Category: Love

Focus

Journal Entry – January 25, 2026

I am grateful for great direction from the Word!

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

— Philippians 4:8-9

Me: Good morning, Father!

Abba: Good morning, Jon!

Me: All the things in the darkness in this world do not fit in this list

Abba: Yes, and many are cooperating to bring your attention to bear on them.

Lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.

— 2 Corinthians 2:11

This last passage tells you not to be ignorant of the darkness, but do not focus on it and give it more power than it is due.

But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.

— Matthew 10:33–36

Understand this: as the darkness progresses, it is all the more important for you to be strong there in the depths of your heart and mind and soul by focusing on things in the light as Philippians four says. You are called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16). You cannot long maintain effectiveness unless you are filled with light by what you are occupied with. You need to be light so that those who will can see how to leave the darkness. There is a balance, but remember lessons from physics: the power is in the light and darkness is absent power. Knowing the things that are of Me will maintain your ability to be light, and it is surely needed.

Although the Jesus’ words captured in Matthew 10:33-36 speak specifically of one’s immediate family members, family members make up a community, and communities make up a state, and states make up a nation and nations make up the world. Those of the household of faith will one day be in alignment with Jesus’ prayer for unity (John 17:6-18). That day has not arrived yet and many are set against Jesus’ disciples. Even within the “household of faith” one is set against another. Do not be surprised. Jesus did not want you to be unaware.

Me: Thank You Father! I love you!

Abba: You are welcome! I love you!

Light versus Darkness

Much has been said by many about good and evil, about light and darkness. Still, we see evil obviously increasing in these last days. So, I hope you will indulge me in personal investigation and meditation on some of the Scriptures. As a place to begin, I am drawn to John 1:5 in the moving opening passage of John’s Gospel account. When I examined the verse in Bible Hub, I found this in the Topical Lexicon section:

 “Light versus Darkness: Johannine Emphasis

John frames the cosmic conflict in his prologue: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Here katalambanō affirms the ultimate impotence of evil; darkness neither comprehends nor overpowers the incarnate Word. The same tension reappears in John 12:35 where darkness threatens to overtake the undecided. Together the two verses guarantee Christ’s victory while warning of personal loss for those who linger in unbelief”

Let’s look at John 12:35 (in context) now.

Jesus Predicts His Death on the Cross

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die. 34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

John 12, NKJV

Can I relate this to the apparently increasing darkness of the world? Perhaps, as a check on sanity, I should consider whether darkness is really increasing, or if only the perception of darkness is increasing due to widespread sensationalistic reporting of dark deeds?

I recently mentioned the murder of children in Bethlehem by soldiers commanded by Herod the Great after the birth of Christ there. We can go all the way back to the first family and learn in Genesis 4 that Cain murdered his younger brother Abel. In fact, the Scriptures are rife with accounts of war, murder, rape, theft, envy, retribution and other innumerable accounts of evil. Evil is not new. It has existed at least since Lucifer fell from his appointed station. Consider this revelation to the prophet Isaiah:

The Fall of Lucifer

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’

15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.

16 “Those who see you will gaze at you,
And consider you, saying:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,

17 Who made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities,
Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’

18 “All the kings of the nations,
All of them, sleep in glory,
Everyone in his own house;

19 But you are cast out of your grave
Like an abominable branch,
Like the garment of those who are slain,
Thrust through with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit,
Like a corpse trodden underfoot.

20 You will not be joined with them in burial,
Because you have destroyed your land
And slain your people.
The brood of evildoers shall never be named.

21 Prepare slaughter for his children
Because of the iniquity of their fathers,
Lest they rise up and possess the land,
And fill the face of the world with cities.”

Isaiah 14 NKJV

Concerning Lucifer, now become Satan, Jesus told us, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”  Then He, announced Himself as the cure: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

At least one thing can be said about whether evil is increasing. There are more of us to indulge in it than when the population was limited to Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel.  Man is, as stated in Isaiah 14:21, filling the face of the world with cities, where every kind of evil is concentrated by mere population density. Yet this is not merely a high population problem. Did the whole society not start its slide in the garden before the birth of Cain?

Let’s continue. Shall we?

The days are evil, Eph 5:15

For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. John 3:20

Since the fourth day of creation, natural darkness has fled at the appearance of dawn. Like clockwork. Now, this raises a spiritual question, “Why, since darkness is simply the absence of light and since light seems to effortlessly dispel darkness, are we not seeing a continual decrease in evil?”

