The Trumpet Call

The news over the past week or so has majored upon the global economic crisis. One of the dramatic newspaper front page headlines read, "Staring into the Abyss" and others referred to 'Armageddon.' Scary stuff that has the potential to cause panic and anxiety.

In reality, many of us could be facing the distinct possibility of a much reduced income, what savings we have may at risk and pension funds are dwindling dramatically. On top of that world food and gas prices are rocketing and with global warming, floods, hurricanes and tsunamis are more and more frequent. I don't think that it's dramatic to say, that for many, life could be getting harder, wherever we live.

So what can be done to put the world to rights? I'm sure that there are scientific, environmental, financial and political answers and they will lead to necessary changes. Now I am not a financial expert or a scientist, or a theologian or any other kind of expert for that matter. The only thing that I am sure of is, that practical changes in themselves, necessary and essential as they may be, will not put the world to rights.

Ultimately, I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is in control of the world. Perhaps we should regard what is happening all around us, as a wake up call, a trumpet call and He is waiting for a response. We can wait for governments to take action and we can point the finger, but surely what is needed is for repentance, a turning to God on a worldwide scale?

Christians have a solid foundation, so should have no cause to be anxious, but I don't feel there are grounds for complacency. I believe this 'trumpet call' is firstly for the Church, the Body of Christ.

For starters, the sort of questions that come to mind are: are we, in truth, so rooted in the reality of God's love, that our inner security is unshakeable in these coming days? How does my lifestyle match up to that shown in Jesus's teaching? How am I praying, I mean really praying? Is there such a thing as corporate responsibility for what is happening in the world? Am I walking with Jesus in truth and obedience, in the centre of His will today?

"And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." Matthew 24:31 New International Version

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Saving the Planet

There is a revolution going on in the supermarkets and shopping malls of Britain. It started several years ago in Ireland and is spreading. There are rumours that it may even be reaching the States.

Plastic bags that were previously so generously and freely available are to be banned because they waste resources, pollute the environment and cause congestion in landfill sites. Shoppers are being urged to supply their own and a variety of alternatives are on sale. You only have to walk through town, to see people proudly displaying their ethically produced bags of organic cotton bearing slogans to demonstrate we are doing our bit to save the planet from destruction. Alongside this, sales of large gas-guzzler cars are on the wane and we are being encouraged to save fuel and energy. This whole push is being supported by a raft of proposed government legislation.

Now, I am wholeheartedly for this and we are trying to do our bit at home to make changes in the way we live and reduce our carbon footprint. I am against the waste of resources and the pollution of the environment and have no doubt that mankind is contributing to global warming. However I can't help feeling that we are in danger of missing the main point and forgetting the real cause. All this is happening in the world because of what is in man's heart, so it is man who is on a course of self destruction. Saving mankind has become an extremely urgent, vital and important issue. Thankfully, God foresaw this and provided the solution.

If only the same growing fervour behind the environmental evangelistic efforts was put behind the real salvation message, what a massive difference that would make. We could of course have a gospel message on our shopping bags, but better still let us make sure that we are the message!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 New International Version

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