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We are living in what is called the end times. Around us we see unrest, fear, and uncertainty. Due to the ongoing pandemic, many people in our country are living in panic. But how do we, as Christians, behave in the current situation? How do we react when new regulations or laws are passed? Do we adopt the position of a Bible-believing Christian?
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish in a corrupt and crooked generation, in which you shine like lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15).
God's Word - our food
The psalmist writes: “Open my eyes, that I may see marvelous things according to your law” (Psalm 119:18). There are things that have high material value, such as paintings, musical instruments, or pieces of furniture. Whether I recognize their value always depends on how familiar I am with these things and what significance they hold for me. God's Word gives us guidance for our lives and possesses an even greater value than all the important objects in this world.
In His Word are hidden blessings, joy, and true happiness. The Bible gives us answers to many questions. It draws our attention to the past of human history. It guides us in our present lives and shows us the future. A precious treasure is hidden within it. On average, every person eats three meals a day. Our body needs nutrients and vitamins to stay healthy and strong. Likewise, our inner being needs spiritual nourishment through the Word of God. To be strong in God, we need this living Word.
Why should this word have special authority for us?
- It is the truth (cf. John 17:17).
- It gives life (cf. John 6:63).
- It leads us from evil to good (cf. Heb 4:12).
- It makes one wise (cf. Ps 19:8).
- God's word endures for eternity (cf. Ps 119:89).
It is important that we devote more time to this word than to any other literature or digital medium. The Berea Christians gave us a good example in Acts 17:11.
When Paul and Silas proclaimed the message of Jesus there, the people were receptive to the Word of God. And we read that they studied it daily. This Word of God should not be an appetizer or a dessert for us, but always the main course. No other book in the world has been so despised in recent centuries. Attempts have often been made to destroy it, but they have never succeeded—thank God.
Let us cherish this precious Word and give it the highest priority among all books. Then we can say with Jeremiah: “Your word was my food, and your word was the joy and comfort of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Lord God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16).
loyalty
God's Word calls us to be faithful to God. God himself gives us an example of true faithfulness. God's faithfulness is the foundation and prerequisite for all human faithfulness. "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God, who keeps his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments" (Deuteronomy 7:9).
We read at the beginning of the Bible that God had fellowship with Adam and Eve after creating them. But soon after, the Fall occurred. Although humankind disobeyed God's commandment, God did not completely break off the relationship with humanity. He repeatedly showed humankind that He wanted to have fellowship with them.
Let us turn our attention to the people of Israel. God chose and loved this people. The promises He once gave to Abraham He never withdrew. Even when the people repeatedly turned away from God during the time of the Judges and the kings, God was patient. Even when this people killed their Messiah, God's Son, it was again the Jews who received the message of grace and salvation from their God.
“Because of the Lord’s steadfast love we are not consumed; his mercies never fail, they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Only God’s faithfulness can be a suitable standard for us today.
Personal loyalty in spiritual darkness
I want to urge us to be vigilant in these dark times. In Sunday schools, the well-known song is often sung: "Loyalty begins with small acts, only through loyalty does one become a man. Hot or cold, yes or no, we must never be lukewarm." Another verse goes on to say: "Half for God and half for the world, is what displeases both God and the world."
Our personal faithfulness in the world of darkness in which we live today is very important. “My eyes are on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; whoever walks in the right way serves me” (Psalm 101:6).
God's Word calls us to be faithful to Him!
One day I heard the story of a young Christian woman who was doing an apprenticeship in an office. At some point, her boss asked her to lie for him on the phone. If people called the company to whom the boss owed money or who were dissatisfied with a job, she was supposed to tell them on the phone that he wasn't in the office. But she couldn't do that, because it was all lies.
One day, a customer called and demanded to speak to the boss. When the boss again asked her to lie for him, she told the customer, "My boss says I should tell you he's not here." The result was her immediate dismissal. She then confided in a pastor, "I'd rather remain without a qualification than lie." An honorable attitude that will not go unrewarded, if not immediately, then certainly with the person who returns.
