effect change in you.  Don't fight. Let the Great Physician do what needs to be done. 

Do you run from the light or are you an embracer of it?  Your reaction speaks volumes of the state of your soul. 

Reach out of the boat!

Reach out from the Boat!

By David Brenneman 

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:22. Was reading a book last night called "Fearless Living" by Dr. Michael Youseff. In it he called what he sees in the professing Church today is a paradox. He didn't quote this passage yet but it applies.  The greater volume of so-called Church goers today love the idea of being saved, that their families are, and significant friends or acquaintances. Yet do not speak to the fact that just because we are in the lifeboat, it does not mean that the work is done.  

Doers of the Word is active. To hear only certainly mean no real activity.  Coming to Christ means yes we are saved. Yes we are in the lifeboat of Christ.  But it also implicitly means that now we are also reaching over the edge of that boat to bring others in with us. 

As I have been fond of using as an analogy, being saved in Christ Jesus isn't just a 'Get out of Hell free card'.  This true game of 'Life' means we live and share when possible with others.  As someone once said "Let your life be your witness, and if you have to, use words".

After reading that part last night, I was reminded of the ending of Titanic. The sniveling little coward of a rich man deceived to get into the lifeboat when the ship was going down.  Then huddled down to avoid doing anything to be of help to anyone else. 

My friend, dear reader, there will be no deceiving Christ when you face Him.  

Read what the Bible says about Him.  He is able to separate your thoughts from your intentions.  He can see your end from your beginning.  He can see why you did what you did in secret.  He knows the division between your soul and spirit.  He knows what is going on in every atom of your being. 

Scripture is clear God will not be mocked. Whatever a man sews he will reap.  You will not deceive Jesus by your words.  Note clearly that when the end of history comes He doesn't ask anyone about themselves. He simply separates those who are His from those who are not.

But I am not this, but I am not that. I don't know what I can do for Christ.  Really?  Christ decided what you are useful for before the world began.  Paul taught in Corinthians that we all who are in Christ have a different function.  The body isn't all made up of ears, of mouths or hands.  There's all kinds of other body parts that are required to make the body of Christ effective. 

So don't be a hearer of the Word and not a doer.

But I am afraid of what He might ask me to do!

Really?  You trusted Him to save your life yet you are afraid of what comes next?   Either you trust Jesus or you don't.  

The other is also true.  Don't create a mission for yourself for Christ. 

Unless you are working where the Spirit is working you work in vain and in your own strength.  Not with the power of God. 

Not everyone will be an outspoken Evangelist. Not everyone was to be a teacher or preacher.  

Ananias was just a follower of Christ whom God chose because he was willing to obey.  He received Saul into his life, in spite of the apparent danger of his reputation.  He obeyed and got to participate in a healing of every aspect of Saul's life. Turning him towards faith in Christ.  Seeing the beginning of the greatest Apostle ever for the Gentiles (everyone who isn't a Jew is a Gentile).

Think about your life. Is it a Christian Paradox as Dr. Youseff has observed?  Are you saved yet are hiding, hoping that you won't be called upon?  That's the true realization of people who are looking only for a get out of Hell free card. 

Save me but don't ask me to do anything for you.  People are going to Hell by the millions per day.  You were saved for a reason. Bring someone else into the boat.

Eating from the fields

“Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain.” Ruth 2:2 ESV 

Downcast and troubled Christian, come today and glean in the wide field of promise. Here is an abundance of precious promises that meet your wants exactly. Take this one: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench” (Isaiah 42:3). Doesn’t that suit your case? A reed is helpless, insignificant, and weak. A bruised reed, which can produce no music, is weaker than weakness itself. You are a reed, and a bruised reed at that—yet He will not break you. On the contrary, He will restore and strengthen you. You are like a faintly burning wick—no light or warmth can come from you. But He will not put you out; He will blow His sweet breath of mercy over you until He fans you to flame. Would you glean another ear? “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT). What soft words! Your heart is tender, and the Master knows it—so He speaks gently to you. Won’t you obey Him, and come to Him now? Or take another ear of corn: “‘Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,’ says the LORD and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 44:14 NKJV). How can you fear with such a wonderful assurance as this? You could gather ten thousand golden ears like these! “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist” (Isaiah 44:22 ESV). Or this, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 ESV). Or this, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Revelation 22:17 ESV). Our Master’s field is plentiful; look at all the handfuls of grain. See, they lie before you, poor frightened believer! Gather them up and make them your own, for Jesus urges you to take them. Don’t be afraid, just believe! Grasp these sweet promises, thresh them out in meditation, and consume them with joy. - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

Hope is what the weary people of this world are looking for.  I am not ashamed to say that I am in that boat too.  The days are hard and getting harder.  The times in which we live powerful people are making life difficult.  

