The Evangelical Titanic

 

Just like Jack Phillips, the radio operator on the Titanic, American evangelicals were busying over the calls or their political agenda, relaying messages with one other within their own cocoon.  Their political agenda all but drown out the essence of their spiritual calling to live a righteous life.

The siren call of political power and the lies of Satan make them not seeing the iniquity of their ways, preventing them to see God's signs and hear God's voice.  God had been sending messages to them - pandemic, economic breakdown, civil strives – to warn them that following Donald Trump would lead them to hit the iceberg.   Like Eli’s sons in 1 Samuel 2:12, evangelical leaders to the tune Jerry Falwell Jr. and Franklin Graham, drunk with the trapping of power, sex, and rebelliousness that they couldn’t hear God’s warning to veer from the course Donald Trump had set for them.   Their congregation members number in the tens of thousands and church coffers filled with money and mammon, there’s nothing they could do wrong.  They believe their churches are unsinkable like the Titanic.  The wage of their pride and sins is death, separation from God and end up in no good.

I am no Samuel , just a regular born-again church goer but a fervent disciple of Christ.  A year ago the voice of the Lord came upon me to warn my evangelical brethren the evil of their ways and of their worship of Donald Trump.   The Lord’s prompting had sustained me ever since and  I learned much on about the ways of my fellow evangelicals, especially over their past forty years.

Sensing openings presented by evangelical culture's self-righteousness, know-it-all, and false humility, the Prince of the Air Satan himself lured American evangelicals to the trapping of political authority and feast their un-ending quest for power.  Power upon power, madness upon madness, evangelicals have fallen away from the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and veering from God’s path that culminated their making Donald Trump as King Saul.  Evangelicals called him to be God’s Chosen, calling him King Cyrus and “broken vessel”, making excuses for Trump's evil ways and worship him like Baal.  For their blasphemy the Wrath of God is upon them.

For four years evangelicals fed the evils of Donald Trump,  encouraged him inflicting untold damages upon God’s country, doing multitude of un-Godly acts, building the Wall, separating children from mothers, depriving the poor and fete the rich, engaging lawlessness from the top down, and defiling God’s creation.  Like Gomer, evangelicals prostitute themselves with the Devil’s Apprentice.

Instead of seeing Jesus Christ, people see Evangelicals in the likeness of Donald Trump.  Evangelicals, both Protestants as well as Catholics, had become the bearers of Bad News and not Christ’s Good News. 

The Adversary had taken over their realms. In their blinkered eyes they cannot see the disapproval of God on their rebellious ways - impeachment, pandemic, economic breakdown, civil unrest.  Like Pharoah, with their cold stone hearts American evangelicals were incapable to see nor discern God’s signs.   Instead of realize God’s anger, they and their false teachers double down and fete their appetite for more power, four more years and beyond.  They think they will build their Tower of Babel and do what God does.  The judgment of God will be upon them and scatter them to four corners of the earth.

Evangelicals need to repent of their sins and transgression for the anger of the Lord is upon them.  Even in the inner sanctum of their being they sensed the evils of King Saul, evangelicals thru decades of pride and bad habit, embraced the grip of Satan and went the way of the Evil One.

The very first task evangelicals must do is to show the Lord they are discarding Donald Trump as their Savior.  By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit they could free themselves of the snares he and Satan set upon them.  And when they do, they show the world the power and glory of God.   Not doing so the face of Evangelicals could only exude the eerie glow of Satan himself.

Evangelicals must cry out for the help of Jesus Christ to let their eyes see the light.  They must disavow themselves the love of power and place their complete reliance on God and not on their iniquitous ways to achieve God’s plan on earth.  God is lovingly waiting for His prodigal sons coming back to Him.

 

The Servant Hears

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening. (Samuel 3:10)

Had the wireless radio been on, they would have known the Titanic was sinking. Cyril Evans, the radio operator of another ship, had tried to relay a message to Jack Phillips, the radio operator on the Titanic—letting him know they had encountered an ice field. But Phillips was busy relaying passengers’ messages and rudely told Evans to be quiet. So Evans reluctantly turned off his radio and went to bed. Ten minutes later, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Their distress signals went unanswered because no one was listening.

In 1 Samuel we read that the priests of Israel were corrupt and had lost their spiritual sight and hearing as the nation drifted into danger. “The word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions” (1 Samuel 3:1). Yet God wouldn’t give up on His people. He began to speak to a young boy named Samuel who was being raised in the priest’s household. Samuel’s name means “the Lord hears”—a memorial to God’s answering his mother’s prayer. But Samuel would need to learn how to hear God.

“Speak, for your servant is listening” (v. 10). It’s the servant who hears. May we also choose to listen to and obey what God has revealed in the Scriptures. Let’s submit our lives to Him and take the posture of humble servants—those who have their “radios” turned on.

By:  Glenn Packiam

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Today's Scripture

1 Samuel 3:1–10

Insight

In the early chapters of 1 Samuel, the author is adept at using contrast to highlight the difference between the sons of Eli and Samuel. First Samuel 2:12 notes that “Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord” and “they slept with the women who served” as worship attendants (v. 22). Samuel, on the other hand, “continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people” (v. 26). While Eli’s sons didn’t listen to their father’s rebuke (v. 25), Samuel’s response to the Lord was, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (3:10).

Reflect & Pray

Why is it vital for you to obey what God has revealed in Scripture? How can you stay “tuned in” to His voice?

