Works for me

I’m sitting in the parking lot of the hospital. I can’t go in with my wife because of restrictions. The parking lot is full of other people, also sitting. Also waiting. Also not able to go in. There is an “Expecting Mothers” section and the spaces are all filled. The sign has a very pregnant woman with a heart in the womb. There is a lot going on this morning at the hospital. Surgical procedures, dying patients, newborn patients. There are big tents set up for coronavirus testing. And those of us who sit in the parking lot and wait. A dragonfly keeps buzzing past my car. I haven’t seen a single bird all morning, which is odd. It looks like it’s going to rain and it’s getting hot. My brother lives in Texas, right on the gulf. He and his family evacuated and are safe and sound. My dad texted me and told me his dog died. It was really my Mom’s dog, but Rupp out lived her by a couple years.

Everything I see around me has a story. Every parking lot-waiter has a loved one inside and every parked car has a story. Some have “minor” surgery, defined as any surgery I’m not having, while others are clinging to life. Still others wait for that precious baby to be born. Every person that’s walking by here is here for a different reason, and to them, it’s the most important. All of our stories have intertwined this morning and we are all here today for one reason or another, but all for God’s reason. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:28. Even that dragonfly, that can’t seem to decide what it wants, came into this world at God’s time and has avoided getting zapped, squished, eaten, or sprayed so he could annoy me in my car for the glory of the Lord in His might work of providence. God works all things together. Every event in the world, big or small. Every sickness and every birth. Every storm cloud, every drop of rain. It all works together, in one glorious tapestry of Sovereignty. Why do bad things happen? That’s not a question I can answer. But I don’t assume there is only one reason why anything happens. Maybe my wife is in surgery and I write about it, so you can read about it and be comforted, if you know Christ, that everything is working out, together, according to God’s plan, for my good. There is no such thing as suffering without a purpose for God’s people. This verse is not a lesson in stoicism. It’s a comfort to the children of God, who love and are loved, enduring trials as part of His master plan, for our ultimate joy in Him. Life usually doesn’t work out like I want it, but it works together for good. 

* We're home now. Surgery was a success. 

Zombie Apocalypse

The CDC, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, has a "Zombie Preparedness" teaching program to get people thinking about disaster preparations using a zombie apocalypse as the framework for the curriculum.  My understanding is it started as a joke, but became so popular, they capitalized on the interest. For several years, people watched zombie movies and television shows and the next day at work, I heard them talking about what they would do in the "zombie apocalypse" and how their unique set of skills as a hunter or fishermen would prepare them for anything. Then, when we had a toilet paper shortage, some of the same people lost their minds. As Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

What is a Zombie Apocalypse anyway? According to etymoline.com the word zombie comes from "West African origin, originally the name of a snake god." Later, in Haitian and New Orleans cultist voodoo practices, it came to mean a reanimated corpse. But you already knew what a zombie is supposed to be. But what about apocalypse?  That's a transliteration  of a Greek word which means revelation, a disclosure of truth, a laying bare of something previously hidden. Which is also the last book of the Bible, Revelation 1:1, "The Revelation (apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ…" Biblically, the apocalypse is the disclosure of the truth of future events culminating in the New Heaven and New Earth and future glory of Christ Jesus and His people. The apocalypse is only scary if you don't know Jesus. Much of Revelation is glorious in its revelation of God's power, holiness, justice, and mercy.  It's the other parts, of God's judgment of sinners and the world religious system that captures the attention of many.

God has prepared his people for the "last days".  God has prepared his churches for the last of the last days, leading up to the times of judgment. The Bible gives many words of warnings to the churches for the last days, but they are not warnings against zombies, political powers, or pandemics. God tells his churches to beware wicked men and false doctrine. The last days are full of perilous times, a decline in truth, morality, and a further descent into depravity (2 Timothy 3:1). It will be a time of false teaching and  denials of Christ (1 John 2:18; 4:3, 2 Timothy 4:1-2). The last days are also characterized by people who deny the return of Christ (2 Peter 3:3-4) despite the clear and truthful prophetic revelation of the nature of the times. Immature Christians and false professors prepare themselves for the wrong trials. They build bunkers, store food and water, and read all about the Illuminati, but don't read their Bible or attend church. They study this political leaders and insidious groups taking counsel together, straight out of the second Psalm. But they neglect the Lord's instruction for his people in the last days. They prepare for a zombie apocalypse because they never read the Apocalypse.

 

In These Uncertain Times...

 “In these uncertain times…”  Did something happen to change “certain times” to “uncertain”? No, I haven’t been asleep for the last 6 months, but what is the difference between this year and last year? All that has changed is last year, we were certain about the times. The times are not uncertain today but what most put their faith in is uncertain. We are not in uncertain times, we trust in uncertain things. 

