“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
nor have entered into the heart of man
the things which God has prepared
for those who love him.”
1st Corinthians 2:9
Walking with the Lord could be compared to boot camp. It's hard. It takes all you have within you and brings you to the end of your strength.
Boot camp trains you to confront fears and become fearless as you take your place behind your commander. It teaches you how to deal with the enemy who is bent on your destruction.
You won't get through God's boot camp without sprains and injuries and perhaps even broken bones. It will be the hardest thing you'll ever do. It will prepare you for all that you will encounter when your calling and ministry is launched, because as you walk out your call, all those things will be arrayed against you and it's crucial that you are prepared to stand. It doesn't happen automatically. There is no one strong enough to survive without having gone through the training.
But what is the whole purpose of it all? Why is it so important to put so much into it?
Brothers and sisters, we live in a fallen world and it's evil through and through. We are called to go out into enemy territory and take the lost from its clutches and bring them into the camp of our Commander, that he might save them.
Our Commander takes years to prepare us for this. We spend years in boot camp because the job set before us is so critical that we must be highly honed to unquestioningly follow the orders of the Commander at every point, no matter what. There are eternal lives at stake, and the enemy knows that very well and will do all in his power to prevent our success.
What is the value of a single soul? One single soul. That soul will live forever. The Word of God says that he is not willing that ANY perish, but that all come to repentance (2nd Peter 3:9) and that one single soul is of eternal value to him. So the Lord is going to put into motion a plan to approach that single soul, and he will use you and I to accomplish it. We have to be ready for the task, because the enemy knows full well that we're invading his territory to steal, to kidnap, his subjects.
That one single soul, if he is won, will enter into something he has never before imagined. Scripture says of our eternal home in heaven that eye has not seen nor ear heard nor has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for us. That speaks of the glories of heaven which are beyond anything we could possibly imagine. But there's more. This single soul when brought into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is going to come to experience IN THIS LIFETIME things that his eyes have never seen nor his ears heard, things he never, ever would have imagined before, as he walks in the newness of life that God creates for him.
Any believer can attest to the truth of this, because every believer who has been delivered out of the darkness of his prior life into the joy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ - will tell you that he has seen things he never could possibly have anticipated, and he has heard things that he had never ever heard before, and he has experienced things that only God could have prepared beforehand to give to this one who now loves him. As this passage speaks of heaven, it also speaks of life in Christ from the moment we begin walking with him.
And so we embrace all we must endure to reach that one single soul, because it's going to mean everything to him - not only in eternity, but even now as we lead him into the arms of the Commander who has gone to such lengths to make the way for that one to have eternal life NOW, and then enjoy the glories prepared for us later in the heaven that God has prepared for those who love him.
Don't resist the rigors of boot camp. You're being trained for the greatest battle in life – that of reaching into the lost world and bringing Satan's prisoners into the glories of the Kingdom of our God. The results are for all eternity and are worth every bruise and scar you carry as you fulfill the call on your life to reach others with the same salvation you enjoy because of the cost your Commander endured to bring YOU in.
"But brother goes to law against brother,
and that before unbelievers!
Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you
that you go to law against one another.
Why do you not rather accept wrong?
Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?"
1st Corinthians 6:6-7
"...let yourselves be cheated" ???
Sometimes the Scriptures will test our faith to the limit. It's hard to imagine anyone in this litigious society having the depth of faith and commitment to Christ and his Word to actually forego going to court against another believer when wronged. To accept wrong? To let oneself be cheated? Are you kidding? Would God really ask that of someone? Well ...he asked it of Jesus.
What a manifest demonstration of the Spirit of God within, if anyone has that depth of faith and commitment. Saints, we are called to a totally different walk than the way of the world.
In the world it's all about "rights." People demand "rights" to the point of being ridiculous. But it must not be so with us. Consider the fact that when you surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ you gave up all rights. He took Lordship over your life, and he has taken full responsibility for your life. Nothing touches you without his prior approval, and he does approve some painful things needed for our growth - for we know growth often comes through pain. Therefore our responsibility to him who has purchased us is to allow him that sovereignty over us, and to those whose hearts are truly surrendered, they will see him do wonders in their lives as HE works things out for them.
