Excited or Depressed? YOUR CHOICE!

 Tuesday, September 30, 2014

"But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28)  "Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night" (Luke 18:7)

Hey Gang, Are you excited about what God is doing in our world today? or does your blood pressure sky each time you turn on the news?  Do you agree with the old country preacher who shouted from the pulpit, “something's fixing to happen, something's fixing to happen and I am fixing to be part of it?” 

Do you have it firmly tucked away in the recesses of your heart and mind that in the no-too-distant future Jesus will appear suddenly in the air, without warning, to rapture His church and take those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, to the Father's house.        

Notice Malachi's words, "For Behold, the day is coming burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant and every evil doer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the Lord of hosts.  So that it will leave them neither root nor branch.  But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go forth and skip like calves from the stall."  That skipping like a calf, at my tender age of 80, kindles a fire deep in my gizzard.

Does that get your blood to boiling?  Noooo, well read on: "You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says the Lord of Hosts" 

When you read of a sadistic acts of violence that has become very common in our news media's do you not get a wee bit excited when you Malachi's words that "They will one day soon be ashes under the soles of your feet?” 2014 vs 2024!

I challenge you to read the entire book of Habakkuk, all three chapters, four pages; it would take about as long as twitting a message.  Notice he begins by crying out to God, "How long, O Lord, will I call for help and You will not hear."  I believe this has become a common plea as our world gets more violent and that violence gets closer to home.  

He goes on, "Violence, iniquity, wickedness, destruction are before me.  The Law is ignored, justice in not upheld, the wicked surround the righteous, justice is perverted" (verses. 2-4).  Does that not sound like today, like the days of Noah?   God's response, "Look among the nations!  Observe! Be astonished!  Wonder!  Because I am doing something in your days-you would not believe if you were told!”   (verse. 5b)

Choice time!  You can put your faith in the things of this world which is like building your house on the sand or you can follow Habakkuk's example when he said, "Yet I will exult the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength.  And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk in high places"  (verses. 3:18-19).

Soooo my friends, Malachi closes the Old Covenant with a promise that is the desire of my heart: "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers".  (Malachi 4:6)  How I look forward to that day when all the daddies of the world will go home to their children.   My young friends, are you ready to go skipping like a calf this morning?  I ask you again are you excited this morning of what God is doing and going to do?  

Blessings,  Gramps