For when they say “peace and safety,” sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
Being the father of two children, as well as a teaching pastor, I cannot help but pause when I look at the schizophrenic times we are living in and relate it directly to the aforementioned biblical admonition. I am currently teaching from the book of Daniel, which contains prophecies imperative for a Christian to understand, so they can navigate what I see as the current birth pangs of our day.
In Matthew 24:8, Jesus said, “All these are the beginning of sorrows,” as a way to categorize local and global afflictions that would trace our day and age. The word “sorrows” is used to describe the contractions that a woman experiences during labor.
Consider as you get closer to delivery, the contractions increase in frequency and intensity. I’m reminded of both my children’s deliveries, and as attentive as I was to the process, nobody knew more intimately and could recognize the contractions than my bride, my wife, the first to know the signs of an approaching delivery.
Likewise, with so many crises currently ravaging our world, only the true bride of Christ can recognize the signs of the times. With every sudden contraction, Christians need to be paying attention. Yet sadly, I feel as if so many are still sleeping.
Our world has lost all sense of reason – churches, families and the medical community is equally divided. This can only be the result of a strong delusion that has been unleashed in the spiritual realm.
If I could prayerfully lend my spiritual goggles, people would recognize that the only uniformity of opinion is from the ruling powers, social elites, media at large, progressive church, and those who have caught the deadliest of all variants – fear.
I am reminded of an interesting placard currently being censored by social media, which reads, “It didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with one party controlling the media. One party controlling the message. One party deciding what is truth. One party censoring speech and silencing opposition. One party dividing citizens into “us” and “them” and calling on their supporters to harass them. It started when good people turned a blind eye and let it happen.”
Why would such a placard be censored? That is why I am convinced there is a pervading spiritual component to the lack of discernment currently permeating the fabric of our day.
Just one common-sense example to put that thought into perspective – masking children. That anyone would think (other than the devil) that covering precious little faces is a great idea should raise the hair on the back of necks.
First, there is so much conflicting science to support that masks work, and more importantly, the data clearly shows they are unnecessary for that demographic. On the other hand, the routinely censored science has proven masks worn by children are contaminated with bacteria, parasites and fungi. Just think about them sneezing, spitting, touching and breathing into them for eight hours a day – where has the common sense gone?
This single issue alone is one of many in the plethora of insane mandates flooding society faster than the operation warp speed injection. The deception behind such agendas is so thick that it can only be cut (discerned) with a knife (God’s word).
If one doesn’t have spiritual insight, they will be blinded by the default of only seeing with their physical sight.
Thomas Jefferson once said, “If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls of those who live under such tyranny.”
Be very leery of mandates that are good for thee and not for me, as we have seen virtually every tyrannical ruler toss aside such restrictions for themselves (most recently former President Obama’s gargantuan 60th birthday party).
We are at a crossroads. If the church doesn’t sound the alarm, who will? Christians must stay alert and speak up. Take the position of a watchman on the wall. Lift the gaze to God and begin to intercede for these times.
There is power in prayer that should propel us into action. Time will tell, so don’t stop telling the time. The time is now, and the true church will always choose courage over compromise.
ED. NOTE: Maher is the teaching pastor at Coastal Christian Ocean City and president of Soldiers For Faith Ministries. Social media and website: @TruthOverTrend
