Clarity in a Changing World

I don't know about you but for me nothing beats clarity. Knowing where you stand.

The Lord doesn't work in shades of grey, with Him it is black and white.

Absolutes as opposed to ambiguity.

Just look at the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3. He told them that He would rather they were cold or hot but because they were a mixture of both ie. lukewarm, He said He would spew them out of His mouth.

John the Baptist worked in absolutes. No shady areas in his preaching. No misunderstanding the message. Matthew 3v1-12

The religious leaders came to see him at the River Jordan. He didn't wrap them up in cotton wool and soften the message. He saw through their hypocrisy.

They were like those who Paul described in 1 Timothy 3v5

Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away.

Pretty black and white would you say?

But what we have in the last days and in the perilous times that Paul detailed in 1 Timothy 3v1-9 is this highly deceptive mixture. Those who call themselves Christians, maybe even believers but it's all a show, it's not real, they are not genuine because they deny the need for the power of God in their lives.

A charade, something that looks the part but go below the surface and the true character is revealed.

The word "form" in the Greek is morphósis, (Strong's g3446) and means

form, outline, semblance, appearance.

Do you and I have just the appearance? Is it just a superficial semblance?

Is our experience based on religion, churchianity and tradition?

When our works are tested by fire to determine their true nature will they be found to be genuine, Christ centered and Christ ordained. Will they be found to be empowered by Him and glorifying to Him or will they be found to be rooted in self-ambition, self-effort and self glorification? 1 Corinthians 3v11-15.

What foundation is our life built on?

Are we the genuine article or just a cheap replica?

We are in the very last days and many in the church can't even see it. Having eyes they see not and having ears they hear not. Spiritual dullness. No spiritual perception because they have not built their lives on the right foundation.

A mixture. Wheat and tares. Matthew 13. Jesus said leave them until the harvest then they will be separated. I read recently that you can't tell the difference until they reach maturity and then something becomes apparent. The head of the wheat droops while the tares stand tall and proud.

One of things that differentiates the real from the fake - humility.

Im so glad that Jesus doesn't change. There is no shadow of turning with Him. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. No change Jehovah knows. I am the Lord, I change not therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Malachi 3v6.

People are so fickle and changeable. Sometimes you can do nothing wrong, other times you wonder what have I done?

That's why Jesus said in John 2v23-25

23¶Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.

24But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

25and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

He knew the heart and emotions of men were so changeable and unstable that He wasn't taken in by empty words, praise or adulation.

One time they loved Him, the next they were leaving Him. Even many of His disciples stopped walking with Him John 6v66.

I long for the day, that we will have the same love one for another, that was demonstrated by the early church.

Acts 2v44-47

44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,

45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

46¶So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the churchfn daily those who were being saved.

The Psalmist gave wise instruction in Psalm 146v3-5

3Do not put your trust in princes,

Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

4His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;

In that very day his plans perish.

5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,

Whose hope is in the LORD his God

We need one another but we need the Lord even more.

Let's put our confidence in Him and not man. He won't let us down. His loving-kindness and faithfulness is unwavering. Stability in an ever changing world. People are fickle, changeable and unreliable. The Lord most definitely is not!