In the last few days we have talked about "scoffers" - those who will deliberately forget that God created the world and who do not believe His judgment lies ahead. These people pursue their evil schemes and self-centered agendas, thinking only of this world and this life. In the end, they will regret their decision to ignore God's Word. But there are also those within the body of the church who do virtually the same thing. Ignoring God's Word, they make up their own scenario for the future. They come up with their own plans and enlist the rest of the body of the church to do what they want - even dialoguing with other religions, all in the name of love and tolerance ... in the name of "God."
It's time for the truth: this world, this planet, is "reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:7). The only reason the end has not already come is that God"is being patient," and is calling people to repentance through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who stand upon the Word of God are often ridiculed as old-fashioned and out-of-touch with the culture of our nation and of the world today. Those who believe the Bible should be taken literally and that it is the very Word of God are ridiculed, even by those who are teaching in seminaries. Surely, we must know better today than to think the Bible can be taken literally, that it is really God's inspired Word. Instead, these "scholars" and "theologians" tell us we must discover the "kernel of truth" contained in Jesus' teaching and learn to live in this world with love for all people.
Sounds good, doesn't it? Hardly how the Apostle Paul addressed those who opposed his teaching. In II Corinthians 11 he says, "Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). I thank God for those who stand upon the Word and who preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, preaching God's Word and calling people to repent. But as thankful as I am for these brothers, I come against those who deceive and who lead many astray. Their end is destruction, and rightly so. They fail to preach the cross and leave people searching in an endless journey for truth, declaring all the while that there IS NO TRUTH!
Believing God's Word is true brings hope because it gives to those who believe a foundation for life. Peter concludes his second letter to the church by making the connection between the coming judgment and life today: "Since everything WILL BE DESTROYED in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ... as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heart. BUT, in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (II Peter 3:11-13).
Whether or not you or any other person believes God's judgment is coming on the earth, it is true and it will happen. Millions have been deceived by false religions to believe that they will return to life after they die, that they will be reincarnated. Others simply believe in some kind of pleasant afterlife in a place where we are free from our problems - a utopian state. How foolish to believe such a thing that has absolutely no evidence of existing. People laugh at children for believing fairytales, but that is what such things are. On the contrary, the Bible explains the plan and purpose of God from before the world began, some six thousand years ago. Peter's words are an encouragement that to believe in God's judgment is to find hope in God's promise: there is a new heaven and a new earth coming - a new beginning.
God invites sinners into this new world through His Son Jesus Christ. Only by His sacrifice on the cross could Jesus, true God and true man, make a way for people like you and me to enter God's eternal kingdom. This gives a sure and certain hope to believers, to those who are true Christians, and calls us to live as children of God, in holiness and godliness, as we look forward to what God has promised. The greatest incentive to live as godly people is the return of Jesus Christ. Knowing that we will live forever, either in the new heaven and earth, or facing God's judgment in hell, makes the choice an easy one - unless your mind and heart are still deceived and you are still living in the darkness of spiritual death. May these words awaken you and move you to believe God's Word as He reveals these things to those who have been given ears to hear, minds to understand and hearts to obey. By His grace, you can KNOW that you are safe from His judgment.
What is yet to come? We are only just beginning to uncover all that God has revealed!!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
"The deliberately forget ..."
Why would anyone deliberately forget something? Because they DON'T WANT to remember it! Yesterday we read in II Peter 3:3-4 that "in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say 'Where is this COMING he (God) promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.'" Peter describes these scoffers as people who want to pursue their own evil desires - desires that are contrary to God's will, to His law, to His righteousness.
In the late 1900's people in the church began to talk more about the return of Jesus to earth. This was the birth of what some today call "Zionism," the belief that God had a plan for Israel and that the Jews would return to the land God gave to Israel before Jesus returned. Satan knows that God has predicted and ordained his final judgment and defeat. In the Garden of Eden God promised that the "Seed of the woman would crush Satan's head" (Genesis 3:15). Satan tried to destroy the Jews before God's plan could be fulfilled. As he had done in the days of Esther, he plotted to destroy the entire race of Jews. World War II and the horrible holocaust where millions of Jews were killed was pure evil, but in the end it backfired. The result was the world allowing the Jews to return to the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - forever!
Following the return of many Jews to Israel, the establishment of Israel as a nation and all the events since have made the discussion of end times a popular topic - and rightly so. There are those in the church who believe that the Church has replaced Israel in God's plans. But can God forget His promises to Israel? We will talk about that in future posts. For now we need to understand that the reason there are so many "scoffers" today is because of the teaching of many concerning the prophecies regarding Jesus' return, spurred on by the events surrounding the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. This is the time Peter was talking about. We are in the last days. The words Peter wrote were written for those in his day, yet even more-so for us today.
The scoffers deliberately forget something that people, especially in the church, should know. "They deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed" (II Peter 3:5-6). Peter says that people deliberately forget, deny, push aside the truth of God's Word concerning the creation of the earth and the destruction of the earth with the flood in the days of Noah. Many even in the church today believe the flood is a fairytale, that the earth and everything in it "evolved," that God is love and would never judge people. They deliberately forget that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and that we all deserve God's judgment. They deliberately forget that God judged the earth with the flood and saved only Noah and his family. They deliberately forget the TRUTH!! And so they scoff and they make fun of those of us who believe that the Bible is literal, God-breathed truth.
So Peter goes on to explain what will happen in these last days: "By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:7). The present heavens and earth, the world WE live in, is reserved for fire, for God's just judgment. God created the world by His Word: "Let it be!" And God will destroy the world by His Word. We will not destroy ourselves. As certainly as God sent fire and brimstone down to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, His judgment is going to come upon this planet. Those who do not know the true God, who do not confess their sin and believe in Jesus Christ will perish. That is why we proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Preaching the Gospel is God's chosen means to save those who believe.
