Keeping Our Eyes Upon Jesus!

In my last blog, I wrote of the unsafe world in which we find ourselves living, not only from "natural disasters" but from the rampant evil that we see perpetuated today. The city of Athens said "good-bye" to a police officer today who was shot in the head by a man who had carjacked a vehicle and was on cocaine as law enforcement officers negotiated his surrender. A friend of his (the alleged assailant) said that he was a good man. My definition of a good man differs. I believe the good man was the one who told his pastor that he knew being a policeman was dangerous but thought it was God's will for his life. Now, his wife is left to explain to a 2-yr.son and 5-yr. old daughter why their Daddy won't come home. They won't understand- I don't understand but I do know that those guilty of crimes like this are not good men.  I pray and hope you do too for our men and women in uniform who are called to defend our communities and cities from criminals. My husband usually buys their meals if they happen to be in the same restaurants that we are. The least we can do is to tell them we appreciate their sacrifice on our behalf.

My preacher boy, Jeff, posted a short clip from Fox 5 news concerning the jewelry heist at a local store last week because it was Meadow's Senior Life Pastor who was hit in the head with a hammer (I guess, by another good man?) while he and his wife of 57 years were resizing her anniversary band. Now, you could never meet a kinder and more gracious man than Bro. Don and as I saw him fall to the floor and his dear wife lovingly respond, a thought came to me of what we are to do as the perilous times which Paul describes in 2 Tim.3 are upon us. Surely, no one would argue with me that we are in them or else, your head is in the sand or your rose colored glasses are stuck on your nose.  I know it must be a surreal moment to be in a store and all of a sudden, four armed robbers burst in but as chaos was all around them, people lying down as they were ordered to do, and glass being shattered as thieves were helping themselves to others' belongings, Ms. Shirley was totally focused on her husband. She says that she thought he had been shot until she pulled his bloody hand from the wound and lovingly began to attend to him.

Saints, as chaos escalates and yes, we will be aware of the noise and the clamor, and yes, we will be frightened at times because  we are, after all, only human-  remember this- as we live our everyday lives, focus on our Savior. Heb.12:2-3- "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Now, our Bridegroom's wounds do not need attending to but they do warrant our attention because we need to be reminded often of His love for us which He showed as He hung on the cross of Calvary. Being confident of and grateful for His love and care for you and me is essential as we sojourn in this strange land.  Secondly, we must follow the Scriptures. In the account on the perilous times that Paul gave to young Timothy, I am encouraged that he didn't leave us without instruction but he reminds us after painting a pretty bleak picture of what the end times would look like, that we are to continue in the Book. "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

A pastor that I went to school with and recently saw on FB had posted a link but it was gone before I could carefully watch the 10 min. clip but the title read "Emerging Christianity- Wide is the Gate". I don't understand the whole concept of the article because it was deleted before I could read it but if it fits into today's evangelical shift that maybe Heaven isn't for only those who know Jesus as Lord  then we need to stick to what the Book says.Jesus said "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."There is a book out now authored by a pastor who questions hell. If the reporter I saw was quoting correctly, she said one of his arguments is that Jesus only mentioned it 12 times in all of the N.T.  My question, Pastor, is how many times does our Maker and Master have to say something for it to be legit? Once, I would submit and also, other Scripture is God-breathed, not just the words in red letters as others want to argue today their case of "What did Jesus say? It must not have been very important if He didn't address it." One blogger said this- "I would rather act like Jesus and not know so much about Him than know about Him and not act like Him." Well, agreed, we should walk what we talk but how do we know Him apart  from His Book? There is the trouble- we all want to see Jesus as we want to see Him instead of seeing ourselves as He reveals who we are- poor and hopeless sinners. No, we don't go to church to hear that- that is too uncomfortable and not very seeker-friendly. America, especially, is so man-centered instead of God-centered that the results are tragic.  We need to be careful today at the new or maybe just the old repackaged that truth is subjective and relative  and that we go to church to "feel" and "share" our experiences which may or may not be Biblical. What we need to "feel" when we leave worship is a love for God and His Word and a conviction over our sin and a repentant heart to move forward in holiness. Holiness,too, isn't a very popular theme today. When a church quits prioritizing the Bible, dear one, it is time to get out of that church!

Finally, as we focus on the Savior, follow the Scriptures, we should faithfully serve. In Matt 24, another Scripture concerning the last days, Jesus asks this question- "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing."  Jesus reminds His disciples and us in this passage to be ready, to be wise and faithful, and to be about the business of our Heavenly Father.  I saw a calm demeanor in Ms. Shirley as she focused on her love and as she attended to what was at hand. All around us, there are elements out of our control. Yes, we are to be the salt and light and there will be some we will win but evil will continue and at times  it will bulldoze through the doors of our lives.  Keep in mind that the quieter, more subtle is just as and probably is more dangerous. Jesus warned of wolves in sheep clothing. Let us keep our focus on the Lover of our souls and do with all our might what we can do to stop the bleeding in a world running amuck. I close with a verse I read in Prov. 13 this morning- be blessed as I was: "The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out."  Don't we long for the day when our Lord rules and reigns in righteousness and the wicked are no more? Even so, come Lord Jesus!

 - Deborah