Life Here and There

Stare at that picture…

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As Isaiah put it, God’s ways are above our ways, and His thoughts are above our thoughts. He is holy, transcendent, distinct, and set apart from us. And He is, as Noah put it, the “Judge of all the earth,” and He will “do right.”

But we often answer wrongly on His behalf. Let me say that I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t always explain things well. As a Pastor, I always like to think I have an answer, which sometimes prevents me from being honest enough to say, “I don’t have a clue why God has decided this, but He is right.”

Here are some reasons why God’s judgment is such a tough subject…

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Al Mohler published a blog article today entitled Is the Abortion Argument Changing?. It’s excellent. At the end, he references a sermon by Russell Moore that makes the argument that Joseph (Jesus’ step-father) was a “single-issue evangelical.”

I’m fairly progressive. I’m quite forward-thinking. But when it comes to the issue of life in relationship to politics, elections, legislation, etc., abortion is still a deal-breaker for me. Am I a narrow-minded single-issue evangelical? Absolutely. Why? Because the whole time we’re focused on…

• The environment.
• Unemployment.
• Taxes.
• Welfare.
• Healthcare.
• The war.
• Foreign relations.
• The economy.
• Defense.
• New energy sources.

God is focused on the innocent. He always has been. He always will be. We can say “just look beyond this one issue.” As far as I’m concerned, that’s like asking the guy who is having a heart attack to focus on his runny nose. We have a problem for which God will surely pour out His wrath. They are ultimately his babies, after all.

And here’s another point: Abortion IS Racism! Read or watch…

Today, Jesus got an ovation, and it was awesome! There is something about applause during a sermon that makes me extremely uncomfortable in my own skin, yet today it was highly appropriate. The verse was Revelation 1:7, a strange text for Christmas Eve, though very appropriate when the context is compared to the night before the first Christmas.

John relates the truth of the second coming of Christ to a lost world. Billions of Christ-rejectors will “wail because of him” on the day when “every eye shall see him.” Then John closes the verse with the words “Even so, Amen!” Jesus is coming. Everyone will see Him. Most will wail. Let it be so!

I can’t help but believe that we are on the eve of the second coming of Jesus Christ. In fact, I believe a heightened expectancy of His return should mark the committed Christian life. I would further describe this expectancy as anticipation, the kind you felt on Christmas eve just before going to sleep for a long winter’s night.

On the other hand, I realize the terror that will wash over the world when He comes. Imagine the turmoil of a world which lost millions of Christians unexplainably, especially considering that millions wearing the Christian label were also left behind and a few not found in church on Sunday vanished away.

Imagine a world that has experienced seven years of the harsh wrath of God toward sin. Economic upheaval, worldwide famine and disease, political tyranny will have dominated the news. Then… the sovereign God sends His Warrior-King to fully and finally disseminate His justice. The whole earth will issue forth a funeral lament. Why in the world would John say “Amen!” to this kind of an event?

Believers in Christ get to say “so be it” to the return of Christ because all of the injustices committed against us from the persecution of the Caesars to the Sudan will be avenged at last. Righteousness will rule. Our redemption, which currently “draweth nigh” will be full. And more than all of these, our Lord will be glorified when “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of the Father.”

We are on the eve of His coming, as was the world in 4 b.c. Do you want to applaud? Repent? Believe? Say Amen? It all depends on where you stand with the God of the universe. He’s coming tomorrow, why not invite Him into your life today? Receive Him and say, “Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus!”

On August 30, ABC News aired a special edition of 20/20 entitled The Last Days on Earth. I tuned in for only the final fifteen minutes in which they were discussing the last three of seven ominous threats to the human race, including nuclear war, plagues, and global warming.

Amazingly, all of these threats and others are foretold in Scripture. There are days coming that will include famine, pestilence, natural disasters, wars, and a spiritual drought that the world has never seen before. These events will not be created by man alone, however. God Himself will be working behind the scenes to judge the world for sin.

One scientist on the program concluded with glee that we are living in the first generation of history that actually gets to decide the future of our planet. How wrong could he be? In fact, it is our prideful assumption that we are in control that will help to provoke God’s wrath and judgment toward our sins.

The conclusion of the scientists had everything to do with working to preserve the planet, but nothing to do with recognizing the God of the universe and repenting before Him. Aren’t you glad that believers in Christ can think beyond the “end of the world” as we know it to an age of total peace under the reign and rule of King Jesus? And aren’t you glad that He’s promised us a never-ending home in the heavens?

Are you prepared to meet eternity head-on? It is sure to meet you sooner than you might realize!

“For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”—Revelation 6:17

There is coming a day when all of humanity, in due course, will stand at the great judgment bar of God and give an account for what they’ve done with Jesus and for how they’ve invested their lives for Him. Who can stand the scrutiny of that day? Only those who stand, robed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. All others will be naked and ashamed.

In the early years of the space program, rockets would continually burn up upon re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. Finally scientists realized that there was tremendous heat caused by friction from the speed of the vessel. So they created special plates that would withstand the heat and clothed the ship with them. Now mankind, when shielded by that protective exterior may pass through the outer limits of earth’s atmosphere unharmed.

We ought to be about the desperate business today of preparing people for the fire of God’s judgment. Those around us who don’t receive Christ here will suffer the wrath of God. People will spend eternity in hell. I fear that the gravity of this truth is often the last thought we want to entertain, so we fill our minds and our time with other concerns and entertainments. But the truth remains, judgment will fall. Jesus will come again as the great Conqueror and King.

Will you be able to stand that judgment? Will those around you? Let’s get busy telling others about the Savior and coming King, Jesus Christ.

Let me share with you some personal fears of mine, rational or otherwise. I have a fear of wasps. After doing a little yard work, it seems that Northwest Arkansas (or at least Bethel’s property) is infested with the big red angry ones. My Dad once told me “If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.” Yeah right, Dad…

I’m also afraid of embarrassing myself in a softball game. Though I’ve proven to be mediocre at best, at least I did not do any belly-flops-while-rounding-the-bases this past Tuesday night. Another fear for me is oversleeping and missing something important at church… like church! If you haven’t heard already, I arrived at our Tuesday morning Men’s Bible study 25 minutes late after a sunrise panic attack when my alarm clock did not go off. We all have to face most of our fears sometimes. Now let me share a wonderful word with you…

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” -1 John 4:18

In context, John is describing the wonderful effect of God’s love upon us as we face the inevitability of standing before God someday. His point is that God’s love frees us from the fear of God’s judgment. God’s powerful love throws, with intense violence, our fear to the side and allows us to live in boldness.

When you are afraid, whether it be of wasps or witnessing, rest in the love of God for you. If you’ve received Jesus Christ as Savior, God’s wrath toward your sin was abated when Jesus died on the cross. You are forgiven! The truth of His love sets us free.

If you’ve never been saved, then you need to fear God, to fear death, and to view eternity with trepidation. Thankfully, God offers freedom from fear to all who will place their full trust in Jesus alone as Savior. You need only to turn to Jesus and ask Him to save you once and for all to have your ultimate fear eternally laid to rest.