Evil on the Rise

You can feel it. You can see it with your own two eyes.

Evil is on the rise.

Even in the highest offices in the land, has there ever been a time with such lawlessness ~ blatant, unchecked and with no one willing to stand against it?

Evil is on the rise for two reasons.

First, Satan is preparing his final assault. (Psalm 2:2) You see, he knows the Scripture. He knows that there is a day coming where Jesus Christ Himself will step into history once again ~ and this time the devil will be ready for Him. This time he will be the victor. This time Satan will be the last one standing(?).

The second reason why evil is on the rise is really a part of the first. You see, "Heaven" indeed is approaching earth. The analogy of the Christian life is a help to explain it.

When a person is "born again," when a person receives Jesus Christ into his (or her) heart, he (she) becomes a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) At that point where "Heaven" takes up residence inside the soul, sin (that way of living that is contrary and diametrically opposed to God's standard) ~ it begins to be squeezed / flushed out. It's like there's no more room for evil / wickedness in a person's life (Jeremiah 17:9) since holiness and righteousness and goodness has come to replace it. (Romans 6:12) The tell tale sign that you're drawing close to Jesus and He's drawing close to you is you're seeing sins come to the surface ~ to be disposed of. (Romans 6:13)

And so this is the second reason why evil is on the rise. Jesus Christ is about to reign on our planet. (Psalm 2:6) And as "Heaven" is approaching earth, evil is being exposed (and coming to the forefront in governing structures, also) to ultimately be done away with by God forever. (Revelation 19:11)

The whole of creation is in expectation of our Lord's return. (Romans 8:19) The devil is, too, even though he thinks like somehow he can stand against it. He's in for a rude awakening. (Revelation 20:2)

You might also be interested in:

• On the Devil, Photoshopping, False Prophets, Teachers and Shepherds
• Signs of the Evil Times

10 Lies of the Devil (redux) plus podcast

(To listen to the podcast of this post, click here for Part 1, click here for Part 2 and click here for Part 3.)

I have written on this topic before. (To read 10 Lies of the Devil, click here. To read 10 More Lies of the Devil, click here.) I feel strangely moved to write on it again. (A "redux" is a revisiting of something from the past.)

The world is ending. (Selah~pause to reflect) More and more people are having a problem with the teaching of the Bible. The way my Pastor likes to put it is they are rejecting (will reject) a "Biblical worldview."

A "Biblical worldview" is one that looks to the Word of God, the Scriptures as its lens to live life, respond to life and evaluate life. The Bible is to be the final rule of faith and conduct. After all, it was for Jesus. (Wasn't it?)

This rejection of a "Biblical worldview" has given rise to a false gospel. (2 Timothy 2:3-4) There are preachers who have turned away from the truth themselves. And it only makes sense (to them)? Their services are full. (Sometimes the size of stadiums.) So is their bank account. They are even being accepting by major media and popular politicians.

And yet they are "anathema" to God. (Dictionary.com defines anathema as "a formal ecclesiastical curse involving excommunication.")

Ezekiel was given a vision of the elders of Israel. (Ezekiel 8:7-8) Behind the scenes where no one could see (but God could see) they were worshiping idols / burning incense to false images. (Ezekiel 8:9-12)

I suggest that preachers who are preaching a false gospel have some hidden sin in their lives, too, that no one knows about (but God knows).

Which brings me finally to...

10 Lies of the Devil (redux):
(What might you add?)

• You can be a Christian and support same sex marriage
• It is never right to judge another person's life (1 Corinthians 5:1-5)
• Man evolved from apes
• "Social justice" (/socialism) is based in Christianity
• The problem is global warming, not sin
• You can be a Christian and support abortion rights
• Man can rule himself (and therefore others) apart from God
• You don't have to work to eat
• There is such a thing as morality without God
• The world will finally be at peace when we all can come together as one

You might also be interested in:

• 7 Points on Spiritual Warfare (plus 3 bonus points)
• Life of a Pastor (and Death)

Men Jesus Called (video teaching series)

(For the entire Men Jesus Called teaching series by Richard @mcProdigal and Mike @aheartforgod, click here.)

