News Flash – We are living in troubled times! Therefore be afraid, be very afraid!
No – I haven’t heard that statement on tv or the radio. Though my viewing of the news on tv is probably way less than most I assume, mainly because I don’t watch it much. You might ask me “Why?” or you might say that you don’t either, or perhaps you are one who doesn’t watch tv news at all. Regardless of our preferences, I think we could all agree on this statement: Our world is in trouble!
It’s NOT a news flash at all ! Our world has been in trouble – for how long?!?!?!
THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN GENESIS
In brief, here is what you can find:
[The Truth] Genesis 2:17 “…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
[The Lie] Gen. 3:4
“Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.’”
[The Results of disobeying God]
Gen. 5:5 “So all the days that Adam lived were 930 years; and he died.”
Gen. 5:6 “So all the days of Seth were 912 years; and he died.”
Gen. 5:11 “So all the days of Enosh were 905 years; and he died.”
Gen. 5:14 “So all the days of Cainan were 910 years; and he died.”
Not found in Scripture:
So all the days of my mother, Mildred Eileen Robertson Evans, were 44 years; and she died.
So all the days of my father, Luther Eugene Evans, were 85 years; and he died.
So you see, we were told in the beginning of man’s existence, sin (disobedience of God’s guidelines for life), brought death, thus our world is in trouble, it always has been in trouble since the very first act of disobedience to God’s command. In other words, what a mess!!! In case you were wondering, Webster’s Dictionary gave many definitions to the word, “mess.” Here is one of the many:
mess: one that is disordered, untidy, offensive, or unpleasant usually because of blundering, laxity, or misconduct
I found it very interesting that Webster’s Dictionary had listed many synonyms for the word, “mess”. What I didn’t find as a synonym was the word, “sin”. I will give the dictionary credit for using the word “misconduct.” That’s close to what I was taught as a child, “sin” means “missing the mark.” You see, its conduct that missed. Missed what? God’s design for how to live the best life possible. It is the only right way to live! Yes, as Jesus told us, “…it’s a narrow road and there are few who find it.”
All this to say, this Sunday, December 13, 2020, Choice Baptist Church will celebrate one of the gifts that come by following Jesus The Christ, The Son Of The Living God – Peace. It is one of the many gifts He gives to those who trust and follow Him. As He told those who followed Him when He walked upon the earth, He still tells us who follow Him today:
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 NKJV
The Hebrew word for peace, which in the Jewish culture is used as a greeting as well as a word of blessing in departure: “Shalom!“
May it be so! Go in peace. Amen!
Pastor Steve Evans
