Peace In Our Time

Daniel 9:27, "And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate. Even until the consummation which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."

These days I am reminded of the days right before World War II. I am reminded of English Prime Minister Nevil Chamberlain. Chamberlain, as Nazi Germany under Adolph Hitler was arming for war, journeyed to meet the German Reich Chancellor to discuss a peace treaty. Chamberlain successfully negotiated a treaty and returned to England to the proclamation "Peace in our time." He claimed to have "looked into the eyes" of Hitler and found him to be an honorable man. A few short months later Hitler invaded Poland an World War II was underway. He did not recognize or acknowledge evil.

Friends, will we ever learn the lessons history has to teach us? You cannot negotiate with evil. You cannot trust evil. Evil will always betray the agreements they have made. Why? Because they are evil. In the middle east today I fear we are embarking upon the same sort of path as Chamberlain.

Daniel 9:27 tells us of Antichrist. It clearly tells us Antichrist will be the one to negotiate a peace settlement(covenant) between Israel and her enemies. And since Antichrist is the embodiment of evil after 3 1/2 weeks(3 1/2 years) he will break his word and the covenant. In spite of this clear teaching every U.S. president since Richard Nixon has sought to bring peace to the middle east via treaty.

The bible clearly teaches Antichrist will be the one who brings peace, so at best this tells us our political leaders are truly biblically illiterate. And no president we have had has less regard for the true message of the bible than our current leader Barack Obama. No president in our history has taken us this far in retreating from our commitment to Israel as they stand against the evil that wants to eliminate them from being a nation and people.

We are clearly siding with evil now, and God will judge evil. Their has never been a nation of Palestine in the history of the world, yet now we are told their must be. Before 1973 their were no Palestinian people. Before 1973 they were Jordanians, Syrians, Egyptians and Lebanese. Yet now we are told they have a legitimate claim to land they have never possessed as a nation, to the detriment of Israel who has a clear historical and biblical claim to the land. Israel was defeated in a war with Rome in 70 A.D. and lost her land. No one asked Rome to give back the land they had won in warfare. Yet now the world is asking Israel to give back land they won in warfare in 1967, this is unprecedented in world history.

The bible tells us that at some future point the whole world will come against Israel. How close that time seems to be in this very day. Will we turn our back on God's people? Yes we will, at some point. Is that point now? We shall surely see. But it cannot be argued we have never been closer to turning from Israel and too evil. Now more than ever we need to be doing as Psalm 122:6 instructs us; "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you."" And we need to realize, when we pray this prayer, we are praying for Christ's return. He is the only One who will bring peace to this world. "Even so, come Lord Jesus."

Middle East Mayhem

With all of the news surrounding the passage of health care last week, a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew under the radar. Tensions between our government and Israel continue to escalate and a conflict in the middle east seems more and more likely. Israel had skirmishes with Hamas in the Gaza strip late last week resulting in deaths on both sides and the United States basically stated that meaningful sanctions against Iran are unlikely. Meanwhile Islamic terrorists struck in Russia. The conflict between Islam and the west is heightening daily, and no solution is in sight.

No cameras were allowed for the Netanyahu visit nor did the Israeli leader and President Obama appear together as is customary when visiting heads of state visit. This slap in the face by the Obama administration was clearly calculated to place more pressure on Israel to capitulate to U.S. peace demands. Notice the difference in Netanyahu's visit and that of French president Nicholas Sarkozy this week. Netanyahu's was completely behind closed doors even though he was in town several days while cameras and media coverage are extensive for Sarkozy. A clear line has been drawn by the Obama administration,and we currently stand on the side of the Palestinians in spite of rhetoric stating the opposite.

It burdens my heart to see our nation distancing itself from Israel. Our nation has never been so far from a biblical world view as it is today. Israel is God's people and when we turn our back on them, we turn our back on God. The bible clearly teaches the disputed land is Israels, given to them by God, and no human intentity is going to change that. Jerusalem is Israel's capital yet we seem determined to divide it with the Palestinians as well as the rest of Israel. A return to the 1967 borders, which is what we are proposing is a sure invitation for the destruction of Israel, and something we seem to be completely oblivious too.

Israel, is in essence, alone in the world right now. From a biblical world view, this is exactly where the bible says they will be in end times. Israel will return to their God and the God of Israel will protect them, according to the bible. My fear for our nation is what God reveals in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; An in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This promise was given to Abraham and later his descendants through Issac and Jacob. Those descendants, my friends, are the Israelites.

The United States has been a blessing to Israel since it's reestablishment as a nation in 1948. Sadly, this no longer seems the case. When you look at the nations that have stood against Israel in the past, none are the powers they once were, or they have disappeared all together. Empires like Egypt and Babylon(Iraq) are non-entities on the worlds landscape as far as influence is concerned. Nations such as the Philistines, Amorites, Amalakites, Edomites, Moabites and the Assyrians who stood against Israel no longer exist. God has indeed cursed those who have cursed His people. The fact we as a nation fail to understand this means we may be in for the same fate.

The United States does not appear in biblical prophecy. I believe their are only 2 conclusions to be drawn by this. The first is that through an economic collapse we become a non-entity ourselves in the world. The second is we become part of the reformed Roman Empire which will serve as the kingdom of Antichrist. Both conclusions could in fact be true. Our economy is a glass house and the current administration seems intent on usurping our national sovereignty in favor of globalism.

Friends, we live in a day where bible prophecy is unfolding before us. And I must say I do not see good things on the horizon for our nation. Now, more than ever, we need to be looking for our Savior to return, for the time is nearer than ever before. Their is only one solution to the ills of this world, and that is for Jesus to return to rule and to reign. If our nation does continue its retreat away from Israel, we will get a taste of the wrath of God that is to come. Only those who trust in and follow Jesus will be spared the time of testing that will come upon the whole world.

Born Into Sin

Romans 5:12, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."

Some dear friends of ours just had a baby boy in the upstate. This beautiful little baby is the picture of innocence and purity, yet inside this precious life exists a sin nature. When Adam sinned in the garden at Eden, sin became a presence in every person who followed him into this world, even little babies. Even though this precious baby has yet to commit sin, the sin nature is still there, and because the sin nature is there, the need for Jesus is there.

