And now for the third person that Jesus mentioned regarding His return, Lot's wife.
LOT'S WIFE AND THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN
The Lord said, "Remember Lot's wife." What can we remember about this woman? We remember her because she is lost for all eternity in spite of the fact that she was a member of the saved community. She no doubt was personally acquainted with Uncle Abraham, yet she was lost. Remember Lot's Wife!
Remember her in spite of the fact that she was married to a very pious Husband. Years later, as we read the New Testament, it is the Apostle Peter who would call him righteous Lot. Despite what many think today, she could not Ride To Heaven on the coat tails of her husband.
Remember Lot's wife! Remember her also because she entertained heavenly visitors in her home. Two angels have spent the night with her family and yet she was lost. We also have entertained a heavenly visitor. Many a person who has Received the Gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit have fallen away.
Remember Lot's Wife! Remember her, because she looked back from behind. She was leaving Sodom, but Sodom was still in her. Many a person has come into the Fellowship of the Church of Christ and still has the world in them. They Look back from behind. They fall behind in Bible reading, they fall behind in prayer, they fall behind in attendance on the Lord's Day and in the observance of The Lord's Supper weekly. Remember Lot's wife!
We will conclude this study next time. God bless as you continue to serve Him!!!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
"WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HIS RETURN". Part 4
Good day everyone and we continue our study thoughts on "WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HIS RETURN".
4. Another thing the people of Noah's day had in common with today is their lack of faith. In 2009 it seems that fewer and fewer people believe anything anymore when it comes to God's Word. I heard of a young lady one time that had some Christian principles and a man who did not believe anything was in the process of courting her. This man had a good job and would be a good catch, so the mother of the girl pressured her to marry him. The daughter said, "But Mama, he doesn't believe anything, why he doesn't even believe in hell." The mother said, "That's all right honey, you go ahead and marry him and he'll change his mind."
As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. People claim to have a belief in God but often times do not put much action behind that belief. We may talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk when it comes right down to it.
The second person the Lord mentioned was Lot.
THE DAYS OF LOT AND THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN
5. As it was in the days of Lot so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. What then was it like in the days of Lot? Both Jude and Peter give us some insight. First Jude says, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and
going after strange flesh (homosexuality), are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Then Peter says, "Lot was vexed with the filthy life style of the wicked: For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds..." I saw an advertisement of a movie about thirty years ago that was called Sodom. The ad said Sodom was the city that gave its name to sin. This statement would not be politically correct today. But think about it. Suppose there was a city in Kentucky famous for whiskey and they called it Booze, Kentucky. Suppose there was a city in Indiana that was famous for being a wide-open town with legalized gambling and prostitution and they called it Corruption, Indiana. Suppose there was a city in Virginia that had more drunk drivers than any other place and they called it Drunk, Virginia.
And suppose there was a city in Ohio that was famous for murder and they called it Murder, Ohio. And suppose there was a city in Texas that was famous for Grand Larceny and they called it Grand Larceny, Texas. Whenever you read of the city of Sodom in the Bible everybody knows what made
them famous or infamous, whichever may be the case. And remember Jesus said, "But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all." This is the way it was in the days of Lot and the way it will be in the day that the Son of man will be revealed. The very moral fiber of people in both cases had been shredded and had disintegrated. Even though the soul of righteous Lot was vexed by the life style of the Sodomites he did not seem to be in any hurry to leave. Moses tells us while Lot lingered the angels took him, his wife and two daughters by the hand to lead them out of the city and said, "Escape for thy life." Perhaps he lingered because he was loath to leave that nice house he lived in, the new television, the new car, and all of the CDs in the bank. Think of that nice boat that was going to go up in flames, what a waste! The angels said,
"Escape for thy life!" Perhaps he was loath to leave so many in his family behind and no doubt they used his lingering for what they thought was hypocrisy. Look at that Ole fool. He says this place will burn down, but he doesn't believe it himself, he is still hanging around. Escape for thy life! Sometimes the Church seems to linger in evangelism when they should be crying out to the world, Escape for thy life! There needs to be a sense of urgency in the invitation as the terms of pardon are laid out, Escape for thy life! In most congregations the emphasis is on making the assembly "feel" comfortable and full of self-esteem instead of being troubled with their spiritual life. Escape for thy life! On this blog we will continue to sound forth the fire alarm, Escape for thy life! We remind you of the terms of pardon laid down by Peter on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The message should come through loud and clear, Escape for thy life.
The day is coming soon when HE will return and call His bride away. Will you be ready in accordance with what the scriptures teach? God bless until our next time.
4. Another thing the people of Noah's day had in common with today is their lack of faith. In 2009 it seems that fewer and fewer people believe anything anymore when it comes to God's Word. I heard of a young lady one time that had some Christian principles and a man who did not believe anything was in the process of courting her. This man had a good job and would be a good catch, so the mother of the girl pressured her to marry him. The daughter said, "But Mama, he doesn't believe anything, why he doesn't even believe in hell." The mother said, "That's all right honey, you go ahead and marry him and he'll change his mind."
As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. People claim to have a belief in God but often times do not put much action behind that belief. We may talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk when it comes right down to it.
The second person the Lord mentioned was Lot.
