What's My Line

"What's My Line"

Another lifetime ago, television in its infancy, the writer young and sited, very famous T.V program, "What's My Line." Regulars were Bennett Cerf, Dorothy Killgallen, and Martin Gabel. There's was to identify impersonators-pretenders.

It has always been difficult to identify the real thing. That is why you have specialists in every area of endeavor...professionals, art experts, coin experts, even experts identifying flora and fauna.

I live in the historic district of my city, near the river, near the tourist-bar area. At night, I hear young people "frenzied" from drinking and dancing, up and down my street. It no longer bothers me, I am glad to know there are still young people who are enjoying life. The best sound to this old man's ears, the laughter of children from a nearby children's museum. Just to know that there are still some which have not been aborted-loved by their family, human beings still laughing and enjoying life.

I don't know how seriously God expected his chosen to live. God's book is silent on many things..partying, cremation, technology, etc.

The world, in The Bible, refers to the area around the earth which Satan controls. Satan is a created being, limited by God. Satan is limited by time, he knows that his time in the world is limited, has a lake of fire and Hell waiting for him but is anxious to take as many with him as he can. Satan is a presumptuous, prideful entity. In Heaven he was God's most beautiful prince, son of the morning, chief musician, cherub of God's mountain. So full of pride, he wanted to ascend above God and the universe (Isaiah 14:13). SO, God kicked him out of Heaven. For those of you who think Satan is of little influence in your life, he enticed 1/3 of all the angels in Heaven to go with him. They are still here, like radio waves, demons all around us.

The tragedy, the church, Christians, do not know basic Christianity. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]" (Eph 6:12). Eve did not have a chance against that old serpent, nor do you have a chance against the demons of Hell...Satan and his minions. He is much smarter than you, knows much more scripture than you do, knows every "wile" of confusion (Eph 6:11). The only salvation, the chosen of God, "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

We fight the good fight "the battle is the Lord's", at Calvary, "the victory was won" (1 Samuel 17:47). He has given us battle instructions, putting on the whole armor of God (Eph 6:13). Throughout God's book, we have the assurance that he will do battle for us. But, he does not want cowards, turning their back, running. The whole armor of God does not protect one inch of your back. We are to dig in, stand (Eph 6:13). 90% of faith is just raw courage, it takes courage to stand and face the enemy. We must remember that all the armor is controlled by the belt. The belt is truth, truth is on our side. Jesus is truth (John 17:17).

This writer has often said that sinners are so much fun, they have such a good time. They enjoy their paganism much more than Christians enjoy their salvation. The supernatural joy from the comfort, security, safety, of the spirit of God living within you should far exceed-outweigh in your progression to Heaven, the falsity-temporary hangover of pagans on the way to Hell.

God always trying to make a point. Jesus is everything that Satan is not.

There are two things in the Christian life to which there are no contradictions: the spirit of giving and the spirit of living. Already dead, living in sin, there may be laughter-dancing-foolery, "pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25). After the hilarity, upmanship, dancing to the tune which Satan plays, mental complications may take over. Alone, in your bed, quietness, (if your conscience still troubles you, you still have a chance) solitude of good sense the message may come to you that sin with all its decorations is not what God designed you for. IF, in the council chambers of eternity, before the earth was formed, God chose you to spend eternity with Him or even if he desires to save you now, (like Nehemiah, God can change his mind) you may decide to change. If not, why go to Hell on the caboose, why not go first class? Many first class sinners, repenting-baptized, called by God, have become God's greatest proponents-personalities. One black preacher sat in my living room, he said, "Doctor, before God saved my soul I was a first class sinner, now I am a first class believer."

My lifelong experience with the Christian church, most just sleepwalkers, have no idea yet that we are at war. There is no in between. You are either a follower of Jesus or a follower of the Devil. The church must realize that we have an adversary, that we are not just camp stools sitting around and that God is not just waiting around to see what will happen. Jeremiah taught us that the potter, at his house, never takes his eyes off the wheel AND, the potter is ready to remake, redesign that which pleases him (Jeremiah 18:3). The potter is in charge- no one ever confused about his identity, his line.