While looking over a landscape yesterday, I joked - “If this were my yard, I’d bring in a bulldozer.” What others might see as beauty, I view only as a ton of work in the sun, while perspiring, and having bugs buzzing around my eyes! I really dislike yard work. My aversion to perspiration has nothing to do with inability; it is not because I cannot; I simply will not. I simply refuse to do the hard thing. But, when my wife’s urging overcomes my reluctance, I enjoy a well-maintained landscape as much as anyone, and somehow when the job is done, I am glad I was pushed to do it!
A disciplined life has many rewards.
· A person who knows how to budget and control spending finds himself with more discretionary funds! Instead of always paying off his credit cards (and the awful interest that goes with poor stewardship practices) he is able to make more choices including more generosity.
· A person who regularly prays enjoys the benefit of current conversation with God. The Lord is a true Friend.
· A person who makes participation at his local church a priority even when the sun shines on the golf course builds great community that pays rich dividends when life goes suddenly into reverse (and it will, sooner or later).
Jesus urges us to take on challenges that are hard. He says: "Forgive those who do you wrong! Love your enemies! Practice your generosity without telling anybody. Live for Heaven, not just for your next meal. Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with that of others. Follow me!" The Bible says- "Keep a tight rein on your words. Don't use filthy speech. Trust God when it's dark. Endure hardship. Give thanks always." Are these hard things? Yes, they are.
Here’s what we must remember. Living the Christian life, while demanding discipline, is not just about gritting our teeth and doing what we hate to do. It is about presenting ourselves to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit. As He lives in us, He causes us to love godly things and, if only we’ll taste them, causes us to see the pleasure that is found in doing the will of God. The issue is making the faith choice. Will you do hard things believing God for the reward? Or, we you make an excuse why you can't, and never discover what He’s planned for you to know?
Most of us have some 'will nots' in our lives. There are things we do not do because they are difficult or unpleasant. We could do them and even know, in many cases, we should be doing them, but we will not. God does not spare our feelings with regard to refusal to do hard things. He says that "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:17, NIV)
The Coach of Heaven (the Holy Spirit who lives in us) stands ready to help us succeed. Jesus said that the Spirit will speak to us, teaching us, leading us, comforting and calling us. Let's encourage one another, too. "For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes." (Hebrews 3:13, The Message)
Here’s a word from the Word that will urge you on when you find yourself wanting to refuse God's invitation to do the hard things. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, NIV)
By the way, I won’t be getting that bulldozer. Pass me the hedge clippers, please!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Monarch in name only?
As I continue my faith walk of which I wrote yesterday, the issue of letting God rule my life becomes the issue. There is the temptation to treat God much as England treats her royals, as a figure-head only. The actual power in the English government rests in Parliament and leadership belongs to the Prime Minister. The Queen shares the pomp given to kings of earlier eras, but unlike those monarchs she has no authority to unilaterally set the course of the nation. Spiritually, I claim that the Lord as King of my life. The question is whether my actions back up my rhetoric. Do I bow before Him in courteous display of fealty only to rise and do my own will?
Among the blessings of a 4 decade long walk with the Lord is that I have enough perspective to see how God has worked quietly and persistently; yes, sovereignly, to accomplish His will and bless me. Many years ago I had to leave a ministry position I loved due to strife caused in part by my own immaturity! The ministry to which I went was small, a struggling work. At that moment it appeared that God had put me on a side track, that He was finished with me. Some even bluntly told me that my failing had brought the judgment of the Lord on me. Hindsight reveals that God was using an apparent demotion for greater good. In that year of broken earthly dreams I learned much in the school of faith. The Lord used a place of lesser responsibility to do deep heart work in me, to bring new life to my marriage, and to make me a better father. 23 years after the event, I can see what He was doing clearly. At the time, I could only trust Him, and oh what a struggle it was in those dark moments. There were many days when my only prayer was borrowed from Jesus’ model: “let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done.”
The Word promises "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” That promise prompts this prayer; “Your love, O Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands." (Psalm 138:8, NIV) In our Bible study last night, this theme emerged – “Even when man fails, God’s will prevails.” It’s true! That is not a simple truth. To own it as a principle to live by demands the gift of faith and an active response of obedience. Amazingly, He does not abandon us when we fail. Instead He sovereignly takes those failures, when we confess them and place them in His hands, and weaves them into His declared purpose. What assurance, what wondrous peace comes from resting on His promise to fulfill His purposes in me.
