Judgment Is Coming - SOON

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 307
January 31, 2016

When a nation turns its back on God, He will use its enemies to completely and utterly destroy that nation.  He has done it many times before, don't think He won't again...

"On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.

He set fire to the temple of the Lord , the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields."

2 Kings 25:8-12 NIV

RANDY: If God would do this to Israel, his chosen nation, believe me, he will do it to the United States without even batting an eye.

God will not be mocked. I believe we are already seeing him pouring out his judgment on this nation with the past 15 years or terror attacks, mounting debt, public distrust, and a strengthening of almost every enemy our country has. Our current leaders are part of God’s judgment for our wickedness.

It will all come to a head in the next couple of years, and when the fall happens, it will be greater than anyone cares to imagine. 

All roads do not lead to God...

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 306
January 30, 2016

All roads do not lead to God...

"But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior."

Hosea 13:4 ESV

RANDY: God has made it clear from the beginning when he first revealed himself to Moses and the Israelites held captive in Egypt, there is only one God, and only He can save you...period!

All the false Gods can do nothing for you. He alone can save you.

Vengeance is mine, says the Lord

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 305
January 29, 2016

God does not forget His promises...

"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it."

Joel 3:1-3 ESV

RANDY: God will remember the wrongs committed against His faithful people and will bring judgment against those who have mistreated them. 

Elsewhere the Bible says, "vengeance is mine, says the Lord."

Our Enemies Rejoice Until God Gives Us Victory

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 304
January 28, 2016

Even when we are sinning against God, as long as we are willing to humble ourselves, pray, and repent - God is still with us and will lead us to final victory...

"Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. 

I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me.

He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.  Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?”

My eyes will look upon her; now she will be trampled down like the mire of the streets."

Micah 7:8-10 ESV

RANDY: God will often make us suffer pain and defeat when we fall into sin, but he is eager to lift us up in victory if we will repent.

Thank you God for never leaving or abandoning us.

It's All One Big Cycle

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 303
January 27, 2016

History seems to be repeating itself...

"Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them. 

There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil?"

Nahum 3:18-19 ESV

RANDY: Islam and the worship of a  false God has completely devastated almost every part of what was once known as Assyria.  That is Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and lower Turkey.

All of these regions have seen nothing but war for the last 25-30 years or longer and all exclusively because of the worship of Allah.

God will not be mocked, he never has allowed people to mock him for long.

We Need to Talk in Person

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 302
January 26, 2016

Nothing replaces a face to face visit...

"Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete."

2 John 1:12 ESV

RANDY: This is even more true today than it was when John wrote this 2000 years ago.

Today we have Facebook, Skype, texting, and phone calling, and yet I can say without a doubt that just sitting together at a kitchen table or in the living room when visiting somone, brings great joy to my heart.

Encouraging Word

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 301
January 25, 2016

A friend is going through a hard time and asked me to post a scripture encouraging them to stay faithful in the face of adversity...

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Romans 5:1-5 ESV

RANDY: It is sometimes easy to forget that we are living in a special time in history. God has given us His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us in times of trial.

Jesus told us to expect trials in this world, but that we could have confidence because he overcame this world.

We don't like to think of suffering as a good thing, but it is only through our suffering that we truly appreciate all God has given us.

Thanks God for my home, my family, my health, enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and lots of things I enjoy too. Your blessings are awesome in my life.

Progressive Revelation

Let's Get Real - Scripture Day 300
January 24, 2016

Through time, God has revealed more and more of himself to us...

"For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel."

Ephesians 3:1-6 ESV

RANDY: First off I want to offer a caution.  This is not an endorsement of any new gospel about God or Jesus.

Jesus himself preached the eternal gospel of confession of sins, repentance, and forgiveness. Even he did not bring a new gospel to earth.

Paul, the writer of this scripture in several places warns specifically against accepting any new gospels. I am not endorsing the idea that new gospels are even possible at all, in fact I emphatically reject that notion.

What I am saying, and what Paul says in this part of scripture is that within the eternal gospel of repentance, God makes more of His plan for mankind known throughout time.

Originally the gospel was preached to Abraham, later to the Jews in general by Moses and the prophets,  then it was preached by Jesus himself to the Jews, then by Paul to the gentiles, and the Bible promises that in the last days (these days) it will be preached by both men and women of faith who trust in the Lord and have faith. God will pour out his spirit upon all flesh and they will prophesy. 

Do not be surprised if some end times events become more clear to the faithful as the day approaches.

The Bible promises that even though no man knows the time or the day, those who are spiritual will know the season and will not be caught unprepared.

Hypocrisy in Ministry

Let's Get Real - Scripture
January 23, 2016

Even those close to Christ can sometimes forget the right path and fall into hypocrisy...

"But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Galatians 2:11-14 ESV

RANDY: Just because a person has been a minister of the gospel for many years does not mean they cannot be lead astray by their own personal fears, prejudices, and even sheer false doctrine.

Personally, I find that those who feel they have served God the longest are the hardest people to teach when they fall into error.

Pride is a dangerous sin that can undermine years of ministry if you allow it to continue.

It is often those who are newest to the faith who see it with the most clarity and precision. They have not had time to develop poor habits and allow their own situations to cloud their judgment.

Jesus did say, unless you have faith like a child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Children have pure and honest faith, uncomplicated faith, faith that can melt icy hearts and move mountains.