It appears we won't face default tomorrow here in the good old U.S.A. But I wonder how long it will be until the next shutdown? We are trillions of dollars in debt. How are my grandchildren ever going to be able to pay for it? I fear today's deal may be just "kicking the can down the road." Someday, those debts are going to come due. It won't be pretty.
In the past, I've been caught in the trap of looking for a political savior. Really, right or left politically, there is none who can help us. That is why I propose the only way we should look now is up. Looking beyond the hope of this nation fixing itself, because that would be only because of revival in the churches. But that is not a trend of the church in the last days. Sooner or later, a storm will hit and this country will no longer be what it was. But that doesn't mean we can't have hope, even now in this dark hour. Both Psalm 60: 11 and Psalm 108: 12 tell us the very same words:
"Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless."
The word useless in the New King James Version is the word "vain" in the King James Bible. In the Hebrew, the word for vain is שָׁוְא, shav'. It is Strong's # H7723 and in the Bible it is used these ways:
I. emptiness, vanity, falsehood
A. emptiness, nothingness, vanity
B. emptiness of speech, lying
C. worthlessness (of conduct)
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7723&t=NKJV
Nothing in the meanings above say there is one bit of chance for the hope of being able to rely on people or governments. Even the most kindhearted person will let you down if you give them enough time. But God will never let us down. For a long time in my life, I relied on people to try to give me the help only God could give. And when it came to election time, I hoped fervently a certain leader would be elected.
I believe during that time, God kept saying to me, "Hey, why don't You look to Me?"
He proverbially "taps His toes" and waits to be gracious to us. Isaiah 30:18: "Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him."
We can have confidence that God remains sovereign in the whole affair, and He is also sovereign in our lives. If we have believed in His Son Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:16), God sees to it that our ultimate destination will be heaven. But the choices we make now will determine the quality of our heavenly future, and also how we will weather the inevitable storm that is coming.
Let's say we are close to the Lord's Second Coming. Jesus asked a pointed question that I keep thinking about: "... Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" I don't want sidelined by disaster so I am not prepared to meet Him on that day. It is my hope that He will find faith in my heart if I am to be here then. He also warned in Luke 21: 34-36:
"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
The word in the Greek for "watch" is agrypneō, in the Strong's G5258, and is used in the Bible this way:
I. to be sleepless, keep awake, watch
II. to be circumspect, attentive, ready
It is in present tense, active voice and an imperative mood. The Blue Letter Bible says this about the imperative mood:
The imperative mood corresponds to the English imperative, and expresses a command to the hearer to perform a certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding. Thus, Jesus' phrase, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mk.1:15) is not at all an "invitation," but an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G69&t=KJV
Jesus doesn't give us an option. Since times are hard, it is essential not to be casual in our Christian lives. The Lord will give us wisdom if we only ask for it. (James 1:5)
"...look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21: 28
No comments:
Post a Comment