God is speaking; but are we listening?
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Jesus once denounced the religious Pharisees and Sadducees for their ability to accurately predict the next day's weather while remaining dull to the spiritual "signs of the times" happening all around them. MATTHEW 116:1-3
RECENT SIGNS
Jesus characterized the Last Days as a time when natural disasters would increase in both in number and scope. Certainly that is happening today. We are witnessing major shifts of the earth's tectonic plates almost on a weekly basis. Approximately 230,000 people lost their lives in the 7.0 Haitian earthquake this year. It is now listed as one of the top 10 disasters of all time! It was soon followed by an even larger quake (8.8 magnitude) in Chili. That was followed by yet another 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Japan. Prior to these disasters, the Indonesia tsunami which struck the day after Christmas in 1994 also took approximately 230,000 lives. Four years later an earthquake struck China taking 69,000 lives. Besides the loss of human life, the financial disaster and the money and manpower needed for relief efforts that follow such events is staggering. And the Bible predicts that these catastrophes are only the "beginning of sorrows."
MOST RECENTLY
On our recent trip to the United Kingdom, we had to cancel our conference in Ireland because all flights were grounded at Heathrow airport due to an ash cloud that spewed into the atmosphere following a volcanic eruption in Iceland. That one event totally paralyzed travel throughout Europe. The airlines lost billions of dollars in revenue and the overall financial loss to the world economy has yet to be fully felt. Could this also be a "sign of the times?" Consider the words of Joel 2:30:
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
GOD SPEAKS PLAINLY
Interestingly, the day after the Obama administration announced a change in America's foreign policy regarding Israel and her right to build settlements in her own land, a British Petroleum oil rig disaster occurred in the Gulf of Mexico which now threatens to potentially become the greatest man-made disaster in American history. A total collapse of the fishing industry along the Gulf shore states is predicted if the oil spill is not abated. While it may sometimes be difficult to discern the prophetic meaning of the events such as I have described, occasionally God speaks in a way that is plain and easy to understand. Such is this latest oil disaster. When the crude oil began to reach the Louisiana coastline, the first place it washed ashore was at Venice, Louisiana. If you look up Venice, Louisiana on Wikipedia you will find the following description:
"Venice is an unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is 75 miles south of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River... It is the last community down the Mississippi accessible by automobile... This has earned the town the nickname, "The end of the world".
4 comments:
Also, in Tennessee this past weekend we experienced a flood which is being called the flood of the century. While the number of lives lost is minute in comparison with the lives lost in Haiti after the earthquake. The damage to Nashville and surrounding areas is catastrophic. Millions of dollars worth of damage was done and many will be out of jobs for a while due to damaged businesses. The Bible refers to these natural disasters as birth pains. Yes indeed, the end is near.
I find it so interesting too, that as I was in JerUSAlem during Passover, the volocano errupted in Iceland and the ashcloud paralyzed Europe..interesting because, Israel was commemorating the Holocaust. God, we speak to those dry bones..."COME ALIVE"!!!!
In Finland there were text message circulating regarding volocano errupted among christians, which was calling people into repentance and start praying and fasting. In old testament covering of ash was sign of repenting. particularly in Europe we have seen nation after another falling with financial crises, coincidence or not, that erruption has caused number of countries to review thier earthly dealings in light of God's dealings in midst of us?
I was searching for a very long time for meaningful and uplifting teachings on our identity as the Bride of Christ. Great blog! I'm also eagerly waiting for the downloadable teachings on your website.
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