Earth Dwellers

If, and I emphasize “if,” the Lord’s return is near, we are about to enter a time tribulation. The Bible says at the end of the age, no economy on Earth will prosper. Only food (not gold) will retain its value. People will spend a whole day’s wages just for enough to feed themselves (Rev. 6:6). Those who trust in the things of this world for their security will find they have nothing.

The Book of Revelation calls them “Earth Dwellers” (3:10).  Earth Dwellers will be judged.  The word “dwellers” refers to where one’s heart is—not just one’s physical location. In contrast to believers who are aliens and sojourners upon the earth (1 Pet. 2:11) and whose hope is heavenward (Heb. 11:13-16), these that dwell upon the earth are trusting in man and their environment.

Like much New Testament terminology, “earth dwellers” is also found in the Old Testament, occurring almost 50 times. And every use of “earth dwellers” in the Old Testament appears in a context of judgment, just as it does in the book of Revelation.

I do not know whether or not the times ahead of us are the beginning of the end. But I do know this: we are at a time in history when everyone who says his home, citizenship, and focus is heavenward is about to be tested. As we see the world’s economy falter, it is now— more than ever—a time to “set your mind (and affections) on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

Buy Gold Now

When economies are in a recession, the value of paper money goes down. Lately, a growing number of financial experts are cautioning us of a global financial meltdown. And the debt debacle of these last few weeks has shown us all how little it would take for the world’s money system to crash. Thus, many people are buying gold as a hedge against worthless currency. But according to James, in the end times, that will be useless. “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted...Your gold and silver are corroded” (James 5:1-2).

In spite of all of this, notice how, after condemning the rich, James counseled believers to wait patiently for the Lord’s coming. (James 5:7-8) He was not only talking to the people of his era, but to ours as well. The uncertainty of world financial markets, when added to the other signs we see, tells us that the Lord’s return for His Church may happen sooner than later.

Do you wonder if Jesus were your financial adviser, what He might say? Well, He has already spoken on the matter. "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich…” (Rev. 3:18). And what is the gold tested by fire Jesus speaks of? It is our faith, likened to gold that has been fully purified though patience and endurance: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold…” (1 Peter 1:7)

What Happened to the Audacity of Hope?

David's beautiful Psalm 23 is one of the Bible's most well-known passages to believers and non-believers alike. Often read at funerals, it is perceived as a universal message of comfort and hope for all people. But the hope it promises can only by possessed by those who know God as their Shepherd.

In 2006, Barak Obama wrote “The Audacity of Hope,” in which he challenged Americans to have hope in a time of difficulty and uncertainty. Borrowing from the apostle Paul and Franklin D. Roosevelt, he said “In the end it [hope] is God’s greatest gift to us: believing in things not seen, and believing there are better days ahead.” Of a certainty, ‘then’ Senator Obama could not have known how much difficulty and uncertainly lay ahead for the nation over which he would preside. Whatever your politics, you have to admit that his presidency has not been in the best of times. And now, unsurprisingly, he no longer speaks of hope. Without a revelation of God as His Shepherd, how could he?

The metaphor may not be entirely appropriate, but King David’s path to the throne was rocky—his reign full of ups and downs. David came on the scene at a difficult time: a protracted war with the Philistines, political division, and over-taxation had weakened the new-found kingdom. Still David kept entrusting his life to God. For David, there was no question about where to put his trust. “But as for me, I will hope continually” (Psalm 71:14). David knew there was only one place to find hope. What audacity! We should all be so bold.

Something's Out of Balance

As I listened last night to President Obama and House Speaker Boehner present their case for how to raise the debt ceiling, I observed how they both used the word “balance.” In this budget battle, the President is pushing for a “balanced” approach (cutting costs and raising revenues) while the Speaker wants a “balanced” budget amendment. Each accuses the other of being “out of balance. “

I remember in the 1980’s when “balance” became the newest buzz-word. It seems the word is having a renaissance. But the former use of the word (a balanced lifestyle) has been amended to include compromise and tolerance—balancing one’s views with that of others, being more accepting and embracing of alternate worldviews and lifestyles. Anyone unwilling to compromise his beliefs is considered intolerant, out of touch, and out of balance.

