Encouragement

The Park is Closing

4 Comments / December 8, 2020

Do you remember that moment that you were at Disneyland (or any really enjoyable place that you love) and they announced it was time to close? You had had a pretty amazing day. Sure, there were some crowds to deal with and that kid on the roller coaster was annoying but, overall, it had been a wonderful break from reality. But the sun had set and the day was done. It was time to make your way to the gates.

You knew the end of the day was coming when the sun had started to sink in the west and the lights had, one by one, flickered to life. The signs were there. And, yet, when that final call came to make your way to the gates, it was disappointing. You were tired and you were a bit over-indulged, but leaving signified the end of a really lovely day that wouldn’t come around again for a long time–and maybe never, depending upon where you were for the day.

I feel a little like that right now.

I was having a conversation with someone and we were talking about Christians in America. They mentioned that living here as a Christian has been like living in Disneyland. And it isn’t real. And, I might add, it isn’t normal.

Think with me, if you will, of Christians both past and present, outside of America. Difficulties, persecutions, trials, and troubles mark their lives. Yes, we have these things in America but we generally aren’t worrying about if we will eat. And we most certainly aren’t worrying about whether we will be thrown in jail for our faith.

But we’ve seen signs of that coming, have we not? For a good ten years or more, we’ve seen the sun sinking in the west. It’s getting darker and darker and there are very few lights coming on to shine in all that blackness.

And, now, it seems that it is time to leave that America. The events of this past year have exponentially increased the likelihood of never returning to what we thought she was.

It saddens me greatly to say that it is increasingly looking like my kids and grandkids will not live in the America I lived in.

And yet…

Maybe I shouldn’t be sad?

Maybe this is actually a good thing.

Nominal, worldly Christianity flourishes in a world full of materialism and tolerance. When it doesn’t cost to be a Christian everyone claims to be one, greatly muddying the waters of true faith. Opportunities are few to trust God for necessities or to put our faith into action as we boldly proclaim the truth.

All of this has weakened us considerably. Until we almost can’t tell the wheat from the tares anymore. Persecution and hard times would clear up that line that has become extremely fuzzy over the years. When being a Christian costs, we will quickly find out who is serious.

And this isn’t a bad thing, is it?

While we are bemoaning our exit from what has been the wonderful experience of living in this great country, perhaps we should instead turn our eyes to the opportunities we are going to be afforded to live for God in a whole new way.

Yes, I think we can be pretty sure by now that whatever is ahead is going to look very different than what we’ve experienced heretofore. And I know our flesh can quiver at the thought of this–especially as believers. But once we can get past the quivering, we have much to be excited about.

We are literally watching the world be set up for a Revelation 13 scenario. I would never make any predictions on how long that will take–could be a year or twenty or fifty– but it IS being set up for that. What an incredible confirmation of scripture! It’s awe-inspiring, is it not?

We could be raptured (there are no words to express how amazing it would be to be part of the generation that is raptured!) but we also need to realize that we may not be raptured. The really important thing to remember is that–no matter what lies ahead for this country or for us personally–God will provide.

I remember reading many accounts of believers that tell of God’s great provision in extremely dire times. I remember reading of martyrs who were singing while burning at the stake. If we are a redeemed child of God’s, He will give us the strength and grace needed for whatever lies ahead. We can count on that!

So, yes, I do believe we are leaving Disneyland. Reminders are everywhere. Empty churches. Quiet restaurants. Bankrupt stores. Going Out of Business sales. As we were driving around looking at Christmas lights last night, the lack of traffic and activity was a sad reminder that things are so…not normal.

But we will be fine. God is with us wherever we go. And that includes when we make our way out of the wonderful world we’ve lived in and into the world where most Christians live.

 

Romans 8:38-39

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 139:7-12

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

 

Please note: To my international readers, I am guessing that you are probably having some of these same questions and fears so I hope this has been an encouragement to you, as well!

And also please note: The 2021 Bible Reading Challenge is up! I will send a post about this sometime in the upcoming weeks, but if you wanted to take a sneak peek, you can find it here.

 

Escape Is Promised

5 Comments / November 17, 2020

The other day I watched an octopus trying to capture a sea snake. Okay, let me fill you in on why I was watching that before I explain what I learned from watching it.

We were keeping our grandsons for the evening and we were at the point where we were all tired. The baby was sleeping in Grandpa’s arms and the two year old and four year old were sitting with me on the loveseat. For whatever reason (this isn’t something we normally do) we turned to YouTube to watch animal videos. The four year old was very interested in octopusses (octopuses? octopusi?) for some reason so I put “octopus” in the search box to see what came up.

He pointed to a video whose cover showed an octopus and a sea snake. I clicked on it to see if it was worthwhile watching. (There is so much not worthwhile and even downright bad on YouTube. I recommend that no child in your care ever be left on their own to scroll through without you to guard their precious eyes.)

What we saw upon clicking on the video was a scuba diver taking a home video of the ocean floor, where he had just happened to catch an octopus trying to capture a sea snake.

It was most fascinating to watch! The octopus used all eight arms in his battle with the sea snake. He would wrap them around his prey and pull him close to himself but then the sea snake would twist and turn and almost get away. Just when he thought he was free, the octopus would reach yet another arm out to grab him and pull him back. This went on for some minutes until finally the sea snake was able to escape the deadly tentacles and he swam away in glorious freedom. He would live to see another day.

I found this video so interesting on several levels. First–who knew there was so much drama on the ocean floor? Of course, I knew it, I had just never really thought about it before. Oh, how wonderful it will be to live on a new earth that has no predator and prey. Have you ever thought about that?

But I also thought of two spiritual analogies that go along with this video. I was trying to decide which one to write about and I’ve decided to just write about both.

First, I think Satan is a little like that octopus. He will try a multi-pronged attack to render us ineffective for Christ. He may tempt us with the sins of self-pity or lying, which we may wallow in for awhile and then just as we escape that sin we are tempted by another one that keeps us wrapped up and imprisoned for a time. As believers, we never stop fighting our enemy. We keep at it until the day we die, knowing that he has no power over us. We will always escape. Sometimes we may receive a short respite and be able to catch our breath, but it never lasts too long, does it? The war with our enemy and with our flesh requires constant attention. There is always another sin or worldly temptation that distracts from and taints a healthy walk with Christ. The “arms” of Satan are limitless and we can only experience victory by never giving up the fight.

