Time of Sorrows Revisited

Dear beloved: Jesus told the disciples who were questioning Him about the end times scenarios in Matthew chapter 24, that there would be coming a time of sorrows, or a time of birth pangs.  These sorrows would be characterized by these events: that many would be coming in the name of Jesus to deceive the masses, saying, I am the Christ, and there would also be wars, rumors of wars, and nation would rise against nation, and kingdom against kindom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places.  What we have witnessed in the past week take place in one of our nation's elementary schools has certainly reminded us once again that we are in the time of sorrows, the collective pain and anguish felt by all Americans of conscience has taken the breath out of each of us.  Our prayers and sympathy go out for each and every family, friend, and loved one of all the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting, may God bless and strengthen them with the comfort of the Holy Spirit as only He is able in the days ahead.

There will be many solutions offered up to try to turn the wave of violence that is sweeping our nation, most of it centered around taking the guns and ammunition away from people, and even far-reaching solutions such as metal detectors and fortifying every school, campus, and meeting place in America.  Can you imagine, Americans being held prisoner in their own land, not by an outside enemy, but by the demons of hate, murder, and rage, that we have allowed knowingly and willingly into our land, through the cesspool of filth and moral depravity that masquerades as entertainment in television, movies, and video games?  Kingdom is certainly rising up against kingdom, just as Jesus predicted, only the kingdoms are not earthly ones, it is the kindom of darkness and evil verses the Kingdom of Light.  The mayor of Sandy Hook declared that "evil has visited our community", he certainly got that right, but it has been visiting for a long time now, and evil is announcing that we are taking over.

When a nation gives its schools and its children over to the wanton pleasures of the flesh and has no regard for the Word of God, nor any fear of God in the laws that they pass or the moral stance that they take, then the outcome for the children is quite predictable.  When God and moral values are not taught in the schools, when total rebellion towards God is taught in the form of promotion of abortion,(the murder of children in the womb before they get to elementary school), when homosexual perversion is openly promoted by the highest officials and even some church leaders, then God has no choice but to give us over to judgment.  Whenever the devil is given an opportunity to come in and take territory, he will certainly be more than happy to do that.  Psalm 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?  Beloved, there is only one thing the righteous can do, get down on our knees and cry out for mercy, for mercy is all that is going to spare us from the wrath of God.  v7 For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.  Beloved, cry out for mercy, pray for your church and elected leaders, share the hope of the gospel, that is the only hope for this nation, there is no other.  May God bless you as you pray this day, in Christ, Jim