Radar

Where would we be without weather radar? I think back to my grandparents, living on a farm in north-central lower Michigan. My grandpa would go out into the fields each day and feed the sheep or bale some hay, not knowing what weather was coming at him over the horizon.

Today we know what the weather will be like next weekend already so we can plan our events accordingly - all because of computers, weather "models," and radar. Ah, science.

Back in biblical times, all they had was the sun, moon, and stars to foretell coming events. And the prophets. And God Himself.

Today, we are seeing many signs on the evening news, yet most people dismiss them. "There's nothing to see here. These aren't the droids you're looking for." Yet . . .

"And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years." - Genesis 1:14

The prophets in the Bible also foretold coming events. Ezekiel and Daniel,  the two big "end times" prophets, prophesied many coming events. Many have come true, but some of their prophesies haven't happened yet.

"And He said, "Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. ¹⁰Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." - Daniel 12:9-10

The question then becomes, "Are we wise?" and "Do we understand?"

The words of Jesus, our Lord:

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. ²⁶People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. ²⁷At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” - Luke 21:25-28

The Bible is our radar. Keep watch.

Confirmed!!

No, this is not a story about eighth grade confirmation class, although I have many tales I could tell. Rather, this is a brief appreciative note about how God works and how the Holy Spirit leads.

The further along I get in my faith journey, the more I appreciate the signage along the route, confirming that I am traveling in the right direction. God is WAY better than any GPS system or Google Maps app. Here's the latest example.

I wrote a Bible study for our youth group at church. I presented it this past Friday night actually. It was initially about giving our testimony. But as I was writing it, it turned into more of a discussion about the Holy Spirit and how we can tell if He is living in us. In the study was this verse from 2nd Corinthians.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Weeks after I "finished writing" the Bible study, our pastor was giving a sermon out of Romans 6. He used this scripture.

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. ⁹For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. ¹⁰The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." - Romans 6:8-11

During his message he then said this: "Turn with me to 2nd Corinthians 5:17."

Really?

So, I turned, and there it was. The verse I was going to use in my Bible study. Was this a sign that I was on the right track? Does God use signs and confirming "God-incidences"(sun, moon, stars, animals, other humans) to guide our thoughts and actions?

You betcha der heh!

If you Google "signs from heaven" and click on "Images" you will notice something. Lots of birds in particular. Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Hummingbirds. People seem to think creatures deliver confirming messages. But what does the Bible say?

"And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years." - Genesis 1:14

"There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven." - Luke 21:11

"The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes." - Joel 2:31

There are more examples than these, of signs from God.

Have you ever encountered one of God's signs? Was it delivered by another human? An animal? A very real and true prayer is for God to "show me a sign."

"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs." - Mark 16:20

That's good enough for me!

Have You Been Sealed?

"Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He annointed us, ²²placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come." - 2 Corinthians 21:22

You and I received the promised Holy Spirit when we came to believe in Jesus, repented of our sins, and followed The Lord. But how do we know for sure we have received the Spirit? 🤔 Are there any observable signs? Yes, thankfully there are! This is from C.S. Lewis:

Five Signs You Are Marked by the Holy Spirit:

You experience a deep hunger for God’s Word - The first sign is a growing desire for the Bible. When the Holy Spirit marks you, your desire for God’s truth becomes insatiable for the scriptures. The scriptures start to feel alive and you realize that they hold the answers to life’s biggest questions. As Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live be bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Your perspective on sin changes - Another clear sign is a clear sensitivity to sin. The things you once ignored or excused now weigh heavy on your heart. This isn’t about guilt. It’s the Holy Spirit guiding you to live a holy life. Romans 8:13 reminds us “If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body you will live." This transformation shows that you are being refined for God’s purpose.

You have a burden for others - The Holy Spirit stirs your heart for people – friends, family, strangers, even enemies. You feel a deep compassion and a desire to share God’s love with them. This aligns with Jesus’ command in John 13:34 “Love one another as I have loved you.” Your life becomes a vessel of God’s grace, and this love, is one of the clearest signs of being marked by the Spirit.

