Are You Paying Attention?

Hey, are you paying attention to what is going on in your world? I mean, more than the recent Super Bowl, or the more recent Olympics. Now there is nothing wrong with either of those events. [May I pause just for a moment to make an observation concerning television commercials? My wife and I were greatly dismayed by the quality of the commercials offered during the Super Bowl. They all seemed to have at least one of two themes: violence or sexual innuendo. I guess sex and violence must characterize those who watch professional football. But, we have noticed that the commercials for the Olympics are much more family-friendly; probably because that has always been the foundation for the Olympics - family.]

Have you been noticing what Iran has been up to? February 11 has come and gone. Now some of you are saying: What does that date have to do with Iran? Well, the Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme Muslim leader of Iran, had said that on that date the Iranians would deliver a "stunning punch" (those were his words) to the West. Yes, it was on February 11 that President Ahmadinejad announced that Iran was now numbered among the nuclear nations in the world. This was hardly a "stunning" announcement as most leaders recognized Iran's pathway toward nuclearization these past years. Perhaps the "punch" came a few days before when he also stated that Iran would now enrich its own uranium to at least 20%, if not higher. [They are presently at a 3.5% rate.] This higher rate definitely indicates that their nuclear program is more than just for electricity. And two weeks ago the Iranians launched their first rocket capable of putting a satellite into space. Could such a rocket be used to put a nuclear device in space?

I am fairly confident that you have been observing the weather patterns. Record snowfalls have blanketed the East Coast, even shutting down government - maybe not such a bad thing right now :) Last week snow was reported in 49 of the 50 states. I think that was a first. My grandson in Texas called and was so excited about the snow in Dallas, although I think he over exaggerated when he said they had 32 miles of snow. Then there was the earthquake just outside Chicago. Is the New Madrid fault line becoming more active? And Vancouver, site of the winter Olympics, is having difficulty getting enough snow, prompting some to call these the "spring Olympics."

And then there is the impending - or at least it appears to be impending - collapse of the euro. Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Italy are all awash in red ink. Guess we did not have an exclusive claim in that department. Can the euro endure? The same can be said for the dollar. The more the currencies of the world labor for survival, the greater the possibilities of a world-wide currency being accepted.

I could go on. But you get my drift. It is time we stop and consider the signs of the times. And when we do, we are hastened back into the Scriptures to hear more of what God proclaims will occur. Let me encourage you to read Dr. David Jeremiah's book titled, "What in the World Is Going On?" That will begin to open your eyes. God truly is at work in this world orchestrating each event with the ultimate purpose of bringing the King to His rightful throne.