Gird Yourself with Strength


Is the strength of the gospel to be at peace with the world,  or is it to be at odds?

Is the strength of the gospel strength to stand and testify?  Or is it only strength to hide?

There is death to self.  There is death to temptation.  There is the death of the body.  And there is death to the acceptance of the world.

Who will testify with power, who has not testified before?  Who will embrace their fear with a death grip; restrain themselves for the sake of His holy name, and fight like a dog over a bone, mindless of injury to themselves?

The strength of the gospel is a sound mind and fearless heart.  You don’t have to ask for it.  Just take it!  He will generously guide those who step out to fight. 

This is the strength of the gospel you have received.  Do not be deceived by those who drink from the fountain of: “let’s all just get along.”

The Land of Shadows


Man, who are you; you who live in darkness and refer to heaven as if it is but a Shadow?  Because you have never perceived it, you deny it.  You accuse what is true, without thought.

You have never touched it, or so you think.  You have never seen it, or so you think.  You have never heard it, or so you think.  You do not know its dimensions or what it contains, or so you think.

You mock what is holy, without knowledge.  All the while you, who live in the land of shadow, unjustly refer to heaven as shadow.  By this you speak your own language.  By this you use false accusation against He who is Holy and true.

You contrive your own vision while ignoring what can be seen.  You invent sounds of your own to replace what can be heard.  You relegate the space of a building, that you have erected with your own hands, and call it holy.  There you have placed God.  And you will not welcome him in your streets or homes!  God is driven from your business for the sake of money and power.

You dress yourself with glory among men.  But you push God of as a popper and a beggar.  You promote what is vile, while you call what is holy vile.  How shall you be received?

The glory of God can be seen in the things that were made without your hands.  All creation testifies to life and faithfulness but you close your eyes.  “These cannot be truth they are not built by man.”  So you say.  And by this saying you retain your own condemnation.

The Word of God is present among the people but you refuse to listen.  You prefer the sounds of shadow.  And you sin against the Lord by calling the shadow good.  You refuse to listen to the words of life.  Therefore you remain a shadow.

The dimensions of your world end at the sight of your eyes.  What is within your world is not holy and good.  You know this but prefer to ignore.  Therefore you are blind.

Holy is a blazing, eternal life.  When it appears the shadows are dispelled.  Your eyes cannot stand the intensity of what is true.  Your ears cannot interpret the sounds of heaven.  And though you live your life of shadows within the holy God, you cannot perceive his dimension or nature.

Who are you?  Who are you to love what is shadow and ignore what is pure light?  You hinder yourself.

The door approaches.  Even as you live this day, it has come that much closer.  Soon it will engulf you.  And you will permanently leave this place of shadows.

Allow yourself to wake up.  Now is the day of salvation.  The sights, sounds, dimensions, and nature of eternity will confront you.  If you remain in shadows you will not perceive correctly on that day.   Though you will stand in the presence of heaven you will be locked eternally with blindness deafness and no ability to perceive.

Salvation is near.  You live in eternity.  For God lives forever, and this place of shadows is in his presence.

By his great wisdom he has created this place of blindness.  Frustrated by he who accused, it has become a land full of shadow and sin.  By this place he will know the heart of all men.  By this place he has proved his faithfulness.  By this place his Holy Son sits enthroned forever.

Will you mock him?  Will you continue to contrive your own heaven?  Will you remain apart from him?  Will you invent your own God?

Or will you stop?  Will you humbly ask for eyes that see?  Will you humble yourself and ask for ears that hear?  Will you throw away your pride and receive the knowledge his wisdom is willing to give?

A cloak is placed over what is holy, in this realm of shadows.  It is not to be perceived nor movable by man, without the mercy of God.  But to those who will humble themselves, and ask with consistent and earnest heart, the Lord reveals what is true.

The land of shadows today says, “We are better than those who came before”.  Prove to me then how you are dissimilar to all men!   You elevate yourself!

If you point to your toys I will call you a liar.  Your toys are not you!  This is a lie you embrace willingly, which is spawned from those who live in the land of shadows.

If you show me what is called the modern God, I will call you a liar!  For Jesus Christ is the exact representation of the Heavenly Father, and he is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Your modern God is nothing more than some rock you have carved.  With great pride and a lifted chin, you look down on what is true. This idol is a spawn of those who live in the land of shadows.

Testify!  Prove to me that you know the living God, and I will remove these words from before your face.  I have eternal confidence these words will never move.

You punish a man who in endangers others and himself.  You restrain him for his safety and that of others.  You chastise the rebellious among you liberally. Yet you balk at these words.

You consider these words harsh.  They are but the tip of a feather against the skin.  These words a testimony from a man.  On the day you are engulfed the approaching door, you will hear these words from the Holy One himself.  Do you think you will balk then?