The Rumor of the Church's Demise is Premature

     Mark Twain, storyteller and author, was reportedly thought to be in poor health.  A newspaper reporter inquired about him and a rumor began to spread that he had died.  Nothing was ever published about this but when Mark Twain heard the rumor, he quipped, "The report of my death was an exaggeration."  In fact, it was his cousin who was very ill.  This happened one other time after this to Mark Twain who must have wondered if people really wanted him dead and buried.  However, he was able to make light of this mistaken information.
     In a similar fashion, I read an article in the Tampa Bay Times (Sunday, August 28, 2016) concerning the dying of white Christian America.  A book written by Robert P. Jones entitled, "The End of White Christian America" was the subject of this article which was an interview with this author.  With numbers declining in many mainline protestant churches (Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian USA), the author points to the dwindling number of white Christians in churches.  Part of this is due to the demographic changes in our country and the increasing number of immigrants who now make up our population.  Other influences include liberalism which has taken these denominations far from their conservative roots.  Likewise, there are many young millennials who do not identify with any faith today and frequently drift in and out of church.
     Culture is another factor according to the author.  The rise of militant LBGT influence on marriage as well as other issues have also served to create division within church bodies.  The author concludes his interview by saying this of his book:  "I begin the book with an obituary for White Christian America and I conclude the book with a eulogy."  Now, if everything ended here, we might want to join in the mourning along with this author.  However, we have a much different picture painted for us in Scripture.
     According to Matthew, the Lord was questioning his disciples and asking them what people were saying about Him.  They answered Him, and then, Peter spoke up clearly declaring that Jesus was the Christ...the Son of the Living God.  Our Lord answered and said:  "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18). Jesus made it clear that upon this truthful confession He would build His church.  He went even further when He said that the gates of Hell would not prevail against the church.  Despite the view of this author or even society at large, the rumors of the church's demise are premature.
     Yes, I understand that the author was pointing to statistics as well as the aging "Boomer" population that has attended church with regularity.  However, Jesus said that heaven and earth may pass away but His Words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).  When He says that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church, we can rest assured of its permanence.  We also have to keep in mind that church may take

different forms from what we have known in the past.  For example, in China and other nations where the Christian faith is not acceptable, many house churches have sprung up.  Reports say that the church is growing more rapidly under persecution in these countries than in nations that have "freedom of religion."
     What we must remember in these days where it seems that culture is moving farther away from the values of the Christian faith is that God is still at work to do His good will and pleasure.  He will accomplish all that His Word has said He will do.  He has sent a Savior to redeem those whom He has called to be His own, and He is MORE than able to keep all who are committed to Him.  Therefore, let Satan shake his fist while authors write of the church's demise.  But remember, the Enemy never expected Jesus to rise from the dead breaking the curse of sin and death.  When we read the end of the Bible, we know who wins...even our Lord and His bride the church.  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Only Thing We Can Count on is Change

    There is nothing more certain in this life than change.  For some of us (myself included), it can be very unsettling. 

     In the first few years of our marriage, it seemed that all we did was move.  We lived in Columbus, Ohio while my husband was in the College of Optometry.  Following the completion of my husband's degree, we moved back to his hometown to set up his practice.  What a change for us!  We left all of the friends we had grown so close to in Columbus and had to start over again in finding a church home as well as a home for us to live in.
     Then, five years later, my husband felt a desire to move to Florida so he would be able to pursue his hobby of scuba diving as well as escape the icy northern weather.  At this point, I told him that this would be our last move as I was not enjoying the constant packing and unpacking of moving.  In addition, I disliked the personal upheaval of leaving family and friends.
     We moved to Florida in 1979 and have remained in the same community here since that time.  However, we have moved twice since living here from one home to another.  At least we remained in the same town.
     Now I have given you all this as a background to today's scripture.  Look at Psalm 90 and read it in its entirety. This Psalm is attributed to Moses and really points out God's eternal being as versus man's mortality.
     Life, for us, is in a constant state of flux.  We face changes on an almost daily basis.  Most of us want security, but there is only one source for that security...our Lord and our God.  He is constant when we are changeable.  He is faithful while we are often unfaithful.  He is steady while we are unsteady.  The list goes on and on.
     Look at verse 1-2:  "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
     These words of truth and faith on the part of Moses who saw more change in his lifetime than we will ever see.  From day to day, Moses had to cope with the fickle Children of Israel and their wanderings in the desert.  So what did he do?  He looked to the only constant in life - God.
     I don't know about you, but that speaks volumes to me.  When life is topsy turvy and constantly in a state of change, the one thing we can depend on is our Lord.  Hebrews 13:8 says:  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."  Likewise, in Malachi 3:6-7, we get a glimpse of who remains the same and who changes:  "For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.  Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them.  'Return to Me, and I will return to you', says the Lord of hosts.  But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'"
     We all know the saying, "If you feel far away from God, who moved?"  Well, Malachi has a good answer.  We are the ones who often change but the Lord remains the same.  He is our hiding place, our stability in times of uncertainty and our place of shelter.
     If we depend on others, they can let us down.  If we put our trust in the stock market, houses, wealth, family or friends, we are open to disappointment at some time.  However, if we put our trust in Him, we have found a refuge that will not change, disappoint, or leave.
     No one, including me, can predict what tomorrow may bring but we who know Jesus Christ know who holds tomorrow in His hands.  Therefore, we can be confident that whether we move to a new town or have new health issues or suffer disappointment, we have an unchangeable God who loves us and will never leave nor forsake us.  Selah!

