Those Good Ole Days

Scripture:
Revelation 13:11-18 (ESV)

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

Devotional:

Many will be deceived.  Times will be tough.  I for one hope that I am not around then.  I can look around today and think how bad things have gotten.  I think about all the changes that have happened in the last decade.  Growing up life seemed simpler and people friendlier.  Does this sound familiar?  I think each generation says the same thing.  We all look back at those “good ole days…” 

I remember being able to bring my Bible to school, even in high school.  I would lay it upon my desk during class.  Sometimes I would even open it and read it.  Now students get in trouble for even wanting to pray in school.  As kids we would roam the neighborhoods all day on Saturday.  Sometimes we would be out from sun up to sun down.  We would just hang out at the mall or even, heaven forbid, in the streets.  Today as Christians our freedom of speech and religion are being questioned as well as denied.

It certainly looks like the end is near.  Are you prepared?  I know I am supposed to say I am.  There are times I don’t feel prepared.  How many people do you know who are not saved?  What are you doing about it?  I know I am not doing enough.  It is important to do what we can to reach out to the lost.  God loves them just as much as he does each of us.  It doesn’t matter who they are or what they have done.  God loves them and wants them to find salvation for themselves.  He waits with open arms.  This world is lost and desperately needs to find its way back to God.  No matter how bad it gets or seems the simple answer to fix all the problems in the world is one word, Bible.  That’s it, all there is to it.  We need to turn to God.  If everyone did all our problems would be solved.  Reality check, not everyone will and this world will continue to have problems…