For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks...

Listen good for my heart is gushing forth with emotion and I can no longer contain what spills from my lips. I am so desprately torn apart in a furry of emotion. I feel as if I am loosing a friend, I am losing a friend.

When Christ spoke those words he was speaking of evil, but I believe they ring true in all occasions. My heart is bursting with tears and fear. I am crying deep in my soul for a friend/ a brother, who has walked away from his Father and Creator. He is full of anger and I sense even some hate in his voice and actions. I am scared to lose him, I am scared to see him struggling like this, and I am even more scared to become him. I take that last phrase back, I don't believe I could ever lose my faith in God, I have come to depend on him so much. What I am truely scared of is the fact that it is even possible to lose such faith.

I love God so much, he has blessed me so greatly, I am growing daily in my faith and learning more and more about the one who loves me. I don't understand how someones faith could be so shaken to turn away from such a loving and caring God. Only through a great deception can I imagine this to be possible. I think I have just become aware that Satan does exist.

I always knew Satan existed, but I think I treated his existence like one treats a figure in a history book. Real, but not someone I would ever have to cross or meet. I was so wrong. This here is a real enemy, really here, really standing over my shoulder, really a threat... There is a saying that suggest the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. There is alot of truth to that, but there is a second trick equally as good, that is convincing those that believe he exists that he is not a threat. I fell prey to this for too long.

My friend and brother knew God and still heard the lies and walked away from God. The only way to protect yourself is to do more than know God, but know him fully, follow him closely, love him dearly and seek his protection. Christ is the only one that can save us and it is only in his strenght that we can do anything. If you thought a title was enough to protect you I want you to know that a title does you little good against one so clever as Satan, intimacy is your protection. Intimacy with the Father.

Dear God hear me cry in my soul for my brother
know the love I have for him and bring him home
seek him with all you are and awaken his heart again
Protect him, protect me, and protect those that seek to know you
Amen

-Art