Photo by Alex Fu
Even in the darkness I cannot hide from you…
When my fear whispers that I will not be able to cope
that I will never make it out of this hole…
Faith tells me my Father knows what I need
The Father who keeps filling me with his strength
and just in time He supplies all the Holy Light
that I need to battle through this dark night…
I raise my head from my prayer and I see Jesus kneeling there
The Light of the world has prevailed and no earthly power can keep me from His care…
Photo by Vinícius Vieira Fotografia
A mystery revealed. When we are born we know nothing of Truth. We believe those around us are truth tellers. We believe WE are truth tellers. We believe our parents tell us the truth and they believe it too. Our homes are warm and dry so safety must be true. Our siblings play and live the same as we do so how we live must be the true way to live. Our schools must teach true facts so educated people must be true. Our religion must be true because it rules our behavior, our traditions but the fact is we are born liars. We are born enemies of God and do not know truth. We are born liars, decievers, and accusers. The Truth is not in us until the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ utterly dwells within us. God’s Word states that not one of us is good and that humans love darkness and when the Light of the World came we did not know him. Until He chose to reveal to us, by the Spirit of God himself, who came in the flesh. Until Jesus! This is the Epiphany, the Light of the world who is the God Man Jesus. The One born in Bethlehem. The One who grew up without sin. The One who was crucified for all sin. The One who rose from the dead. The One who ascended and lives on High. The One who will return for His people and will reign forever. He is the only Truth!
So why are we surprised that we lie to each other and put on masks, and build detailed facades of being perfect families, perfect marriages, and perfect churches? Why are we surprised that some of us had Godly truth telling parents and some did not? Why are we surprised when our five year old child lies to us or sneaks candy from the pantry? Why are we surprised that we are or once were liars and not valiant for Truth?
This is an important part of understanding the ” state of human kind and our sin. Understanding our sin is the way that leads to falling on our faces before The Holy and repenting with humility. There is not plural Truth! There is only One Truth!
“All have sinned and fall short… (Romans 3:23). All of us need redemption. All of us are liars if we say this isn’t true. Truth is a person in flesh and a person in the Trinity of God’s very being. We do not know Truth in our lives until we humble ourselves to receive the Grace and the Mercy of The Holy One who is the very definition of Truth.
” and they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for Truth…Jeremiah 9:3
Photo by Sebastian Voortman
From the purity of Heaven’s halls
to the famous hedonism of Sodom
Two Angels obey The Master’s call…
The earth heaves and groans in it’s underbelly
hail fire scorches, giant stones demolish the walls!
Two Angels in Sodom save the only Remnant known
those who remain yours Oh Lord God
In the midst of unholy abomination
The Holy One will restore the Glory of His Name
Two Angels in America prepare for our rescue!
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I dream I am in guerrilla warfare, watching for sharp shooters on the roof tops
The King was right when he said we do not fight flesh and bone
Yet we insist on killing our own over and over, the choice made, cannot be taken back
There are many traitors among us, or most likely they never were a child of the King
They look just like me so I cannot know who will gun me down, it is not for me to judge
The Truth can pierce the bone from the marrow, I know because it happened to me…
I must don God’s armor at all times, be vigilant in lie detection, oh the enemy is so smooth, it is a false light…
My heart is pounding, I cannot be silent, for every day is a day of war in the spiritual realm, to immense to be ignored.
The manifold wisdom of God sees all, the Captain of the host holds all power in his name, Messiah, Jesus, God with us
So I take up my weapons… the belt of Truth, the shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation …
I continue to walk behind the enemy line for I know the Battle is the Lord’s, I long to remain a diligent warrior
The sharp shooter is still on the roof, the scope on the rifle is aimed at my head, I can see his eyes dead like dolls eyes
I choose to keep walking…
I walk on vigilant always for any inkling of the enemy’s presence…deafening silence
yet in a split-second a pervasive white mist envelopes me…
I feel heavy weight and aching in my body and spirit, it is the supreme stealth weapon of the enemy
It is shame, my most relentless foe
The ballast of Shame slaughters aggressively, the deadliest of weapons, worse than sarin gas…
If I don’t kill it, it will kill me and all it touches, shame is unholy from hell
I cry out to the King, blood seeping from my chest, a razor-sharp slice
I did not feel it at the point of entry
Towering above the shame the King appears, brandishing his two-edged sword
it blazes and radiates like a million Suns, in a blink the sharp shooter
on the roof top falls dead
I am blind now, crouching down behind my shield of Faith
the King wields his Holy two-edged sword and shame screeches like the demon it is…
instantly there is silence, my heart is no longer bleeding, I regain my sight
The Holy Spirit is the watchman, the Angels encamp around me
I savor the Holy rest of victory this day…
I
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Just declared to be God’s only Son. The voice and the dove announced it to the world. Driven straight out by God’s Spirit to the wilderness of Judea where not even scorpions will live…
No food or water upon these forty days. He who is announced and ordained now lay weak, trembling near death only to now be approached by Satan…
Satan, the shining one come to accuse The Word of God. If you are the Son of God??? Compared to Eden the destruction of the Second Adam seems it might be an easy victory…
Fear is a wilderness where the devil runs around
He tempted Jesus there now he wants to take me down
Fear is a wilderness where death creeps up on trust
The water is polluted, hope turns into dust
Fear is a wilderness where Jesus walked alone
Oh but The King of Ages left the wilderness undone!