Will you give up your demand to understand the ‘why’ of every situation, to kneel before your King and give Him the worship He deserves?
Will you trust Him enough to surrender your own will and embrace His?
Disciple, I am not writing about taking up a call to some faraway place or about beginning a new church, or establishing a great ministry. God’s sovereign will for you and me begins with things that are much more basic, things like; forgiveness for those who hurt us, love for our enemies, generosity over selfishness, service over being served. When He is Lord of those things, He can lead us into greater works!
Here’s a word from the Word. May we receive it with faith so that we might live in joy.
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."
(Isaiah 52:7-10, NIV)
Among the blessings of a 4 decade long walk with the Lord is that I have enough perspective to see how God has worked quietly and persistently; yes, sovereignly, to accomplish His will and bless me. Many years ago I had to leave a ministry position I loved due to strife caused in part by my own immaturity! The ministry to which I went was small, a struggling work. At that moment it appeared that God had put me on a side track, that He was finished with me. Some even bluntly told me that my failing had brought the judgment of the Lord on me. Hindsight reveals that God was using an apparent demotion for greater good. In that year of broken earthly dreams I learned much in the school of faith. The Lord used a place of lesser responsibility to do deep heart work in me, to bring new life to my marriage, and to make me a better father. 23 years after the event, I can see what He was doing clearly. At the time, I could only trust Him, and oh what a struggle it was in those dark moments. There were many days when my only prayer was borrowed from Jesus’ model: “let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done.”
The Word promises "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” That promise prompts this prayer; “Your love, O Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands." (Psalm 138:8, NIV) In our Bible study last night, this theme emerged – “Even when man fails, God’s will prevails.” It’s true! That is not a simple truth. To own it as a principle to live by demands the gift of faith and an active response of obedience. Amazingly, He does not abandon us when we fail. Instead He sovereignly takes those failures, when we confess them and place them in His hands, and weaves them into His declared purpose. What assurance, what wondrous peace comes from resting on His promise to fulfill His purposes in me.
Will you give up your demand to understand the ‘why’ of every situation, to kneel before your King and give Him the worship He deserves?
Will you trust Him enough to surrender your own will and embrace His?
Disciple, I am not writing about taking up a call to some faraway place or about beginning a new church, or establishing a great ministry. God’s sovereign will for you and me begins with things that are much more basic, things like; forgiveness for those who hurt us, love for our enemies, generosity over selfishness, service over being served. When He is Lord of those things, He can lead us into greater works!
Here’s a word from the Word. May we receive it with faith so that we might live in joy.
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."
(Isaiah 52:7-10, NIV)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Faith and Fear
Throughout the last few days, I have wrestled with a decision that is one of the most significant choices I have ever made. The road I choose will affect my financial situation, my family life, my pastoral calling, and my personal time. One choice allows me to live ‘safely,’ the other takes me into the unknown. One is about living in a way I understand and love; the other calls me out of my comfort zone. I imagine that I feel a little like a bungee jumper who steps over the edge who wonders, during the free fall, if the cord will hold when he hits the end of it. If I take this step, I will be free falling into the arms of God! Will He catch me?
Everyone who follows Jesus Christ faces the choice of faith; not once, but each day.
Our very Gospel pivots on faith – will we trust the promise of God’s grace or continue in our own religious works?
Our security rests on faith – will we attempt to create wealth and relationships that make us feel secure or will we live with our hope resting on the Rock, secured by His Word?
True faith is never static. The faith that led us yesterday must be renewed with a faith that is sufficient for this day. God gives faith for each new day, but allows us to choose to accept it with obedience. "The righteousness of God (is) revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17, KJV)
I am realizing something new about faith. Real faith does not exempt one from feeling real fear! Those who engage in extreme sports where they risk their lives, do so with full faith in their skills and equipment, yet they also feel terror. Curiously they love facing fear and the exhilaration that comes from overcoming it. When they reach the summit, they may be near collapse with exhaustion, but they also feel triumph.
