Monday, October 17, 2011

I'm not here- John Eldridge/C.S. Lewis

"I'm Not Here"                   
                        Incredible. What a self-indictment. "Nothing dangerous is happening here." Those men have already been taken out because they've swallowed the Enemy's first line of attack: "I'm not here-this is all just you." You can't fight a battle you don't think exists. This is right out of The Screwtape Letters, where Lewis has the old devil instruct his apprentice in this very matter:
My dear Wormwood, I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves.
 As for those who want to be dangerous (cutting-edge), take a close look at 1 Peter 5:8-9: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
What is the Holy Spirit, through Peter, assuming about your life? That you are under spiritual attack. This is not a passage about nonbelievers; he's talking about "your brethren." Peter takes it for granted that every believer is under some sort of unseen assault. And what does he insist you do? Resist the devil. Fight back, take a stand.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Seen but not Understood

Have you ever felt as if someone was watching you?  Especially when you are doing something that you would need to explain?  For example, have you seen those people who wander around talking to themselves?  Maybe you are even walking down the street and you wonder..."Are they talking to me?"

Maybe they are in their car chatting away at a red light, you slowly look over to catch a glimpse of who they are talking to....uh nobody is next to them.  Ah ha! but they turn their head and you see this little piece of plastic in their ear, the bluetooth of course.... (I have no idea why the word tooth is in that word) but if you didn't see that you could think they are crazy, even worse what if you are on the opposite end?  One of the things I can say that I hate is being misunderstood.  Especially if I look like a schmo. 

In my life I have gone through heartache, what seems to be extreme pain but there is no bandage to put on it.  No quick fix.  Pain of the soul can create havoc inside you.  I have had people see me, wondering why so emotional or say just shake it off.  "Seen but not Understood".  We so long to be understood and really to Understand.  We read God's word, His real alive and active word, but sometimes we just see words and don't understand.  We see His truth and yet don't understand because our circumstances aren't lining up. 

The Fact is Jesus understands, scripture tells us that we don't have a priest who isn't able to sympathize with our problems, but instead was tempted in every way we are but yet didn't sin.  He also endured pain, physical, emotional, real pain.  The Son of God was "Seen but not Understood" by many.  I believe today it is still the same.  God's word tells the story of His redeeming of the world through His Son on the Cross so that all may come to know Him. To Know Him.   Problem is we try to look upon things of this world with our own eyes, our own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5-7 says to trust in the Lord with all of your heart, to lean not on your own understanding, it goes onto say that He will direct your path.  I don't pretend to understand the things of this life so I can see God in them.  Rather my heart is directed to see God Himself, through that experience, my heart and spirit gain peace and understanding.  "We don't need more faith to understand, but rather a greater understanding of who we put our Faith in." Faith is a gift of God.  Reality is we are dead in the water without Him.  Reality is that with Him, we are loved, accepted, 100% Children of God.  He gives us the choice, our way or His?