From the pulpit
Ancient Words — Revelation: Totality — A Sign of God
This word “totality” was a new word heard by millions and millions if not billions of people on
Aug. 21. “Totality” refers to the complete 100 percent blocking of the sun’s light by the moon. Totality occurred for the
U.S within a 70 mile band of darkness this past Monday afternoon on a line extending from Oregon to South Carolina.
Freeways were jammed, traffic was stalled, parking lots crammed, hotels filled and airports flooded with eclipse watchers from all over the U.S. and the world ready to lift their heads and view totality for about 120 seconds. Sounds of oohs and awes and screams of joy were heard, yet amazingly not a single word of credit was given to the Creator who set the stars and planets in the sky with complete precision, and designed the motion of the universe with precise order and calculation. The sun is set at roughly 93 million miles from the earth and the moon is about 239,000 miles from earth. With the sun any closer or any farther, life on earth could not exist. With the moon any closer or farther - gravity, ocean tides, water levels and inertia on the earth would all be changed.
The sun is 400 times larger than the moon. The sun is 400 times in distance from the earth than the moon. The complete solar eclipse yielding “totality” can only happen because of the exact position of the sun and moon. They appear the same size in the sky so that as the moon passes exactly in front of the sun, all of the effects of a solar eclipse are generated — the darkness, the diamond, the diadem. Conjunction and alignment merge in an orbital plane by God’s hand to give the human being on earth a two-minute spectacular event.
Deuteronomy 4:19 reads, “And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and stars — and all the heavenly array — do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.”
Isaiah 13:10 reads, “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.”
Joel 2:10-11 reads, “Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?”
Matt. 24:29-30 reads, “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
Rev. 8:12 reads, “The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.”
The world has just witnessed a sign from God this past Monday as a reminder that His Son is coming again. This is the real “totality” of the solar eclipse. Jesus is coming soon and every person on earth will see Him. Rev. 1:7 reads, “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.”
God is in total control of the universe and our world. He has written on the scroll his pre-ordained order of the beginning all the way to the end. He is truly the Alpha and the Omega – the “totality” of all that is and all that has been and all that ever will be!
Psalm 8:3 reads, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.”
(Scott Johnson is pastor at East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible).
Sparks From The Gospel Anvil Titus 2:11
For the sake of the young people and for the sake of the old people who have lost the faith and are wondering if the old gospel message has still its charm and power to attract, to convict, to hold and to work its mighty miracles, take note of this scripture.
You who have gotten into the place where you wonder if the old story, and the only story, has lost its power, and if we don’t want a new gospel, I want to let you know, the old gospel, it works, the Christian gospel of salvation works. The message is that the Lord Jesus Christ died to save all of humanity. Not one race, or creed, or tongue or tribe, but Jesus came to save all of humanity.
Yet, here we are today, arguing and fighting, discussing and cussing, declaring who is right and wrong. All people may be saved, because Christ died for all and I don’t believe in the type of faith that says a person can be saved without knowing it. If they can be saved without knowing it, why they can lose it without knowing it. When people are saved they become witnesses of the grace that was given to them. You can’t keep quiet when Christ has come into your heart, you will most certainly tell someone else about that experience.
When Jesus came into my heart, I was in the United States Army, that was the 8th of July 1992, and I was in the living room of another soldier by the name of Sergeant Tony Ruemler. He simply said to me, “Charles, do you know that Jesus loves you?” What a shocking statement don’t you agree?
I grew up in church, (my dad being an ordained minister in the Southern Baptist Church) I was baptized at the age of 7, but there was something missing. I did not repent of my sin and trusted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. I got it in my heart that night 25 years ago. I can’t explain it, but it happened!
I simply stated, “I love Jesus. I have given Him my heart, and I am going to follow Him wherever He leads me!” If you get Jesus in your heart, you can’t keep quiet about it. Your life will show it without you talking about it – the grace of God, the cross of Calvary, the program of redemption takes in everybody from top to bottom.
Jesus doesn’t change, His message remains the same. He still comes to seek and save the lost; the least and the last. But Christ needs you today that are reading this article. Imagine that, Christ needs you, not just you, but your family, your friends, and even your enemies.
Let Christ have His way with you. If God can kiss the earth and the daisy and the rose can bloom; if God can robe the song of the angels in feathers and give us the robin and the sparrow; if God can save me, He can most certainly save the worst sinner in Union County.
Did you know that all Christians have been called to share their testimony of how God’s grace has saved them? Yet, we still try to hinder that hope from those that hunger for help. Try holding in the fragrance in the rose, try holding back the rays of the sun, try holding up the weeping willow – it can’t be done! Let God have His way with you to make you what you ought to be, a triumph of His grace in the life of others. This is what He desires in our lives today. Are you willing to let Him have full control of your will? Only through Christ can you find satisfaction, peace, love, joy and fulfillment. It is not found in anything that this world can offer, because this world will pass away. May we be ready to meet Him face to face and tell the story saved by grace.
(Lieutenant Charles Smith is commanding officer of the Salvation Army of El Dorado).