You encounter spiritual battles - Being marked by the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean life becomes easier. In fact, it often brings spiritual opposition. Ephesians 6:12 says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil.” These battles are a sign that Satan sees God’s work in you as a threat. But remember, “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

You see God’s purpose unfolding in your life. - When the Holy Spirit marks you, you begin to see God aligning circumstances for His greater plan. Doors open where they once seemed closed and you realize He’s leading you step by step. Romans 8:28 assures us,  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Note: Being marked by the Holy Spirit is a journey of transformation, love, and purpose. If you’ve experienced ANY of these signs, know that God is at work in your life.

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

Purim

"Purim is the account of a genocidal decree overturned on a single, decisive reversal. These events unfolded in Persia, which is modern-day Iran, where Haman plotted the annihilation of the Jewish people. What was intended for destruction became deliverance. The God who preserved His people in the days of Esther still reigns over the nations and rulers today. And history consistantly proves that evil designs do not have the final word.

This year, Purim will be observed March 3rd. It coincides with the one-month ultimatum that President Trump gave the Islamic Republic to accept his terms for a deal. Wouldn't it be something if that regime were confronted with the same resolve shown against modern-day Hamans on that very day?" - Amir Tsarfati

As Amir stated above, this year Purim occurs on March 3rd. Something else happens on March 3rd as well - a blood moon.

"The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” - Joel 2:31

A blood moon is often associated with divine judgment, prophetic events, or even divine intervention.

"And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red." - Revelation 6:12

There have been "blood moons" before. Just like there have been earthquakes before. They are nothing new. But the Bible DOES say that there will be a blood moon when Jesus opens the sixth seal judgement.

And this is from the Talmud . . .

"When the heavenly lights, i.e., the sun and the moon, are eclipsed, it is a bad omen for the enemies of the Jewish people." - Sukkah 29a

Will the U.S. and Israel attack Iran on March 3rd? I don't know. I'm not predicting anything. I just find it interesting that so many things are happening on that one day. What do YOU think?

An earthquake is also mentioned. Will a major earthquake happen in Iran on March 3rd. I have no idea.

There have been lots of things happening on the world stage lately. Could it get any crazier? I DO know this: it will.

Here's a question for you. What do you think would happen if suddenly all of the Christians were no longer here? The Rapture is also a prophecy, just like a blood moon and an earthquake.

One thing we DO know for sure, and that is this: When God makes promises, they WILL be fulfilled. It was promised in the Bible that Jesus would return one day. Jesus told us to look for signs. We are currently seeing the signs He spoke of on our nightly news broadcasts.

"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹And He will send out 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." - Jesus, Matthew 24:30-31

And lastly this: God does not lie. When He promises something, will He not do it? What do you think? 

"God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?" - Numbers 23:19

Book of Esther

The River 2.0

Well, apparently my run in with "The River" (by Jordan Feliz and featured in my last story) was only the beginning of my water-based thoughts this week. Thirsty?

The past few days I have been "hearing" the chorus of a Pink Floyd song (High Hopes) in my head. So, in order to get the song out of my head, I went on YouTube and played it. I listened intently to it, hoping for some clue as to why. Nothing super special. Until the very last chorus . . .

The grass was greener

The light was brighter

The taste was sweeter

The nights of wonder

With friends surrounded

The dawn mist glowing

The water flowing

The endless river

[Hmm. "The Endless River" is the name of a then future Pink Floyd album name]

And then came the very last line...

Forever and ever

That got me thinking. What do you think heaven will be like? Or perhaps the better question might be, what will eternity be like? 🤔 I wonder, will it be like an endless river of peace? Like water flowing? Forever and ever? There IS a river in heaven.

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." - Revelation 22:1

Then, as if the Pink Floyd song wasn't enough, I then scrolled down a bit and came across a podcast from a guy in Connecticut called, are you ready? The Watchman River. The guy's name is Tom. He sits in his car, next to a river, and guess what h talks about . . . The end times and the rapture of The Church.

