UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES

Say HiThe times we live in is a challenging and dangerous time. The Bible described it as perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1-7), evil days (Ephesians 5:14-16). We are certainly in the last days! We are in the days when the heart of men are melting (Isaiah 13:7), strong men are afraid and increasingly going weak (Isaiah 13:7, 8) and those who have long trusted in their might are suddenly seeing the vanity of life (Isaiah 2:10-18).1 Chronicles 12:32Two things clearly distinguished the men of Issachar- They where men who understood the time and they knew what Israel needed to do. In times like this, we must understand the times and know exactly what we need to do if we must survive the times, else we may be swept away by the torrent of uncertainties and challenges. ...THEY UNDERSTOOD THE TIMETo know our situation is to bring ourselves to the point of reality. It is a common saying that if you know you have a problem, then the problem is half solved.The times we are in, is characterized by:Shocking RealitiesSomeone said: So suddenly, - New York 'the city that never sleeps' is now asleep, all quiet!- Paris the 'center of romance' lives in echos.- Rome 'the eternal city' is deserted.- Disney is out of magic.- London is caged in silence, the Queen speaks to her people from a hidden room.- Mecca is empty! Nobody to 'stone the devil'.- The Chinese wall is no longer a fortress.- The G8 Nations are speechless.- The developed world suddenly on its knees.- Churches, mosques, great parks, monuments, stadiums are filled with unfilled spaces.- The busiest places at present were hitherto the most dreaded: hospitals and cemeteries.- The famous football leagues, the fashion shows, exotic weddings, festivals all lost to memory.I can imagine how the sky feels right now? If the sky was human, it would have wondered, what is happening? How come no one is traveling? All the high flyers have suddenly found that there is something called land.Status Quo Is AlteredThere is a total change all over the world. Things are no longer the same! It is not possible for the world to remain the same after this lockdown. Things have fallen apart and the center can no longer hold. People are now working full length from their home, what do you think would be the state of our work places when this times are over? How would we settle back to normal life? What happens to those that would be out of jobs, those that would have to settle for pay cut? Our educational system, all the bills to be paid, industries that have been grounded, how do we settle back in? Look around, all you see and hear is Security issues, Starvation among the low class and Sickness across board.Status quo has changed, and we cannot remain the same again! What manner of men ought we to be in times like this? 2 Peter 3:112. ...KNEW WHAT MEN NEED TO DOOur biggest problem this season would be knowing the right things to do. We must find a way to survive this season and the way to survive it is to know what to do like the men of Issachar. What must we do:Real-Time Observation- Matthew 16:1-3, 26:40-41, 1 Peter 5:8, Romans 13:11-14It is important for us to be proactive and do things at the right time and never procrastinate. The time is far spent, we do not have luxury of time for any delays. It is time to awake, the times we are in is not a time to sleep but a time for vigilance. We must pay careful attention to all that is happening around us at a time as this. Be deliberate about what you take in as information and weigh everything in the light of God’s Word. Let the Word of God guard your heart and guide your decisions in times like this.&awww.ikoyibaptistchurch.org, instagram.com/@ikoyibaptisthurch, facebook.com/@ikoyibaptistchurch, x.com/@ikoyibaptistchurch.