TITLE: Closer Than We Know By Lance Wilson, Sr. 05/23/06 |
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Closer Than We Know
by Lance K. Wilson, Sr.
One could easily lose all hope in human nature.
One could conceivably lose hope in the power of God to redeem a dying world.
We live in a time that has been foretold by the prophets of the Bible. We very well may be that generation that will see the return of Jesus. But between that time and now how are we to live?
What are we as believers in the Almighty to do in the face of such overwhelmingly blasphemous behavior? What do we do now that the time of the rapture and judgement is closer than we know?
We hold fast to His Word.
We rest in the promises of God.
We fast and pray, and seek revival for our churches, our government, our leaders, both secular and spiritual, and for ourselves and our families.
We leave no stone unturned. No burden still attached. No sinner uninformed of the Grace and Mercy of the true and living God.
We call ourselves ‘soldiers’, yes? Then the time has come to go to war. Let us take our swords and shields, our helmets and breastplates and like David run toward our enemies with the ferocity of a lioness that is protecting her cubs.
Those enemies are not the homosexual or the lesbian. The enemy is not Islam, it is not the upper middle class nor is it the lower middle class. The enemy is not the “Da Vinci Code” and Hollywood. The enemy is the ruler of the air. Remember that we are in a spiritual battle and as Paul tells us we can’t fight this battle with ‘carnal’ weapons. We must fight spirit with spirit. Prayer is our greatest weapon, faith is the ammo. We can not hide from the ever increasing sin that is in this nation, let us stand and see the power of our God at work in our nation.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans said, “For as by one man’s disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. (God’s law shows us the sin in our lives) But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death,(sin being sovereign where death is concerned) even so might grace reign through righteousness (God's unmerited favor becomes the controlling factor that leads to a right standing with Him) unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our lord.( His death made it possible for each of us to have forgiveness of our sins) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (Do we practice sinful things knowing that God will forgive us?) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin (see 2 Corinthians 5:17) live any longer therein?” Romans 5:19-6:2 (KJV).
Just as Paul exhorts the Roman Jews to live Holy during the times they faced. We as believers must exhort ourselves and others to do the same.
Where sin runs rampant, grace runs faster, stronger and is quicker. Grace overtakes sin and can be used to bring the sinner to repentance and from repentance to salvation.
Paul learned of God’s grace when his ‘thorn’ became unbearable for him. David experienced it when he committed his infamous sin. He then repented because he saw, through the prophet Nathan, that he had sinned. That was God’s grace. God will show us our sins before He brings judgement. In other words, He gives us a chance to repent.
Unfortunately, some of us don’t recognize His grace and then we are doomed to death. Lot and his family know first hand about the grace of God. They lived in a sinful land and could have very easily been caught up in the sins of their neighbors. But God gave them grace and led them out of sin.
“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”.
We sojourn in a land that has the grace of God upon it. Yet our neighbors are living sinful lives. We have turned our heads, we have carried placards against their sins, we have hid our eyes from their sins. All done in the hopes that they will listen to our cries. But just as Jeremiah exhorted the Israelites to pray for their captors and to live in peace with them, we have to do the same.
Before we experienced the rebirth we too lived as though sin was our normal way of life. Remember? What got you out of your sinful ways? For me it was the light of Jesus that I saw in my wife. The peace she had . . . I wanted. It was the prayers that the dear Mothers of my church lifted up to God on my behalf and the exhortation of a godly Pastor that finally convinced me that my life would be better served following the King of Glory.
Not one time did they condemn me. Not once did they ever judge me. What they did do was embrace me each and every time that I was in their midst. Imagine the way a homosexual would feel if every time he ran across a Christian he was not condemned, nor judged, but was shown the love that is Jesus.
Imagine if every time a young woman went to an abortion center she came in contact with other woman who would embrace her and tell her that God is ready to forgive her and to give her a love and a peace that passes all understanding. Imagine that instead of having soup kitchens we went out with coolers filled with sandwiches and drinks and fed each homeless person we came in contact with thereby showing that we will seek them and they don’t have to seek us.
Imagine how many would come to the Lord because we showed them the grace of a living God.
Yes, this land is sinful, and God’s judgement will fall upon it but His judgment will come upon us, the Church, before it comes to this land. We must be about our father’s business. We must throw off the shackles of our prejudices against those that are sinning. If we are to gain a place in the Kingdom this should be our priority. Let us pray for a heart for the lost. So that we may, through the love of Jesus, draw them into the grace, the mercy, and the love of our Father.
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