Is the sky really falling in?

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly." Richard Bach

Media hype is nothing new. Randolph Hurst did not invent yellow journalism, either. The phenomenon has been around, I suspect, since men first began to talk, and that takes us all the way back to the Garden of Eden.

Who started the first rumor mill I have no way of knowing. I do know, however, that a good story has always drawn a crowd, even if it is just a cock and bull story at that, especially if it has the scare factor in it. After all, nothing like a good adrenalin rush to spark a reaction to watch more television or buy more newspapers.

Now, I am sure by now that you are saying to yourself, “Okay, Roane, where are you headed with this?”

Hold on, give me time and I will tell you.

What I have in mind is the recent (an ongoing) Ebola scare. Here in Texas, my goodness, news has been 24/7 on the nightmare of what can-a, or could-a, or might-a, have happened given the right scenario. You know the stories. One poor fellow, who unfortunately (at least in this case) happened to be black, sneezed on a plane, after which he jokingly said, “Oh, I must have Ebola.” You can guess the rest of the story. Yep, that’s right, the pilot turned the plane around mid-air and headed for the closes airport. Nothing a six dollar bottle of Theraflu couldn't handle, the doctor said.

I find it truly amazing that in the most serious times some in the news media get a kick out of whipping up the gullible public into a frenzy. I say, get a kick, because I am sure none of them really believe that a new black plauge is just about to sweep across America. The naïve buy into the hype, however, and hype sells. News ratings go up, and, of course, along with that advertising revenue.

Well, enough of that.

What really annoys me is that politician see an opportunity to criticize the opposition so they can garner more votes. Preachers pontificate from the pulpits painting the most sordid stories of a gloomy disaster lurking just beyond the next daybreak, and if not then, then surely soon. Just wait until the next red moon, that’s the sign, so get ready. It's Halloween all over again.

My question is simply this: Whatever happened to old fashioned faith and trust in a loving God? Sure bad times are likely to come, but there’s always tomorrow. And, friend, there will always be tomorrow until the God Lord says it’s enough and raptures His Bride. Now, guess what, neither you nor I, or even Jesus himself knows when. That has been reserved for the Father’s own choosing. Oh, I know, some argue that Jesus knows now since He has ascended to Heaven—although, I don’t necessarily go along with that line of thinking, I can tell you that one way or the other, He is not telling. The same goes for these doom-sayers also—they simply do not really know.

Yes, I have written a book on modern jihadism which I think fit well into the whole scenario Biblical prophecy, but one thing you won’t catch me saying is that I know precisely when Christ will return to snatch away His Bride, the Church. That I don’t know or pretend to know. That’s a secret He hasn't let me in on, nor anyone else I might add.

It may be today, tomorrow, or a thousand years from now (although, I seriously doubt it will be that distant in the future).

So, let's get busy. We are told to occupy until he comes (Luke 19:13), and as far as I can determine there's not a hint in those instructions to flurry about like Chicken Little chirping that the sky is falling down on us.

Just keep in mind that we are not on this journey alone. He is with us each step of the way.

Take care,

Jim