So do not resist when your "rights" are withheld from you. Know that God has everything under control and that he has PROMISED that all things will work together for the believer's good (Romans 8:28). As we surrender to him, we come to see the absolute faithfulness of that promise.
"But I tell you not to resist an evil person.
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek,
turn the other to him also.
If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic,
let him have your cloak also.
And whoever compels you to go one mile,
go with him two."
Matthew 5:39-41
How are we to respond, then, when people hurt us?
vs 44-45:
"But I say to you, love your enemies,
bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you, and pray for those
who spitefully use you and persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;"
Forsake vengeance and forsake your "rights" now - it will all be dealt with rightly if you leave it to the Lord.
"...it is a righteous thing with God
to repay with tribulation those who trouble you..."
2nd Thessalonians 1:6
Friends, we are called to NOT walk in the ways of the world, but to entrust everything to our Creator and Lord, and he is FAITHFUL.
It won't stop there. God stands willing and hoping to bless us in awesome and unexpected ways, if only we will surrender to him, let him work things out, and maintain an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. These are the secrets of a happy and successful life.
One summer I worked at a local college and would often take my lunch and go down by the beautiful pond encircled with willow trees. I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful than the ivy-league college in my town. That particular summer I was working for the director of entertainment at the college. I would receive the mail, open it and put it on his desk. After seeing the occult and "New Age" mail coming regularly to the office, I began to realize that within these beautiful buildings sits a darkness that was hard to believe. I've heard that there are even covens there, witches and warlocks that celebrate their "feast days" with animal sacrifices. As this was all being revealed to me as I worked at the college, I remembered a memo posted in my hometown newspaper just before Halloween advising anyone with a white cat to keep him in during the next few days because the covens were going around collecting white cats for their sacrifices. But it was too late. My white cat - which only went out to take care of business and then would come right back in - was missing. The horrible realization sunk down into my soul as I realized that my cat was taken for sacrifice. Just the thought of it made me sick to my stomach. Now, whenever I go by the college, I'm always reminded that this most-beautiful place that graces my town - is harboring darkness of the worst kind inside. And that got me thinking - about the world. It's so beautiful. Where I live there are mountains, lakes, rivers, the coastline, just beauty everywhere. But it obscures the fact that behind or within the beauty is an unfathomable darkness not realized by most. "...the whole world lies under the wicked one."
1st John 5:19 Many years ago I had an experience with Jesus Christ in which I was "born again." From that day I have learned so much! But it would be many years before I would come to understand what lurks hidden by beauty. I used to get confused when I'd hear how this country was founded by the Freemasons and the Illuminati, but then I'd hear someone teach that this country was founded and established upon the Word of God, the Judeo-Christian ethic. So which was it, I'd wonder. Later I came to realize both were true. The foundation upon the Word of God brought this country to a prosperity unequaled anywhere else on earth, in fact, unequaled in all of history. Many times I've mentioned the contrast with Haiti. Haiti was THREE TIMES officially dedicated to Satan by the Haitian government. All manner of occult dwells there. Voodoo. And worse. So look at Haiti and what do you see? The place is poor, dark, oppressed, and just an awful place to be. Contrast that with the beauty and prosperity of America and it becomes clear who the God is - of each one. But things are changing in America, aren't they! I've never seen such an extent of wickedness in this country as we are seeing today. When I was a young person, morality reigned in America, at least on the surface. Every public event in our government and in our schools began with prayer. The worst thing that could happen to a girl in my class would be to become pregnant, and when one did, most often she would be secreted away to a home for unwed mothers and her child would be placed for adoption; back then, no one responded to an unexpected pregnancy by murdering the child. Some did, but most didn't. And homosexuality? When I was in high school I didn't even know what that was. People with that inclination would do what they do - behind closed doors, secretly. Today – it's celebrated and flaunted before God by taking the sign of his covenant and making it the sign of their perversion. My grandchildren have no way of understanding the world of my younger years. Today, if a girl gets pregnant, more often than not she murders the child. And those who are "gay," parade it in the streets. God has been mostly kicked out - and they use the "separation of church and state" excuse - not telling uninformed ears that those words represent the very opposite of the way they use it. The amendment