In this hostile world, it is a question worth pondering, and, which has much more meaning than it seems. At this very moment, being Christian has aroused enmity of all sorts, from diverse roots, and sources, and is increasing for us, an array of difficulties. We are under the scope, as the world scrutinizes every thing we say, or do, including putting THE BIBLE, THE WORD OF *GOD* to the test; often for reasons holding little sense, or logic, instead, fueled by tradition, preference, ignorance, incomplete understanding, biased perception, and on it goes, all the way through to evil wickedness. Too, some not so mature Christians have contributed to the fires in the way they act, and react, or even teach. Then add to this the animosity between Christians themselves, which has really escalated in recent years...
We face adversaries of every kind, and adversity from every angle, yet, *GOD* IS WITH us! This is important TO retaining will, courage, strength, knowledge, understanding, and ability to REMAIN IN HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS WAYS. When we are challenged, we often react with emotionalism, instead of *GODLINESS*, so we feel first, then react, adding to the flames! IF we could always react with the tools of *GODLY* knowledge, many fires would diminish, for they would not be given any additional fuels. We FORGET to call on THE LORD immediately, and thus, we act in worldly ways when confronted, pressured, or worse...
Too, we FORGET that being Christian includes suffering; as our LORD suffered, we share in! Suffering IS good for the being for it develops in us, endurance, perseverance, understanding, HOPE, and character, just to mention a few POSITIVES involved! We ARE taken aback by most suffering, and we DO react in worldly ways, attempting to work through them on our own, which usually, causes more troubles, for we NEED *GOD* to get through most of what is of this realm...
Since the fall of Adam, and Eve, there HAS been a war raging; a war which we are caught up in, a war against *GOD*, and ALL that HE IS! The origin of this war began in HEAVEN as an angel, and some followers took themselves to the limits in prideful arrogance! IF we BELONG TO *GOD*, we ARE at risk, and WILL be placed into challenges of all sorts, as HIS enemy vies to take from HIM all that he might! UNLESS the whole of the world immediately stepped INTO THE LORD *GOD*, and LOVE, this war WILL rage on, with many unsuspecting victims of ignorance!!!
THE LORD *GOD* IS ALMIGHTY, and IS OUR CHAMPION, IF we are IN HIM, RELY ON HIM, TRUST HIM, and exist IN HIS WILL! When we doubt, or are filled with fear, we ARE weakened, and place ourselves in the line of dangers, for we are yet in the flesh! When we try to battle evil on our own, we WILL fall short, for we do NOT possibly possess the power necessary to do so, ONLY *GOD* IS powerful enough to manage, and handle the endless aggression of the enemy(ies)! THUS, we MUST LEARN anew, all the while, TO PLACE ourselves IN HIS MIGHT!!!
Surely we may courageously defy all our enemies, and say, If God — Who hath all power in himself, and all the events of time and eternity under his direction; be for us — Our sure, never-failing, everlasting friend, engaged for our salvation and happiness in time and in eternity: or rather, since God is for us; for “ει here, is not a conditional particle; for that would imply doubting. But it stands for επει, since, and is an affirmation.” As if he had said, Since God has manifested so much love to us as to call us by the gospel to repentance, faith in his Son, and new obedience; to incline and enable us to obey the call, and to justify, adopt, regenerate, and constitute us his children; who can be against us — What real hurt can the world, the devil, or all his instruments, do us by all our sufferings from them?
We who were called when we were averse; justified when we were guilty; sanctified when unholy; shall, we have reason to hope, be in due time glorified, though now despised, oppressed, and persecuted. Can any or all our enemies, whether visible or invisible, with any success, oppose our enjoying the inheritance of the children of God, with the other blessings promised to the seed of Abraham? He that spared not his own Son — Greek, ιδιου υιου, his proper Son; so the expression properly signifies, being much more emphatical than αυτου, his, or his own: as it is likewise John 5:18, he said also that God was, πατερα ιδιον, his proper Father. Christ is called God’s proper Son, to distinguish him from others who are sons of God by creation, or by adoption, or by office, (in which sense magistrates are termed God’s sons,) that is, by some temporal dignity. But delivered him up — To ignominy, torture, and death; for us all — For every human creature, 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 2:9. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things — Which he sees would promote our salvation, or be subservient to our true happiness, in time or in eternity?
After having given us a gift of infinite value, because it was necessary for us, and we could not otherwise be redeemed and saved, will he deny us smaller blessings, which, though inferior, are nevertheless closely connected with our redemption and salvation? After having delivered up to extreme sufferings one infinitely near and dear to him, to preserve us from everlasting and unspeakable torment, shall he, is it reasonable to suppose that he will, withhold from us any thing needful for life or godliness; especially any thing, the withholding of which would obstruct the attainment of the end for which God’s Son was so delivered up?
“To man the bleeding cross has promised all:
The bleeding cross has sworn eternal grace;
Who gave his Son, what gift shall he deny?”
“No argument was ever addressed to creatures capable of being persuaded and obliged, equal to this. For while it convinces the understanding, it raises every tender and devout feeling in the heart, and is a continual source both of hope and gratitude.”
It IS difficult for us to always remember to act IN THE LORD when we are assailed, confronted, challenged, and ambushed, but we MUST LEARN TO, for there is NO other who WILL, or CAN lead us PAST all which is of this plane! HE IS *GOD*, we are HIS CREATION, thus we NEED to remind ourselves that HE IS ALL POWERFUL, ALL KNOWING, ALL PRESENT, and IS ALL THAT OVER all else! We ARE heightened THROUGH HIM, and BY HIM!!!
A million people might raise up against any one of us, but we CAN stand strong IN the knowledge that THE LORD IS our SHIELD, our FORTRESS, our ROCK, our DELIVERER, and MUCH more! YES, it IS unnerving to be challenged so often, and so deliberately, but did not HE endure even worse for our sakes, and did HE not inform us THAT we would suffer much the same for HIS name sake?!!
Young David went up against a giant named Goliath, whom all the armies feared, and dreaded, with but a sling, and a stone, KNOWING that the hand of *GOD* WOULD work through him! His FAITH produced a FAITHFULNESS which inclined him to always RELY ON THE LORD, TRUST IN HIM, and to SERVE HIM! History IS filled with Goliath's, it IS common to the world, but those who KNOW, and LOVE THE LORD *GOD* ARE equipped to withstand, and even defeat them!!!
ALL PRAISE, and WORSHIP BE UNTO THE LORD *GOD*, whose GLORY IS LEADING HIS own through the valley of deception, obstacles, traps, and shackles! Let us REJOICE for HIS LOVING CARE for those who LOVE HIM, and TRUST HIM! Let us EXALT HIS HOLINESS! Let us stand STRONG, and BE ENCOURAGED, because really, IF *GOD* IS FOR US, WHO can be against us???
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, and BE the BLESSING you HAVE received from the LORD OF LORDS! Give THANKS and be grateful for HIS CEASELESS PRESENCE for those who FOLLOW HIM!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2015
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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