Ice Everywhere

Monday I was running late. I ran out to feed the dogs and had to go off the deck to get one of their dog dishes, as they like to carry them around. The ground felt slick and I wondered what those dogs had gotten into now!

I made up a small plate of Mom's cookies for my friend and hurried out the door. The little and the teenage kittens were in front of the house and they jumped when I opened the door. They ran like they were running in place. I must really have scared them!!

The door is locked, now off to town. I step off the steps and onto the walk. You have seen those comic pictures of someone stepping on a banana skin and his feet go way up in the air and he falls down??? Well, I could have been in the comics. I didn't notice that the sidewalk was a sheet of ice. No sooner was my foot on the walk than it slid forward and then both legs went up in the air. It happened so fast; it was like a blur--there was no time to think!! The bun I wore on the back of my head, cushioned my head as I slammed backwards, landing on my back. I lay there a moment and as soon as I realized I was able to move, I rolled over and onto the grass. The grass was ice covered! The snow packs were ice covered. The gravel was even ice covered. Finally, I got to the pickup, scraped the windows and and was able to drive to town.

I wasn't seriously hurt, but I am going to be very sore for quite some time. If, however, I had not slid forward (the sidewalk is slightly sloped) I would have hit my head and back on the cement steps and the injuries would have been quite different.

Those animals gave me plenty of signs that it was icy out there - but I was too busy and in a hurry to notice. So it is with this world. The signs of the Second Coming are all around us, but we are too busy to notice. Jesus, in His words, told us of the time to come:

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

"Matthew 24:3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'

"4 And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Christ," and will deceive many. 6 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. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

"9 'Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 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.

The Great Tribulation

"15 'Therefore when you see the "abomination of desolation," spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place' (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 'then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

"23 'Then if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Christ!" or "There!" do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.

"26 'Therefore if they say to you, "Look, He is in the desert!" do not go out; or "Look, He is in the inner rooms!" do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.'

The Coming of the Son of Man

"29 'Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.'"

John the Baptist was called by God to prepare the way for the Lord when He came to earth. We need to heed his words, and prepare ourselves for Second Coming of the Lord.

(This is spoken by Zacharias, who was filled with the Holy Spirit,) "Luke 1:76 'And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.'”

John the Baptist, speaking of Jesus and baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT:

"Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, 'I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.'"

The arms of the Lord reaches out to all--salvation is there for you. What better time than now to search for the Truth. There may be no further opportunity for you, nor any further time for those you love. He loves you.

"2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."