Situations are developing in our world that will negatively affect our lives. Those situations are not visible to those who live in an illusion. We tend to think our generation will somehow be immune from history repeating itself. We suspend the reality and repeatability of history and then make life and death decisions based on fantasies.
This propensity to believe in a generational immunity becomes even more entrenched when we assign religious language to what we see taking place hoping it will go away so we can go back to living in the bubble of our illusion. That dismissive language is created, not from a biblical understanding of history and human nature, but from the limitations of human reasoning and the influencers who desire to steer entire people groups, including the Church, toward a place of captivity and control. To those living in these illusions, such talk is upsetting and dismissed as quickly as they dismiss the possibilities of history repeating itself in their generation.
At all times, but especially in times when a deeper traction toward deception is taking place, the only safe place where true freedom exists in is the presence of Jesus Christ. While there are some practical hedges we can build against what might be coming, all those preparations can be lost in a moment of time under the right circumstances. It is in that moment of loss all our illusions finally disappear, and we are left alone with the Lord as our only faithful source. If we knew that truth and planned for it before history took a dark turn, would we not be better prepared to live without fear no matter what comes down the path of life somewhere in the future?
We need to wisely invest and plan our lives from the bottom up. The starting point of that bottom-up planning begins with our relationship with the Lord and second, with the relationship we have within our immediate circle of fellowship. If those two foundational parts of our lives are secure and in place, we can endure the loss of anything, even those things we let remain in our illusions without challenging their validity.
An organizational change leader once remarked that when employees feel secure with their fellow workers and the company’s leadership, they can take bold steps to lead change in new directions. Similarly, we are told that when our faith is “rooted and grounded in love” we can grow up into Him. Growth seems normal for prepubescent children as it is mostly getting bigger. But puberty disrupts everything, changing how we think and feel, what we want, and our bodies change in dramatic ways as well. Our past experience does not prepare us for this, and the future is uncertain and can be scary or exciting.
May we “bottoms up” reaffirm our security in the Love of the Lord and a few close family members, and walk boldly into the uncertain future that awaits our leadership and courage.
Timely words, Garris!
We were talking about current events and preparing our families with someone recently and they suddenly just disengaged and walked into another room. The fear of historical patterns was so overwhelming to them that they had retreat in defense of their fantasy.
The Church needs to come to terms with the fact that being honest and prepared for the realities of our broken World does not equate to living in fear.
Conversely, ignoring reality and pretending that “God will protect my earthly comfort and security” is not living in faith. It’s foolishness and ignores Biblical instruction.
Yes…prepared.
Even Jacob was prepared for the famine to a point… You can read about it in detail in Rashis commentary.
In the end, Josephs brothers were provided for once their speech aligned with actions according to Gods heart.
Only then were they set free and provided for.
Part of what we are going thru right now is an alignment of Gods heart with our speech…and then our actions.
People don’t realize the hate and judgemental words… Even Gabriel didn’t slander the devil when he leveled accusations against Tue arc angel himself…
And somehow we think we can just speak our minds without a filter of Gods word placed over our lips…and we will be OK???
That bitterness, hate, offense and in forgiveness are things we will be allowed to carry thru the eye of the needle?? That mumuring and complaining lips will make it to the shoreline of the promised land, and not die out in tye wilderness we are entering into??
We are in that transition moment in history….the eye of the needle.
We are staring at the giants…and the potential fruit we can carry…are we going to continue to complain and die in the desert instead of thriving in the promises???
We can’t carry those weights anymore an expect Gods favor to carry us thru the final chapters.
We have to change the way we think/speak….
Or our preparations will be in vain. Just like the Egyptians attempts at preparing during the seven year famine failed…becuase of their uncircumsized hearts.