The Wilderness Journals

Talking With God

2010-09-22T20:08:00.001-07:00

So often we say that we sometimes pray and feel as though the words are just going into the air—we feel as though no one hears. That may be true with people, but not so with God. He hears our hearts even before we utter a sound. The problem lies within us. Though the problem may vary to some degree from person to person, perhaps there is a similar root. Perhaps why we feel that God does not hear is because we are just talking into the air. Imagine having a face to face conversation with someone wherein the whole time you never look them in the face. Simply stated, perhaps we spend more time talking at God than talking to Him. Perhaps we should try looking Him in the face when we talk to Him. So, how do we do that? John 4:24 tells us that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” It is not with our physical eyes that we will look Him in the face, but with our spiritual eyes.

“Revelation Now” – Introduction

2010-04-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Why Study the End Times?

What do we know about the rapture? What do we think about the antichrist? What do we believe about the tribulation; and what might we have learned regarding the second coming? What should we know? How much time should be devoted to searching the Bible for God’s revelations to us that concern the end times? How much do we already know? How much is there still yet to learn? And, perhaps more importantly, as God opens His Word to us, what do we do with what He shows us? How do we apply His revelation now?

I would like to invite you to embark with me on a quest. It is a quest that begins with a question; takes us through God’s Word; and, as God so allows, will ultimately place us at His feet to hear from Him what it is He has to teach us concerning the last days. In Jeremiah 33:3, God declares, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come” (NLT). Perhaps God is ready to reveal to us remarkable secrets. Perhaps all we need do is ask.

It seems to me that a lot of end times study (or eschatology, for those who prefer theological terms) is driven by curiosity; such curiosity is not something I, myself, have shared. Until somewhere around 2006, my study of biblical apocalyptic literature was much the same as my approach to most other Scripture. I have a heart for Christian discipleship, and as such, I generally approach Scripture looking for the insights and practical applications for daily Christian living. Simply stated, I look for what the Bible says about how to be followers of Christ each day. It seems reasonable to conclude that if we live our lives for Christ today, that we will be prepared for whatever may come tomorrow. Reasonable as that may be, it did not permit me to let that be all that I looked for within God’s end times revelations. So, although I was not compelled by curiosity with regard to end times Scriptures, I was compelled by the Spirit to dig more deeply.

When approaching end times Scriptures, as with any Scripture, it is important to first ask that God make His truth known. We carry a lot of excess baggage into our Bible study that can easily cloud His message to us. It would be best if we could leave some of our understanding at the door as we realize that much of our own understanding is often sketchy at best. Our biases, preconceived ideas, and traditional viewpoints may bring a certain amount of aid to us as we seek God’s truth; but, rest assured, such things more often bring a certain amount of confusion.

Within this series, which I am calling, “Revelation Now,” I would like to share some of my thoughts about the end times, the rapture, the antichrist, and more. As I have opened the Scriptures, I have done so with two questions on my mind: 1) what does the Bible itself say about such things? And 2) how did people derive particular doctrines from these Scriptures? The fact that the word “antichrist” is found nowhere in the book of Revelation filled my mind with questions. The fact that the word rapture is found nowhere in the Bible, fueled my curiosity to determine how, and from where, such theologies were derived.

Now, I don’t want to give away the ending; but, I will tell you that as I further studied, one question always seemed to enter my mind—how does what God teach us about the end times translate into a message for His people today? After all, there is a reason He draws us to study such things; and, it is not simply to satisfy our curiosity.

As I conclude this introduction, I would like to make sure you understand my objective. I am not trying to unwrap the mysteries of what will be. I am trying to approach this topic asking God to lead, and asking God to show us the relevance of His revelation for us today. What is it in the apocalyptic Scriptures that show us something of tomorrow, that will change the way we live for Christ today? I hope you will join with me in this quest for greater understanding of His revelation now.

The Voice of One

2007-11-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

It is often a desert, and most certainly desolate. It is the place wherein we stand as one--alone. We dare not rely on the support of others and we are careful not to place false expectations in others. For it is a place where we must go alone, be strong and follow through with what we must accomplish.
The voice of one is often one that is not readily accepted. As you become determined to stand up and be counted, to speak boldly when your words will not be accepted, you will be despised. God's Word in you will cut to the heart--it will move the hearts of some toward repentance; while others will be moved to silence you and everything you stand for--and some of those will be people you would never suspect. Some would be close, maybe within your own church.
Nevertheless, you stand. You receive looks that could kill, looks of bewilderment and looks as though you have simply lost your mind. You are talked to politely, and politely dismissed--and talked about when you are no where around. You are the voice of one crying in a wilderness.
The question has been asked, "If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?" John the Baptist made a sound that many heard. He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He was proof that the strongest sounds are those that come out from the wilderness.
Many of God's leaders came out from the desert. And while many would see the desert as a solitary, empty and lifeless place, it is a place wherein God brings unity from aloneness, fulfillment from emptiness, and life from lifelessness. For as we empty ourselves of ourselves and make ourselves desolate before the Lord, it is then that He can move in such a way that though it would seem there is none around to hear the sound of what He does, it reaches into the farthest corners of the world.
God still needs the voice of one. One who is willing to forsake the pleasures of this life, to become empty of self and self-gain, to become desolate so that in so doing they can be filled with the might and power of God.
A long time ago, a tree stood silently on a hill. There was nothing that would make it stand out among the other trees. In fact, if it fell it might not have ever been heard. Yet it was taken and fashioned to form a cross, and though it is no longer anywhere to be found, its sound still carries in the air and throughout the world today.
Shall we be the voice of one?
Shall we be willing to cry in the wilderness?
Shall we do our part to prepare others for the coming of our Lord?
There is a world of people who are waiting to hear the voice of one echoed in our lives today--the voice of one, crying in the wilderness.