I'll bet our grandparents.....

I was listening to the news the other day, an activity I try to keep to a minimum in order to limit the number of things I find outrageous each day, and I began to contemplate hazy memories from childhood.

My grandfather and grandmother never addressed me directly about the news items of the day when I was a child.  Whether they thought it too much for a child to comprehend or they didn't want to frighten me or they just considered discussing the news an "adult" activity and it never occurred to them to include children.  But I do remember hearing bits and snatches of their conversations; I do remember a sense of their feelings about the news they read. I remember they were disgusted, disgruntled but that there was an air of "this is how it is and we can't really do anything about it".  Many years later, I would share the message of the Gospel with them, so they could have hope for the future. 

Meanwhile, as I listened to the news of the shooting and subsequent behavior of the citizens from Ferguson, MO and heard about the recovery of the two Amish girls taken from a roadside vegetable stand in New York and sketchy news of the continuing conflicts in Iraq and the uneasy and already broken by Hamas cease fire in Israel - I felt such a sense of urgency for the return of Christ.  Even in the midst of my distress over the state of this world which appears to be moving steadily and swiftly ever downward in a spiral of darkness, evil and immorality, my heart reached upward in HOPE.

Hope that others would hear and believe the saving words of LIFE in the message of the Gospel.

Hope that LIGHT would of course overcome the darkness.

Hope that some would turn to Christ and be saved.

Hope that I myself would not become depressed, as Robin Williams did and gave up on life entirely; but would be inspired to speak LOUDER, share more BOLDLY, proclaim with ever greater FAITH the good news that Christ came to bring a more abundant LIFE to those who put their trust and faith and hope in HIM.

As we recognize the "signs of the times" our response must never be to give up, give in and walk away.
Instead, we are to PRESS IN, GIVE MORE, WALK EVER CLOSER IN OBEDIENCE and even MORE BOLDLY proclaim that Christ Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and this world, fallen and sinful as it it, is His creation, that He loves and gave His life to save.

What's happening in this world, right now, these headlines, these events, are not surprises to God, the Creator, Master and Deliverer of this world He put in place.  He knew it was all coming.

Matthew 24: 3-14
 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

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.

 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.  

And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 

 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

Our hope is not found IN this world, nor in this world suddenly changing and becoming "good" and pleasant to live in.  Our hope is in our ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus with God the Father.

As this world delivers bad news upon bad news, don't be downcast, but look UP, for there is our HOPE!

Seeing the World Around Me

Keeping our hearts with all diligence;
OUT OF IT FLOW THE ISSUES OF LIFE!

When was the last time you took inventory of your heart?  Over the last several months, I've been doing just that activity and discovering some things.  A little good, a little not so good.  The Apostle Paul encourages us to examine our own hearts. Knowing we'd find at least a few things that could use improvement and not wanting this to be exercise in discouragement, he also reminds us that even if our own hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and loves us unconditionally.

I find myself grieving for the times I've let loose a sharp tongue, or been critical when a kind word would have done so much more good.  I also find myself overwhelmingly thankful that Salvation's Joy is mine!  Which spills right over into desiring that Joy to belong to everyone I meet, for I am convinced beyond all doubt that our only hope is in Salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of mankind, who died to pay the penalty of sin for everyone of us, and was raised from the dead for our redemption.  (Right here I find myself shouting ALLELUJAH!)

All that I'll be saying in this post is found in the Bible.  Join us in our two year reading schedule, which will walk you through the entire Bible at a slow and steady pace.  You'll find every bit of this in there, I promise!

Seven years ago January, I became a Grandparent.  Perhaps because in parenthood I was too focused on feeding, clothing, housing, teaching and disciplining my children, I didn't give quite the thought to the world around us as I am now giving to the world my grandchildren are inheriting.

A world where men truly have gone from the somewhat selfish and self serving to the truly narcissistic, thinking nothing of utterly crushing and even killing others on a large and constant scale.  We were warned that men would become "lovers of self".  Selfies anyone?  Another school shooting?  Another random act of violence?  Another and another and another child who will never be allowed to draw breath because mommy doesn't want her body stretched out or her life interrupted?  Daddy isn't ready for responsibility he just wanted the release of sexual tension?  So sorry little human being you are an inconvenience to me Me ME!

One of the first things I taught my sons was to recognize and respect the flag which represents the United States of America.  When did we become a nation that dictates personal choice about the intimate details of our finances, as in forced purchase of health insurance, or the very personal choices concerning our health, as in someone else decides what medical procedures we are entitled to or we don't deserve?  This goes far beyond taxes on our personal incomes.  

We willingly tossed privacy to the wind and began telling the entire world every detail of our lives including what we ate for breakfast and then we protest, every so softly and without any real backbone, the government invading the privacy of our emails and cell phone calls and online posts.  

And "The Church"?  There are those few scattered faithful, but for the most part the church is a social club, based on mans need and want for acceptance with very little if any resemblance to actual saints of the Living God.  We practice a form of godliness but have denied the power and live and worship as if it were all about us Us US while holding up a facade claiming it's all about Jesus. We'll worship as long as it is convenient, doesn't cut into our personal time, or overlap the start of the football game or take too much effort or expect any sacrifice from us that costs more than we're willing to pay.  We'll show up Saturday or Sunday as long as the music entertains us and the message doesn't overly ruffle our feathers.

Well did Isaiah speak when he prophesied "Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”  

And Jeremiah who warned “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord."  Ezekiel, Hosea, Micah, Nahum, Zephania, Zecharia, Habakkuk - all warned of the danger of falling in league with the darkness of the world. Of seeking to befriend a world that hates our Lord and King.

Jesus himself warned "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"  After Matthew chapter 23's description of the full woe to man and religious leaders for their offenses against God, Creator, Master, OWNER OF THE UNIVERSE HE MADE, comes the prophesy of the End Time, when the patience of a long suffering God will be loosed into wrath.  

My Grandparent heart wants my grandchildren to live and grow carefree and happy. My faith shows me that is very unlikely as we enter deeper and deeper into the darkness of a world that has scorned the very God who created her.  

Like the voice of one crying in the wilderness, I cry to those around me, whoever will give ear and listen.  REPENT!  FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!

Our prayer is for those who will listen, that they will be washed in the blood of the lamb and by faith, receive the good news of Salvation and share it with others.  For it most certainly is Gods absolute perfect will that none should perish, but that all should come unto a saving knowledge of the TRUTH.