Worship God!
More and more I overhear conversations of people struggling to figure out what is going on in the world. As a believer in God, I know, because He told us in the Bible what would happen when humans decided they didn't need God. One quote in Ephesians 4:19 (NIV) tells us, "Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more."
Revelations, the last book of the Bible, gives us the "rest of the story." The author of Revelations, John, gets a bit of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens adventure. Although he is not Scrooge, who only gets a peek into his personal future; John views the future of mankind. He sees "a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…" (Rev. 21:1). He understands that, "Nothing impure will ever enter it [the new heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life," (Rev. 21:27) will be able to enter in.
John hears Jesus in Revelation 22:7 say, "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." As John falls down and begins to worship the angel taking him on this tour, the angel exclaims, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" (Rev. 22:8-9). Jesus later reiterates, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 22. 12-13). Finally, in Revelations 22:20, Jesus notes a last time, "Yes, I am coming soon," and John writes, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
So now that you know the end of the story, does it change your answer to, "What is going on in the world?" It does mine. Humans have had their way over the years and shown that they are full of the sin of their forefather, Adam. But as God's created beings we are invited to join Him in the new heaven and new earth IF we will believe the truth of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins and ask God to forgive us of our sins. Why is belief required? Because God is a God of love and love requires a choice. Why is requesting forgiveness required? Because God is a God of justice, so we must admit to our sins before our sins can be forgiven.
Revelations, the last book of the Bible, gives us the "rest of the story." The author of Revelations, John, gets a bit of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens adventure. Although he is not Scrooge, who only gets a peek into his personal future; John views the future of mankind. He sees "a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…" (Rev. 21:1). He understands that, "Nothing impure will ever enter it [the new heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life," (Rev. 21:27) will be able to enter in.
John hears Jesus in Revelation 22:7 say, "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." As John falls down and begins to worship the angel taking him on this tour, the angel exclaims, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" (Rev. 22:8-9). Jesus later reiterates, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 22. 12-13). Finally, in Revelations 22:20, Jesus notes a last time, "Yes, I am coming soon," and John writes, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
So now that you know the end of the story, does it change your answer to, "What is going on in the world?" It does mine. Humans have had their way over the years and shown that they are full of the sin of their forefather, Adam. But as God's created beings we are invited to join Him in the new heaven and new earth IF we will believe the truth of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins and ask God to forgive us of our sins. Why is belief required? Because God is a God of love and love requires a choice. Why is requesting forgiveness required? Because God is a God of justice, so we must admit to our sins before our sins can be forgiven.
This double rainbow appeared in front of these dark, threatening storm clouds in my backyard this morning. The rainbow, God's symbol of hope, reminds us that even during these dark days God is still with us and willing to remind us to return to Him, the only hope for mankind's future. (Genesis 9:8-17)
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