Many say that either Jesus isn’t coming or that if He does it won’t be any time soon, but what guarantee do they have of this? Why are they so convinced of this line of thought? From what do they draw such conclusions? Is it simply because He hasn’t returned yet so they are quick to assume they are correct, or is it because they simply want to reject it as fantasy or some religious teaching used for the purpose of controlling its followers? Good questions.
Recently I’ve talked to some about the current state and future of our United States of America. Some of these people are professing Christians and some who are not. It is obvious that this country is divided, perhaps even more than it was leading up to the civil war of the late 1800’s. I talk or listen to some who are very concerned about the current state of this country, and even more concerned about its future in light of the direction it is headed in. There are others who see things from a very different perspective. They tend to see only “good” things ahead, but it’s a perspective that is often times short-sighted and self-centered with little understanding of how things will play out or how they conflict with the ways of God.
We live in a time, or at least here in America, where “whatever feels good” or “truth is whatever you BELIEVE it to be” is the ruling school of thought, but this is very dangerous as it attempts to put the ways and wisdom of God on a shelf called “old fashion”. There is little regard for God and His way of seeing things, and in our pride we think we can survive and thrive in the absence of the One who created ALL things. It sounds rather silly if you ask me. It’s as if the stuffed animal we made last summer (no, I didn’t really make one) has the capacity to live and survive independent of us no matter what comes its way. Or the dog we raised from birth decides it doesn’t have to live according to the parameters we have raised in. This is nothing less than absurdity, but that is how people treat the God who created them in the first place.
Like I said, we live in a time when God, and Jesus, His only begotten Son, are being pushed out of practically every area of our lives. Those who continue to embrace Jesus and to follow and serve Him with their lives, they are increasingly being looked down upon as “narrow or closed-minded”, and because of this they are increasingly being viewed as the primary hindrance to ‘peace’ and ‘unity’ for the world. It’s only a matter of time before the God of all creation steps in and makes things right again. America, a country founded and built upon the Judeo-Christian beliefs and values found in the Bible, has been turning its back on God, embracing some of the prominent values and morals that fly in the face of what God has said is right in His sight, and with little concern for the consequences of such behavior.
It has been said many times over the years that God is going to judge America, and I believe we are closer to that judgment than ever before. We as a country are going full-speed as far from God as possible, embracing most everything that is contrary to God. Some of the values we are so aggressively pursuing as a country were the very ones found in Sodom and Gomorrah before God judged it, so why do we think that God won’t judge us?
I was thinking about how America is on the brink of Gods judgment the other night and something came to my mind. The scriptures tell us that as in the days of Noah and Lot so it will be when He returns for His bride. I think the times we are now living in fits that description, and if that is the case then we need to remember what transpired with Noah and Lot. With Noah God was going to not only judge the world but He was going to destroy all humanity, but because Noah was found righteous in Gods sight he and his family were spared by being in the ark God told him to build. With Lot, God was going to judge and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sin and wickedness that prevailed there, but because of Abraham’s intercession God spared Lot and his two daughters by leading them out by angels just as He began to destroy the towns. Yes, Lots wife was initially with Lot when they were leaving, but because she disobeyed Gods instructions and looked back as they were leaving she became a pillar of salt. The point is, and what I’ve been getting at, is if our country is on the verge of receiving Gods judgment then it stands to reason that the rapture of the Bride of Christ, the Church, is that much closer.
Are we more concerned about enjoying the life we have here on earth and its many recreations and entertainments, or are we more concerned about the life God has for us now, and all the more on the other side of eternity? If we are enjoying this life such, or so comfortable that it’s okay if Jesus delays His return, then we need to re-evaluate our relationship with Him and what is truly important to us. Our life with Him and spending eternity with Him should be the “center-piece” of our life, that for which our life revolves around. This is not the time to be playing “patty-cake” or “Russian-roulette” with our relationship with Him and our eternity. One way of determining how important your relationship with Jesus is, and how committed you are to Him, is to take an honest assessment of what is most important to you. A question that each of us should ask ourselves could be, “is there anything that we would choose to hang onto more than being obedient to God, or is there anyone that we are more concerned with what they think or are afraid of offending or losing more than Jesus Himself?” Something else to ask is, if God were to ask you to let go of or to give up something that might even be a good thing, would you be obedient to Him or find a way to hold onto it with some sort of rationalizing or justification? If there is, then this is the time to make a decision for Christ, repent for not having Him be the most important person in your life, and surrender to Him completely.
Time is short! We are living in the days Jesus spoke of that are like the days of Noah and Lot, and with that means the rapture is just around the corner. Don’t “blow this off” and not take it seriously, because if you do you could very well find yourself regretting that more than anything else in your life in the very near future. Please, don’t take that chance!!!!
