The writing on wall, God wrote it awhile back, no one wanted to read it. The economy is not going to get better, tomorrow the stimulus bill will be signed into law and anyone who thinks that that will fix this economic situation is fooling themselves! Terrible times will be upon us, God is issuing the alarm; some may ponder how much He will let us endure, I cannot say. What I do know is this, that in our weakness He is made stronger; Elijah was fed by ravens (1st Kings 17:1-6) and water was supplied to him while on the run from Jezebel. God raised His Son from the dead, created the all within the universe in 7 days and preserved a nation non-existent for 1900 years only to bring them into existence once more. You don't think He can take care of our needs when we are hungry, naked, or thirsty?
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25
It is easy to worry or be anxious, but really how can we? I cannot fully comprehend how we have a God who measures the universe with the span of His hand (Isaiah 40:12), yet I am inclined to worry about my little problems within in the social sphere I call "reality"? Just human nature. Our God is gracious and is a sufficient supplier of our essentials. Ignoring the clamoring of the atheists, suffering and calamity can be used for blessing, while not easy to understand, The Lord can and does use it to bring ultimate good.
The book of Job gives an insight into the issue of God and suffering, Job who was a righteous man beyond that of all other men on earth in that present day, but God allowed Satan to destroy his life in such a way, truly no man can lay claim to have suffered the worst. He lost his flock, his possessions were taken, learned his children died, had horrible sores all over his body, his wife advised him to curse God an die, and his friends were all accusing him of doing evil and were tormenting him to confess his sin. Even that extreme of suffering had a purpose in the end, it was to glorify God's name and His goodness, and he restored everything to Job two fold; here is something interesting to think about, this was done preceding the old covenant, how much more will He bless us under the new?!
Even in the midst of life, death and troubles of life, we have our hope in the work of Jesus Christ; why should we despair like the world? Even under the possibility of death. we have the hope of entering the Father's kingdom and being in His presence for all eternity, where there is no longer sadness or suffering. We have hope in all things!
Now to the churches.
When the trials come knocking at your congregations door, how will you act? I recently heard a sermon from John Piper, discussing this future we may have when Christians show up on Sunday, weeping because they have no food in their cupboards at home. Are not those who have much, too share with those who have none? As he put it "are you a church or a club?"
"But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" 1st John 3:17
In doing so we are a light to this dark world, we could be given a chance to glisten. While the world may have every man for himself, we can come together and supply everyone's needs accordingly; to distribute from those who have much to those who have little is not the governments job, this should be the church's! We should act as though we are a family, for is that not what redeemed in Christ are? A body composed of different parts, functioning in various ways to the benefit of the body as a whole? God blesses some with riches to the benefit of the poor, this does not mean one should be made poorer so another can be richer, but if someone in your congregation is starving for food, while you have a stockpile of food at home, what would Christ do?
The Bible has told us how we should respond to calamities, and how a church should react and respond to those suffering within their own doors. I know this post may seem odd to some, and fanciful thinking to others; but I am coming from the Bible on this one (regarding the times we live in). God has been warning people to be ready for the impending situation about to occur, many economists say we have less than a year before our economy collapses, just go to the grocery store, you cannot say nothing is happening. Please people, God is warning those who are listening to be ready, at first I thought that such a thing could never happen in America, but He is showing differently. Godly men and secularists are all saying the same thing, now is not the time to plug our ears and go on enjoying our little bubble, we need to be aware of the time and start leaning on Christ all the more. Because without Him, there is no hope.
I do not know how much longer He will let His church (as a whole world) endure, but this I know, He is going to be coming real soon, let us be in prayer that we will be worthy to join Him in the clouds when he comes for us!
"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." Luke 21:36
video below:
Side note, this is a good site to look up Bible verses quickly and easily. Really beneficial to this blog.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/
Here is also the clip of John Piper I mentioned previously.
True true..
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