Crooked and Perverse World

 Phil 2:15
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

There is no doubt that we live in a crooked and perverse world. A world that is messed up and lost. Evil is called good and good is called evil. The United States of America was founded on that which was good. It, by all means, was not perfect. No doubt, a lot happened in those beginning days that would not be classified as good, but as a rule, God’s word was the foundation on which this great nation was built. The Ten Commandments were the cornerstone of our laws, and there was respect for that which was holy. Today, the moral laws have been totally removed or perverted to defend the evil and wickedness of our day. As Christians, we are called to follow a holy life, a life that reflects the image of Christ. We are ambassadors to be an example of the sons of God. Our life is to be blameless from sin, above reproach, seeking always to put others before ourselves. We are called to be a light in this crooked and perverse nation. To be defenders of the truth without harm to others. We are called to speak Jesus to a world that needs God. We are witnessing in our day a rising of Christians who are stepping out of the shadows and letting their light shine. Since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, many have found their voice and declared their faith in Christ, and are standing for what is right and good. Unfortunately, there are those who are proclaiming righteousness, but are not living blameless and harmless. We must face evil with good, show the love of Christ without compromising God's word. It is my prayer that I can live each day in this crooked and perverse world, letting the light of Jesus shine through me. Help me God, to lift up Christ in this messed-up world without rebuke. 

Courage of Your Faith

 Joshua 1:9

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The enemy is camped all around us. Satan is using people given to their lust and selfish desires to fight against those who have the courage to stand up for truth and the gospel of Jesus Christ. For too long, those who mock God and deny that Jesus is the truth and the way have controlled the culture of this world. Evil is called good and good is called evil. They have rejected the word of God, and have refused to acknowledge that He is Lord. They have become reprobates and haters of God, being deluded by their corruption that they believe their own lie. In the face of this type of opposition, God says to be of good courage and don’t back down from their accusation. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Charlie Kirk was a man who demonstrated courage for his faith and for the word of God. That is what he desired to be known for, his courage to defend and persuade others to give their lives over to Christ. To believe that Jesus could bring them out of their sins. Much has been said since his assassination on September 10th and his courage has been passed on to thousands of believers. Don’t be afraid of what the enemy can do to you. Like Paul, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Today is the time to let our voices be heard, the cry of the Lion of Judah, and roar it across our land. Jesus is Lord and is the answer to our world’s sinful condition. Be courageous and fearless in this present world. God has promised to be with us.

Persecution of Christian

 Romans 12:14
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Persecution has always been what caused the Word of God to spread across the world. It is not new to our generation and certainly not in other parts of the world where preaching Jesus is certain death. But in the USA, for years, persecution has been the ridicule of believers who stand against the evil of this day. In our current culture, evil is called good and good is called evil. The events of this last week have awakened the church of Christ across the world. Being murdered for standing for the truth of God’s word has not happened in the public arena. The murder and assassination of Charlie Kirk has caused a shock wave across America and the world. Charlie was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and preaching against the wicked culture of our day. He proclaimed Jesus on the campus and universities across America with open debate and discussion. His motto was “Prove me Wrong.” He was a master apologist defending truth from God’s word. His murder was an attempt to silence the voice of truth and reason. His words were used by the Holy Spirit to convict people of their sin. Across the liberal media, he is being persecuted for speaking against the woke lifestyle of this age. He is accused of hate speech because he dared to call sin for what it is.  He gave hope to those that were trapped in their sin, he lifted Jesus Christ as the answer to sin and evil. Because he spoke and preached a gospel of deliverance, he was martyred for his faith, and the liberal media is celebrating his death, while the rest of the world is grieving the loss of a man of God who did not fear what man could do to him. Throughout history, those who dare to proclaim that Jesus was the way to God, that He had the power to forgive sin were scorned, ridiculed and even put to death. We curse not those who persecute us, we pray that they will come to see Jesus and know the truth that he died so that we may live. May the life of Charlie put a fire under each one of us to share the grace of God, and not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ..

A Time of War

 Ecc 3:8
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Today we remember those who fought for our country and our freedom. Soldiers of war who gave their lives so that we may live our lives in freedom. It is sad that there has to be a time of war. A time when we have to stand up and fight for what is right. And in many cases, standing for what is right means giving up life. The fight between good over evil is seen in every society throughout history. Destroying life to save life seems contradictory, but we are surrounded by evil, and evil does not desire compromise. It seeks to destroy and oppress. It desires dominion and instills fear in others and the masses. This, unfortunately, is reality. Solomon recognized as long as evil was present in this world, that war would exist. Jesus some day will return to earth, set up His Kingdom, and all war will cease and peace will reign. But until then, kingdoms will rise above the kingdoms, and those who desire to rule and conquer will continue to force their will and threaten the freedoms of others. 
In our spiritual life, we also fight a war. This war is not against flesh and blood, but we wrestle (fight) “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”(Eph 6:12) We fight for our spiritual freedom in Christ. Satan desires to bring us back into bondage to sin. God has promised to fight our battles for us. In time of war, we can put our trust in the One who will lead us to victory. “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle, see His banner go!“ Fight the good fight of faith!