In the book of Daniel, there is a story that we too often relegate to Sunday School, that really is an inspiration for walking by faith. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Jews who had been taken captive when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. They were transported hundreds of miles from their home into an alien culture. There they faced the challenge of hanging onto their faith in Yahweh or being assimilated into the religion and culture of Assyria. The safe choice was to ‘go along to get along.’ The faith choice was to trust the Lord. They chose the Lord and He gave them want they needed. One day the megalomaniac king decided that he would set up a giant image of himself and require all of his administrators to give worshipful homage to it or face a fiery death. These men could not bow to an idol and keep their faith intact. Did they feel fear? Judge for yourself as you read their response to the king’s demand. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18, NLT) Do not miss that phrase – ‘even if He doesn’t!’ They fully recognized that their choice could bring them death and they were willing to make the faith choice anyway!
Are you facing a choice of faith today?
Don’t mistake fear with faithlessness. Even as you accept the gift of faith, you will abandon the known, the secure, the comfortable. And, when you commit yourself to the faith way, He will meet you there. When the summit is reached, you may be exhausted, but you will be able to say: "I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, The Message)
_______________
Jesus led me all the way,
Led me step by step each day;
I will tell the saints and angels,
As I lay my burdens down,
"Jesus led me all the way."
And hither to my Lord hath led,
Today He guides each step I tread;
And soon in heav'n it will be said,
"Jesus led me all the way."
Jesus Led Me All The Way
Peterson, John W.
© 1954. Renewed 1982 John W. Peterson Music Company
CCLI License No. 810055
Everyone who follows Jesus Christ faces the choice of faith; not once, but each day.
Our very Gospel pivots on faith – will we trust the promise of God’s grace or continue in our own religious works?
Our security rests on faith – will we attempt to create wealth and relationships that make us feel secure or will we live with our hope resting on the Rock, secured by His Word?
True faith is never static. The faith that led us yesterday must be renewed with a faith that is sufficient for this day. God gives faith for each new day, but allows us to choose to accept it with obedience. "The righteousness of God (is) revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17, KJV)
I am realizing something new about faith. Real faith does not exempt one from feeling real fear! Those who engage in extreme sports where they risk their lives, do so with full faith in their skills and equipment, yet they also feel terror. Curiously they love facing fear and the exhilaration that comes from overcoming it. When they reach the summit, they may be near collapse with exhaustion, but they also feel triumph.
In the book of Daniel, there is a story that we too often relegate to Sunday School, that really is an inspiration for walking by faith. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Jews who had been taken captive when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. They were transported hundreds of miles from their home into an alien culture. There they faced the challenge of hanging onto their faith in Yahweh or being assimilated into the religion and culture of Assyria. The safe choice was to ‘go along to get along.’ The faith choice was to trust the Lord. They chose the Lord and He gave them want they needed. One day the megalomaniac king decided that he would set up a giant image of himself and require all of his administrators to give worshipful homage to it or face a fiery death. These men could not bow to an idol and keep their faith intact. Did they feel fear? Judge for yourself as you read their response to the king’s demand. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18, NLT) Do not miss that phrase – ‘even if He doesn’t!’ They fully recognized that their choice could bring them death and they were willing to make the faith choice anyway!
Are you facing a choice of faith today?
Don’t mistake fear with faithlessness. Even as you accept the gift of faith, you will abandon the known, the secure, the comfortable. And, when you commit yourself to the faith way, He will meet you there. When the summit is reached, you may be exhausted, but you will be able to say: "I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, The Message)
_______________
Jesus led me all the way,
Led me step by step each day;
I will tell the saints and angels,
As I lay my burdens down,
"Jesus led me all the way."
And hither to my Lord hath led,
Today He guides each step I tread;
And soon in heav'n it will be said,
"Jesus led me all the way."
Jesus Led Me All The Way
Peterson, John W.
© 1954. Renewed 1982 John W. Peterson Music Company
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Oh, how He loves us so
Jim was taught that dangers lurked everywhere, that he should always make sure to take care of himself. The only God he ever heard of sounded like He was very angry and bent on getting even with people. He was taught that people are never to be trusted, that everyone is just in it for the money. Thus, Jim is afraid and feels powerless in an environment of uncertainty. As a result he builds defensive walls in his life and only relates to people who think and act like he does. He is isolated, alone, and convinced that everyone is 'out to get me.'
