Walking in the Spirit or in the Flesh

What do patriots do when they hear a rumor or think they see things that are wrong? Let's just say that our forefathers knew the principle of paying attention to the fruits of a situation rather than the words.

"While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by an extreme of wickedness can very seriously injure the government in the short space of four years." Abraham Lincoln

Well that's America - when we began to vote for the unrighteous ones, satan unleashed some spirits into the world that have truly "injured" the government. I guess the key here is that the people of America have lost their virtue and vigilance. It is lost to deception, lust, sin, and evil on a scale Abe Lincoln could not have imagined. And the main issue isn't just the nation as a whole. Let's talk about the personal lives of individuals.

If we we walk in the flesh rather than the Holy Spirit, then what we see is also in the flesh. That simply means we cannot tell good from evil - and we ourselves become susceptible to lies. It is where most of America is right now. If that "atmosphere" is present in the world, how much more so will it be present in the lives of individuals?

Satan comes to "steal, kill, and destroy" (Luke 10:19) but Jesus came to give us life and that more abundantly. Anyone who has participated in wilfully and maliciously tearing someone DOWN has stepped into the devil's ultimate plan. Jesus Christ came to save the world, not to condemn it. Throughout His ministry on the earth, He forgave, blessed, encouraged the sinners around Him, transforming their lives.

Those who thought they were righteous, however, He smacked them around with His words and a whip. WE are living at a time when we have to forgive, be watchful against what people do rather that what they actually say. If their words are righteous sounding, but they wilfully tear down others around them, then watch out. They are wolves in sheep's clothing, and to be kept at arm's length.

The days in which we live

Our founding Fathers may have worn tights, lace on their cuffs and around their necks, but they most certainly were not wimps or cowards. They knew when it was time to fight. It is their spirit, their belief in what is right that has pervaded American society from the beginning. Do you have that same spirit? Or will you succumb to the worldly atmosphere that saturates societies now?

"These are the times that try men's souls." Thomas Paine

We're in a war. A real one. You may think that the only one we're in is with radical Islam, but I'm here to tell you that the war is much much deeper than the natural world.

The forces at work at this point in history are not ones you can touch with your hands- they are ancient forces of evil that have a purpose. You can either play by their rules, or follow the heart of God. You choose.

So many are becoming selfish rather than selfless. But the Bible is VERY clear on the subject- if someone has something against someone else, God does not receive our gift until we have fixed the problem. When there is a seed in the heart that is of darkness, there will be no friendship with God. That means those who walk away from being a friend, those who have their own selfish agenda in mind...they become the Judas factor.

"Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold..." Matthew 24:12

I have a dear friend who is going through hell right now. His sister is dying. He is mother is upset. His company is experiencing a temporary downturn and there is no money- he has lost nearly everything, and he has a family. His Facebook page was taken down for unknown reasons, which destroyed his ability to make more money. He has been betrayed by many who claimed to be his friends. He is most certainly NOT perfect, but he is still a human being with a heart. And he is not alone- the forces at work are raging through the world.

Friendships are being destroyed because of division. Patriots are not still patriots, because they are divided. If you can't stand together you can't call yourself a patriot, it's as simple as that. Families are being destroyed. Businesses are failing. Plagues are rampant, wars are everywhere, sin has torn our nation - and the world- apart. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken. The bottom line is that WE MUST HAVE HEARTS that follow God and not the things of this world. If our focus is on what we see, we will never reach the goal that God has set for us.

STOP right now and investigate your heart. Ask God to reveal anything in there that is off the beam. Don't worry, He doesn't carry a baseball bat- He is merciful. He will show you. If you do not believe in God, then ask that He reveal the truth to you. Let Him shower you with his gifts. Don't be afraid of becoming milktoast- Jesus walked the earth in great power- and He wasn't afraid to use it for the benefit even of people who hated Him in the end.God doesn't cotton to wimps- He seeks the meek, but not the weak. The spirit of our American forefathers still lives within us all- but as they asked for Divine assistance, so must we.

The significance of current events

We traverse through points of history generally oblivious to the significance of the events around us. But there are clear warnings from Scripture. Like this: A river in China has "mysteriously" turned blood red.

Rev 8:8 "...and a third part of the sea became blood." That word "sea" is thalassa it's Greek for sea, pool, lake, etc. Generally, Americans tend to ignore things like this- a "Red Tide" is just you know, that "stuff" in the water. Just because it makes the seafood in it inedible that's no big deal. Right? The Chinese river turning red is just from "stuff"- pollution- in the water.

The ocean now has "dead zones" in it where oxygen is absent. Fish, crustaceans, other creatures die there.

"...And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died..." Rev 8:9

We need to start paying attention to the signs around us. The wonders in the sky from the Hubble Space Telescope, for example.

