"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. "And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
Zechariah 12:2-3 NKJV
I'm sure by now most of you are familiar with the unrest that seems to be sweeping many of the nations of the Middle East. Protests and calls for democratic reforms are resulting in often violent reactions from the governments in power, with a heavy loss of life. Although these protests begin with peaceful intent, the result has for the most part shown that they for one reason or another result in violence. With this in mind, I would like to call your attention to a protest that is scheduled to occur a week from now that has not received a lot of attention in the press, at least not yet, which the organizers are calling the “Third Intifada”.
This protest march is being organized by the Palestinian Authority to occur on May 15, which is the day that Arabs call the “Nakba”, or tragedy. If you are familiar with the history of Israel, you know that the modern state of Israel was established on May 14, 1948. You can then see what “tragedy” the Arabs are referring to, and why they have chosen this day for their “peaceful” protest. Unfortunately, this protest will by all accounts, be anything but peaceful. Originally the calls for this march were posted on the social networking site called Facebook, but as the page evolved into promoting a violent attempt to take over the state of Israel by flooding it with millions of Arabs, it was removed by Facebook. Unfortunately this has apparently had little effect as the page and others like it have popped up with different names but with the same message of violence towards Israel.
Although there has been little said about this from the government of Israel, it is a given that they are extremely concerned with the potential for violence as a result of this march. If in fact, their borders are threatened by a mass of people trying to illegally cross into Israel, they would be compelled to respond. The natural result of this, as is the norm, would probably be a huge outcry from the world against Israel. The passage from Zechariah is a prophecy of the situation that will exist during the tribulation period just before Jesus returns. It tells us specifically that “all nations” will be against Israel. In a practical sense, you can easily see where that situation almost exists today, and it would certainly not take much for Israel to lose the few friends it has left.
We know from the prophecy in Isaiah 17 that Damascus, capitol of Syria, will be destroyed by Israel in the future. Most agree from the description given in Isaiah that this destruction will most likely come in the form of a nuclear weapon. Since many believe that Israel would only use that type of weapon in response to a threat of their own survival, one has to wonder about what sort of scenario could result in that very situation. Could it be that Syria comes to the aid of millions of “peaceful” protesters by using their own weapons of mass destruction against Israel? There are so many possibilities that it would probably be futile to try and predict what might occur, yet we do know we are told by God that Israel will at some point in the future stand alone, with no one to protect her but God alone.
This of course, is exactly the point that God wishes to make, which is that He alone holds title to that land and He will defend it against all the world. Zechariah goes on to tell us this;
"In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David [shall be] like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. "It shall be in that day [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for [his] only [son], and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
Zechariah 12:8-10 NKJV
As we wait to see what the future holds, I would ask that all of you join me in following some advice given to us by David in the Psalms.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
Psalm 122:6 NKJV
Keep watching.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143238
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Are You Dressed for the Wedding?
"So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding [hall] was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. "So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Matthew 22:10-13 NKJV
So did you watch the wedding this week? You notice I didn't specify which one. I suppose that there may be a few out there who are not aware that there was a royal wedding in England this past week, but in all honesty with the amount of coverage the event produced that would seem rather far fetched to believe. Weddings are one of the things that just about anyone can relate to, whether they have had their own, participated in another, or just attended as a guest. It also is one of those rare events which is universally considered to be a joyful, celebratory occasion where everyone has a good time. I also can't help but remember that Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, where He (in my opinion) bailed out the father of the bride who came up a little short during the reception.
So with all the attention focused on weddings this week, I couldn't help but begin to think of the wedding we all are really looking forward to, and the one which many believe is about to occur. I'm speaking, of course, about the rapture of the church which is described by God as a wedding between His Son and all who have chosen to believe. As I began to think about it, with all the attention given to what people were wearing to the royal wedding, it was hard not to remember this parable by Jesus which deals coincidentally, with someone who tried to attend a wedding dressed “inappropriately”. Now I didn't hear of anyone at the royal wedding getting tossed for that, but the fact that this was a concern for Jesus made me want to look a little closer at this parable and see exactly what we are being told, and whether or not we should look at it as a warning about our future wedding.
In this parable, Jesus is explaining the situation that existed at that time concerning His appearing, and the rejection of the Jews to His message that He was their Messiah. As a result, His death and resurrection resulted in the creation of His church, consisting of all who would choose to believe in the salvation offered to us by His sacrifice. The invitation to the wedding is given to all, and all who choose to accept may attend. Yet in this story, Jesus tells us that someone tries to attend dressed “inappropriately”, and suffers the consequences. Exactly what does this mean, and how does it apply to us?
In Eastern cultures at that time, when you were invited to attend a wedding you didn't have to worry about going shopping for new clothes to wear because appropriate garments were provided for the guests by the one who gave the marriage feast. So all you needed to do was show up and put on the garment you were given, and your participation was guaranteed. In this account by Jesus, however, we find someone attending who apparently refused to accept the garment provided.
A close examination of the passage in the original Greek makes it clear that this was a deliberate act on the part of the guest to refuse the garment offered him. The reasons are unclear, but I think it is safe to assume he felt that his own garments were good enough so that he could refuse to wear what was provided. Obviously that was a very big mistake on his part, for when the King arrives and sees him, he is immediately put to the question. 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' Well, although he was “speechless”, the answer was pretty clear; he came in without one because he refused it at the door. The result is that he is bound hand and foot and tossed out into “outer darkness”.
