The Value of Veracity

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another (Ephesians 4:25).

Truth is a debt we owe one to another; and, if we love one another, we shall not deceive nor lie one to another. We belong to the same society or body, which falsehood or lying tends to dissolve; and therefore we should avoid it, and speak truth. Observe, Lying is a very great sin, a peculiar violation of the obligations which Christians are under, and very injurious and hurtful to Christian society (Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 570). 

Think with me, about owing a debt of truth, one to another. What a fascinating concept: love does not lie, and if I love you, I am beholden to being a truth teller. I owe you the honour of being honest when we interact, and when we are out of each other's sight too. Deception, falsehood and lying, tend to dissolve society, and interpersonal relationships, and ought to be avoided, with only truth being spoken. 

Matthew Henry calls lying a very great sin, a peculiar violation of the obligations Christians are under, injurious and hurtful to Christian society: Do you agree with this assessment? 

What are you willing to do for the love of your life, dear one? What extremes will you go to, to secure and keep hold of what you adore? If what you want is out of reach, will you do anything, everything, to get closer, and make a grab for the object of your affections, as soon as you get close enough? How hard are you willing to try to have that precious item you crave and desire and can't stop thinking about, that haunts your dreaming hours and dogs your daytime mental meanderings? The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil: Why money? What do you make of this love?

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). 

If the love of money is the root of all evil, perhaps the love of truth is the source of all peace and happiness, purity and righteousness. You and I cannot buy love, it is priceless, but those that love money, believe they can buy anything they want, and that it will scratch the perpetual itch, that is want to be relieved. Will there ever be enough money to fill the void in souls gone sour on what really matters most? What matters most, you ask? Relationship with God and our fellow-creatures, matter the very most, dear one. 

The expression, Making an honest living, just popped into my head. Honesty and truth are hand holding best buddies, and an honest person sometimes loses a business deal, by staying committed to veracity. Look now, to the top dog camera whores that sell their souls for a bit of air time, and how willing they are to slaughter their own spirit, and that of their neighbour, for the sake of financial gain, prestige, power, and even more camera time. Our society is deception soaked and sickened too, with cankers and sores marking and marring humanity. The masses have eaten and absorbed falsehoods, fibs, misleadings, manipulations, and malpractice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks, for decades. Is it any wonder people are dying of cancer in droves, when deception is their main source of sustenance? 

Lying, as Matthew Henry aptly pointed out, is a peculiar violation of the obligations Christians are under, and if Christians are liars, one to another, what hope does a Christ-less global society have in the way of showing love and being love, to their neighbours? Love cannot, and does not, lie. 

Lying is a very great sin. I ask you again, Do you agree with this Matthew Henry's assessment?

Coveting after money has people erring in their faith, and there is a piercing through with many sorrows, when a man or woman decides to forgo all the goodness God proffers, in favour of making their own way in the world, to secure the riches they crave and lust after. To err in faith is to mistrust God, by believing we must grab for the gusto, and make our own lives great and prosperous, separate from his provisions and blessings. We lie to ourselves when we actually believe we are in charge of our own existence, while knowing full well, we are not promised another tomorrow, and that death may come knocking at our door, at any given moment in our own timeline of life. 

Lies nibble away at character. Lies chomp on integrity. Lies besmirch and belittle. Lies erode trust and cast dispersions. Lies mute and murder relationships. Satan is the father of lies, and if lying is your way of life, then the Devil is your daddy. 

Truth fortifies the soul. Truth strengthens the bones. Truth shoots brilliant rays of divine light abroad. Truth encourages and edifies. Truth builds with bricks of beauty, bonds of friendship, kinship, brother and sisterhood, and a sense of holy familial unity, that is pure and spirit enriching. Jesus is the Truth, and if truth telling and living is your way of life, then God is your Abba Father, dear one, and I am very very happy for you!

Mental Tenacity

What do you grip firmly, taking hold with steely strength? Does mental tenacity play a role in your every day life, or are you on auto pilot cruise control, coasting along, with the same old same old get 'er done approach, that doesn't require concerted effort, for most of your tasks? 

As you may already know, I watch the tv show Survivor. The challenges that thrill me are the ones that have persevere or fail, stamped all over them. In group challenges, the stronger, athletic, and agile players, can somewhat carry the weaker participants when they lag, but the individual challenges are a different breed of animal, highlighting the stamina built into those that hang on, and continue to do so, even while everyone around them drop out of the game. It does my soul good to see strength on display in some characters that look like a gentle breeze could knock them over. How, pray tell, do they do what they do, winning rewards and immunity, by being the last guy or girl standing, hanging, balancing, etc? 

