I have been listening to the news reports...
Yet another earthquake has struck the planet. This time the quake hit the Seattle, Washington area. The reports said there was a lot of property damage, with some of the facades of buildings coming apart even in the downtown area. Fortunately, I do not believe anyone was killed; I have no idea as to the number of injuries.
It seems as if several times per week there are reports of quakes. And some of the recent killer quakes were in El Salvador and Guatemala, and then a short time later a more devastating one struck in India. The losses of life have been huge. And there seem to be dozens of lesser quakes happening all over.
Of course there have always been earthquakes. But Jesus Christ also gave the prevalence of quakes as one of the signs of His return. For in the book of Matthew, Jesus said: "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
He then went on to say, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers (various) places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:6-8).
The 'beginning of sorrows'? Yes, we could be nearing the time. For many of the Old Testament Jewish prophets have said that God will one day shake all the earth. And even aside from such cataclysmic events such as earthquakes, other things are now being shaken too: governments, financial institutions, and even society as a whole.
I believe that the hour is late in light of all the events that are currently unfolding before us. God Almighty is trying to awaken the world to the soon to come time of judgment that both the Old and New Testaments speak so much about.
And while many Christians feel uncomfortable talking about the "End Times, the "Last Days," and the coming "Tribulation period" that the Lord Jesus and so many of the prophets and apostles have discussed in the holy Scriptures, the fact is, God wants to also awaken His people (the Church) to the urgency of the times.
The year, month, day and hour of the Lord's return no one knows or can know. But today I believe the Lord is trying to encourage His children to turn away from all carnality and compromise, and to turn again to Him in repentance and faith. He wants us to be completely submitted and surrendered to Him.
You see, America is coming into a time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. There is so much unrest and anxiety now. I think that many people sense that something is very wrong. Although many may try to deaden their fears with alcohol and other drugs, or with all kinds of sports and entertainments, and even with pursuing a career or with making lots of money, the fact is many are afraid.
So I would encourage the Church to be ready and prepared to minister to a troubled and frightened people. In the days to come and even beginning right now, God Almighty is calling forth His Elijahs, Jeremiahs, Ezekiels, Davids and Gideons to go forth in the power and anointing of Jesus the Messiah, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The world needs to hear the hope giving message of the Gospel. They need to know that God has the answers. That He is still in control. Psalm 46.
D.B.
It seems as if several times per week there are reports of quakes. And some of the recent killer quakes were in El Salvador and Guatemala, and then a short time later a more devastating one struck in India. The losses of life have been huge. And there seem to be dozens of lesser quakes happening all over.
Of course there have always been earthquakes. But Jesus Christ also gave the prevalence of quakes as one of the signs of His return. For in the book of Matthew, Jesus said: "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
He then went on to say, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers (various) places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:6-8).
The 'beginning of sorrows'? Yes, we could be nearing the time. For many of the Old Testament Jewish prophets have said that God will one day shake all the earth. And even aside from such cataclysmic events such as earthquakes, other things are now being shaken too: governments, financial institutions, and even society as a whole.
I believe that the hour is late in light of all the events that are currently unfolding before us. God Almighty is trying to awaken the world to the soon to come time of judgment that both the Old and New Testaments speak so much about.
And while many Christians feel uncomfortable talking about the "End Times, the "Last Days," and the coming "Tribulation period" that the Lord Jesus and so many of the prophets and apostles have discussed in the holy Scriptures, the fact is, God wants to also awaken His people (the Church) to the urgency of the times.
The year, month, day and hour of the Lord's return no one knows or can know. But today I believe the Lord is trying to encourage His children to turn away from all carnality and compromise, and to turn again to Him in repentance and faith. He wants us to be completely submitted and surrendered to Him.
You see, America is coming into a time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. There is so much unrest and anxiety now. I think that many people sense that something is very wrong. Although many may try to deaden their fears with alcohol and other drugs, or with all kinds of sports and entertainments, and even with pursuing a career or with making lots of money, the fact is many are afraid.
So I would encourage the Church to be ready and prepared to minister to a troubled and frightened people. In the days to come and even beginning right now, God Almighty is calling forth His Elijahs, Jeremiahs, Ezekiels, Davids and Gideons to go forth in the power and anointing of Jesus the Messiah, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The world needs to hear the hope giving message of the Gospel. They need to know that God has the answers. That He is still in control. Psalm 46.
D.B.