This blog entry was written by Mandie. I consider Mandie and her family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful and blessed that she was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. Mandie encourages all of us to recognize the covenant relationship we can have with our Savior, Jesus. This relationship is one that we must pursue intentionally and with purpose as we grow in faith. I pray that you find her words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
I was looking at a depiction of Noah and his wife. Two smiling faces staring back at me and it occurred to me that the Bible does not tell us a name for Noah’s wife. If you do an online inquiry you will find that there have been speculations about her name but they are just that- human speculations. The Bible also does not mention anything about Noah’s wife’s character. We do know that she was loyal to board the ark with her husband and family. This brings to mind two other Biblical wives who were not as loyal to their husbands- Lot’s wife, who was turned into a pillar of salt because she turned around, in presumed longing, to steal one last glimpse of her wicked hometown being destroyed by God in judgment (Genesis 19), and Job’s wife, who, when given the chance and privilege to support and encourage her husband in their shared time of grief, chose to instead discourage him (Job 2:9). I find it interesting then, in the case of Job, that after his wife failed to do what she ought to have done, his friends stepped in and were, at the least, present with him in his grief. The Biblical account of Noah does not mention any friends that he had in support of his mission and arduous task from the Lord. He had God and his wife and family who were faithful in remaining by his side.
If we go back to the book of Genesis and the creation account, we see God’s words in chapter 2 verse 18 “Then the Lord God said, “it is not good that man should be alone; “I will make him a helper fit for him.” The words “fit for him” shows God’s design in marriage. Each man, each husband, is very different in the gifts they possess, the needs that they have and yet God has designed a way for those personal expressions to be supported and met. Marriage is a high calling for both the husband and the wife. Each have their own set of responsibilities and while they will look different depending on the household and the couple- the directive from our Lord is clear throughout the Bible. From Proverbs where we read “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (18:22) and “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.” (31:10-12) to Ephesians where we read “Let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (5:33) It is in Ephesians where we read about the symbolism of marriage being a depiction of Christ and the church. Before reading further, please read Ephesians 5:25-32 in your Bible.
The charge then is this that to remain strong in our earthly marriage covenant, we need to remain strong in our spiritual marriage covenant with God. To have a humble, loyal and Christ-centered marriage we need to stay connected to the Vine from which we are branches (John 15). Furthermore, encouragement from the picture shown in Ephesians 5 is for everyone! This beautiful passage of Scripture shows us how Christ treats our covenant with Him- a covenant we have as believing individuals- He loved us so much that He gave Himself up as an atoning sacrifice for us (v. 25), He desires that we would be holy, and blameless through sanctification (v. 26 & 27), He nourishes and cherishes us because we are members of His own body (v. 29 & 30). Verse 31 quotes Genesis 2:
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Here is the passage out of Ephesians 5:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Just as we are meant to be “one flesh” with a spouse within a marriage covenant, we are meant to be “one flesh” with Christ in our spiritual marriage covenant. For we know, as Galatians 2:20 says: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
and also in the prayer offered by Jesus during His last few hours on earth in John 17:
17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Praise God for His sacrifice and infinite grace and love towards us!!
Without using your phone or a dictionary, define the following words:
(All of the words are actually found in the English Language.)
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Antidisestablishmentarianism
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Euouae
Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Obviously the listed words are incredibly difficult. I would assume that no one was able to define the words without assistance. If you were able to define some of them without assistance from an outside source, you are exceptional!
The purpose of the exercise is to help us recognize that there are times when we must rely on a source to help bring understanding. In order to understand, we must go to the source containing the definitions. A dictionary will give us definitions of challenging words. The definitions will help us understand, but they are just words. In life we need to revert to the source of the definitions. The Bible is the source of the definitions that will equip us in this life.
The following is an extremely brief list of definitions set forth by God through His Word. We can trust His Word to give us the definitions we need to navigate life.
How does God define Himself:
Genesis 1:1– “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Isaiah 46:8-10– “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning,And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.”
How does Jesus define Himself:
John 1:1-3– “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
John 1:14– “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 3:16– “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
John 14:6– “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Colossians 1:16– “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
How is the Holy Spirit defined:
John 14:26– “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Romans 8:26– “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
How does the Bible define Us:
Genesis 1:27– “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Corinthians 6:19– “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Peter 2:9– “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Ephesians 1:3-14– “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making knownto us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
How are we to live by God’s definitions:
Proverbs 4:20-27- “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all theirflesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponderthe path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”
James 4:7- “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
God gives us the definitions we need in this life. We do not need to guess.
A lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica or quartz dust.
Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (thirty letters)
A mild form of inherited pseudohypoparathyroidism that simulates the symptoms of the disorder but isn’t associated with abnormal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood.
The estimation of something as valueless. Ironically, floccinaucinihilipilification is a pretty valueless word itself; it’s almost never used except as an example of a long word.
Originally described opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England, but now it may refer to any opposition to withdrawing government support of a particular church or religion.
Mary Poppins described it as the word to use “when you have nothing to say.” It appears in some (but not all) dictionaries.
Euouae
Euouae is six letters long, but all of the letters are vowels. It holds two Guinness World Records. It’s the longest English word composed exclusively of vowels, and it has the most consecutive vowels of any word. If you are wondering about its meaning, it’s a musical term from medieval times.
Honorificabilitudinitatibus
That position is held by honorificabilitudinitatibus, a twenty-seven-letter way of saying “with honorableness.”
This is another writing done by my wife Kelly. I thank the Lord for bringing us together. She is an empathetic, caring partner in this life. She is my best friend. I praise the Lord for her love and care in both ministry and our family life.
