Friends Don't Let Friends Live Life in Secrets

The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught. (John 14:26-27, MSG)

There are three things about the above scripture that I want you to keep in mind while reading today's blog post:

1. Jesus said it. (Can it get any better than that?)
2. The Holy Spirit is our FRIEND (Perfect, Heavenly Friend not to be confused or tainted by our past experiences with some of the imperfect friends we've had/have or have been/are.)
3. He is SENT BY OUR FATHER at the REQUEST of JESUS. (Dude.)
4. He makes EVERYTHING PLAIN TO US. ("Everything" in the Greek is every thing.)
5. Plain (Meaning, "As plain as the nose on one's face.)

Yes, I know that is five things...I got carried away in that phenomenal passage! Back to our study. Friends, God is NOT keeping secrets from us! His secrets are FOR us. God is love. Love is not secretive!

Have you ever heard 1 Corinthians 2:9 preached with a fiery thundering voice while leaving verse ten completely unmentioned? 

1 Corinthians 2:9 tells us, 'That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 

Yes, that verse is completely true; however, let's not forget verse 10: "these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10)

I repeat, "Friends, God is NOT keeping secrets from us! His secrets are FOR us. God is love. Love is not secretive!"

I recently read a quote from Andrew Wommack, "The truths of God are hidden for His children, not from them. The Holy Spirit has been instructed to teach us all things (Jn. 14:26) and has given us an unction so that we will know all things (1 Jn. 2:20). We only have to appropriate what is ours."

Lest I point out:

• hidden FOR not FROM
• instructed to teach us ALL things
• APPROPRIATE what is OURS

I am a friend and I have really great, true friends. I am ABUNDANTLY BLESSED in the "friend department" beyond anything I could ever ask beyond my wildest imaginations! (Ephesians 3:20) And my imagination is pretty far out! 

I have complete confidence in my friends that if they were to become privy to even the slightest information that would help me in any way, financially, spiritually, emotionally, regarding my health and in my relationships, (In other words, all areas of my life.) my friends would never keep that information from me. No! I'd get a call or a text so fast it could quite possibly burn up cyberspace! Likewise, if my friends learned of something or someone who intended to harm me, said harmer better "pack a lunch" because my fiends would be a force to be reckoned with. Ever heard the phrase, "Mack Truck" and "Train Wreck"? Yep, my friends are THAT good. 

All that being said, how much more, will a perfect Father (Matthew 7:11) insure "all our bases are covered"?

This is the third and last time I will say this. Friends, God is NOT keeping secrets from us! His secrets are FOR us. God is love. Love is not secretive! Would we as parents (or friends) keep secrets from our children (or friends)? How much more, our perfect Father will not keep anything hidden from us!

Take time every day, call out to Him and listen to Him. He knows of great and mighty things He desires to show you! (Jeremiah 33:3)

In the name of Jesus, Father I pray for every reader today to gain a deeper revelation of godly friendships who operate in godly counsel. And a deeper revelation of hearing Your voice for themselves through Your written Word. And a deeper revelation of Your perfect love. Father I thank You and praise You for the friends You bless me with. They are priceless,  speaking words of life in due season like apples of gold on beds of silver! All glory and honor to Your name! Thank You for the Kingdom Principles You have put into place for protecting us and thank You for giving us a Perfect Friend who guides us into all Truth! You are so awesome, You are beyond description! We love You LORD!

Proverbs 25:11

Matthew 6:33

John 16:13

It's Too Late...

It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there’s no one to help, tough! (Ecclesiastes 4:9, MSG)

This morning I took a long walk on the beach. When I ran out of beach, I extended my walk along a rock wall on the ocean. The wall was approximately three feet in height and had been built to keep the surf from washing up on the park. The big surf rolled in and hit the wall sending big splashes over the rock wall leaving puddles of water along the path.

