–Patrick Lindsay  (Dead Man’s Treasure)

 

       “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
                         –1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NASB)
                   “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NLT)

This will be the last in our study of survival.  Now it is time to use our training, to walk forth through this evil world, not as defeated ones, but as conquerors.  In one sense all are soldiers, but there are those who are combat-ready.  All have the training to a certain degree, but that is not their area of expertise.  The difference between a soldier and a warrior is that a warrior lives his training.  If we are to survive in the fight against evil and the devil we must “live our training.”
       The last two verses of Jude are sort of the “oorah” to the fight.  Look at how Jude finishes his little letter.

              “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”
                         –Jude 24-25 (NASB)

Jude says for us to praise God who is able to keep us from slipping.  This was used when speaking of a sure-footed horse.  One who could travel the hard trails in the mountains and not lose its footing.  It is also used to speak of a person who does not fall into error.  The focus is on God.   We go forward with our attention on Him and what He has said in His Word, which is our directive for life.
       Then Jude states that we will stand blameless!  How?  Aren’t we sinners?  Hmm, or are we saints?  We must enter into His presence blameless.  We cannot enter heaven unless we are blameless.  How then is it possible?  Through His grace.  We will be presented faultless because of His grace.  We walk through this world covered in righteousness because of His grace.  We survive only through His grace.  Edwin Blum writes, “Salvation is completely secure because God’s own purpose stands and because he is able to do all that he wills.”
       As we travel in this evil, wicked world we always look to God.  With terror on every hand, fear and anxiety trying to pressure us, we praise God…we remember who He is.  He is the supreme authority, all is under His control.  We realize, like William Barclay, that “The love of God is at once the atmosphere and the goal of all his living.”  We live in an atmosphere of love, not fear.  Travel on then oh faithful pilgrim!

                    –Elmer Kelton  (The Good Old Boys)

 

        “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.  And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
                    –1 John 3:24 (NKJV)
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There used to be a television show where a panel of celebrities would try and guess “who” the person was.  So my question is, who are you–really?  I guess that is a question that is being asked by today’s woke society.  Not only do people not know who they are, but they do not know what gender they are.  My mercy…it doesn’t take a magnifying glass.  But no matter what, no matter who they think they are, no matter what sex they are, no matter how wealthy they are–death comes to all.  The rich will die just like the pauper.  Oh, there may be some fanfare, but in the end it won’t matter.  The clods will fall on both of them.
       Mark Twain once said, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”  However, there are those who chose to live in darkness whether spiritual or natural.  They think darkness will cover their evil deeds.  One of my favorite books is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Dr. Jekyll is a good man who goes about doing good for people, but there is something sinister deep inside him, Mr. Hyde.  The more he allows Mr. Hyde to reveal himself the more Dr. Jekyll becomes like him.  And notice, Mr. Hyde only appears in the darkness; he does his evil deeds at night.  Finally there comes a day when Dr. Jekyll is no more for he has given himself over completely to become Mr. Hyde.
       We must choose the right and shun the evil.  But today, what is right and truth…what is false and evil?  Confusion abounds…some of it purposely.   There is a fight in every one of us–the war between the spirit and the flesh.  Many have never tasted of the Spirit, they live only for the flesh.  Even Christians find this fight to be hard and fierce at times.  There is a war against the flesh, and a battle for the mind.  I recall “Johara’s Window.”  Man is shown to have four parts, the window.  There is a part of what you know about yourself, there is a part that only others know about you, then there is the facade…the face or faces you show to others, and finally there is part of you which you do not know nor do others.  You can add one more appendix to that part, the subconscious.  
       Many people live in the facade, not wanting to face up to who they are, and not wanting others to really see who they are.  They put up a facade, a front.  Many nonChristians rebuke believers saying that they are only hypocrites.  I venture to say that they are the hypocrites.  They do not want to remove the facade.  They do not want to really see who they are.  As believers in Jesus Christ we should rejoice in the fact that we are a new creature.  Paul writes, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Romans 6:6, NKJV)  He continues in verse 11-12, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” (NKJV)
In other words, you no longer live on the dark side.  Some key words:  “slaves of sin,” and “do not let sin reign.”  There is a vast difference between being a slave and being free, between failing and letting sin reign.
       Friend, you must believe that you are a child of the King.  His royal blood runs through your veins.  Your helplessness now becomes filled with hope.  Eternity will not blot out your name.  Sing aloud, sing in your soul the old chorus written by C. Austin Miles and know who you are in the Kingdom of God.

                    “There’s a new name written down in glory,
                    And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
                    And the white-robed angels sing the story,
                    ‘A sinner has come home.’
                    For there’s a new name written down in glory,
                    And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
                    With my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven,
                    Never more to roam.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (North to the Rails)

       “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”

                    –Joshua 1:6 (NKJV)
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Why, oh why, do we so soon forget?  We ask God’s forgiveness which He so gracious gives, then we sin again.  He provides for us in many ways, but we praise Him for a few minutes then continue on our way soon forgetting.  Why?  We look at the majesty of God in nature and get inspired, but as soon as we’re back in the rat-race of humanity, career, and society those thoughts are dimmed.  John I. Durham said this, “The wonders of God yet excite men but temporarily; and God is too soon forgotten in man’s fascination with himself.”
       Psalm 78 deals with the miraculous saving power of God yet also relates how He is soon forgotten and man goes his own way.

          56 — Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies,
          57 — But turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
          58 — For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
          59 — When God heard this, He was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel,
          60 — So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had placed among men,
          61 — And delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the enemy’s hand.
          62 — He also gave His people over to the sword, and was furious with His inheritance.
          63 — The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not given in marriage.
          64 — Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
          65 — Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
          66 — And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach.
          67 — Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
          68 — But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.
          69 — And He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He has established forever.
          70 — He also chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
          71 — From following the ewes that had young He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance.
          72 — So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.  (NKJV)

One of the reasons we are told to remember the past is that we do not forget the wondrous works of God in our lives.  We are to remember the times that He delivered us from one thing or another.  Those who forget are to face His fury.
       Israel, after seeing all the miracles and even though they moved into the Promised Land, continued to provoke God.  It seems that it was easy to forget, that is why we “must engage in the discipline of remembering.” (George O. Wood)  The people were enjoying life, the were enjoying the blessings that were provided and had forgotten God and the proper means of worship.  In times of plenty, God was placed aside and worship was given in the way the people desired, not in the way God had instructed.
      Then a man appeared, a hero if you will–David.  David rallied the people.  David brought them back to true worship.  David shepherded them with skillful hands and with integrity.  But alas, the people forgot, and they were led into captivity.  They failed to remember.  But then another man appeared, a hero if you will–Jesus.  He broke the chains of sin, and offered the people a chance of eternal life.  Now the choice is ours.  We can grumble, complain, rebel and not turn to Him, or we can go to Him and place our lives in His skillful hands.  Don’t fight God’s plans for you, but follow them.

                    “Down in the valley with my Savior I would go,
                    Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow;
                    With His hand to lead me I will never, never fear,
                    Danger cannot fright me if my Lord is near.”
                                –William O. Cushing