Some of the headlines these days can be quite discouraging. The news media continues to propagate lies about the presidential candidates by attacking one and embellishing the other. The stock market is teetering on a meltdown. US debt is over $35 Trillion. Inflation is eating more hardy than families. Antisemitism is running wild. The world is on the brink of war. The Olympics is letting men beat up on women and giving them gold medals for it. You can see this is no time for the weak-hearted. It is no time for followers of Christ to disengage. It seems we have been doing that since the 1960s, and it hasn’t worked. Christ is the answer to this dark and dying world, and you are his vessel. Think about that.
You have a calling. And much bad doctrine has been taught about this. The Holy Scriptures say in Romans 8:28 “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” It’s not your purpose, but “HIS” purpose. Romans 11:29 says that “the gifts and calling of God are unchangeable.” So when people are saying that you have to find your calling, it is really understanding that you are called “not according to our works, but according to his own purpose (2 Timothy 1:9).” Christ is our example. He is the way the truth and the life. He showed us how to engage according to his purpose. It takes courage to conduct Christ’s purpose in this world, in this country today.
Psalm 31:24 says, “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all you that hope in the LORD.” As Christians, our hope is in the Lord. We are to be ever watching for his return. As Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” And Jesus promises in Matthew 10:22, “And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.” We, as Christians, are not to stand by and allow evil to advance just because we have read the end of the book and we win. We are to not be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good. The Lord says to be of good courage and that his gifts will never change–you are equipped.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” We are reminded that it isn’t easy in 2 Corinthians 4:8,9: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed…” Verse 6 tells us, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We should not fear man. Man cannot take our soul. So we need to take heart during these times. Have courage. Put on the full armor of God and speak boldly as we ought to speak. And having done all, stand.