Defining balance as such, any wholehearted, committed follower of Jesus will be out of balance. Look at Jesus. He was intolerant of hypocrisy. And while he loved sinners, he was uncompromising with sin. Nor was His a balanced lifestyle. He worked long hours, and had short nights, rising early to pray rather than sleep. And He often skipped meals, saying “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34). Jesus determined when to eat and when to abstain, when to work and when to rest according to His Father. He did not seek to live in balance with this world, but to do the will of the Father.

I may run out of time, but I have lots of eternity

I am so busy all the time—usually thinking about how little of it I have, or how fast it is going—I forget I am eternal. How much ‘time’ do you spend thinking about ‘eternity?’

When we get tired of waiting, we may say it feels like an eternity. In other words, we think of eternity as an extremely long time. But eternity actually isn't a long time at all. It has nothing to do with time. And it is more of a sphere than place. And most significantly, it is where God lives. “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy” (Isaiah 57:15).

Jesus told us “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2). The word “mansions” is an unfortunate translation, found only in the King James Version. It literally means abode (dwelling). The word appears only one other place in the Bible.  Later in John's gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him” (14:23).

God is eternal, lives in eternity, and (amazingly) dwells in our hearts.  Now can you understand Solomon's words: God has “put eternity in your hearts.”   (Ecc. 3:11).  That should be reassuring to us who are concerned about running out of time.  More importantly, thinking "eternal" will certainly put a proper perspective on what happens "in time."

Distractions

Have you seen the pictures of starving children in Somalia (the latest victims of famine), the kind of images that make you want to turn away and think about something else?  Of course there are legitimate reasons for our reaction: it hurts to see such pain and feel so helpless to do anything about it.

Unfortunately, it’s become all too easy for Americans to avoid the suffering beyond our borders. The so-called “creature comforts” we enjoy occupy our thoughts and redirect our emotions to more pleasant things. We have mastered the art of distraction—we call them pastimes. Some of our pastimes are national, like baseball, basket ball, and football. We devote days of distracted celebration to them (World Series, March Madness, Super Bowl). But each of us has our own favorite distractions that serve to anaesthetize us to the suffering of those across the sea, across town, or even across the street.

During His time on this earth, Jesus was never deterred from His mission by vain distractions. Can you imagine Him sitting in a movie theater to escape the intensity of the world’s suffering? Yikes! Now that’s getting a little too close to home! But I am not saying it is wrong to enjoy a dinner out, a movie and popcorn, or a day at Candlestick. But given the myriad of distractions available to us in this wealthiest of countries on the earth, we must be extremely careful not to get caught up in all the distractions. Since Jesus was the epitome of single-mindedness to the Father’s will should we not also be single-minded in our devotion to God? Only those who unwilling to be distracted by pleasures on earth will hear what the Lord calls them to do, whole-heartedly and without distraction.

Kicking the Can down the Road

By this time next week, we will know whether or not Congress and the President have reached an agreement to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. One government policy expert gives it a 50/50 chance. My opinion: the debt will be raised. In the parlance of our president, we will kick the can down the road for the next generation to deal with. Why do I think that? Because it is human nature to do so.  We have become skilled procrastinators, expert evaders.  We distract ourselves with present prosperity, pastimes, and pleasures. ‘I’ll deal with this someday,’ we say, ‘but not today.’

One of the better kings of Judah, Hezekiah, is famous for such folly. After proving poor judgment by showing off all his treasures to wily Babylonian emissaries (whose armies would later return to pillage the nation’s riches), the prophet Isaiah reprimanded him, 'The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left,' says the LORD. 'Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon's king. Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "This message you have given me from the LORD is good." For the king was thinking, "At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime." (Isa 39:6-8) And thus, Hezekiah was content to kick the can down the road.

