Good Morning my beloved,
I have frequently been asked
"Are the events that we are witnessing take place in our world today are a
sign that the last days are upon us. And will these events continue
until we reach the final battle of Armageddon?" According to
Scripture, the term "last days" does not refer to a single decade or
a particular year, but rather to an extended period that began after Christ’s
resurrection and will culminate with His second coming. The modern
Israel-Palestine conflict that we are seeing really originates all the way
back to Isaac, the patriarch of the Jewish people, and Ishmael, the patriarch
of the Arab nations and will continue all the way to Armageddon. That's all of
redemptive history. Although there are some scholars who argue this view
oversimplifies and drastically distorts a very complex modern geopolitical
crisis to ancient mythical historical narrative of a conflict between Ishmael
and Isaac. Some even suggesting that the term "wild donkey of a
man," in Genesis 16, often used to depict Ishmael
negatively, more accurately describes his free-spirit, and nomadic independence
rather than inherently stubborn, resistant to domestication, dwelling
primarily in desolate desert regions. Neglecting that Ishmael’s prophetic
destiny would be that his hand would be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against
him, indicating a life marked by contention and struggle. Instead, suggesting
that he too was blessed, receiving the favor of God, and that he too would
become the father of a great nation, with numerous descendants, too many to
count, who would maintain their independence and self-reliance in the presence
of his kin. In Job 39:5–8, God Himself describes the wild
donkey as strong-willed and untamable. In Genesis 21:8-14, Abraham sent Hagar away with
Ishmael, when he mocked his half-brother intensely on the day that Isaac was
weaned. Today, Ishmael’s untamable "wild donkey" nature that God
promised would be part of his legacy who would live in hostility toward
all his brothers can still be seen in the animosity between the Arabic and the
Jewish nations, and as a result, and the world at large continues to suffer. The
ongoing events we are seeing—wars, rumors of wars, increased frequency and
intensity of natural disasters, the declining societal moral decay—are not
isolated precursors, but part of an ongoing process that will ultimately
culminate in the final battle of Armageddon. However, I would again like to
emphasize that Scripture clearly indicates that no one knows the exact timing
of Christ’s return or Armageddon.
It's interesting to note that some
suggest the reported increases in violent crime and immoral behaviors are
highly exaggerated, and that these numbers have actually declined significantly
and that the reality is that our societies are actually much safer,
demonstrating people are treating one another with greater fairness and
compassion as compared to previous years. However, I strongly believe that the
statics show our societies are rapidly declining, indicating a deepening crisis
of both moral and spiritual decay—ranging from rising rates of disconnection
and mistrust to the growing prevalence of
materialism, self-alienation, and apathy, coupled with the weakening
of traditional family values, instability of religious institutions,
underscores a deeper cultural malaise. This decline is not merely a shift in
behavior but a symptom of a broader crisis in which ethical norms are being
eroded, empathy is waning, and a sense of collective purpose is being replaced
by self-interest and fragmented relationships. I believe this is impart due to
the constant exposure to consumerist messages through advertising and media,
which can lead to temporary increases in selfishness and further eroding social
responsibility. If you think this is by accident, you are clearly being naive
as this is all part of Satan's plan to foster division and undermine
traditional family values, rather to embrace God’s divine order. In fact,
the only lifestyle that isn't accepted or celebrated in our debauched society
is the divine, holy, and righteous standard established by the Lord in His
Word. Today, moral standards are subjective, based on the personal
preferences of the individual. Just read the Book of Judges and you'll get a
glimpse of the profound moral and spiritual disorder, lawlessness, and
societal breakdown that ensues when there is no absolute standard and "everybody
does what's right in his or her own eyes."
It's no secret that Satan has waged
an all-out war on the biblical standards for morality, with the family
structure serving as one of the most critical battlegrounds in this spiritual
conflict. Throughout history, the enemy has sought to undermine God's divine
design for marriage, by aggressively promoting the normalization of same-sex
marriage, promoting single parenting, by encouraging sex outside of marriage
and making divorce available on demand, and eroding the sanctity of life with
the deliberate killing of unborn children being aggressively defended as
"women's healthcare," all behaviors contrary to scriptural teaching.
