Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, forevermore.
Psalm 93:5
I want to write a funny, or an endearing, or a happy post today. I feel that as I have gone through the Psalms my thoughts have been pensive and sometimes heavy. And yet today my heart is grieved for much of what I see in Christendom.
If you've ever read "Peanuts" you know what comes next in this cartoon. Lucy DOES NOT hold the football and makes a fool out of Charlie Brown. SHE CANNOT BE TRUSTED!
Those who call themselves by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ have a command to, "be holy, as I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16 and numerous old testament passages) The psalmist confessed that the Lord's decrees are trustworthy. Holiness befits His house. Now, if God is our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, and the Holy Spirit our indwelling Advocate, then what should others be able to see when they look at us? WHAT WE SAY AND DO SHOULD BE TRUSTWORTHY, AND HOLINESS SHOULD BEFIT OUR TEMPORAL DWELLINGS.
But alas, what I see more than not are those who call themselves "Christian" but speak with a lying tongue and deal in unholy actions. It is difficult to put one's trust in so-called believers anymore. How can one know who is truly exhibiting a life of holiness? When can one trust a "brother" to say what he means and do what he says? How do we gauge what is true from what is a lie? Do we hire a detective every time we meet a person of "faith?" Or do we just quit dealing in any way with someone who supposedly is of like mind, hire or deal with those whom we don't know we can trust, and expect the worse from them? At least the disappointment of seeing another "Christian" go down the drain will be abated.
There are a couple of men from a non-Christian country who have been visiting our church regularly for the past several months. So much of what we have studied is what we should do as believers but often don't. But the sad thing is that these men are of a religion that demands those things by law, and therefore, they do them. And yet they don't know our Savior! How can we expect revival in America when ethics, honesty, and trustworthiness is just as non-existent with Christians as it is with unbelievers? How may we expect to see the lost come to faith in a Lord that they don't see active in the lives of those who claim Him?
I believe that until there is a distinct separation between those who truly know and love the Lord Jesus Christ and His directives through His Holy Word, we will NOT see revival in America, or see the lost saved, or be able to trust the word that comes out of the mouths of individuals.
As I have grown older, I have learned the hard way that the only One who may be fully trusted is the Lord Himself. He is trustworthy, and He is holy. I am eternally grateful for the very few men and women in my life whom I believe are so dedicated to the Lord that they are above reproach. For the rest, I am praying....
Grieved,
Gloria
2 comments:
Such a thought-provoking post! So often when I'm discouraged and frustrated with all the ungodliness I see in this country, I begin to pray about it and am quickly reminded that there is sin in my own heart (one of God's own people!) that needs to be weeded out. I am reminded of the verse, 'If MY PEOPLE, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.' God calls for US, Christ followers, HIS OWN PEOPLE, to repent of our sin. I sometimes wonder why God puts up with us, but am comforted by the Old Testament account of whiners in the Wilderness, they were faithless, but God continued to be faithful and calling them to repentance. (Sorry this got so long. It seems to be a perpetual problem with me.)
this is a happy post?
its a reminder that people WILL disappoint but God NEVER will.
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