Still Time

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 - Still Time

How could people fall for all of this? Why would they give themselves over to these lies? How could a man such as this rise to absolute power? First, remember what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 – that the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the lost. Lost people cannot see the Truth of God’s Word until their blindness is removed. That is why it is imperative that we pray for God to open the eyes of lost people. Add to this the strong delusion God sends because of their constant rejection of His love and it all becomes clear.

Many people have a hard time getting their minds around this aspect of God. If you go back to the book of Exodus you read that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh over and over again so that he did not let the Israelites leave Egypt. Why? So that God could continue to pour out His wrath on Egypt! That seems so hard for us to believe about our loving God, but we must never forget that this loving, gracious God is also holy and just. He longs for all men to be saved, and He gives them a choice to follow Him or not. He reveals Himself to them over and over again giving them the opportunity to accept His love, but there comes a point where His mercy ends and judgment begins – when the cup of iniquity is full. Only then is their fate sealed. So Egypt had to suffer the full measure of God’s wrath, but have you ever noticed that some Egyptians left with the Israelites at the Exodus? Could it be that they saw the light of God’s love and decided to follow Him?

Think about this: the thieves on the crosses at Calvary. One repented and was promised heaven. The other mocked and no doubt is spending his eternity in hell. Two men, similar in nature, but they saw Jesus differently. Why? One’s eyes were opened, and he chose to follow the Lamb of Calvary. The other remained blind because he refused to see the truth. God responds to our choices. He knows our hearts, and when He sees that nothing is going to change them, judgment falls.

And those who are given over to the strong delusion will be condemned because they did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Where do you fall today? Are your eyes opened to the truth? Are you facing judgment? If you are reading this, there is still time for you to choose God’s grace.

Standing For Jesus!

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 - Standing For Jesus!

The Antichrist! What a man – and not in a good way. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:15 that the “abomination of desolation” will take place during the tribulation period. Daniel predicted this in Daniel 9:27 and 11:31. In the middle of what he called the “seventieth week,” what I believe to be a reference to the seven years of tribulation, something terrible happens in the Temple of God. Yes, the Temple that doesn’t exist now but will exist during this horrific period of time.

Here is my theory. As part of the peace treaty established between Israel and her enemies, brokered by the Antichrist, the Jews will be allowed to rebuild their Temple. Since the plans are already drawn up and many of the items needed to re-establish the sacrificial rituals have already been created, it will not take long to build. At some point, it will be completed and sacrifices will begin. And 3 ½ years into the tribulation, the Antichrist will bring an end to the sacrifices made to God, and he will set up his throne in the Temple. Please note that Antiochus Epiphanes defiled the Temple in 168 B.C. by sacrificing a pig on the altar and spreading its blood everywhere. But when Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 24, He says it will happen again, and, somehow, the defilement of the Temple will happen again. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Antichrist would slaughter another pig, but he will go beyond that. He will force everyone to worship him, sacrifice to him, and bow down to him (Revelation 13). He will even create an image/statue (no doubt of himself because of his narcissistic personality) that will be given life (of some sort) so that it can speak and destroy those who refuse to bow down to the image.

My friends, the devil is powerful now, but with the “One who restrains” out of the picture, he will become even more powerful. Millions, if not billions, of people will bow before him. Some will truly worship him as their god, but others will do it simply to survive. They will take “the mark of the beast,” whatever that will be, because it will be the only way to do business in the world of that day. When they make that choice, their eternal destiny will be sealed. They will face hell because of their choice to bow down to this son of perdition.

Those who have chosen to truly follow Jesus will refuse to take the mark and will refuse to bow down to the image. As a result, they will be forced to run and hide. It will be almost impossible to feed their families because they will not take the “mark.” Many will die a martyr’s death and will receive that crown. Those who survive will continue to worship and serve Calvary’s Lamb because true love never grows cold, even in the face of death.

Do you remember the stories of the 21 Christians beheaded by ISIS? It is reported that just before one of the men was brutally killed, he cried out “Jesus.” A prayer? Perhaps. A cry of victory? Indeed! Lord Jesus, give us the strength and the boldness to stand strong for You in the face of evil.

Standing Against Jesus

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 - Standing Against Jesus

The Antichrist will oppose the true Christ. He will stand against and he will stand “in place of” Jesus. First the Antichrist will pretend to be the Messiah, but then he will attack Jesus and His followers.

Let’s look at a few passages other than this one. In Daniel 7:8, the Antichrist is called “the little horn” who will form a confederation of nations. With what is happening in our world today, it wouldn’t surprise me if this were an Islamic caliphate. His desire will be to rule the world – sound familiar? In Revelation 13:1-10, a beast will rise out of the sea, the Antichrist, who will blaspheme God, make war against God’s people, and rule over many nations. Can anyone say ISIS? I know that there are people who downplay the abilities of this organization, but unless some nation takes a major stand against them, they will continue to grow stronger and gather followers. Look at the number of people being drawn from the United States and around the world. Even though the Antichrist has not been revealed, the spirit of antichrist is running rampant as these radical Muslims continue to slaughter innocent Christians and Jews. Whether ISIS is still in play at the end of days or not, the situation will be not similar but far worse in our world.

