Good Will Come Out of Evil

Matthew 5:4 - Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

The other day our Wisconsin winter turned nasty with very cold temperatures. Of course there were many comments on Facebook regarding this...and all the winter storm watches people were concerned about...that rarely come to the fruition as prognosticated! (How’s that for a word?)

So I posted this on Facebook:

Was just thinking… 

There have been many comments recently about the cold weather and how we either like it or we don’t. (I’m okay with cold because I know it won’t last forever. I love the change of seasons.) 

A thought I had yesterday as I was out and about was if we didn’t have the dislikes in life we would not be able to appreciate the likes, which we all know. 

So my mind wandered. I got to thinking if we don’t have Christ in our lives the things that are disturbing as seen on the news or on Facebook can really be blown out of proportion because we don’t have the knowledge or peace of God. I have to admit there are times when I get upset with the things that I see on the news, on Facebook, and I remind myself that this is what we are told life will be like in the last days...and it ain’t gonna get better.

So those who understand this, be thankful for the greatest thing we know we have, Jesus Christ and His peace, hope and truth. We can appreciate the new life we have received-through Christ-and can just know the disturbances in this world are temporary as far as we are concerned. Share Christ and hopefully others will be able to have the same peace, hope and truth.

I did not expect to receive as many likes as I had. 

Then our sermon was done by a one of our wise young men while pastor was out of town. What he said hinted at the same thing. He started with the verse above from the Beatitudes. 

Donny suggested that we can pray righteous prayers for personal reasons, for national or worldly reasons but it does not mean they will be answered! But they were prayers from a righteous heart desiring good to come out of evil. Here are two instances where God didn’t even answer His own Son’s prayers: 

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Matthew 23:37-39) This was a prayer to Israel, the Jews, who did not see Him as their long-awaited Redeemer because He did not fit their prescribed mold. I see this as being similar to prayers we may pray for the wickedness apparent in this country or the world. God may ignore those prayers knowing some have gone too far in their decision to do what is evil in the sight of God. And He knows a change of heart will not happen.

...He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:39, 41-44) Thus, Jesus was crucified. But there was an excellent reason...so that He would overcome this death, so then when we received Him to ourselves we too would overcome death. 

Like I mention in my thoughts...we must experience the not-so-good things in life that we can appreciate the good. When Jesus returns someday, those who have received Him, followed Him and endured to the end, despite losing friends, being ignored or scoffed at because of their beliefs, those will have tasted that difficulty. But...when those who are in Christ are taken up to be with Him there will be an instantaneous joy. All tears will be wiped away. By some miracle those will be so caught up with being in the presence of our Lord and so transformed, the pains of life on earth, whatever they might have been, will be gone. Pain, suffering and tears are traded in for peace, prosperity and gladness. Though we have mourned, we will be comforted! Though we have experienced the not-so-good, we will appreciate even more the good.

Receiving Christ is the most important thing one can do in this lifetime. Only He offers hope, will wipe tears away and restore joy. His ministry before His crucifixion was the attempt to gather us as His children, to offer us a better life with a changed heart and knowledge of His truth. He still doesn’t always fit the model of a Savior because we want our own view of how God should see us, not the Jesus He claims to be. However, if this is not done, those are among they who will be desolate, apart from God for eternity. 

I look forward to this:

Psalm 30:5 - For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Abraham and Isaac

Genesis 22:2 - Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

There's a short and intense story in the Book of Genesis. It's about Abraham and his son Isaac. God has promised Abraham much...a covenant between He and Abraham, to make him the father of many nations, to bless him and his family (including all descendants) and Abraham had so much faith it was counted to him as righteousness.

God tested Abraham several times. Abraham didn't always past the test but he still held favor with God. He will do that with us too.

The biggest test was when God wanted Abraham to sacrifice his son. Let's look at the similarity between what God asked Abraham to do and what God did and what He asked Jesus to do. Sacrifice is big in God's eyes. It's not about us but about Him. It's sacrificing our ways for His. It's pressing on in faith and letting go of the past, which can be a sacrifice if we want to cling to what we are holding on to. 

