Daily Musings ~ Part 16

This recent Memorial Day, I was watching Band of Brothers for the umpteenth time. Yet this time, a particular scene was highlighted to me by the Lord. If we listen, He talks to us in all we do. In this scene, Lt George Rice, played by Jimmy Fallon, comes into the allied encampment with an ammo delivery and news. He tells Easy Company that the Germans are bringing in Panzer Tanks and extra troops and that they could be surrounded. Colonel Winters, played by Damien Lewis, responds, “We’re paratroopers, Lieutenant. We’re supposed to be surrounded.” And I heard the Lord tell me that we are to be like those paratroopers that are dropped into the middle of a war zone. We are right now seeing our own government do all it can to silence what they see as dissent. To take away rights that are the foundation of our constitution. Like Panzers, they’re trying to bring in big guns. Destroy Habeas Corpus. Ignore court rulings. Threaten any who disagree with lawsuits. But we are to stand in the midst of this and fight back. And to not fear for He is with us.

Psalm 57:4 tells us of David’s words to the Lord when he sought refuge from King Saul in a cave. He said, “My soul is among lions. I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire. Whose teeth are spears and arrows. And their tongue a sharp sword.” We cannot step away from this battle before us. Like the Apostle Paul when told by the prophet Agabus in Acts 21 that he would be bound and delivered into the hands of those who would do him harm, we must answer as he did by saying we’re ready to do what is right even unto death. That’s hard to wrap your mind around in a world where people run from a harsh word. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4 that “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed.” There is a place of trusting in Him no matter the obstacle we might face. He is with us in this battle for righteousness and He will set you high upon a rock. He will bring you out into a broad place where you can see in all directions. He will deliver you for He delights in you. We may feel hard pressed on every side and quite perplexed by the path our country is on, but He is still in charge and tells us to not lose heart.

We are those paratroopers placed in the middle of what has become hostile territory. And we are the called. Chosen for this very purpose of standing in the midst of chaos and evil. And speaking His words to those who have distorted and warped His gospel. They have set their minds on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven so we set our minds on Him. So, come out from among them and truly be separate. Have no part in the works of darkness so visible in this Trump led maga government and those in our evangelical church that supports this evil. Stand even in the midst of heavy odds like those in Easy Company and have that same mindset that Colonel Winters had. We are to be in the midst of this ongoing turmoil, but we serve a mighty God so take heart.

I write this on my birthday and I’m thankful I live to fight another day. I pray His strength to continue to stand. Blessings.

Daily Musings ~ Part 15

I had a lovely day this last Sunday spent prepping for an early Monday morning colonoscopy. Not my normal topic of conversation, but it’s appropriate to what I was hearing during this ordeal. Because I care about my health and have a few serious conditions I battle with, I am very careful in what I eat. I try to stay with a wholesome and organic diet and take vitamins and supplements to help with my diet. Of course, I may cheat at times, but I pretty much am careful in what I ingest. But what of that which goes into my mind?

Jesus spoke to His disciples concerning the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees and called them hypocrites. He quoted Isaiah’s prophesy saying, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” He later told His disciples in Matthew 15 that it wasn’t what goes into the mouth that defiles a man but what come out of the mouth that defiles a man. I’m glad He didn’t use another orifice to further explain. But He could have. In fact, He says later in Matthew 15 that what goes into us enters our mouth and then is eliminated. But those things which proceed from the heart are what defiles a man. So much of what we see today being spoken by political figures or those in ministry that lift them up can truly defile us. Hateful things. Anti-Semitic. Racist.  Xenophobic. A Christian nationalism that causes moral decay. Lying as an art form. And using His word to entice followers no matter how far removed from anything Christ taught. Using Bible white out for anything telling us to love our brother. To care for widows and orphans. The disenfranchised and the foreigner. All the while claiming to be pro-life. Not much different than one confidently walking during a lightning storm carrying an umbrella. Not realizing that there will come a time where we stand before Him and answer for these very things. Right now, there is a steady diet of political vitriol and the most noxious evil from those in power being offered daily to all who will partake and so many of us consume as if it’s health food.

Proverbs 23:1 says, “When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you.” Verse 6 warns us, “Eat not the bread of him who has a hard, grudging, and envious eye. Neither desire his delicacies.” Verse 8 warns us “The morsel you have eaten you will vomit up.” Those that have somehow seen fit to disregard all Christ taught on the Sermon on the Mount have decided to try a different diet that no colonoscopy prep will really remove. As horrible and painful the cleansing necessary for a colonoscopy can be, it at least allows the Doctor to see if all is healthy. There is nothing that can cleanse you enough from all you imbibe of from Trump and maga politics and the diet offered by those in the church that support him. Only 1 John 1:9 can help us. He says that if we confess our sins He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But if we say we haven’t sinned or have nothing to confess of, as Trump said, then we make God a liar. We all sin and fall short of His glory. The cleansing for a colonoscopy is so very unpleasant. And mine left me with a warning for my future diet. I still have diverticulosis. So, I have to be careful of certain foods like nuts, corn or seeds as they may get caught in those pockets and cause severe inflammation or even surgery. Just like what I allow in my mind from what I ingest mentally or who I listen to. It can lead me on a path that is ruinous and can cause a worse condition than diverticulosis. As Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Do not be tempted by that which has no nutritional or spiritual value. Even a junk food diet is preferable to that which comes from a church that has joined forces with Donald Trump and offers no spiritual value. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life has no part in Him. And no cleansing prep can remove that which comes from this. Seek Him alone. Pray without ceasing. Blessings.