Other than receiving some daily devotional emails, I'm not too familiar with Pastor David Jeremiah. However, the little bit that I do know about him I like.
For instance, I like that he preaches the truth as found in the Bible (sadly, a revolutionary act for most religious leaders today I'm afraid) and that he isn't too shy about talking about the end times either.
Last week, he made headlines because of the following statements...
Apparently, many Christians agree with him as evidenced by a poll attached to that column that indicates that 70% of those surveyed "wish more pastors were bold enough to state this publicly" too. Praise the Lord! At least we're not all asleep.
Ironically proving his point, just a few days later, the Obama administration contacted Jeremiah over his comments about the President...
All of this gave me the idea to put together a piece that was appropriate for today -- just a few days before the mid-term elections -- that took some material from Pastor Jeremiah's devotionals to speak some truths into our lives.
I already know that this commentary isn't going to be a popular one. It's going to upset some people. It might even upset some family members and dear friends. It might even be viewed as being "sacrilegious" because it was written and posted on Election Day.
Even so, I must share what has been placed on my heart to share. Besides, one should never preach to please people anyway. We preach the truth to please God and because we're commanded to.
It's no secret that LUF publishes its share of speculative and subjective studies even when the desire is always the same -- pointing people to salvation in Jesus Christ while also pointing to the nearness of the fulfillment of end times prophecy.
Today, I want to share some immutable truths from the Word of God that pertain to the last days. These are the facts that we need to take comfort in at all times and especially when we witness so much chaos and uncertainty all around us.
When Winston Churchill was trying to awaken the world to the Nazi threat, he quoted a childhood poem...
When we look at our world today, we're apt to wonder who's in charge of this clattering train? Wars raging. Morality collapsing. Infections spreading. Weapons proliferating. Economies faltering. Hypocrisy growing. Hearts failing. Is anyone in control?
Yes! We can rest assured that however chaotic things appear on earth, God is still in charge, ruling and overruling, moving this world toward its pre-appointed end. The Bible declares this truth over, and over, and over again. We just don't believe it because we're not hearing it and we're certainly not reading it for ourselves.
Regardless of the headlines we read or the heartaches we feel, we can rest assured that the Lord is our stability and peace.
Sadly, far too many Christians fail to recognize the sovereignty of God let alone understand what that truly means. It's precisely why millions of Christians are getting too caught up in the politics of the day. They'd rather preach to others about the necessity of a party, then preach to others about the necessity of the cross.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't be involved with politics, but I see a very disturbing trend these days where saying "I'm a Christian" must be synonymous with saying "I'm a political activist", or else you're somehow not a genuine Christian. Really? The hypocrisy is laughable.
Please show me in the Scriptures where God instructs us to preach politics or to concern ourselves more with political causes than with preaching the Gospel. Last time I read His Word (when was the last time you read it?), He told us to preach the life-saving (and life-changing) Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15).
All of this reminds me of something we read in the Book of Acts...
The belief that there is "strength in numbers" is erroneous. At least, it should be, right? I mean, that may work for a herd of wildebeests crossing a crocodile-infested river in Africa, and other instances where "survival of the fittest" rules.
However, when it comes to the family of nations on planet earth, strength in numbers is not God's plan. Let me repeat that for all you Christian-Political-Activists out there...
In fact, I would argue that it's Satan's plan that you are unwittingly fulfilling. Think about it especially from a prophetic standpoint. We know that there must be chaos, death, destruction, strife, unrest in all facets of society in order to create an environment that a New World Order (a.k.a. the prophesied One World Government) can be born out of.
So, naturally, this whole Tea Party/Voter Revolt/Revolution movement in response to the gross incompetence and injustices perpetrated against American citizens (as well as in other places around the world) should not be a surprise to Christians who study end times prophecy. It just shouldn't be.
By fostering a "brotherhood of man" type of mentality -- whether the Tea Party is the vehicle to accomplish such or not -- Satan gets what he wants and is smiling from horn-to-horn. I know there will be many who will disagree with me, but what I'm seeing at the root of any of these political protests these days is a carefully constructed snare set by Satan that will only lead to sin and we all know what the wages of sin are, don't we?
