Awhile ago I was reading in Luke. I came across a passage that speaks just to a concern I've had for a long time. Here is the passage from the 21st chapter:
"Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 'As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.'
'Teacher,' they asked, 'when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?'
He replied: 'Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, "I am he," and, "The time is near." Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.'
Then He said to them: 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
'But before all this, they will seize and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kinds and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.' " vs 5-19
"'There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.'
He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
"'Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life. and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.' " vs 25-36
Just as the parable of the fig tree Christ was talking about in the passage, the times are ripe. We see the vile wickedness of the world around us constantly. It is sickening. It is worsening. Do you not agree?
My deep, deep concern is, are we ready?
Did you read through that whole passage? Did you read what Jesus, the Son of God, spoke of? Did you read how people will come and try to deceive us and draw us away by claiming to be God, or His divine prophets and messengers? I have no doubt that these deceivers will be very convincing and cunning, too.
Will we be able to discern that these convincing people are deceivers? Or will we be too ignorant and unprepared that we allow ourselves to be drawn away and deceived?
Did you read how there will be wars and uprisings and famines and earthquakes and plagues?
Will we be prepared enough to understand that these things must happen and God will provide for us and conquer in the end? Or will we let ourselves be driven away or ruled by fear and uncertainty?
Did you read how they will seize us and persecute us? This is the core of my concern. Dear friends, will we be ready to stand in the face of persecution and defend the Name of our Lord and Savior, without fear and wavering? When God's word is torn from our hands will we have it in our hearts?? When we are faced with death, will we be prepared enough, strong enough in the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ, rooted enough in the comfort and strength and hope of His word, to stand without fear? To stand without backing down? To stand without giving way when we are tortured? Will we be ready?
Jesus says that if we are not ready, that day will come upon us like a trap. I feel like this trap is about to spring! Are you ready? Am I ready?
If you live in America, you have the immense blessing to be able to read and study God's word in comfort. You have the immense blessing to have the Bible translated into your own language with millions of copies and different versions of God's word right at your fingertips. You have the immense blessing to be able to own a Bible yourself and not have the fear looming over you that it will be taken away, that you will be thrown into jail, that you will even be put to death if you are found with it.
Yet, even with this immense privilege and blessing of circumstances, I wouldn't be surprised if American believers know the words of their God the least of all believers. Most American believers take God's word for granted. Yet imagine the day when the Bible is snatched from your fingers. Imagine the day when it is deemed illegal to own or read it. Imagine the day when you are taken from your home and thrown into prison for Jesus' sake, and your Bible striped from your hands. Where will you be? Will that be a stab to your faith? Will you feel lost and as if you are floundering in the sea because you don't know what to do, you don't have the comfort of God's word, you don't remember quite what His commands and promises are?
Imagine sitting in your deepest, darkest, most trying time without the hope and comfort of God's word. God's word is our foundation. He is our rock, our fortress, our high tower. He is our anchor in the storm. He is our comfort. He is our strength. He is our joy. If suddenly His words are torn from our hands, will we only have a hazy remembrance of what He says to us, in the very thick of our greatest raging storm? Will we only have a muddied view of His words of strength when we are being pulled down in the miry clay?
We will not be without God. David says in the 139th Psalm, "If I descend to Sheol, even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will guide me." We will not be without God in our wildest storm, though we may lack His word. We will not be without prayer, because the veil of the Holy of Holies has been torn and at any time, in any place, we may come before God's Throne of Grace, and plead with Him and speak with Him and worship Him.
But if we do not have His words hidden in our hearts, if we do not have our lives so deeply rooted and grounded in Him, it will be a much, much greater struggle. It would be like having only half of an anchor, or seeking refuge in a broken down fortress. The word of God is a flaming, two-edged sword. The word of God is the Sword of the Spirit. The word of God is able to make us wise unto salvation. We read and study the word of God that we might not sin against Him. God's word directs our footsteps. God's word gives light and understanding, even to those who are 'simple', or ignorant. God's word is the Bread of Life.
This is only a tiny portion of the value of God's word. Yet if we are left without it, what will we do?
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, be you also ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:43-44
Dear friends, I do not believe this generation is ready to face persecution. I do not believe this generation is grounded in their faith, in the word of God, enough to withstand a raging storm without suffering terribly. I do not believe this generation is rooted enough in the word of God to withstand strong winds without suffering terribly. I do not believe this generation is founded enough on the word of God to be able to stand when earthquakes try to shake us without suffering terribly.
It is my deep passion that we be prepared, grounded, rooted, founded, and steadfast on God's words of Life, having them hidden deep in our hearts where no one can tear them away from us, though men burn every Bible in the world.
I fail miserably, desperately, at this. I procrastinate. I flounder. I choose worldly pleasures over the study of God's word. I do pray. I ask the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen me in His might, to ground me in His word, to prepare me for what He will bring me through, to help me hide His word in my heart that I might not sin against Him. Please join me!