Now I am not saying that when a baby dies, they do not go to heaven. Because a baby is incapable of making a decision for Christ, I believe the bible clearly teaches that anyone incapable of fully understanding and comprehending the gospel message is covered by the blood of Jesus. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 we read the story of the baby of David and Bathsheba. The baby is stricken and for a full week David mourns and fasts, he cries out to God for the baby's life, but the child does die. At this point David stops his mourning. David's servants are puzzled by his reaction, but David says in 1 Samuel 12:22-23, "...While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, "Who can tell me whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live. But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." David knew his baby was with the Lord, and one day he would see him again in heaven.

But what of the rest of mankind? Well eventually, we reach an age of accountability. Their is no set age for this, and it varies from person to person, depending upon their ability to understand the truth. But we all must eventually make a decision. We must decide whether to accept the truth about Jesus, or reject it. We all are sinners, and have a sin nature within us, so we all need a means of forgiveness and atonement for our sin. Jesus is that means. He is in fact the only means as provided by God. Because we all sin, and have a sin nature inherited from Adam, we need the atonement offered by Christ's blood to have our sin "exist no more" in the eyes of God.

We cannot escape this sin nature, and even when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, it still resides inside of us. We face a constant battle between the Spirit and the flesh, that will challenge us all of our lives. But with the Holy Spirit also inside of us, we have the means to win the struggle, and overcome. We overcome the sins we commit as they are covered by the blood. We overcome the temptation of the world and the flesh by surrendering to God and allowing His Holy Spirit to control our lives.

Even that sweet little baby who has committed no sin as of yet, eventually will, for he has a sin nature. The proud parents Ed and Felicia I have no doubt will educate their son regarding the truth of Christ, and so eventually, the baby will be old enough to understand the truth. Then it will be up to him. Will he acknowledge his sin nature and turn to Christ, the only means of overcoming our sin? We've said a prayer already for this to happen. Welcome into this world little baby Leese. May you know, understand and accept the truth of Jesus, and serve Him in mighty, mighty ways!

The Need for Revivalists

Ephesians 4:11-12, "It was He(Jesus) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be edified(built up)."

You will notice that their is no biblical office called revivalist. The late Vance Havner coined the term revivalist some years ago. It spoke of a specific ministry to the body of Christ. Today, most itinerant preachers carry the title of evangelist, this however is not an accurate description of the service they provide for the church. An evangelist is someone who preaches the gospel, the good news, to lost people. Their ministry is to the world and they are a gift to the church to win souls. Men like Billy Graham, Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday, Mordecai Ham and Charles Finney are noted evangelists. The revivalist however, has a message for the church. Their message and ministry is for saved people; to exhort, encourage, convict and present the whole counsel of God to believers in the effort to edify. I believe that their is a biblical office of revivalist, the bible, however, refers to them as a prophet.

The words prophet and prophecy are greatly misunderstood. Most people when they hear the word prophet have images of someone predicting future events. While this is definitely true, the biblical meaning of the word prophet is someone who declares the word of God, and sometimes in past times this has included declaring future events. In the Old Testament the cry of the prophet was "And the Lord says."

By and large the message of the prophet was for God's people. The prophet Jonah was an exception but as we read the 16 prophetic books in the Old Testament, though sometimes the message included the peoples of the land, the prophets were sent to the children of Israel. In the church we have a clear need for men to cry out the message of the bible, and clearly state what the Lord indeed says. This is a revivalist.

This past week we had one such man, Dr. Tim Fowler, preach revival at Oakland Baptist Church. Brother Tim boldly, unflinchingly and uncompromisingly declared the word of the Lord to us and did indeed edify the body of Christ. No one was saved, but that was not the intent of the services. Tim was brought in to preach to this church, this body, to prayerfully inspire and lead us to greater and more fruitful service for God.

We must understand that true revival is for the church, it is for believers. If God's people are truly revived, then they will go into the world and minister to and win lost people. Sadly far to many churches lack the divine spark from the Holy Spirit to truly be an agent of change through God's power in their communities. Through disobedience and rebellion, pride and comfort, they have become unfruitful, and the world around them is perishing. This is why I feel we have a great need for the message of the prophet, the revivalist, in the church today.

If a pastor has been faithful in declaring the whole counsel of God, the revivalist will simply confirm what they have been preaching. Many times however a different voice proclaiming the message can penetrate hearts in a way a pastor cannot. This is why I am still a firm believer in revival meetings and the message of the revivalist. The church today across our nation is mired in complacency and selfishness. We have become country clubs ministering to our fellow members but doing very little in our communities. Quite frankly, we need a kick in the pants. The prophets of old often times declared a harsh message of judgment and repentance. God sent them to try to awaken His people from their slumber and sin. The revivalist, or prophet, has the same role today. They have a challenging ministry, and most of the time, do not see the fruit of their work as an evangelist does when many are saved. But the office of prophet is every bit as important. If we are to have true revival in our nation, it will begin in our churches. The prophet, the revivalist, is God's tool for helping His church get right with God.

Where is the Revival?

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

This Sunday at Oakland Baptist Church we begin what is commonly called revival in Southern Baptist circles. We meet Sunday through Wednesday for 5 services in the hope God will move, and true revival will come. Sadly, most of the time, it winds up being a series of meetings that people enjoy, but no true revival comes. Now I do believe such meetings are useful, but in my heart, I long for a true, heaven sent, Holy Spirit ignited revival. I am always hopeful such a thing can occur, but up to this point in my life, I've never seen a true biblical revival.

If we look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, widely regarded as the best description of what is needed for God to send revival, we see conditions that God needs to be met. First and foremost, we must acknowledge, revival is a sovereign act of God. Only He can send it. But in this verse we see the conditions on our part God expects in order to send true revival.

Their are 4 thing God wants from us for Him to send revival. First, humility. He needs for us to humble ourselves. This means that we deny to ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. When I ask myself do I see this attitude in the church today, the answer is sadly no. We seem more and more reliant and trusting in human methods, business models, running the church like a company than truly submitting to God. I do not believe we meet the first condition.

Secondly, God wants us in earnest, fervent prayer. When I examine my own life I know I fall short here. It's not that I don't want to pray, but Satan is very clever in finding ways to distract us. Until I, and the rest of God's children, are firmly and fundamentally committed to crying out to God for revival, we will not have it.

Thirdly, we're to seek God's face, and we see God first and foremost in His word. Since the reformation I do not know if the church as a whole has ever been less grounded in the word. We are willfully ignorant of the bible, not desiring true bible study, teaching or preaching. We live in the age of "itching ears" where far to many desire teachings pleasing to them instead of the clear truth of God's word which convicts and changes lives. Their will never be revival without a fire for God's word.

