Three Timely Reminders

A world-wide pandemic of disease. An ugly incident of evil. A flood of iniquity in our land. What are we to make of it all? How are we going to survive the disease, the ugliness, the prejudice, the injustice, the anarchy, and the apostasy. What are we to make of it?

1. You are not alone.

You are not the only faithful one left. God has his people–his faithful remnant everywhere. He is working in and through them. I’m not the last faithful pastor. Our church isn’t the last faithful church. America isn’t God’s only hope. The Kingdom of God always has and always will survive the onslaught of apostacy in every age. As God told Elijah when he was discouraged and he thought he was the lone remaining faithful prophet: “…I have reserved seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

2. This thing is not over.

There may be temporary setbacks. There may be local defeats. There may be dark times and ugly losses, but Jesus wins and he wins big-time. He will not be defeated. His Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom. He is good and he will do good and all that is wrong will one day be made right. Trust him and never doubt it.

One day; “…the kindgom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever…” (Rev. 11:15)

3. It is serious.

This is more important than life-and-death… It concerns of eternity. This is a matter of heaven and hell. Don’t get distracted. So much is so much at stake. Satan does want to crush people who are precious to God and to us and drag them into hell. We really are locked on mortal combat with evil–even immortal combat with evil. This is a call to prayer, fasting, repentance. This is a call to faithfulness. Witness. Give the gospel. Have gospel conversations. Talk to your children and your grand-children. Be an example. Walk with God. Confess any known sin. Search your heart. Love one another. Be a light. Now more then ever our world need believers who are “…blameless, innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Phil 2:14ff)

Don’t be discouraged by what you see around you. The Bible makes sense of all of it. Nothing is happening that the Scriptural story does not explain. People do evil because they are fallen and disfigured by sin. People have an inclination for good because they are made in the image of God. No one has escaped the curse of sin and it’s foul effects. Without redemption through Christ all are lost forever. The world is in turmoil because there is a conflict between good and evil that God is using for his glory and he is moving it to a certain victory in his time. He turns things that are evil to his own purposes for our good and his glory. Nations rise and fall. God’s kingdom is eternal. Sometimes even believers do things that are inexcusably wrong. Get a Bible. Know it well. Grow in Christ. Walk in the Spirit. Don’t give in to doubt or despair.

Bittersweet Farm
June 5, 2020