Dream of Impending Darkness Upon the Land

There is an uneasiness that is creeping over my soul.   I feel a curtain is being pulled shut.  What was left of the light is being blocked by something thick and oppressive.  I see swarms of what appear to huge flying insects, each carrying something that looks like a case under their arm.  They are flying in formation and the closer they get the louder the buzz becomes.

As they approach the shore, they split and go different directions.  Some to the north and some to the south.  Yet, in spite of splitting, they are as numerous as before.  As they cover the sky, the day becomes dark as night.  They literally block the light of the sun. 

Screams are heard as the first of these demons lands and disrupts the entire landscape of a town.  All goes haywire and nothing works as it was designed.  People panic for there is no day.  A massive cloud hovers over the town and then moves on.  This process is repeated over and over again around the country.  One town after another is thrust into darkness and then seemingly loses its ability to function.

There is a numbness spreading over the land.  A type of resolution that there is nothing that can be done to hinder or stop this plague.  At the back of the swarm there is the faint light of dawn but the light is distorted and things are not as they appear.  There is no longer the sharp lines of demarcation between black and white.  Gray is the predominant color and haziness is the predominant view.

No one knows what has just happened, although everyone knows something of profound importance just did.  Confidence has been replaced by doubt and boldness with fear.  The mighty have been brought back to earth and the poor have been squashed beyond recognition.  The land is barren and the shelves are bare.  The markets are empty and the roads are untraveled.  There is a hush that lies over the land that is missing all sounds of industry and traffic.  Commerce has ceased and all stay huddled in their abodes.

What has happened, a few dare ask, as they tenderly walk outside in the murky twilight.  Where are the lights, the roar of big trucks, and planes taking off and trains roaring down the tracks?  Where are the kids normally yelling and screaming?   Where are the sirens of police and ambulances and fire trucks going about to save people’s lives?  

What has gone here and what is to happen.  There is no electricity, no radio and no television or computers.  Even the dogs have ceased to bark and nowhere is found the sound of life.  People are still there for the hushed sounds of whispers can be heard coming from dark houses and even darker buildings.  No one wants to move lest they be discovered by a foe they do not know.  No one can call for help.  No one is injured or trapped in demolished buildings or heaps of rubble.

Finally a baby’s cry breaks the silence.  Then there is another and another.  Cries can now be heard erupting from all over the town.  Wailing and moaning as if people were crushed and in intense pain.  Yet, there is no physical trauma and nothing to account for the cries filled with pain and sorrow. 

People are awakening to the stark reality that life as they knew it was over.  Whatever had blown through was so devastating it demolished all that everyone had built their lives upon.  Nothing worked, no running water, no air conditioner, no vehicles, no computers, to telephones and no light.  As the sun starts to set, the reality of the impending total darkness starts to settle in.  The wails turn to screams as countless people must confront their worst nightmare; a night with no light.

Into the town ride messengers of the most High God delivering a message directly from Him.  The message is not what anyone wants to hear.  The message is one of repentance and turning to the truth and not that all will be well.  The people riot and rip the messengers off their horses and kill them.  They wanted a message that the lights would be turned back on shortly and heard just the opposite. 

Screams pierce the night air as helpless women are raped in their homes with no one to protect them.  Houses across the town are pillaged by robbers who take everything of value with no one to stop them.  Fights erupt as people trip over others, unable to see them lying in the streets.  There is no reason and no comfort to be found.  Only gloom and dismay hangs over the town.

After what seemed like thirty hours of night, the sun did come up, but not as they expected.  It lacked the brilliance they were used to.  It was not cloudy, but the sun looked like it was shrouded in clouds.  There was not the heat that usually came with the sunrise.  Everyone was cold, tired and scared.

There was no news for there was no media.  There was no way to find out what had happened or if it were going to get better or worse.  Lack of knowledge aroused even greater frustration and fear.  Panic set in as people literally went insane. 

The sick soon died for lack of medicine.  The weak soon died for lack of food.  The infirm soon went crazy unable to cope.  The ruthless soon went on rampages fulfilling every evil desire they ever imagined.  There was no order and there was no compassion.  Every man was for himself and every man sought to destroy his neighbor before he was destroyed. 

God So Loved…

There is a good reason why God chose to call the experience of getting saved the “new birth” or getting “born again”.  These phrases carry with them the connotation of a fresh start or a new beginning.  When we get born again, it is as if we were allowed to start life over again.  Not physically, for that is impossible, but spiritually we are “born again”. 

