Articles
We are the World
Did you expect me to be writing an article about Michael Jackson? Before you finish this one, I believe, you will be experiencing your own thriller. Well here I am writing about Michael and honoring him for his great creativity both in communicating with visual arts and his ability to write music that drew in tens of millions of devoted listeners. He was absolutely an artist and good artists invariably reflect one aspect of our Father, who is the Creator.
I sensed or felt an urging that Michael is already with God who gave him his spirit and now received it back again. To many Christian leaders this might seem absurd since Michael was accused of child molestation, and perhaps led many of our teens into premature sexual activity by his explicit dance moves. But Michael was both a genius and a child who, due to the obstacles strewn across his path, was unable to make the transition into full adulthood, whatever that is. It is very possible that what he thought was “Neverland” may now reappear as his home beyond his wildest expectations in “Foreverland.” One thing is for certain, “If God ever began a good work in him no matter how great the obstacles God will complete that work.” So I bid Michael bon voyage. Thankfully our Heavenly Father is nothing like the father some of us had as children or even the fathers some of us were.
Now this isn’t just about Michael Jackson. I wasn’t a big Michael fan except for “We are the World” and I felt a little guilty about liking a song about the world when Jesus said not to love the world system and things it offers. 1 John 2:15 Unfortunately or otherwise some of the recruits Michael used to sing that song had already crossed my path or my lack of one! Before I was saved (and yes He saved a wretch like me) I played blackjack with Diana Ross at Lake Tahoe and I got invited to sing at the Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego when some musicians there mistook me for Kenny Rogers. I love Cyndi Lauper because of her song “Poppa don’t Preach I’m Keeping my Baby” and in case you never noticed there were some environmentalists and animal rights activists in that large group of people who sang “We are the World.”
What am I doing now talking about the world? To some of my readers I have no business talking about “the world,” and to some, I suppose, I have no business talking about God or Christ in the public arena. The scripture says, “Behold I am doing a new thing (a quick work) says the Lord and why don’t you know it?” We are in some stage of that quick work right now. What will this new thing result in? Revelation 11:15 reveals the answer to that question: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever.”
What does this mean? Jesus said, “I am the light of the world and the salt of the earth.” Later, He turned to His followers and said, “You are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.” Are You?
God is taking back the world from those who insist on destroying the earth and continuing to hurt and harm all the creatures that live upon this planet. It is no longer their world and that is why their world is falling apart. Just like in the days of Noah they will have every opportunity to get on board the ark until God shuts the door. My suggestion is that they repent which means, “to turn around fully and go God’s way” before the door does go shut. All the kingdoms of this world are being transferred back to our Lord and His Christ. Those who have not purified themselves (1 John 3:3) produced long cruel centuries where they had the opportunity to do the right thing and now God is saying, “You are no longer the world,” and we need to put them on notice, “we are the world!” In Daniel Chapter 4, God says, “This will be accomplished without any human being raising their hand.” We are now witnessing the harvest of seeds that for too long have been sown by those who do not honor the Creator or their fellow man and also the seeds of those who have prayed long, “Lord thy Kingdom come.”
Non-believers celebrate a blessed event after it happens, but real followers of Christ thank Him for it and celebrate it before it happens. This is one way we demonstrate our faith. The apostle Paul defines it as, “Calling those things which are not as though they were.” Romans 4:17 We know those things will certainly manifest because God said they would. Faith is depending upon the trustworthiness of God and His word. He never fails.
It is time for all followers of the Master to sing exuberantly and with great joy “We are the World” in their gatherings and know that there shall be no more delay. The first Adam failed to fulfill God’s intention to spread Eden over all the earth through him and his descendants. Adam gave his birthright to Satan who has been dragging humanity and through them all creatures from one bad decision to the next. God be thanked, the last Adam, Christ Jesus has prevailed. He is taking back the title deed to the planet from those wicked men and giving it to the saints of God. Daniel 7:18 (Saints means those who are being perfected by staying on the holy path with God.) (Yes you can!) The Kingdoms of this world are becoming the Kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ! If you believe it, proclaim it. God spoke this world into being, you are made in God’s image which means at your core you also are a speaking spirit. Listen to this from Job 22:28 and practice it consistently. “You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established by you and the light shall shine on your ways.” It is time for you who kill and hunt for sport and trap and raise animals for slaughter and you who “raze paradise and put up a parking lot” to know that you are not the world any longer. “We are the World.” Read Daniel Chapters 4 and 7.
You, who love God and His path of love, shout it: “We are the World.” Shout it loudly and passionately. Pay attention and you will notice that the seventh angel has already begun to sound, “The Kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.” I do not mean it will be easy, but we will soon be witnessing the end of a nightmare, and the beginning of God’s dream. “We are the world.”
