What a week it has been. Here we are in the midst of an ongoing presidential election with no reasonable end in sight. There is a palpable feeling of unrest within the very fiber of our nation. If you haven’t been affected to some extent, then there is a chance your emotional receptors are fried. Why should this be affecting you? I am assuming that you love God, you love His church, and you love your country. So, with that in mind what do we need to remember as followers of Christ and as Americans?   

First and foremost, We are children of the MOST HIGH GOD! The Scriptures are clear when it comes to who we are and whose we are. This is something we must never forget. The Apostle John writes…

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:4-6). NKJ

These Scriptures are huge. First, we are reminded that we belong to God. We are His children. What a privilege, what a blessing! Never forget, even though we are in this world our true home is beyond this world. Heaven is our ultimate destination. But while we are in this world, we must remember a few things. Notice what John says next, “we have overcome them.” Who is them? Them is described in verse five. This world and those in it. Its philosophies, its way of thinking, and way of living. 

Here is a reality for all genuine followers of Jesus. This world is broken, and it is filled with sin. The condition of this world should grieve your heart. Why, because it grieves God’s heart.  If this world doesn’t grieve your heart to some extent, then you need to check your heart and see if it is connected to God.

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.” (2 Cor 13:5) 

Probably the greatest reminder in these verses is the fact that we are “Overcomers!” This is an amazing truth we need to fix our gaze upon. Fact; we can overcome all this world will throw at us if God resides in us and works through us. The stamp of authenticity is found in verse six, “We are of God!” Never forget you are a child of God. With that comes all the privileges, responsibilities, and rewards. 

One more amazing fact when reading verse six. If we are children of God, then we should be able to know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. A child knows his mother's voice, a sheep knows its shepherd's voice. We also should know the voices of our heavenly Father, and the voice of the good Shepherd. I cannot stress the importance of staying in the Word of God, being disciplined in the practice of prayer. The darker this world gets the more we need to plug into our power source. Hang in their saints of God, keep your focus on Jesus and your hearts fixed on the King of kings and the LORD of lords!

 In Christ, 

Pastor Greg Schaffer