THE DAYS OF LOT AND THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN
5. As it was in the days of Lot so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. What then was it like in the days of Lot? Both Jude and Peter give us some insight. First Jude says, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and
going after strange flesh (homosexuality), are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Then Peter says, "Lot was vexed with the filthy life style of the wicked: For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds..." I saw an advertisement of a movie about thirty years ago that was called Sodom. The ad said Sodom was the city that gave its name to sin. This statement would not be politically correct today. But think about it. Suppose there was a city in Kentucky famous for whiskey and they called it Booze, Kentucky. Suppose there was a city in Indiana that was famous for being a wide-open town with legalized gambling and prostitution and they called it Corruption, Indiana. Suppose there was a city in Virginia that had more drunk drivers than any other place and they called it Drunk, Virginia.
And suppose there was a city in Ohio that was famous for murder and they called it Murder, Ohio. And suppose there was a city in Texas that was famous for Grand Larceny and they called it Grand Larceny, Texas. Whenever you read of the city of Sodom in the Bible everybody knows what made
them famous or infamous, whichever may be the case. And remember Jesus said, "But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all." This is the way it was in the days of Lot and the way it will be in the day that the Son of man will be revealed. The very moral fiber of people in both cases had been shredded and had disintegrated. Even though the soul of righteous Lot was vexed by the life style of the Sodomites he did not seem to be in any hurry to leave. Moses tells us while Lot lingered the angels took him, his wife and two daughters by the hand to lead them out of the city and said, "Escape for thy life." Perhaps he lingered because he was loath to leave that nice house he lived in, the new television, the new car, and all of the CDs in the bank. Think of that nice boat that was going to go up in flames, what a waste! The angels said,
"Escape for thy life!" Perhaps he was loath to leave so many in his family behind and no doubt they used his lingering for what they thought was hypocrisy. Look at that Ole fool. He says this place will burn down, but he doesn't believe it himself, he is still hanging around. Escape for thy life! Sometimes the Church seems to linger in evangelism when they should be crying out to the world, Escape for thy life! There needs to be a sense of urgency in the invitation as the terms of pardon are laid out, Escape for thy life! In most congregations the emphasis is on making the assembly "feel" comfortable and full of self-esteem instead of being troubled with their spiritual life. Escape for thy life! On this blog we will continue to sound forth the fire alarm, Escape for thy life! We remind you of the terms of pardon laid down by Peter on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The message should come through loud and clear, Escape for thy life.
The day is coming soon when HE will return and call His bride away. Will you be ready in accordance with what the scriptures teach? God bless until our next time.
Monday, May 18, 2009
"WHAT JESUS SAID..." Part 3
Good day everyone and welcome to another time of devotion and study. We continue with our thoughts on "WHAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SAID ABOUT HIS RETURN".
We begin today looking at the next two points.
2. Another characteristic of men in Noah's day was that the thoughts of men's hearts were evil continually. Has this changed or even gotten any better? I think not. It is the opinion of most advertisers that Americans today are, for the most part, a people who think evil continually. Look at the shows on television, the porn magazines that are specially made for the spiritually
and sexually depraved. Even those who would normally never get involved with these things are often indulging in them even once in a while. As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. In Genesis 6:5, scripture states, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (every...: or, the whole imagination: the Hebrew word signifies not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires) (continually: Hebrew; every day).
3. Another condition of Noah's day and the day of the Lord is all flesh had been corrupted. I saw in a national magazine several years ago that two unmarried college students were living together. The boy said he did the ironing and that the girl did the cooking. He said they may or
may not get married. However you don't have to read a magazine now and learn about two strangers who are shacked up. Most of you won't have to look very far to see the same situation in your own family or Church. Of course in their spiritual immaturity they snicker, they smile at us indulgently, and tell us that this is the twenty-first century and they are two consenting adults having a relationship and that makes it O.K. The acceptance of the Ten Commandments
has never been up for a vote of the majority. What's more, God's Holy Word is not up for a vote by the majority. Mankind has taken it upon himself to change God's Word and in some cases to completely take Christ out of the picture. How depraved and corrupted are we when we claim to believe in God, yet at the same time and in the same breath deny Jesus Christ and ALL HE said. We live in a time when all flesh has corrupted themselves. As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of man.
We begin today looking at the next two points.
2. Another characteristic of men in Noah's day was that the thoughts of men's hearts were evil continually. Has this changed or even gotten any better? I think not. It is the opinion of most advertisers that Americans today are, for the most part, a people who think evil continually. Look at the shows on television, the porn magazines that are specially made for the spiritually
and sexually depraved. Even those who would normally never get involved with these things are often indulging in them even once in a while. As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. In Genesis 6:5, scripture states, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (every...: or, the whole imagination: the Hebrew word signifies not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires) (continually: Hebrew; every day).
3. Another condition of Noah's day and the day of the Lord is all flesh had been corrupted. I saw in a national magazine several years ago that two unmarried college students were living together. The boy said he did the ironing and that the girl did the cooking. He said they may or
may not get married. However you don't have to read a magazine now and learn about two strangers who are shacked up. Most of you won't have to look very far to see the same situation in your own family or Church. Of course in their spiritual immaturity they snicker, they smile at us indulgently, and tell us that this is the twenty-first century and they are two consenting adults having a relationship and that makes it O.K. The acceptance of the Ten Commandments
has never been up for a vote of the majority. What's more, God's Holy Word is not up for a vote by the majority. Mankind has taken it upon himself to change God's Word and in some cases to completely take Christ out of the picture. How depraved and corrupted are we when we claim to believe in God, yet at the same time and in the same breath deny Jesus Christ and ALL HE said. We live in a time when all flesh has corrupted themselves. As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)