Tag: arrow

The Feathers on the Arrow

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The Feathers on the Arrow

“Fletching: The plastic vanes or feathers on an arrow. Fletching creates wind drag and also can cause the arrow to spin similar to a rifle bullet, providing stability and accuracy in flight. Fletching is made up of three or more vanes or feathers.” Psalm 127:4-5 “4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” What keeps a Christian on the straight and narrow? What keeps a Christian on track? What keeps us accurate in the most adverse situations? Staying in the word, reading the Gospel.

Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

 Isaiah 26:7 “The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.”

 We are the arrows of God and our path is kept true because we believe and we follow the word and the teaching of Christ. We can be the black arrow that pierced the heart of Smaug. We can be the arrow fired to split another arrow, a thrown bottle cap, we can be used with pinpoint accuracy if we have faith in our God given abilities to reach others.

There are millions, perhaps billions of lives not saved yet, and we as Christians can help make a dent in that number. We can use the skills God has given to us and we can do this only after we master our fear and our knowledge that we have been saved and we no longer face eternal death.

Fly straight, and be true. Let God’s words be our feathers.

The Mask

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The Mask

Do you act and behave differently in public then you do in your own home? How about with friends or even different friends, do you treat people differently based on the group you’re with? The sad fact is even if it doesn’t happen as an adult, it does happen at some point in our lives.

As we go through life our life do we hide away our true thoughts and feelings? What about with the people we have sworn to love and cherish?

No matter the mask we wear the lord sees through us. The ill intent of your heart cannot remain hidden from. God. 1 Samuel 16:7 “7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

In our own space do we harbor evil thoughts for someone or a group of people? God sees what we do and think. We may hide away our feelings forever, but the worst is when you pretend to treat others well claim one thing, and lie to them, showing your true nature. For some people the truth is hard to handle. Proverbs 26:24-28 “Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”

We must not bear false witness and it is this author’s opinion that means lying about who we are to others and ourselves. We cannot claim to love and harbor ill will towards others. We cannot wear the mask forever. One day our true nature will come shining through whether it’s good or bad. Luke 12:1-3 12 “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” 

Finding out one day someone was not who they claimed to be is perhaps the hardest upset someone can ever go through. Believing so faithfully, so truthfully, so blindly that the truth was so devastating. The day the mask was pulled away and the face that was no longer recognizable is beyond words. The upset not only tore the house down but shook and cracked the foundation of everything I believed in. (That’s a hard lesson for another time.) The truth that was reveled to me that day would have a resonating effect through my whole life. Never again will I let a mask break me. Placing faith in all the wrong places. I have taken off my mask, have you taken off yours?

God sees all and knows all. How we treat others, and how we reveal our true selves will be judged in the end times. We cannot hide away behind our different masks forever. Treating others with respect and love all the time. Be not a hypocrite, and be not a wolf spreading lies and deceits, but live honestly, live life with love, and compassion. Let the world see you for who you really are because God sees you for who you really are. Take off your mask and be the Man God wants you to be. Do not be the ill intent, the liar, the deceiver, and the cruel. Matthew 22:37 “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

You cannot hide the evil within forever. The true nature of your heart will shine through eventually. The person you try to hide from the world, the truth will have its day. Change your heart by allowing Christ into it. Who you are in deepest caverns of your soul should also be what the world sees. Be remembered as someone of absolute beauty outside and inside. Take off the mask.

Duality

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Duality
When something is liked and disliked at the same time, loved and hated, and okay and not okay at the same time.

When you wait all day for an absolution that would never come, when you look for peace that never seems to come. Waiting for God to send His Angels to pull you out of the wreckage of your life. When the Angels never come, but that voice inside your head tells you God’s with you. The snakes are nipping at your heals and you keep climbing higher and higher to get away, the beautiful escape. We never plan for the world to crumble, and we never plan on falling to our knees at the brink of a broken world, screaming to the heavens to save us. You’ve been a good soldier, a faithful man and in that moment the snakes, the vultures are tossed away. Saved by God, moved from broken to mending.

