What Is Necessary For Salvation

Romans 10:5-13

The New Testament Scripture we have for today addresses a controversy that people have had for the longest of times, and that is whether we get into heaven by keeping a set of laws, rules, and regulations, and by being “good people”, or whether instead we get into heaven by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  People back in the early days of the Church and people today in the 21st century have struggled with which belief is correct.  Let’s look into what the Lord inspired St. Paul to write in his letter to the church in Rome.

In the first several decades of the early Church, many believers came from a Jewish background, and there was also a growing number of believers who came from a Gentile background, as well.  Most of the Jewish believers came from a background of strict adherence to the Old Testament Law which is found in the Biblical Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, in addition to the myriad of additional laws and regulations that many rabbis later added in the Talmud.  All of these rules and regulations, both divine and man-made, were zealously kept, as they believed they were necessary to maintain their righteous standing with God.  In many of the early churches, the Jewish believers were compelling the Gentile believers to also keep all of the Jewish Law.  Thus there was a dilemma, does our righteousness or salvation come through faith, or does it come through keeping the Law?

In this portion of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he makes it very clear what brings our salvation.  Was it adherence to rules and regulations written out in the Law, or was it faith in the Lord Jesus?  If one opted for the Law, then one needed to know that the Old Testament Law required perfect obedience.  If one became righteous by the Law, they had to live by it perfectly (vs. 5).  Paul quoted what Moses wrote in Leviticus 18:5, which Paul also reiterated in Galatians 3:12, as did James in James 2:10.  What these verses say is that according to the Law, one must keep the whole Law or one was guilty.  That is something that is not possible for anyone to do.

Paul then quotes from Deuteronomy 30:12-14, pointing out that our righteousness is based on faith, and does not require extraordinary feats, like ascending to heaven or descending into the abyss because the Lord Jesus has already accomplished the work of salvation (vs. 6-7).  The message of salvation is close, and is readily available to all who believe (vs. 8).

Now we come to the most significant verses in our Scripture today, verses 9-11, which brings a concise explanation of what salvation really is, and what is necessary to be saved.  As Paul is saying, it is not necessary to keep hundreds of laws, and being careful that one does not break or omit even the most obscure of those laws.  All that one must do to obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with God is to confess that Jesus is Lord (the Son of God), and believe that God raised Him from the dead. Belief in the heart results in righteousness and confession with the mouth results in salvation.

Paul quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah that anyone who believes in Jesus will not be put to shame (Isaiah 28:16; Jeremiah 17:7). Our faith will remain unshakable.  Salvation is pledged to those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord.  We are saved when we genuinely trust in the Savior.  God will do exactly what He has promised.  All who believe in Jesus Christ will not be disappointed.  If you believe in Him, trusting in His sacrificial death to pay your sin debt, accepting Him as Savior, you will be saved.

Today there are not too many people who feel that they need to keep the Old Testament Law in order to be righteous and find salvation.  However, there are many who feel that they have to keep all sorts of other “religious” regulations and practices.  There are some who believe that one must be baptized in order to get to heaven, or that they must take part in the Lord’s Supper, or say certain prayers, or do all sorts of “good deeds” in order to get to heaven.  It is true that one should be baptized, and also partake of the Lord’s Supper, as Jesus told us to, but they are not necessary for salvation.  Doing good deeds is good, too.  But what does the Bible say - “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  No mention of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or anything else.  Those things should follow salvation in order to be obedient to Jesus, but are not necessary in order to be saved.  Look at the dying thief on the cross.  He couldn’t be baptized, as he was nailed to the cross.  Yet his belief in Jesus granted him salvation and entrance into heaven.

In closing, we see through our Scripture that it is not by adherence to any sort of law, rules, or regulations that we find salvation.  Some of them are good to follow after salvation, such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  However, in order to be saved, as we read in verse 13, we need to call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus, and we will be saved.

Our Shelter And Refuge

Psalm 91

If you’ve ever been caught in a huge, strong rainstorm, you know how thankful you are to find a shelter of some sort to get into.  Perhaps it is a store or even a bus stop shelter, or if you’re lucky you are near your home or your car.  It is even more important to have a sturdy and warm shelter in a blizzard.  If you are fleeing an enemy you need a safe shelter, as do soldiers and people who live in war-torn areas.  Our psalm today speaks of a safe shelter that we can have.  Do you need a place of safety right now?  Let’s take a look into our psalm.

