Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
8/10/2021
Did God Abandon His Own Children?
Did God Abandon His Own Children?
We need God. Everybody reading today knows that. But we also need to repent of trying to extend his kingdom in our own strength. We need HIM to change things. The great news is that he delights in helping us when we listen, trust, and obey him.
We all can see that we are in a nation that is spiritually declining but many ask, where is God?. Just because we are called by God, A Holy Nation doesn’t mean we escape God’s displeasure or his wrath. After the “Glory Days” of Moses and Joshua, many engaged in idolatry and immorality, which angered God. Judges 2:14 “In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of their enemies who plundered them.
Wait a minute:
Were they Israelites?
Were they circumcised?
Were they Gods’ covenant people?
YES, YES, AND YES!
This wasn’t happening to a pagan nation but to “God’s people”. At the end of Judges, it says, “everyone did as they saw fit” Judges 21:25 Does that sound like America today? Does it look like your neighborhood?… Does it look like some of your family?
It is individualism expressing itself in rejection of all authority, human and divine and it swept through an entire nation. As they turned away from God’s rule, “God’s people” ended up subjugated to pagan nations and their ways. Sometimes decades of slavery followed with no hope in sight.
Exactly how much has our nation changed since the 1950s? Which direction are we going as a Christian nation? That’s right all 7.9 to 9.6% of America’s Christians! (If you recall from an earlier post that is the real percentage of ALL 300 million Americans, that are really Christians by Gods standards) Each one of those other families, every one of those family individuals made a personal and decisive decision to turn from God. They decided that a watered-down faith was ok. That living somewhat as a moral human being was sufficient. There was no real need to speak about Jesus to neighbors and the world. Just live a relatively good life and you will be ok and make it to heaven and walk in the protection and blessing of a Good God who could never let anything really bad happen to his children! Are you listening?
Morality gaged by the Geiger counter within our consciences is what really? Being a good person, based on whose standards? Is it sufficient to just do our best and never tell others about Christ? Let them just see I live a pretty wholesome life and that will be enough for them to know about Jesus. Isn’t that what the largest percentage of so-called Christians are doing?
I am not trying to chastise you or call you out. If this doesn’t apply to you or this message only helps you tweak a few things that have gotten out of kilter, then let the cards fall where they will. I am not a voice calling in the wilderness. I am just one man with a heart to share Christ as I believe the scriptures declare the direction God gave to all those who would listen.
We can’t save ourselves. We can’t just live a fairly decent life morally! It isn’t enough. WE NEED GOD AND WE NEED TO PROCLAIM
JESUS IS GOD…OUR REDEEMER!
We all need to repent of trying to extend God’s kingdom in our own way and in our own strength. We need HIM to change things. We need HIM to change US! The great news is that he delights in helping us when we listen, trust, and obey him.
Don’t you want to make a difference in the lives of your children, young or older, and see God turn around the decline of Christianity? Don’t we want our family and friends to find Jesus? REALLY FIND HIM? Then we must draw closer to God and talk with him. This is what sincere believers in Christ have done for hundreds of years.
When was the last time you dedicated a full hour of prayer for any cause or reason? Let me tell you that God hears prayers of real desperation. When was the last time you were desperate for God?
Would you pray for an hour this week with us and your family for God’s divine intervention in your life? To literally spark a fire of intentionality in your life to serve him and love him and speak about him? You decide.
Michael W Smith Help is on the Way
https://www.facebook.com/michaelwsmithofficial/videos/234772211049726/
Excerpts are taken from Jim Cymbala’s Book. Strong through the Storm