"JRed, what in the world are you talking about?"
Well, for starters, how about this unholy, insatiable desire to remove from office each and every incumbent or person responsible for the current policies that are "ruining" this nation? Sounds like hate (or committing murder in our hearts) and vengeance to me. Furthermore, what about our unrepentant sins? Aren't they too responsible for "ruining" this nation and for bringing God's wrath in giving us the leaders we deserve?
How about this unholy, insatiable desire to show the politicians in Washington DC that they are "wrong" and we are "right" about everything? Sounds like pride to me. Are we "right" to ignore our sins or to think that we know better than God does when it comes to what's best for us and this country? Are we even bothering to pray to Him for help with the various national crises?
How about this unholy, insatiable desire to "fix" Washington DC so that we can do things the right way, reduce taxes, eliminate wasteful spending, and ultimately put more money into our pockets? Sounds like greed from those who think they are gods themselves to me. Don't we have enough blessings in this life even despite the money and the jobs lost? Don't we believe that God gives us exactly what He wants us to be stewards of in this life?
Hmmm, so if we do a quick recap then we have...
Should I keep going or do you see why I think we need to check ourselves some?
Now, I know that at this point in this discussion there will be some people who will misconstrue what I'm trying to say here. I am not -- I repeat, I am not -- trying to say that Christians should never get involved in politics.
I'm simply trying to make sure we all have our priorities in order (God, Family, Country -- in that order) and that we're taking a spiritual inventory of our own lives, or checking our own spiritual health first (and regularly) before we blindly go about "trying to do things our way" in this nation instead of leaving it up to the political elite class, or instead of submitting to God's sovereignty.
Let me ask you this. You call yourself a Christian. Do you truly believe that YOU can change this nation, that YOU can fix things, whether it's on YOUR OWN or as a part of some group of like-minded patriots? Do you truly believe YOU can do anything apart from God?
I hate to break it to you, but if that's you, then you're not reading your Bible, or you are, but you're ignoring what it clearly says...
I'll ask you another question. You call yourself a Christian. Have you relied on prayer and the Lord? Have you tried praying to Him to help fix this nation and either change the hearts and minds of its leaders, or give us new ones? Most importantly, have you ended each prayer with the words "not my will, not our will, but Your will be done" as you should?
I hate to break it to you, but if that's you, if you haven't prayed, if you haven't turned to or relied on the Lord in these times of anxiety and stress, then you're not reading your Bible, or you are, but you're ignoring what it clearly says...
Verse 13 asks "is any among you afflicted?"; "is any one of you in trouble?", right? "Let him pray"/"He should pray" is the command we're given.
Wouldn't a majority of us agree that we feel like we're being unjustly "afflicted" and that we're "in trouble" as a result? Ok, well how many of that same majority is turning to prayer as their first response to such? Sadly, I would guess not many. The prophesied Apostasy, or falling away from the faith, continues in this late and urgent hour of humanity.
My gosh! This passage even reminds us of the power of prayer from a righteous man and gives us the example of Elijah! Verse 17 says, "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." Again, how many of us are actually responding to the political shenanigans in the way the Bible instructs us to respond to such trials and tribulations?
By the way, if we merely go back a few chapters in James we find another appropriate reminder...
See, the problem is that we Westernized Christians especially here in the US have had it so good for so long that we think it's the end of the world the minute we lose our money, lose our car, lose our job, or lose our home.
I'm not trying to minimize these life-altering tribulations one bit, but I am trying to add some levity and perspective here mainly as we consider our position in comparison to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
Last time I checked, we still have our life, our family, our friends, our Jesus Christ, don't we? Precisely why we must never place our happiness or self-worth in things other than the Rock Himself. But I'm getting a little side-tracked here.
