Thursday, July 2, 2020

How Shall We Then Live? – Part 1

Fototapete »Mirror Lake«, 4-teilig

This week, Michael writes that the late Christian Theologian Francis Shaffer wrote a book entitled “How Shall We Then Live?” This is an appropriate question for such a time as this. Chris Tomlin’s song “Is He Worthy”, based on Revelation 5:9, says: “From every people and tribe every nation and tongue He has made us a kingdom and priests to God to reign with the Son. Is He worthy? Is He worthy of all blessing and honor and glory? Is He worthy? Is He worthy? Is He worthy of this? He is!”

The solution to the problems of this world is the gospel message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The worldwide media thinks that the United States has been overrun with rioting, looting, and active violation of human rights by the police. They think that the US is the global center of chaos and confusion and the epicenter of the global pandemic. The current crises in America has been precipitated by the passage in Hebrews 12:27 “God will shake that which can be shaken.” As the Jerry Lee Lewis song says, “there’s a whole lot of shaking going on.” However, the world is not focused on the root cause of the shaking. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against rulers of the darkness in high places, against spiritual wickedness from on high. – Ephesians 6:12

Either people will voluntarily kneel in prayer or God will bring the world to its knees. Because of the trials and tribulation of this world, the world is open to a message of deliverance. Jesus said in the great commission: Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations ...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

In Acts 10, God has given us a key to reach out with his message of deliverance. This is the record of “houses of fire” and of “Putting new wine into new wine skins.” In this record, God called the Apostle Peter to minister unto the gentiles. This was unheard of before in the Bible since the Word of God was originally given only to Israel. Cornelius was an unbeliever who had a vision from God in answer to his prayer. He feared God meaning that he had an awe, reverence, and respect for God along with everyone in his own house. Similarly, in this time of social distancing, God is interacting with His church in the homes. The question in Acts 10:1-5 is “who is calling whom?” It’s actually the lost who are calling the Christian believers to minister to them.

In Acts 10, The “unbeliever” Cornelius, who had not been saved, had a one-time encounter with God. He responded to God’s vision with immediate obedience. He followed God’s instruction and sent his servant to go get Peter. Meanwhile, Peter went up on his housetop to pray. He also had a vision and in verse 16, Peter saw the vision three times. God had to remind him over and over, but Peter was inwardly perplexed about the meaning of God’s visual revelation. Then the Spirit said explicitly, “three men are looking for you and I have sent them.

In the Muslim world, many who come to Christ have had a dream or an encounter with Jesus Christ via a personal revelation. The role of the supernatural is huge in the Muslim world. It’s common for Persians to have a Divine vision from God. They see miraculous healings. Peter was one of Jesus’s three personal best friends. However, he needed to see the vision from God three times and he still didn’t understand the meaning of the vision.  

Let's continue Michael's message on bringing the Gospel message to the world in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

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