Daniel Switzer, Ed. - Temptation Teaching by Jesus

Temptation is an issue that we all deal with, including Jesus himself. In Matthew 4:1-11, we are given the account of when Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days, and, of course, became very hungry. At that point Satan came to tempt him. In this article I would like to share what we can learn from the way Jesus dealt with temptation.

Weakness in the Desert

This temptation occurred when Jesus was at an extremely weak point—famished, exhausted, and in the desert. Just as Jesus experienced the desert, we too have desert experiences in life. Desert experiences are universal to all of us. One can see a correlation between the forty years of the Israelites’ wandering in the desert with the forty days of Jesus going without bread in the desert. Just as the Israelites had to learn to depend on God for their daily bread (for their needs), we also have to learn to depend on God for our needs.

God said the following to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 8:2-3: “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (NIV). This same Scripture was used by our Lord to strike down Satan’s first temptation. Satan said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus was understandably hungry. As a man, he had need of food. He said, “Man does not live on bread alone” (underline added). We all have physical needs; we all have material needs. Of course, we want those needs to be met. However, God doesn’t want us to be governed by our physical and material needs. He doesn’t want our need for food, for example, to be the dominant force in our lives. He doesn’t want us to be focused on material possessions. He desires us to be governed by the Holy Spirit—to realize that our most important need is that of spiritual nourishment through the Word of God—to live on “every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Word of God

Of course, one lesson that we learn from how Jesus defeated temptation is that he used the Word of God. He answered every temptation with Scripture. We need to know and confess the Word of God; we need to use this Sword of the Spirit to ward off the temptations of the evil one.  

First Temptation

However, let’s go deeper. Let’s look again at the first temptation. Jesus was very hungry. Satan told Him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” That must have been very tempting for Jesus, hungry as he was. Why not tell these stones to become bread? It would have been very easy for Jesus to use God’s power to meet His need. However, Jesus demonstrated a very important principle for us to learn from: that our need for God’s Word is more important than using God’s power to meet our personal need—to meet whatever purpose that we may have. Fundamentally, we have a need for God’s Word—which is our very nourishment, our food—which is more important than even having our physical and material needs met.

Second Temptation

With the second temptation Satan took Jesus to the highest point of the temple and said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” What is the issue here? What can we learn from this temptation? The temptation here is to expect God to miraculously save us from our foolish actions or trying circumstances simply because we “trust” Him—in a presumptuous way. We are not to “test” God in this way. We are not to be in a posture of demanding that God miraculously rescue, protect, and provide for us. As the hymn so well expresses, God simply calls us to “Trust and Obey.”

We live by faith, not by sight. What if God doesn’t miraculously save us out of our situation? What if He doesn’t rescue us out of the trying circumstances that may be of our own doing? Do we get angry with Him? Do we say with our attitudes, “Why don’t you save me?” Do we become doubtful of God’s working in our life? Do we say in so many words, “God is not coming through for me?” Or do we learn to walk by faith, trusting that God is in control of our life and believing that He knows what is best for us even when enduring serious trials? Jesus responded to this temptation by saying, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Third Temptation

For the third temptation, Satan took Jesus to a lofty mountain and showed him all of the world’s kingdoms with all of their glory. Satan directly attacked Jesus’ character and purpose: “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.” The issue here was the temptation for Jesus to seek power and possessions without enduring the cross. In fact, Satan’s temptation, if followed, would lead Jesus to replace the cross with that of idolatry (worshipping things other than God, in this case Satan himself). Although Jesus is the King of kings and all things are given him by the Father, Jesus knew his mission: to be the suffering servant who would die on the cross for the sins of the world. After that work on the cross was accomplished, then Jesus would be exalted. This process of glorification is described in Philippians 2:6-11:

            Who [Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to   be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in             human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and     became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the        highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue   confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Although Jesus would one day be exalted to the highest place with all humanity bowing to Him, He knew that he could not short-circuit the process. Jesus knew that He was setting up a different kind of Kingdom as the suffering servant dying for the sins of the world.

Likewise, we must embrace the cross of Christ. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). As true disciples of Christ, we must not be deceived by the message—preached in some circles today—of seeking power and possessions without the reality of embracing the cross of Christ. We must be committed to the cross of Christ as our purpose more so than pursuing things as our purpose, which can become idolatrous. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:24).

Jesus answered this temptation of power and possessions by declaring to Satan: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” For us likewise, may we answer the temptations of this world by proclaiming God’s Word, worshipping the Lord, and serving Christ and Christ alone. Jesus’ example teaches us to embrace the cross, live by faith, and find our nourishment in the Word of God.

Rod Levey - What in the World is Going On?

There is so much presently happening in our country and around the rest of the world at an alarming rate of speed; the economy continues to be cratering in numerous countries. The question for us here in the States is: is the American dollar going to totally fail? Will gas prices soar to five, six or even seven dollars a gallon like it is in other parts of the world? Food prices are soaring. The Middle East is a hotbed right now. There are disturbances one after the other. The last Pharaoh of Egypt has been brought down. Iran has sent warships up the Suez Canal. Libya, Jordan, Yemen and others are on the radar. What does this imply?  By the time you read this newsletter, this will be old news and there will be an intensifying of the just mentioned events taking place. There are wars, rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes in numerous places. The talk of a one-world order someday is now developing right before our own eyes. There is a one-world religion that is just as formidable and possibly even a greater threat. This threat is not only to us who are Christians, but to the unsaved as well. We should be awakened, attentive, and activated by all these labor pains the world is experiencing. This should really be getting our attention, hopefully prompting us to draw closer to our Lord more than ever before to know His voice.  Furthermore, we should be sensing an urgency to be busy fulfilling the great commission commanded to us. Today, we are living in a day of uncertainty apart from God.  Together we have been called for such a time as this. We who are anchored in Christ will be signposts, unwavering in the storms and turbulence, pointing to Jesus. 

Three Main Areas

There appears to always be three main arenas in the world that play a significant part in our lives: politics, the economy, and religion. In the remainder of this article I want to address the arena of religion. To be as clear as I can, I'm concerned that Islam is leavening Christianity and good-hearted people, meaning our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Christian leaders are falling for a false unity and the shaping of this one-world religion. They in turn are misleading others.

