Climate Change

The climate in our culture is rapidly changing. I’m talking about the way our society is changing which is not for the better. How did we get to the place where things we believed were wrong are now right and all that was right is now considered to be totally wrong? This is a slippery slope! I realized this recently when I saw a facebook posting which was fingering (literally) straight people and glorifying those who are otherwise.

The article was extremely distasteful and even ludicrous. I wondered at their thinking. Worst of all these people are bringing up children who will be influenced to believe these lies of filth and degradation. We’re so worried about the climate change in our physical environment but we are ignoring all the warning signs in the spiritual environment that is eroding the decency of our families minds at an alarming rate.

This is deception at the highest level. Corrupted minds will never think and do anything that is decent and morally good. They can’t because they are warped! The Bible puts it clearly, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man (or woman) sows, this they will also reap.” Romans 6:7 Sowing and reaping works a law in the universe!

These warped thinkers believe they are going to heaven. Let me tell you the truth, “Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers shall inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

“But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13 They will not see heaven but will see the wrath of God. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them.” Romans 1:18-19

Verse 22-28 “Professing to be wise they became fools….. And as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper., ” Ephesians 5:6 says “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (immorality, impurity, etc) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

How fitting that they parade their rebellion against God as “Pride” and just as Satan fell from heaven because of pride, these people will continue until they join the devil and his followers in Hell. In Deuteronomy 32:35 God says,”Vengeance is Mine and retribution, in due time their foot will slip; for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them.”

This was the text preached by Jonathan Edwards on July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Conn.  at the peak of the Great Awakening. The title of the sermon was, “Sinners in The Hands of An  Angry God.” So powerful was the message that people felt like they were on the very brink of hell, fainting or gripping the seats to keep from falling in to that pit!

God’s wrath is coming to a climax. Soon the day of grace will be ended and judgement will begin. You can’t thumb your nose at God, take His rainbow, flaunt your pride and spit in His face without consequences. In Revelation 22:12 Jesus promises, “Behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. ”

Verses 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city.” Revelation 21:8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

God is full of love but He is also a just God and because of His justice He must reward each one according to their deeds. Jesus made a way for everyone to have forgiveness of their sins and to know the love of the Father. He died in our place and when we accept Him as our Savior and our Lord, our reward will be eternal life with Him. If we turn our backs on His provision, then we will experience His wrath.

The climate in our world is changing. It is getting darker and darker. But the darkness cannot overcome the light and ultimately Christ, The Light of the world will win!

 

 

RIZPAH, FIERCE LOVE

The story captivated me! Only a few words in the middle of a much bigger story yet such love displayed by a mother for her children! As a mother I feel her grief and her desperation! Her story is told in 2 Samuel 21 when David was king.

There was a famine in the land for three years and David went before the Lord to ask the reason. The Lord told him it was because of the treachery of Saul, who had not kept a previous covenant with the Gibeonites but had them killed instead.

Israel had not checked with the Lord first  but had believed the Gibeonite’s fraudulent story that they were from a distant land and they had made a treaty with them to let them live. However Saul had later decided to kill them in spite of the former treaty.

When David called the Gibeonites and asked how they could make atonement for the wrong that had been done to them, they answered that they wanted to be given seven of Saul’s sons whose lives they would take by hanging them in Gibeah.

David complied with their request and the five sons of Saul’s daughter, Merab as well as the two sons of Rizpah, Saul’s concubine were given into the hands of the Gibeonites. They hanged them in the mountain, the seven all together!

It was the first days of the barley harvest, probably in April and Rizpah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock near where her sons bodies were hanging.  They were not supposed to hang overnight but no one bothered to take them down.

Day and night Rizpah kept watch and fought off the vultures and the wild beasts of the field! “She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.” She never once considered her own comfort or safety!

She did this “from the beginning of harvest until it rained on them from the sky.” The rain would come in October so from April to October, five or six months,  she kept the birds and the beasts away from her children’s bodies!

Such fierce love for her children is hard to comprehend! Every day she did not allow the birds to rest on them  and every night she drove the wild beasts away! We are not told how! What were her weapons; sticks, stones, a slingshot, bow & arrows?

We are not told anything much about Rizpah but we can see that she was a woman of great courage. Was she a woman of prayer? Did she pray for her own skill and safety? When did she rest and did her fierce love for her sons give her strength to go on?

The story of Rizpah is a wonderful analogy of fighting for your family in prayer. There is a battle raging for the minds, and souls  of our children. As a society we seem to be helpless to stop the downward spiral of moral degradation and even anarchy.

