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Archived
Devotionals
January 25, 2021
It's Time to Turn The Page
Dear Friend,
American
Christians, it's time for us to turn the
page. Why? God has turned His. Let me
explain.
Since
Roe vs. Wade (1973) the American Church
has been calling its own plays and using
its own playbook. So shocked were we
with the national legalization of murder
(abortion) that we decided drastic
measures had to be taken.
We knew the old playbook - utter
dependence on God's Word (gospel) and
Spirit, and steadfast pursuance of
evangelism, teaching (discipleship), and
missions - but it didn't seem to be
working. It was just too slow. So we
turned to another.
We turned the page from God's methods of
changing society to another: aggressive
political activism. This new method, we
were sure, would lead us to the promised
land of a spiritually and morally
converted nation. And God let us go our
way. Why?
Sometimes that's the only way we learn
things. God points out His way, we
object and decline it, and then go our
own way - until the time comes when God,
in His great mercy, brings it all to
judgment, to turn us back to His way.
The Bible showcases this.
David wanted to bring the ark, God's
earthly throne, to Jerusalem, God's
beloved city. His heart was right. This
was a God-goal. But David transported
the ark on a cart, not by the holy poles
and carriers God clearly appointed in
His Word. Where did he get the idea? He
had seen the Philistines do it this way.
Everything
seemed to go fine for a while. Uzzah
drove the cart, the Levites played and
sang, and David rejoiced and danced. The
people were delighted, confident all was
well. They were doing God's will. Surely
He was pleased.
But He was not pleased. He never
approved of the Philistine cart but just
delayed showing His disapproval.
Finally, David's self-led caravan came
to Nacon's threshing floor - a place of
judgment, where good wheat kernels are
separated from bad chaff - and suddenly,
everything fell apart. The cart shook.
Uzzah touched the ark - something God's
Word solemnly forbade. Uzzah fell dead.
The people were shocked, silent, still.
Their misdirected parade halted. And
David, stunned and offended, began to
prayerfully ponder this national
conundrum.
Then God spoke to David, explaining what
had happened. David subsequently
informed the people that they had
attempted to do God's work in man's
ways. They had used Philistine methods
for a Hebrew work, natural means to
reach a spiritual end, a worldly MO to
achieve a heavenly goal. Summarizing
their sin, he said, "Because we sought
him not in the proper way" (1 Chronicles
15:13). How did they respond?
They didn't rebel, nor fall into
discouragement. Instead, they
immediately tried again to bring the ark
to Jerusalem. But this time, they did
everything God's way. The Levites
carried the ark, they used the gilded
poles, and no one touched the ark, all
as God's Torah mandated. God's reaction?
Pleased, He
blessed them. The ark arrived safely in
Jerusalem, God-honoring worship
followed, David danced with all his
might, the Levites sang praises, the
people rejoiced, and all was well. Why?
His will was done His way.
Fast-forward 3,000 years. For fifty
years now - since the advents of the
Moral Majority (1970s) and Christian
Coalition (1980s) - we've been trying to
use a Philistine cart - aggressive
political activism - to change the
spiritual and moral culture of our
nation. This was a good idea - but not a
God idea. We meant well, but all was not
well. We wanted to please God, but we
displeased Him. Why? We went about His
kingdom work in a way He could not
bless.
It all seemed to go so well for decades,
as we successfully elected leaders,
changed laws, appointed judges, and
improved policy. But our method was
never God's method. And now, with the
last conservative President's
administration crashing and burning, and
the rankest, morally deluded, biblically
illiterate, hate-filled neo-pagans
grasping complete power, many are
wondering, as David did when Uzzah
suddenly fell dead, "What's going on,
God? Why have You allowed this?"
Our politically driven parade was His
will - that is, that our nation be
converted - but it was not His way.
Jesus never preached a political message
nor strove for political power. Nor did
His apostles. Nor did the early church.
Nor did any of the great
Spirit-empowered revivalists down the
centuries. Please, research this for
yourself. Why did they not attempt to
use our political "cart"?
They knew God's old way was, and still
is, His only way. The Gospel,
the Holy Spirit, the teachings of
Christ, His compassionate signs and
wonders, the training of Christlike
Christians, committed intercessors -
these are God's ways to convince
cold-hearted unbelievers and transform
them into devotionally warm-hearted,
sold-out Christian disciples. "Not by
[human] might, nor by [human] power, but
by my Spirit," is still God's way to
build His church-temple. And it remains
valid in any time, any generation, any
nation.
God has waited patiently for decades,
letting us play this thing out our way.
But now our parade has suddenly halted
and our playbook failed. God has turned
the page and a new day is at hand. Now
He will awaken all true Christians and
turn us back to the old ways, the Bible
way, the Spirit-led, God-dependent,
Christlike way. The way the apostles and
early church changed their world and
countless revivalists changed their
cultures. And this time, the ark will
get to Jerusalem!
That is, we will accomplish God's goal.
Here, too, we need adjustment. God's
goal has never been political
control, but the changing of hearts
by the power of His Spirit and
Gospel across this land. Then
political changes follow naturally, but
never the other way around. Spiritual
renewal always precedes righteous
political change. Changed hearts change
their values, politics, and policies,
but dark hearts vote for dark agendas
every time!
So, God has turned His page. It's time
we turn ours. Let's get back to our real
mission: not nation building but church
building, Bride building, kingdom
building - one soul at a time. Like
David's peers, let's waste no time.
Let's
restart our ark parade today: living
Jesus' lifestyle and values,
evangelizing the lost, discipling the
saved, supporting missions, answering
God's call, exercising our spiritual
gifts, finishing the ministries God has
given us, and letting God change us
as we trust and obey Him in our labors,
tests, and sufferings for righteousness'
sake.
Then, together, let's watch Jesus change
hearts, lives, families, and regions all
over this land - till He comes.
Maranatha!
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Greg
Hinnant
Greg
Hinnant Ministries |
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