The Day of Preparedness

This is a great verse to keep in mind as we review God's perspective on people. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. My wife and I had another one of those moments when truth hits you between the eyes. We were talking about the lost and the passion that drives the desire to see all people come to know the Lord.  We both admitted that even though it is a topic of concern for us, it has become more difficult to maintain that desire.  Ministry is a draining experience, because there are so many needs within the Christian culture, that is seems there is not much left over to win the world to Christ, and it will not become easier, it will become harder to be a witness for Christ.  I believe that the days of darkness are upon us, and the birth pangs of Matthew 24 are definiately in full bloom.  The hard part of any discernment of the times or about scripture is being honest with that is what the scriptures say. The scriptures were written to help us make changes in how we believe, or act, or think. When a doctor tells you that you have cancer, you have several choices. Ignore it, and live your life as if it doesn't exist, or you can ask for treatment and take your chances of beating this disease through prayer and medical science. The scriptures, like the doctor is telling us the truth of our condition, and it's up to us in how we will respond. The scriptures tells us that the days will be getting darker, and as light, we will have to be more prepared in the truth in order to withstand the test of this darkness. One Chrisitan Financial commentator said recently, that the debt the USA is in will be a bargaining chip for the Antichrist to get Americans into a global network controlled by him. Just think, if all the nations of the world could erase their debt by simply joining a system, secure a future growth in their economies, and control terrorism by an indentifcation system that places everyone in a data base. Who wouldn't opt in for such a system?  You see, our present economic, and the terror threats we face today are preparing us for a system that will make us enemies of God.  So, if that is the case, how do we prepare a defense against it?  You see, few Chrisitans are talking preparedness. They don't see themselves being fooled by sorcery or ideological wars. But we are all being prepared to accept the systems of the world, whether we like it or not.  That is why I am warning believers to prepare themselves for the darkness days the world has ever known. I do not believe Christians should retreat into onclaves of support groups. No, our preparedness is about our ability to know the scriptures and what they say will happen before Jesus Christ returns.  We also need to be able to argue our case of getting right before God persuasively in a world of doubt and fear. It is a time to re-examine our foundations, and begin to emerge a new breed of believer. That new breed will know the global condition, know the players and issues from all continuents and know how to discernment the times. This discernment is based upon the scritpures and what is developing in countries around the world. America for example is becoming a debtor nation.  It borrows 168 million dollars every day to keep it's economy afloat. Who is borrowing that kind of money to us?  And what will happen if they stop borrowing? China, one of our biggest creditors has started to lower the amounts they are willing to borrow us, and soon we will experience the higher costs of living because it will cost our government more money because of higher interest rates.  The point I am making is, are we preparing ourselves spiritually to be the lights in an ever increasing dark world? Keeping it honest and truthful....K