All this really proves is that my mind functions just like a meandering river, and, just like a river, it IS also going somewhere. To Jesus. The ideas for these stories I write "keep flowin'" cuz that's what I do. I can't help it. Like a river flows downhill, so I write stories - the endless river.

And how long should we glorify God with the things we do?

"Forever and ever."

"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:8

Watchman River

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The Oil and The Wine

"When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” - Revelation 6:5-6

Two pounds of wheat for a day's wages? That's one day's worth of food for working all day. And you thought inflation was bad now!

The cost of barley is not much cheaper during the Tribulation. But then a voice calls out. Is it Jesus? The Voice says "don't damage the oil and the wine."

It sounds like the guy on the black horse is going to wreak havoc on the wheat and barley crops. In other words, there is going to be a famine.

But what if these two verses are not only about WHAT is going to happen, but also WHEN they will happen.

When is the barley harvest in Israel? Do you know? It's at the end of March (between the Passover and Pentecost).

As a side note, the timing of the barley harvest gives great insight to the story of Ruth and Boaz.

"Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor." - Ruth 3:2

That's the barley harvest! Now we know that it was likely March and a little chilly. Now it makes more sense when Ruth says, "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian -redeemer of our family.” Ruth was cold! Boaz was wearing a coat!

And what about the wheat harvest. When is that? It is between Pentecost and Tu'B'Av or the 15th of Av - a Jewish holiday commemorating love. Av is the 5th month on the Hebrew calendar. Basically, it lasts through the end of August.

"And the love of many shall grow cold." - Matthew 24:12, Jesus

When is the grape harvest in Israel? It lasts from the end of the wheat harvest until Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). That day is October 11-12 of 2024

"The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel." - Isaiah 5:7

And the olive harvest? October - November.

The voice in the midst of the four creatures from Revelation 6 said, "don't damage the oil and the wine." So, whatever the Black Horse and its rider are going to do, it will stop in the fall. By the Day of Atonement.

What's so special about the day of Atonement? It is the highest holy day on the Jewish calendar. In the Old Testament the "high priest" made an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the people. That sounds like what Jesus did for us, doesn't it? Yom Kippur is the final day of judgment when each person's fate is sealed by God for the upcoming year.

The final day of judgement. Hmm. That's 19 days from today!

Just a few things to consider as we see the day approaching. Is Jesus your Lord?

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:23-25

Cetus

Today's word of the day is Cetus. Any ideas what that means? Cetus is a constellation, sometimes called "The Whale" in English. Cetus (ketos in ancient Greek) was a sea monster in Greek mythology which both Perseus and Heracles needed to slay (whoever THEY were).

A whale . . . Hmm.

"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." - Matthew 12:38-40

Jesus was in "the belly of the whale" for three days just like Jonah. Surely Jonah's stint in that deep, dark place was a prophetic sign of Jesus crucifixion and his descending into hades for three days.

I saw this piece of artwork (pictured above) while searching for today's story picture. It is Cetus the whale! Note the stars on its side. It's the constellation Cetus! Amazing!

What else do we see? Well, it's a clock for one thing. We can tell that by the Roman numerals III, IX, VI... and Cetus is pointing at the number 3. THREE days in the belly of the whale? Interesting.

Who knows what all this means. Perhaps Jesus and His heavenly host will come to us out of the constellation Cetus. I really have no idea, but this encoursging to me. All we know for sure though is this . . . time is definitely ticking. And we do NOT want to end up in the belly of the whale.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Back in my day we used to call it "cabin fever". Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is defined by the mayo Clinic as "a type of depression that's related to a change of seasons."

The NIMH says that "symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the early spring or summer." In other words, some people just hate winter.

There is another type of "seasonal affective disorder" that no one is talking about. I'll call it RAD. That's short for Rapture Affective Disorder.

RAD is also seasonal. Jesus, the great physician, spoke about the season we will experience in Matthew 24.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door." - Matthew 24:32-33

As the time draws short for the Lord to remove His church from the earth, there will be signs of the season. He said so, again in Matthew 24.

