Pastor Matthew Peters,
High Prairie Bethel Baptist Church.
In the midst of fear and political uncertainties, what should we do?
Is Canada doomed to destruction? What will our children grow up under?
History rolls on. There really is nothing new under the sun. If this world is all there is, many Albertans may feel things are spiraling downhill. The cry for justice prevails and not much can be done by the average Albertan about it.
Jesus spoke of increasing fear coming upon the world as the time of the end drew closer.
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the Earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26).
This is what social media sounds like. Uncertainty looms with expectation of future catastrophe. It makes perfect sense to me. If all you have is this life, there is a very good reason to be afraid. Who will hold our government to account? What is the purpose for this decline that may affect my children and grandchildren in terrible ways? What can I do about it?
In all those questions, the answer as an individual is you can do virtually nothing. Watch and see what comes of it all. Wish that somebody somewhere would rise up and do something, yet have no assurance of it ever happening.
There is one thing. Look to the God who made you, put you here, and has spoken on such issues. Let the despair of the moment drive you to the One who is the only hope of you, your children, and your grandchildren.
What’s His perspective in all this?
“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the Earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:12-14)
He’s the Creator of the heavens and the Earth! Who can hold the ocean in his hand?
God can because He made it!
Who can inform God about what’s going on that He doesn’t already know?
Nobody, for He created the brains that process the information the eye is seeing and the ear is hearing!
He’s not worried about who’s in government. He put them there. And the accumulated power and position that the rulers of the world hold is to Him “like a drop from a bucket” and if that doesn’t suffice to prove the point, “less than nothingness” (Isaiah 40:15, 17).
He is not concerned.
There is a reason why countries receive the governments they do. Canada is a far cry from its infancy. Alberta, particularly, had some leaders who loved their God and taught the truth to fellow Canadians (Ernest Manning for example on the Back to the Bible Hour he hosted for nearly half a century).
What does God do with a country that turns its back on the Gospel they received? He gives them what they want.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:18-21).
God has shown Himself to be powerful by what He has made. However, because of a love of sin, most people don’t want to acknowledge that, so they push down the obvious by continuing their sin and hardening their conscience. That’s what it means when it says “suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.” When a country does this and no longer gives thanks to God and honour Him as God, collectively their heart is darkened. God then reveals His wrath by giving them over to their sinful desires.
Everybody wants Christian morals and their effects. But do they want the God behind those morals? Do you? You would want God to judge Mark Carney perhaps and you’d also want God to judge the man who slept with you wife. But do you desire for Him to judge you for your pornography? Because it’s not just the adulterer who will be punished in hell, it is also the one who looks at lust to another woman. (Matthew 5:27-30).
What this country needs, and you as an individual need, more than anything, is to stop suppressing the truth. Recognize that porn is not just some little thing, but it will cost you your life. The fact that there is so much shows that we’ve indeed been given over to our sinful desires which is a sign of God’s wrath already poured out. Acknowledge the God who reveals Himself through His creation. Let light shine upon your darkened heart, call on Jesus who gave His life and listen to His word. He is willing to forgive. You will be changed.