In the uncertainty of these days, one wonders what might happen next.  Political theater has become the order of the day in Washington; major cities are being terrorized by anarchists while elected officials argue over defunding the rule of law (i.e. military and local law enforcement); gullible  people are buying into the lie that Socialism will work in America while it continues to destroy countries around the globe.  Unrest, fear and uncertainty hold entire communities captive while we wait to see which ideology wins out in the coming election and whether there are those in the ruling class capable of effecting our promised deliverance.

  In the midst of these chaotic times, the Lord has been teaching me through His Word, that those who accept His invitation to be adopted into His family by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, are never helpless, never at the mercy of man.  We belong to God; He is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omni-present (all places at once).  God, who insists that we call Him “Father,” has afforded us the wonderful privilege of coming into His presence at any time, day or night, to cast our cares upon Him in prayer. (1Peter 5:7)  He, being omnipotent, is capable of doing “exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)  Because He is omniscient, we can rest assured that He understands our plight and can guide us on the paths through troubled times. (Psalm 139:1-5)  Because He is omni-present, we will never be outside of the scope of His watchful eye (Psalm 139:7-12), never alone, never forsaken! (Hebrews 13:5)

  We are far from helpless.  We serve a God who cares.  As the song writer has said, “Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you; beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you.  God will take care of you, through every day, o’er all the way; he will take care of you, God will take care of you.”

  Care to join us?  Jesus Christ said,  “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)”

  It’s amazing how a couple of years can change one’s perspective on these witty lines. “You know you’re old when…

• you’re standing next to your car with your keys in hand, but can’t remember whether you’re going somewhere, or just got back.
• when you sit down to the breakfast table, and the snap, crackle, pop you hear isn’t your breakfast cereal.
• when you bend over to tie your shoes and ask yourself, “Is there anything else I need to do while I’m down here?”

 More and more I’m able to relate to the criteria that identifies me with the aged.  In my antiquity, I’ve discovered a more troubling You know you’re old when… saying. It goes like this: You know you’re old when the things you have always deemed sinful and unacceptable, are condoned, and even encouraged, among people who profess to know and love God.

  For instance, there was a time when homosexuality, divorce, abortion, premarital and extramarital relationships, morbid and inhumane entertainment, cheating, lying, cursing, lust, gluttony and other abuses of the body were considered unacceptable behaviors even among the general populace.  And  “Christians” in those days refused to dialog with the world about adjusting God’s perimeters for right.  Sadly, times have changed.

  Yes, I’m starting to feel my age; I have lived long enough to see what time and godlessness can do to a society bent on satisfying itself.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that I am worthy to “cast the first stone.”  Not one of us is better than the others.  All of us sinners are in desperate need of deliverance from sin.  I have good news!  The writer of Hebrews says of Jesus Christ, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)”

  America is engulfed in an age of self inflicted tragedy.  Police officers and Sheriff deputies are being killed in the streets, businesses and personal properties are being looted and burned to the ground, seniors are being sucker punched on busy sidewalks, and all in the name of peaceful protest.  We are a nation that boasts of the rule of law while some politicians and news media argue that the cause of this anarchy is just.

  As a nation, we exacerbate and perpetuate our problems by desensitizing our children to the awfulness of plunder, arson, rape, murder, etc. through media, music and video games.  Our education system, from preschool to graduate school, has long been becoming a social engineering movement for the advancement of Socialism, Marxism, Communism, Neo-Nazi, and more.

  Our nation, for the first time in its history, is being governed largely by a ruling class that is without moral restraint.  We pride ourselves for doing anything we want, anytime we want and anywhere we want—all under the guise of “human rights.”  Relativism has become the dominant moral philosophy of our time.  Right and wrong are determined by the individual on the fly, and what is wrong for him today, he may deem right tomorrow.

  How did we get here as a country?  Some blame slack gun control laws, chemical imbalance, psychosis, problematic childhood or racism.  Others simply point the finger of blame across the aisle of the capital building or across the street to the nearest counter protest group.  God has a different idea about who is to blame.  He says,“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)”

  The solution is quite simple; if you are willing to participate, here is where you need to start,  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”(Acts 16:31)  And then, follow the example of a king of old, “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,” (2 Chronicles 33:12)

  You may recall, as I do, the days when schools had hardwood floors, giant windows that were open for want of air conditioning, and cast iron radiators that would pop and crack on cold winter days to create a cozy warm atmosphere.  If your school was like mine, you might also recall that little speaker box on the wall that the principal used to make announcements from his office, and, as all mischievous students soon learned, to listen from his office to what was happening in the classroom while the teacher was away.  The ominous little box on the wall impressed us with the stark reality that we, the students, were never truly alone in the classroom. 

  Being alone is an interesting concept.  Under the right circumstances, it might be described as peaceful or private.  But at other times, to be alone might be considered threatening, and leave the single soul feeling abandoned or even tortured in solitary confinement.

  Conversely, never alone has both a bright and a dark side as well.  In the school room, the little box to which the principal’s ear was hard wired, offered comfort to some, but was a threat to others, depending upon what had been conjured up in our impressionable little minds that day.

  You might be interested to know that in the supernatural realm, the God of the universe is always near; we are never alone.  The Word of God says, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3).”

  In the case of the believer who is walking in the light of His Word, God’s ever presence is both a comfort and a blessing.  “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (Psalms 34:15).”   But let every rebel beware, “…the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. (1Peter 3:12).”

  God is Lord of every realm, both physical and spiritual, mental and emotional; He is always near, so rejoice …or should I say, beware!

  Finally a break in the weather!  Wasn’t it great to see the rains come and relieve the drought like conditions that plagued us during this unusually hot summer?  Isn’t it nice to have some less than 90º days to work in the yard or just enjoy the great outdoors?  Finally, it’s cooling off!  We know that seasons come and go on this terrestrial ball, and though everyone looks forward to his “favorite time of year,” most folks seem to enjoy the diversity of seasons as a satisfying spice of life.

  But there is another cooling off that seems pretty obvious to those of us who watch a different kind of thermometer.  After His resurrection, Jesus was on Earth for forty days.  During that period of time, He was seen by a number of people, each of which could give a clear testimony of the resurrection.  After He met with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, one of them remarked to the other, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32).”  They had what might be called “the fire of God” in their hearts.  This is another realm in which a change of season seems to be ushered in at present, but, would to God the temperatures would only rise.

  If you are a child of God, may I ask how that fire fares that God has kindled in your heart?  If you take a good look at those embers within, would you have to say that there is a cooling off taking place in that realm too?  Are the things of God, the ways of God and the Word of God becoming less important to you, as the things of the world, the ways of the world and the wisdom of the world vie for first place?

  Perhaps we should give serious consideration to how this spiritual cooling is affecting our nation, “One Nation Under God.”  Perhaps we should notice what effect our frigid hearts are having on the Church, the “Body of Christ.”  And most importantly, let’s consider the personal, spiritual detriment that comes from allowing God’s embers to be smothered with the waters of worldliness.  Perhaps it is time to fan the flames!!!