The interpretation of this parable is not that difficult to understand. The wedding feast we are all invited to takes place in heaven before the throne of God. The garments provided for us are a symbol of His righteousness, which He has chosen to give us freely because our own righteousness is as “filthy rags”. The only question put to us here is are we willing to accept what is provided for us, or are we going to be stubborn and insist we are good enough to refuse?
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks [himself] with ornaments, And as a bride adorns [herself] with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
But we are all like an unclean [thing], And all our righteousnesses [are] like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6 NKJV
It makes no difference how “much” we do, how “good” a life we live, God makes it plain our righteousness will never pay the price of admission. It is only by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, that we obtain the garments that will allow us entrance to the wedding feast. Unfortunately one of Satan's greatest deceptions is that you can be saved by your own efforts. Just live by the principals you find in the Bible, do the very best you can, and you will be saved. The point Jesus was trying to make in this parable is that if you listen to that lie, your end will be the same as those who chose to totally reject the sacrifice of God in giving His Son to die for our sins.
My question to you today is are you dressed appropriately for the wedding? Have you personally told God that you accept the sacrifice He made for you, confess your sinfulness, and accept the invitation to the wedding that is to come? God has given the invitation to us all, and all we have to do in order to receive the appropriate garment to wear is to accept Jesus into our hearts, and begin to live for Him according to His Word. If you have never done this, I encourage you to do it now. Simply tell Him that you are sorry for trying to live your life on your own terms, and invite Him to come into your heart and to show you how to live life on His. By doing this, you will receive the “garment of salvation” that will allow you to attend the wedding. Which, by the way, could begin at any time.
Keep watching.
Matthew 22:10-13 NKJV
So did you watch the wedding this week? You notice I didn't specify which one. I suppose that there may be a few out there who are not aware that there was a royal wedding in England this past week, but in all honesty with the amount of coverage the event produced that would seem rather far fetched to believe. Weddings are one of the things that just about anyone can relate to, whether they have had their own, participated in another, or just attended as a guest. It also is one of those rare events which is universally considered to be a joyful, celebratory occasion where everyone has a good time. I also can't help but remember that Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, where He (in my opinion) bailed out the father of the bride who came up a little short during the reception.
So with all the attention focused on weddings this week, I couldn't help but begin to think of the wedding we all are really looking forward to, and the one which many believe is about to occur. I'm speaking, of course, about the rapture of the church which is described by God as a wedding between His Son and all who have chosen to believe. As I began to think about it, with all the attention given to what people were wearing to the royal wedding, it was hard not to remember this parable by Jesus which deals coincidentally, with someone who tried to attend a wedding dressed “inappropriately”. Now I didn't hear of anyone at the royal wedding getting tossed for that, but the fact that this was a concern for Jesus made me want to look a little closer at this parable and see exactly what we are being told, and whether or not we should look at it as a warning about our future wedding.
In this parable, Jesus is explaining the situation that existed at that time concerning His appearing, and the rejection of the Jews to His message that He was their Messiah. As a result, His death and resurrection resulted in the creation of His church, consisting of all who would choose to believe in the salvation offered to us by His sacrifice. The invitation to the wedding is given to all, and all who choose to accept may attend. Yet in this story, Jesus tells us that someone tries to attend dressed “inappropriately”, and suffers the consequences. Exactly what does this mean, and how does it apply to us?
In Eastern cultures at that time, when you were invited to attend a wedding you didn't have to worry about going shopping for new clothes to wear because appropriate garments were provided for the guests by the one who gave the marriage feast. So all you needed to do was show up and put on the garment you were given, and your participation was guaranteed. In this account by Jesus, however, we find someone attending who apparently refused to accept the garment provided.
A close examination of the passage in the original Greek makes it clear that this was a deliberate act on the part of the guest to refuse the garment offered him. The reasons are unclear, but I think it is safe to assume he felt that his own garments were good enough so that he could refuse to wear what was provided. Obviously that was a very big mistake on his part, for when the King arrives and sees him, he is immediately put to the question. 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' Well, although he was “speechless”, the answer was pretty clear; he came in without one because he refused it at the door. The result is that he is bound hand and foot and tossed out into “outer darkness”.
The interpretation of this parable is not that difficult to understand. The wedding feast we are all invited to takes place in heaven before the throne of God. The garments provided for us are a symbol of His righteousness, which He has chosen to give us freely because our own righteousness is as “filthy rags”. The only question put to us here is are we willing to accept what is provided for us, or are we going to be stubborn and insist we are good enough to refuse?
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks [himself] with ornaments, And as a bride adorns [herself] with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
But we are all like an unclean [thing], And all our righteousnesses [are] like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6 NKJV
It makes no difference how “much” we do, how “good” a life we live, God makes it plain our righteousness will never pay the price of admission. It is only by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, that we obtain the garments that will allow us entrance to the wedding feast. Unfortunately one of Satan's greatest deceptions is that you can be saved by your own efforts. Just live by the principals you find in the Bible, do the very best you can, and you will be saved. The point Jesus was trying to make in this parable is that if you listen to that lie, your end will be the same as those who chose to totally reject the sacrifice of God in giving His Son to die for our sins.
