"The Shaking"

“The shaking” has begun and yet we have heard this phrase from many a pulpit in years gone by. Does that mean that those who made such bold statements were entirely wrong? I do not believe so! For many years now we have seen how sin and the acceptance of it in certain areas of society have been on the increase. Hollywood the forerunners of acceptance; same sex marriages now something of the norm; even some churches supporting these sexual unions! Men married to men and woman to woman, back in the eighties this would most certainly have been frowned upon. Tolerance the order of the day, regardless of the instruction from God’s decree, the Bible!

Let me make it very clear from the outset, that I am not against any one particular sin, sin as a whole is the enemy of the cross, and if I pretended that I was immune to it I would be nothing more than a foolish imbecile. We all have been tainted by sin in one form or another. This is why God needed to send His Son to save us from ourselves. Nevertheless all sin is the enemy of the cross; “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21) – However when society begins to tolerate certain sins as the norm, we must sit up and take note of where we find ourselves.

With that consideration and with the other warning we see in scripture; “And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” (Matthew 24:4-8)

God has equipped woman with a safety devise prior to birth, “birth pangs” are the sign for her to make ready. She would not want to be caught off guard. In the same manner these tell-signs are for the Christian to sit up and take note and not to be caught off guard. It is our Father’s way of warning us of what is to come, to make ready and then to be conditioned to face whatever may follow.

What will follow these signs? There will be far less tolerance for the gospel, in fact it will eventually become the enemy for so many! But we have been informed and the Christian must be prepared.  Non-involvement will no longer cut it!  The opposition will become so intense that even families will sadly be split.  Some believe that as Christians we will not have to endure this hardship, I am not convinced! Either way it would be far better to condition the mind for what we as South Africans and Christians through the world might need to endure so that we are not caught by surprise. What could happen? “"But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”” (Mark 13:9-13)

This topic in itself is not a popular message but we would be very foolish to turn a blind eye. Who in their right mind would reject a parachute regardless of its weight and uncomfortableness if we knew for certain that the plane we were in was about to crash? May God salve so that we may see, let us find ourselves associating with the five wise virgins and not the foolish! “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16-17) 

Signing off

Tyrone