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son (the eternal Word of God - John 1:1 - in the flesh - John 1:14), that whoever believes in Him would NOT perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). To those who believe Peter writes in verses 8-9: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
God's desire is that ALL would turn from sin and find forgiveness and life in Jesus, but He knows that no one will come to Him unless He Himself draws them to Him. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). God is using His Word today to draw people to Himself. He is sending out people who know Him to proclaim His truth, found only in the Bible, and He is changing hearts and minds by His Spirit. If you know Him today, it is because God Himself opened your mind and changed your heart and moved you to put your faith in Jesus Christ. If you have not yet done that, but are reading these words, perhaps God will at this moment help you to understand these things and confess your sin and your need for forgiveness - moving you to believe in Jesus Christ.
Don't scoff and deliberately push away the truth. These things have been revealed by God so that you might believe in Jesus Christ and be saved. Come to Him today!!
In the late 1900's people in the church began to talk more about the return of Jesus to earth. This was the birth of what some today call "Zionism," the belief that God had a plan for Israel and that the Jews would return to the land God gave to Israel before Jesus returned. Satan knows that God has predicted and ordained his final judgment and defeat. In the Garden of Eden God promised that the "Seed of the woman would crush Satan's head" (Genesis 3:15). Satan tried to destroy the Jews before God's plan could be fulfilled. As he had done in the days of Esther, he plotted to destroy the entire race of Jews. World War II and the horrible holocaust where millions of Jews were killed was pure evil, but in the end it backfired. The result was the world allowing the Jews to return to the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - forever!
Following the return of many Jews to Israel, the establishment of Israel as a nation and all the events since have made the discussion of end times a popular topic - and rightly so. There are those in the church who believe that the Church has replaced Israel in God's plans. But can God forget His promises to Israel? We will talk about that in future posts. For now we need to understand that the reason there are so many "scoffers" today is because of the teaching of many concerning the prophecies regarding Jesus' return, spurred on by the events surrounding the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. This is the time Peter was talking about. We are in the last days. The words Peter wrote were written for those in his day, yet even more-so for us today.
The scoffers deliberately forget something that people, especially in the church, should know. "They deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed" (II Peter 3:5-6). Peter says that people deliberately forget, deny, push aside the truth of God's Word concerning the creation of the earth and the destruction of the earth with the flood in the days of Noah. Many even in the church today believe the flood is a fairytale, that the earth and everything in it "evolved," that God is love and would never judge people. They deliberately forget that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and that we all deserve God's judgment. They deliberately forget that God judged the earth with the flood and saved only Noah and his family. They deliberately forget the TRUTH!! And so they scoff and they make fun of those of us who believe that the Bible is literal, God-breathed truth.
So Peter goes on to explain what will happen in these last days: "By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:7). The present heavens and earth, the world WE live in, is reserved for fire, for God's just judgment. God created the world by His Word: "Let it be!" And God will destroy the world by His Word. We will not destroy ourselves. As certainly as God sent fire and brimstone down to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, His judgment is going to come upon this planet. Those who do not know the true God, who do not confess their sin and believe in Jesus Christ will perish. That is why we proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Preaching the Gospel is God's chosen means to save those who believe.
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son (the eternal Word of God - John 1:1 - in the flesh - John 1:14), that whoever believes in Him would NOT perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). To those who believe Peter writes in verses 8-9: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
God's desire is that ALL would turn from sin and find forgiveness and life in Jesus, but He knows that no one will come to Him unless He Himself draws them to Him. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). God is using His Word today to draw people to Himself. He is sending out people who know Him to proclaim His truth, found only in the Bible, and He is changing hearts and minds by His Spirit. If you know Him today, it is because God Himself opened your mind and changed your heart and moved you to put your faith in Jesus Christ. If you have not yet done that, but are reading these words, perhaps God will at this moment help you to understand these things and confess your sin and your need for forgiveness - moving you to believe in Jesus Christ.
Don't scoff and deliberately push away the truth. These things have been revealed by God so that you might believe in Jesus Christ and be saved. Come to Him today!!
Friday, October 5, 2012
"In the last days scoffers will come ..."
Are we in the "last days?" When will we know? HOW will we know? ..... WILL we know?? When we talk about the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ, most people know only what they have heard, and most of it is not from the Bible! If asked, "Where can you read about end times?", most Christians would probably respond with one word: "Revelations!" (By the way, it's not "Revelations," it's "Revelation" - which means, "uncovering").
The truth is, the Bible is full of information about the end of this age and the return of Jesus Christ. But before we get to some of those passages, we need to talk about the idea of there even being a "last days." To do that, I want to start with II Peter 3:1-13. We'll look at this passage over the next few days.
To begin, Peter gives to his readers the reason behind his writing: "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking" (vs. 1). Peter very clearly addresses his letters to a particular audience. In I Peter 1:1-2, he writes, "To God's elect, strangers in the world ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit." In II Peter 1:1, he writes, "To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours." Peter is writing to believers, to those who have been born again by God's Spirit, and who have confessed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It is these that he desires to "stimulate to wholesome thinking."
In order for that to happen, Peter continues in chapter 3, verse 2: "I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." The mistake many young believers, or even Unbelievers, make is that they want to talk about "end times" or "the last days" without having any previous knowledge of the Word of God. It's like trying to read the last chapter of a book and thinking that you will understand it all. It just doesn't work that way! The Word of God is one book with one message and one story. It goes from beginning to end. You can't understand the end if you don't have some grasp of the beginning and the middle. So as we talk about end times and the return of Jesus we will have to refer to things that were written before the apostle John's revelation and we will need to understand God's plan from the beginning.
