Two Important Items


I don’t know that Christianity has ever witnessed a greater coldness, within its ranks, than today’s “so called church”.  I can’t say with absolute certainty, for I am not privy to the entirety of history.  But from what I see and read, I find it hard to imagine a more rebellious time.

From the beginning, Christianity has been unpopular.  But as the unpopularity and attacks against the Church increased, so did the number of those who believed.  But now?  Now I see, witness, and hear many lives that bear almost no resemblance to Christ’s intent for His people.  The world is far colder to the Gospel than ever before.  And this desire to replace the Gospel’s intent with ANYTHING ELSE, is not diminishing, it is exploding; replaced by a willing ignorance en mass!

I’ve asked before, as have hundreds others, “What time is it?”

If you’re going to miss your flight, a good friend will certainly remind you of the time.  And his reminders will increase in urgency of delivery.

Those who go to bed late, will wake up less refreshed than they ought to have been.

If you know the family eats at 6 pm, it’s foolish to purposely stay out till 9 pm.

Waiting to accomplish, till you know it’s long past time to prepare and do, is selfish idiocy.  Love does not act like that.  But The Bible promises that just such things will happen to Spiritual (Eternal) things.  I would gladly even extend that to morality itself.

Many, (I don’t think that word does justice to the actuality of the number or percentage) will determine to withdraw from The Faith.  The term the Apostle Paul uses is “a great falling away”.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a great falling away first. . .”. (2 Thessalonians 2:3)  That’s not just a few, that’s a great majority.  Jesus alluded to this by saying, “Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18: 8)

The Lord uses the simple word “faith”.  I have come to call it “The Faith”.  But the use of the word “faith” implies an even greater horror than does the use of a more poignant title.

One other aspect to this vein of thought, is that the “falling away” indicates that one must first have had something to fall away from.  This doesn’t necessarily exclude the world, but it more speaks of Christianity.  The sad part of this is, that those who are falling away won’t even be able to identify this stage of creation, as they will perceive the nature of things from the perspective of self-righteousness.  To them, all things are as they should be!  Wow!  What a horrifying seal to those who allow the world to draw them off from Christ.

And look what Peter said about this:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 thereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved to fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3)

With what tool shall anyone awaken the sleep that has come to cover the souls of today?  How will the Holy Spirit contend with the flesh driven rebellion that covers the earth like a putrid mold?  With all their perceptions anointed with the things of this world, humanity now enters into that blindness which will cause them to dance in the streets, send gifts to one another, and celebrate with great abandon, the death of God’s two prophets.

How greatly we warn.  But who even cares that such words still exist?

I’m done writing this post, but for one question:

What about you, what about me?

Finality


Last night the Lord returned in his Glory, taking all those who were wise enough to be “awake”.  If you are reading this you have missed the day of his appearing.

It is now your lot to endure the wrath of God.  You are, as has been said, “Left Behind”.

Is there fear in your soul as you read those words? 

I say with surety, they are only a warning.  The Glorious Lord Jesus is yet to be dispatched.  But when that day comes there will surely be many more mornings.

Mornings of terror. 
Mornings of hopeless rage. 
Mornings of famine. 
Mornings of plague.  
Mornings of war. 
Mornings of difficulty this world has never seen.

This may very well be the last day you have, to receive God in the fullness His wisdom has determined to give to Man.  Worship the Living God in Christ His only Son, or perish through the Promised Enduring.

Rather, Be Trivial


We are taught to give up.

We are taught to be trivial.

“Do these things and you will be satisfied.

Abstain from the things of God;

See how complicated and unknown are God’s things to man.

See how many versions of God scream to be first.

See how it is right to give up the search.

Be satisfied with what you have, and do not seek more than is reasonable.”

Rather be trivial.

Rather live with the love that you have.

Rather be diligent with the things you already know how to do.

Perceive the beautiful things of living life;

among your fellow men,

Among the sustaining of this world.

Among the limitations of chaos,

Among the decaying pattern of this place,

And among the innate desire to laugh.

Truth says clearly:

“You KNOW this is not the sum of things.

You KNOW there is More to be had.

You KNOW the ways of man are not the fullness of life.

You KNOW you will one day cease here.

You KNOW you will be inspected with absolute scrutiny.

Do you KNOW the name of the One who will inspect?

When?


I have nothing to write this morning.  I came here to speak a word of encouragement or two.  But nothing, among my thoughts stands out.  No thought glows with that beautiful holy glow.  Yet, there is one idea that will not dispel as I try to write.  It is the thought of “foundation”.

It was with me in prayer this morning.  It was the “verse of the day” on Bible Gateways app.  It is the sum of understanding when it comes to salvation.  And the permanence of it is astounding as I look back at what I was.

Bible Gateways “verse of the day” is, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.

I see so many lack faith in that.  I see so many disbelieve.  I see them worry without ceasing.  I see them move about, frantically trying to restrain the destruction that is obviously their lives.  I try to calm them down.  But to no apparent effect.

The next time I see them, they are again consumed with frantic worry.  I am astounded at this plight of man.  Why will “we” not believe?  Why do we prefer to worry, struggle fruitlessly, hate and be hated in return, all the while we say, “God will save me”.    Why?

Does God lie?  Is God able to cause the entire fabric of heaven and earth to remain, being sustained by his sheer Holy will, yet he can’t help a single person with the things that bite at them like hungry mosquitos?  Are you kidding me?  Is this what Christ means to us?

If Jesus is not sufficient to all our needs now, can someone tell me when He will “become” sufficient?  If we refuse to rest in belief now, can someone tell me when that will happen?  Just when will God be “enough” for us?  Name the time, mark the calendar, set the hour, post it everywhere.  When the moment comes, will you believe then?  If you do not believe now, you are not likely to believe then.

How shameful is the way of man to consider the offer of God’s help as if it were some future truth, or (at worst) a lie!

“The Faith”


“The Faith”

Teaches what is Holy;
What is unknown,
How to understand,
How to endure,
How to “become”.

Temptation must come;
In the form of ailment,
In the form of beckoning toward sin,
In the form of fear,
With the threat of destruction,
Yet with the opportunity to glorify the Living God’s Holy Son.

Do we understand these things?  Of course we have.  The question to us all is this:
Why do we not apply what we know we understand?

The Cost


Toledo Municipal Court Judge C. Allen McConnell issued a statement Wednesday on his refusal to perform marry a same-sex couple earlier this week.
McConnel says he declined to perform the marriage based on his “personal and christian beliefs.”

Christians have rights too.  Isn’t it curious how it always ends up costing the Christian everything, while the world gets just what they want.

No matter.  We have every confidence that God will reward accordingly.  In the meantime, I’m proud of my brother.