Fred and Betty Evans' Website

When I awoke this morning I read from the scriptures in 2 Timothy 3:1 that in the last days perilous time shall come.

I felt reluctant to continue reading as I wasn’t in a mood to hear doom and gloom but I continued. Then I read 2 Timothy 4:18 which said “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”.

Im sure you will agree, its not the smartest way to start a New Years blog, post or whatever you want to call it. I’de rather hear good news than listen to an onslaught of doom and gloom.

Yet I can’t help but feel that we must prepare ourselves spiritually & emotionally for a world that is spiralling out of control on a number of fronts.

Spare a thought for the people suffering on the Syrian front is particular. The photo on the left of a father holding his dead son is particularly confronting. How can this be in the 21st century? I feel disturbed  viewing the television footage week after week which distresses my soul/emotions with sad and disturbing images. Ecclesiastes 4 perhaps spells out what I’m thinking.

Spare a thought for those who have been through natural disasters. Just a few years ago in 2011 Australia experienced more natural disasters than I can ever remember. Only one other event in my memory comes close to what we experienced that year.

It was 1956 and the Murray River flooded. I was a teenager at the time growing up in Adelaide and I remember volunteering to fight the flood at Renmark on the river Murray.

The 1956 flood was the most extensive recorded in South Australia since my ancestors first settled in South Australia in 1845. Months of heavy rainfall in the eastern states resulted in a massive volume of water surging through the Murray-Darling system, culminating in vast flooding in South Australia which lasted for months.

I was sixteen and looking for adventure when the call went out by the South Australia government for volunteers. A friend and I volunteered with hundreds of others to join in the army of workers filling sandbags and building the levee banks.

I remember how uncomfortable it was and “roughing it” was the order of the day. I learned to drink tea without milk, which I still do to this day. The farmer’s wives would come to the levee banks with fresh tea and scones. I used to joke that the cows were under water and thats why there was no milk!

We had fun but at the same time tinged with apprehension as I watched the vast volume of water being held back by our flimsy levee banks.

At Renmark, flood flow was an estimated 340,000 megalitres a day, rising to a height of 30 feet on 26 August. Levee banks built by locals and volunteers saved the township, but further downstream  the levee banks failed and Mannum was inundated by floodwaters.

Along the river, surrounding countryside with orchards, vineyards, agricultural properties, and homes, was flooded by the record flow. The effect on the river communities was extensive, both economically and personally, as recorded in newspaper reports. newspaper reports.

I think I will always remember 2011 though as the year of great global turmoil. I won’t rehearse those events for you as you probably saw countless playbacks on your television screens in the last week of December. Depressing hey!

But it seems to be getting worse. Imagine how you would feel if you saw this storm bearing down upon your city, town or home like this one in the video below!

We shouldn’t be surprised by these event, as the Bible predicts that in the “Last Days Perilous Times Shall Come.” Of coarse the “perilous times” that 2 Timothy 3:1-13. (KJV) writes about, has to do with human relationships.

In my opinion the breakdown in human relationships is alarming particularly in the church, when christian young adults choose to abandon their marriage vows in pursuit of a plan “B” because it’s more attractive! If it were not for the power of the christian gospel with it’s message of forgiveness which we call ‘grace,’ I’m sure our society would cease to function effectively. 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

The breakdown of the institute of Marriage which is the bedrock of our society is under threat. Demands to recognise the unnatural  union of homosexual “marriage” is gathering momentum like a storm cell which is about to break over us. It may be clearly contrary to God’s Word (Romans 1:24-28) but the momentum is gathering pace. One can only imagine what families and society will look like in 30 years from now.

History shows us that it was the moral decadence of the Roman Empire that arguably brought it demise, which is a lesson we should learn from history. I can’t believe that even America which has been a bastion for moral and ethical standards, is struggling to hold back the tidal wave of moral and ethical decline.

I can feel myself become depressed as I write this so I want to change tack and turn your eyes to Jesus. There seems to be so much sadness all around which reminds me of the song written and sung by my son David. Take time to watch this video as you read on and reflect upon your journey of life. It has a message for you : 

My wife and I have been through a few major storms in our lives of recent years and wondered how this could happen but it does! Even to the most well intentioned and God fearing of people, storms of life can strike at the very core of your being and family. How can betrayal, deception, pain and even death strike and destroy good people you ask, but it does!

When things go wrong things go wrong, “stuff happens” they say! The Bible says “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”. Matthew 5:45.  If you were to read from the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon reflected upon the unexpected when he said. “Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.”

There may be no simplistic solutions to change your circumstances but if can offer you any comfort it would be to hold on to Jesus. When someone betrays you, when someone hurts you, when someone deserts you, when you feel no one supports you, read 2 Timothy 4:16-18 and leave the judging up to God. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

1. Refuse to let your hurt/betrayal become a resentment v16.

2. Always remember and acknowledge God is with you v17.

3. Recognise your experience can be a means whereby God uses you to comfort others v17.

4. If you react positively to hurts, it will negate the fear of further attacks v18.

5. A right response to attacks will attract the presence of Christ and guarantee a promised blessing v18.

NOW THAT’S GOOD NEWS!

A reflection in Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus.

I come to you with all my hurt, pain, rejection, betrayal and sadness. I feel as if I will die unless you help me. Please give me the strength and grace to carry on. I feel as if I have lost everything of value in this life. My aspirations, my faith, my dreams, my husband/wife, my home and my reputation. I choose to believe that You are with me, although I don’t feel your presence like I used to. Forgive me for my wrong attitudes, my sins of omission,  my anger and unforgiveness. By faith I accept your love for me and know that you will never leave me nor forsake me. I will focus my thoughts upon You and your written Word. This I pray in Jesus Name. Amen.