“NOTHING IS HIDDEN!”

Luke 8:16-18                                                    (ESV)

“16 "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.

17 For “NOTHING IS HIDDEN” that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."”

These words were spoken by JESUS, OUR CREATOR AND SUSTAINER.  They should not be discounted or trivialized.  It makes no difference who you think you are, a monumental potentate, or the lowest mountain man in remote jungles!  “NOTHING IS HIDDEN” translated into everyday modern English means “NOTHING IS HIDDEN”!  Breaking down NOTHING is NO THING, not anything will be HIDDEN in the end.  Even my darkest, deepest secrets will be “made manifest”, or “clear or obvious”!  

Although I have never been arrested nor imprisoned, my life has been a clear and obvious example of how NOT to live for CHRIST.  Comparing the results of what I did with what I KNEW I was supposed to do is not something that I am proud of in the least.  As a matter of fact, embarrassment is the word that comes to mind when my life is reviewed.  The Apostle Paul states in 1 Timothy 1:15 that he is the chief sinner, but he hadn’t SEEN the life that I would live!  

In my younger years there was a television show named “Unsolved Mysteries”.  There is coming a day when “NOTHING IS HIDDEN”, it will be “clear or obvious” to ALL that none of us are better than the other, that we ALL deserve hell.  The ONLY WAY we can experience redemption is to surrender to JESUS.  There is coming a day when “NOTHING IS HIDDEN”, and we had better be ready!

“EVEN THOUGH!”

Psalms 23:4                                                    (ESV)

““EVEN THOUGH” I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me; YOUR rod and YOUR staff, they comfort me.”

Being an EXTREMELY emotional person since the Brain Hemorrhage, I sometimes find myself in tears when a friend or loved one, or even a stranger, is going through difficulties, especially a medical challenge where the outcome is a bit intimidating.  Disease, illnesses, financial problems, relationship issues, and of course, earthly departures (among others) can TEST (or better said PROVE) our FAITH to reflect the image of CHRIST in us.  

Recently a friend who is fighting a disease in her life was told “I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this”.  In an effort to be supportive, a similar response has been used by yours truly in the past.  But WHO IS IN CONTROL of everything?  Is it not the same “YOU are with me” of Psalms 23:4?  Is HIS rod and HIS staff only used to comfort King David, or does GOD comfort me with them too?  

The writer of the 23rd Psalms was King David, “a man after GOD’s OWN heart” (1 Samuel 13:14),.  King David was a mighty warrior of GOD, a man who didn’t fear much!  As a boy (1 Samuel 17:33), he used a sling to drop Goliath in his tracks and conquer the Philistine Army.  Yet, when GOD needed to use his FAITH (or lack of it!), he was taken through “the valley of the shadow of death”!  King David was a man after GOD’S OWN heart, yet he still had to PROVE (and IMPROVE!) his FAITH. 

We aren’t exempt from PROVING our FAITH either!  “EVEN THOUGH” we think we are stalwarts of THE KINGDOM, we still have to exhibit that HE IS IN CONTROL, AND WE AREN’T!  As tough as it is for me to sometimes say, LORD, if YOU need to use me to demonstrate YOUR SOVEREIGNTY and MAJESTY, USE ME LORD!  “EVEN THOUGH” it causes me to experience valleys and tribulations, “EVEN THOUGH” I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, USE ME!!!

“SOLID FOOD!”

Hebrews 5:11-14                                      (ESV)

“11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of GOD. You need MILK, not “SOLID FOOD”,

13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

14 But “SOLID FOOD” is for the MATURE, for THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR POWERS OF DISCERNMENT trained by CONSTANT PRACTICE to DISTINGUISH GOOD from EVIL.”

Every now and then GOD uses my responses to others to set me on a path of discovering TRUTH.  A friend asked yesterday morning “I beg you to ask yourself a question this morning, “ARE YOU GROWING IN CHRIST?”   My response was, “and if not, where are you going????”  

Why do we tend to act as though we are “holier than thou” when we are able to “walk in the Spirit”?  Personally, when I get that feeling I am right around the corner from being backslidden.  Obviously, our EYES being set on CHRIST leaves no room for self glorification, because as JESUS says in John 6:44 “NO ONE can come to ME unless the FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS him.”  

