Shaking Things Up a Bit!

"Earthquake Rattles Parts of Eastern US -- The magnitude 5.9 quake was centered some 90 miles from the nation's capital. Parts of the Pentagon, White House & Capitol were among the areas evacuated." --- Headline as it appeared on MSN.com during the afternoon of August 23, 2011

I got home from a doctor's appointment about 3:30 PM. Jean said the weirdest thing had happened around 2 PM -- for a little bit the house "quivered" as she described it in her words. But while at the doctor's office I noticed nothing as I was going through some testing of my eyes.

The news began to flow about the quake being centered in VA and as the headline mentioned, Washington DC is about 90 miles north of the center. But other places located some distance away also felt the quake's activity.

Cable news channels will be saturated about this recent happening and may even crowd out for a time at least what is happening in Libya as the rebels take over Tripoli, Gadafi's "stronghold."

Again, a most appropriate question can be asked -- God has been speaking in a wide variety of ways, but is anyone really listening? More importantly, to what extent is real honest soul-searching taking place and thoughts such as "We need to repent of our wickedness and seek God through His Son, Jesus Christ!"

Jesus, the foremost Authority on human behavior and how to properly relate to God in a positive manner, gave a detailed body of information as to how things would go in the latter times of human history as we see it being presently played out.

Our nation and the entire world are in for a shocking and dramatic change at some point in the future. Before that happens, it will seem that the entire world is in a state of convulsions on a repeat basis. The very structure of the earth will come under great pressure and strain. When the pressure is relieved at certain places, earthquakes will be the result. They may be rather large in magnitude or barely noticable.

Jesus mentioned earthquakes as being one of the indicators that His personal return to this world is drawing near. As He stated it, the earthquakes will be in many different places. This allows for such happenings to take place beyond the traditional "ring of fire" where earthquakes are more common. The "ring of fire" takes in the western coastal areas of South and North America, extending up toward Alaska and then curving down along the eastern coastal areas of the Asian continent into the southern Pacific area. In fact, there is an allowance for an earthquake to take place in areas that have not recorded one in recent memory!

Are you ready for more shake-ups in the days ahead? Perhaps one way of looking at this is to remember that God is just warming up -- we haven't seen anything yet!

When was the last time you had a good talk with God about things over which you are deeply concerned, including what the future holds?

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." --- Matthew 24:4-8

Is God Beginning to Make His Move?

PADANG, Indonesia - A powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia Wednesday, trapping thousands under collapsed buildings — including two hospitals — and triggering landslides. At least 75 people were killed on Sumatra island and the death toll was expected to climb sharply.....

APIA, Samoa - A massive tsunami hurled by a powerful earthquake flattened Samoan villages and swept cars and people out to sea, killing at least 99 and leaving dozens missing Wednesday. The toll was expected to rise.

Survivors fled the fast-churning water for higher ground on the South Pacific islands and remained huddled there hours after the quake, with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3, struck around dawn Tuesday.... --- Internet news releases on September 30, 2009

Two days in a row deadly earthquakes have struck in the Pacific area of our world. There has been loss of life with the death tolls expected to increase. Property damage will be extensive as well. We have been having earthquakes and tsunamis for a time. A number do not grab news headlines because little damage is done and injuries to humans are minor in scope.

But when the big ones hit, then the whole world sits up and takes notice. Perhaps it is time to ask a question that is bound to trigger vehement denials as well as a measure of elevation in the blood pressure readings of some persons – especially those who do not want to face the distinct possibility of the reason behind these literal earth shaking events!

The question is this – is Almighty God beginning to make His move? Yes, it is risky to entertain such a thought and worse to make it known publicly. This is not intended to make a “prediction” or set a time table as to when God is going to do what.

We do have considerable witness in Scripture as to some things to expect in the final stages of human history before Jesus Christ makes His return visit to this world. Everything is rather negative as to the unfolding of events, including mention of earthquakes. While earthquakes have been around for a long time there is the record that the frequency is picking up as time passes. Some have described it in this way -- that the earth's crust is like Jello and is now constantly quivering somewhere around the clock.

God does indicate that there will be a time when He is going to shake this world in a way such as never before. And when that happens there will be no “emergency” United Nations sessions – no world leaders addressing the U. N. Security Council as to what should be done – the whole gang will be on the run trying to save their own skins! See how Isaiah graphically describes it:

The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, but the idols He shall utterly abolish. They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made, each for himself to worship, to the moles and bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. --- Isaiah 2:17-21

The subject is further discussed later in the prophet’s writings as he details why things have come to the point of world wide destruction – massive rebellion against the Creator of the universe always results in a devastating response:

The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again. It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth. --- Isaiah 24:19-21

Note earlier in Isaiah 24 that three distinct things are mentioned as to why God is doing the things that He is – that is, literally shaking the world such as never before – it is said in verse 5 “The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant.”

There is absolutely no hope when there is mass agreement to defy God’s laws, attempt to alter His ordinances, and reject His covenant established through His own Son, Jesus Christ. But that is what the majority of the human race is determined to do!

So, is God beginning to make His move? What say YOU?

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” --- Jesus speaking in Matthew 24:6-8

Peeking into the Future!