But I’d like to spend a bit more time on the second analogy. As I watched that video, I looked at my husband and said I feel a little like that sea snake as I think about the year of 2020. In the midst of whatever game the powers-that-be are playing right now, we are fighting for our sanity and our peace.

It all started with the Coronavirus, one arm of a movement that would try to wrap itself around and suffocate our hope, our peace, and our joy. This arm tried to squelch us with its message of fear and control. Don’t leave your homes. Wear a mask. Close everything. Cancel everything.

Next came the arm of BLM, bringing with it riots, destruction, cancel culture and, with it, more fear.

And, finally, the arm of the election brought with it confusion, disgust, discouragement, and…even more fear.

Now we hear words like “dark winter” and “increasing lockdowns” and yet another arm of the giant octopus is trying to squelch our peace and joy and make us question our sanity.

But this world’s many-armed approach of breaking the spirit of the people can’t work on believers. Not if they are fervently praying and studying their Bibles. There is amazing (and supernatural) strength to be drawn from the pages of scripture. We are immune to even the biggest octopus (spiritually-speaking) if we are walking with God. He is our strength (Psalm 37:39). He is our fortress (Psalm 18:2). He is our Protector (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Nothing can defeat us, nothing can steal our peace and joy, nothing can remove us from the care of the Good Shepherd and the Father’s love.

Oh, we do have to fight. God has made that clear in His Word (see Ephesians 6:11-13 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). But we will win. We will escape.

We must keep in mind that this does not mean physically. We may suffer terrible losses in this battle with the giant one-world octopus. We may even have to die. We really don’t know what is ahead. But we will be gloriously victorious in the end. Nothing–not even all the events of the year 2020–has the capability of defeating us, as believers, unless we forfeit by taking our eyes off Jesus and putting them on this world.

I admit it’s been a fight and it can be exhausting (as I’ve shared before). I imagine that sea snake, too, was exhausted, as he fought for his life. As we fight for our peace, joy, and–yes–even our sanity in a world full of bad news, violence, fraud, lies, and propaganda, remember that we will escape with all of these things intact, if we but choose to anchor ourselves in God’s Word.

I just cannot believe how I am watching the pages of scripture come to life right now. It is so confirming of the verity of the Bible. So don’t be discouraged. We saw all this coming. Yes, we are in a dreadful fight against evil but God will make a way of escape. And I honestly believe that may very well be soon now!

So keep on fighting. Don’t give up. I know it feels like we are at a disadvantage. And so we are, from the world’s perspective. But they are discounting the fact that God is all-powerful and that there are no sticky tentacles, or number of arms, or any power on this earth that cast us into a prison of fear and torment when God is on our side.

 

(Here’s the link to the octopus and sea snake video if you want to watch it yourself. It says it is 13 minutes long but we just watched the first four minutes).

 

The Benefits of Living in the Fog

6 Comments / November 5, 2020

This morning, as I came downstairs and looked out the window, I saw a lovey mist covering the land. It was almost ethereal in its beauty so I grabbed my phone and took the photo above.

Fog may look pretty on a fall morning, but it is always a bit dangerous. It limits our view as it encompasses us all about with its gloomy, gray shroud.

Of course, some fog is thicker than others. And, unfortunately, the fog we are currently living in and which surrounds us on all sides is neither ethereal or lovely. It’s murky. It’s uncomfortable. It’s disconcerting. It’s frustrating. And it’s getting old.

Are you–like me– so so weary of all of the conflict, the division, the lies, the censoring, the chaos, the injustice, the uncertainty?

We have been telling ourselves to “trust the Lord; God’s got this; don’t complain; remember it could be so much worse” all year long.

And all of that is true. And extremely important.

But sometimes it’s just discouraging, isn’t it?

No matter where you live in the world, your world has been changed. This fog is not limited to America and its unsettled, corrupt election. As countries start to lock down again, riots continue across all the world, and governments enforce more and more tyrannical laws, we are all facing what seem to be insurmountable issues and never-ending chaos.

This week I was reminded that, while we may be discouraged and overwhelmed by all that is happening, all of this uncertainty and confusion can be used for good in the lives of those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28).

Notice I didn’t say it would be comfortable or pain-free. But I do think it will yield good results, if we but just turn our eyes to God and His Word. If we but keep an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one.

How can this dark fog that surrounds us change us for the better? How is it already changing us?

First, this has given us opportunity to examine ourselves. Just how strong is my faith? Do I really believe what I have said I believe? Why am I responding with anger, sadness, anxiety?

Second, it gives us opportunity to trust God like never before. Most of us have been pretty self-sufficient. We aren’t used to unsolvable problems that influence many aspects of our lives and have no end in sight. We have no choice but to yield our will to God’s. We are forced to admit that we can’t see and to trust that God will walk with us through the thick fog.

Third, we actually get to experience God walking with us through the fog. I am currently reading the biography of a missionary who was in China during the communist takeover and I am delighted and amazed at the way God filled them with peace and protected them in times much scarier than what we are facing currently. These testimonies are encouraging and remind us that God will walk with us, no matter what lies ahead. It doesn’t mean that we won’t face hard and difficult times nor that we will be spared deep pain. But God will be with us, no matter how dark this world gets.

Fourth, this has been a good lesson in remembering what’s important. I have talked to so many who have reorganized their priorities this year. I’ve done it myself. Suddenly, the things that were gobbling up so much of our time just don’t seem near as important as before.

Fifth, this is teaching us to redeem our time. Many of us find ourselves wondering how long we will have certain privileges and opportunities. The chief of which is going to church and sharing the Gospel. As we see the censorship of both mainstream and social media, we recognize that, without a miracle, our time for openly sharing our faith is probably drawing to a close. As we contemplate this, it should be compelling us to courageously share our faith with the lost around us.

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And so the fog isn’t all bad, is it? Sure, it’s not much fun but God is going to use it in the lives of His children to grow them. He’s going to grow us in faith, in courage, and in holiness. And, for that, we can be forever grateful.