In the first paragraph you will notice that some of what I've written is also found in the early part of the Gospel of Matthew 24.  This chapter has always been a reference point in regard to the end times and our Lord's return.  In the first fourteen verses the word deceive(s) is mentioned three times. I see this as significant.

We are living in very deceptive days. Don't be deceived and think that America is immune to any combination of trials, tests, and tribulations that are found in other parts of the world today. We aren't untouchables.  Multitudes are being led astray by false prophets with their false messages.  Christians are giving in to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons in this hour (1 Timothy 4:1). For example, there are ecumenical gatherings going on between Muslims and Christians. This concept of “Chrislam” is taking place all in the name of loving our neighbor.  Meetings are taking place where the Quran and Bible are placed side by side in the pew! I believe we are to love our neighbor, but to partake in their beliefs, water down the gospel and walk together as one is totally detrimental and out of order.

            To say Christ alone is the Savior of the world is now being called narrow-minded and considered hate language. The belief is that there are many religions and many ways to Heaven - only mentally deficient people believe otherwise.

Naaman           

With that being said, let's look afresh at the story of Naaman found in 2 Kings 5:1-19. In the Hebrew language, Naaman means “pleasant or agreeable”. He was obviously a man of stature who held a position. As his name identifies him, he was one who was agreeable and pleasant to be around. You get the sensing he did his job and did it well, finding himself promoted time and again. But he also may have been a yes-man. Maybe he didn't want to cause too much trouble or didn't want the headaches of confrontation and so forth. Possibly he had the attitude of, “You're good, I’m good. You're okay, I'm okay. Let's just keep peace, neighbor. You live your life and I'll live mine. You don't bother me, and I won't bother you. Let's live in peace together.”

As pleasant as Naaman was, he appeared to have one significant problem. He was a leper.  Fortunately for him he had brought back captive from one of his raids on Israel a young girl who waited on his wife. This young servant girl mentioned to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:3) So Naaman asked his king for time off, and his wish was granted. He immediately packed and left for his quest to find the prophet. He packed similarly to how you or I would when we travel. He packed silver, gold and clothing. He also had a letter from his king to take to the king of Israel. This letter said, “Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:6)

The king of Israel read this letter and had a total meltdown. He knew this was asking the impossible and came to the conclusion that the king of Syria was really just looking for a reason for war. Elisha the prophet heard about the situation and sent a letter to the king of Israel saying, “Why the meltdown?” “Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel” (2 Kings 5:8)

Naaman got his directions and went with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's home. Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman so that his journey to healing could continue. The next set of directions were given, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  (2Kings 5:10) At this point Naaman, Mr. Agreeable, Mr. Pleasant-to-be-around, turned into Mr. Hyde. He got furious and walked away. “But Naaman became furious and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal the leprosy.” Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 11-12)

Naaman’s servants convinced him to do what the prophet said. If the prophet had asked him to do something great, he would have done it in a heartbeat. They were probably thinking, “After all, we've traveled so far, what could it hurt?”

The Scripture says of Naaman, “So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 Kings 5:14) Naaman returned with his servants to stand before Elisha and spoke the following, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15)

Crossroads

When Naaman was presented with the one answer to his problem, he was furious and enraged. Mr. Agreeable was now at the crossroads of truth and found it extremely difficult to go down to the Jordan. He basically said that there were all kinds of rivers to dip in and the Jordan would be his last choice.

Brothers and sisters, we are inundated with good people who have good ideas, thinking and professing that their river (religion or belief) is sufficient for healing and eternal life.  We can spend time together as friends and be good people to a certain point, but when the truth of Jesus Christ being the Son of God and the one way to the Father is presented, the same reaction that Naaman had may come. This is always the differentiating factor.  The Jordan represents the way of humility and lowliness, the way of accepting the finished work of Calvary (dipping 7 times) and the atoning work of Jesus. For Naaman, the Jordan was identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ just as it was for the Hebrew children crossing into the promised land. This was symbolic of his faith, or belief, at work and he was now being baptized into Christ. The evidence is found in verse 14: “…and his flesh was restored as a little child, and he was made clean.” Matthew 18:3 says, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will be no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” That day Naaman found the Truth, the Way, and the Life and entered the kingdom! Healing (salvation) came that day by the word of the Lord. The prophet brought the message that appeared foolish, but was the one and only answer to this man’s dilemma.

The Right Garments

Remember how Naaman rode on his horses and chariots and brought his own provisions in his quest for healing? They were silver, gold and clothing. In the Bible, horses and chariots are symbolic of strength. Silver is symbolic of redemption, while gold often speaks of kingship and glory. Clothing has reference to a covering. Most religions have a mentality that salvation can be purchased and maintained by works, all done in their own strength. They don't believe  the righteousness or graciousness of Christ can save them and make them carriers of His glory. Naaman wanted to purchase his healing with his own substance and wealth and in his own strength. He also wanted to clothe and cover himself. One must be clothed in the right garments in order to enter into the wedding feast at the end of the age. Our covering must be Christ and Christ alone.

Until a person humbles himself, realizes his true state and receives the truth of who Jesus is, more than just a prophet and more than just a good man, there really can't be any true fellowship or walking together.  I find it interesting that when Naaman returned after his conversion to thank Elisha, who is a type of Christ, he found that the door of fellowship that was previously shut was now wide open. Where there's no true conversion, there can't be any true fellowship or unity. 

There is such a need in this hour for prophets to speak the truth in order for sinners (lepers), including Muslims and all the other false religions, to have a choice to go to the place of repentance and baptism (Jordan) to find their healing.  Paul made it very clear in 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” This portion of scripture is clearly a companion to what took place with Elisha and Naaman.

Litt Little Girls Faith

Naaman’s healing started with the faith, boldness and obedience of one young girl. She could have easily kept her faith and truth to herself, but she didn't. She could have been thrown into prison or even beheaded if Naaman came back the same way he left. She stepped past embarrassment, rejection, self centeredness and even possible death to let love win. Secondly, Elisha wasn't going to miss an opportunity to involve himself in an occasion to bring God glory.  He also had a faith working that said, “Please send him to me”. He wanted the ministry; he wanted to see God go to work! He knew he had the message that would make the difference in Naaman’s life.

Authority and Agreement

Beloved, two can't walk together unless they're in agreement.  There aren't multiple ways to God. The Scriptures make it clear: there is only one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. There is also only one message and one way to God the Father. 