Lastly, their is repentance. Turning from our wicked ways. We live in a wicked world and the ways of this wicked word have infiltrated or been willfully embraced by the church. God cannot move as long as their is unrepentant sin allowed and condoned in the camp, His church. Repentance is the evidence of a movement of God, yet it is virtually ignored in pulpits all around our land.

You see, these 4 things work together. If we truly humble ourselves, we will fervently pray and study and return to God's word. When we do these things, conviction and repentance will follow. When I ask myself do I see these things in myself, well, sometimes I do. But I also know I fall short. When I ask myself do I see these things at Oakland, well, in some I do, but I know we fall short also. When I ask myself do I see these things in our nation, I must answer a resounding no. In fact, I see us moving away from these things instead of towards them.

So in this atmosphere where we do not seem to meet God's standards of revival, what are our chances of seeing true revival. If I'm honest, I say slim. But I do know we serve a merciful God full of grace. God's grace is us receiving something we do not deserve. Do we deserve revival, honestly, no. But in God's mercy and grace I still believe He can send it, if He so chooses. I pray He does so this week at Oakland.

Thorn in My Back

2 Corinthians 12:7, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure"

Sometimes, when things are going well, we get a friendly reminder in our lives to keep us grounded and to make sure our eyes remain upon the Lord. This reminder may take may forms: Physical or emotional pain; financial struggles; family worries; illness. The ways that God can allow our lives to be affected for His purpose are truly endless. For me these last few weeks, it's been sciatic nerve and back pain. I cannot sit down or get up without excruciating pain, and now even when I lie down. The only way I'm somewhat comfortable is standing up. So, what am I too make of this challenge in my life?

Paul sets the example for us, as so many time he does. What was Paul's thorn in the flesh? No one knows for certain. Some speculate it was chronic eye problems, others the ones who tried to hinder his ministry. All we can do is speculate as Paul does not let us know, and I believe he does this for a reason. Each of us will have different "thorns." So God leaves it a mystery so each of us can learn from whatever challenge we may be experiencing in our lives. No matter the challenge, the remedy is always the same; God's grace.

In 2 Corinthians 12:8 Paul tells us he pleads with God in prayer 3 times for the Lord to remove his thorn. God's answer is some tough love, but it is true love, and it's given in this way to keep us dependent upon Him. in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 it reads, "And He(God) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Now I must admit, I'm struggling with the taking pleasure part right now. But through God's word I do know how I should be viewing this "thorn" in my life. I know that this is to strengthen me in my walk with God, and make me even more dependent upon Him. Quite honestly, I'm not a good patient. My wife just yelled "Amen" from the bedroom. But I do realize how many are in far worse condition than me. I have a doctors appointment next week to hopefully alleviate the condition. But while I am weak at this moment, God is trying to teach me.

I believe with all of my heart that our witness is never stronger than when we are enduring a trial and instead of complaining we can glorify God through it all. This is what Paul did and what God desires from us. It is a test and an opportunity. So as I endure, I am praying I can center my focus upon God as I know this is what He wants. It's a struggle. It's tough getting through the day not sitting down, lol. But, if somehow, God can grow me through this, I'll shout hallelujah! Our walk with Christ will be a challenge in many ways, even painful ones. But all of us have areas need to grow. The things God will use to grow us are limitless, even a pain in the behind. But His grace is sufficient, Amen!

Crawling Off the Altar

Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

A preacher friend once asked me, "Do you know what the problem with a living sacrifice is? A living sacrifice keeps wanting to crawl off the altar." Dieing to oneself and dieing to Christ are preeminent teachings in the bible. In order to live the type of life God wants us to live, one that brings glory to Him, we must deny ourselves and daily follow Christ. This is easier said than done.

Paul through the Holy Spirit teaches us here that for those in Christ, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves completely unto the Lord. When we are under God's control, only then can our yet unredeemed body, be yielded to God as an instrument of righteousness. Within ourselves their is no righteousness pleasing to God, as "our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" unto God.

To be a living sacrifice means that we are fully surrendered to the will of God in our life, walking in obedience to Him and the commands that He has given to us. We have effectively sacrificed our life and desires, to be transformed and become Christ like. Paul tells us their is absolutely nothing unreasonable about this expectation of God for us, after all, He sacrificed all He had for us, we should and are capable of doing the same for Him.

If we are to do this, we cannot be conformed to the world. A Christian who speaks, acts, lives, behaves as a worldly lost person has not died to Christ. They have not been transformed. We are transformed when we put on the "mind of Christ," and see things as He does. It is not difficult for us to see things as Christ does, as His word tells us exactly how He views things. What is difficult is to actually live in accordance to His world view as given through the bible. It's is difficult as each of us, along with the Holy Spirit, still has a sin nature inside of us.

Paul Himself faced this battle. In Romans 7:15 Paul laments, "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, that I do." As a Christian we have an understanding from God of what is right and what is wrong, yet many times we find ourselves living in a way we know God does not approve. So how should we react? We should renew our minds, bathe ourselves in prayer and in God's word, so that He may speak to us, and convict us so that we can turn from our sin nature to a holy life that represents Him. Their is only one answer to sin in our lives, and that is repentance.

Being a living sacrifice is not easy. It means that we have fully surrendered to God, which also is not easy. But it is not unreasonable. Within each of us God's Holy Spirit is there to convict, to teach, to comfort and to encourage. So today, may I ask, are you firmly on the altar of God offering yourself as a living sacrifice, or have you crawled off?

US-Israeli Showdown

Lost in the coverage of health care reform, soaring unemployment, job bills and political gamesmanship was a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden last week. During the visit Biden called out Israel for continuing to pursue building projects in Jerusalem. Biden, and later Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's condemnation of these building projects have drawn a line in the sand deeper than at any other time in US-Israeli relations.

Now I want you think of how the United States would react if a foreign power were to object to us building on land that is rightfully ours. Think of how the United States would react if Mexico and Canada were our mortal enemies who have sworn to wipe us off the map. Simple logic tells us we would not react as we are expecting Israel too, yet with Israel, as has been the case throughout history, their is a different standard than for any other nation.

