Deliver Us From Evil

For the last two weeks we have watched the images pouring out of Israel and Gaza in horror. One young Israeli who escaped death by pulling a body on top of himself spoke of looking into the eyes of a killer and seeing “nothing, just dead eyes.” The violence of war has brought death to thousands, homes and communities destroyed. It is a story as old as humanity and it is born of evil.

I read a biography of Corrie Ten Boom this week (The Watchmaker’s Daughter). She was a Dutch woman who joined with her family to resist Nazi efforts to kill Jews. When the Gestapo caught up with her she was enveloped by a storm of hatred, of murder, of cruelty. Horrific suffering was poured on weak and helpless people for no reason other than those with power could do it and they did! How did ordinary farmers, shopkeepers, mechanics, and carpenters turn into sadistic people? Evil!

Evil is more than a psychological thing, more than the actions of some maladjusted individual of questionable mental state. Evil is real, fed by the Devil who hates all things God and good. Evil is everywhere, disciple. 

* I have witnessed an unthinkable evil possess the minds two people who were once in love and watched as they entered into power plays that destroy their marriage and sometimes even their lives.

* Good people rise to places of authority to be seduced by evil. Dreams of ‘public service’ are replaced by schemes to secure more power, perks, or money for themselves. Lives are destroyed as well as they companies, organizations, or even church they lead.

* Benevolent nations enjoy prosperity and gain strength, only to become imperialistic bent on conquering the world and horrible suffering results.

* Sex, a  gift of God designed to create life and bond a man and woman intimately for life, can be twisted by evil into an ugly thing called lust which turns people into objects to be used for personal pleasure.

 ... and the list goes on and on.

Jesus says that there is Evil that exists only to "kill and destroy!"

The Bible speaks of the Devil repeatedly as the 'enemy.'

Peter compares Satan to a 'roaring lion seeking for someone to devour.'

The book of the Revelation speaks of the reality of Evil in powerful images "the Dragon, that old Snake-the very Devil, Satan himself!" (Revelation 20:2, The Message)

In our so-called sophistication some of us have rejected the idea of evil as just leftover medieval superstition.  I am not advocating witch hunts or supersititious rites. But it is a mistake, one that is costly and blinds us to reality, to say  'Evil is not real. It is just an illusion, the result of lack of opportunity, misunderstanding, or ignorance!' Rightly discarding the silliness of a horned devil in a red suit carrying a pitchfork, some Christians also throw away the truth that evil is orchestrated by a fallen spiritual being named Lucifer, and bent on destroying all that God has made and loves! There is a real Devil. Where he is given unchecked access to people he infects people and evil grows like a weed.

So, what are we to do?

Some choose to pretend evil is not real, closing their eyes, shutting their ears, blissfully apathetic- until evil finds them!

Some 'make nice' somehow thinking that only saying positive words and being kind is the answer, until they are stabbed by someone they thought they could change with their niceness.

God calls us to War! But, the war is not one of fists, guns, or swords; nor even of words! It is a strange war that Paul describes this way: "We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, NLT).

We live in Truth – committed to seeing life as He reveals it to us. We learn the truth from the Word and the living Christ- a truth that condemns us as sinners, then frees us from our sinfulness when we confess our utter depravity and grab hold, in faith, of the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

We live in Love - changed from the inside out by the radical love of God, shown us in Christ Jesus. Seeing His love which brought Him from Heaven's perfection to the sewers of sin, and experiencing that love firsthand, we learn to love. And love conquers! Yes, it is a bold love that costs us our life, which we trade for that life in the Kingdom that never ends.

In a passage that is both full of promise and yet terrifying in the probability of the disturbance of our comfort, the Bible says: "It has come at last- salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth- the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time." (Revelation 12:10-12, NLT)

So, we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, walk with God in love and obedience, and pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.”

(Video of this blog at this link)

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A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty Fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world,
With devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear,
For God hath willed,
His will to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure,
For, lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
Through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also.
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever.

Martin Luther © Public Domain

Prayer Warrior

The phrase ‘prayer warrior’ is an old one in my experience. In our Pentecostal tradition, women especially claimed the title, known for their willingness to engage in sustained prayer on behalf of others, for lives to be changed. It always strikes me as an incongruous connection of words – prayer and war – at first. Prayer is for me a time of quiet and peace, often a retreat to silence. War is noisy and violent. While it is true that prayerful contemplation is often a time of quiet, there is a time and place for earnest prayers that are loud, emotional, and engaged with God in the struggle against evil.

Now is such a time! Prayer warriors are needed who will go to prayer, earnestly, on behalf of this troubled world. We stand on the brink of global conflagration- rumblings of war in Asia, a war of attrition in Ukraine, and a boiling conflict in Israel that is ready to explode into a terrible, costly, and deadly wider war in the Middle East.  

 People who will truly pray, really engaging Heaven about these troubles are desperately needed. The Scripture calls us to prayer - "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior." (1 Timothy 2:1-3, NLT)

Even after a half-century of prayer and walking with God I make no claim to fully understand the mystery of prayer. Surely an all-knowing God does not need us to inform Him of the troubles of our own lives or those of this world. Yet, He asks us to pray. A sovereign God does not need us to strategize for Him, telling how to act. Yet, He invites us to bring our requests before Him. The whole of Scripture shows us those who prayed – specifically, faithfully, sometimes angrily, sometimes prayers that make us wince as they ask for God’s judgment on their enemies!  But, the outstanding fact is that they prayed, believing that that they could move Heaven to act on earth and so should we.

Look at a prayer of King Jehoshaphat. "He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? Your people settled here and built this Temple for you. They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, disease, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’ “  (2 Chronicles 20:6-10, NLT)

Paul prayed with specificity and urged us to do likewise. "Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith." (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2, NIV)

Jesus was so earnestly engaged in His Gethsamane prayer that He sweat drops of blood and was exhausted by the effort!

John, in the Revelation, prays a prayer to end all prayers - "He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20, NIV) When Christ comes to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, wars will cease, suffering will come to an end, and humanity will flourish. This is the wonderful promse of the Kingdom to come!

Meanwhile, we are called to pray! No faithful prayer is a wrong prayer. Of course, we can pray for things not in the will of God but He can say “No” as readily as any parent whose child asks for things that would not ultimatly be good for them.  Oh that we would pray – with faith, for a changed world. As Jesus taught – “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

As our world trembles, let us pray for the mighty holy angels to do battle in the spiritual realm to defeat the demons of death and darkness. May our prayers not be wimpy or whispered, but offered in loud and expectant words. We are taught of an unseen world that surrounds us and influences us. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12, NIV)  Let us also pray for those who are leading nations and armies, that their hearts and minds will be shaped by good, by God, the Holy Spirit, to seek peace and justice. Let’s pray like our lives depend on it, for indeed they do!

Here is my prayer for you today.  Receive the blessing with an Amen.  "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:9-12, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours)

Father let your kingdom come (holy holy)

Father let your will be done

On Earth as in Heaven (let it be done)

Right here in my heart

 

Give us this day our daily bread

Forgive us forgive us

As we forgive the ones who sinned

Against us forgive them

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from the evil one

Let your kingdom come

 

It's yours it's yours

All yours all yours

The kingdom the power

The glory are yours

It's yours it's yours

All yours all yours

Forever and ever

The kingdom is yours

On Earth as in Heaven

Right here in my heart

 

Bryan Fowler | Jacob Sooter | Matt Maher

Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs; Caroco Songs; Just When Publishing; So Essential Tunes

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The Ordinary

A couple of weeks ago I was preparing for some time away in Colorado with family. We walked in the spectacular Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs), drove over the Continental Divide to an amazing home where we were surrounded by the beauty of those towering peaks of the Rockies, where we listened to the bugling of bull elks on a frosty morning;  then I returned to the ordinary, gladly!  I am blessed and enriched by experiences like that vacation, but real life is found in the ordinary, the dailies.  I find tremendous satisfaction in the unremarkable things that fill up the day.  The routine need not be deadening, it can be a source of joy, a way to build a life that matters. 

In more than 4 decades in pastoral ministry, I never led a large church, never wrote a book that sold thousands of copies, never preached to a stadium full of people. But, I aimed to faithfully fill my place in my community, to be available to people in times of crisis or sorrow,  to work diligently to prepare sermons and Bible lessons that would hopefully nudge those in my care along the way of following Jesus a step or two. In the ordinary things I was privileged to serve and touch some lives in ways that will only fully be realized in Heaven. I mostly found joy in the ordinary, the smile of God in the fact that I was present in the moment to do His will.

What about you?

Do you create joy in the ordinary days, doing what you are able to do in the circumstances of life in which you find yourself,

OR are you always looking for the BIG moment, just certain that real joy would be yours ‘if only’ some great opportunity was presented to you? 

Do you live in the moment or just from holiday to vacation to weekend?

Paul teaches us to find God’s purposes in this day: "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." (Ephesians 5:15-17, NLT)  Re-read those lines. Don’t waste time. Use the ordinary. Be purposeful, not thoughtless. Live the will of God!

Our greatest service to others (and the Lord we love) will likely be accomplished in the very ordinary life we live. We do not have to go to the far side of the world to do some amazing humanitarian work to please Him. How do I know? I have read what Jesus said. “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Then the King will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’

And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’" (Matthew 25:31-40, NLT)

Be present to the opportunities that this day offers to you. Kiss your wife. Engage with your kids. Do your best in your work. Offer a word of encouragement to someone who needs one. Pray for your neighbor and the world. I promise you that the day will end with more joy than if you just exist this Monday, waiting for whatever it is that you think is big or important. Life is made up of ordinary days. Use them wisely.

The word from the Word says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:9-10, NIV)  Let’s go make a difference in our little corner of the world!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Find Us Faithful

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us
Line the way
Cheering on the faithful
Encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament
To God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great
A cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race
Not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us
Find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion
Light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live
Inspire them to obey (to obey)
(Oh may all who come behind us)
(Find us faithful)

After all our hopes and dreams
Have come and gone
And our children sift through all
We've left behind
May the clues that they discover
And the mem'ries they uncover
Become the light that leads them
To the road we each must find

 

Find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us
Find us faithful

Jon Mohr © 1987 Birdwing Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Jonathan Mark Music (Admin. by Gaither Copyright Management)

CCLI License # 810055