“God is Still in Charge!”....the Wayfarer 1/13/16

“God is Still in Charge!”

1/13/16

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

(Genesis 8:22)

As men continue about their business, continue in their greed, continue in their hatred and contempt of each other and their contempt of God himself, God remains in charge of all that occurs throughout the entire universe and particularly the occurrences on this puny planet inhabited by a creation of His called man.

The very realization of the existence of God, and the power that He holds should be adequate incentive for men to seek Him out, and adhere to the things already planned by Him for them.

Too many have not actually come to that realization, claiming to have done so, but continuing to ignore all that is entailed by that actual coming to terms with their own insignificance in the scheme of that master plan, put into place and into execution from the beginning of time.

Forgotten also is the love of God for this otherwise insignificant creature that is so puffed up with its own devices and teachings that it denies those of that very God.

The esteem of mankind for himself is only overshadowed by his view of self-worth that allows him to forget that love, and his actual insignificance, the things of which he is incapable despite all the imaginations and inventions he thinks to have created on his own.

Nevertheless that value place on that creature remains; that love remains:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

(Matthew 10:29-31)

If then, we are so valued by the One so much greater than we are, or may ever be, why do we value each other so little?

Why do the separations among us continue to lead so many to place that self-worth in such esteem that the value of all of God’s creation, including, most especially, our fellow man, as to devalue and despise what is loved by God himself?

Paul, in his evangelism to the Gentiles reminded them, and us of the greatness of God, and of the equality of that love for all of his creation that is called mankind that so often is ignored by its own kind.

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation:”

(Acts 17:24-26)

God still is in charge, He still is the only one capable of giving life to any creature, whether admitted to or not by any science or “osophy”, “ism” or other teaching given by mankind, that would teach otherwise.

There is nothing we are capable of giving God that is not already his own, to include what he wants to have from each of us, the love created within us intended for Him and to be shared with each other, evidenced not only through the commandment left us by his Son, but evidenced through the very willingness to send that Son to teach mankind and be sacrificed to bring that love to him.

Mankind forgets Who is in charge, who controls all, to include the very places of habitation given them, attempting to seek their own ways to wealth by taking that habitation from those to whom it was given.

In answer to my own question, given in the opening as to why these things occur, forgotten too is mankind’s very reason for existence, and the means to find that purpose for which they are intended.

“That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, have our being; as certain of your own poets, have said, for we are also his offspring.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not t think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver or stone, graven by art and man’ device.”

(Acts 17:27:-29)

God is not a possession of man, or of a few men who think they have a monopoly on his blessings. We are instead His possession.

The things of this world held so precious by us, were made by Him. We value them far too much considering the value placed on us by Him. All the gold, silver or precious stones owned by any man or men, cannot grant life, cannot grant redemption, and cannot prepare us to face that All Mighty Creator, as each must do at the end of this insignificant existence.

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

(Acts 17:30 &31)

Judgment is coming for all. Repentance is required by ALL, Salvation and redemption are available to ALL, only if they are willing to accept that final gift given us by God: the promise of resurrection and eternal life that was given and proven through that resurrection of Christ Jesus.

“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said , We will hear thee again of this matter.”

(Acts 17:32)

The gospel has been preached and taught throughout the centuries since that resurrection that assures our own.

The teachings of Christ Jesus have been preached and taught throughout those same centuries, with much the same results that Paul encountered there on Mars’ Hill as he imparted to the teachable what was and is the Way, the Truth and the Life available, both then and now.

Mockers continue to mock, denying that message given by Christ while here through both his teachings and that simple message preached of redemption through repentance.

Many mock that message by presenting it to benefit them alone instead of showing the love and value of their fellow man that is demanded by that message.

They mock those who attempt to live that message, calling them fools for placing value on the things of God instead of the things of mankind.

They mock them for the very realization of the greatness of God, and that all blessings come only from God, and are not entitlements of the few, but intended to be shared with those having need more than those having wealth.

They mock them by the connivances to increase that wealth, intending only their own benefit never remembering that all blessings come from God, and that God holds each equally in HIS esteem despite man’s failure to have that same esteem for others of his kind.

Forgotten too is the requirement to earn each of those blessings, not to steal them from others.

This forgetfulness comes only because of this forgetfulness of God, His Son, and that equality intended for ALL willing to accept what has been given.

Others who do not mock, simply put off that acceptance, waiting to hear more about it, not having seen it put into action by those claiming to have accepted what Paul attempted to deliver to the Greeks that day.

There comes the time that hearing will be finished. Those who intentionally remain deaf to what has been given will find it far too late to listen any longer, having already heard that TRUTH and refusing to acknowledge that it is in fact that Truth. These will continue to search for the Way, so easily found, if only ears were opened, if only eyes perceived the fact that what they seek is not far from every one of us. In turn this will deny them the Life, the one eternal and everlasting Life also not far from any one of us willing to search out that Way, Truth and Life.

God remains in charge. His plan continues unaltered and unabased by any machination or teaching contrived by this lesser creature that thinks so much of itself.

Just as Paul set out to clarify that Truth, for the Gentile, so today the need remains for that same TRUTH to be taught and preached.

Just as Paul attempted to reach those reachable in the midst of those honoring false gods and idols and teach those teachable the TRUTH he himself found, it is the mission to continue that message to all willing to hear it today.

There is a statement that once was required to give witness on the stand in any court in our nation, to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.

That is the TRUTH required now to be given and evidenced by the lives of those proclaiming to profess that TRUTH.

Not the truth that is given in words that circumvent and justify teachings of man or organization, but the TRUTH of the WORD of my living God.

I give thanks for having found that truth, and the ability to continue to proclaim it. I give thanks for the redemption given through repentance that allows that TRUTH to be seen, by myself, and all others willing to hear and see that TRUTH.

I continue in that repentance for my own failures to achieve the perfection while in an imperfect body, continuing to strive ever more toward that perfection, while preaching that same TRUTH to all who will hear.

I pray that those reachable be reached, those teachable be taught, and that none choose willingly to become lost to that TRUTH, after having heard and seen it.

I remain that same simple sinner saved by grace through faith in that same TRUTH, that Same WAY, that same LIFE preached by Christ Jesus and with that love for those of my own kind demanded by Him.

I remain also that steadfast soldier, warrior in a world in denial of that TRUTH, enduring until that endurance is rewarded with that perfection given only through that WAY, TRUTH and LIFE I found so long ago.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer