Tag: corruption

Stand Boldly When the World Screams Out Against the Gospel

1 Corinthians 4:13
We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash–right up to the present moment.

Paul and those who joined with him in spreading the gospel message were attacked viciously by the social media of their day. How remarkable it is that Paul’s words of 2000 years ago are so accurate today. The voice of our corrupt world screams out against the gospel message wherever it is presented. The media persecution of celebrities and public figures that speak out for Christ is a perfect example of this growing trend. All who are public proclaimers of the Gospel can expect to suffer vicious attacks in all forms of media simply because they are willing to express the truth about their Savior.

Unfortunately, the attacks of the enemy have quieted the voices of many Christians. We have sat back and watched as prayer has been taken out of our schools and community events. We have allowed the Ten Commandments to be removed from display in public places. We have sat idly as the mention of Jesus has basically been banned in any form, unless of course, it is used to ridicule Him. Now more than ever, as the world spins faster and faster toward total destruction, we must become the lamps on the hill that provide the light to those that are in darkness. If we don’t, who will?

Let us take up our positions as beacons on the hill. Let us stand up against those that decry Our Lord. Let us boldly proclaim our faith in Our Redeemer King.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for all the blessings that You have bestowed on our nation. We come before You, Lord, and ask for forgiveness for allowing Your Truths to be taken out of our society, to be spit upon and ridiculed just as Your Son was at Calvary. We ask, Father God, that You shine Your Light upon our land so that the darkness that we have allowed to creep in will be overshadowed. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may the laws of our land and the actions of our people come into alignment with Your laws, Your commandments and Your Holy Word. Once again may we call upon You as the God in whom we trust. We pray these things in the name of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

The Way, the Truth and the Life

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Human rationalization leads us to believe that everyone at some level has a good heart. God’s Holy Word emphasizes that the opposite is true. The human heart is corrupt. Without Jesus Christ, the human heart is in fact deceitful above all things. Is it no wonder that in today’s news that we see evil called good and good called evil?

As a society, we have pushed God and His Son out of the picture. Collectively, we have placed our confidence in ourselves and others. The result has been in accordance with God’s Word. We now find ourselves in a culture that is desperately wicked. We see leaders that are delusional. We live among a people who mock the name of Jesus and persecute those that follow Him and choose to live by His standards.

How could all this happen? Does God not know how incapable we are to manage our own hearts? Of course He does. That is why He gave us His Son, Jesus, to be Our Savior. That is why He took the management of our hearts out of our own wretched hands and placed it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who was instructed to open our minds and hearts to see the way, the truth and the life that is Jesus.

Let us seek the Holy Spirit to help prepare our hearts to receive Jesus as Our Savior. Let ask the Holy Spirit to mold our hearts to surrender to Jesus as Our Lord, Our Master and Our King.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for revealing the wickedness in our hearts. We thank You for providing Your Son, Jesus, so that we have a way to overcome our desire to be the rulers over our own hearts. We praise You for giving us the Holy Spirit to inspire us to turn our hearts over to Jesus. We pray that the lost around us may know the true nature of their hearts as they see the difference that Jesus Christ has made in our hearts. We ask all these things in the name of the Refiner and Purifier of our hearts, Jesus Christ.

Never Settling for the Lesser Things of the World

Revelation 3:17
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

In Jesus’ message to the church of Laodicea, He warns of the danger of becoming lukewarm in our relationships with Him and lukewarm in our application of His teachings in our lives. His message is so relevant today as we allow the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Word to be largely diminished as we find ourselves trying to fit into the norms of our deviant society.

The teachings of Jesus can seem out of all proportion with our natural way of considering things. In fact, reading His teachings can lead to astonishing discomfort. Without the Holy Spirit’s guidance, it may be challenging for us to rationalize the inerrant teaching in the Word.

The corruption of the world has become so commonplace that it is often overlooked and at times completely approved of as acceptable behavior. The Word of God magnifies the differences between the ways of Our Risen Lord and the ways of the world. When the Holy Spirit leads us to see the power and joy in the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, we begin the process of gaining victory over the wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked men and women we once were.

Let us take hold of the inerrant Word of God. Let us believe in the truths that He has given us. Let us believe in who He says He is. Let us rebuke the lies of the world. Let us live abundant lives in Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your Son to show us the way, the truth and the life that is available to us through our salvation and the daily working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We pray that You will shine Your light on the world so that all the darkness is exposed for what it is. We ask You to alert us when we are moving toward the darkness and away from Your perfect light. We pray that the Holy Spirit will instruct us and strengthen us as we fully surrender to living in the fullness of Jesus Christ, never settling for the lesser things that the world might offer. May we be set on fire as disciples of Jesus. May we boldly proclaim the truth in Your Holy Word. May we be light to the darkness in the world around us. We ask all these things in the name of the Lord of all the earth, Jesus Christ.