Rush Hour :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: by RR10 Category:General Articles, Nathele Graham

Do you like driving in rush hour traffic? It seems as if life today is a bit like driving during rush hour. We don’t want to be in the middle of it, but we’re stuck. The stress we feel is overwhelming. Rush hour is always a bad time of day to travel. The traffic is slow, but everybody is in a hurry to get home. Horns honk, people change lanes, and tempers rise.

I’m thankful I live far away from traffic. Stress is hard to deal with, and I’m sure William A. Dunkerley (aka John Oxenham) had his share of stress, even in 1917. He may not have had rush hour traffic, but there were wars and political unrest. This song is very relevant today, over 100 years after it was written.

MID ALL THE TRAFFIC OF THE WAYS

‘Mid all the traffic of the ways,
Turmoils without, within,
Make in my heart a quiet place,
And come and dwell within;

My mother was a very sweet lady who loved the Lord. She had more than her share of heartache, health problems, and pain, but her faith never faltered. Somehow, she was able to find peace even in her worst problems. She had what she called her “God place.” This was a spot under her heart, and when she felt peaceful and calm there, she knew she was in line with God’s will. Over the years I’ve come to understand that feeling of peace, in spite of turmoil without and within.

God doesn’t want us to feel anxious and stressed. He created humans and knows what stress can do to us. It can cause high blood pressure, ulcers, bad attitudes, and much more. Jesus knew that life in this world would bring turmoil, but He also knew that faith in Him would bring peace.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

A little shrine of quietness,
All sacred to thyself,
Where thou shalt all my soul possess,
And I may find myself;

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by life? People make demands upon your time. You have your job, your family, your friends, and they all want a part of your time. It can be even more complicated and stressful if you act differently with each person you are with.

For instance, at work, are you known for your hard work and dedication or for your gossip and dirty jokes? When you head home to be with your family, do you switch to being a Christian example of a husband and daddy and maybe even a deacon in your church? Have you left the job problems and work attitudes at the job, or did you bring them home with you? If you bring them home, then your home life will be stressful. You might ask yourself, “Who am I”? Are you a Christian who represents Christ at the office as well as at home and when you’re with friends?

The way to truly find yourself is to make time for God. Take time during the day to pray and then listen for God to speak with you. Let Him show you who He wants you to be. Make time for reading Scripture and just basking in God’s love. Remember, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). As you face life and its turmoil, remember, as a believer, you are a child of the King.

A little shelter from life’s stress,
Where I may lay me prone,
And bare my soul in loneliness,
And know as I am known;

Do you think that it shows weakness to need to retreat from the stress in life?

An interesting Biblical account of seeking shelter from life’s stress is Elijah. Elijah felt the stress of being a prophet of God when Jezebel and Ahab were ruling the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They were evil and had no love for God. Elijah had served God and tried to thwart the evil worship of demonic gods that Jezebel and Ahab had brought to the Northern Kingdom. Now, they were mad and persecuted Elijah with the intent to kill him. Elijah felt alone and was angry with God. He prayed that God would allow him to die. God still had plans for Elijah.

“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee” (1 Kings 19:7).

It can be easy to criticize Elijah for being in a snit, but instead of death, he needed “a little shelter from life’s stress.” He was led to Horeb, the mountain of God.

“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9).

Elijah was away from the things that were causing him stress and bitterness. He was feeling sorry for himself – as if he was doing so much for God, but God was ignoring him. We need to be cautious when trusting feelings. God never ignores us but doesn’t always jump to give us what we think we deserve. In this cave, far from the stress of life, Elijah was able to pour out his heart to God.

“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away” (1 Kings 19:10).

Do you ever feel like that? As if you have done so much for God, but people around you are blessed that don’t serve God?

Elijah had much to fear because Jezebel was an evil woman and wanted to kill Elijah. Elijah was only seeing the immediate danger but forgot that God had allowed him to do some amazing miracles and protected him from danger.

When things in life get overwhelming, do we blame God for not doing enough? Do we forget that He gave His life so anybody who truly has accepted the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can have eternal life?

God was about to give Elijah a lesson. First, there was a very strong wind that rattled the mountains and broke rocks. “…but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake” (1 Kings 19:11b).

Too often, we look for big signs from God, but he chooses to speak quietly.

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).

Elijah needed that shelter of the cave in order to hear God’s quiet words. It was there that his resolve to serve God was renewed, and God gave him clear directions for what he was to do.

Stress in life can cause us to stray from God and feel isolated. When you feel that way, find a quiet place where you can pour out your heart to God. Then, stop looking for big, loud signs and listen for that still, small voice. God will speak to you, and there will be peace in your soul and a stronger resolve in your work for the Lord. Be sure you are listening for God’s will and not ignoring what He wants for you because it doesn’t fit your agenda.