Sometimes I feel like I don’t know anything. The Word of God is filled with so much. It’s bottomless. One evening I was talking to a dear friend. We discussed just how much we desire to study God’s Word and be filled, but there just isn’t enough hours to do as much studying as we’d like. Many of us can relate to feeling overwhelmed with an endless to-do list. At the end of the day, it seems like it just wasn’t long enough. A nursing mother. A working husband. A student with a stack of schoolbooks. A looming deadline. We are pulled in so many different directions. Frustration may begin to rise within. Sometimes it feels as if we’ve wasted our day with mindless, meaningless tasks. At the end of the day we are unable to dig into the Word as much as we wanted. But take heart! Our Father sees. He knows the desire of our hearts. If we truly hunger and thirst for His Word, He knows. We are so bound to time and schedules, but remember the Lord is not as concerned with quantity as He looks at quality.
Some days, some seasons, we don’t have as much to give. That is no excuse not to give at all. If we give Him what we have, with all of our heart, He will bring the increase. There are many Biblical examples of this concept. Take for example the young boy who came before Jesus with his little lunch. He didn’t have much, but he came whole heartedly and gave it to Jesus. (John 6)
The widow who was financially poor. How could it be that Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)
Isn’t it encouraging to see that the Lord’s economy is different than ours? It’s only natural to think that the more time we give, the harder we study, the more we push ourselves, the more we strive, then the smarter we will be, the more holy we will be… But if we give Him what we have, with all of our heart, no matter how big it is, no matter how long it is, no matter how intelligent we perceive it to be, it is He who will bring the increase. If we humble ourselves and take the time to seek Him with our whole heart, He will draw near to us. (James 4:8, Jeremiah 29:12-14, James 4:10). He will do a great work with our little gift. All that we have to do is give Him our everything.
This blog was written by my wife, Kelly. I am humbly and inexpressibly thankful to our Lord for giving me such a caring, empathetic and loving wife. It is both a privilege and honor to be able to serve the Lord alongside of her. She truly is a ministry partner. She is a woman who is filled with wisdom and compassion. To God be the glory! I pray that her insight is a blessing to you as you read her words.
James 4:4 says, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Does this scripture seem a little harsh? Does being friendly to the world always mean we are hostile toward God? Aren’t we supposed to be friendly toward those around us even if they aren’t believers? Why would scripture refer to us as adulterers if we are only trying to love the world around us? To answer these questions, we will have to dig into this verse a bit deeper.
First of all, let’s consider the meaning of the word adulteress. This term refers to someone who commits adultery. It is one who casts away a commitment to another in order to give full attention to something or someone else. In this verse, the adulteress is forsaking the One True God and progressing toward friendship with the world.
The word “friendship” that is used in James 4:4 is the Greek word philia, meaning fondness. The warning in this verse is that those who turn away from God to love the world are considered hostile enemies of God. As believers, we can understand this statement, but there is an even sadder truth when considering this snippet of scripture. Only our Heavenly Father can offer us an unquenchable, unending, unconditional love. The Bible is clear that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:31-39). Who would disregard a love like this? Who would trade an unfathomable love for a feeling of fondness? No wonder the Lord considers friendship with the world to be hostility toward Him. God, out of His love and mercy, has freely given Himself to humanity, and we choose to exchange it for a love that fades away, a love that takes advantage. How our Father’s heart must break.
We see this sad reality play out throughout scripture. I can’t help but think of Esau who exchanged his birthright for a bit of stew. He traded his purpose and future to meet a temporal craving of the flesh. (Genesis 25:29-34) Israel had been led by the very Hand of God, cared for, provided for and brought up into the Promised Land. Still His people cried out for an earthy king to lead them (1 Samuel 8). They traded the King of kings for a mere man.
This, beloved, is the downfall of humanity: taking the most perfect, precious gift of God Himself and trading for the mundane, the common. We must make the choice each day. Either we will walk with Him or we will walk away from Him.
The Bible clearly gives us this admonition, “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:25) Life is full of compromise and trade-offs. Let us walk in diligence and allegiance to the True King of Kings.
“God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians (Exodus 6:2-7 NASB95).”
God appeared. He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He appeared to them as God Almighty. In the Hebrew אֵל שַׁדַּי (H410 and H7706: El Shaddai). God appeared as the All-Sufficient, Almighty One who has come to establish an everlasting covenant with those who revere His appearing. God in this advent demonstrated His authority to uphold His Word by His own authority. He appeared to be the God of His people.
The text goes on to say that God Almighty appeared to the patriarchs as El Shaddai, but He did not reveal himself to them as LORD. El Shaddai appeared but He did not make Himself known as yet by the Name LORD. This distinction or Name of God, LORD, was revealed to Moses. As God appeared to Moses, He revealed Himself by His Name, LORD. In the Hebrew this Name is יְהֹוָה (H3068: Unpronounceable proper Name of the Supreme God; The Existing One). Theologically this term is referred to as the tetragrammaton, or the unpronounced Name of God. This term is unpronounced both historically and contemporaneously by our Jewish brothers and sisters because it is seen as profane to utter the Name aloud. Rather than pronouncing the Name, it is referred to as HaShem (the Name). This Name of God can be defined as He who is. In English the Name is sometimes written as Jehovah or Yahweh. Both of these terms serve as transliterations of the original unpronounced Hebrew Name.