I was finishing a half-hour strength training workout and when I checked the timer for about the fifth time, I saw I had one minute to go. I selected abs for my last set, and at about repetition number twenty, I started wondering, How much longer? How is a minute so looooong... and I recalled the Survivor players and how admirable they are, each time they commit to not quit. So I suffered that one minute of abs, and today I have the reward of soreness in my midsection! One moment please...

In one moment, one minute of time, we can make horrendous mistakes that impact a lifetime of living. In one moment, one minute of time, we may choose wisely and in a way, that ensures the future will be bright with a sense of peace and delight. 

Jesus hung on a cross, weighed down with the sins of the world. He could have gotten off, being the God/man, but he did not. He endured the suffering, not for a moment in time, not for one little minute, but for excruciating hours. It wasn't just physical pain he endured, it was the grotesque and heinous wickedness we have committed as creatures, all the sick sins amassed atop Jesus, since man first walked the earth, with the sin accumulation continuing to this day. He died for us, dropping down, condescending to our lowly state, to elevate us to his majesty and glory, demonstrating what perfection acts and sounds like! Only God has the power to bestow strength, and only God has the power to resurrect the dead and enliven. 

Some people endure suffering for the right reasons and rewards, while others suffer needlessly, with nary a prize in sight. Christian: you will be tempted and tried, you will be cut off and called names, for the sake of Christ: Are you prepared to mentally, emotionally, spiritually, tenaciously grip tightly to your faith in Christ as your Saviour? 

Being strong is not an overnight achievement. Muscles of the physical and spiritual variety, require repeated and consistent attention and exertion. Maybe your abs are weak and you need to train them; and maybe your faith is weak, and you need to attend to it too. Chances are good you need work in both areas, and so: 

1. Work-out daily

2. Read your Bible

3. Pray without ceasing 

4. Eat food God created for human consumption

5. Drink plenty of water

Rinse and repeat.

Grow your mental tenacity for the hard stuff coming your way, and when challenged, you may find you have what it takes to endure to the end, long after others have dropped out of sight. 

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Matthew 24:13).

A Sliver of Soap

Eyeballing the sliver, I considered getting a new bar... would the worn down piece of well used soap, be enough for the shower I was about to take? That sliver might be slippery and hard to grasp, and the quick question before starting the bathing process, was this: Do I bother with a hint of cleanliness, or rid myself of the left over and start anew, with a bar promising to be handy and helpful, rather than a remnant of what previously, had potential? 

I have my doubts, when the sky gets murky from chemical trail smudging. I sometimes flounder in my faith, when darkness attempts to close in and block the light; then the rays beam in, with dappling light interceding and reminding me, God goes before me, he goes before us, and we are heirs to his kingdom, as regenerates, redeemed children, that once, perhaps not long ago, were far from him and his glory, but are now drawn near by his grace and mercy through Christ the LORD.  

Is the sliver of soap enough to wipe the sky clean and clear of its murky smudges, and can I use the same shrinking bar, to wash my mind of all irritation for what the evil and wicked ones have done thus far, in their attempts to destroy God's creation, and namely, his prized possession, humanity? Can I take that sliver of soap and rub the smirks off the faces that arrogantly display their cruel intentions of harming their fellow-creatures, via airborne, injectable, and ingestible toxins? 

It is to God I go for my answers, for the reassurance I need, to know that he is well aware of the circumstances and situations we now find ourselves in. The apostle Paul spoke truth in the face of being terrorized by the enemy of souls, and nothing has changed since the dawn of man regarding some being haters of God's word, will, and way, and some of us being adorers of our beloved Abba Father and being desirous too, of obeying his commands, with his Holy Spirit strength giving us the power to resist the Devil and his trickster influences. 

The sliver of soap is enough to wash away the sprinkling of doubt that has a tendency to shade the shine of faith, when I go to the source of great light. The men in the air will one day have their wings clipped. They fly like eagles, soaring high, and they forget, that God gave them the gift of resisting gravity, for a time, and that abusing privilege's bestowed, will one day have them pulled into the grave, disabled and without choice, and punished too, for daring to demand death from humans God gave life to. 