A little place of mystic grace,
Of self and sin swept bare,
Where I may look upon thy face,
And talk with thee in prayer.

“Mystic grace” might seem like you’re looking for some Eastern meditation or yoga. Those things aren’t of God and must be avoided. Grace of God is a spiritual gift and comes from true faith in God. We tend to avoid the supernatural and the mystic because we want to avoid the evil that can lurk there, but we forget that the God we serve is supernatural. We must be sure that we know God’s voice instead of a Satanic one, and the way to do that is to study Scripture. God will never lead you to do anything that is opposed to His word. If you think God is telling you to rob a bank and give the money to the poor, that isn’t God’s voice you hear. If you feel as if He’s telling you that a sexually deviant lifestyle is fine, that isn’t God’s voice you hear.

God has given us Scripture to guide us, but we cannot take a verse out of context. All of Scripture must be taken into account in order to know God’s truth.

“Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, and precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:9-10).

Study Scripture in a quiet place where you can talk with God about it. Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and He will guide our study.

Get out of the rush hour traffic and find a quiet place to spend time with God. Then listen for His still, small voice. He will speak to you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

As in the Days of Noah… :: By Britt Gillette

Published on: by RR10 Category:Britt Gillette, General Articles

We Live in a Corrupt World Filled with Violence

When the disciples asked Jesus to describe the signs of His coming and the end of the age, He pointed to many signs. But one of the most often overlooked is the idea that when He returns, the world will be “like it was in the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37-41).

Does life today look anything like it did in the days of Noah? If so, we have yet another reason to expect the soon return of Jesus. So, what were those days like?

We don’t need to guess. We know exactly what those days were like. Both the book of Genesis and Jesus Himself tell us.

The World in the Days of Noah

The Bible tells us that God looked upon the world in Noah’s day and saw corruption, violence, and wickedness (Genesis 6:11). In fact, humans were so wicked, they continuously thought of nothing but evil (Genesis 6:5).

As in Noah’s day, the world today is filled with wickedness, corruption, and violence. And while we may not yet be to the point where every thought of mankind is continuous evil (we can’t know what’s in everyone’s mind), a look at what’s happening in our world shows we’re very close.

For example, think of some of the degenerate and evil TV programs that invade people’s minds on a daily basis. Programs that portray murder, rape, torture, and sexual immorality of every kind. In fact, sometimes the commercials are worse than the shows. And that’s just television. When you think of all the other messages society assaults us with every minute of every day, how could our minds notbe fixed on continual evil?

Our world is also home to a constant flood of violence. Less than two weeks ago, we witnessed the attempted assassination of former U.S. president and current presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. While this was a high-profile act of violence, most shooting incidents go unmentioned. In fact, here are some of the headlines from my local area as of the day I’m writing this article (July 22, 2024). I’m sure if you visit your own local news sites, you’ll find something similar:

Even mass shootings are ubiquitous. I’ve lived my whole life in Virginia, growing up in the City of Chesapeake and attending college at James Madison University. And yet, four mass shootings have taken place in areas I’ve frequented in the past

1) On April 16, 2007, a mass shooting resulted in 32 people dead at Virginia Tech, a place I’ve regularly visited throughout my life.

2) On May 31, 2019, a mass shooting at Building 2 of the City of Virginia Beach Municipal Center resulted in 12 people dead. This is a building I once regularly visited as part of my work for a previous employer.

3) On November 13, 2022, a mass shooting resulted in three people dead at the University of Virginia. My wife and I were engaged on the steps of the Rotunda at UVA in 2005.

4) On November 23, 2022, a mass shooting resulted in six people dead at a Wal-Mart in Chesapeake – the city I grew up in. I had been to that Wal-Mart numerous times since the early 1990’s.

Do I bring this up to draw attention to myself? Absolutely not. I find it hard to believe I’m alone in my connection to the locations of multiple mass shootings. I know I’m not. Unfortunately, you can probably cite similar examples in your own life, which just goes to show – we live in a world filled with violence.

Why It Matters

Why is all of this important? Because Jesus said these same conditions will be present in the time just before His return. We see them, and this is just one of many signs that indicate we live in the season of the Lord’s return.

Do we see any other similarities between today’s world and pre-flood mankind? I believe we do, and combined with what we’ve discussed so far, we can know we live in a world that’s “as in the days of Noah.” Let’s look at three additional similarities between the world of Noah’s day and our world today:

1) The World Is Ignorant

The overwhelming majority of people on earth today remain ignorant of the coming rapture of the church, the seven-year Tribulation, and God’s impending judgment. Noah and his family were the only ones who prepared for the flood. The Bible doesn’t tell us what everyone else’s reaction to Noah’s ark-building efforts were, but we can imagine his neighbors likely responded with mocking and ridicule. At the very least, they were indifferent.

