Be On Your Guard (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Be on your guard;  stand firm in the faith;  be men of courage;  be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)

If there ever was a time to be on one’s guard, to stand firm in the faith, and to be men and women of courage who remain strong, it’d be the age in which we’re currently living.  It’s a time of division, violence, anger, and unrest. 

Since the time of Christ, we’ve been in such a period of conflict.  Jesus says, Luke 12:51 “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” 54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?”

It’ll stay that way until Jesus returns.  That’s what the Bible says anyway.  For now, let’s do as Jesus says and interpret this present time.  Do you see what is happening in our culture, right now, this week?  Like many of you, I’m bracing for more unrest as things intensify to the midterm elections in the never-ending political cycle.

This week, we have a new Supreme Court Justice.  Irrespective of our political leanings, the Supreme Court is not supposed to be a political body…but a judicial one of fairness and equality in the eyes of God and the Law.  For that reason, all Christians should praise God when a man or woman who reveres the Lord is seated on the bench.  Yet we have divisions in the culture because Jesus brings division and the dividing line is that of His truth.  Our culture–with its firmly held belief in relative truth–doesn’t like that. 

To some in our culture, there is no higher authority than the Supreme Court, and that’s why control of it was so important.  (That’s really sad, isn’t it?)  For Christians, however, we know there is a Higher Authority we cannot control and to Whom every Supreme Court Justice must answer.   Our Lord and Judge is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and before Him every knee will bow in heaven and on earth.

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Today’s Encouraging Verse to Lift Your Eyes and Touch Your Spirit is a timely reminder to stand firm because every day is a battle until Jesus returns and that Day of Judgment happens.

Think about it with respect to absolutes of truth and faith: 

• What does it say when we elevate politics over faith?  If that is the case, then why do many people do it? 
• How does a 24-hour news cycle and a never-ending political cycle serve to reinforce culture over faith? 
• What would happen if we had a 24-hour faith cycle, worshipping God all day, every day? 

Praise God for His immeasurable grace and love for us which allow us to stand, by faith, in His presence…to worship Him for His holiness and goodness.  Praise God that He holds the hearts of kings and rulers in His hands and directs them like a watercourse!  Thank You, Lord that our obligation is merely to pray…to seek Your will in all things, and then watch for where You work in order to join You in the work You set before each of us!  Thank You, Lord, for being our strength and our refuge, an ever-present help in times of trouble.