Believers received this charge from Jesus:

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Matthew 28:16-26

Why are we not more effective at fulfilling this commission?

Some of the answers to this question are evident in the great commission itself. First, the work is based on the authority of Christ, and many do not operate in His authority. It is His authority. We are correct to recognize that we are not qualified. However, we are given the Holy Spirit to indwell us. (Link is to John 14:15-23.)

Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Luke 24:46-49

Some do not fully understand that walking in the power of the Spirit is by faith, like all aspects of life in Christ. It does not matter that we do not “feel” power, nor that we do not see the “end from the beginning”. We only need direction for the next step. Until we take that step, all subsequent steps remain irrelevant. I have acquaintances who have trouble with this concept, thinking that God would be irresistible on this matter – overcoming free will and requiring nothing whatever from us. They reason that God is sovereign and omnipotent and nothing of us matters. Lies of the deceiver! God is not in the business of making marionettes.  We are called to yield voluntarily to His direction, provision, and power for the work.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

A relationship with God is only found by those who chose to look for Him. His part is to enable us to find Him. (1 John 4:19)

A second issue is tied to the word “Go”. I do not mean one must always travel to far reaches, though some are called to exactly this sacrifice. We all have family, friends, and acquaintances who do not know Jesus. I believe the greater issue is that the modern church experience is typically a spectator sport. Those in the pews are often convinced the furtherance of the gospel is the domain of the professional minister up front. After all, he has seminary training! They believe their job is to get others to come sit in the pew as well.

And this highlights a third issue embodied in the commission text. We are to teach all that Jesus commanded. Fulfillment requires dedicated preparation. It requires that these things are internalized and at work in our own lives (He did say, “commanded you”). The unbeliever can smell a hypocrite from a great distance, and it is not a pleasing aroma. Are we salt? Do we know the recipe? Are we light? Do we show the Way?

Finally, on this subject, we are talking about teaching all things He has commanded. The notion that the great commission is somehow fulfilled by getting someone to recite the “sinners’ prayer” is utter nonsense. That may be an arguable starting point, but it is not a fulfillment. God is faithful and those who make a commitment He works to transform to perfection. However, “making disciples” is a process of replication. It takes one to make one.

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

John 21:25

It should be obvious that fulfilling the great commission requires us to establish relationships. This is not without peril, of course. Most of us have received a proverb from parents, “Bad company corrupts good morals.” What parents are not concerned about the associations maintained by their teenage children? This stance might be backed up in some cases by some Bible verses not considered with all relevant context.

Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you,” is a verse from 2 Corinthians 6:17 that calls believers to separate themselves from ungodly influences and sinful practices, emphasizing holiness and purity.

 This exhortation is rooted in Old Testament passages such as Isaiah 52:11 and Ezekiel 20:41, where God commands His people to depart from impurity and maintain spiritual cleanliness.

 The call to separation is not a call to isolation (which is antithetical to fulfilling the great commission) but a directive to live distinctively in the world, honoring God through righteous conduct and avoiding associations that compromise faith.

 Paul uses this verse in the context of warning against being unequally yoked with unbelievers and against participation in idolatry, reinforcing the idea that believers are the temple of the living God and must reflect His holiness.

 The promise of divine reception underscores God’s willingness to welcome those who choose obedience and holiness. We should be able to recognize willingness, however intermittent and halting it may be at first.

 While the concept of “unclean” things historically included ritual impurity, in a broader spiritual sense, it refers to anything that defiles the conscience or leads away from God, including worldly attitudes and practices.

Again, discernment guided by the Holy Spirit is critical. Who is influenced by whom? Are we consistently wearing the full armor of God? Do we understand the armor, its function, its effectiveness, and its maintenance? (See Ephesians 6.)

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Because few find the narrow way and because broad is the way that leads to destruction, society at large is going to tend toward darkness. As society becomes more secular, all stigma that would restrain is dropped and even condemned as evil.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter

Isaiah 5:20

One must cast only a cursory glance at the news to see examples of one group calling another evil because they do not agree with their point of view and therefore resist it. Do not be terribly surprised. The original sin was to give up innocence and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Such knowledge belongs to God as Judge and the truth about it in our fallen world is only found by listening to Him. Our usurped knowledge of good and evil is corrupted.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 1:18-32

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

2 Corinthians 4:3-5

Most people are aware of the decay. But rather than make a personal commitment to a Christ-led life, look to a secular government to enforce solutions to our problems (always seen as the fault of others). Some others think the solution is for Christians to achieve a societal state where most are saved and become a godly and moral people. I personally think this “dominion theology” is not likely to make the advertised progress, and counter to the revelations we already have from God about these “last days”.

