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| Gross darkness even now covers the world. Photos courtesy of UnSplash |
In light of current worldwide events in which the world seems to be going crazy right before our eyes, how are people handling all of this? Views and reactions seem to range from fear to hatred to total indifference and everything in between, depending upon whose report you have been listening to the most. The current pandemic is compounded with increased human violence, not to mention the increasing instability of the natural world with earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and geo-engineered weather, etc., also increasing in frequency [for lists also check out Wikipedia natural disasters]. Even the sun is at the end of an 11 year cycle which could presage a solar drought “reminiscent of the Maunder Minimum period of 1645-1715” that would signal a “Little Ice Age” such as happened at the same time as the solar drought at the turn of the 18th century according to a Washington Post article.
According to whichever media you listen to, the world-at-large projects doom and gloom while simultaneously encouraging you to look at some few incidents of kindness that direct you to think and believe that it's all going to be okay. The media and the powers that be would tell us that mankind can fix this. It may take a long time to resolve, but just wait for the vaccine that will soon be made available and will make everything okay, and meanwhile wear a mask all the time, keep your distance from others, and stay home like good little citizens and everything will turn out all right. Have as little physical contact as possible. Focus on the good things, don't believe all the 'bad things' you hear; let the government and mainstream media guide your understanding, as well as provide you with billions/trillions of dollars of government aid that few seem to understand is meant to make you dependent upon your government so you can be more easily controlled; and above all be hopeful that we can all weather this storm together. Everyone's B.S. Meters ought to be off the charts.
Ummmm....excuse me. Is anyone reading their Bible or believing what it says?
Obviously, this message is intended for believers in Jesus Christ worldwide; to those who consider themselves to be a part of the body of Christ even if only in a vague way.
1 Corinthians 2:13-15 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
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God's judgments are targeted,
only doing what He specifically desires. |
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Peter wrote this in the beginning of the first century. It would seem God has been dealing with the church for two millennia as evidenced by famines, pestilences, earthquakes, storms, etc., throughout the last 2,000 years! God is not always going to strive with man. There is a time limit on this. We are in the beginning of sorrows that Jesus talked about in Matthew 24. Who is recognizing the signs of the times?
Understand
the time in which we live. Psalm 30:5 quoted below talks about joy coming in the morning after the night of weeping. Morning has not arrived yet. Darkness
is covering the face of the earth. Now is the time for repentance and
returning to God, not for joy and revelry. It is now time for calling
upon our Creator while He may yet be found. It is a time for weeping in repentance for our hard-heartedness and coldness towards God, both as a church and individually; for our lack of
obedience to His Word; for throwing out parts of His Word and
declaring them null and void because of a lack of understanding of God's “grace,” when in truth
His grace has been at work since before the foundations of the world
were put in place; for our adulterous co-mingling with the world until no one can
tell the difference between the godly and the ungodly. Now is the time to repent of our Laodicean attitude of lukewarmness towards God that He might not vomit us out of His mouth. Revelation 3:14-22
We are called to be holy as our God is holy. We are called to be a peculiar people, set apart unto God. How are we doing with that?
Deuteronomy 26:18-19 18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
The
Bible—the Word of God—is still as valid today as it has ever
been. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
God has not changed. He is Holy, Righteous, and Just in all of
His ways, including His judgments, which in truth are full of mercy, grace, and compassion. However, the cup of His wrath towards the ungodly is almost full. This includes and begins with His people are wandering about in the world doing what the world does and thinking like the world thinks. We have been lulled into a sense of safety that God's wrath is still far off; that His longsuffering will last way into the future; therefore, we need not get in any hurry; we can frolic with the world a while longer. Unfortunately, we have been blinded to His truth having inherited lies from previous generations. NOW is the accepted day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 6 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Recognize that we
are in a war and there is an adversary who hates everyone and
everything, but especially he
hates God and His people. Without the grace and power of God in play
we cannot defeat the enemy. The greatest tools we have available to
us are obedience to the laws of God and the Blood of Jesus. If we in
any way deny those things, we are lost, unable to lead anyone else to
Jesus for redemption and salvation. We, the church, have lost our way
and succumbed to the lies, doubt, and unbelief dangled before us by
the adversary—the devil, Satan, Lucifer, whatever you choose to
call him—and we, and the generations before us—have risen to the
bait like hungry fish, swallowing hook, line, and sinker the lies placed so invitingly before us. The church has become the perfect picture of the blind
leading the blind further into the darkness.
God
is our Creator, our heavenly Father, and He disciplines those whom He
loves. Judgment is the discipline. It comes out of the Father's
loving grace, compassion, and mercy. Judgment/discipline demands a
response—a correct response, i.e., turning from our spiritual
adultery and fornication with the ungodly in the world, and returning to
He Who made us, Who loves us, even in the midst of our defection and abandonment of Him and His laws.
As
surely as the Lord disciplined His people as has been written in the
Scriptures for our example, He is NOW disciplining His people today. 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; [All of this is currently happening somewhere in the world today and and in the past as it has been recorded all throughout Scripture.] 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
God does NOT rejoice in evil. Just as He used the ungodly nations around His people back then to
discipline them, even so is He doing today. As long as the church
stubbornly continues in its gross sinning with the ungodly, refusing to
fall on our faces before the Living God; as long as we ignore His
call, refusing to seek His face with a repentant heart and turn from
our wicked ways, things are only going to get worse.
Nahum 1:3 The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
Joel 2:12-14 12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The
Lord has continually pleaded with His people to do what is right, to
repent and return to Him that we may be healed and walk in the
covenant blessings that He has provided to us throughout all of
history as we know it. Hear what the Spirit is saying. We are in a
covenant with the Lord. Through Christ we are the seed of Abraham, who received the covenant promises of God by faith and are now co-heirs with Christ, Who paid the
ultimate price for our redemption and restoration back into covenant relationship with God.
God's covenant carries within it
what I call “the IF factor.” IF my people who are called by by
name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways, then will I heal their land. IF you love Me, keep my commands,
do that which is right in My sight. IF you obey my commands... IF you
will follow My ways.... The IF factor requires a correct response.
IF we will return to Him and obey His laws and commands and statutes,
morning will come bringing with it the joy.
Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Those
of the body who remain focused on Him, who do their faithful best by
the Holy Spirit and the Word to walk in obedience to God, remaining
under the cover of the Blood of Jesus, can even now have a deep joy
at the signs of our Returning Bridegroom-King, whilst also weeping for the
lost and dying yet wandering out in the world. We have a job to do.
We have a purpose on the earth. We have an identity as sons of God in
the earth, here to do God's will, not our own. We are here for God's
pleasure, not for our own or comfort.
If you don't understand what is being written here, you are spiritually deaf and blind. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your ears to hear and to open the eyes of your understanding that you may discern what the Spirit is saying to the church. Recognize the signs of the
time. Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand, even now knocking at
the door.
What response will we make? Whom will we choose to obey?
Whose report are we going to believe? There are only two choices
available—disobedience that will land us in hell OR obedience
that will bring us Life eternal.
May we choose wisely.
