Heading Home

“And there came a lion.”(1 Sam. 17:34 KJV)

Sneaking. Craftily.

Slithering through the underbrush, like a fat snake.

Gingerly touching his paws to the tall, dry grasses.

His movements, almost imperceptible, as if in extreme slow motion. So as not to make his prey aware of his presence.

Eying his victim. Poised to pounce.

A magnificent creature, which lion considers a delectable morsel for his lunch, stands nearby, unsuspecting. Leisurely nibbling on grass and sipping from the stream, satisfying its cravings. Neglectful to its surroundings, distracted from being vigilant.

Unfortunately, its inattention prompted its demise.

There was another lion; his name was Clarence. You may remember him, if you’re old enough. His eyes were crossed. Because of this, he relied on humans for his survival, which made him a friendly and safe lion. He was definitely a big pussycat!

He “acted” in several movies, one being Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion, and in TV programs like Daktari. When he got past his prime, he became even more docile; in fact, he was playful as a kitten and loved people.

I once heard a story about him. When he was no longer needed, some people adopted him and took him into their home. One night when the owners were out, a burglar broke into the house. But as he was about to leave, Clarence wandered in.

He knocked the man down and sat on his chest, wanting to be friends and play. However, the man didn’t know this and was scared stiff. Literally! He couldn’t move a muscle.

When the owners arrived home, they found Clarence still sitting on the man, who was now white as a sheet. After calling the police, the owners told the man that Clarence would not have eaten him. He didn’t have any teeth!

Unfortunately, there is yet another lion. One the Bible tells us about. He isn’t friendly and he isn’t safe like Clarence. He has a full set of teeth, like the first lion above, one that prowls around, “looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

This lion is sneaky. Crafty. Gingerly tiptoeing around. He slithers through the world, like a fat snake. He eyes his prey, his victims. Ready to pounce at any moment.

We are his prey, his delectable lunch. This lion comes...

* to steal our joy, our praise, the word of God out of our hearts.
* to kill our faith, our confidence, our trust in the Lord.
* to destroy our fellowship with Jesus.

Sometimes, we disregard living a holy life. Satisfying our worldly cravings blinds us to fulfilling our true needs, our spiritual needs. Busyness sidetracks us, distracting us from being vigilant to more important things. Trials can sideswipe us, knocking us off God’s path.

When we allow these things to happen, we will either draw closer to God or pull away from Him. If we pull away, we will neglect our time with the Lord and His Word. We will lack the supply of all we need to function properly each day and the enemy’s tactics will be to our defeat.

You can take away that ol’ lions teeth and silence his growl. Because of your position in Christ, your righteousness in God, you possess the confidence and boldness to stand up to that assassin.

What did Jesus tell the seventy disciples? “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy.” (Luke 10:19 NLT)

You have the same privilege. You can use the Name of Jesus and His authority to stand against your opponent. Keep in mind: he’s already a defeated foe!

The Bible tells us...

* “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8 NKJV)
* “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 NIV)
* “Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” (1 Peter 5:9 NLT)
* “Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].” (Eph. 4:27 Amp)

Just remember: The hollowness of hell’s hunger hankers to be filled with God’s delectable morsels – His children. If you hear its stomach growl, watch out!

Therefore, stay alert! That ol’ enemy of yours is prowling after you. Don’t let the lion knock you down, sit on your chest, and growl in your face!

Give him your best growl back!



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Reflections of His Grace

photo Life.com
If you’ve been following along, the last two posts (Room at the Top and Rebuild the Walls But Don’t Give the Enemy a Spare Room) have been running in a theme…keeping our hearts’ temples free of unwanted things and allowing them to be filled with God and His holiness. Here is the next in the series…

In ancient times, the shoulder was known as the burden bearer and became recognized as the symbol of authority and power. Therefore, keys placed upon a person’s shoulder indicated he had been appointed to a high position of responsibility in the king’s palace, granting him authority and free access over the king’s possessions.

In wearing the keys of authority, one received the privilege of opening and shutting the doors of the king’s house. The accountability of the keys consisted not only of the oversight of the royal chambers but also of deciding who was, or was not, to be allowed into the king’s presence and service.

Being entrusted with the keys, the doorkeeper was considered trustworthy and acted as a guard stationed at any entrance through which someone unwanted might enter, especially at night. He stood at the threshold, as a sentinel, allowing nothing of his master’s to leave the premises.

Doorkeepers, or porters, were sometimes referred to as gatekeepers or keepers of the threshold of the temple and…

*had charge of the sacred vessels,
*were responsible for collecting money from the people for temple purposes,
*guarded the gates of the house of Jehovah, opening and closing them at the proper times, and
*prevented the unclean from entering.

This honorable position also warranted a living chamber in the temple.

In the parable illustrating the end times and the duty to be watchful and faithful, scripture says, “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back.” (Mark 13:33-35a NIV)

In essence, he told the doorkeeper to keep guard at the gate, not letting anyone in that did not belong, such as strangers or enemies trying to gain entrance to rob the master’s house.

Do you see anything in all that?

