What's Really at Stake?

Like many of you, I sometimes find myself overwhelmed when I stop and think about some of the major changes that have taken place in the world in a very short amount of time. In just the past year, Japan has seen one of the most devastating earthquakes in recorded history, there have been sweeping revolutions in many Middle Eastern countries, some parts of Mexico have become totally overrun by violent gangs and lawlessness and the United States has continued a sharp economic downturn that could very possibly define the next season for much of the world. These dramatic changes are happening very quickly and it appears as though we can expect many more.

For most of the second half of the twentieth century, the nations of the world watched intently as the United States and Russia competed for nuclear dominance. These two world superpowers remained in stalemate as both sides slept with one eye open for about fifty years. Thankfully, as the 1980's drew to a close, relative peace was achieved between these giants and the United States began a period of military and economic superiority. Since that time, the US has been the primary world power. Some across the globe have hated that fact, others have enjoyed it but few have been indifferent.

Some feel that the US has over-stepped its bounds and served as a "world police," while some have welcomed America as a "big brother" trying to help maintain peace and advance the cause of human rights. Regardless of where a person may stand in this debate, there is no denying that many have benefited from the global leadership of the United States. We have certainly not been perfect, but we have been a presence seeking to bring good and hope to even the most remote corners of the world. Wherever there has been a natural disaster, we have normally been the first to offer aid. The wheat fields of Kansas and the corn fields of Illinois have produced grain that not only fills our store shelves, but also fills the bellies of hungry children in developing nations. Our military has not only served to keep us safe domestically, but they have also fought for the bullied, and often unprotected citizens of Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, South Korea and many other nations.

These are just some of the benefits resulting from the United States being the preeminent world leader. As we look around now at what is taking place here and across the world, we are facing a very real possibility that the United States could lose that place. Right now, for a number of reasons, the US is in danger of falling to the #2 spot, or perhaps even further. Our nation is currently dealing with one of the worst recessions in decades. Recessions are considered by many to be a natural and necessary part of the cycle in a free market economy, but one reason this particular recession is so bad is that our elected officials are doing very little to stop it. There seems to be virtually no bipartisan effort to create jobs, pay down the national debt or redeem the value of the US dollar. While all of this is working against us, there are others who seem to be in a completely different boat.

China, for example, is currently very much in the black economically, and they own much of America's overwhelming debt. The next few years could very feasibly see China emerge as the world's primary super power. In my opinion, that could be disastrous change. China currently has deplorable policies when it comes to human rights and, despite what they may say, they desire to control the world's resources. There is much to be said about this, and maybe I will another time, but let's just imagine that China, or another nation, displaces America has the primary world power. What is really at stake if such a transition should take place? Where the US has fought for human rights, China would likely ignore the cries and senseless killing of the innocent. Would China offer the same relief in terms of economic assistance and food resources that the United States has offered developing nations? If their track record with their own citizens is any indication, it is a safe bet that they would not be as generous.

As a follower of the Lord and a student of the Bible, I believe there will be major shifts internationally before this age fully draws to an end. Many believe that America is destined to lose their place of superiority. I do not subscribe to this idea, however. I believe it certainly could happen, but I don't think it has to happen, and it may still be up to us. I know America is not perfect, and we have major changes we need to make in terms of morality, the family, education and racial and gender equality. However, I believe our nation was founded upon Godly principles by Godly men who envisioned an America that is so much more than we have become. I believe the Lord has a plan and purpose for this nation that has not yet been fulfilled. We are facing major challenges, and we are going to have to make some major course corrections, but like Esther, we have been brought to the Kingdom "for such a time as this"(see Esther 4:14). As the Lord's followers and children in this nation, He intends for us to be the salt and light of the world, particularly in America during this time (see Matthew 5:13-14). Light illuminates and dispels darkness, and salt is a preservative. We have the ability to dispel the darkness presently facing our nation. We can preserve America from the fate that awaits us if we stay on this current course. We have to turn the tide and re-direct this ship.

What's really at stake? I don't think anybody fully knows how to answer that question, but by God's grace, we may never have to find out. Throughout history, nations have risen and later fallen. Empires have risen to world dominance and crumbled like a child's sandcastle washed away by the tide. However, the Lord's goodness never changes, and the heart He has for our nation, and for all the nations of the world, will never change. I do not believe it is too late for America, but as a nation, we have to turn back to the Lord. As His people, we have to lead the way. II Chronicles 7:14 is a common verse, but perhaps never more important for us than now:

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (NKJV).

We are the ones who must do this, and the time is now. I pray that America's best days will be ahead, but I do believe it is up to us. Martin Luther King, Jr. once made a very insightful and sobering statement. He was describing the civil rights movement of a few decades ago, but I believe his words still ring true today: "History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people." I believe history will record this season as the time when America's future was determined. May it never record that you and I were silent.

