Three Minutes To Lights Out!
Written by John David
When I was a young man in the Marine Corps, everything was done by the numbers in strict obedience. We were given a set amount of time to get things done. When it came time to go to bed it was the same thing. We would all be sitting around the squad bay (a big open room with bunk-beds) cleaning our gear, writing letters and listening to tall tales, etc. The duty sergeant would burst throough the door and yell, "lights out in three minutes"! HE would then take off to announce the same to the other soldiers.
At that announcement everyone moved at once putting away everything and jumping into our racks (beds). In exactly three minutes the duty sergeant returned as the last men jumped into their bunks. Then he screamed, "lights out!" as he slapped off the light switch. Yes it was hard to beat the clock and be in bed before total darkness descended upon the camp.
We knew it was coming sooner or later so it wasnt a complete surprise. We noticed the daylight ending and the coming night out of the corner of our eyes. To those who were deep into their activities there was only a moment's shock and the need to prepare quickly. Then there were those guys who had gone into town on passes and came back one by one in total darkness as quietly as possible. Woe be it to the drunk for on him the wrath of the sleeping Marines or the duty sergeant would fall.
What has this got to do with anything relating to our lives today? Well, the geologists and other people who research our natural resources have been trying to tell us for the past few years that we are running out of oil and gas. We are not hearing these things from the news media, the congress or the church. They want us to be without power so that we can be controlled. Nobody seems to be listening.
"Oh, we've heard that one before and it's a pack of lies", most would say. "Besides it's the big oil and energy companie that are trying to jack up the prices. They are playing on our fears and there are plenty of reserves untapped in the earth." Most believe that we will NEVER run out of oil because God would not let us be without our comforts and conveniences. The world must go on as it has for less than a hundred years rather than as it has in earlier centuries without cheap commodities. Some Christians do a better job defending Babylon rather than leave it behind. They demand the gifts of the world in the name of Jesus. Even if we have an abundance of resources we shouldn't be using them up at breakneck speed.
If you see the bigger picture in the Bible than just the status quo we hope that you will contact us. The warnings have gone out for years but I tell you that we may not even have three years before the rest of the dominoes fall. Countries will try to out bid each other for the last drum of oil but soon it will be impossible to heat our houses or drive our cars as the prices rise and the tap runs dry.
If groups of us can look ahead and come together for mutual support and planning we can make it through tis tribulation and grow into the next age. Remember that God did not pull up in front of Noah and honk the horn. He did not take Moses and the children of Israel to the promised Land on a train and have the angels clear out the land before them. God did not take the cross away from His own Son. Jesus said, "My Father works, therefore I work." He was talking about working for the Kingdom on earth. We too must work among those who don't yet know the good news of the Kingdom while we build our Ark.
Please understand that when you are dealing with physical facts about the earth it is not a matter of believing for it won't change reality. God runs this earth by laws. Gravity does have an effect upon all Christians whether they believe that they can safely jump out of a window or not. [We should not tempt God. YHWH says that He will destroy the destroyers of the earth. Jan's additions]