Anyone with a radio
or a TV set has seen
the news of the
devastation brought
on by weather that
seems out of
control. This season
we have seen
tornadoes that have
broke all records.
In any given year,
we may experience
1200 twisters
nationwide, but to
date in the first
part of this year we
have surpassed that
amount and we aren’t
out of the tornado
season yet. We have
seen a horror that
was broadcast of the
devastation that was
visited upon my
neighboring town of
Joplin, Missouri and our hearts are heavy with
sadness for the loss
of life and the
sheer terror that
these folks have
gone through.
This twister
produced devastation
that is beyond our
ability to cope or
imagine. It is
reported that this
was the 8th
most deadly tornado
in USA history.
My wife and I were
in the storm shelter
waiting for the all
clear when we heard
the impact that was
directed at the
population of Joplin. It was reported
that the twister was
an EF-5 with winds
over 200+ miles an
hour, or
unsurvivable by all
scientific
calculations. Many
of these folks lost
their lives. At last
count we heard 123
dead and over 750
injured. The area
looks like bomb went
off. The scene is
total devastation.
The next night, more
twisters came to
Oklahoma and more
people were
killed…Let’s not
forget all the
people in the south
along Georgia and up
the east coast that
lost their lives
last month in
another past round
of devastating
natural disasters.
What do we say when
we see the flooding
along the Mississippi again. Record
high waters,
billions of dollars
in financial loss,
lives lost in raging
waters. How about
the threat of
earthquakes that
have shook the area
around Little Rock or along the
New Madrid fault
line that are
becoming common
place these days,
but never were
before?
You ask yourself,
“What is going on in
this country?” Some
have emailed me and
inquired if I
thought this was
God’s judgment
coming upon the USA
for it’s gross sins
concerning Israel
and the lack of
support this
administration is
providing, or is it
homosexual sins and
allowing same sex
marriages to be
performed? Or maybe
it’s the 40 million
babies that this
nation has aborted?
Let’s not
forget all the
social sins that
have gone rampant in
our time that smacks
of
Sodom
and Gomarrah. What
does the bible say
concerning the end
of days,
II Timothy 3:4,
“3:1 This
know also, that in
the last days
perilous times shall
come.
3:2 For
men shall be lovers
of their own selves,
covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to
parents, unthankful,
unholy,
3:3 Without
natural affection,
trucebreakers, false
accusers,
incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those
that are good,
3:4 Traitors,
heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of
God;
3:5 Having
a form of godliness,
but denying the
power thereof: from
such turn away.
Does this not
describe our nation,
our world that we
live in? Are we not
guilty of all the
sin and godlessness
rampant in the USA
and even more so in
the other parts of
the world when you
take into account
Muslim countries who
kill in the name of
Allah, or behead
because you’re not
Muslim, but an
“infidel”? Then you
have all the nations
that who do not
follow Jesus Christ,
or His Word, and
deny basic human
freedom to the
people of their own
country.
We and they
are guilty of all
the symptoms that
Paul warned Timothy
would be the
symptoms of a
godless world and
society and the
approaching of the
end of days.
All are reason
enough for God to
bring judgment on
this nation and the
world, but is the
latest round of bad
weather proof
positive that God
has begun the
judgment we so
rightly deserve?
Are we in the
last days? To the
first part of these
questions, I say
maybe, as I am no
prophet and anyone
who makes the call
that this is God’s
judgment, speaks for
God, as none of
modern day ministry
fits the definition
of “prophet”. To the
last question, I
say, “Most
definitely.”. To get
a handle on what is
happening all around
us, we must turn to
the only source of
truth for our times,
your bible.
I have been a
proponent based on
scripture that
nothing comes to the
child of God, except
God uses it to
benefit us, and to
draw us nearer unto
Himself. What does
Romans
chapter 8
starting in verse 28
tell us about trials
we experience in
this life?
8:28 And
we know that all
things work together
for good to them
that love God, to
them who are the
called according to
his purpose.