Psalm 91 is a favorite of many people, and is one of several special, favorite psalms of mine.  As we read through this psalm, right away it becomes apparent that the unknown psalmist seeks protection and shelter from a variety of dangers.  Where does he find this protection?  As we read, the psalmist finds it in God.  Throughout the psalm, he gives numerous names to the sheltering protection he has found in the Lord - secret place, God’s shadow, a refuge, a fortress, God’s wings, a shield, a buckler, and dwelling place.

Those who have traveled through various parts of the world may have seen some rather old, but still impressive fortresses that have stood for centuries, maybe even millennia.  When an enemy force came upon a population, the people would flee into a fortress for shelter.  Those solid, thick brick and stone walls would keep them protected.  They were safe in that refuge.  The soldiers who might have to go out to fight this enemy would put on armor and be sure to carry a shield and/or a buckler.  A buckler was a smaller shield that was usually strapped on to the forearm of the arm that would not carry the sword.  The larger, full-body shields were usually carried by the armor-bearers a step or two ahead of the soldier.  Yahweh is both our fortress where we find shelter from all enemies in time of trouble, and also a shield from the blows of the enemy (vs. 2, 4).

One might wonder what kind of protection a wing or a shadow can bring.  A wing is just made of feathers, and a shadow isn’t even solid.  If we picture a majestic eagle, we see how they protect their baby chicks or eaglets under their strong and powerful wings, where the little ones are sheltered and safe.  God is like that for us.  Under His wings we are safe and secure (vs. 4).  Nothing can harm us there.  As for shadows, sometimes a shadowy place is just where we need to be if we have to hide from an enemy (vs. 1).  A dark shadow in a corner can keep us unseen by others.  Also, if someone is out in the sun on a very hot day, a nice shady place is a great relief.  Shadows and feathers may appear to be weak, and not a good choice for protection, but they are far stronger than we could ever imagine..  What seems weak is not weak at all.  The weakness of God is stronger than man (I Corinthians 1:25).

Who are these enemies we need to fear?  They may be any sort of person who wishes us harm.  We can find them in our neighborhood, our job, or even in our family.  We find danger from criminals in our cities and dangers during times of war.  But behind them all is our spiritual enemy, Satan, and the shelter and refuge we find in God will protect us from his attacks.  However, we need to seek out His protection, and once we find it, we need to stay there and not wander away.  Only there can we have peace, safety, and security.

Every born-again believer has access to heavenly protection, but not all of them enjoy it.  We can be protected when we rest in God’s presence and power.  When God covers us, He puts insulation between us and the hand of our adversary.  We can take shelter in God when the storms of life hit. To calm our fears we can cling in faith to who God is and what He can do.  When we are in the presence of the Lord we have nothing to fear.  The power of the presence of God will take away all despair and doubt as we fellowship with Him.  God promises us that nothing can separate us from the reach of His arms and His love (Romans 8:35-39)

In addition, we are promised assistance against evil.  Angels are given charge over us (vs. 11).  They are appointed to give aid when we are attacked by supernatural forces (Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15).  They guard us on our way, keeping watch over us, preserving our steps.  Angels bear us up in their hands, supporting and sustaining us so we won’t be overwhelmed by the devil.

In closing, if we fear the terrors of the night, remember in Whom we dwell.  Let’s give our struggles over to Him, and we will find refuge and comfort under His wings.  Our fortress is a very narrow shadow, no wider than the Cross, but it is a long shadow, that once stretched to fill an empty tomb, and now reaches out to shelter us with forgiveness and love.

An Offering Of Gratitude

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

When do you usually give thanks to the Lord?  Here in the U.S. we have a Thanksgiving holiday in late autumn.  That seems to be the only time that a number of people ever give thanks to God, if they even do it then.  Some Christians give thanks before their meals, but even that is slowly fading from practice by many.  And how many ever give thanks to the Lord for the other blessings they have received besides their food?  Our Old Testament Scripture passage today as we begin the first full week of Lent is a reminder to give thanks to the Lord.

