God Has Always Had a People

As relentless as I am to be optimistic, I know there will be plenty of opportunities to go rogue and get caught up in the whirlwinds of negativity that will, no doubt, get even more ferocious in 2020. After all, it’s a presidential election year, and, well, if you’ve paid any attention at all to the rancor and nausea-inducing negativity, you’ll know 2020 will not be for the faint of heart.

That’s why we must shift our mindsets and our thinking from falling prey to that darkness. Our true colors will be revealed this year. We’re going to witness just how Christian we really are. How kind. How compassionate. How courageous. How committed. How fervent we are in prayer and absolute certainty that God is in control. The real questions are “What kind of representatives of Christ are we?” How deep is our faith? How different is our voice than the mean-spirited voices that surround us and bombard us 24/7, if we let them?

The key to UNLOCKING the PLENTY in 2020 of God’s grace and love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.– the fruit of the Spirit -- is letting our lights shine so much brighter than the darkness that permeates the other side. It doesn’t take going to see a Star Wars movie to realize that we are in a constant battle of darkness (the dark side) and the light side.

The crazier (and darker) things get, the more clearly our light MUST shine. I sincerely believe God has always had a people – a people who represent Him as His non-compromising followers. There’s a shaking about to occur. I believe it’s going to be a time when God's people rise up with wisdom and insight and courage, and live above the political fray.

When I was writing this blog and typed the words “God has always had a people”, I remembered that was a line in the song, “The Church Triumphant” written by Bill and Gloria Gaither. I googled it. Just take a look at these words in the interlude. They nail it – nail the hand-writing on the wall of WHO we are and WHOSE we are:

"God has always had a people. Many a foolish conqueror has made the mistake of thinking that because he'd driven the Church of Jesus Christ out of sight, that he had stilled its voice and snuffed out its life, but God has always had a people. The powerful current of a river is not diminished because it is forced to flow underground. The purest water is the stream that bursts crystal clear into the sunlight after it has forced its way through solid rock. There are charlatans, who like Simon the magician sought to barter on the open market this power which cannot be bought or sold but God has always had a people; men who could not be bought and women who were beyond purchase. God has always had a people.There have been times of affluence and prosperity where the Church's message has been nearly diluted into oblivion by those who sought to make it socially attractive, re-organized and financially profitable. It's been gold plated, draped in purple and encrusted in jewels. It's been misrepresented, ridiculed, lauded and scorned. These followers of Jesus Christ have been, according to the whim of the times, elevated as sacred leaders and martyred as heretics. Yet through it all, there marches on this powerful army. God's chosen people who cannot be bought, flattered, murdered or stilled. On through the ages they march. This church, God's church is ALIVE and WELL.

And, yes, my friend and fellow believers in the Church and the Cross of Jesus Christ, let us STAND tall, knowing that we are on the LIGHT side – the Church Triumphant side -- and we know, based on the end of the book – WE WIN!

"You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame." Joel 2:26-27

Happy Days Are Here Again

My first mistake yesterday morning was to scroll through some of my newsfeeds and saw “renewed hostility and determination” between the donkeys and the elephants to win their political wars. I thought, "What sad days!" But that attitude changed: "Wait just a minute! I am a child of God and I know God is still in charge of it all! Suddenly, the words “Happy Days” flashed through my mind. I knew God was helping me “renew my mind”.

I remembered the lyrics of an old song: “Happy days are here again, the skies above are clear again, so, let's sing a song of cheer again, happy days are here again!” I traced down the song's origin and found that it was written in tribute to the Armistice of November 11, 1918, which was the agreement that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War 1.

Then that wonderful “Oh Happy Day” song, rang in my ears – a song that many artists recorded, and the movie “Sister Act”, made it popular again. It was even a crowd pleaser when our Masters IV Quartette belted it out.

In these times, it almost seems that those songs and endeavors for peace, love, and happiness are impossible. But, "nothing is impossible" with God. What’s going on in politics and our world doesn’t define our happiness. Those thoughts pale in contrast to those of us who rise to the 30,000 feet view that our Father has when He looks at us and this world. I found a “happy days” scripture for us in Psalm 144:15 “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” Because of the resurrection of Christ and the good news that we will live in peace and harmony forever with Him, should cause God’s people to be the happiest people on the face of the earth!

It is sad that there are a lot of unhappy, discouraged, miserable, and hopeless people in this world. But that should never describe God’s people. There is truly nothing to be discouraged about in this life if He is part of it! But that’s the key, Jesus has to have the lead role, the starring part and be our main focus!

Yes, things happen, problems come and go, as they always do, but there is nothing, in any of our lives that can’t be overcome with the Lord’s help. He is an overcoming, death-defying, grace giving, problem-solving, all forgiving, amazingly awesome good God! As Christians, we of all people should be happy about our lot in life. We should be ecstatic! We have been forgiven of all the sins, we have ever done or will do, only by the precious grace of Jesus that God sent to us oh so long ago.

It makes you wonder, why in the world aren’t more people able to get their hearts wrapped around this life-giving, life-changing message that Jesus has given to whosoever will believe? It was a message, that was so important for God to get to us, that He was willing to sacrifice and give up His one and only Son, so we could have it! I’m telling you today if you know, and I mean truly know the Son of God, you have a reason to be singing continuously, "Oh Happy Day....when Jesus washed my sins away!"