Sin always begins in a person's mind, and most sins occur in secret, where no one else can see them. Today, our enemy has a powerful tool to tempt us into sin – the smartphone. Where we can't be monitored by parents or other adults, we can very quickly become personally defiled.
To remain faithful and courageous in such moments, we should be aware that God sees us everywhere and expects personal faithfulness from us. The Bible tells us, “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). In earlier times, the devil often masqueraded as this roaring lion. Christians were brutally executed by people who were ultimately just tools in the devil's hand.
The presence of the Holy Spirit enables us to maintain the correct orientation in a sinful and unjust world.
Nowadays, the enemy uses cunning tactics to seduce us, and we Christians often fail to recognize them. Fashion, music, leisure activities, and our general standard of living often drag us and our youth down spiritually. Sometimes we look at other religious communities and envy the people with whose devotion they serve God. May God, above all, give our youth the ability to discern biblically, so that they learn to love God and do not want to become more like the world (cf. Romans 12:2).
Reliability in service
Following God with all your heart also means complete faithfulness in these last days. It doesn't matter what kind of service you perform, but that you perform it wholeheartedly and willingly.
A saying goes: "It is not the position you hold that is important, but the loyalty with which you fulfill it that is decisive" (author unknown).
We read in the Word of God: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are of good repute and full of the Spirit and wisdom, and we will appoint them to this ministry. But we will devote ourselves entirely to prayer and the ministry of the word.” And the whole congregation was pleased with this idea, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch” (Acts 6:3-5).
From the life of Stephen we can learn something interesting. This man, who was ordained for ministry, did not begin as prominently as, for example, the apostles, although he too performed an important ministry. He was assigned to provide for the daily needs of the Greek widows. We then see the progress of his ministry. In Acts 6:8 we read how he performed miracles and signs.
Verse 10 already recounts how he proclaimed the word of God as an evangelist. From this, we can learn that our efforts to complete even small tasks as well as possible prepare us for even greater responsibilities. “A faithful man will be blessed by many” (Proverbs 28:20). It is always very gratifying when young people are involved in church life. Of course, they are not yet deacons, but perhaps they will be someday. Whether in the choir, in preaching, in missions, or in the upkeep of the church building, may God bless our youth, that they may allow themselves to be used by God and participate in God's work.
Close fellowship with God
In our time, we need a close relationship with God. When God led the people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand, Moses said to God, “If I have found favor in your eyes, show me your ways, that I may know you and find favor in your sight. And see that this people is your people” (Exodus 33:13). Israel’s leader Moses understood that the people needed God’s presence and guidance.
For a Christian, it is essential to always keep in mind who they are and who God is. Moses understood this very well, and it applies to us today as well. When we humble ourselves and adopt a humble attitude, God reveals himself to us more and more. We learn more about his nature, his omniscience, and his majesty.
It is said that the Prussian King Frederick the Great once met a ragged, orphaned beggar boy on the street. King Frederick, who took pity on the boy, brought him to his castle. He was raised and given a good education. Thus, this former beggar boy eventually became one of the king's most distinguished princes. Often, something unusual was noticed about him. When he was conducting negotiations or discussions with high-ranking officials and became agitated, he would quickly leave the room.
After a while, he returned calmly and collectedly. This angered the others. His detractors suspected he might be plotting something against the king, perhaps even a conspiracy. So they denounced him to the king. One day, the king summoned his favorite and asked him what these rumors were about him and whether he truly intended to plot against him.
The prince then led King Frederick into the room he always quickly sought out to find peace and composure. It was an empty room containing only a tattered garment and a walking stick hanging from a nail on the wall. The prince told King Frederick that these were the clothes he had worn when he was brought to the castle as a boy.
Whenever he was tempted to act arrogantly towards others or to appropriate things unjustly, he would run to this room. There he would remember who he had once been and who had helped him. Thus, peace and comfort returned to his mind. When the king heard this, he loved this prince even more.
It is not the position you hold that is important, but rather the loyalty with which you fulfill it.