We have a serious problem in both the church and government today. This problem is similar to what the Lord addressed through Hosea to His covenant people.  We find this in Hosea 5:10 “The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out my wrath on them like water.” The leaders of Judah were dismissing their convictions, beliefs, standards, values and truths. They had removed any and all forms of parameters and boundaries that would have made them distinguished from the rest of the nations and religious practices on the earth.  They had lost their centeredness. We too see this happening now in our day all in the name of unity and love. This is taking place within the world governments and within the church.

Conclusion

Saints, God has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. We have been called to walk and live as ambassadors and spokesman, being a standard-bearer and a voice of truth in this deceptive day.  Proverbs 22:28 says, “Do not remove the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.” Our Landmark, our Cornerstone, our Head, our Pre-eminent One, our Centrality, our Way, our Truth, our Life, our Message and our Mission is Jesus Christ.  To discount and dismiss Him from the equation of unity is tragedy at best.

“The Devil is not fighting religion; he is too smart for that. He is producing a counterfeit Christianity so much like the real one that good Christians are afraid to speak out against it.” - Vance Havner

Let's take our place as prophets on the earth, by preaching the person of Christ, His work at Calvary and the way of the cross. God help us maintain our borders, patrolling our perimeters often to be sure everything is in place and that nothing has crossed in.

Lynda Switzer - Carriers of the Mystery

The “carrier business” is big business in our 2011 world. We have Fed Ex carriers, UPS carriers, commercial carriers, aircraft carriers, rail carriers, and even carrier pigeons. Webster’s dictionary gives us one definition of a carrier as “a container for carrying.” Another definition that Webster lists for a carrier is “a catalyst by whose agency some element or group is transferred from one compound to another.” Brothers and sisters, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are “containers” with the most precious cargo. We are catalysts empowered by the Holy Spirit to transfer the message of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to others.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 7, we read, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:7-18, NKJV).

There is a wealth of spiritual truth in these verses. For now let’s focus on verse 10—we are carriers of the mystery! In Colossians 1:26, we read about this mystery that we carry, “the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints, to them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Carriers of Christ

Within our bodies, these earthen vessels, we carry the greatest treasure in the universe—Christ in us the hope of glory. Our spiritual DNA in the family of God is marked and shaped by the living Christ within us. Jesus told his disciples in Mark 4:11, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God.” The Greek word here is musterion (moos-tay-ree-on) meaning something hidden requiring special revelation. God by His Spirit has given us the special revelation.

This word, mystery, in the New Testament means something that people could never know by their own understanding and that demands a revelation from God. The secret thoughts and plans of God remain hidden from unbelievers, but they are revealed to believers. To the secular Greeks of Jesus’ time, the word mystery meant knowledge that is withheld, concealed or silenced. To the saints in New Testament times, the biblical Greek meaning of mystery is truth revealed. Thus we conclude that “mystery” means something formerly hidden, but now revealed—that people cannot understand except by divine revelation. The mystery focuses on Christ’s sinless life, atoning death, powerful resurrection, and dynamic ascension! The kingdom of God came in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, in His words and works, a kingdom which began to penetrate the earth in a new way—in and through His ministry. Today this kingdom continues to penetrate the world through us, the Church, as carriers of the mystery. The kingdom awaits ultimate consummation at the end of the age. Only by faith can one recognize in the lowly figure of Jesus of Nazareth, the manifestation of God’s rule and reign.

As believers we continue to grow in understanding the fullness of this mystery and sharing this mystery with others—having faith in our risen Savior, praying for healing, believing God for miracles, and reaching our generation with the supernatural power of God. We are part of the DNA of this mystery. We are carriers only because our Savior Jesus carried the cross! Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

We are carriers of this mystery because He carried our sorrows and our sin to the cross: this unparalleled truth causes us to worship! One contemporary song writer expresses the mystery this way, “You stretched your arms out wide; I lift my hands up high to my Savior!” Because He carried our sins, when we receive the life-changing gift of salvation, we immediately become carriers of the mystery. It seems to me that our right response to this life-changing gift can only be, “Here I am, Lord—this earthen vessel carrying the greatest mystery of all time, Christ came, gave His life to pay for my sins, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, sent the Holy Spirit to live in me to express through my earthen vessel the life of the Messiah! Wow, this is the mystery we carry! This mystery is the same mystery that the first century believers carried as they witnessed for Christ in the midst of a fallen world.

Moses

The mystery was hidden from the Old Testament patriarchs, but somehow I believe those Old Testament giants of the faith were also carriers of the mystery that they could only see/understand through a glass darkly—by faith! When I think of Moses, I see his mother as a carrier of the mystery by faith. (You know the devil doesn’t care much about us when we are just going along “being nice.” But, when we choose to believe in faith and act on that faith, we are carriers of this great mystery; then the evil one will give us trouble.) He was giving the people of Israel trouble, but Moses’ mother as a carrier of the mystery by faith hid Moses in the basket in the water. Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s court. Moses met the Source of the mystery in the burning bush when our Lord identified himself as “I am that I am.” After the burning bush experience, then Moses, himself a carrier of the mystery, boldly walked into the Egyptian Pharaoh’s palace and declared, “Let my people go!” Moses, carrier of the mystery, covered his door posts with the lamb’s blood and ate the Passover lamb.  Moses, carrier of the mystery, lifted up his rod and stretched out his hand over the Red sea; the sea divided and the children of Israel walked across on dry ground. Moses carrier of the mystery climbed Mt Sinai where God gave him the Ten Commandments. Moses carrier of the mystery, pled with God, “If your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”

Moses carrier of the mystery talked with God face to face as a man speaks to his friend in the tent of meeting. Moses carrier of the mystery in anger struck the rock instead of just speaking to it. (Even as carriers of the mystery, we can lapse into disobedience and experience its awful consequences.) Moses, carrier of the mystery, in Deut. 34:1-8, climbed Mount Nebo to the Pisgah summit of the ridge of mountains—he was 120 years old, his eyes were not dim and his natural vigor was not diminished. Moses, carrier of the mystery, on the Mt Nebo summit, scanned the horizon—Gilead, Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, the land of Judah, the Western Sea (Mediterranean Sea), the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees. He saw it all but would not cross over! Moses, carrier of the mystery, by faith laid his hands on Joshua who was full of the spirit of wisdom, so the children of Israel heeded Joshua and did as the Lord had commanded Moses (Deut. 34:9). He passed the mystery on to the new, young carrier!