Peter goes on, then, in verses 3-7, to explain why it is important to know God's plan and to believe that all of history is moving towards an appointed end. "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this coming He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.'" (vss. 3-4). I'm going to stop there for today because the fact that people are even talking about the end of the world is evidence that we are in the last days. It has not always been so. In one sense, we have been in the last days since the first coming of Jesus. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus ushered in a new stage in God's plan. From His throne in heaven, Jesus poured out His Holy Spirit and brought Jews and Gentiles together in the Church. But the "last days" Peter is talking about is a period of time prior to the return of Jesus that will be marked by certain signs. One of them is "scoffers."
These "scoffers" will question whether there is even going to BE a time when this world will end. People today live as though this world will last forever - unless, of course, we "blow ourselves up." But God says otherwise. While in our current political debates the two "sides" try to draw a contrast between each other, they are both pursuing a course designed by men. One may be more in line with the principles of God's Word, but the real issues - spiritual issues - are largely ignored. We are living in the most uncertain time in the history of the world. People feel it; people are nervous and they are grasping at straws, desperately looking for a leader. The one they will eventually find will be a deceiver - the anti-christ.
In the midst of this, God says to His people, "scoffers will come," but do not be deceived. Look at what God has done before. Listen to what God has said before. Stand firm! For everything will unfold exactly as He has revealed. How important is it, then, to KNOW what God has said in His Word. It is to His Word that you must commit yourself to listening and from which you must learn of the last days. For more than a century people have been speaking about the end of the world at an ever-increasing level. In the past thirty to forty years people all over the world have been discussing what the Bible says about "end times." Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy, or is this the time Peter was talking about? Only if people are talking about these things can scoffers ask their question, "Where is this 'coming" He promised?" And they ARE asking!! As people talk about the "rapture" and declare that Jesus could come any day, people are asking, "When? When?? When???"
Begin here. Read II Peter 3 and ask God for wisdom. He will give it to you and you will begin a journey of preparation that will bring hope and courage to you and to all with whom you share GOD's truth!
The truth is, the Bible is full of information about the end of this age and the return of Jesus Christ. But before we get to some of those passages, we need to talk about the idea of there even being a "last days." To do that, I want to start with II Peter 3:1-13. We'll look at this passage over the next few days.
To begin, Peter gives to his readers the reason behind his writing: "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking" (vs. 1). Peter very clearly addresses his letters to a particular audience. In I Peter 1:1-2, he writes, "To God's elect, strangers in the world ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit." In II Peter 1:1, he writes, "To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours." Peter is writing to believers, to those who have been born again by God's Spirit, and who have confessed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It is these that he desires to "stimulate to wholesome thinking."
In order for that to happen, Peter continues in chapter 3, verse 2: "I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." The mistake many young believers, or even Unbelievers, make is that they want to talk about "end times" or "the last days" without having any previous knowledge of the Word of God. It's like trying to read the last chapter of a book and thinking that you will understand it all. It just doesn't work that way! The Word of God is one book with one message and one story. It goes from beginning to end. You can't understand the end if you don't have some grasp of the beginning and the middle. So as we talk about end times and the return of Jesus we will have to refer to things that were written before the apostle John's revelation and we will need to understand God's plan from the beginning.
Peter goes on, then, in verses 3-7, to explain why it is important to know God's plan and to believe that all of history is moving towards an appointed end. "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this coming He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.'" (vss. 3-4). I'm going to stop there for today because the fact that people are even talking about the end of the world is evidence that we are in the last days. It has not always been so. In one sense, we have been in the last days since the first coming of Jesus. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus ushered in a new stage in God's plan. From His throne in heaven, Jesus poured out His Holy Spirit and brought Jews and Gentiles together in the Church. But the "last days" Peter is talking about is a period of time prior to the return of Jesus that will be marked by certain signs. One of them is "scoffers."
These "scoffers" will question whether there is even going to BE a time when this world will end. People today live as though this world will last forever - unless, of course, we "blow ourselves up." But God says otherwise. While in our current political debates the two "sides" try to draw a contrast between each other, they are both pursuing a course designed by men. One may be more in line with the principles of God's Word, but the real issues - spiritual issues - are largely ignored. We are living in the most uncertain time in the history of the world. People feel it; people are nervous and they are grasping at straws, desperately looking for a leader. The one they will eventually find will be a deceiver - the anti-christ.
In the midst of this, God says to His people, "scoffers will come," but do not be deceived. Look at what God has done before. Listen to what God has said before. Stand firm! For everything will unfold exactly as He has revealed. How important is it, then, to KNOW what God has said in His Word. It is to His Word that you must commit yourself to listening and from which you must learn of the last days. For more than a century people have been speaking about the end of the world at an ever-increasing level. In the past thirty to forty years people all over the world have been discussing what the Bible says about "end times." Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy, or is this the time Peter was talking about? Only if people are talking about these things can scoffers ask their question, "Where is this 'coming" He promised?" And they ARE asking!! As people talk about the "rapture" and declare that Jesus could come any day, people are asking, "When? When?? When???"
Begin here. Read II Peter 3 and ask God for wisdom. He will give it to you and you will begin a journey of preparation that will bring hope and courage to you and to all with whom you share GOD's truth!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
"Not appointed to suffer wrath ..."
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (I Thessalonians 5:9).