See the photo, a colourful playful pig made of metal, a plant called a spider, a desert cactus blooming corral flowers with yellow middles: the joy of the Lord fills me with hope each new morning, and I pray this is true for you too, dear one. I pray that the sliver of hope that you have translates into prayers for the lost, the lonely, the ones that have given up and believe that there is nothing more to look forward to because the wicked rule and reign without stoppage. This, quite simply, is not true. God is Sovereign over all and always has been and forever will be. 

It matters what we say and do and how it influences and impacts our fellow man. It matters because we can help or harm others, to our commendation or to our damnation. The tampering with weather is diabolical, and I grin as I type this reminder to you and me both: 

Mark 4:39

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

May the peace of Christ fill your soul in stillness, and in life's storms, dear one. 

We Have Ants

The ants go marching one by one hoorah, hoorah, the ants go marching one by one hoorah, hoorah, the ants go marching one by one, the little stops to suck his thumb and they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain, boom boom boom. 

It is ant season once again, and apparently, there are teeny tiny, Welcome, signs hanging out side of our home, because the little cuties are coming in, in droves. While I admire and appreciate the industrious nature of ants, I prefer them as outdoor critters, as opposed to finding them on counter tops, or clamouring in and around couches, where snack crumbs are want to hide. Ants aren't particular about where they get their food, they will take it from whence they find it, and I always grin when I think of their unstoppable inclinations to carry on with the work of gathering, even when some of them go mysteriously missing after being disposed of, by irritated humans that don't enjoy their army ant invasions!

Now, I have to confess the reason for writing this blog, and I ask early for your forgiveness as I forge my way into a comparison between ants and some humans, knowing full well that humans are created in the image of God, and ants are one of the Master's adorable reminders, that we are to be about our business in this world, not resting on our laurels, and wasting the time he has allotted each one of us while we walk the earth. Here is my guilty confession: I compare ants this morning, to shamelessly excessive, obsessive, obnoxious, persistent, annoying, relentless, intrusive, and empty minded tele and email marketers. Daily I am inundated with unwelcome calls and emails. One solicitor had the audacity to schedule a coaching session with me, and when I followed up to confirm the session date and time, the person shared that they had to be "transparent" about their reason for booking the time with me: the person had a proposal, in other words, I was a potential cash cow, and it wasn't my services they were interested in, it was my money in exchange for the great things they could do to promote my work... I ask you, dear one, How can relationship be built on an upfront lie? Does a person with one iota of understanding, actually believe that they will be trusted, after falsely presenting themselves, and misleading the one they have targeted to do business with? Just before starting this piece of writing, an email popped up on my screen from yet another, seller of marketing goods... 

Now, here is the crux of the matter. Many marketers sell tchotchkes... items that are not functional, and are merely decorative, or in the case of ugly tchotchkes, items that are utterly a waste of money, plus, an insult to the senses; things one might shutter to look at. Tele and email marketers sell non-tangibles when they push promotion for say, a book I published that is no longer available for sale, or services I provide as a coach, or growing my instagram following, by boosting here there and everywhere, in a saturated market where people become famous for eating entire pizzas the size of a small flat earth planet, in front of their phone cameras. I can't compete for market share with people displaying these grotesque gluttonous behaviours, nor do I want to! My point is this: my work is a calling, and the people that want to help me empty my pockets and promote me in my calling, actually don't have a calling at all: I dare declare, that these people are a plague on our society; they are parasitic, and when I see one has called or emailed, I think of the descriptive word, pariah, outcasts that have not a clue how to live a meaningful and purposeful life, because they make a paycheque as unwelcome, unwanted pests, that have never been invited in. 

You may be thinking, everybody is selling something, and I will say this in response, Not so, this is simply not so. There is work to do, and there are workers to complete tasks, and we each play a role in what must be done. You and I make garbage, and there are men that pick-up that garage from our curbs, and man alive, I am so grateful for their efforts! You and I eat food, and there are stores that sell edibles to us, and again, my gratitude abounds daily for God's blessings - but really, do I really have to have nonstop, all day long, incoming messages from hundreds of humans with empty offers that do nothing for me, my body, my family, my soul? How, pray tell, can they waste their days, being ignored, hung up on, blocked... doesn't this hurt their ego, their heart, their very being, knowing they are doing nothing to contribute to society, and knowing too, that when they catch a fish on the baited hook they cast, that the fish will end up poorer for having believed business would boom after being "marketed"? 

