As I was on Safari the past two days I saw Elephants charge my car. I saw monkeys swing in trees. I saw the beauty of Water Bucks and other animals. I was amazed at God's creation. Then I had an epiphany: God does not need credit for his work what he needs is for me to be HOPEFUL for his world.
I saw hope in the eyes of his people while I have been in
In our circles of American Christianity I hear a lot of talk about the “fallen” world. I hear talk of the world being “evil”. I hear people say the human race is full of “sin” and “evil”. Yet, I do not believe God made an “evil” world. I do not believe the world is “fallen”. We live in the world that God created. I believe God created a world full of choices. Is our world “broken”? Yes. Did God create it this way? Many will say “NO”, God made a perfect world and then man came along and messed it up with his “sin” or “falleness”. However, this holds for me a situation in which our creator God is not wise enough to anticipate that sometimes “man” who produce a choice that he might not desire. This is a very low view of God, because we do not give him the benefit of the doubt that he could accurately predict what his creation might or might not do.
What is my point?
My point is God made the world with a certain level of uncertainty. He made the world where choice is apparent in every aspect. God created a world that gave man an ability to love him or not love him. He created a world that gave man freely the right to choose to obey or not obey. God’s world is broken, but it’s a broken world by design. If the world was not broken then how would God know what to do with man. Man’s opportunity everyday is to enter into a world of broken into which he (by design) is able to choose to help or hurt the world. The world is not fallen. The world is just as God designed it. God designed it to have people run the world. He gives each person the chance to help or hurt the world. If we can not recognize this ability sadly we have lost the essence of life.
Life is meant to be lived out here on earth. We must accept the responsibility that God gave to man. God designed us to take care of his creation. Are we doing a good enough job? Well that is a question worth asking? What should be our position be as we look at the world?
The world is full of skeptics. Many believe our world is a horrible place run by evil. Many Christians believe our world in fact is a place where Satan rules. Is this what our thoughts should be? Is this how Christians should look at the world? Well that is for you to decide. As for me I believe in an attitude that reflects the character of God. I will believe in the God that created me and told me to take care of his creation. God created me to change the world by my actions through his commandments and teaching. God created me to be…
HOPEFUL.
This is my emotion right now. I want to be a man that shows the world HOPE. I want to be HOPE to my friends. In a land where God is not known I pray Christians can give them HOPE. Whether I’m in
QUESTION:
If Christians can't provide hope for this world, then who will?
+053.jpg)
4 comments:
Preach!
I truly believe that God is a work in the lives of his believers. I have heard 3 times today (this being the third) a message about HOPE. Some say it is coincidence but I believe God is a work.
Paul talks a lot about hope in Acts. Hope is what keeps us going.
“Love Not The World”
”For the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one”(I John 5:19)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world will pass away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of The Only True GOD will abide for ever.” (I John 2:15-17)
“If you were of the world, the world would love it’s own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:19-20)
“Where do wars and fighting among you come from? Do they not come of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is to be at enmity with The Only True GOD? Therefore whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of The Only True GOD.” (James 4:1-4)
“The world cannot hate you; but the world hates Me, because I testify that the works of this world are evil.” (John 7:7)” and “The Messiah gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of The Only True God, Our Father.”(Gal 1:4)
The Messiah testified: “If the world hates you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”(John 5:18) Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life in this world shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall have it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25)
John testified: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) “ James testified, “Whoever would be a friend of this world is the enemy of GOD”(James 4:4)
The “earth” is The Creation of The Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”, he who is “the father of lies”, he who “has blinded the minds of those who believe not The Messiah”! All the nations of this world are under the dominion of, and serve, the evil one for he provides the fuel that feeds mankind’s “imag”ination, and mankind’s “imagination is destroying and perverting Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Truth, Love, Peace, Faith, Simplicity, .etc.) ;-(
And the “strongest thing” in the evil one’s worldly systems? “Woman”…… yet The Truth, that which is of The Only True GOD, is stronger even than woman. (read I Esdras 3&4 of the Apocrypha) And Truth, Love, Peace, Faith, Mercy, Hope,,,etc,,, all that is “good”, is of The Only True GOD and is of HIS Spirit, not of this world. Those born of The Spirit, those born of The Only True GOD, are the brethren of The Messiah, for they received "a love of The Truth that they might be saved”. Reborn!
