davidbowerkingwood

Turmoil and Discord Prevails

The most casual perusal of the news today reveals we are living in a country that is deeply divided against itself. The Democrat Party is in full attack mode against the Republican Party and each other and the Republican Party is fighting Democrats and each other. It appears that the best interests of the people and the nation have little or no place at all in the national arguments that fill the news.

It saddens me to observe the deep divisions that have divided this country into many factions that are fighting and attempting to destroy each other. The electorate has given the Republican Party an opportunity to run the country and it seems that all the Republican Party can do is to run each other into the ground and defend themselves from attacks by Democrats.

 Admittedly President Trump came in as an outsider with the declared intention of “draining the swamp” which became fighting words to the swamp dwellers who were thriving in the swamp environment. Lines have become ever more clearly drawn as the factions attack each other hoping to find vulnerable spots in the others defenses. This internecine warfare seems to be the primary focus of those who should be more concerned with the welfare of the nation and the people.

While national well-being is ignored all efforts are focused on the fight between those who should be brothers working for the common good. It compels one to wonder if there is any hope for this nation or has it, perhaps, run its course and is now ready for a major change.

Now James Hodgkinson, a Bernie Sanders Democrat campaign volunteer, has been killed by Capitol Police as he was attempting to assassinate a number of Republican Congressional Representatives at a baseball practice Tuesday morning.

The Lord Jesus Christ told the Pharisees; “²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” The way things are going now makes me wonder if this nation can stand.

There is Something Else Going On

While we are inundated by a flood of bad news about the government, the nation and the world there is a process at work which will ultimately and profoundly affect all things but is going unnoticed by almost everyone. God is not mocked; His will is being implemented at all levels of life and experience and will at some point, known only to God, emerge with awesome power and conviction.

Although the timing on this revelation of God’s power is known only to God, I believe the very first manifestations of this emergence are beginning to appear before us even now. We are given clues for which we can watch in several sections of the Bible. In Matthew 24:6-13 it is written:

^“6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰ At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Again in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 it is written:

“3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

I believe we are seeing the beginnings of these birth pains referenced by the Lord; it seems to me the signs the Lord mentions are fairly well all in place at this point in time. While this is only the beginning, their intensity will certainly increase as time goes by.

The First Indisputable Sign of the Lord’s Return and the End of the World as we have known it

Bible prophecy tells us there are no remaining, unfulfilled prophecies that must occur before all born again believers are taken home by the removal of the church by the rapture; this could literally happen at any moment. The timing on this event is known only to God, however; we have no idea whether this will be measured in days, years or even centuries of time remaining before the Lord calls his children home.

The Lord has told us there will be signs and as his children we are to be mindful of the signs that will be given to us. These signs should be an encouragement that the Lord’s plan is being fulfilled and he is working all things after the counsel of his own will. One of the criticisms the Lord had for the Pharisees was their failure to notice the signs God was providing for them. In Matthew 16:1-4 it is written:

“16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. ² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.”

The sign of Jonah was fulfilled by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord but even this sign was rejected by the Jewish leaders. Today the equivalent sign from heaven will be the removal of the church but this too will be rationalized away by world leaders.

As Christian men and women we are to see this world with eyes of faith; we are to see God’s hand at work in all that is occurring in the world today. We have been promised that God is in complete control of all things and is working them in accordance with his own will. Like it or not we appear to have been made spectators to what will be the most dramatic occurrences in the history of mankind.

There is, purportedly, an old Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times;” it seems as if this may apply to us.

⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8