On the path, I saw a fish that had been caught up in the rough surf and thrown over the wall as the surf rolled in. I walked up to the fish, planned to pick him up and throw him back over the wall into the water. But I was too late to save the fish. He had been out of the water too long. He had most likely jumped and flopped but was unable to get himself back in the water because the rock wall was too tall. And he had no one to help him.

I envisioned the process that landed him in his predicament. I had a mental image of him as the rough water caught up in the surf, and threw him over the wall.

It occurred to me, at times, we get caught up in processes that land us in predicaments. The water of life gets rough, we get caught up in storms and rough “surf”, and at times, we get thrown over the wall and we are a "fish out of water"!

Thank God for the praying friends He places in our lives to help us up when storms of life toss us around! They come alongside us and help when we fall down!

Today, my prayer for you is to be surrounded by friends who lock into covenant with you and weather the storm through to victory so that you are never a fish out of water!

Battle!

Resist the devil, and he will flee. (James 4:7)

Ever been hurt? Ever been hurt and what you believed to have happened was truth but as it turned out, you were wrong? And you harbored hurt based on a lie?

Ever been hurt and what you believed to have happened was truth and as it turned out, you were right? And you harbored hurt based on a truth? 

What is the difference between the two when aligned with scripture? Do we have loopholes in scripture? If we were truly wronged, and not operating in a misunderstanding, are we allowed the "luxury" to nurture that hurt until it grows into a full blown root continuing to "bloom" even decades later? Or at least until a new hurt presents itself. And affecting all relationships, present and future.

No, we don't.  We truly have option. Submit to God by obeying His Word.

Of course, there is that other option. Pick up the offense caused by the hurt, hold it, pet it, baby it, feed it for years or even until death finally kills the hurt. After all, some people purposefully hurt others. But I know every person reading this is far too wise, far too full of The Word, and far too led by the Spirit to fall for the enemies schemes by fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. We immediately recognize this as a scheme of the enemy; therefore, we absolutely avoid it. 

How do we do battle against this scheme? I'm so glad you asked! 

First, please understand, we operate in two realms. Natural (what we see which is temporary, James 4:14) and the spiritual (what we don't see which is permanent, 2 Corinthians 4:18). The flesh wants to scream, cry, complain. We must not fulfill those lusts of the flesh. Instead, we must walk by the Spirit renewing our minds daily, having new mercies every day like our Father, and operate in forgiveness. (Galations 5:16, Romans 12:2, Lamentations 3:23, Luke 6:37)

Stay so closely knitted in His Word, there is no room for anything else. And as a result, we lack for nothing. Including freedom from offense. (Matthew 6:33)

We can operate in so much grace, everyone who comes into contact with us is changed! I've been learning a lot about grace lately. I believe one aspect of grace is continually meditating on and operating in the fullest definition of thanksgiving in everything Jesus is and refusing to meditate on anything that everything else and everyone else isn't. At the end of the day, isn't everything we do (including speaking and thinking) all about Jesus? In light of our redemption package, what else truly matters?

The secular world knows offense is poison to the mind, soul, and body. Deadly diseases that manifest in the body can be scientifically linked to an offense(s). How much more must we, as born again believers, avoid obvious traps. Choose life! (Deuteronomy 30:19) 

So somebody we know does something stupid to us...big woo (As Dr. Larry Ollison would say). 


We must spend more time meditating on Kingdom principles than we do on whether or not we are justified in an offense. Failing to do so, is a first step in the wrong direction. Consider this, the next time you are offended, don't tell anyone but Jesus. And then, pray for that person until you are free. That's freedom!

What would happen if we imitated our Father as dear children and focused on the good of others and disregard the negatives. God focuses on the good in us, let's do the same! (Ephesians 5:1)

Doing battle like this in the spiritual realm is not as difficult as some may think. This fight against the enemy is not ours but the LORD's. (2 Chronicles 20:15). My battle and your battle lies in the first part of James 4:7. So place yourselves under God's authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. (God's Word Translation) Hard for him to do battle as he is running away.

How are you going to do battle?