I am always amazed at people who will not heed instructions, particularly those that can kill if not heeded! My husband and I had seen the warning of Tsunami for the west coast of the United States. Being that a volcano erupted in the Pacific Ocean, we pay attention to it. We were up early on Saturday to see what was in effect for our state. The station we sometimes watch for weather showed the beach and wave action at Seaside, Oregon. Now we have seen what will happen to that city in a big Tsunami. There have been people working on scenarios of crises for that city if a tsunami appears. We learned from watching those specialist is that most of the city will most likely be carried out to sea! Anyway, we watched and watched, and waited for some word, and suddenly the station tuned to the college basketball game already in progress.
Now I say
something like: “What?” "What....a basketball game.....!!!!
Yeah, then
we hear nothing. We see more pictures of the island of Tonga just south of the Figi
Islands, and watched the explosive volcano send out all
those hot gases including much sulfur and how much of the land of Tonga was
affected. We were amazed at the strength of the eruption and how all the island was covered with four inches of ash. Then you
wonder who is alive with such a terrific blast that close and underwater, and how would anyone get
to them in that region to bring them some kind of relief!
Finally we
see pictures last night, yes on Tuesday night and there is nothing but ash and no life
seen. But the report out of Oregon for Seaside was a most jaw dropping, neck
jerking, and awe inspired word for the journalist reported that some people of
that city decided to check out the Tsunami and when they heard the blast for
the WARNING, they marched toward the beach and not away from the water action coming. Yes, the Report was that if a tsunami of magnitude had occurred at that moment, it would have
caused traffic jams with those trying to leave the city with those running to
the ACTION just to get a look at the BIG WAVE!
How many
run to action to end up in the action and not live to tell about it? How many
will not listen to instruction when there is a destructive thing occurring and
can affect any coastal city on the west coast of America? I wonder if there is any sanity left in America.
Remember,
that our heart contains the motivations for what we do and why we do it. So I
ask you today, is your heart healthy and instructed to know Tsunamis can kill
you? Just as the body can’t function well without a healthy heart, neither can
the Christian with a spiritual heart—we will be sluggish in our work, hard at
hearing God’s word, and slow to recognize His presence. The consistent
disciplines of the Christian faith of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship will
keep our spiritual heart pumping strong toward our eternal destination.
So can you
see a healthy heart is required to live long on the earth! Has anyone surrendered to know the truth of Tsunamis and how to stay out of one? But discipline is required whether you are born again unto the Lord, discipline to be taught how to raise your children, to be taught the wisdom to make it through life without meeting some devastating waves at your back door.
One of the
best blessings in being a believer in Jesus Christ is the peace that rises
above every life situation including Tsunamis or volcanic eruptions. While
others are fretting with worry, believers have the power of the Holy Spirit to
guard their hearts and minds with peace that has no human explanation. Having
peace allows believers to continue to go through hardship and painful
situations without regret. The key to having peace in our hearts is
surrendering all our prayers to God and trusting in Him to take care of each
one. We must be instructed by Him! We must be about His plan for our lives!
We have the
abilities God placed in us before we were born. But we must seek out His
wisdom, that purpose for our lives where His wisdom in that instruction leads
us. We have this word given to us in Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good
medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” . When you and I have joy in
our hearts, it will spill over and out to those who are around us. We bring the
medicine of cheerfulness not because every situation is great, but because God
is greater than any situation like Tsunamis. Our joy is renewed as we stay in
the presence of God through prayer and Bible study. The key to having a joyful
heart is to keep our minds stayed on God and His grace over our lives. Things
occur! Everyday there is catastrophe in the world, but we should not meditate
on those things. We are to meditate on the goodness of God!
One thought
of someone who would run to see the Tsunami would be a person who is ruled by
their own mind and heart. It is exhibited worldwide, regardless of culture. Those who are self-centered rather than
God-centered will end up in a world of hurt.
This is due
to the underlying spirit beings who are at its
heart and soul, being the key
elements in communicating the course of this world into humanity. One
illustration or example would be seen in Genesis 1:31. Genesis 1:31 reads,
"Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So
the evening and the morning were the sixth day." God's statement of
satisfaction in all He had made at the end of the sixth day of creation
includes Adam and Eve's nature, as by this time they were already created.
In the
beginning, mankind’s nature is designed and designated by our Creator God. And
He stated: “it was very good.” But we also find in the Genesis 3 record that
the episode that began the transformation of their basic nature to the extremes
of self-centeredness we witness today. Man's nature was not created evil, but
it became evil through the influence of another spirit - besides God - that
Adam and Eve chose to follow without any interference from their Creator.