God’s word warns against being taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit. It encourages believers to be rooted in Christ rather than in human traditions or philosophies. (Colossians 2:8)

Should we despair at the progression of evil? We are called to be salt and light. The deeper the darkness, the more contrast between the gloom and the Light of Life. May we learn to present Him in all His fullness! May we (finally) fulfil our commission!

John 1

I cannot read the first chapter of the Gospel according to John without finding myself riveted, not only to the content, majestic as it is, but I am also taken in by its cadence, grandeur, and mystery. I feel I am peering into the very heart of Almighty God. It surges with the pulse of all He has determined to do among us and for us. He coaxes us back from teetering at the precipice of the dark abyss. He does not stop there. No, His intention is to bring us into the glorious light that powerfully streams from Himself. (1 John 1:5) All His desire is to bring us into the Kingdom of the Son.`

He knows full well we are incapable of making such a transformation on our own. He has given us an invitation, complete with new authority, increasing understanding, and even committed His own Spirit to us, to act as internal guide and revealer of hidden truth. He clearly marks the path. (2 John 1:16)

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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

John 1:1-18

Peace in the Midst of Turmoil

From my handwritten journal entry of 4/5/2025

I am grateful for peace in my heart!

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:16

And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

John 17:22

Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!

Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!

Me: I lament the “divide and conquer” inroads the enemy is making into our society. There is so much discontent, name-calling, accusation, and even outright violence!

Holy Spirit: Do not expect peace to prevail where the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) is rejected. Your statement of gratitude today recognizes that the heart is the residence of Peace.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteousness of God tests the hearts and minds.

Psalm 7:9

 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9

Those who have accepted Our invitation, who have allowed our indwelling have the fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:26 –

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Those who have not accepted will still be subject to hosting evil vitriol, and will remain in fear, be filled with hate, strive in turmoil, and be overrun with anger. This is what you observe around you, to varying degrees of progression. The cure to this terminal sickness was purchased through Jesus’ blood shed for all. However, fear, hate, chaos, and anger are blinding. They obscure the light of Truth (Matthew 10:34).

Let the light you have been given shine (Matthew 5:16). The darkness has no defense against it. Encourage those who will listen to not respond to evil speech in kind. The dark response will merely merge with the darkness that baited them, resulting in more darkness.

Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I love You!

Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!

Peace Personified

Unimaginable Gift

Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.  Isaiah 51:1, 6, 22-23

Beginning in verse 1, above, we see admonition to look in two directions that we might remain mindful. Attentive, first, of the Lord our creator who has made us in His image and His intention that we would walk after Him in His way. Heedful, second, we are not to forget the pit from which we have been pulled, our incarceration before the release afforded us by Jesus. We will only be able to maintain our way on the upward path through gratitude in our relationship in Him and humility that remembers our inability to extract ourselves from the mire. We were utterly unable to turn away from the downward trail we were trudging until we accepted the finished work of Christ and His guiding hand to turn us to the upward way.

Though the heavens be removed and the earth fail, the salvation that God has made available to all who willingly receive it endures forever, because it rests on the eternal foundation of His own nature, which changes not. This salvation is offered freely, a gift beyond human comprehension, more priceless than we have yet understood. Though we ought to remember the pit of the past, increasing appreciation of the life we have been handed does not lie in that direction, but in adoration of the Giver.

Finally, observe verses 22 & 23. Our old lives accrued only wrath. Now, some assert that God’s wrath was vengeful anger directed at His own disobedient children. However, an honest reading of the word will reveal that His heart has ever been for our welfare and not for our destruction. (Deuteronomy 28, Jeremiah 29:11). In Jesus, we find an incalculable love, holding Him to bear all the oppressions of the fetid pit in which we wallowed. No more will the tyrant oppressor walk all over us, for our Savior has imputed to us soaring freedom on wings of light and love.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Merry Christmas, my friends!