The ants go marching two by two hoorah, hoorah, the ants go marching two by two hoorah, hoorah, the ants go marching two by two, the little one stops to tie his shoe, and they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain, boom boom boom. 

Ants work for each other and by doing so, they work effectively for themselves. Every ant that finds a dot or dusting of food, carries it to the family or colony, to share. Watching ants communicate with one another and perform their duties as a crew, is fascinating.

Proverbs 30:24-25

There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer.

Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathering her food in the harvest. 

I can only imagine how empty, hopeless, and sad a life must be, when spent on nothingness, when exhausted daily, on fruitless endeavours that leave the soul devoid of meaning and purpose. Tele and email marketers are sluggards that have yet to dive deeply and discover their calling. God made each human with a divine design, meaning he made us to serve one another and by doing so, we feed ourselves too! We aren't to scam our way into someone else's schedule, or promise to promote them for pay, knowing full well, that there are no guarantees that can be made, that marketing another will bring them business success. When I work with a client, it is for their benefit, and it just so happens that I receive payment in compensation for the services I provide. The give and take is an even Steven exchange, and it feels clean on both sides of the equation. 

Sigh... I am done now, with the bare bum spanking of shameless solicitors. My hope for them is that they realize they only have one life to live, and wouldn't it be grand, if when their numbered days were done, they met their Maker, and he said, Well done, good and faithful servant... rather than you sluggard, you wasted the talents I bestowed, get thee away, from me. 

The ants go marching three by three hoorah, hoorah, the ants go marching three by three hoorah, hoorah, the ants go marching three by three, the little one stops to scratch his knee, and they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain, boom boom boom. 

Piggy & Spiddy

There once was a pig, who with delighted surprise met a spider, that just so happened to be straddled contently, on the pigs back... 

Piggy hadn't a clue of how adorable he looked, adorned in his multicoloured and crimped skin; meanwhile, Spiddy took to striking stripes in shades of green and white, without fanfare, and with much admirable modesty. The two were an unlikely pairing, and yet, their happiness was in the seed of friendship.

With a wag of his bouncing head, pig nods frequently in agreement with many things spider has to say. Encouragement from Piggy always feels comforting and uplifting to Spiddy - from his lofty spot atop pigs back, spider has a breathtaking view of his surrounds, and sharing what he sees with pig brings him great joy. Pigs, as you may very well already know, have tendencies toward cheerfulness, taking pleasure in playful banter, and goofy rutting about, with a bit of harmless and mutually entertaining mud slinging, thrown into the mix. Both Piggy and Spiddy get great satisfaction from their dynamic duo antics, and they do count on one another in numerous ways. Daily, in each other's most excellent company, Piggy's multi-coloured panels of skin brighten; likewise, Spiddy's stripes become sharper, more distinguishable, and more defined. 

The seed of friendship was long ago planted, and now flourishes uniting forever, Piggy and Spiddy. Oddly, the two hadn't a clue, that what they thought they were was really something quite different, from what they actually are. Strange, isn't it, to think one way, and have reality be another? The pig was made of tough stuff that could be shaped into waves of wonderment. The spider had long reaching for the stars and down toward the earth, extending arms with pointed tips. Piggy looked like a pig, of the best sort of course, making himself useful for planting good ideas and kind thoughts, and Spiddy was brilliantly breath giving, cleaning the air and clearing it too, of all that needn't be in a room. But as I stated earlier, the two oddly hadn't a clue, that they weren't who they thought they were...

How can a pig outside of a pen be a pig, without being a pig at all? How, pray tell, can a spider climb upward and drop downward too, without for one second, existing as a web spinning spider? Ahh, the great mysteries we face and try to figure out, have us riddled with curiosity, don't they?!

Judges 14:4

And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

Judges 14:9

And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. 

Faith truly is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. The seed of happiness is planted in those that put their trust in God through Christ the mediating King, and one day, many seeds will blossom and bloom gloriously in the heavenly presence of God's Almighty magnificence. Things aren't as they seem, and this, I do declare, is a very good thing, for you and me, while we walk the earth. 

The adorable pig and delightful spider share a bond that is unbreakable as God's creatures, and this bond we have in common, when God gives us our others, our kindred, our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Do, I encourage you, look for the seed of happiness in your surroundings, and in your relationships. The seeds are plentiful and what springs forth from a seedling, promises much delicious and soul satisfying fruit in the future. 

