I Believe...

Upon joining a writer's group
on this wonderful blog-world,
I was asked to describe my faith.
It was great fun.
Here is what I wrote.
















How Do You Describe Your Faith?


Growing, but firm.
My faith is in God the Father,
God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
I believe God is able to perform miracles,
if it fits in His plan.

I believe the Word of God as it was written,
when read in light of what the authors'
intended meanings were, and that it's infallible.
I believe God's Word is not so mysterious
that it can't be understood, but I believe
The Holy Spirit is the One who reveals it
and I must read it depending on Him
to do so. Without the Holy Spirit's help,
the Word of God cannot be understood.

I believe in the great "Catching Up" (Rapture),
but even though I see Him coming sooner
than any of us realize, I don't date the event.
I long for His coming almost too much.

I believe I have only one life, t'will soon be past,
and that only what's done for Christ will last.
I believe every soul I recruit into God's Army,
as empowered by God,
is the most crucial business I need to attend to.

I believe the Body of Christ is indispensible.
I can go anywhere and feel at home
when brothers and sisters are there.

Now for the faith to walk in all I believe in...

Even Little Things

Even little things can become crazy big.

One little bite once led to a smorgasborg of sin...
(See Genesis 3)

One little photograph copy-and-paste is,

truthfully,

theft.

I am guilty.

I am going to make it right.

I will delete pictures belonging
to professional photographers,
and in time, replace them with
my own, home-grown version.

Deepest apologies to all concerned,
truthbyter bites the truth...
and comes cleaner.

20-20 - Not Good Enough

"To be what we are, and
to become what we are
capable of becoming,
is the only end of life."
-Robert Louis Stevenson

Oh, How dreadfully sad if this were true!


"Eat, drink and be merry"
I say... for tomorrow we die!"

Oh, no no no no no! So glad that
quote is NOT true!

There is an eternity ahead of us.
We need to look up to eternity...
...to see this little life in light of it.















(Photo taken by Joseph Sade, in Brown City, MI.)

There is more to life than being somebody
who inhabits the earth, and who does his
best at being who he is or is yet to be.

It does sound lofty, though.

That I can be all I can be.... and just
think... the possibilities are endless!

And it is true that being all you are capable
of being brings satisfaction, however, a man
with no God knows too little.

But the man who knows God will view
and live life as one who sees with eternity
in mind. For him, 20-20 vision is insufficient.

And who do I pity the most on this old
planet of ours? The one whom Jesus
resurrected from the dead... Lazarus.

He had it so good.

But God will even bring back the dead,
if it will prove a point and point us to Him.

We can be way too near-sighted.


"In Him (Christ) was life, and the life
was the light of men. And the light
shines in the darkness..." John 1:4,5a

"...Most assuredly, I say to you, unless
one is born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God." John 3:3

Digging the Word

Can I say that I get into the Word
With a Pharisee kind of intensity...

Can I say I know the Word
as well as Saul did,
before he became Paul?

Can I say I have Searched the Scriptures...









As the Bereans did?

Can I say I can give a reason for the hope
of the calling of God within me?

I'd like to think so.
I'd like to make sure I can.
But may it all lead to Christ-likeness...
and not some glorified seat of knowledge.
Because knowledge can puff up.

The last thing
the world needs is
another puffed up fish.

.

It's not About Happiness

C.S. Lewis said this...

“If you think of this world as a place
intended simply for our happiness,
you find it quite intolerable: think of it
as a place of training and correction
and it’s not so bad.” - God in the Dock











Boot camp. That's what I would call it.
Well, more accurately, full out war.

There's no mistaking it - we exist
in a world of conflicting powers.

The power of evil,
anxious to control;
and the power of good;
each wanting my soul.

Some don't think there's a war
going on. I understand that.
And this is where we split ways...
But I believe there is a war going on.

Ever heard of landing
on enemy territory
and doing nothing?
Guess who's dog meat?

There is no off-duty.

I can choose to be defensive...
or get on the offensive...
but I better not be a sitting duck.

It is definetly my move.

Though happiness does not
fit in this picture of war,
Joy does...

Why?

1. Because I am not alone.

(One Who is closer than a brother,
and loves me beyond understanding,
abides within me and strengthens me.)

2. And because this is not my
final destination.

(On this earth, there simply
is no place like Home...
and just the thought of Home
delights my Heart.)

And to the degree that
I believe these two things,
to that degree,
I will experience joy.

This year, I'm in pursuit of the joy
that is to be found only in Him.



The thief cometh not, but for to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy: I am come
that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Many Many Troubles

"I am an old man and

I've had many troubles-

most of which

never happened."

-Mark Twain

Thanks, Mr. Twain,

I needed to hear that.

TAKE FIVE

This couple:
















is magnificently blessed

Not counting their beautiful
canine... together,
with these charming young men...they



















...make Five.

