Nation Will Rise Against Nation

Nation Will Rise Against Nation

"For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And There will be famines, Pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.    Matthew 24:7

“We’ve been hearing these words for thousands of years and it hasn’t happened yet.” Many people agree with this, however, they are not Believers of the Word of God.  I have yet to understand how millions of people go to church every Sunday, but think they are qualified to pick and choose what parts of the Bible are true.  If you don’t believe in a Virgin Birth, then why would you believe the Bible at all? The third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came to us as a Comforter.  How can you believe that spooky story?  No one ever saw Him or heard him speak, so why would you believe it? 

Guess what, you just threw out the basics of the New Testament if you don’t believe that the Bible speaks the truth.  If you do not believe in the Word of God I suggest you literally throw the Bible in the garbage and never go to church again. However, there will come a day of reckoning when Jesus returns and to those who don’t believe he will say, “I never knew you.”

I will get responses from those who don’t believe the Bible and they will say, “You are too hard on us. We believe in God.”  Guess what, so does Satan, the enemy of our soul, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! James 2:19   It takes more than just believing in God to be a Christian.  The Bible couldn't be any clearer than this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 That is, unless you don’t believe in what the Bible says.

I wrote last week on all the disasters going on in America and it isn’t over yet. There are so many dead in Mexico after two major earthquakes and today was another 6.1 tremor. Hurricane Marie has literally wiped out Puerto Rico. What is coming next?  These things have happened before, but now they are happening harder and oftener.

We can’t disregard all these ‘nations coming against nation’.  Right now we are not sure what is going to happen with N. Korea threatening us.  This is very serious and if you think nothing can touch us, you are very wrong. We read in the Bible “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed--by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.” [Revelation 9:18]  What about the scripture in Rev. 8:7, “One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.”  How could this happen except by a Nuclear Bomb?

Is this a dooms day message?  You bet it is, because something must wake up people whose heads are buried    in the sand. Someday this is what is going to happen; we don’t know when, but it is coming and it’s time to understand we must have our hearts right with Almighty God.  We need to know that when we die, we are going to go to heaven and live forever with Jesus Christ!  If your heart isn’t ready, you will not go to heaven but your outlook is Hell!  God didn’t put you in this situation – you did it to yourself.

I really don’t like doing a message like this but you need to hear it.  Look around you at the sinful lives people are living and in a time where ‘right’ seems wrong and ‘wrong’ seems right. Don’t believe all the lies that are coming at you today.  Even some preachers are teaching a watered down gospel; they are teaching that you are forgiven without repentance.  There are so many places in the Bible that talks about repentance and forgiveness that you need to study it if you think you don’t have to confess your sins to God.  In Luke 13:3 the Bible tells us “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”   

Please open your hearts today, repent and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life.  It’s that simple and if you really believe it to be true, then today you just got saved and no matter what else happens, you will be with Jesus for eternity.  Don’t wait – we don’t know how much time we have left.   

When the Sea and Waves Roar

When the Sea and Waves Roar

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” Luke 21:25-27

I dare say that most of us have been watching the terrible hurricane that came to Florida this last week and before that the one in Texas.  I was hardly able to take my eyes off it.  We have prayed constantly for all those affected by these storms that has battered our country.  We also thanked the Lord we live in Michigan, but grieved along with our friends and family that had to endure it. 

I have heard people complaining and saying, “Where was God when all these things happened?”  I’m sure as all this begins to clear that we will hear many saying, “Praise the Lord for the miracles he did during the storm.”  We live in a fallen, sinful world where good things happen and bad things happen.  As I watched the storm happening, I couldn’t help but think of what Jesus told us in Luke 21 about “the sea and the waves roaring.” Also, about the “power of heaven being shaken.” During this time, I’m sure that fear had many shaking from wondering what was still coming on the earth.

Ladies and gentlemen; this was just a warning of what is yet to come and it seems that day by day there are more signs.  No one seems to say much about the great fires in the west or the devastating earthquake in Mexico, but it happened.  What will happen next?  We don’t know, but the Lord laid it out pretty plainly in Matthew 24 and 25.  In Matthew 24: 42 “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  

That is true, we don’t know when Jesus is coming back to earth, but we can know this for sure, He will come! How many times does scripture tell us of His return, almost every book of the Bible?  There are some things that still need to happen yet; the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem; the Abomination of Desolation standing in the temple and other things relevant to his coming. This is how we need to be ready, “Be waiting and watching”.   How many more warnings do we need?

How about N. Korea’s dire warnings they keep sending to us?  My fear is that they may be crazy enough to actually send one of their Nuclear Bombs against the U.S. or one of our other places like Guam.  Is it possible they can reach us?  It’s a possibility and if not now, in a short time.  Do we have the defenses to stop it?  Maybe! 