The tenacity of this mother’s love speaks to me of fighting for your family in this spiritual warfare. This mother couldn’t bring her children back to life but she would not give them up to utter destruction. She would not let go or give up in their defence!

God and any Christian moral compass has been taken out of the education and the world’s system.  2 Corinthians 4:4 says “the god of this world (the devil & his realm) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of Christ.”

Beasts work in the darkness trying to catch those who are unaware.  1 Peter 5:8 -9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith-,”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God -” We do this through prayer!

The devil wants to destroy our children’s beliefs , their sense of right and wrong.  He wants to bring confusion into their  minds. Like a vulture he tries to attack their hearts through gender confusion, pornography, movies or even through computer games.

As Rizpah spread the sackcloth of mourning on the rock,  so we can only fight, on our knees, those things that would destroy our families. James 4:7 “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” We submit them to God’s watchful care and through fervent prayer, on their behalf, we resist the evil that would destroy them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Way

“We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience,” said, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest. This profound, true statement certainly deserves careful thought. So much of our attention seems to be given to our physical being but what about our spiritual self?

We aren’t on this planet very long before we realize that our physical body will not go on forever. Sooner or later we will face physical death but our spirit will live on forever. Every person that is living on this earth is on a path that is leading to an eternal  destination. That eternal destination is decided on this earth, as a physical being.

According to the Bible there are only two ways to choose from. One way is entered by a wide gate. It’s very broad and seems to be free and easy with lots of people on it. The other way is entered by a narrow gate, the path looks steep with few people on it. Each path leads to a very different kind of destination. We choose our way as we live.

The broad way  is easy to find and unless we make a conscious decision not to take it we will find we are already on it. The road has very few restrictions or warning signs and it promises enjoyment and fulfillment. The crowds on this downward path do not realize that it leads to destruction and death.

In Matthew 7:13 we have the words of Jesus advising His followers which way they should choose. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it.”

The song, “My Way” written by Paul Anka was made popular when Frank Sinatra sang it in 1969. One British funeral home said it was their most requested song to be sung at funerals. It begins, “And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain.”

“I’ve lived a life that’s full, I’ve traveled each and every highway but more, much more than this I did it my way. …I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway, and much, much more than this I did it my way.”

“I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried I’ve had my fill, my share of losing and now, as tears subside I find it all so amusing to think I did all that and may I say – not in a shy way oh no, oh no, not me I did it my way.”

The last verse says, “For what is a man, what has he got if not himself, then he has naught to say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows and did it my way. Yes, it was my way.”

Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 12:15 says, ” The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” Most people want to choose their own way, the way that looks good, that looks easy with not too many bumps.

The problem with choosing the broad way,  is it seems like life but it leads to death and destruction. When one of His disciples asked how we can know the way, Jesus replied,  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6

So, if the destination you want at the end of your life’s journey is heaven, to be with Jesus and the Father, then you must choose now to follow Jesus and the narrow way.  If  you want your own way and the destination you want is eternal fire and darkness then you are free to continue on the broad way. God freely gives you the choice!

 

Perfect You, Perfect Me, Paradise

“Why isn’t the world perfect?” This was an interesting question which surprised me.  I did not have a ready answer but I responded with another question, “What would the world or people look like if they were perfect? ” To be perfect is not necessarily the same thing to everyone so we need to agree on the meaning.

Some dictionary meanings given are; free from faults or defects; as good as it is possible to be; lacking nothing essential to the whole. These are helpful but we also need a standard to measure everything by. What does it mean for the world or people to be as good as it is possible to be? There are as many answers as there are people.

There is only one unchanging standard for determining what is good or perfect and it is found in the Word of God. One of the standards, called the golden rule, is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Although there are some people who try to live that, not everyone does, so our world and humanity is imperfect and not good.

But there is a perfect world coming, one that is as good as it is possible to be. That perfect world will be filled with perfect people who are free from faults and defects. “Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor 2:9  Can we even imagine?

Genesis 1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  He made the sun, moon and stars, the vegetation and all living creatures and He said it was good.  He made man in His image, as a reflection of Himself and  breathed life into his body, soul & spirit. Then God planted a garden in Eden and He put the man,  Adam in it.

Finally  God made Eve to be  Adam’s female companion and God said that everything  was very good.  It was good but it wasn’t perfect because the  serpent, (devil,  Satan, Rev 12:9) was there. He deceived Eve and she and Adam disobeyed God. The sin of disobedience brought upon them and all of creation, the consequence of death!

