Walk In The Light

DIVIDE AND CONQUER! The enemy rips apart our country in unprecedented ways. Even more painfully, he divides Christians and families. How God’s heart must ache as He watches us quarrel over masks, vaccines, in-house church services, and the list continues. Relationships suffer, grow estranged, and break apart.

Someone dear died to me recently after a long, drawn-out illness. Many years ago, this relational death began with a spark of resentment, a critical spirit, then jealousy, entitlement, a dose of self-righteousness, hurt feelings, self-pity, and anger. Finally, it settled into a deep grave of bitterness that continues to emit fumes of past injuries and insults. With volcanic pressure, the vitriol of mean, ugly words from the pit hurt, harm, crush, and silence. Accusations decades-old breed in maggot-infested nests of hate to shut me up. No forgiveness, no confession of wrong-doing, just acidic words at every opportunity. 

The recent part comes with my decision to let it die, step into the Son shine, and trust God to do what I cannot do. I allow myself to admit and enter the pain without retaliating with spiteful thoughts, explanations, or taking responsibility for another’s dysfunction. The ache tempts me to fight back in this nightmare of hurt, but words and music filter through the oppressive darkness, “The battle belongs to the LORD… When your enemy presses in hard, do not fear, The battle belongs to the Lord. Take courage, my friend, your redemption is near. The battle belongs to the Lord. And we sing glory, honor, power, and strength to the Lord!” ^{_{(w/ Collins Jamie Sue / Owens Jamie)}}

He is the LORD of Hosts, the LORD of heaven’s armies, and He asks me to trust Him with this. I invite Him to enter my pain. He comes, sits down beside me on the cold stones of earthly realities, and we weep together. He knows my imperfections, my sins, my stupidity on so many occasions that deserve this rejection. Yet, His absolute perfection was and continues to meet with the same, only worse. 

As the object of ridicule—despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering, acquainted with grief, He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and took our punishment. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth… Although He had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully, He submitted Himself to death, and bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels (Isa 53). He took the pain into Himself to comfort us as One who knows.

I cry out to Him to deliver me from this evil against me that evokes the evil within me. He tells me to love my enemies, do good to them who hate me, bless them that curse me, and pray for them, which despitefully use me (Luk 6: 27–28). He tells me I live in an evil world with false accusers and despisers of those who do good. He tells me they hated Him, and they will also hate me. Those who hated and rejected Him the most were His own people, His own flesh and blood. 

He turns to me and says, “I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you (Isa 46:3-4). 

Oh LORD, You are my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? (Psa 127:3). Suddenly the Light shines, and I see the Accuser raise his gavel to silence and crush the life out of me with the legalistic code. Yet, I rise in confidence through Christ before God, not that I am competent in myself, or claim anything for myself, but my confidence comes from God. He makes me competent—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2Co 3:5-6).

The enemy slithers back into the darkness, away from the brilliance of the Holy Spirit. The Light reveals that the Accuser accuses and the Comforter comforts. I need not listen to the Accuser even if he masquerades as an angel of light in sanctimonious robes of self-righteousness. The Son of God sets me free, and I am free, indeed. I am liberated to love, forgive, and pray for my enemies. I am empowered to walk away from those who try to tear me to pieces and not look back. I bow before Him and bless His name, His holy, beautiful, and powerful name!

PSALM 27:1-14 of David

STAND STRONG!

A DINGY BROWN HAZE enshrouds Spokane, Washington and registers “hazardous to your health” on the air quality index. The smoke from the burning western U.S. blew across our countryside early Saturday morning, and now it sits here without so much as a gentle breeze to move it out. Our Sunday church services went back to streaming until this danger clears.

I sorrow over the 500,000 displaced people evacuated from their homes in Oregon alone, and 5.5 million acres burned in the U.S., I can’t fathom the loss! How important to remain firm in our faith during these strange days of loss, confusion, and life in a “Twilight Zone.”

