Encouragement

The Challenge of Sharing the Gospel

I have been studying Revelation this year and the reality of what is coming for the world…and for many of the people around me every day…has been setting in. I’ve become more burdened than ever for the lost as I have been studying what is going to happen in what seems to be the very near future.

But…I also find it so very difficult to know the best way to “bring up” the Gospel in every day situations. Particularly in this culture of wishy-washy American Christianity where everyone thinks they are saved.

So I decided to do something I haven’t done for awhile: Pray that God would bring me an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

I have prayed this prayer off and on through the years and God always answers it in the most amazing ways. I am quite ashamed I don’t think to pray this more often.

At any rate, God provided me with no less than three different opportunities to plant seeds for the Gospel this past week. I couldn’t miss them. It was truly incredible!

However, as I talked with the first person God “dropped in my lap”, I quickly grew discouraged. I realized at that time that for anyone to find true biblical faith in this culture of deception and lies it would truly take a miracle (but then the redemption of any person is truly a miracle, isn’t it?!) But, let’s be honest: How is anyone to figure out their way through the maze that calls itself Christianity these days? A maze that is chock-full of dead ends and false teaching?

Most people turn to one of these dead ends when they are searching. They are resting comfortably in a dead end corner of the maze, thinking they have reached truth. Why did I think that sharing the Gospel with someone who is so confused could possibly be frutiful? How can I– a simple ordinary person– “unconfuse” them? Surely God needs someone much more knowledgeable and gifted than myself to do this job. My enthusiasm to share the Gospel was dissipating rapidly in the midst of these thoughts.

And that’s when the thought came: Just point them to the Bible.

Remind them that truth is found in the Bible. Encourage them to read their Bibles.

I could do that. I might not be gifted in evangelism and the person I am talking to might be super confused. But God is bigger than all of this. And He uses His Word to open blind eyes.

For it is the Word that will tell people the truth about their souls in a way I never could–

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

And Isaiah reminds us that God’s Word never returns void–

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

My discouragement that afternoon was replaced by a renewed enthusiasm. God doesn’t need me to share the Gospel so that someone can be saved. He can use a rock to do that. It’s not my responsibility to save someone. It’s my responsibility to plants seeds for the Gospel. Lots and lots of seeds. And I believe that I can do this most effectively by pointing people to the Bible.

And so I have been excited to plant seeds this past week. Just last night, God provided an amazing opportunity I never expected with a young man from the Philippines who was helping me through a tech issue. (Please pray for him if you think of it. His name is Joshua.)

And let me brutally honest here. I had to argue with myself a few times to bring up God to this young man. Why would I bring up the Gospel with this stranger on the other side of the world? But this thought kept coming to mind: Why wouldn’t you? I had nothing to lose and he had everything to gain.

God is slowly changing my perspective on witnessing. He is reminding me through His Word what is coming both on this earth and for eternity for those who reject Him. And He has reminded me that I need to be faithful to plant Gospel seeds when I am given the opportunity and let the rest in His hands. I have also been reminded that God answers prayer. Specifically, God is very faithful in answering the prayers for opportunities to share the Gospel. But, most importantly, I have been reminded that it is in pointing people to the Bible that people will figure out their way to biblical salvation through this crazy “Christian” landscape that looks so impossible to navigate.

There is a way for all to know the whole and wonderful truth about God’s marvelous gift of salvation. It is through the inerrant, inspired, and infallible Word of God.

In the Light of His Word

Last week I was reading a story that contained a father figure that used the Bible as a weapon. The husband/father would shout Bible verses as he beat his wife and children. A few days later I watched the movie, Jane Eyre, and her school master was the exact same way. I am also currently reading the biography of a woman who was one of Brigham Young’s wives (Mormon leader). He, too– a wicked, wicked man–used the Bible to his own advantage, leaving a path of destruction and violence behind him.

All of these men used select Bible verses without context to scar people forever. Never mentioned by any of these men was the Gospel or any of the verses that talk about the love and joy found in the scriptures. Many men (and women, too), found in positions of leadership, have used and abused scripture for their own intentions and purposes throughout history. They are still doing this today.

I’ve been reflecting on this for awhile now. No wonder there are so many people unenamored with and disinterested in the whole of scripture. The religion that went by the name of Christianity for so many precious children was a religion of rules and laws devoid of love.

This is probably why so many adults, growing up in this kind of church or home, are prone to follow the false religion that goes by the same name that only focuses on the love of God. It is a swing in the opposite direction to the extreme. Some of them leave Christianity altogether, searching for peace in a different religion or even in denying God’s existence.

All false teaching that claims to be a branch of Christianity (Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, etc.) always stems from this ripping of verses out of context. Legalism (must do certain things in order to be saved) is no different.

Legalism is an EVIL false doctrine and its victims are countless.

But let’s remember this important fact: True salvation and wanting to follow Christ because we love Him leads to a desire to turn from the world and remove sin. It just does. It is part of the wonderful transformation in our lives. This is not legalism. This is being saved and becoming a “new creature”, just as we are promised (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Someone who professes to be a Christian and yet loves their sin and the world will always cry “legalism” if a fellow believer even hints at their desire to live a more pure and holy life. Because of this dynamic, I rather doubt that most Christians even understand what legalism really is.

How important that we realize that true legalism is ugly and God hates it. It puts the burden of being saved and staying saved on us. And what a heavy burden that is! I am so thankful for Ephesians 2:8-9 (some of my favorite verses in the whole Bible)–

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Works will not save us and they will not keep us saved. In fact, there is not even one thing we can do to save ourselves. Thank God we are saved by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and kept by Him for all eternity. Oh, how I love these verses I came across as I studied Revelation 1 a few weeks ago. Just read these incredible verses–

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)

He loves us and He freed us from our sins by His blood. He has no intention of ever letting us go! (John 10:28-29)


I was talking with someone the other day about how the culture is so obsessed with the “new”. They always want something better and bigger and different. But the message of the Bible is timeless and never changes: We are dead in our sins BUT GOD (Ephesians 2:1-7), who sent His Son to die for our sins so that we can be reconciled to Him. Satan has been trying to distort and twist this message forever, leading people into false religions, including the false religion of legalism. He will continue to do this as long as he is given free reign by God to do so.