What a wonderful promise! And yet, it is this very promise, in this very verse that has led to perhaps the greatest misunderstanding concerning the timing of the events leading up to and surrounding Jesus' return. We must remember that Paul is saying in this chapter that there is a difference between the knowledge and understanding of those who are in Christ and those who are not. Just prior to Jesus' return there will be some who are saying, "Peace and safety," and destruction will come upon them suddenly. As in the days of Noah, they will not escape as God pours out His wrath.
But there are others - those who believe, for whom this day and this time of God's appointed wrath cannot come soon enough. We will see why at a later time. Paul writes, "But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness" (I Thessalonians 5:4-5). He then explains how believers should live, not carousing around in the darkness, but living as children of the light, with self-control and faith and love and hope. Then he comes to verse 9: "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
When God pours out His wrath upon the earth, believers will not be on the earth. In the verses immediately preceding I Thessalonians 5, Paul speaks of the Lord's return at the sounding of the trumpet: "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" (I Thessalonians 4:13-17).
The event described in these verses has been called the "rapture," the "catching up," or "gathering together" of God's people, those known by God and chosen by Him to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. "No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3). All who believe have been delivered from God's wrath by the blood of Christ shed once for all on the cross. God cannot and will not punish those who believe for the sins that Jesus paid for on the cross. Indeed, the only unforgivable sin is unbelief. Through ignorance and by an act of the sinful will, all people lie under the curse of sin, and there is but one escape: repentance and faith in Jesus Christ - the evidence of the new birth, which is itself the gift of God through His Word and Spirit (John 1:12-13).
Many believe that the next prophetic event to take place in God's end-time scenario is the rapture. These have been taught and have believed that the rapture will come just prior to the appearance of the anti-christ. They believe that following the rapture of believers there will be a terrible time of tribulation (God's wrath), upon the earth. But while it is true that God's wrath will come upon the earth, there are events that precede His wrath being poured out and so also, events that precede the rapture. Jesus cannot and will not rapture His Church today, or even tomorrow, or even next week, or even next year. To do so would be to deny His Word. God's Word is truth from beginning to end and as we saw yesterday, we must read and study all of God's Word in its context - the entire Bible - and believe all that it teaches us.
The rapture WILL, indeed, precede the pouring out of God's wrath, for believers are not appointed to suffer the Father's wrath. As Paul says in verses 9-10, "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, BUT to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep (alive or dead - physically), we may live together with Him." The question is not whether the rapture will occur before God's wrath comes upon the earth, but rather, what IS God's wrath and WHEN does God send His wrath upon unbelieving mankind? These are important questions and God gives us the answers!
As all these things unfold around us, there has never been a time in human history when it has been more important to study God's Word and to know what God says - for ourselves and for others. Life is filled with uncertainties that could bring fear and doubt and anxiety, but knowing what lies ahead and standing on God's promises brings the "hope of salvation as a helmet" that guards our minds from being deceived and misled. With good reason Paul tells believers, "Therefore encourage each other with these words" (I Thessalonians 4:18); and, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (I Thessalonians 5:11).
What a wonderful promise! And yet, it is this very promise, in this very verse that has led to perhaps the greatest misunderstanding concerning the timing of the events leading up to and surrounding Jesus' return. We must remember that Paul is saying in this chapter that there is a difference between the knowledge and understanding of those who are in Christ and those who are not. Just prior to Jesus' return there will be some who are saying, "Peace and safety," and destruction will come upon them suddenly. As in the days of Noah, they will not escape as God pours out His wrath.
But there are others - those who believe, for whom this day and this time of God's appointed wrath cannot come soon enough. We will see why at a later time. Paul writes, "But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness" (I Thessalonians 5:4-5). He then explains how believers should live, not carousing around in the darkness, but living as children of the light, with self-control and faith and love and hope. Then he comes to verse 9: "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
When God pours out His wrath upon the earth, believers will not be on the earth. In the verses immediately preceding I Thessalonians 5, Paul speaks of the Lord's return at the sounding of the trumpet: "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" (I Thessalonians 4:13-17).
The event described in these verses has been called the "rapture," the "catching up," or "gathering together" of God's people, those known by God and chosen by Him to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. "No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3). All who believe have been delivered from God's wrath by the blood of Christ shed once for all on the cross. God cannot and will not punish those who believe for the sins that Jesus paid for on the cross. Indeed, the only unforgivable sin is unbelief. Through ignorance and by an act of the sinful will, all people lie under the curse of sin, and there is but one escape: repentance and faith in Jesus Christ - the evidence of the new birth, which is itself the gift of God through His Word and Spirit (John 1:12-13).
Many believe that the next prophetic event to take place in God's end-time scenario is the rapture. These have been taught and have believed that the rapture will come just prior to the appearance of the anti-christ. They believe that following the rapture of believers there will be a terrible time of tribulation (God's wrath), upon the earth. But while it is true that God's wrath will come upon the earth, there are events that precede His wrath being poured out and so also, events that precede the rapture. Jesus cannot and will not rapture His Church today, or even tomorrow, or even next week, or even next year. To do so would be to deny His Word. God's Word is truth from beginning to end and as we saw yesterday, we must read and study all of God's Word in its context - the entire Bible - and believe all that it teaches us.
The rapture WILL, indeed, precede the pouring out of God's wrath, for believers are not appointed to suffer the Father's wrath. As Paul says in verses 9-10, "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, BUT to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep (alive or dead - physically), we may live together with Him." The question is not whether the rapture will occur before God's wrath comes upon the earth, but rather, what IS God's wrath and WHEN does God send His wrath upon unbelieving mankind? These are important questions and God gives us the answers!
