This week we all had something to be thankful for. A seemingly hopeless mining disaster in the State of Pennsylvania turned out really well — first for the nine miners, their families and friends; and then for the rescuers and those of us who watched this heroic rescue.

The nine men trapped in darkness some 240 feet underground prepared themselves to die. Yet, they, too, (as did all of us) hoped for the best — even with the looming reality of the possibility that this could be the end of their lives.

Notable examples in the Bible relate similar stories: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego along with Daniel faced the end of their lives. The reason they did is because they obeyed God. Against all odds and even human ability, they were delivered alive. Important to note in their experiences is the fact that they were reconciled to undergo this fate regardless of whether they were delivered at that time.

Peter, Paul and many of the original Apostles ultimately came to the end of their lives because of their obedience to God — they died at the hands of those who despised and hated the truth they proclaimed. Jesus Christ, Who died for our sins, declares that at the end of this age, Christians will be killed for their belief in and obedience to God.

Undoubtedly, there will be miraculous deliverance for some — just as those remarkable nine miners experienced. Yet, Matthew 24:9 plainly reveals that some will be tortured and killed. As we consider the truth of this warning, let us also remember that our deliverance is also certain.

Matthew 24:13 explains what we must do in order to be saved — whether we live or whether we die! Regardless of what we ultimately face, we are told that we must endure. Exactly how long we endure until our rescue occurs is much like that of the miners. We won’t know exactly, but this we do know — we must be prepared to endure just as Jesus Christ admonished us — to the end!

Do YOU really know the truth?

The Apostle Paul in powerful and ominous warnings spoke of those who would be “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).

In 2 Timothy, chapter 4, Paul charges Timothy to “…Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (verse 2). Why? Paul continues, in verses 3 and 4, with this further warning: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned to fables.”

In these days-which Paul calls the “latter times”-a frightening warning is emblazoned that “…some will depart from the faith” (1 Timothy 4:1). He goes on to differentiate between those who enter into apostasy and “…those who BELIEVE and KNOW the truth” (Verse 3).

Earlier in his ministry, Paul had confronted the philosophers of Athens. Note carefully the underlying issue he faced in presenting the truth of God: “For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” (Acts 17:21).

Yet, in Ephesians 4: 11-16, Paul reveals that the whole purpose for Christ establishing a ministry was to edify the body of Christ, bringing it into unity, such that “…we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine…” (Verse 14)

Have we mistakenly fallen into this mindset-we who have been called to understand and live in the truth of God? Do we read every new slant and accept any opposing argument, or do we really KNOW and BELIEVE the truth? Are we anchored with the sure foundation of truth, and are we unshakable and un- compromising in our adherence to what God has revealed to us?

Jesus Christ succinctly outlines the unyielding definition for those who walk as He walked and call themselves Christians: ” ‘If you ABIDE in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall KNOW THE TRUTH, and the truth shall make you free.’ ” (John 8:31-32).

Do you really KNOW the truth?

Consider the following dictionary definition of the term imprinting: “A learning process occurring early in the life of a social animal in which a specific behavior pattern is established through association with a parent or other role model.”

Research has proven, for instance, that if baby geese hatch and the first role model they have is their surrogate human “parents,” then the geese imprint on them. They follow their human role model even if they are later exposed to adult geese.

We have unfortunately done the same thing in our human existence. We have been born into Satan’s society–the god of this age. Note what Paul stated concerning the people of this society in 2 Corinthians 4:4: “…whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

Again, Paul in addressing Christians of his day, spoke of God’s calling to salvation. In Titus 2:12, he contrasted God’s way: “…teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, and GODLY in the present age.”

We must overcome our imprinting to Satan! Satan’s pattern of living does not call upon one to live “soberly, righteously, and godly.”

God wants us to imprint on Him! (Cp Mat 5:48). To do that, He has given us His very mind and the power to do so through the gift of His Holy Spirit. In addition, He has provided a role model to assure our success in transforming the wrong imprinting human kind has yielded to. Our new pattern is Jesus Christ.

Brethren, let each of us carefully and with all diligence continue to grow in the stature and fullness of our Savior. Let us submit to the imprinting that will lead to eternal life. Finally, Paul sums up our task in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
 

Today’s newspapers, magazines, television, movies–ALL MEDIA–continue to herald the debauchery and madness that has set in as a kind of world disease.

However, the precious few people who both know the true way to live and still hold to those practices that please God must remain alert to the forewarning we all have been given about these last days. As we each “plug in” for the latest world events, let’s also be constantly reminded of the kind of society in which we now live.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 reads, “But KNOW THIS, that in the LAST DAYS perilous times (times of stress) will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving (irreconcilable), slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And FROM SUCH PEOPLE TURN AWAY!”

These words from almost two thousand years ago accurately describe this age and this generation. Christians have long understood that these very troublesome times will come to an end when Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of unending peace and happiness–the Kingdom of God! Then, and ONLY THEN, will these prophesied headlines for today give way to the promised GOOD NEWS of God’s majestic Kingdom.

Let us all continue to watch as we are admonished (Luke 21:36). And let us also do so with great confidence and eagerness, because we know with complete certainty that both we and this world really do have a future and a hope!

If we lost the use of our dominant hand through an accident, we would be forced to change and learn to use the remaining good hand. That wouldn’t be easy, but it would be possible. If we lost our home through some disaster, we would have to build anew.

Again, even though this would be terribly upsetting, this is something we could do. Finally, even if our whole world was turned upside down such as happened to Job, we could still start over and carry on.

In a very true sense, all of the above and more has happened to each one of us who have been called to conversion. Our walk in this world, in this age, has been dramatically altered. We must never allow ourselves to grow dull and lethargic in this new pattern of living and learning.

Each year at Pentecost we are reminded of our calling. As we once again approach that special time for this current year, let’s consider those momentous challenges we accepted at God’s calling. In Acts 3:19 we found our first steps with these words from Peter, ” ‘Repent therefore and be converted…’ ” In our zeal of “first love” we embraced these commands with conviction and commitment.

Now, most of us find ourselves well along the path of our calling with much personal history of our Christianity already written. Another insightful directive in this process of our change was taught by Paul in Acts 26:20, in which he taught that all “…should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” Where do we find ourselves, now? Have we changed? Are we converted to God’s way of life–still growing vibrantly after all these years with “works befitting repentance”?

Brethren, being called now is not easy. The proof of that is measured against how much we have changed. Central to the meaning of conversion is being changed into a different form or state. Christ told those willing to hear that humanity faced an almost impossible challenge when He said, ” ‘Therefore you shall be PERFECT, just as your Father in heaven is PERFECT.’ ” (Matthew 5:48).

For certain, we must remember and always consider the awesome and ongoing challenge we face in the conversion process. However, let us also thankfully rejoice that our Father in Heaven has given us of His Holy Spirit so that we can become what He desires of us–converted, sons and daughters of the Living God!