8:29 For
whom he did
foreknow, he also
did predestinate to
be conformed to the
image of his Son,
that he might be the
firstborn among many
brethren.
8:30 Moreover
whom he did
predestinate, them
he also called: and
whom he called, them
he also justified:
and whom he
justified, them he
also glorified.
8:31 What
shall we then say to
these things? If God
be for us, who can
be against us?
8:32 He
that spared not his
own Son, but
delivered him up for
us all, how shall he
not with him also
freely give us all
things?
8:33 Who
shall lay any thing
to the charge of
God's elect? It is
God that justifieth.
8:34 Who
is he that
condemneth? It is
Christ that died,
yea rather, that is
risen again, who is
even at the right
hand of God, who
also maketh
intercession for us.
8:35 Who
shall separate us
from the love of
Christ? shall
tribulation, or
distress, or
persecution, or
famine, or
nakedness, or peril,
or sword?
8:36 As
it is written, For
thy sake we are
killed all the day
long; we are
accounted as sheep
for the slaughter.
8:37 Nay,
in all these things
we are more than
conquerors through
him that loved us.
8:38 For
I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor
life, nor angels,
nor principalities,
nor powers, nor
things present, nor
things to come,
8:39 Nor
height, nor depth,
nor any other
creature, shall be
able to separate us
from the love of
God, which is in
Christ Jesus our
Lord.
What a wonderful
promise for the best
coming to the child
of God. We may
experience trials of
faith in this life,
but He is right
there with us, and
in the end, it
happens for our
benefit. It will
draw us closer to
our Father, make us
more dependent on
the source of our
very lives and
strengthen us to
follow Him more in
the example set by
His Son, our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
But are we exempt
from things that
happen out of our
control in this
life? What about
those poor folks in Joplin, Missouri
and other cities
that had loss of
life or property?
Were any of them
believers? Were any
of them children of
God? I would think
so. You may ask,
“then why do bad
things happen to
good people?”
I am reminded of
the exchange between
Jesus and His
disciples when asked
about people who
experience life
threatening events.
It’s found in Luke
chapter 13:
13:1 There
were present at that
season some that
told him of the
Galilaeans, whose
blood Pilate had
mingled with their
sacrifices.
13:2 And
Jesus answering said
unto them, Suppose
ye that these
Galilaeans were
sinners above all
the Galilaeans,
because they
suffered such
things?
13:3 I
tell you, Nay: but,
except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise
perish.
13:4 Or
those eighteen, upon
whom the tower in
Siloam fell, and
slew them, think ye
that they were
sinners above all
men that dwelt in
Jerusalem?
13:5 I
tell you, Nay: but,
except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise
perish.
What is Jesus trying
to tell them. What
our God trying to
tell us all even in
this hour? He says
to REPENT of how you
are living. We are
all sinners and if
we are to see God,
then we must do what
He ask.
Repent
means "to think
differently after."
It signifies a
change of mind
strong enough to
produce both regret
and change of
conduct. Marvin R.
Vincent defines it
as, "Such a virtuous
alteration of the
mind and purpose as
begets alike
virtuous change of
life and practice" (Word
Studies of the New
Testament, vol.
1, p. 23). The only
way that we will
change our minds is
when we allow
ourselves to believe
something different
from what we
formerly believed.
God is not worried
about our comfort or
that we have it easy
in this life. I
believe what He is
concerned about is
that we are
conformed to the
image of His Son and
make it into His
kingdom.
Christians
suffer right along
with the rest of
mankind, but there
is a distinct
difference between
the two groups of
believers and
non-believers. 1st
Peter
chapter four:
4:16 Yet
if any man suffer as
a Christian, let him
not be ashamed; but
let him glorify God
on this behalf.
4:17 For
the time is come
that judgment must
begin at the house
of God: and if it
first begin at us,
what shall the end
be of them that obey
not the gospel of
God?