 

Encouragement for the Fainthearted

8 Comments / October 27, 2020

A few weeks ago, we realized that we were going to have to say good-bye to our dog. She was growing thinner by the day and it was obvious something was really wrong with her. When I called the vet they asked me if we would stay with her during her final hour or just give her to them.

Oh, how my whole being wanted to just leave her, so I wouldn’t have to face the “hard”. So much easier to drop her off and walk away.

But it wasn’t that simple…

I have had two dogs in my life that have meant more to me than any others, and she was one of them. I just couldn’t leave her to die all alone.

The next few days dragged by as we spent our final moments with the treasured pet that had been with our family for fifteen years.

And then came the day when my 21 year old daughter and I got into the car with Belle for one last time. We drove to the vet, hearts heavy, and were taken to a little room. There, we said our final goodbye and Belle breathed her last. I still tear up, even as I am writing this.

Several times over the course of the week before, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. Surely, it would be okay to just leave her? After all, she was just a dog. But as I left that room, even as I was dealing with the grief of losing this beloved pet, I was very much at peace that I had chosen the harder path.

She is just a dog. A dog without soul and without eternal significance. This is minor in light of many choices we face.

And yet, this incident reminded me of how, so often, the harder choice is the better choice.

We love easy roads. We all do. How much easier to traverse a smooth, wide road than a rocky, narrow path. And so often I make the choice that is easier. At least at the time.

I feel like I’ve come awake these past few months to how often I’ve chosen the easy path. I’ve been spoiled. I always knew this, but it has taken on even more significance recently. Most of us have been tremendously blessed materially and have rarely had to make choices that would bring negative consequences on ourselves or our families.

And I wonder: Do I even have what it takes to face the hard? Do I have the courage and strength and boldness I am going to need for whatever lies ahead?

This can make me feel downright fainthearted.

That’s when I am reminded of three very, very important principles from God’s Word (Don’t skip over the verses! They are amazingly relevant and oh, so comforting!)–

1. My strength comes from the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

2. God will supply all of my needs.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

3. God’s grace will be sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

When we have doubts we must remember these three things! Whatever lies ahead, we have the Lord on our side. These words from scripture are not empty promises. They have been proven over and over again by those who have gone on before us. They are being proven every day by those who are already walking the difficult path of persecution in other lands.

We will not be left alone, as those without a Shepherd. We will not be left hopeless, as those without a Savior. We will not be left weak and powerless, as those without Almighty God on their side.

No matter what lies ahead, we must choose the righteous and holy path. No matter how arduous the trail ahead, we must take that first step. And when we do this, we can be assured that God will provide all we need to travel this hard road. He is walking with us. We are not alone!

 

 

Six Things to Consider Regarding the Upcoming Election

3 Comments / October 20, 2020

It has been a strange whirlwind of a year and it is culminating with perhaps the single most important election in American history. It seems as if the whole world is watching and waiting to see the outcome and what will happen afterwards. We who live in America know that change is brewing and we feel unsettled. We realize that we are probably never going back to the way things were, no matter who wins this election.

Most posts you read regarding the upcoming election express concern about the issues facing the culture and then encourage you to be sure and vote. I am actually not going to focus on that, as I am sure you have read plenty regarding these things. I do encourage you to search the scriptures before you cast your vote. Do not do so lightly or without prayer.

But let’s talk about the election beyond the obvious. Beyond the aspect of voting. Let’s consider some things that are even more important–

1. God’s plan may be (and, in fact, probably is) different than our plan.

Have you said the following words yet this year: “I just want my old life back” or “When will things just go back to normal?”

Oh, how many of us yearn to go back to the old America. She’s been going a very wrong direction for a long, long time now but, still, she was comfortable. She felt safe. She felt secure.

That has been swept away and we’d like nothing more than to just get all of that back again. But God may have a totally different plan for this country. Remember, His plan always supersedes our own plans. While there is nothing wrong with participation in human government whether it’s through voting or actually serving in government, we must remember that God’s plan is what is most important.

As Christians, our priority is not saving America. It is glorifying God and submitting to His will.

Not only is God’s plan different, but it’s also actually greater than our plan.

I am sure many Christians throughout history have wondered what in the world God was doing? Many were sent to gulags and concentration camps; they were imprisoned; they were displaced; they were separated from their families; they became sick and died; And many were even martyred for their faith. These things are not just from history. They are actually still happening all over the world today. Christians go through terrible trials.

This would not be our plan.

And yet, we are told in scripture that God’s ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30). This means that His plans are better and higher than our plans.

 

2. We aren’t here to fix the culture.

One of the things that has disturbed me about much of the talk that is going on in Christian circles today is this push to fix the culture. We are told by certain (trusted) men that our job as Christians is to make the world a better place. Many are saying that we are here to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. This idea seems to take on more and more steam almost every day.

But I challenge you to find that idea in scripture.

Oh, you may find a verse or two that could be stretched to fit if they are ripped out of context. But if you study God’s Kingdom from Genesis to Revelation using a consistent hermeneutic, you will find that there is no possible way this could be true. I hope to write more about this some day. It’s a pretty big deal.

For now, let’s just be clear: The Bible teaches that upon our salvation, our focus is taken off this world and turned to things above (Colossians 3:2). Rather than working to bring perfection here to earth, we are much more concerned with sharing the Gospel so that others can join us in heaven someday (Matthew 28:19-20). Nowhere does it say or even imply that Christians are here on this earth to fix the culture.

 

3. There is nothing new under the sun.

No matter what happens, we know that people have experienced something similar before us. Countries have been taken over by the likes of Hitler and Stalin and Pol Pot. Communism has destroyed freedom all over the world. Real people like you and like me have lived under these regimes. They have struggled and they have suffered.

And, yet, somehow, Christians from the past and, even in these countries today, experience peace and joy. They were (and are) given the grace they need when they need it. And, so, we, too, will be given the grace to go through whatever is ahead (2 Corinthians 12:9). Another thing to remember is that, as the world grows darker, the light of Jesus Christ shines brighter. What abundant opportunities may lie ahead for us to share the Good News!