I want to return to this ridiculous, earthly, fleshly idea about there being "strength in numbers" and how that's not a part of God's plan. After the Great Flood recorded for us in the Book of Genesis, the human population grew rapidly. The rallying cry was to unite -- gain strength by sticking together -- on the plains of Shinar.
To symbolize their unity and autonomy, the people built a huge tower, a monolith that stood for their sole purpose as a population -- to make a name for themselves and to not be "scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:4). Yet, God had commanded them to do the opposite! Man, human nature never changes, does it?
Once again, there is a move among world leaders today to unite and create a New World Order, even a One World Government. If you're inclined to reject such a claim, then you're not paying attention to the news. On Wednesday, October 20th, 2010, it was reported that the Iran and Venezuela leaders seek a New World Order.
There will be an ultimate One World Government someday ruled by Jesus Christ from His throne in Jerusalem. Until then, God intends for nations to draw their strength from Him, not from each other.
So, even if the Patriot/Tea Party Movement is considered "successful" in this country following today's elections, the reality is simple.
As A.W. Tozer pointed it out for us...
I get that many people (yes, even many Christians) doubt that we're living on the edge of the Tribulation. Fortunately, there are some warning signs we should be looking for, and for those of us who are well aware of what those signs are, we can already see the writing on the wall.
Warning signs give us the opportunity to take early steps to avert or lessen a crisis. A leak in your ceiling is a warning your roof may need repairing or replacing. A small lump might be a warning sign of cancer. A twinge in your arm or chest could be an indication of eventual heart trouble. Buying essentials on credit is often an early warning sign of future financial crisis. Lessened physical intimacy in marriage could be a warning of upcoming trouble in the relationship.
How important it is to recognize early warning signs! Sticking with the political theme here today, we're upset when our political leaders miss the early warning signs and fail to "connect the dots" in advance, right? Then let's not do the same!
When we open our Bibles to the signs of the times, we're studying the leading prophetic indicators that enable us to spot the warning signs for the swift appearing of Jesus Christ. What did He tell us?
No, we don't know the exact day or hour, but we can spot the early warning signs for sure. If you don't believe that, then you're not reading (or believing) God's Word.
Finally, I want to close by taking a common verse, but by using a different analogy than the one that's commonly associated with it. I want to do this because I want to try to get us to shift our focus from the politics of this nation to the politics of the family, which also takes precedence over national concerns.
We're all familiar with the following words of wisdom...
No couple stands before God on their wedding day and vows to separate within a few years or raise children to choose a wayward path. Every couple vows to do their best with God's help to create a loving and lasting home that will be a refuge and sanctuary, a hospital of the soul to heal the wounds of the world. Family is everything -- where life begins, where it is nurtured, and where it breathes its last, surrounded by love and hope of being reunited in eternity.
Sadly, we sometimes have to identify with Job: "For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me" (Job 3:25). Even the most well-intended families suffer the pain of disappointment, lost love, breakdown, even breakup. But that doesn't mean God's grace isn't sufficient to carry on.
Family faith pursues God's ideal, fights for the highest good, loves unconditionally, thinks the best, and always perseveres. And if failure occurs, it gives and receives forgiveness through the blood of Christ and lives to love and believe another day.
Your family is not perfect, but your God is. Let Him give you renewed faith for your family today. We use that verse to teach the importance of trusting God with our family. Here's a challenge. Why not take that same verse and use it to trust God with our nation too?
These days I see so many Christians trying to figure out how they can get involved politically to "fix this nation" or "save this nation" once and for all for we the people. Read the above verse again and marry such a truth with the fact that God is sovereign -- not us.
Many Christians have unshakeable faith that God will deliver them safely through their many trials and anticipate arriving at Heaven's door several decades from now. But some of those same Christians have a harder time trusting God to provide a job, income, the right political leader, to restore their marriage, or deliver a solution to a persistent problem. Why can we trust God with eternity but have a harder time trusting him for tomorrow?
This raises the question, "Is our life scripted by God or is it determined by our choices?" The answer is, yes. Psalm 139:16 suggests a script for our life, yet the Bible is full of exhortations to choose wisely as if our choices determine our future.