4:18 And
if the righteous
scarcely be saved,
where shall the
ungodly and the
sinner appear?
4:19 Wherefore
let them that suffer
according to the
will of God commit
the keeping of their
souls to him in well
doing, as unto a
faithful Creator.
When trials and
tribulation comes to
the Christian, what
does it do to them,
that is not
experienced by the
rest of the world?
Do you remember when
9/11 happened?. The
sheer grief that we
as a nation
experienced for the
loss of life?. What
was our response?
Sadly it was short
lived nationally,
but it drove most of
the church members
back to church and
on their knees. Are
we still doing that?
Now the world does
not understand what
it means to fall on
your knees and cry
out to God for mercy
and salvation, but
to the believer who
has strayed away
from walking closely
to the source of His
life, it causes them
to run back to that
source, to seek
protection and draw
closer to His God,
your God, and my
God.
Psalm 91:
91:3 Surely
he shall deliver
thee from the snare
of the fowler, and
from the noisome
pestilence.
91:4 He
shall cover thee
with his feathers,
and under his wings
shalt thou trust:
his truth shall be
thy shield and
buckler.
91:5 Thou
shalt not be afraid
for the terror by
night; nor for the
arrow that flieth by
day;
91:6 Nor
for the pestilence
that walketh in
darkness; nor for
the destruction that
wasteth at noonday.
91:7 A
thousand shall fall
at thy side, and ten
thousand at thy
right hand; but it
shall not come nigh
thee.
91:8 Only
with thine eyes
shalt thou behold
and see the reward
of the wicked.
Tragedy has an
effect on the
Christian who has
strayed. For me,
trials causes me to
re-examine my life,
to determine if I be
found in the faith.
To take stock of
where I am in my
walk with the Lord..
We do that at
communion, the
Lord’s Supper, or
Passover services,
but we should be
doing it everyday.
Am I walking
from afar, or am I
walking right up
close? Again, I
don’t speak for God,
but when trouble
like this comes, it
might be a wake up
call to the people
in the bible belt.
God is a jealous
God.
II
Corinthians 11:2,
Paul writes, "For I
am jealous for you
with godly jealousy.
For I have betrothed
you to one husband,
that I may present
you as a chaste
virgin to Christ."
Being the one
who wrote about the
fruit of the Spirit
and the works of the
flesh, Paul
understood the
difference between
carnal and godly
jealousy.
Godly jealousy,
what does that
mean.? It speaks of
God being a jealous
God . Can God be
jealous, such as
envy and coveting?
That cannot be, as
God forbids coveting
in His Commandments,
so what does it mean
when jealousy is
applied as a
definition to a Holy
God? It appears that
when we think of
jealousy, we do not
understand the
context of what that
definition means
when it comes to
God.
In its definition of
jealousy,
The American
Heritage Dictionary
reads, "fearful or
wary of being
supplanted;
apprehensive of
losing affection or
position; resentful
or bitter in
rivalry; envious;
inclined to suspect
rivalry; having to
do with or arising
from feelings of
envy, apprehension,
or bitterness." This
sounds nothing like
our God so far. The
spirit of the
definition seems to
change direction at
this point, as if
the word has a
positive side and a
negative side:
"Vigilant in guarding something; intolerant of disloyalty or infidelity,
autocratic." An
example of this
would be a father
watching
protectively over
his children.
Now that last part
sounds like our God
God made it clear
when He gave the Law
to Moses and
revealed His golden
standard for
righteous living,
that we are to have
no other gods before
Him. Exodus chapter
20:
20:3 "You
shall have no other
gods before Me.
20:4 "You
shall not make for
yourself an idol, or
any likeness of what
is in heaven above
or on the earth
beneath or in the
water under the
earth.
20:5 "You
shall not worship
them or serve them;
for I, the LORD your
God, am a jealous
God, visiting the
iniquity of the
fathers on the
children, on the
third and the fourth
generations of those
who hate Me,
20:6 but
showing
lovingkindness to
thousands, to those
who love Me and keep
My commandments.
