Signs of the Times?

There are moments in life where things happen that you can't make any sense of whatsoever. As I am writing this 26 families are grieving the loss of loved ones, 20 of them kindergartener's. This being only the most recent of several like catastrophes over the last several years.

Just the other day I was speaking in a high school on being responsible with social media. In the presentation I showed a video where a girl is asked by her boy friend to send him a nude picture of herself. The video then asks the viewers if she should or should not send it. Half to two-thirds of the 200 students present began yelling aloud, "Do it ... do it!" It was hard for me to absorb. I understand that they were teenagers, but even just a few years ago it would not have been so overwhelming gross.

Roger Meyer comments and asks these questions in one of his blogs. "Christ's prophecy on the Mount of Olives includes His statement that lawlessness will abound in the last days. It's part of Jesus Christ's answer to the disciple's question of what would be the sign of His second coming and of the end of the world. Is lawlessness increasing? Are we nearing the end of the world?"

We are in a new season in the history of the world. Things aren't just changing, they have changed. Rapidly we are moving in a direction that seems only familiar as it relates to the prophetic Scriptures of the Bible. Whether you are a believer or not, you can't deny how this period in history is shaping up, paralleled with these Scriptures.

This new world demands that we prepare ourselves. Intellectually, Spiritually, and physically, we must prepare ourselves. These times wait for the rise of great leaders. Men and women not willing to coast in selfishness, but whose motives seek truth, and are willing to both live and die for it.

Standout!

Philippians 2: 14-16 “Do everything without complaining and arguing,15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”

MLB is upon us! It always seems the beginning and ending to be the most exciting parts of the season, at least in my mind. I was reading an article about the Red Sox infielder Pedro Ciriaco, a 26-year-old with 31 games of Major League experience. There was one line that really caught my attention that I want to share with you.

Here it is: "Ciriaco, who was signed by the Red Sox as a Minor League free agent on Dec. 15, is making it clear this spring that he could be someone the club can count on if the need arises at some point."

I thought to myself, here is a young man that wants a statement so badly. He is doing everything he can to MAKE IT CLEAR that he is someone to be reckoned with. He's a standout so far this spring. People are noticing him!

I want to live my life like that. I want to make it clear to others that I am someone who stands out from the rest. I want to leave a great impression and make a difference. I want others to know that they can count on me!

May we all be inspired in such a way that we live to make it clear that we are above the average. With Christ in us we standout in life! People notice! We do not live our lives like everyone else. We make a statement through our actions of the power of God in us through Jesus Christ!

How do we standout?

We do not complain, argue, or criticize.
We live clean and innocent lives.
We hold firm to God’s Word and all that it teaches.

Hey...I challenge you to make a statement! Be a standout! In so doing… you will bring glory to God and lead others to knowing the hope that live in you!