Ah, what fascination -- what adventure -- unparalleled excitement as one seeks to probe the future and what lies in store for us!

Many are the gimmicks and methods employed to see what the future holds for us. There are efforts to contact the dead -- maybe we can touch base with aunt Susie or uncle Sylvester and they can give us a clue as to what's going to happen next month on the 23rd! Then there are the crystal ball people and the others who lay out cards with weird pictures on them. Still others say it's all in the stars and planet alignment -- the zodiac and your astrological sign -- all this stuff as it interacts somehow shows us what is yet to be. And it is a given -- there are those who read the daily Horoscope (should it really be spelled "Horrorscope?") religiously and act accordingly -- it is their "bible" for shaky times such as these!

OK -- do you want information that is 100 per cent accurate and comes from the most reliable source you will ever consult in a lifetime? Really -- are you sure about that?

Then be sure you hold to that desire, because it is possible to know some things for sure when it comes to future happenings. Now this is not the kind of information where you will be tipped off as to what you will eat for breakfast next Friday morning or what you will be wearing when you leave the house. On the other hand, this is information that gives you basic facts as to what is going to happen so that you are challenged to make the proper preparation for the events taking place.

Our Authority is none other than Jesus Christ Himself! Only He is qualified to reveal the basic facts as to what the future of this world holds in regard to its human inhabitants. Statements He made on future events are found mainly in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17 and Luke 21 in the New Testament Scriptures.

In consulting them do not let anyone, pastor or teacher or layperson, try to foul you up about "interpretation" -- just imagine Jesus speaking these words to you and take them at face value -- you'll come out alright!

The world and nations within it will become increasingly corrupted spiritually, morally and ethically. Jesus summarized this trend by saying it will be like it was in the generation in which Noah lived before the judgment of the flood and as it was in Lot's time when he lived in the city of Sodom before it was destroyed by a judgment of fire!

There will be all manner of earthly calamities and cosmic phenomena happening. Note some the specific things to which Jesus made reference:

• massive deception and delusion will take place -- Jesus repeats Himself on this warning to be alert and not allow yourself to be deceived by false teachers
  
• wars and rumors of wars with nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom -- there will be no peace in spite of efforts to achieve it
  
• there will be famines in many places -- people starve to death every day in some nations of this world
  
• pestilences (devastating diseases) will be found throughout the world -- e.g. Africa is being ravaged by Aids in spite of massive amounts of money being poured into that continent in an effort to bring it under control -- sexually transmitted diseases are on the increase!
  
• earthquakes are increasing in frequency -- sensitive instruments record the crust of the earth is quivering constantly like a bowl of jello being shaken -- and then a tragic by-product of an earthquake sometimes happens -- it's called a tsunami -- ever hear of it?
  
• lawlessness abounding with the tragic result that some will simply give up, considering that the price to be paid for resisting evil is simply too high!
  
• increased hatred and persecution of Christians as the home stretch of human history runs its course!
  
• a time labeled as "great tribulation" -- trouble so intense that nothing like it has ever happened before nor ever shall again!
  

The New Testament writers added to this information in different ways such as 2 Timothy 3 and 4; 2 Peter 2 and 3; and Jude. The biggie in all this is the book of The Revelation with lots of detail -- enough to make the thinking person say, "I want to be sure I'm right with God and I'm on the way to heaven when my life on earth if over."

The responsibility of the Christian is first and foremost that of being a witness in word and deed to the salvation which is exclusively offered through Jesus Christ, Who is Savior and Lord over all. Here are some things to bear in mind:

• daily disciplines of Bible reading/study and prayer -- every day, no exceptions!
  
• involvement in the fellowship of believers, giving public expression to one's faith
  
• personally pursue holiness by the grace of God as the minimal standard for one's lifestyle -- this means saying "No!" to a wide ranging acceptance of indulgences and practices by a majority of persons in today's world, including what is sometimes advocated even in professing Christian circles -- and sometimes by church leaders themselves who profess to be "Christian!" The Holy Spirit is faithful to guide us in these matters and in the making of our choices -- that is, if we permit Him to guide us.
  
• sound the warning trumpet of impending judgement by Almighty God and the reasons why God has every right to bring judgment without delay!
  
• keep reminded each day that Jesus' return could be at any time -- but also, be reminded that here in the "comfortable" United States things could become very difficult for Christians before Jesus does return -- some object to this possibility and suggest that before it gets too tough He will come and take the Christians out of here. But why should we be favored in such a manner when right now in other places in this world our Christian brothers and sisters are being put to death for their faith, or beaten, tortured and put in prison for no other reason than the fact that they are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ! We are a spoiled and pampered lot, are we not?
  
• apply the prayer as mentioned in Psalm 141:5 diligently -- pray specifically against the deeds of the wicked -- there are a lot of them around, you know, doing a lot of things which God condemns. They sit behind desks in high places as well as lurking about in dark alleys!
  

Be concerned about the future -- ask God to help you understand those things He has revealed about the future, and to prepare you to speak about it. Be bold in stressing the fact that there is absolutely no hope in the future outside of Jesus Christ. We are urged to comfort one another from time to time with the reality that Jesus is going to come back to earth again as King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen!

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. --- Titus 2:11-14