HE saves us (John 6:44), HE CHOOSES us (Acts 9:1-18, , so why should we act as though we are “holier than thou”?  We are ALL sinners who STILL sin, but have trusted in the finished work of CHRIST to redeem us from our wickedness.  But we SHOULD BE GROWING IN CHRIST and in the CHRISTIAN WALK!

Far too many of us make a profession of FAITH, then as a pastor of mine used to say, come to church to “sit, soak, and sour”!  The Spiritual maturation process is almost foreign to them.  The writer of Hebrews writes “You need MILK, not “SOLID FOOD”!  They had not matured Spiritually enough to be of any use to the KINGDOM.   

Am I one of those people?  Am I able to DISCERN GOOD from EVIL?  Furthermore, am I able to SEE when a brother is in danger of a trap by “the enemy” and alert him?  Thank ALMIGHTY GOD that I’m not what I used to be and through a thorough study of HIS WORD I am ingesting “SOLID FOOD” to mature me into a vessel that can be used for HIS GLORY!  

We can never be what we are called to be by drinking milk and crying about our weaknesses.  Sooner or later we are going to have to eat “SOLID FOOD” from the grown-up table and grow some stamina in HIM.  This is spoken in love, but also knowing the time has come for THE CHURCH to eat “SOLID FOOD” to prepare for battle!!!

“BY THEIR FRUITS!”

Matthew 7:15-20                                           (ESV)

“15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 You will recognize them “BY THEIR FRUITS”. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17 So, every healthy tree bears GOOD FRUIT, but the diseased tree bears BAD FRUIT.

18 A healthy tree cannot bear BAD FRUIT, nor can a diseased tree bear GOOD FRUIT.

19 Every tree that does not bear GOOD FRUIT is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Thus you will recognize them “BY THEIR FRUITS”.”

“This world” generally considers people who regularly attend services at a church house as being members of the body of CHRIST.  Actual members of the body of CHRIST have allowed the language used by others to define who we are ACCORDING TO THEIR STANDARDS.  

JESUS, OUR CREATOR, set THE only standard that will matter on Judgement Day.  HE said “You will recognize them “BY THEIR FRUITS”!  Not by what others think of us.  Not by what building we attend on Sunday morning.  Not by whether we are a deacon or pastor!  Being known “BY THEIR FRUITS” is the only way to be recognized as a CHILD OF GOD!

When a fruit is picked before it is ripe, it may not be fit to eat.   When we try to live a life that is contrary to Scripture, we are a stench in the nostrils of ALMIGHTY GOD.  We cannot change Scripture to make us feel better about ourselves.  ONLY GOD can determine what is RIGHT and WRONG and HE will not change HIS WORD!  We WILL be judged “BY THEIR FRUITS” and a “diseased tree” cannot “bear GOOD FRUIT”.

Just because you are the largest contributor to GOD’S house doesn’t mean that you will enter into HIS KINGDOM.  HE desires a RELATIONSHIP with you evidenced “BY THEIR FRUITS“!  Why did JESUS make such a HUGE DEAL about “many will be deceived”?  Could it be that at the Judgement there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth when our FRUITS are inspected?  “Thus you will recognize them “BY THEIR FRUITS”!!!

“A DEEP SLEEP!”

Genesis 2:21-25                                                         (ESV)

“21 So the LORD GOD caused “A DEEP SLEEP” to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

22 And the rib that the LORD GOD had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." 

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

There isn’t a word of Scripture that was placed there by accident.  ALMIGHTY GOD orchestrated HIS WORD being written for HIS purpose.  Why then did he find it necessary to explicitly say that Adam was caused to be in “A DEEP SLEEP” when Eve was created?  Why couldn’t GOD just have Created her the same way HE Created Adam?  

Those of us who have been in “A DEEP SLEEP”, such as the drug induced coma I experienced in 2007, can attest that we had absolutely no input in decisions being made in/with our lives, nor the miracles performed.  Although a rib was taken from Adam, Eve was Created by ALMIGHTY GOD.  Adam had no input in her formation at all.  Adam was gifted with Eve, but she wasn’t to be treated like a child’s toy, put away when she wasn’t being used.  He was supposed to “hold fast to his wife”, similar to an extremely valuable possession!  

How many marriages wind up in trouble because a spouse treats the other like a favorite toy, placing them on a shelf where they are tired of playing with them?  When husbands try to be a (small letters) god instead of directing her to ALMIGHTY GOD, he quickly finds out that he isn’t equipped to GOD, especially when he doesn’t know GOD IN THE FLESH, JESUS!  We cannot be something we were not intended to be in the first place!  

