Time For A Change

I hope to make this the first of a series entitled, 'Time For A Change." As we enter into this new era of history we have heard these words resounded over and over again. The times we are experiencing draws us to these words, they sound good and we recognize the need for change but what are the changes we need? I hope to destroy the Giant of change, man's idea of change and replace it with God's idea of change. Using God's word we will look into His concept of change and what changes are needed to receive His blessings. We will see what changes are required to be prosperous as a people and as a nation. So now I give you the first insert of 'Time For A Change.'


Time For A Change




1Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

I think that we are at the most pivotal point in history. As prophecies continue to be fulfilled I believe that Christ could return at any moment. The church has been negligent in its obedience to God’s word for far too long. Maybe I am just being hopeful that it would be during my life time. In either case we must realize the call to arm ourselves against the enemy. We must be prepared to go into battle like never before because the battle is soon to come into our own back yard. Let me rephrase that because it has been in our own backyard but we have refused to see it. It has been attacking our families but we have ignored it calling it typical teen behavior. It has attacked our neighbors but we have called it economic downturn. It has attacked our communities but we have ignored it calling it living in a diversified community and it has attack our country but we ignore it, blaming those who have been elected to run our country. We have ignored it because it would affect our lifestyle if we spoke up. It would cause us to be perceived as fanatics if we spoke up in regards of our beliefs. Our parents sat back because it was the era that we were growing up in. Their parents sat back and did nothing because of what the country had gone through because of the war or the depression and let’s really face it we sat back and did nothing because sin made us money.

Sin makes us money because when the economy is doing well we can sell our property at a higher rate. It doesn’t matter whether people can afford it or not as long as the bank gives us the money. It doesn’t affect us when we over charge for services because everyone is doing it. We close our eyes when our children begin hanging out with the wrong people because we believe that we have been good examples to them when the truth is we are no different than our unsaved neighbors and our kids know it. They know it because we laugh at the TV shows that exploit sin in a positive manner. They know it because of the oldies station that we leave our car radio on. They know it because of the discussions they overhear during tax season and they know it because honestly we are just too busy making money to be bothered with them or the things God would have us to do. Oh, you may teach Sunday school but what or who do you talk about on the way home from church? Yes, sin makes us money and we don’t want it to stop because it would affect our own well being. If people started to see us as loving then everyone would want a hand out. If they began to see Christ through us then our friends on the school board may stop doing business with us or our business partners may see us as weak and take advantage of us and then God forbid our kids may not be able to go to college. Forget about the promises that He makes in His word to provide for us because honestly we don’t believe it. That’s why we keep our mouths shut and our hearts closed to those who are outside. If we believed it there wouldn’t be a giving shortage and our churches would be full because He has promised to add to the church daily. We deny Him because once again sin provides us with the lifestyle we want.

The time has come for a change, but it is not the change that the world wants or in reality what we want. The change that is needed is the return to God’s word. It is the sacrificing of ourselves for the spiritual well being of others. It needs us caring as Christ did for their well being as well. The miracles that He performed met physical needs which resulted in a spiritual change in most people. The ten lepers showed that not everyone was grateful and we are told that despite of the miracles not everyone believed, yet He still sacrificed His life for the forgiveness of their sins. Not just theirs but those of every person ever born. His purpose was to provide us an example on how we are to be in this world. The time for change came at Pentecost. Upon the giving of the Holy Spirit those who had witnessed His life, death and resurrection began to realize all that He had taught them. Those who came to trust in Him realized the power that came from obedience to Him yet again not everyone believed. The time for change came when Barnabas; acting out of obedience to the Holy Spirit having property, sold it and turned the proceeds over to the disciples to further the work and many others also being led did the same yet some seeking their own glory attempted to lie to the Holy Spirit and immediately dropped dead. You see they were unwilling to sacrifice their lifestyle. While mere men did not know the true state of their heart, the Holy Spirit knew just as He knows ours today. He knows the reason behind our not giving all and why we refuse to obey His leading. The truth is that some things never change nor will they until He reestablishes His kingdom.

Let’s take a moment to think about this for a moment. Was the actions taken by Ananias and Sapphira only about the holding back of money? We know it was in some aspects about lying to the Holy Spirit but was the lie the result of a lack of genuine love on their behalf? Could this lack of love be the cause and effect of the lie and the unwillingness to sacrifice? Could it be that their actions would have caused an infection within the early church that would have allowed false teachers to infiltrate the church much sooner than they did? If we look at the condition of the churches today I believe we have a bird’s eye view of what damage could have happened at the beginning and while it eventually happened it was not as prevalent then as it is now. When we look back at the history of the church we see the battles that were waged against the false teachers and against the lack of love towards the brethren, as well as against those who were outside of the church. Is it any wonder that the last living apostle’s letters to the churches resounded in love? It is time for a change.