This week I had a very harsh reminder of how smooth our enemy is.

You’ve heard me say many times, Satan is too predictable to me during a direct attack and the only way he is able to get to me is through other people.

Just this Sunday morning I got a brutal wake-up call from some people close to me that I love a whole lot. I’ve come to see that some folks I thought were friendly to me are in fact impostors just friendly for their own personal gain.

When the truth came out by way of a fiery tongue, I was devastated. My heart was broken so hard I felt like my world had come to an end.

Not knowing what else to do, I called on God to help me with this unbearable pain I was feeling inside. The more I cried the more it hurt and the less it seemed like God was going to answer my prayers.

The only other thing I knew to do was to call on my friends. I mean the friends who have nasty ministries Those men who shine the light of Jesus but you can always tell that light is shining through the grit , grim and puss that got all over them from someone else’s sores from life. The one’s who people call “dangerous Christians”. Those 3 men who I know would walk through fire to Carry me out if I couldn’t make it. With only a short plea typed through eyes swollen from all the tears, my friends came to my aid.

Unable to speak myself, I just listened to the counsel of a friend and prayer and a word of encouragement. Then emails and text messages leading me back to my feet where I could stand in the strength of the Lord again. OH GOD I THANK YOU FOR MY FRIENDS! PLEASE LET ME BE ALL TO THEM THAT THEY ARE TO ME!

A little later I started getting calls and messages from another group of people, those that were so brutal in their verbal attack on me were now telling me how sorry they were and how they did not mean anything they said. They tried but the honesty if it is that once things are said to hurt someone, they are said and can’t just be erased. I will say I love them and was never mad about that, just deeply hurt in it. Be careful what you say and be slow to say it. I’ve come to appreciate my Grandma’s advice as some of the best teaching I ever had. She always said, “If you can’t say something good, don’t say anything at all”. Good stuff Memaw! Thank you.

Today is Tuesday. The pain is still there and will be for a while I suppose. If I explained, you’d understand but that is not what my blog is about today. I want to offer you both a warning, and some advice.

WARNING: Be very careful who you allow to befriend you. Not everyone who speaks good to your face speaks good behind your back. They could be speaking badly of you to some people that are close to you and those words can rise up when you least expect it and pierce your heart and cause you unbelievable pain.

ADVICE: Develop Godly friendships of like-minded people. You may find that a handful will develop into a bond that has depth and power in it. These are so important. I know a lot of people. I have a lot of Christian friends. The brotherhood I speak of, I have 3 right now and those 3 men have been my strength on occasions when I really did not feel like I could get up and swing the sword again. While I just breathed, they locked me behind their shields and fought for me until I could get up and shake the enemy off me. WOW, how amazing it is to have even one friend like that! I am truly blessed.

Be very careful of your friends who are not born again believers. They are nice. They are friendly and you may have fun together but there are things about your life they just cannot understand and therefore will not be of any help in a spiritual battle. Spiritual battles are fought by spiritual warriors and if you have 3 or 4 fighting with you the battle will be easier won. Believe me, I know. I just had my biggest reminder ever this week.

Blessings and peace to all my friends who visit inthestreet.org. Whether we share faith or not, I love you all so much and hope that this message will offer encouragement and wisdom to you today.

No matter what you’re going through today or how hard it is, God is totally in control of the chaos. I know that does not sound acceptable but it is true. I can’t completely explain it but God is never out of control. All things (not all good things) ALL THINGS work together for our (the saved) benefit.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose ROMANS 8:28

With great big heaping piles of love for you today, 

John

Posted under FROM THE HEART