BLOWOUT! (Part 3)
The primary reason many people have a problem with the Word of God is the fact that God simply tells it the way it is. He defines that which is good. He defines that which is evil. He speaks of light and darkness, and very little about any gray areas.
Indeed, there is that time in the morning and evening when night gives way to day and day gives way to night. But these times are relatively brief. Morning and evening are but beginnings and endings. Daytime is not night time. Light is not darkness. And good is not evil.
Jesus does not compromise truth. He IS the Truth. He stands firm on a solid rock. He IS the Rock. And He expects His followers to do likewise.
But standing firm for the truth will get one in trouble. Compromisers want no part of trouble. They want everyone to play nice. Well, evil is not nice. Evil is evil.
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!
Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble and dry grass collapses into the flame, so their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
On this account the anger of the LORD has burned against His people, and He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down. And the mountains quaked, and their corpses lay like refuse in the middle of the streets. For all this His anger is not spent, but His hand is still stretched out. [Isaiah 5:20-25]
WOW…
How many people heard THAT in church last Sunday?
Things have gotten so fouled-up and twisted around that much of “Christianity” would never allow the words of Isaiah anywhere near their cute little gatherings where never a strong word is heard or such bold apparent pejoratives as “repentance” dare be muttered.
Repent from what, anyway?
Haven’t you heard? We’re all going to heaven. Every last one of us. It doesn’t matter what we do, what we say, what we believe, or what we think. The old idea that all roads lead to Rome remains ever strong but with a different terminology.
The reality is, except for one road, the road the Lord talked about, all roads lead to hell.
This is simply Biblical fact, which takes us back to why so many people hate real Christians and real Christianity.
Remember when you were young and you were allowed to do anything you desired? Remember how your parents or guardians explained to you that good and evil were mere concepts and there really is no difference between right and wrong or that there is any such thing? Remember how you were taught that variety makes the world go ’round and that everyone is different, has different lifestyles, and that sin is a primitive idea created by Neanderthals too dull and stupid to understand alternative lifestyles and choices?
Many people think the Lord Jesus is some cool dude pretty much okay with anything and everything. Does their ignorance make Him so?
The reality is that He loves us all regardless of our sin and evil and pleads with us to repent and get right. He knows the destiny of the unregenerate and repeatedly warns of the results of our wrong choices and embrace of evil. He tries desperately to break us free from deception and our self-imposed entrancements, but most people laugh and walk away.
Even among Christians, those who take strong stands are most often shot down and treated with contempt. And no one was treated worse for this than God Himself. By His own people.
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [John 1:3-5]
Boy Howdy. Did John get that right or what?
We live on a polarized planet. Literally. It contains opposing forces. However, God has structured things in such a way that there exists perfect harmony and balance among such forces. Yet, there are still such things as hurricanes and naturally-occurring vast forest fires and massive earthquakes and spewing volcanoes and floods and tornadoes and deafening thunder and blinding lightning and a few other events to help maintain the proper planetary balance.
And God looked at all of it and said it was good.
So if you ever wonder about your place in standing up for the Lord, His Word, and Truth, remember that to not act would be a tragedy.
Do not back down. Let the sparks fly. Put your whole heart into the work of God. We’re in the early stages of a spiritual blowout. But we all must do our part, regardless of the price to pay. And the price of the greatest love is the greatest life.
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [Romans 12:16-21] [1]
© 2013 by RJ Dawson. All Rights Reserved.
[1] Unless otherwise noted all Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Posted on January 20, 2013, in Current Events and tagged Day and Night, Evening and Morning, Good and Evil, Isaiah the Prophet, John the Apostle, Light and Darkness, Lord Jesus, Overcome Evil with Good, Real Christianity, Repentance. Bookmark the permalink. 10 Comments.
Real Christianity 
These last three posts are powerful! Don’t know why I didn’t see them til now… Good stuff, Mr. Bob!
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Plain speaking, RJ. Yes, when we stand for truth, we become targets, as did our Lord, but he promises that when we suffer for him in this world, he will sustain and strengthen us during our suffering, and he will reward us in his eternal kingdom. May we always have the courage and the conviction to speak truth and stand for truth.
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Thanks, Derrick. What you say is absolutely true and our strength and anointing can only gain from the battle. Be blessed and keep up the good work for the Lord.
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RJ, I am reminded of Eph. 6:10-20 (The whole Armor of God) which is the most powerful and only “defense and offense” in spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:10-20
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.
Among other parts of this passage, I find it encouraging that Paul says “and having done everything, to stand firm”…. And “18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”
The future is at once both in our hands, equipped with God’s Armor, and out of our hands; since, in our earthly weakness, His Will is not always our will. Pray that we stay in His Will and never use our weakness as a crutch… To God be the Glory. Let’s have a “Spiritual Blowout” and may our banner be “Love God and Love your Neighbor.”
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Very encouraging for the whole Body of Christ, Don. Prayer is a very powerful weapon, as you well know.
On with the Blowout!