Many of you have been reading this blog for a long time now. You have heard me just keep going back to the same truths of scripture over and over and over again. I am never going to give you some new doctrine or some new idea that propels me into greatness in the eyes of the world. I simply want to be faithful to the scriptures. It seems mundane and many readers grow bored with this. I get it. There is nothing exciting or innovative here.

But I hope what you will find here is a continual pointing to Jesus Christ and His Word. I hope you are encouraged to consider the whole Bible rather than just favorite parts. I hope that you are encouraged to find that balance that we find in scripture between the wrath of God and the love of God. Extremes are spiritually deadly because they are false religions.

I have not met many of you but my love for you compels me to keep writing and to keep encouraging you in the faith. I don’t do this because I am some echelon of spirituality. Quite the contrary. Often when I write I am struggling with some sin or worldly desire. I may be in my own depth of despair or be in the midst of an especially tough battle with my selfish, self-centered heart. Like you (if you are a redeemed child of God), the more I grow in Christ, the more I realize how far I have to go.

And so we continue on this path together, appreciating the heights of joy and happiness when they are given, but recognizing that most of life is made of ordinary days, some easy and some hard, where we are given the opportunity to simply trust and obey the Lord who saved us. Walking in the light of His Word, we trust and we obey. It’s not exciting or different or new. But it is what we are called to do.


When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

So Quickly Forgotten

A few months ago, I was reading an old commentary on the pastoral epistles by an author with the name of Homer Kent. When I turned to the back of the book, I saw a photo of a middle-aged man that looked a bit familiar. You see, by the time I was acquainted with who this man was, he was president of the college I was attending. I thought he was old and, if I am blatantly honest…pretty irrelevant. As a naive college student, I had zero appreciation for all he had accomplished (and written). And yet, here he had made this really helpful contribution to the Christian world long before I was even born.

But, my guess is that very few of you have ever heard his name. He lived, he worked for Jesus, and then he died. Some of his works live on, but they aren’t popular or considered classics. I doubt most of you have heard of them, either.

A few weeks back, we attended an event at the Christian school where our kids had attended high school. When our kids were there we were actively involved and knew lots and lots of faces. But five years after our youngest had graduated, we knew few people. And even fewer people cared if we were there or not. We had gone from being an active part of the school family to being completely irrelevant.

Around the time of these two happenings, I saw an Instagram reel that talked about how we won’t be remembered in a hundred years. We are all so quickly forgotten. Even celebrities aren’t really remembered all that much. Do you know or care who was a movie star in the 1940s? Fame and popularity are just so fleeting, on whatever level we have it (national, community, church, school).

And, in fact, even our descendants will probably know very little about us. I know so little about my great-grandparents and next to nothing about my great-great grandparents other than their names. And I’d even have to think hard about that.

We live and we die and we are quickly forgotten.

And while this Instagram reel was focused on the joy of the daily life and encouraged it’s listeners to stop worrying about the things that are so temporary (“If it’s not going to matter in five years, don’t spend more than five minutes worrying about it”), I want to take a moment and consider this beyond even that wise advice.

What I write here today won’t matter to most people in the world. And, in fact, even few Christians will read this or care about it. And if the Lord tarries for another hundred years, this will have probably gone the way of many other written words through the centuries. With this in mind, it changes my perspective and my priorities.

And, yet the fruit of my labors may live on. The fruit of your labors, as well. If a person turns to Christ, it changes their legacy for forever. If a person’s life is changed through their study of the Word, they have an eternal impact on their families and co-workers and whoever God brings into their lives.

And I am, once again, reminded of Matthew 6:19-21 and Colossians 3:1-4. These verses remind us that we want to think on things above and build up our treasures there. If we can stay focused on this, then we can weather disappointing responses or hurtful remarks. We can handle rejection or just being ignored. We can stand strong through the antagonism and the hatred. Because these things are so temporary.

But as soon as we move our eyes to ourselves, we are so vulnerable. We get so entangled in our feelings and it strangles us and our effectiveness for Christ.

So let’s remember today what really matters and let’s encourage one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). While the world may so quickly forget us, the impact of our work for Christ will live on. May we keep doing the good works the Lord has prepared for us and embrace the opportunities He has given us to share the Gospel and support and encourage fellow believers.

Let’s point people to Christ. Let’s direct them to the Word. And let’s work through those unpleasant and very temporary feelings we may experience as we work, through keeping our eyes on things eternal.

And, may we remember: While our names may be quickly forgotten on earth, the impact of our works for Christ will leave a lasting legacy on the families that turn to Christ and walk with Him because of our courage to speak up and our obedience to serve Christ instead of self.

To God be the Glory!


For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

But What About My Dreams?

We all have dreams and aspirations for this life. For some, they are BIG dreams of wealth and power or to travel the world. For others, the dreams may be simpler, such as to be married or to be a parent or to own a house. As we get older, we begin to recognize that we need to say good-bye to some of our dreams, as they just aren’t going to happen. Some of us find this out when we are young.

Does God care about our dreams, our desires, and the longings of our hearts?

We know He does because He cares for us. And, in fact, Psalm 37 tells us He will give us the desires of our hearts. So is there a condition for this promise?

There certainly is. But before we look at what that condition is, I want to share the story of a man by the name of Samuel Pearce.

Born in 1766, Samuel was saved at the age of 16. He was soon on fire for the Lord and his heart’s desire immediately was to go on the Mission Field. He made plans to sail to New Zealand for this purpose but those plans fell through. And so he became God’s hard-working and faithful servant right where he was.

However, the dream to go on the mission field never left him. And when he met William Carey (pioneer missionary to India), they became great friends. Soon he was making plans to join Carey in India. It was his heart’s burning desire to join Carey there. Surely, God wouldn’t deny this godly man his dream?

But God said no. And Samuel Pearce never did get to go to India.

Why was this godly man denied such a godly dream? Why wasn’t he able to go to India?

Let’s go back to Psalm 37:4 and read the entire verse–

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

There is a condition and that is we are to delight ourselves in the Lord. This is the condition to receiving the desires of our hearts. That is because, when we do this, our desires naturally change.

