I Am a Billboard for Jesus

12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:12

This is always a good reminder for everyday life. I used to have a fish sticker on the back of my car. It was impressive how remembering that it was there changed my driving habits. I don’t have it on my current car but it still “sticks” with me. When I post on Facebook or other social media, I try to use the same principle. It is so easy to say something that is correct and right and have even Christians read it wrong.

Remind me, Lord, wherever I am, if I have a fish sticker on my car or I’m wearing a gospel message sweatshirt, or nothing that would identify me as a Christian, my behavior should be the same with or without the “billboard.”

#BillboardforJesus #fishsticker #drivinghabit #billboard #behaviourmodification #bumperstickers

Sign of the End

8 After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. Ezek 38:8

I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates. Ezek 38:11

I get tired of hearing all sorts of prophecies about the end times and how Israel’s current status is a sign of the end. The Lord made it clear that the time of the end will occur only when Israel is dwelling in safety. They will probably not even have an army based on these verses. There are several key phrases that describe the Israel of the end times.

1) People brought out from the nations. This is true of the current Israel.

2) Dwell securely. The image of this is that they are not worrying about protecting themselves. This is no where near the attitude in Israe.

3) Without walls, bars, or gates. At the time this was written, it would be unthinkable for a secure people not to have fortifications. The current Israel is very much concerned with its fortifications.

There are many other things that are in Scripture that contradicts the current notion that present day Israel is the one that signals the end times. I will wait until I see Israel disarm and turn to the Lord for their safety before I’ll say the end is really near.

Shalom

 
14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. Ezek 34:14

When I read this verse, I can close my eyes and visualize the scene. I’m sitting in a gently sloping meadow surrounded by sheep. Some are lying down, and others are grazing nearby. There is a gentle stream flowing down the side of the meadow. The meadow overlooks a lush valley and far down in the valley is a white church with a steeple and a cross on it. It is a vision of peace and closeness to Jesus, who is my Shepherd and watches over me. All is well in the world and with my soul, it is shalom.

You have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:11-14

The author rebukes the Hebrews for being dull of hearing regarding things about Jesus. They have been Christians long enough that they should be able to teach, but they need to be taught the basics. Because they are still having problems paying attention to the gospel, they are in danger of drifting away.

This is the state of most people in the US who call themselves Christians. They know just enough to understand that salvation is in Jesus. But, they don’t have enough understanding about the gospel to realize that that the gospel pertains to every aspect of their lives. It is about how to live holy lives, to overcome temptations, how to treat others, how to be more like Jesus and less like the world around them.

Why are they in this “barely saved” condition. The end of the paragraph is the reason. They have not become mature in their faith because they don’t have discernment. Discernment can only come by constant practice identifying good from evil. In other words, they have not been consistently studying their Bibles, the whole Bible, not just favorite passages or books. If they are reading, they are cherry picking the verses that tell them what they want to hear. They listen to preachers who tickle their ears with what they want to hear. They don’t check what their teachers are telling them against the Bible. If they are saved, the remain baby Christians feeding only on milk and not solid food.

Lord, help me to be consistent in my Bible study. To become mature and live a life that brings glory to you.