Sign of the Times
I had a dream last that was more real than most. In the dream, my husband and I were at a Christian school assembly in Dearborn, Michigan. The room was packed with teens and adults, not all of them believers. My husband was the guest speaker. As he took his place in the center of the room, he began to share. At first the crowd was quiet, but soon they became distracted. They were playing on their phones, talking amongst themselves and even being disrespectful. Two adults from the crowd interrupted my husband speaking (one at a time). They said they had a word from the Lord to share. Again, the crowd listened for a short time, but then continued being disruptive.
My heart was grieved at the scene before me. “We need a microphone,” I shouted to my husband, “They can’t hear us!”
I knew in my heart that the two adults that tried to share words really did have something to share, but they weren’t listening to the voice and timing of the Holy Spirit. They were full of pride and felt that what they had to say was more important.
My husband was still trying to get everyone’s attention when a popular young man arrived late to the meeting. He was a leader in the school and greatly admired. When he walked into the assembly all attention was focused on him. “He did that on purpose,” I thought. He wanted everyone to focus on him! The people were more excited to see him than to hear about Jesus.
As I exited the assembly, I noticed a young boy lying on the floor drawing a map of the United States on a sheet of paper. The map showed many of the states with the current names in them, but in addition, they had the names of different foreign countries in them. For example, Texas had portions marked as Texas, but other portions were shown to belong to another country. The population of those particular states had taken over and created their own entities.
The little boy looked up at me and exclaimed, “Isn’t this cool?! We are a diversified nation.”
“But that’s not correct,” I commented, my heart troubled at the thought that our nation was being torn apart.
“But it is true,” the little boy stated, “I even checked it out on Snoops.com.”
The Bible warns us of such times.
2nd Timothy 4:3 (AMPC)
For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold.
Acts 28:26-27 (ESV)
26 Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 27 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.
Heavenly Father, I pray that we will not be deceived by the things/people around us. Help us to seek your face, listen to your voice, and loudly proclaim your truth.