My question to you today is are you dressed appropriately for the wedding? Have you personally told God that you accept the sacrifice He made for you, confess your sinfulness, and accept the invitation to the wedding that is to come? God has given the invitation to us all, and all we have to do in order to receive the appropriate garment to wear is to accept Jesus into our hearts, and begin to live for Him according to His Word. If you have never done this, I encourage you to do it now. Simply tell Him that you are sorry for trying to live your life on your own terms, and invite Him to come into your heart and to show you how to live life on His. By doing this, you will receive the “garment of salvation” that will allow you to attend the wedding. Which, by the way, could begin at any time.
Keep watching.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
He Is Risen
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Matthew 28:1-9 NKJV
I'm sure most of you are familiar with this passage, especially as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on this day. My prayer is that if you have never made the decision to believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again for you, you would decide to do it today. Invite Jesus to come into your life and forgive your sins, and begin to experience the joy that comes from having a relationship with a living God, and the knowledge that He has promised us eternal life with Him in Heaven if we only believe.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 NKJV
And it shall come to pass [That] whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.' Acts 2:21 NKJV
And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Acts 16:30-31 NKJV
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9 NKJV
He Is Risen!
Keep Watching
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Prepare to Bow Down
A very popular song written and performed by the group MercyMe asks a question regarding what we as believers will do upon arriving in heaven. I'm sure you are probably familiar with the lyrics, but if not, this is the question they pose:
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
Actually, the question of what we will do when we finally stand in the presence of our God is answered in scripture. So today I thought we would look at three examples of men who were allowed the extraordinary privilege of meeting God face to face, and what their initial reaction was.
“What will my heart feel?”
Moreover He said, "I [am] the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
Exodus 3:6 NKJV
Are you afraid of God? At first, that idea seems somehow to be wrong doesn't it? Why should we be afraid of the God who created us and loved us enough to send His Son to die for our sins? If we examine the meaning of the phrase “for he was afraid”, we see it means something more than a simple fear of something. In the Hebrew, this phrase is translated from the word yare', which means to be in awe of, to fear, reverence, honor and respect. In essence, we are told that when we stand in the presence of God, our reaction will be to bow our heads and look down or away as an acknowledgement of His power and authority over us as His created beings. It really comes down to respecting His position over us, and the appreciation of His omnipotence.
“Will I stand in your presence?”
As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest,
Acts 9:3,4 NKJV
When I read this passage the first question that came to mind was Paul falling to his knees voluntary or involuntary? As I thought about it, since Paul had no idea what was going on before Jesus identified Himself to him, it must have been an involuntary reaction to the light that surrounded him. Have you ever physically recoiled from something that was so strong that it made you turn away? Can you imagine the intensity of light that it would take to force you to your knees? Remember the result of this encounter was Paul being blinded, and unable to see. When I was in my twenties and rebuilding my first car, I accidentally struck the metal of the frame with my arc welder before my mask was down and my face was only 12 inches or so from the arc. I was totally knocked to my knees and the result was having my eyes covered for 3 days or so because of the damage it did to them. I don't think there is any question that when we appear before our Lord, we will not stand, but fall to our knees.
“Will I be able to speak at all?”
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
Revelation 1:17 NKJV
Dead men don't talk. Now that might sound a little funny, but I think it is applicable in this case. John tells us that he fell at the feet of Jesus as a dead man. Remember this was John the Apostle. He claimed Jesus as his best friend. He sat beside him at the Last Supper. The Bible tells us he wanted to be Jesus' “favorite”. I think there was no question he knew who he was looking at, because I'm sure he recognized Jesus' voice. Yet instead of embracing Him he immediately falls to the ground and in his words, became as dead which logically probably also included being speechless. Have you ever had the opportunity to meet an old friend or family member you haven't seen in years? What was your reaction? Did you fall down to the ground like John did? Probably not, but when John was finally reunited with his friend and Savior after all those years what did he do? He said nothing, and fell to the ground as dead.
When we finally enter into the presence of God, I believe we will react exactly the same as these three men did. Having the opportunity to see for ourselves the glory of our God and Father and appear before His throne will produce the exact same situation experienced by Moses, Paul, and John. Yet I also believe this will simply be our initial reaction. The Bible tells us that we will worship, sing, dance, and rejoice in His presence. But what is the first thing we do? Prepare to bow down!
Keep watching.
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
Actually, the question of what we will do when we finally stand in the presence of our God is answered in scripture. So today I thought we would look at three examples of men who were allowed the extraordinary privilege of meeting God face to face, and what their initial reaction was.
“What will my heart feel?”
Moreover He said, "I [am] the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
Exodus 3:6 NKJV
Are you afraid of God? At first, that idea seems somehow to be wrong doesn't it? Why should we be afraid of the God who created us and loved us enough to send His Son to die for our sins? If we examine the meaning of the phrase “for he was afraid”, we see it means something more than a simple fear of something. In the Hebrew, this phrase is translated from the word yare', which means to be in awe of, to fear, reverence, honor and respect. In essence, we are told that when we stand in the presence of God, our reaction will be to bow our heads and look down or away as an acknowledgement of His power and authority over us as His created beings. It really comes down to respecting His position over us, and the appreciation of His omnipotence.