The Faith Component

In the Book of Hebrews 11:23 – 29, we read this about Moses, carrier of the mystery, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.”

The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that “All these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise. God provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us” (Heb 11:38-39, NKJV). Part of “that something better” is that we receive by faith the mystery and we are carriers of the mystery—carriers by faith!

Storms

Sometimes, as carriers of the mystery, things don’t turn out the way we think they should. We may start out strong as a carrier of the mystery. Then storms come, stuff happens over which we have no control. Our hearts break, our emotions shatter, our souls are pierced, our spirits can dry up. Our God-given dreams die. Recently within one week’s time span, the godly, gifted guitar mentor of our oldest grandson passed away of a terrible disease. Within the same week, a lovely 17 year old, godly friend and peer of our grandson’s family developed a blood clot in her brain and suddenly died, and then a dear friend of ours of many years was diagnosed with cancer and had a double mastectomy. For several days as I cried out to the Lord on behalf of these dear families, God directed me to a Psalm written by Moses—carrier of the mystery, Psalm 90. I began to read.

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God . . . So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. . . Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us. And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.”

Remembering the Start

As carriers of the mystery, sometimes we need to stop and sit before the Lord and perhaps go back to the place (spiritually and maybe even literally) when God first gave us His dreams and purpose for our lives—to again receive the fresh, supernatural anointing that brings about supernatural miracles so we can live today with the sense that our heavenly Father is the God of the impossible. What are we doing as a carrier? How am I carrying the mystery—like Moses carried the mystery and passed it on to Joshua by the laying on of hands? Like Moses who wrote in Psalm 90, “Lord you are God from everlasting to everlasting . . . let Your glory appear to the children of your servants. Lord, You, establish the work of our hands (as carriers of the mystery!)? Brothers and sisters, there is a mighty calling upon every one of our lives!

The Rest of The Story

On a cold, blustery day in February in the late 19th century, a young woman was hired by a very proper Victorian family to be a nanny. She was put in charge of a sickly, little two months premature infant who probably never really bonded with his mother who largely ignored him. The boy grew up kicking, screaming, hiding, bullying and defiantly yelling at his nanny that, before he would do his math lesson, he would “bow down and worship graven images!”  His parents and other adults around him termed him “a monster.” Undaunted, this nanny, who was incidentally a carrier of the mystery, knew that the boy’s unruly behavior masked a hurting child, desperately longing for love and nurture.

The nanny began to discipline the unruly boy; she doctored his banged-up knees. She cradled his head when he was sick. She told him Bible stories. She taught him to pray. Although the married nanny bore no children of her own, she diligently carried the mystery into her daily work. She taught this monster-troubled-boy the principles of the Christian faith. He memorized passages of Scripture. Together they sang the hymns of the faith, talked of the heroes in the Bible and imagined aloud what Jesus might look like or what heaven would be like. As a devoted intercessor, the nanny prayed over the sleeping boy.

However, as a young man, this nanny’s boy immersed himself in anti-Christian rationalism. He became a journalist. On a trip to South Africa during the Boer Way, he was captured and landed in the stench of a South African prison. There in that prison he returned to the faith he had learned at his nanny’s knee, and, in a daring attempt, he escaped from prison and hopped a train to Portuguese East Africa. His actions made him a hero back in his home country, but more importantly, from that moment on, his faith, taught to him by his nanny, defined his life. He (the defiant bully) became a carrier of the mystery!

One writer described the nanny who carried the mystery and nurtured this boy in his solitary childhood and unhappy school days, “His nanny was his comforter, his strength and stay, his one source of unfailing human understanding, the fireside where he dried his tears and warmed his heart, the night-light by his bed, his security.” This nanny carried the mystery to the monster boy! A few years later the young man, now a maturing leader, addressed the world over the radio airwaves during the dark days of World War II. His voice was the voice of security to people everywhere—the light of Christ shining in a world threatened by unspeakable evil from Hitler and the Nazi’s. Because his nanny had taken seriously God’s call to be a carrier of the mystery, when it was time to lead the world, this monster-boy, Winston Churchill, stood ready with a strong, unyielding faith—a carrier of the mystery! 

The nanny, Elizabeth Anne Everest’s influence on Churchill undoubtedly affected the future of every person in the Western world.  Her words, the Scriptures she read to him, rang in his ears as he stood against Hitler’s evil. Behind this great man of vision and fortitude, lay the simple teachings of a devoted nanny, a carrier of the mystery who poured herself into the life and destiny of a little boy. She is a model for each of us as carriers of the mystery.

Churchill spoke these words in an address to a British school,

              

               Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or                petty—never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force.                Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year                ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. . . Very                different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her                slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving                in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves                never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we                have only to persevere to conquer. . . Do not let us speak of darker days: let us speak rather of                sterner days. These are not dark days; these are great days—the greatest days our country has                ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our                stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.

One nanny, Elizabeth Anne Everest, whose date of birth appears unknown, and who died in 1895 before she saw the fullness of the fruit in Winston Churchill’s life, choose to be a carrier of the mystery. She impacted the entire Western World! We, too, are carriers of this great mystery! It is time to stand up, to live out what God has called us to, to operate our lives in the power that God has placed within us. It is time to believe. It is time to be a people flowing with God-given faith, anointing, and power that the devil fears because we are living out the Holy Spirit’s mandate to be supernatural people in a fallen world—carriers of the mystery, seeing God’s purposes flow forth in each of our lives.

Conclusion

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. From everlasting to everlasting, You are God! Walk amidst us by Your Spirit, Lord. Let Your work appear to Your servants here. Let Your glory appear to each and every one of us and to our children and to our grandchildren. Let Your beauty, Lord our God, be upon us. We ask you to establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands as carriers of Your great mystery—Christ in us the hope of glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Thurlow Switzer: Evolution or Eschatology

• Luke 17:20-21 – “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation;  21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you" (NKJV).

• John 18:36 – “Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here"” (NKJV).

How are we to understand our times? Of course you know that we are members of the Kingdom of God if we have been born again. By the new birth we enter into the eschatological future of God. In this article I want to use two big words: eschatology and evolution. Eschatology has to do with future hope. Evolution is the big word describing humanistic philosophy and cultural change. What is the difference between an evolutionary philosophy of history and the biblical eschatological understanding of history? 

