The Spirit calls me to read Mark 13 for many reasons. In the wake of powerful earthquakes some near and some far away, what are we to think? The devastating tragedies should be a wake up call to everyone of us who trust that God's Word is true.
As the Spirit leads me through this chapter, I know that these words were written for our benefit and instruction. Mark 13:7 says "When you hear of wars and rumors of war do not be alarmed for these things must happen. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."
We live in an era of "real time" events and can know what is happening around the world as it happens. We are more aware than any other generation of the wars, kingdom conflicts, earthquakes and famines no matter where they are occurring at any given time. Even if we as a nation are at peace (which we are not), still, we can know about all the other nations that are rising against each other. So our telecommunications place us in the place of hearing and seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy unlike people of past generations.
This scripture comes with a stern warning that we who believe will be hated because of Christ and our relationship to Him as His witnesses. Before the Lord's second coming false prophets and false "Christ's" will appear, performing signs and miracles to deceive the elect if possible. We are told to be on our guard and keep watch and be a faithful servant because we don't know the day or hour that He might come back. This is why He, The Spirit, has been sent to inhabit our hearts, His temple.
I always tried to tell my children, "don't be caught dead in a place where you don't want to be caught dead!" Meaning, the Lord can come back at any time and we must be doing what He has called us to do all the time. We are to be His witnesses to the people around us and to the dark nations around the world who do not know the One True God.
These devastations offer opportunity for those who did survive to find the God of all eternity. Those who are "lost" but not dead have yet the ability to find The One True God and the Savior of the world in the face of this horrifying ordeal. For those who have perished without the Savior, their fate and eternal destination is set for it is only here on earth that we have the ability to decide our eternity. After death here, it is too late.
As we send aid for their stricken bodies, may we send prayer for the Salvation for their souls. May we pray for those missionaries already there to speak hope for Eternity onto their lives and in such a way that the name of Jesus is lifted up. The earthquakes and their aftermath offers a small picture of the hell that exists as the eternal destination for those who reject the Son of God.
The horror of what we see should shake us out of our apathy toward a lost and dying world. The reality of all those images of people in shock and pain both physical and emotional should send an urgent message to our hearts to speak up and speak out. We should speak, not about this as being wrath and judgment, but rather about their need to make an eternal decision to receive the gift of Eternal life as offered through God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
This life is temporal. God's grace is now. For everyone who asks receives. Are we doing all we can to share with everyone we know the message of what is eternal especially as the temporal gives way? On a ginormous and blessed note: Scripture tells us the fallen earth groans awaiting the ultimate redemption of humanity where we (Believers in the God Son Jesus) will yet fulfill our original role as regents over all God created in the universe and beyond. .
Help us Holy Spirit to live out our lives in light of Eternity and share with those who are suffering here, the reason for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
As the Spirit leads me through this chapter, I know that these words were written for our benefit and instruction. Mark 13:7 says "When you hear of wars and rumors of war do not be alarmed for these things must happen. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."
We live in an era of "real time" events and can know what is happening around the world as it happens. We are more aware than any other generation of the wars, kingdom conflicts, earthquakes and famines no matter where they are occurring at any given time. Even if we as a nation are at peace (which we are not), still, we can know about all the other nations that are rising against each other. So our telecommunications place us in the place of hearing and seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy unlike people of past generations.
This scripture comes with a stern warning that we who believe will be hated because of Christ and our relationship to Him as His witnesses. Before the Lord's second coming false prophets and false "Christ's" will appear, performing signs and miracles to deceive the elect if possible. We are told to be on our guard and keep watch and be a faithful servant because we don't know the day or hour that He might come back. This is why He, The Spirit, has been sent to inhabit our hearts, His temple.
I always tried to tell my children, "don't be caught dead in a place where you don't want to be caught dead!" Meaning, the Lord can come back at any time and we must be doing what He has called us to do all the time. We are to be His witnesses to the people around us and to the dark nations around the world who do not know the One True God.
These devastations offer opportunity for those who did survive to find the God of all eternity. Those who are "lost" but not dead have yet the ability to find The One True God and the Savior of the world in the face of this horrifying ordeal. For those who have perished without the Savior, their fate and eternal destination is set for it is only here on earth that we have the ability to decide our eternity. After death here, it is too late.
As we send aid for their stricken bodies, may we send prayer for the Salvation for their souls. May we pray for those missionaries already there to speak hope for Eternity onto their lives and in such a way that the name of Jesus is lifted up. The earthquakes and their aftermath offers a small picture of the hell that exists as the eternal destination for those who reject the Son of God.
The horror of what we see should shake us out of our apathy toward a lost and dying world. The reality of all those images of people in shock and pain both physical and emotional should send an urgent message to our hearts to speak up and speak out. We should speak, not about this as being wrath and judgment, but rather about their need to make an eternal decision to receive the gift of Eternal life as offered through God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
This life is temporal. God's grace is now. For everyone who asks receives. Are we doing all we can to share with everyone we know the message of what is eternal especially as the temporal gives way? On a ginormous and blessed note: Scripture tells us the fallen earth groans awaiting the ultimate redemption of humanity where we (Believers in the God Son Jesus) will yet fulfill our original role as regents over all God created in the universe and beyond. .
Help us Holy Spirit to live out our lives in light of Eternity and share with those who are suffering here, the reason for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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