Do my words give an impression of being personally discouraged?
Thanks everyone for your private communiques of encouragement, but the truth I meant to express was my sadness for the terribly sad state of affairs in America; and more specifically, in the Church.
There is gobs of heresy being taught and propagated in the Church today, and the pew-sitters have been lulled to either sleep or complacency. And they can't [seemingly] stomach anymore the "crusty" truths.
I love pizza-bones, but far too many folk just want toppings and sauce. To me there is a rich, earthy, soul-satisfying feel I get whenever I ruminate on those crusts, but the Church appears to only want servings of toppings and sauce... having 'itchy ears' [or palates]. Instead, they've flocked, in Mega-Church numbers, to heretics and charlatans.
And this saddens me.
But it also excites me. Why? Because this is a 'falling away' of sorts. Because Israel has been back in the land ALMOST sixty years... Europe is dropping its internal borders, effectively erasing individual/national lines... Russia is seeking greater power and influence...
Because Jesus is coming soon.
Very soon. And too many people claim to know Christ knowing NOTHING of Christ, and drawing with them countless, unsuspecting though well-meaning followers over the cliffs... Head knowledge, but not heart knowledge. They MUST be born again. But many churches today don't even bother to teach that... the blood has been banished from their catechisms.
A century ago when northern denominations began to spring up in the south, one cotton farmer was asked what he felt about all these different religions. He replied, "there's 5 or more different ways I could take to the cotton gin, but when I get there the man won't ask which road I took. He'll ask, 'how good's yer cotton?'"
Metaphorically speaking, much of the cotton in America is blighted. The only remedy, seemingly, is to burn the fields to prevent any further spread of disease. But that's not going to happen... God's more patient than I am.
And far more loving.
And I'm commanded to compel everyone to the marriage supper... not fire the fields.
That you, and so many others do, is a real threat to the country, and to the world. I mean, isn't it?
How else should I understand you? I confess thatg I do not understand. I know all the Bible verses you do. Why would you WANT to see the end of the world?
1. A future event described as a time when the world will cease to be. 2. An event that will never happen.
ER-- Don't you desire to see Jesus? Aren't you ready for a world filled with His righteousness?
I don't want to see death and destruction, but I do want to see HIS will be done ON EARTH as it is in Heaven. And that necessitates Jesus' return to judge the nations and usher in His millennial reign as King.
There's too much in this life already that I love... and don't want to give up. I hate my imperfections, I hate that I cannot be righteous in and of myself. I hate that sin is still a daily aspect of my life. I want to see Jesus.
By the way, if you knew the same verse I know you'd know the earth will never end.
Luke 1:33
"And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Here's some more for you to look up:
Exodus 15:18
2 Samuel 7:13
2 Samuel 7:16
1 Kings 2:33,45
1 Kings 9:5
1 Chronicles 17:12,14
1 Chronicles 22:10
Psalm 45:6
Psalm 89:4,29,36-37
Psalm 146:10
Isaiah 9:7
Jeremiah 17:25
Lamentations 5:19
Ezekiel 43:7
Micah 4:7
Hebrews 1:8
Revelation 4:9-10
Revelation 11:15
Revelation 22:5
If this is true: "I do want to see HIS will be done ON EARTH as it is in Heaven." ... Then get to work. The kingdom of heaven is AT HAND. Here now. You and I are Christ's arms and legs! Live Micah 6:8! Quit judging others! Love your neighbor! Love your enemy!
If you are sitting around doing nothing but talking about the future, and pining for Jesus' return, then you're failing, brother. Because there IS NO FUTURE with God. It's all NOW.
1 Corinthians 9:22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.
Huh?
Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
And more where that came from!
That sounds nothing like preaching! Or debating. Or blogging, for that matter. It sounds like a lifestyle lived close enough to those who are lost to actrually be able to share life -- life more abundantly, the peace that passes understanding, selfless love, giving of oneself -- SHARE that with someone, "so that by all possible means I might save some" -- not just TELLING them about it.
Faith withouts works is dead, we agree, I'm sure. Telling without sharing any kind of real life with the hearers is, in my opinion, the seed that falls on stony gound, and, I bleive is actually counterproductive.
But we DO have hope for a "Now" we have not yet reached. There's still quite a bit of sting left on the 'skein of time.' And let's be clear: no "sisters" control our weirds, sheers at ready. That is God's pervue(?) alone.
Nonetheless, for someone who exists outside of time... GOD... who sees and experiences (BIG assumption, there) past, present, and future at the same time... who knows what we will understand when the string runs out and we find ourselves clothed in immortality?
Dude. The very idea gives me chills. A hint of awe.
Later. Time to get ready for news....