The times in which we live.
Posted by appolus on July 7, 2016
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luk 18:7-8)
True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who cannot lie. It is enough that God said it, and if that statement should contradict every one of the five senses and all the conclusions of logic as well, still the believer continues to believe. ” Let God be true and every man a liar.”(Rom 3:4), is the language of true faith. Heaven approves such faith because it rises above mere proofs and rests in the bosom of God.(A.W.Tozer)
We live in a day of science and knowledge. Technology has propelled man to dizzying heights. And right along with that has risen in the hearts of man unbelief. This is the age of self-righteousness. Now of course there has always been self-righteousness but this age uniquely belongs to it. Pride and haughtiness haunt every corner of the land. All around the world people of faith are hated like never before. And we are simply at the beginning of this age, this new order, these birth pangs. Now more than ever we must simply rest upon the character of the God that we know. No matter what is happening outside of our doors, no matter that the whole world is in moral free fall, we must stand upon the Word of God and let God be true. We must be at rest in the heart of God and have it settled in our minds that we shall be hated by all the world.
When the Lord comes back for His own will He find faith on the earth? Yes He will find a remnant of people whose faith has been tried in the crucible of afflictions. He will find a people purified by the fires of persecutions. He will find a people tried and tested in every aspect of who they are but who stand because they know who He is. In the end it will simply come down to believing God and His Word. So wherever you are brothers and sisters, stand fast in what you know to be true. Stand fast in the Word. Stand fast in the Lord, stand fast and let faith do its work. No matter what it costs you stand fast today. Stand fast and allow the Lord to take care of your tomorrows. Take no thought of it, for the Lord goes before us and the future belongs to Him. Know that as the days grow darker , for those of us who stand fast the light of Christ in us shall grow brighter. His Spirit will rise up in us and overflow. In the midst of the great spiritual drought we shall overflow our banks. In the midst of spiritual famine we shall sit down at a table prepared for us by the Lord Himself in the presence of our enemies. They will gnash their teeth and be stabbed in the heart as they see us eat and drink of the Lord freely. Some will sit down and join us as they witness this, most will rise up in anger with murder on their hearts.
Yet, no matter. They may take our way of life. They may take our positions in society. They may remove us from their institutions. They may ridicule us and condemn us with the unjust. They may turn our children against us. They may have their day, yet there is an eternity that stretches out before man. The man who lives for the day and is caught up in the current of the culture and is swept away by the tide of moral depravity and departure from truth is the man who will find that he has gained the world but has lost his soul. The saints who stand fast and willingly suffer loss in this world will find that all that they have lost is but nothing for they are found in Him and not only for a day or an age but for all eternity.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Heb 12:2-3)
A Call To The Remnant 
amongtheforgotten said
Tis so true. I marvel at how just about everyone thinks we are at the end of the age (and I agree), but more with you that we are at the beginning of this end of this age. Even now it is scarce to find even one or a few local souls entirely sold to be Jesus’ slave, desiring nothing more than to do His will whatever that might be or cost. What then of ten or twenty more years into the future?
I agree that true faith simply takes God at His Word, nothing else is necessary or required. We either believe God knows what is best and is looking out for us or we don’t, we either accept our circumstances as from Him or we look to blame the whole world and the devil himself for all that ails and assails us.
There really isn’t any such thing as a neutral position in our walk with the Lord. We are either progressing in Him or regressing in regard to our faith (trust) in Him, and that daily. I think Peter made this quite clear in 2 Peter chapter 1 where he contrasts those people who, based upon what God has done for them, practice their faith and as a result exhibit the character of Christ as a result…..and those who lack these qualities having forgotten God’s work on their behalf.
It is certainly not easy to continue on alone, the place many of us find ourselves in these days. The temptation is to think that as a result somehow are lives lack significance, that we really aren’t all that useful or productive in our Lord’s service. I have to reject these thoughts regularly and remind myself that what honors God is our willingness to trust Him regardless and obey what we know to be His will for our lives.
I make it a habit to pray regularly for things most Christians think are improbable or seem totally contrary to the realty of what we see with our eyes. But when I read of those New Testament saints in my Bible, I recognize that many of those promises made to them are also promises made to me. That if God says he is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us- then that’s exactly what I want to see happen, don’t you? How could I stop wanting to believe such? Or why would I want to look toward lesser things?
In the end, it doesn’t even matter if such a promise is fulfilled in my time here upon earth. What matters is that in the face of every possible trial, tribulation and what would seem contrary, I and you believe it anyway for He has spoken so. That is the faith that pleases Him, moves the mountain that stands in the way and ultimately glorifies our Lord. Let’s never stop short of believing that His kingdom really can be and will be someday, “as it is in heaven.”
appolus said
“There really isn’t any such thing as a neutral position in our walk with the Lord. We are either progressing in Him or regressing in regard to our faith (trust) in Him, and that daily.” Amen, I totally agree………………bro Frank
Lauren Van Nort said
Thank you so much for this today.
appolus said
You are welcome, I am glad that you were blessed……………bro Frank