Now Choose Life

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #129m Re-Written 03NOV08 http://groups.msn.com/AHealingShelter/welcome.msnw

Gatekeepers—Part Thirteen: Now Choose Life

by rev dave c

Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction (Jos 7:11&12; NIV).

In the above verses from Joshua, God makes the source of the problem for the defeat of Israel quite clear: Disobedient obsession with the ways and treasures of the World blocks God’s willingness to bless and protect His people. If we are to witness the empowerment of the Church by the Holy Spirit, we as the Bride and Body of Christ must purify ourselves through repentance and we must once more take up the sword of righteousness against the un-Godly forces that surround us. When Jeremiah cries out in 48:10, "A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD's work! A curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed!" (NIV), we must understand that the “Lord’s work” here on earth is to destroy the work of the devil (1Jn 3:8). We must remember that the “sword” is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ep 6:17). And we must know that the only bloodshed that has made any real difference in the war between the flesh and the spirit is that spilled from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, upon the cross so that the way of salvation might be opened to all who will call upon His name (Ac 2:21).

Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. 2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves. 3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. 5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate (NIV). Although brief, Psalm 127 provides the potential for a lifetime of contemplative application. The good and the evil alike plan and work, plot and scheme to establish existence in some meaningful outworking of what it is be human. Like the Tower of Babel, however, all man’s effort is vainglory without the blessings of God as our Almighty Creator, our Faithful Sustainer, our Righteous Lord, and our Loving Savior. It is no different for the Church. We are today being put to shame as we contend with our enemies in the gate. No matter how positive our intentions, as long as we directly or indirectly support the wholesale slaughter of our children, how can the Lord bless and protect us or our nation? If we refuse to take a stand against the enemies of God at the gates of our church, our government, and our culture (2Ch 23:5&6)—who will?

The issues confronting the Church today are not a matter of “Religion and Politics”—they are a matter of “Faith and Righteousness.” While our denominational statements of faith (as neatly tucked within pretty tri-fold brochures) may still be based upon the foundation of Scripture, we have reached a point in much of the contemporary Church when “Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit” (Ro 15:17) and the “miraculous power of God” (1Co 4:20) have been replaced by good business practices as the driving force behind our increasingly “People, Programs, and Property” centered religions. If I hesitate to openly demonstrate the Gospel of Good News to old and young, rich and poor, the uneducated and doctors alike because I might turn off the people with whom I have purposely surrounded myself—if my “Outreach & Discipleship Program” discourages me from publicly speaking the plain truth in love about abortion, about homosexuality, and about Godly marriage because I might offend potential members—if my real goal in ministry is to “grow a big church”—then I am working with Aaron to cast the Golden Calf...I am following the ways of Balaam...I am dangerously close to clutching the purse strings with Judas.

Just as Moses exhorted the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:19&20, God is right now exhorting His Church: This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (NIV). Over the past century the Church, as the children of light, has surrendered over to darkness first inches, then feet, then yards, and now miles of territory that were once devoted to God and Godliness. For righteous change to occur we must be willing to seek unity in the Faith, to pray fervently, to live in obedience to God’s Word, and to make our voices heard in all matters and at all levels of government. Please, before you vote, prayerfully consider the real spiritual position of each candidate—no matter their political affiliation—as measured against the quality of life established in the Bible for all humanity, individually and collectively. Both national parties have become increasingly subject to the ways of the world as they sell out to special interest groups in their relentless drive for power. It is our decision as to whether or no this nation is to be returned to a God based society. Please let your voice be heard to proclaim that we will no longer tolerate a nation of death. Now is the time of decision and Jesus urges us to choose life, so that [we] and [our] children may live and that [we] may love the LORD [our] God. Amen.