As all these things unfold around us, there has never been a time in human history when it has been more important to study God's Word and to know what God says - for ourselves and for others. Life is filled with uncertainties that could bring fear and doubt and anxiety, but knowing what lies ahead and standing on God's promises brings the "hope of salvation as a helmet" that guards our minds from being deceived and misled. With good reason Paul tells believers, "Therefore encourage each other with these words" (I Thessalonians 4:18); and, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (I Thessalonians 5:11).
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
"But you, brothers, are not in the darkness!"
What do YOU know about the return of Jesus Christ? Where would you go to learn more? The first place would be to Jesus, right? So we need to go to the Gospels. And then we need to go to the writers of the Bible, the Word of God. Jesus said that He revealed only what the Father told Him, and it is His Spirit that inspired the writers of the Old and New Testaments to write what they did. So whether it is the prophets of the Old Testament or the apostles in the New Testament, the same Spirit spoke through them and through Jesus. If we study what they say and listen to what they say, we will not be in the darkness of ignorance, a spiritual darkness that leads to judgment and eternal death!
Paul assured the Thessalonians that even though the day of God's judgment and the return of Jesus would come suddenly, as a thief in the night, that THEY were NOT in the darkness so that this day should surprise THEM (I Thessalonians 5:4). He goes on to say in verse 5, "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness."
I find that most people in the church today think very little of the return of Jesus. I have heard people say, "We can't do anything about it anyway, so why worry about it?" We shouldn't worry about it, but if we are "sons of the light and sons of the day," we must be warning others of the judgment to come when Jesus returns! As we saw yesterday, Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when He returns. As Noah built the ark, the Bible says that he preached to the people, warning them of the judgment God told him was about to come. They didn't listen, but Noah did what God told him to do. We need to do the same, and God has promised that some WILL listen and be saved - those whom He has chosen.
Most people, even in the church, have been taught very little, if anything, about what the Bible says about the events leading up to the return of Jesus, or about the return itself. I have had pastors tell me that the Church has replaced Israel in God's plans and all we need to know is that Jesus is coming again. They say that we need to be concerned about the present and leave the rest to God. That sounds good and it is certainly true that we should be busy doing God's work until Jesus comes. But what IS God's work? Didn't Jesus tell us to make disciples and to teach them EVERYTHING He had taught the disciples and that His Holy Spirit would teach the apostles? If the Bible teaches us about Jesus' return and gives us many details to watch for, shouldn't we learn what God says and use His words to warn others and to impress upon people the importance of coming to God through faith in Jesus Christ and to use their lives NOW for His glory, to help others learn the truth??
I don't understand how people who claim to believe and teach the Bible ignore and leave out what almost every book of the Bible talks about: the return of the King and the establishment of His kingdom on the earth! Instead, people today talk about changing the world and helping people to live like Jesus. What's wrong with that? It ignores the reality that only by confessing our sin, repenting (turning from sin) and believing in Jesus Christ can we know that we are forgiven and that we are children of the light - GOD's children! We are not going to change this world - in fact, Jesus never told us to change this world. HE is going to do that when He returns. We are to live as light amidst the darkness. It's not going to be easy; it's not easy now!
Paul goes on in I Thessalonians 5:6-8: "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." God wants us to be alert and to see the dangers all around us and to warn others. Ezekiel 33 says that we are watchmen and we are responsible to warn those who are in danger of the coming judgment. This is the main task of the Church, of Christians, of the children of the light!
We'll look at the rest of this section in I Thessalonians 5 tomorrow. We need to understand that God wants His children to read His Word - ALL of it, and to understand it, as His Spirit is our teacher. The Word is clear. It was not given to be ignored, in ANY age, but especially in THIS age! Things are changing very quickly all around the world. Nations are in an uproar. Leaders of nations are talking about World War III as though it is being considered. Where do we turn for hope? Can a presidential election bring hope? No, our hope is in the Lord and in His promises to us who believe in Jesus Christ. If you have that hope, if you are "in the light," give thanks to God for His grace and warn others of the coming events that God's Word reveals to those who have ears to hear. Pray that He will use YOU to bring someone else into the light, that they, too, might KNOW that no matter what happens today or tomorrow, we HAVE eternal life in Jesus Christ!
Paul assured the Thessalonians that even though the day of God's judgment and the return of Jesus would come suddenly, as a thief in the night, that THEY were NOT in the darkness so that this day should surprise THEM (I Thessalonians 5:4). He goes on to say in verse 5, "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness."
I find that most people in the church today think very little of the return of Jesus. I have heard people say, "We can't do anything about it anyway, so why worry about it?" We shouldn't worry about it, but if we are "sons of the light and sons of the day," we must be warning others of the judgment to come when Jesus returns! As we saw yesterday, Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when He returns. As Noah built the ark, the Bible says that he preached to the people, warning them of the judgment God told him was about to come. They didn't listen, but Noah did what God told him to do. We need to do the same, and God has promised that some WILL listen and be saved - those whom He has chosen.
Most people, even in the church, have been taught very little, if anything, about what the Bible says about the events leading up to the return of Jesus, or about the return itself. I have had pastors tell me that the Church has replaced Israel in God's plans and all we need to know is that Jesus is coming again. They say that we need to be concerned about the present and leave the rest to God. That sounds good and it is certainly true that we should be busy doing God's work until Jesus comes. But what IS God's work? Didn't Jesus tell us to make disciples and to teach them EVERYTHING He had taught the disciples and that His Holy Spirit would teach the apostles? If the Bible teaches us about Jesus' return and gives us many details to watch for, shouldn't we learn what God says and use His words to warn others and to impress upon people the importance of coming to God through faith in Jesus Christ and to use their lives NOW for His glory, to help others learn the truth??
