Tag Archives: faith and encouragement

How to Live in a Reprobate City

Posted on by Standard 22

Wait, can a city be reprobate? Or are only individuals given over by God to a reprobate mind…”given over” as a convicted prisoner is given over for sentencing? I believe that both assertions are true as individual corrupt minds promote and elect the leadership that will govern over them. Collectively, there is a ‘reprobate mind’, set against God, against His commandments – preparing to receive the “wages of sin”.

NYC’s flashpoints of sin are almost forgotten but not by God. The culmination of ‘Gay Pride’, landmark celebratory parades and festivities continue to resound and replicate around the globe. ‘Abortion up to delivery’, legislation effective January 2019, had to repeal several penal laws to allow the murder of viable babies even as they are pushing through the womb. This great victory was celebrated at the State Capital but most notably in NYC as elected officials clapped and cheered before cameras and the city was lit up in triumphant celebration for the world to see.

The Empire State Building, set aglow to celebrate this infanticide, was not struck by lightening. No tsunami washed over the city. Instead, I believe, God silently yet powerfully effected an abandonment of this city. He is still here, of course, and faithful to the brethren, but is allowing rebellious unrestrained expression bring about unrestrained consequences of sin. God has given us over to a reprobate mind.

A year after the murderous abortion celebration came ‘Bail Reform’ 2020, delighting ‘progressives’ and igniting freed detainees. The great lie of Satan, “you can sin and nothing will happen!” was planted in the NYC judicial system, just prior to, just in time for, the riots of George Floyd. Criminals are freed, instigated, and emboldened toward utter lawlessness while police, set upon and degraded, retire, quit and transfer in record numbers.

Crime and lawlessness rule once again in this city but with great difference – it is facilitated by the leadership. In fact, according to the newly elected Manhattan District Attorney, crime is no longer crime in this city.

“Bragg has sparked a firestorm after announcing that his office will no longer prosecute a variety of crimes, from resisting arrest to drug dealing. He has also laid out a plan that lowers the type of crimes that armed robbers, for example, can be charged with by reducing the charges to lesser counts. What has been considered felonies would be cut to misdemeanors, which would often mean no jail time for offenders.” (from Fox News report, 1/12/2022)

One need not be a retired law enforcement to conclude that consequences are powerful influencers of behavioral change. However, after supervising felony offenders for nearly 30 years I must say that no other factor affects decisions more than considering sure and exact consequences. Hollow threats are laughable but real consequences, punishment for crimes, can stir rational thinking and change behavior.

How is one to live for Christ in a ‘reprobate city’? Are we to live in a reprobate city?

The answer to the latter is, of course, and surely, what springs forth from the cities will cast seeds into the nation. The apostle Peter exhorts us, “prepare your minds for action”, having our mindset toward holiness and unto the Lord. If we walk aright before the Lord, we can know the confidence and power of walking in His favor and faithfulness wherever He calls us to live.

The greatest temptation for those striving to live a righteous life is to fight against the ‘unrighteous’, to hammer shameless leaders and their supporters. However passionate and logical, it is not God’s way.

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness…” Fighting a political party is easier, even rewarding to the flesh. But as Lloyd Martyn-Jones expounds in The Christian Warfare,

“The term “world rulers”…is a very powerful word which conjures up the notion of power to govern and to rule the whole world.”

Martyn-Jones also states in this captivating book,

“There are unseen “rulers” who are manipulating world affairs…”

“They are manipulating the Press and all other such agencies…”

“There is nothing more monstrous than that people should joke about the devil…”

So how to live for Christ when the heart of the city is reprobate and the majority celebrate it?

While the whole world lies in darkness and is ripening to receive the antichrist, as believers (I remind myself!) we’re not called to fight fallen man. They are already under the wrath of God, should we defeat them to preserve ‘our way of life’ which is destined to conform to the antichrist? Surely this is a devilish snare set to derail us from the high call of God.

“You are the light of the world” proclaimed Jesus about His followers. I pray to be a light in this dark world, obedient to Him, available to Him, humbled under His word. My flesh would rather fight but my heart knows it’s all futile and worse, what purposes of God will I miss by following carnal fervor?

I believe God has us living amongst reprobate minds for two reasons. One, to draw nearer to Him through prayer and His word, becoming more dependent upon the Him and ultimately to conform to the image of His Son. Secondly, there are people in the darkness, those whom the Lord would call out. Representing Him in the short time we have left in this world, may God reveal them, enable us to minister to them, counsel them in the truth and draw them into the Kingdom of God.

May the Lord embolden and brighten His life and light in us, order our steps, and call His sheep from within the ‘reprobate city’ – wherever it is.