"Oh, it's easy," he said

Yesterday, I participated in my first webinar. I’d like to say it was a snap, but in fact, the day was fraught with technical snafus. It was a day of “learning opportunities.” People my age are having increasing difficulty keeping up with new technologies. Last week I had breakfast with a millennial (the generation under 30) and mentioned I had been putting off getting a ‘smart’ phone because I didn’t have the time nor did I want to deal with the stress of learning how to use a new device. His answer was the typical “Oh, it’s easy.” (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that one.) Last year when I bought a new DVD/VCR player, I asked the young (aren’t they all!) geek at Best Buy, “is it easy to set up?” “Oh, yes,” he responded; “I sold one to an 80-year old lady last week and she went home and set it up right away with no problems.” (How many people did he tell that story to!?) When I got home and opened the box, and found a 40-page instruction manual, I nearly wept.

But, not unlike our spiritual journey, we have no choice but to go forward. To stand still is to regress. To stop trying is to lose ground, or worse, lose the race. No, we have no choice. We must keep moving—and not aimlessly, but deliberately and progressively. That of course, requires endurance, as Paul says, so we can receive the things God has promised, (Heb. 10:36)—followed by these disquieting words: “And if you shrink back (stand still, stop trying, give up), I [God] will not be pleased with you." "But I know," Paul goes on to say, that "you are not those who will shrink back and be destroyed, but you are those who persevere to the salvation of the soul. (Heb. 10:38-39).

Suddenly

I just received an unexpected phone call from an old friend.  Does this ever happen to you?  You get a call from a friend you haven’t seen for ten years. He’s in town and, naturally, wants to get together. But your day is already full.  You argue to yourself “I have plans; I have a schedule to keep.” But you know that that the Holy Spirit has opened this door, and you must go through. 

When you do something at a moment’s notice, it is with very little advance notice or warning, suddenly. Most of us don’t like having to do things at a moment’s notice. We prefer the Boy Scouts’ motto Be Prepared. Jesus had a way of suddenly showing up and changing things. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them (Luke 24:15); And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them” (Luke 24:36); “They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking” (John 619). “As Paul was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him” (Acts 9:3).

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you know well that at a moment’s notice, or quite suddenly, the Holy Spirit will show up and change the direction of your day. And for that, we should always be prepared, prepared for those sudden moments when you have to change directions at the drop of a hat. “If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping [unprepared]” (Mark 13:36).

Only a Matter of Time

Some are saying it’s only a matter of time before the economy improves. Others are saying it is only a matter of time before the government goes bankrupt. Some are saying it’s only a matter of time before Iran has the nuclear capability to blow up Israel. Israel is saying it’s only a matter of time before it blows up Iran’s nuclear facilities. Some are saying it’s only a matter of time before we can safely leave Afghanistan in the hands of their own security forces. The Taliban are saying it’s only a matter of time before we get tired and go home and they retake the country.

In this world, time is all anyone has—they live in it, worry about it, are limited by it.  No one can change the past or control the future. It is indeed a worrisome condition—this thing called time.  But the one who is "born from above" lives outside of time (John 3:3).

Jesus left eternity and came to live in time. But He was never controlled by it.  He said it was not only pointless, but sinful, to worry about time—past, present or future. “Are there not twelve hours in a day?” (John 11:9) “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mat. 6:34) means there is a daily quota of trouble. And His assurance is that our Father will never allow us to exceed our quota.  But if we carry yesterday or tomorrow with us into TODAY we will certainly exceed it. We would be wise to follow Jesus’ pattern of living each day as a unit in and of itself, living in the ever-present, eternal reality of TODAY (Hebrews 3:7). To us, it is not a matter of time, but a matter of eternity.

Are You a Fundamentalist?

I just finished a class on the history of fundamentalism. For years, no one has wanted the label 'fundamentalist.’  Up through 1980s, it became a ‘bad’ word, having connotations of back-water hayseed preachers and snake handlers, narrow-mindedness and ignorance.  In the last 30 years, then, the word has fallen out of common use.  No intelligent person would call himself a fundamentalist anymore!   But did you know that fundamentalism was born out of a doctrinal controversy with religious liberals of the 19th century who questioned the inerrancy and infallibility of the Scriptures?

In his book “Battle for the Bible,” published 40 years ago, theologian Harold Lindsell wrote: “A great battle rages today around biblical infallibility. To ignore this battle is perilous. To come to grips with it is necessary… When inerrancy goes, it opens a small hole in the dike, and if that hole is not closed, the levee will collapse and the whole land will be overrun with the waters of unbelief.” Though those words were written almost 40 years ago, they are alarmingly relevant today.

