davidbowerkingwood

The news today is filled with stories of real or potential threats; how should a Christian react to these threats?

The answer I use and value the most is based on Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The implications of this verse are profound and all-encompassing; David Bower ceased to exist as an independent, unaligned individual at the point of his salvation because he was crucified and died to himself.

The life he is now living is the life of Christ who died on his behalf and now lives out His life through him. Although I, David Bower, am still alive I am living a life controlled by Christ, not by me as I walk by faith. That is God’s plan for David Bower and every other believer who has accepted the Lordship of Christ. I have not only accepted it, I rejoice and delight in it!

During WW II many Jews were imprisoned in dreadful prisons; one of those prisoners was a Jewish man named Viktor Frankl. He survived that period of terrible suffering because of his perception of his situation. He later wrote this: “Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Viktor E. Frankl

As a Christian we have the privilege and opportunity to choose God’s way for our lives. This is the only way that is guaranteed to work. The troubles of the world seem to be multiplying rapidly; it’s hard to even keep up with all of the disasters and tragedy that seems to be taking place.

What I heartily recommend is God’s perspective on life; we are royal priests and ambassadors for God as well as God’s children and God’s servants. Let us choose to remember those realities and place our hope and faith in God’s faithfulness to us. In Romans 8:28 we are told: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” We are not told that everything will be good, but that all things work together for good.

I am convinced that we are living in the end times foretold in the Bible; I have no idea how long it will be before God calls His children home but I don’t think it will be long. In the meantime we have the opportunity and privilege of honoring God by believing His word and acting on that belief.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.