"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"
Luke 15:4-6
October 1, 2014
This week I am continuing the series, "It Came To Pass".
Last week I wrote about Abraham and the Children of Israel and how God's promises to them were fulfilled. Even though Abraham and Sarah waited approximately twenty-five years between the first time God promised a son to Abraham and the birth of Isaac, it came to pass. Even though a few hundred years passed between the time of Joseph and his family moving from Canaan to Egypt until the time God sent Moses to deliver their descendents out of slavery, God brought them back to Canaan. The Lord had promised Abraham that Canaan would belong to his offspring forever, and the day came when He brought them back to that promised land.
In Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah prophesies about the birth of the Messiah. He writes, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel."
Over seven hundred years passed between Isaiah's prophesy and the birth of Jesus. His words were written down in the scroll and read in the temple. Fathers and mothers from one generation to another told their children about this promise. God was going to send a Deliverer; someone who would come and bring salvation. They didn't know what He was going to look like, when He was going to arrive, who His mother would be, or how it would happen. I'm sure the words, "A virgin will conceive and give birth to a son" was puzzling to many; after all that was humanly impossible.
Year after year passed, generation after generation, and sin and wickedness reigned on the earth. When was God going to send them their deliverer? I'm sure each generation thought perhaps they would be the ones who would witness this promise from God. Then as things worsened on earth, time passed and they saw no fulfillment they began to question and unbelief filled many hearts. Perhaps they questioned if Isaiah had prophesied correctly. Perhaps they thought his words were a simile for something else. And many chose to forget this promise and failed to believe at all.
Yet in Luke 2:1, seven hundred years after Isaiah spoke his prophetic message, we read these words: It came to pass!
And it happened just as Isaiah had said. Mary, a virgin, became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. God placed His Son in her womb as a seed. Nine months later, the Savior of the world was born. There were many who believed that He truly was the promised Messiah, but there were many skeptics who denied that this was the Son of God. During the thirty-three years that Jesus spent on earth, especially during the three years of His earthly ministry, He had many who constantly denied Him and never accepted that He was the Christ.
But regardless of their belief or unbelief, it came to pass and God sent His only Son to earth to live and teach mankind; and to die on the cross for our sins; and to raise from the grave as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is now sitting in Heaven on the right hand of His Father, listening to our every prayer, forgiving our every sin, and awaiting the day when all those who belief will be in Heaven with Him for all eternity.
During His ministry on earth, Jesus spoke this promise: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father's house has many rooms (or has many mansions); if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3)
It doesn't matter that over two thousand years have passed since Jesus made that promise, there will come a day when it too will come to pass. Just as there were many who denied that the birth of Christ would occur, and lived their life however they pleased in the meantime, and refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah when He was born, it didn't stop it from happening. It didn't make it any less real.
The same is true for our world today. Generation after generation have read this promise, have believed, and have waited and watched for it to happen..... and are still waiting today. Skeptics have come throughout history, and even today, who have tried to deny that Jesus will return again and have tried to get others to deny this truth. But regardless of false prophets, unbelief, discouragement in the hearts of Christians, or people failing to give heed to this promise, it will one day come to pass. God's word will be fulfilled.
Just as Mary had no idea that she would be the one who would be the earthly mother to Jesus, the twelve disciples had no idea that they would one day be called to minister alongside the promised Messiah, and all those who lived on earth during that time had no idea that that would be the generation that God would choose to witness the birth and life of His Son, Jesus, it came to pass. I have no idea, and I'm sure no one on earth during that generation, knew why God chose that particular time to fulfill His promise. But God had a plan, and that plan was fulfilled when God said the time was right.
No one knows the day nor hour when Jesus will return back to earth again (Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32). Will it be during our generation? Possibly! If not, if could happen during the next generation.... or the generation after that. No one knows when God will declare that it is time for His Son to once again return to earth; not as a baby who will grow up and die on a cross because that's already been done, but as the One who will deliver all believers from the sin and wickedness of this world. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, those who are waiting and watching for His appearing will be taken to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:52). Gravitation will leave those whose hearts are ready, and in the blink of an eye, they will suddenly leave this earth and find themselves in Heaven. Eternity will begin at that moment for all believers.
Those who refuse or hesitate to repent will find themselves left behind on this earth. If you think the world is in bad shape now, you have no inkling of how bad things will get for the next few years as there are no believers left on earth. Can people repent of their sins during that time? I believe it's possible, but if they have problems living for Jesus now, it's going to be 100-times harder then when they are no longer surrounded by Christians who are praying, churches where people can openly worship, and the sin and wickedness and depravity of mankind is worse than anything this world has ever seen.
This isn't just another fairy tale or a scare tactic of Christians, but it's the Word of God. One day the headlines can read, "It Came To Pass"! Whether or not a person believes or chooses to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior won't prevent this occurrence from taking place. It is promised in God's Word and ready or not, it will come to pass!!
It's difficult waiting for God's promise. Abram waited around 30 years. The Israelites waited a few generations to get out of Egypt. And they had to wait around 700 years for Jesus to be born. And we've been waiting for 2000 years so far for Jesus to return.
Sometimes we have to wait for personal promises He makes to us. But be careful praying for God to give you the patience you need. He just might teach it to you. Just keep praying and reminding Him (mainly yourself) of the promises He has made, and trust that He will live up to them somehow.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
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1 lb. chicken breast (about 3 large boneless), diced |
3 cups water |
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1/2 onion, diced |
1 can red enchilada sauce |
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1 garlic clove, minced |
1 lb. Velveeta |
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4 cups chicken broth |
1 tsp. Salt |
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1 cup Masa Harina (Mexican flour) |
1 tsp. Chili Powder |
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1/2 tsp. Cumin |
Saute chicken, onion and and garlic until chicken is cooked. Add chicken broth. Mix masa flour with 2 cups of water with a whisk; then add to broth. Add 1 cup water, enchilada sauce, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil and simmer 30-40 minutes or until thick. Add Velveeta and stir until it is melted. Top with tortilla chips when serving.
Many times adults will ask kids what they want to be when they grow up. When Jon was a little boy he said that he wanted to be an "off-it-er" - meaning he wanted to take things apart (or off) and see how they work -- then someone else could be the "on-it-er" and put them back together (or on).
When I was a little girl, all I remember wanting to be was a singing. We had the Rambo's and Ledbetter Family who came to the Blue Eye gym and sing once a year or so, and afterwards I would play and pretend to be various singers in those groups and sing songs that they were popular for. I could just picture myself traveling on a big bus from place to place to stand on a stage, microphone in hand, and sing.
My obligation is to do the right thing. The rest is in God's hands. - Martin Luther King
We love you!
Loretta & Jon