Life Spring

Life Spring

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).

            In the menagerie of world politics, the real perspective never considered, WHAT GOD CAN DO.

            The 5,000 year old Bible story takes on new significance when you consider that there was not one man in Egypt who believed that God had the power to change the life spring of Egypt, the Nile River, into blood, that light had come into the world (Isaiah 60:20), "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).That the light of God had overcome the darkness of the world, was fact, not feeling. When, the chosen people, children of Israel, delivered from bondage in Egypt, saw the pillows of fire at night, had seen the Red Sea open so that 3 million could pass through on dry land, had seen Pharaoh and his 600 chariots, swallowed by the same sea, they should have known the power-light of God. The ancient civilization, from which all civilizations sprang, had known the flies, frogs, locusts, and other plagues on Egypt which had little effects on the Pharaoh's hardened heart. When will we learn that the God of glory, holiness, justice, can handle the hardened hearts of Obama, or even one of us if he is able to handle the Pharaoh of Egypt and his magicians?

            Even the Christian world does not want to believe in the power of an all righteous-omnipotent-omniscient-sovereign God. The Christian in that world, if real, has learned that the closer he gets to the heart of God, the greater the battle of holiness because Satan really wants you. It has always been the duty of each generation, blood-bought believers to hold back satanic influences. All God ever wanted in return is trust. When you read the marvelous writings of Apostle Peter, you understand redemption. "For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God" (1 Peter 4:17)? To the uninitiated, everything is obscure but it takes a real dumb human being not to fear God. "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding" (Proverbs 9:10).

            A person must learn to deal with his own heart before he can deal with the hearts of others. Mother Theresa was 40 years of age before her heart could deal with the poverty-perversion of Calcutta, India. Prince of preachers, Charles H. Virgin, neurosis of stress, so honored that every one of his sermons were published, spent much time in recovery. Leader of the great awakening, Jonathan Edwards, fired from his prestigious Northampton, Massachusetts church, went as a missionary to the Housatonic Indians for 12 years, before becoming President of now, Princeton University, just before his death. Edward's greatest sermon, "Sinners in the hands of an angry God," preached to large crowds yet spoke on a 5th grade level to the Indians. Edwards friend's said he spent his entire life preparing to die.

            Like Pharaoh's magician's, today's proponents of "the one world order," the homosexual agenda would never believe that the wrath of God could extend to them. Members of the CIA, NEA, FDA, and all the others who live like king's off the hardworking, god fearing tax payers of America, would never be convinced that God is capable, in his wrath, against the killing of 53 million babies.

            There must be a discipline and regimentation of life. Every day-every minute is important...you can never recapture one. It is important to learn everyday. Like Dr. Smith Whithersby, this writer learned long ago to start out each day with a communion service, just me and God...a small piece of bread for healing, a sip of wine in remembrance of His forgiving. Most 21st century Christian's, almost as incapable as the unbeliever, want to live the committed life on their terms. They want a check-off list, can-do's and don't-do's....boy scout type badges for good works. Most can not believe that Jesus, the son of God, creator of the universe (John 1) would actually wash his disciples feet. They want a bellhop God, around when needed, He, honored that they would actually attend a worship service.

            The only chapter in The Bible that Jonathan Edwards ever preached each verse, love chapter, 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians. 50% of all seminary graduates never proceed with God's work. 1,700 preachers quit the ministry each month. "If gold rusts, what do you expect iron to do?"

            On a South Pacific Island, I met a famous artist (oils on canvas), who had retreated there to get away from the "Christian world." I purchased two of his paintings, nautical scenes. Confused and discouraged, knew the meltdown of his faith. His meltdown, like the meltdown of America, political, economic, moral, had not happened by chance. Satan is very clever, clever enough to persuade 1/3 of all the angels in Heaven to follow him. He was persuasive enough to cause the downfall of man; mankind choosing the spirit of death rather than the spirit of life. God had placed man, made in His image, into a perfect world. Only with the discipline and regimentation of observing his rights....the parameters of just one tree. Man was incapable, with his freedom of will, to keep one commandment...certainly not ten, certainly not 613. My South Pacific Island, artist friend, had sold paintings for a fortune..reared in poverty, very much like this writer, could never understand the long suffering-justice of God. Like this writer, and we discussed the matter many times, he could understand how many children had died because of unsanitary conditions. Both nutrition entering the body and the elimination process...people simply not washing their hands. He knew about out houses, people lived hundreds of years without modern plumbing, even toilet paper (first used in 14th century by the Chinese).  We will never know how many people have died from unsanitary conditions pertaining to their own body, the unsanitary conditions brought on by others. Remember, surgeons did not wash their hands until the Civil War.

            One man, God-man, 12 ignorant fisherman followers (Acts 4:13), boldness, persistence, then, a few hundred, then a few thousand, now, millions around the world and a remnant still remain faithful.   "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not (1 John 3:1).