Today’s Greatest Challenge

In the few months now that this blog-site has been on line, quite a number of subjects have been covered—or at least touched on.  Many more are planned that I have not approached yet, such as “As it was in the days of Noah”.  In the last two years I’ve stated to the point of boredom for some, and irritation to others, that “We are living in a time as none other in recorded history.” Regardless of how people may choose to respond to this statement, it is nonetheless true.  If there is legitimacy to this, then logic demands we respond to it and make choices in how to deal with what is ahead.

Although I have a stack of subjects that I’d love to develop into articles for print, I have noticed a change within myself, as of late.   I have an urgency within me that not only will not go away, but becomes more intense nearly every day.  This is not something that comes from all of my reading, nor articles I’ve found on the internet.  It also doesn’t come out of my imagination.  I am old enough to recognize the difference.

I am not a person that hears God speak to me in an audible voice.  I’ve sometimes envied people like that.  I have on numerous occasions however, had God speak to me and I knew exactly what it was that He said—quite often word for word.  Other times I’ve had Him leave me with strong impressions.  I have had very few visions in my life, but I have had some.  Through these, I have had God speak some specifics to me, and to this date, they have always come to pass.

Because of what has refused to leave my mind lately, I have found myself unable to write anything at all until I take another stab at proposing some things that hopefully will give pause to our busy lives, and hopefully help us to stop and think for a few minutes.

Let me start with an “Absolute”.  The human race was created for a special purpose.  This includes every single individual.  Because humans were created with more than just a physical body, our responsibilities go beyond the physical.  Animals have a body, and each one also was created to be different due to genetics, training, and a natural created personality of its own, even within each individual species.

Humans on the other hand were created a three part being.  We also have an obvious body, but additionally have a soul that includes a mind which is beyond the physical organ, the brain.  Our soul also includes our personality, which is unique from every other human being on earth.  Our soul is also the seat of our emotions, which is totally unique as well.  Then though, there is the “spirit”.  It is because of the spirit that GOD has created within each human being that every person who has ever lived, or is still to be born, will live for eternity.  Without going into the theology behind it all in this article, suffice it to say that much of the soulish part of the human being will also be part of the immortal being that GOD has created us to be.  It is the “spirit” portion of a human that sets it apart from an animal.  GOD did not create animals to walk and talk with Him.  Humans however were made with that capacity.

This by the way, is the biggest reason why the powerful fallen angel Lucifer has such an eternal hatred for the human race.   Lucifer had a highly exalted position of authority in GOD’s system of government until He became so full of himself that he seemingly forgot he was still a created being, and challenged the Almighty GOD.  In short, he managed to convince one third of the angels to follow his disastrous plan to attempt a defeat and overtake GOD’s position as The Almighty.  How any created being could even consider the attempt is beyond me, but that is what happened.  When he did, he lost any chance of redemption to his original highly exalted status.  “To whom much is given, much is required.”

The human race however, even though rebelling against the authority of the Almighty GOD in the Garden of Eden, was provided a way of “redemption”.  This increased Lucifer’s hatred for the human race beyond anything we can possibly imagine.

But, having given you this very short synopsis of the big picture, what does that have to do with all the urgency I mentioned earlier?  Please allow me to explain.

Mankind has been given a very powerful and eternity determining tool by our Creator God.  It goes beyond what the fallen Lucifer has at this point, CHOICE!  He has made his!  But, humans should not underestimate choice, and one doesn’t dare ignore it!  This is so very important!  The devil is quite aware of this “gift” given to humanity, and he is about doing anything and everything to keep us from following though on what this gift or maybe better said “responsibility” is all about.  Lucifer, whom Jesus called “the devil”, knows that the most effective way of hurting and insulting GOD is to do everything possible to destroy GOD’s prize creation, you and I.  We, as humans have very limited knowledge of the tremendous things really going on behind the scenes, but GOD has given us plenty of information, so that we will be left without excuse when we stand before Him and give account of what we have done with His eternally costly provision.

GOD said this in the Old Testament:  “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now CHOOSE life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your GOD, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.  For the LORD is your life…” (Deuteronomy 30:19, NIV).

