Let me first say that I am very excited about today’s blog. This marks the 100th blog here at Theonelesstraveled. I look back and can’t believe it! I have been blessed beyond belief to have had the opportunity to share what God is sharing with me. For those of you who read it, I say “Thank you!” Thank you for going down this road with me. You have allowed me the opportunity to do what I believe the Lord has called me to do. Over the past year, the blog has been an outlet for me to share what God reveals to me during my devotional times. It is an honor for me to be able to share that with you. I pray that you will continue to take this journey with me, and that the Lord will speak to you through the words He gives me to give to you!

This morning God gave me some powerful insight. If you are like me, you look at what is going on in the world and wonder how much longer we can last. Surely, Jesus has to be returning soon! The earthquakes are numerous; the situation in the Middle East is, well, dangerous. The unrest and wars and battles leave little to be at peace with in any situation. I look at all of it and wonder why He hasn’t come back already. Not that I’m particularly anxious; there’s a lot that I still want to see and do. While I want to see my kids get older and graduate and get married, and all that life can offer them, I shudder to think of what the world will be like when they get there. Are you there, too? Do you look at today’s happenings and wonder what God’s plan is? Where is He?

Peter addressed this in 2 Peter 3. This was as if Peter was reading my mind today. When you hear people say that we are living in the end times, what do you think? Well, the “end times” span the first and second coming of Christ. So, since He left this Earth to take His seat next to God, we immediately began the era of the “end times.” So, when Peter talks of this time, he, too, was living in the end times. Peter explains pretty well both the time frames and the reasoning of God.

In 2 Peter 3:8, Peter says, “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” See, God’s time table isn’t anything like ours. He is patient, and He is constant. He is the beginning and then end. But, if you’re like me, you know that He sees the current condition of the world. He sees the state of even the US. How many different ways has the nation failed Him? Turned its back on Him? How perverted and twisted our society is has surely made Him angry. So what is He waiting for? Why not come now and make this right?

2 Peter 3:9 is where Peter gives us the answer.

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

God isn’t late. God hasn’t forgotten. God isn’t leaving us. He is being patient. He is being merciful. He is giving everyone an opportunity. He sees what is going on around us. He sees the conflict in the world. He sees the way so many have turned their backs on Him and His ways. Because of that, He is waiting. It is not his desire that people should perish, should suffer, and should be doomed to an eternity separated from Him. That’s the last thing He wants. He gave His SON so that we would not be separated from Him. But, He also understands that there will come a time when everyone will have made a decision.

When that day comes, Peter says, it will be sudden with no second chances, and the world will be judged. In verse 10, Peter paints this picture.

“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”

No one ever expects a thief. No one ever walks into their home expecting to see that it was robbed and ransacked. It happens suddenly, while you are away doing whatever it is that you do. It happens while you are sleeping. It is never expected. That’s what it will be like. It will be unexpected, sudden, and final.
So what are we to do? What do we do while we wait? Do we get in our “holy huddles” and stockpile water and sardines? No. We go out there and live our lives in a way that brings others to Him. We live out our faith in a way that is light in the darkness, even if it seems weird to the world. Peter’s advice here is found is verse 14.

“And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.”

Make every effort. Live a life that is peaceful and pure. Be the difference. Christ could return today, tonight, or 20 years from now. If He is being patient and waiting to give everyone an opportunity, it could be that someone you know. It could be that child, your spouse, your neighbor, your coworker, and yes, it could be you.

Prayer: “Jesus, Lord, Savior, Abba, thank You for Your patience. Thank You for the opportunity we have because of Your patience. Father, there is someone out there I know who doesn’t know You. You have placed that person in my life somehow, and I pray that You would open that door to speak truth and love into their life and heart. Help me to have that opportunity to let You speak through me to them. Father, if it is me, then I ask now that You would forgive me for the time I have been away from You. I accept You as my Savior, my Lord, my God. Help me, Jesus, to live the life that makes a difference. Help me to be a light in the darkness, and to have the courage to stand up when the world bows to lesser things. I love You, Jesus, and I ask these things in Your powerful, Holy Name, Jesus…Amen!”

