Thursday, April 30, 2009

Rising Waters

"I tell you,
now is the time of God's favor,
now is the day of salvation."

(2 Corinthians 6:2b)

Beloved, I've missed you! Those precious few of you who regularly stoke "Fan into Flame" know that the posts here are often irregular. I don't write daily or weekly but only when prompted by the Holy Spirit ... only when the Lord gives me something to say. Sometimes, it flows like a flood! Sometimes ... {insert sound of chirping crickets here} ... it doesn't.

The times of stillness are a glorious gift from the Lord. Be assured that He is graciously and wondrously speaking. I'm just listening to Him. And learning from Him. And leaning on Him. And loving Him. I pray that you are, too, during this Harvest journey.

In the three weeks since Good Friday, I've been watching. Observing. Listening. Grieving. Rejoicing.

I am an alien and stranger here on earth (reference Psalms 39:12; Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11), but, as time passes, I acutely feel even more alienated ... and stranger than ever before! I discern in my spirit--and witness in my flesh--waves of deception washing over the earth. They once were fewer and farther apart, but, like the labor pains immediately preceding childbirth, they are greater, faster, and unrelenting. The shock is drowning some, who haven't accepted the Lord's safe harbor. The turbulence is neutralizing some, who haven't learned to navigate enemy waters. The impact is knocking some to their spiritual senses, all glory to God! And the tumult is bringing some to the surface, who stand amidst the storm, rising confidently and firmly in the power of the Lord.

Beloved, the side effects of polluted waters abound. I don't need to list them here. There's neither time nor space to exhaust the list of ills weakening our country and our world. They make me sick. I know they make you sick, too. And, you know I'm not talking about swine flu.

Let's just call a spade a spade here. Let's address the cause beyond the symptoms. The common denominator behind every perversion of the Lord's goodness, holiness, and righteousness is the enemy of the one and only Most High God. He is a counterfeiter and a liar, and those who don't recognize that truth are, sadly, floating in the filthy waters of his deception.

"... Jesus ... said, 'I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of Life.' The Pharisees challenged Him, 'Here You are, appearing as Your own witness; Your testimony is not valid.' Jesus answered, 'Even if I testify on My own behalf, My testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, Who sent Me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am One Who testifies for Myself; My other witness is the Father, Who sent Me.' Then they asked Him, 'Where is Your Father?' 'You do not know Me or My Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.' ... 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the One I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.' 'Who are you?' they asked. 'Just what I have been claiming all along,' Jesus replied. 'I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent Me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.' They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. So Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the One I claim to be and that I do nothing on My Own but speak just what the Father has taught Me. The One who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.' Even as He spoke, many put their faith in Him. To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can You say that we shall be set free?' Jesus replied, 'I tell you the Truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill Me, because you have no room for My Word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.' 'Abraham is our father,' they answered. 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill Me, a man Who has told you the Truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.' 'We are not illegitimate children,' they protested. 'The only Father we have is God Himself.' Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on My own; but He sent Me. Why is My language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the Truth, you do not believe Me! Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin? If I am telling the Truth, why don't you believe Me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.' "
(John 8:12-47)

Beloved, this post is not what I intended it to be today. It never is. All thanks and glory to God! I planned an exhortation about the freedom, power, and authority you have in Christ. Perhaps that's another post (or series of posts!) for another day.

In the meantime, know that the waters of deception will continue heighten. They just will. Godlessness will continue to increase. It just will.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."
(2 Timothy 3:1-5)

But, most of all, precious ones, know this: The enemy's days are numbered--they are! Jesus Christ reigns--He does! He's returning--He is! And, when He does, He will replace the seas of sickness with the River of Life (reference Revelation 22). He will. He just will. And we who know Him will dwell with Him in the house of the Lord ... forever.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations He has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
(Psalm 46)

Precious Father, how wondrous it is to live in the embrace of Your grace! You sit enthroned over the flood (reference Psalm 29:10). All glory to You! Thank You for strengthening Your children during the storm; thank You for the protection of Your peace in the midst of the turbulence. Your Living Water refreshes us, sustains us, and keeps us afloat. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ--Your perfect Son and my precious Savior. Amen.

"Therefore let everyone who is godly
pray to You
while You may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him."

(Psalm 32:6)


For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!


Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

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