As their bodies were no longer clothed in God’s glory they knew they were naked. Adam had enjoyed close fellowship with God, walking and talking together in the garden but now when he heard God’s voice he felt shame and he hid. As a result of Adam’s disobedience nothing was good anymore.  All of creation was under a curse!

Mankind, animals, nature, vegetation and all of creation was forever changed. Their life from now on would be difficult and everything  would deteriorate and eventually die. God removed them from the garden and He placed cherubim and a flaming sword at the entrance to guard the way to the tree of life.

The basis of their sin was that Adam and Eve wanted something different than what God wanted for their life. They didn’t trust God and didn’t believe that God’s plan for them was the best. Since then in every human heart there is that same cancer cell of rebellion that says I want something different than what God wants for me.

But God had a plan for their redemption and the eradication of evil forever. In sentencing Satan , God pronounced a curse on him saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall crush you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Romans 5:12 “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned -” Galatians 4:4-5 says, “When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, …in order that He might redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When the time was right God sent His Son, Jesus, into this world, to be born as a perfect, sinless baby to a virgin named Mary. Laying aside His divinity He  took on the form of humanity and came to do the will of His Father in heaven.

Born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, He lived in subjection to His earthly parents, growing in favor with God and  man. Except for once when he was twelve years old we don’t hear much about Him until He was  thirty years old. Then He was baptized in the Jordan river, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and the voice of His Heavenly Father said, “Thou art My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”

After He had overcome the devil’s temptations in the desert, He returned to Galilee preaching the gospel, casting out demons, healing the sick and doing many miracles. He chose twelve men as disciples to whom He could entrust His work after He was gone, and for three years He taught them how to live by God’s kingdom principles.

Wicked men who did not believe He was the Son of God, had Him arrested, tried and convicted as a criminal. He was mocked, whipped and nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men. In the plan and foreknowledge of God He died, crushing the head of Satan, and redeeming us from the curse. But God raised Him from the dead!

He spent the next forty days preparing His disciples for His departure and return to heaven. Then He gathered them together and gave them final orders not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Father’s promise. They would then be baptized with the Holy Spirit, Who would  empower them to be His witnesses to the whole earth.

As His disciples were looking on, He was lifted up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Suddenly, two men in white clothing stood  beside them and said, “Why are you looking into the sky? This same Jesus Who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in just the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11

Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, as they were all together in one place, the Holy Spirit filled them and they began speaking in other languages. As Peter preached the gospel, the people’s conscience was smitten and they said, “What shall we do?” His reply was, “Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:1-41

“For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the LORD our God shall call to Himself.” All who repent and receive Christ’s provision of salvation will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit Who will empower them to change. They are not perfect yet but they are born again spiritually with a new heart and nature.

OUR PERFECT BODIES
One day Jesus will return, “He will descend with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air, and thus shall we always be with the LORD.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

We shall not rise with earth bound, flesh and blood bodies but we will be changed. We will have perfect, imperishable bodies fit for heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:42-53  says, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable,…we shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Philippians 3:20-21 says Jesus will transform our bodies into conformity with His body. The kind of body we will have will be like the body of Jesus after His resurrection.  In John 20:26 we read that the disciples were in a room with closed doors and suddenly Jesus appeared and in Luke 24:31 He disappeared while talking to His friends.

In his book, “Beyond the Cosmos,” Hugh Ross brings insight into what our changed bodies may be like. Right now, from birth to death we exist in the four dimensions of length, width, height and time. In the new creation, our bodies will have different characteristics and capacities.  We will be extradimensional and Romans 8:18-21 says creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay.

PERFECT LIFE
Our new habitation will be free of natural and man made disasters and crime, as nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination (detestable things) shall come into it. Sorcerers, immoral persons, murderers, idolaters, prostitutes (males called dogs in Deut 23:18) and everyone who loves and practices lying will not be there. The devil, the cowardly and the unbelieving  will not be there, and there shall be no curse.

God will dwell among His people and He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There shall no longer be any death, mourning, crying or pain. They shall not hunger nor thirst any more, neither shall the sun beat down on them. There shall no longer be any night. There will be no need of a lamp, nor light from the sun or moon because the Lord God will illumine them with His glory.

We will recognize each other. Moses and Elijah were recognized when they appeared at the transfiguration of Jesus. Matt 17:3. We will also have perfect love and intimate fellowship with one another without sex, sexuality or marriage. Matt 22:29-32. War and fear will not be there. Isaiah 65 says the wolf and the lamb will graze together and the lion shall eat straw like an ox.