“Will I stand in your presence?”
As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest,
Acts 9:3,4 NKJV
When I read this passage the first question that came to mind was Paul falling to his knees voluntary or involuntary? As I thought about it, since Paul had no idea what was going on before Jesus identified Himself to him, it must have been an involuntary reaction to the light that surrounded him. Have you ever physically recoiled from something that was so strong that it made you turn away? Can you imagine the intensity of light that it would take to force you to your knees? Remember the result of this encounter was Paul being blinded, and unable to see. When I was in my twenties and rebuilding my first car, I accidentally struck the metal of the frame with my arc welder before my mask was down and my face was only 12 inches or so from the arc. I was totally knocked to my knees and the result was having my eyes covered for 3 days or so because of the damage it did to them. I don't think there is any question that when we appear before our Lord, we will not stand, but fall to our knees.
“Will I be able to speak at all?”
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
Revelation 1:17 NKJV
Dead men don't talk. Now that might sound a little funny, but I think it is applicable in this case. John tells us that he fell at the feet of Jesus as a dead man. Remember this was John the Apostle. He claimed Jesus as his best friend. He sat beside him at the Last Supper. The Bible tells us he wanted to be Jesus' “favorite”. I think there was no question he knew who he was looking at, because I'm sure he recognized Jesus' voice. Yet instead of embracing Him he immediately falls to the ground and in his words, became as dead which logically probably also included being speechless. Have you ever had the opportunity to meet an old friend or family member you haven't seen in years? What was your reaction? Did you fall down to the ground like John did? Probably not, but when John was finally reunited with his friend and Savior after all those years what did he do? He said nothing, and fell to the ground as dead.
When we finally enter into the presence of God, I believe we will react exactly the same as these three men did. Having the opportunity to see for ourselves the glory of our God and Father and appear before His throne will produce the exact same situation experienced by Moses, Paul, and John. Yet I also believe this will simply be our initial reaction. The Bible tells us that we will worship, sing, dance, and rejoice in His presence. But what is the first thing we do? Prepare to bow down!
Keep watching.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Is Spring the Season of the Rapture?
Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, in the spring, and Sarah shall have a son."
Genesis 18:14 RSV
What's your favorite season? You know, I enjoy all of them for one reason or another, but if I had to pick one for my favorite, it would be the spring. Now I do enjoy the winter, sort of, but as I sit here and look out the window in my study I can see just a little bit of snow left on the mountain tops, my tulips blooming, and quail, songbirds, robins and doves eating out of my feeder. I like to call spring the time of new beginnings, because so much happens in so short of a time. I can see buds appearing on my trees, the robins have returned from wherever it is they go in the winter, the ground is turning green, and of course it looks like today I will have to see if the lawn mower survived the winter because the grass on my lawn is growing again.
If one was to do a study of the events listed for us in the Bible, it would appear that God ordained many events to occur in the spring as well. It is especially interesting to see how many of those events could be identified with the idea of a new beginning. In the passage above, God has visited Abraham and Sarah and told them that Sarah was to have a son. He also tells them that He will return to see them when that happens, and even tells them the season; spring! If you look closely at the Hebrew you will find that in this particular case, the RSV translates it best, because if you take the two words mowed and chay together in the same phrase you understand spring is identified as the season this event will occur.
mow`ed : 1) appointed place, appointed time, meeting
chay : 1) living, alive, a) green (of vegetation), b) flowing, fresh (of water), c) lively, active (of man), d) reviving (of the springtime)
Since Abraham is told he would become the father of the nation of Israel, the birth of Isaac began the fulfillment of that prophecy and as we see, it began in the spring.
We also find in the book of Exodus that the deliverance of the nation of Israel from bondage in Egypt occurred in the spring. The first three feasts of Israel, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits all occur in the first month on the Jewish calendar which normally begins around the end of March or the beginning of April on our calendar, and is called Nisan or Abib.
And Moses said to the people: "Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. "On this day you are going out, in the month Abib.
Exodus 13:3,4 NKJV
Of course, of greater interest to us as believers is the fact that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred at the time of these three feasts as well. If you recall, Jesus celebrated passover with His disciples, was then arrested, crucified, and then rose again on the third day which was the Feast of Firstfruits.
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
Matthew 26:1,2 NKJV
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
Matthew 28:1,2 NKJV
Now you talk about the idea of spring being a time of new beginnings, how important could the fact be that our deliverance occurred in the spring? Do you really think so many things happening in the spring is just coincidence? If you think it may be, why not look at another event that is certainly significant to all believers. Just fifty days after the resurrection, on the Feast of Pentecost, something else rather important happened as well; the birth of the Church.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:1,2 NKJV
Do you begin to see what I mean about the spring being the most interesting season? The Bible is full of “new beginning” type events which occur in the spring. Is it possible then that the rapture of the church could occur in the spring season? If it did, it would certainly fit in with the idea of a new beginning type event happening the same time as so many others have. So in light of this, I saved the best for last. You remember the children of Israel being delivered out of Egypt? What did God have planned for them? That's right, they were headed to the promised land. Do you know when they got there?