The Story of How I Got My Gibson Explorer (guitar)

I had the following conversation on Twitter recently with Big Shane Slade (@shaneawesome). It's just such a great story about how I got my Gibson Explorer (pictured).

And yet it's about so much more than that...

The Story of How I Got My Gibson Explorer (guitar):

(Each of these are the original tweets. I just randomly posted the first one and the conversation began)
 
Some days u just feel like pulling out the electric guitar. Did u know I have a purple Gibson Explorer? Might Instagram it this afternoon :)

@shaneawesome: @aheartforgod seriously? That's awesome! < There's a whole spiritual story behind it, too (only with me) :)

@shaneawesome: [Can you share?]

@shaneawesome Well...I was in a Christian band in the late 80s. I felt like God asked me 2 lay it down. So I left the band... #testimonytime

@shaneawesome My fellow band members were brokenhearted. I hated that. They agreed I had 2 do what God wanted me 2 do...

@shaneawesome We had a great ministry going, but God wanted 2 have all of me. Music could not be an idol... #testimonytime

@shaneawesome Anyway, I was gone for a while. That's when something interesting happened. (I so miss those guys)...

@shaneawesome God spoke to me. He said, Mike, you're going back to the band :) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome I thought, Naaaw. But I called up the bass player (&leader)&he confirmed it. He told me God spoke to him, 2

@shaneawesome Furthermore, he (the bass player) told me God had told him he was to give me his Les Paul #testimonytime

@shaneawesome We scheduled a meeting at a restaurant in San Jose 2
surprise the rest of the band (4 other guys&a gal singer) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome I hope I'm not boring you :) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome: [No, please go on]

@shaneawesome They were so surprised (&jazzed) when I said, God wants me to come back to the band (as u might imagine) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome Anyway, that's how I got my purple Gibson Explorer (&still have it 20 yrs later).I traded the Les Paul 4 it :) #testimonytime

@shaneawesome I miss that band so much. God used us in incredible ways to preach the Gospel #Jesus #testimonytime #tears

RT @shaneawesome: @aheartforgod why not start another? < It's past my time (though God might speak to me again?) :)

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A "Dynamic" Rant

(I haven't written a rant in a while. Here goes...)

It is a dynamic of faith that is ours. What I mean by that is ~ it's the opposite of ritual, it's the opposite of "dead religion." There's a change. There's a power. It's real. It's substantial. (Selah ~ pause to reflect)

I shake my head sometimes (smh) when I think about a few Christian leaders / teachers (even well known ones who I enjoy) that say the miracles, etc., were only meant for the early Church and Apostles in the First Century.

Huh? That makes no sense. Why would God hamstring us (His people)?

I know, I know. The Word of God is dynamic all by itself. (Hebrews 4:12) I'm not intending to minimize that. (Please, hear me.) But since the canon of Scripture is complete / closed and the "perfect has come" (1 Corinthians 13:10) we have no need of what the early believers needed?

Jesus talked about the dynamic of faith. It starts when we confess our sins to Him and repent. He said it Himself, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:37-38) That's "dynamic."

Christ goes on, "Truly I say to you, whoever ("whoever" means anybody, not just the Apostles) says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him." (Mark 11:23) That's "dynamic."

And furthermore, our Lord is very clear, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." (John 14:12)  That's "dynamic."

And just one more. The Son of God speaks through Paul, "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26) That's "dynamic."

I want it. I long for that "dynamic."

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• Chewed Up and Spit Out
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If My People (chorus)

7 Reasons Why God Allows Wicked People to Rule

"Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him. It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel." (1 Kings 16:30-31a)

Why does God allow wicked people to rule? It's a question many people ask. (Have you ever asked it?)

We ask it especially when we find ourselves oppressed, our lives made miserable, our security shaken ~ and it's due to other people's rulership over us ~ whether it's a boss, parent, politician, etc. ~ or it could even be a church leader for that matter. Why does God allow such (quote) "evil men and women" (see verses above) to assume positions of power / exercise, take control?

Well, part of it includes that these have free will just like everyone else. It's a sad fact that there are people (in a fallen world) who choose to beat down (via laws, a heavy hand, ungodly passions and thinking, wickedness) their constituents, employees, sons, daughters, wives, congregation ~ and it's their own choice to do so.

