It is officially spring! The flowers are in bloom, the trees are budding out, and the grass is green again. There is excitement in the air as we see in God's creation the beginning of new life. Even creation itself seems to echo the sentiment of new life and the joy that it brings. It is no wonder that God chose this time to cause His Son to rise from the grave. As Christians, we get excited about this time of year because it represents the new birth that each Christian has by way of the resurrected Saviour.
How often in our lives do we find ourselves trying to solve our own problems? Every person handles hard situations differently, but if you're anything like me, you may sometimes find yourself struggling to solve a problem in your own power through human solutions.
"And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel."
Even those with limited Bible knowledge have heard of the book of Judges. Such picturesque stories as victories won through Ehud, Samson, and the likes of Deborah are all vivid accounts of the cyclical history of the book. Israel truly did exemplify the very last verse of the book, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes." The cycle would begin with sin, then move to the judgment of God, then the cry of Israel for deliverance, then the grace of our God to provide victory through a judge.
For most people, there is an awe and respect for the sacrifice and service of a soldier. In God's Word, there are several references to God Himself in military terms as well as the saint of God as a soldier for Christ. Particularly, 2 Timothy chapter 2 speaks of enduring hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. If we focus on the beginning and conclusion of this segment, we see the instruction to endure as a good soldier and then the results from it.
We live in a culture that is endeavoring to abolish distinctions that God has established. This is obvious on many fronts: the definition of life, the definition of marriage, gender classifications, and many other moral inconsistencies. As we endeavor to shine as lights in a dark world, it has become increasingly clear that we have become a moral minority, fringing upon irrelevance, from the world's perspective, to our own national culture. What's more, in a culture like what ours is becoming, fear can begin to paralyze us into silent gospel proclamation. Our thinking, our philosophy, our theology have become obtuse to the people we live next door to, work with, or shop with. If we allow it, this contrast can freeze our witness and deaden our desire to proclaim Christ.
