Danger - don't be like the daffodils who are being deceived!

The little green shoots slowly poke their tiny heads up through the soil and dry leaves. "No no! Go back down. Don't come up now!" my heart silently pleads. "Don't you know that the freezing weather is yet to come?" But they don't listen. Beckoned by the warm gentle rays of sun and the deceptively spring-like warm days, they continue to sprout upward.

A few days later, I happen by again, only to see that more growth has been made, and they are even more vulnerable than before. Again my heart cries, "It's dangerous. Don't you realize what time of year it is right now? You're going to be destroyed! You shouldn't pay attention to the warm weather…it's deceiving you."

But how can the daffodils know? It may be January, in the dead of winter, here in the Ozarks of Arkansas, but our daffodils are springing forth in their full glory, unprotected and unprepared for the hard times ahead. My heart aches, for they've been deceived by the beautiful days we've been having the last few weeks. It does feel like spring, strangely…but I know it's not.  And our first bad winter storm could strike any day, leaving us buried under mountains of ice and snow.

As I hurt for the destruction that I know is soon to befall our beautiful flowers, I see the oddly similar spiritual parallel that we face in the times we are living in.

Here we, Christ's follower's, sit approaching the end of time on a train that is going full speed, precariously balanced atop a long bridge whose very support is being cut out from beneath us: National debt, pending economical collapse, talks of Sunday laws, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and many other disasters have already weakened the support. And yet, so many in the church today carry on, oblivious to the destruction that lies ahead or to the weakening support beneath. They're caught up enjoying the train ride, singing their worship songs, passing the offering plate for those in need, chatting with their friends on Facebook and twitter about the pleasant warm weather, and carrying on as if all is perfect peace and safety. Very few can be seen really studying their Bibles and trying to learn about what lies ahead. Very few are seen on their knees spending hours and nights in earnest prayer for the unsaved Christian's and lost around them. Very few are aware of the signs of the times and asking God how they can best be prepared. Very few have extra oil for their lamps that have gone out.

You see, the sun is still shining! It's warm outside, the breeze is fare. Even the flowers are still blooming. There's still food on the grocery store shelves, and there's plenty of Bible's resting on our book shelves too. Some people talk of winter coming (a time of trouble - Daniel 12:1), but they've been talking about that for years. So far, everything seems just fine. Things are carrying on just as they always have - at least for the peaceful years we've been alive.

Oh sure, there are a few million people around the world that are starving, and there are people in many third world countries that are fighting to live. There are disasters here and there, but hasn't that been the case for years as well? The chaos in other parts of the world (or the states) hasn't really hurt us too much. For the majority of us in the prosperous West…things continue on as they are. We continue to plan our occasional mission trips, do our weekly duties at church, pay our tithe, invest and sell,  remodel our homes, save up for our new car, dream of our retirement plans, give a cheerful word to those in need, work hard and play hard, and look forward to when we won't have to work anymore. But for the most part, we live in peace. There's no reason for serious alarm, and life continues to be good!

BUT THINGS ARE NOT ALL PEACEFUL AND GOOD!!!!!!

I have this pressing urgency in my heart that we don't have much more time to work for God in freedom, we don't have much more time to prepare…

The deceptions in the Christian world are getting more and more numerous and more and more complex. Satan knows that he has a short time and he's walking about as a lion, seeking whom he may devour. Right and left I have friends walking away from the church and letting go of God because they've been deceived by the warm weather. I have friends that are compromising with sin, and allowing the enemy a foothold in their hearts. I know others, while professing to serve Christ, that have grown complacent and lukewarm…disconnected. They may not have complete peace (and it's obvious), but they aren't agonizing like Jacob did with the angel. They aren't that concerned about their salvation… they think they will be ok. My heart wants to scream… "Wait! Stop! Don't you see? You're being deceived. You can't make it on your own out there. Destruction is coming and you will be destroyed if you walk away from the protection of Christ!! Stop putting all those good activities in front of your time with God. Stop trying to just survive and get by with your devotions. Stop pretending everything is ok with you and God when it's really not. Stop putting on a show! Dig deep ditches!!!! (Like Charissa encouraged us at the recent GYC) If you aren't digging deep (II Kings 3:16), you aren't going to be filled when the rain comes!!!"

But my screams are only audible to God as I cry out to Him in prayer…

My friends, loved ones, and many that I know (even in the church) are off enjoying their time in the sun…their ears seem to have gone deaf to the things of God. They don't realize the nearness of the storm that is approaching...

"Looking down through the ages to the close of time, Peter was inspired to outline conditions that would exist in the world just prior to the second coming of Christ. “There shall come in the last days scoffers,” he wrote, “walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” But “When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3. 

We have been given this warning…yet so many, like the 5 foolish virgins are unprepared. They've allowed the oil to go out. My heart aches… even more than it does for the soon coming loss of our flowers...

However, there is a ray of hope...

"Not all, however, [will] be ensnared by the enemy’s devices. As the end of all things earthly should approach, there [will] be faithful ones able to discern the signs of the times. While a large number of professing believers [will] deny their faith by their works, there [will] be a remnant who [will] endure to the end." Acts of the Apostles, p. 535

Praise the Lord! How I pray to be part of that remnant…

"The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church.... Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness." Last Day Events, p. 173 & Prophets and Kings, p. 188

God has given us a time of probabtion…it is NOW!! 

"[A] period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time. Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer. All who will lay hold of God’s promises, as he did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God." Great Controversy, p. 621

The daffodils may not know better…they are just little flowers! But we do…we should. We've been warned! Let's take heed!!