And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.
Joshua 4:18,19 NKJV
Here we are again! Back to the first month, the spring, the time of new beginnings. God delivered the children of Israel into the promised land on the tenth day of the first month. Is it possible this is also a picture of when the church will enter her “promised land”? Could spring be the season of the rapture ? If you know me by now you understand I believe the rapture of the church could happen at anytime, so I would never attempt to predict a certain “day” for it to occur. As far as choosing a “season” though, I would be very comfortable choosing the spring as the season where it might happen. Am I looking up? Oh you bet I am! With everything else that is happening in the world right now you have to believe we are so very close. That nearness, however, prompts me to ask you this question. If you have come to this point in your life and not made a decision to accept the free gift of salvation offered to you by our Saviour Jesus Christ, don't you think it would be a good idea to do it now?.
One last thing. I know many of you who follow this blog are curious about the subject of numbers and how they are used in the Bible. You also know by now that while I find that subject intriguing, it's not something I am led to pursue. But for those of you who are, here is a “freebie”. If the children of Israel entered the promised land on the tenth of the month, then their first full day of their new life was the eleventh. If the church were to be raptured following this example, then our first full day in heaven would be the eleventh as well. According to the Jewish calendar, this year that could be written 1-11-11. Since many believe that the Bible uses the number one as the number signifying new beginnings, isn't it interesting that this year all those “ones” could line up? Oh, and if you are wondering, the eleventh day of the first month would be Wednesday/Thursday of this week. No, again I'm not predicting anything, but isn't it fun to study the Word of God? I hope to see you soon.
Keep watching.
Genesis 18:14 RSV
What's your favorite season? You know, I enjoy all of them for one reason or another, but if I had to pick one for my favorite, it would be the spring. Now I do enjoy the winter, sort of, but as I sit here and look out the window in my study I can see just a little bit of snow left on the mountain tops, my tulips blooming, and quail, songbirds, robins and doves eating out of my feeder. I like to call spring the time of new beginnings, because so much happens in so short of a time. I can see buds appearing on my trees, the robins have returned from wherever it is they go in the winter, the ground is turning green, and of course it looks like today I will have to see if the lawn mower survived the winter because the grass on my lawn is growing again.
If one was to do a study of the events listed for us in the Bible, it would appear that God ordained many events to occur in the spring as well. It is especially interesting to see how many of those events could be identified with the idea of a new beginning. In the passage above, God has visited Abraham and Sarah and told them that Sarah was to have a son. He also tells them that He will return to see them when that happens, and even tells them the season; spring! If you look closely at the Hebrew you will find that in this particular case, the RSV translates it best, because if you take the two words mowed and chay together in the same phrase you understand spring is identified as the season this event will occur.
mow`ed : 1) appointed place, appointed time, meeting
chay : 1) living, alive, a) green (of vegetation), b) flowing, fresh (of water), c) lively, active (of man), d) reviving (of the springtime)
Since Abraham is told he would become the father of the nation of Israel, the birth of Isaac began the fulfillment of that prophecy and as we see, it began in the spring.
We also find in the book of Exodus that the deliverance of the nation of Israel from bondage in Egypt occurred in the spring. The first three feasts of Israel, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits all occur in the first month on the Jewish calendar which normally begins around the end of March or the beginning of April on our calendar, and is called Nisan or Abib.
And Moses said to the people: "Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. "On this day you are going out, in the month Abib.
Exodus 13:3,4 NKJV
Of course, of greater interest to us as believers is the fact that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred at the time of these three feasts as well. If you recall, Jesus celebrated passover with His disciples, was then arrested, crucified, and then rose again on the third day which was the Feast of Firstfruits.
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
Matthew 26:1,2 NKJV
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
Matthew 28:1,2 NKJV
Now you talk about the idea of spring being a time of new beginnings, how important could the fact be that our deliverance occurred in the spring? Do you really think so many things happening in the spring is just coincidence? If you think it may be, why not look at another event that is certainly significant to all believers. Just fifty days after the resurrection, on the Feast of Pentecost, something else rather important happened as well; the birth of the Church.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:1,2 NKJV
Do you begin to see what I mean about the spring being the most interesting season? The Bible is full of “new beginning” type events which occur in the spring. Is it possible then that the rapture of the church could occur in the spring season? If it did, it would certainly fit in with the idea of a new beginning type event happening the same time as so many others have. So in light of this, I saved the best for last. You remember the children of Israel being delivered out of Egypt? What did God have planned for them? That's right, they were headed to the promised land. Do you know when they got there?
And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.
Joshua 4:18,19 NKJV
Here we are again! Back to the first month, the spring, the time of new beginnings. God delivered the children of Israel into the promised land on the tenth day of the first month. Is it possible this is also a picture of when the church will enter her “promised land”? Could spring be the season of the rapture ? If you know me by now you understand I believe the rapture of the church could happen at anytime, so I would never attempt to predict a certain “day” for it to occur. As far as choosing a “season” though, I would be very comfortable choosing the spring as the season where it might happen. Am I looking up? Oh you bet I am! With everything else that is happening in the world right now you have to believe we are so very close. That nearness, however, prompts me to ask you this question. If you have come to this point in your life and not made a decision to accept the free gift of salvation offered to you by our Saviour Jesus Christ, don't you think it would be a good idea to do it now?.
