What if…

What would you do if you knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow?  What about your life would you change or do differently?

No one knows the day or hour Jesus will return, but the Bible does tell us of the signs of His coming.

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.

“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.

“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Matthew 24:3-14

also consider these Scriptures:

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near;

so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.

“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

“Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

“For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”  Matthew 24:32-44

If you are a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ – always be ready.  Live your life as if Jesus were coming any minute.  We don’t know when it will be, but our lives should be a reflection of our faith in Him.  Don’t put off til tomorrow what you should do today.  Reconcile a relationship that needs healing and forgiveness.  Show kindness to others.  Tell people about Jesus.

If you are not a believer, it is my prayer that you will search your heart before it is too late.  The time draws near, time is winding down.  God gives each of us “free will” – He condemns no one, and by accepting or refusing the gift of His Son Jesus, you choose your own fate.

Jesus loves you, and longs for a relationship with you.  Come to Him now.  You might not have a chance tomorrow.

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The truth about Global Warming

I’ve recently noticed the media are no longer saying “global warming” – it is now politically correct to say “climate change”.   I’ve personally thought it was a lot of hooey since this started.

The earth naturally goes through warming and cooling cycles as it has for thousands of years.  I’m not saying that man isn’t responsible for polluting parts of the environment and being a poor caretaker of it in general.  “Green” is the new buzz word, and no one argues that we need to find cleaner burning fuels that are renewable.

Now hold on to your seat because what I’m about to say is not for the faint of heart who believe Al Gore’s ranting.  You ready?

Here goes….

Man will not destroy the earth.   There is scriptural basis for this belief.

After the flood when Noah offered burnt offerings to the Lord….

“The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

“While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”    Genesis 8:21-22 (NASB)

In a recent UN Global Warming Conference, 650 of the world’s top climatologists said that “man made global warming is a media generated myth without basis.”

Now excuse me while I go throw another log on the fire.   😀

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Article referenced

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Scriptural Preparedness

If you are a Christian, the Bible has a great deal to say about preparedness.  We believe the Lord will provide for and take care of us, no matter what life brings, but He does expect us to do what we are able.

We have an abundance of squirrels, and enjoy watching them play and also gather acorns for the coming winter.  The Bible talks about ants and how they prepare:

Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,
Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.
How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest”–
Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6-11)

and also:

The ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer. (Proverbs 30:25) (The previous verse talks about them being small on the earth, but exceedingly wise.)

The Bible also has a lot to say about “worrying”.  This is not to be confused with “preparedness”.  The words “fear not” appear over 60 times in the KJV of the Bible.  We walk by faith that the Lord is in control, and we also use what the Lord has blessed us with to take care of ourselves and family.

In Genesis 41, the Bible records that Joseph put back seven years’ worth of food in Egypt.  They were given seven good years in which they put back enough to withstand the coming shortage.  All of the nations came to Egypt for food because the famine was so severe.  During the seven years of plenty the land brought forth abundantly.

So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure. (Genesis 41:47-49)

and:

When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end,

and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.”

When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth. (Genesis 41:53-57)

There are biblical principles of “feast and famine”.

Fast forward to 2009 A.D.   We have just come through a period of prosperity, and are on the brink of sliding down an economic abyss.

The Bible says that in the end of days … “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”   Matthew 24:7

also:

“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” Matthew 24:11-12

“so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” Matthew 24:33

If you don’t believe we are nearing the end of days, ponder this.  For thousands of years, things were basically the same.  People farmed their land for food, used animals for transportation.  We entered the year 1900 on horse and buggy, and zoomed out into the year 2000 with high speed internet.  Knowledge has increased DRAMATICALLY in the last 100 years, and continues to increase at a phenomenal pace even now.  I heard a scientist on tv the other day say that their knowledge of things is increasing at a rate that is astounding even them.  This was prophesied by Daniel:

“But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”  Daniel 12:4

Every generation believed theirs would be the one to see Christ return.  Generations from now may be saying the same thing, but I implore you to consider, we are closer now than we have ever been.

2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow about His promises, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”

In Revelation 6, the Bible describes the four horsemen of the apocalypse.  The 3rd seal which is broken is famine:   “And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.” (verse 6)

A denarius was equal to a day’s wages.  (Inflation at least 10 times normal.)  Can you imagine working ALL DAY for a QUART of wheat?

Many economists are predicting hyper-inflation is coming within the next few years.  While we cannot prepare for all circumstances, you can do what you are able.  Prepare your house spiritually first – do you know Jesus?  If your answer is “yes”, then prepare your physical house for hard times.

Jesus stands at the door and knocks.  Will you hear Him?

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Scripture quoted from the NASB or KJV Bible.

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Our Story

Let me say first that what you are about to read is very emotional. It is the true story of the loss of our infant daughter who was stillborn at the end of a term pregnancy. I am posting it in the hopes it will help another mother or father who is going through the same turmoil we did. There is hope for you if you are hurting. If you are reading this with a heart filled with grief, it is my prayer that God will comfort you and provide peace during this difficult time.

Our story originally appeared on the Empty Cradle.Net website in 2001, and was later published in the Modern Mommy newsletter.

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In December 1994, I became pregnant – a planned pregnancy that my husband and I eagerly looked forward to. I had struggled with polycystic ovaries and endometriosis, and we had feared I would not be able to conceive again (I had lost a baby through miscarriage a few years before). I had a wonderful pregnancy – I loved every minute of it. The baby literally thrived and we were overjoyed to find out we were having a daughter. My blood pressure was slightly elevated and I was borderline gestational diabetic, but the doctor said it was all within the normal range, so we didn’t worry.