The Book of Deuteronomy was written by Moses shortly before the people of Israel were going to go in and claim the land that the Lord God had promised them.  Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because he struck the rock twice to obtain the water that God was providing the people, rather than speaking to the rock as he was instructed, thus showing a lack of both obedience and faith (Numbers 20:6-13).  Because he would not be accompanying the people, Moses knew they would need reminders to obey and follow the Lord.  Deuteronomy is a commentary on the Law that God had given, along with reminders of instructions He had already given the people.

One thing that Moses wanted to be sure that the people not forget was for them to be thankful to the Lord for His provisions and blessings.  When the people took possession of the land, Moses told them to take a portion of the crops they would harvest and bring them to the Tabernacle as a thanksgiving offering to Him (vs. 1-2).  This would remind the people to acknowledge that God is the source of their blessings.  How often do we think that it is our own hard work that gets us our paycheck and everything that comes with that?  When we look around our home at all we have, do we think that those are things that we have gotten with our own money that we earned, or do we acknowledge that those are blessings that God gave us?

When the Israelites would bring their thank offering to the Lord and give it to the priests, Moses told them to recite a brief history, from the day of Abraham, to their time in Egypt and their great deliverance, along with the provisions during the wandering in the wilderness (vs. 3-10).  This was to remind them that throughout their whole history God had been faithful to them, that He had done many mighty works on their behalf, and provided for all of their needs.

This was to be a joyous time, a time where they rejoiced as they acknowledged all of the blessings that God had given them (vs. 11).  And it was to be a time where the people shared their blessings with their family and their neighbors.  They were to be a community that showed their gratitude and shared with generosity to others.

What about us?  Do we remember to give thanks to God for all He has done for us throughout our life, and even how He has provided for our family throughout generations?  As we read and reflect on this passage of Scripture, we should regularly give thanks to God for His provisions in our life.  We should also give to Him the first and best of what we have, acknowledging that it is through His love, grace, and mercy we have what we do, and not through our own ability.

When we do this, we can rejoice in what the Lord has blessed us with, and we can share our blessings with others, especially those who are in need.  Let us always remember that the Lord God is the ultimate Provider of all we have, and the Source of all of our blessings.

Four Short Parables

Luke 6:39-49

Our Gospel reading for this week, which started the Christian season of Lent, continues in the Book of Luke, where Jesus gave several brief, short parables to teach us the importance of integrity, self-examination, and to live according to His teachings.  Let’s look into each of these short parable teachings that Jesus gave us.

The first brief parable was how one blind person cannot safely lead another blind person in an unfamiliar area (vs. 39-40).  As Jesus pointed out, two physically blind people cannot safely lead each other in an unfamiliar area, as they will get hurt.  Jesus wasn’t just talking about physically blind people in this parable.  He was also referring to spiritual blindness.  If one spiritually blind person (an unsaved person) is seeking to find the truth and the way to God, he cannot expect to find the way by going to someone else who is just as spiritually lost.  There are many who claim to have all of the spiritual answers, they claim to have the truth, some even in the pulpits of so-called “Christian” churches, but they are completely blind and lost.  They are unable to ever lead someone to heaven, and like the two blind men, they will both end up in the spiritual ditch for eternity.  The only way to find the correct way is through the truth of God’s Word and those whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit when they accepted Jesus as Savior.

The next parable describes someone who is trying to remove a speck out of someone else’s eye, even though they have a plank in their own eye (vs. 41-42).  Jesus meant for this to seem ridiculous.  How can anyone who would have something big in their own eyes be able to see well enough to remove a speck from someone else’s eyes?  Yet how often do we do that when we criticize or attempt to correct someone for a fault when we have plenty of faults of our own?   Jesus did not say that we should never help our brother get the speck out of their eye.  However, we need to take care of ourself first.  First get the known and willful sins out of our own life, and then we will be able to help our brother while showing proper humility and love.

As we proceed further into our Scripture passage, Jesus gave the parable of the good tree and the bad tree (vs. 43-45).  A good, healthy tree will produce good fruit, whereas an unhealthy tree will bear bad fruit or none at all.  He also reminded us that you can tell what type of tree it is by what type of fruit it gives.  Apple trees bear apples, cherry trees bear cherries.  If you want cherries, you don’t go to an apple tree.