I believe God is still watching over us even through hurricanes, raging storms, and great fires burning in the west.  There are enough Bible believing Christians in our country to rise up against the enemy to overcome. I am so proud of our Americans who have joined together to help each other during these troubled times.  I have watched while so many risked their lives to reach out to those in need.  It’s not over yet; the cleanup and supplies needed are overwhelming, but if we all work together it can be done. 

There are many of us who can only pray, but those prayers are reaching Heaven.  Yes, some have died and some have been hurt, but life must go on and the only thing that can stop it is those who want to disrupt our way of life.  Those who want to divide our country and divide the people.

Is it that only black lives matter? Is it that only white lives matter?  If these dissidents are stopped, the divisions and racial prejudice will go away, but allowing all these marches accomplishes nothing but angry people. Our government doesn’t even know what to do about it because they are still working on the balance of “Political Correctness”. Remember to pray for our government to understand and have their eyes will be open to see.   

So, let us continue to pray and stand for the right to overcome the wrong.  At the same time, Jesus is coming back when you least expect it and we need to watch and wait so we will be ready to meet Him.  Let the sea and wave roar; the wind blow and the fire burn, but the victory over the enemy of your soul will be defeated.    

     “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:28

Come Lord Jesus!

There are Goats in Your Orchard

There are Goats in Your Orchard!

“And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” Matthew 25:33

            Have you ever been to a fruit farm and picked fruit; apples, cherries, peaches or pears?  You may have been in the southern states where you picked your own oranges or grapefruit.  I’m sure you have noticed that not all the trees in the orchard bear fruit. Some trees appear to have dried up and died; others look perfectly healthy, but have no fruit.  However, I have come across very old abandoned orchards that are still bearing fruit.

 In the northern regions of our country there are thousands of apple orchards.  It’s quite common to find deer feeding on the fruit. Farmers find it difficult to keep them out of their orchards and consequently thousands of dollars of profit are eaten up every year by the deer.  However, it would be a rare sight to see goats feeding in the orchards. Goats are very destructive. They will eat anything in sight, so farmers are keep them away from the trees.  Generally, you will find fenced in pastures where the goats graze along with sheep and cows.

Like Christians around the world, we are much like orchards filled with fruit trees, and the goats are those who are lost in sin, but are desperately looking for fruit to fill their emptiness.  There are a lot of fruit trees and many goats that need to be fed from them, but sadly, not all the trees are bearing fruit.

When we confessed our sin and asked Christ into our heart, we were appointed, or commissioned, to bear fruit.  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit; fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)

What is this fruit we must bear?  It is so important that Jesus warned of the necessity of bearing fruit that was compatible with citizenship in the kingdom of God.  “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Matt. 21:43)  As you can see it is of vital importance we bear fruit.  If we don’t, the opportunity will be taken from us.

What kinds of fruit are there? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  (Gal. 5: 22)  This fruit needs to be visible in the life of every believer.  Why?  There are goats in the orchard and they are watching to see what these trees are producing. 

The lost are standing outside the fence and keeping an eye on the Christians; the way they live, their attitudes, actions and reactions.  Do they see the Christian reach out with love, or, with anger?  Jesus was teaching his disciples about this very thing. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”  This fruit we bear is so important, that Jesus went on to say in verse 19, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Listen!  Bearing good fruit as a witness to the lost is the same as bearing fruit to God. “So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.” (Ro. 7:4) 

                Have you ever taken a bite out of a big, red, juicy apple, only to find you bit right through a worm hole and you didn’t see the worm?  You didn’t know whether to swallow what’s in your mouth or spit it out.  This is what the lost (goats) are thinking when they see the Christian say one thing, but live in ungodly ways.  You can witness to a sinner, from now until Jesus comes, but if you are not representing Christ with the fruit of the Spirit, they won’t know what to do with it. They’ll be thinking, “I don’t know if I should swallow this or spit it out.”

In Col 1:10, Paul tells the Christian, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work.”  There are many people in this world who do good works.  It gives them a feeling of self-worth and they use their good works as a way to show others how great they are or makes them feel better about them self.  Good works are wonderful, but where is the fruit?  Are these works done with the love of Jesus; with joy, peace, patience, kindness, or are they done grudgingly, out of guilt, or to make oneself look good? 

It is up to you to take care of your orchard and allow God to prune you, so you will produce not only good fruit, but abundant fruit. Pruning can be a difficult process, but necessary for your good.  Remember this scripture in Romans 8:28 All things work together for the good of those who love “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” That purpose is to provide fruit to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. 

 It’s alright to have goats in your orchard; open the gates, let them come in and offer fruit so good and so pure; they’ll want to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -- to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:11)