By Dr. Donald Witchard
Psalm 27:1 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 34: 1, 8 – “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him”
John 15:11 – “These things have I spoken to you, that your joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full”
I want to focus my attention on something a bit different in my writings. Those of us who shepherd the flock and pay attention to the prophetic narrative can plainly see that things are not looking good for anybody. There is a lot out there that is frightening and there are events that can get us quite angry and desire to see fire fall from heaven and consume those who are not obedient to the LORD’s directives. A steady diet of despair and futility can dampen the enthusiasm of anyone who loves the LORD and long for His arrival, often carrying a sense of despair that is not a good witness to anybody.
We can groan, gripe, and lament about the dire situation in which we and the world reside. If we consume a steady diet of woe, then we will be down-hearted believers. It’s true that we long for the LORD’s return and we should be watchful, but for heaven’s sake, cheer up! The Scriptures contain numerous verses like the ones I have posted that speak of joy for the believer. Remember, in the end, WE WIN!
What do we do until that day? Brethren, we possess the greatest news than anyone could ever desire to have! We have eternal life in Jesus Christ! At one time, we were the enemies of God (Romans 5:10) destined to die an unredeemed life and head straight to an eternal hell. Yet, the Father sent His only begotten Son (John 3:16) on a rescue mission that had been planned before creation. Someone – a preacher, teacher, parent, friend – told you the Good News, that Jesus Christ was the only way to heaven and peace with God (John 14:6). Remember the joy and comfort you felt when Jesus came into your life? Take a minute to thank Him for salvation.
As a pastor, it is my duty to feed my flock the Scriptures and sound doctrine. My job isn’t to expressly discuss issues that are talked to death by panels of so-called “experts” that we find on TV and on the radio. If I merely wanted to repeat all the bad news we see from behind my pulpit, then I might as well tell my people to go home and watch it for themselves. They don’t need sound exegesis to explain why people were hurt, killed, bullied, or persecuted this day. I’m entrusted by God Himself to present the only solution available for the world’s woes, and that is the living Lord Jesus Christ for whom I gladly bow down before and call Him my Lord.
The Scriptures do indeed have stories of woe, such as the book of Revelation, but even in that, in the end, we see a new world free of sin and destruction, bathed in the glory of Christ. We wait eagerly for that time, and as such, be joyful! Don’t be afraid to tell your story to someone who is looking for meaning and purpose and a chance to escape what is fixing to happen to this world. We are to do the King’s business until He comes. Don’t let anyone bully you into silence! We have a job to do (Mark 16:15). Look up, be watchful, for your redemption is drawing near. Get happy!
E-Mail: drwhitchard@aol.com
Donald was born and reared in southern Louisiana in the heart of what is known as “Cajun country.” He is a graduate of Louisiana College, Pineville, LA (B.A. in History and Biblical Studies, 1984), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. In Christian Education, 1994), and Andersonville Theological Seminary, Camilla, GA (Doctorate in Biblical Exposition, 2000). He has served in the Gospel ministry since 1986 as an evangelist, pastor, teacher, and healthcare chaplain. In 2018, he began devoting his time to Internet and social media evangelism as a writer for online ministries such as Rapture Ready, Sermon Central, Inspirational Christian Blogs, and other venues. He is the author of the book, “The Scope of Biblical Prophecy: A General Introduction,” available at Parsons Porch Publishers (www.parsonsporch.com). He is the host of the YouTube broadcast, The Reality City Review (https://www.youtube.com/@realitycityreview), a program dedicated to teaching books of the Bible, Bible prophecy, and related issues. It can be seen on his website (https://www.realitycityreverend.com/) and on Facebook, GETTR, Truth Social, and Savior Connect. He can be contacted at: donaldwhitchard@outlook.com for speaking/preaching engagements or other inquiries.
Categories: FAITH FOR TODAY, INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLES, OUTREACH, THE WORD OF GOD FOR TODAY, THOUGHT FOR TODAY
Luke 21:36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."