The August 10, 2006 headlines shifted from the middle east conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah to that of uncovering a well planned plot to blow up as many as 10 commercial aircraft on flights from the United Kingdom to cities in the United States.

It became evident that the plan was but a few days away in being fully implemented. If it had been successful hundreds of lives would have been lost as bombs exploded aboard the targeted aircraft.

This is but the latest in a series of plots that have been hatched by terrorists but have been foiled and the perpetrators arrested before the deadly acts were completed. World leaders always seize the opportunity to go high profile and make comments when planned attacks of terrorists are thwarted before they can be executed. We are reminded of the ongoing “war on terror” and the vigilance that is so necessary to insure the security of each nation facing the threat of terrorists’ attacks such as the United States which is obviously a prime target at the present time.

Unfortunately world leaders are very blind, willfully ignorant, or just plain stupid regarding the future chaos almighty God has planned for this planet which will make the activities of terrorists seem like a kindergarten playtime by way of comparison!

But then a considerable number of church leaders seem to be as much in the dark as do the political leaders throughout the world when it comes to what God is going to be doing on a world wide scale as He initiates calamities which are far beyond human comprehension.

Consider these statements from the holy Scriptures:

Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."
-- Psalm 2:1-6 NKJV

Fear and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall be that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken. The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again. It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth. They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; after many days they will be punished. Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously.
-- Isaiah 24:17-23 NKJV

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
-- Revelation 6:15-17 NKJV

What is the reason that God is going to be doing such things? The answer is rather simple - since the majority members of the human race have chosen to rebel and refuse to repent of their sins, then God makes His final response in the form of devastating judgments! And no government presently exists in which the leadership stresses the need to draw near to God in a humble and contrite spirit, nor is confession made that we are totally dependent upon God for our existence and survival. In fact one might have to search for a while to find such an emphasis even in churches professing to be Christian in faith.

There have been great tragedies and great loss as human history has run its course over the centuries but is there any greater tragedy than the choice of rejecting God’s offer of love and His perfect cure for the root cause of human conflict, pain, sorrow, despair, and death? It is all summarized in a short statement declared by Jesus Christ Himself:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
-- John 3:16 NKJV

For 2,000 years the appeal to repent from all sin and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord has been proclaimed. A few have responded but most choose to reject. Jesus indicated this ratio of response by stating,

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
-- Matthew 7:13,14 NKJV

So be aware of 2 things --- first, God has guaranteed a future judgment which is worldwide in scope and all nations will be impacted by such an action. Second, all anti-terrorist measures and all "Homeland Security" strategies will totally fail in the attempt to prevent the chaos God will initiate. It is clear that those in positions of power and far reaching influence will be not so much concerned with seeking to stop the calamities as they will be in seeking some place to hide. Note again the frantic pleas on the part of those who held powerful positions of leadership as well as those who find themselves in the lowest social status:

"Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

In fact as time progresses there is a point in which God is cursed and blasphemed by those who refuse to repent. Read for yourself how they deal with the poured out wrath of Almighty God:

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
-- Revelation 15:10,11 NKJV

But what about the "few" who have repented of their sins - those who have received Jesus Christ into their lives as Savior and Lord and are seeking to be obedient and fulfill His high and holy calling for them during their journey of faith on earth? These live daily, no matter the circumstances, with certain rock-solid assurances in their possession:

the peace of Jesus

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
-- John 14:27 NKJV

the presence of Jesus

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
-- Psalm 46:1 NKJV

...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
-- Matthew 28:20b NKJV

the power of Jesus

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
-- Philippians 4:13 NKJV

the provisions of Jesus

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
-- Philippians 4:19 NKJV

the prospect of Jesus’ return to earth

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
-- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
-- 1 John 3:1-3 NKJV

There is disagreement as to just when believers will be removed from the earth. A very common teaching is that the believers will be removed from the earth and then will follow the rise of the Antichrist and seven years of tribulation on the earth.

The problem in the United States among professing Christians is a rather widespread belief that before things get too difficult, Jesus will return and take us out of here! But what guarantee do we have that it will happen that way when large numbers of our brothers and sisters in the Christian faith are being violently persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and put to death in other parts of the world at this very moment? Who do we think we are that before things get too "rough" for us, Jesus will come and take us to our heavenly home?

Christians have been killed in Muslim dominated countries and in some others you cannot practice the Christian faith openly and publicly, because it’s against the "law!"

Is it not far wiser to live a disciplined life of prayer, Bible study, and church involvement with the very real possibility that we who live in the U.S. may undergo persecution and trials before Jesus returns? But at the same time we live daily with the expectation that He may return at any possible moment. Our responsibility is to be found faithful in serving Him until He appears or we are ushered into His presence through the gateway of death, whichever should take place first.

So there you have it --- in which group are you? The "many" that will run for the holes in the ground and praying that they may be hidden from the wrath of God or the "few" that are living in a state of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and anticipating His glorious return to earth whereupon He shall take control of this world and rule over it as King of kings and Lord of lords?

"Homeland Security" will long be forgotten at that time - no National Security Council meetings called at a minute’s notice - no president hastily gathering the members of his cabinet together to deal with the "crisis" - it only be, "Find a well supplied bunker, a hole in the ground, or a cave in some mountain to try to escape the wrath of Almighty God!"

Notice the promises which have been made to that special "few" who have chosen to enter by the "narrow" gate to which Jesus referred:

you'll have something very good to eat

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."
-- Revelation 2:7 NKJV

you will avoid that horrible and dreadful "second death"

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."
-- Revelation 2:11 NKJV

you will be given a very special and honored identity

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."
-- Revelation 2:17 NKJV

you will have power over nations and be given the morning star

"But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter's vessels shall be broken to pieces'; as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
-- Revelation 2:25-29 NKJV

you will be clothed in the finest of apparel with your name recorded in the Book of Life and have your name confessed before the heavenly Father by Jesus Himself

"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
-- Revelation 3:5,6 NKJV

you will have a prominent place in God's temple and be clearly identified as belonging to God

"He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
-- Revelation 3:12,13 NKJV

you will have the distinct honor of ruling with Jesus Christ

"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
-- Revelation 3:21,22 NKJV

you will inherit all things -- as a side note, check Romans 8 and what it reveals about being joint heirs with Jesus Christ

"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son."
-- Revelation 21:7 NKJV

Now then, isn't that a lot better than hiding in a hole somewhere and throwing your money and valuables at moles and bats to keep them from getting to you?