BUT WHILE MEN SLEPT, HIS ENEMY CAME
May 6, 2021
As I look at the history of America, I am convinced that the “falling away” or “rebellion” spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, began to occur before many of us were even born. Just in looking back at the movies and television in America, from the time of the “Dick Van Dyke Show” 1961 (where they would not even allow people portraying a husband and wife to be filmed in bed together.) to now where there is all kinds of sex and perversion on even prime time shows for all the kids to see. When you are born into something - it is easy to think it is “normal” until a light is shined on it and a revelation of God’s Holy Word is brought before you. Even then - it often takes repeated exposure to God’s standard of truth written in His word before you can even begin to comprehend how far off this world has traversed. It takes humility to be able to see and receive the truth. That pretty much all of society, in all nations, has fallen away from the standards God - Our Creator, set up for us in this creation of His. But once you get past the acknowledgement of that truth, it is absolutely shocking how far society has fallen away. Matthew 13:24,25 “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.” I’m not sure when it began, but television certainly put it on the fast track. Even looking at “The Wizard of Oz” filmed in 1939, you can see a complete departure from the reality of God’s Word and standards. Instead the subtle introduction of a wizard having the answers and that goodness and answers come from man - without the need of God, and entertainment became the pursuit of much of humanity. (a modern idol - even the Oscar is a golden statue of a man) This departure was subtle and cunning. I think television and media was (and is) the most powerful tool in Satan’s hand to reshape mankind into a non believing and self centered, entertainment seeking, moral less group of people - and it has taken decades to slowly move it to this point. It is heartbreaking, but mostly for those that are under it’s spell of brain washing, where man is his own god and his own standard maker. Again, it happened before most of us were born. A departure from the Word and ways of God. There is no condemnation towards us - we can’t help that we were born into a time of great deception. But truth is also readily available to anyone seeking to find it. For that we are accountable. It takes a great commitment to follow God’s word. As I spoke in the beginning 2 Thessalonians 2 talks about the rebellion and falling away of those that claim to believe in Christ. John 1 says that Jesus is the living Word of God and came to dwell among us. If you are a believer you must “fight the good fight of faith”. To stick out in a generation that is going down stream and choose to fight the current to go upstream towards Gods ways and standards. Doing that now may mean the difference between life or death. Eternity in heaven or hell. This is no light matter, and to stand up and walk in God’s ways will require a sacrifice (taking up your cross daily) but that sacrifice is small compared to what Jesus did for us. He is a good God and always has our best interest at heart. He is for us and not against us. (Romans 8:31) One day this will all come to an end. One day we will stand before God and receive a reward for following Him, or suffer loss for not. Heartbreaking loss. Your story is dependent on your heart choices. God alone can empower you to walk the walk in this degenerate society, but the rewards for choosing to follow Jesus and His word, will last into eternity. My heart goes out to us all. May God shed His light within us by His Holy spirit and may we have the grace to keep looking to Him who is the author and finisher of our faith and run this race with patience, enduring until the end. God bless each and every one of you. We are a chosen generation. May God help us fight the good fight of faith. Amen Your sister in Christ, Jean 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
June 16, 2020
It is important to see things through the eyes of God, which can totally be found in the scripture if we read it for ourselves and ask His help to understand it. Everything happening today was foretold by God. Thousands of years in advance. Because “ He knows the end from the beginning.” He dwells outside of time. That’s why it is so foolish for man to seek “mediums” and horoscopes and such to find “wisdom” when God is Wisdom Himself. He made everything and knows what it’s purpose is, and when it will come to an end.
The beauty is – that He has offered us through accepting what Jesus Christ did on the cross and accepting Him as our Lord – we are offered the promise of living in His kingdom – forever – where there are no more tears, pain, sorrow…..heaven. And in the here and now – we will never be alone. He will never leave us or forsake us. Good promises to stand on. Having faith is believing what He said – no matter what you see.
God will protect us in this crazy time or take us home to His house at our appointed time.
