Friday, February 13, 2015

Overcome the World - Part 2


Hebrews 10:19-25 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience  and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope  we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


Secular world history teaches about "the age of enlightenment."  However, Matthew 5 talks about a different type of enlightenment. Jesus said, "ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." This is also the theme of Matthew 24 regarding the signs of the apostasy ...  of a time when the church and the culture have fallen away from fellowship in Christ and the light of the Word of God. The disciples in the book of Acts, when they were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, said to their persecutors, "if we don't speak, the rocks will cry out." The declaration of a child of God in the face of adversity is "choose ye this day whom ye will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  This scenario is playing out today all over the world outside of the United States where believers have taken a stand against the clear and present danger of the onslaught of evil men. 

Most American Christians have never truly seen the godly purpose of suffering and affliction. Americans have come to value the comfort of the flesh above the comfort of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the tribulation of the spiritual battle. Christians must have a right heart in order to respond righteously when confronted by the evil of the world. In God's Divine design, suffering and deprivation is the antidote to the worship of the flesh through the comfort of the world and of material things. As the Apostle Paul said, I count it all joy to suffer affliction for Christ ...  the darker the night the brighter the light shines. For this light affliction worketh a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Jesus said, in this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. For our citizenship is in heaven and our allegiance is to the Lord of our Heavenly homeland in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom we shine as lights in the world.

In the midst of the encroaching darkness, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through ...  my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven, from whence we behold the Lord Christ. Therefore, amidst the onslaught of the spiritual battle, our battle cry is "give 'em heaven!"

May God richly bless you.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

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