Pure And Simple

I will extol You, my God, O King.

I will praise Your name forever.
On Your wonderful works I will meditate.
I will tell of Your greatness.
--Psalm 145:1,2,5,6

Living On Purpose at The Speed Of Life --with Brian Heaphy

Trustworthy Or Traitor?
Can you be trusted with the treasury of Gods revealed Truth (2 Timothy 1:14)? Are you a worthy guardian of the faith
which was once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 3)? Are you faithful to God in diligently proclaiming His
uncompromised instruction--and in your own steadfast obedience to it (2 Timothy 2:15)? Do you vigorously uphold and
defend Gods Word against those who do not (2 Timothy 4:2)? By doing anything less, you invite the wounding of
Scripture--and the devil will thank you for your lack of devotion.
According to our Lord, there is no neutral ground on the spiritual battlefield in this world: He who is not with Me is
against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters (Luke 11:23). Like waves crashing upon the seashore, Satans
assault is unrelenting. As such, there can be no complacency on the part of those who claim allegiance to the Commander of
the Universe.
Do you disagree? Look around you and scan the headlines. Are not the very foundations upon which civilization has
advanced being eroded? Are not some of them all but washed away already?
If we are either waiting for, or trusting in, social programs and the government to halt the slide, we would do just as well to
turn coat and march with the enemy. What the world needs now is not a little bit of love or wide-spread political
correctness, what the world needs now is major, reconstructive surgery according to the redemptive prescription of the
Master Physician.
Scripture makes it abundantly clear that only God can change the sick and crippled heart of man (Ezekiel 36:26; Matthew
19:26, 15:19; Jeremiah 17:9). The best that any other means can do is to simply modify behavior for a time. The only hope
for victory in this world is to champion Gods plan for salvation, and then bank on His Character for the everlasting results
(Mark 16:15; Luke 12:56-59, 13:3,5).
If we are not willing to be foot soldiers for the gospel, God has no use for us among the ranks of His faithful, and we will be a
liability to His campaign of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Let us take stock now. Do we keep our knowledge and conveyance of Scripture sharply honed--or do we just go with what
weve got at any given time and hope for the best? Equally inept is to maintain excellent spiritual acumen and readiness,
but then rarely (if ever) bring our weapons to bear on the battlefield. Keeping battle-ready without actually entering into the
battle indicates that we either do not trust in God and take Him at His Word, or that we are not truly devoted to Him and His
Kingdom purposes in this world. Along these lines, Scottish Theologian Oswald Chambers once wrote, A ship in the harbor
is securebut in time its bottom will rot out.
While every persons role on the spiritual front is certainly not the same, there is none-the-less a vital role for each and every
one of Gods people (Ephesians 2:10, 3:8). There are to be no bystanders among Gods children with respect to His war on
sinor in His ultimate victory procession. All believers are to glory in both events.

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called(1 Timothy 6:12)
Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9)."

With all confidence in eternal security (John 10:28-29), and in all diligence (2 Peter 1:5-11), we are commanded to embrace
the battle (2 Timothy 2:3).
Brian Heaphy is a former U.S. Navy SEAL Officer, Federal Officer, and Wilderness Guide who now
makes his home in Alaskas remote upper Yukon River valley. While practicing a subsistence
lifestyle, he photographs Creation and writes about Living On Purpose at The Speed Of Life. TM
Brian most enjoys formatting his award-winning images as Scripture-versed note cards and
Christmas cards. These Christian cards (along with his museum-quality prints and stretchedcanvas products) are available for viewing and sales at www.brianheaphy.com (view the card
images and verses via the Product Information page). Brians work may also be found at fine art
galleries, museums, and gift shops nationwide.
All images and authorial texts Copyright Brian M. Heaphy
Scripture verses and verse segments are taken from The New American Standard Bible , Copyright 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977,
1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.