We live in the reality -- the tension -- between both truths, what scholars call an "antinomy" ("two parallel truths that suggest a contradiction"). But there are no contradictions with God. He uses "all things" (Romans 8:28), both wise and foolish, to accomplish His script for our life, which is conformity to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).
Tomorrow and eternity are no different to God. Plan today as prayerfully and carefully as you anticipate eternity -- and trust Him for both -- no matter the outcome.
We need to always remember that we are not skilled to understand. The Scriptures remind us...
An old hymn says, "I am not skilled to understand what God hath willed, what God hath planned." Sometimes we can't find explanations for our situations -- personal or political; we either trust our Lord or lose our minds.
At such times Jesus says to us as He did to Peter: "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." God, though personal, is eternal, transcendent, and omniscient. He is sovereign.
He possesses total knowledge of all things visible and invisible, past, present, and future. He knows the end from the beginning. His perspective is as different from ours as ours is from an insect's.
He is also good, kind, and full of compassion. He has promised to work all things for good in the lives of His children. God moves in a mysterious way.
Instead of always asking "Why?" (as in "Why didn't our candidate win the election?" or "Why hasn't our nation changed after we went out and voted better leaders into office?") let's learn to say with the hymnist, "I am not skilled to understand what God hath willed, what God hath planned; I only know that at His right hand is One who is my Savior."
Amen! We should prayerfully follow current events and respond as wisely as possible to the events of this life. But always remember -- this world is not our home; we're just "a passing through."
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For instance, I like that he preaches the truth as found in the Bible (sadly, a revolutionary act for most religious leaders today I'm afraid) and that he isn't too shy about talking about the end times either.
Last week, he made headlines because of the following statements...
David Jeremiah: Obama A 'Dangerous' Man
A pastor and bestselling author is praying that voters in the upcoming mid-term elections will elect representatives who will slow down the train President Obama is using to take the country toward socialism and away from its historical mooring.
Dr. David Jeremiah, senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church of El Cajon, California, recently released his latest book, The Coming Economic Armageddon: What Bible Prophecy Warns about the New Global Economy. While he says he has no desire to vilify President Barack Obama, he disagrees with most of what the president has done.
"I have a very strong belief that President Obama is as much of a globalist as we've had in the office of the presidency," Dr. Jeremiah shares. "There was a period of time when he was running for office, and after he was elected, where people actually began to talk about him as if he were the president of the world. It seems as if he were running for president of the world."
While the pastor admits he does not know the president's heart, he does believe Obama's policies are not representative of what the Bible teaches about what should be done in a time such as this.
"I do not believe he has been an asset to our country; I don't believe he's moved us forward in a good direction, and frankly, I am praying, along with many other believers, that in this mid-term election we will find a way to slow down this train that seems to be moving us toward socialism and away from our historical moorings," Dr. Jeremiah explains. "I'm really frightened about that, and I think in that respect, I believe he's a dangerous person."
Apparently, many Christians agree with him as evidenced by a poll attached to that column that indicates that 70% of those surveyed "wish more pastors were bold enough to state this publicly" too. Praise the Lord! At least we're not all asleep.
Ironically proving his point, just a few days later, the Obama administration contacted Jeremiah over his comments about the President...
OneNewsNow Story Prompts White House Call
A Southern California pastor with a national radio following says he's expecting to chat today with a White House representative over comments last week in which the pastor described President Obama as a "dangerous" man.
Dr. David Jeremiah's remarks came during an interview last week with OneNewsNow about his new book, The Coming Economic Armageddon: What Bible Prophecy Warns about the New Global Economy. In that interview, Jeremiah was asked about the direction the country is going under Barack Obama's leadership.
During an interview this morning on American Family Radio's Today's Issues, the pastor shared that shortly after the article appeared online, he started getting calls "from all over the country" asking if he had seen the article and if he had really said what was reported. He told AFR there was nothing wrong with the story -- but that the headline ("David Jeremiah: Obama a 'dangerous' man") "got everybody's attention."