We will not be exhaustive, but speak only with broad brush-strokes.

Naturalistic Evolution and Supernatural Eschatology are opposite world views. Naturalistic evolution says we are merely drifting into an uncertain future comprised of many factors including the survival of the fittest and the progress of scientific discovery. Supernatural eschatology is the study of God’s sovereignty, direction, and involvement in the world, past, present and future, and the affect of Godly believers taking dominion in life and history in the Name of Jesus.

• Dan 11:32, “The people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits” (NKJV). 
• Compare this with Dan 12:3, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (NKJV).

Society, impacted by a secular swing toward evolution as its world and life view, unknowingly entered into an bottomless abyss. Evolutionary thought embraced a philosophy of “hands-off” drift from purpose to aimlessness. God ceased to be the subject acting, and natural unknown factors became the subject acting. In English grammar sentence structure, the subject identifies the actor or agent of the acting (verb). From my viewpoint, whenever society sinks into a maze of subjectless evolution where there is no subject allowed to influence thought and action, it enters into thoughtless chaos. A sentence without a “subject” leaves a vacuum; no one is specifically acting, and things become unclear. In this instance, the subject is God and when God is removed from an ideology, only humans are left to be the subject. The consequence is the vanishing not only of universal justice by divine standards, but also the vanishing of a practical sense of justice and righteousness important to daily life and societal order.

The battle between Marxism and democracy has raged for decades. Ascending into society today is a strong resurgence of Marxist socialistic thinking. Although democracy seemed to win the battle, it is too early to declare Marxism dead, for “democratic-socialism” has taken its place--Marxism under a different name. Both, of course, are accompanied by a rejection of a Christian world view centered in the reality of the Kingdom of God. Historic Marxism was a modern discovery of the world as the plane of history stating that humans can be subjects of their own history. Marxists thought was that the average person should rise up and seize the power of the ruling class. History has revealed that when this happens, then these “average persons” become the new ruling class with the tendency to repress all who do not agree with them. The result is a swing of political power and the influence of a different set of values--hence cultural change with the power of enforcement.

How are biblical Christians to think and what are they to do in the face of this swing? Are Christians too other-worldly conscious and not enough this-world conscious? In its commitment to other-worldly orientation, Christianity over time seemed to lose its relevance for real life for many in the public square. Today Christianity needs to rediscover its relevance to the horizontal aspects of history. Christianity needs a restoration of understanding of what moved and motivated Jesus to declare, “Behold, the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Does the Kingdom of God have any earthly meaning and societal implications, especially in light of Jesus’ statement, “My kingdom is not of this world”? Is it possible for the spiritual kingdom of God to affect social thought and cultural norms without becoming political and power conscious, especially in light of what Jesus’ stated, “Indeed, the kingdom of God is within you”?

Unfortunately, in our day this argument has been cast as right wing or left wing politics, while the deeper issue is the distinction between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. Man’s human kingdoms centralize power in their own hands; whereas God’s divine kingdom distributes power to the individual who is yielded to God’s Lordship—a power that flows through humans responding in obedience to God.
From a practical and historical view, there are two great areas of human concern, plus a third ultimate concern: (1) the negative problem of suffering (issues of injustice, crime, etc); and (2) the positive need for sufficiency (issues of supply, finances, etc), both of which tend to snuff out a larger issue: (3) the ultimate problem of spirituality and relationship to God (issues of salvation, well being, etc). The problems of suffering and injustice tend to feed the communist orientation for a whole society-wide solution, or at least, the liberal approach with political solutions. The problems of sufficiency have tended to feed the capitalistic orientation for free-flowing enterprise based on supply and demand with a profit motive awakened.  The strengths and weaknesses of each orientation are evident today--each one unable to bridge the great gaps existing in history.

There is however, a current awakening in the Christian community, at least in my heart and as I see it. Are we as Christians involved in influencing and shaping history? Are we players on the world scene; or are we merely waiting to escape and go to heaven? Do we have an adequate understanding of history, or even a biblical theology of history?

Even as Marxism developed a philosophy of history, simultaneously rejecting Christianity, so now a fresh concern arises in Christian leaders to understand how conservative Christianity may have remained in a vertical only (heaven above) viewpoint--paying primary attention to life after death and only dealing with the real life problems superficially, often leaving issues of suffering and sufficiency to the politicians, with their trying to solve problems without a biblical reference.

Perhaps, rather than remaining in a Hellenistic-Platonic heritage with its tendency to separate non-earthy, non-physical realms from earthly, physical realms, Christians need to return to a more concentrated understanding of Hebrew roots and Jewish theology which had a vision of God active in history. The early church’s understanding of eschatology was that God was actively involved through His people in the forward march of history to a final, ultimate, point in which God rules all and all. Christians today need to embrace this understanding.

• 1 Cor 15:22-25, 28 – “22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. … 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (NKJV).

The New Testament Church knew that in Christ Jesus history had been impacted and life on the historical plane forever changed. In fact, the early believers understood history as the powerful enactment of the Kingdom of God now in time. Progressively they anticipated the time when all things come under the Lordship of Christ, leading to the consummation, when “all things were under Him” that “God may be all in all.”

Therefore, we the Church and God’s people must enter into these grand issues of time and space--the negative problem of suffering and injustice, and the ever-present need of sufficiency and supply for the peoples of the world, around us and abroad, even as we maintain a steadfast focus on the need of people to come to salvation and experience the fullness of spirituality in God.

How does this relate to individuals in the local church? Even as we seek to introduce people to God as Heavenly Father and to personal salvation, we must not lose awareness that people around us are going through great suffering and often experiencing critical lack of supply.

• Matt 25:31-40 – “31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. … 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me'” (NKJV).

Even as we embrace the vertical (upward) implications of the Kingdom of God--His rule and reign among humans, we also embrace the apostolic (outward) implications of advancing the Kingdom of God on earth as ambassadors of Christ and as His instruments of love and compassion to others.



Thurlow J. Switzer, Logs for the Fire 06-24-2010
Add on to article submitted to Ram’s Horn at Northgate

Rod Levey: The Day of Testing

Gold and silver are great commodities to purchase right now considering the value of the dollar is continuing to fall. These precious metals have great value. However, some of the rare coins being sold and purchased don't have the true amount of gold or silver as you would expect them to have. A lot of coin jockeys have begun pushing older silver coins. The truth is, some of them aren't as valuable as a newly minted American Silver Eagle. The content of the silver in the rare coins could be 25%  less. Additionally, these rare coins sell for 35-45% more per coin. So, essentially, you end up paying more for less. The dealers make you think  that the rare coins have some significant worth.

