Tag: revealed

28.j. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Philippians 3:7  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith

 Proverbs 13:8   The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.

  Matthew 16:26  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

 Luke 14:33  So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

 Romans 8:18   For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

We are continuously tempted to put our trust in ourselves, money, health, possessions, savings, etc… It is as if we are trusting in these things to give us peace of mind, hope for the future, and worry-free lives.  There are always going to be temptations to want to rely on, trust in, and cling to what we have, what we want, what we acquire, and other things of this world more than Jesus Christ.  It is in Him we find a peace that passes all understanding.  Peace the world has to offer is temporal, foundationally weak, and robs us of true peace.  Chasing after these false promises of peace keeps the busyness of life very active in our lives.  Every day a new current of false promises blows in promising just one more rung on the ladder to climb.  To what end? Are we any closer to Christ? Do our possessions and bank accounts bring us to a deeper relationship with Christ? Are we happier? Are we deeply satisfied? Are we content? At the end of the day are have we found purpose, satisfaction, contentment, and meaning for our lives?  Prosperity and ease of life offer peace but over and over again it leads people away from Christ and they neglect God’s Word and become complacent in their desire to know more and more of God’s grace, mercy, and love.  Their spiritual growth does not exist.  It is a very slippery slope away from God when we give in to the temptations of this world to put our trust in ourselves, money, health, possessions, savings, etc…

27.q. “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions”

Ephesians 4:14  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

 Acts 20:30-31   and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

 Romans 16:17-18    I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

 Colossians 2:4    I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

 Colossians 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

 1 John 2:26     I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

 2 Thessalonians 2:2-5   not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

 1 John 4:1    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

 2 Timothy 4:3   For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Once people leave the Word of God they often then embrace fantastic fantasies. When a man rejects God’s truth, it isn’t that he believes in nothing; he will believe in anything. Their ears crave it. Their hearts feed on it. Their minds believe it.  

Philosophy threatening us Christians is dangerous because it is not obviously sinful. It is high-sounding and seems highly intelligent. Vain speculation replaces God’s truth. Deception and false direction pulls and takes captive those who are not rooted, watered, and growing (maturing) in the Word of God and their understanding and knowledge of Him. Paul is warning them about people who would come and speak charismatically about vain things that seem plausible because of the way they are presented, but in truth, it dilutes the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have to be mindful of our innate desire to chase after worldly and fleshly stuff rather than the spiritual living water and bread of life found in Jesus Christ alone. As we grow in the knowledge and understanding of God’s grace, mercy, and love the things of this world become less important.  Our hearts and minds daily continue to be filled to overflowing with more light, wisdom, discernment in what is God-honoring and glorifying and what is not.  A shallow commitment leads to neglect.  There will be no growth in our lives.  In fact, there will be just the opposite.  Once there is no desire for growth – a withering and shrinking decline takes place and tossing to and fro from every wind of doctrine takes root.  

We are given the fullness of the Holy Spirit when we were born again.  We are given free will to choose to listen, follow, and obey its leading.  When we intentionally choose to desire more understanding and knowledge of God and what it means to live in such a way that honors and glorifies Him alone in all we say and do, then and only then will we display the peace, hope, and joy that only comes in and through Jesus Christ.

27.b. “Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened”

 

Ephesians 1:15  For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

 Matthew 11:25    At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

 1 Corinthians 2:10   these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God

 John 14:26   But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

 James 3:17-18   But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Proverbs 2:1  My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Man will think the proper study of mankind rests in philosophy, science, cultural and social, studies.  There may be some truth to this but in its highest science, loftiest speculation, and deepest philosophy, it will never give wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God apart from God’s Word. It may engage the attention of a child of God as a study of what man thinks they know or speculate to understand. (Spurgeon) It is good to know thy self but far more beneficial, glorious, and fruitful to know thy God. (Alford)

