Bit Players in God’s Plan

 

Eph. 6:11-12:  "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

He is a pastor; he is tired and buffeted on every side.  Some days he is extremely discouraged.  He asks himself, “Is this what I am supposed to be doing?”

In his small town he has stood for truth, became involved in the lives of the down and out in his community.  The turf he is treading upon is in many places the devil’s playground.  The devil works overtime to frustrate and wreck people’s lives.  Some days the pastor wants the easy out, just come back Lord, bring an end to it all.  Come back.

In the meantime, we are to be an occupying army; not only occupying but pushing forth the Kingdom of God.  We get tired, we reflect and realize for all our striving we are but bit players in God’s unfolding plan.  Our job is to be faithful to Jesus and God, the Father.  When living out our life being involved in the lives of others, ministering as it is, brings us into judgment  from professional fence sitters—Christian and non-Christian. 

This pastor has been involved in a drug intervention of a non-member of his church; (he is the pastor’s friend.)  One of his parishioners is a friend of this person and asked for his help. Some people do not like his involvement or his decisions.  That’s the way it is some days when we minister in a broken, fallen world.

We get tired and disgusted when we think the furtherance of God’s kingdom depends on us.  We get tired, wounded and hurt but God brings in the harvest.  We are but bit players in the tapestry of everyday life for a Christian.

Push on Christian; rest in God’s mercy; push on, remember God is in control.  We may not understand all that’s happening but we know the one who changes the seasons and rules the affairs of men.

It’s good to be a bit payer; we need to remind one another often of that fact.  Rest well, Christian.  Come quickly Lord Jesus; come.

Rev. 22: 20 - "He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

 

Crying Time – What kind of tears have you shed?

Jeremiah 50:4-5 -- "In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God.  They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.”

The prophet Jeremiah talks about seeking the Lord in tears.  Have you shed tears this week?  What kind of tears were they?  Were they tears of joy or tears of sadness?

We shed tears when

·         Our children are born

·         They graduate from high school

·         Our only daughter marries

·         Our son comes home from the war

·         We visit with our war buddy whom we haven’t seen or talked to in forty-one years

·         We hear an old song our mama loved

·         We finally get rain for our dry, dry crops

·         We finally get rain for our dry crops that ends up with hail which destroys everything

·         Our loved ones die and go home to be with Christ

Tears of joy and tears of sadness are intermingled.  It would do us well to be patient in judging events in our lives.  When something adverse happens to us, we shed tears in frustration only to find out in the long term it was for our good.  The tears of frustration become tears of joy. 

May your tears be tears of laughter and joy not sadness.  When they are tears of sadness, be patient until they turn to tears of joy.  The waiting is the hard part; patience is a hard lesson to learn but sometimes we must wait.  Wait for the tears of joy.  We wait for tears to be wiped away.  We wait for the “old order” of things to pass away.  We wait…

Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 

 

 

Does Truth Matter Anymore?

 

Jesus was speaking to Jewish believers in John 8:31-32 where he said, “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 

Many times just verse 32 is quoted with no reference to verse 31.  It is important for us to consider verse 31 –“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples…Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free…

We are to obey…then we will know the truth; and the truth will set us free.  Jesus is the truth; He sets us free from the bondage of sin.  Something to think about:  if truth sets us free, do lies lead us into bondage?

Andy Andrews has written a book entitled, “How Do You Kill 11 Million People?”  It is the story of how the Nazi German regime killed 11 million people between 1933 and 1945.  The simple answer to the question is, you tell them a lie.  Yes, brothers and sisters, the truth matters!  What is the problem in America today?  We love telling ourselves lies.  Only one example—we continue to go into debt as a nation at an alarming rate.  We know that we cannot continue to accumulate more and more personal debt and survive; at some time we must pay the piper.  No matter how uncomfortable the truth may be, we must address it.

Any good politician wants a balanced budget but it never happens does it?  I visited with two politicians from different political parties at the Renville County Fair recently and asked them what is on the hearts of the people.  They both said the same thing—people are concerned for the future of our country. 

In closing, I share with you an excerpt from Andy Andrews’ book.   

In at least one German town the railroad tracks ran behind the church.  An eyewitness stated:

"We heard stories of what was happening to the Jews, but we tried to distance ourselves from it, because we felt, what could anyone do to stop it?