As indicated in the Scripture selection from Exodus, it was an act of the Lord to reveal Himself to Moses as יְהֹוָה (He who is). Earlier in the book God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush. God instructed Moses to go back to Egypt. Moses was to return to declare to the people that the Lord was going to deliver them from slavery. Moses asks God by what Name will the people be delivered. What Name should be given so that the deliverer can be known. The Name given to Moses was “I AM” (Ex. 3:14). I AM will be the deliverer. I AM will be the One who sets the captives free. I AM will set free.
Think back to the verses cited at the opening of this thought. God declares that He has appeared to the patriarchs as El Shaddai. The All-Powerful iteration of God Almighty appeared by this Name in demonstration of His authority to keep His own Word according to His own power. God then appeared to Moses as the I AM. God, the deliverer, the One who was, who is and is yet to come, the beginning and the end. The God who upholds His covenant by His own might but also the God who has come to deliver from slavery. The God who has come to set the captives free. The Lord appeared.
The prophet Isaiah tells us of yet another appearing of the Lord. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 NASB95). Immanuel- עִמָּנוּאֵל (H6005- God with us), with us is God. With us is the Savior. With us is Jesus. Immanuel appeared. God appeared to bring redemption to the lost, broken and hurting. Our Messiah appeared and He has revealed Himself to those who claim hope in His Name. Jesus (Yeshua), the name of Salvation has come to us. The great I AM has come to deliver and redeem. The first and the last, the One who was, is and is yet to return has appeared. It is by this Name that we can claim truth, hope and life. This Name is the Light of this world. Only Jesus is the way. He is the way to be reconciled before God Almighty. He is the way to be covered under His authority as our Great High Priest. And it is to His glory that we can call Him LORD. With us is God. And to God be the glory forever and ever, Amen!
Prior to putting together this writing, I was reminded of the Hymn written in 1907 by Henry Van Dyke titled: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. The opening verse of the hymn rang out in my heart serving to cause me to ponder the concept of adoration. The first verse is as follows:
Joyful, Joyful we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before You,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!
What does it mean to adore? What does it mean to adore the Lord? And should we as His people exhibit adoration in our heart as we reflect on our Savior? To begin I will start with a definition of the word adore. According to Websters dictionary the word adore means to worship; to honor; to regard with loving admiration and devotion. To adore is to worship. It is worship that is done in honor of the One that we hold dearly in our heart with love and devotion. In a sense, adoration is a fruit that is produced because of love.
Back to my question, what does it mean to adore? Adoration requires honor, devotion and worship toward the focus of the adoration. Adoration is an expression of reverence out of love. What then does it mean to adore the Lord? As the people of God it is not a responsibility or obligation to adore the Lord, it is a reciprocation of His love. Adoration toward the Lord is an expression of awe in reflection of His endless love for those who declare the hope in the Name of Salvation, Jesus our Messiah. Joyfully, joyfully therefore, we should adore the Lord.
Joyfully let us claim hope in the God of glory. Joyfully we call upon Jesus to open our heart as if a flower before the sun above. We open our hearts to receive His goodness and mercy. We cry out that He may melt away the clouds of sin and sadness. Convict our hearts Lord, of those things that we cling to that are not in keeping with Your will. Melt them away from us by Your power. Help us to claim joy. Take away the sadness, anxiety and the hopelessness that this world desires to pile upon us. Drive away the dark despair of doubt. Help us to see You as the giver of immortal gladness. It is only the Name of Jesus that can equip us with gladness. Jesus fill us with the Light of day! Joyfully, joyfully we adore.
My prayer for those reading these words is that you can find hope in the Lord. If you are suffering under the clouds of doubt, despair, sin or sadness may you turn your face toward the Light. Jesus is our Light (John 8:12).
My daughter just finished a book report about my book For Valor: Defending the Faith for those of Worth. As a proud papa, I am joyfully sharing the report with you. It is readily apparent that my daughter clearly understands the concepts brought forth in the book. May we all diligently strive to equip our children with discernment and dedication to walk out their faith with valor. May the Lord watch over them, pouring out His protection, provision and presence keeping them under His watchful care. To Jesus be the glory!
For Valor
Defending the Faith for Those of Worth
Chaos is complex, unwanted visitor. No matter what we do, or how much we try to get rid of it, chaos always returns. It is guaranteed. In For Valor, Corby Shuey writes about how Christians should defend their faith from chaos. The book opens by explaining how people with a different, secular worldview dwell on and constantly think of negative things. The devil spreads these negative thoughts and lies quickly and quietly, often with bits of truth intertwined. We have to be very careful to keep our focus on God’s true Word or else we can get pulled away from the Truth. We have to listen to the whisper of God’s Word to defeat these lies. God’s Word is Truth but other worldviews say that there is no truth or false truth. Postmodernism says everyone’s self proclaimed truth is in fact the truth and that nobody else can argue with that. It also says that there is no constant in life. Postmodernism and other false worldviews are responsible for the deconstruction of knowledge and identity. Because of this postmodern thought that have become seemingly more popular in today’s modern society, everyone thinks their truth is theirs and that nobody has the right to change that. They think everyone is free to do whatever they want. Christians, as the author says, are sinbathing, just going along with the flow, and just ignoring the unfortunate situation of those without faith.
Identity has become a god, made in the image of fallen man. The one true God, our God, purposely made us how He wanted us to be. We don’t need to try to change ourselves just to fit in somewhere. Transhumanism is trying to defy the biological limitations of humans. The devil wants us to forget about our identity in Christ. He tries to separate us from our Father. Humans try to mess with God’s creation, mixing different species and clone things to make different creatures. Our pride often gets in the way of a simple understanding of life. God offers order rather than chaos.