Where there is God's word, there is spiritual warfare. The enemy is ready and waiting to distract us and drag us away by the lusts of the world, the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. I struggle with not feeding my flesh, as every single Christian does. Please, let us pray and find our strength in God. Let us be aware of our enemy the devil, who prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and let us be on guard against his wiles. Let us put on the armor of God, and be ready to fight in His strength, back to back, shoulder to shoulder, for one another, for the lost souls, in protection of our own soul. Please, let us take time to read God's word thoroughly, to seek out His truths and promises and warnings and laws for ourselves. Please, let us memorize and meditate on God's word and hide it in our heart so that it may be with us wherever we go, whenever we need it. There is so much and so little time! Please, let us be prepared. Let us be alert. Let us be sober-minded. Let us be watchful in our prayers. Let us seek the Lord when He may be found. Let us start today.
Jewels <3
Jesus says that if we are not ready, that day will come upon us like a trap. I feel like this trap is about to spring! Are you ready? Am I ready?
If you live in America, you have the immense blessing to be able to read and study God's word in comfort. You have the immense blessing to have the Bible translated into your own language with millions of copies and different versions of God's word right at your fingertips. You have the immense blessing to be able to own a Bible yourself and not have the fear looming over you that it will be taken away, that you will be thrown into jail, that you will even be put to death if you are found with it.
Yet, even with this immense privilege and blessing of circumstances, I wouldn't be surprised if American believers know the words of their God the least of all believers. Most American believers take God's word for granted. Yet imagine the day when the Bible is snatched from your fingers. Imagine the day when it is deemed illegal to own or read it. Imagine the day when you are taken from your home and thrown into prison for Jesus' sake, and your Bible striped from your hands. Where will you be? Will that be a stab to your faith? Will you feel lost and as if you are floundering in the sea because you don't know what to do, you don't have the comfort of God's word, you don't remember quite what His commands and promises are?
Imagine sitting in your deepest, darkest, most trying time without the hope and comfort of God's word. God's word is our foundation. He is our rock, our fortress, our high tower. He is our anchor in the storm. He is our comfort. He is our strength. He is our joy. If suddenly His words are torn from our hands, will we only have a hazy remembrance of what He says to us, in the very thick of our greatest raging storm? Will we only have a muddied view of His words of strength when we are being pulled down in the miry clay?
We will not be without God. David says in the 139th Psalm, "If I descend to Sheol, even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will guide me." We will not be without God in our wildest storm, though we may lack His word. We will not be without prayer, because the veil of the Holy of Holies has been torn and at any time, in any place, we may come before God's Throne of Grace, and plead with Him and speak with Him and worship Him.
But if we do not have His words hidden in our hearts, if we do not have our lives so deeply rooted and grounded in Him, it will be a much, much greater struggle. It would be like having only half of an anchor, or seeking refuge in a broken down fortress. The word of God is a flaming, two-edged sword. The word of God is the Sword of the Spirit. The word of God is able to make us wise unto salvation. We read and study the word of God that we might not sin against Him. God's word directs our footsteps. God's word gives light and understanding, even to those who are 'simple', or ignorant. God's word is the Bread of Life.
This is only a tiny portion of the value of God's word. Yet if we are left without it, what will we do?
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, be you also ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:43-44
Dear friends, I do not believe this generation is ready to face persecution. I do not believe this generation is grounded in their faith, in the word of God, enough to withstand a raging storm without suffering terribly. I do not believe this generation is rooted enough in the word of God to withstand strong winds without suffering terribly. I do not believe this generation is founded enough on the word of God to be able to stand when earthquakes try to shake us without suffering terribly.
It is my deep passion that we be prepared, grounded, rooted, founded, and steadfast on God's words of Life, having them hidden deep in our hearts where no one can tear them away from us, though men burn every Bible in the world.
I fail miserably, desperately, at this. I procrastinate. I flounder. I choose worldly pleasures over the study of God's word. I do pray. I ask the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen me in His might, to ground me in His word, to prepare me for what He will bring me through, to help me hide His word in my heart that I might not sin against Him. Please join me!
Where there is God's word, there is spiritual warfare. The enemy is ready and waiting to distract us and drag us away by the lusts of the world, the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. I struggle with not feeding my flesh, as every single Christian does. Please, let us pray and find our strength in God. Let us be aware of our enemy the devil, who prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and let us be on guard against his wiles. Let us put on the armor of God, and be ready to fight in His strength, back to back, shoulder to shoulder, for one another, for the lost souls, in protection of our own soul. Please, let us take time to read God's word thoroughly, to seek out His truths and promises and warnings and laws for ourselves. Please, let us memorize and meditate on God's word and hide it in our heart so that it may be with us wherever we go, whenever we need it. There is so much and so little time! Please, let us be prepared. Let us be alert. Let us be sober-minded. Let us be watchful in our prayers. Let us seek the Lord when He may be found. Let us start today.
Jewels <3
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