Whether we will live in the new heaven, the new earth or the new Jerusalem, only those whose names are found written in the book of life, who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior, will be there. The people who are there have overcome the devil because of the blood of the Lamb, Jesus, and because of the word of their testimony and they were willing to die for their faith.

John 14:1-3 Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. I am going  to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also.” As perfect people we will live forever in a perfect place! Paradise!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus Is Coming Again

Jesus is coming back to earth someday! If He came today would you be ready? Are you looking for Him and longing for His coming? Heb 9:28 says, “…Christ …shall appear a second time…to those who eagerly await Him.”

The early believers spoke and wrote about His coming soon but they did not know when. When the disciples asked when it will happen,  Jesus answered, “…No one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matt 24:36

Not long before His crucifixion,  as Jesus was sitting with His disciples on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, they asked Him,  “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

Several times before this as He was teaching the disciples He told them that He was going to be killed and raised to life again.  Mark 9:32 says,  “They did not understand this statement and they were afraid to ask Him.”

Now Jesus begins speaking about His coming and of the end of the age. He begins with a warning, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ, the Messiah’  and will mislead many.”

Then He describes the state of chaos the world will be in. There will be wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom and in various places famines and earthquakes. This could be today’s newspaper!

He says they will be persecuted and hated by all nations  because they bear the name of Jesus.  Many will leave the faith and  betray and hate one another. The love of many people will grow cold because of the lawlessness and iniquity.

False Christs and false prophets  will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead people, even Christians. If someone says He is in this or that place, do not believe them because Christ’s coming will be like a flash of lightning, from the east to the west.

Just like in the days of Noah, people were living ordinary lives, eating and drinking, and marrying until the day Noah entered the ark, and they didn’t understand until the flood came and took them all away; that’s how His coming will be. There will be two men working side by side, one will be taken and the other left.

Over and over He told them to be ready because they do not know when He will come. He is coming on a day and at an hour when they do not expect Him. He warns them not to live without restraint, as if His coming is a long way off.

Luke 21:25-36 says “there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars and upon  the earth, distress of nations in bewilderment and perplexity at the roaring of the tossing of the sea . Men will be fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

“Then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near…recognize that the kingdom of God is near….Be on your guard….keep on the alert at all times, praying….”

At the Passover meal, the last supper Jesus had with His disciples, He knew His time had come to leave this world and go back to His Father in heaven.  He tried to prepare them but they didn’t understand. He told Peter, “Where I go, you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow later.”  John 13:36

He told them, “Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places… I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3

After His crucifixion and resurrection Jesus was with them for forty days teaching them.  His last words to them were, “Stay in Jerusalem, wait for the Father’s promised baptism of the Holy Spirit that I told you about, Who will empower you to be My witnesses to the end of the earth.”  Acts 1:1-5

After He had said these things, as they were looking into the sky, He disappeared into a cloud. Two men in white clothing appeared and said to them, “Why are you looking into the heavens (sky)? This Jesus will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”  Acts 1:9-11

Peter, who was there as Jesus disappeared in the cloud, that day, waited with others in the upper room in Jerusalem for the promised baptism. After he received the Holy Spirit with power to witness, he stood up and preached his first sermon with the result that three thousand souls believed on Jesus.

From that day on Peter determined to tell people about Jesus! The man who had run in fear and denied that he knew Jesus, now boldly encouraged believers to continue in the faith in spite of the Roman persecution under Nero’s reign. He wrote letters of encouragement and also of warning.

He reminded them that he was an eye witness to all that he told them about Jesus. He had heard the Father’s voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased.” But the message will not be accepted by everyone!

Mockers will come saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since our fathers passed away, all continues as it was from the beginning of creation.”2 Pet 3:3

They forget that God already destroyed the earth once by a flood. He is not slow about His promise, but He is patiently giving people time to repent. He does not want anyone to perish. His patience is their opportunity for salvation.  But eventually the Lord will come as He promised.

In Paul’s letter to Timothy he told him, “Realize this, that in the last days difficult, perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable,”

“Malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as this.” 2 Tim 3:1-5

As believers who are looking eagerly for His coming we are to live differently. We are to “abide (stand firm)  in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him at His coming.” 1 John 2:28

“Now we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (kindred) of the earth will mourn (lament) over Him…’I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, ‘Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev 1:7-8

In a  letter to the Thessalonian believers Paul  tells them that those who are alive when Jesus comes will not go before those who have died. He describes the coming of the Lord. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God;”

“And the dead in Christ (believers who  have died) will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord…Comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 -18

Jesus’ words of comfort to Martha regarding Lazarus’ death were, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11:25-26

Paul explains a mystery to the Corinthian believers, “We shall not all sleep (die) but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Cor 15:50-53

In the light of Christ’s coming, how should we live? Jesus explained the way to live to the multitudes and to His disciples. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

“For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

“For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man (Jesus) will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38

Jesus is coming for all those who have repented of their sins and have accepted His salvation. He is coming for all who believe in Him. Those who are trying to establish their own righteousness will not go with Him. They will be left behind!

