Only in Him

It's easy to focus on how difficult our situation is, but then I need to remember God's goodness in salvation and provision and to be thankful for that. How much do I trust God? 

In difficult times, this is surely tested.
God has His purposes for the good of His children in that.
I see how weak and helpless we really are. 

My rebelliousness and discontentment of situation are exposed, and I am forced to continually confess to the Lord my sinfulness.

I need to be continually reminded that He indeed has good purposes even if I flail about in uncertainty.  I'm thankful for comments I read or hear that remind me not to question God's love or goodness toward me.

I want to love God more and to obey Him, and I also don't want to compromise Biblical truth.  I don't want to grow cold.  What to do?

The present and future are uncertain, and physical health and mental fog make things harder.

Some days I feel awful, and I know that others in the family are experiencing similar difficulties.

My hope must be in the Lord.  He is our only hope.  Only He is able to provide. One day at a time.

Remembering who He is, and that He will help us through in His way and bring things about in His timing is what I need to cling to.  He knows our situation.  He knows my sinfulness, but He also knows my longing to be closer to Him.  How will we make it through?

Only in Him.

Alberta Arrests Another Pastor - Again

Canada, and especially Alberta, continues to persecute Christians.  Another pastor (Tim Stephens) was arrested (for a second time), as their church meeting was discovered by a police helicopter.  They had already gotten locked out of their church (similar to GraceLife Church minus the fencing).  

Tim Stephens' children wept as they arrested their father and had him in the police vehicle.  Christians, please pray for pastors like Tim Stephens and James Coates as well as the churches in their care.  

Canada is now like a police state - arresting people for holding church, and sadly the police are not refusing to participate (as I think some police in California refused to enforce Governor Newsom's wrongful orders).  

Canadian Pastor's arrest (Rebel News article)

The government was given by God for the punishment of evildoers and to reward those who do good, so when they start persecuting those who are doing good - they are not functioning as God intended. John MacArthur gave a message last Sunday speaking on the subject.  Remember the people in the Old Testament times who would not bow to a statue, Daniel kept praying to God, the apostles in New Testament times went right back to teaching even though they were arrested for preaching the Gospel, Stephen and others were put to death, etc.  The government was not meant to punish people for doing good.

The COVID-19 illness is real, but that doesn't mean that the government then has the right to usurp Christ's role as Head of His church.  That is an abuse of their God-given authority. In California, the governor wanted to tell people not to sing.  Well, thankfully, some of the tyranny in the U.S. has eased up due to court victories, but sadly, that isn't so in Canada. 

Being persecuted for the sake of doing right brings reward and the watching world sees these Christians who are suffering well as a testimony of Christ to them.  May God use the testimony of Christians persecuted around the world, and bring people to Himself.  That is what I should remind myself of...that God's purposes in this will come about.  Getting angry or feeling anxious won't help, but I need to continue to pray.  God's Word speaks of rejoicing in persecution.  It brings about perseverance, proven character, and hope.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 NASB (1995)

Premillennialism - Eschatology Matters

 I've been reading the chapter in Biblical Doctrine that addresses eschatology in recent times (The Future).  I'm nearly at the end of page 861 at this point.  I do recommend the book.

I've been premillennial all along, so I will state that right off.  It goes along with my straight reading of Scripture (even if there are some things about the future that I've kind of blended together and confused in my mind).  There are clearly things promised to Israel that haven't been fulfilled yet.  The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.  The whole church is not what is being talked about in various passages (including the Old Testament).  The grafted in people do not nullify the promises to believing Jewish people (as Romans 11 lets me know).  

The final chapter in the Biblical Doctrine book (MacArthur/ Mayhue) has helpful information that can separate out things mentioned that happens in the millennial Kingdom from what comes after.  It talks about Heaven now as well as the future (even interesting facts like the martyrs are given a white robe in Revelation 6:11 which shows they have a body form of some sort).  I have a ways to go, and my mind cannot easily remember everything that I have read.  I have used pencil to highlight some of the things that have stood out to me so far.

A few years ago, I watched at least a couple of the Master's Seminary chapel messages streaming online on the subject of premillennialism (yeah, I'll admit I was watching their chapel live-streams), and I will share links for you that I can find that seem to be from that series. 

I should watch them all, including the ones I can tell that I watched before!

Premillennialism Videos

1. Brad Klassen addressed the subject using hermeneutics (the method of interpreting the text...specifically of Scripture):  TMS Chapel: Brad Klassen - January 30th, 2018

2. Premillennialism and the Old Testament (Michael Grisanti)

3. The Historical Perspective  (Nathan Busenitz)

4. Premillennialism and the New Testament (Greg Harris)

5. Premillennialism and the Kingdom (Michael Vlach)

6. Premillennialism and Theology  (James Mook)

I hope that these will be helpful for people who want to learn.