Our Foundation and Our Future
Another year is dawning …
Dear Father, please let this be true,
In working or in waiting,
May we always honor You! (adapted from Frances R. Havergal)
A year ago as we were looking toward the new year ahead, it would seem safe to assume that none of us expected 2020 to be as unique and unusual as it turned out to be. At some point we might want to do a “year in review,” but I’ll admit in a very personal way, for me that will require more time to process my thoughts—it’s too hard to determine whether a project like that would be to A) analyze; B) benchmark; C) critique; D) determine; E) evaluate; or F) figure things out. It would probably be a little of all of that and even more. It’s typically a good thing to step back and attempt to learn from our experiences and from how history unfolds, but I also want use prayer and biblical truths to help me separate “facts from feelings,” “experiences from emotions,” and “details from disappointments.” I don’t want to ignore how any of these things impact and influence my perspective, but I sincerely believe that in our contemporary culture, there are many subtle, yet significant and strategic slogans, statements, and subjects that are being used to control our values and views without us knowing we are being controlled. Before you dismiss this and
disregard what I’m suggesting here, please understand that I’m referring to a spiritual battle that’s been going on ever since Adam and Eve took a bite out of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. I’ll clearly admit that I also believe the battle is becoming more intense and in some way or another, there’s more at stake as the intensity increases. Please allow me to explain, using all of Proverbs 4 as a source, but drawing close attention to 4:18—19.
“The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like utter darkness; they don’t have any idea of what makes them stumble.”
Over the past several years, throughout our world, there’s been a growing attack against biblical truth. But if we recognize this as a spiritual battle defined by Scripture, we might also notice that the assault on our faith has been erasing the foundation provided by Genesis and also eroding the future found in Revelation. Our schools (kindergarten through colleges) teach evolutionary theories as fact that no one can prove to be true because no one has “first—hand or eye—witness” knowledge; they try to convince us that there are more than two genders, contrary to what biology, science, and DNA actually does prove to be true; they fail to realize that God’s judgment is real and that He’s disclosed a plan for the future presented throughout the Bible, but especially emphasized in what Jesus revealed to John to record for us to read, recognize, and report to others. We can help others see what causes them to stumble by reminding them what’s coming!
Genesis gives us a historical foundation that honors God as our Creator! Revelation provides a hopeful future that holds out Jesus Christ as our Savior, past, present and future!
As each of us looks back at what we’ve encountered and experienced, I hope that everyone is able to see how God’s hand has been guiding us in paths of righteousness that grow brighter and brighter when we use His Word as our road map. As we look forward, I hope we can see how God’s hope is giving us paths of revelation that grow brighter and brighter because we trust in His promises.
Someone has questioned whether our world is falling apart because there seems to be so much chaos and confusion. But that’s only because there are many people following the way of the wicked where they don’t have any idea what is causing them to stumble. For those of us who know
Who holds the future, we can say that the world isn’t falling apart—it’s really falling into place for God’s plans and purposes to lead us toward the victory we have in Christ.
With prayer for God’s glory and praise for His grace …
And as always, with prayer for our ACEFC family, Pastor Greg