Liberty

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Yesterday, we attended the 30th Annual Quad-Cities Prayer Breakfast at RiverCenter in Davenport Iowa. The location is some 150 miles east of home. We had an invitation from the organizer, who, with his wife, have become good friends over the course of the past year. The venue held, probably 1600 attendees. The couple to my right at our table had driven from Cleveland, a trip of 500 miles. There was awesome special music by recording artist Steve Amerson. The keynote speaker was Governor Mike Huckabee. His talk centered on God bringing good out of some challenging events in his life as he expounded on Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

All morning, the verses from 2 Corinthians 3 that open this post kept coming to mind. This passage was not something mentioned by anyone during the event, but was something God was putting on my heart. Meditating on it further, I can certainly see that the message of Romans 8:28 is addressed solely to believers and the passage in 2 Corinthians 3 is addressed likewise. None other are indwelt by the Holy Spirit or might see that change to be more like Jesus (increasing glory). We ought not to lose sight of the fact that God is bound by nothing, save His own nature and unbreakable word of Truth. We are made in His image and are intended for unfettered liberty. At some level, we know this intuitively. Tyrants oppress. The law restrains. But one who walks in the love and grace of the Almighty transcends both.

What enables this joyous transformation to work in the willing?

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:4-6 (KJV)

It operates by His undimmable goodness.

The Source of Gratitude and Peace

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies (heart of compassion), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:9-13

Whoso offers praise glorifies Me: and to him that orders his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23

Do the things that Colossians 3:9-13 lists that we are to “put on” seem difficult? Does the prospect of attaining prevailing gratitude, love and peace seem a distant hope?

First, Paul was speaking to those who have accepted Christ as savior. Outside of His indwelling Spirit, these things are not just difficult, they are impossible.

Second, these traits do not come after getting our sin in submission by our own efforts, any more than we can evict all the darkness out of a room so it will be light in there. If the light is turned on, the darkness is driven out by the presence of light. [Let me observe here that light does not fill a room in a static manner, as water fills a container. It flows from its source in a continual manner. The speed at which it travels is considered the “universal constant”, the fastest physical thing in the cosmos.] Rather, it is the instantaneous saving transformation of our sprits at salvation, and the purposeful transformation of our minds by the Word that enables banishment of the things that we are to “put off” and the adoption to the characteristics that we are to “put on”.

“Put” is a verb. This passage is not saying the process of transformation is automatic. We do have to resist the flesh and the devil. I am not backpedaling on what I have said in the previous paragraph; I am saying that the power to resist comes from the Spirit of God and that must come first to drive out the darkness.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Further, we must stay deliberately engaged in the Word. Engagement in this sense is not mere reading. It implies willingness to be conformed to the revelations of the Holy Spirit.

Graphic depicting some aspects related to the mind, heart, and spirit.

Unjust Judge

I am grateful that God’s judgments are right and true!

Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Romans13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Romans 3:10-12 There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Also Luke 18:19)

Me: Good afternoon, Jesus!

Jesus: Good afternoon, Jon!

Me: I think most of the U.S. has been watching the prosecution of President Trump in New York this week. Though some have been reported as “dancing” at the verdict, probably more have been aghast at the improper legal procedures allowed, and even carried out directly, by the judge. It made me think of this passage in Luke 18 referencing an “unjust judge”. That caused me to also remember the injunction in Romans 13 to be subject to those in authority because their powers (offices, stations) are ordained by God. You clearly recognized when giving the parable in Luke 18 that a judge could be unjust. And, though I say that “I remembered” those passages, I understand it is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring those things to mind and there was no special memory effort at work on my part. Thank You for that gift through the Holy Spirit! (John 14:26)

Jesus: I have a calling for everyone. That does not mean that each one will live perfectly aligned to My desire for them. Some take only an occasional detour. Some refuse to acknowledge Me at all and serve only “themselves”. I put my reference to their own desires in quotes because there is a dark power at work in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2). You have noted, of course, that disobedience is rampant. And as you lament, the “Justice System” is full of injustice, according to the way the law informs that it should work. Still, I have drawn your attention to Romans 3, that no man, except through Me, has right standing before God. Like the Pharisees, your legislators have created so many laws and regulations (many of them conflicting and open to diverse interpretation), that no American citizen is innocent according to the law. It will get worse as time draws nearer the end. Did you foresee that there would be laws against engaging in silent prayer in front of an abortion clinic? The devil knows that prayer is a powerful weapon. Of course, those who do his bidding would write and pass such “laws”.

Therefore, you should pay attention to the intent of My parable in Luke 18. You ought to pray that you may be strengthened and not faint in fear at the danger of such attacks. I am speedily coming to uphold you.

1 John 2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Me: Jesus, thank You! We could not ask for a better advocate! I love You! I pray you will protect us all despite the evil of this day and help us turn away from our own evil ways and do what You have called us to. Unswervingly!

Jesus: You are welcome! I am your protector. I Am helping you. Remember this:

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You should also be persuaded that nothing can separate you from My love!

