No Time for Business as Usual – Part 2

Matthew 16:2-3 “He (Jesus) answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.”

Michael continues: The story of Noah is the warning about the flood of God's judgment.  The Ark was a symbol of God's way of deliverance. However, the people disregarded God's way of salvation and perished in the face of the flood of the judgment of God. They performed their “business as usual” and did not understand the urgency of the crisis situation. The times are similar today. The warning signs are all around us as the culture is imploding into the darkness of “political correctness”. Jesus himself cried over Jerusalem... he lamented that only if Jerusalem had known the things that God had meant for peace. Jesus had said, my peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid – John 14:27

A disciplined soldier performs as he has been trained in the crisis of the battle. The freedom and the joy in the midst of the crisis is to turn your eyes upon Jesus and not on the things of the world. There is the source of true freedom and joy The training of a disciple is to walk in fellowship with Christ. A disciple is a “disciplined” follower, walking in his master's footsteps. The disciple's heart's desire is to walk in the dust of the Rabi; his master. Casual Christians are casualties of war in the crisis of the spiritual battle. A disciple is disciplined to follow his commander in chief intentionally, deliberately, purposefully and whole heartedly. Therefore set your affections on things above, not on the things of the world.  Our battle cry is David's battle cry when he confronted Goliath:  "Who art thou to defy the armies of the Living God" – 1 Samuel 17:26. 

Colossians 3:2-4 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

We have not been called to "business as usual." Jesus has called us to watch and pray - Mark 14:38. Though Peter, James, and John fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the power of God in manifestation. We have this same power as men of God. Therefore be strong in the Lord in the power of his might. For it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure- Philippians 2:13. When we live in the light as he is in the light, we shall have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all unrighteousness – 1 John 1:7.  God has called us to be his photomultipliers: Therefore, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven – Matthew 5:16.

In the midst of the crisis of the spiritual battle, God has called His men and women for such a time as this...

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