If you have been serving the Lord for any amount of time you have already discovered that Christianity is no “walk in the park”. Whether we like it or not, we are in combat. In this conflict there is no such thing as a “neutral”. It is a battle to the finish and that is why Paul admonished Timothy to be valiant and “fight the good fight of faith”.

In Matthew 9:23-25, we are told about a ruler named Jairus whose daughter died. Jairus, a man of obvious faith, asked Jesus to bring his little girl back to life. When Jesus and his disciples got to the house they literally walked right into a noisy crowd of professional mourners playing their flutes, wailing, and making a huge commotion. Jesus ordered them to stop the raucous. He said, “The girl is not dead but asleep.” The faithless group laughed at him but Jesus would have none of it. He put the clamoring fools outside. Then he went to the girl, took her by the hand, and raised what had been deemed “dead” back to life.

As we press on in His name, laying hold of the eternal life to which we have been called, we will encounter many forms of spiritual antagonism. Let’s follow in the steps of our Master and “put out” all the voices that would undermine our faith in the One who has power to bring the dead back to life.

“When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.” Matthew 9:23-25

This morning was one of those rare occasions when I actually got a seat on the subway. As I sat on the bench and looked up I caught a glimpse of my own reflection on the window directly across me. It occurred to me that I’ve been riding this train for a long time now. The first time was when my grandfather brought me to my first day of second grade. I was 7 years old. Some thirty years later, I’m still on the same IRT line! That’s when it struck me: the same God who was watching over me then is the same God who is watching over me now.

In my minds eye I kind of reviewed my life story – almost as if from atop a panoramic view. I thought about all the places I’ve been, and all the places I shouldn’t have been. I thought about all my sins, and all the adulteries of my heart. I thought about all the ups and downs, all the failures, and all the breakthroughs. I thought about all the times I’ve wavered in unbelief, and all the times I’ve gotten up – only to lean on His grace. As I mulled it all over, I couldn’t help but ask, “God, what are you still doing here? You should have left me a long time ago.” What kind of God is this who – after everything, still insists on being loyal to me? A quiet trust filled my heart and mind. For reasons unbeknownst to me, this God, who has made me the object of His affection, will never stop loving me.

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

‎”The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to perceive the rapid moral decline in our society. From the redefinition of marriage, a sex-obsessed culture charmed by everything promiscuous and perverted, to government corruption, and corporations governed by recklessness and greed – we are in a free fall. The abortion industry commits unspeakable violence against the defenseless, murdering millions of innocent unborn souls. Evil is called good and good is called evil. All the meanwhile an impotent church is content to operate in the safe-zone of “good works” and ” political correctness”.

The temptation to lose heart and grow discouraged is great. I know I am not alone in my identification with Lot when Peter described him as being tormented in soul “over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard.” (2 Peter 2:8) What is vile is honored among us. What is evil freely flaunts itself and struts about. For many of us, the downward spiral is accelerating at such a rapid rate our heads are spinning.

How can we reverse this? What are we to do in the face of it? There is only one answer: We are to preach Christ crucified. Why? Because the “Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16) Nothing in the entire universe has the power to transform but the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This means that the Church will have to drop every crutch and empty herself of everything that reeks of the flesh and the earth. Christians will stand with fear and trembling – and like Paul, we will pray for the boldness to preach a “crucified Christ” to a hostile world.

Truth be told, I don’t have much confidence in my own ability to do this. I know myself too well. But, I take heart in the words of my Savior. “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Lately I have been meditating on Matthew 7:21-23.

It’s sobering that a so-called teacher or disciple of Christ can profess Christ and accomplish “mighty works” yet still be unknown to God. Jesus himself said that there will be people who preach, heal and do amazing things in his name yet on that final hour be shut out.

I’ve often wondered why God seemingly lends His approval to so-called “ministries” or meetings that are clearly operating in some falsehood.  These verses tell us that Jesus is not unaware.  I’m convinced that in His mercy He blesses in spite of not because of.

The Bible tells us that ‘delusion‘ of the highest form is possible in service to God.  Not only are we to be on guard against everything that does not line up with sound doctrine but as Paul admonished the Corinthians , “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day ‘many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do may mighty works in your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

“Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you, “ But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”  (Genesis 33:12-14)

In Genesis 33 Jacob returns to Canaan and is reunited with his estranged brother Esau. They had not seen each other for over 20 years. Jacob returns with obvious evidence of God’s blessings – flocks, herds, wives, children, etc. However, he’s also coming back with an injury. In Genesis 32:24 we are told, “And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.” Jacob survived the encounter but only after his hip was supernaturally ‘put out of joint’. As a consequence, Jacob would have a limp for the rest of his life.

Upon their reunion, Esau pleads with Jacob to return with him. Jacob declines. He tells his brother in essence, “You go on ahead. As for me, I can’t go any faster than the weak and the frail that are with me. “

In the kingdom of God there will always be people who for one reason or another, lag behind. They are weaker, slower, and frailer than the rest. Jacob’s injury brought him to a place of humility. Never again would he forge ahead in youthful pride and power. Instead he would limp alongside the weak and the feeble.