Signs All Around Us

Signs All Around Us

“I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.                             Acts 2:19-20 (NKJV)

My husband and I were watching the World News and they were showing one disaster after another.  There were people being bombed in Iraq, and blown up in St. Petersburg, Russia, while dozens were killed with poison gas. In extreme proportions, tornadoes and high winds, floods, cyclones and landslides have killed many people around the world.  At the same time, they were issuing warnings of more to come.

Taking in all of this within 5 minutes was like watching the end of the world.  We just sat and looked at each other, knowing that within a minute, our world as we know it can be instantly wiped out. I don’t mean to scare people, but these are signs all around us; signs like Jesus Christ, himself, prophesied in Matthew 24. 

Driving around you come upon many signs that tell you to go, 4-way stop, wait, slow and stop.  We see these signs and obey, because they are showing us what’s ahead and what’s dangerous.  We know we need to follow these because it means life or death.  The same is true for those who ignore the signs in the Bible; Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Matthew, Timothy, Thessalonians, Peter, Jude and Revelation are filled with signs. Even our police are being hunted down and killed.  We have to ask ourselves what kind of a world are we living in.

We really shouldn’t be shocked because we have been warned in the Bible that these things are going to happen. It isn’t that they haven’t happened before, but it has been building up to more and more tragic events and is worldwide. People have always killed each other since Cain killed Abel, but in our country alone, people are abstractedly killing one another.

We might ask ‘Why?’ is all this happening?  I can only say, “These are the times that were predicted would happen.” Look in Revelation 6:4 “Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

If you were driving down the road and a stop sign was ahead of you, what would you do?  You could get killed if you ignore it, or you decide it’s safer to obey the sign.  If you heard there was going to be an avalanche, would you go sit in its path or would you get away from it?  If you were warned there was a tornado coming toward you, would you just stay there and wonder if it was going to hit you, or would you run for a place of safety?

 Even though you say you have waited for Christ’s return, you still will not expect it when it comes. “For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2)   Do you really believe it could happen any day? If you know that God has said this will happen, can you be sure?  Only if your faith is full and fearless.  You must be prepared because God told us that it is so.  We must believe the Word of God.  Matthew 24:30-31 “And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

Don’t be like the others who say, “Here is what I think, this is the way it is today and I’m going to live like most people do.”   Hosea 4:2 says, “You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere— one murder after another.” Yes this is one of the signs of the time that we live in today.  Is this what you really accept as the way of life? 

The signs are everywhere; it is up to each person to decide to follow Jesus and be obedient to him, or choose to ignore the signs.  I always remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:14, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” This scripture tells me how few people make it into God’s Kingdom.  This is not an easy thing and those who truly follow God, but God’s GRACE is sufficient and many times I’ve had to receive His grace to continue my walk with him.

Now, if the time of his return is near, listen to this familiar verse in Matthew 13:3-9 “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 

What I am going to say is my understanding of this scripture.  Four seeds were sown, but only one of them survived and the crop was that one seed and it was fruitful.  In words I believe only one out of four people will make it into heaven by the grace of God. We are a rebellious people who do not want to believe the signs when they see them, so beware, the signs are all around us. Hang fast to the faith that you have, because one day He will return. 

Were You There?

Were You There?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble; tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

         This old hymn has always touched my heart whenever I’ve heard it and my mind rushes directly to the day of Christ’s crucifixion. “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.”  John 19:17-18

            I began to wonder how I would have reacted to this if I had been there and had no knowledge of Jesus.  So I wrote this story many, many years ago and just came across it recently and felt I should share it with my friends.