And so, Samuel Pearce chose to delight himself in His Lord and he surrendered his dream to God’s will. There was no bitterness or rancor in his heart. Oh, I am sure he questioned God but He also trusted His heavenly Father to know best and gave even this most holy dream over to God’s Sovereignty.

Samuel Pearce suffered from illness and died by the age of 33, never seeing India or any other part of the world. But He continued to serve God until that day. He never turned from God because he trusted God.

And this leads us back to our own dreams. Is it wrong to have dreams for our lives? Well, not necessarily (more about that later). But we need to surrender any dream or desire we may have to God’s will for our lives. His will may be different than ours and we need to accept that without bitterness and without resentment.

This is easier said than done, isn’t it? But it’s our only path to the peace that God promises. And, in fact, it’s our only path to the fulfillment of all God’s promises. We must surrender to His Sovereign will for our lives.

Oh, as usual, this is so much easier to write than to live out! We get upset at the smallest detour in our mundane plans. Perhaps the best way to prepare our hearts for the loss of our big dreams is to practice submitting to God’s Sovereignty without complaint in the small, everyday things.

And let’s not forget to thank God for those wonderful blessings He gives us and for the dreams we have had that have been fulfilled. He is a God full of lovingkindness and mercies. Psalm 103:1-5 reminds us of this–

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.


So what about my dreams? Is there anything wrong with having a dream for my life? Well, that depends.

If our dreams and aspirations for our lives are completely self-centered and selfish, then…yes. God clearly tells us in His Word that when we are redeemed, our priorities change. We are living for Him and not for ourselves. But if our desires are not born out of our own selfish agenda, then…no. Nothing wrong with these.

But, no matter what it is we long for, we need to surrender this to our heavenly Father, trusting that He knows best and remembering that He loves us more than we can even imagine!

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly. 

O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
(Psalm 84:11-12)


You can be encouraged by the life of Samuel Pearce and also by the lives of others godly Christians in the book Sound of Trumpets by Faith Cook. I highly recommend it.

Who is the Real Troubler?

I have been reading I Kings 18 and I just had to send out a second post to you all this week because it is just so interesting. And so very relevant to our own culture today.

In case you are unfamiliar with this book of the Bible, this particular passage in I Kings is about Elijah. In chapter 17, Elijah had pronounced to Ahab (wicked King of Israel) that God would judge Israel by allowing a three year drought—“there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (I Kings 17:1).

We are especially dry here where I live right now and so thinking through this took on new meaning. I can’t even imagine three whole years without rain!

In chapter 18, Elijah returns to Ahab three years later to pronounce that it would now rain. But this was not just a simple pronouncement. If you will remember, this is where Elijah calls all of the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel to a showdown. Whose God would answer by fire? (I Kings 18:24).

But let’s take a look at a few things of note in this chapter. There are quite a few lessons for all of us who seek to follow God whole-heartedly.

First, let’s take a look at a man by the name of Obadiah. He was over the King’s household but he “feared the Lord greatly” (I Kings 18:3) In fact, so much so that, when Jezebel sought to destroy all of the prophets of the Lord, he hid a hundred of them in a cave and took care of them.

So here was a man who was in a high place of influence and he used it for the good of God’s people. Not all are called to be teachers or preachers or influencers. Some are called to protect and to help and to support. Wherever we are, we must determine what our role is in God’s Kingdom. But we all do have one. God may have put you in a place of great influence, where you can really help and encourage those who are on the front lines. We should never neglect nor downplay this very important role in God’s family.

Second, we have this interesting exchange between Ahab and Elijah at the end of that three years—

Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.
(I Kings 18:17-18)

Ahab accuses Elijah of being the “troubler of Israel” but who is the real troubler here? Elijah says it to him straight: Ahab is! He has followed Baal and forsaken God and has brought judgment to Israel.

Oh, how often this happens still today! Particularly in churches. A person stands up for the truth of God’s Word against false teaching and they are demonized and ridiculed. They are called divisive and a “troublemaker”. Normally, they end up pushed out of the church. This has happened over and over again. I’d rather guess it has happened to some of you reading this right now.

It can be discouraging, can’t it? But we must remember that just because someone calls us the “troubler” does not necessarily make it true. Now…we can do things all wrong when we stand for truth and we certainly must be on guard to constantly and intentionally be checking our heart attitudes and our demeanor when we speak up in defense of God and His Word. But speaking up—even if we do it with the right attitude and in the kindest of ways—will often bring censure and anger. The truth of God’s Word is not something that most people love. Often, sadly, this includes even believers.

So don’t be discouraged if you’ve been called a “troubler” in your church or family or workplace. We need to check our attitudes, pray for grace and love, and then speak up against false doctrine and worldliness, when given opportunity. Just as we know God has commanded us to do.

Third, in I Kings 18, verse 21, Elijah accused the people of “limping between two opinions”. However, you can’t waffle between God and pagan worship. You can’t serve God and Satan at the same time. That’s what most in Israel were trying to do.

And I think that often happens in this culture, as well. Only we have more sophisticated, modern names for the things we worship than “Baal”. But, when it all comes down to it, it is the same thing.

When we choose to allow our child to play sports on a Sunday morning instead of go to church, we are dividing our allegiance. When we choose to watch a show or movie filled with wickedness, it’s probably time we just call it what it is: An act of allegiance to the devil. When we live and breathe work or education or even our families, they have become an idol that is in just as much competition with God as Baal ever was.

These idols in our lives sneak in. We don’t set out to worship anything else besides God. But, before we know it, our entire lives are wrapped up in something other than God. We must always be on guard against divided allegiance in our souls.


So those are just a few of the lessons God has for us in I Kings 18. There are more but I do not want to make this too long. I hope this has encouraged you this morning. I know it was very encouraging—and challenging, as well— for me to consider these things.

As we read on in chapter 18, we realize anew that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and that He, and He alone, is the ONE, TRUE GOD. May we keep this in our minds always as we seek to live for Him every single day.

Some Reflections on the Past Thirteen Years

Next month will begin my fourteenth year of writing at Growing4Life. This blog has changed a bit over those years but the tag line of the blog is still the goal of the blog — to encourage believers to never be satisfied with “status quo” Christianity.

