An alcoholic suffering great debt says to himself...

Confiding his thoughts to a friend, he takes pity on him and becoming his benefactor secures him the job of his dreams. However, before the year is out his life is again in ruins, but this time far worse than it ever was before, how could this be?

From the very beginning the seeds of his own destruction had already been sown into his heart, the seeds in his case of alcoholism. Previously it had not the means to grow to maturity and so accomplish that which its kind does by it’s own nature, to rob, humiliate and destroy. But when watered with the flowing streams of finance it grew to adulthood, and so blooming eventually brought forth fruits of it’s kind, fruits of misery, shame and death.

Money is power and is as a double edged sword, able to bless or to curse the bearer, to bring life or to bring death, to build-up or to tear down. Do not be so quick then to curse or cast aside so flippantly that or who is restraining you from obtaining your lustful and earthly desires, but rather be careful to examine the intent of the heart. For consider if you are being shown mercy and so protected from watering the very seeds of your own destruction, whatever variety they maybe and whatever form they take when fully grown.

For just as a wise and loving parent may deny a child a television set in the bedroom or exercises great restraint when furnishing them with pocket money, so too does our loving Father in Heaven show restraint towards us. Yet when maturity comes be they young or be they old, doesn’t the parent... even here on earth give to the ‘full of their ability’ that which they had longed to give to their dearly beloved child? Yes, and with great joy too with perfect piece knowing that it will fulfil that which is intended, to bless and not to curse. How much more then will a wise, loving and holy God bless us when we at the last, through knowing Him show ourselves to be trustworthy with that which He places in our care.

So not only can we have the piece and contentment that comes ‘only’ through knowing Him but when we are shown to be mature, He will bless us with those earthly things which we are in need of, in fact... all that we ask for from a pure heart. Why, because He now knows that those things that once would have cursed, will now bless. Seek first the kingdom of God and you will acquire His wisdom by His Spirit and and so escape the base passions and foolish desires of this age. Yes on your way you may fail, as do I but ever improving and ever conforming to His Son’s likeness you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). Accept please the payment of a loving Father for your sins and receive mercy in time of need with great joy, no longer desiring those things that harm. But rather by becoming obedient to a loving Father you will escape the powers of the Prince of the air...the god of this current age.

Recently the subject of the environment and pollution came up, I was discussing this with a lovely Christian friend who I had met via the web, this subject has in some ways always troubled me. Firstly I am in no doubt that there are large corporations and greedy individuals out there who caring nothing for the environment have invested a great deal of time, energy and money into this issue. Seeing it as nothing more than a great opportunity for generating personal wealth and large profit margins, and with their morals and motives suspect I often find myself questioning much of their ‘scientific’ data which is fully or at lest in part, driven by greed. Secondly I am sure that those wishing to promote the ‘New World Order’ will be using this to bring about their own diabolical ends. Still that said, that is no basis for refusing their arguments, personally I base my response on what the Bible says and not on a perverse and suspect media that is promoting it’s own agenda’s.

A few years ago, I was listening to a Christian friend who is extremely fervent about this topic and he was promoting all sorts of green issues and how we could save the planet. Lost in thought before many listening I mumbled out something about the massive pollutions soon to come, these recorded for us in the Book of Revelation, pollutions not caused by Man but rather, by God! So the question I unintentionally put forward before all to my stunned friend was...

Why bother, if all our efforts are soon to be totally undone? Well, on reflection my final answer maybe not what you think  . However, let us first glance at a few of the verses of Scripture relating to this subject, more specifically those recorded in the soon to come events of Revelation chapter eight.

Accountability

Soon, when Christ returns there is going to be massive World wide pollution, but followed by a ‘re-generation’ when the Earth will be, to a large degree as it was before the Fall. Yet it is written in ‘black and white’ that God is holding us accountable for the Earth, an Earth that He had entrusted to Mankind. And further, that part of His terrifying return is dedicated to punishing those who are destroying the Earth, this is all too evident when we read...

So, although there is going to be massive pollution on a truly World wide scale, and even though God will ‘regenerate’ the Earth for the coming Millennium God still holds us accountable for the Earth and the way we now treat it...whatever is the point of that? 

