I have been sitting here this morning wondering what to post on the blog. Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is difficult. As the weather gets warmer, people are drawn away from their computers and outside into the sunshine. It is a good thing. We spend far too much time on these contraptions. And most of the time is spent frivolously on games and past-times that bear little fruit, if any, and I am just as guilty of this as the next. But having a blog presents an opportunity for voices to be heard, for prayer to be asked, for information to be spread to those who otherwise may not know of circumstances occurring in our troubled world, or encouragement for those who do. And as I sit staring at the screen, I am praying that others find a desire to read our voices that speak of issues so crucial to Christ's church.
There are times when the posts on the blog are not things some people want to read. They may be stories of trials, stories of persecution and requests for prayer, or an attempt to cause our readers to consider the implications of choices. Most readers want to read about the warm and fuzzy part of Christianity instead of the more serious side of the matter. But the blog's intended purpose is to exhort our readers and to encourage them to take part in God's battle over sin. Rather than quarterback from their armchair and sigh over the condition of the church, Christian behavior, or the plight of those we only consider when we read about them, we want our readers to rise to the challenge and join us.
We have been tremendously blessed to live in a time such as this. One might not think so by the turmoil and hopelessness that seems to be rising to a fever pitch around the world. In spite of the fact we live in a nation that God has blessed from its foundation, each of us can probably tell a story of someone they know who is struggling financially, who has lost a job, possibly facing foreclosure on a home, or as one brother in Christ revealed, making a choice to go home rather than be hospitalized for an illness because of a lack of insurance. However, there is no generation that can claim more hope than ours for I, along with many others, believe that ours is the generation that will see the return of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ. This is not the time to discuss why I believe this. Perhaps in another post, and in a combined effort, we can point out Scriptural truths that support this belief. But there is one event that occurred more than sixty years ago that gives us a firm and indisputable defense of our position. Israel once again became a nation on May 14, 1948. And if we remember our Scripture, God promised that once He restored her, He would never disperse His people again (Jeremiah 30 and 31). It is what occurs after this event that should awaken awareness. And once aware, the prophecied events should move everyone to action to help the Lord draw as many sheep into His pen as possible.
Before Jesus was crucified, He warned His disciples of what to expect during the time of the end. In Luke 21, Jesus spoke of signs that would point to His return: earthquakes, nations rising against nations, plagues, famines, pestilence, heavenly events, fear and dread, and persecution. All of these things must take place and prophecy clearly reveals to us they are. As much as we wish He would just simply catch us up, or Rapture us as Christians call it, to be with Him forever, there is a nagging thought in the back of my mind. It is the question of how much Christians will have to see, or perhaps suffer through, before the seven years of Tribulation begins. This is not a comforting thought. As we watch our nation and the world crumble beneath our feet, as we watch every effort being made to remove God from every aspect of society, we often dread what may lie ahead of us. But there is Hope! There is a comforting peace that overrides any dread I may experience. It is the promise God made to Israel and to His church that if we lean on and trust Him during these times, regardless of what the world may bring, eternal salvation is ours.
In the meantime, as you go about your daily chores and play, I hope you will take a moment to hear God's voice speak through this blog and share it with your loved ones. Although the way we perceive time is of no importance to God, there is little time left to remind our friends and family members that eternal salvation can also be theirs if they choose to believe. That is the main purpose behind this internet sensation. We are rapidly approaching the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our desire is that all who stop by here will respond to what they read and react.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.
There are times when the posts on the blog are not things some people want to read. They may be stories of trials, stories of persecution and requests for prayer, or an attempt to cause our readers to consider the implications of choices. Most readers want to read about the warm and fuzzy part of Christianity instead of the more serious side of the matter. But the blog's intended purpose is to exhort our readers and to encourage them to take part in God's battle over sin. Rather than quarterback from their armchair and sigh over the condition of the church, Christian behavior, or the plight of those we only consider when we read about them, we want our readers to rise to the challenge and join us.
We have been tremendously blessed to live in a time such as this. One might not think so by the turmoil and hopelessness that seems to be rising to a fever pitch around the world. In spite of the fact we live in a nation that God has blessed from its foundation, each of us can probably tell a story of someone they know who is struggling financially, who has lost a job, possibly facing foreclosure on a home, or as one brother in Christ revealed, making a choice to go home rather than be hospitalized for an illness because of a lack of insurance. However, there is no generation that can claim more hope than ours for I, along with many others, believe that ours is the generation that will see the return of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ. This is not the time to discuss why I believe this. Perhaps in another post, and in a combined effort, we can point out Scriptural truths that support this belief. But there is one event that occurred more than sixty years ago that gives us a firm and indisputable defense of our position. Israel once again became a nation on May 14, 1948. And if we remember our Scripture, God promised that once He restored her, He would never disperse His people again (Jeremiah 30 and 31). It is what occurs after this event that should awaken awareness. And once aware, the prophecied events should move everyone to action to help the Lord draw as many sheep into His pen as possible.
Before Jesus was crucified, He warned His disciples of what to expect during the time of the end. In Luke 21, Jesus spoke of signs that would point to His return: earthquakes, nations rising against nations, plagues, famines, pestilence, heavenly events, fear and dread, and persecution. All of these things must take place and prophecy clearly reveals to us they are. As much as we wish He would just simply catch us up, or Rapture us as Christians call it, to be with Him forever, there is a nagging thought in the back of my mind. It is the question of how much Christians will have to see, or perhaps suffer through, before the seven years of Tribulation begins. This is not a comforting thought. As we watch our nation and the world crumble beneath our feet, as we watch every effort being made to remove God from every aspect of society, we often dread what may lie ahead of us. But there is Hope! There is a comforting peace that overrides any dread I may experience. It is the promise God made to Israel and to His church that if we lean on and trust Him during these times, regardless of what the world may bring, eternal salvation is ours.
In the meantime, as you go about your daily chores and play, I hope you will take a moment to hear God's voice speak through this blog and share it with your loved ones. Although the way we perceive time is of no importance to God, there is little time left to remind our friends and family members that eternal salvation can also be theirs if they choose to believe. That is the main purpose behind this internet sensation. We are rapidly approaching the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our desire is that all who stop by here will respond to what they read and react.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.
