END of DAYS

Have you looked at many of the shows playing on the History channel, Discovery channel and many others? It seems that there are at least two or three shows each week on the world coming to an end. There are many reasons why according to these different groups, but in the end it is destruction. It could be an asteroid, nuclear war, oil spills, or aliens returning to claim their world.

If you are a Christian, how would you answer these questions today if you were asked? How would you explain to someone watching all these shows how the world will end? Today this is a very probable question for anyone claiming Christ as Savior and Lord. They may watch and see that the Mayan calendar is ending next year and we better be ready. Bunker homes are up nearly 1000% percent over the last year, so why not buy one of those? For $25,000 I can reserve my spot in a bunker in Nebraska to prepare for Armageddon.

There really is only one way to give someone an accurate description of how the world is going to come to an end, per a Christian perspective. And that is by reading, learning and teaching the book of Revelation. Sure, many of the other books give us some information about Jesus coming back, which is awesome, but it does not give us the detail that Revelation does.

I have heard Christians say that they do not read Revelation because it is too hard, too weird, or just too difficult to understand. I was one of them for a while. This is all the more reason to understand. Within the wonderful book we see the signs to watch for the second coming of Christ, what is going on in Heaven and what the New Earth and New Heaven will be like. If there was ever a book to learn and understand, it is this one.

This is the only book that comes with a warning, Revelation 22:18-20

says, “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Because of this warning, we should learn it in order not to teach it inaccurately. Claiming ignorance will not work, because there are too many resources and available materials historically to help us understand.

When God uses us to lead someone to Christ and they are excited about their faith and Jesus, and they ask you about Heaven; how can you tell them without Revelation? How can you tell them about the Second Coming, true signs of the times, and what Heaven will be like without Revelation? Don’t miss the blessings of this great book because you don’t feel it is necessary to “understand,” or it is too “difficult.” Wrestle with it and you will be blessed!!

So Many Effects, But No Cause?

It seems that many Christians are afraid to tackle the issue of how creation came into being. We tend to fall back on the just having faith that what the Bible says is true. Don’t get me wrong, I think we can absolutely rely on what it says. But science gives us even more credance to what the Bible says, as usual, that creation points to what is already taught in Scripture.

The Big Bang theory, which many Christians seem to think is bad or does not help the Christian cause, are very mistaken. It is only that many don’t understand it. Now it does not prove a Christian God, but it does prove there is a cause that is outside of time, space and material. Later, we can demonstrate the fact of a Christian God, but the Big Bang does demonstrate a creator.

The Big Bang is described very well by Dr. Meyer as an effect of a cause and not a cause itself. We make the mistake of thinking it is the cause and not many scientists think of it that way. Stephen Hawking realized and said there has to be a cause outside of this material universe. Einstien used a “fudge factor” to manipulate his experiments, because he found the universe being created by God repugnant. Hoyle even prior to his death admitted there had to be a creator outside of space, time and material.

If you test the Cosmology theories, the Big Bang comes out on top. We see this from the background radiation echo, the way the universe is expanding, and many other examples. We know now that this universe started at some point and that time itself started at a beginning point. What a lot of scientists will not admit is that it was started by a First Cause (God for general terms), because that idea is also “repugnant” to them in some form or another.

Don’t be afraid of the Big Bang because it is just an effect of the First Cause (God). Then the challenge is to help people see that the Christian God is the real God over all the others out there.

Ignorance is Bliss!

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness” (Hebrews 5:13).

Have you ever sat through a sermon series, Sunday school series, or a class on the Bible and felt completely out of place, bored, or thought the material had no real use for you in your Christian walk? I know I have at times, and I know pastors who will say there are times they struggle with giving sermons from certain books in the Bible. Does this give us an excuse to disengage or ignore those parts of Scripture because we feel “stupid” or bored or not interested?

There seems to be a trend today within the church where ignorance seems to be bliss. What I mean is that some people would rather remain comfortable in just knowing the basics instead of growing deeper in their faith. We become comfortable in certain areas of our walk and where we are and don’t like it when we start to feel uncomfortable.

I am not talking about being uncomfortable over sin or conviction, because most say that is expected and part of the Christian faith. I am talking about being uncomfortable because you do not know something, or do not want to now something being taught about Scripture. I am thankful there are pastors out there that preach the entire Bible, even when they want to skip over a book because it may make the congregation feel dumb, sleepy, or ignorant, because they know it is not just about us, but about the entire Word of God being taught.

I am thankful for those times that I was stretched for my faith as it pertains to feeling inadequate at times, because it made me dig deeper into the truths of God and draw closer to Him. I was told by a professor/mentor of mine when this was brought up that you can always find a blessing at a church service, even if it is just a song, the verses read from the Bible, or being able to commune with brothers and sisters in Christ. Too many today don’t like the Series being taught so they quit coming, go to another church, or come sporadically so they don’t have to be part. Why? If you are going for God, then you will find a blessing, and if not then maybe it is to learn something, and maybe just that it is not all about you and me. Because when we start to think this way, it becomes about us and not about God.

The one I don’t get is those that get upset because they have to think or learn something deeper in church, and instead just want a nice little watered down message with some stories and comedy thrown in. Basically entertainment. Church is not meant for you and me being entertained. It is about coming together to worship our creator together as the body of Christ. We should expect to be stretched and to learn. If this is not happening, then maybe one should reconsider where they attend. We should be learning about all of Scripture, Old & New Testament, and not just hanging out in the books that are popular, or considered easier.

How else do we disciple and feed those new Believers who are brought into the fold and ask questions, if not through study and learning the deeper truths?

“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 15:14)