And it's one thing to say you're a Christian while all the while you do unChristian things and promote an ungodly lifestyle. (All "kings" who have an ear, let them hear.)

And there's more to it...

7 Reasons Why God Allows Wicked People to Rule:

Reason #1: So that we might distinguish between unrighteousness and righteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)

Reason #2: So that we might choose between unrighteousness and righteousness in our own lives. (Revelation 13:1-4)

Reason #3: So that a righteous leader might arise to stand against the unrighteous him or her. (Exodus 3:10)

Reason #4: Because we ourselves have sinned and turned from God and He needs to get our attention and draw us back. (Judges 3:7-11)

Reason #5: So that we will set our hearts upon our eternal home and not get so comfortable in this one. (Matthew 6:21)

Reason #6: So as to allow for the person in charge an opportunity for repentance. (Jonah 3:6-10; Romans 2:4b)

Reason #7: So that we might turn our gaze upon (especially if we've been distracted from) the only Person worthy of ruling over people's lives. (Isaiah 9:6)

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• 7 Dynamics At The End Of The World
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The 11th Hour

"'And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, "Why have you been standing here idle all day long?"'" (Matthew 20:6)

You've heard the phrase "the eleventh hour" before? Sure you have. What you might not have known is its biblical roots. In His parable of the workers in the vineyard, Jesus uses the "eleventh hour" to refer to that time late in the day where something takes place.

And God has a way of coming through in our lives at the last second (in the "eleventh hour"). Have you discovered that? (You may be waiting on Him right now and it's getting late and you're wondering if He'll show up?)

It was the eleventh hour. I was a new (baby) Christian. My roommate was moving out so I needed a new one as I didn't have enough by myself to pay for rent and food, too (for my 2 cats and myself).

It had been a few weeks and still no new roommate. I didn't know what I was going to do. So I went out to my usual Friday night ministry. We were passing out tracts and sharing our faith at different locations in town each week (street witnessing).

It was around 11:45 p.m. (the "eleventh hour") when I was in a truck getting a ride home with a couple of guys. I mentioned again my concern for needing a roommate and not having one yet and how the very next day (Saturday) was the day I needed one and I didn't know what I was going to do. That's when the guy sitting in the middle of the seat (between the driver and I) who I'd never met before that night said, "I need a place to stay."

I said, "You're kidding me?" :)

(The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard picture above of in the public domain: click here.)

You might also be interested in:

• Get Back Up
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I Was the Lion...

"I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you." (The Horse and His Boy)

God is so good to make His presence known just when we need it. His timing is perfect. Just yesterday the C. S. Lewis quote above was on an app on my iPod touch that I try to read daily (and tweet, too). The significance of the quote (to me especially) can not be understated. As it has to do with the entire Narnia book series, it is, above all, the most special to me. Of course, the book "The Horse and His Boy" is my favorite to begin with. Its overarching theme is the sovereignty of God in a person's life.

And so God reminded me of that yesterday morning (my favorite quote from C. S. Lewis). Only He could know (and ahead of time) I would need it later that day when something I had applied for, and had my heart set on, did not come to pass. In short, I wasn't picked.

I could easily be down. (I was a bit. Well, maybe more than a bit.) I could easily be thinking my time had passed. (I had those feelings, too.) And yet God (in His sovereignty!) gave me the very quote that only He knew, once my emotions settled, He could remind me of (Holy Spirit: "Hey Mike, remember that quote from this morning?") and I would know it was Him.

And I would know He knew what had happened to me. (Selah~pause to reflect)

And that He alone had planned it for me not to be picked. (Selah~pause to reflect again)

And that it was the best thing even though it hurt. (Selah~pause to reflect one last time)

I am tearing up again (as I tend to do). :)

You might also be interested in:

• A Boy Feeling Sorry for Himself and a Great Lion
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Get Back Up

"For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again." (Proverbs 24:16a)

My son, Michael, was 4 years old when he received his first bike. (That was a long time ago.) He did very well riding it (surprisingly). The training wheels were a big, big help (of course).

And there was something else Michael was learning at that time along with how to ride his bike. While he would be excitedly pedaling around, Michael was also discovering he could (and would) fall. It was an important lesson for a young boy to learn.