Unless you do some real investigating, you could fall prey to deception and really be taken. You could pay the price for something that is light in weight or have the proper weight, yet with great mixture. For  the novice or fool making the purchase, you may just get a total counterfeit. There has to be a way of testing the rare coin to see if it is authentic to its perceived identity before you make the purchase. What is its true weight? Is it pure or is it mixed? Is it really a precious metal at all or a counterfeit? What do I know about the person selling this precious coin?

We are living in a day of testing. God Himself is testing! We personally are being tested of the Lord, and we personally need to test the doctrines, spirits, and the men and women who are bringing alleged new things into the body of Christ.  These alleged new things are normally old practices of deception returning.  They are just packaged a little different.

The test is:  are we going to love God, and Him alone, or are we going to run after other gods? God wants to know. He is doing the testing.  He is watching to see who will be content and satisfied with Him and Him alone. He wants a special people called His own who are not running after or needing the mixture or counterfeit.

I would like to look at two tests God initiated that are found in the Old Testament. The first one we will look at is found in Judges chapter 7.

The Israelite army, under Gideon's command, was camped beside the well of Harod (the name means “fountain of trembling”). God said the people were too many to go into battle against the Midianites, lest Israel win this battle, claim the glory for themselves and say they did it by their own strength. God told Gideon to take them down to the water and I will test them there.

This test, that God designed, is at the watering hole (or the place of refreshing). They are going to drink water from the fountain of trembling.

This was a test to see not only how much they would drink, but also their approach of drinking in.  It was supposed to be a time of refreshing, not “slosh-festing”.  God's chosen ones for the battle ahead were: 
1.    The ones who maintained a state of awareness to their surroundings
2.    Those who controlled their intake (you might say they were cautious in their consuming). 

I fully believe God wants us to drink deep of the pure fountain of living waters.  Even then, in our times of true refreshing, God is distinguishing and marking between those who are disciplined and those who are ungoverned.  We  have to be extremely careful because the enemy has a way of slipping into our environment when we aren't observant. Our enemy is extremely deceptive.

It is saddening and disturbing to see brothers and sisters in the Lord drinking in, unaware of the polluted waters they are drinking from. Yes, the enemy has gotten in and slipped a mickey. These polluted waters could be identified as false doctrines, vain philosophies, and as “God's new thing.”

There's an old adage that says, “Nothing new is true and nothing true is new.”

We have a lot of spiritual coin jockeys exploiting the body of Christ. They are presenting their “rare” coins, if you will, and people are paying a big price for mixture and counterfeit. These jockeys are cheaters and deceivers, rare in themselves, in that they are presenting phenomenon. Yes, they are legitimately observing and displaying unusual appearances. What they call “being God” I call another god. I question their source. 

The second test is found in Deuteronomy chapter 13.

Moses is speaking to the second generation; those that are going into the Promised Land. He says to them, “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, “and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' -which you have not known–' and let us serve them,'  “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”1

Marital infidelity can be defined as unfaithfulness, a violation of covenant, committing adultery. Now let's talk about spiritual adultery. It is committing spiritual intercourse with another god or better said, with another spirit.

We have false prophets and dreamers arising in our midst today from among us. They are seducing God's children to run after and serve other gods and to enter into intimacy with them. These false prophets and dreamers are “rare” and are selling “rare” coins. Enamored with angels and leading people into a state of drunken stupor, these personality driven performers, who have no resemblance of the true apostles, prophets or evangelists of the early church, continue to deceive God's children with their hyper-spiritualism.

Yes, there are mystics in our midst who are mystifying the body of Christ. These “rare” ones are able to flow in the supernatural, yet are unable themselves to reveal the mysteries of God which Paul mentions:  God and man walking together; Christ in you, the hope of glory, both of which are characterized by a holy people not those who are seduced by foreign spirits or by selfish ambitions.  These holy people are totally sold out to God and for God, empowered by His Spirit, with no cravings for any other power except for the power to stay pure and true to Him. God is looking for a people infatuated with Himself and His presence, and with no desire for the imitation. GOD IS TESTING!

God is testing to see who will love Him singularly. God is testing to see if the Holy Spirit He has given us is going to be embraced and obeyed. The test is:  can we be content with God Himself and His ways?

 Here are some questions we need to ask ourselves:  Are we bored with our marriage to God or will we remain faithful?  Do we need to experience something new and exciting? Has our love grown cold? Are we entering into or involved in spiritual infidelity?

We are living in times of testing for a near battle.  We are also living in times of testing for eternity.  My hope and prayer is that we will not compromise in the day of testing.

1Deuteronomy 13:1-3

Lynda Switzer: Keeping One's Heart Loyal to God

The scriptures contain many accounts of saints in the Old Testament and the New Testament who began well with God in their lives, but in their latter years departed from the ways of God. Recently I read the account of Asa, a king in Judah. In 2 Chronicles 14:2, we read that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” He removed idols and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God. The Lord gave him rest in the land. He called his nation together to build walled cities “because we have sought the Lord and he has given us rest. So they built and prospered.”

Then Zareh from Ethiopia came against Asa and the army of Judah with an army of a million soldiers,   the largest army mentioned in the Old Testament. King Asa cried out to the Lord his God for help declaring that, “we rest on You and in Your name we go against this multitude, O Lord. You are our God: do not let man prevail against You!”

The Lord struck the Ethiopians, and Asa and his army of 300,000 overthrew the Ethiopian army “for they were broken before the Lord and His army.”

Then, in 2 Chronicles 15, the Spirit of God came upon Azariah and he prophesied to King Asa saying, “The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” King Asa took courage and continued to remove idolatry from the nation. Along with the nation of Judah and King Asa, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh “entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul.” The scriptures record that the Lord “was found by them and Lord gave them rest all around.”

