A Country Preacher's Personal Thoughts on the Days in Which We Live
There comes a time in every person's life when the road behind is much longer than the road ahead. As I sit and think about the years the Lord has allowed me to serve Him, I realize my time on this earth is, at best, only a few more years. My body reminds me every day that I am nearing the end of my journey. The strength I once had has faded. Illness has become a constant companion. Yet while the outward man grows weaker, the burden within my heart grows stronger.
I feel an increasing urgency to warn people that our time to prepare spiritually is limited.
I cannot tell you the day or the hour when our Lord Jesus Christ will return. No honest student of Scripture can.
Matthew 24:36 (KJV)
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
But while we cannot know the exact day, our Lord never intended His people to live unthinkingly.
He repeatedly told His disciples to watch.
He told them to stay awake.
He told them to recognize the signs.
These thoughts are not presented as absolute declarations that today's headlines are the direct fulfillment of specific prophecies. They are my observations as I look at the world through the lens of God's Word. I may not understand every detail of prophecy. There are many godly Christians who interpret certain passages differently than I do. I respect that.
Yet I cannot ignore what I see.
As I compare the condition of our world with the warnings Jesus and the apostles gave, I cannot help but feel that we are moving rapidly toward the climax of God's redemptive plan.
Whether I am right about every prophetic detail is not the important question.
The important question is this:
Are we ready to meet the Lord if He comes today?
Reading the Signs
Jesus rebuked the religious leaders because they could forecast the weather but refused to recognize the spiritual condition of their own generation.
Matthew 16:2-3 (KJV)
"...Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?"
Throughout Scripture, God's people were expected to recognize when His hand was moving in history.
Noah recognized the signs before the flood.
Joseph recognized the signs before the famine.
The prophets recognized the signs of coming judgment.
The wise men recognized the signs that the Messiah had been born.
Why should Christians today ignore the signs around us?
Again, I am not saying every headline fulfills a specific prophecy.
I am saying the direction of the world should awaken every believer.
We Are Not Children of Darkness
One passage has spoken deeply to my heart for many years.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 (KJV)
"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."
Paul did not tell believers to panic.
He did not tell us to speculate endlessly.
He told us to stay awake.
There is a tremendous difference between living in fear and living alert.
The Christian should never be surprised that evil increases in the last days.
God has already warned us.
Satan Knows His Time Is Short
One of the most sobering verses in Revelation says,
Revelation 12:12 (KJV)
"...for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
Whether one agrees with my understanding of prophetic chronology or not, this truth remains.
Satan hates Christ.
He hates the Church.
He hates every person made in the image of God.
His greatest weapon has always been deception.
Today, deception is everywhere.
Truth has become negotiable.
Good is called evil.
Evil is celebrated as good.
Sin is defended.
Holiness is mocked.
The authority of God's Word is questioned even in churches that once boldly proclaimed it.
Jesus warned us this would happen.
A World in Turmoil
As I watch the nations, I see wars, terrorism, political unrest, economic uncertainty, religious hatred, and moral confusion spreading across the globe.
Never in human history has the world been so connected.
Never has information traveled so quickly.
Never have conflicts in one nation affected nearly every nation on earth almost overnight.
Perhaps previous generations believed they were seeing the end as well.
History certainly records many dark periods.
I recognize that.
But from my perspective, what we are witnessing today appears to be unlike anything the world has experienced before in its global scope and speed.
That does not prove Christ will return tomorrow.
It does remind me that His words deserve our attention today.
The Church Under Attack
One burden that weighs heavily upon my heart is the suffering of our brothers and sisters around the world.
While many in America enjoy religious freedom, millions of believers live under constant danger.
Many come to Christ knowing it could cost them their homes.
Some lose their families.
Others lose their freedom.
Some lose their lives.
Jesus warned His followers that this would happen.
John 15:20 (KJV)
"...If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you..."
Paul likewise wrote,
2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV)
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
Throughout the world, countless believers quietly endure imprisonment, torture, discrimination, and death because they refuse to deny the name of Christ.
Many organizations that track religious persecution report that millions of Christians live under high levels of pressure or violence for their faith, and thousands are killed each year because they identify as followers of Jesus. The exact numbers vary depending on the source and methodology, but the broader reality is difficult to deny: in many parts of the world, following Christ carries a tremendous cost.
Sometimes it appears that evil is winning.
Sometimes it appears Satan has the upper hand.
But appearances are not the final verdict.
We May Lose Battles, But Christ Wins the War
One of the most moving pictures in Scripture is found in Revelation.
John saw believers who had given their lives for Christ.
Revelation 6:9-11 (KJV)
"...I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held..."
They cried,
"How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood..."
God did not tell them He had forgotten.
He told them to wait.
Justice delayed is not justice denied.
One day, every tear will be wiped away.
Every wrong will be made right.
Every martyr will be vindicated.
Every faithful servant will hear,
"Well done."
Our Hope Is Not in This World
If my hope rested in governments, economies, political parties, or military power, I would have little reason for optimism.
But my hope rests in Jesus Christ.
He is still King.
He is still building His Church.
He is still saving sinners.
He is still faithful to every promise He has made.
The darker the night becomes, the brighter His promises shine.
A Personal Appeal
These are simply the reflections of an old country preacher who has spent many years reading God's Word and watching the world.
I may not have all the prophetic details correct.
I freely admit that.
But I know this.
Jesus Christ is coming again.
Sin will not reign forever.
Satan will not triumph.
Death will be defeated.
Righteousness will prevail.
That certainty should move every one of us to examine our own hearts.
If you know Christ, stay faithful.
Stay awake.
Stay in the Word.
Keep your lamp trimmed and burning.
Encourage one another.
Do not lose heart.
If you do not know Christ as your Savior, today is the day to seek Him.
Tomorrow has never been promised to any of us.
Whether the Lord returns in our lifetime or whether He calls us home first, every one of us will stand before Him.
My prayer is that when that day comes, He will find us watching, believing, and faithfully serving until He appears.
Luke 21:28 (KJV)
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
Until that day, I will keep preaching.
I will keep warning.
I will keep pointing people to Jesus Christ, for He alone is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Whatever the future holds, my confidence is not in my understanding of prophecy, but in the One who holds the future in His hands.
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