Back to Abraham and Isaac. God had promised Abraham that through his son Isaac he would become the father of many nations. So why is it he is asked to sacrifice him? Had he done something wrong? Had God reneged on His promise? He was told to take Isaac into the mountains. He, Isaac and a couple servants, took wood for the sacrifice and proceeded on their trek. Isaac had no clue. Here's where it gets eerily familiar. On the third day they saw the spot God had pointed out. Abraham told his servants to wait while they went up the mountain to build an altar and worship. He told them, "We will come back to you." This takes a lot of faith to believe...we will come back.

Abraham put the wood on Isaac's back and they walked to the place where they were to make their sacrifice. Normally a lamb would be used for the offering. There was none to be seen and Isaac questioned his father about it. Abraham told him God would provide. By faith he was making this statement. Maybe he knew the words "nothing is impossible with God." What happens when God asks us to do something so seemingly impossible? Do we  have that kind of faith?

When they had reached their spot, Abraham built the altar. He bound his son and put him upon the wood. He took out a knife and raised it to make the offering of his only son for God. Before I finish, note that Isaac did not say a word, did not cry out, did not object. What could have been going through his mind? What could he have been thinking about what his father was doing? He never said a word. He might also have realized the statement "nothing is impossible with God," and that there was a very good reason for all this even if he didn't know what that could be and if it meant his death, so be it. 

Does any of this sound familiar? What about Jesus? Didn't God sacrifice His only Son? Didn't Jesus silently carry the wooden cross up to the place of His crucifixion and placed upon that cross? Did Jesus trust His Father, not knowing what would transpire after His death, that it might be for a very good reason? You know, it was for a very good reason...it was for you and for me, that we might be reconciled to the Father through His Son, Jesus, and that we would put our trust and faith in Him. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 

As Abraham's hand was lifted, the Angel of the Lord called out to him: "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22:12) With that a ram appeared, caught in a bush, which was then used to present the necessary sacrifice.

I'm seeing similarities I've not noticed before. They are meanings to some numbers. I see "third day" and think of the three years Jesus ministered before His death. And on the third day He arose from the dead. It was a three days' journey to the place of sacrifice and also the third day when the sacrifice of Abraham's son was aborted...and Jesus (as we are) was born, died and resurrected to a new life. The number three can also be seen in numerous other instances, like the Trinity or Peter denying Jesus three times. 

We are asked to sacrifice ourselves when we follow the Lord. We are to die daily that we might do the will of God. We are asked to take up our cross daily. We are told that if we lose our life (sacrifice) we will be saved. 

Abraham and Isaac, God and Jesus...they all were willing to sacrifice. But the greatest sacrifice was the true Sacrifice. He carried His cross and was placed upon it for all of us. It makes sense that we would want to sacrifice for the love of our God, who provided a Way for us to live. That's where God desires followers to be in their walk. Have I achieved this? I know I'm not there. We don't ever achieve perfection. Perfection is when we see Jesus face to face in heaven because we have run the race and never lost our faith in the Son. 

Nothing in this world is nearly as important as Jesus. No job, no spouse, no hobby, no home. If Jesus is in our hearts and He plays an important role in our lives, that's what's important. That's the first step toward sacrifice. Climbing to the altar to offer up your self, your life, in the name of Jesus.

2Corinthians 5:15 - and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. ‭

What Would You Do If You Knew Jesus Would Return Next Week?

Ezekiel 38:23 - “Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”

About 2500 years ago the prophetic word in Ezekiel 38 was written. This and several other prophetic words are becoming clearer as the days we live in are occurring. I apologize for the length of this writing. It would have been incomplete with anything less! Be prepared, though...this could be a tough word.

I watched a prophecy report that a pastor in Hawaii, JD Farag, gave to his congregation. I will post the link at the bottom of this blog, FYI. He goes into much more detail regarding Ezekiel 38 explaining who the countries then in the Middle East are today and how world events are shaping up according to thousands of year old prophecies! It’s exciting to see the Bible play out as proof that it is truth! By the way, he was born and raised in Lebanon and at 13 became a born again believer.