What is status quo Christianity? It’s the Christianity that doesn’t care a whole lot about what the Bible says about much of anything. It’s the Christianity that looks like the world, thinks like the world, and acts like the world. It’s the Christianity that finds its validity in church attendance or small group or mission trips. It’s the Christianity that is nice to people but rarely truthful; that focuses on self-fulfillment and dreams coming true rather than on pleasing God. It’s one or two of these things in some and all of these things in others.

As I started to study the Bible– really study it– God showed me that this isn’t what Christianity is about at all. And, in fact, that most religion that goes by the label “Christianity” today isn’t really Christianity at all. No, instead, I realized that biblical Christianity is actually quite the opposite of status quo in almost every way–

True, genuine Christianity cares about what the Bible says in every area of life (Psalm 19). Biblical Christianity seeks to “unfriend” the world and live separately from its philosophies, entertainment, and lifestyles (James 4:4). It finds its validity in a relationship and not in a list of good works (Romans 8). True Christianity is both kind and truthful (Ephesians 4:15). And it calls us to focus on God and His will, denying self in order to please Him (Luke 9:23).

And so this blog began to focus on this difference as I learned more and more (and continue to learn still today!) through my study of the Word. Through the years, the biblical and the status quo have begun to be more obvious in their differences. For a long, long time they walked side by side and they were intertwined in such a way that it was hard to distinguish between the two. But not so much anymore.

Interestingly enough, with this parting of ways, I’ve noticed a trend that saddens me deeply. People who I would have expected to stick with biblical Christianity have gone down the status quo road. They have followed after the latest and greatest and man’s philosophies rather than wholeheartedly searching the scripture.

If you have been around here for awhile, I am guessing that you are noticing this trend as well. Some of you have even mentioned it to me. It is a hard thing to watch people you trusted and friends or family you love take the path away from the Bible and towards the coming one-world religion.

Of course, this is not a statement on anyone’s salvation. Let’s be clear on that, shall we? I, myself, was caught up in worldliness but that didn’t make me unsaved. I imbibed books and movies with anti-god, unbiblical themes. That made me rebellious and disobedient and deceived but it didn’t take away my salvation. God, through His Word, is ever so faithfully leading me and growing me. All praise and glory go to Him for any good in my life. He is doing the same for all who are redeemed through Christ’s blood. It would be nice to be automatically spiritually mature from the moment of salvation but it just doesn’t work like that! So we must have so much grace for one another!

So this is never–and has never been–about judging someone’s salvation but it has always been about calling genuine believers to walk with God as we are called to in His Word. And to never give up on this, even amidst the failures and the stumbling and the discouragement (and I’ve shared many of my own experiences with these through the years. Writing here doesn’t make me immune to these things!)

Writing in this way and about this topic of genuine Christianity as opposed to status quo Christianity has grown increasingly unpopular. More and more, I feel isolated in my calling. I know there are others of us (you are probably one if you have read this far in this post!) out there but we are so few, are we not? And the hatred for “our type” is growing. To stand up for the truth of God’s Word is to basically open yourself up to ridicule, irritation, antagonism, and sometimes even persecution.

And then there is the confusion and chaos we need to constantly be wading through. It seems like if a speaker or ministry is biblical in one area they have another completely wrong. It’s so confusing and so discouraging and it is growing worse by the day. Just as we knew it would. I know that this theological chaos lead some to stop following me.

So I just want to reiterate here once again: I am following scripture to the best of my knowledge. If I ever find out that scripture teaches something different than I have posted here, I will admit it, apologize, and share the truth. That is my commitment to you, my reader.

Because the only thing that matters is what the Bible says! Only there can we find out what God thinks. And that’s all that matters. Don’t follow people. I hope I can encourage you towards the Word and in the Word but I am so imperfect. I struggle daily, just like you do. I am nothing without Christ. In Christ alone do I boast.

The other day, as has been my experience in the past, I heard of certain people who don’t like me. This kind of thing always knocks me for a loop. Even though it has happened so often. This very public platform that speaks regarding a very unpopular topic leads many to not “like” me. And perhaps some of it is deserved. As I’ve said above and before, I don’t do this perfectly. I am sure sometimes I am too harsh or say things that don’t need to be said. I wish I could do this perfectly but I know full well I do not.

Of course, most who dislike me don’t say it to my face. They just distance themselves through a variety of ways. Readers often just disappear, never telling me why. Even those who had reached out in friendship for many years. Because of this, I can honestly say that some days I find myself discouraged to be traveling this path.

But God clearly created this path for me to follow (you can read more about how He showed me this here) and so, for thirteen years, I have followed it. I plan to follow it until He clearly directs me off of this path. I just want to do what He wants me to do.

I am studying Jonah right now in the Growing4Life Bible Reading Challenge and I have been convicted by Jonah’s attitude. He was more concerned for his shade than he was for the lost. He cared more about himself than he did about others. When I grow discouraged here I know it is because I am caring more about myself than I am about others.

If God has shown us the truth from His Word, we must boldly proclaim it for it is only this truth that sets us free! We know that it is not only our only hope but the only hope for everyone else, too! It is the only hope for the lost to be found and for the saved to be sanctified. And so, no matter the cost and no matter our feelings, we must keep encouraging others in the truth of God’s Word. Remembering that it is God we seek to please and not self. As Paul reminds us–

 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.(Galatians 1:10)

So, instead of staying focused on our desires and dreams and disappointments, may we instead obtain an eternal perspective, keeping our eyes fully focused on God with hearts filled with compassion for others.

On the Way to the Cross

Today’s post will not be my typical post but will be rather be a collection of thoughts and observations regarding Mark 14, which we are currently studying in the 2023 Bible Reading Challenge*. This chapter is so full and rich with lessons and guidance as it describes the last couple of days before Christ’s crucifixion. It gives us so very much to reflect upon as we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate Resurrection Sunday.

If you have a bit of time, I encourage you to read Mark 14 and then come back and read this post. I am going to share some reflections I had on this chapter. (If you are on the 2023 Bible Reading Challenge Facebook group page, much of what follows will be familiar to you already although I have expanded a bit here on what I wrote there.)