My greatest desire,
from the deepest
recesses of my heart...
is that when that great
Uplifting Rapture comes...

It will Take Five.

The five of us,

along with all the others...

Oh, God, so be it.
May I, this year,
show myself
faithful in prayer,
faithful in word,
faithful in deed,
and faithful in
devotion...

that such a desire
would come true,
not because of me,
but because YOU are faithful.

Thank you for my men.
Thank you for our lives.
Thank you for giving
Your life... for ours.

Amen!

Feelings.....

(Regarding silly girls)


"They had a feeling,
or a feeling had them,
till another feeling came
and took its place.
When a feeling was there,
they felt as if it would never go;
when it was gone they felt as if it had never been;
when it returned, they felt as if it had never gone."
-George MacDonald


Feelings.













They'll throw me if I don't watch it.
So I will keep watch over them,
by day and by night!


And when they get out of hand...
I will check the culprit...

My thinking.

I really believe what I think
determines how I feel... "as a man
thinketh in his heart, so is he..."
Proverbs 23:7


I hope to keep the following verse
in the forefront of my mind at all times...

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthins 10:5


And for another incentinve...

When I was a child,
I spake as a child,
I understood as a child,
I thought as a child:
but when I became a man,
I put away childish things.
1 Cor. 13:11

"Baby" God

TO ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY...

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE...

Jesus was born into "my" Humanity for a reason.

(He didn't have to come...but He did.)

Why? Why did He come to be

Emmanuel, i.e.

God with me?













Because...

He was...

Born to Crush Evil within me,

to Deliver me, a Captive,

to Reveal God to me,

to Come Live in Me,

to Give me Life Abundantly,

to Conquer Sin in me,

Born.... to pay the price and

Die,

for me.










All of His earthly, Human/God life
was for my good and your good.

All the way to the gruesome end
and further on to His grand
resurrection finale.













Now that's the spirit, Santa,
...you've got it right.
And I...
will do the same.

Merry ChristMass to all,

truthbyter

DOUBLE EDGED TRUTH

Truth is sharper than
a double-edged sword.









On one side of the blade,
Truth cuts deep,
spills blood,
makes a mess,
creates sorrow...
and really really hurts
like a 10 on the pain scale.
Truth on this side
reveals where deception
has been at work.

On the other side,
Truth has the power
to disengage a soul
from life-long,
crippling,
paralyzing and
agonizing deceptions.
This side of Truth
releases the soul
from bondage and
sets it free.

__________________________


But before I can have this release,
this freedom from deception,
there must be surgery.


And before I can have surgery,
there must be a willingness.














"MUST I have surgery?" I may ask.
(Must I face up to this crippling fault?
Must I submit to the removal of it?)

"YES!" is the Surgeon's
merciful answer.

Am I wanting to disengage
from harmful lifestyles,
engagements, habits,
relationships, etc?

The Merciful, Master Surgeon
must have his patient's consent,
and the patient must be still.
I must let the blade do the work,
and trust Him completely.




"For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart."

Hebrews 4:12

Beatrix Potter's Relief

"Thank goodness I was never sent to school;
it would have rubbed off some of the originality. "

- Beatrix Potter

















Ah, you can survive public school alright -

but at home, you just get to be yourself
without being laughed at or ridiculed.
You can also be yourself and find joy in it!
And if your parents are smart - they will let you
be you and they will help you be your best.
And the "bestest" thing about homeschool?

Reading is Cool.

Big Difference

Cute.


===============














Not so cute.


===============


Evil exists.
Satan exists.
And he hates you,
Specifically.


I must respect evil
for the harm it causes.
I will not ignore it
at my own peril.

Two powers vie for my attention.
One good, and the other evil.
Which will I side with?
Which will I give myself to?
Which will I choose to serve?










There is no middle ground.
There's too much war, too
much misery, too much pain,
to just turn my head and
go about my self-serving ways.

God help me take life seriously.
God help me make my life meaningful
by being part of the answer -
rather than being part of the problem.




"Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour ."
1 Peter 5:8



"Ye are of God, little children ...
greater is He that is in you,
than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4

Deep Calls Unto Deep

Have I found a treasure!

It is hard to express
the effect it had
on me.

It represents all I try to communicate
in these little blogs of mine - little
expressions of inner discoveries
and inner convictions.

Here's the excerpt...

"For myself, I long ago decided that I would
rather know the truth than be happy in
ignorance. If I cannot have both truth and
happiness, give me truth. We'll have a long
time to be happy in heaven." A.W. Tozer

This little bundle of words
represents Truthbyter.

Someday I'll have the pleasure
of shaking the hand of Tozer, who,
unbeknownst to himself, nodded
with approval and understanding
and kindred sympathy towards me.

Thank you, Father.

You, who are Father
of all those who quietly
suffer such inward battles
with sin, with imperfection
and unhappiness, that after
a while, Truth becomes sweeter
even than happiness.











