Okay, here you have it, I was a little shocked at the election. Yes, I had it going one particular way, but what I am shocked about is the voice and the traction in which God’s People––yes, Christian’s–– spoke after the election was “called.” One leader wrote, and I quote, “If I wasn’t a Christian, I would commit suicide, if I wasn’t a Christian I would have voted for _________.” Another quote I saw: “I wish we had more atheists in our government. I’m tired of guys that believe Jesus is going to rule and use that as a justification for their public policies.” Christians all over America forgot what Daniel 2:21 says. “He controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings.” It appears to me that “we” forgot that God holds the universe in His palms. Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool! If that is true, then what Dr. Tom Lindberg says is really true… “If it is over your head, it is still under His feet!”
Haggai 2: 6 & 7 – 6 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. This passage is where I derive my title. God is going to shake some things a bit. He is going to allow some things that will rattle our cages – so to speak.
It is a good thing to be shaken. It forces us to recalibrate and make sure that we are in line with the principles and the convictions that are not Liberal or Conservative; not Social or Economic; not Far Left or Center to Right. But instead Gospel and Missional; Righteous and Humility; Passion and Salvation. These are the principles and convictions that we need to live by. Let God shake us so that we can be stirred. “Stirred, Dan?” “Where are you going with this?”
2 Tim. 1:6-7, “6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Now before you get me on taking a passage out of context, look at the heading of this in your Bible… “Timothy’s Faith and Heritage.” How about the heading of the next passage of scripture… “Not Ashamed of the Gospel.” Paul’s admonition to Timothy is simple, “Stir up the Gift!”
Let me remind you how scholars say that Timothy died. Timothy tried to stop a pagan procession of idols, ceremonies, and songs. In response to his preaching of the gospel, the angry pagans beat him, dragged him through the streets, and stoned him to death. He was not “standing” for the Gospel, but doing something with the Gospel. He did not vote, but he GAVE IT ALL!
Guess what, Shaken leads to Stirred. Stirred leads to not just standing for what we believe in, not political or patriotic; but doing the GOSPEL! And through it all, Timothy was full of power, love and self-control! NOT FEAR!
Will America change? Guess what? We CONTINUE to change! Will Christians lose their liberties, if not this decade, one to follow? We will die for our faith––maybe not you and I now, but there are people all around the world now – who are!
Ask God, “How can I be shaken and stirred for the purpose of the Gospel?” Why, because…
1 Timothy 2:4, “God, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”