As for where we are now…..it’s all in the Book. Don’t be afraid to look.
God will arise to judge the earth – but if we are in Him, in Christ – it will all be okay for us.
Here is an interesting scripture about God “shaking” the earth. For us – it is so our reliance will be on Him. But for the world and the enemy of humanity, the devil, Satan. He gets his way for only a moment in time – and people decide who their allegiance will be to. Then for Satan and all those that have chosen to follow his ways……it will end…..and not well. Choose life. God rules heaven and earth and yes, we will have to live by His ways…..because a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. And heaven is undivided.
Isaiah 2:17-22
The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
and the idols will totally disappear.
People will flee to caves in the rocks
and to holes in the ground
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
In that day people will throw away
to the moles and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.
They will flee to caverns in the rocks
and to the overhanging crags
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
Stop trusting in mere humans,
who have but a breath in their nostrils.
Why hold them in esteem?
A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
November 8, 2018
A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Sometimes it’s easy to be going through life and forget that we, as Christ followers, have an enemy. And a crafty one at that. Look how he deceived Eve to commit the very first act of disobedience. But how beautiful that so quickly the Father came with a plan to “undo” what was done. He would send His only begotten Son (Jesus is the only human whose biological father (seed) was God) It was at a great cost that He fulfilled the legal price to purchase our freedom and entrance into the kingdom of God.
Anyway my point for the day is that Lucifer – who rebelled against God and desired to become God himself . Since he can’t overthrow God, he longs to cause God’s beloved creation (you and me) harm and pain. He goes before God and accuses us day and night. Check out this scripture….
Revelation 12:10
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Yay! That day is coming and was foretold to the apostle John so we would know it is coming.
How does he accuse us? Many times in our thoughts and sometimes through others that won’t let go of our past, or hunt for any faults and failures in us.
You see when we mess up and ask God for forgiveness and do our best to change….. the Bible says that He throws our sins as far as the east is to the west. He remembers them no more.
Psalm 103: 12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
He is not ever the one “beating us up” in our thoughts about our past. That is coming from Satan …..our “accuser”. So if you are being tormented by accusations by people or from thoughts. Cast them down (thoughts/words) and resist accepting them if you have dealt with it before God. Satan and sometimes people want to hold you in prison to your past mistakes. Don’t let them.
For you are a new creation in Christ Jesus when you accept Him as Lord. Don’t let yourself be beaten up for something in your past. Remember God is for us and not against us! (Romans 8:31)
It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free. Have a great day – Shalom
Streams In The Desert
March 21, 2018
On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” — Mark 4:35
Even when we go forth at Christ’s command, we need not expect to escape storms; for these disciples were going forth at Christ’s command, yet they encountered the fiercest storm and were in great danger of being overwhelmed, so that they cried out in their distress for Christ’s assistance.
Though Christ may delay His coming in our time of distress, it is only that our faith may be tried and strengthened, and that our prayers may be more intense, and that our desires for deliverance may be increased, so that when the deliverance does come we will appreciate it more fully.
Christ gave them a gentle rebuke, saying, “Where is your faith?” Why did you not shout victory in the very face of the storm, and say to the raging winds and rolling waves, “You can do no harm, for Christ, the mighty Savior is on board”?
It is much easier to trust when the sun is shining than when the storm is raging.
We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.
If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, your strength will be born in some storm.
–Selected
“With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.”
Christ said, “Let us go to the other side”—not to the middle of the lake to be drowned.
–Dan Crawford
From: Streams In The Desert (Cowman) June 3 (devotional)
Growing In Trust Pt. 2
June 20, 2017
God LOVES Honesty – It’s as simple as that!
May 24, 2017
A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
May 23, 2017
So today I read a scripture that just hit me like a rock and went to the core of my being. It is written that His word is a “lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”. It shines into our lives and souls and shows us what we need to see. I am grateful, even when it hurts at first. Kind of like a splinter. You know it must come out before the infection can heal.
