Are We In The Calm Before the Storm?

Have you heard that pickup trucks and cars are sailing off the car lots in record numbers?  Have you heard that US consumer borrowing soared about $1 trillion that past quarter for the first time EVER? Have you seen lots of new, big houses being built in your area?  Have you noticed that the restaurants all over the country are packed with folks willing to drop $200 to feed their family of 4....and they are willing to spend that multiple times per month?

Do you think we may be in the CALM BEFORE THE STORM?

Friday August 13th 2004 is a date Floridians will remember for a long time. Hurricane Charley struck S.W. Florida with 145 mph. winds and torrential rains causing a 50 mile wide path of destruction beginning on the Gulf coast and exiting on the Atlantic coast. I lived 30 miles inland in central Florida at the time.

A family member living one mile from the Gulf of Mexico called me just as the storm was beginning to hit there. He told me that the winds and rains were unbelievable and it was getting very bad down there. After we hung up, I went outside and took a looked around... knowing Charley would arrive in a few hours

I was struck by the calm of the lake on which I lived; the puffy clouds dotting the blue sky and the lack of any wind. Just a few hours later, the sky turned dark, the winds picked up, and torrential rain battered my home. The contrast between the calm earlier in the day and Charley’s 90-100 mph. winds was unbelievable.

When the sun rose the next morning, it exposed all of the damage and destruction Charley had left the day before. I won’t forget the calm weather, numerous warnings to get ready, and apathy of many citizens... just days before the approaching storm. I believe we are living in the days of relative calm before the storm... the coming storm of birth pains and God’s divine judgment.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-6  “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”

For the most part, people in our lifetime remind me of the people we read about in Noah’s day. Despite warning after warning, they go about their lives like they have no one to answer to. Noah warned of impending judgment and the flood came. Prophets warned of coming judgment and the Babylonian armies conquered. Jesus warned about the coming destruction in Jerusalem and just a few decades later, Jerusalem was in ruins as was the temple.

Here we are now in our modern world with all of its comforts, luxuries and diversions. Everything is going on just as it always has. Our generation has witnessed wars, disasters, and economic uncertainty. Most people view these events as just another link in the chain of history.

Although we face major issues, things always die down and return to normal. Wars eventually come to an end. Evil dictators and rulers eventually die. The financial markets always bounce back. Natural disasters eventually run their course and recovery efforts restore a sense of normalcy to life.

Take the broad view of our world right now. Sure, there is conflict, suffering and there are pockets of violence. We have displaced people looking for refuge in safe areas. There are sporadic acts of terrorism. The economy is fluctuating wildly and we have nations threatening other nations. In all reality... things look pretty normal.

For the most part, people have the same thoughts and opinions about the current world condition. They believe this is the way it’s always been. They reason that everything always returns to normal. They feel like this life has its ups and downs but everything will work out just fine.
It’s like most people in our day are collectively thinking the same thing about the future: “We have peace and safety.”

People, especially here in the West, have been warned through the faithful preaching, teaching, and witnessing of believers. They have been warned about God’s holiness, His wrath, and the coming judgment which He will pour out on an unrepentant world. They have been warned over and over again. 

Unfortunately, a majority of these warnings are laughed at, forgotten or ignored. Some people do respond with a contrite repentant heart entrusting Jesus for salvation, but a majority do not. The signs pointing to the nearness of the Lord’s return are everywhere, but most people live as though He’s not coming back.

Even more telling about the times in which we live is the rampant apathy even among some Christians regarding the Lord’s return. Where does this “I could not care less attitude” come from? I don’t believe it’s from ignorance because there are countless verses in the Bible pertaining to the end times.

These people choose to gloss over words like: Rapture, 70th Week, Great Tribulation, birth pains, beginning of sorrows, etc.  That is a shame because I believe the amount of weight or esteem a Christian gives eschatology will greatly impact the way he or she evangelizes, disciples, and lives a life of holiness.

We know the Master is away but He is coming back soon and we will have to give an account for how we spent our lives here.

Here;  http://www.raptureready.com/soap2/green36.html

Of course we have no idea if this relative "calm" could last for weeks, months or even years, BUT we can know that it will end.

This nation simply cannot continue to borrow money from other nations forever.  Our Federal Reserve can't print enormous amounts of money forever and artificially keep interest rates are 0% forever....one day it will all come to an end....and it very likely could be a CRASHING END.

My hope is that my readers will NOT BE SURPRISED if, very suddenly, all this mirage comes to a crashing end.

I hope the rapture is right around the corner....and that Jesus' return is very close....but if it's not and we all have to endure that crash together, it would be my hope and prayer that WE might be calm during the crash and that WE might be folks who are ready to witness to our shell-shocked neighbors and friends who very possibly are staggering around wondering what just happened.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is always a message to be shared....in good times and in bad.  It just so happens that people seem more willing to hear it during bad times....so let's all be ready to share!

"The harvest is at hand and the workers are few."