These are hard times and a man must remain vigilant at all times.”
                    –John Deacon  (The Provider–4)

       Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
                    –Titus 2:13 (KJV)
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Are you ready should the trumpet sound today?  Paul writes, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, NIV)
     I was doing some research and the hymn, “Lo, He cometh!” appeared.  It was written in 1752, by John Cennick and it is even more apropo today than when it was written.  Every day that passes brings us one day closer to the Lord coming for His saints.  (And let me give a personal ad here–my new devotion, “New Trails Through the Old Hymns,” should be ready by the end of August.  Be looking for it and get yourself a copy.)

          Lo, He cometh!  countless trumpets
          Christ’s appearance usher in:
          ‘Midst ten thousand saints and angels
          See our Judge and Saviour shine:
          Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!
          Welcome, welcome, Lamb once slain.

After writing my devotion yesterday morning this fits right in.  Are we looking for His coming?  Whether we are or not, He is coming!  We don’t know when, but we are to be ready; ready to meet with Him.  We need to be welcoming and looking for Him.  From the time Jesus ascended into heaven, the saints have been looking for His return.  It may not be today, or this week, or this year; yet it come be this very hour–be ready.

          Now the song of all the ransomed,
          “Worthy is the Lamb,” resounds;
          Now resplendent shine His nail-prints
          Every eye shall see His wounds;
          Great His glory, great His glory!
          Every knee to Him shall bow.

We, as the ransomed, should be longing for His coming, but sadly, too many are heavily involved in this world.  We are fulfilling our own desires, and seldom turn an eye to the sky.  Do we really welcome His return or are we so involved with our affairs that we say, “not yet, Lord”?

          Every island, sea, and mountain,
          Earth and heaven flee away;
          All His enemies confounded
          Hear the trump proclaim His day;
          Come to judgment!  Come to judgment!
          Stand before the Son of man.

It is going to be a frightening day for those who did not accept Christ while they had a chance.  The Day of the Lord will cause men to tremble and all will bow before His presence.  The old enemy, Satan, will be bound for a thousand years in the pit that is bottomless.  Christ will reign, the curse will be removed.

          All who love Him view His glory,
          In His bright, once-marred face:
          Jesus cometh; all His people
          Now their heads with gladness raise:
          Happy mourners!  Happy mourners!
          Lo, on clouds He comes, he comes!

“Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him,” so wrote John in Revelation 1:7 (NIV, I capitalized personal pronouns).  Yes, our redemption is near, look up, be ready!

          See redemption, long expected,
          On that awful day appear;
          All His people, once despised,
          Joyful meet Him in the air:
          Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!
          Saviour, now thy kingdom comes.

Now we wait, longing, enduring, but expecting.  We occupy the day, working for the Kingdom while at the same time look heavenward for His appearing.  John writes, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3, NIV)

 

Be careful, watch your back, and keep one eye on the horizon.”
                    –Cliff Hudgins  (Viejo and the Lost Ranger)

       “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”
                    –Mark 13:33 (NKJV)
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“Not yet…”
     There are currently between fifty and one hundred twenty armed conflicts happening in the world as you read this.  There are fifty-six serious areas of fighting involving ninety-two countries beyond their borders, forty-five of them in North Africa and the Middle East.  The Geneva Academy says it is monitoring one hundred ten conflicts with over one hundred million refugees.

          “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.” –Mark 13:7, NKJV

     How about that earthquake (8.8) and the following tsunami and volcanic eruption?  Then there were small earthquakes in Tennessee and Arkansas.  From July 8 to July 31, there were 1100 quakes around Mount Rainier.  There have been 3200 earthquakes in the last thirty days.  

