For January 31, 2021
For many of us, 2020 was a most unfortunate year with the repressive sanctions against the church, small business closures, random and senseless mob violence, destruction of historical artifacts, election controversy, racial strife, ideological conflict, and world-wide pandemic.
Modernist postulate how humanity is ever-evolving for the better and will create (and worship) a government where love and harmony reigns. This is not new, for in Jesus’ day, Rome 
enforced emperor worship, which posed a serious threat to all Christians as violators were executed,
The refusal of all Christians to participate in [Emperor Worship] precipitated violent persecution, for the Christians consistently objected to worshipping a human being. The polytheistic Romans, who could always add one more god to their list of deities, looked upon their refusal as a lack of proper recognition for the emperor and a distinctly unpatriotic attitude. Between these two viewpoints, there could be no reconciliation.1
Many today worship a government that proposes a godless ideology to adversely influence politics, business, schools, colleges, media, and even clergy, promoting an empty utopian promise that we can provide for ourselves—apart from God. In other words, we have no need for Jesus Christ, God, or the Bible because human effort and ingenuity are all we will ever need.
Love and harmony will not be found in godless utopia; this is a lie from the pit of hell. Instead, hostility and disrespect will replace civility and common courtesy. Such is happening before our eyes just as Proverbs foretold nearly three-thousand years ago,
When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall. When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. (Proverbs 2, 4, 18 NLT)
Since the onset of sin in the Garden of Eden, we have expressed rage, hate, petty animosity and jealousy towards each other. The first murder was perpetrated by Cain, who killed his brother Abel primarily out of hatred and animosity (Genesis 4:1-8, Matthew 23:35, Hebrews 11:4).
All of us sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). However, the “Born Again” experience transforms our sin nature spiritually and secures our access to the Kingdom of God. This is our regeneration as we invite Jesus Christ into our lives by faith, and we receive a new internal nature that allows us to perform God’s perfect will and show His favor.
We are no longer spiritually dead, because the Holy Spirit lives inside us, transforming us into “new” creatures (1 Corinthians 5:17). With our old life gone and defeated, our new life craves the Lord and His righteousness at all times.
We are living proof of God’s marvelous plan of redemption and transformation to affirm that Jesus Christ forever reigns as Savior and Lord. Our identity as followers of Christ allows us to live morally responsible and spiritually astute, so that we can enhance and preserve a civil, global society.
It is the will of God that we become the benefactors of His grace and love, as John writes,
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God (John 1:12–13 NLT).
We are neither “barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” for the glory of God, and the benefit of others and us. Human lives change drastically in the presence of the Living Christ, and drastically changed human lives (Christ-centered and Spirit-controlled) think, speak, and act in ways that are not detrimental to the health, welfare, or safety of others regardless of race, gender, culture, social status, or political affiliation.
It is possible to change the world…one person at a time.
What a Wonderful Savior!