The middle east peace fiasco for nearly 40 years has consisted of this premise: Israel is to make concessions while the Palestinians make demands. It's that simple. Their has never been a sense of fairness regarding the peace process between Israel and her enemies. One side is expected to give, the other to take. Their has never been a guarantee that Israel would remain free from attack, when negotiations reached the closest point of agreement in 2000, Yassir Arafat backed away in spite of deep concessions offered by Israel. Why? Israel's enemies do not want peace. Israel's enemies want Israel to cease to exist.

Since the re-establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 the United States has been Israel's most staunch ally. Sadly, that is no longer the case. The position of the Obama administration is clear, in spite of talk that the US is still standing with Israel. The official position now is, the reason their is no peace is because of Israel.

It's not because Israel is under constant threat of attack. It's not because the Palestinians have never been able to negotiate in good faith. It's not because of the factions that exist with the Palestinian people that prevent agreement on anything. It's Israel's fault. And this showdown this week has made that abundantly clear.

How will Israel react? If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu capitulates to US demands, his government is done. Netanyahu has been here before. He's already lost power once by moving to the center, I cannot see him doing this again. And this means that Israel will stand virtually alone. A showdown is imminent not only with the US but also within the Israeli government, and the results could be truly biblical. Israel has sworn another Holocaust will not occur. A preemptive strike on Iran seems the only hope of stopping Iran from going nuclear, as the United States policy seems only based in words, not action.

The Psalm 83 war seems poised to break out at any time. Iran's march toward nuclear power status sets the stage for Ezekiel 38-39. The chaos that would surely ensue if their is a major middle east conflict would be the perfect staging ground for the emergence of Antichrist. Zechariah 12:2 tells us, "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem." If the US truly backs away from Israel, as seems more possible than ever today, this prophecy will literally be fulfilled. Israel's enemies will see their chance. But God is in control. Israel will stand and survive. They will eventually turn to Messiah, Jesus Christ. They will be restored to a right relationship with God. No matter how the world sees this latest crisis regarding Israel turning out, Gods will, will be done. His will, is for His people, to return to Him.

Do You Believe in Miracles?

I'm not talking about what so many perceive as miracles in Christendom from charlatans like Oral Roberts or Benny Hinn. But true miracles granted by our heavenly Father in response to fervent prayer from His saints. Here at Oakland we've seen 2 miracles from God this week.

Homeless Couple Has a Home

A few weeks ago I wrote of a homeless couple we encountered and led to Christ. For the past 2 weeks through the generosity of several sister churches we have managed to provide a hotel room for the couple. Through a Christian auto dealer in Wallace today, also with the help of some sister churches, we purchased a motor home for the couple. They have a place to connect to power and water and for the first time in their lives they have their own home. Two weeks ago this couple was living in their car, and had been for 2 months during this harsh winter. Friends, this is such a testimony to the body of Christ working together to do the will of Christ, and "love each other" as He has loved us.

Our sister churches: in Ruby, Crossroads Baptist and Clanton Plains Baptist; in Cheraw, Freeworship Cheraw and Westside Baptist; and in Chesterfield, Chesterfield Baptist, Hopewell Baptist, Pine Grove Baptist, Pine View Baptist, Westfield Creek Baptist and of course Oakland Baptist yoked together to provide the lodging and ultimately purchase the motor home. Through my brothers and sisters in Christ at each of these houses of God, this couple has been abundantly blessed and shown the love of Christ in a time of great need. This outpouring of love has also opened the door for their walk in faith and discipleship, as we will baptize them Easter Sunday.

And also Affordable Auto Sales in Wallace, who cut their price in half to help this couple put a roof over their heads. These Christian business people practiced their faith and provided a sustainable roof over this couples head. When the body of Christ works together, God can indeed do miracles!

Baby Hannah

In our church we have a beloved couple J.C and Libby Hannah. 5 months ago their son Billy and his wife Sherri had twin baby girls several months premature. One of the babies before birth was determined to have a birth defect where the brain was actually forming outside the skull. Billy and Sherri chose to trust God and have the baby with the birth defect.

Alexandra Grace was not given much of a chance, as doctors warned Billy and Sherri her chances of survival were slim. She was born and the brain area outside of the skull filled with fluid and literally became larger than her head itself. But month after month Alexandra Grace survived.

Doctors determined it was wise to perform surgery to try and address the situation. Once again, Alexandra Grace was given little hope. On Thursday, after 7 hours of surgery, the brain outside of the skull has been fully re-inserted into the skull. The doctors said all of the blood vessels were intact and that the surgery went better than anyone could have expected! Alexandra Grace now has a chance at a normal life!. What a testimony to an all powerful "Great Physician!" And what a testimony to faithful intercessory prayer. The baby is still not out of the woods and the risk for infection is there. She will be in the hospital another 7-10 days but doctors said this morning she would probably be moved from I.C.U. later today.

God may not be parting the Red Sea today, or raining manna from heaven. He may not be feeding thousands upon thousands with 5 loaves and 2 fish. But, if we look around us, we can clearly see the miraculous work of God in healings and provision, and many other things. We serve a loving, merciful, God who wishes to show Himself today. He will show Himself through us when we show His love to each other. And He will show Himself in response to faithful prayer for His will to be done. What a great week serving our Lord, His power and presence were clearly visible to us!

The Christian and Sexual Immorality

1 Corinthians 6:18-20, "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

In our culture today we seem to hold the opinion that in regards to sexual immorality things have never been worse. In my studies for my message on Sunday night from Genesis 38, it is clear that sexual immorality has been a problem for mankind for most of his existence. In Genesis 38 Judah, the son of Jacob, from whose line Jesus Christ will come, has an affair with a Canaanite woman from whom 3 children are born. The bible tells us these children were wicked in the sight of the Lord, and God Himself slays 2 of them. In the end the widow of one of these children deceives Judah by posing as a harlot and has him father the child she did not receive from her husband. It is a twisted tale of lust and selfishness, literally one of the worst chapters in the bible. But it is historical fact so God gives it to us uncensored. What it does illustrate is that sexual immorality has existed for a long time, and that it is never blessed by God.

So what is sexual immorality? According to the bible it is any form of intimate relations outside of the marital bonds of 1 husband and 1 wife. This would include any heterosexual relations outside of marriage and all homosexual relations as it is same sex, called an abomination and unnatural by God. In essence, it is all sin, except within the confines of marriage.

