At the crux of our battle sits something unknown, inexplicable, something devious from which all shy away. The fear is palpable; you can see it within them if they fail there will be no forgiveness. Gone are the moments when lavish dreams are answered for decades resulting in nothing but excess, destruction and exhausted souls. Yet some have been made wealthy to the depths of our imagination, where halls are filled with gold, silver and gems and fat dragons atop them in luxury and watchfulness. There were no limits but now somehow things have become practical as people arouse and remember the value of conservative ideals, storing for the future and utilizing taxes collected in prudent expectation of a better life. Now the enemy roars and threatens and beckons those susceptible to fear to cower back into their cells with promise that they will be torn asunder for pondering, wondering or the straying departure of this tired of unending lust.

They have seen the innocence and heard the cries of those in defense of the vulnerable and they have remembered that they were once one among many, yearning for safety, happiness and a better life. The lure of easy money passed, not so effective the whip as the sugar cube at capturing the wanton desires of those who would be filled, then filled and filled again. They have cause to fear, but now have remembered the call of true fear lost to them when they departed from the known truth of the God that they once respected. Omniscience beckons reminds, recalls and challenges all to find a place free from the plying eyes and ears of a Lord who is indeed everywhere.  And worse, he sees the heart, not just that which is done in privacy but those intentions, the reasoning, the sour and bitter motivations of an unclean existence. Wealth will not purchase escape for there exists no respite from arms that made eternity. The time nears and it is not that some have begun to fear the darkness less merely understanding that the light is to be respected infinitely. The dawn comes and passes and some begin to yearn for a taste of the light that bore them, recalling the joy and warmth and depth of His never ending Love, hoping beyond measure for the rekindling of fires gone dormant long ago. How could they have forgotten so long, how could memories be so effectively wiped clean that even now it is difficult to remember our origins. What a palsied hopeless place to reside in the darkness wondering why you miss the light, losing satisfaction of the sensory input that sustained so sweetly for so long.

What of the stories that we all know to be true, what if this is the moment when those captured tales emerge to reveal the truth of God’s Long and Patient Plan for mankind. Do we begin to ponder our ending, considering the separation from all that we’ve known and loved to great a distance for the earned entry? What now this measure of wealth, health and stature compared to the good name spent as copper in quest of gold. So old the stories of redemption that we now know to be truth for we see those against whom we are aligned and they certainly are God’s Kin. It is evident in their walk, in their footing, smell, speech and enduring character. They have forgotten the fear of this devil we’ve named king replaced by the reverent understanding of a lasting, eternal God who lays beyond the hand of creation’s ploy. What a dismal place this storage house for treasure, once gathered that must be protected, hoarded and recounted for the remainder of the mist of this life and forfeit at the end. What then of something lasting, something precious something eternal, it shant be found in this line of inquiry.

We listen to the same old convincing leveraged clichés; it has been rewritten, the Bible is nonsense, God is a higher power, it is the invention of cunning men, none of that happened it is fiction and Jesus was most certainly not God. But it has never rung true, never grasped hold of the imagination of stolid men who in the seeing, reading and researching of this sacred tome find nothing but truth, education, wisdom, knowledge and historical fact. Again the master warded us pour ourselves upon it in disbelief, refracting its promises, dissolving its surety and distrusting its maker. So much time has been spent in watering down its importance that even now we have begun to wonder why so much time has been spent to dismiss something that is so blatantly false?  Who attacks the enemy of no regard? Who paints with radar the tank that is without threat? This will not and cannot stand logical investigation for in its review we find the enemies documents powerful, fresh, everlasting and whole. Certainly we hate them just as we have been trained to hate their penman and their prophets, saints and sanctification. But now the cracks that once were ignored are now gaping rivulets through which run the waters that once sustained our views as truth, trickling into the bowels of the Earth leaving us thirsty for some Word, perhaps even hungering for the Word of God. Yes that is it we just want to have one drop of its everlasting waters to touch our cheek or drip in coolness across our sandy tongue. This is the beginning of our fear for now we see the portended result of fiery lakes and dusty mouths, Forever Dry.