The cultural wars of our generation demand that we defend the authority of the bible. Paul said we should “always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks us to give an account… and to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it” (1 Peter 3:15; Titus 1:9). And those words, written 2,000 years ago, are more relevant today than ever.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen!”

The European stock market has taken a nose dive in the past few days. Not only worried about the U.S. economy, they are distressed by fiscal instability of two of their EU member nations—Greece and Italy. The need to bail out these countries has crippled Europe. Has it occurred to you, as it has to me, that these two ‘people groups’ (the Greeks and Romans) were at one time the most power nations on the earth? And now, not only Europe’s weakest, they could topple the entire European (and global) financial system!

Winston Churchill said "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Similarities between Ancient Greece and Rome and the United States are alarming. Historians contribute a number of factors to their decline. What happened in each of these empires is they became such huge world powers and started to take over so many territories and so much land that they spread their forces too thin, which effected financial instability. And—get this— the rise of Islam is thought to be one of the reasons for Rome's Fall.

Today, there is an ideological war going on in our country, the outcome of which could determine the future of our nation and the even the planet’s destiny. What happens in our Nation’s capitol by August second could be cataclysmic. This world has never been at this place before. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:27).

Unmentionables

I heard a word the other day I hadn't heard in awhile.  When is the last time you heard someone refer to underwear as ‘unmentionables?’ If you did, it was probably said as a joke. But you know it hasn’t been that long since undergarments were considered to be ‘unmentionable.’ Of course the larger meaning of the word is anything that is inappropriate or improper to mention in polite conversation. But is there a common definition of “polite conversation?” When did TV advertisers start showing models of women’s (or men’s) underwear? It gets worse. Many formerly unmentionable subjects are common with advertisers pushing the limits of decency. And not only that, but what used to be called “foul” language is no longer. Even some pastors think it's OK to use crude language in the pulpit.  Is everyone pushing the limits?

How do we as Christians navigate our way through this crazy culture? Where do we draw the lines? Does the Bible have anything to say about what is and what is not ‘unmentionable?’ Yes, it does.

“Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them…and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph. 4:29; 5:4). We can only wonder what David’s culture was like when he says “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD.” (Ps. 19:14)

Getting Away with Murder

Last week, something happened that made people say ‘she got away with murder.’ Of course, I am referring to the Casey Anthony verdict. In all “fairness,” the jury said there was not enough evidence to “prove” her guilt. Was it unfair? Then last week, another thing happened that strikes the same chord: President Obama said he wants to raise taxes on higher income earners to help reduce the debt. He says the rich are not paying their fair share!  People are saying, “These CEOs are getting away with murder.”

Though I’m fascinated by the political side of both stories, I am more interested in their spiritual nature. “Unfairness” has troubled mankind ever since Cain accused God of unfairly judging his sacrifice. It seems the only way he could ‘get even’ with God was to murder his brother. Centuries later, Jesus told a story about a brother who accused his father of being unfair when his younger brother (AKA, the ‘Prodigal son’) went off to a foreign country and wasted his inheritance, but upon returning found his father’s unconditional love intact. When you read that story, can’t you understand the older son’s feelings?

The reality is life is unfair. Some 'underserving' people have far more than others. And let’s face it—watching people get away with murder is very discouraging. So how do we guard our hearts from this stronghold of bitterness and discouragement? Peter says Jesus left us an example to follow. “He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” (1 Peter 2:22-23 NLT) When life seems unfair, there is only one thing to do—keep your eyes on Jesus, and “think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up” (Hebrews 12:3 NLT).

Tweeting is for the Birds, isn't it?

Did you hear that President Obama had a Twitter Town Hall on Wednesday? Tweeting has become the icon of word economy. “Tweeple,” people who “tweet” on Twitter, need to communicate in messages that are no more than 140 characters.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt said it took him about an hour to write a one-hour speech, but two hours or more to do a 30-minute version. Henry David Thoreau said a story doesn’t need to be long, but it takes a long time to make it short. Mark Twain said if he had more time, he’d write shorter.

