“At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” – Hebrews 12:26-27
What are the things that everyone in America puts their trust in? Their 401k. Their Pension. Their house. Their job.
I find it fascinating that the very things that are being shaken in today’s America are these very same things that most people – including many Christians – put their hope in. The Stock Market is wavering. Pensions are in danger of being unpaid. The housing market has already crashed and many think it might crash again. Jobs are scarce and unemployment is at an all-time high.
Could it be that God is shaking all those things that people put their faith in so that they might turn to Him? Perhaps the day might come when these things are not only shaken, but they may be completely taken away. What then? If you lost one of these things, what would it do to your life? Would you lose hope? Would your world come crashing down? Or would you trust completely in God as your source of hope and life?
The two weapons that the spirit of antichrist employs against the Church are persecution and deception. For most of the planet, the Church is undergoing intense persecution by hostile governments and opposing religious systems. In Pakistan, India, China, Africa and many other nations, the Church is under the gun. In America, the Church is overcome by comfort and subdued by a version of the gospel that promises blessing and comfort, with a little Jesus on the side. All the more reason, I should think, that God might want to shake those pillars which uphold this illusion of our comfort and self-sufficiency.
The Church under persecution is not being overwhelmed. She is growing in the face of hate. She is thriving wherever the cost of following Christ is high. But in America, the Church doesn’t seem to be quite so resilient against the enemies of comfort and deception. Perhaps we need to reevaluate our definitions of God’s blessing? Maybe the best thing that could ever happen to the Church in America would be to lose everything?
I can’t help but wonder.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." - – Hebrews 12:28-29
-kg
1 comment:
Africa is not a nation. Nigeria, Libya, Zimbabwe, DRC are all nations with intense situations. If you're going to name countries, don't throw in an amazingly multi-cultural continent and identify it as a nation as most ignorant Americans do!
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