 

4. Don’t believe everything you hear.

I think it is clear that– whether we are discussing a virus, the riots, or the election– that there is a narrative that the world-at-large is determined we will believe. Those bringing us the news, the tech companies controlling social media, and the government would like nothing better than that you just eat what they feed you.

It is important that we have a healthy dose of skepticism regarding any story we hear. We must carefully think through and do some investigation before just swallowing–or, even worse yet, passing along–a story we’ve heard (no matter what side of the political fence it happens to be on).

We need to run all through the grid of scripture and test to see if these things are true, rather than simply believe what we are told. Why do I include this here? Because it is so important that we don’t let the power of the narrative to cause us to stop thinking. We have been given a brain to think and to reason. Don’t stop using it simply because the crowd has stopped using theirs.

Just because the majority believes something doesn’t make it true.

 

5.   Remember that we know how this ends.

We do not have a specific timeline of end time events. But we can see the signs.

And what we do know, according to Revelation 13, is that someday there will be a one-world government, one-world economy, and a one-world religion. Now think with me for a moment regarding what will have to take place before this scenario can happen?

We can make some fairly certain assumptions–

America will submit to a global government.

The world will be cashless.

The false Christianity of this age will join with the rest of the world in its worship of the antichrist.

As we watch and wait, we can see how these things are forming. Again, as I’ve said so often before, we can’t know a timeline. But we do know what’s coming and what is happening is certainly setting the stage for these things. We are living in very exciting times!

 

6. We can only control our actions and reactions.

We can’t control who our friend or family member votes for. We can’t control the outcome of the election. We can’t control what happens after the election. We can’t even control if our vote counts.

But we can control how we treat others who do not agree with us. We can control our words. Our behavior. Our attitudes.

And so that is what we must do.

This means showing the lost and dying world that we are transformed because of Christ. This means not complaining if things don’t go as we desire. It means not heatedly arguing with people who don’t agree with us. It means trusting God and showing the world the peace and joy that He gives, despite our fears for the future. It means loving our enemies.

And, in responding in these humanly unnatural ways, we will point people to Christ and give Him the honor and glory. For it is He who has changed us and made these responses possible.

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So pray and then vote. But let us not feel defeated if the outcome doesn’t go our way–nor feel too victorious if it does. The bottom line is that the nations are in the hands of the Lord (Psalm 47:8) and He’s controlling the world’s stage.

God is our refuge and strength. He’s a stronghold in time of trouble. And he’s not going to let us go now. We are His. So hang on to the anchor of His Word and be strong and courageous.

 

 

Christian, the Government Isn’t Going to Save Us

8 Comments / September 1, 2020

It’s been such a strange year. For those of us who are Americans, much of what we’ve held dear seems to be hanging in the balance. Many of us are clinging to the fragile hope that somehow everything will turn out okay after the November election. That somehow all will go back to normal if we just elect the right President.

Even this has divided Christians (or at least those who call themselves Christians). I am deeply, deeply troubled by the amount of Christians who give no value to moral issues and only focus on social justice issues. Something is very, very wrong when the focus is on something that was never even taught in the Bible.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Social justice is a communist term. It is not from the Bible nor is it promoted in the Bible. (I beg of you to look for yourself if you don’t believe me.)

What is in the Bible is God’s hatred for murder (abortion) and sexual sin. We must think about this as we consider the upcoming election.

But no matter the outcome in November, we must remember that our salvation does not come from any earthly government.

In I Peter 2:11, we are called sojourners and pilgrims. A sojourner is someone who resides temporarily. A pilgrim is one who travels in a foreign land.

If we are a believer, then this earth is not our true home. We are just passing through.

However, many of us have made ourselves very comfortable here and we are in no hurry to leave this foreign land. We have set down deep roots and this is causing many of us to focus on what we can do to keep things the way they have always been. We are deeply concerned and perhaps even distraught at the thought of so many changes.

While this is only natural, it is important that we think through what we know from the Bible.

As we watch the world setting up for Revelation 13 (in a way that I honestly never thought I’d see in my lifetime), how do we even pray? We know that America can’t be strong in the last days or globalism would never be possible. And we know from our study of Revelation that globalism does happen eventually. So America must be weakened and broken at some point.

When this will happen in its finality, we can not know. Sometimes these things take time. Sometimes they happen fast. But we must remember we are pilgrims traveling in a foreign land. This world is not our home.

This is why we can’t put our hope in America. Or the government. Or a presidential candidate.

Our hope should be in Christ alone. He alone is our Savior.

He has saved us, not from temporary earthly pain and torment, but from eternal damnation. We must keep a proper perspective in the midst of all of this confusion and chaos.

All of the stability and security we felt with our normal way of life has been swept away within a few short months. But God has not changed. He is still the same–yesterday, today, and forever the same. Isn’t that an incredible thought in light of all that is going on in America and across the entire world? Everything may be different right now, but God is not. He is still our Rock and Refuge. He is our security.

And not only does God never change, but He is controlling everything that is happening (Proverbs 21:1; Psalm 22:28). He is fully sovereign and none of this is taking Him by surprise.

It may be His will that America grows strong again. Or it may be time for her to weaken beyond repair in order to start the process of creating the one world government prophesied in the book of Revelation. Whatever time it is, we need to be yielded to His will. Whatever time it is, we can rest firmly in the knowledge that this country and the whole world is in God’s hands and we can trust Him.

No matter what lies ahead for America and the rest of the world, we know we have a wonderfully safe and secure home waiting for us after this journey is over. And that’s something we can count on!

 

Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’

Isaiah 12:2

 

 

The Faithful Few

6 Comments / July 14, 2020

Have you noticed the faithful growing fewer and fewer? With every trend, every heresy, every twisted Gospel message, more and more go. It is like we “Christians” are standing on the seashore and every wave takes a few (and, many times, much more than a few) from our midst and out to the sea of the world. Some were just standing too close to the shore, but many dive right in in their quest to better their life here on earth.

I use quotes because, obviously, most of these were never saved at all (according to scripture), but simply used the name of “Christian”. Many of these cling to the term “Christian” so that Christianity, as the world knows it, has become a hodge podge of social justice*, mysticism, ritualism, and selfish greed.

