Have you noticed the tone of the Christians in this country of total freedom?
They drone on and on about politics, conservatism, and their own desires while fighting for their rights but embarrassed when the name of Christ is mentioned outside the church building.
Our country is full of cultural Christians who deny Christ through defying His Word to follow their traditions. They love their one-man pastor systems that have ruined intimacy with Christ and each other. They indulge in the pagan holidays, divorce, and remarry, as well as live in sin without marriage at the same and even higher rate the world does.
When one takes the time to list all the violations of God's Word most Christians indulge in, it is astonishing that they would even say they love the Word of God.
When we say we love the Word of God and we love Christ that means we seek Him with every breathe we take to obey Him. We confess when we have sinned and failed to live up to His Word and we express these things openly to others.
The American church is full of lies, pride, and resistance to the truth of God. They believe if they follow one or two things, even things they have twisted to fit their cultural desire, they count themselves as obeying the Bible.
When challenged to take a look at what they have been taught or what they have chosen to believe they exclude the person who challenged them. They mock and demean them even gossip against them in order to make them appear evil to others.
Proverbs 29:27
"An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked."
John 15:18
"If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first."
These rebellious "religious" people did the same things to Christ and the apostles that they do to us.
James 1:2-8 "2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Do not allow these responses to our desire to live for Christ to discourage you, rather let them strengthen you, build you up in the faith and keep you in the Word.
Matthew 10:21-22 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "
Yes, your entire family will be against you in many cases. Notice that we do not hear of the apostle's families as they served Christ. There are only rare occasions when a husband and wife work together in the cause of Christ, Pricilla and Aquila are of this sort, they were rare.
Timothy was taught by his grandmother and mother, where were his father and grandfather?
God gave us the Bible to encourage us that we would be alone a lot but that Christ would be enough. Those who are our families are those who love Jesus Christ. The ones who run hard after Him and desire to learn and grow in holiness are our mothers, fathers and brothers and sisters. Our family is immense, all over the world. These are the ones who will celebrate with us at the marriage supper of the Lamb one day. These are the ones whom we care about deeply and who care about us.
The life we live with Christ may seem lonely at times but the more we press into Him the less lonely we become. He is all we need if He is all we have. However, I am convinced that in these last days of apostasy we have been given the internet to bring us, fellowship, with others who love Him as much as we do.
Those who mock our interaction on the internet do not understand that we love our unseen brothers and sisters as much as if we were with them in the body. Just as Paul loved those he wrote letters to and missed.
Philippians 4:1-2 "1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.…"
1 Corinthians 16:13
"Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong."
Philippians 1:8
"God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus."
Never allow the voice of the devil in the mouths of superficial Christians to deter you from enjoying the fellowship of the internet believer. He would love nothing more than to ruin your time with them. Also, keep in mind that the internet is nothing more than letters as Paul wrote to believers to encourage them.
There is no real difference except the miracle of instant letters rather than taking months to arrive they are sent and received instantaneously. I believe this is an indication of how short the time is before our Savior takes us out. He is providing this way of communicating quickly because there isn't time to waste traveling for weeks and months with a letter.
May the Lord encourage each one of you as you muddle through this "ragingly insane" world while waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ in the air to take us out.
Hallelujah!
