FEAR THIS…

As Christians, we have chosen to follow the unusual rather than the accepted path of the world.  Jesus said…

“13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-4 NIV

The truth is that following God is unusual; it’s not the norm.  In the verse you just read Jesus said that living for God is the way of the few.  It is not the norm.  Most people do not follow the Bible or respect God, or fear God.  I want to share with you two conflicting truths:

The first truth is that it’s impossible for the world (for people) to survive & thrive without God. 

The second truth is that it is normal for people to try and live without God and the Bible.  Which means most people will not survive their sin, nor will they enjoy the blessings of that eternal love relationship that we can have with Him.

I’m not saying this because I want to be part of some exclusive group or church.  I’m just stating a sad reality; it’s just not the norm for people to live for God.  And here is why I think that is the case… Most people do not fear God. 

What I mean by “fear” is that they do not respect God; they do not appreciate that God loves them and wants to save them.  Without God, we are in trouble.  God is our only hope!  I heard a story about a first grader who stood up in front of his class to give his very first speech, “What I Want To Be When I Grow Up.” He said, “I’m going to be a lion tamer and have lots of fierce lions. I’ll walk into the cage and they will roar.” He paused for a moment, thinking through what he just said, then added, “But of course I’ll have my Mommy with me.”  Children are brave when their parents are around, but when a child feels lost or alone, they get scared.  Why?  Because they believe that the only hope they have, the only place that is safe is with mom and dad.  They have godly fear of their parents.  The fear I’m talking about is about having an appreciation of that special relationship that a child has with his or her parents.  That fear drives them to stay near to parents, to want to please their parents, and to obey their parents.  If we can learn to fear God the way a child fears their parents, it means we have found that small gate, that narrow road, that path too few people choose to follow.  If we fear God, we will joyfully follow that wonderful and unusual journey that leads to life. 

- Vic

Mayan Ruins of Chacchoben

We recently went on a Disney cruise.  One of the places we went was to the Mayan Ruins of Chacchoben not far from Costa Maya, Mexico.    This ancient Mayan city was huge, and we had so much fun walking around it.  That is why my children are smiling in the picture.  But as I was walking around the ruins of this ancient city, I tried to imagine how one of the ancient Mayans would have felt seeing their city now in ruins.  Imagine

if one of the ancient Mayans who had built that city had been transported by a time machine into the future; what would that be like for them?   I believe that if they saw the remains of this once great city, they would cry because all they would see would be the broken building, temples, and pyramids.  Their once great city is now just ruins.  Imagine coming home from a trip to find your house broken and in ruins.  It would be a test of faith.  Isaiah prophesied about moments like that, in which God’s people were too busy focusing on the ruins of their city to even notice the wonderful things God was doing for them.  In Isaiah 52:9 the people were not only described as living in the ruins but they themselves were actually called ruins.

 

“8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.
       When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.

 9 Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

 10 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”  Isaiah 52:8-10 NIV

 

Even though the people are called ruins in Isaiah 52:9, they are called not to weep but to rejoice on the rebuilding power of God.  The prophecy of Isaiah 52 is not one of destruction but one of redemption and comfort.  God can take that which has been broken and rebuild it into something greater.  That is what God does for us through Jesus.  Through Him, we are no longer broken ruins.  We are rebuilt into the image of Christ with the full power of God working for our good.  So don’t dwell on the brokenness (the ruins) of your past.  That will only bring sorrow and hopelessness.  Instead focus your attention on the one who builds you up who with His mighty power transforms us into people who overcome our past and praise Him always for the victory found in Christ Jesus.  -Vic