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Jesus is not going to take unrighteous sinners to heaven. His death on the cross made salvation available to all who believe and accept His provision.

Romans 10:8-10 “The word of faith is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”

Jesus is coming! The fact that He has not come yet does not mean He is not still coming! His words to us are, “Be ready! Live as if He is coming today! Watch!”

 

 

 

God’s Love And His Anger

On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards delivered his famous sermon entitled, “Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God.” The message was given in Enfield, Connecticut at the height of the Great Awakening. The powerful imagery of hell invoked fear.

The text was Deuteronomy 32:35, “Their foot shall slip in due time.” God was angry with the Israelites who had forsaken Him and provoked Him to anger with their worship of demons and other gods. Over and over He had been their Rock, their provider and their deliverer but they turned away from His love and now He was angry with their rebellion.

The message was meant to make people think seriously about their eternal destination. He wanted sinners to realize that someday they will be judged by God, whose judgement will be more fearful and painful than they can comprehend. Graphic descriptions and vivid imagery enhanced the themes presented. A short summary of some of the main points were;

1. Unrepentant sinners face a fearful judgement from which there is no escape
2. Time is short for the unrepentant; God’s wrath will come suddenly and unexpectedly
3. It is only God’s free choice that extends the ‘day of mercy’ and provides another opportunity to respond to His call.
4. Although there are not visible means of death before them at the moment the wicked should not feel secure.
5. All that wicked men may do to save themselves will not save them from the pain of hell if they reject Christ.
6. God has never promised to save anyone from hell, except for the provision of salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross.

His words were meant to condemn the sin in those who were unrepentant and to shake the “fence sitters” out of their complacency. People responded in various ways. Many times the sermon was interrupted as listeners were moaning and crying out, “What must I do to be saved?” Some fled the church and others screamed and nearly fainted! He scared the hell out of a lot of people!! Some repented, believed and received Christ.

Most of the time we want to think of God as all loving, giving and kind. And He is! Scripture says God is Love, that’s His very nature, but He created us with a will, we are not robots. We can exercise our will to love Him and live a life pleasing to Him or we can turn our backs on Him and follow everything that is pleasing to us. We always have a choice.

When we choose our way, He still shows us His love and stands with arms extended, calling us back to Him as He did with Israel. Unfortunately many people reject His call and decide to go their own way. They think they can do it their way and it will be accepted. God says our righteousness is like filthy rags. We can never be good enough or do enough good deeds to cover our sins.

God created us as eternal beings which means, each person will live forever. We were made with a body, soul and spirit. Our body of flesh and blood will die but our soul and spirit will always live somewhere in eternity! God has provided two places for us to live; heaven or hell. There is no third choice! There is no waiting place where we can buy more time to be made ready for heaven!

Two choices;  #1. Heaven, in the place Jesus has prepared for us, to be with Him forever, in the presence of our Father and His angels,  and #2. Hell (the lake of fire) which is prepared for the devil and his demons but where unrepentant sinners will be sent after they face Almighty God! In his book,”Beyond the Cosmos” Hugh Ross says, “The lake of fire is a place where people and demons get what they want above anything else: freedom from the will and rule of God and freedom from the restraints of conscience.”

Jesus told the disciples, don’t worry about the persecution you will encounter as you witness for Me. “Don’t fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;…” Proverbs 1:7 “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.”

Hell is a real place! It’s a place of torment from which there is no escape once you are there! In parables and stories Jesus spoke of people being  sent to a place of outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The book of Revelation speaks of fire and brimstone as the final end of those who refuse God’s offer of salvation. Those who accept the world’s system will be tormented with fire and brimstone with the smoke of their torment ascending forever. Revelation 14:9-11

Today is the day of salvation! James 4:13-14 “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will…’  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” Hebrews 2 (paraphrased) “We must pay attention to what we’ve heard. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Jesus came to deliver us.” Hebrews 3 and 4, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Jesus, the sinless Son of God, came from heaven to earth, took on human flesh, lived as a man, was crucified as the Lamb, sacrificed for the sins of all mankind. The blood of Jesus, now cleanses from sin and saves all who receive Him as their Savior. Romans 10:9-13 (paraphrased) “The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart… the word of faith…  if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you shall be saved.”

