When we think of the
“church,” we usually think of the place the Church goes to as a
group to
worship. However, that is merely a building, and not all those under the roof
of each respective building are the Church. The real Church is comprised of all
those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ to save them and then as a
result follow Him as their Lord; i.e. the true body of believers.
Almost every town/city in
America has a church on every street corner (so to speak). So why is this
country “going to hell in a handbasket” if that be the case?
· Why are our prisons bursting at the seams?
· Why are so many of our citizens and even our children
slaves to illegal drugs?
· Why have our moral standards of yesteryear “flown out
the window,” and we now crawl around in the sewers of a decadent society?
· Where have the men and women of character gone, those
whose word actually meant something?
· Why are we now inundated with those who are consumed
with greed?
· Why are our churches overrun with false teachings and
worldly influences?
You probably think I’m going
to place all the blame on a complacent Church, but I’m not. We are a lot of the
problem, no doubt, but we must ask ourselves, “What can I do as a Christian to
help?”
In my opinion, the damage has
been done. The storm has come and wreaked havoc. Let us not waste time on
cursing the storm, but seek out those who may be in the rubble.
Most don’t know it, but this
country, and the world for that matter, is heading for judgment. The end is
near and most are still dancing in the streets of oblivion. “So how can I make
a difference?” you say. Jude says in verse twenty-three, “And others save with
fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the
flesh.”
As the true Church, perhaps
we could save some by:
· First confessing our own sins before God. (1 John 1:9)
· Then determining to know our Savior intimately from the
Bible and prayer. (Matthew 11:29)
· Determining to abstain from any likeness of sin, (1
Thessalonians 5:22) and immediately confess when we fail. (1 John 1:9)
· Living as unto the Lord. (Romans 13:14)
· Submitting to God and resisting the devil. (James 4:7)
· Being an example to our own children. (Proverbs 22:6)
· Submitting spiritually to our own spouse. (Ephesians
5:21)
· Praying for others. (Ephesians 6:8)
· Behaving as a Christian on the job. (Colossians 3:22;
4:1)
· Asking God to show us His will for us. (John 16:24)
This is a start. The key is
to get our own life in order with God, and then live for Him as He desires. If
we would just allow the love of God to flow through us, others may be brought
into the Kingdom and snatched from the flames.
Jesus’ desire for His people
is to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” (Matthew
5:13-16) We are to be a lighthouse to the many lost ships on the sea of doom,
for many are doomed if they have no light to guide them to safety. Jesus Christ
is not just the only hope this world has as a whole, but also the only hope of
each person who inhabits this planet.
We usually think in terms of,
“How can I reach the whole world?” when all we need to do is be a lighthouse to
those around us. If each true Christian, wherever you live, would be a
lighthouse to our family, the people we work with, and our neighbors, we would
reach the whole world. They may not respond to Christ, but at least they will
have seen Jesus in us, in our lives. In addition to what they see in us, those
who will listen can hear the Gospel from our lips. It is entirely possible that
our living totally for Jesus will peak the curiosity of some to ask questions.
Sadly to say, as we have
already stated, the “church” is not much of a lighthouse in today’s world. The
true Church is being ridiculed more than ever primarily due to the false church
that has made itself so visible. Rest assured that Satan is behind this because
he knows his time is short. This knowledge makes our work for Christ that much
more urgent.
We know that Satan wants to
take as many with him to hell as possible. (1 Peter 5:8) We need to be
determined to take as many with us to Heaven as possible. He may drag many to
the bottom of the ocean floor of judgment, but if we are a lighthouse for
Christ, we can help guide others to safety in Jesus.
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
