- Oct 13, 2009
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Dear saints, it’s good to be back with all of you and I trust that the Lord Jesus has been protecting and preserving you . Our world view is often based on personal experiences and facts that engulf us. Hence, it’s not unusual for our world view to be one of despair and pessimism. When we see children being shot in schoolyards, and politicians being murdered we are in abject despair. When friends and loved ones betray us we are in shock and self-denial. Rogue politicians, traders, and crooked financiers who plunge global economies into recession are met with loathing and absolute disbelief. Our faith in our systems and ourselves is shaken because we refuse to acknowledge the sin that has saturated this world. We become depressed and desolate because we miscalculate without factoring sin. Sin that entered because of the disobedience of one man and woman (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21) has upset the math and natural order of things and creation itself became perverted (Genesis 6:5). The Lord Jesus has rescued us from this damnation, but that kingdom will be a new heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21), not the present one.
Please turn with me to 2 Peter 3:7, 10-11. In these scriptures, the Apostle Peter had warned us about what’s to happen to the present universe. This world and everything we see in it is destined for damnation and destruction. Yet, somehow when we see the very signs of that impending destruction, i.e., wars, famines, floods, etc., we’re alarmed although we’ve already been warned about them (Matthew 24:6). Politicians promise a rosy future, while bureaucrats are busying spinning failures into successes and gullible people actually believe them. Some of them may actually be sincere and mean well, but they’re trying to rescue that which God had already condemned. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a bright and wonderful future for us and posterity. But we shouldn’t expect that blessed land here but in heaven.
When people lose their jobs, stock markets crash, economies slip into recession, companies are shut down and people are laid off, we grieve and panic. This is because we forget that the devil still controls this world (Matthew 4:8-9). Even Christians sometimes tend to trust their own abilities and instincts and forget that their daily bread comes from the Lord and not their pension plan or portfolio (Psalm 121:1-2; Matthew 6:11; Psalm 87:7). As an investor, I believe that I’m investing not just in companies but in the lives of its employees. However, I’ve been taught by the Holy Spirit to be neither shocked when the DOW drops a 1000 points nor despair if I lost nearly 5% of my portfolio in less than 5 minutes. Because I know that even if all these resources were to be destroyed I still have a resource in Christ that never burns up (Exodus 3:2-3).
The Lord Jesus was the most trusting, yet the most knowledgeable Man who had ever lived. He knew that both Simon Peter (Matthew 26:34) and Judas Iscariot (Luke 22:48) would betray Him and that Judas would condemn himself in worldly sorrow (Matthew 27:5) rather than seek forgiveness like Peter (Luke 22:32). Yet He trusted them both to demonstrate God’s love for the vilest of sinners and to accomplish His Purpose (John 6:70). The Lord Jesus was neither angry nor remorseful that two of His disciples had betrayed Him. That was because He knew what was in man and had factored sin into His calculations (John 2:24). He got His math right. Can we say that about the people of this world or even saints? When marriages fail, relationships are broken, trust is betrayed people get bitter, angry, lonely, resentful and go to court. Some just continue in misery and grow sick and depressed by the day. Do any of those emotions or actions solve the problem? When greedy shepherds mislead and defraud their congregations, embezzle funds, plagiarize sermons, elope with their parishioners’ wives and worse are un-repentant, people are shocked and in disbelief. They’re that way because they’ve ignored sin in their calculations.
Saints, I don’t want us to be bullied by the world and the devil. We’re the children of God and should continue to live and enjoy our God given liberty in this world. But we’re in for shock and despair if we ignore our Heavenly Father’s warnings about this world and neglect sin in our calculations.
Dear saints, my only intention was to illustrate a few ideas. If you find any of this content offensive, I apologize as my intention was quite to the contrary. May the Lord Jesus bless us all. Amen.
Please turn with me to 2 Peter 3:7, 10-11. In these scriptures, the Apostle Peter had warned us about what’s to happen to the present universe. This world and everything we see in it is destined for damnation and destruction. Yet, somehow when we see the very signs of that impending destruction, i.e., wars, famines, floods, etc., we’re alarmed although we’ve already been warned about them (Matthew 24:6). Politicians promise a rosy future, while bureaucrats are busying spinning failures into successes and gullible people actually believe them. Some of them may actually be sincere and mean well, but they’re trying to rescue that which God had already condemned. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a bright and wonderful future for us and posterity. But we shouldn’t expect that blessed land here but in heaven.
When people lose their jobs, stock markets crash, economies slip into recession, companies are shut down and people are laid off, we grieve and panic. This is because we forget that the devil still controls this world (Matthew 4:8-9). Even Christians sometimes tend to trust their own abilities and instincts and forget that their daily bread comes from the Lord and not their pension plan or portfolio (Psalm 121:1-2; Matthew 6:11; Psalm 87:7). As an investor, I believe that I’m investing not just in companies but in the lives of its employees. However, I’ve been taught by the Holy Spirit to be neither shocked when the DOW drops a 1000 points nor despair if I lost nearly 5% of my portfolio in less than 5 minutes. Because I know that even if all these resources were to be destroyed I still have a resource in Christ that never burns up (Exodus 3:2-3).
The Lord Jesus was the most trusting, yet the most knowledgeable Man who had ever lived. He knew that both Simon Peter (Matthew 26:34) and Judas Iscariot (Luke 22:48) would betray Him and that Judas would condemn himself in worldly sorrow (Matthew 27:5) rather than seek forgiveness like Peter (Luke 22:32). Yet He trusted them both to demonstrate God’s love for the vilest of sinners and to accomplish His Purpose (John 6:70). The Lord Jesus was neither angry nor remorseful that two of His disciples had betrayed Him. That was because He knew what was in man and had factored sin into His calculations (John 2:24). He got His math right. Can we say that about the people of this world or even saints? When marriages fail, relationships are broken, trust is betrayed people get bitter, angry, lonely, resentful and go to court. Some just continue in misery and grow sick and depressed by the day. Do any of those emotions or actions solve the problem? When greedy shepherds mislead and defraud their congregations, embezzle funds, plagiarize sermons, elope with their parishioners’ wives and worse are un-repentant, people are shocked and in disbelief. They’re that way because they’ve ignored sin in their calculations.
Saints, I don’t want us to be bullied by the world and the devil. We’re the children of God and should continue to live and enjoy our God given liberty in this world. But we’re in for shock and despair if we ignore our Heavenly Father’s warnings about this world and neglect sin in our calculations.
Dear saints, my only intention was to illustrate a few ideas. If you find any of this content offensive, I apologize as my intention was quite to the contrary. May the Lord Jesus bless us all. Amen.