Literally, this man, Antichrist, will become the dominant leader on the world stage. Who wouldn’t follow someone who could broker true peace in the Middle East? And for 3 ½ years, Israel will have peace. Perhaps following the war of God and Magog as described in Ezekiel 38-39, when Israel is supernaturally protected by God, the Antichrist will step in and establish peace for 7 years. Either prior to this period or during this period, a new temple will be built in Jerusalem because at the mid-point of the seven years, the Antichrist will set up an image of himself in the Temple and demand that Israel and the rest of the world worship him as a god (Rev. 13). And the people will. Why? Because as Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, he will perform miracles and God will send a spirit of strong delusion. They will believe the lies because their cup of iniquity is full. Because they have rejected the Truth, and they will be condemned.

These last 3 ½ years will be known as the Great Tribulation and will feature apocalyptic battles between good and evil, between God and Satan over the souls of men. Satan will use every weapon at his disposal to deceive, and many will take his mark (Rev. 13:17-18) and be condemned forever. But take heart. God is not done. He will send 2 great witnesses and 144,000 Jewish men who become believers in Yeshua (Jesus) and will lead “a great multitude which no one could number” to faith in Christ (Rev. 7:9). Thank you, Jesus, for never-ending love!

The Man of Sin Revealed

2 Thessalonians 2:3-9 – The Man of Sin Revealed

The Antichrist is not a comic book character; nor is he a Hollywood actor. He is real, and I personally believe that he is alive today. He may be a child, a young adult, or a senior statesman, but I believe that he is alive and being prepared by the principalities and powers of this dark world to make his “grand” appearance and begin the end. At present, he is restrained – no doubt by the presence of the Church (our being the salt and light we have been called to be) and the power of the Holy Spirit, but once the Rapture takes place, look out!

Paul tells us a little about this man: He is:

·         The personification of sin (2:3)

·         The son of perdition/destruction (2:3)

·         Empowered by Satan (2:9; Revelation 13:4)

This man will be able to perform miracles by Satan’s power in order to draw people to himself.

Now look at v. 7. Paul says “the mystery of lawlessness” is at work but is restrained. If it were not so, things would be far worse in our world, but I believe that we can explain our worsening condition in the world by considering the weakening influence of the Church. We are not being the salt and the light as we should, and so our influence is fading. Once that salt and light is removed at the Rapture, the world will be plunged into lawlessness. The One who restrains will be gone. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit will be no more or at least operating in a different fashion. Don’t misunderstand. Joel 2:28-32 pictures an outpouring of God’s Spirit on the world, and while many believe this prophecy was totally fulfilled at Pentecost, I believe it will ultimately be fulfilled at the Rapture. Why do I believe this? Because some of the things that Joel described did not happen at Pentecost. He talks about wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke; sun turned to darkness and the moon to blood. And it all happens before the “coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.” All of this leads me to believe in a future fulfillment as described in the New Testament apocalyptic passages. The result of all of this happening? Multitudes will be saved. But lawlessness will abound. And the man of sin will be revealed.

I can remember through the years the different people who have attempted to identify this man. In fact, one night following revival services, my mother, my siblings, and I spent hours trying to make the letters in people’s names add up to 666 because that was how the evangelist said that we would know. We gave each letter of the alphabet a numerical equivalent and started guessing. When names wouldn’t work, we added titles. We pegged everyone from presidents to popes. But here is the issue: John was writing in Greek. He was probably thinking in Hebrew and Aramaic. English was not even part of the human vocabulary at the time while there were multiple languages in existence. My point is simply this. No one will know for sure until all these things have happened, but then his true identity will be revealed to those who know God’s Word. There will be no doubt. How will they know? He will be the one brokering peace treaties with Israel, leading the world government, and ultimately demanding that he be worshiped as a god.

The Antichrist

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – The Antichrist

The man of sin. The son of perdition. He is also known as the Antichrist. Notice that the first two names are in lower case while the third is capitalized. I do that purposely. John, in his epistles, speaks of a spirit of antichrist which is always with us and the person of Antichrist who is yet to come. The person of Antichrist is a specific being who can be described as a man of sin or a son of perdition. You see him appear in other passages: Daniel 7, Matthew 24, and Revelation 13. We will consider all of these passages as we look to this person who will stand against Jesus and put himself in the place of God – spiritually and physically – at least by his claims and by his actions.

Let’s start with what Paul is saying about him. First, he is a man of sin. The word “man” indicates that he is a human being. A mortal man who sins. Now that covers a lot of territory since the Bible says that we have all sinned. But this guy is going to be sin personified. Evil incarnate. In fact, at some point, midway into the tribulation, Satan will enter this man and indwell him like has never happened before. Second, he is the son of perdition. Again, it is the ordinary word for son – the same word used for Jesus. Only this guy is not the only begotten Son of God. That term strictly belongs to our Savior. But the Antichrist will be the son of perdition – a destroyer – just like his father, the devil.