          “…And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and trouble.  These are the beginnings of sorrow.”  — Mark 13:8, NKJV

“Not yet…”
     In the days before the coming of the Lord there will be religious deception (of all kinds), conflict between nations (especially with Israel involved), earthquakes, famines, persecution of Christians, and a falling away.  I just read where Israel is upset because it seems that the UK, and France are backing Hamas, and that France is recognizing a Palestinian state.  Troubles and sorrow…  The world is rumbling toward a climax of two sorts:  one the Rapture, the other the Antichrist–the man of lawlessness.
     Watch out for complacency!  In the last few years I have noticed an alarming number of books, sermons, and other writings saying that the Church will go through the Tribulation.  This is dangerous teaching for it brings complacency.  We are to be looking and ready for His appearing.  Remember, the Rapture and the Second Coming are two different events.  The first is to take the Church out of the coming tribulation, the second is when Christ comes to set up His earthly kingdom.
     We are to be ready!  When I hear teaching such as this I think of the ten virgins.  They took their lamps to meet the bridegroom, but he tarried and they all fell asleep.  However, five were wise and had additional oil (oil–a symbol of the Holy Spirit).  The cry came that the Bridegroom was coming, waking them from their sleep.  Five were ready, five were not and the Lord said to them, “I do not know you.”  
     The Master will come on a day when the servant is not looking for Him and at an hour that he is not aware of (Matthew 24:50)  Paul warns, “Let no one deceive you…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).  Do not become complacent and let down your vigilance, less that “Day overtake you as a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4)  Luke reminds us that when we see all the things happening, all the turmoil in the world, nature groaning, fear running rampant among men for one reason or another, that “when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28, NKJV)  Mark puts it more simply and bluntly coming from the mouth of Jesus, “And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!” (13:37)

 

Ignorance, intolerance, and hate are a dangerous mix.”
                    –Dan Arnold  (Some Like It Hot)

       “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.”
                    –Deuteronomy 12:31(ESV)
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Here is one attribute of God that is seldom if ever preached on–the hatred of God.  There are numerous sermons on His love, His grace, His mercy, etc., but almost none regarding His hate.  Today, we look at Proverbs 6:16-19.  There could be a book written about these verses, and I will try to keep this short for I don’t have the space and you don’t have the time to read.

          16 — There are six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
          17 — A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
          18 — A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
          19 — A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.  (NKJV)

God does hate, we shouldn’t try to hide that fact.  Look up the things in the Bible that God hates, and then they should make you wary.  As J. Vernon McGee says, “if you love sin, then you will hate righteousness.”  If we do not hate the things that God hates, we have a serious problem and it is our responsibility to “hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew 5:6).  Note that these are called “abominations” which is the Bible’s strongest expression of hatred for wickedness.  McGee calls this the anatomy of evil and iniquity.
     The first is a proud look.  Pride is usually the basic motivation for all other sins.  Man wants to be his own God; he wants to be autonomous.  Have you ever rolled your eyes?  Hmm, a proud look that says you know better than the person giving you instruction.  What is a proud look?  We could give various descriptions of it, but perhaps the best would be that a proud look is the look of Satan.  McGee calls it a “phony look” for it does nothing in the presence of God.  We read in Proverbs 8:13 that, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” (NKJV)  One theologian wrote that his person is “a man of emptiness,” because there is no foundation to his pride; it is false and the believer should be humble before the Lord.
     The lying tongue is next on the list.  God is a God of truth, Satan is the father of lies.  One reason God hates lies is that it shows to whom you belong.  John tells us that “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone…” (Revelation 21:8, NKJV)  Following the lying tongue is the one who murders, the “hands that shed innocent blood.”  We see that they are also included in the list found in Revelation.  A day cannot go by when one does not see murder in the news, then add to that the murder of the innocents in the womb.  God created man in His image, therefore, murder is taking what is sacred in His sight.  The human life is sacred and the one who murders treats it so lightly and desecrates life.  An interesting paradox to this is the scene in the courtroom and in the media.  There is the murder of an individual, however, it seems that soon the perpetrator becomes the victim, the act of shedding blood forgotten.
     An evil that is prevalent among us is the person whose heart devises wickedness.  His mind schemes to devise evil; the KJV puts it this way, “wicked imaginations.”  The thoughts of this person are always running to and fro thinking only of ways to do evil.  This is a misuse of the mind that God has given to us.  Warren Wiersbe writes, “The imagination needs to be cleansed and kept pure before God so He can use it in His service.”  To waste a mind is a terrible thing, and more so if it is done to devise evil.  This in turn will result in evil being carried out.  Some can’t wait to perform their evil deeds, in fact, to some it is an addiction.  They want to enjoy their pleasures immediately.  Isaiah speaks of these individuals, “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.” (59:7, NKJV)  They don’t even have to think for their mind has already played it out and they run to evil.
     The last two that God hates:  a false witness and sowing discord among the brethren.  This false witness is similar to the lying tongue but is used more in context with leadership.  The ESV says that this person, “breathes out lies.”  Hmmm, sounds like some politicians.  Spewing lies to get their own agenda (pride).  Lies instead of truth, in fact, they would say, “what is truth” or “whose truth” for many believe that truth is relative, which is a lie in itself.  “Without truth, things start to fall apart” (Wiersbe).  The foundations of society begin to crumble when truth is gone or distorted.  Who can you trust?  John Dryden said, “Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies.”  This goes along with sowing discord.  Lies, gossip, hatred, that breaks unity within the church is an abomination.  How many times has Satan used these individuals to break the unity of the brotherhood.  “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, NKJV)  There is great delight in unity.