And riding a bike is much like living your life. (Isn't it?) I mean, one minute you're on top of the world confidently moving along checking out the scenery and the next thing you know ~ poof ~ you're lying flat on your back or side (or sometimes it's your face) on the ground.

The truth is there are a lot of people (including Christians) that have been lying in these positions (in their hearts) due to past failure ~ and some of them have been like this for years and years and years and years.

It's because when these people fell down ~ when they failed at something ~ rather than brushing themselves off and getting back up to ride again (like Michael long ago), these men and women have remained on the ground ~ they've remained wallowing in guilt and shame and self-pity over their past failures.

Dear friend, if this is you I need to remind you of something. That something is this. Every one of us fails. From the least to the greatest. There's not a single person in all the world who's immune to failure. We'll either sin or we'll do something less than that because failing is just a part of life. Much like falling down is a part of riding a bike. The difference between those people that go on after they fail and those that don't is those that go on get back up after they fall. They get back up! They don't just stay on the ground continually beating themselves over the head with what they've done wrong.

If you find yourself prone to having this happen, there are a couple of things you must do to be free. First, you need to ask God to forgive you. (If it's not a sin that's put you on the ground, then you need to simply admit and accept the fact that you're human.) Secondly, you need to forgive yourself. This is really the only way you can ever go on if you've failed.

The Lord doesn't want you to remain on the ground after you've fallen down. Get back up in Jesus' name and be free.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

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A Boy Feeling Sorry for Himself and a Great Lion

"'I do think,' said Shasta, 'that I must be the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world. Everything goes right for everyone except me.'"

In the Narnia series book, The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis, a boy named Shasta finds himself having a pity party. And why shouldn't Shasta pity himself? After all, his whole life has been a series of unfortunate and depressing circumstances. He's been left behind, left alone, forgotten. (Ever have that happen?)

It is in the midst of Shasta's wallowing that he discovers somebody walking beside him. It seems that this "Thing" (or Person) has been with him for a lot longer than Shasta realized.

If you've read the book you know it's the great lion, Aslan Himself, who's near Shasta (even though he didn't know it). It's a quite wonderful part (and I'm convinced the high point) of The Horse and His Boy where Shasta learns about how, during his whole life, Aslan has been with him ~ through the ups and downs ~ and, in reality, he's been orchestrating (the great Lion has) every last single one of them.

It's here in the story that Aslan speaks to Shasta...

"I was the lion...who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

And Jesus has been with us similarly. (Selah~pause to reflect) And I just feel very impressed to say it: Jesus has been with you every last step of the way. (Somebody just burst into tears after reading that.) Did you need to hear it? Let it sink in, dear one, loved by the Lord.

I challenge you to look back over your life and go to each point and see them through the eyes of the Spirit and recognize and view God there with you in that moment, in that time, orchestrating, helping, guiding, stirring, moving, drawing, loving, holding, undergirding, strengthening, leading ~ YOU!

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." (Isaiah 43:2a)

You might also be interested in:

• On a Dragon, a Boy, Sinners and Forgiveness
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How Majestic is Thy Name (chorus)

Jesus Going Viral (redux)

"And a great crowd kept following Him (Jesus) and pressed Him from all sides [so as almost to suffocate Him]." (Mark 5:24; Amplified)

Twitter is such a great tool to share the Gospel of Christ. I offer a compelling case study here.

In 10 Ways to Get More Followers on Twitter [infographic], I wrote about what I called: "A campaign to reach 70,000 followers." As of the initial draft of that post it was 63,255.

I also mentioned for blog readers to look at the Twitter counter at the top of this blog to see what the number was currently. If you look today it's 70,077. I passed the 70k point yesterday evening. (To Jesus be the glory.)

And I'm following up this discussion and putting a period on it in the third of three Jesus Going Viral posts for a reason. (To read "Jesus Going Viral - Part 1," click here. To read "Jesus Going Viral - Part 2," click here.)

There has been a direct correlation (I've noticed) between the increase in followers and a skyrocketing of retweeted blog posts.

And I think the best way to explain it is by showing you a list of my most retweeted posts prior to the 70k campaign compared to what it stands at today (from 19,873 retweets total to 82,205; a 300%+ increase).