Maybe we can escape this escapade of madness, Perhaps the King of everything will once again welcome us and offer some manner of work through which I might earn forgiveness. Too cruel to expect that He would consider me eligible for the kindness and care of His offered Mercy and Grace. Is it a dream this madness I am experiencing that I would even now crave to be a slave to righteousness in exchange for the promises of all Earth’s wealth and plenty? I see them in their happy groups, with their joyful smiles and the pious loving words, counting all the empty blessings of poverty and truth. How can they be even for a moment considered of envy, they aspire to nothing, own nothing and struggle in song as if the work, toil, troubles and pain are a reward for service. What manner of super fool has God created, lulling them into an impoverished, nightmare that no one with a right thinking would call life, yet they taught it as abundance in power, peace and humility? How does humility pay the bills, reward the victorious or pleasure the proud angry rituals of those seeking esteem? But it still seems so well perfect, comfortable and dare I say deliciously simple and boring but in a pleasing manner. Maybe I can sneak a peek at this moronic troop from afar and gage what measure of insanity grips them and holds them so tightly to folly that they actually go the grave appreciative, in joyful adoration of this Righteous King they would serve with nothing. Yet, still there is something quite odd because it all seems to make some manner of sense, this foolishness of God’s Faithful. I cannot put my finger upon it but there is something that requires further inspection and I might add some quiet reflection away from those of my banner guard on constant quest for conquest. We’ve made slaves of many. I will  venture among them when the times are quiet and figure out their madness once and for all.

My friend, it is not a myth but truth you seek, the Truth that God put within each of us, that we might know Him and have no cause for excuse at judgment.  Don’t call me friend or I will pull out that lousy tongue that continues to make me wish vehemently I had never heard you utter a word. It’s okay, I said the Lord of Glory knows you and has loved you from the time before you were even an idea. Don’t say that you wretch how could he love something so putrid, poisonous and provocative? There is no way that God even knows me never mind has some concept of love for I deserve no love, only pain and hate, the same pain and hate with which I have fashioned and driven those before me.  God could not love one like me.  I don’t know your sins, but I am certain that they are the same sins of every man, pride, envy, hate, distrust. The Lord says that there is not one man good, that all are deserving of the payment for sin which is death. That is why He made a way so that “all” who repent, believe and accept the gift of salvation might find life abundantly here and eternal life in the life to come. How can this be that an all-Powerful God wouldn’t punish those like me who have done nothing but rebel and cause pain and suffering for humanity? There is no way that He would leave even a crack large enough for my slithering escape of my own predicament, Deeds and nature? Why would God give me this choice of which you speak? Because my friend He loves you so much that He came into this world, experienced our temptation and pan and lived a perfect life then took all sin with him to the grave and arose by the power of Spirit to everlasting life that we might be redeemed to Him in Heaven for the price of believing and faith. That sounds too amazing to be true, you must be lying, but then again I have never seen you lie in all the miserable years I have had to put up with your ridiculous grinning. How does one achieve this redemption to God? Simply admit your unrighteousness, repent of your sin, turn away from your wickedness and accept the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit that He might cleanse you of all unrighteousness, forgive your sins of past and future and seal you for eternal life with Him. It can’t be that simple, that sounds like some kind of a fairy tale, but I cannot get over the love you have in your eyes nor the way I see you live with those around you. I will try this thing called repentance and accept His Sovereign offer of Mercy. Lord I am a sinner. I need your salvation. Please come into my life and cleanse me of sin and save me from my prison. I want so much to know you and to be free of the debt that I can never pay. Forgive me and lead me to the way you would have me live. Fill me with your spirit of Truth that I might gain discernment and wisdom to understand the right path from this life to the next. I love you and thank you for offering me redemption and grace. Jesus I love you.

At that moment I felt the pain reside and the peace come into my heart I also heard the raging screams of the dark one having lost me for good to God.  I walk now in the light forever. The darkness has no lure and no claims upon my immortal soul. I will learn, to walk in faith and stand against the enemies of the Light that I too might rescue those that may still be saved from the darkness of eternal separation from Almighty God. My service to darkness shall be forgotten but it shall make me ever mindful of the painful cost of deception that trapped within its promises of wealth and leisure. There are grandeur things in life than the promises of this mortal and temporary body. I look forward to the day when I shall receive the incorruptible body having been paid for by propitiation of the Perfect Sacrifice, Christ Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to the Glory of God Almighty.