Much attention has been given to Covid-19, the pandemic now running amok, dominating today's headlines. Some people fear it, some deny it is anything at all, some have made it simply a political maneuver to thwart certain political leanings, some have made it an attempt to rob us of our freedoms.
This is true both inside and outside the church. But there are signs that a silent and far deadlier pandemic is spreading among us. It is a spirit of anger, fear and divisiveness. I understand such emotions in the world. We live in a pressure cooker of uncertainty. That those emotions are exponentially on the rise is totally understandable, no matter what anyone believes.
But what about the church? Has our God not told us beforehand that these things must come to pass? Has He not assured us that whatever happens, He still uses it for His good? Has He not promised to keep us from the evil and exhorted us to not let our hearts be troubled? Indeed He has.
But that is not what we see, is it? The angst we see in the world is mirrored in God's own house. Is this not the truth? The same fear, the anger, the divisiveness, the uncertainty, none of it has spared the church. Brothers have ended up on both sides of every issue. Masks vs. no masks. Socialism vs. Fascism. Law and order versus movements like BLM. Democrats versus Republicans. Conspiracy theories versus news so slanted in one direction or another that many no longer can have assurance that any of it is really the truth.
Should this not concern us greatly? We see believers far more involved in their "cause" rather than the cause of Christ. So, what is this pandemic, this unseen destroyer, of which I speak? It is letting the spirit of the world, which has long lied dormant in the church, come alive as evil has exposed itself.
Saints, I pray you heed the words of your God. Has has not given us ample warning that this day would arrive? He has told us that we are not of this world, that we are to walk in the world, but that we are not to be OF it.
He has instructed us that we are to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth. He has warned us that to be earthly minded is death. And He has clearly told us that in the final days before His return, evil men will wax worse and worse. And because evil will abound, just as we are now beginning to see, the love..... the AGAPE love.....of many (yes, He is specifically talking about believers) will wax cold.
And is this not what we see everywhere? This forum is no exception. Brothers disagree not with patience but to the point love is seen only in the rear view mirror. The world looks on and mocks us, and they have a perfect right to do so. They see us as hypocrites, with no more peace than they themselves possess. Although we will never admit it, hatred and divisiveness have replaced civility and longsuffering, and guys, these things should not be so.
Do we pray for those who are on the opposite side of the fence? Do our hearts break if we see them as blinded to 'our' truth? Do we return good for evil? Is our 'neighbor' only those ho agree with us? Thank God He has awakened some of His children, but by and large, far too many are still asleep to the truth and are ignorant of the devices of satan he is using in these final hours.
Time is running out. The battle lines we have chosen are only important if they are God's as well, not man's. All the many things in the world that multitudes of Christians have fixated on are simply a smokescreen from enemy of our souls. They have one purpose, to rob us of our peace offered us by Jesus.
Like the snakes that bit the children of Israel, the evils now beginning to manifest themselves in the world will only be overcome by re-focusing on our full surrender and trust in Jesus, our brazen serpent lifted up to deliver us from the evil in the world. Our gaze must get off US and fall solely on HIM.
This spiritual pandemic is far worse than any problem we see in the world. Satan is after our gaze. He cares not if you are democrat or republican, a masker or one refuse to be masked. No matter which side you choose, what issue you see as important, if it is not Christ Himself, then none of it matters. It is all going to burn.
Make no mistake, saints. Danger is growing and cannot be overstated. What we are seeing is a life and death struggle between good and evil, and all evil must go in our lives, even the smallest ones hidden in our hearts. The enemy is coming in like a flood, of that we can be certain, but praise God, our Father has assured us that when we see this happening, God WILL raise up a standard against Him, a place of refuge where even the weakest child of God will find safety and victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
All He asks is that our gaze be turned to Him, believing that He can,.... no.... He WILL deliver us from evil. Yes, we have been forgiven, and thank God for that. But even now, God is awakening His own to how to walk in victory as overcomers of anything satan can throw use to throw at us....... and yes, even the "old" us!
