In the introduction to this series, we reminded you that the twenty-first century church mirrors the first-century church in their quest to know when the return of Jesus Christ will take place to establish God's eternal kingdom. Three of the four Gospels record Jesus’ answer to the disciples question, “What will be the signs of your return?” Paul also addressed the concerns of those who wanted to know when Christ would return and informed us that, “No one knows the exact time, but His followers will know the season of His return.” However, Jesus provided a number of events that must take place before His glorious return. One sign is that there would be “wars and rumors of wars.” According to recent conflict analysis, just 23 countries and territories have not been involved in any reported battles, violence against civilians, explosions, riots, protests, or strategic developments in 2021, meaning that the remaining 174 countries have been involved in some form of conflict, violence or war in 2021. Over the past 3,400 years, humans have only been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.
Life is hard, demanding and is not overly kind to anyone. The pressure and responsibilities can be overwhelming. How many times have you said, or heard someone say, “Things are unraveling and I am hanging on by a thread.” Therefore, it is imperative that you build your life on the proper foundation of Jesus Christ. It requires diligence and persistence if you are to be successful. “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Know with certainty that the follower of Christ is not hanging by a thread. They have firmly gripped a “cord of three strands (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) is not quickly or easily unraveled (Ecclesiastes 4:12). You’re not hanging by a thread, you are secured to a strong rope that that is a part of Gods’ eternal foundation and it will not fail you or unravel. Regardless of what is or is not happening, God and God alone is in charge of His creation. If you trust in Him, you will be victorious.
The United States of American is one of many nations that are in crisis. There are common denominators that can be identified that are causing the crisis. Also, each nation has its own unique issues that adds to their present despair. I want to broadly highlight several issues that have aided the present stress that grips this great nation. Some are blatantly obvious, while others are more discreet. With our great nation is crisis it will take deliberate and decisive action to change our present course. Submitting to the God of heaven is critically needed. We must to return the faith our fathers if our nation is to be saved. A Nation in Crisis needs a Church in Action.
The followers of Christ must recognize that there are times and circumstances which are “extraordinary” which demand the church to speak using its “prophetic” voice. The church must speak out with a clear and resounding prophetic voice to those things which are taking place that violate and attempt to destroy God’s purpose.
What should the follower of Christ and the church universal be doing during these turbulent and divisive times? Believers recognize that Sacred Scripture is our “authoritative rule of faith and conduct”. How do you incorporate its instruction in your daily affairs and activities? No one will argue that so many thoughts, ideas, and opinions about a plethora of issues exist and it produces fiery emotions on all sides. In this extraordinary season, how do you respond? Your contextualization has to be understandable and compelling without compromising God’s truth. The Apostle Paul instructs you to “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Colossians 4:5-6). Every follower of Christ needs God to teach them how to live their life for His glory. The psalmist addresses this issue and provides insight and direction to our question, “What Should You Be Doing?”
In the introduction to this series, we reminded you that the twenty-first century church mirrors the first-century church in their quest to know when the return of Jesus Christ will take place to establish God's eternal kingdom. Three of the four Gospels record Jesus’ answer to the disciples question, “What will be the signs of your return?” Paul also addressed the concerns of those who wanted to know when Christ would return and informed us that, “No one knows the exact time, but His followers will know the season of His return.” However, Jesus provided a number of events that must take place before His glorious return. One sign is that there would be “wars and rumors of wars.” According to recent conflict analysis, just 23 countries and territories have not been involved in any reported battles, violence against civilians, explosions, riots, protests, or strategic developments in 2021, meaning that the remaining 174 countries have been involved in some form of conflict, violence or war in 2021. Over the past 3,400 years, humans have only been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.