Worried What Others Will Think

          While reading my Bible this morning, I came across one of the saddest passages in the book of John (chapter 12:42-43).  Here Jesus is preaching to the people of Jerusalem as well as His disciples after His triumphal entry.  John writes a description of some who heard Him speak.            " Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in Him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."  This passage made me think, "Not much has changed in the 2,000 years since our Lord walked upon the earth."  Men and women still make professions of faith today, but they are afraid to be different than their pagan friends.
     When we hear someone proclaim they are a Christian but live in a manner contrary to God's Word, they defile the testimony of our holy God.  It is hard to win an unbeliever over to the faith if a person is living with their boyfriend/girlfriend without being married.  Maybe they cheat on taxes or steal from their boss.  They may justify this to themselves, but it does not demonstrate the call of Christ and their commitment to live for Him.  We are, then, no better off than the pagans who live without the Lord.  Our Lord has given to us several callings that will make a difference in our witness.
     First, Christ calls us to holy living.  In I Peter 1:14-16, the Apostle writes:  "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"  We are to throw off old past behaviors and be a living contrast to the ways of this world.  That does not mean that we go off and become hermits, but we are to conduct ourselves according to the Bible.

     Secondly, Christ calls to us profess our faith before men.  Our Savior speaks these words in Matthew 10:32-33:  "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."  The men that John wrote about in his Gospel account believed in Jesus but were unwilling to proclaim it before others for the fear of men.  As that passage said, they were more interested in maintaining their relationship with the leaders of their day rather than honoring God with their lips.  We will face difficulties if we are living for Christ and professing His name.  The world and the sin nature do  not like to hear about God or the Bible.  Why?  Because it condemns their behavior and sinfulness.  It exposes them, and just as in the Garden, they want to hide from God.  So, when we proclaim the name of Christ, it brings conviction upon those outside of the faith.  In the case of the Jewish leaders who believed in the Lord, they could have been expelled from the synagogue.   However, Jesus calls upon believers to confess their faith in public.
     Third, Christ calls us to be salt and light.  He said:  "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.   You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).  These instructions to His disciples should set the tone for our lives.  This is our directive.  We are to be salt so we can preserve this world from further corruption.  Likewise, we are to be a light in the darkness of sin around us.  Our present culture needs both salt and light.  God has chosen us that we might bring these qualities to bear on our work place, our homes and communities.
     If we embrace the philosophy of the leaders that John spoke of in his Gospel, we are like salt that has become good for nothing.  They were afraid of men and not of God.  When we are called to accept God's gracious gift of salvation,  He does all the work in our lives so that we might live to bring Him glory.  His Kingdom, His fellowship is far more precious than the fleeting pleasures of this world. Therefore, we must, with God's help, live a different kind of lifestyle if we call ourselves Christian. 
     Will this be an easy task to stand out from the unbelievers around us?  After 44 years of serving Christ, I can say a confident "no".  It may cost us relationships.  It may cost us a job, but it will be worth all we give up in this life to hear our Lord say to us one day, "Well, done thou good and faithful servant....enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:23a,c).  May we have the courage to let our light so shine that men may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven!  Selah!

A Desert Experience

     Have you ever driven through the desert in New Mexico or Arizona?  As a little girl, my parents drove across the country to a relative's motel in Mesa, Arizona.  Following my bout with polio, I developed bronchitis, and my doctor advised a trip to a dryer climate in order to recuperate.  It was exciting to drive through so many different states and see the sights.  Being from the lush farmlands of Ohio, I was surprised to see the dry, arid desert.  There was nothing for miles but cactus, sage brush and sand.  At one point in our journey, we got caught up in a sand storm and had to stop along the side of the road until the wind and sand slowed down so we could see.  Compared to Ohio, the area seemed very barren.  In many ways, this can happen in our Christian life too.
     There are times in our lives when we have been resting in the lush green grass near a quiet stream.  Our spiritual walk is rich with beauty and a closeness to God that is hard to describe.  Then, something changes and it seems that we have stepped into an arid, dry period in our life where God seems far removed.  Our lips become parched, and we wonder if this time will ever pass.  If it is true for us individually, it is also true for our nation.  We have moved into a time of dryness as a country far from the rich pastureland of our Lord.  Yet God promises hope for all who trust in Him and this is also my prayer for our nation and the nations of this world.
     In Isaiah 44:3 we read:  "The Lord says, 'I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your offspring.'"  This is the foretelling of the Messiah to come who will bring water to the thirsty soul, and when we drink of this water, we will never thirst again!  Yes, there are the dry places in life that come to all of us, but with the Holy Spirit living in and through us, we have a resource to replenish our weary souls.  We know that we will blossom again.  The greatest news though is that God promises to pour out His Spirit on our descendants and bless our offspring.  For me that is both reassuring and encouraging.  I long for my children and descendants to know and love the Lord as I do that they may walk in the blessings of our Savior Jesus Christ all their days.
     Presently, the nations of this world as well as our own country are experiencing the desert of uncertainty with terrorism, economic breakdown, and uncertain times.  We need the tender mercy and grace of our Lord to intervene and bring the rain upon our world.  Daily we need to pray that God will pour out His Spirit upon each country that eyes may be opened and hearts won to Christ.  This is the only way things can ever change...one heart at a time.
     For those going through the dry places in life right now, rejoice because God is always there to give us the water of life we thirst for.  Prayer, reading the Word, and staying in fellowship with other believers is the key to restoring a closer walk with Christ.  He is our Good Shepherd who will once again lead us beside the still waters and restore our souls.  Trust in Him for He will bring us through! Selah!

