Wicked Spiritual Forces

 

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Ephesians 6:12-13 Good News Translation

¹² For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. ¹³ So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

 

Very recently we took a hike near Heaps Peak in the San Bernardino National Forest along the Rim of the World Highway. The previous week we had experienced a fierce wind-storm. It had blown branches and lots of fruit off our fruit trees. That same wind blew with far greater force over the ridge of the San Bernardino Mountains that the highway runs along. It runs at an elevation around 6,000 feet (2,000 m). Great trees had been snapped off like matchwood. Our trail had been cleared by chain saw. But the forest floor was piled high with the broken branches—the leaves still green from vigorous growth. Our Sequoia Trail ran along the north face of the ridge. We hiked along about half of the trail. There were long patches of frozen, solidly packed snow.

This was probably our dog Katie’s first experience of walking in snow. She didn’t know what to make of this white stuff that made her feet so cold, and they tended to slide out from under her. Sylvia and I picked our way along previous dirt-filled footprints. Finally, about half way around the loop trail, we came to a part covered with deep icy snow. It sloped rather treacherously down to our left. Regretting that we had not attached the ice grips to our shoes that my cousin, Pastor Reneé, had so graciously sent us, we turned around and headed back to the car. We have become more aware of the danger of falling as we have counted off more years in our lives. You should have seen how happy Katie was when she got out of the car in her own home.

As the world rushes on into its “evil day,” the “wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world... the cosmic powers of this dark age” are being allowed to exercise more and more power. We normally don’t see them, far closer to us than we can possibly imagine, but they are there. In my last three blogs I have tried to describe how close this “heavenly world” is to us. Realize that not only our guardian angels but also the demon enemies can be close enough to even be inside us; still we cannot perceive their presence.

Paul urges us to “put on God’s armor now!” This armor cannot be obtained in a gun store or from a digital super hacker. It cannot be obtained from Pfizer or Moderna. In the next five verses of this chapter Paul outlines his concept of the only invincible armor and how to obtain it. He points out that there will be a fight—a fight to the bitter end. Only with this armor will you “still hold your ground.” Read the verses again or postpone doing so at your eternal peril.

Thank You, Lord, that You have provided invincible armor for us. Please help us as we fit it on.

 

 

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[1] https://stockagency.panthermedia.net/m/stock-photos/8604718/slipping-in-packed-snow-and-ice/

God Thunders Marvelously

Job 37:5
King James Version
⁵ God thundereth marvelously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

 

God communicates with us in many ways. Sometimes He roars in such a way that everybody knows He is communicating with us. This happened with the Israelites at the base of Mount Horeb when God spoke the Ten Commandments out of fire and thick clouds of smoke. This happened when Christ was on the cross and darkness enveloped everything as the curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place ripped apart from top to bottom.

When God spoke to Elijah after the marvelous appearance on Mount Carmel, some powerful events occurred in nature. But Elijah recognized that these were not God’s communications—they were simply sent to see if he was awake:

1 Kings 19:11-13 And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.” And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, “What doest thou here, Elijah?”

God was in the still small voice. God spoke to Abraham, maybe 4 or 5 times; sometimes only in a dream. When God speaks to us, it is usually in a still small voice—a voice that we can choose to ignore because it is so small—maybe to our eternal peril.

There’s an old story, probably apocryphal, that I’m sure you’ve heard. Everything had gone wrong for a man. Finally, he said to himself, “Let me see what God wants me to do.” He opened the Bible at random, put his finger on a text and it read that Judas “went and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:5). “No,” he said to himself “God can’t be talking to me there.” He closed his Bible and opened it randomly again and read, “Go and do thou likewise.” (Luke 10:37). So, he committed suicide.

Consequently, how does one know whether this still small voice is indeed God’s voice? Or is it rather a suggestion from our own inner desires? Or, much worse still, is it the devil making a suggestion?

Isaiah counseled “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20) If it is against the direct commands in the Bible—it isn’t God speaking. That brings up the question:  How do we know whether it is against the direct biblical counsel?

We need to read the Bible daily to keep reminding ourselves what the Bible does teach!

Please, Lord, keep speaking to us, and help us recognize Your voice and do what You are asking us to do.

 

 

 

 

 

Love Thy Neighbor

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1 John 4:21

Common English Bible

²¹ This commandment we have from him: Those who claim to love God ought to love their brother and sister also.

