“Do we get to have another sleepover?” Amelia asked as I tugged her pajama shirt over her head. “For sure, we will have lots more sleepovers!” I replied, misunderstanding her question. The kids and I had packed up what probably looked like half of what we own to bring the cousins to Great Wolf Lodge overnight. After nearly seven hours of nonstop running, splashing, sliding, and braving new feats, we checked into our rooms for showers, dinner and early bedtime. Amelia wondered if we would be going back to the water park and staying another night or returning home in the morning. I assured her that after a good nights sleep, she could splash to her heart’s content before we headed home.
We say all good things must come to an end, usually with a sigh of regret or relief, depending on where we find ourselves in the moment. Our whirlwind trip left me full but exhausted, which I would attribute to my age, but my daughters likely felt the same. For all the reasons- unfamiliar bed and nighttime sounds, irregular diet, overcrowded spaces filled with noise- we were all on sensory overload but we are making memories. More firsts went in the books. Valentina braved the cyclone slide with her Jacob, the lone dad on the trip. Thomas enjoyed belly flopping in the wave pool while Timothy hopped and flopped poolside. Amelia and Thomas walked a balance course of lily pads, while Ezra walked everywhere, even braving the kiddie slides with his older cousins. As we made our way through the parking lot on our way to the car, Thomas moaned, “I want to go back inside.” “You will,” his mom said, with a wink. “Sooner than you think.”
“Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man both spoke and saw. [Mark 3:22-27; Luke 11:14, 15]
All the people wondered in amazement, and said, “Could this be the Son of David (the Messiah)?
But the Pharisees heard it and said, “This man casts out demons only by [the help of] Beelzebul (Satan) the prince of the demons.”
Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom that is divided against itself is being laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will [continue to] stand.
If Satan casts out Satan [that is, his demons], he has become divided against himself and disunited; how then will his kingdom stand?
If I cast out the demons by [the help of] Beelzebul (Satan), by whom do your sons drive them out?
For this reason they will be your judges.
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you [before you expected it].
He who is not with Me [once and for all on My side] is against Me;
He who is not with Me [believing in Me as Lord and Savior] is against Me [there is no impartial position];
and he who does not [unequivocally] gather with Me [assisting in My ministry] scatters. [Luke 9:50; 11:23]”
Matthew 12:22-28, 30 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.12.22-30.AMP
Who should have expected and welcomed the Kingdom of God and His Messiah more than the scribes and Pharisees? These Jewish leaders were designated guardians of the Law and the Prophets. They had handled the scrolls. They were able to read for themselves holy scripture. They were the teachers and leaders of Israel but somewhere along the way, they had forfeited their place in God’s kingdom and worse yet, according to Jesus, they had shut the way to others trying to enter. (Matthew 23:13)
““What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the Lord.
Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: “Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction.
Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.
But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them.
I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number.
Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again.
Not a single one will be lost or missing.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Jeremiah 23:1-4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.23.1-4.NLT
“Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and screamed out, “You are the Son of God!”
Jesus sternly warned them [again and again] not to tell who He was.”
Mark 3:11-12 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mrk.3.11-12.AMP
“Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out [terribly from the depths of his throat], saying, “What business do You have with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have You come to destroy us?
I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet (muzzled, silenced), and come out of him!”
The unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions, and screeching with a loud voice, came out of him.
They were all so amazed that they debated and questioned each other, saying, “What is this?
A new teaching with authority!
He commands even the unclean spirits (demons), and they obey Him.””
Mark 1:23-27 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mrk.1.27.AMP
Jesus’s true identity was apparent to the spiritual forces of darkness during His life of flesh and you can be certain that they remain aware of His eternally powerful presence now. This is evidenced by Peter’s assertion that the devil roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour for he knows his time is short. (I Peter 5:8) His kingdom is coming to an end, in fact, his end was decreed on the day Jesus rose from the grave.
“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:10-12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.1.10-12.NLT
“You believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror—they have seen His wrath]! [Deut 6:4; 11:13-21; Mark 12:29]”
James 2:19 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/jas.2.19.AMP
“You can believe all you want that there is one true God, that’s wonderful! But even the demons know this and tremble with fear before him, yet they’re unchanged—they remain demons.”
James 2:19 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jas.2.19.TPT
Which kingdom and its king is coming to an end? It is certainly not God’s eternal kingdom. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) The coming of Jesus, Messiah, was foretold for centuries before His arrival. His second coming is imminent.
“But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
So be on your guard, not asleep like the others.
Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1th.5.4-6.NLT
“”I assure you and most solemnly say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and all the abusive and blasphemous things they say; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and His power [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin [a sin which is unforgivable in this present age as well as in the age to come]”— [Matt 12:32; Luke 12:10]
[Jesus said this] because the scribes and Pharisees were [attributing His miracles to Satan by] saying, “He has an unclean spirit.””
Mark 3:28-30 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mrk.3.28-30.AMP
But He said, “On the contrary, blessed (happy, favored by God) are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”
Luke 11:23, 28 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/luk.11.23-28.AMP
““Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning.
Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks they may immediately open the door for him.
Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those servants whom the master finds awake and watching when he arrives. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will prepare himself to serve, and will have them recline at the table, and will come and wait on them.
Whether he comes in the second watch (before midnight), or even in the third (after midnight), and finds them so [prepared and ready], blessed are those servants.”
Luke 12:35-38 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/luk.12.35-38.AMP
“To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty) forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:11 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1pe.5.11.AMP
Come On Home~SEPH SCHLEUTER
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