A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven

     As I write this, we are in another whirlwind of political activity with a major election just months away.  Tempers flare, promises are made that cannot or will not be kept, rumors fly and occasionally violence erupts as the process goes forward.  Unfortunately, stress levels start to soar and many turn their T.V.'s off to avoid the endless commercials.  For Christians, choosing the right person to vote for is often a difficult task in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It would be wonderful to think that a candidate is a devoted believer in Christ with high moral values.  However, even if we have such a person, they would never be perfect because the Bible tells us plainly that "there is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10).  Our righteousness comes from Christ alone, but as long as we walk on this earth, we will struggle with the sin nature.  There was only one who was perfectly righteous, just and holy and that is our Lord Jesus Christ.  With this in mind, what can we do to calm our concerns, lower the stress level and keep our perspective?
 

   First, we must remember that we are citizens of heaven.  We are merely passing through this world with its trials.  Jesus, in His high priestly prayer (John 17) said that we are in the world but not of the world.  God has set us apart and our affections need to be aimed towards our heavenly home.  This world is passing away and God will bring a new heaven and a new earth one day.
     Presently, our Sunday School Class is doing a study of Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones series on the Book of Ephesians.  The 8 volume set is drawn from the sermons he preached in London at his church.  In Volume 1 "God's Ultimate Purpose", Dr. Jones writes this:  "For this reason the attitude of the Christian towards the things of this world, towards the discussions and the striving that go on between men and women is always one of detachment.  I have heard two statements recently that illustrate my point.  I heard one man say that he did not understand how any Christian could possibly be a Conservative.  But I heard another say that he really did not understand how any Christian could possibly be a Socialist.  The fact of the matter is that both are wrong; any attempt to equate the teaching of the New Testament with any one of the political parties, or any other party, is to do violence to the teaching of Christ.  The Christian, by definition, does not get excited about these things; he rides very loosely to them because heaven is his home.  He is a citizen of heaven, and his blessings are there, not on earth" (pg. 65).  I think this is why so many of us get upset over politics among other things.  We cannot control the outcome in this fallen world because we are not in charge.    Our home is in heaven under the governance of our heavenly Father who is perfect, holy, just, loving, kind, and freely gives to us all we need for life and godliness.  Keeping our focus on our heavenly home, remaining calmly detached as much as possible while at the same time praying for our world, our leaders and others will help us maintain our balance.
     While we look at things and wonder how they could ever work out, God is not surprised.  He is sovereign over all the affairs of men and sets rulers in place according to His plan.  Romans 13:1 says:  "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God."  Daniel, in the Old Testament, tells us:  "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding" (Daniel 2:21).  Knowing that God is sovereign should give us great comfort.  He is Lord over all things; therefore we need not worry.
     Finally, and most importantly, we must remember that while we may think the world is falling apart at the seams, God is working His purpose and plan.  Today, I listened to a podcast by Dr. John MacArthur concerning the times we find ourselves in.  He said we need to remember that it all started in the garden of Eden.  After the fall, all kinds of sin, evil and perversion broke out upon the earth.  Polygamy came into practice, homosexuality, idolatry and other sins are clearly found in the book of Genesis.  There is nothing new in this world!  Yet, God did bring judgment upon those sins and sinners through the flood.  There will come another day of reckoning to our world when Jesus Christ comes to rule and reign.  Then, and only then, will all things be put right.
     Dear friends, we are called to walk in this world but be not of this world.  We are the ambassadors for Christ.  What people are looking for today (though they may not even realize it if they are dead in their sins) is a Savior.  They want a perfect man/woman to rule the nation.  Over and over again with each political cycle, people pin their hopes on their candidate who will solve all their problems.  Our job is to let them know that there is a perfect leader who has already come into this world, died for our sins, risen from the dead and is coming again to set all things right.  He will never disappoint.
     Our calm in the midst of political firestorms will make people wonder how we can do it.  This gives us a chance to tell them about whom we serve and how He will never leave nor forsake us.  Selah!