I don't understand how people who claim to believe and teach the Bible ignore and leave out what almost every book of the Bible talks about: the return of the King and the establishment of His kingdom on the earth! Instead, people today talk about changing the world and helping people to live like Jesus. What's wrong with that? It ignores the reality that only by confessing our sin, repenting (turning from sin) and believing in Jesus Christ can we know that we are forgiven and that we are children of the light - GOD's children! We are not going to change this world - in fact, Jesus never told us to change this world. HE is going to do that when He returns. We are to live as light amidst the darkness. It's not going to be easy; it's not easy now!
Paul goes on in I Thessalonians 5:6-8: "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." God wants us to be alert and to see the dangers all around us and to warn others. Ezekiel 33 says that we are watchmen and we are responsible to warn those who are in danger of the coming judgment. This is the main task of the Church, of Christians, of the children of the light!
We'll look at the rest of this section in I Thessalonians 5 tomorrow. We need to understand that God wants His children to read His Word - ALL of it, and to understand it, as His Spirit is our teacher. The Word is clear. It was not given to be ignored, in ANY age, but especially in THIS age! Things are changing very quickly all around the world. Nations are in an uproar. Leaders of nations are talking about World War III as though it is being considered. Where do we turn for hope? Can a presidential election bring hope? No, our hope is in the Lord and in His promises to us who believe in Jesus Christ. If you have that hope, if you are "in the light," give thanks to God for His grace and warn others of the coming events that God's Word reveals to those who have ears to hear. Pray that He will use YOU to bring someone else into the light, that they, too, might KNOW that no matter what happens today or tomorrow, we HAVE eternal life in Jesus Christ!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The end of this world as we know it ...
Jesus is coming back to this earth. Everyone who truly believes in Jesus believes that He will return to this earth. Some people have been talking about it for centuries - but not many. The discussion of the end of the world began in earnest in the years leading up to and the years after World War I. Prior to that time, many believed that the preaching of the Gospel was going to bring about a "Golden Age" on the earth; a time of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world, where most people, or at least a majority, would be Christians, and there would be a rise in morality and righteous living. The Gospel would transform the world!
World War I caused many to begin to lose hope that such a worldwide transformation would take place, and World War II reduced the optimism of more who had hoped that Christianity and godly living would produce "heaven on earth." If people had studied the Scriptures more thoroughly, they would have realized that God did not promise such an earthly utopia where everybody loved each other and the great majority would become disciples of Jesus. The Bible predicts that there will be wars and rumors of wars until the end, and that many will leave "the faith" and turn away from Christ. Jesus even asks the question, "When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).
Jesus is coming back to earth to bring judgment on those who do not believe, and to gather His people from the corners of the earth. He will raise the dead and all who have believed in Him throughout the history of the human race will be taken up ("raptured") to meet Him in the air, to go with Him into heaven as God pours out His wrath upon the earth and those still living upon it. In the coming weeks, and perhaps months, I will be sharing some of what God says about these days that are coming on our world. Why? Because only by considering these things, by understanding what the Bible says about them, by believing God's promises and knowing His plan can you live in this world with hope and live for the right reason: to glorify God and to spread the good news that in spite of what is going on in the world, "our God reigns!"
If you are to find hope and if you are to share it with others, you need to know that Jesus is coming back to earth, but you also need to know that He is NOT coming back TODAY! Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36). I don't know exactly what day Jesus is going to return. God does not want people making specific predictions about when Jesus is going to return ... yet. The time will come when it will be obvious to those who are believers, who are alive on the earth, that the return of Jesus is imminent ... that it is a matter of days or weeks or months. Those who believe will be able to know, not because of some feeling or because they have received a special message from the Spirit of God - except that which the Spirit has already revealed in God's Word, the Bible.
Many people know a few verses from the Bible and like to quote the verses they know. This makes other people think they know what they are talking about. But all too often people quote verses out of context and therefore say things the Bible never says. They distort and twist the Scriptures, "to their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16). Two of these verses are I Thessalonians 5:2-3. You have probably heard these verses quoted before. They say: "... you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."
There you have it, some would say ... Jesus will come like a thief in the night and nobody knows the day or the hour. But listen to the very next verse, I Thessalonians 5:4: "BUT YOU, BROTHERS, are NOT in darkness so that this day should surpass YOU like a thief." Those who believe are no longer living in spiritual darkness. By the Spirit of God we can understand all that God has revealed to us in His Word. God calls us to be students of His Word so that we can know the truth that sets us free from fear and anxiety, as well as from the temptations facing all of us to get caught up in pursuing the things of this world rather than the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33; I John 2:15-17). Paul then goes on in verses 5-11 to explain the benefit of thinking about these things and KNOWING what the Word of God says about the events leading up to the return of Jesus, as well as His coming. That's where we'll begin tomorrow.
World War I caused many to begin to lose hope that such a worldwide transformation would take place, and World War II reduced the optimism of more who had hoped that Christianity and godly living would produce "heaven on earth." If people had studied the Scriptures more thoroughly, they would have realized that God did not promise such an earthly utopia where everybody loved each other and the great majority would become disciples of Jesus. The Bible predicts that there will be wars and rumors of wars until the end, and that many will leave "the faith" and turn away from Christ. Jesus even asks the question, "When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).
