“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” (Hebrews 12:25-26)
In recent days I have mentioned how much it seems that Satan is turning up the attacks. Throughout countless conversations I hear it from those around me as well. STILL there are those who refuse to listen to the warnings!
The writer to the Hebrews in this set of verses is telling us another piece of the puzzle in these last days. Sure, we know Satan will be on the attack – through deception, full-on lies, fear, and purely physical problems – but here we read the words of God reminding us to not forsake or refuse to listen as God is speaking through His servants in these final hours of earth. Many times we, as Christians, automatically assume that because we are going through a rough period that it’s all Satan’s fault. Not true! We catch ourselves trying to pray away the very roadblocks God Himself has placed into our lives in an attempt to slow us down and cause us to look around and within.
There is a great shaking going on in the world right now. Not just politically but also on a more personal front. I shudder as I see those much younger than me dying unexpectedly. I hear things that are occurring in the lives of my brothers and sisters that I can barely believe or understand. Not that I am pointing a finger, trust me. I have my own problems! The gap or split within those who identify as Christians is getting much more pronounced. We have the saying about “the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.” The same is coming to pass within the body of the “church.”
Jesus is coming back for a Bride who will be pure and spotless – without spot or wrinkle. The time has come when the bigger spots are being removed. Reading in
Revelation 21:8 we see these words: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” These are strong words. For a strong time. And the gap is widening ever wider amongst those who have clung to the Church for salvation – as if mere association will be enough. Those who once held positions within local bodies of believers are beginning to lose their grip on the teachings of Christ and the true theology taught in scripture. There is a great purification occurring within the masses. Those who truly believe and are sincere in their love for God are being called into a deeper relationship with Him. Those who are pretenders (or are fringe Christians) are turning away to other things for their hope and comfort. This passage (and others very similar) are quick to point out who will and will not make it into heaven. Jesus Christ WILL NOT walk the aisle with a stained and wrinkled bridal gown!
What does that mean for you and me on a practical level – in our daily lives? I can only speak for me on this one (as God has revealed it to me): Jesus told His disciples when He sent them out to preach the Word in the cities. If anyone would hear and receive the message, welcome them as brothers and sisters. If they refused (or simply would not receive it and believe), the disciples were to move on and shake the dust off their sandals – thus leaving those people to their own destruction. Through the ready pen of John the Revelator Jesus dictated the following (found in Revelation 22:11): “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Those are pretty scary and harsh words coming from the One Who Is Love. Yet they stand alone and they speak very clearly.
When I was serving in the military we learned that it took a minimum of 4–6 soldiers out of action to care for one wounded brother. I recently heard updated statistics that claimed that number was upwards of 40 per wounded! (Consider those who carry him off the field, administer emergency first aid, the helicopter crew that medivacs him to the rear, his commander and staff who now have to stop what they are doing to care for him, the medical people who treat him, admin who takes care of his paperwork, special foods needing to be prepared while he is recovering, etc, etc). It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why Satan is attacking so strongly now. He knows the end is soon-coming, so he is stepping up his attacks in an effort to stop our forces from pushing forward for Christ. If Satan can get us distracted trying to convince people or coerce them into the Kingdom, he knows we will always have to re-convince them. We don’t have time in these last days to always be turning around and checking for stragglers or dead weight. As Jesus once said, “Let the dead bury their dead.” We must be about our Father’s business of preaching and teaching the pure, unadulterated, powerful Word of God. Those who are ready will receive it and run with it. Those who won’t – well, they may be part of those mentioned in 2 Peter 2:12: “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;”.
There is a shaking going on, brothers and sisters. The time is short. Sound the alarm loud and wide. No as never before should we be about the Great Commission of going into all the world preaching the gospel, teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded. There is no “group rate” salvation, there is no holiness by osmosis, we can’t just point to our church membership with our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Check your hearts and minds. Purify yourselves and be ready. Soon we shall hear the trumpet blast and it will be over. I pray to see you in heaven.
Be blessed.
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