It seems the flags around town fly at half-staff more often than not these days.
Between the bombing, 9/11 remembrances, and shootings, the stars and stripes just can't seem to get to the top of the flag pole and stay there.
Between the bombing, 9/11 remembrances, and shootings, the stars and stripes just can't seem to get to the top of the flag pole and stay there.
Evil is ever present. Followers of satan kill innocent bystanders.
It is tragic. Yet, it is not a shocking revelation. God warned His children what was coming.
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." -II Timothy 3:1-5
All of His warnings have arrived. Very present. Very heartbreaking. Very real.
This is war, folks. Not the tanks rolling down the street, bombing kind of war; although we have that, too; this is a spiritual battle that is far, far more destructive.
It has eternal consequences.
The tactics of the leader follow no international rules of war, no Geneva Convention.
Deceit is the name of his game.
Everyone, and I do mean everyone---the school teacher in a classroom, the al Qaeda element and Assad's forces in Syria, the follower of Christ, the believer (There is a difference between believing and following--a person can believe, yet choose not to follow.), the non-believer, the homeless, the wealthy, the poor, the old, the young---everyone has something at stake in this fight.
I don't have all the answers.
I mess up.
I'm confused about some stuff.
I don't completely understand how God is going to work all this out come Judgment Day.
But, I do know He is coming back. We will all be judged. He will gather the faithful and cast away the unrighteous.
He promised.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
-Acts 17:30-31
He has given us the guidelines.
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." -Mark 16:16
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -II Timothy 2:15
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." -II Peter 1:3-11
It is tragic. Yet, it is not a shocking revelation. God warned His children what was coming.
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." -II Timothy 3:1-5
All of His warnings have arrived. Very present. Very heartbreaking. Very real.
This is war, folks. Not the tanks rolling down the street, bombing kind of war; although we have that, too; this is a spiritual battle that is far, far more destructive.
It has eternal consequences.
The tactics of the leader follow no international rules of war, no Geneva Convention.
Deceit is the name of his game.
Everyone, and I do mean everyone---the school teacher in a classroom, the al Qaeda element and Assad's forces in Syria, the follower of Christ, the believer (There is a difference between believing and following--a person can believe, yet choose not to follow.), the non-believer, the homeless, the wealthy, the poor, the old, the young---everyone has something at stake in this fight.
I don't have all the answers.
I mess up.
I'm confused about some stuff.
I don't completely understand how God is going to work all this out come Judgment Day.
But, I do know He is coming back. We will all be judged. He will gather the faithful and cast away the unrighteous.
He promised.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
-Acts 17:30-31
He has given us the guidelines.
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." -Mark 16:16
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -II Timothy 2:15
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." -II Peter 1:3-11
He has given us fair warning.
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived..." -II Corinthians 6:9a
God wants each and every one of us. He is not gleefully waiting to dole out eternal destruction. It grieves Him greatly. He has left the choice up to the individual. We must be the ones to reach out and take hold of the salvation He freely offers.
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." -II Peter 3:9
I, for one, do not want to end up on the losing side.
I don't know how many people read my blog; but, if someone is reading it, let me just say, I don't want you to end up on the losing side, either.
Please, I beg you---ask questions ["...They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." -Acts 17:11b], study, seek, honestly examine your life and actions, find the narrow gate.
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." -Matthew 7:13-14
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." Ephesians 6:10-18
1 comment:
Love this Holly. Thank you for your encouragement and boldly speaking the Word.
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