We must use the sword of the spirit and fight for our King, not for our own glory but for His. Not for our own sake but for the next generation for we bear His name. The Bible teaches us what is right and wrong and the difference between the two. In chapter four, we go through several passages of scripture and dive deep into it. First, Luke 23. This passage of scripture tells about how the people wanted to crucify Jesus and to let the murderer go. But Jesus willingly died for us. Those who put faith in Him will be saved. Jesus tells us to weep for those who don’t know Him since they will perish. The Lord says to keep those who know Him safe because during the last day, everything will be destroyed except those who fear God. We are supposed to recognize God’s work in our lives, embrace it, and walk it out. Our first responsibility is to love the Lord with all our being. Our lives need to reflect that. The Bible speaks of fishermen many times and explains how the disciples were fishers of men. However, these fishermen are very few in today’s modern world since the culture is becoming more and more troubling as the days pass. So we have to rise up, take courage, and become fishermen. We have to embrace the Word of God because God says He will release hunters to capture those who purposely deceive His people. Zechariah tells us that Shepards during that time failed to protect their sheep. He warns us that we guard ourselves and don’t fall into that pattern because we don’t want to be destroyed when Jesus returns. The Lord’s anger burns against those who lead the sheep astray. If we keep close to the Word, we are more than conquerors and our job is to help show sheep the right path so that wolves don’t devour them. Jehovah Roi, the Lord is the Shepard that guides us. We must follow Him.
At this point in the book, we are at a standstill. We are left to choose either withering in chaos or thriving in the peace of Jesus. Compared as a “glass divide” where on one side of the glass, there is peace, and on the other there is chaos. We have to choose which side of the glass we will stand. If we are on the side of peace, we can still see the chaos but ultimately, we don’t need to worry about that since we have Jesus. We have to pick a side; we can’t switch back and forth or try to be somewhere in the middle. We bear the name of Christ in our faith. God calls us by name so we should act as if we are representing Him no matter what the situation because we are. If Christians have contradicting beliefs and actions, we cannot be a part of God’s priesthood.
Chapter eight of For Valor talks about flint. Flint is a type of quartz that is used as a fire starter. Flint breaks steel when you strike the two together and that creates sparks. Charles Spurgeon talks about how Jesus set His face like flint when He went to die for us even though He did nothing wrong. Jesus’ face is as flint and ours is like clay so He can mold us and shape us. For example, when Jesus told Peter to walk on the water, he was doing great until he took his eyes off of Jesus. Then he was reminded of all the chaos that the world has to offer. So, if we keep our faces like flint and keep our eyes on Jesus, we don’t have to be afraid.
In 1 Samuel, there is an account about a giant who’s name was Goliath. Everyone was scared of him and just completely forgot about God. We do similar things when times get particularly tough or scary. However, in this event, there was a boy named David who knew who he was in God and he was confident in that. He chose to defend his faith and trust in God completely, even though the situation may have seemed hopeless. We can also be like David and defend our faith in times of trouble. We don’t have to be afraid for the battle is God’s and it has already been won.
Chapter 10 refers to a great teacher named Edwin Felecie. He once preached a sermon called “No Greater Valor” which starts with Felicie, a veteran who served our country for many years, explaining the soldiers creed. It tells about how soldiers main purpose is to serve the people of America and to never quit. This is how we should act when it comes to our faith. We are to serve others and never quit for the greater glory of God. We should take what we learned about setting our faces like flint in a previous chapter and apply it to our lives. The word valor in Hebrew is חַיִל (khah yil) which really means strength, might, efficiency, ability, and army. Those in the military serve only because they see worth in those whom they are protecting. They serve for valor. We must do the same.
The next chapter gives us a few physical pictures God gave us in the Bible so we could remember His faithfulness. First, the ark of the covenant is a reminder of God’s love and mercy for us. Another reminder of God’s love for us in the Bible are the stones of remembrance, set up by Joshua. The Hebrew word for this is (ot) which means sign, mark, banner, flag, miracle, or example. God is called “The Lord is my Banner” (or in Hebrew, “Jehovah Nissi”). That name was very important to Moses because it reminded him of how God delivered the Hebrews back in Exodus. We don’t need a pile of stones in our backyard to remind us that God is our banner too. Unless of course you want to. That’s ok too.
The final chapter of For Valor explains that we supposed to be a mirror of God. We have to work on restoring the mirror firstly, and get into the Word. Then, we have to share the Word and help others to become mirrors themselves. We need to teach about God’s Word diligently for our children, the next generation. For valor, defend your faith for those of worth. Be an example to others so that they may also be examples for their children and their chidren’s children. Like the disciples in the middle of the storm, we can be very scared at times. But Jesus calms the storm and He silences chaos. We do not have to be afraid. He fights for us and we are His. To God be the glory.
The reason I believe Mr. Shuey wrote this book is in the subtitle. He wants to warn us that we have to defend our faith so that others can believe and be grafted in. So that others may be a part of God’s priesthood. Not for our glory but for His.
The first appearance of the word חָמָס (H2555- hamas) is found in the book of Genesis. The Lord uses the term to describe the depraved state of the world. Creation has fallen into corruption at the hands of sinful mankind. The text states:
“11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. (Genesis 6:11-12 NABS95)”
The Lord describes in these verses what the earth had become. People, who have given themselves to the lustfulness of sin, brought corruption. All the ways of the people became corrupt because of willful sin. And because of the vile nature of sin, the earth was full of violence (H2555-hamas). God spoke these verses as He looked upon the earth. He spoke the verses as He lamented the choices His children made to willfully turn their backs of Him. The earth was full of violence. The earth was filled with violence as the people purposefully engaged in corruption, depravity and willful sin against a Holy God.
