THE BAD NEWS AND THE GOOD NEWS
May 2006
article by Norman Phillips
On a global
scale recent bombings in
Closer to
home our government ministers seem to have ‘lost the plot’. Our National Health Service finds it
difficult to maintain the demand on its services, yet the majority of staff,
professional and dedicated to their work are faced with the prospect of
thousands of job losses. Criminals seem
to be released early from their prison sentences and the Home Office have no
idea where they are in our society.
According to the tabloids, murderers, rapists and paedophiles are let
loose without any control.
Government
ministers are embroiled in adultery; skilled workers in engineering companies
are made redundant as many firms in the manufacturing industry close. Schoolchildren leave school with a high
proportion of illiteracy, yet compare this with the 1841 census which has just
been made available. It reports that
there was an 87% literacy rate of schoolchildren at that time.
There are
many teenage pregnancies and our unmarried mothers figures are the highest in
These are
only a few of the problems that beset our society today. No wonder apathy creeps in as many people
despair for the future. It is well
evident that things cannot continue the way they are. So that’s the bad news. And the good news?
There is
hope for mankind. God has promised to
overturn the rule of man on this earth and replace it with a new world order
where peace and righteousness prevail.
How will this be done? By
returning His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth and put all things under His
rule. The Bible has the message.
“And then shall appear the sign of
the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and
they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory.”
(Matthew 24
verse 30)
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me
and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation: of him also shall the
Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy
angels.” (Mark 8 v 38)
He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to
eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Revelation 1 v 7)
God will
create a new heaven and a new earth, on which those chosen shall dwell. See Revelation chapter 21 verses 1-5 for the
really good news. What will it be
like? Peace on earth, no more wards,
long life free from illness.
“Any many people shall go and say,
Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for
out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the
nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”. (Isaiah 2 vs 3-4). See also Isaiah 11 vs 5-9 and chapter 65 vs
16-25.
So when
will this be? Only God himself knows,
but we are given clues as to when this shall be. In the second book to Timothy, chapter 3,
verses 1-7 we read of a time we believe must be the time we are now living
in. Thus, the return of Jesus Christ is
imminent.
What can we
do to be part of God’s new world? The
answer is to be baptised into the saving name of Jesus Christ who died for us
and for our sins. He is the only
hope. Matthew 11 vs 28-29 tell us that
Jesus said:
“Come unto me all you that are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall
find rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy and my burden light.”
Seek Jesus
and God, His Father, whilst they can still be found, for soon it may be too
late.