The Eyes of the Lord

 Proverb 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

The omnipresence of God is one of His deity's attributes. He is everywhere, present in all situations, and sees not only what happens in the visual world, but sees what is in the heart of man. He sees the evil that is happening in the world today. The perversion of humanity, calling good evil and evil good. He saw evil in the days of Sodom and Gommorah and did not tolerate the sinfulness of that day. He sees the wokeness of our day and His eyes are heavy with sorrow. His heart breaks to see that many have become reprobates, turning away from the truth of His word to their own desires, fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Yes, God sees the heart, and His holiness will judge rightly. He is a God of grace and forgiveness. He will not turn away a heart that desires to turn toward that which is good and righteous. He beholds those who are seekers after righteousness and seek that which is good. There is nothing that is hidden from Him. “ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.” (Psalm 139:8-9) He not only sees us, but he is there with us. The eyes of the Lord are never deceived or tricked, they are perfect and can see things that man cannot see. We can be assured that His eyes are on us.  The songwriter penned this so accurately.  “For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” For the eyes of the Lord are in every place.

Evil Turned to Good

 Gen. 50:20
“..You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..”

Turning something bad into good. That is what God is able to do. We look at circumstances in our lives and will often ask, why? What good will come from this? A life surrendered to God does not have to ever say, “If only.” The things that happen in our lives are for a purpose, and we just have to wait to see what God is going to do. Even if we miss the mark, and fail to do what is right, God can take our failures and do something good. This is not a reason not to walk and live carefully before God, but a reminder that God will not leave us hanging. The laws of sowing and reaping are not discarded, sin has its consequences, but we serve a merciful God who will show Himself to be full of grace. But, we can live like Joseph, and believe that God has a reason for the things that happen in our lives. At the moment, we probably will not see it. Joseph, sitting in the prison cell, no doubt, had his days when he wondered why his life was going to waste. His life was a sample of righteous living. He was a victim of other people's bad decisions. We don’t see God’s main plan. God is in control of the endgame. He makes the last move and knows how the story will end. We are clay in the master’s hand. He is shaping and molding us into the vessel that can be used for His glory. God used Joseph to save his family and the nation. God took the evil deeds of his brothers and turned them into a blessing for good. When bad things happen to God’s people, let us trust God to use them for good. 

Shadow of Death

 Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me..
Walking through the valley of life we often find ourselves traveling through dark places. Places unknown and uncertain. The shadows of death are places where we fear for our lives or the lives of others, financial uncertainty, broken relationships,  the shadows that are cast in our journey cause apprehension of what the future holds and fear that we will not be able to handle the burden set before us. We are grateful for the support and prayers of others around us, but the pain is still real and we may fear that we will not make it. The enemy is tempting us to doubt God’s love and care for us. But in the mists of the dark shadow, God is there, He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He is there in the good times and in the bad times. He is the Great Shepherd, and He will take care of His sheep. He will guide and protect us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Reward Evil With Good

 Prov 25:21,22

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,  and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

It should be the goal of every Christian to befriend everyone that they meet. It is not our goal to make enemies, but it is inevitable that there will be people who will consider you their enemy. Their heart is darkened with sin and the carnal nature is an enemy of God. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) Taking a stand against the sin of this present day is not a popular position. You will have enemies that will make you out to be evil and incentive. The action we take as Christian is critical to the work of the Kingdom of Christ. The teaching of Christ makes it clear that we are not to retaliate with animosity and hatred, yet we are not to compromise the teaching of God’s Word. The principle of “Turn the other cheek” is demonstrated in the words of Solomon. Return evil with good, do good to all men regardless how they may treat you. Let your life reflect Christ in such a way that their hearts are convicted with guilt of their deeds and believe God that they will come to know the truth and repent of their wicked ways. God rewards the faithful who not only are faithful to keep God’s word, but to demonstrate the love of God to a world who is blinded by the darkness of our day, and needs Jesus. Let us return evil with good.