 

Sylvia and I were studying with Sara in Somerset West who had expressed an interest in studying the Bible. She sat in an easy chair in the corner of her living room. Nestled on her right arm sat the chubbiest little black Wheaton Terrier I’ve ever seen. Every so often she would reach into a box of chocolates with her left hand and pop one into Wheaty’s mouth. He would lick her fingers and then chew contemplatively on the chocolate.

Sara had been telling us about a lady, Melody, from down the street whom she couldn’t stand. She mentioned several minor things that bugged her: her lawn was neatly manicured, not just mowed like Sara’s. She had a big golden lab that she would walk on leash every morning. Sometimes the lab would leave a pile on Sara’s lawn. Melody would reach into her fanny pack and take out a plastic bag. Then she would lean over and primly pick up the pile, tie the bag in a knot, and walk on. In Somerset West nobody ever picked up after their pet.

Once in a while Sara would be out in her yard with Wheaty when Melody came by. When Wheaty saw the lab, he would dash, barking wildly, and nip at the lab’s heels. Usually the south-easter was blowing relentlessly. Petite Melody would struggle with all her might to drag the lab away while also fighting vainly to keep her skirt modestly covering her legs. Sara would laugh at the struggle and just let Wheaty do his worst. Served her right!

When Wheaty finally returned triumphantly after chasing “the enemy” away, Melody would call back cheerfully: “Good morning! Have a beautiful day! Don’t you just love this south-easter—the old Cape Doctor?”

Bright and early on Christmas morning, Melody had rung Sara’s doorbell. When Sara had opened the door, Melody stood there in a bright summer smock. She had reached out with a winning “Happy Christmas!” and handed Sara a festively decorated platter of neatly braided and decorated koeksisters. Then she had skipped joyfully down her sidewalk toward home.

“I just can’t stand her cheerfulness. I never have anything ready to give her!” she grouched. Sara looked at me: “I know the Bible says to love your neighbor.” Then she paused for effect before adding with venom: “Just because I have to love her doesn’t mean I have to like her!”

How do you respond to an outburst like that?

Lord, help me to love those I really can’t stand—like You love me.

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[1] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/26/happy-ever-after-25-ways-to-live-well-into-old-age#img-7 

Thunderstorm in Tornado Alley

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Job 37:6

Common English Bible

⁶ He says to the snow, “Fall to earth,”
    and to the downpour of rain, “Be a mighty shower.”

 

We often drive across the U.S. along small highways rather than on the Interstates. We can experience much more of the charm of the country that way. At night we often pull up in a Walmart parking lot or a park with a restroom and climb into the back, under the cap that houses our bed, and sleep till morning. Traveling west across eastern Nebraska one evening, we could see massive thunderstorms in various directions. We checked our smart phone and saw that if we carried on into the night, we couldn’t miss a storm. Of course, if we travel at night, we also miss the charm. So, we pulled into a handy Walmart parking lot, watched a beautiful sunset, and climbed into bed.

Shortly after dark it started raining. Lightning and thunder struck all around us. The rain became a mighty shower. The wind shook our Ford F-150 as if it were a toy. Peeking out of the window, I saw that the whole parking lot was under six inches of water as the rain came in sheets almost horizontally across us in the furious wind. I prayed for the all-powerful hand of God to shield us.

This part of the country is often referred to as Tornado Alley. I had visions of a tornado snatching us up and hurling us into the air and then smashing us back onto the earth when it was done. The cap over our heads is only held onto the back of the pickup by four three-sixteenth inch bolts. Although it is normally water tight, a spray was being forced in around the edges. Every few seconds the lightning illuminated the ankle-deep water all around us. Almost instantaneously a might clap of thunder would threaten to split our ear drums.

As suddenly as it hit us, the storm blew away. Through it all Sylvia slept like a baby. She missed the whole mighty display. When she woke up in the morning, she wondered why our blankets were soaked all around the edges. We got up and arranged our wet things so that they would dry, we hoped, as we continued on the highway.

For breakfast we stopped in a little café. The people all around us were talking about the tornado that had ripped through and totally destroyed a little town just 8 miles to our west. Now was our time to praise the Lord for keeping us safe.

Thank You, Lord, that we can rest in the knowledge that You always watch over us.

 

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[1] Our Ford F-150—This picture was not taken in Nebraska!