The perfect storm.

We have all heard the phrase ” a perfect storm.” Perhaps many of us have seen the movie or read the book "The perfect Storm” where different meteorological events collided causing one huge and rare storm of unusual violence and strength and had catostrophic consequences for those unlucky enough to be caught at sea or live by the coast.

Here are some definitions of the phrase ” perfect storm,” ………..

A.a detrimental or calamitous situation or event arising from the powerful combined effect of a unique set of circumstances:

B.a critical or disastrous situation created by a powerful concurrence of factors.

C.a "perfect storm” is an expression that describes an event where a rare combination of circumstances will aggravate a situation drastically. The term is also used to describe an actual phenomenon that happens to occur in such a confluence, resulting in an event of unusual magnitude.

Lets look at some of the words that re-appear in these definitions of a perfect storm. There is combined, combination, concurrence and confluence. So, under normal circumstances any single event, while bad, does not lead to the other set of words used in the definition of a perfect storm which are calamitous, critical, disastrous and unusual magnitude.

Can I suggest to you that the world is facing a perfect storm? Now one could state rightly that there have always been wars and famines and natural disasters. Yet when there is a confluence of events such as we are seeing today, can I suggest that we as Christians get ready for the greatest storm to ever hit mankind in the history of this planet. What are these events that I am speaking of? In the last one hundred years there have been more men,woman and children killed in wars than in all the wars combined since history has been recorded. We saw the unspeakable horrors of Nazi Germany where human being were gassed and shoveled into fires by the millions. We saw even more killed by the horrors of Communism and its phycopathic leader Stalin. Both these regimes were unshamedly Godless. We now see a moral breakdown in society which we have never witnessed in the world before,even all pretense is being thrown of. We have saw starvation on a grand scale with horrific famines. We have witnessed a tsunami which killed 250,000 people, an event never before witnessed in recorded history. We have witnessed massive earthquakes one of which actually moved the whole earth slightly of it axis. In the last hundred years we have seen the birth of the nuclear age with the destruction of two cities in the blink of an eye with just two bombs. Now even that technology is positively primitive in comparison to what we have today.

Now lets combine all of that, and that was only a fraction of events in the last hundred years, with a total vaccuum in leadership around the world today. The statesman cannot be found. All seek after their own. The middle East is in flames and millions upon millions of people are being displaced by crazed bloodthirsty madmen intent on barbarism. We read in the book of Daniel 12:4
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. We are told that the end of times shall be marked with greatly increased travel and knowledge. Can I suggest that we are living in that age where people now travel freely all over the world and that knowledge has absolutely exploded in the last few decades.

The perfect storm has begun brothers and sisters. The bands of rain are already lashing the world and the cultural winds are beginning to blow with hurricane force. Today, with technology, we are able to see monster hurricanes many many days before they hit land. We can see it coming and those in its path head for safe harbor or if you are on land and in the path of the storm, you begin to stock up provisions and board up your house; you may even evacuate to higher ground if the surge is forecast to be of a certain height that would overwhelm you where you dwell.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (Mat 25:1-4)

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.(Mat 7:24-27)

The preparation that Jesus is talking about, and He is talking about the last days is not about storing food and weapons and so on. Its about your vessel being filled with oil so that when the darkness comes just before the coming of Jesus, you will be able to light up the night as a light to the world. The preparation is about obedience to God and walking in His revelation and commands so that your house, your life, your walk is built upon a solid foundation so that when this perfect storm comes and the rain descends and the cultural winds blow with ferocity and evil floods the world, you shall still stand while those without such a foundation are swept away. Lash yourself to Christ and live, stand fast brothers and sisters, come up to higher ground and live.

"Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." (Heb 12:26-27)

Whatever we are trusting in that is not of Christ won't survive the storm and the earthquake.

"Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof." (Isa_23:8,9,11)

J writes........

"Whatever we are trusting in that is not of Christ won't survive the storm and the earthquake."

Amen brother, great scripture quotes......bro Frank

Does any one know how to cancel a post, I have hit the cancel post button but, obviously, it is still here if you are seeing this :)............bro Frank

Hi Frank,

I think you can only cancel it before you post it for the first time. You can always edit and change it.

Thanks J, I am sure Greg has the ability to cancel it :) ..........bro Frank

MJ writes.........

"This has so been on my heart as well!"

Amen sister, this has been on many saints hearts around the world. God is speaking to His people and preparing them...........bro Frank

Judy writes.........."The floods were relentless. They just kept coming and coming, sort of like the evil we are seeing overtake the earth now"

Indeed Judy, the floods are relentless, they just keep coming and coming. I am so glad that the Word tells us that when the enemy comes in like a flood, God raises up a standard. A standard was the flag or the emblem that identified the regiment. There was a standard bearer who would lead the troops. When he fell, another would rush forward to take his place.