This week, I read Isaiah chapters 7-9 where the kings of Aram and Israel said, “Let us go up against Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it for ourselves” (Isa 7:6). God tells King Ahaz of Judah, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.”

Isaiah goes on to warn Israel about something hazardous to their relationship with God. He says not to trust in an alliance of nations to save them or fear what those nations fear. “You are to regard only the Lord of Hosts as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be held in awe” (Isa 7:13).

Then the LORD promised to give them a sign: “The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name Him Immanuel” (Isa 7:14), which means God With Us. God meant for this sign to point the way to their deliverance but became a stumbling stone and a trap because they refused to believe. Many stumbled over it, were broken, ensnared, and captured (Isa 8:14-15).

How interesting that 700 people gather today at the White House with national and Middle Eastern leaders to sign an alliance of nations called The Abraham Accord. Though God miraculously brought Israel back to her land, she continues in unbelief to this day, and if she does not stand firm in her faith to God, she will not stand at all. Jacob’s Trouble rushes to enter the world stage, a time when Israel falls for the Antichrist before she finally recognizes that her true Messiah was Jesus Christ all along.

If we do not stand firm in our faith in these troubled times, we shall also be deceived by the many voices and false narratives that bombard us. I think of our children and grandchildren growing up under powerful worldly deceptions in this evil day. Each person needs to make wise and godly decisions to survive spiritually. If blinded by worldly deceivers and taken over by lukewarmness toward spiritual truth, a deception hazardous to our spiritual health will nauseate God and keep us from standing at all.

The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His… whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chr 16:9).

The Apostle Paul tells us, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in His mighty power.” He tells us to wear the whole armor of God so we can stand against the devil’s schemes. He reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, and evil’s spiritual forces. In this evil day, we must stand our ground, and after the dust settles and the smoke clears, to remain standing.

To remain strong, we need to dust off our Bibles and know the truth! We need our hearts protected from the Accuser by Christ’s righteousness alone. With a heart of obedience, a shield of faith, a helmet of salvation, and God’s living and powerful word, we stand firm. Oh, how important to pray in the power of God’s Holy Spirit for ourselves and our loved ones before hazardous apathy burns our lungs and blinds our eyes (see Eph 6:10-18).

Proverbs tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” How tempting to trust other things, from masks to vaccines, to so-called experts, politicians, and our emergency stockpiles instead of in the Lord of Hosts. Only He should be feared and held in awe. He alone is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble (Isa 46:1).

Isaiah writes, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness… A child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be upon His shoulders, and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end… The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this” (Isa 9:6-7).

What a tremendous promise and provision as we walk through this place of descending darkness so hazardous to our health! Truly the Son sets us free and empowers us to stand firm in our faith until we see Him in all His glory.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love (1Cor 16:13,14).

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you… The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deut 1:6,8).

Comfort My People

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

Isaiah 40:1

This morning after reading the news, God called me to Himself. I felt weary and heavy-hearted over the rising evil in our country and lawless insanity overtaking our cities. Lies and deception run rampant through the news media, and people fall for the evil one’s cunning craftiness and deceptions.

Yet, this morning the Lord said to me, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt 11:28-29). Jesus calls each of us to come to Him in these evil days, walk with Him, and learn from Him. He desires to infuse us with His gentle humility through a deepening relationship with Himself. Here our souls find rest in His comforting presence.

The Psalmist asks God to plead his case against an ungodly nation and deliver him from the deceitful and unjust. Then he asks himself, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” (Ps 42:5,11; 43:5 NASV).

The Apostle Peter tells us “God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment” (2Pe 2:7-9).

No wonder the Psalmist cries out, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” (Ps 42:1).

God begins Psalm 37 with, “Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.” He ends the chapter with, “Be still in the presence of the LORD and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm” (Psa 37:7-8).

Always, “His word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (Ps 119:105). Such comfort and peace He gives when I come to Him in humility. He takes up my case against the godlessness around me and tells me not to despair. He reassures me of His overcoming power to destroy evil and replace it with eternal joy and peace. He knows how to rescue me from trials and promises to do so.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isa 40:28-31).