"In fact, it got me a call from the White House," he continued. "There's a guy in the White House named Joshua DuBois, who is the liaison for President Obama to the faith-based community. He called my office on Thursday, and I was in transit -- I couldn't talk with him. So I have an appointment to discuss this with him at 11:00 today."
"I don't know where this is all going," stated Dr. Jeremiah. "In fact, I've had people ask me do I regret what I said, and I said no -- I didn't say that in a mean-spirited way. It was my opinion that that's where we're going. Nothing that I know of that's been brought to the fore...has made me change my mind about that. I am very concerned about where this country is going."
And as for his concerns about Obama's economic policies since taking office? "Let's just confine it to the things that he himself has engineered, and don't say anything about anything else," he replied, "and that's enough to frighten anybody."
All of this gave me the idea to put together a piece that was appropriate for today -- just a few days before the mid-term elections -- that took some material from Pastor Jeremiah's devotionals to speak some truths into our lives.
I already know that this commentary isn't going to be a popular one. It's going to upset some people. It might even upset some family members and dear friends. It might even be viewed as being "sacrilegious" because it was written and posted on Election Day.
Even so, I must share what has been placed on my heart to share. Besides, one should never preach to please people anyway. We preach the truth to please God and because we're commanded to.
It's no secret that LUF publishes its share of speculative and subjective studies even when the desire is always the same -- pointing people to salvation in Jesus Christ while also pointing to the nearness of the fulfillment of end times prophecy.
Today, I want to share some immutable truths from the Word of God that pertain to the last days. These are the facts that we need to take comfort in at all times and especially when we witness so much chaos and uncertainty all around us.
Psalm 47:8 (KJV) God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
When Winston Churchill was trying to awaken the world to the Nazi threat, he quoted a childhood poem...
"Who is in charge of this clattering train? The axles creak and the couplings strain; and the pace is hot, and the points are near, and Sleep has deadened the driver's ear..."
When we look at our world today, we're apt to wonder who's in charge of this clattering train? Wars raging. Morality collapsing. Infections spreading. Weapons proliferating. Economies faltering. Hypocrisy growing. Hearts failing. Is anyone in control?
Yes! We can rest assured that however chaotic things appear on earth, God is still in charge, ruling and overruling, moving this world toward its pre-appointed end. The Bible declares this truth over, and over, and over again. We just don't believe it because we're not hearing it and we're certainly not reading it for ourselves.
Regardless of the headlines we read or the heartaches we feel, we can rest assured that the Lord is our stability and peace.
Sadly, far too many Christians fail to recognize the sovereignty of God let alone understand what that truly means. It's precisely why millions of Christians are getting too caught up in the politics of the day. They'd rather preach to others about the necessity of a party, then preach to others about the necessity of the cross.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't be involved with politics, but I see a very disturbing trend these days where saying "I'm a Christian" must be synonymous with saying "I'm a political activist", or else you're somehow not a genuine Christian. Really? The hypocrisy is laughable.
Please show me in the Scriptures where God instructs us to preach politics or to concern ourselves more with political causes than with preaching the Gospel. Last time I read His Word (when was the last time you read it?), He told us to preach the life-saving (and life-changing) Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15).
All of this reminds me of something we read in the Book of Acts...
Acts 17:26 (NIV) From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
The belief that there is "strength in numbers" is erroneous. At least, it should be, right? I mean, that may work for a herd of wildebeests crossing a crocodile-infested river in Africa, and other instances where "survival of the fittest" rules.
However, when it comes to the family of nations on planet earth, strength in numbers is not God's plan. Let me repeat that for all you Christian-Political-Activists out there...
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS IS NOT GOD'S PLAN!!!
In fact, I would argue that it's Satan's plan that you are unwittingly fulfilling. Think about it especially from a prophetic standpoint. We know that there must be chaos, death, destruction, strife, unrest in all facets of society in order to create an environment that a New World Order (a.k.a. the prophesied One World Government) can be born out of.
So, naturally, this whole Tea Party/Voter Revolt/Revolution movement in response to the gross incompetence and injustices perpetrated against American citizens (as well as in other places around the world) should not be a surprise to Christians who study end times prophecy. It just shouldn't be.
By fostering a "brotherhood of man" type of mentality -- whether the Tea Party is the vehicle to accomplish such or not -- Satan gets what he wants and is smiling from horn-to-horn. I know there will be many who will disagree with me, but what I'm seeing at the root of any of these political protests these days is a carefully constructed snare set by Satan that will only lead to sin and we all know what the wages of sin are, don't we?
"JRed, what in the world are you talking about?"
Well, for starters, how about this unholy, insatiable desire to remove from office each and every incumbent or person responsible for the current policies that are "ruining" this nation? Sounds like hate (or committing murder in our hearts) and vengeance to me. Furthermore, what about our unrepentant sins? Aren't they too responsible for "ruining" this nation and for bringing God's wrath in giving us the leaders we deserve?
How about this unholy, insatiable desire to show the politicians in Washington DC that they are "wrong" and we are "right" about everything? Sounds like pride to me. Are we "right" to ignore our sins or to think that we know better than God does when it comes to what's best for us and this country? Are we even bothering to pray to Him for help with the various national crises?
How about this unholy, insatiable desire to "fix" Washington DC so that we can do things the right way, reduce taxes, eliminate wasteful spending, and ultimately put more money into our pockets? Sounds like greed from those who think they are gods themselves to me. Don't we have enough blessings in this life even despite the money and the jobs lost? Don't we believe that God gives us exactly what He wants us to be stewards of in this life?
Hmmm, so if we do a quick recap then we have...
> Hate
> Murder
> Vengeance
> Pride
> Greed
Should I keep going or do you see why I think we need to check ourselves some?
Now, I know that at this point in this discussion there will be some people who will misconstrue what I'm trying to say here. I am not -- I repeat, I am not -- trying to say that Christians should never get involved in politics.
I'm simply trying to make sure we all have our priorities in order (God, Family, Country -- in that order) and that we're taking a spiritual inventory of our own lives, or checking our own spiritual health first (and regularly) before we blindly go about "trying to do things our way" in this nation instead of leaving it up to the political elite class, or instead of submitting to God's sovereignty.
Let me ask you this. You call yourself a Christian. Do you truly believe that YOU can change this nation, that YOU can fix things, whether it's on YOUR OWN or as a part of some group of like-minded patriots? Do you truly believe YOU can do anything apart from God?
I hate to break it to you, but if that's you, then you're not reading your Bible, or you are, but you're ignoring what it clearly says...
John 15:5 (KJV) I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
I'll ask you another question. You call yourself a Christian. Have you relied on prayer and the Lord? Have you tried praying to Him to help fix this nation and either change the hearts and minds of its leaders, or give us new ones? Most importantly, have you ended each prayer with the words "not my will, not our will, but Your will be done" as you should?
I hate to break it to you, but if that's you, if you haven't prayed, if you haven't turned to or relied on the Lord in these times of anxiety and stress, then you're not reading your Bible, or you are, but you're ignoring what it clearly says...
James 5:10-17 (KJV) Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Verse 13 asks "is any among you afflicted?"; "is any one of you in trouble?", right? "Let him pray"/"He should pray" is the command we're given.
Wouldn't a majority of us agree that we feel like we're being unjustly "afflicted" and that we're "in trouble" as a result? Ok, well how many of that same majority is turning to prayer as their first response to such? Sadly, I would guess not many. The prophesied Apostasy, or falling away from the faith, continues in this late and urgent hour of humanity.
My gosh! This passage even reminds us of the power of prayer from a righteous man and gives us the example of Elijah! Verse 17 says, "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." Again, how many of us are actually responding to the political shenanigans in the way the Bible instructs us to respond to such trials and tribulations?
By the way, if we merely go back a few chapters in James we find another appropriate reminder...