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This series is more true today than when you wrote this. Technology allows people to see more things and hooks them into a non-reality world. I don’t know how children are going to make it with all that they have now with constant instant feedback from phones. The distractions must be overwhelming in today’s young minds. I have seen video clips, for example, of people that are changing their bodies drastically with tattoos and making their faces appear like satan, with horns in the their foreheads and such. I thought, well maybe this is just fake, something to change the minds of those who are seeing it. Until I actually saw a couple in a Walmart parking lot, they were covered in tattoos and they did have horns implanted in their faces. How does one get to this place in life? This is a gift, this thing called life, and He said it is good. For me, “it is good” means He created all this for us: Beauty, nature, good food, and love. It is all there right in front of us and most young people can’t see it at all. They live in a fantasy world, a world that can manipulate them with a click of a button. What a difference from when I was a child. It is changing so fast.
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Thank you Sandra! I appreciate being reminded of this series—BLOWOUT!—I wrote so long ago. I hope it was a blessing to you.
I completely agree with your analysis here. American culture in general and overall has been continually regressing especially since the country officially became a post-Christian society several years ago. Before the advent of major media it was virtually impossible to influence the entire country in such a way to seriously move the needle regarding what Americans believe in, practice, and how we relate to one another. But after the invention of radio, movies, television, and social media, it became relatively simple for the few who controlled these mediums to have a great and powerful influence over American citizens and then all the world.
While it has always been true that organized Christianity has had much control over the beliefs and practices of American citizens going back to the beginning four centuries ago, and that many deviations from actual Scripture were erroneously being taught by large Christian bodies, such were held in check to a good degree by the freedom American Christians had to read their own Bibles and choose the beliefs and churches of their choice. Religious freedom therefore allowed for much fluidity and all teachings were put to the test. This does not mean that people always chose correctly or did not settle for middle-of-the-road beliefs to better fit in society which allowed for large denominations and churches with relatively watered-down teachings, but that the strong Christians who insisted on the truth of Scripture could certainly be heard and have their influence felt.
Even so, it took time to make progress and with every step forward it forced division but this was due not to the bold pioneers but to the majority holding back. Rather than follow the Lord as He commanded most Christians have a decided tendency to follow the crowd which is often just a homogenized mass that is not so spiritually influential or effective. This onset weakness then made the majority unable to cope with the strength of evil and temptation. Those who choose the Lord Jesus with all their heart and give it all they have in service to Him and others are much more able to see evil, stand against it, overcome it, and not be defeated by it.
Therefore, the reason America has ended up at this current place of degeneracy is because Christians in general, the majority, refused to fight the evil as they should have largely because they focused on this temporary life, material benefits, and money rather than focus first on the Lord. This unfortunate choice made them and thus the country unable to overcome powerful evil forces, evil human assistants, and great evil itself. It also made them unable to perceive evil and the evil masquerade all around us which is a fantasy world based on mere perceptions. It then became a farce when Christians ended up actually supporting such evil forces and people when they should have been engaged against them in spiritual warfare and outing them for who they really are.
Christians must simply understand that living out real Christianity is not easy. It can be very difficult. But if done right it will also be extremely rewarding and fruitful. However, the majority of churches and preachers have created an easy way and a way which is hardly distinguishable from the non-Christian world. In fact, one will not be a successful and influential television preacher, for example, reaching many millions, without making great compromises. I guarantee you (and most should know this) that if any of these people started preaching and teaching the REAL Gospel they would lose their exalted places relatively quickly.
It has always been this way. The Lord Himself was very obscure in His time until His following grew to such large numbers, but even then the religious leaders couldn’t figure it out or how He was doing it because He was obviously wrong about pretty much everything. They even claimed He got his power from the devil. This is why any Christian who does it right will suffer persecution and why most Christians avoid persecution and being thought bad of like the plague. It can be a lonely fight but the Lord always sustains His people.
Thank you, Sandra, for your beautiful work showcasing the beauty, wonder, and joys of God’s natural world. The Lord has always spoken through the natural world He created and we can learn great lessons there and be thoroughly blessed. Thank you also for your witness. You give your many readers good and positive posts and photography that lift us up and even grants us hope that good will prevail. And, of course, good WILL prevail and IS prevailing.
We remain in an ongoing Great Awakening in America in which the Lord is revealing His love and His truth. He will not be denied. He is here for anyone to embrace. And He is winning.
Be Blessed!
(Please continue to pray for me. I feel like I’m getting much closer. Thank you.)
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Yes, He speaks to us through His world. So many lessons we can see in nature that can help us with everyday life. Every morning I have you on my prayer list RJ. He has us all take a break now and then to regroup and spend quiet time with Him alone. I have the horrible cough that is going around right now. Mine only went as far as bronchitis, so I cannot go outside right now in the cold air. It is really hard to not go outside for me. But, I am having more quality time with Him and reading His Word. He has a way of slowing us down for the good. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Sandra. Your prayers mean a lot because I am cut off from my former readers (most). I am so sorry you are going through this! I will pray for you. I hope you are taking a good daily organic multi-vitamin and at least 500mg daily organic Vitamin C or a 1000mg being ill. And you are right about the Lord’s timing and what He requires at certain times. Keep up the good work. You are blessed to have your husband right there with you. Hopefully you will be up and out there again soon. Blessings
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Yes, I am doing those vitamins and lots of water. I am on the mend. Thank you RJ.
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