Jesus is coming back to earth to bring judgment on those who do not believe, and to gather His people from the corners of the earth. He will raise the dead and all who have believed in Him throughout the history of the human race will be taken up ("raptured") to meet Him in the air, to go with Him into heaven as God pours out His wrath upon the earth and those still living upon it. In the coming weeks, and perhaps months, I will be sharing some of what God says about these days that are coming on our world. Why? Because only by considering these things, by understanding what the Bible says about them, by believing God's promises and knowing His plan can you live in this world with hope and live for the right reason: to glorify God and to spread the good news that in spite of what is going on in the world, "our God reigns!"
If you are to find hope and if you are to share it with others, you need to know that Jesus is coming back to earth, but you also need to know that He is NOT coming back TODAY! Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36). I don't know exactly what day Jesus is going to return. God does not want people making specific predictions about when Jesus is going to return ... yet. The time will come when it will be obvious to those who are believers, who are alive on the earth, that the return of Jesus is imminent ... that it is a matter of days or weeks or months. Those who believe will be able to know, not because of some feeling or because they have received a special message from the Spirit of God - except that which the Spirit has already revealed in God's Word, the Bible.
Many people know a few verses from the Bible and like to quote the verses they know. This makes other people think they know what they are talking about. But all too often people quote verses out of context and therefore say things the Bible never says. They distort and twist the Scriptures, "to their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16). Two of these verses are I Thessalonians 5:2-3. You have probably heard these verses quoted before. They say: "... you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."
There you have it, some would say ... Jesus will come like a thief in the night and nobody knows the day or the hour. But listen to the very next verse, I Thessalonians 5:4: "BUT YOU, BROTHERS, are NOT in darkness so that this day should surpass YOU like a thief." Those who believe are no longer living in spiritual darkness. By the Spirit of God we can understand all that God has revealed to us in His Word. God calls us to be students of His Word so that we can know the truth that sets us free from fear and anxiety, as well as from the temptations facing all of us to get caught up in pursuing the things of this world rather than the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33; I John 2:15-17). Paul then goes on in verses 5-11 to explain the benefit of thinking about these things and KNOWING what the Word of God says about the events leading up to the return of Jesus, as well as His coming. That's where we'll begin tomorrow.
Monday, October 1, 2012
"The END is coming!!"
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions" (Matthew 24:45-47).
Matthew 24 and 25 record Jesus speaking to His disciples about the coming of the end. As they were admiring the temple and remarking about its magnificence, Jesus told them that the temple would be destroyed and one stone would not be left on another. The disciples were shocked and asked Jesus when this would happen and what would be the signs of the end of the age. Surely, they thought, if the temple is destroyed it means the end has come! Jesus went on to explain in great detail how the end would come. There is so much more detail in God's Word concerning these events than most imagine. Many speculate and come up with their own ideas, but God tells us what we need to know in His Word.
I am getting ready to begin to share on this blog what will be the foundation for the book I have been promising to write and to finish. Maybe it will never get into book form ... perhaps this is the only place I will ever share what I believe God is revealing in this day through His Word. That is up to God. Most of what I will share in coming days and weeks I have already shared in a ten-part series of messages on the return of Jesus. I pray that it will be enlightening to all who read it, and that it will challenge you to "search the Scriptures to see if these things are so." Since I will continue to try to do daily posts, you will receive these things in "bite-size" pieces. If you become a "follower" (I don't like to use that word for myself, because I don't want anyone to follow me, but rather, Jesus Christ!) ... but if you become a "follower" of this blog, you can comment or ask questions as we go along. All the posts will be available, so you will be able to "catch up" if you miss a day or a few days.
But what I want to share with you today is this, based on Matthew 24:45-47 ... the END is coming! Of course, we know that the end of the age will come, according to God's plan and in His time. As you will see as we look at what the Bible says about these things, the time is drawing near, BUT it is not going to happen today. Some things need to happen first, before the return of Jesus. I know that even saying that will disturb some because many are being taught that Jesus could return and rapture believers any day. We will talk about that at length to see if that is really what the Bible teaches. The important thing for you TODAY is this: the end of THIS day is coming soon!
As I write this, it is Monday afternoon, October 1st, 2012. It is 4:33 Eastern Daylight Time. In less than seven hours and 27 minutes, this day will come to an end. During these seven+ hours, people all around this world will find that their lives have ended. As the old saying goes, "Time waits for no man." Jesus asked the question, "Which of you by worrying can add the smallest amount of time to your life?" The answer: Not one of us!!! So should we be fatalistic and just live however we want, for our own pleasure, knowing that the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the month or year or decade - or even the end of our own lives is just around the corner?
And what of the end of the world? If it is drawing near, then what is the point of living the way we are living ... storing up things for the future and planning for tomorrow? Of course, God tells us in His Word that planning is important and that it is wise to store up SOME things ... but at the same time, God says that we should LIVE today! "THIS is the day the LORD has made" refers first of all to this twenty-four hour period, but also to the present age. II Corinthians 6:2 says that this is the "day of salvation." God has opened the door of salvation, of eternal life, through faith in Jesus Christ, since the Day of Pentecost until today and until Jesus' return. In the verses preceding those quoted above Jesus says that His return will come like the days of Noah ... people who do not know the true God will be taken by surprise. The door of the ark will be closed and they will cry out, but it will be too late!!
So we come to our verses for today, "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions" (Matthew 24:45-47).