Our eyes of our heart need to be enlightened by God to understanding and knowledge of Him. Scripture speaks of “hearts of stone” and “hardened hearts) about those who intentionally choose to harden their hearts against the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of things of God.  They are ever hearing the Word of God but there is no enlightenment in their heart. It seems as though it comes in one ear and out the other. We all need to be mindful of not only hearing but seeking to understand.  Do we think we can we seek this understanding once per week on Sundays and have any growth, not to mention maturity, in God and things of God? Do we think we can gain this understanding and knowledge by osmosis – somehow it just filters in through all of the chaos and busyness of life? I can’t tell you how many times people quote what was on the news as if it was their own thoughts.  They believe the fear, hate, anger, division, worry, etc… because that is what the narrative of “News” tells them to do.  They actually believe they should fear or hate or worry or be divisive, or be angry and do not see that these are not their thoughts but the thoughts of those who do not know God or things of God.  They have allowed them into their hearts and minds. They have allowed them to take root and grow. They see the fruits of them in their lives and think it is proper fruit. It is not wrong to be informed but we need to be mindful of the source and the underlying message it is giving.  We can only do this if the eyes to our hearts and minds are seeking wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from and of God.  When you read a news article scan it for words like, it could, it might, it may, it is possible, it is conceivable, it may be, it is feasible, potentially it could, it is probable, it is likely,  you should worry about, etc…….. these are all enticing words to engage and develop your thinking toward a specific conclusion of the writer or speaker.  When our hearts and minds spend more time on things of this world and what it deems and says should be important to us, we will be filled with  dark clouds of thought and it will consume us.  How much time is spent catching up on the daily news compared to quality time in God’s Word?  How much of your thoughts are consumed with what someone else has determined for you to be worthy of your time and thoughts?  

Watch out for what your itching ears are listening to.  They will give you insight into what is filling your hearts and minds. Wouldn’t it be something if believers what believers spoke out of their hearts and minds was things of God rather than the vomit coming out of social and media outlets. 

22.c. “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom”

1 Corinthians 2:6  Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

Do you ever wonder who the “among the mature” is referring to?  Some may argue that it is related to age.  Others would say saved and unsaved or mature and immature believers. Paul did use mature in Ephesians and Philippians as believers who had grown from the elementary concepts of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness to personal application and food for everyday growth, understanding, and knowledge in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  These mature would grow in discernment (wisdom) and understanding.  In this, the mature would understand the world and culture they lived in and how it was always trying to draw them away from honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ.  They would clearly see the separation from things of God and things of this world.  They would discern what was proper and right for their soul.  The immature (baby) Christian would put anything into its mouth and would follow after anything that was pleasing to the flesh.  The immature would be easily swayed toward things that were not God-honoring. Ignorance does not exempt them from the expectation of growth in their life.  

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not the end of wisdom but rather the beginning of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, power, grace, love, mercy, courage, strength, joy, and peace.  

19.v. “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Romans 18:18   For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

 2 Corinthians 4:17-18  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

 Colossians 3:4  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 2 Thessalonians 1:7-12     and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,  when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.  To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,  so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 2 Thessalonians 2:14   To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 1 Peter 5:1    So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be reveale

 1 Peter 4:13    But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Paul was not ignorant or blind to the sufferings of human existence. Yet he still considered that the future glory far outweighed the present sufferings.  Without a heavenly hope, Paul considered the Christian life foolish and tragic. Yet in light of eternity, it is the wisest and best choice anyone can make. (Guzik) 

God has put this glory into the believer right now. In heaven, the glory will simply be revealed. “The glory will be revealed, not created. The implication is that it is already existent, but not apparent.” (Morris)  “Creation is not undergoing death pangs… but birth pangs.” (Morris)

It is in the waiting we currently find ourselves.  We wait for the Glory of Jesus Christ to be revealed and in this revealing we also.  Creation has waited since the beginning of time for this revealing to come.  Our wait is but for a moment.  Our wait is to be in the hope and assurance of this revealing Glory of Jesus Christ and our eternal lives with Him forever and ever.  Let us not get weighted down by trials, troubles, and the chaos of this life.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and grace.