            The mob pressed closer.  The stench of sweat was overpowering; dirty, unwashed beggars and people of other classes mingled together, working themselves into frenzy, like a herd of frightened cattle.
            My heart beat faster and my own body felt clammy as I pressed forward with the throng of people.  They were yelling, “Crucify him; crucify him”.  I was not tall enough to see over the crowds lining the street, but I knew they were watching a condemned man on his way to being hung on a cross to die.  They were headed out the gate of the city.  I looked up at a hill standing stark against the blue of the sky.
            My mind was reeling; searching for reason.  What was a crucifixion to me?  I cared neither for the Jews or the Romans; I was only a visitor to this place.  I wasn’t even sure of why I was here.  I wasn’t a sadist who enjoyed seeing the pain of others, nor was I a person who followed crowds.  Yet today some unknown feeling closed in on me; demanding me to witness another Rome’s atrocities.
            At last they reached the hill.  I heard someone call it Golgotha, which meant, ‘place of the skull’.  My thoughts were suddenly stilled as I heard the blows of a heavy hammer driving nails through soft flesh.  I cringed at the sound and felt nausea began to rise in my throat.  Then there was stillness; heavy and fearful; broken with the thud of the heavy cross as it dropped into place.  A sigh like the wind, rushed through the crowd in a wave.  I looked up and dark against that same blue sky stood the cross.  They nailed a sign above his head which read, “King of the Jews”.
            There were groups of people here and there; some were crying and I heard some saying, he was the Son of God.  Although a stranger, I knew of the Israelite’s God. I also heard that they looked for the coming of a savior.  Surely this sad figure hanging on the cross was not the one they were looking for. As the soldiers were putting a couple of other men on crosses, I was overcome with a longing to get closer; to see this man that was slumped down; the weight of his body hanging from the outward spread of his pierced hands.
            I began pushing my way through the mob; my breath came in harsh gasps and perspiration dripped from my face.  At last, breathless, I stood before the cross.  I only glanced at the hands and feet dripping with dark blood which fell softly to the ground.  It was the face that held my attention.  It was neither a face of beauty nor of ugliness; bruised beyond recognition, but through the dirt, sweat and blood, it held a certain radiance.  I looked into his face until I could look no longer.
            As I turned to leave this place of death, I heard a sigh and the soft words fell on my ears, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” With a motion, almost spastic, I turned back and looked again into his face.  My heart throbbed; my knees weakened and I dropped to the ground and began to weep.  My tears fell in streams and I, without shame, cried loudly, “I know you are the Son of God; the Savior of the world.  Forgive me, oh God!”
            I wanted to tear that cross from the ground and hold the Son in my arms and offer myself in His place.  I reached out to the cross, but the soldiers, drunk with wine and power pushed me back.  With curses and threats they held me off.  I fought, I swore, I screamed, but at last, exhausted, I fell sobbing to the ground.  

How long I lay there, I don’t know; time was meaningless to me.  I heard thunder and lightning crashing across the sky, which aroused me and I looked up at the Son, who was now scarcely breathing.  “Son of God, I should be hanging there; I am a sinner not you.”  In that moment an overwhelming love filled my heart, mind and soul and I knew a peace such as I had never known.  I was changed forever.

  

Were you there when he rose up from the grave?
Were you there when he rose up from the grave?
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble; tremble.
Were you there when he rose up from the grave?

The Stubborn Donkey

The Stubborn Donkey

“Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied,

and a colt with her; loose them and bring them to Me.”  Matthew 21:2

Many years ago, my children wanted a story about Palm Sunday and after some thought, I came up with this fictional story about the donkey that Jesus rode through the streets of Jerusalem.  The crowds lined the streets and threw down their cloaks on the ground.  They cut down palm branches and as He rode by they waved the branches and cried out, “Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna!”  Now for the rest of the story!

In a small village outside of Jerusalem, two donkeys stood in the heat of the day.  The larger of the two was the mother; the smaller, her son, was a colt.  The mother donkey stood quiet and patient, but the colt stamped about; occasionally braying loudly.  “Will you ever learn to behave yourself,” asked the mother.  “The man who owns us will soon get rid of you because you are naughty.”

The colt refused to carry a rider, or even a small load to the market place. He was so stubborn that many times he refused to even move.  At other times, if someone came near he would kick up his hind legs just to frighten them.  Yes, it was true; his owner would soon sell him if he was of no use.  

This day the little donkey was even more restless than usual.  He had a feeling that something very exciting was about to happen.  He told his mother how he felt, but she only brayed loudly, which is the way donkeys laugh. 

A short time later two strange men came walking up to the donkeys and began to untie them.  The owner came running out of his house shouting, “What are you doing with my donkeys?”

“The Master sent us for them,” replied the men.

“And who is your master?” asked the owner.

“Jesus of Nazareth”, they answered.

The owner’s face softened and with a big smile he happily agreed they could borrow the donkeys as long as they were needed.

The men led the two donkeys down the road until they came to a group of people standing around a tall, dark, kind-looking man.  “Here are the donkeys, Master.  We think you should ride the big one who is quiet and well trained.  The colt is very frisky and has never been ridden.”