In the third chapter of the Gospel of John, a Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Jesus in the night to privately ask him some questions without the other Pharisees around to judge or condemn him.  The first thing he does is acknowledge that Jesus is a teacher from God and that God was with him.  Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus in verse 3:

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This was obviously not what Nicodemus expected to hear, for it was concept totally foreign to his thinking.  He responded as anyone would upon hearing about being “born again”. 

“Nicodemus said unto him, how can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

You can tell he was truly puzzled by the idea of getting “born again”.  Looking at it from the senses point of view, it is not possible for an old man to climb back into his mother’s womb and proceed to get “born again”.  I am sure Nicodemus was wondering why he was even there.  What kind of silly theology was Jesus promoting?  Who ever heard of getting “born again?”

Jesus proceeded elaborate on this subject in verses 5-8:

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:  so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Verse 8 is very cumbersome in the King James Version.  Reading from the Beck Translation it says:

“The wind blows where it pleases and you hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

All Nicodemus could say in response to this was; “How can these things be?”  Please keep in mind that Nicodemus according to verse one was a “ruler of the Jews”.  He was a teacher in Israel and sat on the Jewish court.  He should have been able to figure out what Jesus was speaking about.

After reproving Nicodemus in verses 10-13, Jesus lays out the simple truth of who he is, why he is there and how to get saved.  Please allow me to read verses 14-21 from the Williams Translation which is an older translation in the language of the people:

“And just as Moses in the desert lifted the serpent on the pole, the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who trusts in Him may have eternal life.

“For God loved the world so much that He gave His Only Son, so that anyone who trusts in him may never perish but have eternal life.

For God sent His Son into the world, not to pass sentence on it, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Whoever trusts in Him is never to come up for judgment; but whoever does not trust in Him has already received his sentence, because he has not trusted in the name of God’s only Son.

And the ground for the sentence is this, that the light has come into the world, and yet, because their actions were evil, men have loved darkness more than the light.

For anyone who is in the habit of doing wrong hates the light, and to keep his actions from being reproved, he does not come out into the daylight.

But whoever is in the habit of living the truth will come out in the daylight that his actions may be shown to be performed with God’s help.”

The record abruptly ends at this time.  There is no hint as to the response of Nicodemus to hearing this incredible dissertation.  If he was as smart as it appears, I am sure he took what Jesus said to heart and in due time got “born again”.

Whoever trusts in Jesus to be their Savior sent by God can receive that which Jesus came to make available; eternal life.  If a person loves habitually doing wrong, he will hate the light.  He will hide in the darkness and never see the light of glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ for fear of having his habits reproved.

Whoever loves habitually living the truth will gladly come out in the daylight so everyone can see that what he is doing is done with God’s help and through His power.  Evil people doing evil things hide what they are doing under the cloak of darkness.  Righteous people doing righteous things gladly do what they do in the light of day so God can be glorified.

God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son.  He allowed His beloved Son to be nailed on the cross to give up his life for our sins.  God loved the world so much that He rejected the natural Fatherly instinct to “save His son from death”.  God loved the world so much that He, with great sorrow, did not grant His Son the request of “If there be any other way to do this”.  God loved the world so much that He watched with agony as His only Son was beaten, abused, tortured, mocked, scorned, spit upon, degraded, debased and subjected to every sadistic urge known to man.  God loved the world so much that He stood by in heaven and allowed His only Son to die. 

Jesus loved us so much that he willingly went through all he had to suffer in order to redeem us.  Jesus loved us so much that he subjected himself to unfathomable abuse, torture and degradation so that God could legally justify us and declare us righteous when we get born again.  Jesus loved us so much that he allowed himself to be treated worse than any criminal who ever lived in order to set us free.  Jesus loved us so much that he laid down his life so that we might live.

Please, my friends, let us never lose sight of the incredible love shown to us by God when He gave us His Son.  Let us never forget for an instant the love of our Savior Jesus Christ as shown by his willingness to “lay it all on the line” for us.  Love so amazing and so Devine demands our life, our heart and our all.  Love so amazing and so Devine was demonstrated so we could get “born again” and receive eternal life.  Praise God and thank you Jesus for loving us enough to allow us into your Kingdom.  Amen.

    

Warrior’s Creed

Somebody at some point in time wrote something they entitled the “Warriors Creed” with a subtitle of “I Am a Soldier”.  The author is unknown, by choice I presume, but the work they wrote is very inspiring.    I submit this for your edification, encouragement and enjoyment.  I pray it helps you, as it has helped me many times, to stay focused on the true fight and to vow once again to never give up.