One last thing. I know many of you who follow this blog are curious about the subject of numbers and how they are used in the Bible. You also know by now that while I find that subject intriguing, it's not something I am led to pursue. But for those of you who are, here is a “freebie”. If the children of Israel entered the promised land on the tenth of the month, then their first full day of their new life was the eleventh. If the church were to be raptured following this example, then our first full day in heaven would be the eleventh as well. According to the Jewish calendar, this year that could be written 1-11-11. Since many believe that the Bible uses the number one as the number signifying new beginnings, isn't it interesting that this year all those “ones” could line up? Oh, and if you are wondering, the eleventh day of the first month would be Wednesday/Thursday of this week. No, again I'm not predicting anything, but isn't it fun to study the Word of God? I hope to see you soon.
Keep watching.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Carpenter's Rule
"Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him.
Mark 6:3 NKJV
My father was a part-time carpenter as was my grandfather before him. My first real job was as a carpenter's apprentice, and I have worked as a carpenter off and on my entire life. So it goes without saying that I enjoy the fact that Jesus was a carpenter, especially if you consider that God chose for Him to be born to a carpenter rather than to an earthly father with any other trade. As I often do, I ask the question “why” when thinking about this fact. What might the reason be for God to choose this profession for His son? Have you ever considered the fact that God is the master carpenter who built the universe from nothing, and simply wanted Jesus to follow in His footsteps?
One of the very first things I learned as a carpenter was how important the foundation is to whatever it is you intend to build. What could be called the carpenter's golden rule is that you must have a strong, perfectly level foundation on which to build. Working as a framer on many large housing projects gave me ample opportunity to build on foundations others had laid, and I can tell you from experience that a poor foundation affects the entire construction process. Absolutely everything has to be adjusted to compensate for a poor foundation from the framing, wallboard, doors, ceilings, cabinets, and just about everything else you can think of. I'm sure that Jesus was well aware of this rule, and I think it comes as no surprise to those who build that it is reflected in what Jesus had to say about building His church.
"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18 NKJV
Jesus tells us two things here. One, the foundation of His church is built upon a rock so strong that not even Satan can move it. Two, He tells us exactly what that foundation is and if we look back just two verses we see what Jesus is referring to;
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:16 NKJV
You see, the church is made up of those who choose to believe that Jesus was, and is the Son of God. When an individual chooses to accept this fact, and acknowledges that Jesus died for their sins, they then become “Christians”, or one of those who believe that Jesus was indeed the Son of God sent to this earth to die for our sins, and to then rise from the dead so that we too could have eternal life. From that point on, the true believer seeks to follow all that we are taught by the Word and by the Holy Spirit. Jesus describes His followers this way;
"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: "He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
Luke 6:47,48 NKJV
Unfortunately, Satan has done a very good job in creating flawed foundations for the world to choose from. There are even those today who seem to want to alter, or modify the very foundation God has laid for us. Yet the Word of God makes it clear that there is only one foundation strong enough to stand for eternity, and the Apostle Paul reminds us of what it is in his letter to the Corinthians.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV
The events of the past few weeks have led many to consider the idea of “foundations”. We have had many opportunities to witness what can happen to structures built by man, and just how fragile they really are. Is your life built upon the rock of Jesus' death and resurrection? Have you chosen to accept His sacrifice and payment for your sin, or is your life built upon an imperfect foundation laid by man? If you want to build your house on a foundation that will last for eternity, you can do that right now. Simply understand this; First you need to understand you are a sinner who needs a Savior. The bible tells us we all have sinned and failed to live up to God's standards. Second you need to understand that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for your sins. There is no way we can save ourselves, so God chose to send Jesus to pay the price for our sins. Third, and most important, you need to turn away from your sin and accept this payment by asking Jesus to come into your life and to help you begin to build on the foundation He has made for you.
As we watch the world move ever faster towards the end of this age, may you live your life with the confidence that comes from the knowledge your “house” is built upon a foundation that can never be moved.
Keep watching.
Mark 6:3 NKJV
My father was a part-time carpenter as was my grandfather before him. My first real job was as a carpenter's apprentice, and I have worked as a carpenter off and on my entire life. So it goes without saying that I enjoy the fact that Jesus was a carpenter, especially if you consider that God chose for Him to be born to a carpenter rather than to an earthly father with any other trade. As I often do, I ask the question “why” when thinking about this fact. What might the reason be for God to choose this profession for His son? Have you ever considered the fact that God is the master carpenter who built the universe from nothing, and simply wanted Jesus to follow in His footsteps?
One of the very first things I learned as a carpenter was how important the foundation is to whatever it is you intend to build. What could be called the carpenter's golden rule is that you must have a strong, perfectly level foundation on which to build. Working as a framer on many large housing projects gave me ample opportunity to build on foundations others had laid, and I can tell you from experience that a poor foundation affects the entire construction process. Absolutely everything has to be adjusted to compensate for a poor foundation from the framing, wallboard, doors, ceilings, cabinets, and just about everything else you can think of. I'm sure that Jesus was well aware of this rule, and I think it comes as no surprise to those who build that it is reflected in what Jesus had to say about building His church.