It is not important what social standing we hold or what level of education we possess. Nor is our intelligence decisive, but rather how well we know God and His Son Jesus Christ. When we keep this in mind, God's grace can work in our lives. God can only become great where we ourselves become small. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Recognizing God in trials of faith
“Therefore I am of good cheer in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions and calamities for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
“Paul, where did you get this courage and conviction?” one might ask. The Apostle Paul saw his Lord even in the great difficulties of his own life. It was precisely in these challenging times that his faith was tested and shaped. Martin Luther once said: “Trials are God’s embraces. They are given to us to prove ourselves.”
When we humble ourselves and adopt a submissive attitude, we come to know God more and more. We learn more about His nature, His omniscience, and His majesty.
We live in a time when most of us have probably never seen the inside of a prison, let alone had a gun pointed at us. However, in the Bible we can read about many people who had to endure true trials and who can serve as role models for us today. The three men who were rescued unharmed from the blazing furnace, for example, offer us a powerful testimony.
“Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego spoke to King Nebuchadnezzar, saying, ‘We do not need to answer you. Behold, our God, whom we worship, is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace, and he is also able to deliver us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, know that we will not honor your God or worship the golden image that you have set up’” (Daniel 3:16-18).
These three men knew their God and what God required of them (see Exodus 20:3-4). They wouldn't trade this God for anything or anyone. May God grant us such an attitude as well. Our mindset must be a "No!" to Satan and the world and a "Yes!" to Jesus and the Bible. Hudson Taylor, the well-known missionary to China, once said: "God has not promised us a smooth crossing, but a safe arrival."
Schedule time for God
Today, more than ever before, we are called to use our time wisely for God. “For he says, ‘In the time of favor I have answered you; in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the time of favor; behold, now is the day of salvation!’” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Everything that humankind can obtain from nature, be it water, food, minerals, or the like, is limited and distributed differently across the continents. However, God has given one gift to all people equally—time. Of course, we don't all live the same length of time, but everyone has 24 hours available each day.
In prison, Joseph was being prepared for his service. Image source: AdobeStock_255110735 © methaphum
Through the life of Joseph, the Bible powerfully demonstrates how to use one's time in a way that pleases God. Joseph was released from prison, and God gave him the wisdom to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. He was then commissioned to manage the entire land of Egypt as Pharaoh's representative for 14 years. During the seven years of plenty, Joseph stored up provisions so that he could live off them during the seven years of hardship.
Did Joseph have time in prison to prepare for this task? Partly yes, partly no. No, because he was not warned and didn't know what to expect. Yes, because his intense relationship with God prepared him and taught him to listen to God's voice. God was with him.
There are three ways we can use our time in a way that is pleasing to God and meaningful:
- Read God's word.
- Talking to God in prayer.
- Cultivate fellowship with fellow believers.
Collect oil
Jesus said to his disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8). We need this power of the Holy Spirit today. The presence of the Holy Spirit empowers us today and in the future to maintain the right orientation in a sinful and unjust world.
Each of us possesses a personal spiritual vessel. The Bible tells us that we need oil in our vessels. In God's Word, oil is also always a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 John 2:27). The burning of the lamps is the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2). Each of us is responsible for adorning our own vessel. This also includes listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
God's Word gives us guidance for our lives and possesses a higher value than all the important objects of this world. Blessing, joy, and true happiness are hidden in His Word.
A few weeks ago, a brother from our congregation told me that he couldn't sleep one night. The Spirit urged him to pray. He followed the voice and, prompted by the Spirit, prayed for a friend. The next day, he received a phone call from the wife of the brother he had prayed for, who told him that her husband had been very ill that night and they had been on the verge of calling an ambulance. But by God's grace, he suddenly recovered.
The brother's prayer, offered at the same time, had worked a miracle. Praise the Lord for it. May God grant us this keen intuition to hear the voice of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. When we wholeheartedly put into practice what is within our power and dedicate ourselves to God, Jesus will be glorified through our lives. God bless us in this.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Nikolai Stang
Municipality of Emstek
Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations follow the Luther 2017 translation.