–Elmer Kelton  (The Smiling Country)

       “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.  He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.”

                    –3 John 11 (NKJV)
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Boy, howdy, if Psalm 69 isn’t for us today, I don’t know what is.  Just look at the first few verses.

          1 — Save me, O God!  For the waters have come up to my neck.
          2 — I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
          3 — I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God. (NKJV)

Maybe we could read it this way.  “For the virus has come and overflowed me.”   We worry about this, we worry about that.  We are perplexed–one shot, then two, and now maybe three or more.  What is the answer?  Oh, help me, the world has gone crazy and I am in the muck, stuck with no help in sight.
       Then David goes on to write about other problems and issues.  His problems are beyond just the issues of the day, they are personal.  His enemies are attacking him, and he bemoans his own mistakes and sins.

          4 — Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they are mighty who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully; though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.
          5 — O God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You.
          6 — Let not those who wait for You, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel.
          7 — Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face.  (NKJV)

       Perhaps people don’t understand you and, therefore, they persecute you.  You try to do right and they attack.  You do wrong and they mock and ridicule saying, “he says he’s a Christian, but look at him.”  Jeremiah was hated because of his prophecies regarding Jerusalem.  The religious leaders and pseudo-prophets told him he was wrong. Jeremiah had to listen to their taunting and ridicule–until that day.
       The same was true of Jesus.  He was attacked by the religious leaders of His day because He wasn’t “religious” enough.  “He was seen as a Sabbath breaker, a Temple defamer, and ultimately a blasphemer.” (Peterson).  Eugene Peterson goes on to say, “Closeness to God sometimes means alienation from men.”  There is more truth to this than you might think.  As you get close to God you begin to alienate yourself from the culture of this crazy, mixed up world.  Tozer writes, “All of the Christians I meet who are amounting to anything much for God are Christians who are very much out of key with their age—very, very much out of tune with their generation.”  

                    “On the light of God’s own presence
                     O’er his ransomed people shed,
                     Chasing far the gloom and terror,
                     Brightening all the path we tread.”
                            –Bernhardt Severin Ingemann

                         –Revelation 2:7 (NKJV)  
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “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)

I have been pondering lately the days of Noah.  “As it was in the days of Noah so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:26, NKJV).  It must have been pretty terrible in those days for the Lord to destroy all the inhabitants of the earth with a flood except the family of Noah.  Peter informs us that eventually the Lord’s patience finally had enough and He brought the flood upon the earth (1 Peter 3:20).  How far are we from that point?  “The world is opposed to God in its outlook, in its mind, in its mentality, in its own wisdom–worldly wisdom” (Lloyd-Jones).  
       One of the things we have to be aware of and guard against is the carnal mind.  “The carnal mind is enmity against God:  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7)  Another version states that this mind is “hostile to God.”  Just what is the “carnal mind”?  It is a mind that fights God; it thinks that God (if there is one) is an enemy.  The carnal mind is a selfish mind, a mind that puts self above God and all else.  It is a mind that thinks it is self-reliant.  It does not need God.  My, just look at all of the self-help books and tools that are available.  With all of these, who needs God?  It is a highly ambitious mind that seeks to prove to the world that everything is under control.  It is the mind that reflects the words of the song, “I did it my way.”  It is a mind that seeks to indulge the flesh and its lusts.  It is a mind that would rather enjoy life in comfort and ease rather than work for a living.  These are all symptoms of a carnal mind–a mind that is an enemy of God.
       It is vital in these last days to see the real meaning of the World.  To understand the agenda that the world has–one of power and control.  The world is out to dominate everyone in one way or another.  One day, soon I believe, that there will be a one-world system of finance, a one-world method of identification, a one-world means of knowing what a person is doing and where he is going.  If you don’t think so, just look at what is happening throughout the world in regard to the virus vaccine.  
       The Christian is no longer under the dominion of Satan; they are out of his kingdom, this kingdom of the world.  However, that does not mean they are finished with fighting Satan, in fact, it means that the fight will intensify.  More and more pressure will be placed upon the Christian.  This pressure will take many different forms depending on the location and the individual.  It may be suffering, it may be an fight for survival.  It might also come in subtly.  Watch out for what I call the three “Cs”:  compromise, complacency, and curiosity.  These are deadly.
       Years ago, I was counseling a parent of a wayward child.  The parent had tried many things to control the child’s behavior.  I told her that she might have to turn him over to the Lord.  She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “I’m afraid of what the Lord might do.”  Sounds crazy–to have the wrong kind of fear of the Lord.  Our purpose as we go through life is to trust Him.  “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way…” (J.H. Sammis)  One of the dangers that is facing many is to live in fear.  Fear of the virus, fear of being exposed, fear of going outside.  This is not the life we are to lead.  This is not a life of victory or of overcoming the world.  This is being controlled by the world and the evil one.  We need to put all–get that, all–our trust in the Lord.  

