“Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for peace: peace in human hearts, peace in the families and peace in the world. Satan is strong and wants to turn all of you against God, and to return you to everything that is human, and to destroy in the heart all feelings towards God and the things of God. You, little children, pray and fight against materialism, modernism and egoism, which the world offers to you. Little children, you decide for holiness and I, with my Son Jesus, intercede for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” —to Mirja, January 25th, 2017
When one is fixed upon the pieces of the puzzle or standing very close to the tapestry it is impossible to see what the full picture looks like. We get caught up in each and every detail, missing the beautiful image.
“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths” 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Today, the world through its media want to draw you into their details. They want to arrange what you see from their details. This is all headed by demonic forces to lead souls away from God be “enlightening” them to the “truth.” There is nothing more fake in the news or media. They can break down what is believed into sound bites and headlines. Social media, television and movies lead the way through fun entertainment, dulling the mind and squashing the spirit. Over time they aim to put enough glaze on the image of truth that truth is now distorted in every heart to what they want it to be.
40 years ago, you never found opinion in the news. If you did, it was pointed out as such. Now, ‘news’ is all opinion. One had to go to seedy places or late night paid cable to find pornography, even so called soft porn. But, now it is built into the internet, many commercial ads and all over TV and movies. You can’t escape a movie now without some scantily or skin tight clad woman, or innuendo.
The enemy has infiltrated nearly every aspect that touches your soul. “The beast was given a mouth uttering proud boasts and blasphemies”. Revelation 13:5
“Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
But, as bleak as this may seem, it is a time of hope. Soon, we may witness the Illumination of Conscience. We are closer now than ever to the second coming of Jesus. Even that same media is pushing so far outside the truth that many souls are awakening.
Look to and use this upcoming Advent as true preparation for Emmanuel’s coming. Make this season like no other before, a time to prepare your soul. Fast, pray, draw closer to God. I highly recommend cutting out all media from your life. Shut off the TV. For me, the news media draws out my ire. I have no cable tv but it stills infiltrates through social media.
Fasting doesn’t mean simply not doing or giving up something. True Christian fasting means giving up something of the world that you enjoy and replacing that habit or time with God. There are good Holy movies and shows to watch on venues like Formed that can help prepare your heart for the coming of the newborn King. Take that tv time and open the Bible – spend time reading and reflecting upon the stories of Jesus’ birth. Go beyond Bethlehem and look for ways to bring this man into a deeper relationship. The seeds are there, planted in a small crib, how will you grow them this year?
Follow John the Baptist’s plan, clear your world to make straight the way of the Lord to your heart. Spend the next weeks before the celebration of Christmas to make in your heart what Christmas truly is – Jesus Christ.