James 1:2 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
See, the problem is that we Westernized Christians especially here in the US have had it so good for so long that we think it's the end of the world the minute we lose our money, lose our car, lose our job, or lose our home.
I'm not trying to minimize these life-altering tribulations one bit, but I am trying to add some levity and perspective here mainly as we consider our position in comparison to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
Last time I checked, we still have our life, our family, our friends, our Jesus Christ, don't we? Precisely why we must never place our happiness or self-worth in things other than the Rock Himself. But I'm getting a little side-tracked here.
I want to return to this ridiculous, earthly, fleshly idea about there being "strength in numbers" and how that's not a part of God's plan. After the Great Flood recorded for us in the Book of Genesis, the human population grew rapidly. The rallying cry was to unite -- gain strength by sticking together -- on the plains of Shinar.
To symbolize their unity and autonomy, the people built a huge tower, a monolith that stood for their sole purpose as a population -- to make a name for themselves and to not be "scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:4). Yet, God had commanded them to do the opposite! Man, human nature never changes, does it?
Genesis 9:1 (KJV) And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Once again, there is a move among world leaders today to unite and create a New World Order, even a One World Government. If you're inclined to reject such a claim, then you're not paying attention to the news. On Wednesday, October 20th, 2010, it was reported that the Iran and Venezuela leaders seek a New World Order.
There will be an ultimate One World Government someday ruled by Jesus Christ from His throne in Jerusalem. Until then, God intends for nations to draw their strength from Him, not from each other.
So, even if the Patriot/Tea Party Movement is considered "successful" in this country following today's elections, the reality is simple.
As A.W. Tozer pointed it out for us...
"God's plan will continue on God's schedule."
I get that many people (yes, even many Christians) doubt that we're living on the edge of the Tribulation. Fortunately, there are some warning signs we should be looking for, and for those of us who are well aware of what those signs are, we can already see the writing on the wall.
Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV) "Look at the nations and watch -- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Warning signs give us the opportunity to take early steps to avert or lessen a crisis. A leak in your ceiling is a warning your roof may need repairing or replacing. A small lump might be a warning sign of cancer. A twinge in your arm or chest could be an indication of eventual heart trouble. Buying essentials on credit is often an early warning sign of future financial crisis. Lessened physical intimacy in marriage could be a warning of upcoming trouble in the relationship.
How important it is to recognize early warning signs! Sticking with the political theme here today, we're upset when our political leaders miss the early warning signs and fail to "connect the dots" in advance, right? Then let's not do the same!
When we open our Bibles to the signs of the times, we're studying the leading prophetic indicators that enable us to spot the warning signs for the swift appearing of Jesus Christ. What did He tell us?
Matthew 15:13 (NIV) He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
No, we don't know the exact day or hour, but we can spot the early warning signs for sure. If you don't believe that, then you're not reading (or believing) God's Word.
Finally, I want to close by taking a common verse, but by using a different analogy than the one that's commonly associated with it. I want to do this because I want to try to get us to shift our focus from the politics of this nation to the politics of the family, which also takes precedence over national concerns.
We're all familiar with the following words of wisdom...
Psalm 127:1 (NIV) A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
No couple stands before God on their wedding day and vows to separate within a few years or raise children to choose a wayward path. Every couple vows to do their best with God's help to create a loving and lasting home that will be a refuge and sanctuary, a hospital of the soul to heal the wounds of the world. Family is everything -- where life begins, where it is nurtured, and where it breathes its last, surrounded by love and hope of being reunited in eternity.
Sadly, we sometimes have to identify with Job: "For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me" (Job 3:25). Even the most well-intended families suffer the pain of disappointment, lost love, breakdown, even breakup. But that doesn't mean God's grace isn't sufficient to carry on.
Family faith pursues God's ideal, fights for the highest good, loves unconditionally, thinks the best, and always perseveres. And if failure occurs, it gives and receives forgiveness through the blood of Christ and lives to love and believe another day.
Your family is not perfect, but your God is. Let Him give you renewed faith for your family today. We use that verse to teach the importance of trusting God with our family. Here's a challenge. Why not take that same verse and use it to trust God with our nation too?
