September, with its “Blood Moon” and “Shemitah” scare, came and went without crashes or calamity.
The prognosticators are making their excuses and pressing forward to writing more books, doing more interviews and making a lot of money.
The “Blood Moons” scare and “Shemitah” harbingers are both founded upon an erroneous hermeneutic that fosters fear, not faith.
Are there any lessons to be learned from all this mess and hoopla of false end-time scenarios? Yes, there are at least two lessons: Fear not, and study your Bible (exegesis) without imposing preconceived notions into Scripture (eisegesis). The intent of this column is to encourage and challenge the saints to fear not and boldly step out with perfect love, influencing our community with the values of the kingdom of God.
As the New Covenant Church and Saints of God, we are called to live life in the Spirit, having a heart perfected in love, thus fully trusting the Lord even in life’s most precarious and mystifying circumstances.
The Apostle John adamantly says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18, KJV)
Dear hearts, fear not the end-time false prophets. This is our time to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in his everlasting kingdom.
“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” (Hebrews 1:8, KJV)
“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21, KJV)
The Old Testament prophets promised a king to lead us, guide us and protect us. Fear not, he is come.
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17, KJV)
Remember the authority we have in this life as the sons and daughters of God Almighty, the redeemed, saved and sanctified royal priesthood of the Everlasting Kingdom. Fear not!
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (I Peter 2:9, KJV)
“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:6, KJV)
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10, KJV)
Christian soldier, when the war drums of life’s uncertainties, struggles and scare tactics clamor their frightening cadence, fear not, because we have everything we need to exert the influence of our king’s will “on earth as it is in heaven.” The Apostle Paul heralds, “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, KJV)
Paul also reminds us in Romans 1:16 that “the gospel of Christ … is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
Ultimately, Jesus proclaimed in the Great Commission of Matthew 28, “All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore.” And in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Jesus died and rose from the grave in order to resurrect us from our spiritual death and to make us a victorious and glorious church without spot or wrinkle. So, what are you afraid of? Fear not!
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, KJV)
Don’t believe and don’t fear those who are constantly prognosticating end-time destruction. “Go ye therefore” and do something great for Christ and His Kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17). Believe Jesus when he proclaimed to the Apostles that he would build his Church and that the gates of hell would never prevail against it.
May it be said of our generation as it was in the Book of Acts, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also”!
Michael Frausto is pastor of Greenfield Wesleyan Church. This column is written by local clergy members.