• People will be deceived (verse 4)
• Wars and rumors of wars (verse 6)
• Famines (verse 7)
• Earthquakes (verse 7)

All of these things are happening right now.

Jesus also said that "about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven." And that's where RAD comes in.

We see all the signs of His soon return and it's so incredibly hard for us to wait. We begin to become depressed as we watch the world falling apart. And knowing that many of our family members and friends don't believe in Jesus just makes it worse.

We must remember the words of Jesus when He told His disciples, "For many are called but few are chosen." - Matthew 22:14

We who believe in God and His Son, Jesus, will be saved. Yes, it's a sad time, a depressing time, but we must look beyond this world to the next.

The Bible says, "For God has not appoint us to suffer wrath." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

So let us be patient. Let us continue to share the Good News which we have received. Let us continue to love our neighbors. Then we won't have time to get RAD. We will be too busy doing what God wants us to do. To love one another. As He first loved us.

Check Your Radar

Have you noticed that the same news stories are playing over and over again? Why is that? Are we caught in a time loop? Or are we humans just SO boring that we can't come up with anything different?

The root word in "news" is NEW. If we've seen it before, it's not really "news," is it?

And the weather; what did we do before we had weather radar? Well, we probably got wet during our family picnic. There was no way to see what was coming before radar. We just hoped for good weather.

There were signs of coming weather back in Jesus' day. Jesus Himself told us this.

“When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." - Matthew 16:2-3

The signs of the times. Hmm. Jesus warned us that we should be watchful and that we would be able to tell when the time of Jesus' return was near. He also encouraged us to persevere through all of these "news stories" and that soon He would come back for us.

So, how do we do that? How can we get through all of these stories of gloom and doom? That's easy, and difficult, at the same time. The easy part is this: Trust in God. The difficult part, however, is exactly the same: Trusting God. Believing in God and trusting God are two different things. Both are required.

John tells us how to overcome "the world"

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" - 1 John 5:4-5

Recently, someone told me that I was an extremely positive person. What's my secret? How can I stay positive in such a depressing world? Jesus! I have placed my faith and hope in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. And that, my friends, has made all the difference in the world, like Robert Frost said.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - . I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost, 1920

Relatively few will place their faith in Christ, "the narrow road." Will you be one of them? I sure hope so.

Ignoring The Signs

My wife and I just got back from a vacation in Michigan. We had a wonderful time, even in the bad weather. But there was one day that really put us to the test.

We were trying to complete a scavenger hunt through Michigan's "Tunnel of Trees" on M-119 and had to find a nature preserve, walk down to Lake Michigan, and dip our toes into the water. Sounded simple enough. We should have paid attention to the signs that were all around us.

I'm not talking about trail signs. There was only one trail. I'm talking about signs of danger. There were a few sprinkles (sign #1) when we set out so we put on our rain gear and grabbed an umbrella. That was smart. But that didn't adequately prepare us for what lay ahead.

The wind started to increase in the now-swaying trees overhead (sign #2) and we heard the sound of distant thunder (sign #3). Still we continued on. The brochure said it was only "a short hike" after all.

We then came to a portion of the trail that sloped down dramatically. And I mean, IT WENT DOWN!! And it was just a dirt trail. No gravel, no wood chips. Dirt. So, I posed a question to my wife.

"So, are you ready for this?" I asked. I was concerned about being able to get back up the slippery slope. Getting to the bottom was NOT going to be a problem. One way or another we would get there. My wife was determined so on we went.

This is probably a good time to read this reminder from the prophet Jeremiah, which I read during our vacation. A sign of things to come?

"The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head."  Ezekiel 33:1-5

We heard the warnings. Still, the thunder and the increased rainfall, which was now a downpour, did not deter us. We would have been wiser if we would have turned around. But alas, we weren't. We ignored the signs and pressed on.

When we reached the beach we were already soaked. My wife wanted to put up the umbrella but I suggested that raising a metal-shafted umbrella in a thunderstorm might not be the smartest thing to do. So on we went in a downpour, soaked to the skin. Our rain gear, we discovered, was not.

