TERROR

“We hoped for peace, but no peace came.  We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror” (Jer. 8:15)

 Dear Partner,                                               February 2015

Greetings in Jesus’ Name!

We have entered a time of terror!  And things will never be the same again.  Our days will never go back to being like they “used to be”.  We have entered the time of the end spoken by the prophets in the Word of God.

                                                     Terrorists?

When I grew up the word terror was seldom, if ever, uttered.  Today it is so common to hear about Muslims committing some awful act that people scarcely take notice. Even a beheading in the United States is briefly mentioned, and called by our liberal press as “workplace violence”!  It is a new day . . . a strange day, and a fear-filled era.

A beheading in the workplace and people hardly take notice?  It is difficult to believe that the conscience of our nation has become this calloused.
Petrol is poured on a Jordanian pilot in an iron cage and set on fire . . . by ISIS . . . more peaceful Muslims.

The KJV Bible uses the word “Woe”, but the New Living Bible translates this same word “terror”, and mentions it 105 times.  In Hebrew the word is “a.ma” (אֵימָה).

“I live in terror now!” (Job 30:15 NLT)!

Isaiah 54:14b--“for you shall not fear: and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.”

Revelation 8:13—“Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets.”

It is very easy for those of us living in the U.S. to quote these verses and feel at ease.  But what about the parents in Muslim lands who must watch their children being tortured and beheaded? What about husbands who are forced to watch their wives and daughters being raped---family members forced to watch as hot oil is poured down the throats of fathers? I do not have the answer to questions like these.

During life’s journey we learn many things.  One thing we soon discover is that we do not have “pat” answers for many things that come our way.  And we find out that there is nothing wrong about saying, “I don’t know.”

I would much rather hear a pastor admit that he does not know, than to listen to him spew out absurd religious platitudes that have little meaning or substance. Honesty is always refreshing.

But today we do know Terror!  It is in the news each day; it is on our streets, even in our homes.  Just a simple trip to the supermarket or gas station can turn into an unimaginable nightmare of terror.

In Luke 21:26 Jesus said, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

It is not difficult to believe that we are living in the time Jesus predicted and that the powers of heaven are being shaken.

What to do?

Some people are selling everything they have and finding refuge in a very remote rural place.  They want their families to be “safe” during a very unsafe time.  You can’t blame them.  But the Scriptures clearly tell us that there will be no safe place on earth during the end times.  You might flee to the “safest” place on earth and still find yourself in the midst of an earthquake, tsunami, hurricane . . . or in the hands of terrorists.

The bottom line is that we all need Jesus!

Psalm 46:1 tells us . . .”God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

I take great courage by meditating on God’s Word.  During these past 50 years I have made more than journeys than I can count to preach the gospel in places that most Americans would call “dangerous places”. 

My life has been threatened.  I’ve hiked through dark jungles where only my guide knew the way out.  I was arrested in Haiti once, and in China the communists arrested me two times.  Five years ago the military flew me out of Haiti on a helicopter to the USNS Comfort hospital ship and saved my life from a 105.7 fever.  A thug in the inner-city put a knife to my throat.  If you find these experiences to be unusual, check out 2 Corinthians chapter eleven.

Armed masked gunmen in Israel were less than one-half a block from me as I sat alone in a parked car in the West Bank . . . totally helpless.  Only God’s protection kept Hamas from kidnapping me.

So the bottom line is this:  no matter where we are it is God who protects us.  And death is not the end for us believers.  Our blessed hope is that we will not only have life beyond the grave . . . but we have eternal life with Jesus and fellow believers.

But wherever I am, my hope, and peace is in the Lord.  Each of us must find this rest for ourselves. My prayer for you this month is that you will take the time to open your Bible and slowly meditate on His promises.  If you do this you will find peace in a non-so-peaceful time in history.

Hebrews 4:6—“God’s rest is there for people to enter.”

Thank you once again for helping us take the gospel to the nations.  Of course, this includes our own country, the United States.

In His Service,         
                       You may email a question: wesed@hotmail.com

Wesley Smith

       Full Life Crusade, P.O. Box 398, Winona Lake, IN 46590

             Telephone:  574.267.7546    Website: FLC7.com