Just Passing Through

There is little hope of spiritual survival in a world of decline were it not for the Holy Spirit going before us in a land struggling to remain in the light of “In God We Trust.”  Yet the Holy Spirit is still at work, calling those who are straddling the fence between good and evil.

God provides a cleansing that the activities of this world can never offer.  Unclean behavior leads to separation from Him and can draw a person into even deeper depths of degradation.  But Jesus helps those who trust in His sovereignty keep their heads above the contamination that is overflowing across our land.

In 1 Peter 2:11-12, Christians are urged to live as strangers and pilgrims on the earth, abstaining from selfish desires that war against the soul, and maintaining honorable conduct among those who do not believe.

The older I get, the more I sense how things are worsening around us.  There seems little need to list every negativity or point out each woe—we see it plainly for what it is: sin flooding in like a ravaging storm, bringing unrest and concern.  Scripture tells us such times would come, yet we can rest in the truth that Jesus is our peace in the midst of confusion and the rise of ungodliness.

Matthew 24:10-13 reminds us: “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many.  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

At times, it can feel as though words about holy living fall on deaf ears—slipping through the cracks of human disregard for God.  But there is hope.  Some are still listening.  Some are still responding to the Good News that Jesus is our hope, bringing calm in the storms that surround us.  Those who accept Him as Lord are no longer lost or without direction.

It is no secret how far our nation has drifted.  One only needs to try to find something wholesome to watch on television, only to see the lack of beneficial influence.  It can feel as though unholy forces are pulling us into a swirling whirlpool of filth, circling the drain of disobedience.  Those who continually allow negative input through the eye-gate risk finding themselves struggling in the sewage of unrighteous living.

But our hope is in Jesus. 

Because of Him, I am an overcomer in a land that desperately needs a Savior.  Had it not been for the saving grace of God, I would have followed the same path as the world.  His Son gave us life when He died on the cross for our sins.  Through Jesus, we are redeemed.

Before I knew Him, I felt like a fish trying to survive in polluted water—surrounded by sin.  My rescue came when I allowed the Lord to relocate my soul to the springs of living water flowing fresh from His throne.  This relocation is what we call being “born again.”

This pure, refreshing water is available to anyone who is tired of swimming in the filth of unrighteousness.  Scripture reminds us that we are not permanent residents of this troubled land—we are simply passing through.  We are pilgrims in an unholy world.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can remain clean from the contaminants of external forces that seek to pull us down into hopelessness.  “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.”

As believers, we are washed daily through God’s Word, through prayer, and through honoring Him with our praise.  The flow of His righteousness within us will shine outward, revealing His love to others.  As we keep our garments spotless through His cleansing power, people will begin to see the beauty and peace that come from surrendering to a loving Father.

Being “born again” is not only about becoming a source of clean water for ourselves—it is for all humanity.  The new birth brings clarity, patience, and hope into places that feel dark and murky.

This world is not my home.  I’m just passing through—a pilgrim in an unholy land.

Written by,

Papa Boyd