February 02, 2020
Greetings and blessings to all of you. I just returned from a visit to the Midwest. I noted in my spirit a prevailing ‘emptiness’ over the city. Sometimes emptiness comes from focusing on this world and on this time. There is a “spirit of the age” in every generation in every culture. Secularism is the prevailing spirit of this age. Little attention is given to things that are above and beyond this world. Eternity is rarely considered save for a brief moment at a graveside. What counts for the secularists is the here and now. To live for the moment, for the gusto of the present is the goal of this day and age. By contrast the “spirit” that practicing Christians has is “the spirit of God”. Our focus is not on this world…politics, greed in business and daily ventures, fitness beyond the max, kids participating in every sport the school has to offer, and the ‘day to day busyness’. Our focus should be on the things to come. It was the same in Jesus day. He repeatedly called His disciples to look beyond the present. He lifted their gaze to the eternal. He told them to, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20) He called us to weigh matters in the balance of eternity. God said, “What profits is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt 16:26) A rich landowner in the Bible was planning to retire; this man said, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” But God said to him. “Fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided. So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God?” (Luke 12:16-21) The world or the soul? Please the world or please God? This is the issue/question for every generation. To be conformed to this world is to risk the loss of one’s eternal soul. The world places little value on the soul. As Christians we must resist the seduction of this world; we must risk going against the tide (culture). We must be willing to risk the loss of human approval to gain God’s approval. It is easy to follow the crowd. But God wants us to follow Him and be transformed (Romans12:2) Saints we are called to penetrate the world with a new and different spirit. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God……not carnality but Christ.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC