Luke 3:17 - His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.
Before technology, threshing was how grain and chaff were separated. It began with severe beating of the grain. When there was only a combination of grain and chaff, they were both tossed into the air on a windy day. It was called winnowing. The chaff, being lighter than the grain, would be taken away by the wind leaving the grain of wheat to fall to the ground. This is much like how God prepares us. He tosses us in to situations so that more of our chaff is removed, producing the heart of the grain that is fuller and healthier. It's good that He does this.
Our country, this world, are in turmoil. Wars and rumors of war abound. Will North Korea attack? What's going on with China? Why is the US turning upside down (as far as some believe)? Where does Russia, the EU, NATO fit into the plans for the return of Christ? Even our own lives can be in confusion, as I have experienced these past few days. Why is this happening? How does this fit into God's plan for my life?
God is shaking us. He is about to do something in this world and/or in us. In His eyes Christians are being tested and refined, separated like wheat from the chaff. He wants to see the chaff removed not only from our own lives, but the world. We as individuals and the world are at the threshing floor.
We have heard that the Lord will return someday. We've heard what the last days will be like. We also know we cannot know the day or hour. However, as the Lord would desire, we must keep our eyes on what's happening in the world--read the signs. In the process He will sift us to determine who will remain steadfast, like the wheat after having landed on the ground, or who will scoff, being separated and eventually burned like the chaff. (Like heaven or hell...which do you choose?) Will we be ready? Will we know the signs of His return?
I would much rather err side of safety and believe than to be altogether clueless or unbelieving, scoffing. True, people in the past have prophesied the return of Christ and have been totally wrong. If someone tells you that Christ will return on a certain date at at certain time in a certain year, don't believe them. Just know that He will be returning--it could be today, tomorrow or 100 years from now--but if we die--and that could be today, tomorrow or 10 years from now--and we have not asked Jesus into our lives and submitted to His sovereignty, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That may sound narrow minded, but Jesus Himself tells us "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." I hope to be counted as the "few."
God is who He says He is and if He has said something will happen, it will. I cannot go on with my life believing nothing will happen soon. I want to be prepared. I want to know that I will be part of the wheat and not the chaff. This is tough love, God's way. You must believe the love of God is so strong for all people. He chastens whom He loves. I want my spiritual ears and eyes to be ready for the final call. When the LORD calls, like the wheat, those who believe, who are steadfast in Him, will see the rewards of their chastening and separation. Let us allow the shaking to take place in our lives.
Before technology, threshing was how grain and chaff were separated. It began with severe beating of the grain. When there was only a combination of grain and chaff, they were both tossed into the air on a windy day. It was called winnowing. The chaff, being lighter than the grain, would be taken away by the wind leaving the grain of wheat to fall to the ground. This is much like how God prepares us. He tosses us in to situations so that more of our chaff is removed, producing the heart of the grain that is fuller and healthier. It's good that He does this.
Our country, this world, are in turmoil. Wars and rumors of war abound. Will North Korea attack? What's going on with China? Why is the US turning upside down (as far as some believe)? Where does Russia, the EU, NATO fit into the plans for the return of Christ? Even our own lives can be in confusion, as I have experienced these past few days. Why is this happening? How does this fit into God's plan for my life?
God is shaking us. He is about to do something in this world and/or in us. In His eyes Christians are being tested and refined, separated like wheat from the chaff. He wants to see the chaff removed not only from our own lives, but the world. We as individuals and the world are at the threshing floor.
We have heard that the Lord will return someday. We've heard what the last days will be like. We also know we cannot know the day or hour. However, as the Lord would desire, we must keep our eyes on what's happening in the world--read the signs. In the process He will sift us to determine who will remain steadfast, like the wheat after having landed on the ground, or who will scoff, being separated and eventually burned like the chaff. (Like heaven or hell...which do you choose?) Will we be ready? Will we know the signs of His return?
I would much rather err side of safety and believe than to be altogether clueless or unbelieving, scoffing. True, people in the past have prophesied the return of Christ and have been totally wrong. If someone tells you that Christ will return on a certain date at at certain time in a certain year, don't believe them. Just know that He will be returning--it could be today, tomorrow or 100 years from now--but if we die--and that could be today, tomorrow or 10 years from now--and we have not asked Jesus into our lives and submitted to His sovereignty, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That may sound narrow minded, but Jesus Himself tells us "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." I hope to be counted as the "few."
God is who He says He is and if He has said something will happen, it will. I cannot go on with my life believing nothing will happen soon. I want to be prepared. I want to know that I will be part of the wheat and not the chaff. This is tough love, God's way. You must believe the love of God is so strong for all people. He chastens whom He loves. I want my spiritual ears and eyes to be ready for the final call. When the LORD calls, like the wheat, those who believe, who are steadfast in Him, will see the rewards of their chastening and separation. Let us allow the shaking to take place in our lives.
God's definition of "the wicked" are those who have rejected Him, who have scoffed, who have chosen to believe that all this Jesus stuff is nonsense. A strong word from an Old Testament prophet tells us in a similar way to the wheat and the chaff:
Malachi 4:1 - "For behold the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch."
See the Roman Road discussion on the right of this blog.....
At first glance, I thought you were going to write about Elvis!!! You are so right, Laurie, I am being shaken and pruned and all that, because, we don't have time to sit around on our duffs...there is work to be done!
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