"The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thought of the human heart was only evil all the time"-Genesis 6:5 (NIV).

Another evil made the headlines of the paper today.  The condition of sinful man hasn't changed...regardless of what you hear, it's not worse today.  Solomon was correct when he said, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  Praise God for supplying our need for a Savior, thus reconciling us to God and clothing us in His righteousness.  Bad news will continue to make headlines until the end of days...but, the Good News, the Special Addition, the Feature Story, will be a banner running the entire width of the front page.  The Author of the story has already given us the Who, the What, the Why, and the How...we're only awaiting the When.  It will be a banner day!  

"By Myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me"-John 5:30 (NIV).

Jesus says, "I and the Father are One" (John 10:30)...that by Himself He can do nothing.  Jesus also says we are to be one in Him...likewise, by ourselves, we can do nothing (John 15:5).  Jesus acted only as He heard...but there are times when it feels that all we hear is silence.  At those times, a concentrated presence in the Word is necessary...Bible reading and prayer.  That's where we meet and hear from Jesus...in Him, in the Word.  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).  Then you will hear and seek to please Him.  

""No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from Me," declares the Lord"-Isaiah 54:17 (NIV).

Whom shall you fear!  God's heritage to us is a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7); He promised to be with us at all times (Joshua 1:9); in darkness and midday; though others fall, evil will not touch us (Psalm 91:4-8).  Chris Tomlin's song "Whom Shall I Fear" says, "I know Who goes before me, I know Who stands behind me. The God of angel armies is always by my side."  God promises to vindicate, to exonerate, the servants of the Lord and He is faithful.    

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me"-1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV).

  

The "Peter Pan Syndrome" is not the life God has intended for His children.  When you totally surrender to the Lord, you begin to grow in and by the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10).  It is God, Who causes you to grow (Colossians 2:19) and your faith and your mission will greatly expand (2 Corinthians 10:15).  God will give you the increase, bearing fruit (Isaiah 11:1) even until your old age (Psalm 92:14).  You will flourish (Proverbs 11:28) and "cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations (Isaiah 61:11).  Remember where Peter Pan lived...Never Never Land.  As J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, wrote, "Never is an awfully long time."  Desire to grow up!    

"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you"-Romans 16:20 (NIV).

Satan is the demon of "discord," but he will be defeated by the God of "peace."  If the grace of Jesus is with us...shouldn't we fight our battles with the same type of weapons?  My mother used to say, "Kill them with kindness," when I would lament over mistreatment or injustice.  Romans 12:17-18 advises not to repay anyone evil for evil and, if possible, to live at peace with everyone.  Mother was right about kindness, but victory will only come from the Lord!  Our Scripture says we will stand victorious over the crushed liar, that accuser, that oppressor...Satan himself...soon.