Thankfully, all is not lost if an unexpected wave tosses us into deception for a month or a year or five years. God continues to save His own from the ocean of spiritual chaos and confusion and return them safely to shore. Just as the Good Shepherd saves the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) so, too, does God rescue His own.

In the midst of all the wickedness and deception, there remains a remnant who still cling to God’s Word and desire to live out biblical Christianity. However, have you taken a look around recently? Those who choose to submit to God and believe in His literal Word are few. The shore, once overflowing with professing Christians, grows more and more sparse with each passing day.

We’d best stand back from the water as far as we can. Deception is growing increasingly stronger and more and more subtle. We knew this would happen because Paul told us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in 2 Timothy 3:13.

Along with this defection comes an immense increase in sin and worldliness. Let me explain.

The Bible is an amazing book. Even if you aren’t saved but choose to live by its principles, you will be spared much heartache and grief. Those who choose to live according to the ten commandments and the other laws found in this book lead much more successful, peaceful, and happy lives, as a rule. But as they jump into the waves of apostasy, they toss away the Book. And when that happens, an explosion of sin and worldly living isn’t far behind.

America is a great example of this. While it was never a Christian nation, per se, there was, historically, a large portion of the people who lived by the Bible. This has been eroding for many years now and we are currently watching the results of this erosion.

Think about this nation and what is happening. Not only is sin and worldliness abounding, but so-called Christians are participating and condoning it!

As I have been thinking about this a bit recently, I was remembering the exiles of Israel. The northern kingdom (Israel) was exiled to Assyria and then, later, the southern kingdom (Judah) to Babylon. Their lives were completely upended. Whether they went or were one of the few that stayed in the land, life was never the same for these Jews again. They were experiencing the wrath of God for their disobedience.

And we know that this also included the faithful few.

Israel was not without a few faithful followers of God. And, yet, they were exiled along with everybody else.

I have really been convicted recently of my “American” way of thinking. Sometimes things seep into our brains and we don’t even realize it is happening**.

We (I) have become so self-focused. I quickly fall into the thought pattern that this life is about me and my experience. Even though I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is not true and what my duty is here on earth, I find myself in a battle with myself almost daily.

Many of us can see what is coming. Without a change in direction, and soon, things are going to get bad. And our flesh cries “NO”. Please God, spare us. We deserve to be spared. We have been faithful! Oh, God, please remember this.

And, yet, when we look at scripture and then at history, we see that the faithful are rarely spared. In fact, they are often singled out and persecuted and even martyred. Oftentimes, this brings about a tremendous growth in the true church because this persecution and a true Christian’s reaction to it show the world that Jesus Christ is real!

One of our best examples of this is Paul. He is an amazing inspiration to me as I read his epistles. He wrote with such love, joy, and hope from prison! He knew that he would probably die for his faith and yet he continued to be faithful, encouraging, and inspiring to Christians. Instead of complaining or caving into despair, he rose above his circumstances.

This is no clearer than in Philippians 4:11-13, where we read–

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to [d]be abased, and I know how to [e]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through [f]Christ who strengthens me.

Dear readers, most of us have learned how to abound and how to be full. We have lived lives that, heretofore, were unheard of in their access to medical care, the peace and safety in our communities, and the abundance of material wealth. Even the poorest of the poor in America are many times richer than the richest poor person in other nations.

While I can’t know what’s ahead, I do wonder–and perhaps even expect–that we are all going to be learning how to be abased, to be hungry, and to suffer need. This world is changing and it is changing quickly.

We are reeling from the shock of it all and many of us (at least myself) are in deep mourning over what is happening. We realize that our lives are probably never going to be the same again.

Now is the time for us to grower deeper and stronger roots of faith. Now is the time to turn to God, which is the place we should have been turned to all along. Now is the time to examine our hearts for wrong motives, wrong places of trust, wrong desires. Now is the time to look to Jesus Christ and to reflect on eternal things.

I cannot predict what is in the future, for it is overwhelmingly uncertain right now. However, this can –and should– be a time of tremendous spiritual growth for us all.

God is not silent and we must remember that He loves us deeply. His hand is directing every minute of every day. We dare not grow discouraged. No matter what is ahead (and only God knows), may this time be one of looking to God for all we need. May it be a time of grounding us in the Faith. May it be a time of faithful study of the Word. And may it be a time of shining brighter and brighter, beckoning to  people who are drowning in the ocean of deception to swim ashore while they still can.

I will close with this familiar and comforting passage from Romans 8 (verses 31f). No matter what is ahead we are deeply loved and we are more than conquerors in Christ–

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

 

*Social Justice is a communist term. It is nowhere in scripture. Search it out for yourself. The social gospel is a false gospel. I could provide lots and lots of verses and articles, but why not search this one out for yourself? It would be a great exercise.

**I am sharing my own personal journey here on the blog during this strange time. While I often know how I should act or what God says in His Word, I have a much more difficult time living it. I just want to be up front about that. This has been a time of great struggle and discouragement for me. I continue on the path, but, when I take my eyes off the Lord for even a second, a deep-seated trepidation overtakes my soul. As we navigate this time together, as siblings in Christ, I hope that these posts are an encouragement to you. I just wanted to be clear that I, too, am struggling to live out what I write. May we together be victorious and join with Paul in saying “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

 

Christian, How Are You Responding?

6 Comments / July 7, 2020

I have a hard time pretending like all is normal right now. Because, let’s face it, it’s just not. I don’t think I can count the amount of times I’ve used the word “insanity” in the last four months. I am sure it is more times than I’ve used it in my entire life. I also can’t count the times I’ve said that I can’t imagine going through this without God and His Word. I would feel like a ship without a captain on a churning, angry sea.

After today, I am going to try to move to other subjects to write about (barring unforeseen circumstances). I know we are all tired of thinking about the world and its woes. We are ready for a different focus. We want to be encouraged, not reminded. But last night, as I was thinking, yet again, about the changes that have taken place, I was struck by the different ways this is processed by people. Please keep reading, because I do think you will be encouraged by the time you are done reading this.