1 Timothy 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-mined, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. The affluent are tempted by pride in their possessions. They live in “certain times” because their life is relatively stable. Houses are certain. Jobs are certain. March Madness. College Football. Vacations at the beach, family traditions. The “certainty” of the American way of life. God has shown you they are not certain at all. 

Advertisements about these “uncertain times” are selling you something other than toilet paper. News outlets are preaching to you when they talk about uncertain times. They want to be the “rock” to keep you on point. Trust in your car insurance company, a big box store, the government, or favorite news channel and they’ll see you through these uncertain times, because when it gets bad, they are the anchor. Thanks, but I’ll pass. We put faith in uncertain things and when they fail, we get troubled. We put our hopes in uncertain people and are disheartened when they can’t deliver. We put our faith in uncertain ways of life, then are distraught when they change. Rather than trust in the uncertain ways of life, we must put our faith in the LIVING God.  Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I change not.” The times change. Situations change. But the Living God never changes and the times are sure (Isaiah 46:9-11). By believing our way of life was certain exposes the idolatry of our hearts. It’s the living God, not the dead idol, that is certain and unchanging. It’s the living God who gives us all things to enjoy who never waivers and is faithful to trust, but we have things backwards. We trust in the good things God gives for us to enjoy and ignore the God who gives them. 

 When you build your life upon uncertain things, you are building your house on sand. In 2020, for a lot of people, the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house and great was the fall (Matthew 7:27). But here is a certainty — Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Turn your heart from your idols and trust in Christ Jesus, who is the Lord of time, and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Are the times uncertain because of a virus? Job 14:5, "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." Our days are numbered by the Living God. That's a certainty. It's also a certainty that our time here is short (Psalm 89:47). The government wants you to be afraid. The news media wants you to be afraid. Then they want you to look to them for guidance and help because of the "uncertain times". 

The Bible says, because our times are short, the days are evil, and our Holy Father judges our hearts and works, we should pass our sojourn here in fear. Not the fear of viruses or riots, but the fear of God (1 Peter 1:17-25). The world wants to live forever and fears death. The Bible will tell you the truth. You are going to die, therefore fear the Lord, because He alone can give everlasting life. He gives life through Christ, when in the fullness and certainty of the ordained time, the Lamb of God entered into this world. There there is hope because in the certainty of the times, he "was manifested in these last times for you, who by Him do believe in God." The times are certain. Your times are certain. 

We live in stupid times. We live in dishonest times. We live in perilous times (Jeremiah 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:1). But we do not live in uncertain times. 

Foundation Seal

I take comfort in the fact God does not and will not change. In Paul’s day, there were a couple of men, Hymenaeus and Philetus, who taught a false doctrine saying the resurrection had already passed. Decades from Christ’s ascension, false teachers were creeping into the churches. Wolves in sheep’s clothing defiling and harming the churches. The house of God under attack from without and from within. 2 Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Let’s walk over to the institution of God’s church and a closer look. After almost 2,000 years since her founding, the house of God remains and is sealed with and inscription. The seal in ancient times was used to authenticate messages, ensure and guarantee the ownership of  what was sealed. The church belongs, not to men, but the Lord Jesus. The foundation is laid, and the Chief Corner stone is set. The gates of Hell have not prevailed against her. While times change, people change, countries change, governments change, Christ never changes and the institution of His church, is sure. The foundation of God standeth sure. As the tides of time beat upon the house, the foundation standeth sure. The storms of persecution blow, but the foundation stands sure. The storms of heresy blow against the house, the foundation stands sure.  Time has not destroyed the Lord’s church. Heresy has not toppled her. Persecution only spread the gospel truth and message. As we walk closer to examine the foundation and you’ll notice an inscription engraved on the cornerstone. It’s sealed on two sides with a message. The first says,  “The Lord Knoweth them that are His.” The Lord hasn’t forgotten his people. The Lord also is not confused by who is and who is not his children. Though men apostatize and Christians fall away or are carried away, the truth remains, the Lord knows his own. The Almighty is not deceived by the wolves and will protect his sheep. 

If we walk to the other side of the stone, there’s another inscription. “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Those who name the name of Christ do not live in iniquity, but depart from it. Those who are in Christ walk in the Spirit and if you have not the Spirit of Christ, you don’t have Christ. Do you doubt we live in perilous times? Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and tell me that doesn’t describe our times. In fact, the passage could be the description of any number of “news” segments you might have the misfortune of watching. But the people of God depart from iniquity. No matter what the culture says or what is permitted, encouraged, or even commanded — God’s people depart from iniquity. The impish plans and works of the wicked will not frustrate the Lord’s work.