There is currently a major hurricane brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, and it is headed straight toward Florida. Moreover, there are people throughout the world right now who are going through difficult, frightening times – circumstances testing their faith.
Lord, may You be with Your people in the path of this storm (Mark 4:37; Acts 27:14). May they be faithful to You, and may You see them through. For those dealing with difficult circumstances right now, grant them the strength to carry on in the hollow of Your hand (Psalm 71:3; Matthew 14:27). No matter what comes, may everyone seek strength from You through the challenging times ahead (Luke 8:22-25).
In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face, While the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place. ‘Mid the crash of the thunder, precious Lord, hear my cry; Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Many times Satan whispered, “There is no need to cry, For there’s no end of sorrow, there’s no hope by and by.” But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I’ll rise Where the storm never darkens the skies.
When the long night has ended and the storms come no more, Let me stand in Thy presence on that bright, peaceful shore. In that land where the tempest never comes, Lord, may I Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more, Till the clouds roll forever from the sky, Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand, Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Imagine you are walking along the way and suddenly fall into a puddle of muck. There you are, stained and yucky – what a mess. What if someone came along and said they could clean you right up? Would you take them up on that offer? I know I would.
We have all fallen at some point in our lives. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet, everyone can be cleaned up spiritually. The apostle Peter spoke plainly of this when he wrote “There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22) If the Lord sees you on your back, wallowing in the mud, what would He tell you to do? Get up out of the mire!! You must hear (Rom. 10:17), believe (Heb. 11:6), repent (Acts 17:30), confess Jesus as the Christ (Matt. 10:33), and be baptized – and you will be cleansed spiritually (Acts 2:38, 22:16).
Now that’s a big deal to us as sinners, but it’s not the biggest deal to God. Don’t get me wrong – these elements are essential to salvation (John 3:3-5, Mark 16:15-16). The bigger deal for God, however, is for us to commit our lives to Him! Once He cleanses us – if we then happen to stumble and get a little stained – God can clean us up again if we confess, repent, and pray (1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22)! But what do you suppose God will think if we get cleaned up – only to continue jumping right back into the mire? The Lord has indeed spoken of this, “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:21-22)
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter exhorts the Christian, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul…” (1 Peter 2:9-11) Let us remember what the Lord has done for us, and therefore live in such a way as to glorify and honor Him.
The hurricane season is in full swing, and everyone’s attention is focused on the approaching storms from the sea. There is much anticipation every time one of these storms comes our way. When a large storm threatens, people are told to evacuate as the hurricanes approach. Warnings sound forth through various media outlets, and sometimes the police must warn people to evacuate from the streets. Unfortunately, despite having plenty of time to get out, people often die because they did not listen and heed the warnings.
This sad reality is very much like the end that many souls will face one day. God’s judgment awaits each of us. Heed the warnings, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” (Ezekiel 18:20) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) The warnings have been sounded. God is mercifully pleading with every one of us through His Word. Those who take heed and are born of God will be saved, but those who ignore God’s warnings will be lost eternally.
Consider the words of the Apostle Paul to the men of Athens while giving the speech on Mars Hill, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31) Paul clearly states that being unaware or lacking in knowledge was once overlooked, but God now demands that everyone repent and turn away from sin. The reason is that God will judge all men by the one He has chosen, Jesus Christ. He showed that Christ is His choice to be Judge by raising Him from the dead.
We have been told! On the Day of Judgment, no one will be able to say, “God didn’t tell me. I didn’t know what He expected of me!” Why refuse His invitation? The Lord desires for you to do what is right in His sight. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The Day of the Lord will come. If you hear some scoffer questioning the coming of the Lord, do not forget that God does not look at time, or experience time, as we do. The Lord is not negligent. No, He is waiting to come in judgment to give everyone a chance to be saved. He is not willing that any should perish; He wants everyone to repent.
Remember the illustration we began with – of how it is during hurricane season? How many times have we thought it foolish that so many people will not evacuate when a massive storm approaches from the sea? With all the warnings, no one has any excuse for staying in their homes while not preparing for the storm. So many people foolishly refuse to take heed of the warnings given.
The clock is ticking. Will you be one that God says would not listen? Prepare your soul for eternity. Read, study, and obey God’s Word.
We Wish to See Jesus 