The Knight

"Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." - Matthew 24:30-31

The book or movie grips your interest and gradually leads you to the very edge of your seat. "What will happen next?" you might think. Will evil finally win the day? Is there any hope for good to gain the victory? Well, in the classic morality theme good always wins. But is this just a fictional story line that doesn't happen in real life? Is there really a knight in shining armor on the way?

Well, the Knight himself has spoken. He exists and is most definitely on His way! He doesn't leave the reader with a Disney World fantasy about the future though. The days that ahead will be dark and full of trouble. Trials and hardships are upon us even as I write. But for the children of the King, the Son of Man is coming in the clouds! Yes Virginia, there is a Knight in Shining armor!

Don't give up my fellow believer. In His time, the Lord will sound a trumpet and gather his elect from the four winds. As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words." 

God's plan

"Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."" -- Matthew 24:1-2

Since 1650 there has been a vital gospel ministry in London called the Tabernacle Fellowship. Through the years such men as Benjamin Keach, John Gill and C.H. Spurgeon served as pastors. The Tabernacle of Spurgeon's day was burned down in 1898, and then rebuilt only to be burned down a second time during World War Two. The ministry continues to this day as a viable ministry of God. Buildings come and go, but the work of God continues just as He planned...in the hearts and lives of His people.

As the disciples marveled at the great buildings of the Temple, Jesus pointed out their eventual destruction. In fact, in 70 A.D. the Roman Military Commander Titus Flavius Vespasianus led a 143 day siege with 30,000 troops and destroyed the Temple buildings and burned Jerusalem to the ground. While Jesus spoke of this horrific destruction, he continued to foretell of many more prophetic events, including his second coming. Buildings will come and go, but the work of God continues just as He planned...in the hearts and lives of His people.

As we take this passage under consideration my friend, stop for a moment and consider the building in which you worship. Are you caught with its splendor or historic characteristic? Do you think that the gospel ministry taking place in this building depends on the edifice? Remember, buildings come and go, but the work of God continues just as He planned...in the hearts and lives of His people.

AFTERTHOUGHT

My dear brother or sister... do you ever feel as if the hands of God are just too busy with planning and building the kingdom? Have you ever wondered where you fit into such an immense program? Does your God have time to be interested in your private troubles and pain? Oh, if you only knew the depth of our Lord's compassion and love for you! 

May I remind you that the Lord has "engraved you on the palms of his hands" (Isaiah 49:16)?  Or, do you know that "The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms"? (Deuteronomy 33:27) Be encouraged then, because He said... "even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, I will bear; I will carry and will save." (Isaiah 46:4)

See, there is no building on earth or kingdom work that can take the place of you in the heart of God. He is determined to carry you to the very end of this life and into eternal glory. I know this to be true because, "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) Be blessed my friend.

True Beauty

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean." -- Matthew 23:25-26

The inside of my kitchen coffee pot can get pretty caked with old coffee residue. Yes, that is quite disgusting, but the pot looks quite impressive when it's all shined up outside. Now, if the pot remains in this sad condition it may look good but the coffee doesn't taste too good. You see, the outside will never change the flavor of the coffee, but when the inside is clean the coffee tastes great and the pot is truly beautiful.

The principle is quite the same when it comes to the souls of men. Jesus made it very clear as he spoke to the scribes and Pharisees referring to them as hypocrites. No matter how well dressed they were or well behaved, when the soul is vile and decayed with sin the whole life is distasteful. The only way to change everything for the better is to acquire a clean heart and then one's life will taste great and will be truly beautiful.

Hypocrisy is acting like you're something that you're not. Are you the real deal my friend? Is your life full of good flavor coming from a clean heart? Don't think that a new suit or dress and a few pleasant words are all you need. True beauty always begins within.

Whats Love Got to Do With It?

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. "-- Matthew 22:36-39

In 1984 the song "Whats Love Got to Do with It?" was released on Tina Turner's fifth solo album. The song ranked # 309 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". It also ranked # 38 on "Songs of the Century". In 2012 this song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. While the song has been more than popular, the title is ever haunting. What does love got to do with it?

As Jesus responded to a Pharisee's inquiry with the above statement, he highlighted the importance of love. While the world may try to define and design ways to please and know God better, it all begins with love. Healthy relationships begin and grow in hearts that are transformed by faith in Christ and filled with an all encompassing love for Him. The fact is; love has everything to do with it.

How much do you love the Lord today my friend? Does he have your undying devotion that draws your heart, soul and mind into total commitment? Is the Lord the reason for your living? When love for the Lord is the driving force in your life, you can't help loving your neighbor as yourself. And that's what love has to do with it.'

The Map for Life

"Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God." -- Matthew 22:29

Have you ever been lost in a city? You stop and ask someone for directions and they give you a rather nebulous response. A few blocks later you have to stop again. This time you have an interchange with two or three bystanders and the discussion becomes even more confusing. Oh, for a map! (Quite often more dependable than any GPS)

The Scriptures are God's map for life. We can sit around and discuss many ideas about spiritual matters, but if we don't study the map, we will get lost. A good map not only shows the right roads to take, but also has the power to provide us the distance and time our trip will take. God's Word gives clear direction and his power brings possibilities into reality. 

Be careful when theological discussions move toward perplexity. The study of the Scriptures will always give insight and the power of God will always give confidence for the future. Don't stay lost in a labyrinth of spiritual confusion. Study the Scriptures and find the direction and power you need for the journey.

Truly Devoted

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." -- Matthew 21:28-31

I had a friend some years ago that would argue to great lengths to explain why he wouldn't or couldn't do some task requested of him. It was a curiosity though, that on just about every occasion he came around and quietly did the work. On the other hand, there have been a vast number of committee members in every circle of my life that have failed to fulfill their assigned tasks after accepting them. Which of the two were truly devoted?

Living for the Kingdom of God is far more than saying the right thing. Jesus pointed out that one needs to walk the talk, not just talk the walk. The walk does not provide entrance into the kingdom; it only verifies that one has been truly changed from within by the Spirit of God. Saying you've been changed and showing you've been changed are two different things. Which of the two are truly devoted?

You may have grown up in a church and may know the right lingo. But, has your heart been changed by Jesus? And if your heart is new in Christ, does your faithful walk evidence this fact? Some church goers have passive "religious" ties and some have active "relational" ties. Which of the two are truly devoted?

Business or Prayer?

"He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers." -- Matthew 21:13

The family outing at local a restaurant was once a time of social interaction. You gathered to talk with one another and share the joys and sorrows of life over a meal. Today when you look around the dining room tables you often find fathers, mothers and sometimes younger family members doing business on their cell phones. The family communion of the past has been replaced with the preoccupation of fast paced business.

In the same way business goals led to a preoccupation in the Temple courts. What was originally intended to be a place of communion with the Lord had become a place of self focused gaining of profit. The money changing of those days has become the church business pursuits of today. While there are those who are satisfied that nothing is sold in the foyer of the church, we find more church business being transacted than prayerful communion.

Where are the prayer circles in church today? Do you attend your church with the intention to join your brothers and sisters in communion with the Lord? Does this quality time to seek the face of God hold a priority in your church life? Do you reserve the discussion of church business for other times and places? Remember, His house was and always is to be a place of prayer, not business.