“Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.” Acts 12:7
[11] I confess that the past several months have put me at a loss for what to write. As we watched the startling election events, the stoking fires of division, and the suppression of our Civil rights, dozens of commentaries scripted in my mind.
But what is needed?
Most of us have experienced a threshing of our emotions between anger and love, despair and joy, agitation and peace. As believers, we must seek hope in our faith.
There are so many things wrong, it is perplexing. It’s hard to know where to start.
What do we know for sure?
Jesus left us with one assignment:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The assignment has not changed. We have been commissioned to bear witness of Jesus to all the world, beginning in our “Jerusalem.”
Through the ages, regardless of the political or social climate, whether in oppression or freedom, enduring physical or financial challenges, despotism or democracy, in power or in persecution, abundance or adversity…. our charge is to remain faithful believers in the body.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.” Heb 10:23-25
And indeed the day is approaching, and is even at hand.
Evidence of our times suggests that the drastic transformation we are now witnessing will permanently deface our national heritage of freedom. And as the last “Christian nation,” the world will also suffer as America dims her light of God’s truth, justice, blessings, and courage.
How can God continue to bless America, as we withdraw our support from Israel, and join the coven of anti-Semitic nations intent on humbling her? Our nation has also shed the innocent blood of babies, indulged in unspeakable abominations, ignored the poor and fatherless in our inner-cities, failed to uphold justice, and has banished the Lord far from our nation. We actively silence the truth:
“ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; . . . Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!” Isaiah 5:20, 23
“No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. In transgressing and lying against the LORD, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.” Isaiah 59: 4, 13-15
Of course, we will keep praying for the state of our nation. We must keep pressing for our constitutional rights. We must speak the truth and educate others, when that truth brings glory to God, in Jesus’s name.
But above all, we must:
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Col 4:5-6
Our first and only assignment is to share the Gospel, glorifying Jesus, and drawing people to the father. All the political activity we do should preserve that freedom to preach and stand on the Truth. It should help save others to the glory of God.
Regardless of the circumstances, the assignment is the same:
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” I Tim 4:1-2
What we still need today is what we have needed since Adam and Eve turned from God: The message of salvation.
This generation has been raised by an anti-God establishment. They have been fed lies that grotesquely distort the character of God, and call the Bible a superstitious, dangerous mythology. They no longer teach even that Jesus was “a good man,” but now that he is a figure of intolerance and hate. Millennials, and certainly Gen Z’ers, do not widely know the beautiful, simple gift of salvation through Jesus. They don’t know the truth of Creation, and God’s loving plan for their life.
But in spite of current restrictions, we are uniquely equipped in these last days to tell Jesus’s story across the nation and around the world through the internet. We live at such a time so that we may continue the work of saving souls until the end.
So pray about your gifts and calling. Pray for opportunities. Read the Bible voraciously, and prepare to let the Spirit of God use you to change lives.
Nothing new has happened after all—except maybe the end of the Age.
What would you do with the rest of your days if you knew Jesus would come in three years, or next year?
It should put things into perspective.
“’Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.’ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph 5:14-17