"Each Sunday morning, we would hear the train whistle blowing in the distance, then the wheels coming over the tracks.  We became disturbed when we heard cries coming from the train as it passed by.  We realized that is was carrying Jews like cattle in the cars!

"Week after week the whistle would blow.  We dreaded to hear the sounds of those wheels because we knew that we would hear the cries of the Jews en route to a death camp.  Their screams tormented us. 

"We knew the time the train was coming and when we heard the whistle blow we began singing hymns.  By the time the train came past our church, we were singing at the top of our voices.  If we heard the screams, we sang more loudly and soon we heard them no more.

"Years have passed and no one talks about it now, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep.”

 

Are we, as citizens, concerned for America or are we concerned for the truth?  What is being told to us is this—the Government knows what is best for us.  We want the Government to take care of us.  They can’t. They are lying—look at history. Do we in the church care or will we just sing our hymns louder as our country goes to hell in our presence?           

The Everlasting Grip of God

John 10:25-30 -  “Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me,26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.30 I and the Father are one."

These verses are good news for us believers.  Jesus alone gives us eternal life through the work on the cross (verse 28).  The Father gives us, the believers, to Jesus.  God the Father is greater than all.  (Good news for us today.)

Eternal life means we never perish…but…but you say, we all have an appointment at the front of the church whether in a casket or an urn.  Someday, unless Jesus comes back first, we have an appointment with death.

In the meantime, we walk through this life buffeted by the cares and worries of every day existence.  Remember this (verses 29 & 30) “no one can snatch us out of God’s hand” because of God’s everlasting grip.  Remember, no one, no one, no one can snatch us away from God.  And remember, God the Father and God the Son are together on this.  Oh, this is good news for us who believe.

Most of us have some kind of fear of death.  Yesterday, after I finished preaching, a man told me he had died but was brought back to life.  He said, “I saw ‘The Light;’ it was serene, peaceful and good beyond description.”  He said, “Don’t be afraid.”

I close with Question #1 from the Heidelberg Catechism. 

WHAT IS YOUR ONLY COMFORT IN LIFE AND DEATH?

Answer:

That I am not my own,

but belong– body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,

and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.

He also watches over me in such a way

that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven:

in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. 

Because I belong to him,

Christ, by his Holy Spirit,

assures me of eternal life

and makes me whole-heartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Amen.  Thank you Heavenly Father; Thank you Jesus.

*The thrust and idea for this Blog came from Pastor Randy Bloomer of Roseland Reformed Church in Roseland, Minnesota, spoken in part at the funeral of Jeanette Holwerda on September 1, 2012.

Heaven on Earth – Worthington, Minnesota

 

Psalm 126:  "When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.  2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.  4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."

At the Renville County Fair last week, I visited with a neighbor and friend who is a farmer and a college instructor.  He told me the story that I am about to share with you.

He was on a tour of a meat processing plant in Worthington, Minnesota; the plant employs some recent immigrants from Southeast Asia.  He thinks they are from Laos or Cambodia.  Another tour group was going through the plant at the same time; a group from Southeast Asia.  The Southeast Asian group asked the tour guide if they could talk to the employees.  The tour guide agreed and the group began to ask questions of a Southeast Asian employee.  They asked him, “What is it like working here?”

The worker replied, “It’s Heaven on earth.”  “People are nice to me here,” he added.  “In my old country we have thugs and bandits coming through our village every couple of weeks stealing stuff, terrorizing us, and sometimes killing someone to send a message and remind us of their power and violence.” 

“I live in a house,” he continued.  “I never dreamed of living in a house”  (He shares the house with another family); “I always lived in a hut.  I have a car—never dreamed of having a car!  The water and air are clean; I work and get paid every two weeks.  My wife and kids are not afraid; this is Heaven on earth!”  My friend said that nearly everyone present had tears in their eyes.

I’ve thought about this—Heaven on earth in Worthington, Minnesota; working in a meat processing plant!  Let’s be honest, most of us would consider this kind of job “below us.”  We take much for granted in America.  Much of what this man treasures we think God owes us or we take for granted.

We need to kneel down and pray; no, more than that, we need to be face down, asking for forgiveness for our indifference to God’s many blessings.  Yes, we need to repent and, if so led by the Spirit, weep.

I Can’t Save Myself; He Can; Let Him

I Cannot Save Myself: 

Romans 3:9-18 -- What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips."14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know."18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Romans 7:21-25 -- So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

He Can:

Romans 5:6-9 -- You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!

2 Corinthians 4:6 -- For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Colossians 1:9-14 -- For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Let Him:

Romans 8:9-11 – You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

1 Corinthians 10:31 -- So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 -- Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

What about Anger?

(This is a repost from Sept. 21, 2006)

I was in a Bible study with some men and we were studying John2:12-25 where Jesus went into the temple and cleared out the money changers and others who were doing business in the temple court. A man asked the question “Is it ever right for Christians to display anger?” The question was not addressed and went unanswered. The question hung in my head; it just wouldn’t go away. I decided to study this question in detail and I will share some of what I’ve learned.

My first question was “Why did Jesus become angry and clear the temple this year?” He obviously had been walking by these people since he was 12 years old. Why this year?

He was acknowledged as Messiah and Prophet by the Lord in the presence of John the Baptist in Chapter One of John. He wore the mantle of the Prophet, King and Messiah. He had the authority to clean out the temple.

What does that mean to us? We have authority and responsibility in our lives also. We are husbands, dads, business owners, church elders, etc. These are our areas of responsibility. If there are cattle and sheep in the narthex of the church, go to the elders; ask them to clean it out. Why? Because it is their area of responsibility and they need to do what they must do. We can’t go through life popping off at everything—we need to be cautious when and if we display anger.

Why cautious? Because I believe God is cautious and gracious. The first two references in the Bible about God’s anger are the same in Exodus and in Numbers. It says the same thing in both places: “The Lord is slow to anger and abounds in love and faithfulness.” Do we do more yelling than abounding? This sounds rich to me, “slow to anger,” oh how Jesus has been slow and patient with me. I have experienced the “abounding” of the Holy Spirit, full, deep and rich in love and faithfulness. Oh Lord, you have been slow and patient with me. Thank you for your “abounding” love and faithfulness.

Situation Hopeless?

Luke 1:6-7 - “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.”   

Luke 1:11-17 – “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.  And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

“But…they had no children”…  Luke 1:7

Zechariah and Elisabeth were “well along in years.”  They were old, and the implication was that she was beyond child-bearing years.  Their situation in the eyes of the world seemed hopeless.  Have you been there?  Does it seem as if God does not care or hear your prayers?  Yet haven’t we, like Elisabeth and Zechariah (verse 6) wondered what have we done wrong?  “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.”  Have you asked yourself, this does not seem fair—we don’t have any children?  What’s God’s trying to tell us?

In Luke 1:11-13, the angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah and says in part…”Zechariah, your prayer has been heard…the bottom line is you are going to have a son.”

Wow!  They are old, the world may have given up on them having a baby but obviously, Zechariah did not.  He was still praying!

Have you ever felt hopeless about a situation in your life?  Have you quit praying believing nothing is going to change?   Instead, remember God recognizes faithful payers.  He does things that in the eyes of men seem impossible.

Whatever your hopeless situation is, keep praying with expectation.  It was not their sin that held them childless; it was God’s sovereign will.  I don’t understand it but God has His purposes in how He unfolds our life.  The lesson learned, no matter what, keep praying.  We don’t need to understand God’s moving in our life no matter how hopeless we feel.  We must pray and hang on.  What God has in store for us will come true at its proper time.  (Luke 1:20 - And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

Praise be to the God of ages.  Keep praying; keep praying.

Are you living life shorthanded?

 

2 Chronicles 16:11-12 - The events of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.  In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.

The economic predictions for the near and long term future are ominous.  Decisions confront us:  long-term care, Social Security, when should I retire or should I?  If we listen to the world, the future looks bleak if not, at best, challenging.  We must make decisions because we all live in the “real world.”

Asa was a King of Israel; even though he was King, he lived in the real world.  No doubt he could afford the best health care of his day, but he had a severe foot disease.  His problem, the writer of Chronicles reveals, is this—he only sought help of the physicians, not the help of the Lord.

Yes, we face many challenges as we all grow older but who brought us this far?  The Lord did.  In Psalm 139:16 is says in part ”all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”   Yes, the Lord runs the ship; He rules with physicians and everyone else but we, in the end, all answer to Him.

Afraid of the future; concerned about tomorrow?  Work with the people who God has sovereignly put into your life, physicians included.  Entrust it all to the Lord for He cares for you.  (“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7)

The Spiritually Lazy Saint

 I'd like to share the following which is the July 10, 2012 devotional from Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest."

  

"Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together" . . . —Hebrews 10:24-25

 We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

 The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “. . . to stir you up by reminding you . . .” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren . . .” (Matthew 28:10).

July 4, 2012 – Is there not a God in America?

The Living Bible version of 2 Kings 1:1-10 says: 

1 After King Ahab's death, the nation of Moab declared its independence from Israel. 2 One day Israel's new king, Ahaziah, fell through the latticework of an upper room at his palace in Samaria, and he was seriously injured. So he sent messengers to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether he would recover. 3 But the angel of the LORD told Elijah, who was from Tishbe, "Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will get well? Is there no God in Israel? 4 Now, therefore, this is what the LORD says: You will never leave the bed on which you are lying, but you will surely die.'" So Elijah went to deliver the message. 5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, "Why have you returned so soon?" 6 They replied, "A man came up to us and said, 'Go back to the king and give him this message from the LORD: Why are you sending men to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will get well? Is there no God in Israel? Now, since you have done this, you will never leave the bed on which you are lying, but you will surely die.'" 7 "Who was this man?" the king demanded. "What did he look like?" 8 They replied, "He was a hairy man, and he wore a leather belt around his waist.""It was Elijah from Tishbe!" the king exclaimed. 9 Then he sent an army captain with fifty soldiers to arrest him. They found him sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to him, "Man of God, the king has commanded you to come along with us." 10 But Elijah replied to the captain, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and killed them all.

Debates carry on in America; is this a Christian nation?  Opinions abound but I know this, American was founded by men influenced by Christian thought.  Only men influenced by Christian thought (beliefs) could write this in the Declaration of Independence.  It reads in part…”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable (incapable of being transferred, denied or taken away) Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”

Truth that is “self-evident”?  Where did this idea come from?  Who revealed this truth?  What kind of radical idea is this “all men are created equal” stuff?

In God’s Word, Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28 (NIV): “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  This is where this idea came from.  America’s founders wrote down this “idea” and yes, we have not carried it out in perfection.  As a nation, we are a work in progress or a work heading towards destruction.  Which one is it?

Hindus have a “caste system;” you are born into a certain caste or social group.  You can leave your “caste” by marrying “up”.  If you do, it will cost you something.  In the Hindu faith or system, all men are not created equal. The lowest caste is the “untouchables”.   The Hindus could not have written the Declaration of Independence.

The Muslim faith does not believe in equality.  Women are considered property; at best they are second class citizens.  Education of women is not encouraged.  Infidels (non-believers) are to be killed or subdued by violence.  Social life is highly restrained.  No equality; no “life”; no liberty; and no “pursuit of happiness” here.  They didn’t write the Declaration of Independence either.

Why does America run from its Christian roots?  Only men of the Christian faith could have written the Declaration of Independence.  Yet we, like King Ahaziah, are asking the Baal-Zebubs of the world, “What is our future?”  The New Living Bible says in 2 Kings 1:2-5:  After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, "Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury." 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!' "So Elijah went. 5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, "Why have you come back?"

What’s wrong with America?  We have forgotten the God who created us, sustains us, and saves us.  It’s from Him that we derive our “unalienable rights”.  We are too proud to humble ourselves and return to Him but we will ask every “non-existent mini-god” for advice as we slide down the slippery slope to oblivion.

We have run everywhere else and we may die in our plush beds in our over-stuffed houses, just like King Ahaziah.  Even if some of us were stricken dead, would we listen? 

Return to the True God, Jesus; He came to serve not be served.  We no longer need be afraid of God.  Jesus has come.  God is with us.  We can serve Him without fear anywhere in the world; that’s true freedom and liberty.   

The Supreme Court Ruling -- Remember, God is still on the Throne

 

Yesterday was a dark day in American history; the rule of law went out the window.  Yes, as a country, we will survive to face another day.  For most of us it is unsettling but we shall not worry—God’s still on the Throne.

Government was ordained by God; its purpose was to bring control and discipline upon the people.  Romans 13:1-5 says:  “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.  For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.” 

As professing Christians, we are to be witnesses to the Truth whether free or slave; we are to live out our faith no matter the cost or sacrifice.  We need not lose our head about the court ruling made this week or Obama care.  Who brought us safely this far?  God has alone, not some politician or Supreme Court Justice.  They may think they are the end of line, they hold the authority but they answer to God.  A day of accountability is coming for all of us.

No matter what the future holds, hold fast to the faith for “kings and kingdoms will all pass away but there is something about that name” and that name is Jesus.

Sleep well, Christian, this is another sign of Christ’s eminent return.  Sleep well, God’s plans are never thwarted; they are just being unfurled before us more plainly and clearly than ever before.  Let’s work with Christian zeal serving the Lord.  Occupy with vigor until He comes.  Be in the world not of it.  Work to hasten the day of His return.  Sleep well, Christian, the devil and his men can only harass our spirit.  They have no sting; all they can do is buzz like a fly. 

Send in the Clowns

Clowns have a special place in the history of the circus. Their job was to lighten the mood. If an act did not go off well, the call went out to “send in the clowns” and the clowns flooded the ring. Clowns were also used to create a distraction especially if a tragedy or accident occurred. The clowns were sent in to distract and maintain the “happy” experience.

Stephen Sondheim wrote a song called “Send in the Clowns” which was popularized by Judy Collins and others. The song is from a musical in which an aging actress begins to see her talent steadily slipping away and wonders if she is at that point where they need to “send in the clowns” to distract the audience from her diminishing talent. A sad day for this actress when she realizes as far as her career goes, “it’s over”.

Churches have clown ministries. I guess they have their place; special occasions, working with children but I wonder if it is frivolous. What are they trying to distract us from, if anything, or is it just good fun?

As Christians, we are called to be joyous not morose. James 1:2 says: “Consider it pure joy”. Titus 2:7-8 says in part: “...in your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech…” But I don’t see where we are called to be frivolous. I mean when the wheels fly off of our life and we need help, will we seek out the clown?

I believe we will seek out a friend who is rooted in God’s word, a friend who is tested, passionate about life and the faith, encouraging with wise words of comfort. I believe we are called to be serious about the faith, not frivolous. Christ was never pictured as a chuckling, jolly figure. Isaiah 53:3 described Him as “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

In school, I was the class clown and I was good at it. As class clown I deeply wanted the approval of my peers. It masked or distracted from what was really going on in my life. Inside my heart was a God-shaped hole and no amount of acceptance from a fractured world could fill that hole. I needed Christ but I didn’t know it. I distracted myself from the sadness unfolding around me. It was a frivolous, self deception; I was the court jester.

How many people on the surface appear happy and well adjusted, keeping up a “glittering image” while being lonely and hurting deeply? Have we as a The Church “sent in the clowns” when we should be demonstrating the love of Christ?

Praying for Family in these days

Considering things I saw this week, things I thought I would never see--example, on one news site seven stories related to human cannibalism!  What's happened to us?  When a culture denies the existence of God, a culture pays a high price.  Doesify said, "When there is no God, all things are permissable."  The good news is this, there is a God no matter how much as a culture wishes He is no more.

In these days we must pray.  Let's start with our families.  (I encourage you to print out the following so you have it for your daily use.)

Praying for Family in these days

Who will I pray for?

1.       ____________________________________         6.   ____________________________________

2.       ____________________________________          7.   ____________________________________

3.       ____________________________________           8.  ____________________________________

4.       ____________________________________          9.   ____________________________________

5.        ____________________________________         10. ____________________________________

*Note:  Include yourself!

1.  Forgive them; forgive yourself

                1 John 1:8-9: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He (God/Jesus) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

            James 5:16:  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

            1 Peter 2:24-25:  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.  (Jesus is the Shepherd and Overseer)

            Ephesians 6:12: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2.  Pray for protection for them and yourself

            John 17:1-3:  After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

            John 17:15-17:  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

            John 17:20:  "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message” (This is us today)

3.  Love your family enough to share with them, in love, the message of Christ

            Romans 12:2:  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

            Romans 12:9-16:  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

4.  Remember this

            Jeremiah 29:13:  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.