Mark 14 is 72 verses long. Those 72 verses are packed full with the events that happened the two days before the crucifixion. There is so much to take in but here are a few observations from my initial study of this special chapter–

— The woman who anointed Christ with precious oil was anointing Him for His burial and He commended her, although she was criticized as being wasteful in doing so. (v. 8-9) This is a good reminder that we must do what is right and what Jesus has called us to do, despite the criticism that may come to us.

— Christ clearly shows His deity when He gives the disciples directions for where they will have their Passover meal. He knows exactly who to tell them to follow and that a room would already be “furnished and ready”. (v. 13-15) But how did that homeowner know to set up his upper room for Jesus and the disciples?? I guess we will never know that. At least not on this side of heaven.

— Judas, the greatest TRAITOR ever to live, was also a DISCIPLE of Jesus (v. 10-11). He joined disciples in all of their conversations and activities and sat under the teaching of Jesus Himself as He prepared this special group for what lay ahead. Judas pretended to be genuine but he was, in fact, a liar and hypocrite. This is a great reminder that some people are geniuses at pretending to be someone they are not. We must not be gullible and naive as we navigate this current church age. Much prayer is needed as we seek to discern the wheat from the tares.

— I had the thought that v 23-24 very clearly shows that the doctrine of transubstantiation is absolutely false. For Jesus gave the first communion here and He was alive and well. Which shows that the bread and cup did not become His body or His blood. Beware the doctrines of men which are not based on scripture. Transubstantiation is found nowhere in scripture at all. This is most often recognized as a Catholic doctrine but I recently became aware that it is in the Lutheran church, as well, and perhaps others? And, once again, our own personal study of scripture will protect us as we seek to discern the true from the false. It is truly our greatest protection.

— Jesus told the disciples that they will all fall away. They all assured Him they would not. But they did. They did, indeed, all scatter or deny Him upon His arrest. (v. 27-31) And, while this is such a very sad chapter in the life of Jesus here on earth, it can also encourage us. For these disciples whose courage wavered during this trying time went on to serve Jesus well. Most went on to die for Him. This was but a small hiccup in lives given in service for their Master. Oh, the great grace and mercy of God that gives each of us a second chance when we mess up so abominably.

— Jesus sets a great example for those who would follow Him through the rest of the ages as He begs for the cup that He is about to drink to be taken away. He is in great agony of soul during this time and He recognizes that the Father can still remove this awful burden, for all things are possible with God. And, yet, He closes His prayer with this profound statement: YET NOT WHAT I WILL, BUT WHAT YOU WILL (v.36). As I read that sentence, I realized that this is what the prayer of any true follower Christ should–no, MUST–be. For that is what true faith looks like–yielding our will to God’s Will. Sometimes it takes us awhile to pray this prayer with sincerity of heart as we are human and still fighting our flesh, but this is where we should land eventually. Jesus chose to yield to God’s will in this matter of the Cross. And so we, too, must choose to yield to God’s will in both the small and large trials that God brings our way. May it be our heart’s desire to pray this same prayer in our own troubles that Jesus prayed in the midst of His incredible and unique suffering.

— I am grateful that God has not given us the foresight that Jesus had (v.32-36). Jesus knew full well what lay ahead in all of its facets–both the physical and emotional pain and, even more so, the sin of mankind that would rest upon His shoulders when He would breathe His last as a human. This was the cause of such tremendous agony of soul as He prayed at Gethsemane. Aren’t you so glad you do not know the future? The anticipation of an event can exponentially magnify the grief of a distressing experience. What a burden that would be.

— “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (v. 38) Oh, how sadly true this is! Does this resonate with you as it does with me? Jesus says this to the disciples when they fall asleep while waiting for Him. Why can’t they stay awake? Oh, how I can relate. How often my flesh is so weak when I so long to do what is right. Again, the disciples offer comfort to our weary souls. If Jesus not only used these men but chose them, then there is hope that He can use us, as well.

— When Judas betrayed Jesus in the Garden, one of the disciples struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. (v. 47) Luke records that Jesus immediately and miraculously healed the servant (Luke 22:51). You’d think that some of those chief priests and scribes and elders would be having some doubts about their agenda at that point! But when wicked men set their hearts on doing evil, there is little to deter them but for direct intervention by God Himself.

— Jesus’s case was not cut and dry but was full of holes and false witnesses (v.56) And, yet, as so often is the case, because of the agenda of the high priests and council, these things worked to condemn Him. It is a reminder that life just isn’t fair. It is also a reminder that God, who could have saved His Son at any point in this farce of a trial, very specifically allowed Jesus to be crucified for the sin of mankind. This was God’s plan so that all who call on the Lord for forgiveness would be saved!

See the Sov’reign of creation, King of earth and skies,
All for sinful man’s salvation thus He dies, He dies;
Yet He lives, a mighty Monarch, reigns o’er every foe,
Causing mortal man to triumph over sin below.
**

— The final words of chapter 14 (v. 72) may be some of the saddest in the Bible. Peter knew just what he had done and he wept bitterly over it. Jesus had told him that he would deny Him and He had been exactly right. Peter had denied him. Not once but three times. And, once again, Peter is a source of much encouragement to those of us who would seek to please the Lord and then, in a moment of weakness, fail miserably. The forgiveness and lovingkindness God has for us when we fail is overwhelming. And Peter’s life reminds us that those failures need not keep us from living victoriously for Christ. We continue on, learning and growing from them. Oh, what a wonderful reminder.

There is so much in this chapter to reflect upon. We so often think of Jesus’s crucifixion in light of the day it happened and the days after it happened. It has been interesting to study the few days before it happened. I hope you will take some time on your own to read through Mark 14 this week. It is such wonderful preparation as we head into Resurrection Sunday.

* It’s not too late to join the Bible Reading Challenge! We finish up Mark this month and then will move on to Jonah for the month of May. Anytime is a great time to start this challenge! Find out more here.

