Uncomfortable Questions

I wrote this a couple months ago. I've been sitting on it, waiting for I don't know what. I've been doing that a lot lately. Writing something and then not posting it. I do edit them over time. I guess I'm waiting to see if the need to communicate is still there months later so as to help validate the message. Here goes.

How often do you read the Bible? I know I should read more than I do.

Have you studied the early church, read the New Testament closely?

I'm going to ask an uncomfortable question.

Does the church you grew up in or currently attend look anything like the church described in the book of Acts? I'm gonna make a small assumption and say no, it does not look like the early church described there.

Please ask yourself why it does not.

I know every church I ever went to did not look or act like the group of believers described in Acts.

I bring this up because of what our future looks like. Even earth-bound ungifted humans can see what is coming. It doesn't take a genius or a prophet to discern the historical patterns and anticipate the next step or two. The coming days are not going to be kind to these United States or the rest of the world for that matter. It is going to get very uncomfortable at the very least. It is highly possible there will be widespread chaos and lawlessness and that's just from the human caused stuff.

Now for the other stuff that may happen. From what I've been reading lately we just might get a fly-by of this solar system's brown dwarf companion star and all its orbiting bodies within the next few years. NASA calls it Nemesis. I'm sure google will turn something up if you want to learn more. From reading the descriptions of what will happen to the earth if Nemesis does make an appearance I get a sense of deja vu. It lines up well with the tribulations described in Revelation.

To put it plainly, without the Lord's protection you and your family will likely not survive the coming days. The forces being prepared are stronger than any earth-bound protection. There will be nothing you or the government or the army can do to stop or even mitigate the destruction and chaos about to be unleashed. The only way to make it through will be with the Lord. You now might ask how one avails of the Lord's protection.

Once again we go to scripture for our model. How did the people written about in those pages gain God's protection in their day of need? They were walking in His will in the days leading up to the fateful day..

Study the word of God to show thyself approved.
Repent of any sin you become aware of, and mean it.
Pray often so that your heart is trained to speak and listen to God.
Fast when needed. I'm not sure why, I'm just following example.
Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit so that any need will be met with power.

"30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where­with­al shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

If you want to belong to God then you must be in His kingdom. It is that simple.

If you claim Jesus as savior yet deny the power He freely provides through the Holy Spirit then you are no servant of His. Once again; it is that simple.

Do not expect miracles on your day of need if you did not believe in them in the days leading up to it.

Believing one promise, your salvation by Jesus, but not believing many others, the active spiritual gifts given freely to the church on the day of pentecost, proves that you think the Lord is a liar.

If the kingdom is a house then hanging out in the open doorway with one foot inside and one foot outside does nothing to protect you from what is outside.

I convict myself with this post.

I don't study the word enough.
My repentance is continual but many times late even by my procrastinating standards.
I do not have a daily habit of prayer.
I don't think I've ever fasted in my life.
I have rarely heard the voice of the Holy Spirit.
My daily habits keep my mind on the world and not the Lord.

When I read about Noah and Enoch walking with God I can't help but look at my own life as a long string of f#&%-ups. I just thank the Lord that salvation is a gift because I wouldn't qualify otherwise.