Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. `1 John 4:4
Everyday we go out into the world. Every day we see a greater progression of evil that wasn't there the day before. It is if some crew was working through the darkened night to erect a new standard of low living and hopelessness. More and more these days we see sin lived or worn on people's faces and even on their clothes.
I see a lot of people wearing a new style of design that has become very popular in the artsy type world, the design of grunge. Some of this is kind of neat, but it tends to be drab and dirty and we as humans tend to like that too unfortunately. Then on top of the grunge is sort of a hairy twisted interleaving design of weeds, flowers, and vines. With that is usually written in some sort of goth darkened text words like "Sinful," "Afflicted," "Disturbed," etc. These three words seem to sum up a lot of what we are as humans. The tragic thing is those who wear it on their clothes are proud of it, and seek acceptance and giggles from others who wear them. Unbeknown to them they are wearing the state they are in.
It is so sad to see a world, where all the better they know is to revel in the makings of their own doom. They can't focus or do not want to focus on anything better as their hearts are turned against it. Oh, people want peace, they want joy, they covet security, but they feel it is out of their reach or they can't understand how it can be attained. So naturally they turn back to what they know. It takes the saved heart to spot this lack of hope. The Bible says that the things of God are foolish to the eyes of the world. We can see a better hope because we have been delivered.
So many times though we Christians feel the effects of "Sinful," "Afflicted" and "Disturbed." Each of us are in the world and we suffer the effects of being in the world. However, our difference is that we have deliverance, that we have the key to our lock and chains when they are put on us. Yet we don't always deal with these three states as we ought. How do we effectively combat these three without it becoming our lifestyle and we start wearing it?
Sinful
We are all born sinners, no exceptions. We carry sinful blood and we suffer the results. However, when Christ comes in to our lives there is another word to wear, "Redemption." The word means that we are bought back from the slave market of sin where we were kept. When we sin, we can easily get rid of its poison. Asking God in His abundant Grace to forgive us as we claim the Redemption through the blood of His Son on our behalf. The world can't claim something they don't have. Christ Jesus stands on our side. Light shines where there is darkness. This doesn't make us perfect people, but Redemption gives us a secure promise of being so in Eternity. Meanwhile here on Earth, sin, should have no permanent hold on us.
Afflicted,
There are many types of afflictions in the world. Physical infirmity is affliction. Emotional distress and anguish is affliction. Personal assault is affliction. But if we notice closely, the kind of affliction that everyone wears proudly is Spiritual. No one likes to be in bodily peril or the fear of death! But when it comes to spiritual matters, mankind pays little attention. Man is blind. He cannot see eternity before him. He thinks what I am talking about is just some rantings of a preacher. Man cannot see the edge of the precipice and that he will fall over permanently if there is no savior. This Affliction does not exist for the believer in Christ. Sometimes though we "afflict" ourselves with thoughts of hopelessness because we have forgotten or taken little time to study the love and attributes of Christ Jesus. We temporarily favor affliction of personal sin. We feel that we have gone beyond the eternal reach of God and thus we are "afflicted" with the uncertainty again of condemnation after we die. We give credit to Satan for this implanting when it is our own mistrust that grows the seeds. As Christians, our remedy is the Word of God. Study it, know it, believe it, trust it. God says no man can pluck you out of my hand (Jn 10:29). I will never forsake you He promises in Heb 13:5. Let not your hearts be troubled, He admonishes in Jn 14:1. So many other passages we can take comfort from. Don't let the ease of self guilt which never paid for a single sin afflict you into believing God is in the business of cutting off His own family.
Disturbed,
This word perfectly describes the human heart and mind. Sin disturbs. Sin twists and provokes evil that causes men and women to do things and say things we know cannot be good. There is no limit to human disturbance. People let their kids play games that kill people and think they have no bearing on behavior. Men and women watch TV and see a "normal" couple involved in all kinds of immoral things and they think its not affecting them. We are so disturbed as a people that near total desensitizing of our minds are the fruits of disturbance. You think the world is evil now, it is...but I think we know little of evil disturbance in the world until we really scrutinize the world of pre - flood Noah, or walk the streets of Gomorrah and keeping ourselves sexually un-accosted. The poison of the mind and heart left unchecked is an overwhelming despair until we look at Calvary.
If Jesus had not come, where would we be? Do you know that one Man's life changed the moral fabric of civilization even to this day? It is impossible that Christianity should flourish if it were a doctrine of mankind. Only God in His perfect love that is shed in the human heart can cause disturbance to turn into balance. Are you disturbed as a Christian today? No, not at the way the world is, that's disturbing yes, but by some force of evil that has laid hold on you?
Remember that God told John to write, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 Jn 4:4. We have no power over evil, but God is there to run to and to help in our need. Certainly the road back to the strong arms of Grace should never be blocked or obstructed, but a clear path in our lives.
Do these main words trouble you inwardly? They do all of us at times. Thank God we have a Savior and Friend to deliver us from the trappings of this world. Pray for those having no hope, that they would trade their shirts that bear these words, for a robe of Eternal Glory!
Father, thank You for deliverance of Sin, Affliction, Disturbance. We long to be totally delivered from this by being with You in Heaven one day. Help us Lord each one, to seek You and to share You with others who need You. In Your Name we ask this. Amen.
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