Beloved,
John Eldredge wrote in Wild at Heart, "Do
you know why there's been such an assault? The enemy fears you. You
are dangerous big-time."
Wow, did I get a major dose of that
today.
For the past few weeks, the Holy
Spirit has been sweeping us up into greater peace, unity, and purity.
Increasing intimacy with Jesus in our family of faith is increasing that
PUP. People are joyful, loving on each other, and getting over past
distractions and divisions.
That's what He does when people are
intimate with Him; building each other up into the true Body of Christ.
Praise the Lord!
Then came yesterday's message on
Psalm 32.
While I didn't think too much of it
because I always pour out my heart in every message as I try to honor Him and,
in honoring Him, enable holy communion with Him, there has been more e-mail and
telephone and personal encouragement about how our Lord used that message to
help people forgive, receive forgiveness, and get closer to God.
Then it happened.
Like two of my friends who came back
from our mountaintop experience with Eugene Peterson in Montana, I was
attacked.
The specifics are irrelevant.
The reality must be repeated.
As we move closer to our Lord and
closer to each other and really pray and labor to be a beacon for Jesus and
safe haven for all, we will be attacked, sometimes even viciously, because we
are becoming a threat to the enemy's plans to deceive, detour, disrupt, divide,
degrade, denigrate, devastate, and destroy.
Fortunately, I've spent a lot of
time preparing for such attacks; especially with Bill Westlund and VMTC in our
appropriation of God's armor as explained in Ephesians 6 (pick up copies of
"When Attacked" in our narthex).
As Francis Frangipane often says,
"How do we defeat the enemy? Victory begins with the name of Jesus
on our lips; it is consummated by the nature of Jesus in our hearts."
We are becoming an increasing threat
to the enemy on the corner of Lincoln and Main.
It will attack; but the victory is
ours: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he
will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"
(James 4:7-8).
Some quickies:
1. I don't like to talk about
messages after they're delivered; but, apparently, yesterday's was a healing
balm to so many in feeling God's love and enabling people to love. If you
missed it, go to www.bnnsradio.com and
listen to the archived edition.
2. Speaking of www.bnnsradio.com, you've gotta listen to
Bill's "Confessing Moments" which are timeless. Go to www.bnnsradio.com for the calendar and
archives of missed moments.
3. "Good Report" cards are
due.
4. The last two editions of www.koppdisclosure.com are about
what's needed to restore our country, churches, and families and a model for
leadership in today's church. I may be wrong; but I think they're worth a
moment or two.
It's all about Jesus at First
Presbyterian Church.
That's what it says on our signs;
and that's what is so clearly evident from what's in our hearts.
Blessings and Love!
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