Now What?
I am thinking today about the message I preached on Sunday morning, the day after the supposed Judgment Day. It was titled, “Now What?” I am sure that there are going to be repercussions to that false prophecy. As you watch and read the news, you can see that many lives are going to be affected. Those Christians that believed and followed Harold Camping and Family Radio are no doubt affected today. I have read that some sold their possessions and gave to that ministry. Now they are broke and wondering what to do next. I read of one man who took the week off to take his family out to California to be with his fellow followers. He figured that the pay check he would lose that week would only be coming to him after the Rapture, so he wouldn’t be needing it. I hope he was not living paycheck to paycheck, as so many of us do. Not to mention the cost of driving cross country! This group of people have been taught that the churches of today are all apostate and that they should leave them to follow the Family Radio Ministry. No…the truth is that people need the local New Testament church. I would agree that there are some churches that should not be attended, as they are not Bible-believing churches. What should we do now? We should recognize that we need to be a part of a good church and strive to live for the Lord.
No doubt, the duped followers are not the only people that will be affected by the false prophecy. The scoffers of Christianity are having a field day with this false prediction. The Bible says in 2 Peter 3:3-4 that “…there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?….” A scoffer is someone who mocks or makes fun of. There are many today that are laughing at all Christians as they lump all of us into the false prediction crowd. The devil is using this to full advantage to make people have even more doubts about and concerns about Christianity.
The truth is, everyone will in one way or another be affected by all of this. The duped followers no doubt are shaken today. The scoffers are enabled today. Those who are hurting and needful of the Gospel are being lured away from finding in Jesus the way, the truth and the life. Those of us today who are Bible believing followers of the Lord, who desire to live right and reach others with the Gospel, are also affected. We now are going to have an even harder time reaching people. Yes, the devil is having a field day!
So now what? We need to stay with what we know is right. We need to start with our own walk with God and draw close to him. Read your Bible everyday. Make prayer a stronger part of your life, and seek God’s power. One thing that has not changed in all of this: God is still on the throne. The Bible still says in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” The Lord has not changed. He can still help people and change lives. We need to keep reaching out to folks and let them know He loves them and will help them. Now what?…..Keep on keeping on!