WILL FAITH DISAPPEAR ON EARTH?

Luke 18:8 when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?

            Jesus posed this question just after the story of the widow woman who cried “Avenge me of my adversary.” Trying to teach his disciples the warning of this earth becoming so detached from God and Moral absolutes, Jesus lead them to the thought and question: “Will there come a time on this planet that we humans disconnect ourselves from FAITH? Can we become so carnal that we disrespect the spiritual?

            The Humanist Francisco Petrarch in the 14^th Century coined the Name Dark Ages though speaking of the falling and loss of the Italian Culture and Literature upon Europe: his hypothesis soon was used by the church to explain the decay of the Moral and spiritual truth in society.

            This FEAR was Real since we first read of this very disconnect from God during the days of Noah: “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented God that he had made man on the earth (Gen 6:5-6).

            This was later repeated by man in Gen 11 when they thought to create a way by imagination to eradicate the very thought of God, his laws and truth from earth. They even thought to make their OWN heaven. Could they have so disconnected themselves from spirituality till they would have built an earth void of FAITH?

            Journey through the Bible and find every great man of God became great by challenging man to repent, fleeing from sin and stop selfish destructive living.  Read history and find every great Philosopher or inventor who challenged the status quo such as the Earth is round, not flat; we can fly, or germs were the cause of illness.  They were ridiculed, imprisoned, and even killed.  Nostradamus, George Washington and Booker T Washington called Nations to change from evil ways. Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Martin Luther King and hundreds of men and women who became great did so NOT by becoming LIKED, but by doing RIGHT.

            It is possible in 2012 that we are on our way in America – in Europe and the world that our fallacious flirtation with funny, fancy and filth is pushing Faith right OUT of our Families, Finances and Future.  America just 50 years ago had a deeper and higher respect and appreciation to church, preachers and faith than they do today.  Ladies and Gentlemen; “When the Son of Man cometh, shall he FIND Faith on earth?”

            This sobering question is not meant to leave us depressed, but rather to shake us away from following the “cows to the slaughter.”  Allow me to challenge you to leave off the excuses why you don’t attend church like you should anymore.  Let me provoke you to find your faith, increase your faith and add to your faith.  We cannot just sit by and allow the Faith of God and faith in God to disappear.

            “Faith comes by hearing a preacher preaching what thus saith the Word of God” (Rom 10:17).  Let me motivate you to tune your ear to hear a real man of God today seeding the word of God into your spirit till you can rise to BELIEVE that God can and will bring a miracle crusade of Faith back to America again.

© 2012 Dr Tim McClure

CONDITIONS OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

FREE LOVE – The biggest Paradox of the last Century. The two words in the same sentence, Free and Love is a joke. Let alone using Free as an adjective describing the noun LOVE.  It’s as false as saying “Dry Water.”  Just as Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton didn’t charge the world to use their discovery, did not mean that their discovery came FREE. The cost and value of such wisdom is priceless and extremely expensive to those who invested life to discover it. Even though we hold it free.

            However, those who have dared to use Einstein’s Theory of Relativity without the reality that such expensive knowledge has brought the world to a near peril. This single piece of FREE knowledge has cost and is still costing the world $trillions (Nuclear Weapons).

            Trying to teach a parent to give a child love unconditionally will cost that parent his life. For I as a Preacher of the Bible or counseling Psychologist try and teach a man or woman to love their spouse unconditionally will advise them in the Art of Sacrifice.

            “For God so loved the world that he gave…” is still the most expensive “unconditional Love” known to the world. True, it cost YOU nothing for God to LOVE you unconditionally. It cost YOU nothing for God to display his love when you were unloving. Yes, it is true, “God loved us in while we were yet sinners” (Rom 5:8). When we could not love him, he loved us. Not because we deserved it but when we were at our worse. “Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6).

            However, even when Jesus loved and gave his life for us, yet his death could have or would have done us NO good unless we would have RECEIVED his gift. “And whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

            What are you saying pastor? I’m saying that LOVE, true love is real. It is not mere words on a card. It is not a flower in a vase. True love is blood, sweat and tears. Therefore, true love and selfishness cannot be in same room. Unconditional love is expensive. It is self sacrificing and can hurt. But the rewards are unparallel.

            Every Blessing comes with Brokenness. Every gift comes with a price. Every love comes with a sacrifice. It is impossible for me to give or receive “Unconditional Love” by itself. I must RECEIVE unconditional love if it is to impact me.  God can give unconditional love, but it will never reach me until I Receive it. The condition is “Whosoever believes.” The dynamics work in the Ebb and Flow. “We love him because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

            There is no greater subject in all the world like that of LOVE. Love is the greatest feeling for feeling. Love is the eternal motive and cause for all creation. Love is seen in the father’s eyes and the mother’s embrace. Love is known by many and craved by all. Love is the most common subject yet one of the most perplexing subject.

            Love has been the cause of wars and the cause of peace. Love has been the death to many and the life of most. Love is seen in the face of a two year old with his daddy. Love, true love is WORSHIP. To love God is to worship God. “Great love has no one than this that a man would lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus loved you so much he did MORE than just TALK. He GAVE – his all.

By Dr Tim McClure

www.promiseland.org