Ensign: Break The Fast

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3




AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS                       11 September 2015




Wednesday September 9, 1:19 AM.




I was awake and drinking some warm milk -- warm chocolate milk, ok -- to help me sleep and since I couldn't just then get back TO sleep, I opened my journal and started my devotional reading for the day. I had an empty sheet of paper in front of me and got inspired as I was reading in my Bible (somewhere in Colossians, I'm looking at it as I type this) with several ideas for future Ensigns ... the way I was going and am going, I've got ideas to take me through the rest of this year. 


Some might be a little disagreeable. But you know what? If we're not willing to stand up for the Father and Son and Holy Spirit now, Jesus Himself (that's the Son, you may remember) says He will not stand up for us in heaven. The King James Version words this. "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."


Matthew 10:32-33. And to be honest with you, this is a hard thing to do 100% of the time. We have just in the Gospels alone Peter's denial of Christ after He's arrested, Thomas' refusal to believe unless He sees and feels Jesus' wounds for Himself, Paul being a jerk both before and after becoming a disciple (see, we can relate more than you think to people in the Bible) for even though accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is a 180 degree turn in our eternal destination, we are still ourselves.


We're only breaking the fast -- I say this in the sense of entering our Creator's presence with the guarantee that we'll be with Him forever, not what for most people is the first meal of the day, literally "breaking the fast" after whatever you ate last night -- when we make the choice to do so. And this, brothers and sisters, is where we get to the difference between a decision and a choice. A choice is what you make despite the evidence you see; a decision you make based on the evidence.


Does it seem strange to you that I say deciding to follow Jesus, to ask Him to cleanse you from your sins so you can stand before God Who will not tolerate sin is a CHOICE and not a decision?


Those of you reading this who haven't made that choice, I don't know and you don't know how long you have to make it. And the fact that you denied Christ once doesn't get you kicked out of heaven; it's a lifetime of doing that, of choosing that, that does. To make a decision, among options picking the most beneficial or least hurtful to you, potentially requires no end of evidence. That's what a lot of people are waiting on, enough evidence to make what they say is the right choice.


But how much is enough, to break this fast of unbelief?

David


P.S. I write this weekly devotional to keep in touch with you, and I hope it encourages you and me too. If I'm not or you'd like me to get lost, please let me know -- thank you!


Thank You, Lord, for Who You Are. Thank You that we can always come to You in in praise and prayer and thank You for supplying all our needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.


Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of the fence, there and around the world.


Thank You, Lord, for all of us You have placed in leadership and service here and abroad, as well as for the opportunities we have along with the promise of new life in You! And may we all seek and have a blessed week, Amen.