What’s the Answer?

C. Hayden 6-10-20

                Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Well country singer Lynn Anderson recorded a song most of us probably remember entitled “Rose Garden.”  While you may not remember it at first, I bet you will recall it the moment I state the first line of the song’s chorus.  The tune echo’s the sentiment that things will not always be fun and games. The chorus of the song goes like this:  “I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden.  Along with the sunshine there’s gotta be a little rain some time…”

Well I think most of us would agree, that even though we have had a few years of sunshine, we are in a rainy season now as our country has been facing one difficult situation after another.  With struggling through the pandemic and now protests crossing our nation, the question has surface, what’s next? Well I am still waiting for the killer hornets to make an appearance? 

                So what can we do?  First let me just say, we will never be able to stop problems from happening.  Tribulation will come.  We are not going to be able to solve all our problems by:

1. Money – Throwing more money at things never seems to work

2. Education – The more we know the more we realize we don’t know

3. Uniting – Unity is great but without God it is folly (remember the tower of Babel?)

4. Politics – I think we all realize that no matter who is in office, no one is ever satisfied

5. Begging – Appealing to everyone’s good nature?! Good luck with that

So what is the answer?  Two things I know. We will always have problems, and secondly, we will never be able to solve all of our problems in our own flesh.  We need Jesus and we need the power of the Holy Spirit!  We live in a broken world with broken people living in it.  No amount of community organizing will ever fix that.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not against the community working together to make a broken world continue to run, but only God Himself will be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together every time he falls.  Zechariah 4:6 says that it is not by our might or our power, but it is by His Spirit. Only through Him the world can ever hope to be fixed.  We must turn back to God as a nation.  Only then can true progress take place.  We will have more on this subject in two weeks.

Be blessed even more,

Pastor Chris

Interesting Times

1. Hayden 2-10-20

We sure do live in interesting times. With news of the impeachment acquittal behind us, the upheaval in the relationship change among European nations (Brexit), the rising angst surrounding our next election, proposals for peace in the Middle East on the table, and now with a 10-week extension of professional football through the newly formed XFL, we are left to wonder what is next around the corner. Well what is next around the corner? It is not always clear what may be lurking just beyond eyesight and earshot, but we certainly are experiencing an increasing interest in apocalyptic knowledge. Many people are asking, what in the world is going on?

David Jeremiah, one of the foremost and well respected teacher of end-time events released a book in 1992 entitled, “The Handwriting on the Wall: Secrets From the Prophecies of Daniel.” In this offering Dr. Jeremiah reveals the Prophet Daniel and his cry to the children of Israel about what God is revealing to His people, just around the next corner. However, Daniel’s apocalyptic vision was not released only for the benefit of his generation. The Book of Daniel translates to our generation as well and begs a very important question. Do we see the handwriting on the wall? As Dr. Jeremiah puts it, “This is a time when all of God’s people need to keep their eyes and their Bibles wide open. We must ask God for discernment as never before.”

Well this is why end-time prophecy and Biblical revelation of future events are so important. Biblical prophecy helps us foster a sense of urgency in regards to taking our faith to those who do not know Christ. Quoting the good Dr. Jeremiah one more time, “My study of prophecy convinces me that God intends knowledge of future events to help us ‘occupy’ with a sense of urgency until the Lord returns.” Throughout Scripture we are told to “keep watch for you do not know the day or hour of your Master’s return” (Mark 13:35). The fact that we do not know when Christ is coming back should never give us a feeling that we have plenty of time to share our faith with others (or to receive Christ for ourselves), but that we may not have enough time for the Lord may be on the cusp of His return! Do you have that sense of urgency that time is slipping away and Christ may be returning just around the next corner? Interesting times indeed!

Be blessed even more!!

Pastor Chris