Living in the Last Hour

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Judges 21:25 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes (Matthew 18)!

This passage of scripture gives a clear definition of what followers of Jesus must become. He also gives a clear warning of what will happen if any follower causes another to sin. Read the Scripture, there is no mention of degree. As adults we assume that young children know right from wrong. We attribute the ability to discern to a child barely understanding the abstract from the concrete. This lesson that Jesus was teaching to His disciples was about humility and greatness in the kingdom of heaven. The greatness and the sovereignty of God will humble the most arrogant and prideful man. If it doesn’t there is a problem in the heart of that man. Why did Jesus use the child as an example to illustrate that true greatness comes from being humble and having a childlike faith?

Yesterday, my family gathered to celebrate my little grandson’s fourth birthday and to pray for him. He was scheduled to undergo surgery to correct a lazy eye problem in both eyes. He is there now. He has been undergoing various tests the last few months to address some health concerns, this being one of those issues. He has cried and fussed but he has been a little champ. He was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy a couple of months ago. Mom and dad are still learning about the MD and how it may affect him later in life. All is in God’s merciful hands.

Anyway, after we prayed for him my three year-old great-granddaughter asked for her turn. I can’t imagine she knew what she was asking, but she could see that we gathered around my grandson, praying. I asked her if she wanted us to pray for her. She softly said, yes. I let everyone know that she too wanted prayer. With heaviness of heart I prayed for her. I know she is one scared little girl. No matter how much we try to ease her fears she cries and holds on tight to her grandma. It is difficult to overlook her insecurities. But she is learning, the most difficult way, she must give up the battle. She is learning her powerlessness in the midst of the battle. She is learning she has no voice and no choice in this battle. Before her fourth birthday she is learning the pangs of surrender. And she doesn’t even know why. She only knows that she must go with someone she refers to as very mean and daddy and she never wants to go with him again. It hurts to see her struggle with that ripping away. The whole scene looks criminal.

The Lord said His followers should all become as little children. As children of the living God we must learn to settle, to surrender our will for His. We have to wait on the Lord. It is He who will fight our battles. It is He who said that vengeance was His.

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them (NKJV Deuteronomy 32:35).

Americans today are so divided, about many things. Christians are divided. It’s darkness against darkness, darkness against light, light against light. Scripture says a kingdom divided will come to ruin. It cannot stand.

Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you (NKJV Matthew 12:22-28).

My great-granddaughter’s struggle is the result of two Christian families, or so I am led to believe that daddy comes from a Christian home. Child custody can get messy. It can get downright ugly. And any form of abuse adds another layer of messy. The question to ask is, “How will she remember this time in her life? If she continues to have these negative reactions during transition how will it affect her future development?”

Children are most susceptible to abuse during infancy and early childhood, which usually goes to age eight. The child goes through tremendous changes very often challenging parents at all levels. So, why did God say to His followers that they must become as little children if they want to enter the kingdom of heaven?

On the other hand, adolescence is where children are more likely to bully, to display risky behaviors, etc. They are forming identities. I asked Google to give me a definition of adolescence. Here is what Google had to say.

Adolescence is a period where increased bullying and risky behaviors are common due to identity formation, peer influence, social status seeking, and brain development, leading to heightened sensitivity to peer acceptance and potential struggles with emotional regulation, often stemming from underlying issues like family stress or past experiences, making it a key time for addressing these behaviors. 

Very young children tend to be compliant even when faced with abuse. They can cry, scream, all they want. They can cry themselves to sleep in their powerlessness. Who fights their battles? A parent, typically.

In some ways our society is like the Pharisees. Throughout the history of this nation we have experienced transition and we have never like it. Folks that were slave owners fought against the house for the right to keep their slaves. Folks fought to maintain the practice of buying and selling of humans. When they did not get their way, they passed laws to force the separation of colors. Even when such laws were abolished these folks felt justified in maintaining that separation, to death and destruction, if need be. God is ripping His children away from those who would abuse or exploit them, just as He did the Israelites. And it was not pleasant. The children walking in the desert were ready to return to bondage. They whined and complained until God said, enough. And He dropped a few thousands in the desert.

When Jesus began His ministry, the Jewish leaders (the Pharisees, Sadducees) did not like what He was doing. One man chose to betray Him, to the Jewish leaders, for a few pieces of silver. One man set prophesy into motion. God spoke it and He brought it to pass. Judas had no idea what he had just unleashed, but Jesus did. He had no problem betraying Jesus. Not until it was too late. Jesus told the apostles exactly what would transpire and Judas was included in that conversation. Judas could not take back his actions. We know how that story ended.

At this point, as hard as they try, evangelicals appear no different than the world. Like the Pharisees they fight for the Law. They want everyone to hold to the Law that they themselves cannot keep, some don’t even know it. They want it posted all over the place to remind them of what it says. As if they intend to keep it.

Just like a child, our early experiences, as babes in Christ, shape our future as mature Christians. If we get poor training, or false training we will be ineffective in spiritual matters. In the Garden of Eve, the serpent was way more clever than Eve. I don’t think she was naive. I think she was curious. That curiousness allowed the devil to easily put thoughts in her head that led to her actions. Through the act of one man, the world changed. It is still that way today. One man can bring on change no one is expecting. Judas hung himself after he realized what he had done.

When I look out to the world, to the church, to our society I see evangelicals trying to take back and taking back something that was never ours. The things of God are foolishness to those who are perishing. The darkness cannot comprehend the light (John 1:5). Believers are to be the light in the darkness. Well, if all you see is darkness it is because we (the body of Christ) are not the light that we should be in Christ. Hence the love of many grows ever so cold. This world is not our home. Praying at this point should be for mercy.

My little great-granddaughter does not want to go someplace where she feels unsafe, uncomfortable, perhaps unloved, abandoned, not to say that she is, but no one wants to go to such places. She wants to be with her mother and grandmother really. Her mother is the one who she sees as forcing her to go with her father. Mom has no choice. But really, despite the domestic abuse, it was the judge who sentenced her to that situation. At her age she cannot understand that dynamic. That’s her experience. Our prayer is that her adverse reactions are not due to something more damaging.

If the Lord said we must be like children to enter into the kingdom of God, that transformation opens the children of God to persecution. But like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego said, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up (Daniel 3).”

Thank you for reading. Blessings to you. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”