"A Life Without Prey"

And seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. Jeremiah 45:5

A promise given for hard places, and a promise of safety and life in the midst of tremendous pressure, a life "for a prey." It may well adjust itself to our own times, which are growing harder as we near the end of the age, and the Tribulation times.

What is the meaning of "a life for a prey"? It means a life snatched out of the jaws of the destroyer, as David snatched the lamb from the lion. It means not removal from the noise of the battle and the presence of our foes; but it means a table in the midst of our enemies, a shelter from the storm, a fortress amid the foe, a life preserved in the face of continual pressure: Paul's healing when pressed out of measure so that he despaired of life; Paul's Divine help when the thorn remained, but the power of Christ rested upon him and the grace of Christ was sufficient.

Lord, give me my life for a prey, and in the hardest places help me today to be victorious.
~Days of Heaven upon Earth~

Be Still And Know God

Be still, and know that I am God 
Psalm 46:10

Is there any note of music in all the chorus as mighty as the emphatic pause? Is there any word in all the Psalter more eloquent than that one word, Selah (Pause)? Is there anything more thrilling and awful than the hush that comes before the bursting of the tempest and the strange quiet that seems to fall upon all nature before some preternatural phenomenon or convulsion? Is there anything that can touch our hearts as the power of stillness?

There is for the heart that will cease from itself, "the peace of God that passeth all understanding," a "quietness and confidence" which is the source of all strength, a sweet peace "which nothing can offend," a deep rest which the world can neither give nor take away. There is in the deepest center of the soul a chamber of peace where God dwells, and where, if we will only enter in and hush every other sound, we can hear His still, small voice.

There is in the swiftest wheel that revolves upon its axis a place in the very center, where there is no movement at all; and so in the busiest life there may be a place where we dwell alone with God, in eternal stillness.

There is only one way to know God. "Be still, and know." "God is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him."

"All-loving Father, sometimes we have walked under starless skies that dripped darkness like drenching rain. We despaired of starshine or moonlight or sunrise. The sullen blackness gloomed above us as if it would last forever. And out of the dark there spoke no soothing voice to mend our broken hearts. We would gladly have welcomed some wild thunder peal to break the torturing stillness of that over-brooding night.

"But Thy winsome whisper of eternal love spoke more sweetly to our bruised and bleeding souls than any winds that breathe across Aeolian harps. It was Thy 'still small voice' that spoke to us. We were listening and we heard. We looked and saw Thy face radiant with the light of love. And when we heard Thy voice and saw Thy face, new life came back to us as life comes back to withered blooms that drink the summer rain."
~Unknown~

"News-Fast?"

Several people have written to tell me about how they are dropping out from watching or reading the news. They call it a "news fast." It seems as though the headlines are so full of hate-filled acts, confusion, war, natural disasters, suffering, and even plagues that some people just can't take it anymore. It is information overload in a very dark way. I have to admit as someone who observes news and events, these days are among the worst I've seen in a journalistic career spanning 46 years. While the previous decade was marked with identifiable prophetic news, the past year has been outright chaos driven by hate and division-not only in the United States, but around the world.

Indeed, these times we live in seem to be an ever-increasing time of trouble. While we are not in the time of Jacob's Trouble (Biblical tribulation), these are prophetic days in that they are racing toward prophetic events. These are times when events are coming into alignment so that prophetic events will come about. We see the hearts of men growing cold through terrible rhetoric. There are natural disasters taking place in the Middle East such as the earthquake in Iran. Israel is deploying defenses against increased terror attacks. Saudi Arabia is in upheaval. There is famine predicted in Yemen. Major leaders oppose one another on one front, and are allies on another. Relationships are disrupted and strained.

These events test faith. They pressure our senses. They can cause conflict within the mind. They may prompt withdrawal from society-such as "news fasts." Taking a break from it probably isn't a bad idea-some time to rethink, regroup, refresh. But it doesn't make it go away. We are a prophetic people living in prophetic times. Our challenge is to make disciples in this dark and dying world that offers up so much clear and present danger. We cannot shrink from our Great Commission, otherwise the world gets darker. Resist the temptation to bury your talent. These are times when our talent should be invested and multiplied.

If you are feeling the pressure of events running out of control, remember what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Recall the word of God in Psalm 46:1-2, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." Nahum 1:7 says, "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in him." The noise of the news, the events that shape the words in the mouths of the world, are of no effect to those who trust in the Lord. Stay focused on the Lord. He is your refuge.

Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
~Bill Wilson~

Father, Count Me!

Is there some desert, or some boundless sea,

Where Thou, great God of angels, wilt send me?

Some oak for me to rend, Some sod for me to break,

Some handful of Thy corn to take

And scatter far afield,

Till it in turn shall yield

Its hundredfold

Of grains of gold

To feed the happy children of my God?

Show me the desert, Father, or the sea;

Is it Thine enterprise? Great God, send me!

And though this body lies where ocean rolls,

Father, count me among all faithful souls.

~Unknown~

Come Close To Him!

"He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray, and as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering... they saw his glory."
Luke 9:29-32

"If I have found grace in thy sight, show me thy glory."
Exodus 33:13

Come close to Him! He may take you today up into the mountain top, for where He took Peter with his blundering, and James and John, those sons of thunder who again and again so utterly misunderstood their Master and His mission, there is no reason why He should not take you.
So don't shut yourself out of it and say, "Ah, these wonderful visions and revelations of the Lord are for choice spirits!"
They may be for you!
~John McNeill~

Veterans Day 2017

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
~Patrick Henry March 23, 1775~

It is hard for many of us to begin to understand and appreciate the great freedom we enjoy as citizens of the United States or its cost.

Most of us grew up in an era when military service was not valued by a very vocal segment of our nation - much less honored. Veterans who had put their lives on the line in service to their country were not welcomed home as heroes - but as outcasts.

It was a time when it was hard to imagine why anyone would voluntarily choose to enter the military. Looking back, the only word for our nation's treatment of our veterans during this period is - appalling.

It wasn't until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, that people began to peek outside of their comfort zones in the United States at life in countries with little freedom. We saw the cruel treatment of women in many Middle Eastern countries as they were beaten for appearing on the street without male escorts - even if their only reason for venturing out was to purchase food for their children. We saw how girls in these countries are denied access to education and have no choice in their marriage partners.

In Sudan, we learned of people - even children - tortured and murdered because they refuse to deny their faith in Jesus. In China, pregnant women are forced to abort their unborn children to comply with laws on family size.

In Central American countries, those who publicly disagree with governmental policies often mysteriously disappear - never to be seen again. 

In North Korea, prisoners are incarcerated in camps that are dedicated to political crimes, and they are also subjected to forced labor, physical abuse, and execution. The list of human rights violations and atrocities outside of the United States is extensive.

Yet, here we sit - in the wealthiest nation on the earth - free to attend the church of our choice, to own as many Bibles as we want, to choose our own spouse (or choose not to marry), to vote for the leaders of our government and even protest to our elected officials when we disagree with the decisions they make.

And why can we enjoy these freedoms? 

Because the men and women in our armed forces understand that freedom has a cost. And since the birth of our nation, brave men and women have stepped forward, weighed the cost and chosen to lay down their lives in service to their fellow countrymen.

Thank you just isn't enough. We need to pass these truths on to future generations - and Veterans Day is a great place to start.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)