God's Wake Up Call

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” - Romans 13:11-12

If you've ever stayed at a hotel or motel, you already know that you can ask the desk clerk to call you at a certain time the following morning. This wake-up call is meant to keep you from oversleeping. Even though most hotel and motel rooms have an alarm clock, a wake-up call from the desk clerk is usually available.

I feel like God is giving America a wake-up call right now. Recent events have shaken our country, yet most remain unconcerned. Instead of flocking to churches in search of spiritual help, too many are looking to Washington for relief. Perhaps we should change our currency to read, “In Government We Trust,” rather than, “In God We Trust.” Even though we are aware of bureaucracy and corruption in our government, we would rather trust the government than God.

Consider the news headlines of the past couple weeks. There was a massive, destructive earthquake in Haiti. We've witnessed the political disaster in Afghanistan that has created a humanitarian and spiritual crisis there. Flooding has killed several in Tennessee. Ida is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it reaches landfall in America this weekend, potentially endangering many lives. Covid-19 numbers are ever increasing. Thousands continue to die as the Delta variant of the virus ravages our land. Things are a mess in our country right now. While God is not the source of pain and disease, He may permit such conditions to occur as He calls men and women to repentance.

I believe this is God's wake-up call for America. Most people continue to sleep through the storm, unconcerned about conditions until it is too late. Many believers are pressing the snooze alarm so they can avoid as much of the problems as possible.

Paul wrote, “...now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” We are in a spiritual crisis here in America, but most treat it as a normal condition. We have become immune to our problems. We have allowed familiarity to remove the shock value from current events.

We should be alert. If you were in a hotel and a fire broke out, you'd want to be notified, even in the middle of the night. Sleeping during a fire is often fatal.

Well, a fire is engulfing our land. Souls are at stake. While we argue about politics and constitutional rights, the fire is spreading. While debates go on about whether to wear masks or not, or whether to get the Covid vaccine or not, our country is going down the drain. While it is good to uphold the Constitution, it is better to be passionate about the standard of God's Word. Realizing the late hour we are living in, we should be more serious about our situation.

Even a casual reader of the Bible would realize that people are avoiding God's warnings. If you read Romans 1:18-32, you'll understand that the very sins God has condemned is embraced by our country and encouraged by those in the highest offices of leadership. Verse 32 states, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Not only is there judgment coming for those who commit such sins, but the same condemnation will come to those give hearty approval to those who commit such iniquity.

The word needs to be proclaimed on the street corner, on television and on the internet. Jesus is coming soon. Judgment is imminent. It is time to repent and turn to Jesus.

The only hope for America at this point is a mighty spiritual awakening. Apart from this, our nation will continue its hopeless downward spiral into certain, imminent destruction.

God is giving us a wake up call. Will you heed it?

Discerning The Truth

 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:21

We are living in the misinformation age. Falsehood abounds these day, promoted by those who firmly believe that they are spreading the truth. It is so easy to believe everything you hear. Well-meaning people are often guilty of spreading rumors and lies. Social media is the main culprit of this campaign, yet the roots run deeper than that.

From the Garden of Eden until now, the devil has been deceiving people by feeding them lies disguised as truth. Presently, our culture has fallen for his lies. It is shocking to behold the level of deception our society embraces these days.

It creates a dilemma for serious Christians. We are bombarded with all kinds of conflicting information. What do we believe and what should we avoid?

Writing to the Church at Thessalonica, Paul wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” Paul gave the Thessalonians, and ourselves, great advice. Prove all things. Before believing or repeating information, do your homework and find out the truth.

I find that many are afraid of the truth. They are scared of what they may learn. Others are too consumed with their own preferences that they never seek to discern the truth.

Here's the problem we face today. We are bombarded with information. We simply do not have time to research every item that comes along. What should we do then? Very simple. If it isn't important enough to perform research on, it isn't important enough to put confidence in or share with others.

