Today in church the speaker took his message from Daniel 12. this is a prophecy of future things. It mentions tribulation for God's children, and some people are frightened by this. But why? does that come as a surprise to them? Did not Christ Himself say that "In this life ye shall have tribulation"? It's not like God suckered us in to His service and then sprung a nasty surprise on us. He told us at the outset that it was going to be hard. But He also said this: "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
These prophecies should not cause fear in God's people. In fact, we are to "comfort one another with these words." What could be comforting about a prophecy of persecution? The fact that the prophecy is being made. A God that knows the future is one who is in control of it. That is the comfort. We need not worry about the future because it's not in our hands; it's in hands much bigger and more capable than our own. The future should never frighten one who trusts in God, because the future is His. All of time is His. He created time, after all.
and this was what I thought was the message of Daniel. In chapter 12 the anger gives a prophecy, but it's not very clear. That's alright, though, because we don't have to worry ourselves sick over the specifics. It's enough to know that God knows exactly what is going to happen, and He already knows what He's going to do about it.
So what do we do? Verse 13:
"But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."
8 comments:
You know I have been reading Elder Harold Hunt's books lately (The Lost History of Calvinism and The London Confession and It's Place in Baptist History). I have found them to be very encouraging. For no matter how bad things may be for me, others withstood far more. I am humbled by their sacrifices that the Church would exisit here in America.
Since you are answering my poem posts with poetic discourse I was going to come up with something clever to answer you posts, but alas I am not quick witted tonight.
Very good exposition.
"No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
We gotta keep plowing away, even if it is into uncertain times.
P.S the word verification is "Smiterst"; almost like some 15th century tense of "smite"
I recommend watching the TV series Speechless: Silencing the Christians. Some of the cases related are simply outrageous. Watch them, seriously.
Like every good thing, there's a balance to be achieved. And I think it echoes and adds to what Elyow'eynay said…
I could be wrong---sometimes I feel like, am I missing something? ---but it seems almost absurdly obvious that the right action to take is to fight for our fundamental rights. Yes, we shouldn’t be in fear of persecution---grace will be given when needed---but it can’t be right to go down like “fish in a whiskey basket.” For some reason I don’t think the whole “turn the other cheek” thing applies here. Yes, we should keep plowing away, but not be passive about the fact that the crops that are springing up behind us are being stolen, stalk by stalk…or…bulb by bulb, if we’re talking onions. It’s just like earning your bread: if you sit home and say, “God said he’ll provide,” you’re gonna starve. You have to ask him to bless your efforts, and then get out and do the work. We should trust that God's in control, but then fight to keep those things that made this country what is.
(the episodes are all in one place here. they're about 20 mins long)
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Blog/Default.aspx?id=337488
I think what Monolog says if very true. But I think it gets back to something that I have been very adamant about lately: Christians have to get back to being Christians. We have turned the cheek way too much, and by that I mean we have turned the cheek away from the fundamental Christian principles and turned our cheeks to the world. We have adopted the idea "If we can't beat em', join em'."---but still trying to look like Christians while we do it. We have allowed the world and the devil to turn our churches into nothing more than social clubs, and sadly like dogs backed into a corner we bit back at the persecution in railing accusations that only further caused the world to look at us and say "Well you're just a bunch of orthodox,narrow-minded bigots. The reason being that in our fighting---and monolog I'm not saying that you are wrong about the fighting----we fought with the worlds ways. We stood on the principles of, let's just use homosexuality as an example because it's easy, and we said "If you're gay, you're wrong and you are a sinner" all the while our "christian" brothers are running around cussing, drinking, lying, stealing, and living lives outside the church that bring shame upon the church. Oh, but we arn't gay....so we're ok. The problem is that we aren't fighting like Jesus and the apostles fought. We arn't looking into the faces of our oppressors, and yelling at them with our actions. It's our actions that are our problem. We have to get back to living a loud Christian life. When we can do that we won't have to worry about losing ground, or having our crops stolen. Our crops will be firmly sewn in ground that no man can dig. Our churches, though they may not be overflowing, will be impenetrable fortress that can withstand any dart of the devil. And on top of it all, the world may still say to us "you're too close-minded" but they will also have to admit, maybe just on the inside, that if they were ever in trouble and needed anything we would be the first ones they knew they could go to for help. That's the dream. That's the fight. That's what we have to get back to if we are ever going to gain any ground for Christ here in this world. Unrelenting Christians that arn't just unrelenting in standing up for the fundamentals of 10 commandment values, but are living out the fundamentals of loving our neighbors, feeding the poor, taking in the strangers, and taking care of people who would never call themselves "church goers".
Wow, Adam. Copy that and post it on your blog. Then put it in your book that you're going to write.
I'm only going to do it for you.
I spoil you sometimes Graham. Which by the way if I do write a book, which is highly unlikely unless someone will do all the work for me, then that will be one of the dedications in the front.
"I spoil you sometimes Graham."
Wow the word verification is "Diostips" which sound like it could be either some really cool space age food, or one of the flavors at Baskin Robbins. "2 scoops of diostips please."
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