Things Are Falling Apart

There are times I feel like things are falling apart, from my personal life to conditions in the world. Yesterday was one of "those" days. Anything that could have gone wrong did! I'm sure you have experienced days like that as well. Even though I wanted to scratch yesterday from history, nothing that happened yesterday compares to things that are falling apart in the world. Or are they? Unless you know Jesus you might perceive things are out of hand to such a point it's pushing humanity to the brink of hopelessness with wars, civil unrest, political bias, pedophilia on the rise, moral decline, drugs, human trafficking, Judeo-Christian values mocked and reviled, a decline in civility, corrupt media outlets, abortion rights to kill a viable baby born alive, violence, child abuse, betrayal, false prophets, I could go on for another 5 minutes. I want to reassure you that no matter how it may seem that things are falling apart, they are actually falling into place! Yes, you heard that right. Things are going just as they were predicted in the Bible. To fully cover this subject this blog will be lengthy. I hope you'll stick with me.

I first must write out a chapter from the Bible as a base for this blog to illustrate there is a time for everything under heaven. There is not only a reason for everything, but everything must take place before the return of Christ. It is found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 if you wish to go back later today and read it from your own personal Bible. Here it is:
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven ~
A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace. What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;
Moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor, it is the gift of God.
I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.
That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by."

So what is this saying exactly? In simple terms, God appoints the times and seasons and everything is on his schedule. God said there will be "signs" in the sun, moon, and stars we are to be paying attention to. Genesis 1:14 backs this up, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; AND LET THEM BE FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS, AND FOR DAYS AND FOR YEARS" (emphasis mine). We know the sky is filled with the sun & moon (day and night). The sky reveals seasons of summer, winter, spring, and fall by the positioning of the earth during 365 days of the year. Also, there are sunrise and sunset to establish days. But hardly anyone is aware that same "heaven" gives us signs through the things God has placed in it! People might say, "I haven't seen anything!" That's because you either don't know they've been there because you don't follow Jesus and what He has written in His Word, or you know Jesus but you are not fully committed to Him and are in a slumber, sleeping through those signs (research Blood Moon Tetrad as just one example). The above scripture found in Ecclesiastes are words for every person, in every place, in every circumstance. God has appointed the times and seasons, the events of our lives, the happy and the sad, the easy and the difficult. On the one hand, this can bring worry, but on the other hand, it should bring hope because we know that GOD IS IN CONTROL. We know He exalts and humbles the same person. He also raises nations up and brings them down to accomplish His will. Even the day of our death has been set!!

Sometimes you may doubt that God is in control. I mean, it is easy to doubt God has it all together when you look at this unstable world. It doesn't seem to be doing all that well: crime is up, abortion is up and more extreme, homosexuality now considered normal, our nation in debt, etc. It can be pretty discouraging. BUT, God has got it all under control. He has a purpose in what He does or even allows to take place even if we have a difficult time understanding that purpose. Romans 8:28, "And WE KNOW (we can be positive) that ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose." If you decipher Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 you can understand springs becomes summer. Summer becomes fall. Fall becomes winter. Winter becomes spring. The young become aged and the new becomes old. There is nothing new under the sun! Also, know that change is good and is nothing to fear or despise. Change helps us learn to adapt to new situations and to grow inside. Christians go through changes. Right? First, we are blind, dead sinners. Then we are made alive. Then we discover more of our sinfulness and God continues to change our hearts. God wants us to change. He wants to make our hearts more like His.

Change can be quite good because it stretches you, it challenges you by causing you to grow through tests, trials, and sometimes tribulations of life. Are you the same person you were 10 years ago? 5 years ago? 1 year ago? Even though you may have experienced negative things, those things that seemed impossible to overcome years ago, I'm sure you can look back and realize they were the very things that either made you stronger, better, wiser, or more confident for the next bump in the road. Each trial had its place. However, through all that change, God DID NOT CHANGE! Imagine what it would be like if God changed on us. What if one day He were nice and another day He was plotting against you. Or what if He altered between merciful and judgmental, or one-day He decided to love you and the next despise you. I thank God that He is unchangeable! That means you can count on Him to always be there and do the right thing for your good. God will never change His mind about you. He loves you unconditionally. You are exactly where God wants you in this time, place, and setting. No matter what that is, it is either a time of abundance or lack, happiness or sorrow, challenge or ease, learning or growing. Accept where you are and trust God. There is a purpose, a time and a season for EVERYTHING under heaven!
Until next time,
-Pat-