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Henry Blackaby says
God has started judging the world, Henry Blackaby says. It is a
tragedy when Christians are oblivious to God's impending wrath and fail
to respond to his warnings, the influential Southern Baptist author of
the popular Experiencing God (Broadman & Holman (see link #1
below)) Bible study says.
...Troubles are increasing in many ways, but Christians often
don't "make the connection" between calamities pictured on the front
page of newspapers and God's warnings in Scripture, Blackaby (see link
#2 below) said during a conference at First Baptist Church in Roanoke,
Va., March 8. A recent gunfire attack on missionaries in Uganda, an
anthrax scare last week at Southern Baptist Convention headquarters in
Nashville, and many natural disasters are evidence that God has set in
motion a process of increasingly severe judgment, he said.
..."If you start to see things happening, make the connection"
between events and God's judgment, Blackaby said. Christian laymen,
leaders, and theologians make a mistake when they pay attention to
those who scoff at the idea of God controlling events, he said.
Disasters such as earthquakes, fires, drought, or El Nino climate
changes have physical causes, but behind them "it's God," Blackaby
said.
..."Scripture is about God," Blackaby said. It is a guide that
explains who God is and what God does so that "you will know what to do
and what is happening." Christians must believe the Bible's promises
and warnings, he said. "When the Lord speaks from his throne, the one
response is to be silent and listen."
...Nonbelievers don't know "the ways of God like we, his
children," Blackaby said. "The world tells you to interpret everything
that happens in terms of godlessness." Yet God speaks to Christians and
they "hear things that nobody else hears." God's people are "the
exclusive custodians of the ways of God."
...The world has "lost the fear of God," Blackaby said. "When you
lose the fear of God you lose the fear of sin, and when you lose the
fear of sin you are headed for judgment."
...God's judgment is incremental in its pattern, coming in "six or
seven steps" to give people time to repent, Blackaby said. First God
"speaks a word" to people as their conscience informs them that they
are committing sin. If there is no repentance, God "sends someone to
speak to you" about the sin. If there still is no turning from sin, God
begins a remedial judgment "designed to turn you back to God and get
your attention." Judgment then increases in severity, he said.
...The "last line of defense" is when God sends a prophet to warn
of impending judgment. If the prophet is spurned, God "removes his
presence," a coldness and emptiness takes God's place, and judgment is
certain. "Final judgment is thorough, radical, and total, with no
turning back," Blackaby said.
...Christians must respond immediately to God's warnings. They
must "humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their
wicked ways," Blackaby said, quoting Chapter 7 of II Chronicles. Then
God will forgive sins and heal the land. Christians should ask
themselves whether their families are praying and their churches are a
"house of prayer," Blackaby said, or whether lesser activities take
precedence.
...Christians who confess their sins and pray should expect
resistance from Satan, Blackaby said.
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RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.broadmanholman.com/
2: http://www.awaken.net/
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