Skill in, 'What doesn't kill you . . . '

Bible-believers understand like no one else that the political structure of our country and this planet is controlled by “the prince of this world,” i.e. Satan.

“We live in a culture that’s running headlong into greater and greater evil, debauchery, violence, corruption--polluted by what (Robert) Bork calls 'modern barbarians,' " says Jordan. "When the Apostle Paul writes the things he does about being a good citizen, living in a society—Paul was in a culture every bit as pagan and morally bankrupt as ours is today.

“In Philippians 2:14, Paul says, ‘Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’

“That’s how you do it and you see from the passage, Paul’s not telling them to go out and fight by political means. He says we're to hold up some LIGHT that gives life.

“Paul says in Titus 3, ‘Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.’

“The message is, ‘Go out and be good citizens in the world; go out and live in the culture, as pagan and wicked and evil as it is; go out there and live in it as a Believer.’

*****

“You've got to have the divine viewpoint of tribulations to be BOLD in tribulation. When the problems come, you look at them and, by relying on God’s Word and a clear understanding of what we are because of who we are in Christ Jesus, we can endure with peace under whatever the pressure there is.

"What that does is give you skill; ability in handling bigger problems—even greater problems. And that results in hope and confidence in the Lord’s working.

“Of course, people say, ‘Well, wait a minute, if it results in me being able to handle bigger problems, what happens?’ A bigger problem comes.

“I’ve seen saints of God handle problems and I look at them and I say, ‘You know, if that thing was on my shoulders it would kill me.’ Now, you know how they got so they can handle that kind of problems? Handle littler ones.

“Listen, people, talk’s cheap. It isn’t easy. It hurts sometime and it’s inconvenient, but we don’t work by feelings, do we?

*****

“Romans 5:3-5 says, [3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
[4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
[5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

“Now, that will bring you to a place where all of a sudden you can appreciate the love that God has for us in a way that you never could appreciate it before. You see, all those things demonstrate God’s love. And you say, ‘Are you sure about that, Charlie?’

“ . . . If I ask you on a test what does ‘agape love’ mean, the answer is it’s a 'mental-attitude love of value and esteem.' That definition is by W.E. Vines.

“By ‘knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed,’ we’re learning how much God loves us; how highly it is that He values and esteems us.

*****

“That ‘shed abroad’ is like a great river coursing and flowing over our soul. It just comes in and courses in and flows in over us.

“It’s just the love of God completely flowing over you and refreshing you. It’s the Holy Spirit that takes all of these things as they happen to us; that takes the Word of God that we understand and build up in our soul, and we’re strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man. There’s strengthening when you keep relying on the Book and it’s the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

“You and I have a hope that the world doesn’t have, but we’ve also been ‘left’ in this world. If the world has trouble, they can’t boast in the trouble; that’s just what comes. But we’re able to boast in the trouble.

“So He leaves us here and we suffer the common lot of the world, but whereas the world wrings its hands and says, ‘Oh, me, oh my,’ we look at it and say, ‘We know these ‘problems’ WORK; they have a purpose in our life. We know what’s going on! We know where we’re going and we know who we are.' ”

(new article tomorrow)