God is doing a great work for his people and Satan is using every possible temptation and snare to distract the servants of God from the work they have been commissioned to do.
At a time in American history when those who can make a difference seem devoted to making that difference sway towards some political agenda rather than administering a government “of the people, by the people and for the people…With Liberty and Justice For All”, and those reacting to the injustices of this nation’s treatment of some choose measures that frustrate their cause in calling for change, real change that makes a positive difference seems hopeless. Is there no hope for anyone anymore?
YES, there is hope! That hope is in the person of Jesus Christ and his bride, the Church, the body of all true believers. If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, this means God has called you to be part of the answer, not the problem.
The call of the times seems to demand we must join the masses against the authority of others or be characterized outside of Christianity. If those of the world were to have their way, those in the Church would cast aside their marching orders from the King of kings and march with them demanding reform on social issues. Indeed, social reforms are needed. But this nation has shown its inability to deal with social reforms when it comes to race for 400 years. It does little better on other fronts where some receive benefits while others suffer the injustices brought about by the sins of this world. The pertinent question is not whether there is a need for social reforms. The pertinent question is, “What am I and the Church to be doing in this present age?”
Much higher than the “call of the times with its intense demands” there is a greater reality. Unless we do what the King of kings has called us to do, all of them will find their way into eternal alienation from God. Which is more important, to correct social ills in a government that will pass away, or to make a difference for all eternity? That does not mean we are insensitive to the plight of those suffering at the hands of others, especially at the hands of those in authority. We will pray for them and for the leaders of this land. We can refuse to participate in such injustices and insist on treating our neighbor as ourselves. We will devote ourselves to listening to the voice of the one who created us and whose prisoners we have graciously become. We will do the commands of God and not be bound by the demands of people.
Mouths are moving, tongues are talking, and ears are not listening. When the surrounding noise makes hearing impossible, instead of words to communicate the message let the love, light, and message of Jesus Christ in the gospel flow through you, your choices, behaviors, norms, and initiatives. Being salt and light motivated by love, truth, compassion, and grace speaks volumes over the noise of this world’s chaos. By the power of Jesus Christ in you the hope of glory, you are the salt for a tasteless society and the light for the Path in a world grown dark.
Plant your Kingdom work solidly on the foundation of the Apostles and aligned with the Chief Cornerstone, Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit inspired the following foundational precepts to guide us in attitude and behavior in this chaotic world as we refuse to be caught up in its circumstances. By the grace of God, we will lead all those who will follow to the victory found in the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth.
Precept #1: Race, National Origin, Color, Gender, or other physical features societies have chosen to use to divide humanity are not of God because God created everyone one of them in his own image.
Genesis 1:20-28, NIV
(20) And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”
(21) So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
(22) God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”
(23) And there was evening, and there was morning–the fifth day.
(24) And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.
(25) God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
(26) Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
(27) So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
(28) God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Precept #2 (Like #1): Jesus corrected the misconception that through only one nation people could be saved bringing into equality salvation for all races, kindreds, and tongues.
Galatians 3:28, NIV
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:11, NIV
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Precept #3: Those who are disciples of Jesus Christ are also ambassadors of the Kingdom of heaven to the governments and kingdoms of this world.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21, NIV
(14) For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
(15) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
(16) So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
(17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
(18) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
(19) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
(20) We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
(21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 6:1-10, NIV
(1) As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
(2) For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
(3) We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
(4) Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
(5) in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
(6) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
(7) in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
(8) through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
(9) known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;
(10) sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
How can the Church be heard in a time when so many mouths are speaking, and so few ears are listening?
That will only happen when we “Focus on Jesus and Follow His Plan”. The Church must keep the main thing the main thing. We are created and called to glorify God, to edify the Church and to fulfill the Great Commandment by doing the Great Commission making disciples for Jesus Christ through evangelism and discipleship.
As much as our heart goes out to those hurting and being hurt through racial, gender, color, wealth, poverty, education, or any other basis, we have a higher calling. We are called to reconcile people back to God who created all. We are ambassadors of the Most High God on behalf of the King and Kingdom of heaven. We cannot allow ourselves the emotional liberty of massaging our feelings in the cares of this world. Yes, we can be compassionate, kind-hearted, and have righteous indignation for those being hurt by others. But we are not the judge of this world, and the day of judgment is coming. Therefore, let us keep our Focus on Jesus Christ and Follow His Plan for redeeming the time and reconciling the people of this earth to God. We are ambassadors from the Kingdom of heaven. Let us so live as to be worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called.
You and I cannot allow ourselves the liberty of being caught up in the emotions of this world’s sins. But we can make a difference by bringing as many as will come to the cross of Jesus Christ where his shed blood will redeem, restore, and reconcile them to himself.
The victory in Jesus Christ brings with it the hope of a confident expectation. In that hope we rejoice and dedicate ourselves to the calling of our Lord and Master. In the response to the calling and commands of our Lord, the difference we make is not for a person’s lifetime on this earth but forever in eternity.
The LORD bless you and keep you,
The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
The LORD lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.