No doubt, the Antichrist will present himself as a peacemaker, exactly what the world will need in the time of chaos that will ensue following the Rapture. Everyone will be looking for answers for the mass disappearances. Some will realize what has happened and will turn to Jesus for salvation, and they will be saved. In fact, they will be the beginning of a great harvest of souls – perhaps, sadly and joyfully, the greatest spiritual awakening the world will ever see. I say sadly because it would be so much better if this happened because the church humbled itself before God and He poured out His Spirit prior to the Rapture. I say joyfully because while these people will still have to endure tribulation they will at least have the assurance of heaven and an eternity with God. Yes, these new Christians will face great sorrow during the tribulation. Others will reject the concept of the Rapture as foolishness, and no doubt the Antichrist will offer “rational” answers. Logic that they want to believe and will believe. The end result will be that many will follow him.

Imagine, also, in the midst of all the chaos, certain nations will choose to expand their territory and take care of old enemies. Israel will be in the crosshairs even more than ever before. Wars will begin. People will die, but God will spare the nation of Israel and will supernaturally defeat her enemies. Enter the Antichrist who will bring peace, but it will be a costly peace. Treaties will be signed. Israel will be promised seven years of peace, and when that treaty is ratified, the Tribulation will begin!

 

A Falling Away!

2 Thessalonians 2:3 – A Falling Away

A falling away! What exactly does that mean? The word Paul uses is the Greek word “apostosia” or apostasy. While our English definition is pretty clear, (a total desertion of or departure from one's religion, principles, party, cause, etc.), there are some subtleties to the Greek word that have to be considered. The first 7 English translations of the Bible used the word “departure,” and some considered it to be a reference to the Rapture. This would be great since it would be a reference to the Pre-tribulation Rapture that I believe is true – just another in a long line of evidence for this fact. But then along comes the King James Version, and the translators used the phrase “falling away.” Other translations use the term “rebellion.” So what exactly is the right definition?

In its strictest sense, the word means “to place oneself away from” or “to stand away from someone.” The word occurs a number of times in the New Testament, and it isn’t always used to describe someone who stands wholeheartedly in agreement or disagreement. The point Paul was making in this verse is that there will be a time when people will separate themselves from the church to avoid the dangers related to being part of the church.

Think about it this way: when the trouble really starts, and persecution of Christians heats up, nominal Christians will run for the hills. Those who are part of the “church membership” but not part of the body of Christ will not stand with Christians. Why suffer for something that you really don't believe and are not committed to? Throughout the history of the church, this has been the case. And it will happen in a big way prior to the Rapture of the church. Perhaps this is what Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:12 when He said that “the love of many will grow cold.” True Christians love God with a white-hot passion. That love never fades. In fact, Jesus says in v. 13 that “those who endure to the end shall be saved.” Those who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength” are the ones who will endure, who will continue to preach the gospel in the face of persecution.

Read this carefully! The church may get smaller as the end draws near, but the Church will grow because souls will be won through the power of the Word!

Prophecy Fulfilled

2 Thessalonians 2:3 – Prophecy Fulfilled

What are the signs that tell us that Jesus’ return is near? In Matthew 24, Jesus talked about men claiming to be Him. Wars and rumors of wars. He references the days of Noah, a time when men’s evil bent had run amok. No doubt, the days we live in are very similar. But when this happens, the end is not yet. Famines, earthquakes, pestilences around the world – these are the beginning of sorrows. Then things start to get real – real bad. Christians hated because of their relationship with Jesus. Can you say ISIS? My heart breaks for the families of these 21 Coptic Christians beheaded simply because of their faith in Jesus. My heart burns at the powers that be that sit idly by and do nothing to protect these people and refuse to even acknowledge that their deaths were caused by radical Muslims who hate Christians and Jews. Jesus also says that many will be offended by Christians standing on their biblical beliefs and standing against all that is ungodly. Sound familiar? False prophets will multiply – prophets who tell us that they have a new revelation, that the Bible is wrong or has been wrongly translated or interpreted, that Christianity is outdated and irrelevant. And because of all this, lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will fade.

Wow! In my opinion, Jesus was looking at 21^st century America. Of course, many, if not all of these things, have happened in other parts of the world before now, but it seems that it is more widespread than ever before. Add to all of this that since the time Jesus spoke these words, Israel was destroyed and basically disappeared for 2000 years, and now it is becoming one of the strongest nations in the Middle East (military and economically, anyway). Truly the Jewish people are causing the deserts to bloom. How many times since 1948 has Israel faced military annihilation with overwhelming forces coming against them only to come through the fray as victors? The only way any of this is possible is because God’s hand has covered this nation. Why? Because Israel is the epicenter of God’s plan in the last days. In fact, His plan has been set in motion for the purpose of bringing the Jews back to the Holy Land (a fulfillment of prophecy) and drawing them to their Messiah. And when Jesus returns, many eyes will be opened and Israel will be awakened spiritually. A great revival will begin and the Old Testament people of God will become the true people of God, born again by the Spirit, trusting in their true Messiah – His name is Jesus!

Not Yet!

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2  - Not Yet!

Now we get to the main reason that Paul is writing. “Don’t be deceived, folks, you have not been left behind.” That was the message Paul wanted them to hear. The Rapture had not occurred. For those of us who grasp the concept of the Rapture, we cannot imagine anyone believing it had happened without them. Or could we? Several times in my ministry I have had individuals tell me stories about how they had panicked because they thought they had been left behind. But the panic was short-lived because they had finally made contact with someone they knew would “go in the first round” so to speak. But in our day of instant communication and 24/7 news cycles, anyone familiar with the concept of the Rapture will know almost instantly that they had missed it. The airwaves will no doubt be filled with dramatic stories of people disappearing into thin air. If you have seen any of the movies that focus on the Rapture, you know how it might be: planes crashing into the ground, automobiles out of control, etc. And all of this would take place around the world, so at any moment of any day, the word would spread rapidly that something unusual had happened.

