Looking Unto Jesus

Written by Jonathan Israel
Email: jonathanisrael@email.com

God’s Word directs us at all times to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus. In these troubling times Christians are paying special attention to terrorism, abortion, recession, money, material things, family issues, politics, candidates, judges, moral decay, and a host of other everyday problems. We’ve become so transfixed on national and world events rather than the “Good News” that we lost sight of the Cross.

Jesus told his disciples to “preach the Good News.” Preachers today have a new message, that is, they preach “how to get rich schemes” to what candidates to vote for. Jesus willfully went to the Cross to save the world from the condemnation of sin. The shedding of His blood was to cleanse us from unrighteousness; and to bring us into a perfect relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through Christ we have complete access to our Heavenly Father. Christ taught his disciples to pray for one another. He directed them to preach the “Good News” and to minister to the more unfortunate ones.

Yet, Christian’s are praying for money, power, and a myriad of selfish greed. The Lord has turned a deaf ear to our covetous prayers. We are in awe over the fact that His anointed presence has left the Church. And yet, we believers continue marching down “Selfish Lane” without giving a second thought as to God’s purpose for our lives. We’ve educated ourselves to know more about Him rather than developing an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.

The quandaries of today are not new ones. The Devil would have us believe that He, not Christ is in control of the world events. Yet, he has deceived the Church into believing that material things, money, wealth, avarice, lust, power, fame, and having a “righteous cause” to fight for are the keys for survival. He has swindled the Church out of her righteous inheritance of faith and trust. By focusing on world events, social issues, and the current political spectrum, our faith has soured into self-seeking fulfillment.

True faith desires to please Christ. Today’s Church adheres more to preaching the current political spectrum than the joys of entering into his anointed chamber room. I have often contemplated if the Lord has the audacity to equate today’s Church as His beautiful bride to be? The Church podium has cultivated into a political platform. She has danced to the voice of crime and punishment, moral laws, politics, and governmental regulations. Her weary face bears the marks of an angry, harden-bitter woman.

The Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who was caught in adultery. They demanded that Christ sentence to woman to death, according to the Law of Moses. Christ responded, “You without sin, let him cast the first stone.” The law makers departed having been put to shame by their harden hearts. Christ then asks the woman, “Where are those that condemned you?” She admitted there was no one. He said, “Neither do I condemn you.” The religious political spectrum of the day demanded the death sentence. Christ offered the adulteress woman forgiveness. It is time for the Church to take her eyes off today’s religious political continuum; and fasten them on the Lord of mercy and forgiveness.