One can’t help but notice that a large portion of my Facebook profile seems to be dedicated to bad news.  I understand that the onslaught of this information can be more than a little depressing, and perhaps it even appears as though I don’t have enough faith that God is in control and will work things out according to His purposes.

This is not so; but then why does my social networking billboard present itself as the harbinger of doom?

Unlike some, (I promise that I am not thinking of any of my Facebook friends in particular) I believe that we are called to be involved with the affairs of the world; this is why we are called the Body of Christ.  Here is a mystery for those who can understand it:  just as Christ is the ‘body’ of God, so we are the ‘body’ of Christ.  As Christ is the Word of God made flesh, the Tangible One of God, Emmanuel—God with us, so we, in ‘marriage’ to Christ as the Bride, have become one flesh with Him—the physical representative of Christ—and by extension, God—on earth.  In Him we have become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  This is the heaviest of all responsibilities; and yet, it is a simple task when one views it as it should be.  Just as Christ did nothing on His own, but only that which He received from the Father, so we should do nothing on our own that we have not received from the Father through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Through us God expands the establishment of His kingdom:  He heals the sick, gives sight to the blind, makes the lame walk, reconciles the irreconcilable, raises the dead to life—both physically and spiritually, and most miraculously of all, changes hatred to absolute unconditional love. 

However, we have to be engaged in order to be a part of what He is doing, and make the choice to step into it.  This requires that we see that which there is to see; and unfortunately, what we see is a war.  This has always been true from the Garden of Eden until today; but what we are seeing now is unprecedented.  The world with one voice has turned against both Judaism and Christianity in ways that have not been witnessed since the days of post-Hadrian pagan Rome—only this time, there is increasingly nowhere on earth in which one can find relief.  Groups that otherwise would be deadly enemies are working together in concert to stamp out the followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and to remove the memory of Him altogether.  Not that this is a surprise:  Jesus Himself told us that “…in this world you will have trouble…”  (John 16:33)

If you do not understand what I’m talking about or agree with this perspective, I would urge you to do a self-check of where you stand with regard to the dividing line that is becoming more sharply drawn among us (this is not a judgment or condemnation, but a plea).  We no longer have the luxury of living in the paradigm of the ruggedly individualistic American dream (nor, in fact, have we ever—but this is a separate discussion); now is the time to orient our lives on the Father’s business.  We (myself in the foremost) have a tendency to stick our heads in the sand and go about our lives, letting the world look after its own mess; and so we need a reminder of the job that continually faces us.

Furthermore, under the control of the world system, the majority of today’s media is lying to us, slanting their stories sometimes to the exact opposite of the truth.  Sadly, many Christians and Jews alike buy into the distorted information they receive, which lulls them into a sense of complacency or even drives them to agree with the message of our enemy (here I am thinking of some of my Facebook friends, but I won’t name them).

It is for these reasons (among a few others) that I present the grim litany of events unfolding in our current view.  I cannot in good conscience allow the atrocities of our age to be swept unnoticed under the carpet of willful ignorance, whether by those who have set themselves against us or by those purporting to be brothers in the faith.  And so, by re-sharing what I see, I am helping to spread the Judeo-Christian side of the story, one which will most likely never be seen or heard elsewhere, except by those who know where to look and who have the desire to do so.

For those who agree with my sentiments, but don’t exactly know what to do as they see the tsunami of evil unfolding:

1.       Reconcile yourself to God.  If you have never been in a friendship with our Almighty God, or if you have stepped away from Him, rest assured that He loves you beyond measure, and is willing to embrace and forgive you no matter what you’ve done.  Be forewarned, however, that the life God calls us to is one of self-sacrifice, and transformation from self-worship to God-worship; and so this will require more adjustment to your life and way of thinking than you can possibly imagine right now.

2.       Pray.  Once we are members of God’s family in right relationship with Him, this is the first and most powerful thing we can do.  YHVH God, the King of the Universe, is everything to us:  our life, our breath, our strength, our wisdom, our power, our love, our joy, etc.  The list never ends.  Prayer is our direct connection to God; while I may not be able to touch someone directly in their circumstance, I touch the God who touches them, and there is no limit to what He can do.

3.       Consider giving to organizations that are providing relief.  God has undoubtedly called people to be on the front lines of every battle that is being waged on this planet, and you can give of the resources you have been given to help them do what God has called them to do.  Like prayer, your resources can go to where you may not be able.  God will direct you as to how to give; just be obedient to what He tells you.

4.       God may call you to go physically to minister somewhere; be open to whatever assignments the LORD may hand you.  You never know who you may impact.

5.       Share the truth with everyone you know in every way you know how.  Be ready to defend yourself; some will accept what you say, but many others will hate you for it.

6.       Concentrate your fellowship—build lasting friendships with like-minded people who can encourage you.  You will need support.

7.       Above all, love everybody—especially those who hate you.  This is a testimony to them of God’s work in your life, and if they never change, it will be a testimony against them when they stand before YHVH on the final Yom Kippur (the Great White Throne Judgment).  Let God deal with the consequences—in every case where I have been wronged, the LORD has been faithful to vindicate me as I have placed my trust in Him.

I cannot be completely certain as to how the current events of our world will impact us personally; but I believe we are on the edge of cataclysmic change.  The Bible predicts that the world will grow darker and darker while God’s people will shine brighter and brighter.  I believe this distinction is getting clearer every day.  So, while I may present a parade of horrors perpetrated by the world in an attempt to stir up a cry to God from His people, I have hope that His people shall rise in Christ to accept the challenge.  “—To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.”  (Jesus, speaking in Revelation 2:7)