As you know another vicious and senseless act of violence recently visited us here in America. Innocent victims were caught completely by surprise as they simply stood and watched friends and loved ones finish their Marathon on that terrible and horrific day. Our thoughts and prayers continue for all those in Boston devastated by this horrible atrocity. This attack sickens and horrifies us all as Americans as we unfortunately witness yet again the sheer evil of our day. To truly overcome in life and do right today without God first in our country and personally in our lives is just not possible. Evil is on the rise and obviously it will stop at nothing to pursue our demise. Deception is rampant and we call good evil and evil good today. These are the last days and lately they're resembling a scary familiarity to life once back in Noah's day. We've always needed God of course and contrary to popular belief and all the misinformation that's circulating today our nation was indeed founded on godly values and principles long ago one day. Our founding fathers and their families are true patriots indeed quite unlike the heroes we tend to idolize here today. No these Americans were true heroes willing to give their very lives for the freedom that we still enjoy today! The way we're heading lately however I can't help but wonder how much longer it will actually stay this way?
You may agree that the freedom we often take for granted is now seriously at stake. Things here are changing quickly now and in all the confusion today it's obvious we've somehow lost our way. Just being American or simply knowing about God intellectually never was and never is enough. No the truth is we must also believe that Jesus is Lord personally not just intellectually. Recently while speaking I asked someone what he thought was the greatest commandment? Thinking I was referring to the Old Testament he quoted one of the ten commandments and in fairness to him that's probably what most people would naturally think. I told him however it was not the answer I was looking for and went on of course to share with him a little more. We should obviously strive to always obey God's commands and statutes that were originally given to Moses and the children of Israel the best we can today. The truth is they couldn't nor can we ever completely fulfill them all. If we break one in God's eyes we've broken them all. While here on earth the Lord Jesus himself told us what the greatest commandment truly is, "THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND (Matthew 22:37-40)." He also declared that the second is likened unto it which is to 'LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.' All of God's commands and statutes fall for us under these two simple yet powerful and all encompassing commands in the age of grace we now live in today. It's much more than a religion it's a relationship.
From the beginning God was and still is longing for an intimate relationship with us. Remember when Adam sinned in the garden he called out to him, 'Adam where are you'? Did God somehow misplace him? No Adam separated himself when he disobeyed God's one and only command. It broke his heart to remove Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden but disobedience demands discipline and unfortunately we see the consequences of his original sin today. You see the law initially was simply our schoolmaster that would one day bring us to Christ and was ultimately designed by God to show us the wickedness of our ways. And now incredibly Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law to all who simply believe in him both to the Jew and to the Gentile alike! (Galatians 3:23-29). A relationship with God is so much more than just religion ladened with a lengthy checklist of do's and dont's. Man made rules and regulations required by any religion today don't ever truly make us more spiritual or even closer to God. But incredibly because of Jesus salvation is free and now each of us can have a loving and lasting relationship with the God of this universe through his only dear Son. Now because of his death our debt is paid in full and the victory is won! The answer for us today is not to turn away but to draw closer than ever to him. Closer to him and farther from sin. As we see things unfolding now precisely as predicted with increasing violence and sin we need to constantly seek his face and grow in his grace. God has promised us that if we will draw closer to him then he will draw closer to us. He wants all of our hearts not just one part.
But sadly today just as in Noah's day the world is ignoring God and pushing him away. With all the violence and corruption today you'd think we'd listen more carefully to what Jesus himself had to say about life in the last days, "VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY. BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NO NOT THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, BUT MY FATHER ONLY. BUT AS THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE. FOR AS IN THE DAYS THAT WERE BEFORE THE FLOOD THEY WERE EATING AND DRINKING, MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE, UNTIL THE DAY THAT NOAH ENTERED INTO THE ARK AND KNEW NOT UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY. SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE (Matthew 24:34-39)." Clearly the world today is not looking for him as we see by the increase of ungodliness and sin. No it's looking more today like Noah's day just before the flood came and swept them away! With godliness on the decline and evil on the rise today will we still keep the faith will we always watch and pray?
You may agree that the freedom we often take for granted is now seriously at stake. Things here are changing quickly now and in all the confusion today it's obvious we've somehow lost our way. Just being American or simply knowing about God intellectually never was and never is enough. No the truth is we must also believe that Jesus is Lord personally not just intellectually. Recently while speaking I asked someone what he thought was the greatest commandment? Thinking I was referring to the Old Testament he quoted one of the ten commandments and in fairness to him that's probably what most people would naturally think. I told him however it was not the answer I was looking for and went on of course to share with him a little more. We should obviously strive to always obey God's commands and statutes that were originally given to Moses and the children of Israel the best we can today. The truth is they couldn't nor can we ever completely fulfill them all. If we break one in God's eyes we've broken them all. While here on earth the Lord Jesus himself told us what the greatest commandment truly is, "THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND (Matthew 22:37-40)." He also declared that the second is likened unto it which is to 'LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.' All of God's commands and statutes fall for us under these two simple yet powerful and all encompassing commands in the age of grace we now live in today. It's much more than a religion it's a relationship.
From the beginning God was and still is longing for an intimate relationship with us. Remember when Adam sinned in the garden he called out to him, 'Adam where are you'? Did God somehow misplace him? No Adam separated himself when he disobeyed God's one and only command. It broke his heart to remove Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden but disobedience demands discipline and unfortunately we see the consequences of his original sin today. You see the law initially was simply our schoolmaster that would one day bring us to Christ and was ultimately designed by God to show us the wickedness of our ways. And now incredibly Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law to all who simply believe in him both to the Jew and to the Gentile alike! (Galatians 3:23-29). A relationship with God is so much more than just religion ladened with a lengthy checklist of do's and dont's. Man made rules and regulations required by any religion today don't ever truly make us more spiritual or even closer to God. But incredibly because of Jesus salvation is free and now each of us can have a loving and lasting relationship with the God of this universe through his only dear Son. Now because of his death our debt is paid in full and the victory is won! The answer for us today is not to turn away but to draw closer than ever to him. Closer to him and farther from sin. As we see things unfolding now precisely as predicted with increasing violence and sin we need to constantly seek his face and grow in his grace. God has promised us that if we will draw closer to him then he will draw closer to us. He wants all of our hearts not just one part.
But sadly today just as in Noah's day the world is ignoring God and pushing him away. With all the violence and corruption today you'd think we'd listen more carefully to what Jesus himself had to say about life in the last days, "VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY. BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NO NOT THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, BUT MY FATHER ONLY. BUT AS THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE. FOR AS IN THE DAYS THAT WERE BEFORE THE FLOOD THEY WERE EATING AND DRINKING, MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE, UNTIL THE DAY THAT NOAH ENTERED INTO THE ARK AND KNEW NOT UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY. SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE (Matthew 24:34-39)." Clearly the world today is not looking for him as we see by the increase of ungodliness and sin. No it's looking more today like Noah's day just before the flood came and swept them away! With godliness on the decline and evil on the rise today will we still keep the faith will we always watch and pray?