But surely these wordsmiths would have found the brevity of tweets and texts utterly contemptible. No, these short communiqués are not the product of thoughtful writing. Rather they are simply driven by a need for speed: quite the opposite of what Roosevelt, Thoreau, and Twain had in mind.

In these daily blog posts, I try to be concise without sacrificing depth. And though I hope my words are meaty enough to chew on for awhile, they cannot substitute for a healthy daily diet of The Word. In this day of texts and tweets, look at what Jesus said about words: “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). Well, all this is to say, I think our President’s town hall twitter is a good time to reflect on the importance of God’s words, and be careful that we are not twittering away our daily talks with Him!

Has Anything Like This Ever Happened Before?

There was a news story last night answering the question ‘why has the weather been so extreme this year?’ The weather guy blamed it on ‘la nina’ or maybe it was ‘el nino’—whatever. But in the last several years (did it begin with the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean?) the world has experienced unprecedented suffering from natural disasters.  And in our country too, though to a much lesser degree, of course.

This morning as I was reading in Joel’s little prophesy, these words seemed apocalyptically relevant. After an unprecedented draught and locust invasion destroyed all the crops in the land, Joel asks, Has anything like his ever happened in your days or in the days of your fathers? Then Joel declares it to be a harbinger for the Day of the Lord.  Now I am no “Joel,” and I'm not prophesying the Day of the Lord.   But the Bible says, “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” (Mat 24:8).  Could our generation be seeing the beginning of birth pangs?

Though ‘natural’ disasters are limited in sphere, there appears to be a coming calamity from which no one will escape. It is a financial crisis of ‘biblical proportion.’ For the first time in modern history, a country (Greece) has gone bankrupt. For the first time in our nation's existence, unmanageable debt has shut down a state government (Minnesota). Bill Clinton was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer last weekend; the former president was asked what would be the effects of Congress’ failure to raise the debt ceiling by August 2.  He basically said, “Since it’s never happened before, I don’t know.”  I think I know.  Birth pangs.

What do You do When God Doesn't Calm the Storm?

In May a severe storm (tornado) hit Joplin, Mo., destroying 100s of homes and disrupting 1000s of lives. When I hear about such tragedies, I know there were many Christians praying that God would calm the storm and protect them from danger. I thought of this again the other day when I saw a picture of a church on the Missouri River threatened by flood waters. I am sure they were praying God would divert the waters. But in both cases, God did not. Homes and churches were lost.  They were probably thinking of the times when Jesus calmed the storms. They probably wondered why God did not calm their storms.

When the apostle Paul was a prisoner being taken to Rome, he was in a ship that got caught in a terrible storm. In a desperate attempt to save themselves, the crew threw the cargo overboard as the wind and waves battered the ship. As they were about to give up hope, God gave Paul a vision that the ship would sink, but no one would be lost. Sure enough, the ship was destroyed, but all aboard were saved.

Paul obeyed God, yet God still allowed him to be shipwrecked. I’m sure Paul prayed for deliverance from this storm. He may have expected God to calm the winds. Instead, God promised to keep Paul safe though the storm; and Paul believed Him. Often, God allows storms to continue, but He stays beside us and promises we will not be lost. God help us to trust Him during the storms of life.

Dependence Day!

All over the world, people are suffering due to natural disasters. This year has already seen some of the worst natural disasters in 100 years, and some have no precedent. And isn't it significant that in our sophisticated age when we can conquer space, we are powerless to do anything about life on planet earth?!

Isn’t it obvious that God is at work? We are an independent people—we even celebrate our independence!—a national hallmark, the American spirit. What will it take for us to confess our helplessness and express our unqualified dependence on Him?

To all who can receive it, God is giving a revelation of our weakness, to bring us to the end of ourselves. Perhaps the day after U.S. Independence Day is good day to be reminded of our dependence. At a time of helplessness, God spoke to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for [My] power is perfected in [your] weakness." Paul’s response was “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about [celebrate] my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” Contrary to the modern independent spirit, Paul was celebrating his dependence.  Perhaps we should have a day called “Dependence Day”  when we all celebrate our weakness and His power.