When the owner of a house leaves for an extended period, he usually surrenders his house key into the care of someone who will look after the place while he is away. This is a picture of what Christ did for us after His resurrection. He left the affairs of the kingdom in the care and trust of us, His family and servants…

*entrusting us with the keys of authority to the kingdom,
*giving us stewardship control over the treasures of the kingdom,
*and charging us to protect the doorway to our hearts and preventing anything unclean to enter His temple.

Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Believe Me when I tell you that anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the door, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a rogue. It is the shepherd of the flock who goes in by the door. It is to him the door-keeper opens the door and it is his voice that the sheep recognise.” (John 10:1-3 Phillips)

How well do you guard the sacredness of your temple, the King’s palace within your heart? How well do you prevent the unclean from entering, the unwanted salesman soliciting your attention? Do you stand sentinel at your heart’s door, opening only at the voice of the Shepherd?

He’s coming back soon. “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” When He returns, will you hear…“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21 NIV)

Are you a faithful and trustworthy doorkeeper?

This is not any theology and is by no means complete. It is merely a thought-provoking illustration that I thought you might enjoy…

In days gone by, a king sent his son to represent his kingdom in a foreign land. When a king or a sovereign of a country wanted to spread his authority and influence to a new territory, he sent his son or an ambassador to set up a foreign mission office or embassy.

The reputation of the king reflected on his subjects and vise versa. The king appoints or chooses those whom He desires to represent him to other nations. Jesus said to the disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” (John 15:16 NKJV)

An ambassador is a citizen of a country and is chosen or appointed by the ruler of his country. He is sent to a foreign land to represent his ruler on an official mission to establish a base of operation for transacting business for the home government.

During his stay, he lives in the embassy, which is the site of all official business conducted for the government it represents. The embassy is a gated community, the ambassador’s safe haven from any enemies or intruders.

Unless invited, a citizen of the foreign land (as an enemy) may not enter the sealed off district without the consent of its ambassador, because the representative of the kingdom has control of the gate.

Therefore, to enter the front gate, a citizen of the foreign land must first get permission or be issued an invitation by the ambassador. The ambassador has been given the keys of authority to lock and unlock the gate.

The ambassador is sent to represent the traits, customs, and so on, of his ruler and his country. Where the embassy of the kingdom exists, the language of the kingdom is spoken. The ambassador’s speech then reflects on the king. The land of his birth can be distinguished the minute he opens his mouth. His accent and language are a give-away, for he is speaking the language of his kingdom, his homeland tongue.

While on this foreign mission as the ruler’s spokesman, he carries the authority of the word of the ruler of his country, upholding the commands and laws of the homeland. He is critical to the ruler’s efforts of establishing a forefront of the ruler’s presence in a foreign land.

Ambassadors cannot be detained or arrested, or, in other words, the law outside the compound of the embassy has no jurisdiction over the ambassador. He has diplomatic immunity, but while in the foreign land, ambassadors are obliged to refrain from meddling in the host country’s internal affairs.

Our personal application: We were all “aliens from the commonwealth” until we became “naturalized,” or citizens of the Kingdom. We are not illegal immigrants. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].” (Luke 17:21 Amp)

This is our embassy here on earth, in our hearts, for we are “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,” living as outposts in a foreign land, in the land of the enemy. (Eph. 2:19 NKJV)

Our Sovereign Ruler has endowed us with the rights, freedoms, privileges, immunities, and duties of citizenship of the Kingdom. We also have the right to be protected by the Kings’ army to defend us from any enemy that would attack the embassy gate. But we are also expected to obey our duties as citizens.

Within the confines of our gated community, we are protected; it is our safe haven. We have control of the gate. We have the keys of the Kingdom.

Our King is responsible for our upkeep, providing for us and protecting us. You are God’s ambassador, sent on a mission to take care of His business; He is responsible for taking care of you.

We carry the authority of the Word of our Sovereign while we are on our mission for Him. We play a critical role in His efforts to expand His Kingdom to others.

As a citizen of God’s Kingdom, what we say reflects on our King. The words we speak will identify which kingdom we represent, letting everyone know our native Homeland. We are to exhibit the character of the One that sent us, reflecting graciously on the Sovereign of our Homeland.

The law outside the compound of the embassy is the enemy’s territory, and we are to stay out of the world’s manner of doing things, not indulging in its affairs or activities. The world’s system has no place in a believer’s life.

Only the law within the gates of the Kingdom reigns over the citizen of that Kingdom. In essence, we cannot serve two governments, two authorities…either the government of heaven or the government of the opposition.

As we have been chosen and have accepted the responsibility, we carry on the mission of our Ruler amidst diverse and hostile natives. We represent our King as ambassadors to a world of foreigners.

Jesus said, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Matt. 6:26 Amp) Therefore, having been commissioned by God to do the business of the Kingdom, we are to go to foreign places to represent the Name and the work of the Sovereign One sending us.

We are to make known the dominion of our King, to give His perspectives on life, to show others what life is like in the Kingdom in which we live, and to recruit new citizens into the Kingdom.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” (Rom. 14:17-18 NIV)