But not in the first century. No news channels. No telephone or internet to check to see if the pastor was still around or if maybe someone in the next town had any news of disappearances. Add to that a smooth-talking, charismatic false teacher telling you that your whole church had been misled and that Jesus had already come and gone…. Well, if you had any level of doubt in your mind, you would be easily convinced. And the result of being convinced would be depression, defeat, despair, helplessness, hopelessness, etc. Absolute misery. Look at v. 2 for a minute. Paul describes it as “being shaken in mind” or troubled. You see, they had the very foundation of their lives washed away by these false teachings.

No doubt, if this went on for very long, many would simply drop out of the church and give up on walking the walk. What would be the point? If Paul had been wrong on all of this, how much of his teachings could they trust? What a shame! But the good news is that Paul heard what was taking place and because of his love for the people at Thessalonica, he wrote a letter that has given us, Christians of the 21^st Century, information that helps us see that the time is near, but it has not come.

Paul says, “Let no one deceive you….” That is good advice, and over the next several days we are going to examine Paul’s version of “the signs of the times.” We may throw in a little of Jesus’ teachings from Matthew with a dose of Daniel and Revelation. Hang with me, and let’s be encouraged because Jesus is still coming, and I believe it’s soon.

Be Good!

2 Thessalonians 1:12 - Be Good!

As I was looking back over the blog from last week, I took another look at this verse. Something occurred to me. Maybe it was God speaking, or maybe I just couldn’t leave this thought incomplete. The word motivation came to mind. Purpose. The question that is answered in v. 12 is simply this: why are we to do this? Why are we to do the work of faith in power? Why are we to fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness? Well, the obvious answers are there based on what I wrote last week. We need to lead lost people to the saving knowledge of Jesus. We do that because we are commanded to do so and because our love for God and others compels us to do so. Our hearts break over the lostness of a single individual because we know their eternal destiny is hell. However, there is another reason. Reaching people makes the world a better place. If Christians act like Christians and reach more people who act like Christians then we will live in a Christian society that is characterized by the fruit of the Spirit Paul writes about in Galatians 5. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Wouldn’t that be nice? But what if I were to tell you that there is an even more practical reason to do the work of faith in power? There is one, you know. You see, if we don’t do this, then we will suffer the consequences of God’s wrath when it is poured out on the world. Call it collateral damage or just the consequences of living in a sin-filled world, we will be affected by His wrath.

Look at what Paul writes. He paints a very different picture as to why we are to do this. We are to fulfill the good pleasure of His goodness so that “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified” in us. Here it is in a nutshell: we are supposed to make Jesus look good. When people witness us living the Christian life, they should say, “Wow! Jesus sure is powerful! Look at the difference He made in Ben Hayes!” When we are what we are supposed to be and do what we are supposed to do and live like we are supposed to live, Jesus will receive the glory. But when we don’t do what we are supposed to do and live like we are supposed to live then the world questions the power of our risen Lord.

It’s like the disciples trying to help the man with the demon-possessed son. When they couldn’t help him, the father began to question Jesus’ ability. Of course, Jesus was more than able. He set the boy free, and He set the disciples straight (Mt. 17:14-21). Our power comes through Him, and we can only access it through constant prayer and fasting. We must practice the spiritual disciplines that Jesus modeled for us in the gospels. When we do so, we will know His power and we will live a life that glorifies Him.

Walk Worthy!

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 – Walk Worthy!

Living the Christian life – if only we could comprehend the importance of doing this: the importance of walking worthy; of fulfilling the good pleasure of His goodness; of doing the work of faith with His power. This whole concept is of vital importance to the church and the world.

As I’m writing this, my beloved state, the state of Alabama, has been pressured by the federal government to legalize gay marriages. In spite of the fact that the citizens have made their voices of opposition heard and the fact that our state convention declares that marriage is officially between a man and a woman and the fact that  our Chief Justice has sent out a ruling telling our probate judges not to give in to the pressure and issue licenses to same-sex couples, we have seen a number of gay marriages take place. I am heartbroken, and I have made my feelings on this issue known through my preaching, through social media, and every other format I can. It isn’t that I hate homosexuality ay more than any other sin. I stand against sexual immorality of every kind – homosexuality, adultery, bestiality. If the sexual relationship isn’t between a man and a woman that is married in the eyes of God, it is sin. Yes, I am brokenhearted and apprehensive because I cannot believe God’s judgment is very far away. Our cup of iniquity is full.

But what I am about to write may surprise you. My wife, Sonya, and I were discussing this topic at lunch. She made the statement, “God has to be more upset over Christians not living the Christian life than He is at lost people acting like lost people.” And I agree. Folks, it is our fault (and by “our” I mean Christians) that this is happening. We chose to stop being salt and light. Jesus told us that this was our responsibility, and by that He meant that we are to flavor our world with His grace and in doing so would have a preservative effect. But we have stopped walking worthy of our calling, and because of that, more lost people are behaving more “lostly” every day. Yes, our cup of iniquity is full, but we must take the blame upon ourselves and cry out in repentance before a Holy God. Only then will we do the work of faith with power. Only then will the name of the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified.