This spiritual warfare is not merely abstract—it manifests in real-life consequences
in daily living. As Proverbs 14 warns, "There is a way that
seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."
As Christians, we are commanded to
stand firm on the Truth, to protect the integrity of God's Word and to actively
resist the forces that seek to distort its purpose and significance, yet many
churches now re-interpreting Scripture to celebrate the very sins God condemns,
imagining they will still be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven, in spite of
everything that Scripture clearly teaches.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul warns "Or do
you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of
you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."
I know many today attempt to split
hairs on terminology and definitions, claiming that the word homosexual did not
exist until 1946, which is true, however, the Bible is very clear that sodomy
and lying with a male as a female is an abomination. This is in no way a
judgment, but a loving warning for those are being deceived by false teachers
stating that God has suddenly changed His mind about certain sins. I'd like you
to notice that all of them are sexually oriented, like fornication, adultery,
pedophilia, et cetera. Sexually immoral sins are the only sins we are commanded
to flee from, all others we are told to resist. In other words, put on your
best pair of Nikes and run as fast as you can! Then, in verse 11, Paul lovingly
reminds us that "such were some of you," indicating that God will
graciously forgive our sins, including those mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6,
which by the way, is not an all inclusive list but a partial list of sin that
God will not only forgive, but promises to "wash clean" sanctifying
you and justifying you "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the
Spirit of our God." Sanctified, which is the Greek verb
"hagiazó," derived from the root word "hagios," meaning to
be set apart to a sacred purpose, to make holy, a term encompasses both
ceremonial and mental purification to reestablish lost purity, by creating a
higher degree of purity.
Biblical forgiveness is available,
but Scripture never teaches it is unconditional; biblical forgiveness is ALWAYS
tied to genuine repentance and a change of heart that produces a change in
behavior. Think about it this way: How often do you forgive someone who you
know has absolutely no intention of changing and flagrantly continues the same
pattern of behavior that harmed you in the first place? In a sinful society
such as ours, redemption, not reformation, is what is needed and that can only
occur through being "Born-Again," allowing the sinful ways of our
former selves to die and continuing to mortify them daily. The process, known
as mortification, involves the conscious effort to put to death the deeds of
the flesh, which requires vigilance, especially when a particular sin has
become habitual, being deeply entrenched in who we identify ourselves as,
claiming to being "born this way." A damning lie that Satan has
convinced many of us of. Now matter how you were born, being "born-again"
you become a new creation, the old things have passed away.1 John 2:6, "The one who says he abides
in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." Go
therefore and walk worthy from today forward.
Let's pray,
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for Your Word. We believe it, we trust it, we love it. The
more you know Your Word, the more we believe it, the more we trust it and the
more we
love You Word. The more we love Your Word, the more willing we are to submit to
Your commands. Father, we ask that You would confirm these Truths to our hearts
to accomplish Your divine purposes in our lives that we might produce much
fruit. We are grateful for the trials and affliction that prepare us, make us
ready to feel Your Word, so that we might bear more fruit. Assuring our own
hearts that our salvation is genuine and assuring others of Your transformative
power. We ask and pray these things in Christ's name, for Your glory and for
His sake.
Amen.
Today's Message: Connected to Christ
Do you have a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ? Belonging to Christ is foundational, rooted in the reality
that we are His possession. Believe it or not, Jesus knows every thought, every
word spoken, every deed done by every human being personally and intimately,
and all of it is recorded in heaven. Furthermore, every person will be judged
on an individual basis by Jesus Christ. How we are judged is defined by our relationship
to Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Him are not condemned, as our sins have
been forgiven through His sacrifice, but will give an account of what we have
done with what He has given us at the Bema Seat of Christ, evaluating their
service after salvation. Those who have not believed are condemned already, and
will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment, where they will be judged
according to their works, which are insufficient to meet God’s perfect
standard, will receive their final sentencing, which is eternal punishment.
