Standing Fast In The Storm
As my fingers hit the typewriter keys, a tornado alert continues here this evening, in the panhandle of Texas. Only last week many souls were hurled into eternity, when a storm ran through the city of Lubbock. It is a sad note to realize that many of those lives which were lost, were lost because they tried to run from the storm! The admonition has come from the weather bureau this evening, "Don't try to run from a tornado, stay located on a solid foundation."
In all of this hustle and concern for these storms, I have seen a remarkable spiritual application.
There are many storms plaguing the church today. Storms of modernism, liberalism, socialism, and other various kinds of "isms."
In the letter to the members of the body of Christ at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul describes the "armour" the Christian soldier is to have to combat all of these innovations. From Eph. 6:13-17 he mentions: "truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word." All of them are correlated with terms used to describe the carnal soldier. Every part of the soldier is covered completely — except one! Did you notice what it was? The only part of the soldier not mentioned, that was to be covered, was his back!
There is a very apparent reason for not covering the back of a carnal soldier or the Christian soldier! He is not to be running away from the enemy!! He is to Stand and Hold his ground. And on the contrary — he is to advance against the enemy, if anything!!
I am at a loss to explain why men can't let the church function as it did in New Testament times. As the clouds and winds of "every kind of doctrine" come along (Heb. 13:9), there always seems to be those which blow away with them into digression! These kind of storms are exactly like these Texas tornadoes — when they touch down, there is great destruction!!
The admonition of the Word is quite similiar to that of the weather bureau, when it comes to storms. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. .." (Gal. 5:1) And also "Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. . ." (I Cor. 15:58)
There is no doubt, that if we try to stand on man's foundation or man's principles when it comes time for a storm, we will fall, but yet that same word gives forth the instruction, "Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure." (II Timothy 2:19)
Yes — God is right! (Rom. 3:4) God has the pattern (Heb. 8:5) and when we speak as the oracles of God (I Pet. 4:11), we too can be right! But there is no way to stand against any storm of this life unless we follow that one and only doctrine. (2 John 9).
So now, as the winds whip around this trailer that I live in, I believe I'll leave it and seek for firmer and higher ground. I must, according to the instructions "locate myself on a solid foundation," or otherwise I may be destroyed!
And as we stand against the spiritual storms that confront us — may we all remember the instructions also about higher ground and a solid foundation!! Without it, we will surely perish! Wow! what a storm
— 601 Ave. "H", Hereford, Texas