The world and it's views have long opposed the will and word of God. It is far easier to exist in the world without a strict adherence to God's will and word, and this is probably most true in regards to human sexual behavior. The world says it does no harm, as long as it's practiced safely. The world says as long as you love someone it is permissible and good. God says any sexual relations outside of marriage between 1 man and 1 woman is sin. A sin, that if not repented of, has serious consequences.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:1-7 and Revelation 22:15 the bible clearly teaches that anyone who practices(lives in and does not repent of) this sort of lifestyle(among many others) will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's a serious warning, but sadly, one that seems to be ignored today by many, including many who claim the name Christian.

I do not write this to condemn anyone who is currently engaged in a relationship that God Himself calls sin. I write this to encourage you to search your hearts and to seek the will of God in your life. This is a decision I personally had to make. When I was unsaved I engaged in many things that God calls sin, including sexual immorality. But once I claimed Jesus I had to acknowledge what the bible says of such things and repent, turn away from them. I could not be true to the God who saved me and the word He has given me to guide my life, and continue to live in sin, to continue in a sinful lifestyle as defined by God.

This most certainly does not mean that I do not sin, as we all do and will. What it means is that through salvation, the "new birth," and the change that comes when we become a "new creation" in Christ, I had the strength to say no. Paul through the Holy Spirit tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, that sexual sin is different from all others. All other sins are outside the body, but sexual sin is against our own body, that if we know Jesus, is the temple of the Holy Spirit. His command to us is to flee such behavior.

Their is perhaps no temptation that is before us that is more difficult to resist than that of sexual desire. It is an instinctual and natural part of life, given to us by God Himself. But God intends the very best for us, and according to Him the best relationship we will have is in a committed, God focused, relationship with a soul mate we have chosen to share our life with. The world says that's nonsense, that seeking to gratify ourselves is far easier and more important. God says I want you to be whole, not only in your sexual relationship, but also in your total relationship. This occurs best when 2 people are fully devoted to each other and honor God and His will first.

It's easy for us to reason in our minds that what we are doing is permissible, but we are called to put on the "mind of Christ." It is He who loved us unto death, and it is He who desires the very best for us. When confronted with our sexual sin, or any other sin, we have a choice to make. Will I honor my desires, or God's? God is not interested in our past, but He is most definitely interested in today and our future. His word tells us in 1 John 1:9, "If we are faithful to confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The world, your family, your friends and even yourself may say their is nothing wrong with the way I am living. But I ask you to ask yourself, what does God say?

The Gift of Discernment

Throughout the New Testament the apostle Paul teaches on spiritual gifts a believer will receive from Jesus by the Holy Spirit. In Romans chapter 12 and 1 Corinthians chapter 12 we see gifts individual believers will receive. In Ephesians 4 we see people with gifts God will gift the church with. Are their more spiritual gifts than are listed in scripture, that is a matter of debate, but what cannot be denied is that if we are a member of the body of Christ, we have received at least 1 spiritual gift.

A gift that is gaining more attention, and in my opinion is seriously lacking, in the church today is discernment. 1 Corinthians 12:10 refers to the gift of "discerning of spirits." The reason the gift of discernment is growing in the attention it receives is because of a growing on-line ministry dedicated to examining the church today and calling out teachings that conflict with the bible. Their are currently many such ministries, several of which you can link off of this blog, that are growing not only in popularity, but influence.

Paul warns Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." Their are many who claim these ministries are overly critical and are the "new Pharisees" seeking to make faith in Christ about a set of rules, saying it's legalism. With these people I respectfully disagree. Obedience to God is not legalism, it is obedience. An express command of God and a demonstration of our love for Jesus(John 14:15, 23).

These who battle against these so-called discernment ministries claim many things about the church today need to change, and that they, through the revelation of God are the instruments of change. Now, I do agree we need change within the body of Christ. However, this change, cannot include the abandonment of sound doctrine which we are exhorted to expound throughout God's holy scriptures. Doctrine is not evil, it does not impair our ministries, doctrine is the will of God. And only through sound doctrine can we communicate the truth God wishes each of us to know. The change that needs to occur in the church is not doctrinal, but spiritual. The church needs a broken heart surrendered to Christ in obedience and love, not a new way and new doctrine.

If we read the bible with any type of intellectual honesty we see that as the return of Christ approaches, his body, the church will be sliding into apostasy. Many say the best days of the church are ahead of it, that we can in fact bring about the kingdom of God by changing the world we live in. The bible says this is a corrupt world getting worse by the day and that all of creation is groaning in anticipation of the return of Christ and the advent of His kingdom(Rom 8:19-22). We as Christ's body can definitely influence lives and the Holy Spirit can change them. But God's plan will not be altered, and His plan from the foundations of the universe have been for redemption through Jesus alone. No amount of good works on our behalf will change that. And when we abandon the doctrine of Christ for experiential religion and our power to change, not His, we have abandoned His doctrine. That is apostasy.

When looking at these discernment ministries we also must use discernment. I do not agree with everything I read or see, as I believe sometimes they can be somewhat overly critical. But for the most part I believe they are serving an important role in the church today. We live in an age when the doctrine of the bible is under attack, and viewed by many as an enemy. And it's under attack by many who claim Jesus. Friends, if we are to influence a lost world as Christ wants we cannot run from His doctrine. It is His word and His doctrine that through the Holy Spirit results in a truly changed life. Ultimately what it comes down to is us knowing and practicing God's word. Knowledge is also a spiritual gift. If we do not know the bible and what it says, we are vulnerable to deception and being led astray by misguided and many times false doctrine.

To my brothers and sisters in the discernment ministries, I say, keep fighting the fight. I pray you do so in true love and not from a critical spirit. We need people of courage willing to "earnestly contend for the faith" and call out misleading and heretical doctrine. You are under attack, but your influence and the fruit of your ministries is beginning to be revealed. Light will overcome darkness for those willing to surrender to the light. Big is not always better; Popular is very often lacking holiness; wolves in sheep's clothing abound, just as the bible said they would. I ask that you pray for these watchmen as they stand for the truth of God's word, and also, in discernment, lovingly rebuke them if they stray from love and into worldly criticism. It is the duty of us all to stand for the doctrine of Christ.

Jesus the Divider

Luke 12:51, "Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division."

I have some difficult scripture to preach this Sunday from Luke 12:49-53. It's not difficult because of it's complexity, but rather because it reveals a truth most Christians simply do not want to acknowledge. Jesus Christ is not a uniter of men, but rather a divider.

