Not all enemies have a face.  It’s easy to recognize your enemy when they are right in front of you.  But, what if there is a war that you cannot really recognize or come face to face with?  What if there isn’t a physical body to match your quarreling?

Spiritual enemies are faceless.  It is the war on the inside.

We are all looking to be happy.  The media and society tells us to search for your inner happiness.  False teachers and churches teach that Jesus wants us to be happy.  What they’re really saying is to live for yourself.  You are your own god.  They are teaching idolatry.  They are teaching to chase after your lusts.  Happiness is a temporary feeling that can come and go.  I don’t know what bible verse speaks of searching for happiness, but I do recall…

“BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE: FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

BLESSED ARE YE, WHEN MEN SHALL REVILE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU, AND SHALL SAY ALL MANNER OF EVIL AGAINST YOU FALSELY, FOR MY SAKE.
REJOICE, AND BE EXCEEDING GLAD: FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN: FOR SO PERSECUTED THEY THE PROPHETS WHICH WERE BEFORE YOU.”-MATTHEW 5:10-12

God has been dealing with me.  I feel like I write that in every post.  We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities of the dark ages (Ephesians 6).

The battle is raging on.

It’s not until you actually go through something that the lyrics of a song really strike your heart like a lightning bolt.

It’s the same with the bible.  The more time I spend in His Word the more my heart cries out  with thankfulness for how comforting it is that it’s not just me.  The very people who walked with Jesus have the same troubles…
“JAMES, I haven’t even met you, but be my best friend.
PAUL, I’m right there with you, Buddy!  That letter to the Romans about not knowing why you are doing what you don’t want to do and not doing what you want to do hit me right in the feels!
PETER! YOU are insane!  I get it.”

For the past few days I have been listening to the gospel of Luke repeatedly.  One of the things that really stuck out to me is the very beginning when God shut the mouth of Zechariah after he doubted Elizabeth’s pregnancy.  Nine plus months is a long time!  (Remember when Sarah laughed and Hannah’s husband thought she was drunk and she was like “No, I’m praying”…?)

As far as faith goes my mouth should be shut up for the rest of my life.  That’s where God extends His mercy.  I’m still around being able to speak.

The truth is I am not worthy to even be in the same sentence nor category with these people.  I live in modern America where there is a false security of freedom, but in little ways Christians are persecuted.  The machetes and guillotines to shut up Christianity has not arrived yet.  It’s merely in actions and words.

While the struggle is SO REAL being chastised by God and having a wrestling of the flesh and spirit (Hebrews 12:11) I would not want Him to ever let me go.  If there is a war that means He is fighting for me.  It is my flesh struggling to surrender to the Spirit (Ephesians 6) and His will for me over my own.  If there is no fight that means He has let me go.  Why would that be a better deal?  I am His Child and He is my Father.

“AND HE SAID, THEREFORE SAID I UNTO YOU, THAT NO MAN CAN COME UNTO ME, EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN UNTO HIM OF MY FATHER.
FROM THAT TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT BACK, AND WALKED NO MORE WITH HIM.  THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THE TWELVE, WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY?
THEN SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? THOU HAST THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE.  AND WE BELIEVE AND ARE SURE THAT THOU ART THAT CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” -JOHN 6:65-69

While my current situation is that I have zero tolerance and patience (because I’m tired of having tolerance and patience and nothing to show for it) He gently reminded me of Isaiah 53.  Instead of letting Him fight for me I feel like I need to be in the fight and stand up for myself…

“BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.

ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY; WE HAVE TURNED EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN WAY; AND THE LORDHATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.

HE WAS OPPRESSED, AND HE WAS AFFLICTED, YET HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH: HE IS BROUGHT AS A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND AS A SHEEP BEFORE HER SHEARERS IS DUMB, SO HE OPENETH NOT HIS MOUTH.” – ISAIAH 53

He opened not His mouth.  Jesus.  Who had the power to smite everyone with a word and show the power of the Almighty of who He was said nothing.  When His enemies (and there were many) called Him a blasphemer and mocked Him He let them be who they were.  He did not try to prove who He was.  He simply said…

“SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES; FOR IN THEM YE THINK YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE: AND THEY ARE THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME. AND YE WILL NOT COME TO ME, THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE. I RECEIVE NOT HONOUR FROM MEN. BUT I KNOW YOU, THAT YE HAVE NOT THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOU.
I AM COME IN MY FATHER’S NAME, AND YE RECEIVE ME NOT: IF ANOTHER SHALL COME IN HIS OWN NAME, HIM YE WILL RECEIVE. HOW CAN YE BELIEVE, WHICH RECEIVE HONOUR ONE OF ANOTHER, AND SEEK NOT THE HONOUR THAT COMETH FROM GOD ONLY? DO NOT THINK THAT I WILL ACCUSE YOU TO THE FATHER: THERE IS ONE THAT ACCUSETH YOU, EVEN MOSES, IN WHOM YE TRUST. FOR HAD YE BELIEVED MOSES, YE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED ME: FOR HE WROTE OF ME. BUT IF YE BELIEVE NOT HIS WRITINGS, HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE MY WORDS?” – JOHN 5:39-47

He came to this earth as a suffering servant.  He knew the plan.  His flesh cried and sweat blood in the garden.  If it was God’s will He asked His father to take this cup from Him.  But, He continued on because He knew the bigger picture.  He even forgave His enemies while hanging on the cross they murdered Him with.  There are no physical Herods or Saul’s in my life.  Day by day and hour by hour I need Him.  He shows up and continuously shows grace and mercy.

That is what a servant’s heart looks like.  That is what humbleness looks like.  That is what I am not worthy of.  It is not by my own works, but only by His grace THROUGH FAITH I am saved.

He loves me and I am in this for the long haul.

I am His and He is mine.

“BUT THE ANOINTING WHICH YE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIM ABIDETH IN YOU, AND YE NEED NOT THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU: BUT AS THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, AND IS TRUTH, AND IS NO LIE, AND EVEN AS IT HATH TAUGHT YOU, YE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM.”
-1 JOHN 2:27

He is the greatest treasure I have found.  He is the greatest Love that my heart could ever want.  He pursues and fights for me.  He rushed in when I called for help and wanted to reveal Himself to me.  He taught me about Himself.

“I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME, AND DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS.”
-PSALM 34:4

If I searched the world all over what would I ever stumble upon that could compare to this?

People can keep their dead idols and dead works.  I have the real thing that casts my idols away and is jealous for me.  He wants all of me.

That is a love worth fighting for.

“The battle rages on as storm and tempest roar.
We cannot win this fight inside our rebel hearts.
We’re laying down our weapons now…

Here on this Holy ground You made a way for peace.
Laying Your body down You took our rightful place.
This freedom song is marching on…

We raise our white flag
We surrender all to You…
All for You.
We raise our white flag…
The war is over.
Love has come…
Your love has won!”
Youtube: Chris Tomlin – White Flag

Someone who knows how much I love to bake sent me a recipe for Homemade Ding Dong cake.  You know those processed snacks you buy at the grocery store?  The chocolate cake with cream filling?!?

Why settle for the cardboard processed junk when you can make a much richer and satisfying dessert made with real ingredients?  It just takes a little more effort.

Make your calories count. 😀

Recipe: Ding Dong Cake 

Did you catch that bad metaphor? 😛

Faceless: Daily Post