What We Cannot See

     I listened to a podcast by one of my favorite preachers Alistair Begg.  He was discussing the book of Habakuk and how it appeared to him that God was not listening to his plea for justice and deliverance for the people of Judah.  The book opens with a cry from the prophet:  "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?  Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save?" (Habakuk 1:2).  This could well be said even today with all the sin running rampant in our world.  Who among us has not wondered in our hearts why God doesn't instantaneously swoop down and destroy the wicked and restore order.  Like the Prophet Habakuk who questioned what seemed to him to be God's delay, we feel as though God is merely sitting idly by while wickedness seems to win the day.  However, God is never idle.  He was at work then, and is at work now.
     In answer to Habakuk, God says in verse 5:  "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded.  For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told."  God had a plan quite different from what Habakuk had hoped for.  The Prophet wanted the people to be brought back to righteousness and revival, but God was planning justice and judgment on this wayward people.  God's ways are much higher than ours and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  We cannot see the whole picture, but we do know that our Lord is good and brings things to pass for the welfare of His people.
     As I considered Habakuk's complaint and God's reply, I could not help but think of other men of the Bible who could not understand how God worked behind the scenes until He showed them.  First, we remember the story of Gideon in Judges 6-8.  He was a man called upon by God to defeat the Midianites who had held power over Israel for seven years as a judgment from the Lord.  When the people cried out to God, He chose Gideon to be the champion who would lead them to victory.
     Upon reading the story, we know that Gideon was anything but a bold man.  However, he was obedient and called together men from various tribes to fight the enemy.  He was seriously outnumbered but God told him to limit his army to 300 men.  They were to carry a trumpet and a torch hidden in a pot.  At the right moment, they were to break the pots so the light shone brightly and blow the trumpets.  God did the rest.  When the trumpets blared and the pots were broken, the enemy was surprised and the Lord caused them to turn on one another with the sword.  As the army fled, more of the tribes of Israel attacked them to won the victory.  I cannot imagine any general using this type of strategy to win against the enemy.  However, God worked behind the scenes doing what Gideon and his men could not see.  Their job was to trust in the Lord to win the battle for them.
     A second Bible hero and Prophet Elisha comes to mind when we consider not being able to see what God is doing behind the scenes.  In this instance, the people of Israel had been raided by the Syrians who were warring against them.  Elisha warned the King of Israel which infuriated the King of Syria.  He wanted to seize Elisha so he sent a large army to surround Dothan.  The Bible tells us that when Elisha's servant stepped outside there was a large army surrounding the place.  He asked Elisha what they should do and the prophet replied:  "....Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6:16b).  Elisha asked God to open his servant's eyes to see the reality of the situation.  When the Lord did this, the servant saw on the mountain chariots of fire and horses.  This heavenly army was there to defend Elisha.  Then, Elisha asked the Lord to strike the enemy with blindness and when they could not see, the prophet led them to the king of Israel in Samaria.  No battle occurred.  Instead, there was a feast held and after this, the Syrians left.
Certainly this was not the end of the story and more can be read concerning the Syrians.  However, in these two cases of Gideon and Elisha, God was at work behind the scenes.
     What we must take away from these true stories is that God is constantly at work on behalf of His children.  It may not be evident to us or follow our timetable, but we can rest assured that God is unfolding His plan in this world.  He is sovereign over ALL the affairs of men.  Therefore, no matter how things may look or what circumstances we may face, the ongoing story of God's grace and provision for His people continues.  He never ceases, is not weary, never slumbers and always is the rock upon which we can depend.  Take encouragement from Habakuk, Gideon and Elisha.  Our God is a mighty God and He will do all according to His good pleasure.  To Him be the glory!