Trust in The Lord Now and in Days To Come

By Kato Mivule

July 20^th 2008

I remember about four years ago, I wrote an article warning Christians in the West to brace themselves for tough economic times that would come ahead. I also warned my fellow Christians in Africa who feed on The Prosperity Gospel that they had better believe God and buy bicycles rather than SUVs that they see their counterpart Western Pastors drive.

Some people laughed at the article, others mocked, and others thought I was being comical. This was before a barrel of oil was above 30 dollars. It was unbelievable in those days to write about oil going above 100 Dollars a barrel…what a difference time makes.

Major Banks are collapsing, Oil is at almost at 150 dollars a barrel and it is possible by the next writing that it could be at above 160 dollars a barrel and at the end of this year even 200 dollars. There is certainly an economic shake up.

In California, hundreds lined up at a major bank to collect their deposits. Years ago, praying Christians only got premonitions of such in visions and dreams but this is just the beginning…a tip of the iceberg.

When we study our bibles and look at the warnings of Jesus Christ concerning these times, we see that it is going to get from worse to worse.

However, don’t be fooled when this economy turns around and it looks like the turbulences are over…That will be just the calm before the ‘real’ storm…or the ‘big one’ as they say.

Well, the purpose of my article is not to scare you or taunt you but to encourage you in your faith in Christ Jesus. The Church of Christ has so much embroiled itself in the things of the world and love for riches and perishing glories of this earth. The Lord will use adversity to bring back those who are His and to judge those who hate Him.

The prosperous economy has been the ‘golden calf’ being worshiped by Christians in the wilderness. However, that time is come and now The Lord demands full attention.

However, it is time that the just will live by faith and faith in Jesus Christ alone and not man and his methods. These are days that you will have to totally depend on The Lord for your sustenance on this planet earth. You will have to depend on the Lord for your salvation in every aspect of your life.

What we should do…

1 Thessalonians 5:6-11

(6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

(7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

(8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

(9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

(10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

(11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Let us not sleep as other do…

We are not to sleep as other do. We are to watch for all the signs that point to The Second Coming of The Lord and be Sober and not taken by surprise as many judgments and disasters begin to hit this planet earth…

Despite all that is going on around us, with the world moving towards catastrophe and global governance, many Christians still sleep largely due to the fact that many think some day very soon, they will be ‘raptured’ out of here and leave the sinners and unholy saints to suffer catastrophes…

Let us watch…

Jesus Christ commanded us to watch…and watch must we do. We must watch for the signs given to us by Jesus Christ pointing to His Second Coming. We must also watch out for false doctrine which is so rampant today, and also watch out for sin in our lives, that we walk not the way of those who know not The Lord…

Be Sober…

In such times we are to be sober. The Greek Word for Sober is ‘nepho’…

G3525

nēphō

nay'-fo

Of uncertain affinity; to abstain from wine (keep sober), that is, (figuratively) be discreet: - be sober, watch.

Nepho means to be discreet, watchful and sober…prudent, wise, judicious, cautious, and circumspect… The only way for you to become spiritually sober is to feed daily on The Lord’s Word. Simply read and study God’s Word and act on it. Discern all things based on God’s Holy Word and not simply man wisdom…

The days in which we live are evil and we must ask The Lord for wisdom before we act. However, on the other side we are not to love in fear. There is a lot of fear mongering going on all around, especially on the web about what will happen.

Our lives are not to be governed my fear of what is to come… The Lord has already told us what will happen in His Word. We are to live soberly and discreetly, trusting that The Lord will care for us by His Providence until He appears in the Clouds to receive His Saints…

They that sleep, sleep at night…

We are warned not to sleep during this time. The type of sleep that Paul is speaking about is certainly spiritual sleep in which the individual is not at all concerned with the things of The Lord, and if they are, they really care not or procrastinate.

Attaining success, riches, wealth and materialism have put many Christians to sleep that they cannot even watch for the obvious signs that Jesus Christ spoke about, pointing to His Second Coming.

They that are drunk, get drunk in the night…

Paul warns that those who get drunk or intoxicated with the pleasures of this life do so in the night and not during the day. It is to such folks that The Coming of The Lord Jesus Christ will be like a thief in the night… We are children of the Light – the day in Christ Jesus and not of darkness – the night… Sermons preached on most of today’s pulpit simply put many Christians to sleep…spiritual sleep…

Let us who are of the day, be sober….

We are commanded to be sober, discreet, prudent, wise, and circumspect in these last days. We are not to seek, pleasures of this world, pride of life, lust of the eyes, and lust of the flesh… The days in which we live are evil, deceptive, and diabolical…

As a matter of fact, the days ahead will get more and more diabolical and very demonic and the world rallies itself towards an Antichrist Global Government and hate for all who name themselves after The Name of The Lord – Christians.