** These lyrics are from the fourth verse of an old hymn called Crucified for Me, written by Barney E. Warren in 1911.

Encouragement for the Lonely Believer

In the midst of an increasingly and very noticeable shift away from the Word (even in once-sound churches and ministries), we may find ourselves feeling lonely and discouraged. As we watch the crevices and cracks that are left in the wake of removing biblical authority (in practice, if not from doctrinal statements) be filled in with other things (such as reliance upon experience, unity with false religion, and tolerance), we find that few people are willing to stand with us against the apostasy that is coming in like a tsunami across all denominations and organizations that use the name of Jesus. The fear of being labeled “not very nice” and the sin of “appearing negative” are the great things to be avoided in most churches and Christian organizations these days and if you do not bow to this agenda, you are generally sidelined, ridiculed, or just plain ignored.

This change leaves so many Christians without the support that God intended for us to have one with another as we traverse this difficult journey of sharing a Gospel that is no longer tolerated and standing for the Truth of the Word that few people (even those who call themselves Christians) have interest in.

So what is a lonely Christian to do?

In my own journey, I’ve learned a few things along the way. I would like to encourage you today with some of the things that God has been teaching me over the past few years as many of you have mentioned to me your own battle in standing strong while feeling so alone.

First, seek to love and please God above all.

Mark 12:30 says we are to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, with all of our souls, with all of our minds, and with all of our strength. In other words, with our whole self. So often we hold back things from God that make us uncomfortable. Certain decisions that we know we should make but are just unwilling to. I have been learning that we need to give our all to God and let Him take care of the rest (and He does! He is so faithful!!). I have made many uncomfortable decisions with many questions marks. Some of those decisions have not gone at all how I thought they would and some have ended up much better and, even occasionally, worse than I thought. But here’s the thing–through it all God cares so deeply for the one who loves Him and makes choices with this love for God in mind. In fact, Romans 8:28 makes this so clear, doesn’t it?–

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

If we love Him, He will work all things out for our good and His glory. And this is no empty promise. I am sure that you, like me, can look back over your life and see His wonderful faithfulness through that tough choice to stand for truth when it required sacrifice. So even if we have to make a difficult decision that we know is the right decision, we can be confident that we are doing the right thing, despite any deep sadness or antagonism that may surround that decision.

Second, seek to know and honor the truth of God’s Word, at any cost.

This is no easy task in this current “Christian” culture. Most people are uninterested in the truth because–let’s face it– much of God’s truth from scripture certainly doesn’t give us the warm fuzzies or fill us with peace and comfort. None of us likes the idea of being a sinner; of there being an eternal hell for those who reject Christ; and any number of doctrines that make us uncomfortable from a human standpoint.

But God has given us His Word and we are to believe, submit to, and obey all of it. Notice there is no clause anywhere in scripture that tells us we can ignore, rewrite, or re-interpret what is confusing or unpleasant to us.

The one critical thing to keep in mind here is how the Bible becomes clearer and clearer the more effort we give to studying it. I remember talking to my brother (the Pastor) a few months ago and he mentioned how he was looking forward to studying a specific passage that had a lot of questions surrounding it. I said something along the lines of “Well, I guess we can’t always really know the answer.” And his response has stuck with me– “I have found that if I really give effort to studying it, the answer will be found in the Word.”

The problem for most of us is that we’d prefer to read a novel or watch a movie than to study the Word. And so we flounder in the confusion born of a lack of knowledge so much more than we should.

This is a constant and daily struggle and endeavor for me, as well. I have not arrived in any way. I am simply thankful that God has been teaching me the value of knowing His Word and of the authority it must hold for all who would claim Christ.

Third, don’t tolerate compromise.

Compare everything against scripture. As John says “Test the spirits” (I John 4:1) and Paul exhorts: “Test everything; hold fast what is good.” (I Thessalonians 5:21). If something shows itself to be unbiblical we should speak up with love. It is not easy but if not us, then who? Always be loving. Always use scripture. Man’s opinion doesn’t matter.

And if the party you are speaking to doesn’t care? If they have no interest in what you are saying or in looking at scripture? Well, then we learned a hard lesson about that very thing.

“If you stay you will become like them.” This is what we heard when we were seeking wise counsel in a very difficult situation so many years ago. This profound statement was filled with wisdom and we did find it to be true. In this current age of great apostasy, we (my husband and I) have learned that rather than affect the change we so longed for, we would end up giving in and tolerating unbiblical ideas and programs. Thankfully, we recognized that this is the first step on the path of deception. We are thankful for that wise counsel given so many years ago and continue to consider it whenever we are faced with a similar situation.

Fourth, don’t let yourself be ruled by the crowd, the trends, or by what’s popular.

Many, many years ago now, I spoke up against a false teacher that was being brought into the youth group at the church where I attended. At this time, this particular teacher was becoming well-loved in evangelical circles and my words were not well-received. I found myself second-guessing myself. But then I’d go to scripture, compare what this teacher was saying to the scripture, and realize afresh that–if one was judging this man by scripture–that he must be classified as a false teacher.

Many years passed and then one day, I remember very specifically realizing that this same teacher had now made his heresy abundantly clear through books he wrote and associations he had.

This experience reminded me to stand up for the truth, no matter what the world (and the mainstream church) is saying. It just doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is: What does God say?

Fifth, find your identity in God and not in the good opinions of fickle man.

I hate to even use the word “identity”. It brings the idea of psychological babble to my mind. But what I am referring to here is the deep need that we all have to be loved. We try to get that love through the wrong places and even as born-again believers we can find ourselves caving and compromising because we want so badly to be liked by our families, our friends, our co-workers, and our church families.

God has taught me much about this through the past thirteen years of blogging and through many other situations in my life. And, yet, I still battle this desire almost every day. I don’t want people to think I’m strange, negative, or divisive (or any other number of words that have been used to describe me in my efforts to stand for God’s Word).

And, always, in the midst of these accusations, I eventually come back to the same conclusion: God is my all. I need nothing else.