The scripture I read is this:
Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
And it echoes at the end…… 30….O you of little faith?
Those incredible words……DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE! As God’s word shined on that, I realized how far off the mark I have been. Have I been worrying about my life? YES, YES, YES! I am guilty, but I don’t want to be and I don’t have to be.
Can we really take God at His word? I did not realize how much I had been weighed down by worry. Yes, it is easy to walk around and think that you trust in God and for most of us we have areas that we are good at. I trust Him for many things, but as I read these words the lights came on and I could see how much fear had gripped my heart in certain areas. And I want out of it! I could see how I have let so much slip. I used to live by faith so much more, but somewhere along the line I began to trust in man, in natural things, it was easier to look for natural easily available solutions than to look to God to meet my needs and to look to God first in prayer before turning to something or someone else. To actually believe that He would take care of the problem for me.
I’ve always liked the fact that the Bible tells us that if we would “judge ourselves” we would not be judged. So even though it smarts for me to admit that I have slipped pretty far in this area of trusting God and actually doing away with worry. I want to read that again….
Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life….”
I want to walk in that. God has never said something that we could not do with His help and grace. I feel like I need to go through my life like weeding a garden and hunt down the “worry” weeds and pull them out. I am asking God to help me do this and I hope in some ways this will be a blessing to you.
It is written James 5:16 “ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
There is so much in the word that we actually don’t “do” anymore, but I hope this is a spark. As I have been honest about my shortcomings I hope that you will pray for me, yourself and others. We are a body meant to be a part of each other for good. To reflect Christ. To be “doers of the word and not hearers only”.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. God bless you and I pray you have a great day.
In His Eyes I’m Known – Poetry
May 13, 2017
I am poured out
Like water that flows
Hoping somehow
My life in Christ shows
Wanting to bless
Sometimes I fall short
But I get up and try again
His love to report
Mercies are new
Every morning they are
Satan tries hard
To remove mornings Star
Battle upon battle
In prayer I must go
Thanking our Father
For the Holy Spirits flow
Without Him I am nothing
Nor ever shall be
But in His arms safely
My soul shall be free
He made me uniquely
Like all of His own
It makes me smile sweetly
That in His eyes I’m known
copyright 2017 Jean Chamblee Thomas
MY COCOON – Poetry
April 5, 2017
You are my cocoon
No matter what’s around
You are wrapped about me
Your presence peace surrounds
Loud the voices shouting
Wanting us to fear
But our place is next to you
Always drawing near
Focused on Your majesty
Your kingdom it will come
No matter what happens here and now
My thoughts are on Your throne
But sometimes I’m a weakling
It’s then my heart does know
I reach out my hand to You
Instead You help me grow
Crazy things may happen
But the end of it You’ve told
We can trust what’s in Your book
You’ve known from times of old
You are my cocoon
No matter what’s around
I know that I can trust You
Your love for me is sound
copyright 2017 Jean Chamblee
Psalm 33:8,9 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.”
Of all the things in the earth to fear…..and there are many……it is the fear of the Lord that we need to cling to. He is in control and He will surround us. Our thoughts need to be on pleasing Him, then the other kinds of fear we can be relieved of.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.”
Matthew 10:28-29 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”
Now there will be many other kinds of fear, but when we keep our proper honor and reverence of God and obey His commandments as a child would obey his or her Father….the other fear….the kind that causes torment is not intended for us.
1 John 4:18
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
WE WILL SEE FEAR INCREASING IN THESE DAYS…
Luke 21:25-27 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
BUT WE CAN REST IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PROTECTIVE WINGS
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
We need to reverence and fear the Almighty God……trusting in His goodness for us, and let all the other fears go, knowing that He has us in the palm of His hand.
It’s not easy to do……I struggle with it too. Memorizing the scriptures on the subject helps to let His truth reign in our thoughts. Hope this has been a blessing to you.
The only person we are supposed to fear is God…..a healthy ‘you’re God and I’m not” kind of fear!
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