Understand the spiritual significance of now

Jesus then said to the crowds gathered around him, "When you see a cloud forming in the west, don't you say, "A storm is brewing"? And then it arrives. And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say, "A heat wave is on the way." And so it happens. What hypocrites! You are such experts at forecasting the weather, but you are unwilling to understand the spiritual significance of the time you're living in." Luke 12:54-56 TPT

What happens to you when you read this scripture? For me there is a prompting, 'Look up, look around, see what is really going on. Don't choose not to look.' I am convicted.

Everyone knows that our world is changing. I was reminded again this week that not all change is good. Not all new things are positive. Here is a simple example...

As a child I remember having Sunday dinner at my Grandparents home, and watching the series 'Anne of Green Gables'. How we loved to see what trouble Anne was unintentionally going to get into each week, and of course to see if there was going to be any movement forward in the relationship between Anne and Gilbert. It was a fun, clean TV show.

Recently another television version of this classic story has been created. I found this 'modern' version to be a bit different to the original version. It has beautiful cinematography, but it also includes scenes of abuse that Anne had experienced prior to living with Marilla and Matthew, the scheming and betrayal of travellers to the town of Avonlea, and a child's discovery of their sexual orientation. Gone is the innocence of the original Anne of Green Gables TV show.

I shouldn't have been surprised, I've seen plenty of the TV/You Tube/Gaming output that is around today, but I was disappointed. I know these additions to the TV Show are many people's experiences of life, and I don't mean to ignore that truth, but did this beautiful classic innocent childhood story need to be infused with them? 

Is this a reflection of the world we are living in? This continual need to bring the dark side forth? Apparently so, as we are told in 2 Timothy 3:1-5...

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!  2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV

Okay, so after reading that perhaps you aren't you feeling so positive about life and the future? How do we live in the world but not of the world? How do we keep our eyes on Jesus despite what is happening around us?

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

We have to continually choose to believe God's word is true, that we do have the victory through Jesus Christ.

"O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?"
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NKJV

We need to declare victory with our mouths, particularly over this next generation, who live in a world of less and less innocence. They need to hear about Jesus and His love for them. They need to experience expressions of God's love - kindness, grace and mercy - through us. God wants them to know that in Jesus Christ, they have the victory too...

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NKJV

So let's not shy away from what we see happening around us every day, being comfortable in our worlds, but rather let's be willing to understand the spiritual significance of the times that we live in, continually asking God what part He wants us to play in this world. Remembering that Jesus has the victory always and forever. Amen!