How do we as Christians use that and
turn into motivation, be effective for Christ in the world in which we live?
Scripture removes the uncertainty that everybody dies, is headed to either
heaven or hell. I believe realizing everyone dies, and everyone will spend
eternity in heaven or hell, ought to be enough to motivate us to utilize every
opportunity God gives us to take the Gospel to all people, everywhere, because
the only way anybody can get into heaven is through faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus declared, "I am the
way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me." I believe that fact alone should be enough to profoundly impact
how we as believers view our mission field, and how we evangelize. It should
motivate us to tell all people the Truth, without caring what anybody thinks of
us while we lovingly and compassionately proclaim the life-saving Gospel of
Jesus Christ. We must pray daily for the Holy Spirit to reveal to us those
whose hearts He has prepared and proclaim the Gospel like their life depends on
it, because it does. If the Gospel offends, let it lovingly offend unto
repentance. Forever is a long time.
In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said to His disciples,
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross and follow Me." The phrase "take up his cross" is not
about putting up with something or someone we dislike, it symbolizes a
willingness to endure suffering and sacrifice, for the sake of following
Christ, prioritizing Christ over personal desires, ambitions, or safety, even
to the point of death.
Open your Bibles with me to the
Gospel of Luke chapter 13. Luke 13:6-9. Jesus often spoke in parables to
convey profound spiritual truths using familiar imagery from everyday life. The
purpose of these parables was to reveal divine mysteries about the kingdom of
God to those who were receptive while simultaneously concealing them from those
whose hearts were hardened by unbelief, it would also
fulfill Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah chapter 6:9, these people "Keep on
hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not know." God said
essentially the same thing to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 12:2, "Son of man, you live in the
midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to
hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house." In Jeremiah 5:21
says, "‘Now hear this, O people who are simpleminded fools and without a
heart of wisdom, Who have eyes but do not see, Who have ears but do not
hear." Those who missed the intended meaning of His parables would face a
significant spiritual danger. For those who had ears to hear, Jesus
provided explanations, but for the hard-hearted, those who were unwilling to
believe, the parables served as a judgment, further deepening their spiritual
blindness.
This is the final message in the
long discourse He had been teaching, which began back in chapter twelve by
inviting people to be saved and has been increasing in its intensity and
urgency of the need for individual repentance and a warning of judgment. His
final words are profound, powerful, and deeply pertinent to everyone—not only
to those who heard them spoken in the intensity of that moment, but also to
everyone who has read them across the centuries since His crucifixion until
this very day. These words, spoken with divine authority and heartfelt
compassion, carry the weight of eternity, continuing to echo through time with
a precision and clarity. His words are not merely a warning of divine judgment,
but a declaration of overwhelming love, with an invitation to come to Him in
faith for forgiveness. Even today, the impact of His words remains
undiminished, offering solace to those who struggle with guilt, and
unforgiveness, searching for relief. I would like to encourage you to follow
along as I read these four very profound verses to set them in our hearts and
our minds. Luke 13:6-9.
"And He was telling this
parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and
he came seeking fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the
vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig
tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ And
he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig
around it and put in manure, and if it bears fruit next year, fine, but if not,
cut it down.’"
Let's look at verse 6, "And He
was telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in
his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and did not find any." This
unique parable is found only in the Gospel of Luke, where it immediately
follows Jesus' two significant warning that unless people repent, they will
likewise perish, in verses 3 and 5. Now, Jesus tells the parable of the barren
fig tree, to reinforce the urgency of spiritual fruitfulness. It's important to
recognize that the wickedness of the human heart is not new, in fact, as
we've witnessed over the last several decades, evil will go as far
as culture will tolerate. We see that being played out around the world in
Islam. The Quran calls for the slaughter of infidels, so Muslims are
motivated to do, they even start training their children at a very young age
offering themselves as a martyr in an attack on the infidels, you'll go to
heaven. Islam at its best is violent, satanic false religion. Saad 38:26,
it says "And follow not desire lest it lead thee astray from the way of
God. Yet, believing men who die as martyrs in the cause of Islam are promised a
reward of seventy-two voluptuous virgins in Paradise, known as
"houris" in Arabic as an incentive. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1665) So,
they are motivated to kill to satisfy their carnal desires. Talk about human
wickedness.