We must remember however, even as most people acted in violence during this day, the Lord provided a way to find salvation. The Lord spoke into the heart of Noah to build an Ark. Noah obeyed the Word of the Lord. As the Ark was being built, Noah spoke the word of deliverance to the people. Noah spoke to the people who willfully chose violence, depravity and wickedness. Noah spoke of hope. God provided a means to escape His wrath. The Ark was built to be a place of refuge. But as the day of wrath drew near, none choice to enter the Ark save for Noah and his family. No one else chose to enter, though God provided a door. No one took heed of the warning. The earth was filled with violence because the ways of sinful man were corrupt. As the door of the Ark was closed, hamas was cut off. Violence would remain outside of the Ark to be judged. Those with in the Ark took refuge under the authority of the Lord.
The word חָמָס- (H2555- hamas) means violence. It is based on the Hebrew primitive root word: חָמַס (H2554- khaw-mas’). Similar spelling in the Hebrew with a slightly different pronunciation. This primitive root word carries the definition: to wrong, do violence to, treat violently, do wrongly. Clearly the word is used to connote violence and aggressive acts toward another. As the Lord describes in the verses above, violence was rampant in the heart of the people. Sinful humanity sought to act in violence toward one another in rejection of the hope found in the Lord our God.
Hamas has arisen again, in our day. We take note due to the recent acts of violence against the nation of Israel. Hamas is the name associated with the terrorist organization based in the Gaza Strip. It was from this region that the initial violence against Israel was launched. It is no mistake that the terrorist organization chose the name Hamas. Their very name tips their hand toward the intent of their actions. They seek violence, destruction and submission to the will of Allah and Sharia Law.[i]
(I encourage you to take the time to follow the link in the footnote. This link connects with the Hamas covenant which was written during the formation of this terror group. Upon reading the Hamas covenant, it is evident that the group does not seek peace with Israel. They only seek the destruction of Israel.)
Due to recent events the ongoing conflict between Israel and other groups in the region have become a topic of public conversation. As a result, much misinformation regarding the origin of Hamas and the people who consider themselves to be Palestinian has arisen. I thought it to be appropriate to address misinformation regarding the recent violence that has befallen Israel in an attempt to shed light on the intent of the conflict as incited by Hamas and other terror groups bent on acting in violence. I do this as a means to help discern what is true apart from the plethora of propaganda we see in secular media outlets. Additionally, the scope of this writing intends to provide a very brief overview of history and events that have contributed to the current violence. This writing is by no means exhaustive. The difficulties surrounding this conflict are deep rooted and expansive. It would serve the reader well to investigate the conflict further. I recommend a book written by Dr. William FedererWhat Every American Needs To Know about the Qur’an: A History of Islam and the United States. This book provides an overview of Islamic history and intent.
To begin, I define Hamas as an organization. The term Hamas is an acronym for the longer name of the group “Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (“Islamic Resistance Movement”).[ii] The terrorist organization was formed by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in the year 1987. The National Counterterrorism Center defines the purpose of the group stating “The group is committed to armed resistance against Israel and the creation of an Islamic Palestinian state in Israel’s place.”[iii] From the perspective of Hamas, there is no two-state solution. There is only the obliteration of Israel.[iv] Hamas became the controlling political body in the Gaza in 2007 after the group overthrew the existing governmental authority. Hamas is supported financially and militaristically by Iran, Syria and the terrorist organization based in the country of Lebanon known as Hezbollah.
It is no mistake that this terrorist organization has chosen to be known as Hamas. It is for violence against God’s people that they find motivation. From the outset of this terrorist organization, they have sought to destroy the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. Additionally, as part of the covenant people of God, Hamas and other Islamic terror groups target Christians. All those who reject the teachings of Muhammad in the Quran are considered infidels. If the infidel is unwilling to submit to Islam, then they are to be killed or oppressed into submission under Islamic authority.[v] The term Islam itself means to submit to the will of Allah. From the Islamic perspective all people must submit to the will of Allah in order to find peace. There will be no peace until the entirely of the world falls under Islamic control.[vi] Islam divides the world into two groups, as noted by Dr. William Federer in his book, What Every American Needs to Know About the Qur’an: A History of Islam & the United States(I highly recommend this book as a source of truth concerning this topic). Dr. Federer describes the two divisions of the world in the eyes of Islam as such, “Islam divides the world into two: those who have submitted to the will of Allah and those yet to submit.”[vii] Those submitted to Allah are called the House of Islam (dar al-Islam). Those yet to submit are called the House of War (dar al-harab).[viii] Violence is directed toward those in the House of War for the intent to bring them into submission of Allah or to bring death.
The term Allah is not synonymous with the word God. Although the secular world would like to suggest the name Allah is synonymous with the God of our Bible. Allah is not God nor is the term simply an Arabic phrase to speak about the Judeo-Christian God. Allah is a false god who is associated with the moon, violence and revolt. The term Allah predates the formation of Islam. References to the false god Allah can be found in ancient Assyrian and Sumerian texts predating Islam.[ix] Additionally, as explained by Dr. Federer, “Each pagan Arabian tribe called its main local deity ‘allah,’ which simply meant ‘the god.’ In Arabia, pagans worshipped as many as 360 deities, represented by stones believed to have fallen from the sun, moon and stars.”[x] To reiterate, Allah is not just a name given to represent the God of the Bible. Allah is a generic term initially used in the pagan worship of false gods. The name was later applied to the false deity of Islam. Therefore, the violence currently erupting against Israel and the covenant people of God is not motivated politically, this is violence driven by evil. Hamas does not seek to liberate a people group from the hand of a perceived oppressor, they seek to do the bidding of their master, the devil himself.
