In Spite Of . . .

These are indeed trying times and yet, they may very well be, just the beginning. One thing I am learning is that I am totally inadequately prepared, to handle all of this, in and of myself.

I am dismayed at the horrendous volume of posts being disseminated that intricately detail all of the various nefarious plans that are afoot, to take away that which we currently have. Our liberties, our freedoms, all of it supposedly going down the tubes. And it doesn’t matter which particular subject you look at, be it the corona virus itself, or vaccines, calculations of deaths, ratios, wearing of masks, climate control, political parties and their administrations, the press media, misinformation and disinformation, all of it, in totality, comes with its own set of so called “validated” perspectives that are in many cases, voiced by some Christians who are totally opposed to others. 

If I hear one more person say “Wake Up!” I may indeed scream.

All of it, without exception, is focused on the premise that if you understand as they understand or see as they see, then we can all come to the same conclusion that they currently hold, and then we can collectively stop or change what is happening.

Is that what Jesus told us? If we are approaching the End Times, did Jesus say anywhere that we could change what is happening around us?

It’s like everyone has there own “big picture” and if we can just all get on the same song sheet and see all things from their particular perspective and according to their particular understanding, then the true “big picture” can indeed be changed. 

Problem being there is only one “big picture” and it is not yours and it is not mine.

The “big picture” is God’s to define and it would behoove us to seriously take into consideration what He has to say. If anyone needs to “wake up”, it would be us, all of us.

Jesus summarized all that we currently see in one sentence. One sentence. John 16:33 NASB

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Did Jesus tell us to take courage in our ability to turn things around? Did He at any time indicate to us that if we all get on the same song sheet, none of this tribulation will happen? 

The problem is that the “big picture” that so many are looking at is too small. The problem is that for far too many, the “big picture” that we hold is not the “big picture” that God has decreed. 

And what exactly are “these things” that Jesus told us about? Jesus provides a well rounded overview in Luke 21. Read it. 

Does that mean that Christians should become fatalists and just hide our heads in the sand? Not at all, being aware is one thing, spending the vast majority of your time disseminating information which connects all the dots, on the vast array of controversial issues is another, but I can tell you that what Jesus does tell us to do is not what we are doing now. 

Are we (the Church) earnestly endeavouring to spread the Gospel of Christ (the Great Commission) throughout our own land and the entire world? Do we earnestly devote as much time to building one another up in God’s Word as we ought? Are we earnestly endeavouring to love one another, which is a commandment? Are we earnestly endeavouring to love God and our neighbour as ourselves? 

We acknowledge that these are important but first it is necessary to get controlling representation within our governing authority so that we can ensure God’s moral laws are followed. Maybe if we had of paid attention to God’s priorities instead of our own, we would not be in the situation that we find ourselves in now. 

Sure, you can go ahead and invest your time and energy into all of the numerous nefarious plans of man or Satan for that matter, that are supposedly in play to offset God’s will being done on this earth, but at what cost? Jesus told us that we cannot serve God and mammon. That would be mammon as an object in which we place our trust in (material wealth and power versus our spiritual well being in God’s Kingdom ). When we lose our focus on God’s Kingdom and His priorities, our house becomes divided. And when we put the cart before the horse, what is accomplished and who benefits?

This is not rocket science. But go ahead, investigate and document and connect all of the dots that show the various works that are opposed to your perception of God’s will, or the validity of things that are unfolding before us and that you think are in play. Disseminate all your findings and repost or retweet as applicable. Do your utmost to get everyone on the same song sheet. Rather than focus on following God’s will for you personally as indicated in God’s Holy Word, and God’s priorities for your life, keep pumping out all those posts that prove how right you are about what is happening behind the worldly scenes and how wrong everyone else is, who disagrees with you. And how exactly did we get to be where we currently are today?

I know of many of the debates or arguments that exist about a slew of topics that are currently being “discussed”. Knowing of them and investing my time and effort in following up on their validity, would in itself, require an exorbitant expenditure of time, time which could be far better  invested in studying God’s Word, which as we all know, is vitally important to our spiritual well being. But being well informed about worldly concerns is of equal importance, isn’t it? And once again, how did we get to where we are today again? I am not advocating sticking our heads in the sand nor am I advocating abandoning our civic and national responsibilities, but we do need to determine or decide once and for all where our main focus is and what our main responsibility is and I find nothing whatsoever in the Scriptures that indicates our primary focus or expenditure of time is to be directed towards being of the world and arguing about worldly controversial topics.

Show me, as an example, one instance in the New Testament, where the Roman system of governing their subjects is or was criticized. Show me one example where any of the New Testament writers focused on actually correcting the system they were under. Acts 21:25 comes to mind but only from an abstinence perspective. Nothing there is there? What was it that the New Testament writers were focused on? And why was their focus different from ours? One could say that we now have rights that they didn’t have and that would be correct but if Jesus didn’t question their authority (with it’s limitations and injustices), why do we? Different Kingdom and different priorities? I think so.

I am learning that in spite of my ability to comprehend, I need God’s help to comprehend what He would have me comprehend.
I am learning that in spite of my inability to focus on God’s Kingdom, I also need His help in not getting too entangled in the world.
I am learning that in spite of my ability to follow God’s will in my personal life, I need God’s help to understand His will for me and to follow it.
I am learning that in spite of my ability to not walk in the flesh, I need God’s help to walk in the Spirit, minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day.
I am learning that in spite of my habit of leaning on my own understanding, I need God’s help to trust and rely in Him.
I am learning that in spite of my short falls, which are many, I need God’s help to understand that I am complete in Jesus and because of Jesus.

All of these statements are preceded with “in spite of” because in and of myself I am totally inadequate. When God tells us to lean not unto our own understanding He is talking about how we put it all together. The world does it one way and God does it another. God’s way is through Jesus. Always has been and always will be. The needle on my compass needs almost constant realigning and I in and of myself cannot do that , only God can. Hence, my dependency on Him. And this dependency is about as real as it can get. Daily. Focus on Jesus. 

Something to think about.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!