Faith: Nothing Has Changed in Heaven

One doesn’t even have to be a Christian to recognize how deeply our nation is in trouble morally and ethically and spiritually.  It seems that if something is bad for America that is the very avenue our leadership wants to take us down while good, common sense has been jettisoned.  People who claim no religious affiliation at all know that something has to be done to save our country.  But, what to do? It seems like an insurmountable situation and that things have gone too far to correct.  On every hand there is a problem and, it seems, no solution is available that makes any sense. One could get a very hopeless and sinking sensation in their spirit but for one thing we can all rest upon right on into eternity.

The Bible says that the Lord is unchanging.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever, (Heb. 13:8).  This knowledge should help those of us who feel the pressure of a godless society as it seeks to force us to accept things God’s Word says is wrong.  A great source of comfort can be found in the fact that once God says something or lays down a law, it stands forever with no amendments.  It does not change and will ultimately be the measure by which everything is judged.  Man can do whatever he desires to do on earth but that has not changed one thing on the issue in heaven.  God only has to mention something one time for it to last forever.

Remember this when things seem so hopeless:  He is the same God sitting on the samethrone in the same heaven and he changes not.  No matter what the human mind may rationalize into “accepted” activity, God’s statement on whatever the issue may be is the same today as it was when He made it and it will stand, as is, into eternity.  If He says don’t do a certain thing then don’t do it.  Its as simple as that.

One very stable fact is that those who believe the Bible is God’s unchanging, authoritative Word have the advantage of knowing how things turn out in the end: We Win!  Satan will assure the fact that there will be many ups and downs as well as many battles along the way but he is a loser leading people who will ultimately lose.  It’s already decided and set in history.  It hasn’t happened yet but it is only a matter of time before the victory of God’s People becomes apparent.  The Christian life is a lifelong battle but we win!  It is a life where one wins but then has to fight the battles.  That is what is going on today.  God’s People already have the victory in hand but the battles still have to be fought because satan will never give up even though he already knows his fate.

Christians need to understand something.  Satan knows he cannot destroy a redeemed soul but he also knows that he can harass the faithful and make their lives miserable.  In doing so, satan is trying to distract and discourage us to the point we will be miserable soldiers in God’s Army and accomplish very little.  He knows that he can take away our joy but not our souls.  Believers are secure in Jesus.  So, while much is causing a lot of anguish as we look at the world in which we live, I encourage all of God’s People to grasp the promise, stand for what is right without apology and look forward to the day of Promised Victory in Jesus.

As this writer has previously stated many of our legislators in Washington are now saying that the only thing that will save America is for God’s Spirit to fall on this nation in a powerfully convicting way.  I am praying that this will happen as it did during the Great Awakening.  I am praying, and I invite everyone to join me, that His Spirit will so fall in great power that people who have totally rebelled against God will be so powerfully convicted that they will desire to be saved even though that was the last thing in their mind before the Spirit settled on them.

I have seen this happen in my own ministry.  In 1986, God sovereignly fell on the people of Abilene Baptist Church in such a way that many were saved.  I didn’t do one thing different but God did.  His Spirit became so “thick” in the air that one could almost see it.  Anyone there could certainly see the results.  For over two and one-half years I did not know what God was going to do next.  Same preacher was preaching just as he always did.  Same people attending.  But, a totally different response and a totally different church emerged.  One day a truck driver walked into our church just before the service.  I greeted him in the foyer of the church and welcomed him to our services.  This is what he told me: “Preacher, I don’t know what I’m doing here but as I was driving down the street in front of this church, God spoke to me and told me to park my semi-trailer truck and to come into this church to worship.”  Friends, only God can do that!  His Spirit moves in strange ways His wonders to perform and I have to believe that He has not given up on the people of America and that He is willing to fall on us in great power again.  

I want to encourage and invite everyone to join me in praying that God would come upon us and start another Great Awakening that will transform America and bring us back to the point that God can bless us in unimaginable and profound ways.  Scripture says: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  Now, friends, that’s about as plain as it gets.  He is a judge but a merciful and gracious judge.  He wants everyone to be on His side and the only way to do that is to trust His Son, Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  That’s the best news I can give you.  Take it to heart and enjoy the Victory both now, day by day, and when the Lord comes to vanquish his enemies and set up the New Heaven and the New Earth.       

And, be certain that you remember something very important: Nothing Has Changed in Heaven.  And it never will.