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Creation Groans, Creation Waits

I was going to take a break from posting while I was in LA. I'm here on a visit with my family, but the news is just too compelling not to talk about what has been going on...

I arrived in Southern California on Thursday evening. My two sisters and mom met me at the Long Beach airport. We grabbed some dinner on the way to Karin's. Our chatter and laughter was nonstop while we ate and enjoyed each other's company. The rest of the family met us at Karin's house. I was introduced to Ethan, Karin's first grandchild. Got to hold, feed, burp, and kiss him! Such a sweet boy... More laughter as we all visited. The next day was a work day for most. We said our goodnights as everyone headed for home. My brother sent Karin a text after he and my sister-in-law got home. Japan had just had a big earthquake. Karin turned on the news but I was tired so I headed off to bed.  As I was drifting off to sleep Karin called to me, "Kathy, you need to see this..." What I witnessed next left me literally jaw-dropping speechless - massive walls of water swallowing everything its path. You immediately knew life was being snuffed out. The images of it's destruction streamed across the screen. We pretty much watched in stunned silence, with the occasional gasp escaping from our lips as we watched the devastation unfold. Three days later we are still getting new video and images. The earthquake has been upgraded to a 9 and nuclear disaster now looms in front of us. This story is not over, and it has been heartbreaking.

Romans 8 tells us that creation groans under the curse of sin. The created universe is in a corrupted condition as a result of the Fall.  Earthquakes and tsunamis are a result of sin.  We too groan under the weight of sin. Physically, as our bodies await their redemption, we battle disease and sickness.  Because of sin, we die.  We also groan emotionally as we watch tragedies like the one that is unfolding in Japan.  We agonize at times over the devastating consequences of sin.  Paul said that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth.  Pains of childbirth signify that new life is on its way.  Pains of childbirth get stronger and harder and fiercer as new life approaches.  As we get closer to the return of Christ, the pains are going to get stronger and harder and fiercer.  The earthquakes, the wars and rumors of wars, the false Christs are the beginning birth pains and like birth pains they are going to increase.  The hard labor of great persecution against God's elect will follow after Antichrist is revealed, setting himself up as God in a rebuilt temple.  But praise God, at the return of Christ, creation will be set free from its slavery when all believers are ultimately delivered from sin.  Right now we have the first fruits of the Spirit.  At the return of Christ we will then begin to eternally share in God's glory.  The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with Christ's glory that will be revealed in us.  The suffering and heartache and agonizing over the consequences of sin is going to come to an end...but in the mean time, God is causing all things to work for the benefit of His beloved elect. 

This weekend my mom, sisters, sisters-in-law, and I were up at Lake Arrowhead.  We had a great time and there was laughter.  I know more times of sorrowing over the affects of sin are coming, but enjoy the precious times God gives you with your family.

No Fear For God's Children - Part 3

When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, they really had some problems.  One was factions.  There was envy and division in the church.  Factions were being developed between Paul and Apollos.  The Corinthians were developing loyalties around individuals.  While it is appropriate for God's faithful servants to be appreciated and encouraged, they are not to be made the center of attention.  This was a sign of spiritual immaturity for the Corinthian believers.  They were behaving carnally, not spiritually.  Paul pointed out that he and Apollos were just servants.  The attention and honor is to go to God.  He is the One who causes the growth in the body.

Paul tells us in Ephesians that the church is a building being fitted together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit and according to what he wrote to the carnal Corinthians, every believer is a builder.  We are God's fellow workers in this building.  Each of us will receive our own reward according to our labor.  The building materials, our works, are pictured by precious metals and precious stones - things of value, things that will not burn when lit by fire.  They are also pictured by wood, hay, and straw - things of no value, worthless - things that burn.  Our works will be put to the test of fire.  Some will be high quality - these remain and for these we will be rewarded.  Some will be low quality - these will not remain.  It seems that both types will be recognizable to us before they are put to the test.  The point Paul is making is that our purpose should be to always serve the Lord with the best.  Christ is the foundation and He should be the center of the work as we build on the foundation.

From 1 Corinthians 4:5, we learn that the Lord is going to bring to light the things hidden in darkness.  He is going to disclose our motives.  We should be working to exalt Christ, not ourselves, or anyone else.  It will be things that are done for the glory of Christ that will be praised and rewarded.   The pastor who preaches sound doctrine is building with good materials.  When a person with the gift of helps spends himself serving others in the Lord's name, he is building with materials that will endure testing and will bring great reward.  How embarrassing and shameful would it be to have nothing left of value in the pile?

We know we are not going to face God's wrath.  We do not have to fear that.  Jesus took the wrath that we deserved for our sin.  He died for us so that we would no longer live for ourselves, but for Him.   May we be faithful servants, serving with our whole hearts for Him.   May we work to exalt Him and Him alone.  He is worthy of only the best materials and our best work.

