Aerial View vs. Street View

Sometimes we can't see too far ahead of us to know what God has just around the next corner. We understand in our Christian walk that God has intersections laid out for us. In the picture above, we can see a short distance down this street. But, halfway down, there is a stop sign. Do we keep going straight? What if God wants us to turn right? If we're obedient, we will, even though we cannot see from our point of view who or what we might meet there. Maybe we are meant to share our story with someone, or offer our assistance in some way. Maybe there's been an accident, and God wants us to pray with someone to accept Him before they draw their last breath.

 

About a month ago, we heard the testimony of a person who God had directed to go a different way home after church one evening. In the bend of a curvy, two-lane road, she came upon an accident that had just happened, in which one person was already deceased, and another young girl was so very close. This person was directed by the Holy Spirit to pray with her. The young girl accepted Jesus as her Savior just before she breathed her last breath. We might not comprehend why God has us do certain things, or go certain places, but one thing is for sure: He has His purpose.

 

See, God's view is the aerial view. He sees it all~everything at once. He sees where each person is located at any given time, and where they should go to do whatever job He needs them to do.

 



We don't always get to know what is going on. All we need to do is to be obedient. When we are obedient, it doesn't matter if we have road signs to guide us or not. The key is to keep moving forward in faith when He purposefully witholds certain things from us. Luke 18:8 sums it up beautifully: When He returns, will He find faith on the earth?

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

 

 

Here we are on the battlefield
A civil war is all each other feels
Oh yeah, you say blue and I say gray
But we know love ain't love if it fades away
Oh, don't let it fade away
Just leave these troubles behind
And break down all the battle lines
Open up your eyes girl
We're fightin' on the same side
Oh, here we are on the battlefield
Wounded by the words that cut so deep
Oh yeah, well I can't give if you won't take

Maybe we're just afraid that it's too late
Oh, well I know it's not too late
So leave these troubles behind
And break down all the battle lines
Open up your eyes girl
We're fightin' on the same side
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
(Come on baby)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
(Yeah each and everyday)
We're both soldiers of the heart
Fightin' for the dream that fell apart
Oh yeah, we both know this war is real
Surrender to the way we used to feel
Oh, I miss the way we used to feel
So leave these troubles behind
And break down all the battle lines
Open up your eyes girl
We're fightin' on the same side
Open up your eyes girl
We're fightin' on the same side
We're fightin' on the same side

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who of us Christians 'put on the whole armor of God', then go out and fight amongst ourselves? We have been in a small town in western NC for about six months now and, like other places we've been, there is no real unity among the children of God. Most promote their doctrine~that of their particular denomination~over and above the teachings of Jesus. It seems there is a church on every corner, in every small town. Here, we have found only one pair of churches that are 'sisters'. Most of the others are break-offs started when some sort of upset has happened~someone got their feelings hurt~and as a result a new building is erected. Is that really what being a Christian is about?

 

We are told by Paul in Ephesians 6, to fight 'against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' Not each other!! That's the part that we should not wrestle against~flesh and blood! To be a soldier for Christ should be taken seriously. He called us to fight for His cause, not argue over the color of the pews, or the setting of the thermostat in the sanctuary. Have we really stooped that low?

 

When we are truly born again, we become a new person. (Col.3:10) Furthermore, any barriers that might have been in place before our salvation (that kept us from loving our neighbor) should leave us when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. Where there is no longer Greek or Jew (the ground is level at the foot of the cross~we are all equal in His eyes) circumcision or uncircumcision (rules and regulations) Barbarian (uneducated or uncultured) Scythian (nomads~homeless in today's terminology) bond nor free (those in jail or prison, nor those who lead a regular life) but Christ is all, and in all. (Col.3:11)

We Christians MUST stop fighting amongst ourselves. We split doctrinal hairs, causing rifts in the church body over silly things that matters nothing compared to a person's soul. Meanwhile, the world is watching, waiting, and wondering when are we going to fight for them.