Whatching the World Crumble from the Cleft of the Rock

Watching the World Crumble from the Cleft of the Rock

Barbara Henderson

If you had the opportunity to talk face to face with a liberal talk show host or radio host or even someone on a news channel who would it be?  But more important, what would you say to them?  You can’t curse them and tell them to die.  I mean what would you say that might convince them they are totally backwards in what they are calling good and what they are calling evil?  I would guess that our common ancestor Noah had that same thought in his mind continually.  Thankfully, Noah turned 7 people to the Lord, and they got on the ark of their own free will.  Then the flood came and took all the others away.

Anyway, back to the question.  What would you say if you had an opportunity to talk to someone who is an utterly despicable collectivist who hates America, hates God, and who hates anyone who did not vote for their candidate? I can think of a lot to say, and although I may be bashful with people I don’t know, I am not in the least shy about giving an opinion when I have a chance.  But, in this case, I think I would not worry about what to say.  I would just trust the Lord to give me the right words, because the words I have would probably not come out in any way, form, or fashion as something a Christian should say.  I would probably say something like,

‘Are you blind?’

‘How can you possibly be so stupid?’

‘Do you have any idea of how utterly evil you are?’

‘If you think Islam is a religion of peace then you are ignorant on purpose.’

And, I would not use a nice tone of voice.  The problem with that sort of comment is that it is just venting.  It isn’t constructive, and it won’t do any good.  It might start a fist fight, but that is all.

Short of a miracle, these people will not be turned.  I do remember that the Apostle Paul, the man also called Saul, the man who was there at the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr, was turned by direct intervention on the part of the Lord.  So, I know that some of the leftists elite might turn, most won’t.  Our job is to just speak out when we get the chance.  We probably won’t get a chance to speak to someone in the leftist elite, but you never know.  I guess stranger things have happened.

What is likely is that we will continue to hear lie after lie spoken as the truth, and the truth disparaged as a lie.  We are dealing with a delusional world. They have their conscience seared over.  When they see wrong such as women celebrating ripping unborn babies into pieces, they celebrate instead of even shedding one tear for the innocent life that was tortured to death.  God help us.

Here we sit in America watching all the world slowly fall to pieces.  In addition to the torture of Christians and terror attacks all over the world, we are seeing an attempted political take over by the leftists in politics, media, and Hollywood.  They are fighting and inciting others to fight with every breath they take.

As Christians, we need to remember that this world is not our home, and that our job description has not changed. We are to tell the truth that Jesus Christ alone is the way that leads to everlasting life.  Whether or not we use correct and eloquent grammar, or we have poor language skills makes no difference.  We speak it.  God uses it to enlighten whoever He wants whenever He wills.  Our job is to simply deliver the message.  It might get us in a lot of trouble, but that doesn’t change our duty to speak up.  If you wonder how the Christians being persecuted are facing the torture and execution, I say don’t worry about exactly how they are dmanaging it.  Do pray for the persecuted brothers and sisters.  But, as far as understanding how they do what they do under fire is impossible.  God gives grace when it is needed.  That is far as we can go in understanding.  It is like trying to understand how people get through it when a loved one dies.  They have grace that gets them through it.  It still hurts.  I can say from experience that it hurts a lot!  Looking back, most people don’t know how they got through it. God gives grace as needed. 

The word of the Lord gives us instructions on what to do in perilous times as well as times of peace.  Nothing is accomplished without the hand of God.  God works in the times of peace, unrest, and war.  Take Zechariah 4:6 to heart.  Zechariah had a night like no one ever had before.  He had visions all night long!  He asked the Lord how these things would come to pass.  His answer was:

 ‘Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’

Zechariah was asking the Lord about the visions he was receiving, and how all this would come to pass.  The Lord basically told Zechariah that the prophecies would not be filled by the power or might of a man, but through the Spirit of the Lord of hosts.  The Lord used Zerubbabel to accomplish His purposes, but everything was done by God and His heavenly armies. 

This is a specific prophecy.  However, we can apply this to our own lives when facing difficulties or in everyday life.  All accomplishments are by the power of the Lord.  Sometimes we work very hard toward a goal and achieve that goal. We are just the means the Lord used to get the job done.  It was His power.  So, don’t be outcome based in your thinking.  Of course do have a hoped for outcome in any endeavor, but ultimately all you can do is the best you can do. Be action based.  Do your job with the best of your ability in a consistent manner.  Exactly how it turns out is in the hands of the Lord.

Matthew 6:34 says,

‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Don’t waste your time worrying about tomorrow.  Just take care of what needs to be done today.  The future does look bleak from a worldly view point.  Christians are facing more persecution every day.  Working people are being taxed into poverty. Sedition against the government is mainstream.  Blah, blah, blah.  You already know what is going on.  The Bible tells us not to focus on tomorrow.  Just do your job today.  Whatever comes to pass, Christians are safe from hell.  There is a reunion at the throne of God for all believers. 

However, we do need a plan that includes getting our work done and if necessary self-defense.  We are not required to bury our heads in the sand and ignore trouble and danger.  We are just not supposed to worry about the outcome. 

Nehemiah chapter 4 gives a wonderful example of how extreme danger was handled while getting a very important job done.  The walls of Jerusalem were in ruin. That left the city defenseless in case of an armed invasion.  Nehemiah had a burden to rebuild the walls of the city.  The king gave Nehemiah permission to go to Jerusalem and build up the walls.  He gave him all the building materials that he needed.  So off he went to Jerusalem to get to work.  As usual, there were some who did not want to see the work of the Lord done.  They set up all sorts of roadblocks for Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem who had a mind to work.  The Jews rebuilding the walls worked and were ready to defend if necessary.  Please – read the entire chapter – or the entire book. Here are a few verses on how Nehemiah responded to the opposition and the danger they faced. Here is just a part of Nehemiah’s story.

   ‘ And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

¹⁶ And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

¹⁷ They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

¹⁸ For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

¹⁹ And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.

²⁰ In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

²¹ So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

²² Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.

²³ So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.’

Every man was armed. 

Every man was ready to defend. 

Every man worked.

So, if you have any doubts about national or personal defense, or the right to bear arms, look no farther than Nehemiah chapter 4 to see what the Bible says. 

An aside here is my opinion that in addition to the workmen being armed that the women, the disabled, the elderly, and those considered too young to work at rebuilding the walls were also armed to the level that weapons were available and they were physically able.

Something to think about is that what we are seeing in the world today is nothing new.  The devil and his followers have been fighting against God and His children since the beginning of time.  When reading the Bible we can see times of terrible turmoil and danger.  In these times the Lord either took His children through the turmoil, or took them out of it.  The Lord isn’t going to forsake us.  His power is still without limits.  Bible prophecy tells us about some things that are going to happen in the future.  It does not give us exact time lines, or personal prophecies concerning our own lives.  It does tell us everything we need to know to be saved and how to behave during our lives.  We are to be obedient to the commands given to us in the Bible.  The Bible is relevant to every age whether it is in line with what is considered socially acceptable or not.  It is still completely true.  And it is complete or sufficient.  We don’t need any new revelation or prophecies from the Lord.  We just need to read the Bible, and apply its teachings to personal actions. The cleft of the rock for believers in Jesus Christ is faith that our God is able to do far more than we even think or ask.  

The world may crumble politically, socially, and eventually physically, but Christians are eternally safe in Jesus Christ.  Just a little longer and our work will be done.