Category: Stand Up
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There are times that a word will make the difference. There are times that our silence actually says the wrong the wrong thing. It is a paradox. Sometimes, we have got to say the right thing, even when it hurts, even when it is hard to say. It may be unpopular, it may even be counter-culture, but sometimes we have to speak up.

It is easy to talk about Jesus at church. We are surrounded by our familiar surroundings, and we have our church-speak. Words like “Jesus” and “Christ” and “redemption” just flow from our mouths as if we were talking about our day. We can sit in our comfort zone and not worry about possible rejection if we say something “religious.” It’s a safe place. We’re surrounded by those like us.

What about when we’re not? What about at work? At the mall? With our “other” friends? How easy is it to discuss your faith at that point? What about just saying the name Jesus? How awkward is it for you? Why is that? The silence can be killer.

There was a time when even those around Jesus had a hard time saying something about Him. In John 7, Jesus was speaking to the crowd. There were those who believed in who He was. In verse 13, it says “ But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.”

Who is it you’re “afraid” of today? Your boss? Your friends? There is a time that we must speak up. There is a time that a word is necessary. Sometimes, our silence says the wrong thing.

Remember, we speak the truth. We speak the word from God. Jesus Himself told us that. In verse 18, Jesus said, “Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies.”

Speak up today. Don’t sit in silence when a word is required. You may send the wrong message. You could be sending a silent denial.

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It has been said to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I’m not sure how to look at that Biblically since I know I’m really not supposed to have enemies. Now, I do know that there are going to be those who stand against me simply because I am a Christian, and that will cause them to fear, loathe, hate me. But, in my heart, I’m supposed to have a spirit of forgiveness and therefor not have any enemies, right?

But, Jesus Himself said, forwarned, that we would have those who would stand against us for who we are. In John 15:18-20, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. ¹⁹ The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. ²⁰ Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.”

So, even though we know they are going to attack us in this way, why is it so hard not to take personally? I mean, when personally attacked, or when seeing a friend attacked, isn’t anger a relatively genuine response? Here’s something I heard yesterday. Anger in itself is not a sin. How we respond to anger is the key. We are made in God’s image, and we can read many hundreds of times about God’s anger in the Bible. But again, the key is our response to that anger, which can lead to sin.

As I listened yesterday to someone I greatly respect talk about the attack he has been under, from someone who could have truly have been his “Judas”, it made me angry. I was upset for him. I didn’t make any sense. How does someone look at this kind of man, and try to tear him down? And here’s the kicker– he’s doing everything he can to be the kind of leader he’s supposed to be for his church.

People: our church, our leaders, our faith is under fire.

Here’s an interesting side note to our discussion. There’s a sad truth to this that many may not have realized. Current-day preachers certainly seem to have it “all together.” They preach from the pulpit, and they seemingly have it all right in their life. Many times, that’s because they’ve learned that if they show their vulnerability, their “humanness”, their struggles, their fears, then they are somehow not considered an appropriate leader by some people. How are we supposed to be led by someone who can not relate? How can we be led by someone who is afraid to be human? God Himself became flesh to give us the example we are supposed to follow! This is not a condemning statement on our leaders, but rather a statement directed at those who would use that vulnerability against them. We are imperfect people, led by imperfect people, serving a perfect God.

I’m not sure if today is considered a blog or a rant. I do know, however, that I have a plan. You and I need to have a special appreciation for our leaders in the church. Look around at their life. Do they have a close friend? If not, could this be the reason why? Do they seem overwhelmed, but they can’t ask for help? This could be why. And then, do something. Help. Support. Pray. Do whatever it is that God puts on your heart. Find a way to help them. They are living a life just like you and I are…

Under fire.

Category: Stand Up
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