Fear, Faith & The Future

 FEAR, FAITH AND THE FUTURE

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” - 2 Timothy 1:7

We are living in perilous times. We are constantly bombarded with fearful news headlines. As I write this, two separate wars continue to escalate. It isn't uncommon to hear of school and workplace violence. Scientists are always issuing stern warnings about “global warming,” or some new strand of virus they've uncovered. Political, social and racial tensions are at a boiling point. The news is always bad --- and getting worse.

I believe the news broadcasts are intentionally designed to bring fear upon the people and indoctrinate us to embrace their views. Taken to an extreme, a person could easily barricade himself in his house and die of mortal fear.

As Christians, we are called to live by faith, not by fear. Although everyone seems to be overwhelmed with a sense of fear, we shouldn't be. We have every reason to smile and look forward to the future.

Let me be clear about something. I am not like the movie character, Polyanna, who pretends to find good in everything. There are bad things around. Evil does exist. Wicked people excel at the expense of the righteous. Christians do suffer and die. This is a sinful, depraved, destructive society that we live in. Our world seems to be getting worse by the day.

Yet Christians have every reason to rejoice. Our faith is in not in a political process, economic forecast or the latest news headline. Our faith is in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We rejoice because our redemption draweth nigh. We rejoice because Jesus is alive, He hears our prayers, He still saves souls and He's coming again very soon!

As the old song says, “This world is not my home, I'm just passing through.” Often we place too much hope in men. We expect a politician to save our nation. There is only one Savior and His Name is Jesus. My faith lies in Him, alone. I am just on assignment for a few days here on earth. Soon my working days will be over and I will be called home. The best is yet to come!

God has not called us to live in fear. Neither do we live in denial about the state of our world. Rather than looking to Washington, we lift up our eyes to the hills, from whence cometh our help. Our help comes from the Lord. Our confidence lies in Him.

So I refuse to live in fear. I will live by faith, assured that God is in control. My future is in His hands, so why should I fear?

For myself, I have chosen not to watch the national news. Instead, I spend time each day in my Bible. That's where the Good News is found. Furthermore, I've read the back of the Bible, and I know how the future will ultimately unfold. Yes, things will continue to get worse. Yet God is reserving the very best for His children. He is saving the best for last.

Yes, people have disappointed me at times. Circumstances have sometimes gone a different direction than I would have preferred. Yet I know that the Lord is sovereign. Nothing will occur without His divine permission. Although I may not understand everything He does or permits, I know that He is good and is working everything together for my good.

No doubt there are rough days ahead. There are challenges we must face. Yet we are called let our light shine in this world of darkness. Light seems to be so much brighter when it invades the worst degree of darkness. This is our hour to shine.

It has been shocking to realize how far our nation has deteriorated in the last twenty years or so. It can be scary to consider how bad the next twenty years will be. But our time on earth is limited. As Christians, our real home awaits us in heaven. We will live there forever. A better day is just ahead!

Paul summarized it best when he wrote, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” This is not just positive prose, but a powerful truth. When we get to heaven, our earthly trials will then seem as nothing. All we have endured in this life will be worth it on that day.

While others tremble with fear, let us look up with faith. Our Lord may return any moment.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Praying For Our Nation

PRAYING FOR OUR NATION

“We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.” - Daniel 9:5-6

In 1918, Irving Berlin wrote the patriotic song, “God Bless America.” If you're like me, I've often used the title of that song in prayer to request God's favor on our nation. In recent years, I've changed my request from “God bless America,” to “God have mercy on America.”

Daniel faced a similar situation. When he reflected on the spiritual condition of his people, he sought God's mercy and forgiveness. They had sinned greatly against God and failed miserably to keep His commandments.

Like it or not, the United States of America is no better. Our nation still seeks to kill unborn children. America has condoned and celebrated homosexuality. Transgender living is considered normal, acceptable behavior. Fornication is very common, in fact, more common than marriage.

It is easy to point the finger of blame at Hollywood or Washington. The fact is that the moral decay of our country has come even though thousands of churches meet weekly. With so many churches open in America, you'd think that Christians would greatly impact this culture with the truth. Instead, the culture has impacted the church. Churches are embracing the very sins that are destroying the moral fabric of our country. In the name of “love,” many denominations are compromising, yielding to political correctness by embracing the very sins that God condemns in his Word.

Rather than praying for God to bless America, we should be begging Him to have mercy on America. Like Daniel, we need to confess the sins of our country. Yet we also need to admit that these things have happened under our watch. The American Church remained silent as the forces of darkness made great advances.

So how should we pray? First of all, we need to confess our own guilt. We have been silent while wicked people have led a revolt against God, His Word and His people. We need to ask God to forgive us of our apathy and coldness. We should pray for God to wake up the Church, revive His people and raise up prayer warriors everywhere.

When Daniel made confession for his people, he used the word, “we,” in his confession. He admitted that he had been part of the problem. Today, our prayers should be similar to Daniel's. We have failed the Lord. We have been silent for too long. Our silence has given the devil a foothold that he has not relinquished.

Christians need to get back in church. If you think it is hard going to church now, what are you going to do when that freedom is taken away? If it seems difficult to boldly share the Gospel publicly, how are you going to be a witness for Jesus when persecution intensifies? Let's get busy for God and share the Gospel publicly. We may be the last generation of Americans that have the freedom to do so.

The Bible says that judgment must begin at the house of God. There is so much false doctrine being preached these days. Too many members are playing church. While most are concerned about the size of their church, we need to be more concerned about the purity of our church. A church is only as clean and pure as its members. Pray for God to purify your life, your marriage, your home and your church. Repent of all forms of ungodliness. Remove all sinful influences from your life. Come clean with the Lord and stay clean by His Word.

Secondly, we need to pray for unbelievers. Pray that God will soften their hearts. Ask for a mighty spiritual awakening to take place in America. Ask God to give you boldness to share the Gospel wherever you go. Time is running out. Judgment lies ahead. Many are unprepared to meet God. The harvest is ending and many are unsaved. Pray for more harvest workers --- and be one yourself.

Finally, we need to pray for our government. Yes, everything seems to be a mess in Washington. With another election coming up, so much is on the line. Let's pray for the election. Go to the voting booth and vote according to Biblical convictions. Pray for our leaders. The Bible commands us to do so. Pray for our national leaders, state leaders and local leaders.

Our nation is in a mess. It is easy for us to blame others, but the blame begins with us. We need to get serious about our faith. Come to the throne and beg for God to do a mighty work in our land, beginning with the Church.

Daniel prayed for his people. He prayed that God would have mercy on them.

We should do the same today.

Passion and Politics

 PASSION AND POLITICS

“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” - John 18:36

I strongly dislike politics. Politics is a dirty business. It seems like candidates for these positions will do nearly anything to get elected. They will lie, cheat, rob and probably even kill to get elected. It seems like a person will sell his own soul to get ahead in the political arena. As a result, common sense is no longer part of our election cycle. Politicians are often selfish, mean and arrogant. Yes, I strongly dislike politics and many politicians.

I admit that I have strong political opinions, but I have little confidence in the politicians who seek my vote. I often vote reluctantly. I feel the need to express my opinions at the voting booth, but my vote for a candidate does not necessarily mean that I am blind to that person's faults, flaws and failures. In years gone by, a small scandal would end a man's political career. These days, the bar is so low that anyone can get elected regardless of whether they are inexperienced, inept or wicked to the core. We are living in scary times!

In the past several years, I've noticed how vocal people are about their political views. The passion displayed for a candidate or political party is amazing to me. What bothers me is the fact that most “believers” are far more passionate and vocal about their politics than they are about Jesus. People will drive long miles to hear a political speech, but won't drive across town to hear a sermon about Jesus. Folks will fill a stadium or an arena to catch a glimpse of a political candidate, but will stay away from church if the parking lot is getting full. Many will be stirred by a long winded political speech, but will complain if a sermon runs a little long.

I have strong political views, but I want my passion for Jesus to far exceed my passion for politics. Whether it is in person or on social media, I want people to know my Savior far more than I want them to know about a politician. The Bible never teaches us that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one who changes their political views. Yet our passionate social media postings often seem to be geared specifically for that goal. It is obvious that this is an inferior goal.

Passion and politics were an issue during the ministry of Jesus. His disciples were expecting the Lord to bring about a political revolution. They expected Him to free them from Roman oppression. They thought that He would ultimately set up a kingdom and reign over it. When He was questioned by Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

Even before His ascension, His own disciples asked for a timeline when He would return and set up an earthly kingdom. Jesus refused to give them a timeline. It seems like we've been trying to determine this timeline ourselves. Many prophecy conferences focus on providing a timeline of future events. Instead of giving His disciples a timeline, Jesus challenged them to get busy spreading the Gospel. We would be wise to do the same.

The big issue is not our passion for politics, but our lack of passion for Jesus Christ. I am bothered about the state of country and the awful direction we seem to be going. I am frustrated that the Christian voice is being silenced while ungodly, wicked people spread their venomous message of sin. I am troubled that children are growing up in an anti-Christian country. Persecution is just around the corner. Lunacy has replaced common sense. Many years ago, Lester Roloff said, "America is an insane asylum run by the inmates.” This is more true today than when he said it. Yes, all of this bothers me deeply.

Yet we have the answer that America needs. Shouldn't we be passionate about the good news? Shouldn't we be excited to share that our Redeemer lives? Shouldn't we pray for God to use us to penetrate this world of darkness with the light of His Gospel? Shouldn't we be thrilled that He may return at any moment?

Our lack of spiritual passion indicates that the world is having more impact on us than we are on the world. The American church is in dire need of revival. Our nation needs a mighty spiritual awakening. Souls need to be saved. This won't be accomplished through political means. Only the Lord can accomplish this. Only He can transform lives. Only God can bring prodigals home. Only the Lord can restore marriages and reunite families. Our mighty King is the only One who can bring deliverance to those addicted to drugs. God is the only One who can raise up a generation of young people who are sold out to Jesus and make a positive impact in this world.

I am praying that He will do all of this throughout our country. I am confident in His ability to do it. I am trusting Him to change this nation, one person at a time.

That is something to get passionate about!

The Christian And His Country

THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS COUNTRY

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” - Matthew 22:21

I am thankful that I'm an American! Of all the countries of the world, there is not a country I'd prefer to be a citizen of than the United States. When the Olympic games were held recently, I must confess that I had a lump in my throat each time I saw the American flag raised and our nation anthem played at a gold medal ceremony.

At the same time, I get angry and frustrated when I see Americans burn our flag. Many defy the very principles our country was founded on. It is inexcusable for an American citizen to publicly denounce and disgrace his or her own nation. Yes, we may disagree on certain things, but we should not abuse the freedom our nation provides by publicly trashing the United States. If you hate our country, perhaps you should find another one to move to.

While I love our nation, I must confess that I must keep everything in proper perspective. The first time I was born, I was born an American. The second time I was born, I was born a Christian. The United States of America is my natural country. Heaven is my spiritual homeland. The USA is my temporary home. Heaven is my eternal home. I am temporary citizen of America. I am an eternal citizen of heaven.

It is easy to emphasize the temporal, to the neglect of the eternal. I have affection for my country and have allegiance to her. Yet my greatest love should be for my eternal home. Earthly parents made my first birth possible. God brought about my second birth. Slowly, family members are transitioning from this world to the next. Soon, I will make the same move.

While I enjoy the freedoms America extends to her citizens, it is the freedom I've found in Christ that has made the major difference in my life. It seems like America's freedoms are eroding. The liberty that Christ brings never fades. Many men have shed their blood to make temporary liberty possible in this nation. One Man shed His blood to make eternal freedom possible to those who believe. I owe much to to the soldiers who died for America's freedom. I owe everything to the One who died on the cross for my eternal freedom.

I hope to live the rest of my earthly life here in America. Yet my expectations go far beyond that. My faith looks forward to a better place where I will live forever. My American citizenship will end on the day of my death. My citizenship in heaven will never end. On social media, I describe myself as, “A citizen of heaven, on temporary assignment here on earth.” In a sense, I am a missionary, serving here in America. Soon, my mission will end and I will be called home.

Although I love my country, I must confess that I am troubled that some seem to have elevated their love of country to equal or exceed their love for Jesus. It is possible to turn patriotism into idolatry. Some seem to treat our nation's Constitution to be as important as the Bible. The Constitution is a great document, but the Bible is God's inerrant, eternal Word. The Constitution will cease to exist some day, but the Word of God will abide forever.

Jesus taught us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God ...” This is our top priority. Furthermore, He taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” We are to seek the increase of His kingdom. We can be guilty of seeking our nation's increase more than His kingdom's increase. While we seek to make our nation better, our primary allegiance should be toward His kingdom.

Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” Back then, people hated to render anything to Caesar. In our day, people have no problem rendering to Caesar … we just resist rendering unto God.

As citizens of the United States, we should pay our taxes, vote and seek the best for our neighborhoods. As citizens of heaven, we should worship God, proclaim the Gospel and help those in need.

The United States of America is the best country on this planet. Yet it is not heaven. Although we pledge allegiance to the American flag, our ultimate allegiance is to be to Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

This world is not my home. The older I get, the more I realize that there is something better. For Christians, the best is yet to come. So let's celebrate our nation's freedom, honor our soldiers and respect the flag. Yet let's never forget that America is not heaven. The Declaration of Independence is not the Bible. The occupant of the White House is not God.

Love your country, but worship the Lord.