God was sitting in
heaven one day when a scientist said to Him, “God, we don’t need you
anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing –
in other words, we can now do what you did in the beginning.”
“Oh, is that so?
Explain…” replies God. “Well,” says the scientist, “we can take dirt and
form it into the likeness of you and breathe life into it, thus creating man.”
“Well, that’s very
interesting… show Me.”
So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the
soil into the shape of a man. “No, no, no…” interrupts God, “Get your own
dirt.”
Many of you have probably
heard this light-hearted joke before, but I think it fits into what I would
like to talk about. This world belongs to God; earth and all that is in it, on
it and around it. God created it out of nothing, along with the solar system we
are in, including all the other millions, billions, trillions plus of other
solar systems. Our God created everything out of … N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Only God can
do that.
It all comes down to one
reality.
“For the LORD your God is God
of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no
partiality nor takes a bribe.” (Deuteronomy 10:17)
When the apostle Paul was in
Athens, he noticed many statues of false gods, including one labeled “the
unknown god,” (just in case they may have overlooked one). He then had this to
say to the men of that city.
“… “Men of Athens, I notice
that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your
many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown
God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you
about. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord
of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t
serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to
everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the
nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise
and fall, and he determined their boundaries. “His purpose was for the nations
to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he
is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some
of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’And since this is true, we
shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or
stone. “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times,
but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to
him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has
appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
(Acts 17:22-31)
Obviously, the man in
question in the last verse is none other than Jesus. Jesus Christ, who was
crucified, buried and rose again will soon return and judge the world He made. He
came the first time, not to judge the world, but to save the world, but when He
returns He will not return as Savior, but as the Judge.
The lost world mocks God
today, thinking and acting upon their belief that they are in control of their
own destiny. This world is drunk on the belief that it is wiser, and far too
intelligent to believe that God actually exists. It mocks those of Athens who
worshipped idols made by hands, but are we any different? No we are not. Our
idols may not be made of stone, but they are idols no less.
This country, prides itself
on the law and power, as did the Romans. It also prides itself on its abundant knowledge,
as did the Greeks. Where are the Romans? Where are the Greeks? The one true God
remains, “I AM,” but where are they?
This world belongs to God and
is His to run in any way He sees fit. It can rebel, deny, mock, persecute and
laugh off the existence of God, but this very God gave Himself that all who
desire could be saved from their sins. All who come to Him will be saved and
kept by His power. All who do not will be judged by Him.
I can’t imagine entering my
neighbor’s house and attempting to tell them how to run their own home; for
example, how to raise their children. They would probably tell me to mind my
own business, and they should. We have been doing the exact same thing with
God. We, as a society have been rebelling against His commands of how we should
live, and refusing, as a majority, to accept His ways. The “My Way” song is
reverberating from the lips of most in this country and across this earth. News
Flash! When the dust settles after He returns, everyone will do it His way, and
that is the only way it will be.
There is one thing a fallen
world is never short of and that is “pride.” We forget though that this is the
very thing that got us into the mess we’re in in the first place. How’s that,
you say? Satan was filled with pride (see reference below). He tempted Eve to
disobey God. Adam, her husband, disobeyed God, apparently to please Eve. (Genesis
3:6) Sin and death entered the world.
“Your heart became proud on
account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor…”
(Ezekiel 28:17)
“You said in your heart,
I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne above
the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the
mount of assembly, …
I will ascend above the tops
of the clouds;
I will make myself like the
Most High.” (Isaiah 14:13-14)
The Scripture references
above (Ezekiel 28:17 and Isaiah 14:13-14) are all in reference to Satan. I
don’t know about you, but I can sense a strong kinship in these verses between
the lost man and his father, the devil.
Jesus told the Pharisees in
John 8:44 that they were of their father the devil. We do take on the
characteristics of our fathers. Those who are children of God will grow in
Christ and be like Him. Those who are of Satan (all who are not of Christ) will
be like the devil; full of pride and rebellion.
We may think this world is
ours and we can live any way we want. The truth is, Satan has caused many to
believe a lie, because he is the father of lies. As of this instant, all have
an opportunity to obey God and recognize Satan for what he is; a liar. This
isn’t your world and it isn’t my world. God created it and it is His. He
created us. He has chosen to save all those who come to Him through Jesus
Christ, and he has chosen to judge all those who do not. The end result of that
judgment is an eternity in hell.
Don’t allow Satan to cloud
your eyes and your ears with his lies. Believe God. This is His world, not
Satan’s and not yours and mine. This next verse is for us today, prior to the
Tribulation that will soon come upon the whole earth.
“All that the Father gives Me
will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
(John 6:37)
These next few verses are for
those on the earth after the Church is gone, during the Tribulation.
“Then I saw another angel
flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live
on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud
voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come.
Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
(Revelation 14:6-7)
“A third angel followed them
and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and
receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the
wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his
wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy
angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and
ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and
its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for
patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and
remain faithful to Jesus.” (Revelation 14:9-12)
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