Warriors CreedI Am a Soldier—author unknown

I am a soldier in the army of God.  The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.

The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.  Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of Warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity.

I will either retire in this Army, or die in this Army;

But, I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out.

I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable.  If my God needs me, I am there.

I am a soldier.  I am not a baby.  I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up,

Pumped up, picked up or pepped up.

I am a soldier.  No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me entice me, or lure me.

I am a soldier.  I am not a wimp.  I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders,

Praising His name, and building His kingdom!

No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts.

I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to.

I am committed.  I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.

I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.  I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

 When Jesus called me into this Army, I had nothing.

If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even.  I will win.

My God will supply all my needs.  I am more than a conqueror.

I will always triumph.  I can do all things through Christ. 

Devils cannot defeat me.  People cannot disillusion me.

Weather cannot weary me.  Sickness cannot stop me.

Battles cannot beat me.  Money cannot buy me.

Governments cannot silence me, and hell cannot handle me!

I am a soldier.  Even death cannot destroy me. 

For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to a captain.

I am a soldier, in the Army, I’m marching, claiming victory.

I will not give up.  I will not turn around.  I am a soldier, marching Heaven bound.

There are four kinds of soldiers:

1.       Active Duty: Serving the Lord faithfully, daily, and on duty 24-7-365.

2.       Reserve Status: Serving only when called upon, or twice a year:  Christmas and Easter.

3.       Guard Status: Backing up the Active Duty group.

4.       AWOL! Absent With Out the Lord.

Which kind are you?  Be an army of one for an audience of One.

Although I don’t like all the wording in this dissertation, I am exhilarated by the point being made.  God needs people in His army just as committed as those in our nation’s army.  Commitment is not a bad word.  It is a necessary word to ever see anything constructive take place.  A soldier is committed to his cause in battle or he is killed.  There is no room for timidity on the battlefield.

Ephesians 6 says that our battle is spiritual and not physical.  To be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, we have to be committed enough to put on the whole armor of God and then take a stand on the truth.  Even if we are the last man standing, it would be better to die having stood one’s ground than to live by compromising with the enemy.

Parts of God’s Word are warm and fuzzy.  Parts of God’s Word are sharper than a two-edged sword.  The time will come when every person who ever lived on this earth will have his day to plead his case before the Almighty.  I really don’t think anyone is going to change His mind.  God bless you and thank you for caring enough to read these things.

  

The High Price of Commitment

I deplore religion.  I deplore those who use religion to promote 100% secular causes.  I deplore religious people who don’t have one ounce of Christian blood inside them.  I am a Christian and I am proud of it.  My citizenship is not of this world and I do not pledge my allegiance to any nation or government of man.  My king is Jesus Christ and to Him and Him alone I am committed.  No institution of man, no religious ruling authority, no principality or power has any right to my heart or dominion over my soul. 

Those who wish to cower in the shadows and hide from the stomping boots of agents bent on the destruction of “Christians” should be the first ones shot.  They are a disgrace to those who gave their lives as martyrs for Christ.  Cowards run for cover when the enemy approaches.  Cowards should be the first ones fed to the hungry lions.

I am very tired of “playing religious games” with people who never have or ever will know and love Jesus Christ as a true Christian does.  “Religious” people are not Christians simply because they practice some religion.  Christianity is not a religion; it is a way of life.  Christianity is a FAITH, not a system of rules or traditions of men.

I pray the next time some crazed madman aims his automatic weapon at people that he would first dare any Christians to be first in line to be shot.  I would pray that there would be some who value their King more than their physical lives.  I would pray there would be some willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for God.  Oh how I pray there will always be a few true Christians around to show the enemy he cannot intimidate everyone.

I thank God for those who have served in the military.  I understand the concept of fighting for freedom.  I also understand that in spiritual warfare, there is only one thing the enemy understands and that is boldness.  Peter speaks of our foe as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  A lion’s roar freezes its prey in their tracks.  Out of fear they stop and the lion has an easy lunch.  When the lion roars, roar back at him.  Don’t just stand there shaking in your boots.  Take out the sword of the spirit and cut off his tail as a souvenir of your encounter!

Fear freezes people and renders them easy prey for the enemy.  Animal experts say that if a wild animal senses fear in its victim, it will immediately attack them.   So what if the enemy snarls and growls madly.  Snarl and growl right back at him.  No fear has to be a true Christian’s ironclad rule of combat.  If the enemy senses fear, he will immediately go for the jugular.

