Daily Grind »

What’s Good Family,

I pray that all is well with each and every one of you.  Just a few weeks into the New Year and 2010 has already been marked as a memorable year.  The devastation in Haiti continues to fill the attention and thoughts of people around the world.  Our prayers go out to the people of Haiti, and the families of those who have lost loved ones, and those who are still hopefully waiting for a good report.  Since the earthquake(s) have hit, I have noticed that there is a serious spirit of fear trying to dominate the airwaves…even among some of the believers.

Over the past few days I have seen quite a few post, articles and commentaries that almost seemed to be working the “doom & gloom” approach to scare people into accepting Jesus.  I will be honest it bothered me…because when I look at the nature and personality of God the Father, and how His Love for us led to Him sacrificing His Only Son….some of the stuff I have been hearing just doesn’t add up.  I have learned however not to respond to everything that I hear, instead I just pray that we all come to a point where we learn to listen to God’s voice and become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading during times such as these.

There are people hurting and in need of hope right now, and we know the source of that hope.  As far as the doom & gloom messages I will say this.  Time is always of the essence, we should live in such away that no matter when the end comes, that we are found ready.  Jesus said:

“Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, ‘I am Christ, the Messiah.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming.”

[Matthew 24:4-8]

The King James version of that passage states that those things are just the beginnings of the “birth pains”. There will be a time when things get much worse than anything any of us have ever seen, but Christ encourages us to stay the course and do what we have been placed here to do, and that is to Know Him and make Him known to the rest of the world! I encourage you to read the 24th chapter of Matthew, but instead of reading it in a state of fear I encourage you to read it as a cheat sheet…a cue card so to speak, letting you know what you can expect, so that you are not swayed or moved by global events, and that your motivation is not simply out of fear. In addition to reading Matthew 24, I would also encourage you to read what I call the “Hall of Faith” passage in Hebrews 11. Be encouraged by the accomplishments of our faith predecessors who, did the impossible, refused to give in and some even suffered great things with only a glimpse of what was to come…with just a glimpse of the beauty and awesomeness of what we now posses.

I will leave you with this, for those of you who continually find yourself being overwhelmed by the overflow of devastating news, I challenge you to pray, then do whatever you can to help, and lastly take control of your thought life. Don’t let your thoughts run rampant, and don’t let your mind be dominated with negative thoughts and images…read [Philippians 4:8] and then think on those things.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”- Philippians 4:8