Now I think you'll agree this is definitely an example of Jesus going viral!... :)

Top blog posts based on the number of retweets:
(retweet numbers updated as of 1/8/12)

1. 12 Things Atheists Believe About God (5,949 retweets)
2. Chosen (A Dream Come True) (3,854 retweets)
3. 7 Mistakes Christian Bloggers Can Make (2,389 retweets)
4. 10 Wrong Thoughts About God (2,450 retweets)
5. One Man (1,672 retweets)
6. Held in His Arms (1,104 retweets)
7. In Case of Rapture... (787 retweets)
8. An Attitude of Worship (667 retweets)
9. On the Subject of Martyrs (560 retweets)
10. Christ Follower or Christian? (441 retweets)

Top blog posts based on the number of retweets:
(at the time of the writing of this post)

1. 12 Things Atheists Believe About God (22,800 retweets)
2. 7 Mistakes Christian Bloggers Can Make (18,900 retweets)
3. Chosen (A Dream Come True) (15,400 retweets)
4. One Man (6,614 retweets)
5. 10 Wrong Thoughts About God (6,137 retweets)
6. Held in His Arms (4,412 retweets)
7. Dangerous (2,577 retweets)
8. In Case of Rapture... (2,448 retweets)
9. 7 Lies About Abortion (1,615 retweets)
10. An Attitude of Worship (1,302 retweets)

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It's amazing that somebody could be with you for so long and be pulling the wool over your eyes... (video)

(For the entire Men Jesus Called teaching series by Richard @mcProdigal and Mike @aheartforgod, click here.)

Don't You Dare

The phone rang. On the other end was a daughter's desperate plea. "Dad is dying. And he's backslidden."

His parents had been pastors. And they were gone. ("To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.") They had been praying for their son a long, long time. And can you just imagine their despair over his walking away from Jesus? (Selah~pause to reflect)

But now the doctors were giving him a week to live. And I was going to meet him.

"You know what you need to do," I said to him. "You need to get right with God and you need to do it now."

There was no hesitation. There was no pushing it away. The dad (the son!) who'd long since left the Lord and walked his own path ~ and whose faithful parents died while he was still in that state ~ he prayed the sinner's prayer with me and was reconciled with God.

I preached at his funeral a little over a week later.

Now somebody needs to hear what I'm about to say. And then you just may need to use my same words with somebody else. Here goes...

You don't dare die on your kids and leave them wondering if you made it to heaven or not. You don't dare die on your kids that way.

And don't you dare let your parents (and other loved ones) suffer over your unfaithfulness to Christ. Are you hearing me?

Don't you dare.

You might also be interested in:

• How to Receive Christ (in 30 seconds)
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On a Dragon, a Boy, Sinners and Forgiveness

"Sleeping on a dragon's hoard with greedy, dragonish thoughts in his heart, he had become a dragon himself."

In the Narnia series book, The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis, the boy Eustace is confronted with "himself."

Having become alone on an island, he's cornered by a hideous creature. It has awful claws for hands, scales for skin, breathes fire ... you name it. Never did a young man face something so terrifying.

If you've read the book you know this creature is a dragon. The problem for Eustace is: It's him. He's the dragon. Eustace has become on the outside what he is on the inside.

It's God's hand of mercy to see ourselves as we really are. We like to believe we're such good people, and the world around us reinforces our not needing God, but the Bible says something quite different. "There is none righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10) and "'No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18) are just a couple of places where we're confronted with ourselves.

The truth is we're all sinners (including me) on the road to hell. (Matthew 7:13; Proverbs 14:12) To say anything less is a lie. (1 John 1:10) Some of us would rather hide in our own supposed "righteousness," but others of us want to know reality ~ and will be rescued to eternal life because of it. (1 John 1:9)

And Eustace is rescued in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It happens when the great Lion, Aslan, appears and, with his claws, strips away his dragon scales and Eustace becomes a boy again. It's a picture of the salvation experience the Bible talks about. (John 3:16)

Only Jesus can rescue us from ourselves. (Ephesians 2:8-9) And He will do it ~ if we let Him.

"'Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden (with guilt and sin), and I will give you rest (forgiveness).'" (Matthew 11:28)

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You might also be interested in:

• How to Receive Christ (in 30 seconds)
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If Only I Could Be Like... (video)

(For the entire Men Jesus Called teaching series by Richard @mcProdigal and Mike @aheartforgod, click here.)