Those who know Jesus Christ as Savior also know Him as Lord. We are servants of the Master and have been sent into the world. We enter the mission field from the moment we open our eyes in the morning. And as we fall asleep praying for others, we are doing battle for His kingdom. Our calling, our job, our task, our mission is not to sit and wait for Jesus to return, but to be working as His servants in the world. Too many today are continually asking God to do things for them, but are offering God nothing. The Apostle Paul would write, "I have been crucified with Christ and now I no longer live, but Christ lives IN me. The life I live in the flesh (NOW), I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
God has His people in many different places around the world. You are called to serve God by serving others right where you are. He may call you and send you somewhere else, but today you are called to serve Him where you are. Today, your life could end. Today, you could meet Jesus face to face. I thank God that we are saved by grace, that our works do not earn us anything, that we do not have to wonder if we have done enough to please God and to enter into heaven. The blood of Jesus covers those who trust in Him. Our sins are forgiven; the debt has been paid. Hallelujah!! Now we are freed from the need to please ourselves so that we can live for our King!
"It will be good for that servant whose mater finds him" serving HIM by serving others - by caring for them, loving them and sharing the Gospel with them, when He sends His angels to carry them home. Be about your Father's business today. Pray without ceasing ... put your mind on "speaker" and listen for His voice, even as you share your heart and mind with Him. Do what He lays on your heart to do, and at the end of the day ... every day ... and your last day ... and when He returns ... the King will say to you, and to all whom He finds so doing, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the earth."
Matthew 24 and 25 record Jesus speaking to His disciples about the coming of the end. As they were admiring the temple and remarking about its magnificence, Jesus told them that the temple would be destroyed and one stone would not be left on another. The disciples were shocked and asked Jesus when this would happen and what would be the signs of the end of the age. Surely, they thought, if the temple is destroyed it means the end has come! Jesus went on to explain in great detail how the end would come. There is so much more detail in God's Word concerning these events than most imagine. Many speculate and come up with their own ideas, but God tells us what we need to know in His Word.
I am getting ready to begin to share on this blog what will be the foundation for the book I have been promising to write and to finish. Maybe it will never get into book form ... perhaps this is the only place I will ever share what I believe God is revealing in this day through His Word. That is up to God. Most of what I will share in coming days and weeks I have already shared in a ten-part series of messages on the return of Jesus. I pray that it will be enlightening to all who read it, and that it will challenge you to "search the Scriptures to see if these things are so." Since I will continue to try to do daily posts, you will receive these things in "bite-size" pieces. If you become a "follower" (I don't like to use that word for myself, because I don't want anyone to follow me, but rather, Jesus Christ!) ... but if you become a "follower" of this blog, you can comment or ask questions as we go along. All the posts will be available, so you will be able to "catch up" if you miss a day or a few days.
But what I want to share with you today is this, based on Matthew 24:45-47 ... the END is coming! Of course, we know that the end of the age will come, according to God's plan and in His time. As you will see as we look at what the Bible says about these things, the time is drawing near, BUT it is not going to happen today. Some things need to happen first, before the return of Jesus. I know that even saying that will disturb some because many are being taught that Jesus could return and rapture believers any day. We will talk about that at length to see if that is really what the Bible teaches. The important thing for you TODAY is this: the end of THIS day is coming soon!
As I write this, it is Monday afternoon, October 1st, 2012. It is 4:33 Eastern Daylight Time. In less than seven hours and 27 minutes, this day will come to an end. During these seven+ hours, people all around this world will find that their lives have ended. As the old saying goes, "Time waits for no man." Jesus asked the question, "Which of you by worrying can add the smallest amount of time to your life?" The answer: Not one of us!!! So should we be fatalistic and just live however we want, for our own pleasure, knowing that the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the month or year or decade - or even the end of our own lives is just around the corner?
And what of the end of the world? If it is drawing near, then what is the point of living the way we are living ... storing up things for the future and planning for tomorrow? Of course, God tells us in His Word that planning is important and that it is wise to store up SOME things ... but at the same time, God says that we should LIVE today! "THIS is the day the LORD has made" refers first of all to this twenty-four hour period, but also to the present age. II Corinthians 6:2 says that this is the "day of salvation." God has opened the door of salvation, of eternal life, through faith in Jesus Christ, since the Day of Pentecost until today and until Jesus' return. In the verses preceding those quoted above Jesus says that His return will come like the days of Noah ... people who do not know the true God will be taken by surprise. The door of the ark will be closed and they will cry out, but it will be too late!!
So we come to our verses for today, "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions" (Matthew 24:45-47).
Those who know Jesus Christ as Savior also know Him as Lord. We are servants of the Master and have been sent into the world. We enter the mission field from the moment we open our eyes in the morning. And as we fall asleep praying for others, we are doing battle for His kingdom. Our calling, our job, our task, our mission is not to sit and wait for Jesus to return, but to be working as His servants in the world. Too many today are continually asking God to do things for them, but are offering God nothing. The Apostle Paul would write, "I have been crucified with Christ and now I no longer live, but Christ lives IN me. The life I live in the flesh (NOW), I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
God has His people in many different places around the world. You are called to serve God by serving others right where you are. He may call you and send you somewhere else, but today you are called to serve Him where you are. Today, your life could end. Today, you could meet Jesus face to face. I thank God that we are saved by grace, that our works do not earn us anything, that we do not have to wonder if we have done enough to please God and to enter into heaven. The blood of Jesus covers those who trust in Him. Our sins are forgiven; the debt has been paid. Hallelujah!! Now we are freed from the need to please ourselves so that we can live for our King!
"It will be good for that servant whose mater finds him" serving HIM by serving others - by caring for them, loving them and sharing the Gospel with them, when He sends His angels to carry them home. Be about your Father's business today. Pray without ceasing ... put your mind on "speaker" and listen for His voice, even as you share your heart and mind with Him. Do what He lays on your heart to do, and at the end of the day ... every day ... and your last day ... and when He returns ... the King will say to you, and to all whom He finds so doing, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the earth."
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