Bulletin Articles
Living in a World of Alarmists
LIVING IN A WORLD OF ALARMISTS
Most of us have heard the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” It comes from Aesop’s Fables, and serves to remind us that those who issue false alarms will not be believed when real danger comes. I have noticed that we seem to be living in such a world right now. Every day, we hear the dire warnings of the dangerous wolf, who shall surely slay us all; only to find out that it was another false alarm. Sadly, many people fall for the cry over and over again, living their lives in misery and fear. For them, there is never any peace; and life is a constant “state of emergency.”
By contrast, Christians know that we live in a wicked world; but we also understand that this world is not our home! We are just “strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Consequently, we seek “a better, that is a heavenly country” (Hb.11:13-16). We do not get “caught up” in all of the negative hype, doom, and gloom that others seek to impose on our minds. Simply put, no matter what happens, we are going to be okay! God is in charge; so even if the whole world falls apart, we have an eternal home in Heaven!
Nevertheless, we are bombarded with the cry of “wolf” every single day. The news media becomes a tool of Satan, telling us that our world falling apart. We hear all sorts of dark things: The economy is going to crash. The country is going to war. The climate is changing (as if that’s news), and it’s going to kill us all. The government is spying on us. Men are sexual predators; and most everyone else is either a racist, sexist, or homophobe (really???). Politicians are corrupt (what a surprise!). In short, we are expected to live our lives in constant worry and agitation.
Well, I refuse to play the game! In fact, I’m quite bored with it. I am a child of the King! I am richly blessed “in Christ” (Eph.1:3-14). I have “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in Heaven” (1Pt.1:3-5). With all that I have going for me, I refuse to go through life, wringing my hands in worry! The rest of the world can get ulcers if they want; but I refuse to go down that road.
Do not misunderstand me! I am not some “Pollyanna,” refusing to see obvious wickedness. After all, I am a preacher; I am well-aware of Satan and his influence in this world. I preach and warn about such things on a regular basis. But I am not going to allow “negativity” to become my god! Instead, I’m going to hold my head up, and give the world a smile. I’m going to “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice” (Ph.4:4). In fact, I would argue that anything else is less than Christian!
You see, the “hype” from our politicians and the media is INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED to keep you constantly agitated (the boy who cried wolf). But the word from God is that, while Satan is alive and well on planet Earth, we are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” In fact, let me just finish this article with Romans 8:28-39…
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” CAN I GET AN “AMEN?”
--Lanny Smith
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