Posted February 18, 2026

LOSING SIGHT?

“I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.”

John 14:18

When we begin to wake up from our spiritual slumber and open our eyes to the real world, we soon discover that God’s ways are a mystery to us. God doesn’t mesh his plans with ours. The awesome promises of the Lord Jesus are rarely fulfilled as quickly as we would like. We begin to wonder if we’re missing out somewhere.

“I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed to God to remove that vile thing from my life – it’s still there.”

“I’ve pounded on heaven’s door until my hands bled, begging God to spare my loved one for His Kingdom – nothing happens.”

“I’ve wept and tarried and tried everything I know to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – others receive and go on to mighty things, while I wait.”

Jesus says,

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:13

Was this promise meant for everyone but me?”

“if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will”

John 15:7

“Who’s He talking to? Nothing happens when I ask.”

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Luke 12:6-7

“Beautiful words but, where’s the evidence in my life?”

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Luke 12:32

“I went along with that. I got rid of the excess baggage in my life. I cut my ties with mammon…. sought that heavenly treasure — and where am I now? Desolate!”

“I’m getting tired of waiting! I’m getting tired of trying to smile and pretend everything’s all right when within my soul it seems like eternal night. Is there some kind of curse on me? Has God turned away His face?”

“O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?”

“I say to God, my rock: Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

Psalm 74:1 & 42:9

When a person who has never met Jesus Christ begins to experience desolation of soul we say, “Praise the Lord! He’s come to the end of himself. He’s given up trying to be his own god. Now he’s ready to meet Jesus.” “Come on brother, Let’s go up to the Cross.” “Let’s get down on our faces. Jesus wants to come into your life and make you a new creature.”

And as soon as that opens the door of his heart, the Son of God enters and makes him a child of Heaven.

But what do you say to a believer who has known the love of God – experienced the power of the blood? Who has known what it is to walk and talk with the living Christ – but is now empty, dry, joyless, and desolate.

Has God turned away His face? Never!

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Has Jesus cast them aside? Never!

“Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

Understand this forgotten fact:

There is only one person who ever experienced real desolation –real God-forsakenness, and that’s the Son of God.

When Jesus hung on that cross, He was desolate.

The Father had drawn back and turned away His face from the sin that was laid on the dying body of His Only Begotten.

”My God, my God, why hast you forsaken me?”

Jesus could truly cry out those words – and He alone.

No human being has ever experienced anything close to the desolation that broke the heart of that Man of Sorrows, as He hung there abandoned by Heaven and earth and as the kingdom of Hell did its worst to Him.

It looks to you like your dreams are being smashed.

– Your loved ones are being taken.

– Your health is being taken.

– Your hope is being taken.

….and God doesn’t seem to care.

But have another look at Calvary.

If you are experiencing desolation….

It’s because you have lost sight of His desolation.

You’ve forgotten about the desolation He suffered for you.

His loved ones were walking down the hill shaking their heads. His health, yes His very life, was ebbing out of His body drop by drop, breath by breath.

His Father was gone.

He looked up and saw no light – only a closed door. And why did He go through this?

So that you would never have to be desolate!

The enemy will come along and try to tell you that you are the desolate one – but it’s a lie.

Jesus is the desolate one.

You’re the one He did it for – because He loves you.

He loves you!

And there’s no clearer proof that He loves you than to see Him hanging there dying.

God never promised that your loved ones wouldn’t be taken.

God never promised that your life wouldn’t be taken.

But God did promise to those who abandon their lives to Jesus –

Nothing in all creation will be able to separate you from His love.

The Son of God who hung up there in desolation and rose from the grave…..

….promises to be with you to the end of the age.

“I will not leave you desolate. I will come to you.”

“How long do I have to wait, Lord? When will it be?”

“What do you mean? Here I am. I am with you right now. Whose hand do you think is resting on your shoulder right now?”

If you think you’re desolate, it’s because you are closing your spirit’s eye to the glory that shines from His face upon your soul this very moment.

And all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (WNT)

How could we reflect His glory?

How could we be changed into His likeness if Jesus weren’t with us?

And this is for you who are reading these words. All of us!

And all of us, with unveiled faces….

If we’re not reflecting that glory it’s not because Jesus’ face is turned away from us-

– it’s because our faces are turned away from Him!

If all we can see is our own desolation, it’s because we are looking into our own shadow, cast by the light of the Cross blazing on our backs.

All we have to do is turn around and look to Him and we see instantly that our desolation was a lie.

He is here! Jesus is here!

You’re not waiting, Friend….

He’s waiting.

– Waiting to fill you with all the fullness of God.

– Waiting to anoint your head with the oil of God’s Spirit, until it runs down over your face and covers your garments.

– Waiting to give you victory in that battle your flesh has been losing all these years.

He’s waiting for you to turn away from all else and just behold Him.

“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

John 14:21

Jesus cannot manifest Himself to you…. when you’re looking back into the past and feeling sorry for yourself.

Jesus cannot manifest Himself to you…. when you’re turned in upon yourself – morbidly fascinated by your own issues.

Jesus cannot manifest Himself to you…. when you’re looking with envy at the world – lusting after things, vindication, and respect.

Jesus cannot manifest Himself to you….when you’re looking at the crooked and cold world – seething with rage.

Jesus can only manifest Himself to you…..

….when you are looking up toward Heaven, toward that Cross.

Look up and you will see Him.

And you will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is keeping His promise to you.

There is no reason why you can’t know that Jesus is with you all the time – day and night –

– when you’re alone,

– when you’re in a crowd,

– when you’re working,

– when you’re talking, eating, sleeping.

Know that He is there!

It’s knowing that Jesus is there – that is our joy.

– If we have Jesus, we have everything.

– If we have everything else but Jesus, we have nothing.

He is our joy.

Of course, Jesus never promised to save you from desolate circumstances.

In fact, He promised that in the world you will have tribulation.

You will live in the midst of trouble.

Your life will be spent amid all kinds of sorrow, and confusion, and danger, and tragedy.

Yes, and even persecution..

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

“… a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.”

John 15:18 & John 16:2

And yet he commands you to keep on serving.

“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.”

“Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

John 9:4 & John 4:38

Jesus does not join himself to;

– idleness,

– laziness,

– people who want to do their own thing and call it ”the Lord’s work”.

But Jesus does promise that in the midst of….

– the most desolate circumstances,

– the worst persecution,

– the hardest labor

He will be with you –

– and in Him you will find rest for your soul.

I will not leave you desolate.

I will come to you.

I will manifest myself to you.

I will refresh you with the breath of my Spirit.

I will give you rest.

And all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness…..

The Spirit of God comes with special blessing to those believers who have thought that they were being left out. All you need to do is name your need before Lord Jesus.

Tell Him where it hurts, and He will touch you with the finger of God.

Prayer: Lord, when we feel desolate, lost, alone, unloved, unworthy, help us to see your love for us. Help us to remember your very nature, to remember all your promises…that nothing can separate us from your love, that you will not leave us desolate, that you will never leave us, that you will come to us and be with us to the very end. Thank you, thank you that we are not forgotten. Help us not lose sight of this. And Lord, may we also not lose sight of the desolation you suffered for us, so we would not have to be desolate. Thank you, Lord, for waiting for us to turn around and look. Help us to turn away from all our hang ups, our losses, our disappointments, our fears, and our obsessions. May we truly behold you and take your hand until your radiant holiness shines on us and transforms us into your likeness, so that we never lose sight of your perfect love again. Amen.

Message: Richard E. Bieber 1973 Sharable/Printable Copy

Featured Artists: Most art courtesy of Lisa MD Skinner also Neil Breebaart and Deedra Everett

Website: lisamdskinnerart.com

Posted January 27, 2026

ABIDE IN MY LOVE

(Excerpt from booklet I am the True Vine)

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.

John 15:7-8

Ask whatever I will?

Awesome! Is it true? I can ask whatever I will?

If I am abiding in the Vine and his words are abiding in me…

My prayer will be in harmony with his heart and his will.

This kind of prayer is nourished by the Vine, inspired by the Vine.