In fact, Jesus Himself and His holy word, the bible, is the dividing line. Each one of us either know and believe in Jesus, or we do not. We either believe the bible is God's word, or we do not. Each of us is either saved, or we are not. You see, with Jesus, their is no middle ground. Our sin is either covered by His blood and we are forgiven, or we are not. That its not popular in today's world. It is most definitely politically correct. But these are the words of Jesus, and they are the truth.

The bible teaches us that divisions within the church are not good. But when referencing these divisions the bible informs us that they consist of behavior that is not in accordance with the teachings of the bible. When we sin, or corrupt and misapply the message of the bible, we divide ourselves from the truth of Jesus as revealed in His word. In essence, the division is self imposed, as we reject the truth in favor of selfish desires or outright lies. We as Christians are divided from a lost world BY Jesus Christ. And while the bible instructs us we must be a part of this lost world, we cannot be overtaken by sin and the ways of the world. When we surrender to sin and false doctrine we divide ourselves from Jesus.

For many Christians this is hard to take. As Jesus says in verses 52-53 it could mean division and conflict within our own families. A father could be a believer in Jesus, but a son may not be. If this is the case Jesus has divided the family. This does not mean we do not love our unsaved relative, or friend, it simply means that their is a huge difference between us; that difference is Jesus. This may cause conflict and even outright disputes within our own families, but we must understand this is the truth Jesus has revealed to us.

When we choose Jesus, we choose the narrow, more difficult road. We open ourselves to ridicule and persecution knowing this is the cost of following Christ. Many however seek to mitigate this cost by compromising the truth and accepting and even promoting sinful behavior. James 4:4 tells us, "...Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity(to be the enemy) of God?" God is not saying we cannot have lost friends, simply that we cannot embrace or condone their sinful behavior.

We must be separated from the ways of the world in order that we be seen by the world as different, in fact, as a distinct contrast, to the ways of the world. We cannot win a lost world if we look like a lost person. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin and the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit should compel us to live a holy life. When we claim to believe in and follow Jesus, we have been divided from sinful lifestyles and worldly ways. And Jesus Himself is the divider.

Enjoying Christian Fellowship

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."

One of the most wonderful things about being a Christian are the friendships we develop with fellow believers. This afternoon my wife Ashley and I had the opportunity to enjoy a long lunch with one such friend, Evangelist Dr. Tim Fowler. We got to know Tim last year as he came and led us in revival at Oakland, and will be doing so again March 21-24. Tim is in town preaching at Clanton Plains Baptist right up the road.

Fellowship among believers is a cherished gift from God. But it is important to understand the biblical role and place of fellowship in our lives and churches. We live in a relational culture where the need for like minded friendships plays a prominent role. But their is something far more important than our fellowship with each other, it is our fellowship with our Father, without which we cannot have true biblical fellowship.

1 John 1:3 tells us, "that we who have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." True Christian fellowship cannot occur outside of a true fellowship with God. It is God's desire to have fellowship with us, but when mankind fell into sin in the garden at Eden, that fellowship was broken. In the garden God walked and talked with man, and man had a daily, close, personal fellowship with God. Sin however breaks that fellowship. But through the gift of His Son Jesus we now can once again enjoy a true fellowship with God as our sins if we believe in Jesus are washed away and forgiven through His blood.

While friendships and fellowships are important to us here in this world, we cannot have true Christian fellowship unless we first have fellowship with God through Jesus. Anything less is a friendship in this world, which is gratifying, but not Christian fellowship. We must be in agreement about Jesus to have true Christian fellowship.

We must agree upon and believe He was born of a virgin, born the Son of God, in fact, born fully God, and fully man. That He, Jesus, lived a sinless, perfect life here on earth, and died on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. We must agree upon and believe that Jesus was indeed buried in a tomb and on the third day he was raised from the dead by the Father, walked this earth in a glorified body for 40 days, and then ascended to heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father. We must agree upon and believe "He is the way, the truth and the life," and that no one shall know the Father except "through Him." We must agree upon and believe that one day He will return to establish His kingdom here on earth. We must first and foremost agree upon and believe these things if we are to enjoy true Christian fellowship with one another. If we believe other things about Jesus, we do not worship the Jesus of the bible.

Today, so many times, when someone asks about our churches they are interested in what programs we have for children or our youth; what type of worship style do we have; are our facilities to their liking. Their is nothing inherently wrong with having these questions answered, but should our first question not be: What do you believe about Jesus? Should we not ask do you believe the bible is the inerrant, inspired, immutable word of God?

If we are to enjoy true Christian fellowship these are the most important questions, as we cannot enjoy true Christian fellowship apart from the truth about Jesus. The fellowship of believers can only be centered in one place, around the throne of God and our coming king Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the Christian fellowship I enjoy with the body of Christ, and people like brother Tim. Wherever you worship, I ask you to be sure, you are enjoying true Christian fellowship blessed by God. To be blessed by God it must be centered around God, and not just a like minded fellowship with friends. True Christian fellowship means we walk in the light of God in accordance to His word, the bible. No matter how impressive a churches programs, music, facilities, energy, ministries, or the friendships you may enjoy; if our fellowship is not centered on Jesus Christ, it's not Christian fellowship.

Interesting Upheaval at Erskine College

I was reading The State(Columbia, SC) newspaper this morning when an article about Erskine College in Due West, SC caught my eye. The headline read "Tension boiling over at Erskine." In smaller print below the headline was the teaser "Church ousts many trustees; move could threaten accreditation." The article went on to say 14 trustees for the college had been dismissed. My first thought was, uh oh. Erskine has long been a stalwart of conservative Christian education in South Carolina providing undergraduate, graduate and seminary education for countless ministers and lay people in it's 171 year history. I thought, here goes another Christian institution into the quagmire of liberalism. Much to my surprise the ousters were apparently made because the governing body felt that Erskine was becoming TOO LIBERAL!

Erskine is operated by the Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, one of the more conservative wings of the Presbyterian church in America. The institution has educated countless ministers of all denominations over the years rooted in the theology of the Reformation and the "God breathed" authority of the bible, sola scriptura. In an age where many previously Christian rooted colleges are abandoning their biblical roots in favor of a more secular, and liberal education, the stand taken by Erskine and its governing body is a refreshing departure from the norm.

