In what feels like the blink of an eye, the\nworld as we know it has changed. It is no longer a place of relative safety,\nwhere we luxuriate in comfort, routine and excess, but it has all too quickly\nbecome a perilous place, where men’s hearts are failing them for fear.
\n
\nMankind has come to recognise that we cannot\ncontrol world events. Day by day each news report brings another tidal wave of\nuncertainty. Leaders of countries are changing policies as quickly as they made\nthem. Hospitals, banks, businesses, shops and families are struggling to keep\nup with events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In amongst the chaos, we begin to wonder, will\nwe ever find the calm?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps we ought to use this time of isolation\nto stop, reflect and search for the answers from a power greater than\nourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Bible, God tells us “that in the\nlast days perilous times will come.” Are we not certainly living in\nperilous times?<\/em> The chapter carries on to tell us, “For men shall be\nlovers of themselves, lovers of money and boasters, proud, blasphemers,\ndisobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving unforgiving, slanders,\nwithout self control, brutal, dispisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty,\nlovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3 v 1-4) God made a promise to King Solomon, that he\nwould always be with him, but only as long as Solomon walked in the ways of the\nLord, “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the\nlocusts to devour the land, or if I send an epidemic among my people; If my\npeople, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and\nseek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,\nand will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7 v\n13-14) <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bible in the book of Ecclesiasties gives us\nthe answer, it is very simple: “Fear God and keep His commandments.”\n(Ecclesiastes 12 v 13) This is all God has ever asked for, it’s quite simple\nreally, but for thousands of years people have turned their back on Him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We are getting close to the time when He will\nsend His son back to the earth. In the book of Matthew we are told,\n“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened\nand the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the\npowers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in\nheaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they shall see the\nSon of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”\n(Matthew 24 v 29-30) Don’t stress about what\ntomorrow will bring, as Jesus tells us in Matthew, “Which of you by taking\nthought can add one cubit unto his stature?” Tomorrow is another day,\nworrying about it will not change things. Rather turn to God and seek his\ncoming kingdom, when goodness and mercy will prevail,”Therefore take no\nthought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal\nshall we be clothed? … For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of\nall these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;\nand all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the\nmorrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient\nunto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6 v 31-34)<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we do this we have nothing to fear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo\ndo not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will\nstrengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.\u201d\n(Isaiah 41:10)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nAll this is sadly true of the world around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nSo we may ask ourselves what is the answer for\nus today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\nWhat does that mean for you? <\/p>\n\n\n\n