My wife accomplished her task. She took off her shoe and sock and dipped her already wet toe into the water. Then back we went. Across the sand dune, across the rocks and into the woods. I raised the umbrella at that point, but why bother? A last effort to protect mu wife?

We should have listened to the signs that were all around us. We didn't. We were too busy doing what WE wanted to do. It kind of reminded me of the human race and our current state of affairs. Watch the news. Are WE heeding the signs that are all around us? No. We are just forging ahead, doing what WE want to do, instead of observing the signs that are all around us. Signs from God.

I believe we are living in the last days as prophesied in the Bible. It won't be too long before Jesus comes back to take His bride, the church. Are we prepared? Have we taken adequate steps because of the warning signs we have seen? Have we warned others about what's on the trail ahead? Time will tell. The question is, "Are we ready?"

50 Reasons We Are Living In The End Time - Lamb and Lion Ministries

Earthquake!!

Each time there is an earthquake someplace I always think about two things - how powerful they are and how powerless WE are. And I must confess that, when I see them happening in California, part of me says "And still they will not see."

God uses earthquakes and other phenomenon to deliver messages, or dole out punishment. Basically, God accomplishes HIS will by using events such as earthquakes, parting seas, stopping rivers, causing mighty storms and displaying heavenly signs using the stars and planets, all in an effort to get our attention or deliver a message.

Not ALL of these things are messages. But some of them have been in the past. So who's to say whether or not these things are signs or warnings of things to come? God. That's who.

God parted the Red Sea, God stopped the Jordan River from flowing, God made the shadow from the sun go backward, God created signs in the heavens and storms on the sea. Why? To remind us just how big God is and how small we are.

I've learned a few things by reading the Bible. First, it is ALWAYS a good idea to walk in God's will. Second, it is never a good idea to be disobedient with God. God is a great teacher of lessons. He will keep teaching the same lesson over and over again until we learn it. California has not learned much.

But the same can be said for us. Our government passes laws contrary to God's will. We are removing Him and His names from our governmental proceedings. Remember that phrase from our swearing in ceremonies, "so help me God?" Gone. At least in the United States House of Representatives. Watch the video below.

This nation and this world will pay the price one day when Jesus returns and sets up His throne. He will judge the living and the dead. All of us will come up lacking. Unless, of course, you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Have you seen signs of His return? I have. Many Have. The biggest question though is "Are you ready?" The House of Representative, at least its current majority leadership, are NOT.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

All Who Are Thirsty - Kutless
So Help Me God Omitted

The Parable of The Stain

My wife and I love it when our kids come to visit. Why? Because they usually bring our grandkids with them. Ha ha! That's always a good thing, right? Well . . .

This past weekend our granddaughter was here and she indeed did bring our granddaughter with her. We had a great time playing and visiting. But when they left they forgot to take something with them. Some of their car's oil.

At first I thought it was water - melted snow or ice - which we still have a lot of around here. But the snow and ice are gone from the driveway now and the spot is still there. So, I did what any other guy would do. I stuck my finger in it and smelled it.

Unfortunately, my sense of smell is not what it use to be so, I tasted it. [Not really. Just seeing if you're paying attention]. But I did come up with the idea for this story - a good reminder of what we Christians need to do with The Gospel.

When I saw the oil stain I first thought of my daughter driving through a dark, stormy night, with our grandchild in the back seat. Suddenly the engine warning light comes on and the engine stops out in the middle of nowhere. How would I feel then if I had failed to warn my daughter of the potential problem?

So, here we are with our faith. What are we doing with it? Are there people in our lives that don't know Jesus? Are people exhibiting warning signs to that effect in their lives - indicators that they might be in trouble should Jesus return and find them lacking? Scary.

In warning our daughter about a potential oil problem, I have done my part. If she chooses to ignore the problem, the troubles that lie ahead for her on the road are on HER head.

"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’ - Ezekiel 33:1-6

Who needs to hear the trumpet in YOUR life?