Jesus never once defended his identity or Godly position. He knew that Satan knew it well. For even Satan and all his demons tremble at His name. He the Second Adam would destroy all death and hell! For the living Word is his name and his Word is more powerful than any two edged sword!
Photo by Specna Arms
The older experienced soldier watched as twenty new young men were milling about the base. He knew they had no clue what they were in for. The Korean “police action” at the 38th parallel between South Korea supported by the United Nations (largely the United States of America) against North Korea supported by China and The Soviet Union. The older soldier was still recovering from the unexpected and brutal Battle at Naktong River. That is where his best buddy’s feet went bad. The wet boots along with pouring down rain never allowed much time for drying out. His buddy didn’t even try to get his feet dry and by the time the battle ended his feet were black. Three weeks later he was dead. The Koreans have a saying, “death begins with bad feet.”
My take away from this wisdom is that I have learned to pay attention to where my feet are walking on this journey of life. The small things. My feet get soggy with the cares of the material world of what people think of me. According to scripture we are in spiritual warfare as believers who follow Christ…
For the follower of Christ Jesus we are taught to put on the armour of God for the daily warfare with an evil , fallen world. Part of that armour described in Ephesians 6 encourages us to Shod our feet with the Gospel, the Good News that the Savior of the world has come.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation…Isaiah 52:7
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No I didn’t worship as the pagans do or did I? That realization was a rude awakening for a girl raised in the knowledge of Christ and the Bible. Hey, those false, other gods had nothing to do with me or did/do they?
I have always been curious and believe I now know why John the Apostle wrote in the last verse of his book “children, be aware of idols.”
I have read and read that Gospel of John’s and that verse always convicted me.
After bowing down to man made works (supposedly for God), after walking many miles in my journey with Jesus I have come to know that everything and everyone put before God in my life is an idol. Sounds simple yes but it is gut wrenching because my idols come in the love of grandchildren, love of admiration, love of being right, love of caring for the sick, the love of (fill in the blank)…
As a young woman I believe my idols were rooted in the identity given me by birth. Later I believe my idols were turned to the insecurity of fitting in so I would do what everyone else was doing. Just to fit in. I could list them all but the one in my older years that finally got my spiritual attention like no other was when my first grandchild was born. Oh how God has lavished his love upon those of us who are given grandchildren! It is a good reward undeserved but I began to put that love above everyone and everything. I didn’t even realize how deep I had waded into that “good” idolatry.
But God… in his purity and fury thundered through to me one sleepless night as I was telling him that he felt so distant lately. I had taken a gift of Joy and great love and delight and turned it in to a god!
How could that be I said? I am following you Lord. I felt His Spirit say, “if you follow me then you must put no other gods before me…”
So I knelt down before my Lord had one of those snot slinging, sobbing moments of repentance…
Paul wrote, “for what do you have that you did not receive? If you received it then how can you boast about anything?” 1 Corinthians 4:7
Photo by Gladson Xavier
Oh how all the Kings have fallen
From their high and lofty thrones!
The white Knights are soiled with black death
none of them call upon Almighty God!
All the people lie constantly so the innocents die
Their evil makes a mockery of Almighty God!
Oh if only they would cry from deep hearts
and give up their ego and selfish ways!
I, Almighty God have made a way to redeem them
Only I have saved them with my own right hand!
I desire mercy and compassion above all else
I, Almighty God have spoken for all to hear!
“I saw the angel standing in the sun and he cried out so all heaven and earth and under the earth could hear, saying…Come all you fowl in the heavens to the feast of the Great King and eat upon the flesh of captains and kings of this world!” Revelation 19
Photo by Alex Fu
All who hear open your hearts and eyes!
Not out of fear or dogma but for His name’s sake
He will execute perfect love and mercy!
They who think they are wise but are enemies of The One
who is Holy and Faithful and True be aware!
His name is Faithful and True
His name is The Word of God
The King of Kings is His name
His eyes burn with the white flame of justice
Many crowns are upon his head
He will judge those who hate him still!
The sword of His word will judge in perfect righteousness
All the fowl of the earth
will feast on their flesh on that day!
Photo by Tookapic
when Life is not always
a merry Tale
or Thunder makes war
from east to west…
when Day leads to
a comfortless Night
or Evil and danger bring
your Soul to unrest…
put an Axe to the Tree
of all things hidden
keep your Sword always drawn
and sharpened…
let the Fair and the Fresh
be your Dream
never forget the High King
of Heaven…
Jill Autrey Dorman 