INVISIBLE? So What!

                                                                                                                                              

I’ve been thinking about how it is hard for me to comprehend being called A FRIEND OF GOD!   I exclaimed recently to a new friend..’CAN you IMAGINE?! We are meant to be known by HIM and to reciprocate that relationship?’ FRIEND!! WOW!  Afterall, Jesus DID say in               JOHN 15:15, ‘ I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I  have made known to you.’ That’s a lot to contemplate, but it is wonderful!!

Now, my thinking has ventured into the area of our title topic today..                                                 IS GOD REALLY INVISIBLE?

I read this morning of a blind girl whose mother was brought home from military training to make a surprise visit to her daughter (all caught on video..pre-planned).            The fact of the girl’s blindness causing her mom to be unseen,                                           DID NOT ALTER THE FACT OF THE MOM’S PRESENCE!

Looking at life around us today, you and I can’t see electricity or the Internet, but that fact makes them no less real.  Also, it has always been true how we cannot visibly see wind, but we certainly know it exists.  Those who may insist that SEEING IS BELIEVING, would be hard-pressed to explain any of these 3 realities. In contrast, for those of us who have chosen to trust                         in THE LORD, though seemingly ‘invisible,’ BELIEVING IS SEEING!                                                                                                                                                                 

But here's the truth: When God is ‘invisible,’ He’s really not not there!! You may not see Him in the room, but that fact makes Him no less present! HOORAY! (I really like to say that!)       

I could convey instance after instance of evidence of HIM in my personal life over the past 48 years but will share from the Word of God instead..

When Syrian armies surrounded Elisha, the prophet assured his servant, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6:16). Then he asked God to open the young man's eyes, and "he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (v. 17).

When the king of Babylon threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fiery furnace, the king would soon "see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire" (Daniel 3:25). And he would exclaim, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him" (v. 28).

When Daniel was thrown into the lions' den, he emerged unhurt because "my God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me" (Daniel 6:22).                                                        When the ship on which Paul was sailing encountered life-threatening storms, he told the crew: "This very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul'" (Acts 27:23–24). The apostle and all with him were spared. 

As you finish reading this, consider receiving what our Lord intends to give. We must ask God for his protection and trust him for his provision, and then he can give his best. Faith doesn't deserve his blessing—it positions us to receive it as His FRIENDS!

JOHN 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

YOU CAN'T SAY THAT!

Years ago, I wrote a devotional about, YOU CAN’T DO THAT!. Soon, I will re-package its content so you can learn what it is that CAN’T BE DONE!.. But, before I do, I’d like to share what’s on my mind this week regarding what CAN be said, but really CAN’T or SHOULDN’T, when and if, one loves and knows THE LORD.

How often have you heard someone say, “After all, I’m ‘only’ human,” as an excuse for carelessness with choices. Well, that one is unfortunately misinformed since Scripture tells us otherwise. First off, I’d like to say, “Yes, we are humans (mammals) as far as our bodies go, but we also have a spirit and a soul. Other mammals also have souls which I define as our MINDS, EMOTIONS, AND WILLS..My pets certainly have minds, emotions, and wills! Don’t yours?”                                                                            This is where we humans become separated from all other mammals…                            When the LORD created mankind, HE BREATHED into him His own breath! This is what sets us apart since we then became a spiritual being, meant to experience our Creator’s presence with, and within us!!(no longer simply a body and soul as the other mammals are!) The very best Scripture reference I know for verifying this is in                   I Thessalonians 5:23.  “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We can also recall the often abused or taken for granted phrase though which JESUS HIMSELF said to a religious leader who was seeking to know what JESUS was really teaching.. JESUS alarmed Nicodemus telling him he MUST BE BORN AGAIN.. Of course, that was met with resistance as the seeking one said that would not be possible!!! Well, that’s  when JESUS said he must be born of water, and of the SPIRIT! (John 3:1-8)   In ROMANS 8:9-11 we read more about this..  “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

As you read through this, I hope you all have received the gift of HIS offer of HIS life and presence within you… If not, the final verse of JESUS LOVES ME in our songbooks says this well-worded PRAYER (in  an ‘old-fashioned’ way!)

JESUS TAKE THIS HEART OF MINE.. MAKE IT PURE AND WHOLLY THINE

THOU HAST BLED AND DIED FOR ME.. I WILL HENCEFORTH LIVE FOR THEE!

As I close, consider the gift of HIS BREATH breathed into you! Realize that your spirit can either be dead in trespasses and sin.. thus separating you from HIM and the fullness of life HE intends for/through you, or, you can be SPIRITUALLY ALIVE WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF HIM WITHIN!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CHOICE BECAUSE HE LOVES US SO, SO MUCH THAT HE DIED TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!! 

