Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength (Vol. 1) - #
325
Michael’s book is
available through:
ABIDING LIFE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
Littleton, Colorado
(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com
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Michael takes a day off from the more crucial
issues he typically addresses, and spends some time in a Latvian sauna. Who says theology can’t make its way into a
sauna???
DAY 328
What If
We Lost the Big War?
All the trees of the field will know that I
am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green
tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will
perform it.
--Ezekiel 17:24
I
have found that I can learn a lot from listening. One day I was
sitting in a Latvian sauna. Knowing that the Latvians had suffered greatly
under the Soviet occupation, what one man said was shocking to me. “I was in a
remote area in Russia where the people had nothing, and I noticed that though
in physical want, they were not in spiritual want. As I watched them, I began
to wonder if we Latvians were not better off spiritually during the occupation
than at present. I suppose that it depends on what one wants out of life.” To me
that was an amazing statement; I had never heard a Latvian--or anyone from the
former countries of Soviet occupation, for that matter--say such a thing.
However, it is something I have wondered. Does history bear out that great
revivals take place in the midst of comfort or in the throes of want? This
fellow may be right in remarking that comfort is not the best human state when
Christ can so easily be neglected and substituted. The Chinese Church grew from
fifty thousand to fifty million under persecution. Considering facts like that,
what would happen if we took a position that what Jesus was talking about when
He said that we are to love our enemies actually meant, without qualification,
to love our enemies? I have come up against arguments, so I know that loving an
enemy is open for interpretation and that boundaries for such a directive are
quickly sought by “rational” human beings. However, what if Stalin would have
taken over the whole world? What if he had been allowed to kill every
Christian, and, as in the early Church under Roman persecution, Christians went
to the lions? How long could evil reign without good to support it? How long
would it have been before Jesus would have come? What if every Christian loved
his enemies and did not
use force against them in keeping with Scriptures such as, “Father,
forgive them,” and (Matthew 26:53 & 54), “Or do you think that I
cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than
twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” Would Jesus already have returned? I understand
that there are those committed to fighting evil, drawing the line against
injustice, and seeing a Scriptural delineation between war and loving an enemy.
I also understand the limited impact of my comments since, as was pointed out,
I have not witnessed my family being taken off by evil forces. We feel that it
is unthinkable to sit back and see our families murdered, and yet that is
exactly what happened to the people in this place. The unthinkable has been
done. It is not just a theory.
This discussion led to another.
Americans seem to hit the panic button when they see people in physical need,
so they come to the rescue with “things.” An interesting observation was made
that every country that America rebuilds becomes consumed with materialism
(Japan, Germany, Korea, and Great Britain were given as examples). I could see
the validity in the point. Pictures of people without food are given more
weight in the American churches than pictures of thousands bowing to Mecca. I
have been guilty myself of telling stories of the incredible physical want in
lieu of the horrific fact that hundreds of millions in India do not know Jesus.
Well, amen, it was
interesting sauna talk with interesting perspectives.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Experiencing family taken off by evil forces, or murdered in front of
our eyes would surely impact one’s perspective.
And someone once said, “What we perceive, we believe.” Not many of us have been in a situation
face-to-face with anyone who has experienced what those Latvians
experienced. God allowed Michael to meet
and hear some things that impacted his perspectives. And I am grateful he shared these with us. Hopefully we have been listening and have learned some things by hearing his report.
We would do well to always be grateful we also have the LORD who is
performing all the things He said He would…well, amen.
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