Is History Repeating Itself?

Matthew 6:34 - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 

All this unsettling stuff going on in the world. Is the handwriting is on the wall? Everyone must be wondering what's happening. Or do they? I for one am taking note of events that are taking shape. One thing after another...abortion, new world order, possible rise of socialism, persecution of Christians (prayer removed from school, Ten Commandments removed from courthouses, desire to remove "In God We Trust" from currency). Sorry to start out the week like this but....

Do you ever feel like you're just sitting and waiting for a shoe to drop? When will the next terrorist attack take place and where? How will it affect us? You can't help but be a little worried. No matter where you live, even in the most remote location, you will be affected. Is that when we pool our resources and join together as family, neighbors, communities? We may think we are secure, but are we?

God tells us not to worry about anything. That's His promise! If we are in Christ He will provide for our needs. Those who don't know Him will worry. There's a scripture that tells us that men's hearts will fail out of fear. Luke 21: 25-26 - And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

This a prophetic word. It was written for our understanding and to be a guide. I've been listening to a series of messages by Perry Stone and Bill Cloud. They have studied Bible prophecy for years. I wrote a few days ago, before watching these programs, That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past (Ecclesiastes 3:15).  Cloud has suggested that everything is cyclical.  There's always a beginning and an end, history repeats itself. I think I mentioned that in the same blog! God is in complete control of all things. He IS the beginning and the end. He creates, He destroys. He gives and He takes away.  

The Bible was written, not only to point us to Jesus, but to show us what has happened in the past and to be as a guide for what will happen in the future. Between the two of these guys I mentioned, they have taken Genesis and Revelation and shown some absolutely amazing similarities. I wish I could go into it. God would not have given us His Word without a reason. God is not a God of confusion, but order. There is order from Genesis to Revelation. 

I'm not trying to be a doomsayer. I'm just suggesting we take the Word of God seriously and begin to understand the signs of the times. I'm also not saying we can predict the end of the world. Only God knows when that will be. What I am saying, and perhaps I sound like I'm off the wall, we need to be paying attention to the things that are happening, which seem to have sprouted up more quickly than ever, in the world today. It's been predicted in the Bible.  We may not search and find words that tell us in today's language the answer to things. You must remember that the persons writing about the future did not know how to put into words some of the things they saw because it was going to happen thousands of years later after modern technology.

There's talk about the world ending in 2012. I sometimes wonder if it could happen? It's a possibility but I don't think it will. If that's not it, couldn't it be that some disaster might be looming that would not destroy the earth but cripple it? I've read about EMP's and the destruction that could occur, shutting down electricity. I heard one unbeliever suggest, "Well, if that's the case then we'd better live it up now." I beg to differ. This is the time when we should be seeking God...for answers and wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the times...and our salvation.  We need to know where we stand with God.

We have not yet seen or experienced a great move of God. Some have not had an opportunity in the really grand scheme of things to trust Him with their lives and provision. Will we truly be ready to trust Him when the worst that could happen does? We've been told that God will give us strength when we need it. It is written that faith is built by hearing (or reading) the Word of God. Is our faith strong enough? Lots to consider.

This is a time where we must know who He is and just what He can do. A look at your Bible can be the first step.

Let me end with this: we have God's promises. They are all in the Bible. That's the most important thing. If we understand His promises are yes and amen, we're one step closer to trusting in Him. He's not the angry God some tend to envision Him. He's a God of love and because of that love He tests us and disciplines us like a parent who's only doing it for our own good.  He urges us to know and trust in Him. I believe He is getting ready to make a move and I, for one, hope I am ready.

1Peter 1:20-21 - Most important, you must understand this: No prophecy in the Scriptures ever comes from a person’s own interpretation. No! No prophecy ever came from what a man wanted to say. But people were led by the Holy Spirit and spoke things from God.