If you were grooming a child to hold an important position in your business empire wouldn’t you first train them and then note just how they faired with the trials, tribulations and temptations of business? And isn’t honesty and faithfulness to be prized above all? Though he may be intelligent, a born leader and proves to be a sharp business man if whilst still in training you find him unfaithful with the petty cash, how then could you ever trust him with the safe? He is then worthless, unable to resist so small a temptation what chance then when greater presents itself! And in the same way, if your spouse is found flawed and unable to resist the advances of another whilst in your company, how then could you ever trust them alone, your marriage is undone!   No faithfulness and honesty is to be prized above all, in this World and in the one to come. And if it holds such weight with us regarding worldly things how much more with God over things that pertain to the Kingdom?

If you are a Christian do not despise the circumstances you find yourself in as God is in charge and there is a purpose in where you are right now. Only prove yourself faithful, responsible and do the best with what little God has entrusted into your care. Be that money, goods, children, gifts or whatever. Remember King David and how his training for the Kingship of Israel was in long years and the dark nights spent herding sheep, there it was that he learnt his skills, and he was said to be a man after God’s own heart! (Acts 13:22). God’s eyes search the heart...stand firm then and your faithfulness will be rewarded.

The creation groans (Romans 8:19-22) longing for the moment when we are changed at His return and the creation itself is regenerated. And when that moment comes we will be rewarded and entrusted with positions, authority and responsibilities fitting to our Earthly faithfulness. Yet if we are to be found untrustworthy with what little we possess here, how then can we be trusted with things pertaining to the coming Kingdom?

So we are not to fix our eyes on this present age which is soon to pass away, on that which we see and feel, but holding fast we fix our gaze on His promises and the soon to come Millennium and eternity which follows.

So for those who may have their lot in this life...be that beauty, fame, honour, position, power or whatever, which is soon to pass away, we who trust in His promises wait with patience for so very much more.

So, in conclusion...should we care for the environment and a World that has been entrusted to us?

You bet we should! 

Today, any suggestion that there is a righteous God who will bring to account every wicked thought and deed is simply dismissed as the mind of the broken, the weak and the feeble. Yet even the most hardened atheist’s stance is tested when disaster strikes. Then with the very foundations of his life shaken and the sheer enormity of the crises faced, a once bound conscience wrestles free and staggers back into life again. Freed momentarily it’s illuminating brilliance burns away the covering of lies that had previously excused the sinning soul. Confronted with the truth of this reality a person is forced to act or allow his life to spiral out of control with guilt and shame. And just as a man who is faced with the terrible realisation that his wife is an adulterer, we too can either act upon what has been revealed to us... or as so many do, pretend that it isn’t really happening. Faced with this reality a few, appalled by their deeds and the truth of the perverseness of their own darkened hearts, turn to God in repentance and falling to their knees find mercy and the power to become ‘The sons of God’. Yet the majority, hardening their hearts turn once again to the familiar and comforting lies of the enemy, at home once again in his strongholds of hatred, bitterness and the temporary pleasures of sin, they find solace until that great day of truth, when all their lies will flee at the presence of a righteous God.

The universal knowledge of a ‘righteous judge’ is as true today as it was back in the days when the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel. Having only just survived a shipwreck off Malta, Paul found himself seated before a fire in the company of his fellow survivors and some of the local natives. Gathering a bundle of sticks for the fire he is bitten by a deadly snake. Seeing the snake hanging from Paul’s hand the locals, though knowing nothing of the righteous God of the Bible, instantly assume that Paul must be a murderer, for having escaped shipwreck surely ‘righteous justice’ had still caught-up with him? Although those natives were mistaken in Paul’s case it is as true today as it was then, that even the ungodly are aware that there is indeed, a righteous judge, though many hearing of Him... still refuse to acknowledge Him as God.