No Fear For God's Children - Part 2

Revelation 6:12-17 - "And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by the wind.  And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.  And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"


Question for you...do the people here sound like they are the children of God, based on the fact that sons of God cry out, "Abba!  Father!"  This passage is a description of the fear and terror that will grip the unbelievers hearts when Jesus returns.  This is a description of how they will react.  We as believers have no fear of the coming wrath of God.  Jesus bore God's wrath for our sin.  Luke wrote that Jesus instructs us that when we, God's children, see the sign in the sun, moon, and stars, signaling His return, we are to look up because our redemption is near.   Jesus is returning to gather us to Himself.  Luke records that unbelievers will faint from fear when the natural lights are turned off, because of the expectation of the things which are coming on the world; and we know from the Revelation 6 passage that it is God's wrath.  (See Luke 21:25-28 and Matthew 24:29-31)

I have another verse for you...

1 Peter 2:17 - "Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king."


Now wait a minute Kathy, you said in your previous post that there is no fear for God's children in coming to Him.  Sounds like a contradiction.

It's not.  Scripture is full of references to fearing God.  We are told to fear God.  This is basically a recognition of Who He is and realizing who we are in comparison to Him.  We need to give Him awe and respect because of Who He is - our Creator.  So while believers do not need to fear coming to Him because He will not pour out His wrath on us for our sin, we still need to reverence Almighty God.

May we always keep this in perspective.

(By the way, I've got a part three mulling around in my head...our works as God's children are going to undergo a quality control test by fire...stay tuned...)

No Fear For God's Children

The other day when I was at Annie's, Ruh was sitting on the couch and Daniel was across the living room.  He looked up, saw his daddy, and started running to him as fast as his little legs could take him.   With the word "Daddy" spilling off his lips, he raced into Ruh's open arms.  It was a moment that melted my heart!  When Daniel saw his daddy he wanted to be with him.  There was no fear.  He only wanted to be gathered up into his father's strong, loving arms.

Paul wrote to the Romans that as God's children, we have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but we have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba!  Father!"

Those who are God's children have no fear going to Him.  Before salvation, all of us lived in slavery.  We were slaves to sin and lived in fear of judgment.  I'll never forget the look on an older gentleman's face to whom I was sharing Jesus.  When we are witnessing, we need to share the truth that judgment is coming.  Jesus says that if we reject Him and don't receive His sayings, His words will judge us at the last day.  If we accept His words that He is the only way to the Father, and believe in Him, we pass from death into life and we have no fear of judgment for our sin.  We are no longer under condemnation.  Unbelievers should be afraid of death, and most are.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.  For the believer, the Holy Spirit frees our hearts from the fear of God's judgment and that is one way we know we are His children.  As His children we don't live in terror.  We've been delivered.  We come to the Father with deep emotion.  Jesus did in the garden.  He used the word "Abba," meaning "Papa" or "Daddy."  We can too.   It shows the tenderness, love, dependence, and intimacy we have with God.

Wish I had a picture of Daniel in his daddy's arms for you...but I don't.  Just use your imagination, and use it also for the day when you get to run into the arms of Jesus, and thank Him in person for making it possible for us to come to the Father without fear - just as a small child does when he sees his daddy and then runs into his strong, welcoming arms.

Children of God

The doctrinal test to know if we are children of God is that we are trusting in Christ's sacrifice on the cross alone for our salvation.  He is the only way to the Father.  The moral test is if we are walking in godliness...

These three other things give us assurance that we are children of God...

1) Enduring faith - faith that has been on display over a long period of time...
2) Fruitfulness in our walk...
3) Growing in love for the brethren...

2 Thessalonians 1:3 - "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows even greater."


John 15:8 - "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."

A Lighted Path

Last night as I was walking to my car after Bible study, I lost traction with my left foot when it hit a puddle.   It went out from under me, and then my right foot followed suit.  I kind of like hydroplaned on the wet grass.  Have you ever hydroplaned before?  In your car, I mean?  You virtually have no control.  I had virtually no control over my arms.  (My feet at this point were already a lost cause.)  My arms went flailing, my Bible flew in one direction and my purse in another.  I was so happy that no one was around.  I'm sure I looked like a cat that had been thrown off of a roof, upside-down - only cats land on their feet.  I ended up flat on my back with my Bible and purse in a heap somewhere down by my feet.  It was dark and I didn't see the puddle.  If I had, I'm sure I would have stepped around it.  Needless to say, every muscle in my body, from head to toe today, hurts.

Let's get right to the spiritual application.  God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.  It  keeps us on a course that will guide us away from danger.  By the light of it we see our own infirmities.  It shows us our sin and leads us to its remedy.  It leads us to God and abundant life.  By it true and false doctrine may be discerned so we can escape falling into error and harm.  Walking through this world without it is like entering a cave in inky blackness and not seeing the precipice one hundred feet in.

If it's been awhile since you've spent time in God's Word, make some time today to be in it...don't venture any further without its illuminating glow!