The faith it takes to overcome the world is Jesus. So why do I hate myself so much? Why do I feel so low about whom I am? The going gets rough and some hate God, some hate people, some hate themselves. That’s where my own duality comes into play. I both love and hate who I am. The fact that God loves me I know I’m special. I know I’m someone worthwhile, but I’ve largely not been treated well by others throughout my whole life. I’ve not been beaten and tortured, I’ve suffered loss, and blame. God thought tells us that we cannot put our faith in mankind because man is sinful and that sinful nature will let you down, will hurt you, and the Devil through Sin will find any little chink in the human armor and infiltrate like a virus, replicating, until sinful desire is all that’s left.

The same goes with the little whispers inside my own head. The negative whispers I hear are the Devil or his minions telling me lies, that hidden war going on all around us that we cannot see. The truth is the helmet is supposed to help, and it does so long as we keep our head in the Bible and don’t let ourselves get distracted by the world.

Don’t shut God out; don’t keep the gates closed from God. God doesn’t want us to be alone, God wants us to have someone, God wants us to know that He is always with us. God’s blessings and guidance, and the army of Angels are always by our side. When we finally realize this, when we finally tear down the walls we will realize that Love has been there all along. The season of love is always. We can’t let the trials of this world build walls and defenses. Love concurs all. Love is the strongest of emotions, strongest of actions, and that Love shows me that there is no Winter of love, no Fall of love, there’s just love. We will suffer heartbreak from love, but Love is a gift from up above, and that’s the only Love that really matters.

Take the duality inside and shatter that mirror and let God take up both sides in your heart.

HOLD ME

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 HOLD ME

My God my God I need your love. I need your grace, and I need your mercy. My God my God, I am lonely at night, and I need your love. My God my God, I’m afraid at night even though I fight with all my might. The silence in my world, I hate these silent nights. I want to calm my heart from the storm inside. My God my God, I’m on my knees, I’m praying to you oh Lord. Wrap me in your arms tonight and protect me. My God my God I trust in you, I believe in you. My God my God you can protect me from all these problems, you can free my soul, and bring me peace today.

My God my God please Hold Me today for I am weary. My God I read your words, and I hear your voice. I know of Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” I feel you here, and I stay on my knees. I know you Love me my God, and I know I am safe. I know that in time this nightmare will leave me.

Oh my God I trust in you. Ephesians 3:17-19 “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” When the storm inside is strong, and it thunders so loud in the silence, I pray to you my Lord. Quiet the storm and protect my spirit.

My enemies are vast oh Lord, but not of man, of the loneliness I feel. Romans 5:8 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I know you gave me so much Lord, and I know I should not ask, but put your arms around me Lord and protect me this day. 1 John 4:16 “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

 Today, or this night my Lord, you will provide me happiness in your Holy Name. I trust in you, and I know that in my heart you are with me. One day I will find what I seek according to your will my Lord. You will raise me up, and protect me. You will give me serenity in my time of crisis. I do not hate my enemies Lord, and I pray for those who’ve brought forth pain unto me. I believe in you, and your commandments my Lord. 1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

When I rest my head to sleep, I trust in you to give me peace. When I rest my soul I know where my truth resides. I tear down my walls and trust in you. I’m not looking for a miracle, just looking for some peace of mind. I know all things are possible Lord and in your time. Hold me tonight let me know it’s going to be all right. I am on my knees praying for a win, praying for a change, and I know it’ll happen. You gotta have faith, and I’ve got faith.

 

Hosanna

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Hosanna

God you’ve healed my soul. You let me walk through that open door, and you’ve given me the gift of Heaven. Let me live this life till you choose to call me home. Let me save lives, let me give the word to those who need it, let me show others the path. Give me the grace of the angels with me and let me have the patience to follow through. Let me hear the music of the heavens. I fall to my knees and pray your sweet name. I pray to heal this broken heart of mine, and to know tomorrow’s new day brings a new canvas. Hallelujah my Lord, praise you Hosanna in the highest. Let me tighten my Armor so that I may defend against the lies and deceit that flood my mind and heart. Let me be quicker, let me outsmart the enemy, let me out draw the enemy. Let my arrow fly straight, let my compass guide me by the light at night. Keep my boots dry and my lips moist with the blood of Christ. God you sent me to this world full of so much trouble let me stay true to the course. You sent me, you saved me, God you did something, you created me. Let my sun rise remind me that your Son did Rise, the beauty of a new day always.