What really concerns me is that most people in our educated, materialistic society give this lip service at best.  Most of us think we’re good people and so must be okay with GOD.  Yet, that is not true!  The human “sin” problem is not as much the individual acts of wrong that we do as it is the “fallen nature” each person is born with through the bloodline of each father.  This requires us to meet GOD on His terms so that He can provide the miracle within that was paid for at great cost when Jesus was crucified and subsequently rose very much alive three days later, as He said He would.  Without us following through on this, we have nothing!  When we stand before GOD, being a “nice” person will not be enough, because we will still have rejected GOO’s solution to our problem from birth.  Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• How would I describe GOD?
• How would I describe GOD’s relationship with the human race?
• How would I describe my relationship with GOD (if there were no one else present)?
• What is my view of how the human race came into being?
• Is there a direction to history?
• Who is Jesus Christ?
• What do you think of the Bible?  Is it absolutely true?
• Is the Bible outdated?
• If GOD were to have the Bible re-written today, would it be different?
• What does GOD require of you personally in order for your relationship to be in good standing with Him?
• Do you believe in a real heaven and hell?
• Is there a real devil?
• Is it possible that our world is facing “end-time” events that lead to the second coming of Jesus, the Messiah?
• Could it be that the world has run out of time?
• Would you be ready to stand before GOD today if something suddenly happened and your short pass-through on this troubled planet ended?
• Have you ever wondered about the accuracy of how you see things?  Is there a possibility that the way you think things should be, may not coincide with the way they really are according to GOD’s view?

Many other important things could be asked, but this is a pretty good list to start with.  The reason I have such an intense urgency is because most people are way too unconcerned about the condition of their relationship with GOD.  Even those that claim to have this living relationship that GOD wants, have so many things crowding their lives that they very seldom take the time to be serious with GOD.

Here’s one way to look at it:  We live 70 or 80 years at best, as long as nothing comes about that ushers us into eternity before that time.  We spend our whole lives learning how to live, not die!  GOD gave us five physical senses to enjoy life with, but there is a spiritual vacuum within every human that can only be filled by a right relationship with one’s Creator.  That “right” relationship cannot be without making the decision to accept GOD’s free gift of eternal life through the one and only way available, Jesus Christ.

The thing that concerns me the most I think is the fact that people don’t realize “what time it is”.  It doesn’t help to have someone making a prediction of what day and time of day Jesus supposedly is going to return.  The Bible itself makes it clear that this is something that only the Almighty GOD knows, and He is not going to give the exact timing away to anyone!  As a result, people laugh and ridicule the whole Biblical truth of GOD’s coming intervention into the affairs of mankind.  This was predicted though.  In the New Testament, Peter the Apostle said this:  “…in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires,.  They will say, ‘Where is this “coming” he promised?  Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (II Peter 3: 3-4, NIV).

We are much, much farther along in time than what most think.  Even if I were one that did not believe in the “Rapture” of the true church of Jesus Christ, I would still not be able to dismiss the changes that have happened on this earth within the last handful of years.  We have passed the point of no return.  The single greatest historical event that started the countdown clock was the reformation of the nation of Israel.  When that happened, everything else became engaged.  Jesus Himself made it clear that the generation of people living that witness this world event will also see the culmination of all else that has to happen which will bring about the second coming of the Messiah to this earth.  This time however, He will not return as the suffering Messiah, but will return to rule the entire planet as God/KING.  This is a fact set in stone.   There is no one that can change this, and no one will be able to escape it.

I am going to leave this article just as it is for the time being.  I would like to continue this theme though and approach you with something that you may have a hard time swallowing.  I believe that the first events in Revelation 6 have already been set in motion.  I believe the four horsemen of the Apocalypse have already been released.   This is not seen to be the case by most, but I would like the opportunity to show you why I believe this.  I think it will at least give you pause.  It doesn’t really change anything other than causing us to realize that time is way shorter than we think.   I’m not really concerned if I get a lot of agreement or not.  My reason for bringing it up is to show that we have no time left to ignore the reality of what is already well in motion.  We are at the precipice of events like mankind has never seen.  We have just been witnessing the prelude.   The horsemen of the Apocalypse have been about the business of setting the stage for events that are about to explode.  Remember that the fourth rider brings about the death of ¼ of the world’s population.  I’ll explain in my next post.

This is why I have such an intense desire to help us see what time it really is.   Most people are way too caught up in everything that clutters their life to realize all is going to change—drastically.  Unfortunately, it is not until catastrophe hits that people stop to think and re-evaluate what is important.  GOD gives us the opportunity to do it ahead of time…

To Be Continued…

Jake