Recent wildfires in Texas have destroyed more than 600 homes at an estimated cost of nearly $100 million, and several lives have been lost. Hurricane Irene swept up the East Coast at a cost of nearly $10 billion, several hundred homes lost, and at least 70 lost lives.
Other natural disasters in 2011 include a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Argentina, a 5.2 earthquake in China and a 7.1 quake in Chile. More than 1,000 birds fell from the sky in Arkansas, dead fish covered a 20-mile section of the Arkansas River, and a Uganda yellow fever outbreak killed more than 40 people. There was a powerful earthquake in southeast Iran, hundreds of dead blackbirds were found in Louisiana, tens of thousands of birds were found dead in Manitoba, and thousands of birds fell from the sky in South America. In Brazil, 100 tons of dead fish washed up on shore. Dead birds were found in Sweden, and millions of dead fish washed up in Maryland, Brazil and New Zealand. A magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan, deadly tornadoes hit North Carolina and Virginia, and a massive storm front spawned 137 tornadoes, killing at least 180 people and mangling sections of Alabama. A volcano erupted in Chile for the first time in 50 years.
So many strange events have taken place in 2011, and the frequency is increasing. Add these natural events with countries like Libya and others rising up, plus a horrible famine in the horn of Africa. It tells us that the earth is going through birth pains. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains” (Mark 13:8).
These things are pointing toward one conclusion: Jesus is coming soon. It may not be tomorrow or next year, but soon. He will come in the twinkling of an eye, and without warning. What are you doing to glorify him, and to further the kingdom of heaven, and to reach out to others with the good news of Jesus Christ? Wake up, and keep praying.
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