IT WAS THERE BY FAITH, I RECEIVED...

Today, we will look at the chorus of a ‘grand old hymn’ which we do not sing during the 'HYMNSPIRATIONS' I get to lead frequently since it’s not in the books we use. It’s called                                                  AT THE CROSS. It speaks LIFE to me..

How does THE CROSS indicate anything to do with LIFE? The answer lies in how Christ’s willingness to lay down His life in order to pay the penalty for our sins, thus reconciling us to personal access to His Father, allows us to be BORN AGAIN.. For, when we recognize and admit our need for forgiveness and reconciliation to HIM through the blood of JESUS, resulting in our willing acceptance and welcoming of His grace and mercy, we enter into true life and vitality! We are no longer blinded to sin’s deception as it works to deprive us of the PEACE, HOPE, and JOY the LORD intends for, and through us!!

Now, about that hymn!! It’s chorus simply, yet profoundly says,

‘AT THE CROSS, AT THE CROSS, WHERE I FIRST SAW THE LIGHT AND THE BURDEN OF MY SIN ROLLED AWAY

IT WAS THERE BY FAITH I RECEIVED MY SIGHT AND NOW I AM HAPPY ALL THE DAY.’

I was struck recently by how FAITH caused ‘my eyes to be opened.’ For, you see, I love to share a simple truth I was taught when I was only 14 years old.. (nearly 50 years ago!!! Smile!) The truth is about just what FAITH is, or can be. Some think of it as almost unattainable, nearly ethereal in nature.. Something not too easy to grasp.. Well, I offer this as a great way to perceive the value of FAITH in the desire to MEET and KNOW the LORD personally.             FAITH is action.                                                     F- Forsaking   A- All   I   T-Take  H-Him

Forsaking, and taking are action words and are acts of our will. We can decide whether or not to yield all our worldly concerns and welfare to Him, receiving His matchless and wondrous care as a result, or NOT TO DO SO.

Speaking from over 48 years of having received HIM, His ways and presence in my life, I can definitely testify to the value of having Forsaken all and Taken HIM willingly unto myself in 1968! As I have continued to grow more deeply in love and, in my walk, with JESUS, I have realized how the ‘T’ has come to mean                                          Trusting and Thanking HIM also!                                                                                     NOW, I'd like you to picture a train on the tracks.. It has only 3 cars..  The Engine, the Coal Car, and the Caboose.. Think about what 'pulls/powers' your train along the tracks of your life.. In this world we live in, unfortunately, humans tend to let FEELINGS be the engine, thus becoming DERAILED frequently.. This is because FEELINGS can sort of 'mess with us,' at times.. How many times have you thought, or said, "I wish I didn't FEEL like this or that..," or, "I know I shouldn't FEEL like this, etc."? As you declared or realized this though, you may have felt powerless to do anything about those troublesome feelings.. Well... There is good news for those of us who Love the Lord, in response to His LOVE for, and through us! Let's take a look at how someone described a train which stays ON TRACK in life  to me when I was in college.   The ENGINE needs to be the FACTS of our Christian relationship to the Lord. For instance, 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..' Romans 3:23 and 'For it is by GRACE you are saved through FAITH, not as a result of works, that no one should boast.' Ephesians 2:8-9   Knowing FACTS like these can diffuse any attempt the enemy would use feelings of unworthiness for to keep, or dissuade you from entering into, or growing in your intended personal relationship to THE LORD!  Being able to counter Satan's attacks through your feelings with the many FACTS we can learn and appropriate, gives us HOLY SPIRIT POWER to STAY ON TRACK instead of letting those 'feelings' derail us!! Now, that we have our 'ENGINE,' let's see about the COAL CAR. Well, FAITH is great for 'fueling' our train throughout our lives.. Look back in this post to see how when we are FORSAKING all, and TAKING, TRUSTING, AND THANKING HIM, we can flourish!!! Finally, our FEELINGS will come in line with all HE INTENDS FOR/THROUGH US!! NO MORE DERAILMENTS! I can't put a diagram/picture of a train in this post as far as I can figure, so just picture this order of 'cars' on your 'TRACK' in life!

                     FACTS                                  FAITH                          FEELINGS                                                       A good, summary of all I've developed above is simply,                

'Most all humans let FEELINGS be the ‘engine’ that powers their train of life.. Much derailment can, and does happen. But, those of us who welcome the LORD let the FACTS of the Gospel be our engine, fueled by FAITH, followed by FEELINGS which can be tempered by the  presence of the LIVING LORD GOD ALMIGHTY within all who choose HIM!'                                                                                                                       May the LORD bless and keep you as you consider what has been shared here since HE LOVES YOU SO VERY MUCH!