The Bad Thing About a Good Life

Posted on by Standard 33

American believers have, for the most part, enjoyed a ‘good life’ where the fruits of freedom to worship, work, plan and save grounded us in ‘One Nation Under God’.  The ‘good life’, often entangled in this world, gave birth to ungodly prosperity ministries and carnal churches.  However, the bad thing about a good life in an ungodly world is the inevitable upheaval of misplanted roots.  Since, “…Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin...” and “…the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”  this is not the place to invest our heart and trust.

Americans and believers alike are alarmed by the powerful forays that are, through destruction, forcing change.  A country that was built and cultivated over hundreds of years is seemingly toppling before our eyes.  But it was toppling all along….

removing 10 commandments

The Ten Commandments,  ordered removed by Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2015, under cover of night to avoid controversy

We lost all fear of ‘controversy with God.’  What was sanctioned in secret has come to utter fruition in the daylight – toppled statues, ruined icons, wanton cultural destruction.

‘Successful’ Christians are now scrambling to secure their lives here, especially with the growing threat of socialism… “Should I cash in my 401K?…Put my money in a safe?…But will there be a ‘cashless society’?…Should we buy property?”

Self-preservation is the most natural instinct within us – who doesn’t want to live and preserve a good life?  The only problem facing the believer though is the prevailing word of God that exhorts us to “pick up our cross” and follow Christ, “to live is Christ and to die is gain”, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” This call of separation unto God is an ongoing call from Genesis to Revelation, as is the rebuke against ‘friendship with the world’ and its entanglements.

I challenge myself in this:  maybe God is calling us to set our hearts upon and actually live according to His word,

“…godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that….take hold of the life that is truly life.“  (I Timothy 6 excerpts)

These social, political, and moral upheavals pose great challenges for believers but also great opportunities to live out our faith as God intends – to believe and stand on His word, to express the glory and faithfulness of God, to be content…strengthening our hearts with the reality of Christ’s promised and soon return.

Believers are called out in every time and place of world history and with that call comes the power of God to live out our faith and fulfill His purposes for our short time here.

Lord, help us walk in and live through Your word in greater measure, proclaiming Your truth and faithfulness as this dark world readies for Judgment Day. 

Good Things From Closed Churches

Posted on by Standard 30

church-closed

The ongoing hoopla about closed churches during a national pandemic is, ironically, nearly ungodly.  Protesting government officials, threatening lawsuits, and wasting money and energy point to a self serving faith, not selfless faith.  Is it really God’s call to rebel when our resources should go to serve?  Many churches, run on a business model, have their own bottom line motivation.   Closed churches though, can serve to refine and grow our faith more than ever.

Firstly, separating ourselves from the social gathering of others, the planned format of worship and social chatter can clarify our foundation of faith.  Do we find our spiritual fulfillment in our social gathering, singing, and sermons or does church serve to embellish the intimacy we have already with the Lord?  Do we have intimacy with our Savior, as a Bride to her Bridegroom?

Intimacy is measured in private, not corporate settings.  Closed churches should lead to open prayer closets – that’s where our true spiritual life and growth take place.

Secondly, our gatherings are not squelched due to oppression or persecution but for a global health crisis.  When life drastically changes, shouldn’t we then beseech God for His change in agenda?  If sovereign God shuts down normalcy, shouldn’t our hearts be shaken toward Him and His word?  God is speaking into hearts during this pandemic with a call to press into His word.   We need to hear Him speak to us without a choir, pulpit, coffee hour or book table because thirdly….

all those things may be gone.  One day we may have to stand alone and know what we stand for.  Pandemics, crisis, wars, calamities…birth pains…do we know the scriptures well enough and understand eschatology – the study of the end times – to gauge our life in this crucial ticking clock?

The Apostles’ message of salvation did not go forth without proclaiming the truth of Christ’s return.  That anticipation is the framework from which Christian life was grounded.  Today, however,  everyone wants to ‘be saved’ by ‘praying a prayer’ but few understand the deep reality from what they are saved!  We are saved from the coming wrath of God, an unpopular and nearly forgotten truth.

The Body of Christ has a joy not found in happy-clappy songs, motivational sermons, or social group activities.  Perhaps there’s a place for them but our joy must transcend anything and any relationship in this temporal world.  If the Bible is true and it is, worse days are coming.  Covid-19 is merely a test run for what the word of God proclaims prior to Christ’s return.

With the pandemic of apostasy, closed churches may be God’s hand in drawing us alone to Him for His counsel, His healing, His leadership and His revelation of where we stand as His Bride.  After the Lord’s sacrifice for our sin, His call for His people is to be ready, be alert, and be watchful,  with lamps filled with oil, anticipating the Bridegroom…

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory unto Him!  For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready…”  (Rev 19:7)

The world may shut down but heaven will not.  I pray that we as a people press in, find our sanctuary at home with the Holy Spirit, and hear what the scriptures proclaim about our day, our calamity, and His return and His call upon us.

“He who endures to the end will be saved.”  (Matthew 24:13)

Maranatha!