Heat Lightning

Last night I stayed up to watch the first Republican debate, and then an hour or so of the commentary afterward.  When I finally went to bed it was after midnight and I watched as the sky was lit up over and over again by what I thought was "heat lightning." 

But when I Googled it (as I often do after midnight when I want to know something), I found that the term heat lightning is "a misnomer used for the flashes of lightning on the horizon or other clouds from distant thunderstorms that do not appear to have accompanying sounds of thunder."

Well, I had a lot on my mind and didn't sleep well last night.  Much of the early morning was spent watching lightning flashing for hours and hours - with no rain, no wind, and no thunder.  But then, at 5:20 am - the storm arrived in force - trees were swaying, rain was pummeling the roof, thunder cracked, and the lightning lit the sky.

I tell you all THAT to get to this:  I believe a "storm" is coming.

Politically we have never been more divided..  On the world stage I'm not sure we've ever been more despised.  Our national debt is unfathomable.  And while children suffer from lack of parents at home they are indoctrinated at school.

The moral decay we see in our homes, our schools, our communities and our nation is deplorable, and with that being the case, it is no surprise that most people no longer go to church and the number who believe in God diminishes daily.  

So are these the "flashes" that predict the coming storm?

While Jesus told his disciples they would not know the hour of His return, In Matthew 24 He said there would be unmistakable signs that would help us know it was close.

"There will be wars and rumors of wars" - Look at Ukraine and Russia.  China and Taiwan...does any of this cause a stir?

"There will be famiine" - check.  

"And earthquakes" - Heck, California just experienced one in the middle of a typhoon!

Revelation 16:12 tells us at the end, one of the final plagues is that the great Euphrates river will dry up, and a July 21st article in IFLScience indicates it is doing just that.

Folks - I honestly believe the signs we are seeing is "heat lightning" and the storm IS coming.  Are you ready for it?

Matthew 24:42-44 says, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.  But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

We are told at the end Christians will be persecuted.  But Psalm 46:1-2 tells us "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea."

Friends - the only way to weather the coming storm is with God as our protector and provider.

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." - Psalm 57:1