Shtuff...

There are times when you are considering something, a phrase, a thought, a scripture, some item that you take a pause for, that generates a whole different track leading away from the original.

Like a dog after a buried bone, you dig into the rough in order to chase down that new scent and understand some new aspect or different thought altogether. A treasure that someone else buried for you to discover when you triggered the right conditions and passed by.

I was thinking about all the scoffing, jeering, and mocking that is prevalent now, and how it is a sign of the times in it's own right.

2 Peter 3:3-7 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world of that time perished in the flood. And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

It occurred to me in reading this scripture the forms of destruction mentioned.

First by Water, then by Fire.

Water is often used for worldly, mortal, and temporal symbolism.

Fire is often used to represent heavenly, spiritual, and eternal symbolism.

You see it used to describe the difference between natural (fleshly) birth, and the spiritual rebirth at salvation.

As well as the difference between earthly ritual baptism, and spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.

There are many more examples, but suffice it to say that I am always amazed at the typology found in scripture.

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus!

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Don't be a grape. 🚫 🍇

🦊 Jack [ The Foxman on the Wall ]

Considerations...

 

There's a storm coming...

For many, it's already here.

I keep saying the world has gone mad, and the next day it doubles down on the day before.

The Red Skies of Morning seem to get bloodier, and deeper, and darker, by the day.

Like an endless freight train with too much inertia and mass, speeding down a large grade. Sparks flying from the wheels, and cars pushing and shoving one another and stretching links to the point of breaking.

How does one process this overload and stay on the road of sanity, avoiding the extremes of distractions on either side, and hedging against the mental and spiritual fatigue of the onslaught of the world's intrusions and information overload?

It's times like these that I seek solitude, prayer, and the word, for all Salient and Intrinsic considerations...


To focus and meditate on what is important, like Mary with Jesus, and not like Martha.

There is no other way.

To dance or wrestle with the world, is to degrade your footing in days when you must Stand Firm on the Rock and not relent, compromise, or engage in frivolous battles.

So... What are your priorities?

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:15-20 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

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Don't be a grape. 🚫 🍇

🦊 Jack [ The Foxman on the Wall ]

Pursue Peace and Mutual Edification

Romans 14:19

So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

I tried hard recently to put together a blog entry on some other items but it just wouldn't come together. Probably because I tried real hard to put it together... hah hah...

It took a lively conversation with a dear friend in email to bring me to this one. It reminded me of just what is so important in these days for the Body of Christ to be focused on.

Christ's commandments to us are these, and they are not burdensome:

• To Love God
• Love our neighbors as ourselves
• Love one another as He loved us
• Do unto others as we would have done unto us
• Forgive one another as He has forgiven us
• Seek peace and edify and build up one another
• Preach the gospel
• Keep His Word and thereby not deny His name
• and Patiently Endure

Paul is so singularly focused on the unity of the body in many of his epistles, through encouragement and edification, and the discarding of arguments and controversies that lead to division.

Always pointing to the positives of Faith, Hope, and Love, and discarding the world.

Some examples:

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.

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2 Timothy 2:22

Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

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Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think on these things.

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Ephesians 5:19

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.

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And who can deny the importance of all this in our current time now, more so than ever before.

Paul says of Faith, Hope, and Love, that the greatest of these is Love. So we should understand the quality of that Love he speaks of, which is answered in the very same chapter in:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Love is patient,
love is kind.

It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.

It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no account of wrongs.

Love takes no pleasure in evil,
but rejoices in the truth.

It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.

Love never fails.

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Regarding our days...

Daniel 12 is an interesting chapter, and in conjunction with Revelation 22, a certain statement is revealed from the perspective of heaven about our days.

Daniel 12:2-3

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace [and] everlasting contempt.

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

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Daniel 12:10

Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

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Revelation 22:11

Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.

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I have to ask myself, will I shine brightly in unity with my fellow servants of the Lord, or will I be mired in the muck of the world and it's passing concerns, arguments, controversies, and rabbit holes?

I choose to shine like the living water, and reflect His light as I am able.

❤️

Grace and Peace to you all in our Lord Jesus Christ!

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Don't be a grape. 🚫 🍇

🦊 Jack [ The Foxman on the Wall ]

Distant Early Warning

With evil so prevalent and so much in your face, in these crazy times we're living in, I'm kind of caught off guard, as I never thought I'd see the day.

I'm sure Lot felt the same way.

I should have known.

The Bible says the end times will be like the days of Noah (and of Lot). Violence filled the world in Noah's time, and certainly filled the Cities of the Plain (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar).

Judgment was called for in both cases, because it was just out of control, and only Zoar survived for the sake of Lot.

Isaiah 59:19b When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

When evil waxes worse and worse and abounds so much, God preserves His own in the midst of it. This is of course quickly recognizable in the story of the flood with the Ark.

In the original language of (Isaiah 59:19b) the word picture and context is related to that of holding back the flood of evil, with the breath of His mouth. This is a reminder and typology of the Red Sea crossing where the waves are held back by the Breath of the Lord as the Hebrews cross on "DRY" land.

He preserves His own.

Psalm 91:7-8 Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you. You will only see it with your eyes from a distance, as you witness the punishment of the wicked.

Psalm 37:10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.

And while we are under His shadow of protection, we also witness His judgment though we are not touched by it. And once finished, that which was evil, and those that were wicked, will be no more.

This is a sober realization in the development of a Christian. Things will change, and we will see better days.

With all the things pointing to His soon return, I should have known that to have a rescue and escape, things have to be at their most dire. When we are all at the end of ourselves, and must cry out to God in our distress.

All the decades since I became a Son of the Light, were preparation, and early warning for what was to come.

And as we see the day approaching, we must stay our course, and endure patiently through it all for Him, and that glorious day to come.

Grace and Peace to you all in our Lord Jesus Christ!

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Don't be a grape. 🚫 🍇

🦊 Jack [ The Foxman on the Wall ]