Survival or Revival?

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ―2 Timothy 1:7

The bad economic times and perilous times we are living in have lead to many shifting into a survival mode. They are dominated by a spirit of fear that they must endure at least some portion of the tribulation period prophesied in the Bible. Many who hold this unscriptural position are advocating storing up food, supplies, guns, and ammo to survive during the reign of the anti-christ. Never in the writings of Paul to do you find him admonishing believers to buy weapons and hunker down in fear. Paul’s message to Christians was not one of gloom and doom and the impending mark of the beast. We don’t look for the anti-christ, but we are exhorted to look “for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Our duty is out in the harvest field of lost souls, reaching as many as we can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the trumpet sounds. We’re not to be hiding out in “bunkers.” There is a world going to hell that need the Gospel. It is nothing but selfishness to be so concerned about your own well-being, that you forsake your duty of going after that one lost sheep until you find it (Luke 15:1-10).

The story is told of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives: “On May 19, 1780, the sky of Hartford darkened ominously and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, ‘The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought.’”

Christ is coming again! The Bible never specifies a date when Christ will return so we as His children must be ready for Him to come at any time. We must be busy doing the work He has left us, not hiding behind locked doors with full pantries and guns cocked.

It’s a question of “survival” or “revival.” I choose REVIVAL!

Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” ―Luke 10:2-3

A devotional thought by Preacher Al Hughes