Why the World Will NOT End on May 21, 2011

If you have been following the news, you have probably heard that there is a group of people who believe the world is going to end in less than a week. They have made international headlines talking about everything from a major earthquake to a nuclear disaster that will end human life on May 21, 2011. Some from the group have varying opinions about what exactly will take place and how, but they all agree on the date and that something apocalyptic is going to happen that will usher in the judgement day. While I believe many of these people are well meaning and are legitimately trying to warn the rest of us to prepare for the end, I do not believe their prediction and I want to emphatically state that the world will NOT end on May 21, 2011.

These people, many of them Christians, believe they have discovered a secret code in the Bible that identifies this particular date as the end. Some have even spent their life's savings producing literature and other means of communication to help spread the word. I do not want to criticize or pass judgement on this group, but their predictions have sparked fear in some, aroused curiosity in others and bred confusion in the hearts of many who have sought to understand this. In this post, I want to try to clarify some of what the Bible teaches about the end and hopefully shed some light on what we can expect going forward. While it is important to understand that the end of the world is not going to be next week, it is equally crucial to understand that it is coming and we do need to be ready.

The Bible is a remarkable book that was inspired by the Lord and has much to say about the end of the world. There have been many others that have claimed to have unlocked a secret code in the Bible that reveals details about the end. I do not want to discredit this idea, because some of these codes might be real. However, the Lord will never reveal a secret message that contradicts what He has shown us plainly in the Bible. In Mark 13:32, Jesus plainly stated:

. . . no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son Himself. Only the Father knows (NLT).

Again, I do not want to criticize these that claim to have this information, but we need to keep in perspective that this belief is in direct contradiction to the words of Jesus. The Father alone knows the exact time of the end, and that's OK. You and I don't need this information. Rather than knowing exactly when the end will come, it is far more important that we know how to prepare ourselves for when it does happen.

Whether the actual end is next year, fifty years from now or even longer, you and I could leave this earth and meet the Lord at any time. Hebrews 9:27 tells us:

And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement (NKJV).

Whenever our time on this earth ends, we will meet the Lord as individuals. For many that will happen long before this earth's last day. For this reason, we need to keep ourselves constantly ready. How do we do this? What do we need to do now to ensure that we are ready when we reach the end of our time on earth?

The Bible tells us that we were all created by God and placed on this earth to live with Him in a personal relationship. That relationship was damaged when sin entered the world, and now every person is born with a tendency to sin. Because of this, when we are born, our relationship with God is still damaged. Jesus, Who is God's Son, came to earth and lived as a man to make it possible for our relationship with the Lord to be restored. The way we prepare for the end is to be sure that our personal relationship with Him has been restored. If our time on earth ends before our relationship is restored, then we aren't ready.

Since it was sin that damaged our relationship, the sin has to be taken away for our relationship with God to be restored. When I say sin, I mean things that we do that cause division between the Lord and us - things that are not acceptable to Him. Because we are born with a nature that will gravitate toward sin, there is nothing we can do in our own strength to change this. That's why Jesus came. The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23 that the price that we owe for sin is to die, but that salvation is the free gift of God. Jesus died that death in our place and made it possible for us to experience salvation. Probably the most popular scripture in western culture is John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (NKJV).

The Lord loves us so much that He paid the price to make everlasting life available to us. If you want to have your relationship with the Lord restored, you have to acknowledge that apart from Him you are a sinner, that you can't change that by yourself and you need a Saviour. Then ask Jesus to be your Saviour and Lord and restore you to the relationship with the Father that He intended.

If you do this, the Bible says in II Corinthians 5:17 that you become a new creation. You were born a person with a sinful nature, but that nature has been replaced with the divine nature of Jesus. Also, your relationship with God has been restored, and you can spend the rest of your life growing closer to Him. Best of all, this prepares you to spend eternity with the Lord once your life on this earth ends.

Let me say again that this world is not going to end on May 21, 2011. Nobody is ever going to be able to predict the actual day or the time of the end, but we do know from the Bible that the end will come and that day is drawing closer. We do need to be prepared, and there could be nothing worse than getting to the end and then realizing we have waited too long. The Bible tells us that today is the day of salvation (see II Corinthians 6:2) and that no one is promised tomorrow (see 4:14). Jesus said that no one could come to the Jesus unless the Father first draws them (see John 6:44). While reading this today, if you have felt the Father drawing you, then today can be the day that your relationship with God is restored and you become ready for the end. If you have never talked to God, or if you are not sure how to start, let me tell you that talking to Him is as simple as talking to me. In this post, I have shown from the Bible how to receive the Lord's free gift of salvation. If you have felt His drawing today, then today is your day of salvation.