Hamas published a covenant declaring the purpose of the terrorist group in 1988. The opening statement within this covenant providing vision for the terror group states,
“They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are found; unless they obtain security by entering into treaty with Allah, and a treaty with men; and draw on themselves indignation from Allah, and they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer because they disbelieved the signs of Allah, and slew the prophets unjustly; this, because they were rebellious, and transgressed.” (Al-Imran – verse 109-111)[xi]
The term they in the above quote is referencing those who have rejected the teachings of Allah. Because of the rejection of Allah, the subjects of the quote are “smitten with vileness.” Hamas views all those who do not submit themselves to Allah as vile. The only hope is to come into treaty with Allah and be subject to poverty. The Hamas covenant goes on to name specifically one of the targets unto which Hamas acts aggressively. “Israel will exist and continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).” As I stated earlier, hamas and other terrorist organizations are not looking to tolerate coexistence with Israel. The only solution is utter destruction.
Hamas calls for Sharia Law to be declared over the region. Sharia Law is a religio-political call to return to the sayings of Mohammed in subjection to the Quran. Sharia Law is a law of oppression. A few of the requirements under Sharia Law are as follows:
Criticizing the Quran is punishable by death.
Criticizing Mohammad or denying that he is a prophet is punishable by death.
Criticizing Allah is punishable by death.
Any Muslim who turns away from the faith can be punished by death.
A non-Muslim who leads a Muslim away from faith can be punished by death.
The testimony of a woman who has been raped must be able to acquire the testimonies of four male witnesses.
If a woman alleges rape without the testimony of four male witnesses, the woman will be accused of adultery.
A woman accused of committing adultery can be punished by death.
A man can beat his wife for insubordination.
Meat that is eaten must come from animals that have been sacrificed to Allah. (This is called Halal. This is an Arabic term that means permissible).[xii]
Muslims can engage in Taqiyya and lie to non-Muslims for the advancement of Islam.
I listed just a few of the laws found under the conditions of Sharia. It is clear that Islam is a cult that seeks to bring the world to submission through domination.
Another aspect of Islam is the call for jihad. The concept of jihad can take on numerous forms. A general definition is holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty.[xiii] It is seen as a duty of a practitioner of Islam to engage in jihad in some form as an act of obligation toward Allah. Jihad, to a Muslim means “struggle.” The struggle can be against political foes in the context of political power. Jihad can take shape through legal pursuits in regard to civil law. It can be struggle against perceived oppression. Terror groups often act in jihad through violence directed toward infidels. Jihad can also be an act of all out war. The concept of jihad comes directly from the Quran itself. A direct quote instructing adherents of Islam in how to act against those who do not fully submit to Allah. Surah At-Taubah Ayat 29 (9:29 Quran) reads as follows:
Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, willingly submitting, fully humbled.[xiv]
Practitioners of Islam are expected to fight against those who do not submit to Allah. This fight can take place in various spheres as noted above. But the warning that must be gleaned from this ideology is that of a fight. Mohammad was quoted in the Quran stating, “Fighting is obligatory for you, as much as you dislike it” (Sura 2:216).[xv] The purpose of the fighting is to force non-Muslims to come into subjection of the false ideology. The target of aggression is declared in the above quote taken from the Quran. Fight those “who were given the Scripture.”[xvi] Those who were given the Scripture is a direct address to both Jews and Christians. Mohammad is quoted as declaring “Allah cursed the Jews and Christians because they took the graves of their prophets as places for praying, ‘and’ Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without leveling it” (Hadith Sahih Muslim, 2115).[xvii]Again, the aggression, violence and hatred toward both Jews and Christians from some who adhere to the Islamic ideology is not founded on racism or prejudice against a differing ethnicity. The hatred is demonic and directed by satan himself as he strives to rid the world of those who God, our Father declares to be His own treasured possession.[xviii]
A word on Palestine. The terror groups called Hamas is based in the Gaza strip in Israel. Hamas claims to be a group focused on the liberation of the nation they refer to as Palestine. Hamas, along with other terror groups falsely suggest that Israel is an oppressor who seeks to limit Palestinian autonomy. Therefore violence must be enacted in an effort to liberate Palestine from the oppression of Israel.[xix] The name Palestine is misleading. The term Palestine first appears in Greek literature in the 5th century BCE. The term was used by Greek historian Herodotus to refer to a coastal strip of land inhabited by the Philistines.[xx] Later, following a Jewish revolt, the Roman Empire led by Emperor Hadrian, renamed the region of Judea- Palestina. This was done in an effort to minimize and devalue Jewish identification with the land.[xxi] The act of renaming the land was to bring shame to the Jewish people. Under Roman occupation, the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were forbidden to dwell in Jerusalem. In 638 AD, Muslims conquered Jerusalem taking it from the hands of the Byzantine Empire. The Islamic invaders then spread out to conquer the entirety of the region. The names of some cities were changed again to align with the Arabic language. The area that was called Philistina, under Christian control, became known as Filastin under Islamic control.[xxii] As you have already probably noticed, the word Filastin is similar to the term Philistine. The Bible refers to the Philistines as a people group who were constantly at war against the people of God. The world Philistine, is based on the Hebrew word פְּלֶשֶׁת (H6429). This word means “land of sojourners.” The Philistines/Palestinians find a heritage of sojourning. They never inhabited a land under a unified national identity. They were a nomadic people.
