Failure to Launch: Dealing with the Mockers

The pictures are easy to find. I've seen them. And I did laugh. Maybe it was wrong to laugh, but I did. As May 21, 2011 approached, more and more people became amused with the activity of placing clothing and household objects into various poses and snapping a few pictures to make it look like the person who had just been watching tv with a bag of Doritos chips, or brushing his/her teeth, had been suddenly wisked away to heaven in the rapture.

The thought that has occured to me...are we going to heaven NAKED? I kind of doubt it. Really, a clever concept, these pictures, now named "Rapture Bomb" pics, but very, very far from the reality of the real deal. Yes, I really, truly do believe that someday there will be a literal "catching away" of the saints. And although the bible never uses the word "rapture" we do get the clear picture that someday, those that are found in Christ, will be forever changed from this earthly world that carries with it certain death, into a demention beyond our mortal understanding.

~ 1 Corinthians 15:51&52: "But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I'll probably never fully understand. We're not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it's over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we'll all be changed." (The Message)~

The unfortunate thing that we must face head on now as believers is the mocking spirit that has taken hold of all of the people who heard the "prophecies" of a very unbiblical, false teacher. Read 2 Peter 3:3. The bible is very clear that "in the last days mockers will have a hayday, reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings." (Really, read all of 2 Peter, Chapter 3!)

How do we deal with the negativity and unbelief of the nay-sayers? I actually am a bit excited to a point that the "Rapture" gained world wide media coverage. Think about it. I do not really ever remember a time that so many in the general population actually knew that term. Many young adults in our current society have never set foot inside a church. The idea that such a possibly even exists may be a completely new concept to hundreds of thousands in this young generation. Which leads me to consider, that for all of the misleadings of a messed-up theology, maybe God can use this moment in our world to stir up the hunger of the now generation??? Maybe, just maybe, the mockers are the ones with hearts that are the most primed to hear the truth! For what satan has attempted to use as a distraction from reality, God can use as a sounding board to resonate His truth.

We, as believers, in essence, have been given a "dress rehearsal" in preparation for the real deal. True, most Christians did not buy the fallacy that Harold Camping proclaimed. Those that were knowledgeable with scripture went straight to verses stating that "only the Father knows the day and hour of Christ's return." And the mockers saw that many Christians didn't buy into the lie. But what do we do now? How do we speak the truth, in love, to those who need to hear?

I am in love with what the Lord speaks to us as believers in the book of Jude vs.17-25. It is 'A Call to Persevere': 17 "But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Go with God today.

The Fire Within

I just unwrapped and bit down on a Dove dark chocolate. It was good. But the sweetest part about those candies is the packaging. Doves' got a good thing going with the little messages inside the foil wrappers. Mine said, "Don't settle for a spark...light a fire instead."

For the past couple of months, I've been pretty lazy. I have had motivation at times and fantastic ideas multiplied 10 times over that I know God would like me to write about. I have meditated, pondered, and considered lots of concepts for blog posts. Yet, when it came down to sitting with my fingers poised at the keyboard, blog page up, I chickened out. Somedays, naps just seemed more satisfying. Sometimes I really did get busy with life. The kids left little time to hash out the mental compilations of thoughts, images, scriptures, songs, and revelations. I just haven't taken the moments I needed to process and write. I had a spark, but didn't light the fire.

There is so much that has happened in our world in the past couple of months that is spurring me on to a sense of urgency to write, to speak, to declare the importance of drawing close to God once again. There is a feeling of great turbulence in the atmosphere. False prophets deceive, wars rage, natural disasters tear apart the physical security of all around the world, and the economy seems hopeless. Now is the time to step up to the plate, pick up the bat, and hit the ball. Somedays I might not hit it out of the park, but I'd rather get a bunt than do nothing at all.

My greatest hope in putting my thoughts out there is that it will mean something to someone who needed to hear it right then. I spend most of my days at home with my kids, and although I believe without a doubt that my primary "mission field" is right here with my children, I am also not going to be negligent of the fact that God has placed me in a day and age in history that I have the means to speak to many people through this blog. I will not sit idle and do nothing. (Matthew 24:14-"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.")

Jesus is calling us as followers to take the spark of His salvation and spread it as wild fire. We are never to be satisfied with complacency and the life of ease. A life on fire will never be comfortable, but it will be exciting! Oh, Lord, help us not to live content with a spark. Let us hunger for the fire! Because it matters. Now, more than ever, it matters.

What can you do to stop settling for the spark? How will you light the fire again?