In the midst of his troubles and persecution, David cried out:
Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly…. But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My tiour_times.htmlmes are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake (Ps. 31:9, 14-15).
What great comfort, confidence, and encouragement can be found in these verses as we look forward to another year of walking with Jesus and remember that our times are in God’s hands, even in the midst of a deteriorating culture! With the demise of sexual morality and the rise in psychologically-driven personal entitlement, America looks more and more like Romans 1:20-32.
As we live by the life of Christ and stand for the truth of God in the midst of a culture that is in enmity against God, we find ourselves in a spiritual battle that is not against people, but against spiritual powers of wickedness. Our weapons are spiritual, not carnal (2 Cor. 10:4-5), as we are instructed:
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Eph. 6: 12-18).
Thank God we are in His hands! We are not of this world. We are already citizens of Christ’s kingdom and members of His body. Therefore, no matter what happens around us, we are hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
At the same time we are to be light and salt (Matt. 5:13-14). Yes, we are in the world, but not of this world—hidden in Him, yet called to let our “light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Our call is to shine forth and glorify God through faithfulness to Him instead of following the will and ways of the world.
Only the Word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit will suffice in the face of trials. Psychological promises, theories, therapies, and techniques will fail. When it’s time to trim our lamps, only the oil of the Spirit can keep our lamps burning. Are we filling our flask with the oil of the Spirit or with the psychological syrup of the world?
May we be steadfastly: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). And, may we all glorify Him right up to that day when we see Him face to face (1 Cor. 13:2) as we abide in Him with confidence that: OUR TIMES ARE IN HIS HANDS.
(PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter, January-February 2017, Vol. 25, No.1