SIGNS OF THE TIMES

On December 18, 2009, the European Union...the President signed the first part of... What this means for the Christian is that God's word is coming to pass when, "...the dragon was wroth [angry] with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her [the church of Christ] seed which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," (Revelation 12:19) is nearer now than when we first believed.

On December 1, 2009, Germany reaffirmed the sacredness of Sunday as a day of worship to be protected. What this means for the Chrisian is that the time when the second beast power, with the backing of the first beast power would, "...cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed...and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the number of the beast, or the number of his name" is nearer now than when we first believed (Revelation 13:15-17).

On December ??, 2009, the District of Columbia sanctioned gay marriage. What this means to the Christian that, "...as in the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:37-39).

There are two groups of people we can be in during these times. One group will be looking at the coming crisis and respond with anxiety, fear or worse yet, despair. The other group will be watching, praying and working, and as they see bible prophecy being fulfulled, their faith will be strengthened in the certainty of the coming Christ.

This past year has brought about more changes to our world and way of life then we could ever have imagined. Some have been stirred to action or even more effective, self-examination and prayer. Some have missed the signs, being cleverly distracted by well-timed expositions of Tiger Woods' sins, Michael Jackson's well-publicized death, Rihanna's personal problems and the unprecedented inaugration of the first dark-skinned man in America's Presidental history.

Friends, my appeal is simple, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44).

"WHEREFORE GOD ALSO HATH HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, AND GIVEN HIM A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME: THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW,...AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER" (Philippians 2:9-11).