The Battle Rages On

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The Battle Rages On

When you feel all alone and then when you feel you can’t breath at all, how do we learn to survive? We survive because we must. The alternative isn’t very flattering. When we try to find others around us to depend on, sometimes we look in all the wrong places, and sometimes we just don’t have what we need, or at least that’s what we think sometimes. Often we wish we had more but really, is it the best thing for us, is it what God has in store?

The thing about surprises is, they are meant to shock us. When Christmas comes around we love to open our gifts and be surprised at what we get. When our surprises in life are good we couldn’t be happier. So why do we compete? When we join a sports team of some kind, what’s the fun in winning without challenge? How do we ever know our true potential unless we are tested.

As Captain Pike said to Kirk, “Do you like being the only genius-level re-offender in the mid-west? So your Dad dies, you can settle for a less than ordinary life. But you feel like you were born for something better. Something special.” What will force you to face your true potential? The only way it seems is to challenge our selves and push us beyond our comfort zones and rise to the occasion. When God gives us our challenges, it’s so we can rise above. When the Devil gives us our knocks, we can kick the Devil’s proverbial rear end, and please God as we overcome the Devils temptations. Our hardships are nothing more but training for the mission, temptations away from God, or mankind’s’ free will. James 1:13-18 “13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

Living is not for the weak, and to live is to truly show strength. We cannot live our lives down and depressed. We cannot continue just floating in the water waiting for the sharks to devour us. If we want to live we can’t just flounder around, we must actually work for it. Life is nothing without joy, life is nothing without having fun. So why don’t we work on that more?

 

The battles we face can break us, or make us thrive. “Sooner or later, we all go through a crucible” Sabastian Blood He goes on to say “Most believe there are two types of people who go into a crucible. The ones who become stronger from the experience and survive it, and the ones who die. But there’s a third type. The ones who learn to love the fire and choose to stay in their crucible because it’s easier to embrace the pain when it’s all you know anymore.” How will you survive yours? How will your crucibles shape who you are?

The Arrow

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The Arrow

Half of a whole weapon an archer uses. The projectile of a marksman, someone who knows the wild, knows the purity of the wilderness. Archery has grown into a commercialism sport, but the true nature, someone whose bow was an extension of him or her, a true skill that takes years to master. The arrow, a shafted projectile with a tip or a broad head, fletching or feathers, under many circumstances able to puncture leather armor or chainmail. Ancient Egyptians used bows, and even then the bow most likely predates 3500 BC. Archery is a skill of peace, peace with yourself. Being able to center yourself, control your breathing, your surroundings must be apart of you. You should be able to feel the air, feel the wind, feel the bowstring, feel the feather on the arrow, feel how tight the string is, and then release. Yes I discussed some of this in a recent blog. However, in this blog we’ll discuss the arrow itself.

A single arrow can be broken, but a bundle is stronger. An arrow fired can start a war, or end one. An arrow is only as good as the person shooting it. An arrow is sharp and when used properly it can be used to feed the masses, or for protection, but always to be fired straight and true. The word of the Lord can be used for both. Those who pervert the word who use it for their own personal gain. The wolves in sheep’s clothing, the false profits. The light and the dark.

Lets break down the whole concept, the archer is the master tool for the Lord. The bow is the Holy Spirit, that which gives us the power. The sights of the bow are the vision needed to walk the righteous path of Christ. The arrow is the purpose brought forth by God. An archer’s quiver represents the heart, a place where Gods purpose is kept. As an archer, we use the arrows to always hit our target. Pastors are often attuned to the needs of their flock. When sitting in the church during a sermon have you ever felt that a sermon was written just for you? That the pastor was talking directly to you? The Arrows of Truth that are shot directly to your heart.