17.w. “For this reason they could not believe”

John 12:37   Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”

Christ enlightens them by signs, wonders, miracles, and words. These testimonies should shine bright in the darkness so that they/we may believe and follow the way of salvation.  For this reason, they who do not choose to look at the light of Jesus Christ and the grace of God extinguish, as far as lies in their power, the light of Jesus Christ which is not only with them but offered to them.  One commentator said, “It is perplexing how they came to be so stupid, that the power of God, though visible, produced no effect upon them.  Their choice blinded them and in this blindness, their hearts are hardened like stone.  We never know what exactly led them o deny Christ.  It could have been pride, selfish-ambition, greed, anger, hate, love of this world, lovers of the desires of the flesh, or a host of other reasons.  The very same things that have kept millions upon millions from believing in Jesus Christ, the Gospel of Salvation. 

Examine your heart.  Is it open to the leading of the Holy Spirit or does it take its lead from your fleshly desires?  Does it seek and desire to know and be known by Jesus Christ?  Does it seek to honor and glorify Him?  Does it hunger and thirst for more understanding of His grace, mercy, and love?  Do not be blinded by things of this world and what it has to offer.  You never know when your heart will become hardened like stone and the light of Jesus Christ will no more be able to enter in.

15.p. “I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

John 5:30   “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 14:10    Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

John 8:42     Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

John 8:28     So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

Psalms 40:7-8    Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me:  I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

John 4:34     Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Psalms 96:13    before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Isaiah 11:3-4    And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,  but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Romans 2:5    But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Jesus explained that He is qualified as a completely righteous judge because His power is in submission too and to do the will of God the Father.  How much of our day(s) do we do our will without a single thought too doing the will of God?  I am certain there are those who believe there is God or a god but give no thought to having a personal relationship with Him.  There are fewer who believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God and even of these there are many who give no thought to having a personal relationship with Him.  If we are to come to the Father we must come through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Here is the difference between these and those who have had a personal relationship with the Son and the Father. Those who believe trust in, cling too and rely on Jesus Christ.  They are aware of sin, their sin, and the Holiness of the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Father, God.  In this awareness, they seek to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  In this awareness, they have an understanding that has been given to them by and through Jesus Christ.  In this awareness, they have intentionally chosen to seek this relationship and believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In this awareness, they have sought forgiveness, repented of their sin, and believed in salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ.  There is more than just head knowledge.  The difference is that they personally know Jesus Christ rather than knowledge of Him.  They have made an intentional choice to surrender, serve, listen, follow, yield, trust, obey, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ.  They do not seek their own will but continually seek to do the will of Jesus Christ every day.  They do not seek to honor themselves.

Judgment is coming and the wrath of God is being stored up against all who reject Jesus Christ.  Today we are closer to this coming judgment than before.  The warning has been given that this judgment is coming.  The warning has been given that all who reject Jesus Christ will go to hell and be tormented forever and ever in eternity.  It is out of love that God sends these warnings.  “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whosoever believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” “But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Knowing of Jesus Christ will never result in repentance or trust.  Knowing Jesus Christ will.  Behold, He stands at the door of your heart, knocking.  Open that door and allow Him in.

14.r. “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

John 1:29   The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 5:32   There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Matthew 11:27     All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Hebrews 1:1-2     Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

1 John 4:9    In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

John said; “I myself did not know Him”  “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”.  Jesus said; “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”  “yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”  God sent His Son into the world that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

When Jesus Christ is rejected so is the testimony about Him.  Think about how many times you make judgments for or against someone or something based on the testimony of one person.  That person may have a bias, deceit, fraud, false pretense, etc…. and yet their word printed or spoken is taken as truth while truth and testimony of Jesus Christ recorded and proclaimed by hundreds is rejected.  Why is this?  “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”  They choose to believe a lie and they choose to reject the truth.  Testimony after testimony about Jesus Christ, the Love of God, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, eternity, eternal life, and heaven are chosen to be rejected.  They have rejected the Son of God and His revelation of God’s grace, mercy, and love.  It is in this choice to believe a lie over the truth of Jesus Christ they are given strong delusion to further enhance their false belief. 

