Powering UP America!

Key Scripture:  “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” 2 Timothy 3:1

Power Point:

     You already knew that didn’t you?  All you had to do was turn on the TV or read the newspapers recently and you could see what “perilous” looks like up close and personal.  The Greek word for “perilous” means "hard to do, hard to take, hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage." In these last few months we’ve had a bird’s eye view of all this, haven't we?

    Paul goes on to describe the “why”. He says, “Don’t be naïve. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust and allergic to God.” I thought it was important to include every word.

     Now that we know why, what are we supposed to do?  I was listening to a program this morning and the reporter quoted Martin Luther King.  He said,  "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” In another thought Dr. King said, “The church…is not the master or servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool."

     Edmund Burke said, “All that has to happen for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

     I think these times are a result of many times when good men have done nothing. Do you really think that God left the church here to ignore evil?  Do you think that He gave us unlimited power so that we could do nothing? He says in Hosea that His people perish for lack of knowledge. I think our greatest lack is in knowing how great His power is within us and dying when we don't use it. That’s when evil triumphs.

    In the parable of the talents, Jesus reprimanded the man who did nothing. He admonished the church of Laodicia because they did nothing. They were lukewarm. Anything could happen and they had no passion about it whether it was good or bad.

     Are the events of this past week in Newton Connecticut the result of our nation being lukewarm about God? What do you think? In 2 Timothy 3 Paul says these men who are so self-centered and not God-centered are denying His power and will never see it.

     His promises provide everything we will ever need in this life.  The power in us is above and beyond all that we can ask or think.  We are expected to let it work. We are expected to have a passion for what God has a passion for. We are not supposed to be lukewarm toward evil.  We are to press past the peril and fight on God’s side.

     When tragedy happens, the first question is “Where was God?” Really?  He’s right where we have allowed Him to stay, out of sight and out of mind. Out of the marketplace, out of our families, out of our government, and out of the picture. Does He want to show up? Oh yes. His heart is totally full of compassion for the people who have suffered things that would not have happened if He had been invited to participate in our lives. That goes for us personally as well as a nation.

     So what are YOU going to DO?  Will you be like Dr. King and spread love over the hate? Will you be like Jesus and shine light into the gross darkness? How can you help?  You have a computer.  Start writing letters wherever the Lord leads you to write them. Let your tongue become a mighty sword for righteousness. You have neighbors, invite them over to plan an attack on evil in your neighborhood through demonstrations of God's love. Be passionate about it. If you are passionate, they will catch your passion.

     If the church is the conscience of the state, we’re not doing a good job. How will YOU change that? You can, you know.
     Hosea 3:5 says, "They shall fear, tremble in awe  and be amazed at all My goodness in the latter days." We will be shaking in our boots at the Lord's goodness if we do what He tells us to do.

Powering UP Prayer:

Father, we’ve fallen out of rank in the army of God. We’ve mistakenly believed that only evil can move mountains and we are helpless. Become so intimately visible to us that the whole world will know You are the commander of the army of God. Rise Up, Father. Come Holy Spirit.  Jesus, we need You.

Be with those families who have experienced perilous, harsh, things, things too hard to imagine, and too hard to bear, and bring Your immeasurable comfort, grace and mercy.

Let Your Truth Keep Marching On!

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Power Thought:

“When you look at the inner workings of electrical things, you often see small and big wires, new and old, cheap and expensive, all lined up.  Until the current passes through them there will be no light. That wire is you and me.  The current is God.  We have the power to let the current pass through us, use us, produce the light of the world. Or we can refuse to be used and allow darkness to spread.”

Mother Theresa