Hard Words?

Isaiah 25:7 - And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

I truly do long for this day. A day when the earth will see God for who He really is. That will be a day when every knee will bow and tongue confess Him as Lord. I do not like the idea, however, that for many that veil will be forced off, their knees forced down, and their tongues forced to confess. I don't like the idea because God has made Himself so evident that it's hard not to notice to the world...in His creation.

Isaiah was painting a pretty hard picture, similar to that which John painted in the book of Revelation. The last days won't be pretty. Today days for true Christians aren't pretty either. We see the writing on the wall where others ignore it. We see the signs in the unrest in the nations. We see the signs of the growing immorality in our own country...apart from the world. And we can guess what's in store. We know it won't get better.

Television, movies, skewed education, crime, addictions, abandonment of God, ease at which people lie, steal, consider themselves better than the next, lack of respect, shoving, pushing, me, me, me. Can it get any worse? Yes...period. And who do we cling to when the uneasiness of the days ahead begin? Jesus first...then like-minded people. 

And as we see these things play out we who truly know Christ can know that the Lord's return is near. For those faithful followers He will: ... swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken (Isaiah 25:8).

Yes, the LORD has spoken. Many times. It will be both a sad and joyous day for followers of Christ. We know some will remain stubborn to His call till the very end. That will be the sadness. Those who will not listen, who choose to ignore the "voice of one crying in the wilderness (of life) prepare ye the way of the Lord." (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23)

He is coming whether one chooses to believe it or not. Some words are harder than others to hear. There are still a lot of hard words I need to hear. And I pray they would be spoken. Maybe this is a word for me today. I really would much rather have written something light and encouraging. But.....

Our churches have gotten soft. Yes, Jesus loves, He saves, He forgives, but He also judges. What makes us think we can live whatever way we desire...drink to excess, spend like there's no tomorrow, use God's name in vain just because, and do all the things that once were considered morally wrong because times have changed and we need to just "get over it."

God has not changed. He does not change. He will never change. (Malachi 3:6, Revelation 1:8). It is we who have changed. I once believed that because the majority of the world thought a certain way, lived a certain way that God would not judge those people's lifestyles. How wrong I was.

There is a narrow road that God wants us to travel and He has told us few will travel that road. I look at family, friends, acquaintances and if I think hard enough on the subject I wonder how many will find that narrow road? How many will ignore His call? How many will think they are saved just because they have always gone to church, think they are basically good people, freely donate to worthy causes, have this "belief" in some god/God or think they "know" Jesus? No matter what I say they might still think I'M the weird one, the one who has it all wrong, the one whose words are filled with judgment.

But they are NOT my words!! It only takes a little time picking up the Word of God and finding this out. In among the judgment there is love and comfort. In fact, love came first. Love and encouragement are those things that come when you first seek God. They aren't just given to you, although it may seem life is good without having to be part of God's family.

The enemy never lets us see his wickedness. It comes silently and through enticing means. I ask you, who would follow evil if it looked evil? And yet he has told us the biggest lie of all...that Jesus is a crutch, that following Him is a waste of time, that we can live our own lives unencumbered and still be happy. Oh, sure, happy in this world, but what about after death? What happiness will we have then? There is a narrow road, folks. Satan would have us believe his wide road filled with "whatever you want" is best, offers more in life (but really less in death), than the "boring" morality of a life in Christ.

So, it's your choice to make. I can only say so much. The Word tells it like it is. The Word is Jesus. Jesus is the narrow Way, the narrow Truth, the narrow Life. What more can I say? It's a hard word but it must be said...again and again and again.

It's not about going to church every week, confessing sins and walking out the door living whatever way one desires after that. It's not about praising God one day a week and using His name irreverently the next...or even once outside the church doors. It's not about your denomination because to God there is no separation other than good and evil. You are either in Christ on the narrow road or without Him and living life on the wide road. Those who trust in the Lord have hope for their future. Those who really do know Him are secure. How can it be any simpler than that and yet it's a difficult concept for some, this "knowing" Jesus.

Isaiah said it, other prophets of old said it...as a warning to Israel and to us. God will destroy those who have lifted themselves up over Him. He will destroy the cities that have not chosen Him. There is a huge pit in the middle of the wide road that will swallow them up and I visualize people clawing to get out someday. And it may be too late.

We enshroud ourselves with our own walls of understanding...what we believe, we believe. We hang stubbornly on to the things we learned as children, our parents, our churches or just decided we want to believe. We listen to man not the Man. Like Ronald Reagan said one day, "tear down that wall." Let life come in. Let truth enter in. Oh, how I feel like one of the old time prophets pleading...and silently being scorned. 

So be it. There truly is a day coming when those on the narrow path will be grateful for staying the course. 

Isaiah 25:9 - And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."