No Matter

Ephesians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places [ἐπουρανίοις] in Christ: 4 According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; 8 Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to his good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in One all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: 11 In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, 20 Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places [ἐπουρανίοις], 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.

Note: 3-14 comprise a single, if complex, sentence.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places [ἐπουρανίοις] in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:6

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places [ἐπουρανίοις] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, Ephesians 3:10

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [ἐπουρανίοις]. Ephesians 6:12

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.  John 4:24

[Spirit God (is) and those worshiping Him in spirit and truth it is necessary to worship.] Pay no attention to that “a” added to satisfy English grammar.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Colossians 1:13

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence. John 18:36

Reading the opening of Ephesians brings some remarkable statements to light. I wish to focus on the phrase in the third verse: “blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places”.  But not so fast. Let us back up to the beginning, for this astounding assertion is preceded by a qualifier. It applies to those who are “in” Christ. The first verse says, “the faithful in Christ Jesus”. This does not mean that those who have, in and of themselves, manufactured some faithfulness to Jesus. No! Faith, and the trait of faithfulness that follows it, are a gift from the only One who is unswervingly faithful.

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9, and please see all of 1 Corinthians 13 and all of Galatians 5.

Regarding what it means to be “in Christ”, I find it useful to consider the discourse of Jesus, as he was relating to His listeners His unity with the Father;

“… the Father is in Me and I Am in the Father [that is, I am One with Him] (from John 10:38, Amplified).

So, the message of Ephesians one is to those who are in a saving relationship with Jesus, and thus, with the Father and with the Spirit. It should be obvious that there is nothing within us that can live up to this standard until we have invited Jesus in.

Please do not take the tongue-in-cheek “no matter” theme of this post to imply that our physical lives are unaffected by the spiritual. Saying so, would be as an obviously false assertion that God, who is Spirit, is incapable of effecting the incalculable material universe by His Word. The point here is not that the material world is, well, immaterial. Rather, the starting point is in the realm of His Spirit. In the Spirit realm (in the kingdom, in other words) is where power has been applied and the resultant shift in our reality has taken place. Several passages (enumerated above) include the high places reference, Greek ἐπουρανίοις (ep-oo-ran’-ee-os). It refers to the spiritual realm. Ephesians 6:12 highlights that the term is not limited to the kingdom of light. No blessings are issued from the darkness. Please allow me to make a further observation about the material realm that we engage daily with our physical senses. In the body, Jesus suffered on our behalf, in our place. Still, He held Himself to that self-sacrificial task from within the spiritual realm. Absent the motivation of limitless love toward us, the flesh would have quailed at the prospect of the cross. (Hebrews 12:2, Matthew 26:26-46)

Now, back to being blessed with all spiritual blessings! Blessed with blessings. Gifted with gifts. This passage tells us we are on the receiving end and God is the Giver.

Lest any suspect I am “cherry picking” the point that “all” means unfathomable all, consider this as well:

He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 AMP

It is impossible for the presence of Jesus in our hearts to be inconsequential. But we may fail to see those happy results manifest in our emotional state and in our physical circumstances because we are creatures of habit, and our expectation (faith) is generally that things will continue the same trajectory that we have been on. Countering that predisposition is one reason for the importance of paying attention to this promise of “all spiritual blessings”.

While scripture is replete with passages letting us know what is to be ours in Christ. Paul does dedicate some space to list a few of the spiritual blessings that come under the “all” heading. I won’t explicitly point them out, but please recognize that we are traversing a deep sea worth a few minutes of meditation. Suffice to say that the passage is positively breathtaking if one considers it carefully.

Postscript: Predestination (προορίσας) – from Ephesians 1:5 Pre-establish boundaries, i.e. before establishing the world, God established the boundaries that define our adoption into His family, namely the substitutionary sacrifice Jesus would make for us.

For the death that He died, He died to sin [ending its power and paying the sinner’s debt] once and for all; and the life that He lives, He lives to [glorify] God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin [and your relationship to it broken], but alive to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:10-11 AMP

Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 AMP

Hmmm. There is that “all” again. Please don’t remain outside the established boundary. It matters.

No Matter, Start in the Spiritual Realm.

Truth + Love

But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:15

Truth without love is harsh and grating. (1 Corinthians 13:1)

Love without truth is at least misdirected and without power. Many serious errors are, even now, being promulgated under the banner of “love”. Thus, “love”, absent guiding truth, is not really love but merely fallible human sentiment. (1 Timothy 4:1)

But together! Truth wrapped in love, that is a different matter!

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:32

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins 

James 5:19-20