As I approached my due date, we were told I would have to have a c-section because the baby was so large. We scheduled the section for Aug 10th – one week after my husband’s birthday. I had had my baby shower, the crib was up, room decorated. We were ready to bring this baby home. The doctor said the week of the section I would be at 38 weeks, which was the normal time to do a section. I was having no problems, so he felt it best to wait, even though I almost begged him to take her early (by this time I was in the “miserable” stage of pregnancy).

My parents were visiting us from out of town when I went in for my last checkup that Monday, August 7th, before the section. I thank God everytime I think of it that they were with me that day. My husband had attended every single appt I had, except for that one. I feel like God had it planned that way for a reason. I hadn’t felt very well the last couple of days previously, and I hadn’t felt her move at all in over 24 hours. Everyone kept telling me not to worry – babies get quiet right before you go into labor – so I listened. I went in to the exam room, and the nurse couldn’t find a heartbeat. She called in the doctor. He couldn’t find a heartbeat either. My mother was in the room with me, and my father was in the waiting room. The doctor told me he wanted me downstairs to have an ultrasound immediately, but that he suspected the baby had died.

I don’t remember much of what happened after that. My mother said I collapsed outside the doctor’s office and they carried me downstairs. I remember looking at the ultrasound and seeing my baby – and no heartbeat. We went to where my husband works, and told him (my parents almost carrying him too) to the car, and we headed home to get our things and then on to the hospital.

I went in for an emergency c-section that night. Our daughter, Ashley, weighed 9 lbs, 7 oz and was 20″ long. She was beautiful, and stillborn. The cord was wrapped around her neck and around one of her arms. She had died while I slept that Saturday night before, and I never felt her struggle. Nothing. They knocked me completely out for the c-section and woke me up so that I could see her. I was unable to hold her because they kept me so sedated trying to keep me calm. Fortunately, my husband, my parents, and my best friend were there and they held her and brought her close to me so I could see her through my tears. My heart was literally broken – I didn’t want to live. I blamed myself – I thought I had done something to cause her death, even though the doctor assured me I had done everything right.

They kept me in the hospital for 4 days – most of which I was sedated on a morphine pump. I didn’t want to go home. I had all of the baby things in the house – and I couldn’t handle it. We had opted for cremation because I would not have been able to attend the funeral otherwise. I was devastated, as was my husband. I was angry, confused. I prayed, and prayed for answers. I cried an ocean of tears – until I thought I could cry no more, and then from somewhere within me more would spill out.

I had thoughtless people tell me it was “for the best” – which I did not want to hear. I know they meant well, but people do not always say the appropriate things at times like that. I had several people give me books on grief and dealing with the loss of a child that were extremely helpful. All contained scripture which sustained me when nothing else could. Were it not for my faith, I can honestly say I do not think I would still be here. I did not think I could live through my daughter’s death – yet I am still here. God provided strength and peace when I thought I would lose my sanity, and provided people around me who were a comfort to my aching soul.

Three months after Ashley died, I was pregnant again and scared to death. I was a nervous wreck the entire pregnancy. I went into preterm labor at 29 weeks and wound up on complete bedrest the last two months. My blood pressure was through the roof and I was on medication for that. I was going to the hospital twice a week for non-stress tests where they monitored the baby’s heartbeat and checked his movements. My husband and I lived from visit to visit – worrying, hoping, praying. At 36 weeks, things were not going well during one of the tests, and my doctor decided to do an emergency section and deliver our son. I didn’t feel like my body was the best place for him to be – I wanted to see him and touch him and know that he was ok – even if he was in the infant ICU until his lungs developed fully.

To make a longer story shorter our son was born that day – almost two weeks shy of our daughter’s birthday. He weighed a whopping 8 lbs, 6 oz and was 21″ long – and a MONTH early (I almost named him “ouch!”). His lungs were fully developed – and he never required a bit of assistance in breathing. I call him our “miracle baby”. He has been my therapy and my sunshine. I praise God for this child that we were blessed with, even on days when my patience is tried to its limits. He is now 4 years old, and I am a stay-at-home mom. I can think of no other place I would rather be.

If you are suffering through the loss of a child or know of someone who is, there are many books available that are very good and helpful. It took a while before I could begin to read them, but I needed to know I was not alone – that other women had felt the devastation I was going through.

Take things one day at a time – and try (even though I know it is hard) to find something positive – even if it’s only for the air you breathe. Some days that’s all I could be thankful for.

Also realize that men and women grieve very differently. My husband and I did, and it almost cost us our marriage. He was just as destroyed as I was, but he turned all of the pain inside and wouldn’t discuss it with me. It took some major events for us to come to a point where we could talk about our daughter’s death and actually sit and cry – together…..four years after she died.

If the depression is so severe that you feel you can’t go on, please seek some help. There are many medications that will make this time a little easier to deal with. It won’t make it go away, but it could offer some stability when you feel there is none. Talk to your doctor, your pastor, your best friend – someone, but don’t shut yourself out from the rest of the world. It *does* get easier with time, although you will never completely get over it. Our daughter would have been six years old this year and I still cry myself to sleep some nights over her loss. Allow yourself to grieve, and give yourself time to heal. The pain will lessen, but it takes a while to get there.

Please also see our page on Scripture to Comfort .

Copyright 2000 to current by arksoaper.  All rights reserved.

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