This universal knowledge that unrighteousness must be punished is again confirmed in the days of Jesus, this time not by a people who were ignorant of God’s true nature but by a people who were taught of Him from a child. For in the days of Jesus there were those in Israel who questioned Him concerning those whose blood Pilate had mixed with the blood of animals in an ungodly pagan ritual, and of the eighteen souls who a tower had spectacularly fallen upon. Their obvious suggestion was that these people must have been sinners above all for God to bring about such a vile end, the very same conclusion those ignorant natives of Malta came to in the days of Paul and an assumption that is still common today both by the Godly and the ungodly when people hit upon hard times, for it is embedded in the hearts of men that all sin ‘must’ be accounted for. That unrighteousness is punished is essential if a righteous God is to remain righteous. Think about it, how can a judge, even on Earth today be accounted as ‘righteous’ if he doesn't punish rapists, murderers, liars, thieves and law breakers?

Although it is not beyond God to bring about the quick destruction of the wicked, (He certainly has and does - Numbers 16:33), the truth is that most of our troubles are brought about by ourselves. As a child who choosing to disregard the guidance of his parent’s grievously cuts himself while playing with a kitchen knife, so we also when disregarding God’s Words and the promptings of a ‘God given’ conscience, bring about our own hurt. That God’s invisible laws can not be perceived by the Worldly mind does not mean they are imaginary, they are very real indeed and so are the consequences of ignoring them. We live in a time of grace when God does not always mete-out punishment for the sin of an unbelieving world, but it is a truth that He has woven into the very fabric of His creation good paths that if followed a man will be blessed. He tirelessly calls to those who having left the path of righteousness, find themselves in the briers and thickets of a hopeless and dark life where tears, strife, fear and misery prevail, be they rich or poor.

Jesus’ answer to those men whose suggestion was that those who had suffered such a vile end, were ‘sinners above all’ is striking. For He points out that we are all (me and you) equally accounted as sinners in the eyes of God and unless we repent, we will not only die but face something far worse than death.

“ I would suggest that this universal knowledge embedded into the hearts of men is often misinterpreted by a worldly Race that can not see beyond this life! Yet the truth is that un-repented sin will receive it’s righteous reward, and justice it’s complete satisfaction at the judgement, when God will judge the deeds and intent of the hearts of men, where nothing that has been done in secret will any longer be hidden and nothing worthy of punishment will any longer escape it’s reward. ”

As wishful thinking will prevail nothing when the bailiffs knock nor will wishful thinking prevail anything when a debtor stands in the presence of a Holy God. Turn to Him now while it is still day before the night comes, as He is yet gracious...slow to anger and full of mercy. Acknowledge your sin before Him and accept His offer of the righteous life of His Son as payment for your sin. Yet in the day when for righteousness sake the door of grace is eternally closed... all hope will be lost! And as the door of the Ark stood open in days when Noah preached to a condemned World, so the door of grace is still open for us a little while longer. Yet once the door of the Ark was shut it could not be opened again and neither will the door of grace. And as those found desperately beating at the door of the Ark as the floods came, were shown no mercy... so you too will find yourselves shut out when judgment finally comes upon this condemned and dying World.

So who placed this universal understanding of certain justice in your hearts as a babe, and what is His name if you should know it?

I’ve only just finished the blog above and couldn’t stop writing until I had first mentioned the obvious picture that Acts 28:4-5 brings to the mind of the Christian.

Paul, having been bitten by a snake shakes it off and it falls straight into the fire.

Snakes throughout the Bible are a symbol of sin... I was chatting on the phone a few days ago to a relative. He asked what I had been doing and I told him that I’d been reading my Bible. To which he replied “You mean you read that book over and over again and again?”  

I’ve never really thought about it before but I can see how that may appear odd to an unbeliever. I guess the only way I can explain it is...

For a child who is trying to understand what a decade is, he would first need to understand the number ten, but then... he could never comprehend ten until he first had understood the concept of one, two, three, four then five. Only then could he understand that five ones equalled five. And then in his joy and excitement, at last understanding the basics would he realise that two fives equaled his elusive TEN!

And just so, until I knew what holiness was did I see sin for what it is...and until I knew my sin I didn’t know I needed a saviour. And until I knew there was a saviour did I call out to Him. 

The more I read and understand His Word the more light I receive and He opens up to me, even a worm like me... treasures unending!