Disobedience to God

 Gen. 2:17
​​ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

The fall of Adam and Eve points to a tree placed in the garden. The tree was put there for a purpose. God does all things with a purpose. The tree of knowledge tested man’s obediences to God, the one who created them. The command was simple, “Don’t eat this fruit”. God’s commandments are given for man’s good.  A tree with fruit that God forbid them to eat. The fruit was no doubt a fruit to be desired. Eating of the forbidden fruit would open Adam and Eve to the dark evil ways of sin. It was not so much the fruit itself, but the disobedience of Adam and Eve that caused them to plunge into darkness, causing their hearts now to seek the pleasures of evil.  God made man a free moral agent, the ability to choose right, or wrong. God did not predestine Adam and Eve to make the wrong choice, they could have abstained from the temptations of Satan, but they choose to listen to the deceptive lies of Satan and disregard God's words. We all have choices to make each day. Sometimes choices are made without all the information, but such choices are not willful disobedience to God’s word. But, “Thus saith the Lord.” are made clear in His word. Our human judgment may falter, but we can have a heart perfect toward God. Draw close to God, and He will draw close to us. Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and do what He saith. 

Holy Spirit Departed

 1Sam. 16:14
But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
“My Spirit shall not always strive with man..” (Gen. 6:3). These are the words spoken by God when the earth became corrupted and filled with evil and wickedness. On that day, He sent a flood and the people that dwelled on earth were destroyed, save Noah and his family. Sin is a wedge that separates us from God. Rebellion and unbelief breaks the heart of God. I don’t know if crossing the line of no return is possible, but it appears that Saul came to a point in his life that He turned his back on God and an evil spirit was sent to torment his soul. His conscience had been seared, incentive to the moving of God. It is dangerous to reject the Holy Spirit when he moves on your heart. Only God knows when someone has reached a point of unforgiveness. Scripture does indicate that there is such a state. I do thank God, that we live in the dispensation of grace and mercy. God is not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance. I like to believe that as long as we have breath and a sound mind that there is hope for anyone who wants God regardless of the life they have lived. Even to the very end, like the dying thief on the cross, the words of hope can still be heard. “Today you shall be with me in paradise.”

Obey God, Not Men

 Act 5:29
…We ought to obey God rather than men.
The laws of our land are slowly shifting away from the moral laws of God. Christians in America are facing challenges that they never had to deal with in the past. A nation that once honored the Bible and the Ten Commandment has turned its back on God and what is morally right. The laws of marriage between same genders is not only accepted, but it is to be celebrated. Anyone who speaks against such lifestyles is condemned as a bigot and hate monger. We are living in the days of Noah, and Sodom and Gomorrah, every man doing that which seems right in their own eyes, refusing to obey God, and the moral law He has given to man. The world is attempting to silence the church and the teachings of Jesus. They only take from the word what is pleasing to them and fits their ideology and philosophy of life. God is love, and we as Christians need to love others by showing God’s love to others and sharing God’s grace. But it is an injustice to others and their eternal soul not to preach the whole counsel of God. Paul obeyed God when he penned the words to abstain the appearance of evil, putting off sin and all that is unholy. We have a message of deliverance from sin, and a lifestyle that loves and gives. Let us continue to share Christ to others, and to obey God rather than men.

Culture Change

 Psalm 46:1.2

God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas.

Change is not always good, especially if that change leads us away from God’s presence. We live in a changing world, especially in the attitudes about what is right and wrong, what is good and evil. Evil is called good, and good, evil. The changes can cause us to fear. We certainly are seeing the earth change, the foundations of our Biblical morals shaken, and the heart of our nation slip into seas of wickedness.  We have lost our scruples following the wisdom of the world instead of the wisdom of God. During these difficult times, God has promised to be our refuge and strength. We don’t know about tomorrow, but we can know that whatever changes we face, He will be there to help us!

Redeeming the Time

 Ephesians 5:16
 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil

What does it mean to redeem the time? We have 24 hours in a day, and much of that time is spent doing things to keep our bodies alive and functioning. We work to buy food and provide shelter over our heads. We sleep, eat, and socialize with those around us. We who love God know that we need to take time alone with God and have a quiet time to pray, meditate, cultivate a relationship with our Creator. There is no time to waste with things that are meaningless. As it was in the days of the Apostles, so it is today. The days are evil and sin and wickedness abounds. What is good is now evil, what is evil is called good. We are living in perilous times, our nation is at another crossroad. It has turned away from the commandments of God and has made a new law. A law that makes evil good and degrades anyone who stands for God’s word. Redeeming the time is to take time to pray and call on God to deliver us from evil, because the days are evil.

Through the Eyes of Grace

 1 Thess 5:15
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

The old saying, “I don’t get mad, I get even” is what Paul was referring to when he wrote down the word, see that none renders evil for evil. The human reaction to being wrong is to strike back. That is the carnal and natural man's response, but the spiritual man sees people through the eyes of grace, and follows that which is good. “Do good to those who persecute you.” The words of Christ, as He preached on the Sermon on the Mount. Turning the cheek towards those that despise and hate you because you stand for truth and seek to live as Christ lives is made possible because the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to love and forgive. This is not to say that we should not defend ourselves and our family from being hurt, but when situations are out of our control, we trust God to take care of us. Most people render evil because they have hate in their heart and sin causes them to hurt others. It is the grace of God that is able to change this heart, and we are the light of the world to show others there is another way to live. We can live to show love and kindness to all men, even in times when evil is being rendered to us.

Plucked Out of the Fire

Zach 3:2  And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

From the flames of sin and destruction, God reaches into the fire and pulls us out. He calls us to walk in His ways and to take up the banner of righteousness. Plucked out of the fire of selfish living, and the life of sin, He has a purpose for each one of us. The charge is given to us to let our light shine in a world that is dark with sin. We stand against the evils of our day and show others the path that leads to eternal life. We offer hope to the world that there is a better life. In Christ we have hope and through Christ we can make a difference.

How Great Is Our God

Job 41:21  His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

it is uncertain when the book of Job was written. It is suggested that it was written somewhere around 500-600 BC, but it also seems that the content itself was pre historic. Such is the mystery of this dragon like character. One that is so formidable that there is no man that can stand against it. In context of the scripture, this creature is no match for man, but not for God. He who is greater than all, can defeat even the most fierce animal that is assume to exist. How great is our God, how great his is name. He who creates all things and controls the cosmos of the heavens knows what we face and the trails we are up against. We may not understand everything than happens and why it happens, but we can put our trust in a God who does. He who laid the foundation of the earth is able to help us overcome the forces of evil and life circumstances that we face from day to day.

God is Against Evil

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

The character question, do I choose to do good or do I choose to do evil. This should be a no brainer. Choosing to do good or live righteous is given with promise that the Lord will watch over those who do good, and He listens to the prayers of those who choose to live a life that follows His commandments. Choosing to do that which is evil or forbidden in God’s word is to have the wrath of God to face. This is pretty harsh when we think that God is love, pours out His grace, and desires to show mercy. Hard to think that this kind of God is against those who refuse to follow His ways and choose to do evil. God is holy, and the very nature of God is against that which is unholy, or evil. He is also a God of forgiveness and will not turn anyone away that will humble themselves before Him and confess their wicked ways. He desires fellowship with His fallen creation and has provided a way to have fellowship with Him. The cross has bridged the gap between sinful man and a Holy God. To those that refuse to turn from their wicked ways and do what is right, will face the judgment of the Lord for their choices. As long as we have breathe, we have a choice to do right or do evil. God does not make that choice for us. We decide if we will walk with God and do good, or abide in sin and do evil. 

I Will Not Fear

Ps. 18:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

The wicked hearts of men are able to kill the body. They are able to afflict suffering beyond imagination. Those that hated Jesus spit, whipped, pierced, and hung Him on a cross to die. Jesus said,  “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The reality is that in this earthly life, sin respects no one. It is natural to fear people who have no conscience and are bent on doing harm to anyone who gets in their way of selfish desires. We are reminded that we should not live in fear of such evil for the Lord is on our side. I don’t claim to understand the evil of our day and why God allows such wickedness to prevail. Even toward those who are serving God, life can be quickly taken away as a result of evil doers. No man can destroy or kill the life one has in Christ. If Christ be in us, who can be against us. I will not fear for He is with me no matter what man can do.

The Eyes of the Lord

1 Pet. 3:12 “ For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

God is not a respecter of person, but He does have favorites. He give to every person the ability to choose right and wrong, He does not predestinate a person’s choice. His eyes show favor to them that are of a contrite heart, a heart that desire to seek God first in the everyday things of life. The righteous, are those who seek to live in harmony with God, love His commandments and choose to follow them. He listens to the the prayers of those who seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. We don’t always understand His answers and providence, but we can arrest assure that He cares for those who love and serve Him. Those who choose to live a life of wickedness and make choices that are selfish and self-serving, God will strive against them to turn from their wicked ways and repent. Such who resist Him, will face His judgment. For those who desire to live for God, His eyes will rest on them to do them good. 

Turning to God

Ezekiel 18: 28 “Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live: he shall not die.”-

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life- Turning to God is the way out of sin and despair. Sin is a willful transgression against the known will of God. This is the sin that man is accountable for. We live in vessel made of clay and any transgression from perfect that resulted without choice is covered by the blood of Christ. Sin that is committed by our will and choice is also covered by the blood, but it must be confessed. if any man sin (willfully) we have a advocate, a mediator, who is Christ Jesus. With the mouth confession is made to to God and He in His love and mercy will forgive so that we can continue to live. Repenting of making wrong choices is the way we stay alive. Turning to God for forgiveness is the right choice. It is His will that we sin not, but if we do, He provides a way back.