However, something happened in King Asa’s thirty-sixth year as king. Baasha king of Israel came against him. Asa, instead of crying out to the Lord for help and protection, went with treasures from the temple on his own seeking help from the King of Syria. The prophet Hanani rebuked King Asa telling him, “because you have relied on the King of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the King of Syria has escaped from your hand.” Hanani continues to prophesy to Asa that because he relied on the Lord when the Ethiopian army of one million came against him, that the Lord delivered King Asa. The scriptures record that King Asa was enraged with Hanani and put him in prison. Then Asa began to oppress some of the people. Three years later King Asa died not seeking the Lord when his feet became diseased.

In the midst of this account of a tragic end to a good king’s life, God inserts this verse in 2 Chronicles16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. . . “

As I pondered this portion of scripture, the Lord showed me several Biblical values to pursue in growing a loyal heart to the Lord:

1. In the midst of seasons of God’s blessing, He opens doors for us to build for His Kingdom purposes. Let’s be alert and active to these open doors and times of building.
2. Amidst God’s blessings, we are to be ever diligent against the evil one’s tactics and ruthlessly deal with any idolatrous ways in our lives.
3. When troubles, storms, and war come to our lives, our first line of defense is to cry out to the Lord and to affirm our faith and trust in Him. Our victory is in the Lord; it’s not in ourselves and our effort.
4. Listening to and obeying the voice of the Lord brings God’s blessings, His protection, and often, other believers who have a similar kindred heart want to band together with us.
5. The Lord places a high value on a heart that is loyal to Him: a people who seek the Lord with all their heart and with all their soul will be found by the Lord!
6. We must beware lest past victories and spiritual accomplishments lull us into seasons where we stop pursuing the Lord as new challenges come into our lives. As we began in the Spirit walking with the Lord, even so we must continue in the Spirit. We may even hear a prophetic word that calls us back to the foundation of our faith. We cannot despise that word. Instead, we continually need to humble ourselves before the Lord acknowledging that He is our Source and our Strength.
7. 7.    Still today, as in the days of King Asa of Judah, our Lord’s eyes are searching the earth looking for those whose hearts are loyal to Him to show Himself strong on our behalf.

“Lord, I want to be one of those believers with a loyah heart to You that your eyes are searching the whole earth for, living humbly knowing that You are my source; You are my strength; You are my victory. I yield myself afresh to your purposes and I know that only You by Your Spirit can create that loyal heart of faith within me.”

Whether we are new in the Lord or we have known the Lord for many years, let’s continue to cultivate loyal hearts by seeking the Lord with all our hearts and all our souls for all the days of our lives.

Jonathan Switzer: Living in a Big Boy World

My youngest son Peter always wants to do what his three older brothers are doing.  If they go to friend’s houses, he wants to go.  If they go to play in the creek, he wants to go.  If they are riding their bikes or playing in the field across the street, he wants to join.  But that is a problem… much of the time, he simply is not yet ready to keep up.  At some point he realizes that they are too fast for him and, frustrated, he comes back to Mommy and Daddy.

Revelation is the topic at our church these days.  We should notice something.  Depending on how one studies the book it could either produce significant anxiety or a sense of sober, joyful expectancy.  According to Revelation, things are going to get really bad.

Revelation simply turns on the light about the end times.  Yet, turning on the light about how bad things will get could either lead to anxiety and fear or a settled trust in the Lord.

These are the two responses to end times that I would like to contrast: Perfectionism and Truth.  Perfectionism is when we see things wrong and take personally responsibility to make things right.  It can lead to an over anxious fear of not being perfect; as if everything depends on my perfection and ability.  It can suck the life out of people and leave them exhausted, exasperated and hopeless.  It beats a person up with legalism.

Like Peter, my son, the perfectionist must, at some point, admit he just can’t keep up.

Living by the truth is different.  Truth, like perfectionism, also turns on the light.  It exposes how bad things are.  However, a person of truth (as the bible defines it) does not get anxious and strive for perfection.  Instead, he goes to the cross and admits that sin has the world in bondage.  He lets the light shine and admits his need for help.  Truth leads to the cross of Jesus Christ.  It recognizes that we have not only missed the mark but that without help we are incapable of hitting it.  Through Christ’s resurrection power we hunger for righteousness and are filled.

Perfectionism
When Peter is playing legos with his brothers, it usually leads to some consternation.  His brothers, one a full six and a half years older, are able to make very complex and cool space ships, cars and landing pads.  They create without breaking a sweat.  Sometimes, Peter can start feeling like he will never be as good as they are.  Mom and Dad pick up his frustration from the other room as he gets whiney and weepy.  Sometimes, he will even start lying to his brothers about what he can do.  Then, maybe he will lash out at them and hit them for correcting him about something.  Patiently, Mom and Dad are training him to rest in God’s love and do right.

Perfectionism only turns on the light about how far we missed the mark.  It deceives us.  It conveniently (or savagely) ignores the fact that we are incapable of fixing our mess.  It is very similar to the news media, either on the right or the left.  Both tend to share the story from their side’s perspective.  They conveniently leave out facts that might soften the story’s finger pointing.  They are crafty.  Yet, they act like they show the full truth.

In the same way perfectionism only highlights how far we miss the mark.  It cruelly leaves out the part that we could never fix the mess we’ve made.  It deceives through partial truth.

You see, pride and insecurity are opposite sides of the same coin.  When we become overly perfectionist, it leads to fear and insecurity about the future.  All of which, leads us to think we should be able to fix our own problems.  At which point, the fear coin flips over and reveals the arrogant pride lying underneath: we should try to fix this all by ourselves!  Then, we lash out in immaturity and selfishness.

Remember, when we die to the flesh, to the old man, we are resurrected with Christ.  In that case it is no longer us who lives but it is Christ living in us.  The emphasis on the daily cross is an emphasis on a daily exchanged life; Christ living in us.

Only the Strong Survive?
The wii is another area where Peter struggles to keep up.  His brothers, naturally understand games faster, or have simply played longer.  They almost always finish way before he does or are several levels beyond him.  We have taught his brothers to cheer him on when they finish and help him along.  Nevertheless, they are still learning to consistently do so and can get impatient.  Again, Peter can suddenly start crying saying things like, “I just can’t do it!”  Or again, he will yell at his brothers for not waiting for him or helping him.  Again, Mom and Dad step in to patiently teach Peter to be at peace and his brothers to share and help.

There is a big difference between an evolutionary approach to life versus a Christian approach.  Evolution teaches survival of the fittest.  To which, there is some truth.  For example, righteousness alone will ultimately survive.  In that sense, only the fittest will survive; Christ and those who follow Him.