says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech..." The phrase “separation of Church and State” was NOT in the Constitution. It originated in a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Church. Nowhere in our constitution does it say church and state should be separated. Once again, evil has twisted truth ...to deceive the many. What is happening today would have been unfathomable a few short years ago. In recent times, the country was shut down over a flu! We've had flu every winter since forever. We even had some really bad flu seasons, like the year we had H1N1, or the year we had SARS - but the country wasn't shut down over it. What's different about this one? You won't get it unless you see it in context. What context? The context of what is written in the Bible about “the last days.” There have always been riots and demonstrations, but none like what's happening now. It's as though insanity has gripped our country. They even want to get rid of the police force! Excuse me? Is that not insanity? Death and destruction and more death and destruction. Younger generations don't realize it because they have been DESENSITIZED to it all. But for us older folks, it's correctly recognized as insanity. A tv minister I follow recently spoke on the passage that says that in the last days "perilous times shall come" (2nd Timothy 3:1). He said that the word "perilous" which is "chalepos" in the Greek, is more accurately translated "harsh, fierce, savage." It can also be translated "insane." One other place "chalepos" is found is in Matthew 8:28, the description of the town in which there were "two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce." What a right-on description of what's happening now: possessed with devils exceeding fierce. There have been things that have happened which we should not forget, like at CERN. The purpose of CERN was to make contact with "other dimensions." Those people have no idea what lurks there. Well they've succeeded in making contact, and I believe that what they've let into our dimension is demonic spirits. Dont forget about CERN, make the mental correlation between what they have been doing there and the world-wide evil that has resulted. What we're seeing are people "possessed with devils, exceeding fierce." From the days of Adam, two kingdoms have reigned on earth. Until recently, there has been a "restrainer" in America (2nd Thessalonians 2:7) which has held back the tide of evil. But we've been told that things would get progressively worse as the time of the end draws near, and finally the believers in Jesus Christ will be taken by him and with that event there will no longer be any restraint. Satan is going to have his allotted hour, and no one can stop it, it is allotted to him. What does he want? He chiefly wants worship, in fact he even tempted Jesus if Jesus would worship him!!! (Luke 4:6-7) Satan wants world domination, a worldwide government with his man at the head, a world-wide religion of apostasy. But along with it will be judgments so awful it could make your hair curl just reading about it in the Word of God. What we've witnessed in our generation is the setting up of the elements that will be in place when that seven-year period begins. Friends, what you're seeing in the daily news is exactly what has been foretold. HOW close that time is. I'm glad to have lived long enough to be able to see the contrast of life as it was versus life as it now is. A younger person would be hard-pressed to be able to "see" it, because this progression is all they've known. But hear from an older person: it is clear that what we see is leading to the global New World Order and the time of the Antichrist - as described in many places in the Bible for "the last days." The system is being set up even now, and to an older person, it's very obvious. To an older person who knows the Word of God - it's plain: we're there. As we enter these days of insanity, let us use our time to reach out to people - pleading with them to get right with God. "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2nd Corinthians 5:20 Seek to enter into the new covenant Jesus Christ established for all who would receive him. He said you MUST be born again (John 3:5-7). To be born again means to acknowledge one's self as a sinner, and to accept the atonement Christ made for us, the forgiveness of the sins he bore the judgment for -in our place, and turning one's life over to him as Lord. Unless one is born again, he is condemned because he is stained with the guilt of his sins. Jesus died in our place, bearing the judgment on our sins for all who would receive him - but it doesn't happen automatically, one has to actively RECEIVE him. Wake up out of your slumber oh sinner, and receive the gift of eternal life. Be transformed out of the kingdom of darkness ruled by "the god of this world" (2nd Corinthians 4:4) - and be reborn into the Kingdom of God. This world is about to enter the "great Tribulation," a period of seven terrible years under the Antichrist when evil will have its full expression. Jesus said that that time would be worse than anything that has ever happened on the earth since the beginning (Matthew 24:21). You don't have to be a part of that. Turn your life over to your Creator who will give you a new life: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2nd Corinthians 5:17) There isn't a lot of time left. And eternity is a long, long time. Make sure where you will spend it. MORE: How one is born again