Sunday, August 24, 1997 In Your Absence:
In this week's lesson, which came from Genesis 6, Psalms 55, Jonah 3, and I Peter 3, the focus was on having a peaceful, orderly society. There is much crime and violence in our world today, and existing trends do not suggest that things will get any better. In Genesis 6, we read about the high level of corruptness and violence which existed during Noah's time. God looked at His creation and was very upset by their ungodly behavior. Today, He is probably looking at our society and even the world and feeling many of those same negative anxieties. During Noah's time, His choice was to judge the world. He sent the Great Flood, causing it to rain for forty days and nights, and wiped out all the life on earth, except for Noah and his family. Many Christians today, especially in this country, cling to the truth of Matthew 24:37-39 and conclude that the declining state of affairs in America is an indication that the Lord will soon return. That may be true, but it may also be true that God is about to judge America!
In Psalms 55, King David looked at the deteriorating conditions of his land. Many Bible scholars believe that his son, Absalom, was about to try to seize the throne from his father and that this was why David seemed to be so distressed by what he saw. Whether such a belief is true or not, David still knew where he could turn, and so should we. He prayed to the Lord and asked Him to fix all that was wrong. In this country, Christians can and should do the same thing. We can fall on our faces before the Lord and ask Him to restore America to its former position of honor and glory. Last year, our Pastor led us as a church to do this very thing, and my opinion is that that kind of action will do more good than all the legislation that has or ever will come out of Washington. As Christians, let us always be quick to turn to our Lord. In Jonah 3, we saw that the King of Nineveh did that, and it worked. After hearing God's message of judgment from Jonah, the king repented and then proceeded to lead his whole country to the Lord. The result was that Nineveh was spared and not destroyed by the wrath of God's judgment.
In I Peter, our instruction became more personal as Peter wrote that we should learn to guard our tongue, stay from evil, and do good. As Christians, the indwelling Holy Spirit should be teaching all of us to live more harmoniously with one another. In fact, we should even be learning how to turn the other cheek more often when hurt by others. As more and more Christians practice some of these basic Christian principles, then peace within the Church and the world will be the natural byproducts. It is true that our country has many problems. It is also true that each of us can do our part to try to make it a little better. However, we do not do this simply because we owe it to ourselves, our children, or our neighbors. Instead, we do it because we owe it to the One Who loved us enough to die for us. We do it not just because it will make America a better place to live but also because we have Christ within leading us in heavenly paths. We do it because our sincerest desire should be to reach others for Him. As you go through the coming week, ask the Lord to use you to tell someone else about Him. You will be glad that you did.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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