Many years later, after world War I, the land of Israel fell into British control. Under the direction of the League of Nations, Israel was named Palestine. This took effect in the year 1923.[xxiii] This name was applied to the region in an effort to formalize British rule. The name Palestine was not applied only to geographic Israel, it was a general term applied to the region of Israel and Syria. The land of Israel was referred to Palestine from 1923 until 1948. Following the second World War, when the Jewish people were officially given back control of the land that was promised as ordained by Almighty God the region was renamed Israel.[xxiv]
As can be clearly noted, even in this extremely brief historical synopsis, the land of Israel has been in turmoil for millennia. It was not until an act of God that a people who were almost completely eradicated from the face of the earth were again reestablished in the homeland declared to be promised to them by our Lord.[xxv] This was the first time in all of human history that a nation was destroyed, the people dispersed, hated and purposefully acted against in violence, only to have those same people return to the Land of Promise. Since the return of the nation of Israel, the land has flourished. God has brought life back into what was once forgotten. To bring clarity to how forgotten this land was prior to the Jewish return, I quote Mark Twain. The author was on a tour of Jerusalem in the year 1867. Prior to the reestablishment of Israel, Twain described the land in this way, “There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent- not for 30 miles in either direction… One may ride 10 miles, hereabouts, and not see 10 human beings.”[xxvi] The land was desolate. No one wanted it. No one cared for it. No one wanted it, until the world declared that the Jews would return and the nation of Israel would be reestablished. Until this point the land was laid to waste, forgotten. Twain goes on to state as he reflects on his trip to the Holy Land, “Of all the lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince… Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes. Over it broods the spell of a curse that has withered its fields and fettered its energies.”[xxvii] Remember, Twain is referring to Israel using the term Palestine only because during the time of his writing it was the popular name used to refer to the region. He describes the land as “dismal.” It was covered in “sackcloth and ashes.” A land mourning for the return of the King.
Again, Israel was a land that was unwanted, uncared for and forgotten by the world. It was not until the return of the nation Israel that the land once again began to flourish. Prior to the return of the Jewish people, those who call themselves Palestinian did not care for the land. Those who claimed to be Islamic cared nothing for the land. The land only came under contention following the 1948 decree to establish, once again, the nation of Israel. It is clear that the conflict that is currently unfolding in Israel is not a conflict over land. It is not a conflict over national identity. It is not a conflict for the purpose of liberation of a particular people group. It is a conflict fueled by the fire of hell with satan directing the hatred. Hamas (violence) is once again wreaking havoc. Pray for Israel. Pray for Jerusalem. Pray that even in this trying time, the Name of Salvation will be declared. Pray for the people of Israel. Pray that their eyes would be open to see their Savior. Pray that their ears would be open to receive His word. Pray that the Name of Yeshua (Jesus) be declared from the lips of His people. Pray for those fighting against Israel. Pray that God convicts their hearts to relent from violence. Pray for repentance. Pray they seek forgiveness. Pray that the Holy authority of God be felt within the land. For the Lord has provided an Ark. He has given us a place of refuge. He has offered deliverance. He invites those to repent, turn and enter into covenant with Him as He longs to Save. Pray that eyes that are closed may see and enter the Ark. Pray for the return of our King, Jesus. It is upon His return that all of this turmoil will be put to rest. Amen!
This blog entry was written by Dawn. I have known her for many years. I consider Dawn and her family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful that she was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. The devotion is both meaningful and encouraging. I pray that you find her words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
You know how you go to a get together and someone brought a food item that you really like. You go back for seconds, you tell people around you how much you enjoy it. And because you enjoy it so much, you need the recipe because you absolutely must make this dish so you can enjoy again! So you have to find out who made this dish so you can ask them for the recipe. It’s a compliment when people ask for your recipe—-you know someone enjoyed what you shared and it had a positive effect.
In Sunday School this past spring, we had a discussion that resulted in a comment about a recipe. I honestly can’t remember exactly what we were talking about. We often have good discussions in SS. But the essence of the comment is our lives should reflect our love for Christ, so much so that people want our recipe. They want to know what sets us apart, what ingredients we’re using. Life isn’t easy—we know it is full of hills and valleys. The beauty of traversing life is knowing who is leading us and how we can reflect Him during the hills and valleys. In our words. In our actions. Trusting when we don’t understand, worshipping when we feel sadness and disappointment, and crying and kneeling beside the knee of our Father. Praising because God is sovereign and good through it all. Confident that He will use our random ingredients to create a masterpiece.
What if our attempt at the recipe doesn’t turn out? We undercook it, overcook it, forget a seasoning. Do we give up? No, alot of times you might contact the person to ask them how they make their specialty. You go to the source. You ask questions and learn from your mistakes. The same is true in our faith journey. Some days our recipe will shine and many will want it. Other days, our recipe may be burnt or feel ruined, and it seems like no one wants it. How do we improve the dish? Practice and study. You study the ingredients and the instructions. You ask questions about what you don’t understand and you make the dish again.
Someday, our dish will be absolutely perfect. But until that day, keep studying the word, seeking God, and – as it says in 2 Peter 1 keep adding to your faith.
2 Peter 1:5-11 (NIRV)
So you should try very hard to add goodness to your faith. To goodness, add knowledge. 6 To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness. 7 To godliness, add kindness for one another. And to kindness for one another, add love. 8 All these things should describe you more and more. They will make you useful and fruitful as you know our Lord Jesus Christ better. 9 But what if these things don’t describe someone at all? Then that person can’t see very well. In fact, they are blind. They have forgotten that their past sins have been washed away.
