Bible Christians speaking up for God don’t go too many days without someone challenging them on His existence. “What proof?” they ask. “Where is He?” they ask. “I see no evidence of God,” they say. Some people are mildly curious, but most are not; they’re simply smoke-screening. The same applies to the sneering, the cynical and the silly among them who take delight in speaking to us of God as, “Your imaginary friend.” We do meet the odd person, however, who is willing to hear our message because they don’t like the message of murderous religious tyrants, lying and deceiving political tyrants and bullying, politically correct tyrants. “Tell me more,” they say.
These people see evil seemingly triumphing – immorality, perversions, addictions, hatred, racism and terror etc, and their question is, “God, I believe You do exist, but where are You? Better still, Who are You?” They look at these loud-mouthed, money grabbing, prosperity gospel, name-it-and-claim-it, faith-healing charlatans in their mega churches or on TV and they think to themselves, “If these greedy clowns are the true representatives of Jesus Christ, then I don’t think Christianity is for me; I think I’d rather go to hell!” They look at their gullible followers flocking to get fleeced by these devils and they can’t believe what their eyes see or their ears hear. They are left repulsed and disgusted by it all.
Looking away from all of that, they decide to check out local churches. But after a few visits they know they have not encountered God. In one church they encounter a proud lesbian feminist calling herself “Reverend”, and in another they encounter a plastic-smiling, limp-wristed, effeminate male with the same title. Neither “Reverend” speaks much about God, but they do speak lots about the need to take made-made climate change seriously. Tolerance and acceptance for same-sex couples, same-sex marriage, interfaith prayer meetings are big issues in both too. “Fundamentalist” gets mentioned lots, but only as applied to Christians who claim the Bible to be their Final Authority on all matters. “Bigoted” and “Intolerant” go with that, of course.
That’s the reality for many people who as yet have not encountered God. Then there are those who have encountered God; they know He is Jesus Christ; they gave their lives to Him upon learning He is the forgiver of sins and Savior of souls, but they too are asking, “God, where are You?” Although not of the same character as that of rebellious King Zedekiah, they are asking his question, Is there any word from the Lord? Jeremiah 37:17. The problem being, however, there’s no prophet Jeremiah in their church to give answers. Islam, politics and political correctness have muzzled the mouths of those commissioned to speak the word of the Lord. They do “preach” using the Scriptures, but there’s no spiritual life in them; everybody sees it but the “preachers.”
Assurance of forgiveness and salvation is not the reason for their question, Is there any word from the Lord? The seeming triumph of the above mentioned evils is the reason. They see and hear of people losing their heads, people being blown up, people being slaughtered, people old and young opting for self-murder, people murdering born and unborn babies by the millions, people turning from right to wrong by the millions, people turning from bad to mad by the thousands, and fear overtakes them. They are convinced that politicians, academics and journalists have nothing to offer other than silly, meaningless rhetoric, but they are not convinced this applies to the God of the Bible. Surely not all are mouth-muzzled wimps, they think, of His preachers.
No praise God, not all. Anointed and spiritually alive men of God do exist. Men unmuzzled, boldly speaking against the message of tyrants can be found, even if only on You Tube, which is the current reality for some of us. Satan’s crowd don’t have it all to themselves; they never have and they never will! Those prostrating themselves before God, sincerely crying out, “God, where are You?” are being found by Him. God’s promise to the Babylonian captives is our promise, And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart Jeremiah 29:13. Jesus Christ is still seated on His Throne; He can never be shifted. No person, people or power will ever change that eternal reality.
That’s the word of the Lord for all who read this post today; Jesus Christ rules in spite of everything giving appearances to the contrary. Jesus has always ruled; even when they were slapping Him, spitting on Him, whipping Him and crucifying Him, Jesus ruled. If He’d wanted to, Jesus could have called for, more than twelve legions (thousands) of angels Matthew 26:53, to come to His aid and they would have gladly jumped to it quicker than a lightening flash! The tyrants of that day would not have known what struck them had they done so. One day those angels are going to jump to it; they’re going to grab all tyrants and drag them to stand before Jesus Christ for judgment. When He’s finished judging, the angels will throw them into the lake of fire.
Here’s another word from the Lord. Whilst anointed, spiritually alive men of God can be found on You Tube for those having no access to them elsewhere, God’s perfect will is for Christians to become the same – anointed and spiritually alive. To honor God’s will on this matter, doesn’t mean three years at Bible School is our next move, it simply means pick up the Bible and start reading it. God wants His people to be carriers of His word just like tyrants are carriers of Satan’s word. For that to happen effectively, the Word must go in before it can come out. The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart Romans 10:8. Tyrants are carriers of death, Christians are carriers of life. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who….. Proverbs 18:21.
Those people who as yet have not encountered God have not given up their search for Him. They have given up on phony “Reverends” and they don’t know who’s who on You Tube, but they will invite us to, “Tell me more,” if they perceive us as one who can tell them more. No matter what the evil concerning them, God has an answer for it. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted above the earth Psalm 46:10. That’s one encouraging answer. Proclaiming that under the anointing of the Holy Spirit will allay anyone’s concerns regarding any evil currently rampaging. So will, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest Matthew 11:28.
The word of the Lord is not the loudest but it is the strongest! The loudest word is always that of tyrants. They have to shout. Insecure, immoral, unethical, unprincipled manipulating and dominating people are never comfortable unless they’re shouting. Shouting is their security blanket! That’s why the Bible tells us, the devil walks about like a lion, seeking whom he may devour 1 Peter 5:8. The characteristics of shouters are his characteristics! On earth, Jesus raised His voice, but He didn’t shout; He didn’t need to shout. Jesus knew Who He was; He knew the strength of His word was limitless. Regardless of whether it came as a still small voice, a fire or a hammer, it contained strength to smash rocks!
The message of tyrants, regardless of which one, is no match for the message of Jesus Christ. But, it will continue to be more popular and influential than the message of the Lord, right on down to the end of this current age. And the fault for this lies squarely at the feet of mouth-muzzled wimps. Instead of smashing the tyrant’s message like rocks with the word of the Lord, they have cowered and allowed the tyrant’s message to smash them! Well guess what. When Jesus returns, He’s going to smash them as well. And, He’ll do that before he smashes the tyrants! Somebody says, “Where oh where is your love?” Let me show you where it is: Cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matthew 25:30.
Is there any word from the Lord? Yes. Mouth-muzzled wimps don’t represent true Christianity. They drive people away from the Bible, away from God, away from Jesus Christ, away from truth, away from heaven and into lies and into hell. Get away from them. There is always a word from the Lord provided we stick close to the Scriptures. That’s where He speaks, that’s where He teaches, that’s where He guides, that’s where He leads, that’s where He warns, that’s where He encourages, that’s where He heals, that’s where He builds our faith, that’s where He gives blessed assurance, that’s where all His promises are found. For all the promises of God in Him (Christ) are Yes, and in Him (Christ) Amen, to the glory of God through us 2 Corinthians 1:20.