For
all of my Coos County and surrounding area friends I have a question for you?
As you are watching the fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and etc. are
you secretly saying I'm glad it's them and not me? Are you secretly thinking
nothing like that could happen here? I’m not saying that in a negative
judgmental way, but in a real and serious way? Is there some sense of relief
that it is not you who is under threat right now? Well…
I
have a feeling that a month or so ago those in Houston didn't think it would
happen to them. Those in Florida know hurricanes can come, but one like this?
The hundreds even thousands who have been forced to run because of fires
probably didn't realize it would come so fast either. Last night there were
folks in Mexico that went to sleep like any other night and were blasted awake
with the shaking of an 8+ earthquake. Some lost their lives. They probably
didn't think that would happen either.
What's
my point? My point is that I am concerned. Seriously! I am concerned for my
family and for my church family. I am concerned for those who live and work
around me every day. Some of you may be my friends and some of you may not or
would not like me at all. I am still concerned for you. My concern is that if
something really catastrophic happened like a MAJOR storm or an earthquake, many
would have no plan or preparation to deal with it. I suppose, like many, we
believe the government will step in and fix it. What if they don’t? What if
they can’t? What if you and your family is all you have to count on? I am
concerned that we are so busy living our day to day lives that we don’t even
care enough to think about it.
What
if there are no stores to go to for food or water? Can’t happen you say? It’s
happening right now in Houston Texas and is likely to be the case for, as it
looks at the time I am writing this, most of the state of Florida. In just a
few hours it may be that there is no food, water, gas or other supplies
available in large portions of two states. That doesn’t even include what is
going on in the Islands that have already been hit or those who have been
displaced because of the fires in our territory. I’m sure most of those involved
didn’t think it would happen a few weeks ago or even a few days ago.
Do you have a plan? Do you have food and water
available to you should there be a time when all the stores are closed or
empty? Do you have an emergency bag that you can throw on your back and run if
a storm, earthquake, fire or some other emergency happens? Should you? Or is
this just a bunch of nonsense “prepper” talk?
I
am happy to say that there are some areas that my family and I are prepared. I
am equally bummed out to say there are some areas that we are not. However, we
are, even today, working to remedy that situation.
How
about you? Does it matter? Is everything always going to be as it has been?
On
another and I believe more important note. I am a believer in Christ. I am a
pastor. One of the greatest passions of my life is to study the Bible and to
see what it has to say to us today, and it says a lot! Take these words for
instance. I have noticed they have been floating around the net for the last
couple days. Jesus said that in the final days:
25
“there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the
nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26
People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers
in the heavens will be shaken. – Luke 21:25-26
I
know! I know! There have always been eclipses, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes
and more, but is it possible that there is significance to the fact that they
are all happening almost simultaneously? Aww never mind. This is all probably
just a bunch of religious silliness, right? Yeah, maybe. But what if it’s not?
What if what’s happening isn’t what all the “best and brightest” minds say is
happening? What if Jesus really did tell us 2000 years ago what we should look for before he came back? What if we really
are in the final days? Are you prepared for that? I think as important as it
is, AND IT IS, to prepare for a catastrophe, it is even more important that you
prepare spiritually. If, for any reason, catastrophic or not, your life were to
come to an end today do you know where you would go? Your eternity depends on
it. Trust Jesus. Ask him to come into your life and give you the wisdom to know
how to live in the days we are living in. If you need help knowing how to do
that hit me up. It would be my honor to help you get it figured out. I would never say I know it all, but I think I know enough to help you get started.
Whether
you know who I am or not, I want you to know that I care about you! PLEASE do
what you need to do to be ready if that thing you don’t think can happen really
happens? Be Blessed, Tom
