The Devourer

I've been having a problem in the barnyard lately. I noticed that some of my baby goats were not growing properly. I've checked their mother and she's producing plenty of milk. Still, they are stunted. I've puzzled and puzzled as to why they are growing improperly. However, today I went outside and noticed a horrifying sight: the beef steer was suckling the milk from the mother goat! No wonder these babies are stunted-- it's because their milk is being devoured by a cow!

Now, granted my cow is not Satan, but this brought to mind one of the names of Satan to me: the Devourer. The Devourer is intent upon his own satisfaction and leaves those weaker than himself to become even more weak. The Devourer oppresses rather than serves. The Devourer is permitted by God to reduce the wealth of people who disobey God and will not honor Him with their possessions. However, when we come into obedience, the Devourer is yanked back from our territory so that our wealth may once again be restored.

"Can a person rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How have we robbed you?' In tenths and voluntary contributions. A curse is on you, on your whole nation, because you rob me. Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and put me to the test,' says the Lord of Hosts (Lord of the armies of heaven), 'See if I won't open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs. For your sakes I will forbid the devourer to destroy the yield from your soil; and your vine will not lose its fruit before harvest-time." Malachi 3:8-11

Though the disobedient are allowed to be chastened by God by way of the Devourer, God is the defender of the weak and will only tolerate the wicked yoke of oppression for so long.

"May Adonai cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks so proudly, those who say, 'By our tongues, we will prevail; our lips are with us. Who can master us?' 'Because the poor are oppressed, because the needy are groaning, I will now rise up,' says Adonai, 'and grant security to those whom they scorn'...You, Adonai, protect us; guard us forever from this generation-- the wicked strut about everywhere when vileness is held in general esteem."

Now-- to go chasten an arrogant, oppressive bovine and restore the rightful inheritance to weakened baby goats! Hallelujah! I shall manage my barnyard as Adonai manages the whole of the earth! Glory to Him and His perfect ways!!!

Inoculated

Recently, my dogs received their rabies vaccinations. However, they didn't receive their tags to signify their vaccination until a couple days ago. This got me to thinking of something that I'd like to share with you.

If I were to put a rabies tag on my dog, it would only be a symbol of their inoculation. It, in and of itself, does not make the dog immune to rabies. The vaccination is what makes the dog immune. Whether or not the dog ever had a tag, it would be immune. To put a tag on an unvaccinated dog would be a farce and a lie. To not tag a vaccinated dog would be only an unfortunate oversight.

What I am getting at is this: There are those of us who wear a "Christian" tag, but we have not received the "inoculation" of the Holy Spirit into our hearts (which makes us immune to separation from God). Carrying a Bible and going to church and learning the lingo of those who know God does not qualify you of being a friend of the Most High. You must receive the serum of Living Water. To not "wear the tag" is not the most crucial thing. Many people have a hard time fitting into the mold that the church seems to cast. No matter! Jesus Christ wants to transform us into His image, and He was tossed out of a church or two! The true importance lies in our being acceptable to God and not man.

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." -1John 1:5-10

If we have disease coursing through our souls and we refuse to be purified of it, we are liars regardless of what "tag" we bear that would claim us to be clean. There is one vaccination against sin, death, and hell and that is the blood of Jesus the Messiah!

"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." -Hebrews 10:11-14

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely, it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." -Hebrews 2:14-17

I do not wish to wear any Christian tag if the living Christ is not in me. Lord, thank you for coming to me while I was yet a sinner and making me acceptable to the Father. Thank you for taking away my fear of death. I know now that the end of my earthly life is the beginning of my heavenly life with You and that is something to rejoice about! Thank you for taking my sin and death and disease upon the cross so I didn't have to bear it. I can now wear your tag and not be a liar. Teach me to walk in the Light! Jesus-- my life and my breath forever.