Bringing the Dead to Life

2 Thessalonians 1:11 – Bringing the Dead to Life

Judgment equals reward for the believer. That is a given, a certainty. Why, then, does Paul write, “I pray always…?” Keep in mind two things. First, the word Paul uses for “pray” is in the present tense which indicates ongoing action. Then he adds to that the word “always” which emphasizes the constant nature of the prayer. Understand, Paul was informing these Christians that they were constantly the topic of his prayers to the Father. So just what was so important that this apostle continued to pray over and over again for the Thessalonican Christians? Look at the topic of the prayer: that God would count them worthy of their calling. What calling is that? The calling as Christians. The Bible is clear that God calls us to salvation. God initiates the invitation into a relationship with Himself, and without that, no man would be saved. Now please understand what I believe. God calls every human being to salvation, and it is our response to Him that makes the difference – we either accept or reject His invitation.

Okay, then. “I thought that the only way that we are made worthy of our calling is through the shed blood of Jesus when we accept His sacrifice as the payment for our sin,” you say. That is exactly right, so what is Paul really praying for? That their Christian lives would be as “heavy” as their calling in Christ. You see, I use the word “heavy” because when Paul says “make worthy” he is painting a picture. It is the idea of a scale or a balance, so the picture is that of putting our calling to salvation on one side of the scale and our lives as Christians on the other. Don’t misunderstand. It has nothing to do with whether we are saved or not. It isn’t about losing our salvation. It is the desire that Paul expressed in many of his thoughts but spelled out so beautifully in Ephesians 4:1. We are to “walk worthy of the vocation to which we are called.” We are to live for Jesus and “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness….”

Dear friends, we cannot overlook this fact. We are saved by grace through faith. Period! Exclamation point! You cannot add or subtract anything to or from that statement. However, we are saved by grace in order to do good works. James tells us that in his letter. Read it and see. This is what Paul calls the “work of faith with power.” Do you know what I think this means? When we commit to living in obedience to God’s Word, we start making disciples, bearing fruit for Jesus, by His power. Do you want to read something amazing? Jesus said that we would do even greater works than He did (John 14:12). He wasn’t talking about bringing dead people back to life – at least not physically. He was talking about bringing lost people into the Kingdom of Heaven which is about bringing spiritually dead people into true life for the first time.

Glory!

2 Thessalonians 1:10 – Glory!

When He comes in that Day…. What a day that will be. The rapture of the church. The day when Jesus returns in the clouds and calls Christians to join Him in the air. My pastor when I was saved used to say that he hoped that when the rapture occurred that he would be in a group of lost people. And when he started to ascend, he would grab a lost person in each hand, and as they were going up, ask them, “Do you believe now?” That’s the heart of an evangelist, my friend, and that was the heart of the apostle Paul.

Notice what Paul says: Jesus will “be glorified IN His saints.” Not by His saints or for His saints, but IN His saints. In other words, we will share in and reflect His glory as if we are a mirror. Isn’t that what we long for? To be conformed to the image of God’s own Son? And on that day, we will. And then we will admire Him. The word for “admire” means to marvel. You see, for the first time, we will see Jesus face to face. We will see Him in all of His glory and splendor, and we will be overcome with awe. And He will be glorified IN us.

But I want you to know why this happens. It is because we believe. Paul said to the Thessalonican Christians that it was because they had believed his testimony. Go back and read the book of Acts, specifically chapters 8 & 9, and you will see his testimony. But do you know what it is in a nutshell? “There is salvation in no other name – only Jesus.” He is the one Who died as a sacrifice for our sin. He is the One Whose blood cleanses us. He is the One Who takes you to the Father and says, “He is with Me!” I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait. What glory awaits us!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 - Don't Mess With My Kids!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 – Don’t Mess With My Kids!

You don’t mess with my kids! I know that is a strange thing to say as you look at this Scripture, but it’s true. You can get in my face. I can take it pretty good. I have been known to turn the other cheek a time or two. But when you go after my kids, you had better watch out. God gave them to me to protect and to raise, and heaven forbid you do anything to cause them harm.

That is the apostle Paul in a nutshell. In his other letters, he talked about how his spiritual converts were like his children. And you can almost picture this man of God as the proud parent as he brags on his kids. Proud that their faith and love are growing. Boasting about their patience and faith as they endure the hardships of their days. Bragging about how all of this is evidence of their salvation, because quite frankly, none of this would be happening if they did not belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ. But woe unto those who are doing the persecuting!

Look at verses 6-10. Do you see what Paul is saying? God is going to take care of it all, and that doesn’t mean He is going to gather everybody up in His arms and sing Kum Bah Ya. He is going to take care of it by repaying with tribulation those who trouble His people. In other words, He may do some gathering up but it will be to rain down His wrath on the enemies of His people and to give rest to those who are being troubled because of their faith in Jesus. And Paul doesn’t pull any punches here. God will take vengeance on His enemies with flaming fire and eternal destruction. And it’s all going to happen when Jesus returns and takes His bride, the true Christians, home.

