You Own The Most Complex Battlefield Ever Built

You Own The Most Complex Battlefield Ever Built

     In the media-circus atmosphere during this global pandemic we are hearing of sad losses, increased robberies, con artists, political absurdities, false promises, and mind-boggling claims.  But out of everything I've seen, heard or read Pfizer Pharmaceutical just about takes the cake for whopper claims.

     The behemoth worldwide Pharmaceutical has been releasing advertisements since this horrid pandemic began.  One particular grabbed my attention.  In it the the narrator begins by saying:

“At a time when things are uncertain, we turn to the most certain thing there is—science. Science can overcome diseases, create cures and yes, beat pandemics. It has before; it will again.”

      Pfizer includes photos of some of their scientists holding signs saying, “Science Will Win.”  Their spokesperson assures viewers, “Our goal is that the Message of hope, (‘Science Will Win’) will be meaningful in the current environment.”

     It is crucial that any child of God realizes that this claim is clear blasphemy according to the Bible, our personal Christian walk, our travel through the valley of the shadow of death and any personal triumphs we humans achieve.  For anyone to claim that "science is the most certain thing there is" is an arrogant, pride-based, ungodly affirmation that begs God to crush it into the dust.

     Perhaps you’re a new believer or one considering becoming a believer.  It may seem to you that I’m being unreasonable about well-intentioned people and/or companies.  Prayerfully consider what is going on.

     The Bible begins with the devil deceiving the first persons created.  That deception has continued throughout all of history.  Because God loves us... He had a warning written for each of us to consider ~ seriously consider, that is:

     “We know that we are held firm by God; it’s only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One.  And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  This Jesus is both True God and Real Life.  Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles.” (i John 3:19-21, MSG)
 
     Since the Devil (Evil One) has such power there is a battle going on of which many are unaware.  It is a life and death battle for your mind and soul.  Though your brain only weighs about 3 pounds it is the most complex battlefield ever known.  It doesn't contain bullets, missiles or bayonets.  The apostle Paul contrasts our weaponry with that which Satan wants used.

     “It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives.  The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds.  We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, GNT)
 
     God doesn't want us to kill our enemies.  He wants us to convince them to abandon their falsehoods and idolatrous beliefs and wrong arguments and win them to Him.  This is why Missionaries have gone to nearly every tribe, country and continent to preach the Gospel which has now been translated into 1,534 languages.

     The Gospel clearly says, "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, NIV)  He wants us to destroy the false arguments of the Evil one and battle every thing raised up against the Lord and bring every one of our thoughts captive and surrendered to the Lord.

     You’re using your 3 pounds now reading this and I used my 3 to write this post.

     The Holy Scriptures use an allegory to explain the process of growing  from being a new believer to a strong believer who is able to use his/her 3 pounds to battle successfully for God.  “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:13-14, NIV)

     I refuse to accept Pfizer’s claim: “At a time when things are uncertain, we turn to the most certain thing there is—science” - to go unchallenged.  Science is not the most certain thing there is... it is not and never has been certain.

     Ponder this: At age 21, 3 fingers on my right-hand were amputated in an industrial accident.  Though the fingers were taken to the hospital the doctor later said, "I didn't try to sew them back on because they were cut in two pieces and I knew that a serious infection was the likely outcome."  Hmm.  Where were you "Science?"

     Compare that to Jesus.  When Peter slashed off a soldier’s ear Jesus put it right back on.  He gave a blind man sight.  He healed a leper, a man with a withered limb, and a woman with a bleeding condition.  The Lord God is THE ONLY CERTAIN THING THERE IS!

     Ponder this:  My wife needed major surgery which was scheduled two months away.  As we talked with the surgeon we asked if a blood transfusion might be needed... because she would have blood draws done and stored in advance so she wouldn't be at risk of receiving contaminated blood.  He said, "I've never had this surgery require a transfusion in my 35 years of practice."

     We also asked: "How long will the surgery take?"

     "3 to 4 hours tops."  He also promised to come and tell me how it went as soon as the surgery was completed.

     When the day came we checked in about 9 AM.  They prepped her and rolled her into surgery about 10:30.  I prayed fervently and settled back reading some magazines and my Bible.  I read and read and read and lost track of the time.  About 1:30 I looked up at the clock, yawned and rested my eyes.  Next thing I knew it was 2:30.  Then 3:45.  At 4:00 I couldn't stand it anymore so I asked the Nurse to please see if maybe the doctor had forgotten to talk with me and if my wife was in recovery now and how long it would be before I could see her.

     The nurse came back in about ten or fifteen minutes and said, "The surgery is not over yet."  But she didn't know anymore.  If my memory is correct at about 6:40 the doctor slowly came up the hall corridor and sat down beside me.  In his German accent he said, "Ve had summ probblams."

     Even a renown surgeon can not produce or guarantee 100% success.  But God did, does and always will.  I had not been praying to the surgeon.  I was praying to the Lord that He would help the surgeon since this operation was going south.  The best of medical science can not be absolute certainty.  Only God is absolutely certain.  Jesus told a raging sea and wind to be still.  And it did.  He raised Lazarus from the tomb.  It is clear that the Lord God is THE ONLY CERTAIN THING THERE IS!

