Not Yet . . .

April 14th, 2023

Have you ever found yourself wishing the Lord would come soon or looked around and felt like life as we know it is coming to an end? Join us today as Bob Gillespie shares his thoughts about God's timing and how we need to be ready to speak the truth in a culture that is hostile to God and His Word.

We all know that we are living in uncertain times. People are aware of the fragile banking system, the extreme political divide, and the real threat of World War III. On top of all that, there seems to be a coordinated effort to undermine people who hold to the truth of the Bible. Christians are told that we must celebrate drag queen story hour for little children as well as physically mutilating children, calling it gender reassignment surgeries. If we don’t go along with all this, we are labeled domestic terrorists or a threat to our democracy. We are not supposed to have a state religion in this country, but “woke” ideas have become the new belief system promoted by the government, and Christian ideas are becoming outlawed.

It all looks like we are heading full speed ahead into the end times. Many Christians are convinced that all we can do is wait to be whisked away in the rapture. While the events in the world really do seem to line up with the prophecies of Scripture, let’s take a look at history.

Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther was convinced that he had to be in the end times: he thought that the pope was definitely the anti-Christ, and for good reasons, people were being executed for their faith. Those were dark days indeed. This did not stop Luther from working tirelessly to get the truth of God’s word to the common people. He spent months translating the New Testament so people could have the truth. The movement that he started (the Protestant Reformation) changed the world.

If it were not for Luther, we in America might still be in the Middle Ages with no religious freedom and possibly under an oppressive feudal system. Luther was faithful and worked hard, even though he thought he was in the end times. Satan may have thought that was the time when he could execute his evil plan for the world, but God had other plans. God said, “Not yet.”

Fast forward to the 1700s and the French Revolution. Biblical Christians were sure that they were living in the end times, for good reasons. So many things lined up to biblical prophecy. Hundreds were being executed with the guillotine. They set up a state religion based upon reason. This time Satan was sure that he had his man, the one who would take over the world, but God stepped in and said, “Not yet.”

A couple hundred years later, Hitler came into power. Christians were persecuted, Jews were rounded up and eventually executed. London was bombed; truly these were dark days for biblical Christians. Many were convinced that Hitler had to be the anti-Christ. Once again, Satan thought he had his man to take over the world, but God had other plans, He said again, “Not yet.”

No matter how things look, we must live like Martin Luther did. He worked tirelessly to get the truth out during a very dark time. The work that he did changed the world for generations into the future. How could he have such courage to face the religious powers of the day and face certain death for standing firm on the truth? It is because he knew that no matter what happened to him, it was not the end. He had faith in the Resurrection.

We must live with that same confidence. We also must be diligent today and work as if there will be many generations to come who some day will look back at our faithfulness and be inspired.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

How can we today be steadfast, Immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord? Because of what we read just before the above verse:

I Cor 15:54
Death is swallowed up in Victory.

No matter what happens to us, We WIN! So as we face this day, in uncertain times, let’s place our confidence in what God told Joshua…

Joshua 1: 9
Be Strong and of good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Author Bio:
Bob and his wife Lois graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio. Bob then received his master’s degree at Clark’s Summit Seminary in PA. They spent 14 years teaching in Christian schools in Ohio and another 10 years teaching missionary kids in West Africa. Upon leaving Africa, the Gillespies felt God’s calling to go into full-time apologetics ministry. Learn more about Bob and his ministry by clicking HERE.

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