You see, here is the reason Paul is writing to the Thessalonicans again. Someone was telling them that Jesus had already returned and they had missed it. They were saying that their suffering was in vain – that they might as well go back to the way they were because none of it was true. And guess what. It was all a lie. Straight from the devil intended to discourage and defeat the faith of God’s people because that’s what the devil is always trying to do. So Paul does what any good pastor does – He once again proclaims to his dear children the truth of what that day is going to be like. And knowing what it is going to be like, they can stay strong and know that God still has a plan.

Dear brother and sister in Christ, I don’t know what all of you are going through, but I know that God is able to take care of you. He will strengthen you. He will walk with you even through the valley of the shadow of death. So take hope! Don’t give up! Walk in victory because you are a child of the King.

2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 - In God!

2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 

It happened! The very thing Paul warned the Thessalonians (and every church he started and those who would read his letters) about. It is every pastor’s nightmare. The seeds of false doctrine had been sown and had begun to take root in the church. Isn’t it amazing how easily bad seed does this. Weeds grow faster than good plants in the physical realm, and they do the same in the spiritual. You can prepare the soil for your crops and have it clean of weeds when you begin. Plant your seeds and watch them grow, but if you don’t stay on top of the weeds, pretty soon they will overtake the entire field. The only solution is to be constantly on the lookout for the weeds and get them out as soon as you see them. So Paul does the spiritual equivalent of spraying herbicide: he applies truth liberally and begins the process of destroying the false teachings.

Look at where he starts. He reminds them of who they are. They are the church of the Thessalonicans IN GOD! Because they are IN GOD, their faith grows, their love abounds, and they have withstood the persecution poured out by the enemy. He tells them that their faith grows because they are IN GOD! Love abounds because they are IN GOD! Persecution is endured because they are IN GOD! Do you see the pattern? In this life and in eternity, good things happen when we are in Him.

That doesn’t mean that living the Christian life is easy. They did, after all, endure persecution. And as we will see in the following verses, these Thessalonican Christians did stumble, but they had not fallen. Let me let you in on a little secret, and it is great news. As a child of God, you may stumble, but you will never fall from grace. Once you have truly trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, and by that I mean committed yourself completely as a bondservant (listen to my message dated February 8, 2015 for a complete description of the concept), you can never fall out of God’s hand. Once saved, always saved! That is what I believe because that is what the Bible teaches.

Sadly, the truth is the truth. False teachers could not have spread bad seed without the permission of the congregation, and that is always the first line of defense against false doctrine. Be aware! Be alert! Our adversary the devil is always lurking about looking for ways to send us in the wrong direction. So know the truth. I had a dear friend, a former bank president, who has gone to be with the Lord now. He told me that when he trained his tellers to recognize counterfeit bills, they never touched a counterfeit bill. He made them handle the real things, and he said by knowing the true bills, you could spot a phony in a heartbeat. That is how we must be. Know the truth, and you will spot false teaching immediately.

Fortunately, these Christians continued to grow in spite of their stumbling. Their faith increased. Their love continued to abound. They still endured the persecution with the patience of saints. Put these together and you have the evidence of salvation – salvation that changes our lives and causes us to be counted worthy of the kingdom not because we are perfect but because our faith is in the One who holds onto us! No, more than holds onto us. Wraps us up in Himself so that we are IN GOD!

2 Thessalonians - Here We Go Again!

2 Thessalonians - Here We Go Again!

Everybody is talking about the last days these days, making predictions, talking about the signs of the times. And the signs are there. Jesus Himself said that many would come claiming to be the Christ, and they have. From Simon bar Kochba in the early second century to Sun Myung Moon and David Koresh in the twentieth. Jesus spoke of wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. Wars are being fought constantly somewhere in our world; famines in Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union, North Korea; AIDS and Cancer, heart disease and strokes killing millions every year not to mention the antibiotic resistant strains of diseases thought to be all but conquered; over the past few years we have heard of earthquakes we never thought would have earthquakes. The signs of the times. But Jesus said, "the end is not yet." Jesus said, "these are the beginning of sorrows." But then He goes on to say that His followers will be persecuted and put to death and hated by all nations because of their relationship with him. Most people don't know this, but 160,000 Christians gave their lives last year for the cause of Christ in our world. Countless others were subjected to unimaginable horrors. And the persecution appears to be escalating exponentially. But then Jesus says, "many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another." In other words, there will be a great falling away, church members will betray church members filled with hatred for one another. False prophets will rise up and deceive many. The love of many, Jesus says, will wax cold. The gospel will be preached in all the world and then the end will come.

 

Now I want you to see what Paul says in II Thessalonians about the end time. Understand, many in the church at Thessalonica believed that the Day of the Lord had already taken place and they had missed it. The Old Testament is filled with references to the great and terrible Day of the Lord. In fact, the prophets foretold its coming so much that pretty soon, people began to take it for granted. Oh, sure, they would say, God's going to wipe us off the map. Big deal, they would say, we've heard it all our lives. The judgment of God is coming. And the people had come to the point that they believed the judgment had come but they didn't know it. But hear me. The coming day of the Lord has always been on God's calendar for the time of the end, the last days.