The common Jewish perspective on
calamity was that calamity happens to bad people. So, if calamity falls upon
you, you're a bad person. If you’re a good person, it's not going to happen to
you. Remember the blind man in John chapter 9, his disciples assumed somebody had
to sin for him to be blind, so they asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or
his parents, that he would be born blind?" In fact, it is still the
perspective for many people today. There are certainly judgments by God on
individuals for evil sometimes. However, there is nowhere in Scripture that
says unexpected accidents or natural catastrophes are viewed as always
being judgment on those that die nor is it affirmation that those who survive
necessarily good people. Both good and bad people die every day for a variety
of reasons and should not be always seen as being a judgment on that's
persons life. You will not find that anywhere in Scripture. Jesus corrects this
misconception, by emphasizing that all people are
under judgment unless they repent.
Babies die while in the womb,
infants die in the crib, children die at school, adults and teens die in
unexpected accidents. How often do we hear someone say, "I just spoke
to him or her. I can't believe they're gone." I remember well the morning
my own mother went home to be with our Lord, I was in the kitchen, getting my
coffee when I heard a voice, "If you're pouring, I'll take some of
that." We sat and talked for several hours. I need to let the dog out and
was praying on the way, "If You're not going to heal her, please, just
take her home," and before I even got to the family room, I heard a loud
thud, she was lying there on the floor, unresponsive. She officially passed
away in the ambulance in front of my house.
The point is, we never know when we
might fall victim of some tragic event, some unexpected illness or disease. The
reality is, if life were fair, we should have all been dead along time ago.
Given the life we've all led before coming to Christ, we don't deserve to live.
And, unless the rapture comes before hand, we're all going to die at some point
and we never know just when that might be. Pastors have died suddenly,
unexpectedly in the middle of their sermons. In 1967, Dr. Raymond Edman, a
pastor and professor, collapsed during a sermon at Wheaton College, with his
last words being an exhortation to treat others with courtesy, even unhelpful
speakers. In 2005, Reverend Jack Arnold, senior pastor of Covenant Presbyterian
Church in Florida, died mid-sermon after quoting John Wesley and saying,
"And when I go to Heaven…" just before collapsing. On February
23, 2014 Reverend Thomas Edward Tuggle, passed away after preaching at Dutchman
Creek Baptist Church in Mocksville, North Carolina, reportedly was seen
reaching lifting his hands as if to embrace Jesus moments before he died.
On May 3, 2015, just after declaring, "If the Lord called me now, I'm
ready," Pastor Kenneth Green of Greater Saint Mary Baptist Church in
New Orleans, Louisiana went home to be with the Lord, shocking the
congregation.
Every day, we're living in a
precarious state that hangs over us like a shadow, reminding us that the
stability we currently enjoy is both temporary and fragile, and if we are
operating beyond our expected expiration date, fleeting. I often think back on
the tragic events of 9/11, when both good and bad people went to work at the
Twin Towers expecting to go home as usual, just before that first building
suddenly came crashing down. I suppose you could say, we're all living on
borrowed time, existing in a state of temporary grace that some rarely pause
long enough to acknowledge. As we grow older and health becomes more fragile,
we begin to recognize that every breath, every conversation, every sunrise is a
gift that could be revoked at any moment. While others, carelessly drift
through this life in comfortable oblivion, wrapped in the illusion of endless
tomorrows, as if time is abundant. I have learned to allow this awareness to
shape how I live, how I love, and how I choose to the battles I engage in and
how I choose to spend the precious few hours that I have left. This isn't just
warning it's a spiritual warning, it's wrapped in an invitation to remember
God's mercy is revealed in His patience. Jeremiah 44:22 reminds
us that He doesn't punish until He cannot bear it any longer.
