“A MARK OF THE LAST DAYS”

II Timothy 3:1 - ff.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

We were awakened early Tuesday morning by the ringing of the phone. “Have you heard?” asked a very upset daughter. As we watched the terrible tragedies unfold in New York and the Pentagon my mind went instinctively to II Timothy 3:1 and following which speaks eloquently of the characteristics of the end times - in particular, “haters of good, treacherous and brutal.”

Thousands of lives have been taken by men who are brutal, reckless, haters of good. I never thought I would live to see a thing of this magnitude in my beloved country, although we’ve seen it happen in other countries. Hearing of the terrorism abroad I would ask myself, “could it possibly happen in America?” Well now we know that it can.

Two important questions to all of us:

1. How does this affect God’s people?

We must take nothing for granted. We’re living in a sinful world and I believe this is just the beginning (Luke 21:9). Tuesday’s horror is a new kind of attack on America. We have experienced plenty of attacks from within. We’ve grown rather callous to drive by shootings and although the mass killings in our schools have shocked and saddened us, the attackers have been troubled American youth. Now something has hit us from outside and the entire nation and the world has been shaken by it.

2. What can we do about it?

God has given us a calling card for sharing our faith. The reality of the fragile nature of life can be used to touch people for eternity. Let’s use this horrible event as an opportunity to witness (I Peter 3:15).

Let’s make sure our own house is in order. Paul told the Corinthians in II Corinthians 13:5, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith.” We must examine ourselves.

Then, pray for any survivors and for the families who lost loved ones. Many of the casualties were from the Los Angeles area.

Tuesday’s trauma, I believe, is a wake up call to America, a wake up call to pastors to preach the Word, a wake up call to God’s people to be about their Father’s business.

Don’t forget, beloved, that God is in control. Keep trusting in His faithfulness and grace. God bless each one of you.

In His love.