Nhà Thờ Bình An Trong Chúa Jêsus Peace In Jesus Lutheran Church

"The Perfect Storm"

Hi Faith Family!

I pray you are happy and healthy today,

I spent some time in the midwest last week.  During that time, we had some good thunder and lightning (We don't have many good thunderstorms in Idaho).  The kind of thunder that shakes the house and rattles the china cabinet can be exciting. 

But serious storms are no novelty.  This past week was a bad week for storms.  Various U.S. states were hit by tornadoes.  A Chinese famly came into my office yesterday and we talked about the earthquake in Hanwang, China--it was far from their home but they were concerned and saddened by this disaster.  The official death toll has reached 15,000; yet still 40,000 are missing or buried.  All this on the heels of the cyclone-devistated delta of Myanmar (Burma).  International outrage has had little effect on Myanmar's refusal to let personel from other countries in to help.  U.N. officials estimate the final loss of life could reach 127,000.

What can we take from these tragic events?  Do these disasters lead us only upon a road ending in dispair?

God inspired Matthew to help us think about such events in a spiritual way: 

"There will be famiones and earthquakes in various places.  These are the beginning of birth pains . . . At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate eachother . . . Because of the increase of wickednes, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kigdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

  --Matthew 24

Jesus reminds us that these are signs of the end.  No one knows the day nor the hour when Christ will return in glory.  It will be like the lightning strike in the above photo.  As Matthew's Gospel continues:

"For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."

Every earthquake is a reminder of this sqirming sinful world's downward spiral.  Every newspaper headline of war or natural disaster is documentation of this earth cramping up, seemingly yearning to be made new again.  Don't miss the point:

Be ready.

Give careful thought to your relationship with your God.  God created this world, redeemed it, and calls out from it, those who are his.  This same God is directing all things toward an end.  This act has a curtain.  He says, "and then the end will come."  Be ready.

Live as if today is your last on this earth, realizing that though this world's end is certian, your life without end is just as sure.  The mountains will fall, yet your own eyes will see your Savior in heaven.  In the middle of the storms of life, you can be certian that your place in heaven is secure, all because of what Jesus has done for you.  Jesus endured the punishment for your sin and mine.  Jesus' faith never faltered or failed.  Jesus was perfect in your place and so now God sees you as perfect in his sight through Jesus. 

The clouds are buiding in Boise today.  I wonder if it will rain.  Maybe the lightning will flash across the sky from East to West.  Well, if so I'll be ready.  And so will you. 

Prayer idea:  Pray for a heart that is prepared for Christ's return.  Pray for increased assurance of God's presence in your life and peace of heart.  Pray for someone you know who doesn't yet believe in Jesus.