|
Bible Bubbles |
Dear Brethren,
Yes, Bible Bubbles is a strange title for
“The Countdown to the Return of Jesus Christ,” but in fact
it is a very accurate one. Why do bubbles pop? Many
people have been asking about the current trouble in the
greater Church of God. Why do church organizations continue
to break up? One minister spoke of the current condition of
his church organization as, “disintegrating.” And some of
the disheartened brethren who have worked so hard to build
that organization are now, devastated, heart-broken, and
deeply grieved” over the current crisis. Everyone has deep
concern over what is happening. Please understand that this
is only the latest disappointment in a long list of
shattered dreams.
In these last days, as we draw closer to the
very end-time, Jesus has prophesied that hardships, trials,
and tribulations will increase. Christianity is a matter of
individual conscience, conviction and practice, and no one
is to have authority over a member or a minister’s faith (2
Corinthians 1:24). “Neither be you called masters: for
one is your Master, even Christ.”
(Matthew 23:10)
At the heart of the matter is the confusion
about God’s government. What has evolved in the greater
Church is a pattern of wrongly equating loyalty to God’s
government with submission to human organizational
authority. It is wrong to label as “disloyal,
trouble-maker, or rebellious” any man who expresses
a concern over a leadership’s decision or approach. Our
responsibility is to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). John
gives us God's clear instructions on how to proceed when he
openly addresses the damaging tactics of Diotrephes.
“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is
good. He that does good is of God: but he that does evil
hath not seen God.” (3 John :11)
For Church brethren, these are the most
momentous of times – but they are going to soon become
considerably worse for a portion of the Church. The Bible
is clear that Satan will soon mount an offensive of terrible
proportions against a remnant of the true Church of God.
Only a very small number, proportionally, of the Church of
God brethren will be safely protected from the clutches of
Satan. They will be sheltered and nourished for three and a
half years, not as a reward for their love of the brethren,
per se, but because Christ is going to use them as an
example to warn the remaining greater Church of its lack of
preparedness to meet Christ at His return.
“Because thou hast kept the word of my
patience, I also will keep thee [protect you] from
the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev 3:10)
“To the woman [Church brethren]
were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly
into the wilderness [protection], into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a
time, from the face of the serpent [Satan].”
(Rev 12:14)
“And the dragon [Satan] was wroth
with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her
seed [those not in the place of safety], which keep
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ.” (Rev 12:17) Those lukewarm Christians whom
Satan is angry against keep the Ten Commandments and have
Christ’s testimony – they, too, are God’s true Church –
called of God, chosen, holy people, but they are just not
ready and prepared for the first resurrection (Rev 17:14).
Many brethren who suppose that they are God’s
special people, His elect people, will find their bubble
popped. Daniel speaks of this last time of Church
persecution when all the saints [holy people] caught in the
tribulation will literally have to lay down their lives to
prove that they loved not their lives unto the death
(Rev 12:11). There will be a horrific martyrdom of all
those who finally realize that they had not yet measured up
to Christ’s requirements.
“…A king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power
shall be mighty, but not by his own power [Satan’s
power]: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall
prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the
holy people.” (Daniel 8:23-24) “...when he
shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy
people, all these things shall be finished.”
(Daniel 12:7)
Why does everything seem to start out well,
and then end up falling apart? Adam and Eve had their
bubble popped. “Therefore the Lord God sent him
forth from the garden of Eden.” (Genesis 3:23) The
only thing on earth that is lasting, enduring, and permanent
is Godly character – God’s Spirit in us – all else vanishes
and fails
The millions, perhaps billions of men and
women of Noah’s day had their bubble popped. “The
Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth; …for I repent that I have made them.”
(Genesis 6:7)
We see a pattern emerging here. What causes
people’s expectations to be dashed – what causes their
bubbles to pop? Moses did not get to go into the
Promised Land – his bubble was popped. Kind David’s
bubble was popped when he was not allowed to
construct the Temple – the House for God he desired so much
to build. We’ve seen the Worldwide Church of God fall apart
– and the Global Church of God breakup – and now the United
Church of God in turmoil.
Nothing that is manmade is enduring.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who
build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes
but in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) Everything that
we do as the people of God must be done entirely in
accordance with God’s Will, and Law of love. No one
ever has license to run roughshod over another man’s life
and faith – no matter what authority he believes that he has
been given. Jesus Christ does not operate that way.
Jesus is patient, compassionate, and loving – He is not
willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus
offers a helping hand and more – He laid His life down for
us – and then He requires that we do the same.
***
Sermon: |
"Bible Bubbles"
|
|
|
|