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For Christians Who Just Want Jesus to Come

For Christians Who Just Want Jesus to Come

Last updated on: November 3, 2015 at 6:18 pm by Brenda Renee Coats

For Christians Who Just Want Jesus to Come 2015-11-03T18:18:00-07:00 Brenda Renee Coats

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Last Friday, I slept a half hour later than usual. I slowly woke next to a warm, loving husband, just like every other day. We had breakfast together. He ate Cheerios. I ate yogurt. When our bellies were nearly full, he announced he’d like to take me to Lowe’s to look at carpet samples so we could replace the stinky, 40 year old carpet in the downstairs bedrooms. He could have gone by himself. Or I could have saved him time by going by myself. But we choose to do these things arm in arm because we prefer each other’s company. And maybe because he doesn’t trust me to buy cheap carpet and I don’t trust him to buy good quality carpet. 🙂

I was due to take a meal to a new mommy at 4:00, so I cut up a slew of veggies and meat and threw it in a soup pot to simmer all day in the hopes that it would turn out to be flavorful. This mommy has three other beautiful kids, and a loving husband. She also has her hands full with sleepless nights, busy school schedules, and keeping a household running.

By the time Shaun and I were finished with Lowe’s, he was hungry, so we swung by Chick-fil-A where Shaun chiseled away at a chicken (of course) salad.

Once home, Mom and Andrew chowed down on the burgers we picked up for them, and I ate my “special” food. I sliced and buttered the bread for the new mommy, checked the soup, and decided I’d lay my head down for a spell before I delivered it. After a half hour of lying in bed, stewing about something I heard on television, I finally fell asleep – and woke up the minute I was supposed to be driving out. I ran the soup and bread out to the car, brushed my hair, packed up my computer case/purse, and went on my hurried way.

Between rush hour and my internal alarm clock failing to go off, I was fifteen minutes late, so I didn’t stay long. The new baby was mad at her incessant hiccups, and the family was due at a school function, so I quickly admired the beauty and blessing of new life and went down the road to Starbucks. I can’t digest anything except water at Starbucks, so I bought a water bottle in exchange for the use of their internet and table.

Why am I telling you all these details of a humdrum, house-wifey/writer life? It goes back to what angered me on television just before I tried to nap. A TV, so-called evangelist was speaking, and this is (partly) what he said:

Satan is out to get you!! He wants your work, your school, your mind, your life, your happiness, your kids, your wealth, your health … everything.

Nothing terribly wrong with that, on a surface level, right? God does tell us that the Enemy is like a roaring lion, roaming about the earth, seeking whom he may devour. So, there’s that. He’s a real being who wants to destroy our very being. But the tone/point of the sermon and every sermon I’ve ever heard this particular preacher preach is just this:

Be defeated. Center your attention on the fact that this country is going to hell, that the blessed life we live in these not so United States is about to come to an end and in many ways, it already has. This country and its leaders are evil and because of all those evil citizens and leaders out there, we are doomed. If this country doesn’t make your life a living hell, Satan will. He’s gonna get ya’ get ya’ get ya’ one way, or ano-ther. The government is planning to take all your money. Your land. Your possessions. Your kids. They’re probably building concentration camps as we speak, just for harmless little fuzzball Christians like us.

He’s appealing to the crowd who prefers to be defeated, and like to make a habit out of blame-shifting because blame-shifting seemingly takes away the need to deal with personal heart crud. See, if the enemy can convince us (via the preacher, if necessary) that we are on the verge of either being persecuted, killed, or heavily pursued by none other than himself, he will have succeeded in paralyzing us with fear. We will not be up and about, fearlessly serving people, loving our husband, enjoying anyone’s company, delighting in new life, admiring the strength of a new mother, or other lovely acts that often get buried in every day mundaneness and seem unfruitful.

We will not occupy until He comes.

So here’s my plea to Christians fed up with Obama, politics, politicians, and all the evil that surrounds us and therefore, want the world to end: get up! Jesus is coming, and politically speaking, things look bleak. Satan does roam, famished. But Jesus is still an in-control King of kings who doesn’t support a doomsday mentality that says it’s over before it’s over.

So three next right steps:

First, pray.

Oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Second, realize that the Gospel flourishes in times of persecution, famine, and other hard times. So perhaps we should be about the spread of the Gospel, rather than the non-stop fear of corrupt political leaders and impending difficult times. The more Christians we have when difficult times come, the better. The more we’ve learned to be Christ-like in times of blessing, the more we’ll be able to be Christ-like in times of severe trial. If you need a personal example of this, read The Hiding Place. Corrie ten Boom knew how to get ‘er done.

Third, fear not, fear not, fear not. Jesus said it all the time, because He knew fear paralyzes and causes His people to be introverted, withdrawn, depressed, and hopeless. It’s takes us out of the race. And this is a race, right?

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:1-2)

Have you noticed wicked leaders and Satan are both running their races full force? They’re not afraid. They’re highly motivated. And the “funny” thing? Satan knows he’s going to lose!! We, as Christians, know we are going to WIN. Yet, if we listen to the wrong messages and fall into blame-shifting, we flop before the finish line. We quit running.

Maybe you go about your day perched on cloud nine because you’re running a race and fighting battles in a war you are certain Christ has already won. I hope so! But for those who taking to heart fearsome messages that supposed ministers of the Word are dishing out, remember that God is your ultimate leader. He does not want you to fear. He wants you to run a clear-headed, victorious race. He wants you to be a conqueror. In fact, He has already claimed you as one.

We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Not we will be more than conquerors.

So go forth and live out who you already are.

Serve. Take a meal to a new mommy (or clean her potties!).

Love. Be a pleasant, loving companion to your husband (or whoever God places in your path).

Occupy. Find a way that suits your giftedness to effectively spread the Gospel.

Yes, things are bad. Yes, Jesus is coming. That should be a motivating factor. Not an excuse to give up, give in, or give out.

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