And those who have received "a love of The Truth” have separated themselves from this world and those of this world, for they have taken heed unto The Call of The Only True GOD to “Come out of her MY people.” They are “in, but not of this wicked, evil world”, and The Only True GOD has received them, and is "A Father unto them, and they are HIS sons and daughters”. And they follow, and desire to be like their Master and Brother, The Messiah, He Who was “the firstborn of many brethren”. And as “The Messiah was a servant of The Only True GOD”, so also His Brethren are “servants of The Only True GOD.”
The called out ones are not “adulterers and adulteresses”, they are not “friends of this wicked, evil world”, they do not “fornicate with the god of this world” for they know that “to be a friend of this world is to be the enemy of The Only True GOD.” They are at war against the evil spirits that possess those who are of this world.
And they do not “allow that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach. For she teaches others to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. The Only True GOD gave her a chance to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” (Rev 2:20-21)
“fornication” and “adultery..” in that which is recorded above signifies spiritual fornication with “the god of this world”, which is to love that which is of his world.
Once again, the “earth” is The Creation of The Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”. Those who “love this world” all serve “the god of this world”, and play their part in the processes that seek to destroy The Creation of The Only True GOD. “And The Only True GOD will destroy them who destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18) Global warming, polluted air, land and waters, toxic wastes, sexual perversion, evil inventions of destruction, greed, hate, carnal warfare, dis-ease ,,,etc,,, are all destructive processes that have their root in “the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life”. And as stated, “woman is the strongest thing of this world”. Yet stronger than woman is The Truth, which is in those who have “received a love of The Truth”. The Truth Is Alive in those who have been born of The Spirit for “they no longer love this wicked, evil world and it’s things, nor do they love their own lives in this world”. They but seek and desire The Will of GOD, as they await their final transformation. “Corruptible to Incorruptible" ndeed and Truth!
Now “the ground was cursed for Adam’s sake” because he “hearkened unto the woman”. Adam listened to a woman rather than obeying The Only True GOD. Yet because of Faithful Noah, The Only True GOD “no longer would curse the ground for man’s sake” because Noah obeyed The Only True GOD! (Genesis 8:21-22) And the Faithful today are exhorted to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” And Faithful women are exhorted to “be in silence.” “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. For I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” “For Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (I Timothy 2:11,12,14) A man and woman joined together in obedience and submission unto The Only True GOD are blessed indeed. All who are not obedient, all who will not submit themselves unto The Only True GOD will have to answer to HIM..period.. Be not of those who deny and defy “The One GOD, Father of All”. Be not of those who are destroying and perverting HIS Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Truth, Love, Peace, .etc.)!
“The Only True GOD is The HEAD of The Messiah, The Messiah is The Head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman”. Multitudes pervert GOD’s Order because they have been seduced by ” the commandments and doctrines of men and devils”. Multitudes are seduced by the religious systems that are in and of this evil world. Seduced because they love this evil world and their own life in it! “Set your affections on things above”. Desire heavenly, eternal things. Quit serving ‘time’ in the prison that is this world and take heed unto the call to ”Come out from among them and be separate!”
Once again, “Come out” of the worldly systems, which are the product of mankind’s “imag”ination, especially the religious systems. “Come out” from among those who are destroying and perverting Creation and be of those who follow The Messiah on “The Way to The Truth of The Life”.
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world……. francisco
"Everything that is done in the world is done by HOPE."
-Martin Luther-
I miss you, Andy. It sounds like God is moving through you and with you and around you (like always) and that you truly were an example of his love in Africa. I can't wait to hear from you again!
Oh, and have you read "The Irresistible Revolution"? I just finally finished it and I'm dying to talk to someone about it. Good choice on the Brueggemann.
Post a Comment