The First Casualty


Well, I am still here in Iowa where today, Friday April 19, 2013 they are anticipating SNOW for the Des Moines and surrounding areas. I mean GOOD GRIEF! as Charlie Brown used to say. In all honesty, I don't believe it will snow today but the official forecast was for possible snow showers. It's April for crying out loud! Oh well,when I woke up today I felt kind of like old Charlie Brown. Remember Charlie? Lucy forever baiting him to kick the football. HaHa! You ever had one of those days? A Charlie Brown kind of day? Everything is kind of blah. In my case today, I certainly didn't feel very spiritual when I thought about writing this message. Ever have that kind of day,week,month...etc.,? Yeah I feel you. At any rate I had NOTHING to write about today and all of a sudden an obscure book that I had read at least 30 years ago floated across my mind. It was called "The First Casualty." I don't even remember the author's name. It was a book about the media reporting around the Viet Nam war. I tried to remember the many facts that the author used to support his argument, which was this: the first casualty in any reporting of the news and especially during times of conflict is this...THE TRUTH. As I fast forwarded in my mind to this present hour, I realized that this guy may be on to something. It seems today there are many who accuse the media on both sides of the political spectrum of skewing the truth or worse..not telling the truth at all. The objectivity is objective as long as it agrees with your political worldview. As I was considering this, a scripture came to mind.


6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
John 14:5-6 (NASB)


It occurred to me that in our daily conflict with the devil and all that life throws at us, that indeed the first casualty is the truth of God's Word. Amen? Oh no,....not in reality,... but in OUR hearts and minds.
A financial difficulty will arise and IMMEDIATELY the enemy will perch himself on your shoulder and begin LYING to you. Or a sickness will hit you and all of a sudden he will shout at you that God isn't going to heal you. Or maybe it's a serious case of the blues and all of a sudden God doesn't care any more. Or possibly it's that God won't forgive you for that one or this oft used falsehood ".. how can you call yourself a Christian and do that?" Sound familiar? Yes, it is a struggle ofttimes to take God at His Word. To believe the TRUTH about the situation.The circumstances and obstacles that confront us all are too numerous to mention; BUT, they all have one purpose and are designed to accomplish one solitary goal.... to get your eyes and heart OFF the TRUTH of God and His Word. Read the first three verses of that chapter.


1 " Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14:1-3 (NASB)


You see Jesus understood that this life would be troublesome. Heck, more than troublesome, it can be downright HARD! Amen?

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

1 " Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me

John 14:1 (NASB)


Read it again and again. Brothers and sisters God owns it all. All the Earth is His. There isn't a financial difficulty that He can't pay in full. There isn't a sickness that He can't heal. THERE ISN'T A SIN THAT HE WON'T FORGIVE. And, the Lord Jesus will NEVER leave you alone. No matter how you feel He has never and will never leave you. All the arrows of the enemy and of PEOPLE will miss their mark, if we can just trust the Lord. Amen? I once heard it put this way. You have to learn to duck!! Amen! Yes, it can be VERY trying at times to trust in Him. Believe me I, more than anyone know that. But, He IS in control. He is sovereign and the Lord Jesus Christ holds this world and all of it's challenges in the palm of His hand. He's got our back. Yours, mine and ALL who call on HIM. That is the TRUTH of the matter, because HE IS THE TRUTH! Amen and Amen.


160 The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.
Psalms 119:160 (NASB)


43 And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I wait for Your ordinances.
Psalms 119:43 (NASB)



God Bless