Amen, Lord Jesus. Let it be so.
blessings,
Gideon
This is true both inside and outside the church. But there are signs that a silent and far deadlier pandemic is spreading among us. It is a spirit of anger, fear and divisiveness. I understand such emotions in the world. We live in a pressure cooker of uncertainty. That those emotions are exponentially on the rise is totally understandable, no matter what anyone believes.
But what about the church? Has our God not told us beforehand that these things must come to pass? Has He not assured us that whatever happens, He still uses it for His good? Has He not promised to keep us from the evil and exhorted us to not let our hearts be troubled? Indeed He has.
But that is not what we see, is it? The angst we see in the world is mirrored in God's own house. Is this not the truth? The same fear, the anger, the divisiveness, the uncertainty, none of it has spared the church. Brothers have ended up on both sides of every issue. Masks vs. no masks. Socialism vs. Fascism. Law and order versus movements like BLM. Democrats versus Republicans. Conspiracy theories versus news so slanted in one direction or another that many no longer can have assurance that any of it is really the truth.
Should this not concern us greatly? We see believers far more involved in their "cause" rather than the cause of Christ. So, what is this pandemic, this unseen destroyer, of which I speak? It is letting the spirit of the world, which has long lied dormant in the church, come alive as evil has exposed itself.
Saints, I pray you heed the words of your God. Has has not given us ample warning that this day would arrive? He has told us that we are not of this world, that we are to walk in the world, but that we are not to be OF it.
He has instructed us that we are to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth. He has warned us that to be earthly minded is death. And He has clearly told us that in the final days before His return, evil men will wax worse and worse. And because evil will abound, just as we are now beginning to see, the love..... the AGAPE love.....of many (yes, He is specifically talking about believers) will wax cold.
And is this not what we see everywhere? This forum is no exception. Brothers disagree not with patience but to the point love is seen only in the rear view mirror. The world looks on and mocks us, and they have a perfect right to do so. They see us as hypocrites, with no more peace than they themselves possess. Although we will never admit it, hatred and divisiveness have replaced civility and longsuffering, and guys, these things should not be so.
Do we pray for those who are on the opposite side of the fence? Do our hearts break if we see them as blinded to 'our' truth? Do we return good for evil? Is our 'neighbor' only those ho agree with us? Thank God He has awakened some of His children, but by and large, far too many are still asleep to the truth and are ignorant of the devices of satan he is using in these final hours.
Time is running out. The battle lines we have chosen are only important if they are God's as well, not man's. All the many things in the world that multitudes of Christians have fixated on are simply a smokescreen from enemy of our souls. They have one purpose, to rob us of our peace offered us by Jesus.
Like the snakes that bit the children of Israel, the evils now beginning to manifest themselves in the world will only be overcome by re-focusing on our full surrender and trust in Jesus, our brazen serpent lifted up to deliver us from the evil in the world. Our gaze must get off US and fall solely on HIM.
This spiritual pandemic is far worse than any problem we see in the world. Satan is after our gaze. He cares not if you are democrat or republican, a masker or one refuse to be masked. No matter which side you choose, what issue you see as important, if it is not Christ Himself, then none of it matters. It is all going to burn.
Make no mistake, saints. Danger is growing and cannot be overstated. What we are seeing is a life and death struggle between good and evil, and all evil must go in our lives, even the smallest ones hidden in our hearts. The enemy is coming in like a flood, of that we can be certain, but praise God, our Father has assured us that when we see this happening, God WILL raise up a standard against Him, a place of refuge where even the weakest child of God will find safety and victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
All He asks is that our gaze be turned to Him, believing that He can,.... no.... He WILL deliver us from evil. Yes, we have been forgiven, and thank God for that. But even now, God is awakening His own to how to walk in victory as overcomers of anything satan can throw use to throw at us....... and yes, even the "old" us!
Amen, Lord Jesus. Let it be so.
blessings,
Gideon
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