Is There Hope?
Views: 44
“The human species will likely destroy itself long before the sun kills everyone on Earth, A Harvard scientist says!” screams the headline in Aylin Woodward’s November 2019 article posted on the Business Insider Africa website.
In the article, he wrote,
“One day, billions of years in the future, the sun will destroy our planet. As the star runs out of hydrogen and helium atoms to burn in its core, it glows brighter and brighter. Eventually, the sun will bombard Earth with enough high-energy light to incinerate the world’s oceans, melt the polar ice caps, and strip our atmosphere of all moisture effectively killing all life.”
In the article he said a BBC reporter recently asked Harvard astronomer, Avi Loeb, what a possible solution to humanity’s imminent demise might be.
Loeb outlined his response in a recent Scientific American blog post , where he stated how important it is for our species to relocate to other parts of the universe that are less close to our sun’s increasing brightness.
That being said, Loeb ended his blog post on a depressing note, saying humanity will wipe itself out long before the sun might, in his opinion. He wrote,
“I am inclined to believe that our civilization will disappear as a result of self-inflicted wounds long before the sun will pose its predictable threat.”
There are many, who agree with Avi Leob, and wonder if there is hope for this world, considering how much the world has been pushed towards disaster by self-seeking individuals! Consider the greed of the airport staff whose story I shared in “To Seek And To Save” yesterday; or national greed that has led to threats of wars, amassing of nuclear weapons, and threats of biochemical warfare; and you would know all is not well.
But there is hope. Jesus foretold many of these things.
READ Matthew 24:3-14
And Jesus answered and said to them:
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
(Matthew 24:4-14 NKJV)
In this story, Jesus had earlier predicted His death, and Peter tried to stop Him and got rebuked (Matthew 16:21-23)! But the disciples, who had been with him, had many questions! They had left everything and had followed Him (as Peter said in Matthew 19:27), and now He says He was going to die! There was crisis in the camp! But Jesus went ahead as foretold, entered Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, cursed the fig tree, gave a whole lot of teachings, lamented over Jerusalem and predicted the destruction of the temple!
However, on this particular day, he went to sit on the mount of Olives (probably a short break in His recent busy schedule), just outside and overlooking Jerusalem. So the disciples came to Him and asked Him,
“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)
He answered and said many things:
- Many will come in His name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’and will deceive many.
- We will hear of wars and rumors of wars! (think of US; and Iran, North Korea, Russia, China etc)
- There will be famines,pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
- Believers will be hated because of Him. (…Hmmmm)
- Many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.(…Christians!)
- Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.(This one; I don’t need to talk!)
- Lawlessness will abound, (…the many high profile murders lately?)
- The love of many will grow cold (…those who think God is too slow?).
These sound very gloomy, but Jesus added something very profound. He said,
“But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”(vv. 14)
It is interesting to know that, even in the midst of all the confusion, many are standing very firm, and more resolute! And the gospel is reaching many people! It is on radio, terrestrial TV, satellite TV and online! It comes in all forms: audio, video, text, animation, drama, movies and many more! Even the ones that were reluctant to adopt technology have been compelled to do so by the Covid-19 restrictions! It is happening!
There is hope! Stand firm! Don’t be left out!
MEMORY VERSE
“He who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)
QUESTIONS
1. Do you sometimes feel lost, and hopeless, in the current world situation?
2. Do you know the Lord knew and predicted all that is happening, and called us to stand firm?
PRAYER TIP
Almighty Father, please help us to understand the times; so that we will not lose heart, and give up.
Written by:
BENNY MALM
For:
TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL
URGENT CALL
By nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God. We ultimately face the wrath of God!
But God in His mercy and love gives us a chance to reverse this trend, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer” for guidance if you want to make that decision.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page.
God richly bless you
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
The Testimony Devotional website addresses are: