Life Matters - September 10, 2025

It is difficult for those of us still living on this time-oriented globe to accept and to remember that our most urgent need for protection and to be a protector is in and of the spirit realm. It is our nature to focus on the present and to lose sight of goals that consist of promises not yet seen. Promises not yet seen are, after all, not yet reality to us mortals as they are still in the future. And when the future arrives? I suppose we all know what it’s like to have hope for something in the future, but when the future is swallowed by the present, to then be disappointed. How can we know, how can we be assured, that this won’t be the case when Jesus comes to judge the quick (those still living here) and the dead? (those gone on before) (II Timothy 4:1) 

I daresay there will always be a sense of danger, a sense of the unsure, so long as we are here on this spinning orb. God has given us much reason, via warnings and examples, to be aware, to not be careless—carefree, if you will—of and about the spiritual dangers lurking in the shadows and dark places of our journey here. 

God also gives spiritual protection to those who fear Him.  (a reverential dependence upon God) ‘’Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” spake the Psalmist in chapter 23, “I will fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  

There you have it. Comfort, consolation, assurance; all come to rest upon our hearts and minds when our trust, confidence, our faith, reside securely in God, in the One whom He has sent to be the eternal, secure, real, and ever-present Propitiation for our sins. (I John 2:2 & 4:10, Romans 3:25) Being real, ever-present, being of God, being sent from God, being a part of God—His Word—He is God. He came, was sent from God to die in our stead—to take our sins upon Himself, to rise again for our justification and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for us. He has an intense interest in the turmoils, and the responses, here. 

Stephen the apostle, before succumbing to the stones being hurled at him by a mob infuriated by his preaching of Jesus Christ and their own guilt, exclaimed ‘’Behold, I see the heavens opened and the son of man standing on the right hand of the throne of God.” (Acts 7:56) In my mind’s eye I seem to see Jesus standing, leaning forward a bit, with an intense desire that His servant Stephen remain steadfast, unmovable, and with an intense anticipation of receiving him into His glory. I do believe He was also observing His future servant, the Apostle Paul. 

Not only is there a sense of the unsure, a sense of danger, as long as this globe keeps on spinning its yearly orbit around the sun with ourselves on it. There is also a sense of surety, a sense of safety, of comfort, of assurance for those who trust in Jesus, and continue to trust in Jesus, until death is swallowed up in victory. Then comes to pass the saying that is written ‘’O death, where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Corinthians 15:55-56) 

So whether we live life on this spinning orb with a sense of safety and assurance about the future, or whether we live in fear of the unknown, has everything to do with whom we reverence, and in whom we trust for protection and safety; does it not? We can go through all of life trusting in ourselves to do good, to be good tomorrow, to gain God’s favor and protection by what we think of as good works, only to fall abysmally short on the day of Jesus Christ because we trusted in ourselves on this spinning orb. Or we can trust in the One, Jesus Christ, who spoke this orb, everything around, on, and in it, into existence, was born here, shed his blood for us, and is coming again. He has dismounted the donkey and is coming again—this time on a white horse—with a sword in His mouth. (the Word of God) He is the eternal conqueror, the King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16 ) 

God in His Word reminds us of His comforting will and desire for us. “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Life Matters!