 

Somebody has once said that nature abhors a vacuum; well, from all I’d seen, I would say that nature dislikes anything that doesn’t produce.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Hanging Woman Creek)

       “Has the LORD redeemed you?  Then speak out!  Tell others he has saved you from your enemies.”
                    –Psalm 107:2 (NLT)
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Psalm 148 continues with the thought of praising the Lord.  What did Jesus mean when he said if the people kept quiet that the “stones will cry out”? (Luke 19:40)  This portion of Psalm 148 speaks of nature praising God.  I like what William Petersen says, “Anyone and any thing can praise God by fulfilling the purpose for which it was created.  In this way nonhuman creations glorify God by their daily existence.”  Let’s look again at this wonderful psalm of praise.

          7 — Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths;
          8 — Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
          9 — Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars;
        10 — Beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl;
        11 — Kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth;
        12 — Both young men and maidens; old men and children.
        13 — Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.
        14 — And He has exalted the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints–of the children of Israel, a people near to Him.  Praise the LORD!   (NKJV)

      “Every principality and power, every creature known and unknown, was called to worship God.” (NKJV Study Bible)  Look at this–God is praised by His creation.  And notice verse 8, His sovereignty created them and He directs their activity.   The NIV puts it this way, they “do his bidding.”  It is true that storms destroy, but after the storm comes a time of refreshing and rebuilding.  George Wood puts a question to each of us in this regard:  “Will you trust the Lord that your own storm ‘will do His bidding’–that what devastated you will become the means by which the Lord repairs or rebuilds you into an even more beautiful habitation of His Spirit?”  We see in the first part of this psalm the praise coming from creation that shows His sovereignty, His glory, His greatness, His goodness, and His power.
     The psalm now turns to mankind.  With all of creation praising the Lord, man should enter and join with them.  All things are invited to praise God, now man should do so as well.  Every human should praise Him from the great to children.  Yet, man is slow to respond and many do not.  Many reject this wonderful opportunity that God provides to praise Him.  Oh the shame…
     There is one more group who is called to praise the Lord–the throng of the redeemed.  God is to be exalted!  Just look at what He has done for you and me.  First, He provided salvation, redemption and reconciliation to the Father.  WOW!  No one else is worthy of that praise for He alone could do such a thing.  “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” (William J. Kirkpatrick with a modern version by Josh Baldwin)  Sing praises, shout praises, contemplate praises, have praises of reverence and magnify the Lord your Redeemer.  The “horn” symbolizes that He is your strength and power.  He is your hope and salvation.  Praise Him with your voice, praise Him by fulfilling the purpose for which you were created and called.  Praise Him in the good times and the times of trouble.  Don’t get so caught up in your troubles and self-preservation that you lose sight of the Lord.  Go back to Him and give Him praise.

              “‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so:’
              Have we the peace in our heart?
              Peace like a river that constantly flows,
              Gladness and joy to import?”
                    –William J. Kirkpatrick