November 27, 2015

They Will Know That I Am the Lord!

 “Therefore, I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1).

 Hay Gang:  There is no question that our nation is a mess and getting messier each and every day and it appears, at this moment that, if God does not intervene in a mighty way, soon the days will continue to get darker. But!  Neat word “but” God’s Word is very clear and filled with words of encouragement and reasons to be thankful.  I would guess that each of you had a good meal, in fellowship with loved ones, and in a warm house; something that many brothers and sisters in Christ did not have this Thanksgiving Day.

 The days are growing darker but there are some things the world cannot take away: Jesus Christ is same today as He was yesterday and He continues to stand at the door of our hearts asking permission to come in and sup with us.  The gift of Jesus Christ, His death on the cross and His resurrection to redeem you and me has not changed one iota.  Is that not awesome?

 In Ezekiel thirty six, verses twenty one through the end of the chapter, we read that our God is a sovereign God.  I have a hard time with that word, sovereign, because we have no role models in our lives that qualify as sovereign. My dictionary tells me that sovereign means “having supreme rank, power, authority, greatest is degree, utmost and extreme.”   Isaiah eleven, one through nine, give us the description of such a person. We read in Luke 1:30-31, who this person is: “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus”.

 In the world in which we are living, in the insanity by which we find ourselves encompassed, we must remind ourselves that our sovereign God is above and beyond all the craziness.  Again I emphasize that our God does not change! He remains a steady anchor! He is our refuge and strength!  Under His wings we have protection.

 It was recently reported that the number one mental health issue today is anxiety and fear.  (written 10 years ago!)  Being the nervous type, if I did not believe God was sovereign, I would be “fit to be tied and locked away.” I would be going to bed each night unable to fall asleep. I would be going crazier by the day, with no end in sight to my despair. Instead, I go to bed each night and Awake the next morning with a song of thanksgiving on my lips.

 Why? Because God is sovereign! It is our sovereign God who puts men and women in power and removes them from power.  I peeked- history is going to end exactly as God has determined it will end.  Look again at Ezekiel 36:22 “Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went”.  Do you think that applies to America as well?  I suspect that it does.

 Deterioration and decay is not new; it has been with each generation since Eve took a bite out of the apple. American culture has been decaying for more than a half-century and has reached the point of moral bankruptcy. Our value system has run amok. Isaiah 5:20 says:

 “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Is this not where America is today? Morals once cherished have been placed in the trash heaps.  Faith in the God of the Bible is ridiculed. And yet, I still have hope!   Why? I have read the final chapter.  “That God loved me so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a hideous cross that I might be freed from the bondage of sin and at that moment when I said, “Lord I commit my heart and soul to you”, my name was recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life and I will one day be included in the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.  (read Titus 2:11-15) 

   I believe one day, very soon, Abba Father will say to Son, Yeshua, “Go for it”.  Go and bring Your Bride home.  Wow, come Lord Jesus!  Oh, keep in mind when He does come, the door closes.  Make sure your witness is strong today.

 Blessings,  Gramps