When I turn to His living and powerful word, He fills my heart with a peace that passes my understanding. Not only does He warn me not to worry, but provides the alternative to trust in Him, delight myself in Him, commit my way to Him, rest in His presence, and wait patiently for Him to act. Check out His promised provision:

Psalm 37:1-8 NLT A Psalm of David.

Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the LORD and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the LORD.
Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the LORD,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.

Rejoice with me and worship Him, who says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deu 31:6).

A Pregnant Pause

A pause that gives the impression that it will be followed by something significant.

GOD hit the pause button on Israel’s history in a freeze-frame for 2,000 years. The book of Daniel tells us about this pregnant pause, one which God kept hidden from Israel and the world. Dr. David Jeremiah writes in his blog on the “Suspension of the Prophecy: Rejecting the Messiah”:

Israel’s rejection of Jesus as the Messiah marked the beginning of a gap in Daniel’s prophecy. Scholars refer to this indefinite period of time as “unreckoned time,” and it is an era we are still living in today. It is unreckoned because God only reckons time with the Jews when He is dealing with them as a nation. That has not occurred since the Triumphal Entry and will not occur again until the Tribulation.

In other words, when Israel rejected their Messiah, God hit the Pause button on Israel’s revealed history. Thus began the Church Age, a limited time of God’s undeserved favor to the gentiles. Israel had no idea God meant to hit pause after the sixty-ninth week of their prophesied history and resume it again after 2,000 years to complete the seventieth week referred to as The Tribulation, or Jacob’s Trouble. This “gap” or “unreckoned time,” became the mystery Paul talks about:

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in (Rom 11:25).

Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past (Rom 16:25).

No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began (1Co 2:7).

The Spirit of God conceived the Son of God in Mary’s womb, and she gave birth to the Messiah. Israel aborted their Messiah on the cross. However, He rose from the dead on the third day and ripped open the Holy of Holies’ heavy curtain that separated Him from His people. Fifty days later, in celebration of Passover, the Holy Spirit conceived the Church within Israel’s belly. This pregnancy held the body of Christ, which includes both believing Jews and Gentiles. She will officially give birth at the end of the Church Age to those who receive God’s payment for their sins. The Son promised to one day snatch them up and away from this world to live with Him forever in heaven.

This miraculous delivery ends the Church Age under its divinely pregnant pause, and the freeze-shot on Israel suddenly melts. Once again, God turns His full attention to the nation of Israel, and for the next seven years, they enter into The Time of Jacob’s Trouble until Christ returns to begin a thousand years of His millennial reign. 

As believers, we wait for our official birth into heaven with excitement and longing while Israel and all creation experience excruciating labor pains. Romans 8:19-23 _^NASV says, 

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God… For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Until Jesus sweeps us up and away, we look forward to His coming with great joy and anticipation, but we also must endure and persevere until then with continued faith and trust. Some months ago, our pastor, Steve Stager, spoke on the need to Pause and remember God’s Presence, rest in His Provision, and thereby gain greater Perspective on our circumstances. 

Hitting that pause button at any given moment freeze-frames the chaos and anxiety around me. No matter what I hear in the news, see in my life, or feel in my heart, the Holy Spirit challenges me to STOP whatever I’m thinking or doing and refocus on the reality of God’s presence and provision in each circumstance. 

Using the word ‘pregnant’ as ‘full of meaning’ goes back to the 15th Century. A pregnant pause is a silence full of potential in the way a pregnant body is full of a new human being. A pregnant pause leaves the listener full of anticipation, just like a pregnancy is full of excitement about the forthcoming baby _{(Google definition)}.

In a pregnant pause, the anticipation of something significant follows the silence. When I pause long enough, God reminds me of His presence and power in my life and in this world. My mind clears, and God fills it with His promises to care for His blood-bought children and fulfill His sovereign plan. 

Isaiah writes about Israel’s pregnancy: