The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Right Where We Want Them!"
"Force cannot extinguish the flame of faith. It rather serves as a purifying and sanctifying agent whereby God uses the attacks of the wicked to draw the righteous more devotedly unto Himself."
Several years ago, a brief moment of concern gave way to remembrance and rejoicing as I read the headline, published just before Christmas: "Christianity Nearly Extinct In Middle East."
"Not hardly." The thought came to me as I recalled another "headline" of long ago that seemed to echo a similar notion…
"They crucified Him" (Matthew 27:35).
Beginning with its Founder, the Christian faith has seemingly experienced the finality of death throughout her history. The world, the devil, and the flesh put away the Lord Jesus Christ, only to find a blaze of the most intense glory igniting from the ashes of the cross. They do the same to His church, only to find her shining forth in a glory that could not have arisen save in the throes of rejection and persecution. Indeed, force cannot extinguish the flame of faith. It rather serves as a purifying and sanctifying agent whereby God uses the attacks of the wicked to draw the righteous more devotedly unto Himself. He then sends us forth to "shine as lights in the world," lights all the more brilliant because our enemies' attempts to douse Christ's grace and truth always result in dark nights that provide backdrop for the brightest moons (Philippians 2:15).
Certainly, public observance of Christianity may wane in the Middle East and in our culture also by the increasing attempts of the wicked to remove the Lord Jesus from open display and discourse. What must God be doing when He allows evil to seemingly have sway? The cross would tell He does His best work when He grants Satan the longest leash. The worst thing that ever happened, the cruel and unjust murder of His Son, led to the redemption of all who believe that Christ's death led to His triumphant resurrection. The same spiritual dynamic continues until this present hour as the brightest light shines in the blackest night. Losses make a way for gains. Sorrows pave within our hearts new pathways for Christ's joy. Death serves to make possible the risen Christ coming forth from sad tombs redeemed by God to become glad temples of "newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
A Marine Corps sergeant radioed his commander upon finding his unit surrounded by overwhelming odds: "Sir, we've got them right where we want them!" The Captain of our salvation reports the same from His throne of Heaven, whereupon He reigns after victory on an earthly cross resulted in a triumphant resurrection. We must join Him, remembering that the appearance of "extinction" let to the glory of His exaltation. Yes, God ever works to transform tombs into temples wherein Christ's newness of life shines forth in ways that could not be otherwise known.
Sometimes it seems that the enemy of our soul wins
over and over and over and over again.
But if we could see the Truth much more clearly, my friend,
we'd see Christ triumph over death, hell, and sin,
over and over and over and over again…
Over and over and over and over again.
The Tomb is empty, the Throne above occupied.
For Christ is risen again, from death glorified.
Oh remember when hot, stinging tears fill your eyes,
the triumph He's shone so many times in our lives,
over and over and over and over again…
Over and over and over and over again.
Forever draws nigh, we will be with Him there soon, my friend.
The trials of this life will be gone when we're with Him in Heaven.
Glories we'll see, majesty without end,
that sing the glad hymn, Christ is risen again,
over and over and over and over again…
Over and over and over and over again.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:35-37)
"Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord, He is God in Heaven above, and upon the earth beneath. There is none else."
(Deuteronomy 4:39)
Weekly Memory Verse
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
(Romans 8:37)
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