Notice that Paul wrote that we are to “prove ALL things,” (emphasis added). We are to do more than discern the truth when it comes to the news, current affairs or international headlines. We are to discern the truth about ourselves, sin, and most of all, God.

Spiritual discernment is sorely lacking among people today. We are prone to accept everything we hear as being true. Whether it is a slick TV preacher or a soundbite from a sermon, people tend to believe everything they see and hear. That is disturbing.

Some say that practicing discernment is being judgmental. However, the Bible tells us to contend for the faith (Jude 3). Furthermore, Paul instructed the Galatians: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9). It is not only acceptable to discern good doctrine from bad, it is actually commanded. We need such discernment today. 

The problem with a lack of discernment is that it results in the spread of false doctrine and deception. Too much is at stake to allow this to occur. 

When it comes to doctrine, discernment is based upon one thing: the truth of God's Word. In fact, the Bible is the basis for discernment in every aspect of life. In a society where “everything goes,” the ultimate result will be ruin. 

As Christians we have the responsibility to discern the truth. Everything should be tested by the standard of truth. This generation is failing the test. 

It is time to put away the newspaper, turn off the nightly news, avoid the hype of social media and get alone with God. 

Open your Bible. Discover the truth. Discern the truth. Declare the truth.

Why People Hate The Truth

 “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” - John 3:20

As I have written before, truth is under attack in our country. From the highest levels of government on down, there is a major effort to resist and reject the truth.

It has been said many times before that the facts are our friends. Yet the same ones who say, “Trust the science,” do so only selectively themselves. In this time of a “pandemic,” only certain aspects of the truth are communicated. For a long time, little was said about the small percentage of people infected by Covid-19 and the high recovery rate from the virus. Even now, the emphasis is only placed on the negative side of the story. Interesting, isn't it?

I do not suggest that Covid-19 isn't real. It is. Neither am I underplaying the devastating results it can bring. I am merely pointing out that only some of the facts are being broadcast.

Selective truth is the hallmark of the news media these days. Social media is even worse. Inaccurate statements, partial quotes and outdated news flood Facebook and Twitter.

The fact is that Americans really don't want to hear the full, unadulterated truth. We prefer information packaged to suit our preferences.

Many embrace the concept of relative truth. I wrote about this in last week's blog. This mode of belief is convenient and easy --- just believe whatever you want to believe & that makes it true for you.

Why do people resist the truth? Why is there such a hatred of truth in our society today? Jesus explained this in John 3:20: “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” Truth is similar to light. It exposes and reveals reality. For this reason, many reject and hate the truth. As Jesus explained, a man doesn't come to the truth, “...lest his deeds should be reproved.”

Mankind would rather enjoy sin, despite all of the deceitfulness and destruction it will bring. When truth exposes their sin, the result is a violent reaction of selfishness, pride and rebellion. No one likes to be told they are wrong. Humans don't like to be shown to be moral failures.

However, pretending that sin has no consequences does not change its outcome.

Sin promises immediate happiness, but ultimately deceives, enslaves and destroys lives. On the other hand, truth may hurt or humble us at first, but it in the end it enlightens, liberates and invigorates people. For the most part, humans have short-term vision. We look for immediate gratification rather than discern the long-term consequences.

Truth is hated because people hate God. The concept of a holy God unnerves people because of their sinful failures. They'd like to avoid or reject the reality of judgment. As humans, we'd rather defend our sins, even if it results in destruction, rather than humbly confess our sins and receive grace.

Christians should not be shocked by the moral decay of our country. Those who reject truth are doomed to face the consequences of lies and deceit.

I find it ironic that social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are determined to dictate truth for their users. The news media has jumped on board with “fact checking.” Certainly there is a great deal of misinformation and lies being spread these days. Yet even these information giants are enemies of the truth. When the Gospel truth is proclaimed, it is rejected by the very ones who have appointed themselves as the truth police.

One day every human will face God. We will not be judged based upon human standards. Instead, we will be judged based upon the truth of God's Word. You may resist and reject that truth, but it will be the ultimate standard by which judgment will be rendered.