The Master looked at the donkeys as the mother stood patiently waiting to carry the rider, but the colt pawed at the ground and brayed loudly.  “No one is going to ride on me” said the colt to himself.

Then Jesus laid his hand gently on the young colt.  “This is the one I will ride,” he said.

The colt felt the gentle touch and heard the soft voice; he quieted down and stood still while the disciples placed their cloaks on his back.  The, he felt the strange weight when the Master carefully sat on him.  Without a word of command the young donkey started down the road toward Jerusalem. 

As they neared the city, crowds of people joined them shouting, “Hosanna in the Highest; Jesus, the Christ, the King of Israel.”  They went through the city waving palm branches and sing.  The little donkey held his head higher and began to prance.  He was so proud he had been chosen to carry the King.

In the evening the colt was returned to his home.  He was so happy to see his mother and nuzzled her, then stood quietly.  His mother was amazed at the change in her son. “I can’t believe you would carry a man on your back.”

“Mother, he wasn’t just a man.  He was the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord.” 

At times we are like that little donkey, stubborn and restless.  Yet, when we feel the Master’s touch, our hearts are filled with love and joy, we too will wave palm branches and sing, “Hosanna to King Jesus, Savior of the world.”

Palm Sunday is one of my favorite days at church, waving a palm branch and singing “Hosanna”.  Closing my eyes, I am taken back in time; I hear the crowds, feel the dust rising from the press of people.  I gaze on the face of Jesus as he goes by; my heart is thrilled and my faith is full. 

Stone Soup

Stone Soup

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to

             give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven                            good things to those who ask Him!”        Matthew 7:9-11

Many of you have read or heard the story about ‘Stone Soup’, but I have put it here to read again:

Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful, although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavor, which they are missing. The villager does not mind parting with a few carrots to help them out, so that gets added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not reached its full potential yet. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, the stone (being inedible) is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all. Although the travelers have thus tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, they have successfully transformed it into a tasty and nutritious meal which they share with the donors.

Reading this again reminded me of a church when it began.  To start with, it was just a building; an empty building.  At first some people scoffed at the idea of building a church in a pine grove off a highway.  They said that no one would come there because it was in the country and also because the pastor and his wife were young and inexperienced.  However, people began to come.

They came from many different places; some totally un-churched.  They came from the city, from the country and from great distances.  Each one was different and in their differences brought different flavors and different ideas.  Some were already saved and those that weren’t soon accepted Jesus as their Savior.

I hope you get the picture; the building is the pot and it takes all different kinds of seasoning to make a delicious soup, or a great mixture of people to make a great church. The main ingredient that must be part of the flavor is a huge cup of love. Sometimes something is put into the pot that doesn’t taste good, so gradually it must be strained out of the pot and thrown away before it spoils all the soup. That is the stone. At times the soup gets cold and the Holy Spirit comes in and relights the fire until it flames up and heats up the soup again. You may get other stones in the church at times so don’t let it remain there too long so it will ruin the soup.

This is called a church!  It is gradually changing and if it doesn’t people get bored.  Ask yourself this, could you eat the same soup day after day for years?  Of course not!  People come and they go in most churches and that’s okay.  Maybe they need to go somewhere else that needs more flavoring.  But remember this; if you leave you take some of the seasoning with you, but maybe God wants you to stay so the soup tastes better.

Our job is to make our soup more favorable and we do that by asking friends and neighbors if they have something to add to the soup.  On the other hand, they may be hungry and just need to be encouraged to come and share our soup.   

This is how churches are built and in spite of what you may think, if the Word of God is shared in the building, whether from the pulpit, Bible studies or children’s church, it goes forth and will not return void. [Isaiah 55:11]  That is what you may call a successful church.

There is a great opportunity in these times to allow God to stir up the soup and add more flavor to it.  Just remember that it is not the Pastor’s job to add the seasoning.  It is our job, and I should not say job, but an opportunity to bring them in.

Again I turn to my old and tattered song book of my youth.  There is a song in there called, ‘Bring Them In’.  The second verse goes like this:

 “Who’ll go and help this Shepherd kind, Help Him the wandering ones to find?  Who’ll bring the lost ones to the fold, where they’ll be sheltered from the cold?”

Chorus:  “Bring them in, bring them in, bring them in from the fields of sin; bring them in, bring them in, bring the wandering ones to Jesus.”

Go out and bring the seasoning in for our Stone Soup.