THE WORST IS YET TO COME

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.–Matthew 24:7 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.–Matthew 24:21   All eyes have recently been focused on Haiti. The latest report estimates at least 200,000 dead, 2 million homeless, and 250,000 in need of urgent help! 80,000 have been buried and workers are using earth-movers to bury 10,000 victims a day. Relief workers warn that the death toll could increase! All this and the threat of more after-shocks to follow. It staggers the mind to think about it.   My mind simply cannot fathom the depths of this tragedy. I can’t imagine what it is like to be wandering the streets seeking, amid the rubble, a scrap of food. But, the sad truth is that the worst is yet to come! Jesus spoke about a world-wide tribulation ,”such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”(Matt.24:21)   Make no mistake about it–that day will come, and it might be a whole lot sooner than we think. The Bible clearly teaches that Christ will come and remove His people and then a seven year period of tribulation begins. Words cannot describe how horrible that time will be. There will be “natural disasters” on a scale unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The shortage of food will cause people to resort to cannibalism, even eating the flesh of their own children. That’s the bad news.   The good news is–well, the good news is “the good news”, the gospel! Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, according to the scripture, that we might be saved(1 Cor.15:1-4). Although we have no guarantee that we won’t have to suffer here on earth, we will escape the wrath to come because we have trusted Christ.”For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”(1 Thess. 5:9) That, my dear friend, is the good news and our only hope. Trust Him today.   If you have already received Christ as your Savior, think of the impending doom of those who haven’t. We all have family and friends who haven’t been saved and we need to do everything in our power to bring them to Christ. Even as the workers labor feverishly to rescue the earthquake victims in Haiti, let us do all we can to win the lost at any cost. Rather than being characterized by fun and games, we need to get busy doing the serious work God has called us to do. As the old song says: Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. THINK ABOUT IT!