Dressing for Tomorrow (edited with ChatGPT)

 

When we were in high school, we had a clear objective: to join the right university and the right department. We dressed for that, and we worked for that. Our entire lives were programmed for this goal. When we joined university, our goal was to graduate with good grades, find a good job, and earn a living. That also guided our lives on campus. This is why we had such high dedication and preparation for those goals. We dressed and prepared ourselves not for today but for tomorrow. What we did and what we chose were the results of our future hopes—our tomorrow.

 

Many of us are wise up to this point because we dress for tomorrow. However, the problem for many of us arises after graduation—after securing a job and earning a living—when we no longer have a clear vision. It is at this point that disarray and confusion take over, and fun for fun’s sake becomes an abomination that imprisons us. Since there is no tomorrow to work toward, we only seek fun today. But fun, without purpose, can make us foolish and directionless in this game of life. A wise person must see tomorrow and have hope and faith in it—faith that our odds will turn in our favor if our hope for tomorrow is backed by dedication to its achievement. We must dress for tomorrow. After all, hope and faith, alongside love, are eternal.

 

Now, let us consider the faithful. Here is where the most critical problem is found. Many have no future to dress for. They desire the power of the Holy Spirit, but for what purpose? It is unclear. If God uses you to open the eyes of the blind, then what happens next? The best you might do is start a PLC and earn a living. But that approach is outdated—it will not hold for tomorrow.

 

Many assemblies pray for God to save souls, yet they fail to cultivate and nurture the few they already have. If ten thousand people were to come to faith, what would they do with them? They speak about tomorrow, but they are dressed for today—and not even properly dressed for today. If you expect millions tomorrow, you must cultivate and prepare your army today. That is exactly what Jesus did. He chose and trained his best three hundred soldiers and led them to invade the kingdom of darkness, bringing about its destruction—just like in the time of Midian. He even removed many of them because they drank water the wrong way, prioritizing their own needs over Him, and because they were afraid of the task ahead.

 

If you want to be a successful businessman, you will build your entire life toward that purpose. Your savings, education, training, friendships, associations, way of life, and thinking will all be programmed toward that goal. Your inner and outer selves will reflect your choices. So, as an assembly of the Lord and as faithful believers, what kind of tomorrow do you see for yourself? Your vision should be clear, and that vision should guide your current choices and preferences.

 

If your tomorrow is about reaching the entire globe with an evangelical mission, you need to dress for that. If your tomorrow is about receiving the power of the Holy Spirit, you need to dress for that. If your tomorrow includes rebuilding the burned-down temple of the Lord in the lives of the faithful, you need to dress for that.

 

Let’s begin with the global mission. Imagine that you wish to reach the world, yet you hold racial stereotypes, racially biased viewpoints, and rigid socio-economic and political ideologies that reflect your upbringing and culture. How far can you go, and how long can you last with such a mindset? The Word of God is eternal and absolute truth, whereas human viewpoints, ideas, ideologies, and ways of thinking are merely transient. You may love your ideas because you believe in them, but they are not divine truth from the mouth of God.

 

Is it wise to hold onto these earthly things, even at the expense of the Bible and its message? Should we debate with a communist cadre in Beijing about the perfection of Jesus or the perfection of the market? Should we hold fast to an idea, or should we hold firmly to the truth? Should we argue with a Russian about democracy versus tyranny, or should we proclaim that salvation is found only through Jesus? Should Paul have taught the Roman-Greek world his ideal government structure, or should he have focused on teaching them about the heavenly government of God?

 

If you desire global outreach, you cannot bear such burdens on your shoulders. Some may argue that we must be the light and salt of the earth, but is our message about the free market, democracy, or a particular cultural way of life? No. These are human ideologies, each with its strengths and weaknesses, but they are not our concern. The true light and salt is Jesus Christ, and our message should be Him alone.

 

Slavery is evil, but our focus is not to stage a revolution to free slaves, as the Bible was not written in that way. Our mission is to bring Jesus to both the slave and the slave master, guiding them toward spiritual growth through the Holy Spirit. Then, God will lead them to a righteous relationship. Jesus would never be a disobedient slave or a cruel slave owner—if slavery were to exist under Jesus, it would not last.

 

We do not know the perfect government structure, but we do know that a tyrant led by Jesus is holier than a democratic government that follows the devil. Let us give Jesus to both the tyrant and the democrat and allow Him to guide them. The solution is Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit—not earthly systems. Human wisdom leads only to confusion. See the world—observe how confused and in disarray its leaders are. Now, do you think Jesus is confused in heaven?

 

We cannot be limited by racial, national, or ideological biases. Whether it be black power, white power, nationalism, or exceptionalism, these things do not serve the kingdom of God. Jesus does not work with such prideful mindsets but with humility.

 

Furthermore, millions already serve God—so what makes you special? If a faithful believer lives on an island, why do they need you to travel across the world to repeat what they already know? In this digital age, global evangelism is not about physical travel but about addressing the real voids in faith. We must ask ourselves: What is wrong with the current message? What is missing?

 

Many point to love of money, sexual immorality, and unfaithfulness among God’s servants, but these are symptoms, not the root cause. The true issue is the absence of a strong foundation in Jesus. If we do not build on the foundation stone, failure is inevitable. What is missing is the reflection of Jesus in our lives, our speech, our walk, and our thinking. Our faith has become too earthly, and it is unsightly.

 

We know that the presence of the Holy Spirit will increase, but to what end? To affirm our sinful nature? To affirm our ideologies? To validate false faith? No. The Holy Spirit will increase to affirm Jesus more—not less. His purpose is to make us more heavenly and less earthly and to serve as a final sign before the end of all things. The pure and unadulterated gospel will be preached one last time as a sign before the coming of the son of destruction.

 

Preparing for tomorrow means dressing more and more in Jesus, becoming less earthly and more heavenly, and building ourselves upon the foundation of the Lord. The gospel that must be preached is not democracy, free markets, materialism, prosperity, or national exceptionalism—it is Jesus Christ in His purest form.

 

Consider the conflicts between nations, such as a trade war between Canada and the United States. If you are an evangelist from one of these countries, is it wise to preach with hyper-nationalism? Would it not be better to leave such concerns to the world and focus solely on Jesus?

 

Think about your personal responsibilities—your spouse, children, and home. These already take up so much of your time. Even minor complications in life can hinder your service. Those who wish to march at the front of the Lord’s army must abstain from unnecessary distractions. Do not complicate your life with the business of the world or enter into wrongful relationships with the faithless. Dress for tomorrow and prepare yourself accordingly.