For many of us, alarm clocks are a necessary evil; they wake us up to a reality that our flesh would prefer did not exist. They remind us of our daily responsibilities, ongoing stress or conflict, our physical aches, and pains, etc. If you’re anything like me, your natural inclination is to hit the snooze button multiple times or simply turn it off altogether. You may also find this response to be the case with regard to phone notifications, task reminders, or the “check engine” light on your car. Procrastination plagues all of us to some extent. Even now as I type, I feel convicted over how I’ve procrastinated the writing of this blurb. When we procrastinate, we are essentially assuming we will have the time to do it later. James 4 strikes a blow at this presumptuous sin: “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (4:14). The very root cause of procrastination is a heart of pride that assumes omniscience and conveys a spirit of apathy. We want to live our lives the way we want. We push back against authority by ignoring the God-given responsibilities we’ve been appointed. The future judgments of Revelation 8 act as a wake-up call for both believers and unbelievers. The alarm bells are going off. Leading up to chapter 8, God progressively increases the intensity of judgment, using natural and cosmic disasters and human conflict to warn unbelievers of the future outpouring of His imminent wrath. Though we need not fear God’s condemnation, the reality of God’s justice ought to remind us of the seriousness of sin, the holiness of God, the transient pleasures of this world, and our responsibility to evangelize. Current trials and global conflict should not lull us to sleep or instill some passive-detached mindset; rather, we should see Revelation 8 and the current state of the world as a call to action. May God help us to not grow weary in well-doing. But encourage one another as you see the Day approaching (Heb 10:25).—Pastor Nate
Sunday at Liberty
9AM: How to Study the Bible
10AM: Pastor Rory Martin–Trumpets & Thirds–Revelation 8:1-13 (sermon notes)
11:45AM: Potluck
12:30PM: Annual Members’ Meeting
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