Sam was taught that the world was a beautiful place created by God for our enjoyment. He learned from the Scripture that sin entered that wonderful Creation and made many things go awry, but that God is a loving Father whose greatest desire is to restore a wayward world to the destiny for which He designed it. Sam was shown that he could find meaning and purpose in his life if He trusted Christ to take away the guilt and by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide him in the will of a loving Father. He believes that the power of evil is diminished, by doing good and living in the love of God. As a result Sam lives joyfully, hopefully, and effectively engaged as a godly influence in his world.
Which kind of world do you inhabit- a fear filled one like Jim, or a Spirit-filled world like Sam?
I’ve been fascinated by the various responses to the tragedy in Japan. Those who do not believe that God is good, who have been fed a diet of prophecy that includes endless apocalyptic warnings about the imminent destruction of the world, seem to feel little compassion, next to no desire to weep with the suffering. There is almost a kind of “this is the fate of the world” acceptance and in some cases, something like happiness that finally we are nearer the ‘End Times.’ As I wrote yesterday, the Scripture inarguably presents us with the declaration that because of sin and disobedience our Holy God will bring all things to justice, including judgment. Yet, Peter helps us to see His love. "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." (2 Peter 3:9, NIV)
Preaching a fear-based Christianity is not a new thing. For the two millennia of our faith, there have been those who majored on Hell and the Devil. Why? Because, at first, fear is a powerful motivator to change. If a preacher can make the fires of Hell hot enough, he can scare people into a confession of faith. Fear also bonds people together, getting them to stick with the Church. Give them a common enemy, the Devil (or abortionists, or homosexuals, or liberal judges, or Muslims) and they will overcome their differences to fight the those enemies. But, the downside of fear is its diminishing returns. Anyone who lives with fear, over time learns to adapt to it, to turn it off. That's why fear based Christianity ultimately fails to keep people in the faith. That's why Jesus does not drive people to God with fear. He calls them to God with love!
Jesus' Gospel is not so much a defense as an opportunity. He says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV) In The Message (a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible) that passage reads - "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you."
John reminds us that love perfects (completes) us. "God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:16-19, NLT) How can we miss this wonderful truth? How can we give up the rich promise of acceptance for a paranoid fearful experience of 'faith?'
Don't let your Christianity be shaped by fear! Study the story of the Prodigal Son (or as I prefer to call it, the story of The Waiting Father) and let the Word and Spirit convince you of God's gracious favor. We cannot ignore the facts that the Devil rages, that evil men seek to exploit the weak, and that Nature is unbalanced by the Curse of sin. But we are not afraid because "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4, NKJV)
___________
How He Loves
He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth
Like a sloppy wet (unforeseen) kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that
Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
© 2005 Integrity's Hosanna! Music
John Mark McMillan
CCLI License No. 810055
Sam was taught that the world was a beautiful place created by God for our enjoyment. He learned from the Scripture that sin entered that wonderful Creation and made many things go awry, but that God is a loving Father whose greatest desire is to restore a wayward world to the destiny for which He designed it. Sam was shown that he could find meaning and purpose in his life if He trusted Christ to take away the guilt and by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide him in the will of a loving Father. He believes that the power of evil is diminished, by doing good and living in the love of God. As a result Sam lives joyfully, hopefully, and effectively engaged as a godly influence in his world.
Which kind of world do you inhabit- a fear filled one like Jim, or a Spirit-filled world like Sam?
I’ve been fascinated by the various responses to the tragedy in Japan. Those who do not believe that God is good, who have been fed a diet of prophecy that includes endless apocalyptic warnings about the imminent destruction of the world, seem to feel little compassion, next to no desire to weep with the suffering. There is almost a kind of “this is the fate of the world” acceptance and in some cases, something like happiness that finally we are nearer the ‘End Times.’ As I wrote yesterday, the Scripture inarguably presents us with the declaration that because of sin and disobedience our Holy God will bring all things to justice, including judgment. Yet, Peter helps us to see His love. "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." (2 Peter 3:9, NIV)
Preaching a fear-based Christianity is not a new thing. For the two millennia of our faith, there have been those who majored on Hell and the Devil. Why? Because, at first, fear is a powerful motivator to change. If a preacher can make the fires of Hell hot enough, he can scare people into a confession of faith. Fear also bonds people together, getting them to stick with the Church. Give them a common enemy, the Devil (or abortionists, or homosexuals, or liberal judges, or Muslims) and they will overcome their differences to fight the those enemies. But, the downside of fear is its diminishing returns. Anyone who lives with fear, over time learns to adapt to it, to turn it off. That's why fear based Christianity ultimately fails to keep people in the faith. That's why Jesus does not drive people to God with fear. He calls them to God with love!
Jesus' Gospel is not so much a defense as an opportunity. He says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV) In The Message (a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible) that passage reads - "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you."
John reminds us that love perfects (completes) us. "God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:16-19, NLT) How can we miss this wonderful truth? How can we give up the rich promise of acceptance for a paranoid fearful experience of 'faith?'
Don't let your Christianity be shaped by fear! Study the story of the Prodigal Son (or as I prefer to call it, the story of The Waiting Father) and let the Word and Spirit convince you of God's gracious favor. We cannot ignore the facts that the Devil rages, that evil men seek to exploit the weak, and that Nature is unbalanced by the Curse of sin. But we are not afraid because "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4, NKJV)
___________
How He Loves
He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth
Like a sloppy wet (unforeseen) kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that
Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
© 2005 Integrity's Hosanna! Music
John Mark McMillan
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, March 14, 2011
God’s Day
The whole earth’s shaking; literally! Under the sea, just off the coast of Japan, two plates of the earth’s crust slipped violently last Friday. The energy released made the ground ripple like a blanket being shaken, collapsing buildings, and causing a tsunami to roar ashore that caused terrible destruction and loss of life. I am praying for those who are grieving, suffering, thirsty, and hungry and I hope that you are, too. The pictures look like previews of the Apocalypse! And, I am reminded that life will not always go on as it is today. Do you know that there will come a Day of world-wide judgment that will shake everything?
The Scripture says, "concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, NLT)
In the sermon he preached at Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel’s prophecy. "I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord." (Acts 2:19-20, NIV)
John’s Revelation tells us the story of God’s judgment in vivid picture language, sparing no gruesome detail about God’s day. Then, we find these words of worship: "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”" (Revelation 19:1-2, NIV)
Are you ready for God’s Day?
When the earth shakes and God judges, when the flow of time comes to an end and justice rolls down from the Almighty, where will you stand?
The only place of security when the judgment of God falls is in Christ Jesus. Whatever your understanding of the various prophetic time lines proposed by various schools, there is one unifying theme: Christ is the Hope of salvation. John speaks in different ways about those who are safe in the Lord’s grace – sealed, marked, given robes of righteousness, gathered. They praise but One Savior that Day. It is not technology, nor is the wisdom of humanity, nor it wealth. "After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God." (Revelation 7:9-11, NLT)
Japan’s sorrow is a glimpse of what will come on “God’s Day.”
Today is our day for salvation, our time to find our hope in Christ alone.
Will you put your trust in Him? Will you receive His salvation and begin to live ‘from faith to faith?”
______________
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me!
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!
In Christ Alone
Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You
CCLI License No. 810055
The Scripture says, "concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, NLT)
In the sermon he preached at Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel’s prophecy. "I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord." (Acts 2:19-20, NIV)
John’s Revelation tells us the story of God’s judgment in vivid picture language, sparing no gruesome detail about God’s day. Then, we find these words of worship: "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”" (Revelation 19:1-2, NIV)
Are you ready for God’s Day?
When the earth shakes and God judges, when the flow of time comes to an end and justice rolls down from the Almighty, where will you stand?
The only place of security when the judgment of God falls is in Christ Jesus. Whatever your understanding of the various prophetic time lines proposed by various schools, there is one unifying theme: Christ is the Hope of salvation. John speaks in different ways about those who are safe in the Lord’s grace – sealed, marked, given robes of righteousness, gathered. They praise but One Savior that Day. It is not technology, nor is the wisdom of humanity, nor it wealth. "After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God." (Revelation 7:9-11, NLT)
Japan’s sorrow is a glimpse of what will come on “God’s Day.”
Today is our day for salvation, our time to find our hope in Christ alone.
Will you put your trust in Him? Will you receive His salvation and begin to live ‘from faith to faith?”
______________
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me!
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!
In Christ Alone
Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You
CCLI License No. 810055
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