God Almighty Among Us (Joel Clark)

“The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the Earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here
among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.”
            It is clear that in a time of confusion and chaos such as this, the heart of man can interpret clearly that our life is but a mist in the midst of a doomed world. A simple word uttered from the mouth of God causes global turmoil. Although we may not know why God allows panic and disease to spread throughout his own creation, we know that he does allow it. Moreover, if we take his Word seriously, we know that the darkness and despair will intensify. And even as things grow exponentially worse, we will see humanity refuse to open its heart to the truth.
“But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood - idols that can neither hear, nor see, nor walk.” -Revelation 9:20
The true tragedy in the end times is not the lives lost or the panic. The true tragedy is the lack of courage and the lack of faith. We know that the light shines in the darkness, and even now the true light is shining through the hearts of believers instilling hope in those who are paralyzed with fear. However, most will still worship false hopes, and this is what crushes the heart of our God. But even as kingdoms crumble and the Earth melts, the Lord of Heaven’s armies is among us. Our God remains our banner and our fortress; our salvation becomes apparent as the cross, the crux of all eternity, still remains with the sins of all believers left for dead in its wake. Jesus promised that in the world we will go through many trials and sorrows, but he tells us to take heart because he has overcome the world.
The lives of believers do not reside in this world; the Word teaches that our lives are hidden with Christ in God. Though we all will pass away one day and though many of us are prone to disease, pain, and affliction, we know that our souls are protected by the perfect blood of Christ. We are certain that every weapon of the enemy that could ever cause us harm has been disarmed because of what Jesus has done for us. So take heart, stand firm, and understand what God is calling you to do. You are the light of the world and you are destined to shine. Know that within the problems you are facing right now, God is fueling your destiny. Be encouraged and understand that the promises over your life still stand. Be sure that God is more passionate about the dreams he has given you than you are. There is no end to the glory that God has bestowed on your life. God Almighty is alive and well, working in our midst.
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