Monday, September 8, 2008

Signs- Signs- Everywhere Signs

Stormy Conditions Cooking

by Michael G. Mickey
(9-3-08)

"Tropical Quartet: 4 Storms With More to Come" reads the headline from ABC News.

The following is an excerpt from the ABC News story (emphasis added mine):

The tropics seem to be going crazy what with the remnants of Gustav, the new threat from Hanna, a strengthening Ike and newcomer Josephine. Get used to it.

Hurricane experts say all the weather ingredients, which normally fluctuate, are set on boil for the formation of storms. And it's going to stay that way for a while, they said.

Four named storms at the same time is a bit odd, but not unprecedented, meteorologists said. In 1995 five named storms lived simultaneously. And in 1998 there were four hurricanes at the same. But wait and see what happens next.

"Give us time, this is only Tuesday," said meteorologist Dennis Feltgren, spokesman for an all-too-busy hurricane center in Miami.

The peak of hurricane season isn't until Sept. 10 and this season already has 10 named storms, which is the long-term average for an entire season.

Again, we've already reached the long-term average for an entire hurricane season and the peak of the season is still a week away!

Gustav as a judgment of God

While most of my readers had no problem with my commentary entitled "Is Hurricane Gustav going to belt the United States?", some who arrived here via Yahoo Buzz (which saw that commentary rise to as high as #5 most buzzed (or favorited) on all of Yahoo at one point, FYI) had a problem with me suggesting that God might use a hurricane during hurricane season to strike the United States as a judgment for our nation's support of the Palestinian cause AKA the division of Israel's God-given covenant lands.

Apparently, in the eyes of many, God no longer judges our nation and, if He does, He certainly doesn't simply target areas prone to hurricanes like the southern United States. In response to that line of thinking, I would remind people to consider the coverage that has been given here concerning the unprecedented fires in California this year, the horrific flooding in the Midwest that has impacted so many in recent months, and the furious rate of tornado activity we've seen in 2008 that threatens to break all standing records by year's end to name a few! The list goes on and on, all of this taking place as the Bush administration seeks the creation of a Palestinian state before he leaves office in January of 2009.

Are these judgments from God?

While I would be lying if I said I have no sense that the events detailed above may be symbolic of God judging the United States of America for its sins, I don't pretend to know the mind of God. Nonetheless, I think it's important for the Body of Christ to keep the possibility in mind as we are those through whom God speaks to our nation concerning its sin. It is the Church that is to call our nation to repentance and to lead the lost to Jesus Christ!

A Church that fails to acknowledge that God holds our nation accountable for its deeds, both at home and abroad, is a useless Church according to God's Word but, sadly, that's what we've become to a large extent, at least as a whole.

The salt of the earth; the light of the world?

The words of Christ, Matthew 5:13-16:

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Judgment and wrath, both in the U.S. and elsewhere, IS coming!

These days, not just here but around the globe, our world is one "where doomsday scenarios are daily anxieties!" And why? Simply put, it's because of rampant sin, godlessness, and, regrettably, a Church that has become about as effective in condemning these things as someone trying to cut the head off of a serpent with a rolled up newspaper!

Many Christians are weary, myself included, and this I well understand, but Church? We've got to do what we can while we still can to stand up for what is right! We need to have the courage to throw salt on the things we're able to as salt prevents spoilage. Likewise, we need to shed light in every darkened corner the enemy is lurking in as light dispels darkness! This is what Christ told us we should do lest we be "trodden under foot of men!"

And we wonder why no one takes the Church seriously anymore? We wonder why American foreign policy is placing us on a footing as a nation to be the recipients of our God's wrath? Bottom line, Church? We need to spunk up here in these last days, rattle a few cages, make at least a little noise for the sake of those we love and even for those we can barely tolerate due to the way they behave!

Bringing it home

It may seem, at this point, that I'm rambling all over the place. If so, I apologize as I tend to do that sometimes but I'm bringing this commentary home - full hurricane-like circle if you will.

At the outset I raised the issue that Hurricane Gustav has struck and we likely have more trouble on the way to consider - and prayerfully petition the Lord concerning.

ABC News is reporting the tropics "seem to be going crazy" and we need to "get used to it." Hurricane experts are saying all the ingredients necessary for a wild hurricane season are "on boil" and it's going to stay that way for a while.

In Bible prophecy, we're told that our seas are going to be roaring, as well as waves of water, in the last days, these matters being just one aspect of a host of other conditions pointing toward the return of Jesus Christ taking place, potentially in the very near future. As I am striving my best to document, all of the signs of His coming are on display in the world around us to some extent.

Like it or not, believe it or not, stormy conditions are cooking in this world that has forgotten its God. We'd do well to make note of them regardless of whether we're already a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or a lost soul in denial concerning what's going on in these latter days and where it is all headed.

If you're reading this today and you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, today is the day of salvation. This is the day you need to come to a saving faith in Christ. If you don't and tomorrow the Rapture of the Church occurs? You'll find yourself left behind and that? Trust me when I say you don't want that.

Matthew 24:21: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

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