This is what our
God desires and what
He had written down
so that we would
know, He requires
first place in our
lives. He will not
play second fiddle
to anyone, or
anything that is in
your life. He
requires a
faithfulness to put
Him first in
everything we do.
I can
sadly
remember times in my
life, when the cares
of this world caused
me to loose focus on
what was important
in my life. When I
let the cares of
this life, or my
life becoming too
entangled with this
world, that God
actually, quite
spiritually took me
behind the woodshed
and disciplined me.
Do I want that
again. I tell you,
NO. After such an
experience, all I
can say is, “yes,
LORD. Any child of
God, if he be older
than dirt, knows
what I’m talking
about. There will be
a time in your life,
when you will stray,
or you will
get caught up in
what is not
important and lose
the zeal you had for
God. When that
happens, as being a
mortal being
sometime in your
life, if you’re not
diligent and wary of
the snares of this
life, you will
experience God’s
woodshed.
The positive
outcome of just such
an experience is a
more diligent check
on your walk. It
causes you to
realize that without
Him, you can do
nothing. At least,
you can do nothing
that really counts
in this life, or the
next.
John 15:
15:5 I
am the vine, ye are
the branches: He
that abideth in me,
and I in him, the
same bringeth forth
much fruit: for
without me ye can do
nothing.
When natural
disasters come all
around us, and the
enviroment becomes
hostile to fragile
human beings, we
must ask ourselves,
“Is God trying to
get our attention?”
I believe He just
might be. Will you
let the
circumstances around
you cause you to run
to God, or to blame
Him? There is a
positive and a
negative reaction to
chastening. You can
submit, or rebel. If
you think this is
bad, just you wait
until God unleashes
all the wrath and
suffering on this
world trying to get
man’s attention. I
speak to the not so
fortunate person who
may be reading this
and has not made a
decision for Jesus
Christ. As the old
saying goes, “YOU
AIN’T SEEN NOTHING
YET.”
Right
now, I
believe God is
trying to get His
people’s attention.
Has He gotten yours
yet? Do you see how
fragile and fleeting
this life is.? Do
you not understand
that God wishes for
you to spend
eternity with Him
when this fragile
life is over?
As a
Christian, you must
awaken out of your
slumber. The time is
growing shorter and
shorter as we see
more events unfold
around us that are
prophecied to come
to pass in our
lifetime.
Jesus said
in John chapter 9:
9:4 I
must work the works
of him that sent me,
while it is day: the
night cometh, when
no man can work.”
And it speaks to
us as we must work
for the One whom God
sent, for night is
coming when no man
can work. Time is
growing short, Jesus
is coming soon. The
events of this past
week have made my
online congregation
question what is God
doing? It is
judgment on the
USA?
It may give you
pause, and put fear
into your heart, but
that fear is of the
prince and power of
the air, Satan. God
may let Satan cause
calamity all around
you, by unleashing
the power of the
environment.
Remember, Satan is
the “prince and
power of the air”
and the “god of this
world,”
for the time being. God
may take away His
hand to let disaster
come all around you,
and allow Satan to
manipulate even the
weather, but only to
the extent that God
may get your
attention or test
your faith. My
readers emailing me
obviously, this has
gotten their
attention. I
encourage every
person that emails
me, or reads my
commentaries, to let
this be a wake up
call to each and
every one of us.
Night is coming, the
day is drawing to a
close. Work while it
is still day. Jesus
is preparing to
break through the
clouds and He
expects to find you
working …..for HIM.
This is Pastor
Mike Taylor, wishing
God’s love in your
life. If there is
anything I can help
you with, pray with
you about, or just
listen, then drop me
an email to
realteam1999@sbcglobal.com,
or visit me online
at my website at
www.churchofgod-usa.org.
God bless each and
everyone of you,
till we meet at
Jesus feet.