10 My brothers and sisters, try very hard to show that God has appointed you to be saved. Try hard to show that he has chosen you. If you do everything I have just said, you will never trip and fall. 11 You will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom that lasts forever. It is the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This blog entry is taken from a chapter in my book. My book is titled, For Valor: Defending the Faith for those of Worth. The book is available on my website corbyshuey.com. It is also available at Skywatchtv.com as a package along with Dr. Michael Lake’s book, The Kingdom Warrior. I pray that God may be glorified, as I seek only to do His will and exalt the Name of our King, Jesus.To God and to God only be the glory!
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heartthat falls away from the living God.13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.
-Hebrews 3:12-14 NASB95
In the book of Exodus Moses comes down from Mt. Sinai and sees the people of God worshipping a golden calf. Because of the lackluster leadership of Aaron, the people fell victim to old patterns of behavior. Egypt was still alive and active in them. The voices of those who allowed corruption into their hearts overshadowed the voices of those who stood to defend the Name of God. The people, therefore, fell victim to weak leadership and a minority of aggressive individuals with loud voices. Sounds familiar to our ears, does it not? The Holy Word of God gives account of this event as follows:
19 It came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it.
21 Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?” 22 Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
25 Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies— 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him. 27 He said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.’” 28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, “Dedicate yourselves today to the Lord—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today (Exodus 32:19-29 NASB95).
We find ourselves, as people of faith in the One True God, at this very juncture. The people are out of control due to the veracity of unrepentant sin. Egypt burns brightly in the desires of the hearts of mankind in our day. The sin nature has been allowed to go unchecked due to the lackluster leadership. The Word of God has been permitted to be criticized as mere fiction in the eyes of the deceived. We find ourselves, like Moses, looking upon a people who have gone out of control both in and out of the church. The Word of God tells us the response of Moses in verse twenty six. “Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said: “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” Moses called for those who were willing to defend the name of God to take a stand against the evil who had been allowed to run rampant in the camp. Unfortunately, only a few were willing to stand. Only the sons of Levi had the courage to stand in defense of the Lord. Because of this, God brought judgment upon those who refused to stand. My question to you then is this, will you stand? Will you defend the name of your Savior in a world that chases after the unbridled imaginings of the sin nature? Let me be clear, I in no way advocate violence in making these statements. In our defense of God, we can never act in violence toward another. What I do advocate for is that we become a people who are willing to pick up the Sword of the Word. We must place this Sword upon our mouths and speak truth over the people. We must place this Sword upon our hearts so that we can be guided by His Will, determined to preserve faith in God Almighty for those of worth. Will you, like the sons of Levi, fight for your King?
I leave this subject for now, as we will come back to it later. I know that what has been written thus far can feel overwhelming or portray a sense of foreboding when considering the scale of the fight of faith that we find ourselves laboring within. But I do not write with intent to frighten anyone. My intent is not to discourage, but to warn and encourage His church to walk in His authority. My intent in writing what has thus far been stated is in an attempt to expose the treachery of our enemy. Our common enemy works tirelessly to speak the enchantment of chaos over those who close their ears to the Word of Truth. I do not write to scare, but to warn. God is not surprised by any of this. God knows the plight that we suffer through to walk out our faith. God knows our struggles, both internally and externally, as we interact with the world. God knows. We are not alone. The Almighty God, the author of the universe, the Father of Salvation, fights for us. Fight therefore! Fight the good fight of faith with the Spirit of the Living God dwelling in your heart. Fight, for He is with you. Fight to be a true witness of the Gospel of Salvation in a world that so desperately needs hope. But especially, fight for those who come after you. Fight for those of worth. Fight for our children, for they are worthy. With these words we have come to the premise of this writing. Knowing the chaos that is unfolding before our very eyes, I ask, are you willing to fight? Is the next generation valuable enough to motivate you to stand in your God given authority and push back against the serpent who whispers lies? Do you love the Lord your God enough to respond when He calls forth: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me (Isaiah 6:8 NASB95)!” He is calling for you. He is calling for you to defend the faith. “12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end (Hebrews 13:12-14 NASB95).” Today is still called today! Hold fast to the hand of our Savior. He is our assurance and ever-present source of hope. Participate in your walk of faith for the promise of Christ.
Before closing this section, I want to give one final warning. I do not want to dwell on the difficulties we face regarding faith, but as I stated earlier, a herald who offers warning without the weight of evidence finds no listeners. The warning, without evidence, becomes an empty cry blown asunder by the wind of chaos. I, therefore, and we as the people of God must take our faith seriously. We cannot afford to simply wear the appearance of a Christian externally while disregarding the responsibility of internal submission to the will of the Father. Our faith must be internal resulting in transformation. Our faith is a choice we must make leading to the circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). The Gospel of salvation is transformative. Especially in the times in which we live, we cannot afford to stagnate into complacent acceptance of a world that actively seeks to suppress truth (Romans 1:18). Our enemy seeks to destroy the knowledge of God. The enemy wants to quench the fire burning within those of faith so that we do not pass on the knowledge of God to those who come after. The enemy wants to distract us from passing the fire to our children. This vile creature wants to remove the Name of Salvation from the lips of our children. The serpent thirsts to deceive the pure of heart in an effort to control the masses. Hitler shared a similar opinion as he fought to bring about German totalitarianism. Hitler is quoted as stating, “He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.”[1] The enemies of God’s family strive to gain the future through the destruction of the present. If you will not fight for your children, there is one who will. He stands as King of Mt. Zion waiting to return to in order to put an end to lies. I implore you therefore, to take your stand as God’s Kingdom Priest and defend the faith for the time is short. Hold your ground. Fight for faith. Fight for the next generation. Fight, because we bear the name of a King!
Corby Shuey 