Sure Things

Three Sure Things in 2009
We live in a world full of uncertainty. Some are even surprised that we're still here and in one piece. Within our collective lifetime there are a few who've predicted that humanity would have blown itself up by now. Others among the Christian movement were sure we'd be raptured by this time, and either the Tribulation or the Millennial Kingdom of Christ would be in full swing. For the moment, at least, we're still here. Around us there are wars and revolutions, natural and environmental disasters, political and social unrest. We live in a world full of uncertainty.

But at the dawn of this new year there are some things about which we can be confident. We have God's word on them. Absolute and unchangeable promises in God's Word, the Bible. Let's look at some of His promises, promises so sure that we can stake our very existence on them:

Jesus I s Always With Us, No Matter What
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: " The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" - which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23) "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

A Child was born and was given the name "Immanuel," just the way Isaiah the prophet predicted. He was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to this earth as a man. (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus was literally "God with us." Thirty-three years later Jesus completed his earthly task of conquering sin and death on our behalf. Before He returned to His rightful, eternal place in heaven He promised to be with us always. Jesus lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Nothing will change that as long as we are alive. Jesus promises to be with us until we are with Him in heaven.

Jesus Will Always Love Us, No Matter What
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

Heavenly love doesn't depend on us being "loveable." God loves us in spite of ourselves. God's love doesn't stop when we disobey. God's love isn't just flowery words. God demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to take the death penalty for all of our sins. Our circumstances, no matter how important they seem to us, are not the measure of God's love for us. That kind of love never stops!

God Is Right On Schedule
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord's own words, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18)

God has know from before Creation the precise moment that He'll send Jesus back to earth to take us up to our home in heaven. NOthing that can happen on this earth or in the universe can or will change His plans. When everything has happened that God has ordained to happen He'll come; not a second before or a second after. So far all who've made a precise prediction that Christ will return on such-and-so day have made fools of themselves. It's God's job to track the time and our job to be ready. We'll have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but only this brief life to win them. Keep looking up and marching forward until the trumpet sounds.

Best wishes,
Bob Edgar