Move That Mountain?

 I am continually amazed at the beauty of God’s creation. Just recently, I was privileged to ride on a highway that runs parallel to the majestic Wasatch Mountains. Their awesome presence is a reminder of how small human beings are compared to other aspects of God’s creation. I don’t believe the mountains thinks about us, but we are moved to ponder what a wonder they represent from the hand of the Almighty. It is clear that these speak about the sovereignty of God by their immovable presence.

I reflected as we were driving alongside them about how we are driving at a high rate of speed (the speed limit in Utah is 80 on the Interstate) and a half hour had past and it was as if we had not moved in reference to the mountains in view. The mountains just seemed to be standing still. It is often quoted in reference to Scripture (Matthew 17:20 NASB) that asking God to remove the mountain is really one finding a place to trust the Lord to do what only He can accomplish.

God places insurmountable obstacles and tasks in our way, I believe, in order to check us on how much we really believe in Him. For all that we are humanly capable of doing, moving the Wasatch is not a task to embark upon. But the One who put them there is certainly capable of doing so. 

The Psalmist in 125 writes, “Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people.” Oh that the Lord would cause us to trust in Him and be the people we ought to in accomplishing His work. What the Lord desires to stand will be. I pray that we would know His protection and find security in our assignment. The One who speaks from the Mountain is the same One who can move all mountains. Believe!

The Strange World We Live In

 A nation seemingly and irresponsibly mishandles a deadly virus that is carried around the globe, having a devastation effect upon human life.  The story of its impact upon a young generation is yet to be told with the disruption of what was once normal life for young minds. In the midst of this, the church suffers tremendous discontinuity with gathering fellowships and efforts to carry out the priority commission of the Lord.  It seems that the church was revealed to have much more density than spiritual substance. Many have found that cozying up to church media and messages from afar are more palatable than the gathering of the saints in person. In our country, subversive politics, virtue signaling, and media biases that mislead a nation seem to be accepted as long as your position of choice is more effective in gaining the upper hand. Who cares about what’s godly or even proper? Now, we are able to see what war and the thirst for power really produces on women and children and families in a place that is far away, without the thought that maybe the same might be suffered right where we live. A hollow trust is deceptive and the unthinkable is possible.

This strange world is not so strange after all. The problem and the results of sinful men are on full display while people relegate the idea of sin to a minority position of fanatical members of the church. It also begs the question of “Why don’t people see what’s really going on?” Well, many have banked on their comforts and financial resources to endure the threats of this strange world. But those things and others are no match for a virus, a war, or spiritual deception.  He who has ears, let him hear. The weapons of our warfare, the Christian calling, are not made by human hands nor forged by human wisdom (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Let those who follow Christ find that these times are the right and proper setting for us to be focused and committed to fundamentals of the faith (e.g. fellowship, prayer, God’s Word, serving, and witnessing to a world that is upside down). Finally Beloved, fight for the faith that was once for all given to us (Jude 3). The answer to this world’s problems and any throughout the history of man is a faithful obedience to the Lord and a trust in Him that is radical in this strange world that we live in.