Prepare By Being Aware & Interpreting The Conditions

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘(1) The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. (2) Jesus replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ (3) and 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 16:1-3)

We are now entering into the Atlantic’s hurricane season (as three tropical waves have appeared in the Atlantic as if on queue).  We pray the weather conditions (like the Saharan dust blowing over the ocean) continues as it is keeping everything quiet storm-wise, but we likely will experience at least some that will threaten if not hit the US coastline. 

I continue to urge everyone to BE PREPARED, BE AWARE, and PLAN ACCORDINGLY; continue to get an extra can or two of food (or more if you can afford it) or an extra case of water (or more if you can afford it) each time you shop, and the best thing that will happen is you’ll have extra food to provide when the food drives for Thanksgiving and Christmas come in November and December, or you’ll have the stock on hand when friends or family come to visit.  Should disaster strike our area but not you directly, you’ll have the means to help out a neighbor or friend in need.  It doesn’t take much to help out if you’re prepared…

We can pretty much determine the weather here in our SW Florida region, based on traditional patterns and knowing that it typically will rain (and thunder) in the afternoon in June and July, and that hurricanes typically come around the later months of summer (August and September).  Jesus knew the Pharisees and Sadducees (and almost all Israelites) knew the traditional weather patterns of Israel, as well.  It’s possible the Israelites knew that old sailors’ ditty that Jesus describes in verses 2 and 3, ‘red sky at night, sailors’ delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning’.  

But Jesus in verse 3 describes another type of ‘storm’ that was occurring in the lives of the Israelites then and is happening in our lives today; the storm of secularism and the secular worldview.  Many in Jesus’ day were defeated, not by the Romans (though they were subjugated by them in Jesus’ day) but by their own selfish interests and the selfish interests of others.  The Pharisees knew Jesus and His miracles, and heard Him speak with great authority in His teachings of the Word, yet they asked Jesus to show them a ‘sign from heaven’.  They did not have Faith, despite having seen and heard Jesus’ teachings and actions, but wanted something even more from Him.  But Jesus knew it would not satiate their wanting more, as they were more focused on self-interest and not God’s interest.

We can see this in current events; runaway inflation, greater authoritarian power wielded by governments, deviancy pushed upon society down to our children – all this stems from a selfish pride.  Jesus tells us to interpret these ‘signs of the times’ as what they are, sinful and evil.  The need to refocus upon God and His precepts are the correct response to these ‘signs of the times’, just as it was the correct answer 2,000 years ago when Jesus’ ministry on Earth was occurring. 

We need to BE PREPARED, BE AWARE, PLAN ACCORDLINGLY for the storms in our weather, and we need to be equally prepared, aware and planning for the storms in our society.  Be ready to share the Gospel message by study God’s Word, be ready to be confronted by those who may not accept it but also be ready to respond (in Godliness and respect) to those confrontations, and sharpen yourselves by being with other Christians in fellowship and in prayer.  We can interpret the signs of the times, and do all things, if we put Jesus in the driver’s seat.