If you haven't been living under a rock someplace, then you know that the current events are horrendous! From the killing of the civilians in Afghanistan by one of our soldiers
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46745123/ns/local_news-west_palm_beach_fl/t/protesters-demand-trial-afghanistan/, to the untold thousands of people being slain worldwide for their belief in Jesus Christ (that never makes the sanitized news we get over here in America)
http://www.persecution.org/ to the outrageous "stand your ground" murder of Trayvon Martin in Florida
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/trayvon-martin-case-timeline-of-events/, to the killing of yet another young Black man in Pasadena, CA last Saturday night,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46889232 , to the murder of a "Good Samaritan" during a jewelry store robbery at a local indoor swapmeet near me - this past Monday!
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-victorville-deadly-jewelry-robbery,0,2659968.story
And I haven't even started on the ridiculous gas prices, this "toe up" economy and the banksters who hold us all hostage!
I offer the links to back up what I'm talking about - so at your convenience, you can read up on what's been going on. But I'm sure you've heard about the main stories in the news. It's bad. And the truth is, it's not going to get better. Paul's letter to Timothy speaks about how things are today in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (New Living Translation):
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
I think we can safely say that a whole lot of the above is going on today. ("the last days"
began when Jesus left this earth - yeah, for 2000 years we've been in "the last days") And when Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Jesus about future events, He said (I'm taking it from Mark 13:5-37, NLT)
5 ... “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
9 “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 10 For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. 11 But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 13 And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
14 “The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 15 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 16 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 17 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 18 And pray that your flight will not be in winter. 19 For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. 20 In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.
21 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 23 Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!
24 “At that time, after the anguish of those days,
the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
28 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
32 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33 And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!
34 “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his servants instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37 I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”
I offer the Word to back up what I'm talking about, as well. As a wise man once said when asked about spiritual matters (and check this, EVERYTHING we do is ultimately, a spiritual matter), "I have no opinion - it's about what the Bible says." In other words, I let the Bible be my LAST word on any matter. And I believe strongly, in Bible prophecy. These current events- though they are heinous and horrific, make my gut wrench in sadness and sorrow for the victims and their families- they do not frighten me. Though we live in perilous times, I'm not scared. Someone asked the question, "when will it end?" My answer, "when my Lord returns, wiping away sin and death, and take His people to live with Him eternally."
It is written, in Revelation 21:5-8 (as seen and recorded by the Apostle, John on the Isle of Patmos):
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
I do look forward to the new heaven and new earth God has planned for all Believers (Rev. 21:1-4). I see that the enemy is picking folks off at every turn. Young and old; rich and poor. I told my youth group that the plan of the evil one is to kill us before we can make a decision for Christ. Whenever someone dies, my heart's concern is always: 'were their souls ready when they died?' Death can happen so suddenly. And if the pattern of our lives is not toward God, there is a problem, with eternal consequences. Yes, I believe that sincerely. And only God knows who are His (2 Timothy 2:19).
My prayer is that we watch and pray. My hope for Believers is that we not be lax in our walk on the path of righteousness; that we not conform to this world and get caught up in its madness. By God's grace and power, I'm on the path. Let's get ready.
Are you ready?