As a side note, I have learned that I must, with humility, evaluate every accusation and examine myself. I cannot simply and pridefully assume that someone is wrong when they say something about me I don’t like. And so that must be our first step as we encounter the opinions of others. And changes should be made if we find ourselves lacking in love or some other godly attribute. But, when it’s all said and done, it is God we must please and not man. Paul puts it like this in Galatians–

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

The only approval that matters is Christ’s. If we are worried about winning the approval of man we are going to be sorely disappointed as those who seek to speak truth. For man is generally uninterested in the spiritual truths of the Bible and will hate the one who shares it (John 15:18-20; I John 3:13). In fact, Peter tells us to expect to suffer for the sake of righteousness–

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (I Peter 4:12-14)

Sixth, keep your eyes on Jesus.

This can be so hard in the midst of such great apostasy and in a world heaving with trials and troubles, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. But as the prophet Isaiah reminds us so clearly, only the person whose mind is stayed on the Lord will experience the peace that is promised to the children of the Lord–

You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
(Isaiah 26:3-4)

It is when I allow my eyes to focus in on the troubles and the hurts and the pain that my spirit is so disturbed with in me. As one of my favorite hymns puts it–

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Seventh, and last but not least, give great effort to prayer and Bible study in the hard decisions.

Oh, what a faithful God we serve! If we will but seek Him and His will for our lives, He will make it known. Of course, it is not always on our timeline, is it?? But He cares about us and loves us so much (Romans 5:8; I Peter 5:7) and He has promised to guide and direct us as long as we aren’t leaning on our own understanding or continuing in willful sin but, instead, fearing and trusting Him above all else (Proverbs 3:5-8).


I am not sure if this of encouragement to anyone or not. I hope that it is. And, remember, that you are not alone. Not everyone is enamored with the modern fodder that goes by the name of Christianity. Not everyone is leaving the Bible behind. And not everyone has turned their back on biblical authority. And, through God’s faithfulness, you may find a little pocket in your own community of like-minded believers that will encourage your soul. But, if not, then God will provide you encouragement through some other avenue. Perhaps even through this blog.

Oh, my dear readers, stay the course. It would seem that our redemption draweth nigh! Let’s continue to proclaim the Gospel and stand for the Truth until the Lord returns! Maranatha!

Resisting the Roaring Lion

We have been studying I Peter this past month in the Growing4Life Bible Challenge. It is really hard to cover this book of the Bible in just four weeks but we are taking in as much as we can! There is so much there! We are now on the final chapter, chapter 5, and verses 6-11 contain much that is profoundly helpful for us believers in 2022–

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called [g]us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The first verses gives us a framework for the rest of the passage: Humble ourselves and cast our cares on God. These are two very basic things for the redeemed to remember:

First, we must be humble. We must stop thinking more “highly of ourselves than we ought”, as Paul puts it in Romans 12:3. Later on in that same chapter, Paul puts it like this: “Do not be wise in your own opinion.” (vs 16). This is a key aspect in a healthy Christian walk for a number of reasons but the two that come to mind: To be in right relationship both with God and with others necessitates humility.

Second, we must stop fretting and worrying. Instead, God tells us to cast our cares on Him and choose to trust Him to care for us. He has promised to do this not only here in this passage, but throughout scripture. He loves and cares for His own. He will never forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5)

Now with those two exhortations, Peter goes on to talk about our adversary. In our modern day Christianity, many believers shy away from talking about the devil. Of course, there is the other extreme, where one blames everything on the devil or thinks he can be ordered around, as if that is their job to do so (It’s not!!). So what should be our right response to the truth that we Christians do have an enemy and it is the devil?

Peter gives us some instruction in verse 8: Be sober and be vigilant.

Dictionary.com gives these partial definitions–

Sober–not intoxicated or drunk.

Let’s think back to what it says in Ephesians 5: And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. From this, I believe we can deduct that Christian sobriety comes from being filled with the Spirit. And let’s remember: It is not just wine that makes us intoxicated! We can be intoxicated by any number of things: ungodly novels, worldly entertainment, temporal goals, money, hobbies; so much can intoxicate us into a state of caring little about spiritual things. This intoxication (or idolatry!) is what leaves us open to the attacks of our enemy. 

Vigilant–sleeplessly watchful

We are a spiritually lazy culture. Many people claiming Christ don’t even open their Bibles between Sundays. They are asleep spiritually. Caught up in their distractions and worldly living, they are uninterested in what really matters. Instead of being sleeplessly watchful, they are sound asleep and can’t see a thing. Vigilance is not a popular concept these days, but here in I Peter we are told it is necessary in order to protect ourselves from our enemy.

Why is it so important that we are sober and vigilant? What is the big deal? Peter goes on to tell us why it’s a very big deal:

Our adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour!

This is not just some fable or allegory told for our entertainment. This is 100% true.

We have an enemy who seeks to destroy us. Of course, if we are saved, there is nothing he can do about our eternal destinies. But he can, and often does, render the believer ineffective for the Kingdom of God by distracting us with the frivolous and the meaningless, by getting us caught up in unbiblical philosophies and practices, and, often, by tempting us to sin or to feel discouraged and without hope. And, since he often cloaks himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), he will be hard to spot–unless we are sober and vigilant and expect his attacks, both the obvious and the deceptive.

Peter goes on to say that we must resist the devil and remain steadfast in the faith.

We resist the devil and remain steadfast in our faith by submitting to God’s Will and obeying His Word. There is no other way. And, in fact, this is one of the biggest areas of life that Satan attacks us, for he does not want us in the Word of God, understanding God’s care for us, feeling conviction of sin, and recognizing the need to surrender our dreams and passions to God.

Of course, for all of us, resisting the devil and remaining steadfast in our faith is not an easy task. As Peter says, it often brings suffering. If you have read the biographies of men and women from the past, you will know that they suffered greatly as they battled Satan and stood for the truth. Whether on the African plains, in the Chinese village, or in the cathedrals and monasteries of Europe, wherever there have been people who share the Gospel and stand for truth, there is suffering.

Peter tells us to expect this suffering and to know that these same sufferings have been experienced by other believers all across the world.

But Peter doesn’t end there! (Aren’t you so glad he doesn’t??)

He goes on to remind us that God won’t just let us drown in suffering but, after suffering for just a while, God will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. I wonder if God doesn’t use the suffering for these very purposes? For it is in suffering that we often experience these things. True believers aren’t weakened by suffering. They are strengthened. True believers aren’t shaken by suffering, they are settled. God, in His goodness and in His ultimate perfect plan works all things out for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).

