January 1, 2020 – Click here to listen
2020 is behind us and I, for one, don’t regret seeing it go. Not that I anticipate 2021 getting any better, but we are one step closer to whenever things finally do change for the better. It reminds me of riding out a hurricane. Half of it passes causing destruction and mayhem and then the eye of the storm appears for a while bringing tropical blues skies and rest before the other side slams into us and rages on. It is a reminder and gives us assurance that the storm will not last forever and calm will replace it at some point.
As we close out this year of a worldwide pandemic, a tumultuous election season, financial ruin for so many of our fellow citizens, and unrest across the globe, we still have hope for prosperity, peace, love, and yes, joy.
Some of you took umbrage to my judgment-comments yesterday about our future (as I see it). Sorry folks but judgment is a fact of life and is coming towards us like a runaway freight train and if you want to take umbrage, do it with the Bible because it clearly tells us that. I’m just citing Holy Scripture.
The history of the world has demonstrated that mankind is not judged once but many times. God has already exercised His judgment upon angels, Adam and Eve, and many particular judgments have fallen upon individuals, cities, and nations. In the flood of Noah the entire world was subject to disciplinary judgment. Towering above all judgments in history is the fact that Christ on the cross was judged as the sin bearer for mankind and that there Satan also was judged and defeated. (John 16:11 – Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.) Throughout the whole period of the tribulation and especially in the great tribulation judgment after judgment is poured out upon the world.
It is simply a fact that Christians in this present age of grace experience the disciplinary judgment of God. Just as discipline of a misbehaving child is administered for its own good, God disciplines those whom He loves in order to save them from themselves. I Corinthians 11:32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
In this sequence, the judgment of the nations assumes great significance and is one of the important milestones in divine dealing with a wicked world. That it is not the final judgment is evident, for other judgments will follow at the end of the millennium and the final judgment of all will be at the Great White Throne. The judgment of the nations, however, is important as bringing to a close one of the major phases of divine dealings, namely, the “times of the Gentiles,” and in a preliminary way anticipates the judgment of all unsaved men which will occur a thousand years later.
I have a very hard time believing that things will get better prior to the Lord’s return. My comments are not restricted to the election of Joe Biden, Harris, and more years of Nancy Pelosi as excruciating as that will be to bear. It is about the direction the world is taking especially media and technology. I watched a Netflix documentary last night entitled The Social Dilemma. I highly recommend that you watch it. If that documentary about technology and social media platforms doesn’t shock you, nothing will.
As I said yesterday, the good news is that Christ followers have nothing to fear. The Lord is with you and peace, joy, and love are guaranteed. We just need to get through the other side of the hurricane. It reminds me of the old Negro spiritual made famous by Elvis Presley:
I am tired and weary but I must toil on
Till the Lord come to call me away
Where the morning is bright and the Lamb is the light
And the night is fair as the day
There’ll be peace in the valley for me some day
There’ll be peace in the valley for me
I pray no more sorrow and sadness or trouble will be
There’ll be peace in the valley for me
John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!