Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8
It has been a painful week in our nation, our nation has grieved watching Nashville suffer from the attack of the enemy with a useless school shooting and in the political world we are watching firsthand the weaponization of the Justice system to silence the opposing political party with the indictment of President Trump. In the midst of destruction and pain, the devil would love nothing better than to get our eyes off Jesus and for us to get bogged down in the devastation. This tragedy was not an act of God. God gives life, but the devil destroys. John 10:10 “The thief comes to steal, and to kill and to destroy.” There are no words or acts of love, outside of God that can bring comfort and encouragement to the families and school that has been altered by this vicious attack of the devil. The people all over the United States of America are mourning with the precious people in the tragic loss of the three students and three teachers at the Christian School. Even in this tragedy, we see a heroic act of selflessness and sacrifice. One of the nine-year-old little girls who died in Monday’s shooting, saw the danger and without regard for her own life, she reached for the alarm that would alert the whole school of the danger and exposed herself to the gunman and it cost her life. She must have been an amazing little girl, she did not let fear or danger dictate her actions, but even until the end she was motivated by great love and concern for those around her. Last week we talked about John 15:13 “Greater love has no man than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” This precious child loved her friends deeply enough to try and save them in the face of danger. Perhaps this will bring comfort to her family in the days and weeks to come. I can only imagine what her Heavenly Father and Jesus her Savior thought about her act of love. The scriptures tell that when Stephen was stoned, he gazed into heaven and said, “Look I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” I wonder if this brave little girl got to see Jesus standing to welcome her into heaven like He did when Stephen was martyred.
Laying down our life for our friends does not always mean we have to physically die for them, sometimes it means putting our dreams and ambitions on hold while we fight for someone else’s dreams to come true. President Trump has stated for several years that the far-left side, the swamp, is not after him, but they are after our nation and he is standing in the way. President Trump is standing for our freedoms and for truth and it has cost him dearly. If President Trump would have just accepted the stolen elections and retired from the political scene, I do not believe they would have indicted him this week. Because he loves the United States of America and the people who live here, he refused to quit fighting. Because the swamp is afraid of the anointing of God on his life, they are doing everything they can think of to destroy him so he would not be able to serve as our President. I firmly believe that President Trump is God’s chosen man for the President of the United States of America, and God will restore him to his rightful place. God warns in Psalms 105:15 “Do not touch My anointed.” We must believe that when we seek God that He will heal our land, 1 Chronicles 7:14. We must be obedient and do what ever God asks us to do to bring His plan to pass. We cannot allow the things we see and hear to determine our beliefs. The bible teaches us, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7. Even though I believe Donald Trump is God’s anointed, and called to be our President we must be careful that we do not look to him to be our “savior.”
The Jews were under the oppressive hand of the Romans during the life of Jesus. Many of the Jews interpreted God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:16 “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”, to mean that someone from the lineage of David would always be the earthly King over Israel. The people were quick to usher Jesus in as their earthly king. Luke 19:38 “Then they brought him (the colt) to Jesus. And they threw their clothes on the colt and they sat Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then as He was drawing near the decent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” The Jewish people thought Jesus had come to be their earthly King and to set up a new kingdom that would overthrow their oppressors, the Roman Government. John 12:13 “They took branches of palm trees and went to meet Him, crying out, “Hosanna, blessed is He who come in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel.” The news of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead had spread and the people in Jerusalem believed that the long-awaited King of Israel would set up an earthly kingdom. Zechariah 9:9 promised, “Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold, your king is coming sitting on a colt.” They knew the promise prophesied in Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a savior is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” They underestimated the call and purpose of Jesus. Their vision was short sighted, and they could only see the natural realm. God’s vision was for all eternity and redemption for all mankind. They failed to understand Jesus came to save the world from sin and not set up an earthly kingdom that would fade away. Human nature wants to carry God on a platform, an earthly agenda. It was never God’s intent for an earthly platform to carry Him. In the old testament, He instructed the Priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant, His place of meeting with mankind, on their shoulders. David forgot that God was to be carried by the priests and when he went to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, he set the ark on a cart pulled with two oxen. One of the oxen stumbled and caused the Ark to start to fall, and when Uzzah reached out to steady the ark, God killed him. We are called to carry the presence of God, not a political platform. Revelations 1:5-6 “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His blood, and has made us kings and priests, to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever amen.” As we carry His presence, we have the assignment and authority to occupy this nation until He comes again. Jesus said in Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” The Message Bible words 1 Peter 5:8 “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The devil is poised to pounce and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You are not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s Christians all over the world.! So, keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering will not last forever. It won’t be long before the generous God who has great plans for us in Christ- eternal and glorious plans they are! - will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word, yes, He does.” If we remain faithful, God will establish us and help us fulfill the plans He has for our lives.
Just like the Jews, the Church is looking for the return of her King. In John 14 Jesus told His disciples He was Going to Heaven to prepare a place for them. Verse 3 “And if I go ,and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also. “ “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” 1Thessalonians 4:16-17. Jesus left the church with the mission of making disciples of all nations. We must love Jesus enough to lay down our lives to spread the good news of the gospel to a lost and dying world. Do you have the courage the little girl in Nashville had to sound the alarm to warn others of the danger of sin that is lurking all around? Will you lay down your life and fight for truth and freedom?