Truth that brings to light
what is of greatest value.

"Ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall set you free."
John 8:32

Conviction

"If the Spirit of God is responsible
to convict the world of sin,
He must first of all convict us of sin
because we are the ones He indwells-
we are the tools He will use."
-Theodore Epp


This is no easy thing...
to be used to convict.

And it is no easy thing...
to first be convicted.




















And I often am convicted.

And when I am and express my grief...
those closest to me can be the first
to attempt "relieving" my conscience
and being my very own cheerleaders...
cheering me on to better thinking,
for the purpose of better living,
and of a happier disposition.

I do not blame them.
I understand it.

But I do not accept the cheers
nor the reproofs
for the posture I take.

If I take my sin seriously,
God will grant me freedom from it...
even if over time.

It is God's mercy
that He convicts.
Because
sin
hurts
us
all.

"Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts..."
Psalm 51:6

So What if I Worry?

Just a thought...
Just a wonder...
Just a little idea,
maybe not a big deal.

Well... actually... It could be worse
than I think. I mean, it really could be!

As a matter of fact... I don't think it
could be, I think it is! And you know,
it CANT get much worse! I mean...
LOOK at what I have here...
just, just look at it...........!

And this, I have been guilty of
over and over again.











Worry, pity-party, anxiety, fretting...
all of it - it all boils down to one thing...

Atheism.

The Devil's Delight

"The one concern of the devil
is to keep Christians
from praying."
Samuel Chadwick


I will not give him that pleasure.

If I am to help myself,
My self must pray
To its Maker.
















After all, prayer proves
to me that I'm not alone...
and that God is alive
and well,
in me.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God" Romans 8:16

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
... (and) maketh intercession for us..."
Romans 8:26

Oh My!!!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...

7...
(oh dear!)

8...
(oh boy!)

9...
(Oh yes!)

10...




Ready or not!

















Here He Comes!

___________________

When the prophesied
day-of-the-flood came,
Noah and his family
were ready.
Genesis 7:11-24


When our prophetic
Day-of-His-Return comes,
My family and I
will be ready.
1 Thess. 5:1-11

" Surely, I come quickly..."
Jesus says in Revelation 22:20
_______________________


For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also
to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith;
as it is written... The Just Shall Live by Faith.

Romans 1:16-17

Flying Alone, Anyone?

Eagles ... fly alone...they are crows,
daws, and starlings that flock together.

--John Webster














Success does have its cost.
Aloneness...
blood,
sweat,
tears and fears...

Though I am no great success,
sometimes I do
feel alone.

And, honestly, each man does
have his moments where he is,
indeed,
alone.

Making decisions...
alone.
Facing regrets...
alone.
Counting the cost...
alone.
Feeling doubts...
alone.
And insecurity...
alone.
Dreadfully wanting...
alone.
In the midst of
intense suffering...
alone.










No one is immune.

Yes, eagles may fly alone...
And success does call
for swimming upstream,
and striving...
alone...

But that is not the end-all.

We are human.
Hard-wired for relationship.

To me, the end-all is
greater compassion for man,
and greater dependency
upon God through all
circumstances.

Actually...
a scooting up closer
and closer
to Him.

I have times
of aloneness...
of sadness...
of insecurity,

and though not always
unscarred, I do come
out o.k.

So, we have a common bond.

I am just like you.

Imperfect.

Struggling.

And it's ok.










"...for i acknowledge my transgressions.." psalm 51:3

About the "You Are His Beloved" Skit

Ever felt like the girl
in the skit on the right...?
(Find the video on the right
panel and see for yourself.)

Ever been tossed to and fro
by the call of the wild?

Giving in and getting zero?

What an accurate video.

I've been there.
I've done it.

And if it weren't for Christ,
I wouldn't be around.











Few know the extent.

But My Savior Knows.
And He has made me His.
I am His Beloved.

And Thanks Giving I am, because

God received me and cleansed me.










"God hath received her..."
Romans 14:3


Copy and Paste this link into your browser bar for a larger view of the skit:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

ONLY KIDS GO TO HEAVEN

That is entirely Biblical.


Here it is:


"And Jesus called a little child unto Him
and set him in the midst of his disciples...

"And said, 'Verily I say unto you, Except ye
be converted, and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself
as this little child, the same is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven.' " Matt: 18: 2-5

So...

I must make an effort
to remain child-like,
not child-ish,
but child-like,
teachable,
humble,
trusting,
looking...
Wide-eyed...

for His love and
direction in every
possible
way.

_____________________________


The thing I found interesting...
is that in this passage, Jesus was
speaking to His own, as if to say,

"You, my representatives,
are to be childlike.
It was how you came to
Me, now remain humble,
teachable, trusting... one
not mightier than another...
all looking to the Father for all
mercies, empowerments,
and blessings."

We are but children...
beloved children.