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by Sandy Shaw
Having warned the disciples about being deceived, one of the next things Jesus says in Luke Chapter 21 is, "Do not be frightened." Verse 9. There is a lot of fear around today as well as deception and greed and corruption and warfare and immorality and almost an explosion of sin. We need this word from Jesus.
When we see and hear of certain things going on in the world, do not be deceived or confused or afraid - and not over-excited either. This is such a relevant and apposite word for these present times.
Verse 9 teaches us that there will be many disturbing events, and Jesus word to us is, Do not become terrified. Do not panic. Do not allow these things to upset you unduly. These things must happen.
This is why it is so important that we know what is in our Bible. Need I say this to those reading these weekly studies? Perhaps I do. Read your Bible. Study the Scriptures.
What did Jesus actually say? Why do I ask that? Because there are some things which are pointless praying about. There is no use praying that these things will not happen when Jesus says they will.
The disciples wonder if all this will be the end, and Jesus explains that it is only the beginning of the end. There will be frequent wars, political upheaval and revolutions.
That does NOT mean that things are out of control. God is still in control.
What it does mean is that the Bible is true and accurate and reliable.
This world is NOT going to get better! Jesus said so, and yet we are continually seeking all the time to improve the condition of man, as we minister to people in the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to balance these two issues and it is not always easy, but then Jesus Christ never said it would be easy. Peter and John and James and Paul and all the others certainly discovered that to be true, and we need to teach this to our people.
Verse 10. We will not go further on this week, but let's read it, because this has been happening on a grand scale over these past years.
Nation will rise against nation. This has happened in an amazing way over these past years, and the first time I heard of ethnic cleansing was during the break up of Yugoslavia in Europe.
ETHNOS: ethnic cleansing has now become part of our vocabulary. There have been increasing conflicts in the Balkans, in Ireland and Russia and these so-called liberated countries, and we have witnessed this across Africa with its tribal conflicts.
This is NOT a sign that God has lost control, but that the Bible is true, accurate and reliable.
Do NOT allow yourself to be deceived, and do NOT become frightened. We may need to hold fast to this word from Jesus more and more over these coming weeks and months.
These studies are prepared and submitted two months or so before they are published. Who can tell what might happen in these coming months as situations appear to move so very quickly around our troubled world. Hold fast to the Word of God. Know what is there. Know what Jesus taught. Prepare in time of peace for what we may be called upon to exhibit in days of war.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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