"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18 NKJV
Jesus tells us two things here. One, the foundation of His church is built upon a rock so strong that not even Satan can move it. Two, He tells us exactly what that foundation is and if we look back just two verses we see what Jesus is referring to;
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:16 NKJV
You see, the church is made up of those who choose to believe that Jesus was, and is the Son of God. When an individual chooses to accept this fact, and acknowledges that Jesus died for their sins, they then become “Christians”, or one of those who believe that Jesus was indeed the Son of God sent to this earth to die for our sins, and to then rise from the dead so that we too could have eternal life. From that point on, the true believer seeks to follow all that we are taught by the Word and by the Holy Spirit. Jesus describes His followers this way;
"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: "He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
Luke 6:47,48 NKJV
Unfortunately, Satan has done a very good job in creating flawed foundations for the world to choose from. There are even those today who seem to want to alter, or modify the very foundation God has laid for us. Yet the Word of God makes it clear that there is only one foundation strong enough to stand for eternity, and the Apostle Paul reminds us of what it is in his letter to the Corinthians.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV
The events of the past few weeks have led many to consider the idea of “foundations”. We have had many opportunities to witness what can happen to structures built by man, and just how fragile they really are. Is your life built upon the rock of Jesus' death and resurrection? Have you chosen to accept His sacrifice and payment for your sin, or is your life built upon an imperfect foundation laid by man? If you want to build your house on a foundation that will last for eternity, you can do that right now. Simply understand this; First you need to understand you are a sinner who needs a Savior. The bible tells us we all have sinned and failed to live up to God's standards. Second you need to understand that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for your sins. There is no way we can save ourselves, so God chose to send Jesus to pay the price for our sins. Third, and most important, you need to turn away from your sin and accept this payment by asking Jesus to come into your life and to help you begin to build on the foundation He has made for you.
As we watch the world move ever faster towards the end of this age, may you live your life with the confidence that comes from the knowledge your “house” is built upon a foundation that can never be moved.
Keep watching.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Checked Your Balance Lately?
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
Have you ever suffered from the embarrassment of bouncing a check? I think for one reason or another most of us have and I'm sure just like me, you did not enjoy the feeling that came with the knowledge that you had made a serious mistake. I'm sure as well, we all share a typical response to that event by learning to check our balance often to be sure we have more than enough money in our account.
Most of us are probably familiar with this passage, but like I always say, if you look a little closer at the familiar ones you usually can find something new you may not have seen before. This passage is no exception so I think I will share some thoughts that I have learned from it that have truly changed my thinking about the most important account we possess. I think I will do that by focusing on three aspects of this passage concerning our accounts, and we will call them the where, what, and why of heavenly deposits.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal”
Ever hear the saying; location,location,location? At first glance I had the feeling we were being told it was wrong to try to save up or seek to gain wealth, but that is not what we are told here. Rather we are told that “where” we seek to invest is the important thing. Now I'm sure we all spend a great deal of time watching our time cards and figuring out how much we will have in the bank by the end of the pay period, but how closely are we watching and working to fill our account in heaven? Did you even realize you had an account there? Jesus makes it plain that not only do we, He is keeping an eye on the balance. One thing God makes perfectly clear in this passage is that earthly “deposits” do us absolutely no good at all. Any treasures we accumulate here will eventually be destroyed, or stolen, but whatever the outcome they remain part of this world and not the next. The only “safe” place to make deposits is in God's domain, and the place where we will spend eternity with Him.
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17 NKJV
"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,”
The next question that should come to mind is how do we make deposits in our heavenly account? Jesus seems to make it pretty clear that the “what” we seek to deposit is a result of our works or service for Him. When you become a believer in Christ you make a commitment in love to serve Him. Our actions here on earth should reflect not only our desire to serve God, but our awareness that what we do here on earth for Him is being added to our heavenly account. Do the choices you make every day show you are focused on your heavenly account, or are you more concerned with spending time adding to your earthly account? One of the best lines I have heard on this subject came from a sermon by Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship when he said “you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead”. The smallest effort done in the name of God for His glory makes a deposit in our heavenly account. We often see people doing great things for God and think that we could never do that, but in God's eyes it is not the size of the gift, but the giving that matters. If we do anything for the glory of God, it counts in God's eyes.
"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."
Matthew 10:42 NKJV
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
A question that anyone who has ever had children can relate to is “why”? It seems children are always asking that question in response to practically anything they are asked to do. Something I learned early on in my study of scripture is that God anticipates His children asking that same question so He always tells us the reason we are told to do something. Here we are told that first of all, our “treasure” has a very powerful hold upon our “heart”. Have you ever found yourself consumed by the desire to acquire something? We often go to extremes in order to save enough or budget enough to get whatever it is our heart desires. Be it a car, a house, a vacation in an exotic location, whatever, we can at times be consumed by the “desire to acquire”. So the question God is asking us here is do we have that same desire and commitment to deposit into our heavenly account? Now here is a surprise. If you look up the definition of the word treasure in this verse you will find that it does not mean “what” but “where”. That's right, the word thēsauros means “the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up”. So what God is telling us is that because our heart determines our focus, we need to make sure our hearts desire is to deposit in our heavenly account because we can't do both!
