Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Trusting God”
Our Bible verse for today: “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son – except the Father only.” Matthew 24:36 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Just be faithful today and trust God for tomorrow.”
Depending on which “doom and gloom” preacher you listen to, Jesus is coming back soon, or there is some worldwide apocalypse about to occur, or the Antichrist is already in the world and is about to make his move, or … well, fill in the blank.
Recently we all lived through months and months of speculation and controversy regarding “The Blood Moons”. Honestly, I personally didn’t follow it very closely but evidently there were four red moons that appeared in a single year and some people were convinced that based upon ancient prophecy, that was supposed to signify something really bad. I guess September 27th was supposed to be “the day”. As near as I can tell whatever it was that was supposed to happen on that day … didn’t. Oh well …
I don’t mean to be glib about such things because some day, the end will come. But for 2000 years every generation since the Apostles in the book of Acts have always thought they were living in the end times – and they have all been wrong. And every generation has always believed that there were events taking place in their world which were clearly and obviously “signs of the end times” – but they weren’t. And every generation has always produced “prophets” who claimed to have figured out when the end will come – and they have all been wrong.
Jesus told us this would be so. He told us that no one knows the day or hour. That knowledge belongs to the Father alone.
So what are we to do? My personal philosophy (and I’m certain this is what the Bible teaches and models), is that we are to live each day with the urgency that Jesus could come back today, but we are to plan as if He isn’t coming back for 100 years.
Martin Luther once wrote, “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”
I know I’ve written on this subject before, but I do so again this morning because even though the Blood Moon issue has come and gone, the obsessive thinking about such things remains. Many Christians are so preoccupied with end times thinking that they’re neglecting long-term Kingdom work. That’s damaging and dangerous. Satan will use such compulsive thinking to hinder Christ’s kingdom-building work if we let him.
Someday the end will come. Maybe soon. Maybe today. But probably not. Historically and statistically the doom and gloom self-proclaimed prophets of our generation are probably as wrong as all of those from previous generations. And if we pay them too much attention, we will damage and hinder important work that needs to be done now.
Live with urgency. Share Christ with others (today), but plan and build and work hard with an eye on tomorrow, and next week, and next month, and next year. Just be faithful and trust the timing of it all to the Father.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 