Over the last 30 years Southern Baptists have seen many of their traditionally Baptist operated colleges and universities walk away from their Christian foundations. Schools like Furman, Wake Forest, Gardner Webb, Mercer and many others have rejected a denominational foundation for educating their students in favor of a traditional liberal arts education and secular world view. While in South Carolina we are blessed to have 3 strong Christian schools funded by the S.C. Southern Baptist Convention in North Greenville University, Anderson University and Charleston Southern University; the norm has been to reject a biblical world view for education in favor of a secular one. This is why I find the changes at Erskine so interesting.

What is wrong with having a Christian institution of higher learning actually believe and proclaim that the bible is the word of God and our foundation for learning? Their certainly is not a lack of options if someone desires a secular education, but their are a dwindling number of colleges a perspective student can choose if they desire a learning experience grounded in God's word and a Christian world view. While disciplines such as higher criticism can certainly be taught, and students challenged to explore their beliefs to further strengthen and prove their faith, it does not need to be taught from a perspective of unbelief to be effective and instructive.

It is not "indoctrination" as student Tessa Bigham claims, but rather an intentional choice by a school and a student to pursue an education that not only reinforces but boldly proclaims that God is God, and that is what we believe. While I'm sure their will be challenging times for Erskine in the near future, I applaud the college for choosing to take a stand for their foundational Christian beliefs. We live in a nation and serve a God that allows us freedom of choice. With schools like Erskine willing to take a principled stand we will continue to have a choice to pursue an education that preserves the biblical world view our nation was founded upon.

Friend or Foe

Galatians 4:16, "Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?"

The apostle Paul writes this verse to the Galatian church. This church, founded by Paul, had abandoned the saving gospel of Jesus Christ and followed false teachers who taught Jesus, but also that obedience to the Mosaic Law was necessary for salvation. The saving gospel of "by grace through faith" was being replaced by, "by faith AND works." In a life devoted to Christ good works will definitely be a part of our faith, they are the fruit of faith, but good works have NOTHING to do with our salvation.

Abandoning the True Gospel

Paul wrote by the Holy Spirit in Galatians 1:6, "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel." I fear today that many who claim to be Christians have been lured by a sirens song to a false gospel that they have been cleverly deceived by.

In some sectors of the church today their is an attitude that we cannot preach the truth of the bible for fear that an unbeliever visiting our churches may be offended and not come back. If we were to boldly proclaim that if someone does not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior they are not right with God; if we were to preach that we are all sinners, that He died on a cross so we can be forgiven, that He was bodily resurrected, and proved he was God; if we were to preach that if we have true faith in Jesus repentance from our sinful lives will occur as we have become a "born again" "new creation" in Him; if we were to preach the truth of a glorious heaven to be gained, but a horrific hell and eternal judgment also as reality; if we were to preach the TRUTH of what the bible actually says, unbelievers simply will not want to hear what we have to say. So some have filtered the truth so as not to offend. And you know what, many that do, have rapidly growing churches.

Real Change

So what's the problem? Is it not a good thing if a church greatly increases it's attendance and baptizes throngs of people? Not if those who attend or are baptized have not been told the whole truth. Not if they have based a decision on faulty information. Their is a cry today that we need change in the church. A new way of doing church in a post-modern world that abhores the absolute truth as presented in the bible. That we must appeal to the world on their level in order to reach them. But how can we show a lost world the CHANGE that occurs through true faith in Christ, if us and our churches look and sound just like the lost world?

The terminology used to describe this movement has evolved from liberal, to seeker-sensitive, to purpose-driven, to emergent or emerging. The message is the same; we're all basically good people and we'll tell you that, then you can do good deeds to show what a good person you are. We'll entertain you and we'll listen to you and give you what you want; in song, preaching, programs, worship. We'll be your Wal-Mart, all your needs will be met here. But in telling people what they want to hear, are we neglecting what they need to hear?

Did Peter want to hear he would betray Christ? Did Paul want to hear his entire belief system was obsolete? Did we want to hear that we were sinners, the enemy of God, and that we could never be good enough to please Him? No, but Peter, and Paul and each of us needed to hear it. I'm not against a particular method. I'm for being creative and trying new things. But we need to do those things to gain the opportunity to present the life changing, complete truth of the bible. And we can only do that genuinely if we ourselves have been truly changed, from the inside out. Changed by the blood of Jesus and the indwelling power of God through His Holy Spirit. If we have not been availed the whole truth, we cannot know the whole truth. And if we do not know the whole truth, have we been truly changed?

In the church, and it's been this way for a long time, we must quit focussing on numbers and begin seeing real change. It is said by many, "well God must be blessing, look at how many people go to that church. Look at how many people they baptized." Friends, if growth and size are the measure of God's blessings, Mormonism an Islam are both growing at a greater rate than Christianity in our nation. Is God blessing them?

We must understand not everyone is interested in the truth. They may have an interest in being spiritual, but when confronted with the whole truth, they simply walk away. It happened to Jesus, it will happen to us. But for those who are genuinely being called by God, do we not owe them what the bible really says? Real change does not occur by conforming to our culture, real change occurs when we conform to the truth of the bible.

Anything less than the whole truth is deception. As Paul said in Galatians 1:8-9,"But if we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached, let him be accursed(cursed by God). As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Have you, and are you, receiving the whole truth of what God has to say? If you question this in your life, read the bible. If what you are being told does not conform to the whole truth of the bible, you are listening to a another gospel.

Understanding the Times

Matthew 24:4-8, "And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

In case you have not noticed, I am a close follower of biblical prophecy. Since 27% of the bible was predictive prophecy when written I believe if it's that important to God, it needs to be important to us. The bible is full of clues which point us to the greatest moment in earth's history, the second coming of Jesus Christ, and the establishment of His millennial kingdom here on earth. But we must be careful not to overstep God's prophetic word and simply impose our own opinions as doctrine. As Jesus said, no one knows the exact moment that He will begin the final countdown to establishing His kingdom, but we can look at and discern the times in which we live. In Matthew 24, in what is called the Olivet discourse, Jesus warns us of the conditions that would be present just before His imminent return.