Proverbs 16:9 (KJV) A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
These days I see so many Christians trying to figure out how they can get involved politically to "fix this nation" or "save this nation" once and for all for we the people. Read the above verse again and marry such a truth with the fact that God is sovereign -- not us.
Many Christians have unshakeable faith that God will deliver them safely through their many trials and anticipate arriving at Heaven's door several decades from now. But some of those same Christians have a harder time trusting God to provide a job, income, the right political leader, to restore their marriage, or deliver a solution to a persistent problem. Why can we trust God with eternity but have a harder time trusting him for tomorrow?
This raises the question, "Is our life scripted by God or is it determined by our choices?" The answer is, yes. Psalm 139:16 suggests a script for our life, yet the Bible is full of exhortations to choose wisely as if our choices determine our future.
We live in the reality -- the tension -- between both truths, what scholars call an "antinomy" ("two parallel truths that suggest a contradiction"). But there are no contradictions with God. He uses "all things" (Romans 8:28), both wise and foolish, to accomplish His script for our life, which is conformity to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).
Tomorrow and eternity are no different to God. Plan today as prayerfully and carefully as you anticipate eternity -- and trust Him for both -- no matter the outcome.
We need to always remember that we are not skilled to understand. The Scriptures remind us...
1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV) Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
An old hymn says, "I am not skilled to understand what God hath willed, what God hath planned." Sometimes we can't find explanations for our situations -- personal or political; we either trust our Lord or lose our minds.
At such times Jesus says to us as He did to Peter: "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." God, though personal, is eternal, transcendent, and omniscient. He is sovereign.
He possesses total knowledge of all things visible and invisible, past, present, and future. He knows the end from the beginning. His perspective is as different from ours as ours is from an insect's.
He is also good, kind, and full of compassion. He has promised to work all things for good in the lives of His children. God moves in a mysterious way.
Instead of always asking "Why?" (as in "Why didn't our candidate win the election?" or "Why hasn't our nation changed after we went out and voted better leaders into office?") let's learn to say with the hymnist, "I am not skilled to understand what God hath willed, what God hath planned; I only know that at His right hand is One who is my Savior."
Amen! We should prayerfully follow current events and respond as wisely as possible to the events of this life. But always remember -- this world is not our home; we're just "a passing through."
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4 Comments:
Love this Spurgeon quote that applies...
http://apprising.org/2010/10/31/the-spirit-in-gods-people/
In Christ,
Jeff ("JRed")
Abraham also lived his life as a stranger in a strange land, knowing the promises were for a future time (our kingdom is not of this world).
I've always admired the prophets Elijah and Elisha for their accomplishments through great faith and spirit of the Lord.
Elisha asked for a double portion of anointing of Yahweh's spirit and it was granted.
A lesson in this for us, we too can ask Yahweh for more spirit.
With the signs of the end times approaching we best take inventory of our spiritual condition and prayer for more of what we need to get through this upcoming perilous time and to have something worthy to give back at Yahushua's coming.
Some of the spirit that I pray for:
More spirit to boldly deliver the good gospel of Yahushua. More spirit of Love lest are hearts grow cold from the conditioning and heartlessness in the world. More spirit of trust and faith that Yahweh is in charge despite the heavy circumstances we may find ourselves in. More spirit of descernment for protection against false messages and false Christs. More spirit to complete the tasks Yahweh has set before us to finish in these last days.
I do know that David Jeremiah uses "The Message" bible when he preaches, therefore I will no longer listen to his sermons. I think that bible (per)version is new age and satanic and I wish more pastors would show some discernment about that.
Ann
Ann,
I wholeheartedly agree about The Message and wasn't aware that Jeremiah uses it. Even so, these devotionals (the content used in this post) DO NOT use The Message so hopefully that won't keep anyone fro prayerfully considering the truth that I felt led to share here. Thanks for pointing that out too Ann.
In Christ,
Jeff ("JRed")
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