Warning Signs

I went for a walk yesterday. It was an absolutely beautiful day outside so why not! As I walked I looked around at God's creation - the trees, the birds, the animals . . . and the road signs. Signs. Hmm.

That got me thinking. Do you think God gives us "signs"? Warnings of things to come or indicators that we should or shouldn't do something?

For example, you might think you have a really good relationship with someone but then things go horribly wrong and the next thing you know, it's over. Did things simply get ugly? Or did God not want you with that person perhaps and has someone else in mind for you? Unanswerable questions. At least for now.

What do you think about Bible prophesy? I saw on a web site (so you know it's true) that between 1/4 and 1/3 of the Bible is prophetic in nature. And of all the prophesies in the Bible, approximately half of them have been fulfilled. That means half of them are yet to happen.

Some say there are over 300 prophetic scriptures that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Here is a link to a listing off just 44 of those biblical prophesies that were ALL fulfilled by Jesus.

Old Testament Prophesies of Jesus 

And what are the odds of one man fulfilling just eight messianic prophecies? 1 in 10 to the 17th power. What's that like? The article says that if you placed one specially marked silver dollar someplace in Texas and then covered the whole state with silver dollars to a depth of two feet, having a blindfolded man find that one marked silver dollar would be about the same odds.

Yet 44 prophesies were fulfilled by Christ?

Some prophecies about Jesus have yet to be fulfilled. He told us about the signs of His coming. What do you think? Are we there yet?

^"3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” - Matthew 24:3

Matthew 24 Prophecy by Jesus
Sign of The Times - Harry Styles

Give Me Some Kind of Sign

Have you ever been unsure about whether or not to do something when all of a sudden something happens to help you answer that question? Is it some kind of sign? Has that ever happened to you? Because it happens quite frequently in MY life.

I'll be thinking about someone and reach for my phone to send them a text, but before I can pick it up, it lights up with an incoming text from that very same friend. Weird. But that happens often enough where In have noticed it.

Whenever I have made very important decisions in my life, after I have thought long and hard about something and finally acted on that decision, I have often seen a bald eagle flying overhead. Was that some kind of sign that I made the right decision? And if I made the wrong decision, would I see a vulture circling instead? LOL!

Recently I have been hesitating about acting on a project of mine - the building of some shelters for the homeless. All along through the planning stages I have thought, "God will provide" but now that it's time to spend some actual cash, I was getting cold feet. I was hesitating.

One morning as I was praying with my friend at work an idea popped into my head. It was a really strange idea about using a tow truck to move my tiny shelters from one place to the other. Could that actually work? Based on all of the previous "signs" I have encountered in my life, I gave it extra notice. I thought about it all through the day. looking at pictures of tow truck, trying to figure out how tall my shelter could be to legally go down the highway. My thoughts were consumed by the idea.

That night as we left work I was still thinking about it and talking about it with my friend. We got in our separate cars and left work. I pulled up to the stop sign and was surprised to see a tow truck slow and turn in front of me . . . so I could get a good look I guess. Was it a sign?

Does stuff like that happen to you? It happens often enough to me that I almost come to expect it. Are signs Biblical? Did they happen back in Jesus' day? The Bible is filled with them!

"Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven." - Isaiah 7:11

"So Gideon said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me." - Judges 6:17

"As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah." - Luke 11:29

There are so many instances of signs in the Bible, it HAS to be some kind of sign!! LOL!

The biggest questions I have about signs are, "Are they really signs?" and, if they are, "Who am I, that God would send ME a sign?" And while I'm asking questions, "What will happen to me if I ignore a sign?"

So many questions about signs, so little faith on my part. If we were sure these "signs" in our lives were real and true, and we acted on them all, what would the world look like? The angels spoke about the future of the world with a sign . . .

^"10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." - Luke 2:10-12

Give me the kind of faith that acts and does not hesitate. Give me the strength to see things through. Lord, our very births are a sign that we are here to do something. Maybe it is to follow God's leading through His many and wondrous signs.

Keep your eyes open, my friends! It seems as if the world is filled with signs.

Give Me Some Kind Of Sign - Brenton Wood