I am not the least bit afraid of dying.  I especially look forward to the day when I am hauled before the authorities and given the choice of renouncing my faith or being killed.  I would count it my greatest honor in life to give my life on behalf of my king.  There is nothing in this life worth compromising my faith for.  My life is not my own, for I have been bought with a price.  If the greatest thing I can do with this life is give it as a sacrifice to my King; so be it.

In the past 8 months there has been a rash of shooting sprees.  First there was Virginia Tech, and then there was Finland, then Minnesota and now Colorado.  Out of nowhere a wild person suddenly opens fire on innocent bystanders.  Is this a bad thing?  Of course it is, and the latest incident bears out where this is heading.  The gunman in Colorado stated on his pre-killing internet post that he was going out to kill as many Christians as he could.  He hated Christians and his hate bred murder.  This started with Cain and continues unto the present.

 Cain hated his brother Abel and his intense hatred motivated Cain to kill Abel.  The devil hated Christ and the devil hates true Christians for they represent Christ now.  Anyone who is daring to walk as He walked and talk as He talked is at the top of the devil’s hit list.  John 10:10 states that the devil’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.  He lives and breathes to disrupt and destroy true Christian’s lives.  He plots and plans circumstances to hinder, distract and burden those on his “list”.  He maneuvers people and situations around to present roadblocks, diversions and other things all for the purpose of thwarting God’s plans.  The devil is the ultimate orchestrator and manager.

Those who do not like battle, quickly make deals with the devil to leave them alone.  They agree to do nothing that would threaten him in exchange for “immunity”.  They willingly shut up or water down the truth so as to not rile up the enemy.  They find other “worthy” things to do with this life so as to not do anything worthy of getting the enemy mad.  They are the ultimate pacifists and World War II proved conclusively what happens when you try and pacify the enemy.  He steamrolls right over you.

Those who do not have the “heart” to fight the enemy want comfortable “desk jobs” far removed from the front lines of battle.  These lukewarm Christians don’t want anything to do with the actual “fight”.  They want to be spectators who get to sit in the stands and watch their Christian heroes do battle with the enemy like watching football on a Sunday afternoon.

Fighting the devil is difficult and entails putting on the whole armor of God found in Ephesians chapter 6.  This section of Scripture specifically states that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, and powers and wicked spirits from on high.  The battle is spiritual and it is not pretty.  The devil and his gang are ruthless thugs when it comes to their hatred of Christians.  They will stop at nothing to destroy anyone attempting to expose them and their father the devil.  Thank God He gave us weapons to fight with.  Thank God He has promised us He will never leave nor forsake us.  Thank God for the victory, if not in this life, then eternally!

Christians need to stand up and be counted, not retreat into their fancy churches and hide.  If Christianity is nothing more than a means to financial prosperity; it is nothing but a man-made religion.  If Christianity is a means to become famous; then it is nothing but a man-made fraud.  If Christianity is a fuzzy blanket to snuggle up in and hide from all the woes of the world; it is a counterfeit religion.  True Christianity entails sacrifice and suffering.  True Christianity demands separation from everything this world holds dear.  True Christianity adamantly refuses to compromise with the enemy no matter how attractive his offers sound.

Christians need to have some “guts” or they will become fodder for the devil and his hungry legions of lions.  Weak Christians breed a weak religion void of power and any real conviction.  Christians need to understand that Christianity is not a religion but the rock solid faith of those totally committed to their Master.  Christianity is simply that which describes and defines Christians.  Christians are those who deliberately seek to become just like the Christ who lives within them. 

I direct this post at no one in particular except the enemy.  Jesus Christ needs warriors to rise up.  He needs people not afraid of dying.  He needs people more committed to Him than the world.  He needs people unfazed by the screams of those demanding Christians shut up.  He needs an army of men and women who count not this life dear to them.  He needs people who would rather fight than compromise the truth.  He needs people who are willing to burn rather than bow.  He needs people unafraid of being cast into the lion’s den or the fiery furnace heated 7 times more than normal.

Throughout this world, movements are arising that have one thing in common; their hatred for Christians.  The day will come very soon when those who refuse to compromise the faith will suffer the consequences.   Lord, I want to be in that number.  I want to be one of those you can count on to fight and not run.  I want to put on the whole armor of God so having done all; I can stand for God and withstand all the fiery darts thrown by the wicked one.  I don’t want the enemy to win and thus I feel compelled to fight for that which is true, honest, just and right; no matter the consequence and no matter the cost.  Lord, please grant me the desire of my heart; to stand for you, no matter what.