The End Times

As the days go by, I cannot help but think of how many people will starve to death in America today. It's so painful to even fathom the thought of something like that happening in today's society. And as I was looking through some of the comments that were made on a political website today, I was reading more than just what the words were saying. I was listening to the feelings that were being expressed. The anger in the words and what might be the reason for those angry words. Words that are not usually associated with life but with death and suicide. They sounded like wishes for everyone in the world to experience the pain that they are going through. And because they themselves had to travel that path in life, they just assumed that it must be right. And I thought, huh? Right is wrong and wrong is right. Good is evil and evil is good. Wow!

Look around the streets today! Look at the news and what the reporters are saying! Look at all the shooting and killings that are going on around the world! What does that make you think of? What is going on in these people's minds? Are they for real? Is this what they think is the right thing to do? Or are they just responding to the pain that has been inflicted upon them all through their lives? Did not anyone pay any attention to these people when they were younger? Did they not get the love that they needed? I would think not. I mean, come on! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that something is wrong here. And somewhere, we as a Christian nation might have failed them in life by not telling them about Jesus.

When I look at this country as a whole, I know in my heart that we Christians did not do our part somewhere through the history of this nation. When Madelyn Murray O'Hare shut down prayer in schools, where were we? When Dr. Spock declared that it was wrong to spank your children, who stood up against him? Strangely enough, I am old enough to remember when that happened, and I said to myself, even as a young person, that Dr. Spock was wrong. It seemed like not too long after that, that his own son took his life. I could just imagine what kind of a family that must have been. And we could all imagine why someone would take his own life, right? Is not spanking your children showing that you care about them?

We do still have heros in this nation today, though. They are the ones who, in the back ground, play a very important part in doing God's thing to make this a better place to live in. They are the ones who you see in stores or in the streets, who smile at you even though you were in a grouchy mood. They are the ones who say excuse me, who give you the right of way on the street corners or traffic light. They are the ones who open a door for you when your hands are full of groceries or packages. They are the ones who try to encourage people when they are crying, down and out or in need of a friend. They are the ones who invite total strangers to church, who tell them about a new life that the creator God has in store for them if they ask Jesus into their hearts. And they are the ones who tell total strangers about a God who loves them unconditionally! Let's face it, they make for a better place for us to live, don't they? These are the brave obedient souls who put on the Helmet of Salvation each day, with the Sword of the Spirit, who pick up the Word of God and do exactly God's will that it might make a difference in their neighborhoods and streets. We only ask the question, where are our leaders? What happened to those who are supposed to be leading our nation, taking care that we have the protection we need from our enemies?

If we know God's Word correctly and can see that we're in the end times, we would know that there is a lot of work to be done. I just heard today that my pastor went to see Charlie Sheen at a theater that he was visiting here in Connecticut. He went there for the specific purpose of maybe, touching him for Jesus. He wanted to go back stage and maybe give him his business card and invite him for a talk or something. When he got to the theater, there was about a three minute video of all the most violent death scenes in movies that date back pretty far. When that was over, someone came out on the stage and began to spew profanities with every word beginning with the letter "F". And the crowd in the audience went wild with excitement. A woman ran down to the stage and exposed her underwear and asked that Charlie Sheen autograph them for her. He told her, "after the show, or else I'll have to kill you here."

This is not what I would consider healthy or normal, would you? Does it make you sick to your stomach just to listen to stuff that is hurtful and mean? And yet, this is what had excited a crowd of about 3,000 people in that auditorium that night. This is the kind of stuff that our society has now become aclimated to. It's the norm of today. I know that when I'm in stores or on the streets, I hear young kids and older people, alike, swearing their tails off without any regard as to who may be in hearing range of them. It's like, who cares if they hear me swear or not. I guess it makes them feel good, maybe tough, too. And I don't think I'm too far off the mark when I say that. Things like this used to only be said in the shadows in the old days. You didn't want anyone to know that you had a foul mouth. But not today. Things have really changed.