                      “So we may boldly say:  ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?’”
                                   –Hebrews 13:6 (NKJV)

I like the way that Phillips renders this verse, “I will not fear…”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (The Ferguson Rifle)

       “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

                    –Romans 5:3 (NKJV)
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               “Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin].”
                              –2 Peter 1:10 (Amplified)

       I used this verse yesterday from the NKJV but I want to look at it again in the light of the verses preceding it.  Notice that we are to be diligent to make certain about His calling.  We do that by growing in grace, growing in the virtues that are within us to make us more Christ-like.  Our life has been equipped with virtues that we must add to.  Someone commented that we add virtue to virtue.  We grow.  Moffat stated that, “the Christian life must not be an initial spasm followed by a chronic inertia.”  
       Matthew writes that we are to be “perfect” (Matthew 5:48).  Oh my, but how?  Or maybe I should use an exclamation mark.  How to be perfect!  Sometimes we need to study what words means.  The Amplified clarifies this for us, “You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Perfect is growing into spiritual maturity.  In other words, “be mature”!
       Turn your attention back to 2 Peter and look at the virtues that should be present in our lives.  

               “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brother kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
                                –2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV)

We start off with faith–“for by grace you have been saved through faith…” (Ephesians 2:8).  We start with faith.  Faith is the conviction that what Christ said is true and we can commit ourselves to His promises.  It is unquestioning certainty.
       We add to faith–virtue.  Virtue speak of excellence.  It is not a life of mediocrity that we are to live, but one of excellence in serving Christ.  We do it to the best of our ability.  This makes a man a good citizen and a good friend.  He is to be an expert in the technique of living well (I like that).  There is no excuse for cowardice in the Christian life, therefore virtue has that trait of courage.
       Add knowledge now to virtue.  This is practical knowledge, the ability to apply to particular situations the knowledge that we have gained.  This helps a man to rightly decide then to act honorably and efficiently in the day-to-day circumstances of life.
       Then to knowledge is added self-control.  The term means literally the ability to take a grip of oneself.  Self-discipline is important as we go through life.  I remember a situation when I was in college.  One of the guys in the dorm came steaming down the hallway, his girlfriend had broken up with him.  He was angry and slammed his fist into the sheetrock only to hit a place where there was a 2×4 behind the sheetrock breaking bones in his hand.  Lack of self-control can lead to disastrous problems in our lives.  Our passions must become the servant, not the master.
       Perseverance or maybe better Steadfastness.  This is more than mere patience.  The Latin sage Cicero said this about steadfastness, “The voluntary and daily suffering of hard and difficult things, for the sake of honor and usefulness.”  It is why Paul says to be thankful in all things realizing that God is with us and knows what is best for our lives.  Barclay says, “It is the courageous acceptance of everything that life can do to us and the transmuting of even the worst event into another step on the upward way.”
       Add to steadfastness godliness (piety).  There are two parts to godliness here.  First, the person always correctly worships God and gives Him His due.  Then following the person correctly serves his fellow-men and gives them their due.  It is a benefit to the Kingdom of God and to the community in which the person resides.  He is of benefit to God and others. (Barclay)
       Brotherly affection is “love of the brethren.”  We are to love the brethren, those in the body of Christ.  We are in the same family.  We should not be annoyed by relational interruptions but continue to let love abound.  In saying this we are to love as Christ loved (agape).  This is a love from God and is impossible for man without the help of the Holy Spirit.
       2022, let it be a year where you climb and confirm your calling.  Grow in maturity (be perfect).  Take one step at a time, yet don’t forget to look forward at the horizon, the grand view of what God has for us.

To live with danger was a way of life, but we did not think of it as danger, merely as part of all that we must face in the natural order of living.”

                         –Louis L’Amour  (Killoe)

 

       “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.  And always be thankful.”

                         –Colossians 3:15(NLT)

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I told the story of a family that has spent the last two years cloistered in their home.  They had not ventured out for two years in fear of the virus that has come upon our land.  These people claim to be Christians yet I wondered what their walk with the Lord is like.  It’s plain to see that it must be very shallow.  They live in fear, not trusting in the Lord and in common sense.  How can they begin to fulfill the Great Commission?  How can they have real fellowship with other believers?  What type of armor have they put on?

       In the front of my journal notebook I keep a few quotations.  One of which is the following by Zane Grey.

 

“You must live your life.

Make it worth while.

Every man, every woman has a burden.

Lift yours cheerfully and begin to climb…

Love those with whom fate has placed you.

And fight–

fight the dark moods,

the selfish thoughts, the hateful memories!

Work…Love.”

 

I wonder if the devil has duped us into thinking that we will be safe in our homes, that the Lord will honor us for being cozy and comfortable.  I seem to have read that we are to take up our cross–daily.  We are to redeem the time for the days are evil, which means we need to be out doing, not cowering in our closets.  We are to live a life of faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.

       I recall the writings of Peter:  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.”  (2 Peter 1:2-3, NKJV)  There must be a continuous forward moral progress in our lives.  Our lives must cooperate with that of the Holy Spirit.  Someone said that “Faith is not only commitment to the promises of Christ; it is commitment to His demands.”   Sure we use common sense in our daily lives as we walk with Him, but we must go about living:  Work…Love.  Barclay writes, “Faith does not exempt a man from works; the generosity of God does not absolve a man from effort.  Life is at its noblest and its best when our effort cooperates with God’s grace to produce the necessary loveliness.”

       Do something with your life for the Kingdom of God this year.  Don’t cower on your couch.  Don’t fear the world.  Possibly you might have to confront your fears, you might have to fight the dark moods that come upon you, in other words you might have to fight–be like Paul and fight the good fight of faith.  Peter writes that “be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.” (2 Peter 1:10, NKJV)