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Conspicuous Christianity & Capricious Covens

What do you do? is a common question asked, when first we meet someone. Would it raise your eyebrows, and tense your shoulders to hear, I am a witch, in response to this inquiry?

Here is a bit of backstory for this piece of writing.

I love the game Survivor. I am well aware that the show is a reality television series, and at the same time, there are some facial expressions that speak volumes, that cannot be scripted or frankenbitten (frankenbites are video clips strategically placed to emotionally manipulate a viewing audience to form an opinion, about the people in the clips, turning players into villains, victims, rescuers, innocent bystanders, or socially inept ignoramus', that cannot read the room, or the jungle, as the case may be. I realize Survivor is subject to manipulation by the producers that are inclined to sell stories, and push ideologies, and, I always enjoy seeing how selected for the show cast of characters, navigate the rough and tumble environment they endure, as strangers sharing intimate spaces. All this to say, I am not a fool regarding the tricks of the television trade. 

Now, after that commercial break, we return to our story theme. A cast member on Survivor Australia, Brains vs Brawn 2025, Laura Darras, identified herself as a witch, when sharing what it is she does. During the course of the show, we hear Laura making statements regarding her manipulative tactics to get what she wants, using people to have her own way. Laura formed a coven with four other females at the start of the show, and Survivor producers do their damnedest best, to play eerie music, and insert dark magic imagery, to heighten the ominous and potentially frightened feelings, for the viewing audience. Laura is blatant and unashamedly committed to the power she perceives she is garnering for herself, by being a witch, and unfortunately, the little women in her so called coven, easily, and quite happily, follow suit. I have never in all my years of watching Survivor, been as startled by such obvious iniquity. Laura is mild in comparison to some of the other devious and dreadful players in Survivor Australia. I highly recommend watching the show, so that you can catch a glimpse at how far some members of humanity have travelled, from godliness. It is shockingly sad to hear certain players repeatedly use Jesus' name as a curse word, while acting in a witchy fashion, with cameras capturing their capricious backstabbing behaviours: they reveal their inner workings, and it truly is, a terrifying prospect to see their spirits darkened so. The coven, breaks covenant with one another, and that is a lesson for us as participants in this one life we live, which is this: the wicked are not loyal to each other, because they are selfish, and in their world, they devour to live, and live to devour, even if it means sacrificing one of their own. 

Dear reader, there are many in our midst that purposely live to satisfy their own urges, scratch their own itch, feed and fuel their own starving for attention, power, and position, desires. These lost ones, know not the living God; they know only what it is like, to never have or grab enough. They are vapid and empty, devoid of significance, for as long as they try to make it in life, on their own power, or by holding hands and linking to themselves, those of a similar bent or ilk. How, pray tell, can they trust other self-serving and self-absorbed manipulators, liars, thieves, cheats, and backstabbers? It is a ludicrous concept, to place trust in professing deceivers that purposefully trick others to grab a prize for themselves. 

You may at this point be wondering why I entitled this piece of writing, Conspicuous Christianity. I ask you now: Is it glaringly obvious to everyone that knows you, that you belong to Christ; that you live and breathe and have your being, firmly planted in Jesus as your foundation? Are you, a conspicuous Christian? Do you profess your faith, first and foremost, when you meet someone, or many someones, for the very first time? When asked what you do, would it be odd to hear yourself say, I worship the living God? Laura in her witchy ways, is declaring that she worships demon gods, when she calls herself a witch: are you ready, willing, and able, to state without hesitation, I glorify God with my life and adore Jesus Christ as my Redeemer from my sinful-self? 

Laura on Survivor is a victim of a society that hates God as Almighty. Laura and the silly little girls toying with the charms and practices of the Devil, form capricious covens on shifting sands, and they need prayer, and to be pulled as brands from the flames of hells fire. I have wept over what I have seen, because I know and have witnessed, what can happen when the door is cracked open for Satan, and when he is invited in for a few smoke and mirrors parlour games that seem harmless, but truly, are a treacherous walk on the wild and dark side. 

If witches can self-declare openly and publicly, and live their lives spell bound by the father of lies, does it not behoove each Christian to boldly profess Christ and to live biblically, according to God's Word, will, and way?