God is not the only trainer of archers. Ephesians 6:16 “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Make no mistake we are at war. Every day the Devil is trying to lie and deceive you. Every day the Devil shoots his arrows of half-truths, lies and temptations. Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” God sent his Son to level the playing field. To uphold a promise to have his chosen people saved from eternal death, but with free will, the battle for souls still continues. Those of us who choose a life of ministry, pastors, evangelists, counselors, etc, must know how to use the full arsenal given to us in the Bible. Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Stand firm with the Armor and hold fast with your bow. Every day you have a chance to fire the arrows into the hearts of those around you. Every day there is an arrow within your quiver that has a name on it, and it’s up to you as a Christian to use the weapons God as given to you. Speak the truth, do not lie or deceive. Honor yourself and fight for something larger then yourself. With all eternity at stake God will call you to be a soldier. I am an archer for Christ. Are you?

The Archer

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The Archer

The breeze flows over the ground and pushes the leaves across the earth. The man stands firm, feet planted, slow smooth breaths. The air fills the lungs, cool and crisp. The string is taught, the bow is lifted and the sight lines up. The air exhales from the lungs, the bow rests, and all three fingers release from the string at the same time. The bow jars forward slightly as the arrow is projected forward at 1535 fps. The arrow soars through the air, the sound of the thud hitting the target 35 yards away. Not everyone can be an archer, just as not everyone can be a soldier, not everyone can play football, or other sports. Our gifts are from God and we must learn to embrace the ones we have. Stop trying to be something or someone you aren’t. Love your gifts and make them the best you can.

Psalm 18 1-3 “I love you, O Lord, my strength.2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18 34-35 “He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.” The archer is a long time tradition that crosses the globe. The Japanese have a word kyudo (way of the bow). It’s a martial arts form that uses, physical, moral and spiritual development. The myth of Odysseus’s wife Penelope using his bow to find her next husband, someone worthy who can string his legendary bow and shoot it. Archery can take years to master, but you can walk with Christ today.

Archers are warriors, hunters, protectors, they are one with nature. It takes great time and patience to become an archer. As for me, archery has become an important part of my life. Archery is a gift; it’s a passion that when used for mindfulness can allow quiet time with God. Every great army has a great battalion of archers. Today the roll of archers has turned into snipers with rifles. As Gods army has it’s soldiers, I am an archer for Christ, I am patient, aware, and accurate. As the devil uses his flaming arrows of lies and deceit, I shall use the words of the bible as my weapon for Christ. Draw back your bow and let every one of your senses take over. Let the arrows fly and let every one hit their target.

 

The Battle that Rages on

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The Battle that Rages on

Sometimes we lay in our bed unwilling to get up. Some days we don’t want to leave the house or face the masses. Some days we are afraid to be in our own skin. When we look in the mirror whose looking back? Many tell you you’re special, you’re kind, you’re a wonderful person and while that all may be true, but the monster inside lies to you. The healing path is never an easy one, it’s full of monsters that creep around the woods, monsters that sleep under your bed, in your closet. How do we fight back against a monster we cannot see or touch. For some, some people resort to cutting or self-harm to feel physically the monster inside. The physical nature of the manifestation of an internal fight is a scary place to be. How do we fight back? How do we explain to others how we are feeling?

We must step out of our own feelings and realize it’s worth fighting for. We can be redeemed, we can learn to fight back, we can find a new way. Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Don’t be a slave to this world, don’t let the Devil win the fight for your soul. Stand high, stand proud, and know that you have the golden ticket. 1 Corinthians 7:23 “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” A man died to give us peace. A man died to save our eternal souls. As tough as life may be today, with a lot of prayer, action, and fortitude anything can be changed. People walk again after serious spinal injuries. People learn to live again after everything they have is taken from them. Have no fears for the Angels above watch over us. Gods will, will be and we can fight the path or walk the path. Colossians 1:20-22 “And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,” No matter what we did, what we have in our closet, confess our pain, our sins to Christ. Be washed new and cleansed in the light of the Lord. Run your race but know that one day we will stand and be judged. Don’t just know the word, live it, walk with it. Surrender yourself and all your pain and suffering to the lord.

PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Heart Break, Betrayal are all serious and should never be taken lightly. Even the strongest can fall victim to the above syndromes. Find peace and guidance by the Northern Star of Christ. When the world is too much and you feel like you can’t take anymore follow in the path of Christ. Luke 5:16 “But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” It’s okay for us to be alone when we need to be. We must learn to know what the difference is. We must learn when solitude is the right path, when reaching out and talking to someone is what we need. Never give up hope and never loose sight of the Golden Ring at the end of this crazy ride. Remember when the time comes as a bow is drawn back, so if you feel like you’re being drawn back, the bow will release and the arrow will soar through the air to meet it’s target. You can be Gods Arrows, let yourself be drawn back to pick up tension to fly forward. As an archer is patient, holding the arrow, feeling the breeze, feeling the air, the tightness of the string, knowing his or her own breath, the archer knows when it’s time to release. Never underestimate the power of finding calm. Know that when you fly, you’ll find your own target.

 

The Man Under the Hood

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The Man Under the Hood

By The Arrow Preacher

 Imagine yourself walking down a long road, mountainous, dry, dusty, at night, and all of a sudden out from behind the rocks 3 men jump out beat you to the ground, steal everything you own to include your coat, your wallet, your sandals, and leave you there bloody, cut, and dying. The sunrise comes as a welcome sight. Finally someone will see you and come and help. Your suffering is obvious; someone will surely stop and provide aid. You struggle to breath, you raise your hand to try and stop the masses from walking by you. Some even move to the other side of the road to get away from you. You can’t believe it, of all these people no one has enough compassion to stop and help? You see a peace officer pass by you and never stops or even slows down. A little while later you see and recognize your local senator you call to them, gasping past your own broken lung, but they walk by you, not looking down, pretending you don’t exist. Defeated, broken, and barely conscious you think it’s then end of the road for you. The day parches your throat, lips are chapped, and as the stars start to come up as the sun falls, a dark figure comes from nowhere. A dark hood covers his face so you can’t see him. He picks you up, barely conscious now, and carries you to a nearby inn. He pays for your stay, gets a first aid kit, and orders the innkeeper to help bandage you up. He says he’ll pay for everything. A dark knight from the shadows, a faceless protector the one to save your life, but who is this man under the hood?

Luke 10:25-37 “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”

 Who are you in the story? Who are we all? “I always thought that I was the Samaritan in that story. It’s funny, isn’t it? How even the best of men can be… deceived by their true nature. What the hell does that mean? It means that I’m not the Samaritan. That I’m not the priest, or the Levite. That I am the ill intent… who set upon the traveler on a road that he should not have been on.” (Wilson Fisk) The ill intent of the travelers is most certainly the Devil and his games. He will brings destruction to everything He touches. During this war good people, civilians are caught in the firefight, casualties of war. The good honest man just trying to go to work, trying to take care of his family, trying to be a husband, trying to be a good wife, a good mom, the devil doesn’t care how it’s done so much as lives are ruined. The Peace officer who walked by, the politician who walked by let their hearts be hardened, let their cultural stereotyping blind them to the truth. It doesn’t matter how someone looks, how someone sounds, we are all people first and we should be treated as such. In my own life I have been bullied, beat up, tortured emotionally by people different then myself. Even today as I find myself putting my life back together I have skeletons in my closet that could cause people to pass an unfair judgment upon me.

Is this what we do when we see the homeless on the side of the road? Is this what we do when we see someone suffering online, or at work? If the ill intent is the Devil inside us, who then is under the hood? Jesus commanded we love our neighbors, and that wasn’t just the ones we liked, the ones we tolerated, but our enemies, those who wish to do us harm. Christ living in us, is the man under the hood. It doesn’t matter what they look like, doesn’t matter who they are, what matters are those who are willing to do right and make a difference without seeking glory, or even a thank you. The hood can be worn by anyone, and anyone can be the Good Samaritan. We may not always get a thank you, we may not always be safe doing Gods work, but if doing Gods work leads to your own death, then that just means you get to go home sooner. Don’t be afraid to put on that hood and do good works. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” He lives so we can live without fear, we can live knowing that tomorrow we could be in perfection.