False Christs(v 5)

Friends, what I'm about to say is not popular, and is certainly not politically correct, but it does reflect Jesus's words here. We live in a world full of false Christ's. Mohammad and Allah are false Christ's. Buddah is a false Christ. The god claimed by Mormon's and Jehovah's Witnesses is a false Christ. Why do I say this: because they deny Jesus as the only way to the Father, that He is God, yet claim to be a path to God. Any religion, even atheism, that denies that the way to God is through Jesus alone, by grace though faith, depends upon a false Christ. Why? Because they contradict the clear teachings of the bible. Every belief system, apart from biblical Christianity, teaches that you and I can eventually make ourselves good enough and presentable to God through good works. That we can by following rules and obedience somehow please God enough that we can earn our ticket to heaven.

The bible tells us that "there is none righteous, no, not one(Rom 3:10)." The bible says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God(Rom 3:23)." The bible declares that "all our righteousness's are like filthy rags(Is 64:6)." Any belief system that is teaching us that we can be good enough is a false religion, and is represented by a false Christ. Only through belief in Jesus, and his atoning blood and bodily resurrection, can we be good enough. Other belief systems espouse the spirit of Antichrist, not Jesus Christ.

Wars and Rumors of Wars(v 6)

We the United States are currently involved in 2 separate campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran is ever closer to nuclear capability. Israel is a target of every nation around it. Pakistan and India walk a nuclear tightrope. Russia is becoming aggressive again. China currently fields the largest army in human history, and could deploy far more. Islam wants to conquer by the sword. Nuclear proliferation is everywhere. Terrorism occurs daily. Jesus says these things must occur, and they currently are.

Nation against Nation, Kingdom against Kingdom(v 7a)

Islam against Judaism and Christianity. Islam against every belief system that opposes it's beliefs. Rampant anti-semitism. Genocide based on race or religion. Communism and socialism against capitalism. Government control against freedom. All of these conflicts and many others are the result of the "spiritual warfare" that is raging between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

Famines, Pestilences, Earthquakes(v 7b)

Estimates tell us that at least 100,000 people die every day across the globe due to malnourishment and starvation. Aids, swine flu, bird flu, Ebola, and countless other viruses and infections. Not to even mention the destruction capability of germ or chemical warfare. Just in the last month killer earthquakes in Haiti and Chile with the death tolls still rising. Over 3000 registered earthquakes occur on a yearly basis.

Just the Beginning(v 8)

How close is the return of Jesus Christ? Only He knows, but if we look at the world and conditions around us, we can safely say it could happen anytime. Their is not one prophecy that need be fulfilled for Jesus to return for His church in the rapture and His countdown to His kingdom to begin. The fig tree(Israel) has sprung it's leaves. Israel exists as a nation, the Jews are returning to their land and Jerusalem is their capital.

Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 16:2-4, "...when it is evening you say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red, and in the morning, it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times." So I'll ask you to consider these things, and ask yourself some questions. Are you ready to meet Jesus? Have you been washed by the blood of the Lamb? Can you discern the signs of the times?

The return of Jesus is imminent. That means it will happen. Jesus says He'll come as a "thief in the night." When no one expects Him. Is our world, and you, vigilantly and expectantly looking for the return of the King?

Seeking Justice in an Unjust World

Romans 12:19, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Have you ever been wronged? Treated unfairly? Used and abused? Join the club. No person on earth has not experienced the hurt of another person or persons. Sadly we as human beings have a fallen, sinful nature. And that sinful nature is far to often directed at other people in our lives, or at us by the people we know. When this happens our inner nature cries out for justice, and often revenge. The world tells us that "revenge is a dish best served cold." But if we claim to be a Christian we are held to a far higher standard by our heavenly Father. And how we react to an injustice in our lives is a key indicator as to how closely we are walking with God.

The Example of Joseph

In the book of Genesis we encounter Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph was the favorite son of the patriarch and his wife, and as a result of the favor shown Joseph he was despised by his 10 older brothers.

At first they wanted to kill him, but the oldest brother Reuben stopped that. They compromised and faked Joseph's death and sold him into slavery. Joseph winds up in Egypt in the service of Potiphar, but Potiphar's wife desires Joseph, and when rebuked in her advances falsely accuses Joseph violating her, and Joseph is wrongly imprisoned. While in prison Joseph encounters Pharaoh's former butler an baker. They have both had dreams and Jacob through God interprets their dreams. The baker is to die, but the butler exonerated. The butler tells Joseph he will remember him to Pharaoh, but when released from prison promptly forgets him, and Joseph remains incarcerated. If anyone has ever had a right to want, demand and seek vengeance for the injustice done to him, it was Joseph.

But Joseph walked with God. He did not return evil for evil. Joseph is patient and seeks God and is totally exonerated and elevated to a place of great power in the government of Pharaoh. Later, during a famine that Joseph had prepared the people for, Jacob's family unknowingly comes to him, and Joseph's chance for vengeance on the original perpetrators is presented to him. How does Joseph react? He reacts in love for his family, loving the unlovable, and in time he is proven just by God, and becomes the savior from famine for the whole known world, and his family. Joseph's life is summarized in Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

God's Way

So how are we to deal with those who have wronged us? Romans 12:20-21 tells us, "Therefore, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Joseph in the Old Testament is one of the most exact and poignant pictures of Jesus Christ in the bible. We are all sinners, and in God's economy all sin is against Him, so we have all wronged Him. But instead of seeking immediate vengeance against us, God in His mercy, grace and goodness sent His Son Jesus to this sinful world to provide eternal forgiveness and life for all who will come to Him. And we are to treat those who have wronged us with the same mercy, grace and love God has shown us. That's not an easy thing to do, as the hurt and pain from being wronged is real. But that pain we suffer with is nothing compared to the pain of Jesus as he hung on the cross for us to have the opportunity to be made right with God, in spite of our evil ways.

While the "natural man" inside of us may yearn for immediate justice and even vengeance, we must cede that judgment to God. We live in a world filled with injustice, but we must understand, that until Jesus returns to establish His righteous kingdom, injustice will prevail many times in this sinful world. Those who wrong others may seem to get away with their evil deeds, and may never meet justice here. But one day they will stand before a holy God and will answer for their crimes against God, and us. God says, "Vengeance is Mine." We must let Him work out His plan for justice. Our duty is to pray for and love the one's who have wronged us. If we are to view them, as God viewed us when He sent Jesus, it is the only thing we can do. God's hope for us was to seek forgiveness and repent of our sin, and that must be our hope for our enemies. God will judge eventually, in perfect justice. But His desire is, and ours should be, restoration of the one who has sinned. Not judgment and revenge.