I often tease my husband by calling him, “Farmer Tony.” He grew up farming with his dad, and loved it. He no longer farms, but let’s just say he takes gardening to a new level. His soil preparation is intense and when he is finally ready, he plants the seed. Almost always, the seed comes up and brings forth a produce that our family can enjoy. Other times, a certain seed will be old or conditions will be too wet and rainy, so that the seed fails to even break forth from the soil.
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Growing up, my daddy liked to crank the stereo up in our house on Sunday mornings, and usually blaring from the two speakers in our living room, was country music. Not the country music of today, but the ‘real country’ when country wasn’t cool. This song, “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” was one I remember hearing as a child, and I thought of it recently, when I was thinking of what God promises us as Christians. Does God promise us a rose garden, where everything in life will be perfect, and go smoothly at all times? Yes and no. Yes, God promises us this perfect life, actually a life without end, in the ‘age to come’ when Jesus puts all his enemies under his feet, the earth is restored and sin and death are no more. Then, God will come down to the earth to dwell with mankind, and it will be very similar to the Garden of Eden, a rose garden, if you will, of when life will be perfect and holy and good. But, not until then.
Jerusalem has been under the control of the Gentiles since the time of Daniel, as illustrated by his visions of the successive Gentile empires. But a time will come when it will be trodden underfoot, and Israel will turn back to God, at which time the Gentile kingdoms will be subdued by God’s Kingdom.
Matthew 23:
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The promise of land and blessings to Abraham and his descendants was only temporarily fulfilled by the kingdom of Israel. But they did not keep God’s covenant, and so they were divided, the northern kingdom (Israel) being defeated by Assyria and scattered, and the southern kingdom (Judah) being taken captive to Babylon. Yet God had promised to establish David’s throne forever.
It is amazing that most people who call themselves “Christian” don’t actually know what the word means. A “Christian” is a follower of Christ, but like most people, I did not know what the word “Christ” meant for many years. Like some, I assumed that it was part of his name. Others know that it is a title, but don’t know exactly what it means. The fact is, however, that the word Christ comes from the Greek word christos, which means “anointed one.” It is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word, mashiyach from which we get our English word, Messiah. The titles Messiah and Christ mean exactly the same thing: an anointed one.
I was recently in a store, conversing with a sales manager, when the topic turned to our church that my husband and I are planting in our area. I had mentioned that we rent a school for our location, and he asked me, “Is it non-denominational?” He asked that, because that is what most new church plants are, that arise out of theatres and schools. It’s the current national trend that follows a basic formula: have a core group of people, who are being sponsored and financed by a much larger, mega church, and plant the people within a new community, to offer rocking worship bands and great seeker messages, that will attract large crowds. People filter in, almost like attending a concert. My husband and I have attended these before, saying it makes a great date, because you get free childcare, a concert and a speaker!
The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years because the older generation did not believe God nor trust Him to enable them to overcome the inhabitants and enter the Promised Land. When Moses told the new generation about God’s promises, he referred back to the land promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Numbers 32:8-13). He warned them against forgetting about God after He would bring them into this wonderful promised land (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).
Abraham is called the “Father of them that believe” in Paul’s writing about him in Romans and Galatians. His life was a pivotal point in the unfolding of God’s plan of salvation. The first eleven chapters of Genesis span a period of roughly 2,000 years, from creation through Noah and his descendants. Then the next fourteen chapters focus on the life of this one remarkable man. Of all the people in the Bible, Abraham is the only one who is called the friend of God (James 2:23).
I would like to encourage anyone interested in enjoying some fellowship with other believers of the faith, to join us in Indiana this summer, June 20th – 25th for “Midwest Family Camp.” It will encourage you and deepen your faith in the one true God, His only begotten Son Jesus, (our Lord Messiah and soon coming King!); and make you look forward with great hope and anticipation to the day of Christ’s return and His coming Kingdom!
This week I’m beginning another series from my website. The foundation for our understanding of the Kingdom of God is found in the Old Testament. Throughout its pages we see the purpose of God unfolded from creation, through Abraham, Moses, David, and the Prophets. In part 1 we will see that from the beginning God has always wanted man to dwell on the earth that He created.