2 Timothy 3:13 reveals a general principle still working as we "progress" toward the return of Jesus Christ: "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Improving character and conduct in any given culture are temporary, indeed very brief, when observed within a survey of all of man's history. Yeah, men are growing into the worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. We must pay attention to what we spend time in seeing and hearing for what we put in our hearts will certainly spill over and touch other people's lives. And hopefully what is coming out of our hearts is not folly but the wisdom of God to make right decisions.
Moral deterioration
that concluded with the Flood was quickly restarted shortly after its waters
receded, and it persists to this day, as each person is born into this world
and exposed to the same spirit and to the variety of courses that influenced
Adam and Eve and all their progeny. Because we are made of flesh, we are born
with a slight pull toward self, but not with the corruption that later develops
and reveals itself in our conduct. Evil is passed on by the spirit of the age
through the course of this evil world. It is transferred to us through the cultures into which we are born, all of which are carnal to the
core. Yeah culture rated R and XXX you might say and causes death! Yikes. You can see that on the commercials.
Was thinking
about Haman and Queen Esther. Haman wanted the Jews killed. He had come into
some authority with the ring of the king and he built a gallows to hang people
on it. In Esther 3 Haman plots against the Jews to kill them . Mordecai
persuades Esther to intervene and then Esther solicits Mordicai’s help in chapter
4. In this, it is that Modecai is exalted and Haman hates it and talks about it
much with his family. Haman plots to destroy Mordecai. But by chapter 7 it is Haman
who is exposed and he himself with his sons are hanged on the gallows instead. By
chapter 8 the king issues a decree to stop what Haman had started. The Jews
defeat their enemies.
In this
world, those who serve themselves will find trouble and much hurt. It was two
who worked together to commit to pray and fast for a nation. Among hostile
people, the Jews survived the plans of the enemy and saw them come to nothing.
If we
receive instruction to a warning of destruction, should we not take it to
prayer and to another with us who will pray alongside us to see God’s plan for
our lives? Or will we jet out on the horn’s notice and be met next time by a 90
foot tidal wave? It is a choice indeed and a healthy heart is required in that
it hears God and knows truth to live to 120 years. If Haman had a different
heart, he might have lived longer in his life on earth.
Most certainly
it is mankind and those represented by Adam and Eve, who have chosen to submit
to Satan, and all of their descendants, including us, have also chosen to
become evil under the sway of the same evil spirit that offered our first
parents the choice. This creates and accounts for "the course of this
world."
Was also thinking of David, who sent by his father to take cheese and bread to his brothers and those fighting the frontlines against the Philistines. David took his father's instruction and went the way to bring some food and comfort from home. But in his going, he met Goliath who held hate for God's people. David obeyed and found a cause worth fighting. He used that of his weapons used in the field against the lion and the bear. David would be victorious for he would slay the giant and remove his head too!
Tsunamis
exist in this fallen world, and those world events will play out among the evil
and the just, but many will be caught in the evil schemes to catch a glimpse of
a wave started by a catastrophic volcanic eruption deep in the Pacific Ocean.
And many will try to soothe their ego to have their will be done and be entertained by
a great splash, but then they will only be lost to the depths of their ego, the
unbelief that guards their heart and holds its display that a “foolish person “
might be present.
And if you
should know one, remind them that God desires them to have long life, to follow
His instructions where we are disciplined. The benefits in discipline is for
each of us to be immersed in the word of God, to read the Scriptures daily so
that God is revealed to us and our hearts. If we want to know and enjoy life,
we must know Him who created life for us. In God, the place to begin is in God’s
word.
No one has
to tell me that Tsunamis can kill nor can anyone tell me that earthquakes cause
great damage and kills by violence. And a warning should be noted. I would
rather not be in an earthquake nor a volcanic eruption, but I have been
disciplined to know the “dangers” by reading and preparing since I have many
volcanoes surrounding us where we live. We have viewed documentaries on T.V. to know the best action for safety and that is to get to high ground not sea level in view of a flood of tidal proportions.
Apart from the Bible, we cannot know what God is like. He is our Father, He has love for us and really wants to give us His wisdom for this life to live in despite of volcanoes, earthquakes, firestorms and polar blasts and heat waves! My husband and I have seen to having a healthy heart when something has gone amuck in this county, this state or country. We choose to pray and read the word of God. We choose to hear the Lord speak His instruction. And then we rehearse what is important if we are not together when an event occurs. We have planned what to do and how to get from point A to point B without many distractions and obstacles in safe and wise ways!
We must be
awakened to truth, and disciplined for that which brings life. God never
changes and He instituted instruction in His wisdom to live long. And we plan
to do that, for His spiritual truth remains the same: yesterday, today and
forever in Christ Jesus! And in Him are safe indeed, in the arms of a loving
God! Amen.
New teaching at: Voice of Prayer
POWER
