Asleep

In my opinion and from what I see going on around us in our culture, our nation and our world, I firmly believe that Christ will be returning soon. Events this past week seem to just underscore the sad shape of things and how chaotic our world truly is.

From the recent kidnappings and ultimate slaughters of 2 U.S. military members in Iraq to rising concerns of nuclear threats from Iran & North Korea to concerns over rising prices in oil and those threats that IF the United States were to launch pre-emptive attacks against Iran that the prices of oil could triple (which is an obvious tactic being used to threaten us against such a move) to all the filth & corruption on the television today, I wonder how much longer it will be until God says "Enough" and calls His church home.

Each day, I hear of yet another instance in which people mock and disregard any validity to the deity and holiness of Jesus Christ, let alone the very existence of God. Groups like the ACLU continue to trample on the basic rights of people by censoring their words from mentioning "God" or "Jesus" in things like graduation speeches...

unless, of course, it's said with irreverant tones and castigation.

I'm not sure why I've really started thinking about eternity and the Second Coming and even the Rapture more & more but with news events like the ones I've mentioned weighing on my heart, I'm praying fervently for God to open the eyes & ears of people all over the world to come back to Him, to realize what His word says is true and that even as smart as we think we are, even in this age of technological wizardry and advancement, the Word of God is STILL relevant and applicable to each of our lives.

I just happened to hear a song a few days ago by Casting Crowns. If you've read this blog before (or on any regular basis) you know how much I enjoy this band's music and the message they sing. (Check out my blog titled "Change In Plans" to see what I'm talking about.) Their latest CD is called "Lifesong" and yet again, I will say it is an incredible CD packed with songs of worship, praise and aknowledgement of the supremecy of God in our lives. One song in particular ministered to me this week.

It's called "While You Were Sleeping".

It's a song that lead singer Mark Hall said he initially set out to write as a modern version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" but it became much more than that.

"I set out to set the classic hymn "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" to new music and, in the process, rediscovered the song and its message. They slept through it. Bethlehem missed the birth of the Savior of the world. Jerusalem did the same with Jesus' ministry among them. Seems crazy - 'til we as a nation look in the mirror. Matthew 25:5 - read the story / Romans 13:11 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 / Matthew 25:13; 26:41 Ephesians 5:8-14 / 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 Isaiah 53:6-7"

The song begins with the story of how Bethlehem was asleep the night of Christ's birth, missing the entire event. It continues with how Jerusalem missed what was right there in front of them, the Son of God, as they put Him to death on an old rugged cross.

But here's where it hit home for me.

"United States of America
Looks like another silent night
Every son deceived by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while lying there in the dark
There's a shout across the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night, in the night
America what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping?"

I've been reading the book of Hosea the past few days and in it, the Word describes the chaotic state Israel had become. Hosea 4 states the following:

"There is no truth, no faithful love and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing, lying, murder, stealing adn adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another."

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons."

"My people consult their wooden idols and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray; they act promiscuously in disobedience to their God."

This is just Chapter 4. There are more charges against them throughout the book, charges ranging from drunkeness, adultery, arrogance, lying, idol worship, refusal to hear the truth and cursing by their tongues. Does this sound like modern day America even in the slightest?

As the mirror of truth is being held up against America, there are many more sins being exposed than even these. Ultimately it has come down to this:

We, as a nation, have turned our backs on the God who redeemed us over 200 years ago. We have become arrogant in our own understanding and believe WE can solve our own problems. We don't need some archaic document or book like the Bible to direct how we should live, after all...what's that phrase we hear all the time..."your truth isn't necessarily MY truth?"

The fact is, truth is truth and one day that truth will be revealed to all. Either God's word is indeed what it says it is (Truth) or we are all liars. And if, if you'll just humor me for a moment, IF God's word is indeed true and He comes to take His church home "in the twinkling of an eye" (also known as "the Rapture"), millions will be left behind to face 7 years of tribulation and pandemonium the world has yet to even consider. To me, THAT will be a sure sign of the validity and truth of the Bible. Can you imagine that? Forget the fact that it is a Christian occurence...just imagine the literal disappearance of millions of people worldwide at that one instance.

Here...and then gone. That quick.

And the ramifications would be immediate. Pilots of aircraft disappearing while in mid-flight, thousands upon thousands of vehicles on the roads suddenly without drivers, people on their phones, computers and working out suddenly just...gone.

Frightening is only one word to describe what those left behind must begin to feel. How about lost, hopeless, vulnerable?

Alone.

Not a pretty picture, is it? Unfortunately, it will only get progressively worse. I won't go into what the Bible describes in the book of Revelation right now but it's the moment after Christ comes to take His church home that has had me thinking a lot these past few days. Yet, almost unbelievable as it may seem that something like this could happen, the instantaneous disappearance of millions of Christian believers, the rationalizing of it all from the media and religious experts will be even more stupifying. Once again, with the truth right there in front of them, people who've just experienced the wrong end of the Rapture will continue to defy and discredit God.

That's the sad part of this.

While people will still continue to be saved and accept Christ as their Lord during the Tribulation, millions of others will continue to fall into their own sinful lifestyle and degradation.

The good news is this: it's not too late for you today. You can, this very moment, know that without a doubt when you die, you will go to Heaven because you have accepted Christ into your heart as Lord & Savior. You can avoid this "judgment" that is coming for this evil, wicked earth and everyone on it. If this is you today, all you have to do is pray to accept Jesus into your heart, believe on Him and walk in His way.

My heart and my prayer is that America will begin to see the sad shape it's in spiritually and seek to turn back to God. We need a mighty spiritual awakening to happen in this land...again. It's time that we realize we cannot do it alone. We need the help and guidance of a Heavenly Father who knows all, sees all and loves all. It's not too late either, although the clock is indeed ticking.

We can become great again. We can become united again. We can come home...to Him...one more time.