Good News

I watched the special, CNN Heroes, last night. Ten people were being honored for their extraordinary contributions to the world's less fortunate. There was the bartender who started the project, Wine Into Water, which provides wells and water purification systems to developing nations around the world. There was the man who works as a busdriver each day and then returns home each night to cook meals for the hungry in his city, the woman in Zimbabwe who provides a safe haven for the victims of the beatings and gang rapes that accompany the war and unrest in her country, the young man who, at fifteen, lost both legs in a boating accident and went on to form a foundation which provides prosthetics to other young amputees.

The winner was a young man from the Phillipines, who is working to provide an education for the young children of his village. A man-made cart is his mobile classroom. Outfitted with shelves full of books, games, puzzles, and the like, he pushes it down the road each Saturday, where it is swarmed by eager children desiring to learn the lessons he teaches them. I cried through the whole two-hour program, awed by the selfless acts of these true heroes who dared to believe that one person really can make a difference.

What really moved me the most throughout the telecast were the images of those little Phillipino children, many orphaned, who spent their days rummaging around in the village garbage dumps, scrounging around for food and who knows what else. These mounds of trash were their playground as they jumped on dirty, discarded mattresses and played with various objects they rescued from the smoldering ashes. How these little ones survive the bacteria and disease-infested filth that is their world is beyond my comprehension.

I witness the frustration of those who lift up their eyes to heaven and ask "Where is God"? and "If there is a God, why doesn't he do something?" I want to comfort them and tell them that God is going to do something, and very soon now. The bible clearly declares the plan of God and his purpose for mankind. Many people believe that the gospel is the story of Jesus' life on this earth; his death, burial and resurrection. The word gospel means good news, and it includes all of the above. However, it includes much more. Jesus himself came to preach the gospel to the world. What was the message he proclaimed? It was the same message proclaimed by all of the old testament prophets, as well as the apostles; the announcement of the coming kingdom of God to this earth. See Matt 4:23 and 9:35.

Isa 2:2-4, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And 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 many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."

Micah 4:1-3 confirms the same, adding in verses 4-5, "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever."

Isa 11:6-9, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Isa 65:17,21, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them."

II Pet 3:13, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

Rev 21:1-4, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Mankind, under the influence of Satan, has caused all of the problems in this world and is incapable of creating the world of peace described in the scriptures quoted above. Our bible reveals a day when God himself will take control of this world and remove all wickedness from our midst. The verses above give a glimspe of a future void of pain and suffering, of war and man's inhumanity to man. We are given a preview of a world of peace and safety for ourselves and our children, the blessings of land ownership, of abundant food, both physical and spiritual. Never again will we fear for our children's safety. No children will ever again have to live in deplorable conditions, feeding themselves out of garbage heaps. There will be no more sickness and disease, and no more death. Eternal life in our heavenly Father's presense awaits this war-torn, hate filled world, and that is GOOD NEWS!

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