We belong to whom we obey, dear one. We are what we think and do - what comes from the mouth, starts in the thoughts firstly, drops down into the bowels, goes back up and fills the heart, and eventually ushers forth in our words. Holy thoughts lead to holy deeds, and conversely, wicked thoughts activate a person to perform wicked deeds. 

I am fascinated to witness the breaking down of the capricious coven while I watch Survivor. I think of troubled and oblivious characters that perform for cameras and call themselves world leaders, and I see them falling apart at the seams before mocking crowds, because they go too far, say too much, and ultimately, make utter fools of themselves in their arrogance. They haven't a clue that their days are numbered, and they are being voted off the island, and will be exiled from humanity, soon enough. 

All the world is not a stage, dear one. The world is God's creation, and we are here to glorify him as our Master, our Maker, our Lord of lords. King of kings. 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (Romans 6:16). 

To whom do you, belong? And is it obvious, or do we have to play a guessing game when we meet you?

Are you a conspicuous Christian dear reader, and if not, perhaps you can challenge yourself with the question, Why not?

Yield

You must yield the right of way when someone has a green light, and you get the red which indicates, you must stop, and wait. You must yield the right of way, when a bus driver signals they want into the lane you are travelling, and when lights flash, and a STOP sign extends out from below the drivers window, letting you know children are leaving the bus to cross the street. Yielding the right of way makes sense, if life is to be preserved, if common decency is valued as a human trait to be admired and adhered to: yielding gives others a right of passage, and when someone takes the liberty of stealing a turn, everyone around them, potentially, suffers loss. 

Does God have the right of way in your life, dear reader? Do you accept his signals of stop, wait, proceed with caution, look before you leap, heed warnings and heed too, the discernment that instructs next steps? Alternatively, do you rush ahead without considering outcomes, impact, perhaps even devastation for yourself and others, because you just can't wait, or more accurately, you refuse to wait, believing that later, is too late for you? 

Yielding to others is a curtesy extended, and when others yield to us, we receive the gift of kind consideration. Yielding is a vulnerable experience; it may feel like risk taking without the promise of reciprocal rewards. Letting someone into a stream of traffic feels good, but letting in five people in a row is problematic, for everyone behind us. Yield must not be misunderstood: we yield the right of way whenever and wherever we can, without violating everyone's, including our, rights. 

I dance around a truth as I type. I have known some truly lovely people that I wish I could actually love. They have great traits and can be adorable, and yet, they appear to be incapable of the vulnerability required to truly be intimate in relationship. For closeness to happen, each individual must be willing to listen, to actually hear, and attempt to truly understand, others, and to share their own thoughts, fears, worries, hopes, dreams, heartaches, and happiness. The give and take of relating can be soulfully edifying, and freeing too; but the unyielding refuse to give of themselves this way, and this resistance, invariably, acts as repellant to the people that would love, to love them. 

God loves. It astounds me how much he loves and how he loves. To not yield to his way is a hazard to health and home. If anything makes us vulnerable to danger and demonic encroachment, it is resisting God's will, and his loving ways. Demonic encroachment, dear reader, happens when we take the liberty of green lighting our own desires, no matter how dark and dreadful, without regard for the will and wishes, and well-being, of others. Demons encroach and next, they enter in, when we yield to wicked ways, neglecting and rejecting, God's commands. 

And this is his greatest command to all people: 

Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. 

This is the first and great commandment. 

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Feel and think with me, how outstandingly marvellous it would be, if we lived the first and great commandment, followed closely by the second? God commands us to love, and yet being loving, does not feel like taking an order! What a dynamic wonder this is to contemplate, loving God, ourselves, and others, without hesitation, or fear of loss. 

Man alive, this is so outstanding, that it is crazy making to think people will not yield to this command. Knowing God and his will is an empowering experience, a heart softening experience, a soul soaring experience. It is easy to yield to God, when he is known as Abba Father, merciful and gracious, forever willing to forgive when we repent. When we don't get how good we have it, and then finally come to realize how generous he has been, it is heart rending to acknowledge what ingrates we have been!

I do not want to be an ingrate, dear reader. I do not want to be a little schmuck that does not yield to God Almighty, as though he does not have the right of way in my life. 

What about you? 

What is happening in your head and in your heart?

Are you ready to yield to the One that has your best interests in mind?

Are you ready, to give your all, to the One that gave you, everything? 

Are you, ready, to yield to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Alpha, Omega, beginning and end? 

Are you ready to love, like God loves you?