And if you will back up with me to I Thessalonians 4, Paul talks about the rapture of the church. He says the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And in 5:2, he says, "you know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." I believe what Paul is revealing to us is that the Day of the Lord will begin with the rapture of the church. When the church is removed from this world, the salt and the light that is to illumine and to preserve, this world will fully understand the expression that all hell will break loose, because then the man of sin, the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, the Antichrist himself will be revealed.

I want you to notice first what Paul says in his letter to the Thessalonians. The day will not come until after the falling away. Remember what Jesus said, many will be offended (or fall away), will betray one another, will hate each other. A falling away. It seems like that is the situation of our day. Church attendance is down. And the impact of the church is definitely dwindling. Could this be another sign that the day is near? Yes. Does that mean it could happen at any moment? Yes. Then what should we be doing? Exactly what we have always been told to do – making disciples.

War and Peace: It’s a Matter of Pride and Prejudice

War and Peace: It’s a Matter of Pride and Prejudice

Right now, my heart is broken and my mind is frantically searching for answers. In my role as a minister, one of my responsibilities is to bring people together. Too often, even Christians have conflict with one another, and they need help resolving the issues. The evidence is too easily seen. Walk down the streets of any city in Alabama and you will find dozens of churches. Many of them started because the people couldn’t get along. Conflict probably started over some insignificant issue or someone got their feelings hurt and no one was willing to apologize. So I’ll just pack up my toys and go somewhere else to play. Is it any wonder that the church is losing the battle for souls? Is it any wonder that we are becoming irrelevant as our voices are swallowed up by the noise of conflict? We are living in a world where it is easier to dispose of broken things than to fix them, and I fear that we have applied that philosophy to the very thing that set us apart as Christians -- our relationships with each other. Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples: that you have love one for another.”

I will tell you this. Because we are sinful human beings, conflict is inevitable. It is going to happen. You will experience conflict in your life, your family, your work place, your school, and your church. What I have discovered in my 30+ years of ministry is that unless all parties involved want desperately to resolve the issues, there will be no resolution. It isn’t enough to say you want it. It isn’t even enough to think you want it. You have to want it so badly that you are willing to sacrifice to obtain it. You have to be willing to sacrifice your time – that’s a given. Working out most issues takes weeks, not days, because you have to get to the root of the problem. Many times, the outward appearance of the conflict is only a poor reflection of what is at the core. So you have to peel away layer after layer to get to the crux of the matter, and that takes time. Too often, we are not willing even to sacrifice the time that is necessary, so the conflict remains unresolved.

But there is something even more important than time as you seek to resolve conflict and come together with a brother or sister in Christ. Pride. You have to sacrifice your pride to find healing. We live in a society that demands that everyone honor my rights. If you wrong me, I will get even. That is my right! If you cheat me, I will take you to court. The New Testament is filled with teachings that tell us it is better to let ourselves be defrauded, defamed, and physically harmed than to respond with the anger that comes from injured pride.

I am dealing with a situation right now where if all the parties involved would just swallow their pride and come together in brokenness saying, “I was wrong,” the whole issue would be resolved. The problem is that all sides are saying, “I will do this, but I’m not saying that. I will go this far, but no farther.” True brokenness, I believe, is the godly sorrow that produces repentance. Paul says that this godly sorrow leads to salvation, but it comes from a heart that is broken over the fact that our behavior has broken God’s heart. And that kind of heart says, “I will lay down my pride. I will do whatever is necessary to be united with my brother or sister in Christ.” Why? Because I want the world to see our love for each other so that they will know that we belong to Jesus and will want to belong to Jesus, too.

Broken and Humbled

Broken and Humbled

I have to admit, that is me. For a week now, I have been a blubbering mess. Yes, I know that is not very manly, but I’ve never been concerned about my masculinity – only my humility. You see, I am a very proud person. Some might say conceited. Some might say arrogant. I am constantly having to go before the Lord and ask His forgiveness and humble myself before Him. That’s what James says, right? Humble yourself so that He may exalt you in due time. I often think of that verse and wonder if it isn’t a little like the man who received a medal for being the most humble man in town, but the day he wore it in public, they took it away from him. I’m joking of course, but too many of us see James’ words as a magic formula. If we want God to lift us up, we must humble ourselves, but if you humble yourself just so that you can be lifted up then you are not really humbling yourself. Wow! It’s kind of like a Catch 22, isn’t it? Well, I digress. Back to the broken and humbled and blubbering stuff.

Most of you – all 7 who read this, I think – are aware that we celebrated our Lucy’s first birthday this week in Pensacola. So many things we did, so many Facebook posts I read reminded me of the horrific roller coaster of emotions we went through the days following Lucy’s birth. I especially cried (in public I might add) when I read my daughter Jennifer’s post about the night after Lucy was born. My first granddaughter, Hayes, had asked what was wrong with Lucy. Jennifer told her, and Hayes said, “God can fix that!” Such faith! And God did fix that. And as I went through these emotions, I wondered to myself, “Why did God look with favor on my family and give us such a wonderful miracle?” So many of these other babies that went through even lesser physical issues than Lucy are not perfectly whole and healthy like she is. By the way, that is not from a grandfather’s bias, either. That is the pronouncement of all the doctors and specialists that have treated her this past year. The doctor and the nurses in the NICU were amazed on Monday at this precious child walking and running and smiling and laughing. The looks on their faces told me that they never believed that would happen. But God showed them, and I am so glad that He did. But why? Was it the thousands of prayers that went up on that fateful day as we stood around her little bed with tears streaming down our faces sending text messages frantically begging our friends to pray because the doctors said there was no hope? Was it because of the simple faith of a child who said, “God can fix that?” Or was it just because God has a plan, and the life of this little girl has already touched thousands and has drawn them to Jesus or has drawn them closer to Him?

