Christians Must Offer Hope

My future is secure in Christ, but I am deeply concerned for the future of our nation as well as other countries with similar challenges. We are facing potentially catastrophic consequences from a consistent disregard of biblical principles both morally and economically. There is, however, hope and it is found in Christ who freely offers wise counsel and divine direction.

We know from Genesis, God created man in His image and commanded us to be fruitful overseers of His great creation. Not only through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, but subsequently through the ages and with the refusal in our day to accept our divine assignment to be faithful stewards, many who profess faith have contributed more often to ruin than to the rule of God. By substituting a personal relationship with the living God and putting in its place lifeless, religious form and the traditions of men taught as the commands of God, churchgoers have too often failed in our divine assignment disappointing all observers, including God. If our primary focus is only our personal family concerns and we fail to give attention to the decisions made by unprincipled leadership which lead to bad policies adversely affecting everyone, the consequences of such indifference will come to haunt all of us.

Too many professing Christians are living more overcome by the influences of this present world than as overcomers. Scripture teaches that when the Lord is our shepherd and we are living in His presence, He is a shelter in the storms that are certain to come. The invitation to live in His shadow implies the need to stay close. When He moves, we must move. We don’t have to walk away from God to backslide. If He moves and we don’t, we’re backslidden. The Lord makes clear His desire to be our shepherd who leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake and for His glory. Jesus said that as salt and light here on this earth, we are to let our light shine so others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.  It is His light and glory that reveals the paths we should take personally and nationally.

Last week I issued a challenge for believers to pray about specific issues that should concern Christians. I emphasized that knowing what we must do is more important to know at this time than identifying a particular who that might help lead our nation in these difficult times. As important as this is, it is even more important for us as Christians to know who we are in Christ and what we are to be while still residing on planet Earth. If we desire to see national correction, we must first experience personal correction and spiritual renewal.

First and foremost, we are to be disciples of Christ, loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We must recognize the fact we are His body and should be revealing Him clearly to a world dead in trespasses and sin. Believers are to be faithful witnesses, overcomers in this life, more than conquerors, priests and kings, who have been born from above to become saints and citizens in His kingdom (right now). In this life we are ambassadors for Christ, crucified with Him yet so very much alive in Him, ever alert, resisting the enemy while yielded and humble before Him. Believers are to live filled to overflowing with Holy Spirit fruitfulness of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In the power of this love we must seek supernatural unity, refusing to wrangle over words, which leads to the ruin of the hearers. We should be continually rejoicing in all things, praising Him even when facing various trials, tribulations and temptations because He is our deliverer, our rock, our fortress, our shield and our mighty God. Whom shall we fear when we trust Him as our source and lovingly care for others? Our Father promises to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus and who gives us all things richly to enjoy while lavishing us with His love and His peace guarding our hearts and minds. God is anxious to direct our steps personally and nationally.

Remember, my friend, there is no disappointment in Jesus—but in this life there will be many disappointments in others who miss the mark through weakness, foolishness or rebellion. This is why we must continually look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Do not be surprised when congressional leaders, ministers, family members, friends or anyone in highly visible places fail miserably. Trust the Lord and pursue Him with all of your heart in these challenging days. Commit your life totally to Him, losing it for His eternal purpose and you will find abundant life in the meaningful fullness available through Him. The apostle Paul challenged us to “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God and refuse to be conformed by this world and be transformed by the renewing of our minds so we can know the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Keep in mind that we will all be tempted, and temptation will never walk away from us. We must, by choice, walk away from it. Our Father is more anxious to help us overcome than we are to receive His merciful assistance. Never doubt it! We must confess our weaknesses and sins to one to another, binding our hearts together to overcome this world so that through our witness those who are dead in trespasses and sin can observe our faithful example and be made alive through the grace of God and then be seated together with us in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Please join in prayer, that each of us as professing Christians, will recognize who we are in Christ so we can become what He wants us to be as His witnesses for Him until He returns. The healing necessary for our nation must begin in our personal lives find car service from laguardia airport to brooklyn. It would be wonderful if those of us who know Christ personally inspired our nation to return to the shelter and shadow of Almighty God avoiding the painful consequences of a total collapse. The Lord is our hope!

The wise and brilliant statesman Daniel Webster spoke truth when he said, “If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity.”