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
Is this difficult to do? Absolutely! Most of us live a comfortable life in a nice house with a nice car, and take a vacation every year. God's question to us is just how much time and effort did it take to get that and maintain it? Is our focus on this life and the “things” it has to offer, or is our heart focused on serving Him and making deposits in heaven?
Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:21-22 NKJV
How easy it is to become attached to the things of this earth to such a degree that we are consumed with getting and keeping them and maintaining a lifestyle that the world would approve of. The question here is how many of us are going to arrive in heaven only to find our heavenly account is overdrawn? Have you noticed lately how many people are jumping on the “end times” bandwagon? I am amazed every day as I read accounts where people are starting to ask the question and speculate about the possibility that we actually are approaching the end of this age. I certainly believe we could see the rapture of the church at any time, so it goes without saying that if you believe as I do that the end is near, don't you think it's a good idea to check the balance in your heavenly account? We don't have much time left to make our deposits, so join me in doing as much as we can in the short time we have left.
Keep watching.
Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
Have you ever suffered from the embarrassment of bouncing a check? I think for one reason or another most of us have and I'm sure just like me, you did not enjoy the feeling that came with the knowledge that you had made a serious mistake. I'm sure as well, we all share a typical response to that event by learning to check our balance often to be sure we have more than enough money in our account.
Most of us are probably familiar with this passage, but like I always say, if you look a little closer at the familiar ones you usually can find something new you may not have seen before. This passage is no exception so I think I will share some thoughts that I have learned from it that have truly changed my thinking about the most important account we possess. I think I will do that by focusing on three aspects of this passage concerning our accounts, and we will call them the where, what, and why of heavenly deposits.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal”
Ever hear the saying; location,location,location? At first glance I had the feeling we were being told it was wrong to try to save up or seek to gain wealth, but that is not what we are told here. Rather we are told that “where” we seek to invest is the important thing. Now I'm sure we all spend a great deal of time watching our time cards and figuring out how much we will have in the bank by the end of the pay period, but how closely are we watching and working to fill our account in heaven? Did you even realize you had an account there? Jesus makes it plain that not only do we, He is keeping an eye on the balance. One thing God makes perfectly clear in this passage is that earthly “deposits” do us absolutely no good at all. Any treasures we accumulate here will eventually be destroyed, or stolen, but whatever the outcome they remain part of this world and not the next. The only “safe” place to make deposits is in God's domain, and the place where we will spend eternity with Him.
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17 NKJV
"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,”
The next question that should come to mind is how do we make deposits in our heavenly account? Jesus seems to make it pretty clear that the “what” we seek to deposit is a result of our works or service for Him. When you become a believer in Christ you make a commitment in love to serve Him. Our actions here on earth should reflect not only our desire to serve God, but our awareness that what we do here on earth for Him is being added to our heavenly account. Do the choices you make every day show you are focused on your heavenly account, or are you more concerned with spending time adding to your earthly account? One of the best lines I have heard on this subject came from a sermon by Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship when he said “you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead”. The smallest effort done in the name of God for His glory makes a deposit in our heavenly account. We often see people doing great things for God and think that we could never do that, but in God's eyes it is not the size of the gift, but the giving that matters. If we do anything for the glory of God, it counts in God's eyes.
"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."
Matthew 10:42 NKJV
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
A question that anyone who has ever had children can relate to is “why”? It seems children are always asking that question in response to practically anything they are asked to do. Something I learned early on in my study of scripture is that God anticipates His children asking that same question so He always tells us the reason we are told to do something. Here we are told that first of all, our “treasure” has a very powerful hold upon our “heart”. Have you ever found yourself consumed by the desire to acquire something? We often go to extremes in order to save enough or budget enough to get whatever it is our heart desires. Be it a car, a house, a vacation in an exotic location, whatever, we can at times be consumed by the “desire to acquire”. So the question God is asking us here is do we have that same desire and commitment to deposit into our heavenly account? Now here is a surprise. If you look up the definition of the word treasure in this verse you will find that it does not mean “what” but “where”. That's right, the word thēsauros means “the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up”. So what God is telling us is that because our heart determines our focus, we need to make sure our hearts desire is to deposit in our heavenly account because we can't do both!
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
Is this difficult to do? Absolutely! Most of us live a comfortable life in a nice house with a nice car, and take a vacation every year. God's question to us is just how much time and effort did it take to get that and maintain it? Is our focus on this life and the “things” it has to offer, or is our heart focused on serving Him and making deposits in heaven?
Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:21-22 NKJV
How easy it is to become attached to the things of this earth to such a degree that we are consumed with getting and keeping them and maintaining a lifestyle that the world would approve of. The question here is how many of us are going to arrive in heaven only to find our heavenly account is overdrawn? Have you noticed lately how many people are jumping on the “end times” bandwagon? I am amazed every day as I read accounts where people are starting to ask the question and speculate about the possibility that we actually are approaching the end of this age. I certainly believe we could see the rapture of the church at any time, so it goes without saying that if you believe as I do that the end is near, don't you think it's a good idea to check the balance in your heavenly account? We don't have much time left to make our deposits, so join me in doing as much as we can in the short time we have left.
Keep watching.
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