2012, the Mayans, the Media and Collapse of the Planet

Well, it's here. 2012. The year the world ends. The year of the collapse of the planet. At least according to the Mayans. And dare I say the media as well? (Clue: If the media promotes it, it's probably not true. Remember Y2K?)

And so let's just say the Mayans ARE RIGHT for the sake of argument. (Drudge Report Headline on New Year's Eve: Hope the Mayans Were Wrong!) What if they are right?! (For more on the 2012 Mayan Doomsday Prophecy, click here.) So what are we gonna do? Are we just gonna go about our business as usual? Are we? (Luke 17:26-27)

Many of us will. (Matthew 7:13-14) Many of us have been so captured by the world, the flesh and the devil that our fate is already sealed. (Yeah, I said it.) No persuading. No pleading. No headline: "The End is Near" is gonna awaken many people to reality. I'm not concerned with those. Yeah, as a preacher I am not concerned with those who will refuse to receive Jesus Christ and His gift of eternal life before they die. (Matthew 7:6) I'm only concerned with those who will. (John 3:16) I trust that includes you. You still have time.

But back to the Mayans. They are right about the end of the world in 2012 AND wrong. Here's how the Mayans are right. Some of us breathe our last breath this year. And so our world (those of us who die) does end in 2012.

And have you ever thought about that? Will it come suddenly? Will we have a chance to say, "Goodbye"? (Selah~pause to reflect)

And then now here's how the Mayans are wrong. And quite frankly, they couldn't be right about the end of the world and collapse of the planet. They couldn't be!! (That's a double exclamation point.) Here's why. They don't agree with Jesus Christ. He's the final authority on the subject. Our Lord said, "But of that day or hour (of the end of the world) no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Mark 13:32) And so no one knows. And that doesn't just mean Harold Camping. It means the Mayans and media as well. (Yeah, I think the latter two are on the level of Harold Camping.)

And you've been fooled into thinking that anybody else's word is valid compared to Christ's. Have you been? Yeah, I'm talking to you. If you think that there is any other truth (including what the Mayans and media says) apart from what the Lord has spoken and the Scriptures, you've been fooled. And your world has already ended. Your planet has already collapsed.

But as long as you're still breathing, God can rescue you.

Maranatha.

"Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour." (1 John 2:18)

(Palenque Ruins picture via the GNU Free Documentation License: click here.)

You might also be interested in:

• 7 Dynamics at the End of the World
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God's Plan for Me and You, Too

"'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jeremiah 29:11)

It's important to have a plan. A plan is like a target. It gives you something to aim at, shoot for, strive after. It offers you direction.

A plan is measurable. You can sit down and look at your plan and say, "Yes, I have been doing that," or, "No, I haven't been doing that / following my plan." When you're able to say "Yes" about your plan, you feel a sense of growth and accomplishment.

A plan needs to be realistic ~ like you can't have a plan that says, "I'm going to stop the sun from coming up in the morning." But you can have a plan that says, "I'm going to meet the sun as it comes up in the morning." The early bird catches the worm, after all. :)

Did you know God has a plan? And did you know He has a plan for you? Of course, God's plan is specific (like where you're gonna live and who you're gonna marry, etc.), but God's plan is also general in the sense that a part of it is meant for everybody.

I've come up with a list of God's general plan below. It's meant for both me and you, too. I'm going to be following it in the new year and beyond. Join me?...

God's Plan for Me and You, Too:

1. Keep my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)
2. Hide God's Word in my heart (Psalm 119:11)
3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
4. Serve the least of these (Matthew 25:40)
5. Bless the name of the Lord (Psalm 34:1)
6. Speak words of encouragement (Hebrews 10:25b)
7. Give myself fully to Christ's cause (Luke 10:27)
8. Don't abandon the Church (Hebrews 10:25a)
9. Listen for God's still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12)
10. Turn from the sin that so easily entangles (Hebrews 12:1)
11. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
12. Trust in the Lord with all my heart (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You might also be interested in:

• Of Pawns and Kings
• Unconditional Love

Ministry Moments 2011 [infographic]

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