Tuesday, 11/5/19 – Pressing on…

Every Ladder’s Presumption

Yesterday I shared with you a parable about a man who lived on a melting ice flow. I’m hoping you see from this that we are all that man. This world and our individual lives are swiftly passing away. James pictures this well when he asks, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (Jas. 4:14). Long ago Isaiah announced,

All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. (Isa. 40:6-8)

Looking again at 2 Peter 3 we see that rather than melting it will be fire that does away this world: “the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire” (v.7)… It’s destruction will not be gradual, but swift: “…the day… will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare… That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. (v. 10, 12).

These are two sobering, and inescapable realities. We are mortal, and this world is perishing.

So, seeing this is our situation, what are we to do?

Can we escape? Can we like the man on the diminishing ice flow perhaps build a ladder to get away from the icy sea? Perhaps a very strong ladder… a ladder of girders?

Of course not, for the folly of every ladder is its presumption that the land will remain secure. It will not. All earthly foundations will be destroyed. We need a ladder from above.

We must seek the Face of our Creator. Surrender to Him. Grab hold of the ladder He yet holds out to us. Only then can we go on to do what Peter next admonishes,

“…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. …you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Pet. 3:14, 17, 18)

More tomorrow…

To hear Elder Jim Longworth’s message this past Sunday, go to the Lincoln Baptist Church website and look under ‘Sermons Online’ for the Nov. 3 message.

This week at Lincoln Baptist Church you have a wonderful opportunity to seek the Lord. Join us for the Sermonindex Revival Conference — in person, or online. Go to the Lincoln Baptist Church website for details.