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By Sharon Robertson, Lt. Colonel
“Just the facts, ma’am.”
This catch phrase became popular in the days of the 1950s television series, “Dragnet,” and is still noteworthy. It is often difficult to abandon the entertaining embellishments and get to the facts of a situation. We love a good story and want to make sure our listeners get all the gory details—even to the point of adding an enticing bit of color, born of our own creative imaginations.
A good detective, or even a good reporter, wants first of all to understand the facts of the case.
A new year has begun, and it will undoubtedly be a year when we as Christians will need to get our facts straight if we are to deal effectively with a world that seems determined to counteract the impact of honest-to-God Christianity. So let’s take time to remind ourselves of some of the critical facts of our faith:
•Fact: God so loved the world that he inserted himself into the
human condition by sending his only begotten Son—Jesus Christ—
to intervene and save mankind from itself, from ultimate self-destruction.
•Fact: Jesus voluntarily sacrificed his own life to save even the worst of
sinners. God’s love extends even to those who openly declare
themselves his enemies, and he would gladly welcome them if only they would turn to him.
•Fact: Christ commissioned his followers (including you and me) to
take this message to the world, and to act in his name. He even
authorized us to personally approach the throne of God, and to offer petitions in his name.
• Fact: The end of the present world is coming—when God says it’s time—but Jesus is preparing a better place for his people.
• Fact: According to the Scriptures, sin will be rampant in the days immediately prior to Christ’s return.
• Fact: Sin is rampant in today’s world.
• Fact: Satan and his satanic forces are the enemy; men and women enslaved by him—even those who willingly have submitted to him—are not the enemy; they are the slaves you and I have pledged to rescue in the name of Jesus Christ.
• Fact: God never, ever, gave Christians permission to retreat when
confronted by sin and sinners; throwing up our hands in horror and
isolating ourselves has never been an option. Jesus commanded us to
love the sinner, to pray for the sinner, to witness to the sinner.
• Fact: In the last days, Christians are to be God’s resistance unit,
taking the fight to the enemy, making every effort, even heroic
efforts, not to destroy those serving in the opposing forces, but to win them over to the Lord.
• Fact: God knows it is not easy to fight his fight in a hostile world, but
he also knows that the witnessing, Spirit-filled Christian is going to
prove his most effective weapon to win lost souls.
• Fact: No matter how fierce the battle, it is our duty and our privilege
to raise the banner of Christ’s love so high it can be recognized from afar.
• Fact: Even in the time of the tribulation, God prevailed in the lives of
Christians who won the victory over him [i.e. the enemy] by the blood
of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed; and they were
willing to give up their lives and die (Rev 12:11-12 GNT).
• Fact: Jesus is coming; we need to make every possible effort to win as
many souls as possible, so that they too will be prepared to welcome
him on that day.
Last month we celebrated the birth of our King, Immanuel, God with us. In the coming months, years, whatever time we have left, let us pledge ourselves anew to make every effort to further the objectives of his kingdom.