davidbowerkingwood

The Winds of Change are Blowing

Like it or not there is change in the wind; signs all around would indicate that things are not going to be the way they’ve been in the past. There are almost no areas of life where these winds of change are not blowing and increasing in strength. Both domestically and internationally one can see developments in every area which point to a new direction for our lives individually and collectively; what is un-nerving about these changes is they do not appear to be for the better but for the worse.

I mentioned in my last article how the Bible predicted the world situation would worsen as the return of the Lord drew near. While the Bible does not tell us when this will happen it does tell us what the world will be like at that time and a large number of Christian observers will agree that more and more similarities to the Biblical end times are falling into place around the world.

The Christian Perspective on Life in a Changing World

There is an uncomfortable quality to change, especially change for the worse; most of us would prefer the status quo and resist anything that would threaten it. Sometimes change is so gradual as to not cause immediate alarm; everyone has heard the story of the frog in the pot; our situation today may have overtones of this process of change, slow and steady and a little difficult to quantify.

The Bible also warns us that Christianity itself will become an increasingly popular target in the end times. In Matthew 24:9 it is written, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” Although this verse describes conditions in the Tribulation we are already seeing the beginning of this persecution of Christians all around the world. It is becoming ever more politically incorrect to suggest that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone.

I’m receiving an increasingly large number of emails addressing the problems existing around the world today and noting the anxious comments from Christian friends which accompany them. Most of us look forward to the return of the Lord and may wonder how bad things will actually get before we are called home. The Bible does not tell us that but it does tell us something important, and that is God’s grace will always be abundantly sufficient for all circumstances if we are living a life of faith, led by the Holy Spirit.

Who’s Life are we Living?

I have selected as my life verse Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” To me, this verse has enormous significance; it tells me that David Bower died a long time ago and the life he now lives is the life of Christ. If we believe and apply that concept every day then our entire perception of life and reality is totally changed.

The redeemed soul and spirit of David Bower still occupying his mortal body is nothing more than a passenger watching as the Lord directs His life in this body we share; it is His body, His life, purchased by the shedding of His blood on the cross at Calvary. I have no right, no business questioning the Lord on His usage of this body; this body is His to do with as He pleases.

Full implementation of this line of thought is very liberating, it’s His life and He is in control. I simply don’t have to worry about anything but can relax and watch what happens. In my mind I compare it to being a passenger in a car driven by a trusted family member to a destination known only to Him. I may not know if the driver will stop or go, turn left or right, but I know he can be trusted completely to make the right decisions. This is the way we should look at life as a child of God; He has promised us that He loves us and is working all things together for our good. What more can we ask?

Our driver is not only a trusted family member but is also the omnipotent Creator God of the universe. I cannot think of a better person to have in control of my life, can you?

Our Gracious God

God is fully aware that His children are still frail creatures of dust and do not have the resources to accomplish His will without help. He can always be counted upon to provide the resources needed to accomplish the missions on which we may be sent. I’m sure we have all experienced the abundant sufficiency of God’s grace in times of service or testing.

I’m reminded of Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” who was not one of the Apostles and appears for only a brief moment in Scripture. It seems he was a fairly ordinary man who had given himself to our extraordinary God. When the time of testing came, Stephen responded in a manner that pleased the Father and honored the Son, “⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:54-56)

I’m convinced that this remarkable grace extended to Stephen is also available to all of us who walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. If testing or opportunities for service comes our way we can always count on God’s grace to see us through it in a manner that pleases the Father and honors the Son.

In the meantime the Bible is very clear on one thing we should be doing:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!