Stewardship
Good Morning,
During stewardship month, we are considering what we can do to use our time, talents, and treasure to better glorify God. While hearing the crazies on the news, I started thinking about being a good steward of the world in which we live and scribbled these thoughts:
Do you remember the old jokes about the world coming to an end? The jokes started out to mock Bible preachers who warned people that the world will come to an end. Soon the jeering statements were strategically being placed into comics and movies. Those same people are now politicians, and they think they can fix the world if they are given complete control over everyone.
I would like to reiterate a few Scriptural statements that Bible-believers have taught for centuries:
1. The world is coming to an end.
2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
That statement is simple enough. God is going to burn up the world; it will not be caused by the car manufacturers or the dairy farms – God will do it!
As such, we are to live holy, not kill our babies or refuse to have families. We are to honor God, raise our children to glorify Him, and allow God to sort out the future.
2 Peter 3:11 “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,”
In verse 12, God repeats the fact so there is no misunderstanding.
vs. 12 “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
2. Everything on earth will cease to exist; therefore, we ought to live for the eternal world, not the temporal one.
vs. 13 “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
vs. 14 “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”
Do not become too attached to this world or the things in it. We are admonished to set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1) Jesus told us to lay up treasure in Heaven, not on earth.
The trouble mankind faces is because he lives in a world where everyone denies eternity; his only hope is placed in temporal, earthly circumstances and possessions. He has no “land that is fairer than day...” and does not look for Christ… “Coming again... may be morning, may be noon…” This is why he clings to this sinful, soiled, ball of dirt floating in space; he is hopelessly buried in sin and shame. God is not even going to try to save this sin-cursed world. He is going to destroy it and start fresh.
2 Peter 3:13 “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
While I love the ocean, the mountains, and even the desert, my hope is not placed in a group of liberals who strive to control my life in order to control the climate. Let us be honest; politicians cannot even control their own spending or set up a budget – they certainly cannot control winter and summer.
Vegan diets, windmills, and vaccinations will do nothing to change the condemned state of this world. From prostitution to lies about serving in the military or gender confusion, do we really think this group of crazies can save the planet? They cannot even save their morals. I will place my trust in the One Who set the stars in space and gave His Son to solve the sin problem. God knows how to solve problems!
Let me encourage you to love the Lord, cherish and live in His Book, love your neighbor, and help a pastor build a church somewhere; but, I would also like to add: enjoy ice cream (made with refined sugar), attend ball games where we yell at the crooked referee, and take time to work on a bus route or teach a Sunday school class. Live life to its fullest! Witness to those you meet; win someone to Christ; pass out tracts; and date your spouse weekly, take family vacations, and read the Bible to your children. This lifestyle will lead to souls being saved and that is the only thing that can be saved.
Let God sort out what to do with the planet and when He will do it. I plan to enjoy the life God has given me and hope to get some others to enjoy it as well (and I plan to do so while eating at McDonald’s, enjoying bacon, using chemical-filled deodorant, drinking soda, and attending church three times a week).
It is no joke, the world is coming to an end. Enjoy it!
Pastor