We can either embrace the truth now and find liberty or reject the truth and remain enslaved in sin. We can stand for the truth today and enjoy glory ahead or we can denounce the truth to our own destruction.

That is the truth.

Absolute Truth Or Relative Truth?

 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 21:25

It seems like this world has gone crazy! Our society has gone wild, embracing ideas and lifestyles that have been condemned for centuries. In the name of “progress,” we have seen perverted lifestyles become legal and common sense has become extinct.

Just in my lifetime, we've seen gay marriage encouraged and legalized. Now the transgender lifestyle is praised. Anyone who objects to these immoral acts, based on the Bible, is ostracized by society as a whole. There is a big push for the legalization of the “recreational” use of marijuana. In fact, it is already legal in some states. What is next? Legalized prostitution? Legalized bestiality?

The fact is that our society is headed towards lawlessness. We are very much like Israel in Judges 21:25: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” When there is no leadership that supports moral standards, society begins to crumble.

Today, few believe in moral standards. Rather than believing in absolute truth, many believe in relative truth. “Relative truth,” is the belief that what is true for me is not necessarily true for you … and vice versa. Our colleges are prone to indoctrinate young people with the philosophy of relative truth. With relative truth, you pick and choose the truth you wish to live by.

The problem, of course, is that there is absolute truth about moral issues. God has given us this truth through His Word. Relative truth is the wishful thinking of progressive-thinking people, who wish to avoid responsibility for their actions. Those who embrace relative truth can choose to believe in God if they wish … or choose a god of their own making. Many don't believe in God at all. When you talk about the Bible with a person who believes in relative truth, you are quickly told that you can't judge them since they live by a different truth than you. In an attempt to avoid accountability to God and responsibility for their actions, relative truth has become a popular belief. However, relative truth does not negate natural laws (like reaping and sowing), neither does it change reality. Relative truth has lured many intelligent people to foolishly live in a fantasy world. Relative truth is simply not truth at all.

If you want to see the first example of relative truth, look to the Garden of Eden. The serpent told Eve that God's command about the forbidden fruit was not true. The serpent presented Eve with another option … a different truth that would fit the opportunity. Eve fell for this lie. The doctrine of relative truth brought sin to Adam and Eve – and us. Sadly, this younger generation is ignorant of history and is doomed to repeat it.

Truth is under assault in our nation. Relative truth is just a way for people to avoid the real truth. They hate God and His law. They think that if they pretend God does not exist, He won't. If they pretend there is not judgment for sin, it won't come. If they pretend that there are no consequences for sin, then they will never reap what they've sown. Relative truth is pretense. They are pretending. This isn't truth, it is a childish game that will lead to destruction.

There is absolute moral truth. God has specified this in His Word and He will hold everyone accountable. He doesn't play games. Neither should we. When we consider the serious ramifications for sin, it should produce a holy fear of God. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

When we understand sin and its consequences, it should lead us to appropriately understand the cross of Calvary. Furthermore, it should point us to the One who died on that cross. The cross shows us the nature of sin and its consequences, because sin required such a costly sacrifice. Also, the cross shows us the immense love God has for unworthy rebels like us.

Unbelievers often accuse Christians of believing in a harsh, judgmental God. They accuse God of being unjust because He demands that people repent and believe in His Son. They think that this is the demand of a tyrant. What they fail to understand is that sin is the greatest crime that mankind can commit. This crime offends the holy nature of God. Mankind sinned long before Jesus came to earth. Jesus came to die for our sins. He came to provide a remedy for our self-inflicted, fatal condition. Rather than a tyrant, God is a loving, compassionate God. The cross demonstrates that. Rejecting the sacrifice of Christ is a foolish act since the blood of Christ is the only remedy for our sin.

While others reject absolute moral truth, it doesn't change the fact that God exists and all us must stand before Him in judgment soon. For your own sake, seek real truth. You'll find that Jesus is the very truth that you need.

That is an absolute fact.