So we abide in him—his promises, his commands, and his living Body. And his words abide in us, not as memorized Bible verses, but as words that are so alive in us that they rule our speech, our actions, our attitudes.

Once we are so deeply joined to the Vine, prayer becomes the foundation practice of our lives. The Spirit of God, who flows into us as sap from the Vine, begins teaching us how to pray.

The Spirit begins praying within us.

“Ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”

It will be done on God’s terms, in God’s way.

Even when we see nothing change, we keep on praying, knowing that no prayer prayed by a branch in the Vine is ever wasted. We pray, and leave it with God, and give him thanks.

As we ask and receive from the Father, fruit appears on the branch, words and deeds that glorify God, drawing God-thirsty souls as “fruit” into God’s Kingdom. “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”

“By this my Father is glorified”

—exalted, honored, vindicated in a world that lives as if there is no God. The living God is glorified by the fruit that appears on the branch in answer to its prayers.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

John 15:9-10

Abide in my love.

Are we aware of that love? A love that knows each of us to the core, yet never turns away.

When we trivialize that love, or take it for granted, it fades from our minds.

When we abide in that love, it sets our hearts on fire.

We do not abide in his love by basking in an emotion.

There is only one way to abide in his love—

By keeping his commands.

By doing his will.

By walking in his steps.

Just as I have kept my Father’s commands and abide in his love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

John 15:11

An unspeakable joy enters us when we listen to his words and take them into our hearts.

His joy.

All through those years of kingdom toil, for all the threats and insults that were thrown his way, Jesus was sustained by an unspeakable joy.

He was doing what he was sent to do. What could be more wonderful?

He was pleasing his Father by his child-like obedience. What could be more beautiful?

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.”

Luke 10

“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.”

Yes, Jesus knew deep sorrow, and so do we.

But beneath his sorrow was an unquenchable joy.

And this joy he gives to us, as we listen to him speak. Jesus is telling us these things

that our joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

John 15:12

If we are going to abide in the Vine, we start by obeying this commandment right there in the fellowship where he has put us to serve him.

But did Jesus really put me in this outfit? When I first got here, I thought it was a church. But now I’m not so sure. Some of these people are hard to take.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

When we think of it, we ourselves, are not exactly lovable.

But his love for us is total, overwhelming, sanctifying in its power.

So what choice do we have?

We are commanded to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

But we will only find the power to love our enemies after we begin to love our sisters and brothers in the Body of Christ.

To love them, just as they are, with all their flaws and failings.

The place where we learn to “love one another” is in the flawed fellowship where the Lord, in his wisdom, has placed us. Here is where we learn to forgive and be forgiven, to show forbearance.

Love “suffereth long and is kind.”

This kind of patience is only learned through practice. And the place where we practice it is in fellowship with sisters and brothers who are as flawed as we are.

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

John 15: 13-14

The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world died for all. He makes possible a new life for all, as his cross draws all to himself. (John 12) Sooner or later every living soul is offered forgiveness through his blood.

But Jesus’ death is a unique gift to his friends, those who keep his commandments. They alone know his love and share in his resurrection life.

When we obey his commandments, we are his friends, and he joins us to himself as branches on the Vine.

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

John 15:15

If we are branches on the Vine, we are servants of God; we are servants to each other.

But we are more than servants to our Master;

….we are his friends.

As his friends, he continues to reveal to us the mysteries of the Father’s Kingdom.

“I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

John 16

If we abide in the Vine…..

We receive not only life from the Vine,

We are given light.

We are guided by the wisdom of heaven….

….so long as we stay focused on the Vine,

….so long as we avoid all the spiritual distractions that clutter this valley of flesh.

“You are my friends, if you do what I command you.

Prayer: Lord, help us to abide in you, the true vine, the true connection to the Father, to true life. Keep us deeply joined, so our lives, our attitudes, all our interactions are nourished by the sap flowing from your vine, from your Spirit, so that you are glorified by any fruit we bear because it is healthy, ripe, and life-giving. And as we abide in your love, may our hearts also be set on fire and filled with unquenchable joy. How could it be otherwise? And Lord, help to love others as you love us, to love our brothers and sisters, all those you bring into our lives, and even our enemies. May we embrace, honor, and rejoice in the friendship that you offer us for loving the way you love and obeying your perfect commands. Amen.

Message: Richard E. Bieber 2018 Sharable/Printable Copy of message Copy of Booklet

Featured Artists: Rik Berry Website:

Posted August 8, 2025

TRUE LIGHT

Her eyes brightened with hope as he entered the room, while her sister sniffed the air, and bristled.

“Who is this man? What’s he doing here?”

Then the parade began. People came crowding through the door until there was no room even to stand.

“Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”

“Lord, let me receive my sight!”

He touched the leper, opened the man’s sightless eyes with a touch, then he looked into the faces that crowded the room.

He began to speak. “A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed….”

Who knows how many houses, synagogues, and hillsides witnessed this scene. Multitudes were drawn to this man, while others surveyed him with suspicion and turned away.

The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1)

He kept moving from place to place, never deviating from his single message:

“The Kingdom of God has arrived. Turn around and believe the good news!”

He offered a new world, God’s World.

He opened the door to a kingdom which is free to all, yet carries a high price.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he went and sold all that he had, and bought that field.”

Matthew 13

He never hammered his truth into apathetic hearts.

He never terrified timid souls into submission.

He simply opened the door.

“God’s Kingdom is here. Come on in.”

To get through that door, however, meant exposing the soul to his light—

—the True Light.

No masks, no deceit, no more hypocrisy.

______________

The evangelist stepped out on the platform and scanned a crowd. He opened his Bible, lifted it high in the air shouting, “Do you realize that time is short? Do you understand that the Lord Jesus is coming soon? Are you ready for the Rapture or are you still playing games!”

The evangelist paused to let his words sink in. As he was about to continue, his eyes were drawn to a man sitting just below the platform. “Who is that man? Why do I feel like a fraud as he looks up at me? The evangelist pressed on with his sermon, but his words were empty.

It’s easy to talk about God, so long as God is not rattling your cage. It’s easy to talk about Jesus, when Jesus is safely locked up in that Bible you hold with such devotion. But when you sense that Jesus is looking into your soul as you mouth those pious words, your spirit wilts.

_________

A visitation from heaven has begun to unsettle those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus.

It can happen when we’re gathered in church.

It can happen when we’re sitting alone on a quiet evening.

Sometimes it wakes us out of a sound sleep.

Judgment has begun to fall on the household of God.

As our hearts are exposed to the True Light, we begin to feel like frauds.

Is God harassing us?

What’s going on?

The Lord Jesus is preparing us for days which will try us to the core.

In order to survive the approaching storm, we need to be delivered from a hypocrisy which we have refused to face.

If we listen to the voice of the Master and repent, the light of heaven begins to refine and prepare us. If we keep ignoring the Master’s warnings, the day will arrive when a Severe Mercy will expose our self-deceit before the world.

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. (Luke 12)

Before the True Light can heal us, it has to cleanse us.

And before the Light can cleanse us, it has to convict us.

If we close our ears and shut our eyes when God exposes our hypocrisy to his light, we soon find ourselves stumbling along a path far from the Narrow Road that leads to life.

In the coming days, the Lord’s warnings will become more urgent.

These warnings are for our own good, and for the good of his Kingdom.

It is no accident that the Kingdom of God is described as a Kingdom of Light.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (I John 1)

Lord, give us the wisdom to pay attention, when you put your finger on our hypocrisy.

Lord, give us the wisdom to repent in the presence of your True Light.

Lord, give us the strength to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow you—all the way.

Prayer: Yes, Lord, give us the wisdom to see our own hypocrisy, give us hearts driven to repent, and the strength to follow you all the way. And when we hear your words, when we encounter you in any way…. help us to embrace you as the True Light, embrace your welcome, embrace your presence, embrace your guidance. May your words, though difficult, pierce our souls with truth and a need to follow them. May we turn from our ways, from darkness, from our sneers, and completely believe in your good news. Convict us, cleanse us when our religion becomes empty platitudes, when our walk wavers with excuses not to live by your every word. May we go forward without wavering from your True Light anymore. Amen.