My point here is this. Though my blog is all about the homeless and poor people, I wonder just how poor are those people who I spoke about here. You don't have to be homeless to be lost. All those people I mentioned today are lost. Our whole world is lost. And the very few who carry God's Word in their hearts can make a difference in this world today. People who have evil hearts, who cuss and swear, who kill and steal and who are Hollywood elites, all need to know about Jesus. There is a good reason why they follow after evil. Maybe bad upbringing, or even still, no upbringing at all. Nobody to love them and to care enough about them to tell them what's right or wrong. It would have been challenging to walk through that whole theater that night and to try to talk to people about Jesus. I could only imagine what might have happened, but aren't we living in the hands of God anyway? And aren't there people who do this on a daily basis in troubled countries all over the world where Christianity is banned? Are we living dangerously or righteously? The question may come up as to whether this is politically correct or not. Do I care? Is this what God would want us to do, to minister and to bring God's Word to an unhealthy world? That is the question. Without any hesitation I would say, YES!

Living in a Homeless World

They are the suffering souls that are crying out for love in a world that seldom cares.

They live in a world much like some of us live in. They're not much different than any of us. Many of them are driven to a life of solitude. Some come from an afluent style of living, some have or had children and some have lost them. Alone. Silent. Ashamed. Broken. Guilty. no Joy and no Faith.

And for the most part, they have a broken heart. A heart that they don't feel can be healed. A sadness that they can't share with the rest of the world. For them, the pain is unbearable and they hide it away from others. It won't go away. Each day brings back the memories of the day before, the week before or a lifetime ago. The drive to kill the pain is endless. A temporary remedy though, is to make the pain go away with alcohol, drugs or some other thing.

The broken heart comes from many sources. Sometimes a loved one passes away. The loss of someone that they loved and is no more to be found can be unbearable. Sometimes guilt plays a part in the loss of a loved one. Hurtful words were said that have pain attached to them.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard."

And one came and asked Jesus a question to tempt Him, saying, "Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

Jesus said to him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it..."thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matt. 22:36-40

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost. Luke 19:10

God loves the sinner, the prostitute, the alcoholic, the drug abuser, the preacher and the deacon. We are all sinners. You may come from a wealthy family or live on the streets. God's love is the same. He is no respecter of persons. We are all sinners.

"Thers is not one righteous, not even one." Rom. 3:10 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23 We have all done things we were ashamed of. You may have abused your wife, husband or have a drug or drinking problem. Maybe you walked out on your family. Maybe you are caught up in pornography. Nothing you have done or will do can ever stop God's love. God loves you so much that He sent his only Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and your sins. Jesus took our place on that cross. He suffered and paid the price. All we have to do is accept His free give. Confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. Rom. 10:9-10 Asking Jesus to come into your heart and be over your life is the easy part. But it doesn't stop there. Living for God is a 100% life style commitment.

The world will reject you, your friends will make fun of you and try to get you to go back to your old life styles. Sometimes you will fail and maybe even stumble and fall.

God understands; and He will pick you up, place His arms around you and gently place you back on the right track. His grace is sufficient for us and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9

You may be thinking, I have plenty of time to accept Jesus. Right now, I would rather party and have a good time. Hell will be filled with people who believe the same thing.

The only difference is that they will be pleading for one more chance and there will not be one.

I want you to ask yourself. If you die today, where would you spend eternity? Why would God let you into heaven?

If you answer the following: 1) I'm a good person. 2) I've never hurt anyone. 3) I've tried to keep the 10 commandments. 4) I go to church. The above thinking will reserve your place in hell. You need faith in the blood of Jesus.

There is no good work that you can do on your own that will erase the sins that you have committed. Jesus shed His blood for your and my sins.

Are you ready to repent of your sins? To repent means, to forsake your evil ways and listen to God.

All your life you've been your own authority concerning what is right and what is wrong. You've made your own decisions while ignoring what the Lord says in His Holy Word, the Bible. To repent means, to surrender everything and turning to God and the Bible as your authority. Repentance is not lip service, it comes from the heart.

Jesus said, "And whosoever doth not bear His cross, and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27

If you are ready to give your life over to Jesus and let Him be Lord over all, simply pray something like the following.

Oh, God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

If you have just received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, welcome to the family of God. For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:26