Following Judah's Lion

The Things of This Present World

I find that almost everything pulls at me and attempts to make my mind and heart stray from Christ and His gospel. And when I say “everything” I mean bad things, good things, and even benign things. The challenge for me is to explore and discover a way that walks in this world but is unaffected by this same world.

Jn.17:14-16 - I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Jn.3:30 - He must increase, but I must decrease.

Gal.2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We are to be separate from the world, and Jesus must increase in our lives, and ultimately we must die so that He can live. Am I dead? Do the things of this world attract or even distract a dead man? Have you ever heard a corpse complain? Have you even been to a viewing and seen the dead person sit up in the coffin and demand his rights, or complain about taxes, or have a critical spirit? Do the deceased exhibit self righteousness? Does a corpse desire money?

But in John 17 Jesus openly reveals that the power to stay in, but not of, the world lies in His Word which He has given to us. The old American Indian believer said that there were two dogs living inside him, one white and one black, and these two dogs fight all the time. When asked which dog wins the fight the old Indian remarked, “The one I feed.” And so it is with us as well. Our fallen nature feeds upon this world, and demands more and more, and everything around us willingly nourishes that carnal man. But the new man inside of every believer needs nourishment as well. But that kind of nourishment does not come naturally. It must come supernaturally from the power of the Holy Spirit through the power of God’s Word.

Matt.8:19-22 - And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Was there anything wrong with a man burying his father? Of course not, but our Lord put it in perspective. We are so caught up with the things of this world, even the good or innocuous things, that it compromises our walk with Jesus Christ. In fact, we have compartmentalized discipleship and now feel that ten minutes with the Daily Bread reveals a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus. One famous pastor suggested that you can worship God while taking out the trash. Multitasking worship? What a disgrace. And yet when it comes to the duties and entertainments of this world, there is almost nothing that we do for only ten minutes. Oh how we have maligned our precious Savior and made believing in Him so unremarkable and nondescript that we have blended into a culture that is antichrist at its core.

And to the average believer the things of this world do not tug at his heart because he is avidly participating in them and enjoying every minute! And in an horrific display of carnality and rebellion, many churches not only encourage such lifestyles, they bring unrighteous behavior right into the fellowship itself! And the end product is that every community has groups of people who frequent a church building but have no salt and no light and are very content to be so. The church considers numbers and buildings to be the revelation of God’s blessing and power. But the congregation is weighted down with the cares of this world.

Heb.12:1-2 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

How many believers have given everything just so they can serve others and preach the gospel, and yet we fare sumptuously at the table of demons. How many believers today in other parts of this world are being persecuted severely for their faith and even been slaughtered for Christ, and yet western believers recline in carnal luxury and profess their sacrificial path of discipleship. What does it even mean anymore to be a follower of Jesus Christ and what cost are we paying? Let us quit pretending and stop the repulsive charade that keeps soothing the church with spiritual lullabies and presents the steps of Jesus as a path to personal fulfillment and pleasure.

And please let us cease the self serving definition of persecution that suggests that authentic persecution comes from being criticized about gay marriage, abortion, or some other political or moral issue. Let us open our eyes and look into God’s mirror and admit that we are not persecuted because of Jesus. In fact, we are not persecuted at all. But what would real persecution look like in this western and pluralistic society?

Picture in your mind a group of people whose mind and heart were set upon things above and not the things of this world. Watch them as they eschew politics and nationalism with a loving humility and void of any pride. See them love their neighbors as themselves as they live far below their means but far above their circumstances. But what is this?! They are being arrested because they refuse to allow their sons and daughters to sign up for the draft. But look at this! As they are brought to jail they are smiling and singing and lovingly interacting with their captors.

And when the number of such people reaches into the thousands and tens of thousands, the politicians are forced to create caveats for such zealots because the jails are overcrowding and the prisoners are being converted. The situation is unbearable to a secular society. The believers are set free and they publicly profess their gratefulness for the new law and the treatment they received while in jail, but they give God all the glory. They forgive their captors and in fact take joy in their imprisonment! What shall we do with such a peculiar people? Watch these same people reaching out to the poor and the disenfranchised. Look how they love the gay community. “But aren’t you against gay marriage?”, they are asked. “That is unimportant, we are here to speak of Jesus and show others His redemptive love”, they reply. What, no controversy? No, they will not be distracted from His gospel.

Think of a group of people who are veracious in their reading, meditating, and obeying God’s Word. They do not think highly of themselves, and they are willing to minister love and redemption to the most vile of sinners and from the poorest to the richest among us. Their inward and outward contentment is contagious, and the love they show to each other is mystifying to the outside world. Money is a tool and is not to be wasted upon things that do not promote God’s kingdom. These people consider themselves God’s servants and stewards.

This eclectic group of believers are very diverse and have many different talents and gifts, but their commitment to Jesus Christ is the bond which cements them together. They cherish their communication with the Heavenly Father, and prayer seems to be a life force. It is not unusual for the lights to be on into the night because people are praying. Their children have witnessed first hand their parents commitment and devotion, and they have seen many, many miracles and moves of God. In fact, so many lives have been dramatically changed that the hearts of the children yearn for more of Christ. They know nothing of church fights and political hatred and church hopping.

I know, this is just a fairy tale and defies the reality of what now is. But if we continue to make and mold ourselves using the template of the work of man’s religious hands rather than the revelation of God’s Mighty Word, then we will continue to drift downstream empowered by the current of culture and the dictates of the kingdom of darkness. Make no mistake, the kingdom of darkness is very religious and seeks an amalgam with the kingdom of Light. But when you have such a composite, in essence you have a diluted and distorted caricature of the Church of Jesus Christ and a glaring misrepresentation of the Lord Jesus Himself. And when a few generations pass with this kind of compromise, including adding more compromise with each generation, then the church is blinded to itself and compares herself with herself. It is an unspeakable tragedy.

But I do hear the Spirit’s voice calling whoever will hear to come out from among them and be separate. I hear that voice beckoning believers to examine themselves and take steps of repentance and renewal that will cause them to seek the face of Jesus Christ.

Rom.12:1-2 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.


Away with the tepid lifestyles that conform to this world. Have we been so long away from the glory of God that we no longer desire it or need it or much less seek it? Do we even remember? How can we convince the world about the august majesty of the Risen Christ when the lives of those of us who claim to know Him, and love Him, and walk with Him are so inconspicuous, even when dwelling inside a community of darkness? It is time for a revival, both personal and corporate. Not one of these “signs and wonders” dog and pony shows that only do despite to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But I refer to a spiritual awakening that shakes us to the very core of our being. I am not suggesting just getting us out of our “comfort zone”. No, I am purporting a revival that brings forth a fresh revelation of the King of Kings, and that fills us with brokenness and places us upon the glory of the Potter’s wheel until the hands of the Spirit molds us from one glory to the next. It is a process filled with pain and glory simultaneously!

But soar with me now, and imagine something beyond the very imagination you are using. Envision a revelation of the Spirit so wondrous and so transcending that it demands a personal response from all who receive it. Meditate upon a vision that brings Christ into such a reality that it violently obscures the present life and presents us with the glory of a life consumed by His resurrection power! I am not speaking of subjective imagery that electrifies in a church service and dies just as quick; not something that depends upon music and lighting and the eloquence of a pastor. And when this awakening touches a believer's life he can never be the same.

And what then of the things of this world?

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.