Part 2 of the previous post, as promised…

If I were to tell you that, on its current course, this Christian-founded country – the mighty United States of America – is headed for disaster, destruction, death as a major player in the world after a century-plus run as such, would you believe that?  Could  you believe that?  It’s admittedly very difficult to do so, given just how much power we have, how we wield our will in world affairs from wee to weighty and every degree in between.

But I need only remind you of two things to quell any (very rational) skepticism.

Firstly, I’m sure people would’ve been exponentially more  skeptical had they been asked that question about the Roman Empire in its heyday.  And they wielded worldwide weight and welly for a thousand years, a millennium!  Yes, even the notion of a fall would’ve been dismissed out-of-hand… and yet it happened.

And secondly, and infinitely sufficiently all by itself, we have the wise, wiggle-proof  words of warning from the wonderful and ever-authoritative Lord Jesus Himself, who said…

• “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” (Matthew 12:25b, emphasis added)
• “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” (Mark 3:25, emphasis added)

Without unity, it’s not difficult, it’s downright impossible  for any group to not just thrive but even survive; it’s literally just a matter of time until it fails and falls.

Given this time-tested truth, the youth should vamoose along with adults to UNITE, if that’s even still doable, if this country hasn’t already passed the proverbial “point of no return”.  Per Proverbs 27:1, I can’t say for sure whether we’ve gone that far, but it’s got to be very, very close in any case.  I can’t say if we still have a chance to unite but I can say this with sevenfold certainty:  if we can, we ONLY can by the grace of God, the inner working of the Word in general and mass Bible memory on a regular, systematic basis in particular.

Because it’s the Bible which blesses and cleanses and grows and transforms.

A person.

A church.

A political party.

A nation.

• “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

And what’s the only thing in the world which truly transforms?

Yep, you got it:  the Bible!  The living and active, living and abiding Word of God.

• “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation [i.e., the epitome of true, total transformation… wow!]; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, emphasis added)
• “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring [i.e., transforming!] the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. [i.e., transformation!]” (Psalm 19:7emphasis added)
• “that He might sanctify [us], having cleansed [us] by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26)
• “like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2)
• “the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13c)

Which is why it’s wise to wear  the Word within oneself, by way of our eyes (reading it, studying it) and mind (memorizing it).

• “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…” (Colossians 3:16a)
• “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” (Psalm 119:11, KJV)

Lastly, let’s look at what immediately follows two of these verses about being transformed.

• “…with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:16b-17)
• “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.  Do not be wise in your own estimation.  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord.  ’BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS UPON HIS HEAD.’  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:10-21)

Hear this crystal clear conclusion:  unity is achieved when individual members of a group are transformed by getting the Bible INSIDE OF THEM, via their eyes and mind… and then affecting and impacting and sharing and spreading  that with others in the group.

This is why it could rightly be said of the early-Church Philippians that they were “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27c) and that was because they did “nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind [they regarded] one another as more important than himself” and did “not merely look out for [their] own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

My friend, I assure you that it’s no accident that the very next breath, the very next several verses penned by the Apostle Paul comprise what is probably the premier passage on humility in the entire Bible.

Because selflessness and humility go hand-in-hand.

Because humility is not  thinking poorly of oneself; it’s not thinking of oneself at all  vis-a-vis other people.

This message from God’s Word, the Bible, is relevant and much-needed at any time, on any day, but it seems superbly fitting for the Christmas season, when worldwide we commemorate in mass fashion when Jesus gave us the greatest demonstration and example of humility, just like the proceeding Philippians 2:5-11 passage so lovingly lays out for our daily living and lifelong benefit.

And now coming full circle by ending this one with where the previous post (Part 1) started…

As we all know, what matters most isn’t how one starts a job but rather how one finishes.  Not a team’s results in the first half but ultimately how they perform in the second… so let’s see if Democrats keep being kings and queens of cohesion and unity and effectiveness in pushing and passing their political convictions and views and agenda as beloved by their base voters as they did when they were in charge in the previous (Pelosi-run) Congress, or whether House Republicans can finally muster a molecule of harmony and manage the House in an effective, functional, wise – which is to say, united – manner, in stark contrast to the data-confirmed massive dysfunction demonstrated in their first year back in power, in their “first half” as it were.  (Humanly speaking, unlike a mere football game, the very fate of the nation  may well depend on it.)

And as we covered above, there’s just one way to become – and stay – united and thus not just survive but thrive as a family or church or company or country, and I can sum it up in just two words:  Humility.  TOGETHER.

 

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