Philippians 4:19-20 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Here we are in the through of ending 2011 and beginning 2012. Millions are in desperate need of a job, even if that job merits $9.00-$12.00 an hour. Our hay-day of the past is exactly like time, it’s gone and so are the big high-paying jobs, sad as that may be. Many will never see those jobs of yester-year again and in consequence the lifestyles as well. Many like me, will rely on the Ford Taurus line of vehicles, because they are penny-pinchers with gasoline, they are sturdy and easy and inexpensive to fix, thus a well made vehicle, that can stand the test of time. One particular thought comes to mind and then is vilified through out the media, “I used to have a BMW, a big House in a great gated neighborhood and my kids went to the best of schools. I never had to worry about anything, because I had a big bank account, stocks and money market funds. Now…I just wish I could put food on the table 3 times a day and still have a little money after utilities”. Has it ever occurred to anyone, to stop and wonder why this thing has come about? As much as I fear, this statement above has been stated by “Born-Again Christians” as much as those that are unsaved. So the question then is, WHY? Reread the verse above, the answer is there! Believers putting their faith and trust in their “Things” rather than in the hands of our Lord and Savior. Do you remember Ephesians 2:4-9 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” It makes me wonder just how calloused we truly are?
We sit at the precipice of the “Rapture of the Church” and the beginning of the “Tribulation” as outlined by the Bible and we worry for what we used to have?! Have you ever considered the fact, that the Lord is trying to tell you something, HE sure did with me! Lets stop and think for a moment, what if the Lord comes tomorrow evening? What should our frame of mind be? What about humility and Reverence before the Lord, it says in Proverbs 15:31-33 “The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” The Catholics have jumped on this verse big time, their life is to be a Vow of humility. Which means nothing actually, except that they have missed a very integral part of the Bible, that it should be a “Desire of the Heart”. Do you remember that the Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” And then in John 15:1-7 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” I fail to see where anyone will not understand the true meaning of these verses, or fail to understand why the “Things” of this world, are useless and have no real value.
We see that the “Desires of our Heart” is what separates us and the Lord, it is the intent found in our Hearts. Everything we read in the Bible, God’s Holy Word to us, speaks of humility, being Humble like a child, before God. Therefore, the lose of “Things” in our lives can be interpreted as being a “Humbling” event, the Lord turning our hearts and minds to HIM for all that we need. Notice here, that I said “Our Needs”! Understand there is a difference between Our Needs and Our Wants! It says in Luke 18:16-17 “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” That says it all!!
As we watch this world devour itself and turn everything inside out, we must keep in mind, What the Lord wants of us, as HE returns and calls us home in the Rapture. Anyone of wealth or Position in life, will find it is not the dividing criteria according to the Lord and if you, by chance, think so…wait and see whom remains and who goes in the Rapture. The Criteria for Heaven is richly found, within the pages and pages, on RaptureReady.com. People of knowledge and Wisdom of the Lord, expounding the Truths of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and of all the Prophecies according to the “End Times”. The Rapture and the Tribulation are a part of the Prophecies and yet we must continue to preach the Wisdom of the Lord found in His Gospels, otherwise we will end up neglecting the Necessities for Salvation. It continually amazes me, how intricately the inter-weaving of the Word of God is, you can not have one part without declaring the value of the rest. I marvel how the Old Testament is the foundation for the entire Bible and yet the New Testament brings the whole into the perspective of our daily needs today. As you read the New Testament, it rolls you back to the Old Testament and vise versa. Trust when I say, there are many writers that would give their arms and legs to be able to roll a novel, that can do such.
When one is able to look at the sheer Power of Our Lord and Savior, one can only be humbled to the extreme, the Lord’s Power goes beyond our ability to conceive or understand. Keeping the Lord’s Power in mind, we then understand a verse like Matthew 10:28-31 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Each and everyone of us are Known by the Lord God Almighty, HE created each of us. Having said that, do you understand a little better why we must keep the “Intent of Our Hearts” according to the Perfect Will of the Lord?
This area of the Word of God, is also the area that turns many away from the Lord. Many will endeavor to “adjust” the Word of God to suit themselves and their decisions and desires. Many will be too Proud of Heart, to be willing to bow, to the Perfect Will of God, that is, until they stand before the Son of God. It is more simple to say, the Lord will govern my entire Life and thus I receive Heaven, than to worship our “Things” and spend Eternity in Hell! As strange as it may be, the vast majority are more willing to acquire “Wealth and Pleasures” of this life, which lasts approximately 70 years, than to think in the Long term of Eternity. With this sort of thinking, do you see the difficulty in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And yet this is exactly what the Lord asks us to do! Schools teach us how to count, higher education teaches us the value of looking forward and planning ahead. Yet for all that we Preach and teach, the vast majority never takes the Time line, of 70 years verses Eternity, into account and then consider Salvation. The “Great Delusion” has been in force for quite a spell now, but come the Tribulation…it will explode on this earth and the world….like no other! To the point it will even effect the “Elect of God” that will still be here. It is then, the Vastness of Eternity, the sheer Power of our God, the depth of HIS Love for us, that will free us from this world and make us whole. The humbleness of our Hearts, the Love for our Lord and Savior, is the only life line we have and yet it is sufficient for us. Jesus Christ still saves, Praise the Lord! Marantha Lord!
