Standing Together
It’s been awhile since I sat down to write. One of the reasons is I just don’t know what to say about these times we are living in. Actually, I have a lot of thoughts on the matter, but it’s best to keep my thoughts to myself at times like this. We don’t need another opinion out there – we need truth written instead.
This morning, I woke up with the thoughts of a podcast I heard yesterday. The podcast was from the Duck Dynasty clan called Unashamed with Phil Robertson. It’s on YouTube if you want to check it out. Duck Dynasty was a fun show to watch (the shows are now on YouTube as well), but they were not able to give much spiritual applications as they wanted except for the prayer at the end.
The podcast is different. Jase, Alan and Phil sit down to give biblical applications and biblical truth on a weekly basis (or is it twice a week?). Anyway, it’s good and fun too.
The episode that impacted me yesterday was one from earlier in the year. Uncle Si was sitting in for Phil. Si spoke about a conversation he had with a young lady at a casino in Las Vegas. The lady spotted Si and after gathering her courage, she spoke to him. As they were talking, Si wanted to get Jesus into the conversation, but he didn’t see an opening until she asked him a question. “You must have met some really famous people, who is the most famous person you have met?” He chuckled and said I wondered how to mention Jesus and you opened the door for me.
They talked further but she had to leave since her husband was beckoning her to come. Si was disappointed that the conversation was cut short, however, he realized another lady had chair hopped until she was sitting next to him. She was drunk. I forgot the leading statement about coming to the casino to drink, but Uncle Si proceeded to tell her it was her choice to get drunk. She also had a choice to find a church – she needed to be around good people.
As I woke up this morning, I was reminded that it’s true. We need to be around like-minded (biblically-minded), godly people during this time. We have been isolated; church has been cancelled. Yes, thank God we live in a time of technology and can catch the gathering on line at a convenient time for us. However, we are told to stay home. I am reminded by the writer of Hebrews we are not to forsake gathering together (Hebrews 10:25). Our enemy is all about separation and dividing. We need each other – especially in this time.
As the times grow darker, and they will, we need each other. We need like-minded people who love Jesus and are not ashamed to mention His name. We need boldness and courage to stand up together. Jesus is the only hope the world has in order to walk back from the brink of despair. We have the answer but we have to be willing to step out and share what we know.
Another message I heard yesterday was from one of my health gurus I follow. He was interviewing a doctor concerning the forces of evil at play. I don’t remember much of the conversation; however, she did mention we will need courage to stand up for our rights as citizens of this country. This was the one thing she said was missing today – courage.
When times get dark, I want to put my head in the sand and make it all go away. I don’t want to be bold or have the courage to stand up alone. Yet, if I had my tribe around me, my people who have my back, then I might be willing to step out and share what I know. Standing alone is scary, but standing together is a better strategy.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 states two is better than one… if one falls down, the other can help them up…though one can be overpowered, two can defend themselves… a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. As the saying goes, we’re better together. We cannot be the silent majority. We have to take a stand. We are at a crucial time in our history. I don’t like confrontation, but it may come to it in order to keep our freedoms.
Our freedom doesn’t come from our government, it comes from our God. We have a choice to make and it’s time we stand together. If you love Jesus, it’s time to be the light we are called to be. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Remember, we are not of this world, we are Kingdom people. Love like Kingdom people. Share and give like Kingdom people. It’s what we do as Kingdom people. It’s who we are. What can man do to us? Fear God, not man.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25
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