It's Time We Take a Stand

1 Samuel 17: 32 - 36, Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." NKJV

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul warns us that perilous times will come in the last days. Guess what? They're here! We are seeing the end days with our own eyes, just as Paul described them. People want to know why things have grown worse so quickly in our society and in the world at large. Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 24. He tells us that in the final days before His return, deception and fear will be prevalent. In the book of Timothy, Paul confirms what Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 about the love of many waxing cold. 

When a believer or a believing nation allows their heart(s) to turn from God, and they begin to pursue the lusts of the flesh, it opens that person or nation up to fear. If we search the scriptures, we will learn what happens when God's people forget God and follow other gods (flesh). Fear and bondage will take over the people of God. Instead of fearing God, they will be afraid of what men think. Consequently, instead of speaking the truth and living by the truth written in God's Word, they will skirt the truth in order to please man rather than God.

We are living within a society that is filled with the works of man's flesh (Galatians 5). Instead of "Christians" being in love with Jesus, many, including leaders in the church have backed away from being so passionate about Christ and the truth. The more Christians back off from being salt and light in the world, the darker our world will become. It's time for Christians to stop running from God's presence and begin to run toward His throne of grace so that they can obtain mercy in their time of need.

What is the remedy for what is ailing our great land? It is to simply do what Jesus commanded us to do in the gospel of Matthew. He said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Christians must fast their carnal desires and form a hunger for true righteousness and holiness in their hearts. It will be a sacrifice of self. However, isn't our nation and the souls of mankind worth a little inconvenience? 

It's time we return to our "First-love," Jesus. We must, once again, lay our lives at His feet. Instead of running from truth or the confrontations that arise from standing for the truth, let us be like David. We can be encouraged by remembering the past battles that God has brought us victoriously through. It's time we stir up our faith by recalling all that Jesus has done for us and all that God has performed through us, His children. Let God arise in our generation and let His enemies be scattered.

Will You Take a Stand Today?
Pastor Asa Dockery