I think people like to make informed decisions for themselves; would you not agree?

It just helps when people have all the necessary information needed at their disposal…and having the correct information goes a long way in equipping sincere folks to choose for themselves what is the best plan of action for them and their loved ones. That goes for anyone hearing some somber news…perhaps at the doctor’s office... or maybe weather related details if you live along a coastline…and an approaching hurricane may make landfall near where you live.

Do you know what is unnecessary though? Using a lot of volume, emotion, and/or ‘theatrics’ to convince people to make a wise decision; especially when eternity is on the line and we are talking to people about the kingdom of God. Preachers and church leaders can be guilty of doing that as you may well know. Paul told Timothy to ‘just preach the word’! (2 Tim. 4:2).

And it doesn’t help anyone when you ‘withhold’ important details or info from the hearer. In fact, God said it is this omission or ‘lack of information’ that leads to people’s destruction; imagine that! (Hosea 4:6). Did you read that text yesterday from Luke 19:42-44 where Jesus lamented over what was going to happen to His people…saying ‘IF…you had only known...’ and then spells out the destruction that was coming and how ‘enemies were coming and would surround and close in…and level you and your children…’...because you did not know…”.

It wasn’t like this wasn't the first time He gave such somber warnings either. Remember Luke 13:1-5? He even repeated the fact twice…that people did not suffer in the manner in which they did because they were ‘worse sinners than anyone else’; then Jesus drove home the point that ‘unless you repent, you will all…likewise perish’. Repent from what?

So what is the first step in giving people the proper ‘knowledge so they can make ‘wise’ and informed decisions? Well…we know that the ‘fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom’, and the ‘fear of the Lord’ is something we need to be ‘taught’. (Ps. 34:11; Prov. 1:7; 9:10). I know for me personally…when I finally sat down and begin to pour over all this ‘information’ laying there in our Bible and started seeing all these ‘pieces come together’…it produced within me…a genuine ‘fear of God’ as I began to have blinders removed from my eyes.

The next thing I experienced was finding myself on my face weeping and seeking God and repenting, much like how James describes in 4:7-10. This all began in the early days leading up to all the chaos that unfolded back in the spring of 2020 as the pandemic began to turn our country and world upside down. Then…came the most incredible experience…as I was humbled and drew near to God. He drew near to me…and ‘lifted me up’; and I experienced for myself what Peter promises will happen when we ‘repent’…and the ‘times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord’ (Acts 3:19). It was then…that I discovered…and continue to learn… this is what it means to ‘abide in Jesus’. It’s a ‘place we live and walk in’; and in His presence there is ‘fullness of joy’ and ‘perfect peace’. I also came to realize that God really means what He says!

You know what else I learned in this process? If/when I sin, or ‘veer out of that lane’…I lose that peace. It’s how God, our Father, ‘disciplines’ us as described in Heb. 12:5-12. It’s how the Holy Spirit lets us know when we ‘mess up’…since the law is now ‘written on our hearts’ and when we break that law, which is what ‘sin is’ (1 John 3:4), it brings condemnation. You might say God ‘lowers the hedge’ as we ‘give place to the enemy’ who comes quickly to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. (Eph. 4:27; John 10:10). Now, keep in mind, God has him on a ‘leash’ and the enemy can only do what God allows him to do. We learned that in the book of Job 1-2.  I know...another one of those 'tough truths' to wrap your head around.

Friends…this is the reason, I believe…why God has had me spend so much time laying the groundwork, circling back and repeating and reviewing…so much of what is there in our Bibles for us to see for ourselves as to what is ‘coming down the pipe’, and what we must do to be ‘saved’ from- not only the wrath that is coming, but the wrath that is already here…which is what Jesus came to ‘save’ us from (Rom. 5:9; John 3:18; 1 Thess. 5:9). And this applies to each and every generation on ‘whom the end of the ages has come’ (1 Cor. 10:6-11).  Yeah, let that one sink in for a moment as well.

I’m not here to debate if/when you think a ‘rapture’ is coming. Jesus told us all that nobody knows the day or hour in which He will return, but He certainly does invite us to ‘come to Him’, as a chick would run to her mother hen when an approaching storm is coming, or imminent danger (Matt. 23:37). That is why I continue to ask…what better place is there for any of us to be outside of abiding in Jesus? We need to redirect the discussion from ‘getting saved’ to ‘getting in the ark’ which is what it means to be ‘in Christ’ and ‘abiding in Him’. Those are the ones who are 'now...no longer under any condemnation' (Rom. 8:1) Now go read Ps. 91:9-10.

And IF…we are abiding in Him…we ‘cease from sin’ and the ‘evil one can’t touch us’ (1 Pet. 4:1-2; 1 John 3:6; 5:18). This is what it means to ‘abide under the shadow of the Almighty’…and though a ‘thousand will fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand’…this enemy who will ‘come in like a flood’ will ‘not come near us’ (Ps. 91:1-13; Isa. 59:19) When the reality of all this begins to set in…you’ll have little hesitation to ‘lay aside every sin that so easily besets us’ as we put aside all foolishness…as we ‘cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit…perfecting holiness in the fear of God’ (Heb. 12:1; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 John 3:3). You begin to make certain that ‘none of these things are named among us’ (Eph. 5:3-6) since you realize ‘for because of these things…the wrath of God comes…’.

When people in the medical field began to discover the reality of microbes and microscopic bacteria and how it was the cause of the spread of infection…they began to make sweeping changes in the way they practiced medicine…implementing new and strict guidelines for the sterilizing and cleaning hands and of instruments. And the results were not only life changing…they were life ‘saving’. (John 5:14; Gal. 6:7-8)

When we have the ‘truth’…the truth that can ‘set us free’…those who ‘love the truth’ will run to the light (John 3:19-21) and be cleansed and made whole. Sadly…many will continue to ‘go their own way as they make light of it’; then…before long…here comes the ‘armies’ to burn the cities down, as Jesus warned was coming (Matt. 22:1-7). You might want to join me here tomorrow; and if you care to read ahead…spend some time going over Isaiah 5.