Todays meteorological technology can warn us of several types of natural disasters before they hit. It can map out storm patterns, predict when it will rain, and forecast conditions days in advance with a great deal of accuracy. Even without equipment, we are able to sense when it will rain and make educated guesses about when it will be hot, muggy, chilly or freezing. We know these things because we can interpret the signs. In Luke, Jesus explains that there are others signs that we should be able to interpret as well; signs of the time as it pertains to our spiritual present and future. He says in Luke, chapter 12, verses 54 through 56:
“He said to the crowd, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot.’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?”
When we read the Bible, sometimes we forget that the story isn’t over. There are many events that haven’t happened yet, but have been prophesied. By paying attention to the news and changing culture, we can also discern where our nation and world is heading in the short term. Just like we are able to sense when it is going to be hot, we should be able to discern the spiritual temperature of the times. We should be able to see the warning signs threatening believers in our nation and around the world. When you hear the words that Jesus spoke in Luke 12, what comes to your mind? How do you see the world evolving spiritually? We know how the story ends. As believers, we can pray for Jesus’ swift return, or we can pray for him to delay so that others might be brought into the fold. In either case, we should be able to discern that the time is short, that for the most part, the church is drifting further away from God, and that the rate of our spiritual destruction will either hasten Jesus’ return or bring about revival.
—-
In Luke, Jesus helps us understand that we should not be ignorant of the times. He also told us that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. There is work to be done, even in these times. Some might say, especially in these times. This is not the time to grow apathetic, distant and cold toward God. It is time to rekindle our relationship with him, to press into him and to be about his work. Whether it is your prayer that he hastens his return, or that he delay for the lost, our mandate doesn’t change. How do you interpret this present time? What signs are you seeing that would indicate the spiritual temperature of our nation and our world? As the body we need to wake up. If a frog is put into a pot of water and the water is brought to a boil, it will slowly die without even knowing it was in danger. But if a frog is thrown into a pot of boiling water, it will jump out and save its life. Are you slowly boiling to death, not realizing that our culture is drawing you away from God. Or will you allow the Holy Spirit to shock you with the truth of the time in which we live so that you can be on point for the kingdom? Ultimately, the choice is up to us.
Links:
Free “Lord of My Life” Books: https://www.ktfproductions.com/books
Merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/lord-of-my-life
Web Page: https://www.ktfproductions.com/loml-home
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ktfproductions/
Subscribe to the KTF Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2n9Lprk
Contact Us:
Email: writecmv@hotmail.com