When you add these things to the horrific deaths of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East; when you see Israel having to fight to defend itself against terrorists who want them wiped from the earth; when you see our own nation run far away from God and become enveloped in the "gross darkness" of Isaiah 60, then you must realize that things are rolling towards a massive Divine culmination.

It's time we got our collective heads out of the sand, folks. Time is short. "You will be made to care" is a statement that rings true across all demographics. You can wait for rescue, or you can prepare yourself for whatever comes. Don't wait- prepare. Be wise as serpents, harmless as doves. Get ready for the Bridegroom, keep your lamps lit with His anointing oil and don't let it go out by complacency, laziness, or sheer boredom. Know Him. Know him personally. Walk in His power and grace. Will you be willing to commit to Him with everything you are? Or will you sit on the couch and ignore the situation around you?

"And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt with flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits." Daniel 11:32

No Turning Back

Photo by Tom Michalski, Brennan, Washington

There comes a time in the lives of all leaders, when turning back is not a viable option.It's a moment when the mountain is too high, the attacks too strong, the pain to deep to continue...and yet we must.

Let me use an example from my own life: My husband, his best friend, his daughter and I were headed out for a hike around a lake in the High Sierras of California. The day was warm and comfortable at 7am. We walked for about 5 miles, enjoying the exercise and chit-chatting about nonsensical things.We stopped by a rushing glacial stream to eat lunch and turn around to head back to camp.

The path of no return

Suddenly, as we turned to go back, we saw that the path we had taken was under water! Unbeknownst to us, a small dam at the other end of the lake had been released, and our way back to camp was completely blocked. We had no choice but to go forward...up steep rocks in the blistering sun, with no supplies left.

What started out to be an easy hike by the lake had turned into a matter of survival for me, the blond sunlight-sensitive person.I drank from pools of water that had bear tracks in the mud beside them. The heat stroke started to set in. As I climbed the bare rocks before me, my vision started to cloud and I knew I was in serious trouble. I also foolishly looked down at the spear-like treetops below me. I froze.

My husband saw that I was growing sicker, so he threw the buckle end of his belt to me, and literally hauled me off that rock. Ahead he saw a fallen tree, and shoved it down the steep shale-covered hillside into the lake. We slid down the embankment and he dragged me into the water. The cool drenching saved my life, as we floated back to camp on the log.I started to feel better before we got to the other side. The others had no ill effects and simply hiked back to camp around the rest of the lake. My husband smiled and told me I had passed my "survival training." I felt oddly victorious, and the view from that part of the lake was spectacular. We had trekked 12 miles in 98 degree heat, with not enough water or food. And we could not turn back.

Never Give Up

When it feels like you want to give up, when you just can't go on another minute, don't give up. Fight through the pain, the sorrow, the heartaches, the attacks, the steep climb, and keep going. You can't go back now, you've come too far. Even though you are tired, victory is coming. That feeling when you have won, when you have overcome all the odds against you, is unfathomable. And God is with you, even when it feels like He is not.

Faithfulness and Truth

Trust, faithfulness, honor, truth...these are words that the Bible is quite clear about. Jesus is ALWAYS there for us, no matter what we go through in our lives. He is faithful, He honors us, He speaks truth, and we can trust Him. That pattern, that pathway, is the one we are to follow.

Many years ago, there was a man who came to our church from Texas. He began to contact people individually, wooing them with promises of money and a plan to make everything wonderful in their lives. He never once talked to me, because he knew my loyalty to my pastoral leadership was solid and unwavering. The spirit within him targeted the weak, the ones with personal desires. A few days after he showed up, I went to the church and found my pastor and his family huddled on the bed. Some of them had been crying. The parking lot was empty, only one car in sight. The man managed to drag all but three of us to Texas. Those who left created an impossible financial situation for my pastor- he had to go back to secular work. Those next few years were hell for him and his family, all because of a wolf in sheep's clothing, and a personal agenda that was completely unlike that of Christ.

The Word tells us that we should become like Jesus. Too often, people turn that into a religious idea. They choose to talk a lot about God, or babble on about His ways, but they never really apply those words to their lives in real works. James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. Being like Christ means being LIKE Him - always faithful, always standing true to who you are and what God wants you to do.

It also happens that people who call themselves Christians have personal agendas that have nothing whatever to do with God's heart for them. It's called "selfish ambition" in the Bible. And people often follow that, thinking they are following God, when they are a long way from the truth.

I have encountered too many people who tell me they are Christians, but friendships, true friendships elude them.Why? because they are flighty and do not fight for those friends in prayer or in person. I want to be LIKE Jesus. He has been my friend through feast, famine, flood, fire, and every moment in between. He has even stood with me in my own failings and sin. Let's be like that for the people in our lives. Let's really be like Jesus. As new friends of mine would say:

"Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas: Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever."