Monday, June 8, 2020

Why The World Shakes Its Fist At God And What We Should Do About It

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ”  – Matthew 5:43-45

 There are things in this life that happen to all people – the lost and the saved. That is not the measure of the presence or absence of God. But, since that is true – the Lost might very well ask “Where is your God? What difference does belief in God make in the lives of men?” Actually that is a very good question.  Since you were born again by the Spirit through faith in Jesus, you know what the difference is, but expressing it in words to a world that is speeding pell-mell toward an eternity in hell, often fails us. The testimony of how you live and love in the world will speak much louder than any words that you might say or write. As the world spins its way into eternity, what is not apparent to mankind is the presence of the Spirit and His influence on the affairs of men.

 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He [The Spirit of God] who now restrains will do so until He [the Spirit of God] is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:6-12

 From time to time, we get a glimpse of “evil unleashed”. When people do horrific things to other people. It is the presence of the Spirit of God that restrains Evil from its full revelation on earth.  On social media, I see many Christians asking the question, “Are we entering the End of Days?” Life on earth is as bad as any of the generations that are living have ever seen – lawlessness – famine – earthquakes – natural disasters – man-made disasters – wars. And the Saints cry out – “Jesus come quickly!”  But, only the Father knows when that will be – when He declares it.  When the Saints will meet Jesus in the clouds. Therefore, obviously none of us knows when but what we do we do know is that it will happen. In the meantime, what to do?

 The world is shaking its fist at God in defiance. Embracing that which God declares as wrong and contrary to His creative intent. But mankind, since Adam, has wanted to be its own god.  Make its own decisions – decide for itself what is right and what is wrong. It is the presence of the Spirit of God that restrains mankind.  For now, there is a limit to what God will allow. But one day, God will remove the influence of the Spirit and leave mankind to itself. At that time the world will feel the full weight and furry of sin.

 So long as there is a Christian who walks the earth, the Spirit of God will be present. Think about it. Firstly, we have been sealed by the Spirit.

 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” – Ephesians 1:13

Secondly, we, individually and so corporately, are the temple of the Holy Spirit!

 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19

Our spiritual birth and nature is dependent upon the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. His presence in the believer is what enables each of us to be born again.

 Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.’” – John 3:5-8

 Do you see why it is so important for all Christians to let their light shine in this dark – defiant world?  Why we should show love first to other Christians, and then to the world in the face of the hatred and defiance that runs rampant in every culture? Do you understand why there should be unity on the Body of Christ in the face of worldly division between races and cultures? People will not see God in the weather or in the day to day affairs of men.  They will see God in the Body of Christ as it lives out its purpose of being a peculiar people – a holy nation.  The world needs to see Jesus in us by our love and unity that is derived by our new nature and not our vain attempts to love and unite by the power of our failed flesh. A Christians we are all His ambassadors.

 These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” – John 15:17-19

The world is shaking its fist at God.  Don’t be surprised when it shakes it fist at you too.  Don’t use your cultures acceptance of you as an indicator that all is well.  If the world embraces you, is very likely because you have embraced the world and have joined the crowd and raised your fist at God as well.

Let your light shine!

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone


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