Every time I think about that day, I am not filled with pride, conceit, or arrogance. I am broken. And humbled. And so very grateful to my Heavenly Father. And as I sit in my office this morning typing this blog, I am asking God to do it again. Not heal my granddaughter or anyone else’s granddaughter though there are many that I am praying for in that way. I am asking God to heal our church and the churches all over the country. To take us from our cold indifference and light the fires of godly passion in our hearts. To break us and humble us so that He might lift us up once again to be the city on a hill, the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. To take us all through the roller coaster of emotions as we see the hopeless state of our world that takes the horrific murder of a Jordanian pilot and puts it in front of us under the guise of news but that is really meant to “entertain.” The hopeless state of our world when a panel of judges dare shake their fists in the face of Holy God and declare His law to be unconstitutional. The hopeless state of our world that protects the lives of unborn animals and birds but allows unborn human babies to be murdered all in the name of choice. To take us through these roller coaster of emotions not to overwhelm us at how bad things are but to recognize with the faith of a child: God can fix that! But only God can fix that. And it will only be fixed when Christians are broken and humbled and awakened to the truth that salvation is only in the name of Jesus!

A Prayer, a Promise, and a Plea

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 – A Prayer, a Promise, and a Plea

Closing a letter today should be as full of grace as Paul’s letters to the churches. I am so overwhelmed by this benediction that my mind and my emotions are doing battle over what I will write. Look at the words of Paul: a prayer, a promise, and a plea. Powerful words that should strike at the very core of our beings.

First, the prayer – that the God of peace would sanctify and preserve us. And He is, you know! The God of peace. The Hebrew word for this concept is shalom. The Greek word that Paul uses is eirene. Both hold within their meanings the idea of harmony and wholeness. It is all about our well-being, and that is Who God is. And Paul is requesting from our God of Wholeness that He sanctify us completely. To make us holy. To cleans us from unrighteousness. To forgive us and to grow us into the Christlikeness that we are called to. The request for sanctification is an ongoing process that will not end until we go home to be with Him. And in sanctifying us, we are going to be preserved blameless when He returns.

We have been told in Scripture that our adversary, the devil, is an “accuser of the brethren.” He loves to point a finger at us and accuse us/remind us of our sin and our shame. He will “remind us” that we are worthless and useless. He will do everything he can to convince us that we are guilty. But know this: Jesus has declared us blameless. We have been washed clean and made whole by the God of Wholeness.

And then there is the promise. Our God of Wholeness is faithful. Do you know what that means? He will always keep His promises. He will complete the work He has started in us. He will sanctify us completely. No question about it. No doubts.

Finally, the plea. Pray for us. Listen, folks, we all stand in need of prayer, but those who lead us in kingdom service are primary targets of the accuser, and because of that, they need our prayers. We need your prayers. So I join with Paul in saying, “Pray for us!”

Rejoicing Always

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 – Rejoicing Always

Final exhortations – and they are good. I think in these seven verses (throw in verses 12-15, too), we can formulate a complete doctrine of Christian living. Don’t see these as a set of rules and regulations but as a description of the Christian life. It is all too common today to rage against legalism. After all, God is a God of grace. I fear that like the Roman Christians, we try to go to the extremes. It’s either all about the rules, or no rules apply. Read this carefully. The rules apply. They don’t save you, but they do guide you into right living. They show you how to please God.

So rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in every situation. It’s hard not to rejoice when you are always praying a prayer of thanksgiving because we have so much to be thankful for. As you read this today, we are celebrating the first birthday of our second granddaughter, Lucy. She is a miracle baby. The doctors thought she wasn’t going to live after she was born. She did. They thought she would be brain damaged. She isn’t. If God never did another miracle in my life (and He is constantly working miracles in my life), I would have enough to thank Him for that would keep me busy for all eternity. But our tendency, since we are humans, is to focus on the negative. Rare is the true optimist who has an attitude of gratitude. But that is what we are called to – to see the silver linings in every cloud. God has given us the promise of His presence in every moment of life. He has forgiven and continues to forgive us. When we listen, He guides us through this minefield called life. And in the end, He has given us absolute victory over all our enemies – even death. So rejoice always.

Then, don’t quench the Spirit. How do we do that? How do we puny humans quench the Spirit? With sinful rebellion – saying no to the Father’s will for our lives. By despising prophecies and not holding fast to what is good. By not abstaining from evil. We quench the Spirit by not staying connected to Him in worship and service, by denying His power to work in us and through us.

My friends, we need to walk with Him every moment of the day. Our hearts should be so set on pleasing Him that before we do anything, we ask ourselves, “Is this His will?” Now don’t carry that to the extreme – that would be legalism. But do make it a habit to do what He has called you to do: love God with your entire being and love those around you like you love yourself.