What were you designed to be?  If you are a man like Adam, your design is to “hold fast to his wife”.  GOD has created a perfect match FOR YOU!  Waiting on HIM to introduce her to you can be a challenge.  Treating her according to Scripture can be an even larger challenge!  Sometimes we may need to quit trying to help GOD and fall into “A DEEP SLEEP”, so HE can receive ALL THE GLORY???

“MAKING PEACE!”

Colossians 1:15-20                                                     (ESV)

“15 HE is the image of the invisible GOD, the firstborn of all creation.

16 FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, in heaven and on earth, VISIBLE and INVISIBLE, whether THRONES or DOMINIONS or RULERS or AUTHORITIES-ALL THINGS were created through HIM and for HIM.

17 And HE is before ALL THINGS, and in HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER.

18 And HE is the head of the body, the CHURCH. HE is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything HE MIGHT BE PREEMINENT.

19 For in HIM all the FULLNESS of GOD was PLEASED to DWELL,

20 and through HIM to reconcile to HIMSELF all things, whether on earth or in heaven, “MAKING PEACE” by the blood of HIS cross.”

There is a statement that says something like “Our world problems today are not caused by racists, terrorists or any other group floating around out there.  The problem is not guns.  It is hearts without GOD, homes without discipline, schools without prayer and courtrooms without justice!”  

Colossians 1:18 (ESV) is completed by theses words, “HE (JESUS) MIGHT BE PREEMINENT”.  We can try to be non-offensive, but JESUS in Luke 12:51 “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?  No, I tell you, BUT RATHER DIVISION!”  HE understands that we will have to pay a price for being one of HIS soldiers, a person who is “set apart” from “this world”!  We can blame guns, terrorism, or anything else we choose to deflect the focus of the real issue, but until we understand the TRUTH, that “MAKING PEACE” can ONLY come from JESUS, we will continue getting the same results that we are currently experiencing.

ALL THINGS were created through HIM and for HIM.  Only when we recognize that HE is what holds ALL THINGS together will we SEE results that are improving.  Governments and rulers cannot achieve this.  Even “invisible” things cannot bring desired results.  ONLY JESUS CHRIST can!!!

The answer to “MAKING PEACE” is very simple and right before our eyes, but “this world” will NEVER accept the HE is the answer!  JESUS said in John 6:44 “No one can come to ME unless the FATHER who sent me draws him.”  Our salvation is a “free gift”, lest any man should boast he was better than someone else!  Within the hearts of man there is no ability for “MAKING PEACE”, it just cannot happen!  The ONLY hope we have at “MAKING PEACE” is JESUS CHRIST!  HE IS OUR HOPE!!!

“I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART!”

Exodus 14:4; 14                                                                (ESV)

“And “I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART”, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." And they did so.”

“The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." 

Recently I watched the testimony of a computer guru before a senatorial committee speaking about technology companies mind control through subliminal and other manipulative schemes to influence voters, and thus elections.  That stirred my anger for a brief second, until I remembered that NOBODY can out think MY GOD!  

When Pharaoh had the Children of Israel captive in Egypt, he was commander of the most powerful army in the world at the time.  Pharaoh had all the known power in his control !  He could NOT be beaten!  The Children of Israel numbered over 3 million, but they had absolutely NO battle skills in their history, NONE!  

If “Big Tech” thinks they can control the minds of millions of people, they might better read the entire fourth chapter of Exodus?  Verses 21-28 might be where they want to focus their study.  Pharaoh and his army were the biggest power known to mankind at the time, and ALMIGHTY GOD only needed a few hours to render them as a memory!  Verse 28 states “The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of ALL THE HOST OF PHARAOH THAT HAD FOLLOWED THEM INTO THE SEA, NOT ONE OF THEM REMAINED”.  

The United States Of America, arguably the most powerful nation in the history of the world, was brought to its knees by less than 20 rogue terrorists on September 11, 2001.  The lessons from that day are still vivid in my mind.  The quietness of that afternoon still is etched in my mind.  The entire world seemed as though it STOPPED, DEAD STILL!!!  Don’t ever think that you are TOO BIG to be taken down.  GOD changes hearts, ask Pharaoh!  “I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART” was simply a way for GOD TO GET GLORY!  HE can do it again, and WILL!!!