In a similar way, people today ridicule those who look forward to the rapture of the church and the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. And the Bible tells us this is a sign of the last days. Almost 2,000 years ago, Peter warned us. He said, in the last days, people will mock the idea of Christ’s return. He claimed they would say exactly what we hear today:

“Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.'” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

Most people today don’t know what’s in the Bible. They mock what they think is silly, just as they most likely ridiculed Noah for building a boat on dry land.

In the days of Noah, people were unaware of the judgment about to take place. According to Jesus, they lived normal lives right up until the moment of their own destruction. They ate. They drank, and they hosted parties. The entire time, they remained ignorant of what was just around the corner. They were oblivious to the coming flood.

Likewise, the people of our world remain ignorant of and oblivious to the rapture of the church and the coming judgment of the seven-year Tribulation.

2) We Know What’s Going to Happen

Noah and his family knew the flood was coming, and they prepared themselves for it. How did they know? Because God told them. He directly told Noah He would destroy every living creature and wipe out everyone but Noah and his family (Genesis 6:13).

Unlike the mockers, if you’ve studied the Bible (and, in particular, bible prophecy regarding end-times events), you know what’s coming – just as Noah knew the flood was coming. Why? Because God told you, just as He told Noah. He may not have verbally spoken to you, but His Word reveals everything you need to know.

While the Bible says Jesus will come “like a thief in the night” (2 Peter 3:10) and “when least expected” (Matthew 24:44), it also says Christians will not be surprised. Here’s the full context of the passage (emphasis mine):

“But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6).

Those who are alert and watchful recognize the signs. While the rapture can occur at any moment, and we can never know the day or the hour of His return (Matthew 24:36), we do have the ability to recognize the general timeframe or “the season” of His return.

After all, Jesus Himself said:

“When you see these things occur, look up. For your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28)

Like Noah, we’ve been warned. We can see the signs, and we know His coming is near.

3) We Will Be Saved

God saved Noah and his family. It wasn’t luck. God did it. Why? The Bible tells us because “Noah found favor with God” (Genesis 6:8). And the reason he found favor is because Noah was the only blameless person on earth – a man who walked in close fellowship with God (Genesis 6:9).

But how was Noah “blameless?” After all, the Bible tells us no one is righteous, not one (Romans 3:10). Noah was no exception. While Noah was not perfect in the eyes of the law, He had great faith in God. This is evidenced by his work on the ark for over 100 years, and the Bible tells us Old Testament saints like Noah were justified by their faith.

For example, Abraham was counted as righteous because he believed in and trusted in God (Galatians 3:6). So even though they lived and died before the crucifixion, the blood of Jesus still saved Abraham, Noah, and many others because of their faith.

Because of Noah’s faith, God saved him from the flood. In similar fashion, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, not only will you receive eternal salvation, but you’ll be kept from the coming seven-year Tribulation. Why? Because the Tribulation will be a time of worldwide judgment (Revelation 6:15-17), and there is no judgment for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Jesus also makes this promise:

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world” (Revelation 3:10).

This is the rapture of the church, and it fits God’s pattern of past behavior. God spared Noah and his family from the flood (Genesis 6). He also brought Lot, his wife, and his two daughters out of Sodom and Gomorrah before He destroyed those cities (Genesis 19). Likewise, God will use the rapture to keep Christians from the Tribulation, just as He used the ark to keep Noah from the flood.

Emerging and Converging Signs

All the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for are present in this generation. We see them emerging and converging. These signs include, but are not limited to:

  • Israel Back in the Land (Jeremiah 23:7-8; Ezekiel 39:28; Isaiah 11:12; Psalm 107:3; Ezekiel 20:34; Isaiah 11:11-12)
  • The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24-28)
  • The Gospel Preached Throughout the World (Matthew 24:14)
  • An Increase in Travel and Knowledge (Daniel 12:4)
  • Arrival of the Exponential Curve (Matthew 24:3‐8)
  • Israel Surrounded by Enemies (Psalm 83:4; Psalm 83:12; Ezekiel 11:14‐17; Ezekiel 35:10)
  • Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army (Ezekiel 37:10; Zechariah 12:6; Zechariah 12:8)
  • The Rise of a United Europe (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17)
  • The Rise of a Global Government (Revelation 13:7-17)
  • The State of Mankind (2 Timothy 3:1-4)
  • Denial of the Signs (2 Peter 3:3‐4)

Yet even with all these signs, the world continues on as if nothing is out of the ordinary. This is just how the people of Noah’s day acted before the flood arrived and swept them all away. Jesus said we should expect to see the same thing before His return. The fact we do is yet another sign He’s coming soon.

***

Britt Gillette is the author of several books on bible prophecy and the end times. You can find more of his work at brittgillette.substack.com