|
First God sets things in order. He tells us to look around at everything- all that our eyes are able to behold. LOOK at it long and hard and then consider something very important: 
“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke. The earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be forever; and my righteousness shall not be abolished.” Isaiah 51:6
Now, with the reality of all life and everything that you now know will soon all be GONE he goes on to say: “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” Isaiah 51: 7&8 There is something that will last forever- salvation! Sometimes it appears that the wicked are having their way. It seems that they have all the power and are overtaking everything. It seems that the enemies of Christians are outweighing everything. It can feel overwhelming as we look around and see how wickedness is being exalted and the righteous are being made to feel foolish. We realize more and more that the battle lines are being clearly drawn. “I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.” Psalms 37:35
“But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” Psalms 39:4 The end of the battle- the goal of the battle- is not the gain of this world, nor the treasures of it, but rather the salvation of souls- first our own soul and then we are battling for other souls- souls that are bound by wickedness. When we are saved and serving God, we are engaging the enemy of God, the deceiver of this ungodly world- Satan. He will fiercely appose us. He is a skilled warrior and he is not playing games. He has no mercy, no love, no concern for anything but to destroy souls. We need to know who our enemy is. We need to keep a clear vision what we are battling for. The battle is for souls: 
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD, and in the power of his might. (put your trust in him) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6: 10-12 If we are not careful to keep a clear vision of the battle, we will begin fighting against the wrong things and for the wrong things. Jesus said that in the last days men’s hearts would be failing them for fear of all the things coming on the earth. (Luke 21:26) And, in Matthew 24:6 he tells us “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled.”
Our hope must be in heaven, for that is where the fulfillment of the promise lies. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also... Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:1-3, 27 Jesus clearly forewarned us of this time that we are now in: “In the last days perilous times shall come… All that live godly will suffer persecution…evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:1, 12, 13 We must be valiant and not discouraged. Discouragement will definitely take hold if we begin to put our hope in the things of this world. But if our hope is in the LORD, and in the world to come, we will not be disappointed: 
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess.4:16-18
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Isaiah 41: 10-13, We do not have to fear the things that are going on in this world. God is, and always will be in control. If you are saved, you are on the winning side, and soon, very soon, even at the doors, all that you lift your eyes to and see, will be gone forever. But God’s salvation, God’s saved children will inherit eternal life in a new and perfect world.
Trackback(0)
|
Mature Adult 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
