A Right Perspective
How do we view recent events in America from a right perspective? World views are important. The most important view of the world is God’s view from his perspective from on high… from the viewpoint of eternity.
John McArthur says, We as a nation are going down the path that Paul described in Romans 1…. That which is know about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them… he made it clear so that they are without excuse. Even though they knew God they did not honor him as God…. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie to serve the creation instead of the creator. Therefore he gave them over…. To defile themselves.. they are untrustworthy, unmerciful and although they know the ordinance of God they do that which God condemns, and they approve of them that knowingly and defiantly embrace such perversion of the truth.
God has allowed America to go down the path of Romans 1 to the point that the world in which we find ourselves, makes no sense to anyone who has a glimpse of truth. Calvin said that when God judges a people, he gives them wicked rulers who tend to be the architects of this depravity either overtly or covertly. McArthur concludes that the insanity, disorder, disruption, and perversion amongst us is all a part of God’s divine judgement. The final stage of God’s judgement is a state of insanity… extreme folly, utter foolishness, absurdity of thought, perversity judgement…. having no rational or orderly logical relationship to that which right according to God’s clear and evident divine design…. His righteous standard. The folly of all follies is to think that man can stop the judgement of God. What is wrong with this country is not fixable…. It is God’s divine judgement.
Despite the judgement of this world, God protects his people from the wrath of his righteous judgment. As Paul said, For the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation unto the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The enemy has infiltrated every institution of power in America today. No power on earth can stop God’s righteous judgement. God is a God of plan and purpose. He will purge his creation when the ungodly reject the righteous standard of His word.
God always tests his people to see if we will praise Him despite the trials and tribulation of this world. He knows our heart. The trial will prove to us whether our prayer is like Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the midst of the trouble and tribulation: “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.”
Through the test and the trial, God will hold us up with his mighty right hand. His character within us is proven in the heat of the melting pot and in the fire of the furnace. For the crucible is for trying the purity of silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord assays, tries, and proves the true heart of his people. The war for hearts and minds in America is not according to political philosophies and so-called patriotism. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness from on high.
The days of Noah were similar to America today. God said to Noah, warn the people of the coming flood… of God’s righteous judgement to come. Noah preached for over one hundred years as he built the ark. Even though God will provide a way of escape, No one believed Noah. The laws of man cannot save us from God’s righteous judgement. Salvation is on God’s terms, not man’s. No one can save themselves… we are hapless, hopeless, and helpless in our own power. But God in in his love, mercy, and grace provides a way of escape… Jesus said, Now is the acceptable year of the Lord… According to 2 Corinthians 2: 6, For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (ESV)
The agenda of self is contrary to the agenda of Christ. Our natural default position (with the emphasis on fault) is to rely on ourselves for our own self-protection. However, Jesus’ message was contrary to the doctrine of self… He said, turn the other cheek when someone slaps you to disgrace you. He said, If man’s law requires that you carry a soldier’s pack one mile, then carry his pack two miles. The first mile is from obligation…. The second mile is from a heart of love. The last of Jesus’ beatitudes says, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven. He also said, In this life, ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.
Christianity is a rescue effort for desparate men. When we finally reach the end of ourselves and realize that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, then we can come to God with a broken and a contrite spirit. As Mother Theresa said, God works best with nothing. When we approach God’s throne of grace with empty hands, then he can fill us with his spirit.
The faith and courage to stand is developed, exercised, and becomes second nature in the moment by moment decisions of every day life. In these small every day victories, we can celebrate our victories in Christ. Then when we fall short and succumb to temptation, and break fellowship with God, we can return to God’s throne of grace with a heart of repentance. For if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Courage is developed on the practice field… practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Perfection is not in our flesh… perfection is in the spirit of God in Christ in us the hope of Glory…. The law of the spirit of life In Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, we look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down upon the right hand of the throne of grace.
From God’s perspective he will show us that the standard of his righteous Word will stand. Despite the darkness of this fallen world, Jesus said, bless them that persecute you, pray for them that despitefully use you. Therefore, our responsibility is our response to God’s ability. As the Apostle Paul said, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good…
Men of God are not known for their ability, but for their availability. You can fake caring but you cannot fake showing up. Availability means to avail ourselves of God’s ability. It’s important to surround ourselves with the fellowship of God’s people. According to Hebrews 10, provoke one another to love and good deeds. Forsaking not the assembly of yourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. For we are God’s workmanship, his work of art, his poetry in motion, his poem written not with ink but in the tables of our heart, created in Christ Jesus unto good works that he has before-ordained that we should walk according to his purpose…
…That despite the darkness of this fallen world, we may live as living testimonies to the praise of the glory of His grace,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