As he began to speak I read Ezekiel 38 and at the end of the chapter the above scripture was noted. It reminded me that many other times throughout the Bible God has repeated those words. There will come a day when ALL Ezekiel 38:23 - “Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Farag said this (and I am SORT OF paraphrasing): The word of God tells us what the world will look like prior to the Lord’s return and it looks like all the signs point to this time (near future).

Me: We still cannot know the day or hour but we can be ready; we can be watching and looking up and waiting for “that moment, when He comes as a thief in the night.” For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. (1Thessalonians 5:2)

I believe he went on to say, it’s happening at breakneck speed and God doesn’t want us to be ignorant because He wants us to be ready. In John 14:29 Jesus tells us: And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.
  
Just a thought. When one knows what God is about and hears something like this, it puts into perspective all the grumbling and groaning about the whole political garbage. It’s all ushering in the last days. I will listen to God over all the political complaints. We still cannot date set but we can know the Lord will return.

Farag asked us to think about this: Who would ever have considered years ago that Donald Trump would become president? He is pro-Israel, declared Jerusalem as its capitol and set up an embassy there, and he is pro-Christian. (Me: Now I don’t believe Trump truly understands all the importance of Israel/Christianity but one can always pray he will.) If God isn’t behind all of this I don’t know who is.

If you knew that Jesus would be returning this week, what would you do differently? This was a question Farag posed to us. Who would you call or what affairs would you get an order? His return is that near: It’s closer than we know but we still have enough time to create an awareness. It certainly will take time for the invasion of Israel by Iran/Russia and whoever else will be involved. But if it’s escalating so quickly, it could be sooner than we can expect.

I know, as many others do, that this world is not my home. I am just passing through. I can say this with more confidence than the majority of those who cannot because they know not Christ. I wouldn’t be able to say these things if I had not receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

We cannot love the things of this world more than we love Christ. It’s not about our best life now. We cannot make this world a better place, not without God as the main focus, the foundation, the solid rock. No man, no good work, no politician, celebrity, idol, pastor or priest, no long gone saint, no religion, only a resurrected Christ, the Son of God.

Without a relationship with Him we are nothing. Without a heart devoted to Him, we are nothing. Without some understanding of the truth of His Word by His Holy Spirit power dwelling in us, we are nothing. It’s a very hard word. Many scoff, as I’ve said before.

We should be excited that His return is near. All the idiocy of this world will be over. All truth will be known. We all will stand before Him and His truth before the final judgment, before the wheat is separated from the tares, believers and non-believers. Before heaven and hell are made known.

So, think about this: As Farag mentioned: Don’t we think that the every day trials of life are getting harder? There are more trials, there’s more suffering, more natural disasters even. If we thought things were really, really so good down here we wouldn’t want to go up there!

If one struggles with the idea of dying and where one will go, or think about the Lord’s return, they don’t know Jesus. Or maybe one isn't thinking about that. We can think because of our seemingly good works or believe that we are basically good people by the world’s standards, that we will automatically go to heaven, but that leads to a false hope. Even God has pointed out that no one is good. As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. (Romans 3:10-11)  But in Christ Jesus we are made new. In Christ Jesus alone, without works first but Jesus first, then our works being done through Him are valid.

The whole meaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about putting ourselves into His hands, confessing Him before man, and trusting in Him over all this world has to offer. It’s all about Him and His saving grace. Can you praise Him for that right now? Can you say that without hesitation? It is the salvation in Jesus Christ alone. He will return and everyone will know that He is the LORD.

Jesus Christ was born, lived, was tortured, crucified, died for ALL those who would believe and receive Him, but He also was resurrected and lives today. And…He’s coming back for those who have received Him as their Lord and Savior, for those whose hearts are focused on Him and not this world. He is our only hope, the blessed hope.

We can still enjoy our lives here but we must maintain our focus on Him. He is all that will matter in the end.

https://youtu.be/YZPGXXzMs4E
https://calvarychapelkaneohe.com/abc-of-salvation/

Titus 2:11-13 - For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...