Posted in Christmas, Life Inspiration

The Wise, the Worried & the Wayward ~ What do you seek?

I can clearly remember as a child the fear that I had regarding Armageddon. Having very little knowledge about it, only that it was the war to end all wars, and when it happened, horrific things would be about us and the world would be out of control. That fear followed me into adulthood because I still had not learned the scripture as one would have thought I would have being raised in church. Jesus’ return and the end of the earth as we know brought nothing but dread in my heart. I guess I wasn’t alone, nor the first to have experienced it.

Matthew 2:1-3

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Wise men fear and Seek Christ

The wise men were said to be men of great spiritual and philosophical understanding. They knew of the coming Messiah and did not fear it but rather embraced it knowing that God’s plan is the right plan. Their obedience to travel such a great distance speaks volumes of their character. They were invested in this trip with time, money and risk; committed to finding God. That’s what wise men (and women) do. They seek God at all costs knowing that the end result is blessing. But then there was Herod…

Worried men fear and Seek Control

Herod sought Jesus too, but not for worship or wisdom, he sought Him for control. He wanted to destroy anyone he thought would threaten his power as King of Judea, and he didn’t care to kill them young or innocent, calling for the mass murder of all infant boys under the age of two. I somehow block out that part of the Christmas story. The political wickedness that ripped the heart out of mothers. The killing spree that filled Bethlehem’s residents with immeasurable pain was so horrific that Matthew quotes Jeremiah’s mournful words regarding Israel’s pain during the Babylonian Exile in verse 18 ~ In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Perhaps I block it out because it rings too true in society today. Our government will, it seems at any cost, cater to the wicked to keep control, including forsaking God, murdering babies and joining with allies totally against any Christian principal for the sake of power. They should worry, for try as they might, God’s plan will not fail.

Wayward men fear and Seek Comfort

Those who do not know the comfort of Christ will seek comfort in the world at all costs, even freedom. The scripture in Matthew 2 said “all Jersalem” was worried too. They were troubled because they did not know that Christ was coming to bring peace, they only knew Herod was upset and that wasn’t good. They desired no King other than Herod; him they understood. Therefore Jesus was not a King they cared to know. And so it is with many today, content to stay in the ignorance and controlled by what they’re comfortable with than to relinquish full control to God Who will provide them a peace immeasurable.

It’s not hard to see why the world fights against Christianity, because true, undefiled Christianity shatters the lies and deceit that have been created to control a lost generation. Once you truly understand Who Jesus is, the world’s control is gone and you have the freedom to live without fear. You no longer fear the coming of the Lord, but just like the wise men in Matthew you embrace it. You are willing to go and do at all cost and risk, because you know that His coming again will bring wickedness to an end. Why should we fear? Yes Christ came as a baby, but He’s coming again and this time He’s all grown up! This time there will be no risk or danger for those who know Him as their Savior, but to those who don’t there is much to fear.

Do you know Jesus today? If not, give yourself the gift of Peace this Christmas.

Posted in Uncategorized

Jesus: King of kings (Presidents, congress, etc)

After 70 years of captivity the temple is built in Jerusalem. It’s not only blessed by God its blessed by government!

Ezra 6:3 – In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits

Funded, protected and encouraged by them to prosper.

Ezra 6:7-8 ~ Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

As I read through Ezra 6 this morning I couldn’t help but think of the present affairs of our government and the state of the Church in America. I really don’t anticipate at any time in the near future we would hear our president say “Let’s build the church! Those of you who oppose it, back off… and church… whatever you need to get it done, just let me know.” But that was what was happening in Jerusalem. And what was the difference? God’s sovereignty.

Can it happen again? Yes: because we still serve the same God. Will it? I don’t know. But one thing about this passage that I gained great peace in this morning was the knowledge that God is and always will be the King of kings. Regardless of the enemies plot against us we are still very much in the control of Almighty God. Those in political power over us have no sovereign power over us. And if God so chooses He can use their intent for destruction of our nation to be used for our good. Revelation 12:16a says “And the earth helped the woman…” With that in mind, He can also use circumstance to get us into a position where we only have Him to look at.

I know that things look bleak in America, but I’m looking at America through the heart of a church. Israel had just came out of 70 years of captivity. They were no longer the nation of great wealth, not only had their place of worship been destroyed but their means to rebuild it taken away as well. And God said (or so in my mind I think He could have) “It was never yours to start with. It’s Mine. I allowed them to tear it down, and I’ll cause them to build it back.” And so the work was completed and Israel was a humbler nation because they knew they didn’t do it.

I see the church today being humbled because we’ve allowed our earthly kings and queens to take away our rights to worship. But they have no means to tear down the temple; for our temple is within us. They can discourage us which takes its toll on our productiveness for the cause of Christ, but where does that put us in the scope of the politics that we see playing out in front of us today?

Apostle Paul nailed it for success when he said in 2 Corinthians 4:8 – We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Why are we acting like a people with no hope? Yes I’m a cockeyed optimist. Yes I will always look for the silver lining in a storm cloud, and above all I believe that Jesus will take me through. Do I think there could be some hard times ahead for America? Yes. But I also know that we serve the same Almighty God of Israel and that He controls the kings. And every time they get that smug, I’m in control look; God laughs. And every time they take a swing at the children of God who are trying to turn America back to the foundational beliefs we were founded on, He takes note. Of them… and us. How will it end? For certain in defeat if we continue to do nothing. But where there is a remnant… there is hope.

Romans 11:5 speak of Israel when it says “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

I am grateful to be grafted into the family of God. God notes the remant.