At one time or another, all of us have our worlds upended. An unexpected death, a cancer diagnosis, a child that wanders from the Lord, a lost job, etc. We’ve all experienced something that has changed our world. But this is the first thing–at least for those of us under 60–that has changed all our worlds. I am talking about changing our day to day. Sure, there have been unsettling things in the past. But what is going on now has literally changed the daily life of almost every single person on this planet in some way. And it’s so strange, isn’t it? No matter where you go (not that many of us are going very many places these days), you have something to talk about with people. We are all experiencing the same thing. It is honestly hard to grasp how different the world is now than it was four months ago.

And, as we process this, I think we all respond differently. But there is only one way to respond that is the right way. Eventually, all Christians should arrive at this response, even if it takes awhile to get there (and for many of us it has. And is.)

So here are the five ways. The fifth is the right way, according to scripture. (Don’t take my word for it. My word means absolutely nothing. Study this for yourself in the Bible.)

First, many people respond by being in DENIAL.  If we just pretend like the world is the same maybe things will just go back to normal. If we don’t know there are bad men plotting our destruction, then maybe it won’t happen. Ignorance is bliss to this person. They’d just rather not know.

And, honestly, I get it. Some things we don’t have to know and not everyone has a passion to know the truth about what’s going on. That’s okay. That’s not what this is about.

Someone who is in denial is afraid to face reality. And, as believers, we should never be afraid to face the truth. We must dig our heads out of the sand and start looking around. This makes us much more effective witnesses for Christ. This shows the world that a true believer can face reality and still be okay. Anyone can dig their head in the sand. It takes someone strong and courageous to look around, admit the truth as they survey the state of things, and face it with serenity.

Second, many people are DECEIVED. So so many people are deceived. Few people are willing to actually search out facts for themselves. They take everything they hear at face value and never do any digging. If the government mandates it, then it must be right. If the media proclaims it, then it must be true. If social media says this is false information, well, then, it must be false. BUT when you start to dig beyond that, you will find a massive deception taking place. This is backed up by facts. Not speculation.

As Christians, we make ourselves vulnerable when we live in a state of deception. We become tools in the hands of those who seek to deceive us. How important it is to think for ourselves, rather than allow ourselves be spoon-fed a narrative.

Third, many people end up DEPRESSED. If you refuse to be in denial or to be deceived, this is where you can quickly find yourself. The outlook of this world is grim. We look upon increasing anarchy and violence. We see tyranny coming. We know God can change the course of this but we also know that, even if He does, it is only temporarily. World tyranny is coming. The timing remains unknown. But what has happened over the past four months has brought that truth ever closer.

Fourth, many respond in DEFIANCE. They believe they can stand up and fight against all that is taking place. They believe certain outcomes (such as elections) will change the course of things. And, while this is not necessarily wrong, their focus is on the fight. Rather than focusing on God and His Word and what it teaches us, they try to make things turn out the way they desire by doing certain things. As we work our way through the minefield of obeying the government vs. defiance against unbiblical mandates, we must always do so with an attitude of submission to God and His Will. We must remember our first priority is as a servant to God. We are just sojourners in a foreign land. This world is not our home.

But denial, deception, depression, and defiance are not our only options! We have one more. And it’s so much better!

We can respond with DEFERENCE. Deference to God and His Will. (I Peter 5:6; Matthew 6:9-10; James 4:7)

According to dictionary.com, deference is: respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.

When we defer our agendas to God’s agenda, our will to His will, our desires to His desires, then life takes on a whole new outlook.

Instead of the temporal, we focus on the eternal. Instead of the here and now, we remember that there is a there and then. Instead of mourning the loss of this world, we look forward to the promised new world.

Of course, this is much more easier said than done. And, if you are like me, you will bounce back and forth between different responses. Most of us know the right response. We must just make a choice.

And when we make that choice He fills our hearts with peace (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:6-7). You don’t believe in miracles? Well, God works a small miracle in the heart of a believer that yields to Him. I know because I’ve experienced this!

Here’s the thing…

The more we pray, spend time in the Word, and memorize passages of scripture, the easier this is to do. I have been writing about the power of God’s Word for ten years now and, yet, I am still in awe of this! The truth of this has become even more real to many of us as we face these unprecedented circumstances full of uncertainty. God’s Word is so powerful and yet so often we just ignore it.

We cannot respond in the right way to what is going on without it. Oh, fill yourself with it. Make time for it. Don’t let other things get in the way.

From my own personal experience, this is when fear and depression try to make their way in through the cracks in my soul. I have to keep this a priority. You do, too. At least, if we want to respond to all of this in a godly way. God has given us His Word for a reason. I am realizing that even more fully now.

We do not know the details of the future. But we do know a few things–

1. We know that we are on this earth at this specific time in world history for a reason. God has placed us here for such a time as this. As the world grows darker, our passion to share the Gospel should be increasing. Our passion to encourage other believers in the things of the Lord should be growing. The temporal things should be lessening in importance.

2. We know what we are supposed to be doing. God has given no disclaimer in His Word that we can let our guards down, stop growing spiritually, or lock ourselves in our own little worlds, when our world starts falling apart. We must continue to live a Christian life full of faith, hope, and love.

3. We know how this is going to end. God has been so kind to show us how this is all going to end. We know that God and His Kingdom will be gloriously victorious over all of this evil! We are on the winning side, and we dare not forget it! It may look like we are losing the battle now, but we will win the war!

So, my dear readers, don’t be discouraged. Pull your heads from the sand, search out the truth, refuse to be depressed, and be sure to temper the fight in you with God’s Word! God is still working all things for His glory and our good! (Psalm 72:19; Romans 8:28) and we have an absolutely amazing future ahead of us!

Be encouraged by these words from Revelation 22:1-5. This is what lies ahead for believers! Isn’t that exciting??—

And he showed me a [a]pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

 

 

Christian, Will You Let This Crush Your Spirit?

4 Comments / June 30, 2020

During the months of March and April, most of us were in shock. Life as we knew it came screeching to a halt and we found ourselves on house arrest. TVs blared “stay home stay safe” commercials. Empty grocery store shelves confirmed our panic. What in the world was going on?

In May, things started to loosen a bit. It wasn’t like before and we started wondering–would it ever be like before? But we could get out and about a bit and store shelves started filling up. We were still uneasy but most of us were trying to accept things at face value and resume a more normal way of life.

