"When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" Psalm 118:5-6 NIV
What indeed is there to fear? President Franklin Roosevelt in his first inaugural address said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
Many parts of the visible church on earth have been in retreat. The Gospel is not proclaimed rightly. Injustices are not addressed for fear of persecution. Members are so concerned about being politically correct that the truth is not spoken for fear of offending someone. Well, the truth be told, you cannot please everyone all of the time and not everyone is going to appreciate the truth. "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." (1 Cor 1:18) Those who speak the truth about the cross of Christ will be hated by the world. That is just the way it is. The world hated Jesus and it will hate his followers as well. (John 15:18) Just because we might be persecuted that is not an excuse to hide the truth from the world. We do not hide the truth in order to protect ourselves because God, Himself, is our protector. We must have faith that His plan is a plan for the good of all who love Him. (Rom 8:28)
What can keep us from moving forward; from advancing the Good News of the Kingdom? If God is for us who can be against us? (Rom 8:31) If our greatest desire; our ultimate concern, is to live in the presence of God and to love Him as He loves us is there any hardship in this world that we cannot endure?
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
'For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:35-19)
We may face death all day long; but, we shall not fear. There is nothing in this world or in the spiritual realms that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God help the whole church on earth to make the proclamation of God's love for all people, through Jesus the Christ, always our ultimate concern. Help us, Lord, to advance the Gospel!
God's Peace - Pr. Judy
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