     I've never heard anybody pray to Science.   It is not deity.  But since Pfzier claims that “it is the one certain thing there is” then perhaps they'll also pull an IBM stunt one of these days.

     International Business Machines (IBM) built a fantastic new computer 16 years ago just before selling their hardware business to Lenovo.  They named it "I AM."  Every Christian or Jew on the planet knows that when Moses asked the Lord who he should tell the Israelites was going to free them, God said to Moses tell them "I AM” has sent me to you." (Exodus 3:14, NIV)  Jehovah God is the God of the past, present and future.  That is why he used the state of being title of “I AM.”  One lexicographer has broken JeHoVah into Je=Past, Ho=Present and Vah=Future.

     These encroachments are not laughable.  Claiming the same name as God is absolutely wrong, sinful and dangerous.  The 3rd of the 10 commandments reads, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7, NIV)

     Consider for your own sake and others around you how often this command is violated.  The Lord we worship is a triune God.  There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  So when you hear someone exude, "Oh My God" realize that is a vain usage.  Or if someone feels pain and says, Jesus or Jesus Christ." they are using His name wrongly.

     In Bible College a young man enrolled to become a preacher.  He had some unusual behaviors, it was obvious to some of us.  For example he always had to leave nighttime church services, or evening get-togethers early.  Why?  He had to go home and iron his tie for the next day.

     In the college we began the day with about 15 minutes of group prayer down on our knees.  About half way through the school year he and I happened to be close enough I could clearly hear his voice.  I can still hear his voice saying these words at the end of his prayer: "For I ask this to the Old Man in the name of Junior."  Later that day he was expelled even though his tie had been ironed.

     Neil Enloe was a young ministry student who formed the Couriers trio that sang Gospel Music for 57 years.  He was an outstanding singer but may be remembered better for writing heart-penetrating lyrics.  You may know a couple of his songs: Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Lord, Fill My Cup to Overflowing; I will Live for Jesus; Flow through Me; I’d Rather Be an Old Time Christian; Give Me Jesus; Lift Up the Name of Jesus; There Go I, Who Can We Turn To and Ask, Seek and Knock.  And Neil won the 1974 Dove award for The Statue of Liberty.

     But Neil also addressed the sacredness of the name of Jesus in his song, He's More Than Just A Swear Word.

His name is voiced in every conversation 

He's now become a superstar they say

But oh the curse it's bringing to our nation

When men proclaim His holy name in vain 

He's so much more than just a swear word

More than just an I don't care word  

How can we use His name so recklessly  

Our only hope is in this one word  

Whosoever will may come word  

He's more than just a swear word  

He's the precious Son of God 

It's hard to understand how those around us 

Are plunging to a lost eternity  

And all the while they say the name of Jesus

But they curse the only name that sets them free

     For several decades now pundits have called this period in history the post-Christian era.  Ponder what has happened in the last 50 or 60 years.  It used to be that you learned the character of a person by whether or not they kept their word.  We used to say, “My word is my bond.”  It is probably more accurate to say today that for a large percentage of people their word is not their bond.

     In fact, being a counselor, ~ an observer of human behavior ~ I’ve come to believe you probably learn more about a person’s character by what they laugh at.  I recall being in one session where two men were laughing about the bloody scenes in some type of Slasher movie.  It made me sick to my stomach and I interrupted them and said, “I know of a missionary who left his house clinic and went into the bush to minister miles inland.  When he was almost back home he was startled to see heavy smoke and flames in the clearing ahead.  Uncertain what he'd find if he walked out into the clearing he looked through a large bush.  His house and clinic was on fire.  Worse - in the work area his son was tied to a log and a terrorist was running him through the giant saw.  He collapsed and...

     I didn't finish.  They apologized for laughing about such demonic behavior.

     "The Lord left us an awesome challenge: “I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, so that you will be able to choose what is best.  Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ.  Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God. (Phil 1:9-11, GNT)

     The Lord knows you’re capable of becoming a champion for Jesus.

     Napoleon watched his soldiers in the fierce battle below.  This siege was turning against his men... something he had never experienced before.  It was proving to be a deadly battle and he saw trusted, experienced men fall victim to the enemies' swords.

     Napoleon shouted, "Trumpeter sound the retreat."  He looked back at the furious battle and saw two more of his men fall.

     But he heard no noise.  He turned to the trumpeter and shouted louder, "Sound the retreat."

     Nothing happened.

     Napoleon grabbed his sword and thrust it to the trumpeter's throat.  "Trumpeter I ordered you to sound the retreat."

     Crying, the trumpeter said, "I can't - I knew I'd be blowing my horn for you and I never learned how to sound the retreat."

     Stunned, Napoleon looked back over the battlefield.  Waited a moment and then screamed, "Well then sound the charge, louder than you ever have before."

     It is time God's children sound the charge louder than we ever have before.  Let this article and the following song stir you to a dynamic renewal in your faith and Christian walk for Jesus.

Step Into The Water

Cathedral Quartet

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