“For with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation… Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed… Whoever will call upon the Name of Jesus will be saved.” John 3:16 “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

My friend, what about your soul? Will you spend eternity in heaven or hell? The decision is yours! Do not wait, you may not have another time! Christ stands at the door of your heart but you must open the door! Can you say the words from the hymn by Horatio G Spafford, “It is well with my soul!  – My sin – oh, the bliss of this glorious thought – my sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.”

Today is the day! There is no guarantee of tomorrow!

 

 

 

THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU SEE ME

The times we live in are even more uncertain than they were in my grandparents time. We have no guarantee that any of us will be here tomorrow and when we say good-by we can’t be certain we will see each other again in our life on earth. This world is not my forever home, I am bound for heaven where I shall spend eternity with my Lord Jesus. What a glorious thought!

This song really touched my spirit when I heard it sung by the Singing Hills on Tribal Trails. It awakened a longing to be there in my heavenly home with my Savior and all my loved ones who have gone before me whom I will meet again with joy!

THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU SEE ME

I’m ready to move to heaven to a land that’s fair and bright,
Where there is perfect peace, in that everlasting life.
Jesus has gone to build for me, a mansion there I know
And the next time that you see me I may be living in my heavenly home.

Chorus
The next time that you see me may be on streets of gold.
The next time that you see me I may be wearing a brand new robe.
May be kneeling at His feet or shaking His nail scarred hand.
The next time that you see me I may be living in gloryland.

You may come to visit me and knock upon my door,
You may not get an answer, I won’t be living there anymore.
I’m just here for a short while and then I’ll soon be gone,
For the next time that you see me I may be living in my brand new home.

 

 

This song can be heard on utube, sung by the Whisnants and a demo can be downloaded from Crossroadsmusic.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE BUMMER LAMB

I first learned about bummer lambs when I heard Sheila Walsh telling her story to Leon Fontaine on his TV show. Sheila grew up in Scotland and her mother did accounting for farmers and shepherds. Sheila saw spring lambs being born and loved being around the ewes and their lambs. Once in awhile a ewe would give birth to a lamb and reject it. She wouldn’t feed it or accept it in any way. These lambs were called, “bummer lambs”.

If the shepherd does not take the lamb it will die of a broken spirit. A good shepherd watching his flock finds the little lamb, takes it into his home, feeds it with a bottle and keeps it warm by the fireplace. Then once in awhile throughout each day, the shepherd carries it in his arms, close to his heart so the little lamb can hear and feel his heart beat.

As the lamb spends time with the shepherd it comes to know him and recognizes his voice. When the lamb is strong enough, the shepherd puts it back in the fold with the other sheep and whenever he goes out and stands on the end of the field and calls “Sheep, sheep, sheep!” the first to come running to him are the bummer lambs.

They know his voice and they run to him as soon as they hear him call. They are not loved more than the other sheep but they believe they are loved by him and they respond to his call. When Sheila was going through a very difficult time in her life she remembered the bummer lambs. She was reminded of the shepherd’s care for those little rejected lambs.

When she was little she was a daddy’s girl but when she was 5 years old his attitude toward her changed and she didn’t understand why. One day as she was sitting on the floor playing with her dog the little dog suddenly growled. She looked up to see her dad standing behind her with his cane raised, ready to bring it down on her skull.

The look of hate on his face haunted her for many years and caused her to think there was something wrong with her that caused him to hate her that much. She questioned her value as a human being. Because he fell down when she ran, she blamed herself for his aneurysm and resulting death.  She never voiced it but she tried to stuff it deep inside.

After some years of depression one day everything came to a head and she fell apart. She contacted a Psychologist friend and with his help she checked herself into a Psych ward. About 3 am. as she was sitting in the corner of the room holding onto a blanket she heard the door open. Because she was being watched she didn’t look up right away.

The man came and stood in front of her, so she looked up at him. She thought he was probably a doctor, going off duty, but afterwards she believed he was an angel. Looking at her, he placed in her hand a little stuffed toy, a tiny lamb, and he said to her, “Sheila, the Shepherd knows where to find you!” She remembered the bummer lambs.

In that moment she knew that the Lord, the good Shepherd was with her. She recalled some scriptures that she loved, “Nothing can separate us from God’s love.” “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Today she says, “I’ll always be a bummer lamb.” The bummer lamb is close to the Shepherd’s heart.