"There was an old woman holding on desperately to a wooden cross that had been in front of a nearby church. The cross had apparently broken away and got hung up in another position against a tree where the woman could grab it and hang on for her life. The flood waters were raging all around her but she was able to keep her head above that water until she was rescued."

Jesus is our standard bearer. The cross of Christ raised high above the battle. As we look to that we look to victory even as the battle rages all around. The blood of Christ on the lintels of our hearts means that the death of this world passes over us and elevates us and transcends us to walk in the Kingdom that was and is and is to come.

You comments Judy made me think of a poem I wrote a couple of years ago entitled " I cling to Calvary."

When all my hope has taken flight
And is carried off into the night
When I have suffered grevious loss
You’ll find me wrapped around the cross

When hopes and dreams have disappeared
And trials come that I had feared
When fire and flood encompass me
I simply cling to Calvary

When heartache seems to overwhelm
And eyes are blind to the heavenly realm
And I am lost in a stormy sea
I simply cling to Calvary

When the enemy comes with all his might
And I am plunged into the darkest night
When the door is locked and there is no key
I simply cling to Calvary

And all at once I see the light
And it vanquishes the darkest night
A hand appears and beckons me
That nail scarred hand of Calvary

And as His hand takes hold of mine
My thoughts and His they do align
And now once more I clearly see
The victory won on Calvary

Oh death where be thy deadly sting?
In light of my almighty King
Oh grave where be thy victory?
Tis swallowed up at Calvary

I'm afraid the Indonesian tsunami in 2006 was a visual of what can and possibly will happen to the church if we aren't filled with oil and prepared to endure until the end.

God put on my heart a few years ago while watching a video of the tsunami from 2006 the very fact of sudden persecution breaking out in north america. I believe more of God's people have been getting the same leading to prepare now:

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I recently watched a short documentary on the sad events of the December 26, 2004, tsunami that hit Indonesia and caused almost a quarter of a million deaths. It is well known as the Boxing Day Tsunami.

The video showed the Tsunami spreading to different regions, hitting the shores of heavily populated areas. What struck me was the complacency of the people in the different areas, even the amusement of it all. At one beach they see a white crescent on the distant horizon spreading across the entire large bay. People watch mesmerized as this white crescent comes nearer and nearer. When the wave swallows up two ships in the bay some of the watchers realize the magnitude of the event that is about to strike but for most it is too late. In another shoreline people smile and laugh in amusement as the entire bay is emptied of water and ships are beached. It begins as a spectacle that is full of fun and amusement as people take pictures. As the water came back in they considered it something fun to watch. When the wave struck that shoreline, many were caught unawares; their running was in vain and multitudes were screaming as they were swallowed in the waves and dragged back out to sea, never to return.

As I watched the video a great sobriety came over me””not just over the deaths of so many people””of what is about to come upon the Christians of the world, with some of us not being aware of the times we are living in. Many of us do not believe this could be the end of time.

Just as the tsunami came without warning, so will the end times persecution come upon many Christians unawares. I am not arguing for any type of position of the rapture of the church, whether pre or post, in this short article. Yet I believe firmly that we will all feel like we are in the great tribulation when this end time persecution wave hits the Church. The birth pains will become worse and worse, and many of those that have believed in a pre-tribulation rapture that would have them escape from all suffering will be 100% unprepared for what is going to come upon them.

Persecution of Christians has not diminished, but has been increasing yearly world wide.

Hi Lisa ....

"I'm afraid the Indonesian tsunami in 2006 was a visual of what can and possibly will happen to the church if we aren't filled with oil and prepared to endure until the end."

Hi Lisa, not long after the tsunami, I shared with the prayer call( I think I still have the recording) that I was leading at the time that I was re-watching it on the tv. I saw the people on the beach, fascinated that the sea had " disappeared." Even although the event had already past, I imagined myself on a hill overlooking the scene, screaming at the people on the beach to get out of there, get to higher ground.

It seemed to me in the spirit that God had his people, crying out that there is a great wave of darkness coming and now was the time to get to higher ground. The higher ground was Him and closeness with Him and intimacy with Him. When the enemy comes in like a flood, then God raises His people to higher ground and He does it prior to the great waves fully landing so that others can escape to higher ground.

God has blessed me to be a part of an intercessors group here locally, brothers and sisters from all over the area from all different churches. The prayers are for the saints and for unity of the Body in these ever darkening days............bro Frank