But then, at the end of May, there was the Floyd incident. And, at that time, all of us should have recognized that something fishy was going on with the virus narrative. I say this because, suddenly, social distancing and masks didn’t matter. The protests overrode these mandates and even our governor here in Pennsylvania walked in the protests and disobeyed his own mandate.

Other things started coming to light, as well: Things such as several states sending Covid patients back into nursing homes; skewed data practices; the encouragement of snitching. I have heard dozens of stories, both personal and through other avenues, that show the inconsistencies and outright lying of the press.

And then, as if to confirm all we were starting to wonder, social media started censoring anything it didn’t deem “appropriate”, which was any voice that was dissenting against the virus narrative.

At this point, most of us realized that it wasn’t about a virus at all. Oh, we knew there was a virus, but the lockdown itself had a far broader and deeper agenda.

During these last four months, we’ve been on a roller coaster ride of hopes and dashed hopes. We wonder what the future holds and, those of us who hold to a literal Revelation, wonder how this all will play into the end. It is very clear that it will. We are just not exactly sure how.

In the midst of our world changing so much, in the midst of losing a lot of the freedom that we thought we had, in the midst of uncertainty hanging over our heads, we simply can not allow our spirits to be crushed.

Isn’t that the temptation for many of us?

A crushed spirit feels unmotivated. It wonders “why bother?”

A crushed spirit feels disheartened and lacks joy.

A crushed spirit doesn’t look people in the eye and rarely smiles in public.

A crushed spirit focuses on self.

A crushed spirit worries and frets about the future.

A crushed spirit quietly succumbs and gives in.

The powers-that-be want to crush our spirits. People with crushed spirits are much easier to control. I have been reading a book about the Soviet Union during the Revolution and the years following and the similarities are eerily similar. You can almost see communism snaking its way into this once strong nation. You can see the crushing of the spirit of not only individuals but of a nation.

But here’s the thing– as Christians, our spirits should be uncrushable.

Of course, this is all a learning process for many of us, isn’t it? How do we, as believers, keep our spirits alive and hopeful? How do we guard against dejection and despair?

Well, the Bible has a thing or two to say about that. I won’t touch on it all, but I thought I’d mention a few things that I’ve been considering recently.

1. Keep our eyes focused in the right direction.

First, we must keep our mind on God. Isaiah 26:3 puts it like this–

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

Second, we must stay focused on eternity, rather than temporal things. Colossians 3:1-2 makes this very clear–

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

When our minds are on God and what He has promised us in the future, the things of this present time will fade in their significance. It doesn’t take away problems but rather lessens their importance, in light of Who God is and what awaits us in eternity.

2. Submit to God and resist the devil.

I have been thinking a lot about this. I can’t think of a better time that Satan and his minions would want to crush the spirits of Christians. There are a lot of people questioning what’s going on. There are so many in despair. Many are desperately hurting. If Satan can keep Christians looking the same way as the rest of the world, he has done his job. If we are also in despair, then we have nothing to offer to someone who is lost, do we? We are rendered utterly ineffective for God when we allow ourselves to be controlled by worry, fear, and despair.

And we are so susceptible to Satan’s spiritual attacks. He roars about like a lion, seeking to devour us (I Peter 5:8). This is in the Bible and not some made-up gobbledygook.

But James gives us our best defense against Satanic attacks in a short verse in chapter 4 (vs. 7)–

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

We have the capability to make Satan flee from us.

But it’s only through submitting to God first and then actively resisting the devil.

So let’s unpack that a bit. How do we do this exactly? It’s actually simpler than you may think.

First, we must submit to God’s will in all situations. Including the one that we all are currently in. We must accept it joyfully and choose contentment. This is the first step.

The second step is that we must evaluate our lives for sin. Have we left habitual sin creep into a corner of our lives and given Satan a right to be there?

When I feel under spiritual attack, I ask God these two questions–

Would you please show me any area I have not submitted to You?

Would you please show me any sin in my life that needs to be eradicated?

If I long to cling to my rebellion or sin, I ask Him to help me to want to give these things up. It’s not always instant but God works in a heart that longs to please Him. A great cause for gladness to any believer!

3. Abhor Evil, Love Others, and Serve the Lord.

Romans 12, beginning in verse 9, is a great description of the Christian life. If we follow Paul’s instructions here, we will not have time to be fretting and caught up in despair. We will be busy living a godly life, no matter what our circumstances–

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient[c] in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given[d] to hospitality.

Read that paragraph again and reflect on all that we are instructed to do in the verses. Keep in mind that it gives no caveat for when things aren’t going as we want them to or life turns upside down. It gives no exception clause for when we just don’t feel like doing these things.

4. Remember What Matters.

If you are a believer, then you have been saved from eternal hell through faith in Jesus Christ. When we consider eternity in hell and the greatness of God’s sacrifice, we inevitably turn towards the cross with a heart full of gratitude. We are saved! In the midst of all the uncertainty and discouragement, let’s not forget the greatest miracle of all: WE ARE SAVED!

________________________________________

So there are four fairly simple things we can do to keep our spirit from being crushed. Please note that I didn’t use the word “easy.”

Some of you don’t need this post today. Probably many of you don’t. But for those of you who have struggled (and I know there are some of you because you’ve told me), I write this for you. This post reflects some of the process I’ve been working out in my own life over these past few months and I hope that it is an encouragement to you.

Of all people, we should be the most jubilant and joyful! May we remember this, in spite of all that is going on in the world around us!

 

Swimming Up a Waterfall

2 Comments / May 27, 2020

The other morning I was sitting out on my second-story porch for my quiet time. It is one of my favorite spots in the whole world. Below the porch is our little fish pond where both fish and frogs make their home. This provides much entertainment for our grandchildren.

That particular morning, as I sat on the porch alone, I took a moment to watch the fish, as they were doing something very curious. You can see from the photo below (which is a snapshot I took that morning), that the fish has its head into the waterfall. It looked like it was trying to go up the waterfall and then, discouraged, he would swim away. Only to come back again a few seconds later. This went on for quite some time.

I found out later from my knowledgeable husband that there is something about the oxygen at the bottom of the waterfall that the fish like and so they will congregate there. But, from my vantage point on the porch it really did look like the fish was trying to swim up the waterfall and failing every time.

