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.

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Sermon:

"Bible Bubbles"