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Stop by Quiet Waters
“Facing Difficulties In Faith Not Fear”
Hebrews 12:26-27 say, " ‘Once more I will
shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’
indicate the removing of what can be shaken -- -- that is, created things -- --
so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are
receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken let us be thankful, and so worship
God acceptably with reverence and all."
We have certainly experienced a shaking in the financial
realm of our nation in the past several days like none of us in our lifetime
have ever experienced before, a shaking which has reverberated around the
world. Financial analysts tell us that on the day the stock market
plummeted further than any other one day in its history our economy lost $1.3
trillion dollars. As I sit here writing the shaking continues with many
looking to Washington for help while others say even with the massive bailout
plan Congress rejected but might now pass we have no certainty the shaking will
stop.
We may be headed for an unprecedented worldwide
depression. We don't know, but these could well be some of the signs of
the end times which our Lord Jesus spoke about so forcefully in the Gospel of
Matthew, and which the book of Revelation depicts with vivid starkness.
What we can say is that such a global economic shaking is unprecedented in the
history of our world. How should we who are the Lord’s servant-leaders in
the body of Christ react to these things?
I have been greatly encouraged by insights given me as I
read Acts 21-24. First, as Paul was obedient to God in the face of
persecution so must we be obedient in the face of hardship. He was told
over and over what awaited him if he persisted in going to
Hardship, even suffering are not
signs that we are on the wrong path or that we should go back. God
forbid! Our trust must never be in savings and investments for, as we
have so recently seen, these can disappear in an instant. In this world
of spiritual darkness and opposition to God and his truth such things are to be
expected. When we became a Christian we enlisted in God's Army, we didn’t
book a suite on a spiritual cruise ship.
A second thing I saw was that as the Lord was with
Paul, bringing him through danger, struggles, and pain to where God
wanted him, so our Father in heaven will be with us in whatever is before us as
we seek to be and do what he has called us to. He will bring you safely
through everything so that you do fulfill his will for you. As with Paul
there will be suffering and struggles for you along the way. These in no
way are indications either that you are out of God's will or that God has
abandoned you. As Peter said, “Though you have not seen him you love
him, and though you do not see him now you trust him."
Third, "All who will live godly in Christ
Jesus will suffer persecution." Persecution and opposition come
to us from people who are driven by demonic forces to do all sorts of evil
through greed, hatred, etc. They also come from the influence of demonic beings
working in our world through culture, etc., and they come from the direct
attack of demonic forces on us through our minds. They do have access to
us, but they can never overpower us as long as we keep looking to the Lord
Jesus and keep trusting in the promises of the word of God.
Those of us who live in the free world with our democratic
forms of government need to understand that where there is little outward
persecution there will be great inner struggles and temptations. It’s the
same enemy as the one working through totalitarian regimes but with differing
tactics shaped to fit the culture we live in. But even here our Lord
Jesus will bring us safely through. I don’t mean we will not suffer, for
we will, but if we keep on trusting in and following our Lord no matter what he
will bring us safely through all these things into his eternal kingdom.
This after all is our destiny and goal. Bless the holy name of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Dick