It reminded me of my life as a Christian. We are all called to “swim up a waterfall” –or, in other words–do the impossible. We are to die to self and crucify the flesh and live only for Christ. This is as impossible–perhaps even more impossible–than swimming up a waterfall. And, yet, this is our calling as believers.

Mark 8:34 — And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Romans 6:6 — We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Ephesians 5:8 — or at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Galatians 5:16-17– But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

I Peter 2:11 —  Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

So, we know that we are to leave our flesh and swim up the waterfall to holiness. This goes against our innately selfish nature which demands to be pleased and coddled. Our hearts demand we listen to our feelings and our minds work in creative ways to make excuses and to develop logical reasons why we can do what our flesh is demanding to do and still be guilt-free and “godly”.

But the Bible is very clear that we cannot do both. We cannot please self and God. We cannot love God and love the world. We cannot be obsessed with fulfilling our personal dreams of glory and fame while furthering God’s Kingdom. These things are mutually exclusive. They cannot be done at the same time.

There are only two kingdoms.

There is the Kingdom of Light. God is the light (I John 1:5) Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12) We have been rescued from darkness to light! (Colossians 1:13) Being rescued, we are now children of light (I Thessalonians 5:5). We are to walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:8).

AND…

There is the Kingdom of Darkness. Satan is the head of this kingdom and the whole world lies in his power (I John 5:19). Natural man loves this kingdom (I John 3:19-21). Natural man is blind to the the light (Acts 26:18). As children of the light, we are to turn away from the darkness (Ephesians 5:11) and to never partner or commune with darkness and its children (2 Corinthians 6:14). This kingdom of darkness is represented by both the flesh and the world, which Satan uses to war against our souls and to keep mankind in darkness.

Every choice we make, every action we take, every thought we think, and every word we say furthers one of these kingdoms.

Now, with this in mind, let’s go back to our adventure of swimming up the waterfall. As children of light, swimming up the waterfall becomes possible. It is possible to live a righteous and holy life that is pleasing to God. Notice I didn’t say easy. It’s not easy.

But here are a few things to keep in mind as we strive to swim up the waterfall to holiness–

1. We must first make our way to the bottom of the waterfall.

We can’t be righteous without salvation. We can’t even get to the bottom of the waterfall without it. If we are not saved, we are unaware that the waterfall even exists. It is only when our eyes our opened, that we recognize which direction we are to go. And this direction is in complete opposition to the direction of the rest of the world. We will be mocked, viewed as odd, and may lose our reputation by going this direction. Remember, we can’t have the world and Jesus, too.

The old hymn puts it like this: Take the world but give me Jesus.

Too often, modern-day Christians would prefer to sing: Give the world and give me Jesus.

But it is simply not possible according to James 4:4. Swimming to the bottom of the waterfall means turning our backs on the world.

2. Not making efforts to swim up the waterfall indicates a serious problem.

Many are those who’ve said a prayer for salvation as fire insurance and they aren’t even making their way to the bottom of the waterfall. They are still swimming in the opposite direction with their worldly friends. They haven’t given up the things of this world and they are still focused on furthering their own kingdom. They are people who are living solely for themselves but think they are saved because they said a prayer. This person may very well be–and probably is– a false convert! (Matthew 7:21-23) I hate even saying this, because I know that describes so many that we all know and love. But we can’t mince words because their eternity is literally at stake. If you know someone who thinks they are a Christian but who is still swimming out in the pond, pray for them. Really pray for them.

3. We can’t do it alone.

As I watched the fish turn away again and again, I assumed he was just discouraged and tired. I found out later that he wasn’t, of course, but it was a great analogy for our own efforts to get up that waterfall. We try and try, using our methods and our self-discipline but we just don’t make it. That’s because we are trying to attempt it without the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to live a godly life without the Holy Spirit. We are to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This is the only way to make possible a holy life that is pleasing to God.

4. We must discard distractions and secret sins.

So often, we get so frustrated that we aren’t making progress up that waterfall. But if we really examine our lives, we may understand just why that is…

We have either crowded our lives so full that we have no time at all to give any effort or intention to this calling of living a pure and holy life.

Or we are holding on to secret sins that we just aren’t willing to turn away from. It may be an unwillingness to give up a grudge against someone or a love for the world’s entertainment or style that causes us to compromise our purity. It may be laziness or gossip. But, oftentimes, if we are really struggling to make progress in our Christian life, there is some sin that we are nurturing and feeding and unwilling to give up.

Or, perhaps, we haven’t yielded to God’s sovereignty in the happenings of our lives. We try to live a godly life, but, inside, we are angry and discontent and upset about how things are going. This makes it almost impossible to get up that waterfall because we don’t trust God. Instead, we are wary and disbelieving. This lack of faith stymies our Christian growth severely.

5. We will never reach perfection on this side of Heaven.

One of the things that makes this such a hard thing is that we will never reach perfection. We, like that fish, are always trying, always trying, but we will never arrive at the top. This can be discouraging and sometimes we may think: Why even try? So let’s unpack that a bit. Why is it important to keep trying to get up that waterfall?

First, we keep trying because we are told to do this (I Peter 1:15). To live a life of obedience to our wonderful Savior, we strive to live holy and pure lives.

Second, we keep trying because we do grow and change and bear much fruit, through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Psalm 92:12-14). If we have been a Christian for more than a year, we can look back and see how we have grown and changed. This is very encouraging as we face new challenges and sins that discourage us. God is growing us to be more like Christ, be it ever so slowly.

Third, we keep trying because God uses our efforts to build His Heavenly Kingdom (Colossians 1:24-29). Our efforts to live a holy and pure life shine as a bright light in this dark world. We should look different in every way when compared with those around us. Remember, there are only two kingdoms: Light and Darkness. Children of light should never resemble children of darkness. This includes being loving and kind, but it also includes what we watch, how we dress, what we talk about, and every other little and big choice we make in our lives.

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So, my dear readers, keep swimming up that waterfall. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t try to do it alone because we are not alone! We have the Holy Spirit to strengthen, comfort, and guide us. May we cast off the things that distract and tempt us. May we intentionally live as children of the light, because that’s exactly what we are if we have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ alone!

 

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