Global Warming
Al Gore has gotten rich from scaring people about global warming. He was worth less than 2 million dollars when he ran for president in 2000 and now he’s worth over 175 million dollars. Can you really trust a guy to tell the truth when he’s in it for the money? Many people believe in global warming. In July of last year the researchers trying to prove global warming had to abandon their plans because the ship they were on was an ice breaker ship and the Canadian government needed the ship to break the ice so supply ships could get through shipping lanes. In other words there was so much ice in the Arctic (the exact opposite of the effects you would expect with global warming) that they had to break up the ice in order for ships to travel. The Arctic ice cap increased by one third of its size in 2013.
My point is that I’m not convinced that global warming is real. But even if it isn’t real, we are supposed to be good stewards of the earth. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so (Genesis 1:26-30).
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it (Genesis 2:15). He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men (Psalm 115:13-16).
I’m not convinced that us mere mortals are causing the earth to warm up. But what if I’m wrong? What if global warming is real? What if we really are damaging the planet? Are we really going to ruin the earth? Are we going to be the ruin of our species? Are we doomed for failure? Is there no hope? Can man change things? Can we make things right? Can we cool the earth? Can we control the temperature long term?
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black (Matthew 5:36). Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? (Matthew 6:27). God made us stewards of this earth, but we are not in control. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King (Matthew 5:33-35).
We Are Not In Control
We are not in control. God is sovereign. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand (Proverbs 19:221). That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things (Isaiah 45:6-7).
No matter how much we think we are in control, we are not. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:8-11).
We are not in control and we can’t control what happens in the end, but we know how it’s all going to end because God has already told us the ending in His Holy Word. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
The Earth Will Burn Up
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:3-12).
Forget about global warming, the earth is going to burn up with a fervent heat. The earth and everything on it will be burned up. Many of you are worried about global warming, but you aren’t even worried about your own soul. You aren’t even worried about where you will spend eternity. You aren’t worried about your sinfulness and God’s Holiness. But you should be worried about these things. Your life is but a vapor. You are here today and gone tomorrow. Even if you live to be 100 years old it won’t even be a blink of an eye compared to all of eternity.
You need to forget about worshiping the created (the earth) and worship the Creator. Many people worship the created. Many people worship the earth. There is a guy who comes downtown who claims to be a Christian, but he admonishes us for handing out tracts because people litter. He’s more worried about a piece of paper that may end up on the ground (and by the way I’ve seen people pick up tracts from off the ground) than someone’s eternal soul! I don’t believe this man is truly saved. If he were really a born-again believer, he’d be joining us in pleading with sinners to come to Jesus instead of criticizing us. Don’t be like this guy. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen (Romans 1:25).
We are sinful creatures. Adam and Eve sinned in the beginning and we’ve all sinned since then. Each and every one of us. We have all gone astray. None of us are righteous, no not one. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are sinful, but God is Holy. There is a gap between us that we cannot bridge on our own.
Lord Jesus Christ
But in addition to being Holy, righteous and just (and make no mistake God is just and He does and will punish sin); He is also loving, merciful and gracious. We’ve all sinned against our Holy and Righteous God and yet He gave His only begotten Son as the only perfect sacrifice to appease His wrath over our sins.
Forget global warming. Think about how much God hates sin. He can’t tolerate it so He poured His wrath out upon His only begotten Son, His sinless Son while He hung on the cross to save those who repent and trust Jesus. Our Lord and Savior paid the sin debt that He did not owe. It is the great exchange. Jesus takes your wretched sins upon Himself and then He gives you His righteousness; if you turn from your sins and turn to Jesus.
Your conscience can be cleared. Your sins can be forgiven. You can be saved. God can see you through the righteousness of Jesus. Oh, come to Jesus. Be saved tonight. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. God can take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. You can become a new creature in Christ.
When you are saved, when you are born again you no longer focus on the created, you now focus on the Creator. You’ll become more worried about lost souls than you are about global warming. You will stop worrying about temporary things and think about eternal things. You won’t worry so much about this earth which is going to burn up in the end. You’ll focus on Almighty God who is a consuming fire.
You live to worship and serve the Lord Jesus Christ when you surrender your life to Him. He is Lord. He is Lord of all. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him (1 Corinthians 8:6). For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake (2 Corinthians 4:5). These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14).
Come to the Lamb of God. Turn from your sins and surrender your life to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Call upon the name of the Lord. Come to Jesus. Repent and put your trust in Him. Be saved tonight.