Dear Jesus, thank You for being a speaking God. Thank You for the Scriptures that help me follow You in obedience. Speak, Your servant is listening.

https://odb.org/2020/08/31/the-servant-hears

Kind Correction

Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death. (James 5:20)

The early spring weather was refreshing and my traveling companion, my wife, couldn’t have been better. But the beauty of those moments together could have quickly morphed into tragedy if it weren’t for a red and white warning sign that informed me I was headed in the wrong direction. Because I hadn’t turned wide enough, I momentarily saw a “Do Not Enter” sign staring me in the face. I quickly adjusted, but shudder to think of the harm I could have brought to my wife, myself, and others if I’d ignored the sign that reminded me I was going the wrong way.

The closing words of James emphasize the importance of correction. Who among us hasn’t needed to be “brought back” by those who care for us from paths or actions, decisions or desires that could’ve been hurtful? Who knows what harm might have been done to ourselves or others had someone not courageously intervened at the right time.

James stresses the value of kind correction with these words, “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins” (5:20). Correction is an expression of God’s mercy. May our love and concern for the well-being of others compel us to speak and act in ways that He can use to “bring that person back” (v. 19).

By:  Arthur Jackson

Reflect & Pray

What risks or rewards are associated with helping a wanderer find his or her way back to where they belong? When did God use someone to bring you back from a not-so-good place?

Father, keep me from straying from Your truth and grant me courage to help bring back those who are wandering.

Today's Scripture

James 5:19–20

Insight

The book of James opens like many New Testament letters by identifying the author and the recipients (1:1). However, it lacks some personal details and characteristics often included in letters, such as a final greeting. Some scholars consider James to be a form of wisdom literature, but it’s more often described as a diatribe—a writing style intended to move readers to action. The author, James, likely the half-brother of Jesus, writes in an abrupt tone, getting straight to the point of his message. The end of his letter follows suit with a formal call to action—a call to the readers to bring believers who’ve sinned back to the truth (5:19–20). 

To further study, visit christianuniversity.org/nt315

https://odb.org/2020/08/02/kind-correction

Comment: The Battle Is Over

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The Battle’s Over. Really.

We were . . . buried with him. (Roman 6:4)

For twenty-nine years after World War II ended, Hiroo Onoda hid in the jungle, refusing to believe his country had surrendered. Japanese military leaders had dispatched Onoda to a remote island in the Philippines (Lubang) with orders to spy on the Allied forces. Long after a peace treaty had been signed and hostilities ceased, Onoda remained in the wilderness. In 1974, Onoda’s commanding officer traveled to the island to find him and convince him the war was over.

For three decades, Onoda lived a meager, isolated existence, because he refused to surrender—refused to believe the conflict was done. We can make a similar mistake. Paul proclaims the stunning truth that “all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3). On the cross, in a powerful, mysterious way, Jesus put to death Satan’s lies, death’s terror, and sin’s tenacious grip. Though we’re “dead to sin” and “alive to God” (v. 11), we often live as though evil still holds the power. We yield to temptation, succumbing to sin’s seduction. We listen to lies, failing to trust Jesus. But we don’t have to yield. We don’t have to live in a false narrative. By God’s grace we can embrace the true story of Christ’s victory.

While we’ll still wrestle with sin, liberation comes as we recognize that Jesus has already won the battle. May we live out that truth in His power.

By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray

How are you tempted to believe that death and sin still hold power over your life? Where can you see Christ’s victory already present in the world?

Jesus, I know You’ve won the battle over evil and darkness. Would You help me to live this out?

Today's Scripture

Romans 6:1–11

Insight

Paul’s question in Romans 6:1—“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase”—flows from his observation in the previous chapter that when sin increases, grace increases “all the more” (5:20). So Paul asks if grace is a license to sin. Not if we value being in the gracious care of Christ rather than in the custody and condemnation of the law (v. 21). Not when we see that what we lost in Adam now overflows in the life, love, peace, and hope that comes in the awareness of what it means to be united in and with Jesus (chs. 5–6).

Duet with Jesus

A Divine Duet

If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.
(John 15:5)

At a children’s music recital, I watched a teacher and student seat themselves in front of a piano. Before their duet began, the teacher leaned over and whispered some last-minute instructions. As music flowed from the instrument, I noticed that the student played a simple melody while the teacher’s accompaniment added depth and richness to the song. Near the end of the piece, the teacher nodded his approval.

Our life in Jesus is much more like a duet than a solo performance. Sometimes, though, I forget that He’s “sitting next to me,” and it’s only by His power and guidance that I can “play” at all. I try to hit all the right notes on my own—to obey God in my own strength, but this usually ends up seeming fake and hollow. I try to handle problems with my limited ability, but the result is often discord with others.

My Teacher’s presence makes all the difference. When I rely on Jesus to help me, I find my life is more honoring to God. I serve joyfully, love freely, and am amazed as God blesses my relationships. It’s like Jesus told His first disciples, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Each day we play a duet with our good Teacher—it’s His grace and power that carry the melody of our spiritual lives.

By:  Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Reflect & Pray

Why do you sometimes resist the help and encouragement God offers? How could reliance on Him change your outlook and your actions in certain situations?

Dear God, help me to remember that You’re with me in every moment. I welcome Your influence and instruction today. Thank You for Your nearness.

Today's Scripture

John 15:1–11

Insight

In the Old Testament, God’s people were described as “a vine from Egypt” that God carefully planted in the fertile land of Canaan (Psalm 80:8–11). God expected His people to produce “a crop of good grapes, but [they] yielded only bad fruit” (Isaiah 5:2; see also 27:2–4). In John 15, Jesus expects us to “be even more fruitful” and “bear much fruit” so that we can glorify God (John 15:2, 8). We’re to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) and “fruit in every good work” (Colossians 1:10). When sharing the gospel, “the fruit [we] harvest is people brought to eternal life” (John 4:36 nlt).

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