Imagine a person/company builds you a house and says it can never catch fire, it is fireproof.  Then imagine a person coming to your house, knocking on the door to warn you that your house is on fire, and you say no it is not, I don’t believe you.  Another after another comes knocking on your door and says your house is on fire you must believe me or you will surely die.  Time and time again you reject what they are saying and then the fire marshal comes with a fire truck and firemen and knocks on your door and says you must get out before the fire kills you.  You still maintain your house is not on fire because it is fireproof.  You have a piece of paper from the builder that says you paid for and bought a fireproof house.  You do not and will not believe it is possible your house will catch fire and burn.  Your hopes and trust and belief had consequences.  The result of this is your death.  You refused to believe the truth.  So it is with everyone who rejects Jesus Christ, the truth, and believes the lies, God is not real, His Son is not real, I am not that bad, God loves everyone so I am loved by God and He will not judge me or cast me into Hell, I am a good person on my own, I do not need to confess, I do not need forgiveness, I do not need redemption, my house is not burning down.

Belief in Jesus Christ means there is a reliance, trust, and clinging to Him alone.  It means you have come to the knowledge of His holiness and your sinfulness.  It means you come to the knowledge and understanding of there being only one way to be right with God and that is through belief in Jesus Christ.  It means you have surrendered all thoughts of being self-righteousness before God and with all your heart, mind, and soul you are clinging to, relying on, and trusting in Jesus Christ alone.  Because of this belief you humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, and rely on Him.  Believing the truth of Jesus Christ results in eternal life.  Believing in anything else is believing a lie and results in eternal death, Hell.

12.c. “It will surely come; it will not delay.”

Habakkuk 2:2   “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Daniel 8:19     He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.

Acts 1:7     He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-8    And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Daniel 11:27   And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.

Psalms 27:14    Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Isaiah 30:18     Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Micah 7:7    But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

James 5:7-8    Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.  You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

2 Peter 2:3    Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

The news these days seems to relish in digging up as much mud as they can.  They throw it on the clear water of life and then continue to stir it up, mix it up, and cloud it up to the point where it is impossible to see worth in anything at all.  The muddy waters are a mixture of half-truths and sometimes lies.  It is hard to tell their intent or to what purpose they are focused on.  Much of the mud they cloud the waters of life with, most hearers would never have heard of unless these pessimistic and “the sky is falling” proclaimers had told them.  We do well to keep the likes of them out of our heads.

Habakkuk is told to make the vision plain and understandable.  Make it so plain that the people who read it will run away/turn away from that which is causing what is proclaimed to be coming.  Even so, there are many who read and hear it and give it no continued thought.  It is as though they don’t believe it at all or say it will never happen in my lifetime so why think about it.  Or, they may think that they have time for doing something about it later.  All of these lead to a life that forfeits the grace, mercy, and love of God.  It allows a person to think there is no danger in waiting and there is no consequence for waiting, and no worry in waiting.  All of which is false.  The time of salvation is NOW.  The time of God’s grace, mercy, and love are NOW.  Jesus Christ is coming again, soon.  No one knows when death will knock on their door.  No one knows when their end will come.  It could be today, tomorrow, or years from now.  Trust me, many people have waited for another time to trust in Jesus Christ and have died before they thought they would.  The day of salvation is NOW.  Right NOW.  Just because you see no imminent danger does not mean it is not there.  Don’t allow the things and news of this world to muddy up your vision of the need for Jesus Christ.  Do not allow this muddiness to rob you of purpose in this life and eternal life in heaven.