Many people have suffered rejection and somehow being rejected or abandoned by a parent hurts the most. We think parents are supposed to love their children but it doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it is not actually said in words but is expressed by abuse or neglect. Often our response to the hurt is not voiced but is something we carry inside.

This is not an uncommon problem. Some people who seem to have it altogether have been living with deep grief. I will mention two such people that I have heard recently tell of their own relationship with their father. Lee Strobel,  author of “The Case For Grace” told of his father’s words to him, “I don’t have enough love for you to fill my little finger.”

Alex McFarland, author of “The God You Thought You knew,”said that shortly before his father died, he looked at him and said, “You’re nothing to me but a big, dumb ape.” He went out in the dark backyard and sat on a swing. He felt like he wanted to die, like his life was futile. At that moment God spoke to his spirit, “Trust Me, you have value to Me.”

In my own life I have felt the hurt of rejection by my earthly father and I understand how devastating and far reaching the consequences of that can be but my feelings of self worth can not be tied to people or circumstances that change. Like Sheila, Lee and Alex I have heard the voice of the Lord, my Shepherd, telling me I am accepted by Him!

In John 10 we have some of the most precious statements Jesus made about Himself as our Shepherd. He said, “I am the door of the sheepfold” no one gets in except through Me. “I am the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.” I am the good shepherd and I know My own and My own know Me.”

“My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.” As the good Shepherd, He goes out, looking for the bummer lambs, the lost, rejected and unloved lambs and He carries them close in His arms where they feel His beating heart.

Healing comes as the bummer lambs spend time with Jesus, our good Shepherd and we learn to know His voice. No one loves the bummer lambs like the Shepherd! Our acceptance is in Him, our worth and our value comes from His estimation of us. We are known intimately, loved deeply and greatly valued by Him.

I am a bummer lamb who wants to spend more time with Jesus, my Shepherd! I want to know His voice and follow Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE REASON FOR MY HOPE

1 Peter 3:15 “- be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you -”

To begin with I must define  what is meant by the word “hope.” It is not talking about some wish for something which may or may not be a reality. It is not an unknown hope in an unknown future. The word used here means “a desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it.” I am expecting the good I hope for.

The first reason for my hope is that God is real. He is the creator of the Universe, the heavens above and the earth beneath. “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood  through what has been made-,” Rom 1:20

I believe that God made human beings, animals and every form of life. Without God, no living creature exists. Nothing just happened to come into existence by itself. God, the Master Designer created the world and now sustains the world. He keeps the sun and moon in their places and provides the air we breathe.

The second reason for my hope is that God speaks to people. He has always spoken since time began, in various ways. He spoke directly to people like Adam, Moses and Abraham as well as others. He also spoke indirectly through His prophets and others.

He also speaks through the Bible, written by men, at different times in history, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The Bible is the living Word of God. The message in it’s pages is the good news of our deliverance from the slavery of sin.

The Bible is reliable because of prophecies that have been fulfilled, the unity of the message and the many historical facts that are correct. The Scriptures answer the questions: “Why are we here? Where are we going? What’s the purpose of life? ” And most important of all it changes lives.

Some years ago I heard an interesting story that was told by Barry Buzza. There was a missionary in Africa who was preaching the Word and giving out Bibles free to anyone who wanted one. He offered one to a rather inebriated young man who said, “No, I don’t want one!”

The missionary said, “Well take a Bible, it will really help you. This is God’s Word to you!” The man said “No, I’m not interested in having a Bible.” As the missionary kept insisting he should take it, the man said, “Preacher, if I took that Bible I would rip out the pages and use them to wrap my cigarettes in.”

The missionary said, “OK, you can do that but you’ve got to make me a promise that every page that you use for a cigarette wrapper, you’ve got to read it before you wrap your cigarette.” The guy thought that’s a fair deal so he took the Bible and walked away.

About 25 years later the missionary came back for a retirement celebration. A young, black man was preaching up on the platform. After the service the young man came up to the missionary and asked him, “Do you know who I am?” The missionary said, “No.”

He said, “I am the young guy you gave a Bible to years ago and I said I would smoke it.” The missionary said, “Yes, I remember that.” The young man said, “Well, I smoked through Matthew, I smoked through Mark and I smoked through Luke.”

“I was smoking my way through John and I got to John 3:16 where it said,  ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but would have eternal life.’ I knelt down and accepted Jesus as my Savior.”

Hebrew 1:1 says “In these last days God has spoken through His Son.” God spoke when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to show us the Father and make it possible for us to know Him. He came to reconcile mankind to our heavenly Father.

