Inutility & REPAIR

 

What happens in the U.S.A., around the world and the United Nations we may, and we NEED to pray for, that it work together for GOOD for those who Love (Know) God and are called according to His purpose, that is for the church. Let us pray for those yet of the world that the church be revived and equipped to take in those to whom God’s chooses to reveal His Son Jesus.

 

inutility; figuratively transientness; morally depravity: - vanity.

My intuition is that U. S. American Christians will be revived. I have not always thought it possible. But I am almost sure the Lord said it is coming. I think it will be in response to the increase of perversity, violence, and tyranny in the nation. If we have a “liberal” president next year the persecutions will be enabled. If we have a “conservative” president next year the opposition to persecutions will be opposed by those who wish to continue persecutions.

 

It has been said that Americans are addicted to oil, to fuel for their vehicles. The rise and fall of oil prices seems to me to be tied in some way to our election cycle. I wonder how shadow governments, economics clubs and secret fraternities think and act to influence U. S. elections. I may sound paranoid and as a conspiracy theorist but we know that satan does exist to steal, kill and destroy whomever he can, and that Christians and Jews are at the top of his list. Those who do not know God in the Messiah Jesus are under the influence of satan and the deceit of satan which is sin. The rich and powerful whom many admire for their success are no more advantaged than the homeless. But to be sure they are more influential. It is believed by many that the United Nations is a satanically led institution. If satan can lead whore houses, can he not lead any human group not following Jesus?

 

Other crises in the economy, in diplomatic policy and military action, seem to be tied to them as well. It seems that oil prices drop in order to calm the middle class. Could it be that the 2007-8 housing bubble broke or was broken to provoke independents against the republicans? They seem to make policy decisions for getting out of war and troops home according to the need to win the votes of doves and independents.

 

Yet now we see the outgoing administration acting in ways that offend even liberal thinkers. The new mandates regarding public and private bathroom policy, the continued interference in private business practices and the persecutions of private and public expressions of Christian faith, all show satan’s hand and desire clearly. Will these troubles increase? I see nothing stopping them and only perhaps than a “conservative” administration may slow them down.

 

There is among some an awareness of how much of the visible church has become like the world. What seems to be forgotten is how much of the visible so-called church is truly apostate and has been for 100 years or more! Some believe the great apostasy (falling away) began in the 2^nd century! When the family of Jesus, that is the Jews, became the subject of persecutions by those who called themselves but the name of the Jewish Messiah, I can see the case made. Today (and it is not a new matter) the deity of Jesus and the virginity of His mother at His conception are denied in some so-called churchs and it is impossible to think that apostasy is not in full bloom. Where practicing  homosexuals are “ordained” as pastors it is difficult to think that God in Christ is consulted for any other matter. My prayer is that those who do hear Jesus’ voice will hear and discern apostasy where ever they encounter it, especially in “the pulpit.”

 

No one should want to be harmed or persecuted out of a desire to be seen or pitied. But if we really are Christians, if we really are growing and maturing in Christlikeness we will be persecuted. If we simply want to be godly we will be persecuted. But I fear if we want persecutions to validate our faith we are missing the point. We should want to be faithful and mature simply to please God our Father. That simply desire is the summation of His purpose for us, that we love Him with ALL our heart, mind, soul and strength. If we do we will be led by Him to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love one another as He loves us. It is somewhat a surprise that love is the very “thing” that satan hates! Yet we will remember that “God IS love and that love IS OF God.” It has been said that if we are not experiencing some amount of persecution (opposition to) our faith we need to see if we are in the faith. But again we ought not to seek opposition to validate our person. Persecution validates the Person of Christ in our midst. There is a humility of the Lord which we need to be respond to persecution without making “show trials” for ourselves.

 

Jesus did NOT defend His life. It was Father’s will that He suffer and die. Jesus persecutions were all entirely unjust. I fear some of what we see as persecution is actually chastening from God to humble us. All have sinned and while we who believe can anticipate persecution for our faith in God we need to ask: “Am I suffering as a Christian or as a sinner?” I think when we are willing to suffer as Christians and UNWILLING to suffer as sinners we will have moved toward revival. It cost Father and Jesus what we should never really want for our sons and daughters that we should have what was stripped from us by the deceit of satan and sin. What was stripped from us? It was LIFE. READ GENESIS Chapters 1 and 2. What did it cost Jesus and Father? It was LIFE. Jesus laid down His life, for His friends and to take away the sin of the world. READ JOHN Chapters 1 and 3. Jesus came to us knowing the all that would happen to Him. Yet…

 

Jesus came to us being sent to us by Father! In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus sought that the Father might find some other way to accomplish His will. Jesus who was and is human and divine did not want to die on a cross. NO ONE wants to be harmed bodily (or should not) let alone be beaten, scourged, and crucified. No one wants to be mocked as a liar, a blasphemer and an imposter. Jesus finally said to Father: “nevertheless not My will but Thine be done.” !!! And we are the recipient of the saving grace of God for everlasting LIFE accomplished in Jesus suffering, death and resurrection. No power on eatrth, no governmental, no economic, no social, no cultural or familial institution can give us THAT: EVERLASTING LIFE. If it cost me everything I want to submit to God and willingly allow that His will be done with me for THAT. In truth is does cost everything.

