Think About the Baby and Not the Birth Pains!

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The LORD is going to twist the earth out of shape and turn it into a desert. Everyone will be scattered, including ordinary people and priests, slaves and slave owners, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, the rich and the poor.  The earth will be stripped bare and left that way. This is what the LORD has promised.  The earth wilts away; its mighty leaders melt to nothing.  The earth is polluted because its people disobeyed the laws of God, breaking their agreement that was to last forever.  The earth is under a curse; its people are dying out because of their sins.  Grapevines have dried up: wine is almost gone-- mournful sounds are heard instead of joyful shouts.  No one plays tambourines or stringed instruments; all noisy celebrating has come to an end.  They no longer sing as they drink their wine, and it tastes sour.  Towns are crushed and in chaos; houses are locked tight.  Happy times have disappeared from the earth, and people shout in the streets, "We're out of wine!"  Cities are destroyed; their gates are torn down.  Nations will be stripped bare, like olive trees or vineyards after the harvest season.  People in the west shout; they joyfully praise the majesty of the LORD.  And so, everyone in the east and those on the islands should praise the LORD, the God of Israel.  From all over the world songs of praise are heard for the God of justice.

Isaiah 24: 1 - 16a

There will be a day when the destruction of the earth will proceed just as it did in the days of Noah.  Only this time it will not be destroyed by flood waters.  God is going to twist the earth out of shape and turn it into a desert!  There will be no joy on planet earth except for one group of people.  Those who know Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him will be heard joyfully praising the majesty of the Lord.  

For those who are disciples of Jesus, the destruction of the earth will signal the soon and glorious return of Jesus!  All over the world the sounds of praise will be heard as Christians know for certain that their future is not tied to this earth!  So for those who are worried about air pollution and climate change, I would say this: This earth is destined to be destroyed and replaced by a new one that will remain forever!  That is what God has said and that is what He will do!  You cannot change what God has predicted, but you can become part of the group that will be joyfully praising God through it all!  

As we approach that time of terrible suffering on earth, think about the Baby, not the birth pains!  Followers of Jesus will experience unspeakable joy when Jesus returns!

"Lord Jesus, help me today to praise Your Holy Name as I hear and see all the tragedy in the world around me.  And help me to encourage everyone I meet today to seek You and Your will for them. May You Lord be praised now and forever.  Amen."