Have you noticed the world is sinking into a new level of deception? There are new laws that are being passed and ruled as human rights that go against the way our bodies have been made. The truth is constantly being watered down to make it into something that makes it easier for people to hear.
We are in the age of tolerance… where we must tolerate the sin, the deception and the ugliness of this world in the attitude of ‘It is their choice to live the life they want’… and we must tolerate this deception that is being pushed onto our kids.
I’m calling it out, right here and right now.
Within the rise of deception, the rise of the spread of darkness where are those standing up for the truth? How has the darkness managed to spread so far?
Because we as Christians are silent, we are scared, and we have no idea what to do. We have spent too long with our heads in the sand, and we are becoming more and more insulated from the world. We have Christian churches, Christian Schools, Christian Workplaces, Christian Media and spend most of our time in Christian Circles. We have done a brilliant job of separating ourselves from the world, but that is not what we are called to do.
Jesus prayer sums this up “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:15-18 NIV)
Now, don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Christian things I have listed above. I adore being able to listen to Christian Media and sing praise and worship songs as I am driving my children to school. Christian Schools are great to teach our kids our values and our morals via biblical teaching. We need to have Christian friends and be able to meet to fellowship and be taught from the word of God and challenged. I have worked in Christian workplaces for years, and I love it… where we pray on a Monday morning before starting the week and pray on a Friday afternoon as we are closing up the office and handing over to the on-call person.
But to live our lives insulated from the world is not helping. Being silent is allowing the darkness to spread further into our everyday lives… and it is spreading into some of our churches (yep, I said it!).
We need to acknowledge that we are living in a world full of deception, where our morals are being trampled, accused of being intolerant and called homophobes and bigots… we are just getting a glimpse into what the disciples of Jesus must have faced as they laid down their lives to follow Jesus, and just a start of what is to come in the end days.
Now is not the time to hide!
Now is the time to step up. We are not to live in fear because we are the solution. We are the ones who have the answers to the hearts crying out to fill that void in their lives… because we carry Jesus, and Jesus is the answer.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)
We have the hope. We have the victory. We have the truth. We have the light. We have life. We have the power – BECAUSE WE HAVE JESUS.
Lord, we come before you and we submit ourselves to you afresh. Lord we ask for forgiveness for how we [as Christians] have insulated ourselves from the world and where we have been disobedient to your word and promptings to stand up against deceptions and darkness in the world and in our lives. Lord we ask that you renew our minds and remove the fear that we [as Christians] are living in, because your holy word says many times that we are to fear not, as fear is not of you. Lord, we declare that as we walk through the valley of death, we will fear no evil for you are with us. We thank you that you are guiding us, and you are walking with us every step of the way. Lord we ask for a fresh revelation of the power we have through the work you son, Jesus Christ, did on the cross, and with this new revelation we will be strengthened and will walk in the power and authority you have given us. Lord, highlight our path that we are to walk on, open the doors that you need to open and close the doors that need to be closed. Lord, start the conversations that need to be had and close our mouths when we need not speak. Lord we pray that your truth and your light shine through us, so we may truly be your disciples in every area of our lives. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.