Putting on the breastplate of Faith…

We are to live by Faith and Faith in Jesus Christ. Many Christians have faith in their own abilities and provisions but very soon, you will have to depend totally on The Lord to provide and make a way for you each day…

These are the days that the Just shall live by faith in Christ Jesus.

Also we are to put on our ‘Faith’ as a breastplate…and that is our belief in Jesus Christ, The Cross for Salvation, and His Sayings – His Word. Today Faith – Belief in Jesus Christ and His sayings has been watered down and trampled over by Man…

Putting on love…

Put on love…and the love of Christ Jesus in you…in these evil days… Imagine Paul speaking to the saints in his day who endured persecution and great suffering, yet they had to keep the love of Christ in them…they had to forgive those who hated them, those who betrayed them and those who murdered their loved ones because they were believers in Jesus Christ. This is the same love – The Love of Christ that will keep our hearts pure in Christ Jesus.

Ask The Lord to fill your heart with the Love of Jesus Christ…that you may love His word, His will, and His way, and love the brethren with The Love of Jesus Christ…not with human love that demands repayment but the free and pure love of Jesus Christ with all knowledge and discernment…

Putting on for a helmet, the hope of salvation…

Put on the helmet of salvation. You are saved and bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. You have a personal relationship with Christ and let that not be when other people see you but stay saved and a Christian regardless of if anyone is watching… Certainly Jesus Christ is watching…

I am not speaking of pride and arrogance of some Christians who have a list of ‘don’t do’ and ‘do things’, who walk like Pharisees and tell everyone they are saved cause they went to Church on Sunday and pay their tithe to the Pastor… If you are saved, then keep the teachings and sayings of Jesus Christ and do them… As they say, sleeping in a car garage does not turn you into a car…

God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ…

We are not appointed for wrath…and Paul is speaking of the judgment coming on all children of perdition who have totally rejected Jesus Christ and are condemned to hell because of their actions and decision…

Many scholars confuse this verse and use it to support a pre tribulation rapture…but this not what Paul is speaking about, otherwise Paul would be self contradicting and also contradicting the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24… Paul is speaking about eternal wrath, which we are not appointed to…and that is why he adds that we are appointed to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ…

Certainly, if you reject the words of Jesus Christ and His salvation, then you place yourself among those who are to be recipients of the wrath of God. Workout your salvation with fear and trembling before The Lord…

Jesus Christ died for us whether we are live or die, we should live together with Him…

We are not to walk in fear…fear of death brought about by those who will persecute and hate all the saints in Christ Jesus… If we live, Christ should live through us and if we die, we go to be with Christ Jesus. The Lord desires so much that we be with Him and so, to live is Christ and to die is gain for us… Our goal is to daily please Him and do His will…

Comfort one another…

Yes, the word comfort will become a very common vocabulary among Christians who love Jesus Christ very soon. However, those who trust the fading glories of this perishing world will have none of it but their hearts will faint because of the fear of those things coming upon this earth…

The Holy Spirit is our comforter and in the days to come, when great persecution arises from the antichrist forces, you will surely need comfort from The Lord and likewise you will need to comfort your fellow brethren…

You don’t have to wait for the tribulation to do that, begin today and minister comfort to the brethren out there who have been abused by wolf pastors in sheep’s clothing…

Edify one another…

We are also called to build up one another, again all in context of the days in which we live. We are to build up one another with The Love of Jesus Christ and the Teachings and Sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ…fixing our eyes and hope on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith…

Be Thankful in all things…

Thankfulness is another term that you will have to keep with you always. The situation is not going to get any better but worse…until Jesus Christ comes back again. However, we are to be thankful rather than grumble simple because the economy is doing bad… Be thankful always!

Trust in the Providence of The Lord…just like He led Joseph, so, The Lord will lead you through this wilderness to everlasting glory…He will not make any mistake… Seek His will and keep His Words…

Set your heart not on the perishing things of this world but set your eyes on Jesus Christ…

This little economic shake up has got some folks very worried in the West, however even worse conditions are coming… Globally your brethren are even facing worse situations…

Many face financial hardships and yet on top of that have to endure persecution and death from those who hate them simply because they love Jesus Christ…

There is a Luganda Proverb which says, “Gakyali Mabaga”…meaning, it is only the beginning…it is only the start of the wedding… Brace yourself for Jesus Christ said…the end is not yet but this is the Beginning of Sorrows…

Only Jesus Christ can save you! Call upon Him and He will answer to save you. For whoever shall call upon the Name of The Lord shall be Saved…

Be thankful and keep Watching!

Kato Mivule

www.yesumulungi.com