Verse 7, "And he said to the
vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig
tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the
ground?’" If the tree doesn't produce, cut it down! That's harsh, He
already knows what they’re thinking. This is a parable about patience, God is
patient, but His patience does have an end. If you have not repented and
embraced Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you have no idea how
long God’s patience is going to hold out. You probably think He has
forgotten all of the things that you've done. He's given you every opportunity
get right with Him and what you did with that opportunity? Jesus is expressing
God’s expectation of fruitfulness from those who belong to Him and His
frustration with those who don't produce living lives that reflect genuine
faith and loving obedience. This parable underscores the seriousness of
unfruitfulness, and those that consumes resources without producing is seen as
a waste of divine provision. Genuine repentance isn't easy, its costly, it
requires you to change the way you view yourself, it means you must recognize
your own sin to the degree that you're willing to turn away from it and
change the way you live your life. Salvation without a changed life is a life
of self-deception. Sin, is not merely what one does, it is a condition of the
heart that prefers other things over their relationship God. According to John 15:2, God wants us to
"bear fruit," And verse 5, Jesus said, "If a man remains in me
and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
In essence fruitfulness is becoming more and more like Jesus, in both character
and in deeds. The bottom-line is, if your life isn't producing spiritual fruit,
it's disconnected from the "vine" and has become useless for the
kingdom of God. The "three years" symbolize the duration of
Jesus' earthly ministry, in which He preached repentance, by their third year,
fig trees were expected to bear fruit. Examine your own life: How long have you
been a disciple of Jesus Christ? If Jesus were to return today, would He find
sufficient evidence of "fruit bearing" in your life?
Verse 8, "And he answered and
said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and
put in manure." Scripture doesn't indicate that he's never done it
before. This is a faithful guy who asking for another opportunity to do
what he's always done, as an ongoing extension of his responsibility to care
for the tree, by digging around it and fertilizing it, preparing the tree
to produce fruit. Essentially, he saying I want to do whatever I can to help.
Symbolically, the act of digging and fertilizing represents spiritual cultivation:
breaking up the hardened places in the heart (Jeremiah 4:3), applying God’s
Word and grace (Ephesians 3:16).
Verse 9, "And if it bears fruit
next year, fine, but if not, cut it down.’" In the Greek it doesn't say
next year, it's an it's open-ended period, it's literally says "in
the coming time." So, it would read "And if it bears fruit in
the coming time. I'd like you to take notice that based upon the structure
of the language, whether it's a first-class, second-class, or third-class
conditional, you know whether or not it's a condition that is likely to
happen. The first "if" is a third class conditional meaning it is
unlikely to happen. The second "if" is a first-class
conditional, meaning it is likely to happen. If it bears fruit in that duration,
fine. If not, cut it down. Every single living human being is living on
borrowed time. Judgment is coming, Judgment is imminent, because God is,
loving, compassionate and patient He willing allows us time to
repent, that none should perish but have everlasting life. You may think
that life in this world is all that matters, but nothing could be further
from the Truth. In reality, the only thing that really matters is that which
has eternal consequences. In James 4:14, he describes the
human life as a mist or a vapor that appears briefly and then
vanishes, emphasizing the unpredictability and brevity of our earthly
existence. He goes on to remind us that since none of us know what the future
holds, we should not boast about our plans for the future without acknowledging
God’s sovereignty. James uses sort of poetic language as not to make us
depressed, but he firmly redirects focus from our temporal plans and ambitions
to the much more important eternal priorities, as if to say, "Don't get
too caught up in the temporal, because we're all going to die at some point,
none are in control of when or how." All of us are only here for a short
time, no matter how long it is, so if seek first the Kingdom and you can't go
wrong. How tragic it would be to waste a entire lifetime missing out on
what's truly important by focusing on the temporal, the loss is not only catastrophic, it's eternal.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and
keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon
you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance
upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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