 

A famous singer once sang: “freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose.”  That lyric has haunted me for around 50 years. What have I to lose? I will die someday, and even sooner than many! At 67 the body sends signals that death is really something that is going to happen. And in dying I can take nothing to the grave or beyond the grave. Naked I came from my mother’s womb. I possessed nothing as I came. Naked I will return to God. I can take nothing with me. Not even the flesh, blood and bone God knit over my spirit. The unhappy shock we all must face is that none of us possesses life. We live in bodies that will die. What ever time we spend in them is subject to the particulars of each of our unique journeys. And every human journey is subject to the grace of God.

 

Solomon wrote “Vanity, vanity all is vanity,” and described in very certain terms the Uncertainty of human life! The book Ecclesiastes is a tour de force expose of man’s weakness. Mankind is run amuck and unable to govern the earth justly. The sinner is exalted, the holy are demeaned and cast aside. Ecc 10:7  I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on the earth. Yet God has not abandoned mankind as He justly might for the vanity man has embraced. Corruption and futility are other words for vanity, also inutility. When something we possess becomes inutil, that is: unusable, what do we do with it? We throw it away. Man, he or she, is born NAKED. The clothes we make and wear are not enough to adDRESS the problem of our nakedness. What we lack which makes us naked is LIFE everlasting. What stands in the way of our living forever? It is that we are corrupt, vain, and unusable in God’s Everlasting Kingdom. What makes us such? Sin makes us such.

 

Rom 3:23  for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God--

 

But God proves Himself greater even than many imagine as the One who really is Good and really Loves us.

 

Rom 5:6-10  For while we were still helpless, at the right time, the Messiah died on behalf of ungodly people.  (7)  Now it is a rare event when someone gives up his life even for the sake of somebody righteous, although possibly for a truly good person one might have the courage to die.  (8)  But God demonstrates his own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners.  (9)  Therefore, since we have now come to be considered righteous by means of his bloody sacrificial death, how much more will we be delivered through him from the anger of God's judgment!  (10)  For if we were reconciled with God through his Son's death when we were enemies, how much more will we be delivered by his life, now that we are reconciled!

 

Rom 6:23  For what one earns from sin is death; but eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from God, in union with the Messiah Jesus, our Lord.

 

Rom 8:19-21  The creation waits eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed;  (20)  for the creation was made subject to vanity — not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it. But it was given a reliable hope  (21)  that it too would be set free from its bondage to decay and would enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that God's children will have.

 

It is a SHOCK perhaps, but God did allow all mankind to be touched by vanity (corruption, futility, frustration). satan is the one who God permitted to be in Eden and to deceive Eve whereby Adam also sinned and the creation as a whole was universally subjected to that corrupt one satan. All mankind has been touched by the deceit of sin. All mankind has succumbed to the power of that deceit, ALL have sinned, ALL have become corrupt. God would be just in throwing everyone away as we have all become unusable in the corruption of sin. IN FACT it needs to be said that as God is the CREATOR of all man and all other things He is certainly powerful enough to do whatever He wills! Men may be called gods even by the scriptures, but men are not powerful like God.

 

Is it our knowing God’s power and our own corruptions that has us confused? Is this why we doubt God’s goodness and even deny He exists? I am sure this is true. But to be more than a beast man must have a more than beastly connection to his/her maker. We are certainly more than cattle or even sheep. We are able to do things animals cannot. The problem is that the many great things we are able to do are all touched to a greater or lesser degree by our corruptions. Our sins cause us to die. Our sins cause animals and plants to die. But I as a sinner am apt so easily put the blame for evil on anyone but myself! I cannot be at fault, surely I am clean! But if I am clean, then why are you not? And why are all your kinfolk not? So we gravitate toward blaming God for all evil.

 

How strange it is that God Himself is accountable for His creation, for mankind and for the future of all things! God never sinned. But He planned for the sin of satan, and the sins of all mankind! Sadly His plans are not appreciated as being His prerogatives because WE FAIL TO KNOW Him. And yet God even overcomes this according to His divine prerogative by REVEALING Himself to man. He has done this in many ways: by creation, by personal revelation, by history, by law, by prophecy, by Jesus, by His Spirit. God MADE us to KNOW Him. To borrow the words of and old song: “to know Him is to love Him.” Knowing God is being INTIMATE with God. It is His desire for every man and woman and for the church to be one in His  KNOWLEDGE and intimate Love.

 

Jesus said: 

“this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and (know) Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

 

In the Amplified Bible:

And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.  John 17:3

 

The apostle Paul wrote:

 

…what is known about God is plain to them (mankind), since God has made it plain to them. For ever since the creation of the universe his invisible qualities — both his eternal power and his divine nature — have been clearly seen, because they can be understood from what he has made. Therefore, they have no excuse; because, although they know who God is, they do not glorify him as God or thank him. On the contrary, they have become futile in their thinking; and their undiscerning hearts have become darkened. Claiming to be wise, they have become fools! (Romans 1:19-22)

 

… that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.] Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves]. AMPLIFIED BIBLE (Romans 1:19-22)

 

The creation is evidence that God exists. This evidence calls out to us that we should seek to know Him.

 

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. (Psa 19:1-6)

 

So too is the Law of God, and though man’s laws are corrupted, that they exist is evidence of man’s relationship to God as his/her Creator. Why has God, ALL mighty, ALL knowing and existing EVERYWHERE not banished evil from the earth? Could it be that if we would know Him we would do as He said do?

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psa 19:11-14)

 

Why do we refuse our Creator? Why do we who acknowledge our Creator still sin on occasion?

 

Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psa 19:12-14)

 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer 17:9-10)

 

God does want us to be holy and He is holy and to be perfect (functionally and maturely) as He is perfect. He sent Jesus to live the life we should all have lived: a sinless human life in a corrupt world. It is absolutely amazing, awesome and astonishing that God in the crucified Messiah takes responsibility for subjecting all the creation including mankind to corruption! Jesus takes away the sin of the world! How you ask? By receiving in Himself the just wrath of God that was due to all mankind for all their sins!

 

It was once (and may be still in some places) that parents were accountable for damages their sons and daughters caused others. If a child breaks the neighbor’s window, it is just that their dad pay for it to be replaced. We are God’s children, He created Adam and Eve. Adam is called a son of God. See Luke 3:38. Sin has broken us. It has broken us apart from our divine fellowship with God. God is sinless and cannot receive sinners into His Kingdom. BUT….

 

God made [Jesus] this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God's righteousness." (2Co 5:21)

 

For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. (2Co 5:21)

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jesus crucifixion is God’s way of making a human family acceptable for everlasting life and fellowship in His Kingdom and Universe. Why did God have to do it this way? Why did mankind have to suffer corruption? Why was Eve deceived? Why were they tempted? Although made in God’s image and likeness for everlasting life, man also serves another of God’s mysterious purposes. Jesus revealed that mystery to Paul who wrote:

[And] that the mystery (secret) was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct revelation, as I already briefly wrote you. When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. [This mystery] was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles (consecrated messengers) and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit. [It is this:] that the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs [with the Jews], members of the same body and joint partakers [sharing] in the same divine promise in Christ through [their acceptance of] the glad tidings (the Gospel). Of this [Gospel] I was made a minister according to the gift of God's free grace (undeserved favor) which was bestowed on me by the exercise (the working in all its effectiveness) of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God's consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out], Also to enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan [regarding the Gentiles and providing for the salvation of all men] of the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in [the mind of] God Who created all things by Christ Jesus. [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere. This is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in [the person of] Christ Jesus our Lord, In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear). (Eph 3:3-12)

 

I’m somewhat sure that this mystery of the gentiles was also for the Jews, but that the Jews had already entered into the mystery through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and finally Jesus. The gentiles are joined to the Messiah with the Jews already joined to Him. That is what a good part of the book of Romans describes. Through the Messiah the church of the Messiah is God’s final revelation of His “complicated, many-sided wisdom.”

 

God has revealed Himself so fully so that we might understand His “complicated, many-sided wisdom” and respond to His gracious invitation to receive the free gift of grace, everlasting life in the Messiah by simply trusting God that He can give it to us… that He desires passionately that we receive that gift from Him. We must believe that He is and that He can reward our belief with everlasting Life. It seems that we can never really understand the mystery and receive the gift until we come to a sure knowledge that God exists and has made us for the very purpose that we become “objects” of His love forever, but that sin has made that impossible until we receive Jesus as our deliverance from the deceitful power of sin and receive His sacrificial blood and death which forgive and take away all our sin (and guilt and shame).

 

The strange, ironic, enigmatic, and BLOODY DEATH (and resurrection) of Jesus have become to me the most loving, kind and responsible thing God ever did! God permitted the whole creation to be corrupt, to become UNUSABLE to Him, yet He did that with a plan and sure expectation of redeeming it for all who would not refuse Him, but seek Him and find Him. The creation will be again USABLE in incorruptible purity by the power of Him who was and is, and is to come: the Incorruptible Messiah Jesus!!! How does one say Thank You for being included in this Divine Plan? It will take “forever and a day!”

 

What happens in the U.S.A., around the world and the United Nations we may, and we NEED to pray for, that it work together for GOOD for those who Love (Know) God and are called according to His purpose, that is for the church. Let us pray for those yet of the world that the church be revived and equipped to take in those to whom God’s chooses to reveal His Son Jesus.