When man chose his own way instead of God’s it caused us to be estranged from Him. That sin carried the penalty of death. Jesus came to earth and paid that penalty for us when He died a cruel death on a Roman cross. But His death was not the end.

He did not stay in the tomb. Three days later He was resurrected. Everyone who believes that Jesus paid the penalty for their sins receives forgiveness and begins a new, changed life with a desire to know and please God.

Everyone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior has the hope, the certain expectation of a resurrection and eternal life with Him.  I have the hope of fellowship with my heavenly Father in the life I live here on earth and for the life I will live with Him in eternity.

I could not hope to keep the law or do enough good deeds to make it to heaven. The hymn writer put it this way, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” My hope is in the salvation He has made possible for me.

Heb 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil (the holy of holies in heaven) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us.” This hope is my sure anchor!

K. Wuest, said this, “This life is the sea; the soul, a ship; the hidden bottom of the sea, the hidden reality of the heavenly word. The soul is seen as storm tossed on the troubled sea of life. The soul of the believer, as a tempest tossed ship is held by the anchor within the veil, fastened by faith to the blessed reality within the veil.”

But what about those who do not choose to put their hope and trust in Jesus? We are eternal beings and will live forever somewhere, either in heaven with God or in hell without God. Hell gives people the right to live apart from God! We have a choice!

I choose to live with and for Jesus Christ. My hope is in Him! Where is your hope?

DRIFTING IS DANGEROUS

 

There are many Evangelical preachers, teachers and church leaders who believe we are living in the last days before Jesus comes again. They do not know the day or the hour but from everything they study in the Bible they see events as shaping up to His soon return. Never before have so many things come together as signs which Jesus said to watch for. (Matthew 24)

If you grew up in Church you heard sermons and read books or heard people talking about this. I remember in the 60’s people feared that another war was imminent.They began gathering food and other supplies and a few even made themselves underground shelters. Along the way there were some books written that actually set dates like, 1988 which was changed to 1989 when it didn’t happen.

When we hear something often we may tune out or tend not to listen very carefully. I remember when I was a child and my mother would tell a familiar story from her past. Because I had heard it before, I did not listen very carefully. Now, many years later I wish I had paid more careful attention. I let her words drift by because they were nothing new. I heard it before.

The writer to the Hebrews says, long ago God spoke through prophets and in many other ways but in these last days, He has spoken in His Son, Jesus. He then gives a warning, ” For this reason, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” It’s possible to hear the message of salvation but not pay attention, instead let it drift, in one ear & out the other. (Heb 1:1-2; 2:1)

He gives another warning  in 3:12 “Take care, lest there be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away (standing aloof) from the living God.” More than once he entreats them not to “harden their hearts.” There’s a downward trend; drifting, then doubting and finally disbelief, refusal to believe because of a hardened heart. Today as He speaks, we need to pay careful attention.

Peter writes to his followers so that they will remember the words spoken to them by the prophets and apostles. He wants them to know that in the last days, mockers are going to come who will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? It didn’t happen in our fathers day and everything is carrying on as it always has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:1-4)

“When they say this, they willfully forget that, by the Word of God, the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water through which the world at that time was destroyed being flooded with water. But the present heavens and earth, by His Word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly people.”  (3:5-7)

Peter also wants them to pay close attention, to not let the truth drift by. “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (3:8-9)

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (3:10-11)

The message of salvation is an old, old story. God created man to have fellowship with Him but man rebelled. His rebellion carried the death penalty but Jesus, God’s Son paid the death penalty by dying on a cross, in our place. God raised Him from the dead and now He lives and is interceding for us. My part is to believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus died for me and that He is alive today. (Rom 10:9-11)

You may have heard this message many times but you have not taken it seriously. You think you have lots of time to make a commitment to Jesus Christ. Drifting is dangerous! Drifting is perilous to your soul! Time as we know it, is running out! It’s time to stop drifting! An old gospel song depicts this as someone who is out on a sea drifting farther and farther from the safety of the shore.

DRIFTING TOO FAR FROM THE SHORE           by Charles E. Moody 1923

Out on the perilous deep where danger silently creeps
and storms so violently sweeping, you’re drifting too far from the shore.

Today the tempest rose high and clouds o’ershadow the sky
Sure death is hovering nigh, you’re drifting too far from the shore

Why meet a terrible fate, mercies abundantly await
Turn back before it’s too late, you’re drifting too far from the shore.

Chorus
Drifting too far from the shore, you;re drifting too far from the shore.
Come to Jesus today, He will show you the way.
You’re drifting too far from the shore.