Devotions

Jesus gives us a picture of what the last days will look like. This last-days picture began at His ascension and it will end only when He comes again—and we are getting very close to that point now!

Jesus’ disciples wanted to know the condition of things as the last days approach and He answered by speaking of famines, earthquakes, tribulations, nations divided. False prophets and false Christs will deceive many and lead multitudes astray. Believers will be hated for even mentioning Christ’s name. And the love of many will grow cold, with some falling away because of the bold increase of sin and lawlessness.

“Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25–26). In short, Jesus is describing the most anxious, depressed, stressed-out generation of all time.

So, are His prophecies happening now, right before our eyes? Think about it. This generation definitely is full of anxiety and worry. Multitudes are fearful as they watch incredible disasters unfold: hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, mudslides, tornados. Entire nations tremble with fear over the threat of terrorism. And heart failure is the number-one killer in the world today.

False religions, false prophets, false Christs are leading many astray. Millions are turning to Islam, with nation after nation infiltrated by Islamics. You would have to be in total denial if you didn’t see that everything that can be shaken right now is being shaken.

In the midst of all this upheaval and turmoil, I hear Jesus’ words: “The fields are white. The harvest is plentiful” (see John 4:35). I’m convinced that He is telling His Church, “People are ready to hear. This is the time to believe for a harvest. Now is the time for you to start reaping.”

Christ is the Lord of the harvest and if He declares that the harvest is ready, we must believe it. It doesn’t matter how wicked this generation becomes. It doesn’t matter how powerful Satan seems to have grown. Our Lord is saying to us, “Stop focusing on the difficulties around you. Instead, raise up your eyes. It’s time for you to see that the harvest is ready.”

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4, ESV).

Some things in your life need to be brought to an end. There is that sin, those patterns and habits, the struggles and problematic situations. All these cause us to be weary and worn out and they need to be finished.

The Holy Spirit has planted a hunger in the heart of every man, woman, boy and girl in the world today – a desire to live righteously and to do things right. Even those who don't know Jesus, people of other religions, all innately have within them a desire to live life well, to love others well, to try their best.

Because of the pitfalls of sin and Satan, many fall far short and become corrupt in their thinking. But deep within us, we all want victory over sin. We want to be cleansed. When we have invited Christ to be Lord and Savior of all that we are and all that we think and all that we desire, then the Holy Spirit puts in each of us a greater desire, a passion, to be holy and pure and righteous before God.

This word righteousness in Romans 10:4 means: to be in right standing with God; functioning in right behavior, right motives, right mind, right emotions. It means taking things that are wrong and out of sync with God and establishing a right alignment to the plans, purposes, will and heart of the Father. The Bible calls this the pursuit of righteousness.

Now, what is this righteousness? Is it just simply doing the right things? I would suggest not, because many people can do the right things with wrong motives. That is called a religious spirit and today many people are indwelt with that spirit. Outwardly they function and do all the right things, but inwardly they are dead men's bones.

The essence of what Paul said in Romans 10:4 is that Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given and as a result, all who believe in Him are made right (righteous) with God.

Unfortunately, seeking the Lord wholeheartedly does not exempt us from outside attack. After ten years of peace, Asa’s corner of the world was suddenly invaded by a huge Cushite army for no apparent reason. Asa was Solomon’s great-grandson but his godliness did not guarantee a smooth road for the rest of his life.

In such a moment, seekers after God have built up a reservoir of ready faith to meet new problems. They know exactly what to do:

“Asa called to the Lord his God and said, ‘Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you’” (2 Chronicles 14:11).

Asa’s faith was not some kind of instant cake mix stirred from a box. He and the people had already been calling out to God for a decade. Hence, there was no panic. They cried for the Lord to arise—and He did. The Cushites (Ethiopians) were decisively wiped out, despite their overwhelming numbers, “for the terror of the Lord had fallen upon them” (verse 14).

This is a classic example of a principle of God’s dealing with humanity. Hebrews 11:6 expresses it best: “Anyone who comes to [God] must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” I cannot say it strongly enough: When we seek God, He will bless us. But when we stop seeking Him . . . all bets are off, no matter who we are. It doesn’t matter how much talent we have, how many diplomas hang on our walls, what word of prophecy was proclaimed over us, or anything else.

On Asa’s way home from the battle, a prophet stopped him and his army along the road to reinforce what had just happened: “Listen to me. . . . The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2).

Jim Cymbala began Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn and longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson, Cymbala is a frequent speaker at the Expect Church Leadership Conferences sponsored by World Challenge throughout the world.

Scripture shows us that David, Job and other Old Testament saints came out of their dark times by remembering God’s faithfulness to past generations. David wrote that whenever his heart was desolate, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands” (Psalm 143:5). Indeed, multitudes of godly saints throughout history have emerged from their depression and discouragement in just this way.

It’s a wonderful blessing to remember all our past deliverances. Deuteronomy tells us, “Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee. . . . Beware that thou forget not” (Deuteronomy 8:2, 11).

Yet, remembering God’s deliverances was more than just a blessing to the Old Testament saints. It was a necessary discipline. The Israelites devised all sorts of rituals and observances to recall the Lord’s deliverances in their lives.

Likewise today, the Church is called to remember God’s past deliverances. Yet, we’ve been given a way to remember that’s much better than in Old Testament times. You see, since the days of David, God has poured out His Holy Spirit. And the Spirit now abides in our human bodies.

The Holy Spirit not only comforts us in our dark times. He doesn’t just bring to our remembrance God’s past faithfulness. The Spirit also gives us an understanding of the purpose behind our fiery trials. And He does this so our faith won’t fail.

Dear saint, God has not forgotten you in your deep, dark trial. I leave you with this encouragement from the Psalmist: “Thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place…. Verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me” (Psalm 66:10–12, 19–20).

Paul shows us God’s specific purpose in our deeply trying, dark times: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

“For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation” (2 Corinthians 1:3–7).

Do you see God’s purpose here? In the midst of our afflictions, the Spirit comforts us. And in turn, we’re able to bring comfort to others who suffer deep afflictions. This is the Spirit’s work: to bring comfort to His people through voices that have been tested. Therefore, we can know that as our own suffering grows worse, the comfort of the Lord becomes even mightier within us.

There are two dear brothers on our ministry’s mailing list named Israel and Jesse. Israel is 100 years old and Jesse is 102. One quit working at 92, the other at 97. They each love the Lord and have been receiving my messages for years.

These men are not only natural brothers but truly are “brothers in the Lord.” Both testify that out of a lifetime of great trials, the joy of the Spirit has deepened in them. They’ve witnessed terrible disasters for an entire century—the Great Depression, two World Wars, terrible droughts—and they’ve suffered personally throughout their long lives. Yet, at their advanced years, these men are able to smile and proclaim more confidently than ever, “Through it all, God has not once failed.” Their testimony after having “seen it all” is a Holy Ghost comfort to the rest of us.