And then there is the final verse that reminds us of just how big this One, True God is that we belong to, as Peter reminds us that all glory and dominion belong to Him! We know glory means great praise, honor, adoration. But what does dominion mean? Well, in a nutshell, it means the “absolute right to rule”. God is the King of all.

While it may look like Satan is winning, he isn’t! Some battles may be lost, but the war will soon be over now and we are on the winning side! May this truth help us stay sober and vigilant. May it remind us that we are not resisting the devil alone, for we have the God of the Universe fighting with us and for us. And may we remember this truth as we suffer for our Savior, whom we are given the privilege to serve during our short time here on earth.

God has been so kind to give us His Word in this crazy, upside down world. I pray it is an encouragement to you as you go out into the world to soldier on for the Lord this day!

 

 

My Hope Is Found in Nothing Less

Think back ten years or so. What was your life like? For most of us, it was pretty pleasant overall. We all had our challenges and trials and some walked through very deep waters, but, overall, no matter what trial we went through our outer world remained stable. Our way of life was not threatened.

Most of us didn’t realize what a treasure that was.

We went about our days with nary an interest in what was going on in the world or on the screens in our homes or in our kids’ schools or at work. We didn’t get too upset about much of anything and, in fact, joined much of what was going on if it wasn’t “too bad.” We didn’t get up in arms about sin or sinful living (and even brought it into our homes via the TV), as long as it didn’t affect us personally.

But, eventually, it would affect us. The world around us with its fascination with sin and sorcery would eventually affect all of us.

And so here we are. The time has finally come. We are watching the fabric of our country being eroded away. And many are angry.

But why weren’t we angry before?

I heard someone say something that gave me some insight into this. I found it rather profound and insightful as to what is going on in our Christian culture right now. And perhaps even in our own hearts.

Here is a paraphrase: If you are only angry at Disney now, then what is the reason for your anger? Because Disney has always been evil. Always full of magic and sorcery and evil. Why are you angry now?

Do you know why we are all so angry?

It is because their evil is not cute anymore. It’s not expressed by cute little fairies and pretend villains. Instead, it is overt and threatens the very core of our country. And this means a change in our own lives. It means we are or will be affected personally.

So are we upset because it is an offense against God? Or are we upset because we are losing something we love? They are two very different things. One is righteous anger. The other, self-centered.

Emotion steals our judgement. When we grow angry or frustrated we don’t make wise decisions. This emotion of sinful anger is what propels crowds in riots or moves someone to do something they regret for the rest of their life. It is a powerful tool in the hands of Satan.

As believers, we need to really think about this. Everywhere we turn we are told by many on the “white” side (conservative, mainstream evangelical side) to be angry. Get angry and fight for your country! Fight the tyranny! The cries for this are everywhere.

Now, I am strongly against tyranny. And I am deeply grieved over what I see happening to our country. But why? Why am I angry or grieved?

If I am honest, it is because it is affecting me.

If more of us would have been angry or grieved at the sin in this culture twenty, thirty, fifty years ago, it probably wouldn’t be in the state it is in. Surely, we realize that the sin that was pervading the American culture would eventually lead to this day? Did we honestly expect to ignore what was going on around us and never experience the devastating ramifications?

So is anger the correct response to what is happening in the world around us? Perhaps at some level, righteous anger is to be expected. But this is not what will change the world. And, in fact, we are not going to change the world. Scripture makes this abundantly clear. Our hope is not in this world. We are to think on things above and not on things on this earth (Colossians 3:2).

But there is another piece of this that we need to explore. What you will hear from this “white” side is that we must fight together to make the world a better place.

And, in fact, if you claim to believe in God’s timetable for the future of the coming rapture and Tribulation, the Christian “intellectuals” and mainstream evangelicals of our current Christian culture ridicule you and accuse you of being a person without hope who simply wants to escape.

So about that. Do I want to escape? You bet I do. I am so very thankful that God set it up to take His bride out of this world before the Tribulation unfolds. That is not an untrue statement but I fail to see why it is viewed as such a negative thing.

As for being hopeless…we, of all people, have hope! In fact, Titus 2:13 tells us to be looking for this hope!–

looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

You see, our hope is in Jesus! Not in this world. Never in this world.

This world is fading away (Isaiah 24:4) but God and His Word never fade away (Isaiah 40:8)!

I Peter 1:3-5 tells us where our hope should lie as believers–

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance [b]incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Without hope? That is just an empty accusation. Nothing could be further from the truth for the true Christian.

My hope is found in nothing less than Jesus’s blood and righteousness! (I will put the rest of the lyrics of this great hymn of the faith at the end of this post. It really does concisely express what we Christians should be thinking and feeling right now in this place in this time.)

It is so important that, in our desperation and anger with the world around us, we don’t lose sight of what the Bible teaches regarding the world and its inevitable future.

The Bible is our anchor. It is our only hope in discerning what is true and not true. It shows us what God hates so that we also know what to hate–whether it is affecting us personally or not. It is our only hope in piecing a puzzle together that sometimes doesn’t make any sense at all.

And it reminds us of what is to come and that we Christians will escape it. Praise God for this promise! There is no shame in being glad that God has promised to deliver us from the the specific time He has set in place to pour His wrath down upon this earth.

It is a strange time to live. But, in reflecting upon Revelation and the things we know are to come, we are now realizing that these things could never have happened in a vacuum. And so what we are seeing is the great setup for what is to come. These things are no surprise to God and they should come as no surprise to us.

So bear up under the ridicule and antagonism that will surely grow against believers who cling to the literal interpretation of scripture. And be encouraged! It is all making more sense than we could have ever dreamed. We are watching piece after piece of the end times puzzle come together in a way that would have seemed impossible even three years ago.

So let’s continue to study the Word and be watchful. And may our hope be found in nothing less than Jesus!

Someday soon now, those of us that have placed our faith in Christ alone, will meet Him in the air, leaving this wicked world behind us forever! Oh, what a day that will be!

 

On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

 

 

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