In the same way, a good and godly person bears good fruit in their life, while a sinful person will not.  Someone might think that the sinful, unsaved person might be able to bring something spiritually good.  What they teach might seem and look so on the outside, but one bite will quickly show that it is bad fruit.  People are known by what they produce.  On the outside everything can look good, but inside it is rotten.  True faith produces good fruit in us.  Our actions reflect the true condition of our hearts.  A good tree produces good fruit, just as a righteous person exhibits godly behavior.  Faith founded on strong roots in God, His promises, His Word, and in prayer can’t help but produce good and godly spiritual fruit.

The final parable that Jesus told His followers in this Scripture passage was about the wise and foolish builders (vs. 46-49).  The wise builder built his house upon a rock, a good solid foundation, whereas the foolish built his upon sand.  When storms came, one stood strong while the other collapsed.  Here in the U.S. over the years I have seen news reports with video of houses built on the edge of cliffs, right on top of plain soil.  The views may have been great, but with no solid foundation and a season of heavy rains, the whole structure crashes down the side of the cliff!

Likewise, what are we building our spiritual life upon? Is it the philosophies of the world, those that modern society says are so important in our world today?  Or are we building it upon the Lord Jesus and His Word, the Bible?  We can find peace knowing that as we listen to and obey Jesus, He forms a strong foundation for our lives.  It is important to not only hear Jesus’ words, but also put them into practice.

When the storms of life come upon us, and then when we face our final day with eternity upon us, will our spiritual house stand strong or come crashing down?  If we built upon the sand of what the world said was right, everything will crash down quicker than a California mountainside house!   However if we built upon the strong and sure foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word, we can trust that our foundation is solid!

A Good Ambassador

II Corinthians 5:20-6:10

The role of ambassador to a foreign country is a rather important one.  The ambassador strives to keep good relations between his own country and that of the country they are assigned to. Because the ambassador represents the nation, ideally they should be a person of good repute and behavior, and not someone who would bring shame upon the country they represent.   Would you want to be an ambassador for your country or work in an embassy somewhere around the world?  Maybe a country you have always had an interest in or admired, or maybe some exotic location totally different from your own.  In our New Testament Scripture today, the Apostle Paul tells us that we are ambassadors, not for some country, but for the Lord.  Let’s look into this passage and see what he is talking about.

As this portion of Scripture in Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth begins, he tells the believers that we are God’s ambassadors to the unbelieving world (vs. 20).  Just as the president, prime minister, or king usually chooses their ambassadors, Jesus chose us as His representatives to others. We are His ambassadors, and our mission is clear.  That mission is to bring a ministry of reconciliation to people, to mend the broken relationship between each person and God, so that they can go from being His enemy to His child.  The only way to be reconciled to God is for a person to personally accept Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on their own behalf, believing that Jesus, who had never sinned, became sin for them so that they might be made righteous through Him (vs. 21).

If the relationship between two countries becomes somewhat tense and tenuous, the ambassador will relay messages to the other country’s leaders, telling them what is necessary to do if they want to heal and restore their nation’s relationship.  Paul relays to us that we have a message to give the unsaved, and it is an urgent message, just like those ambassadors’ messages would be right before diplomatic ties break down.  We are to plead with them to not receive the offer of God’s grace in vain (vs. 1-2).

The day is going to come when some people are going to be surprised that the doors to heaven are shut to them.  On that day, Judgment Day could also be called “Too Late Day”.  People will find that they have missed the opportunity for heaven.  Paul quotes from Isaiah 49:8.  That day is now, it is not something that should be put off.  As God’s ambassadors, we are to evangelize and urge repentance because the opportunity for salvation is limited.

Depending on where one is an ambassador, the conditions might not be ideal, and as mentioned above, it could be rather tense.  In the second half of our Scripture, Paul describes the trials that we, as God’s ambassadors, may have to face from the world because of our faith and mission (vs. 3-10).  He also urges us to keep our behavior above reproach and righteous (vs. 3).  Needless to say, ambassadors are to live above reproach, as they represent their nation.  They shouldn’t be drunks, or out getting high.  They shouldn’t be breaking the law or live like reprobates.  As Christians representing God, neither should we.

