FOREST WINDS

The September winds are kicking up,
and the poplars, all so grandy,
along the road are saying, “Turn!
Your way is not too dandy!”
 
Their silvery leaves are showing me,
as the sun falls in, and merry,
that the way I go is not that good,
and I’d best let someone carry—
 
Carry me to where the birches dance,
and the ferns, on a wind a-borning,
do swirl and twirl, as I listen well,
to their end-of-summer warning—
 
Warning of the way that I think’s right,
which is not, to be contrary;
for there are commandments to obey,
and they’re anything but airy!

 

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 14:12

 

 

FOREST WINDS

The September winds are kicking up, here in my neck of the woods. A yellow hue tinges the trees and some leaves are showing orange and red. The crisper days of Autumn have begun here in Veery Glade.

While walking on the faithful trail, have you ever noticed a lone fern twirling in a windy swirl as if it were waving while other ferns remained motionless? Even in the small things, creation speaks the truth of God.

Jesus answered. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

John 3:5-8

Let us repent of doing things our own way. Let us follow the Lamb of God, who is also the Intercessor, the Friend, and the Way Maker. Let us enter into a relationship with Him by accepting Him into our heart. Trust the Savior's way. Trust His Word. Indeed, know His Word! Not knowing the Word of God opens up other attempts to gain salvation on other terms.

And the attempts will always fail. For it is only by the mercy of Jesus Christ that lost souls are saved. He was sent to save lost souls. If you're not a lost soul, then you're not in need of saving. But you are deceiving yourself, and that is a very dangerous place to be in. We are all lost souls before life from the Spirit. Lost souls will not survive the wrath of God. I wish I could say otherwise but I would not be echoing truth. I would be catering to something to make you feel more comfortable. I would be compromising the truth of Christ's death on the cruel cross, which is confrontational.

The Son of God's blood is too precious to be trivial or to be insignificant. 

Repent of relying on yourself and ways other than Christ. Renounce those other ways forthwith! A way is provided. A wave is provided! Hop up on the surfboard with me and fellow born-again believers and ride the wave! It's a beautiful view! It's a beautiful ride! It's right where our loving Heavenly Father wants us.

Repent of trying to earn salvation. You cannot. Salvation cannot be earned and yet people keep trying to do it. There will be people in Hell who did many good works in the world (and even in church). They will be in Hell because they never had a relationship with Jesus. They were never born from above. Maybe they had a head knowledge. Maybe they went to church and learned about Jesus but they never made a decision to accept Him. Maybe formality was more important to them than their salvation.

They didn't pray. They didn't ask God. They didn't believe or guard God's Word because it didn't mean anything to them once the novelty wore off. They read words but never understood what they were reading. They read for reading's sake. They didn't perceive what they heard. They saw but they never had sight. (Sounds familiar to the days of Isaiah!)

Let us repent of faithlessness. Let us repent of empty worship for the sake of church tradition, of not experiencing walking with the Lord, not communing with the Spirit, and not understanding scripture. Let us come to our senses and seek the Lord while He may be found. Ask Him in today. Oh, how He wants to come in!

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come; he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

John 16:13

The Holy Spirit brings light to the Word of God. God, the Holy Spirit, breathes wisdom into the minds of those born again. He points to the path the faithful should hike. We submit to His authority because we know He knows best. Faithful prayer is effective in communicating with a loving Heavenly Father who has amazing power to help us.

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:24-26

Let not the devil take you captive. Be in the care of our Creator who loves to hear you call upon Him. And pray for your lost friend to repent.