What We Are Called To

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice. Provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. -- Exo 23:20-22

One angel to protect all of ancient Israel. One. Let that sink in. They were about to face multiple adversaries, giants, men of renown; but God sends one angel before them. Now the word for angel actually means "messenger", which means that this angel may have been the Lord Himself.

For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me. He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. -- Joh 12:49

So, it may well have been the Lord who protected Israel. Now, if the Lord truly is our Lord and we are faithfully obedient to Him, He truly can deliver us from anything. He will be the enemy of our enemies. But we must be set on obedience. Literally, there is no thing that He cannot deliver us from. Nothing. If we are intent on obeying Him, He will keep us.

We need to realize, though, that Israel had to fight their way into the "promised land". Yes, the Lord helped them, but they had to step out in obedient faith and put their very lives on the line. Some of them did die, but they died in obedience -- taking back the land for God.

These days many professing Christians are afraid of their own shadow. They aren't about to take the fight to the enemy. No, they're too busy trying to keep the lifestyle they have come to love. They aren't going to walk away from the willfully sinful. They aren't going to rebuke the determinedly wicked. No, they're hoping to not 'rock the boat', and they don't want you rocking it, either.

It's really become a thing to not speak or do as the Lord did -- to not offend even the most offensive, and to not actually put out those who refuse to turn from their sin. We want to be "nice". We want to be accepted, friendly, and "kind". We don't really want to be associated with those who insist God is GOD and His word is law. No, they're "too offensive", "troublemakers".

He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. -- Mat 10:37

The love of God stops for most where that love requires us to truly take a stand, to expose ourselves by turning His light on in this darkness. No, we'd rather have the darkness. We'd rather be silent. We expect God to fight all our battles while we cower under the bed.

Then said Yeshua unto His disciples. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it." -- Mat 16:24, 25

Modern Christianity lives like this is a figure of speech, like we are supposed to put Him first only where it isn't inconvenient for us. That simply isn't true. We each have a cross-like duty to Him. It requires sacrifice. It requires selflessness.

Here in this nation many professing Christians are hiding in the closet, hoping this turmoil will just pass them by. They aren't going to stand on the corner and preach. No, they might go to jail for that. They aren't going to set themselves apart. No, they might lose their earthly friends and family if they do that. They aren't going to insist God is GOD anywhere, but in the very depths of their hiding place. They don't really want to be counted as His until it's time to go home. Then they expect to be welcomed like children of the King.

The Lord knew what would happen to the Disciples when He called them. He knew James would be put to death by the sword. He knew John would be boiled in oil, that Peter and many others would be crucified. He knew some would die by beating or being thrown from a wall. The point is the Lord knew what would happen to these men for following Him. He knew what would happen to Himself and what would happen to them. Yet, but we expect to live completely free of affliction.

There is a darkness coming over our world. People are so deluded that they are welcoming it. They revel in how wicked they are able to be openly. They are teaching their children to be even more wicked. The race for hell is on and many are those who light the way.

How many are actually standing for God? How many are shining the light of His truth in this darkness? How many actually support those who do?

There really are only two ways to work. Either you're doing it yourself or you're supporting someone who is. Standing by watching doesn't count. Neither does just speaking your approval. Sorry, but you haven't actually seen to their needs by just approving. You may have encouraged them, but you haven't actually supplied their needs. (Jam) 2:14-17 It cost you nothing. There is no sacrifice is giving one's approval. So, it isn't really service -- not by God's standards, anyway.

The point is that all to often we think of Christianity as requiring a bystander like commitment, and it just isn't so. No, Christianity requires that we act on our faith. We aren't supposed to be waiting for someone else to do the work. No! We're supposed to be doing it ourselves or actively assisting those who do. That's the only two options we have. There are no fence-sitting or pew-warming positions in Christianity. No, that's an illusion created by those who are more interested in promoting themselves or their group than the Lord.

We are being counted. An eternal tally is being set down. "This one is risking his/her life here, but this one is silent. This one assists many, but this one helps no one nor does he/she work." Think about it. What you are doing or fail to do is being recorded. I don't urge you to work for myself. No, this is very much about you and what it will cost you to be inactive. It matters. On an eternal scale it truly matters.

Take up your cross today. Get into the fight, or truly support someone who is fighting. Do not let it be said that you were a bystander only. That's really not going to end well.