Was reading in Psalms this morning.  King David minced no words on his strong feelings and desires of what he wanted God to do with the wicked.  Consider too he was considered to be a man after God's own heart.  God has no pleasure in seeing evil in this world. 

Prayer is more powerful than any man or woman alive.  

Prayer does not need to be spoken to be known by God. 

Prayer doesn't even have to be a complete sentence for the Spirit to understand the intent. 

Prayer is not a grocery list delivery service. 

It's how we as man talk to our Holy God. 

It's how we grow with respect to Salvation. 

It's how we find peace that passes all understanding. 

It's absolutely not a sign of the weak.

It's not a sign of a quitter. 

It's not a 'crutch'.

It's the spoken and unspoken communication from our heart to God. 

Hope finds itself wrapped up in prayer.

We see with our eyes, hear with our ears. As Jesus said as well if we would but do that and turn to Him, He would heal us. 

But in our intense world of information overload Satan's aim is to try to drown out the voice of Christ. To prevent us from seeing the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Peace and hope do exist, but not apart from a right relationship with Jesus. 

The Psalmist writes of being still before God.  Jesus, as it's written across 4 different Gospel accounts, often got away to be with His Father.  On those occasions and as it is written, angels came to strengthen Him.  

Newsflash for the world it is never anyone who passed on before you that ever comes in those moments.  Scripture says of believers that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  Doesn't say unless needed back on Earth.  Read in Daniel of who showed up. Read in the Gospels who showed up after the temptations of Christ. Who showed up before Jesus was taken by the people to be crucified.  Nowhere in Scripture is it written that ordinary people showed up after having died to help anyone.  Hope is not found in those who have died.  Hope is found in Christ alone. 

In these times where God has allowed the breaking up of a lot of institutions. Of the stopping of a great many things.  There is one thing He still beckons. Our time and attention.  Regardless of your view of the smoking ruins of civilization as we see it today, God is still God.  He is still in the business of saving people.  If you lived in the world back when the plagues struck Egypt, you probably would be thinking the same thoughts as you do today.  That it's overwhelming. That there's no hope.  That you miss the way it used to be. 

Jesus has repeatedly said He is at the door knocking.  But you have to let Him in. 

He is the epitome of the greatest of opportunities for a life yet unimagined. 

Yet He will not force it upon you, regardless of what Satan says or implies by way of a manipulated media. 

You must open that particular door my dear reader.  You. 

Your world is closing in on you, you say. 

Well your choices are the same as I have had at various times in my life. 

1. Go on living as you call it life. Just wallowing in your misery. 

2. End it all. Not the most encouraging of statements I know.  But as one whom God saved from suicide, it bears the right to be said.

Door number 3.  Open it and ask Jesus to save you, to do whatever is necessary in your life to save you. 20 plus years ago I took door number 3.  Oh the things that Jesus has brought me through and has opened my eyes to see.

You also need to remember that the highest of stakes are on the line.  Your soul.  Do you really really want to start with God on preconditions to coming to Christ?  You are drowning and want to waste your last breath on the manor of how Jesus says you're to be saved?

That's like that story I have written of with the woman claiming to all that God is going to save her.  She refused help from a truck, a boat, a helicopter as the dangerous water arose higher until it took her life. Standing before Jesus angry about it, He pointed out He DID send help. 

My friend hope isn't gone in this world. 

But I will tell you it came wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

It grew up in this world, lived a sinless life and was eventually nailed to a cross to die for the world's sin, including yours and mine. 

3 days later hope blew open the doors of death, and the grave.  Took all who were there in Paradise to be with Him in Heaven.  

That hope has a name and its Jesus. 

Jesus has promised to take care of you in every way if we would but come to Him. 

He has promised to heal the broken hearted. To give a hope and a future. 

But you, my friend, have to open the door to ask for Him to enter in. To forgive you of your sins.  To cleanse you of all unrighteousness.  To save you.  

The title is eating from the fields.  The fields are ripe for harvest if we would but ask Him if we can come in.  The promises are never ending.  If we but ask.

Don't put it off anymore.  The Father could tell Jesus at any moment that now is the time.  Then you would indeed be left behind in a world where this level of despair and lost hope is going to seem like a schoolyard brawl in comparison to what is coming. 

Invite Jesus in today.  Find the hope you can't seem to find.