As God’s ambassadors to a hostile world, Paul describes some harsh things we might have to endure.  We may have to endure tribulations, needs (when our provisions may be scarce), distress, stripes (physical abuse), imprisonment, tumults (disturbances, instability), labors, sleeplessness, and fastings.  It isn’t likely that God’s ambassadors will get rich if they are truly and faithfully representing Him and His Word. They may even die while on duty.  However, through all of this we must remain steadfast, trusting the Lord Jesus to sustain us through each trial.

Even while going through all of this, our behavior as ambassador is to be above reproach.  We are to show patience and long suffering, remain pure, and show kindness and love.  When we are dishonored, we give back honor.  When the enemy gives a bad report on us, our life should instead reflect a good report.  When they act with deception, we act in truth.  We may be chastened, our circumstances may be sorrowful, but in Jesus we can rejoice.  We may have very little, even nothing in this world, but we know that we possess heavenly riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

In closing, if you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, you are His ambassador to this lost and sinful world, and your assignment is to spread the Gospel.  Remain steadfast and trust in God’s power to sustain you, even in the face of adversity.  Our assignment is urgent!  There is no time to waste, so go forth and share the message of reconciliation and salvation!

Mercy And Forgiveness

Psalm 103:8-14

The Book of Psalms has sometimes been called the songbook of the Bible.  Many of them were set to music and sung in the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Biblical days, and many have also been set to music today.  Most Christians who read and are familiar with the Bible have a favorite psalm that they really love.  I have several that are particularly special to me, and today’s psalm is one of those favorites.  Today we’ll take a quick look at several verses that come right in the middle of this beautiful psalm.

With Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent upon us this week, the portion of Psalm 103 from the middle verses is very appropriate, as it speaks of God’s mercy and His forgiveness of our sins when we come to Him in repentance.  There are some people who do not like anything about the Old Testament because they feel that it portrays Yahweh as a mean and vengeful God.  However, as we read through the psalms, particularly our specific verses, we see that it couldn't be farther from the truth.  Our opening verse, verse 8, tells us that Yahweh is merciful and gracious.  Mercy is the act of withholding the punishment that is due to us.  Because of our sins we would rightly deserve punishment, condemnation, and hell.  However, when we turn to God, He shows His compassion and mercy, and withholds that punishment.  Not only that, Yahweh is gracious to us, He shows us His divine grace, giving us the blessings and salvation we do not deserve.

As David continues on in his psalm, he reminds us that the Lord is slow to anger (vs. 8).  Unfortunately that can be said of very few people, as so many today are quite quick to get angry.  It seems that everyone takes offense at the slightest things.  God would have every right to get angry at us and the world, but we see that He is slow to anger, and does not keep His anger forever (vs. 9).   How long do we keep our anger?  We all know people who are angry all the time, and we know those who remain angry over a specific incident for weeks, months, or even years.

We read again in verse 10 about the mercy of God.  David reminds us that we are not punished as we deserve.  If we were, none of us could even stand.  There are some who refuse with arrogance to accept God’s gift of mercy, and will await that day of judgment.  There are others, though, who have accepted God’s mercy with salvation, but who continue to have a difficult time in truly accepting His forgiveness and feel continued guilt.  When God forgives, He also forgets.  We see that in several verses throughout the Bible - Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34; and Hebrews 8:12.  Neither Peter nor Paul, who each had great offenses in their past, refused to forgive themselves.  We should never put our own feelings above or superior to God’s Word.

How great is God’s mercy?  David tells us that it is as high as the heavens are above the earth (vs. 11).  When we watch various science fiction shows we see the space crafts going on and on into outer space, never coming to the end of space.  That’s because there is no end.  If there was, then this verse would indicate there would be a limit to the mercy, however, there is no end, which shows how great God’s mercy is.  Another example is how far He has removed our sins from ourself.  Scripture says it is as far as the east is from the west (vs. 12).  There is a measurable distance with north and south.  Once you hit the north pole you start going south, and then once you get there, you start going north.  Not so between east and west.  If you start heading east you will keep going east indefinitely unless you turn around, and same with the west.  That is why God said east and west, and not north and south.  We don’t need to keep dragging our guilt around.  Jesus is waiting to take that load from us, and cast it as far as the east is from the west.  All we have to do is hand the burden over, and receive His forgiveness.

We read that the Lord God pities us, His children, just as a father pities his children (vs. 13), and even more so.  A good majority of fathers have love and compassion towards their children, but there are some of us who did not have fathers like that.  It is natural for us to project onto God many of the same life experiences that we had with our own father.  However, Yahweh is the perfect Father, and He loves us completely, infinitely better than even the best of fathers.

In conclusion, God knows everything about us (vs. 14), and is filled with compassion towards us.  We are never alone, because He is with us.  God knows everything about us and yet He still loves us.  That is something we can rejoice about!

The Day Of The Lord

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Where I live, both in the Chicago area where I lived all my life until last summer, and now in east-central Illinois, on Tuesday mornings around 10:30 am, from March until some time in early October, the tornado alarm siren in the community goes off to test it, just to make sure that it is working properly.  In the Midwest states of the U.S. tornado alerts and warnings are very important.  When you hear it, other than on the regular testing time, you had better make sure that you take action!  There is another warning that people need to take seriously, and that is the warning that the Prophet Joel gave in our Scripture for today.  Unfortunately far too many ignore this warning.  Let’s look into the passage.

This week, beginning with Ash Wednesday, the period of Lent begins, a time of forty days prior to Holy Week and Easter, where Christians spend special time in prayer, fasting, repentance, and turning away from their sinful nature to focus more on the Lord and their relationship with Him.  One very appropriate passage of Scripture to start this season off later this week is the message that the Lord gave Joel, a message of repentance and God’s mercy, while also pointing to His coming judgment.

Our Scripture passage begins with Joel giving warning of the coming of the Day of the Lord.  Most people like to be warned about something big that will be happening, especially if it is something that might be bad.  God instructed Joel to warn the people of this coming day of judgment (vs. 1-2).  They were to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm, letting the people know this day was coming.  No one could say that they didn’t know about this, that they had not been informed.

Joel depicted this coming day as a day of darkness, gloominess, and unprecedented destruction, where God judges the people of earth.  The prophecy had both a near-term judgment on ancient Israel, with both invasions and calamities, as well as a future, ultimate fulfillment with an end-time judgment, when the Lord Jesus returns to earth.

Many people, including some who identify themselves as Christians, say such a day or time will not happen because they do not like to see Yahweh as a God of judgment.  Instead they only like to see Him as a God of love and acceptance.  God is a God of love, but He is also a God of judgment.  He has absolute power over all nations and creation, and in His holiness, He cannot ignore sin.  To those who refuse Him and who turn their backs on His Son, Jesus Christ, spurning His sacrifice on the cross, He will execute righteous judgment.

As our Scripture continues in the second portion, Yahweh pleads with people to turn to Him in repentance for their sins (vs. 12).  Repentance means acknowledging and seeing our sins in the same way that the Lord God does, and then making a 180 degree turn and walking away from them.  This repentance must be genuine and heartfelt, involving fasting, weeping, and mourning, and not just mere outward rituals.

Many take a flippant view of God and His forgiveness.  However, there is a consistent theme in the Bible that forgiveness is linked only with repentance.  People need to move from an outward display of religiosity to a genuine inward change.  Repentance is not just outward action  It is a genuine turning of the whole person back to God.  He graciously forgives when we genuinely repent.

When we have genuine repentance, the Lord will be gracious and merciful, for He is a God that is slow to anger, and of great kindness (vs 13).  Though it is true that His judgment is definitely coming, Yahweh’s mercy is available for all those who turn to Him. This includes the whole community, people of all ages, and including the religious community (vs. 15-17).  They are all called to unite in repentance.  There is a need for revival within the church, and we all need to seek God’s mercy with humility and prayer.

The Prophet Joel’s message is a wake-up call for all of us to examine our hearts and return to God.  He is ready to forgive those who seek Him sincerely.  However, Joel reminds us here of the reality of a coming day of divine judgment.  Just like the tornado alarm siren warns of the approaching tornado, Joel warns of the approaching Day of the Lord.  We can escape that judgment and experience God’s grace when we repent and submit to His will.