Dear Friends,
What did you sign up for when you entered the Christian race! But I am getting ahead of myself because I should have asked you how you qualified to get in this marathon race in the first place. Could it be that your qualification was not based on your own merits, but rather on another’s accomplishments! In case you forgot, let me remind you that we should, “give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
What did you sign up for when you entered the Christian fight! A sunny condo on the beach or a retirement home in the mountains? A Jewish Rabbi once said, “the foxes have holes and the birds of air have nests, but the Son of man has no place to lay His head.” He went on to say, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
Currently a great deal of effort has been spent trying to convince Christ followers that we should blend into the culture. Have we been more concerned about being invisible than being conspicuous because of old fashioned “biblical values?” The truth is, we are called to be different, and thus we will experience consequences! Jesus could not have said it more plainly: “This is not going to be easy. They hate Me, and they are going to hate you.” The culture would have us function as if “God is love” is the beginning and end of our story.
This Sunday we will examine afresh how our Lord guides His beloved children as it relates to identity, sexuality, morality, and spirituality. Is there still such a thing as, “thus saith the Lord”? Are there guidelines, parameters, standards, and guardrails that we must follow, or do we pick and choose those that are in accordance with our own personal values, beliefs, feelings and opinions?
I am under the conviction that we dare not and cannot afford to walk among people who do not know God and not tell them the good news of His Kingdom—His nature, His values, His expectations, His eternal purposes, and the good things waiting for anyone who is willing to declare their allegiance to Him.
I am deeply concerned for our children, our young people, and all of us who are facing philosophies, ideologies, and beliefs that, if embraced, will have devasting consequences.
“This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.” 1 Tim. 1:18-19.
Because the Word became flesh,
Glen