The Coming Storm
Are you prepared?
For the past week meteorologists have been warning about a coming winter storm. It’s freezing rain and snow will cause problems, they say. And folks believe them. They stock up on bread and milk. They buy icy melt. They break out the snow gear and the shovels. They check on family. They stay home to keep roads clear and safe. They close businesses to keep people safe.
Because they believe what they are told.
The Word of God tells us that there will come a time in the future when the world will face great trouble.
The Word tells us that we will face trouble in our own lives.
The Word tells us that we will face death someday.
A storm is coming.
Are we going to believe it? Are you prepared?
When an ice storm is coming, we listen to the experts. We listen to the people who have seen it before, and we rest in the experiences we have had in the past. This helps us to prepare for the coming storm.
Likewise, we can turn to God to save us and see us through the future storms of life and death. He can save us for eternity. We can trust Him. We can trust His Word.
When we believe the warnings of the ice storm we respond.
When we believe the Word of God we can respond also.
Belief leads to response. Faith leads to action.
Jesus told the paraplegic man to take up his bed and walk. (John 5)
But, what if the man had not done it. Would he have been healed?
He was healed because He believed and responded to the Word given him.
We are told “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”— Rom. 10:9-10
When we read this verse do we believe it? Or do we doubt?
Do we say “Yeah but there has to be more to it than that. How can a person just say some magic words and get saved? Don’t they have to love God and obey Gods law?”
We make up all kinds of excuses because we cannot believe the simplicity of salvation and the love of God.
Satan is more than happy to give us excuses to get us to doubt God’s goodness and Word. It’s the same thing He did to Eve in the Garden. (Gen.3)
Our belief leads to a response. The response is to turn to God (repent) and confess Jesus is the Lord and He is our Lord, and believe that He rose from the dead. Which is believing the Word we have been given.
Do you believe it? Do you believe He died for you, and rose from the dead? Do you believe He is God?
Yeah but… “Faith without works is dead.” Some will say. — (James 2)
Belief or faith requires a response, and the response is confessing Jesus as our Lord. Confessing is a work. Baptism is a work. Communion is a work.
What did the thief on the cross do?
He confessed Jesus as Lord, then he told the other thief about Jesus.
That’s it. And Jesus said “Today you will be with me in Paradise”–Luke 23
Likewise, when we confess Jesus as Lord, and tell others about Him, we will be with Him in Paradise, when we die or He returns.
That’s it. Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”—Matt. 10:32
We confess because we believe. Belief leads to a response.
God’s grace and our belief and confession is how we are saved. That salvation leads to a relationship with God as we see Him moving in our life. Our faith and belief grows in Him.
We trust that He forgives us. We trust that He is with us and will never leave us. We trust that He loves and cares for us and will take care of us, and we see Him moving and doing it. This leads to praise and thanksgiving which helps grow the relationship, faith and trust.
That is belief. That is faith. Our response is to confess Him as Lord, love others and build the kingdom. We are saved and healed so we lead others to be saved and healed in Jesus name.
But, there’s a storm coming.
Storms in our lives and in the world.
Trouble comes, and we can turn to Him and He will move. Stand on the promises of God in His Word. Trust Him. And when you see Him move it will build your faith and relationship.
But, the coming storm will be of darkness without hope. Some say believers will escape, but that has not been proven. God will be with us through the storm. Just like He was with the disciples on the boat, and with Israel through the plagues.—(Luke 8, Exodus)
He will be with us as this world gets worse and worse. As terrible things fall upon the Earth preparing for Christ’s return.
Do you believe it? Are you preparing for the times of trouble and His return? Are you getting people saved, and preparing your own self?
The scriptures are clear that when He returns there will be church people who thought they were saved but were not. People who prayed a prayer, or people who sat in church every week. But, never believed. They never really confessed Him as Lord. They never fully trusted Him to save them but instead trusted their own works. They never had a relationship with Him.
The storm is coming.
But, many do not believe.
These false brethren will fall away when the trouble comes. They will say “Where is the promise of His coming.”. They will wonder why He has delayed His return. —(2 Peter 3:4, Luke 12:45-46)
Then, they will form the apostate church and help the Anti-Christ persecute the saints. They will beat the men servants and maid servants. They will go back to living for the world. They will be like Judas the betrayer. —(Luke 12:45-46, Rev. 6, Matt. 24, )
Why? Because they never believed. They never put their faith in Christ. They never had a relationship with Him.
And when He returns they will be foolish virgins without oil. (Matt. 25)
They will have taken the gifts and talents and salvation the Lord gave them, and buried it in the sand instead of responding in belief and serving the Lord. (Matt. 25)
They will stand before Him saying “when did we see you naked?” Because they never believed and turned and let the Holy Spirit lead them to serve others and love people and help them. (Matt. 25)
They will say “Did we not do many works in your name?” Because they trusted in works, not the Blood of Jesus. (Matt 7:21-23)
They will not be clothed in the wedding garment because they never knew the King. (Matt. 22)
They never had a relationship with Him or confessed Him as Lord.
They just went to church every week, judged others, and tried to obey rules.
And He said “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”
The storm is coming. Do you really know Him.
Can you trust Him when they are killing your church? Can you trust Him when they threaten to fire you from your job if you won’t take the Mark of the Beast? Can you trust Him, when people who call themselves Christians lie to you, attack you, betray you and destroy your life, or lead you to death? Can you trust Him when you face homelessness and starvation? or will you turn back like Lot’s wife, desiring the comforts of the world?. (Gen. 19)
The storm is coming, the Word says.
Turn to Him, and ask Him to save you. Confess Jesus as your Lord. Believe He rose from the dead. Believe the Word, given to you. Tell others about Jesus, building the kingdom.
The Holy Spirit will come and teach you and lead you into all truth. (1 John 2:27)
And you will know Him and have a relationship with Him.
And when the storm comes you will be safe in the Ark, that is His salvation and care.
When the waters rise and beat upon you, you will stand firm because you’ve built your house on the Rock of Jesus Christ, who is the living Word. Not on the sand of your own works and power. (Matt.7)
The storm is coming …soon.
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger.
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