More On The Middle East (Please Pray)

Since my last post,  Egypt’s King/president/dictator  has been deposed, Iran has been given permission to pass its warships through the Suez Canal, Bahrain has its people protesting, Iran’s citizens have protested, and finally Mohamar Qadhafi has fired on his own subjects to quell the protests in his country.  I know what you are going to ask me: “Are you panicking yet, Pastor?”  The answer is still no.  Instead a burden has overtaken my heart.  The Bible tells us that times will grow worse and worse until the return of our beloved Savior.

From the exile of the apostle John and persecution of the early church, to the unrest that has befallen the Middle East,  we have been warned in the Bible  that perilous times will come.  God forwarned us that the times would get worse.  This is good news for the believer because it also foretells of his return.  What does concern me is that while bad times mean good news for us, ( as funny as that may sound),  this unrest also  means that many souls will perish in an everlasting hell.

As Christians we should pray and ask God to give us a burden for the people of the Middle East.  It is God’s will that none perish, but that all men come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 3: 8-9 declares:

^8-9Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.

One day the end will come, and when  it does as believers we are ready.  What about those who do not believe?  Last post I said we need to judge prophecy to be sure what comes forth is from God, but more importantly, we need to pray that peace prevails.  we need to pray that an opening to preach the Gospel presents itself.  We need to pray that God bring forth a great harvest.  My fellow believers let us pray that a peaceful resolution establishes itself in that region.  Pray that God give us a love and a burden for the Middle East.  What is happening over there is about more than oil.  It is more than about  how much we will pay for gas tomorrow.  It is more than about  how it will impact me.  Souls hang in the balance.  Eternity for many is in the balance.  Please pray and let us see what God can do.