But, that is the point: weakness versus strength is not the whole story.  The rest of the story is that Christ came to the weak, poor, orphan and widow to save, redeem and strengthen them.  So, yes, first, we need to live according to what is most likely to survive; i.e. righteousness.  But, then righteousness must be balanced with our inability to be righteous; our need of a savior.

Nevertheless, evolutionists think we are on our own and must fix everything ourselves.  They see industrialism destroying the environment and they think like an evolutionist. Anxiously they say, “We must stop all drilling and imposes major controls!”  The fear leads to arrogant over-control and sucks the life out of economies leading to greater poverty and weakness.  In the same way, an evolutionist sees endangered species and begins to fear.  Anxiety leads to obsessive, one-issue only shame tactics attempting societal change; like unnecessary restraints on ANWAR drilling.  They do the same with poverty and wealth.  They see the disparities and anxiously try to equalize things with bad, unsecured loans.  In each case, the fear leads to hasty, over-obsessive, control efforts to fix what man cannot fix.  They see health care disparities and impose consistently failed utopian dreams.

Unfortunately, right-wing unbelievers also do the insecurity/pride flip routine.  They see controls placed on business and their liberty-cry can carry an arrogant disregard for honesty, integrity and morality.  They deny that sexual immorality causes a nation’s slide into corruption.  After all, sex sells!  Further, they miss the connection between abortion, disregard for human life and Wall Street/Big business bowling over the “little guy” in the name of profits.  Greed has the potential to become almost a virtue.  Their anxiety brings an irrational push for complete freedom from all restraints.

In this sense, the right and the left both share responsibility for our current pre-apocalyptic economic and political situation.  Christians must prophetically speak to both.  We need Christ to turn on the light.  Otherwise, the anxieties of unbelievers will drive them inevitably into not just extreme verbal conflict with one another but, according to scripture, into armed conflicts as well.

Then come apocalypses like the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 or modern Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia.  Certainly, today, North Korea, Venezuela, Israel and Iran all threaten to explode at any moment.  Here in the USA, political discourse has turned very bitter and news media wars threaten to stir passions beyond civility about tea-parties, taxes, race and justice.

Living by the Truth

Mom and Dad have learned to talk with Peter regularly.  We say, “Peter, you are four years old aren’t you!”  He smiles back and says, “Yes, I am, I really am!”  Then, mother says, “Do you know that your three older brothers were all four years old one time?”  Peter eyes start moving back and forth as he thinks about his older brothers being his age.  Dad speaks up and says, “Do you know that when your brothers were your age, they played legos just like you do?  For a four year old, you are doing a great job!”  Peter starts to get it and confidently says, “Yeah, When I am 6 I will be able to make lego spaceships that fly really fast and go way up into space!”  Mom and Dad smile encouragingly and Mom says, “You are a great four year old and when you turn six you will be the greatest six year old we know!”

Anxiety is the ruling passion behind perfectionism.  Living by the truth is different.  It turns on the light but also recognizes that alone we are incapable of fixing our situation.  Therefore, the truth person chooses to go to God asking for His help and wisdom.  He chooses to simply be obedient to God’s commands trusting God to take care of the rest.  He recognizes that there is only so much that a man can do.  He remembers the example of great men of faith like Moses, Joshua, David and Daniel.

Faith and rest are the ruling passions behind truth.

Not Complacency or Compromise
Note that Faith and rest are NOT equal to complacency and compromise.  Though, there are many who would say so.  They say we should be as driven as they are.

Instead, the truth turns on the light, acknowledges the failures and then obeys God.  Such simple obedience is very proactive.  There is no better way to handle a situation than to obey the Lord.  When counseling, I often say, “I have no hope for this situation unless we do it God’s way.”  Faith leads to diligent obedience.  Then, God keeps His promises to show us favor.

So, when we look at the failing economies around the world, when we see the moral decay and corruption rampant in business, society and politics, we need not choose fear and anxiety.

This is the reason for Jesus’ Revelation to John and the Olivet discourse.  Jesus turned on the light about how bad things were and are going to get.  However, when he turned on the light he fully turned it on.  He was clear about how limited are our change efforts.  Further, He was clear about God’s direct role opening the seals and overseeing the blowing of trumpets and pouring out the bowls of wrath.

Obedience and Patience Endurance
He was also clear about our role.

Peter is just now in the process of learning to read.  Just the other day he learned to read the word STOP.  So, of course, now, we always point it out on the road signs around town.  However, he is not so sure that he likes to practice reading.  When Dad says its time to read, he says, “Do I have to?  I don’t want to read now.”  But, then he perks up remembering that he gets some smarties for every page of reading he does.  He will quickly go and get his book and say, “Okay, daddy, where are we?  Let’s do this page!”

When the apocalypse happens, we too are to simply obey and endure patiently.  That means we are to go on preaching the gospel to all nations, making disciples, loving our neighbor as ourselves, taking care of the poor, orphan and widow and growing in our understanding of God’s love toward us in Christ Jesus.  We are to go on taking up our cross daily, putting off the old and putting on Christ.  We are to forcefully advance the Kingdom through faithful integrity and meek endurance.

God will be taking care of the rest.  He will bring down the beastly greed and power driven governments.  He will bring down the greedy, immoral harlot business structures.  He will judge the nations.  He will use the simple obedience of His saints to expose the wicked tyrants and their followers.  He will use the simple obedience of His saints to confound the world’s wisdom.  He will improve the environment, propagate animal species and provide for the poor.  He will cause the meek to inherit the earth.

Summary
So, as we face world-wide financial break down and pervasive political unrest, let Christ’s Revelation to John turn on the light.  Like Peter my son, we are not able to keep up with the “big boys” (God, Satan, Beasts and angels).  But let us not get anxious.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  We need not be perfect.  Rather, let’s reject anxiety.  Let’s reject fear which leads to arrogant, misguided efforts to fix the mess.  We are in way over our heads here.

Let’s embrace the cross and admit our failure and weakness.  Let’s put off the old man and put on the new.  Let Christ now live in us with resurrection power.  In Christ, we are overcomers!  Then let us trust God to do what he promised in Revelation, powerfully judge the wicked and faithfully bless those who trust Christ.

One day, Peter will stand shoulder to shoulder with his brothers in sports, business and life!  Today, he already does so in his parent’s hearts.