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Blind To The Raging Fires

Complacency Revival End Times

Source: “French diners sip wine as fires break out in protest against Macron” By Ronny Reyes, published NY POST, March 26, 2023, retrieved 3/26/23

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2023-03-27

Scripture: Romans 13:11

Author: Illustration Exchange
3

ILLUSTRATION

The NY POST reports:

Diners at a French cafe could be seen casually enjoying a glass of wine next to a flaming pyre of garbage amid riots against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform.

The viral video, posted on TikTok, shows the outdoor seating area at the Place de la Victoire, in Bordeaux, where rioters set fire to the roads on Thursday, the most violent day of the protests. … Throughout the video, the fire could be seen flaring up at times and sending embers flying up high, but the diners remained unfazed.

 

What a picture of our world today. Our culture and society are burning down around us in every corner of the globe. Political unrest. Cultural unrest. Religious unrest. Economic unrest. You name it.

Click here to watch the video.

APPLICATION

With so much chaos raging, we run the very real risk of becoming desensitized to it -- desensitized to the needs and the questions and the concerns of those caught up in the rage. We can become so desensitized to it that we hardly respond to it anymore. 

As the church, and as individual members of it, let us guard our hearts and ask the Lord to open our eyes and remove our blinders to the chaos raging all around us — the needs and the emptiness and turmoil raging all around us.

Times of great chaos can be times of great revival.

We are called to “understand the present time” knowing this, “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11, NIV).

Let’s not squander the richness of this moment.

The Bible Message In 217 Words

God's Patience End Times Hardness of Heart

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2022-10-05

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:4

Author: Mitchell Dillon
11

ILLUSTRATION

God said, “I created everything from nothing, order from disorder, life from lifelessness.”  His children said, “No, the universe created itself and life came about by random chance.” God said, “I made mankind to be male and female.” His children said, “No, we’ll decide how many genders there are and which one we want to be.”  God said, “I knew you in the womb, you have been fearfully and wonderfully made.”  His children said, “No, the unborn are just fetal tissue with no right to live until WE grant it.”  God said, “the marriage bond is to be between a man and a woman.”  His children said, “No, we will have sexual relations whenever and with whomever we please.” God said, “Despite your rebellion, I love you with an everlasting love, so I sent my only Son to die for the sins of the whole world.  Whoever believes in Him will gain eternal life!”  His children said, “No, we reject the bigotry of such a narrow point of view.”  God said, “One day I will return to redeem my Creation from corruption.” His children said, “No, we will save the planet ourselves.”  And while God patiently waited for mankind to come to their senses and repent, His children mockingly asked, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

APPLICATION

"Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, 'Where is this "coming" he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation' ... The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:3-4, 9, NIV).  

Every Item Restored

Restoration Redemption End Times

Source: “Flight 1549 passengers get baggage back after Hudson splash down,” by Marilyn Adams, USA Today, as posted on ABC News, May 19, 2009, 7:21 PM, retrieved 7/1/22

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2022-07-03

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17 ; Revelation 21:5

Author: Illustration Exchange
9

ILLUSTRATION

Who could possibly forget the Miracle on the Hudson — the heart pounding story of 2009’s US Airways Flight 1549. Just after take off, on route from New York City's LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, the aircraft was struck by a flock of birds which were sucked into its engines, causing the plane to lose all power. To avoid crashing, pilots  Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles were left to literally glide the plane to a belly landing on the Hudson River just off the coastline of Midtown Manhattan. Because of their cool heads, quick thinking, and incomparable skill, not one life was lost. All were rescued before the aircraft, already filling with water, sank to the bottom of the Hudson.

And who could possibly forget that iconic scene of those 155 souls on board, who climbed out of the fuselage of that plane, into the frigid cold of a NY winter, and onto the wings of the plane to await rescue.

There was no time to consider handbags or baggage, briefcases or cell phones, or even coats and hats. All had to be left behind in the mad dash to exit before the plane would be claimed by the icy waters of the Hudson.

“My coat! My purse!” thought passenger Karin Hill as she stepped out into the frigid air. She had no choice but to leave them back at her seat ,18E, never expecting to see them again.

Yet somehow, all those personal items have been returned to their rightful owners — fully cleaned up and restored, as if they’d never been lost in the first place.

ABC News reports:

After the accident, US Airways called Global-BMS, a Fort Worth-based company that specializes in disaster recoveries. When the jet was hauled out of the Hudson and placed on a barge for inspection by accident investigators, Global official Mark Rocco was there, walking the cabin to tag and remove personal items to return them. … 

"It looked like it had been in a dirty carwash," recalls Rocco. "A lot of the overhead bins were still closed, and a lot of things were still stored under the seats. I saw a wallet on the floor and wondered why it hadn't floated out of the plane."

Everything was soaked and smelled of jet fuel. But every item the Global workers found was tagged with a unique tracking number, bagged and placed on a refrigerated truck bound for a Texas warehouse.

"Freezing puts things into suspended animation," Rocco says.

Back in Texas, Global began defrosting, cleaning and restoring everything it could — including everything inside carry-ons and suitcases — and figuring out who owned what. 

While many items couldn’t be fully restored (e.g., many of the computer hard drives, cell phones, shrunken clothing, and the like), most items were meticulously spit shined, dry cleaned, reconstructed, and refurbished to at-or-near original condition.

Finally, many months later, Maryann Bruce, an executive from Charlotte, NC, got a visit from Deborah Thompson, US Airways' director of emergency response, who personally delivered back to her possession her briefcase, purse, mink coat, and a carry-on suitcase with all its contents, including a large diamond ring given to her by her husband for their 25th wedding anniversary.

Included in the stash of returned items was even her boarding pass for seat 5D. ”I plan on framing that," she says.

APPLICATION

One really has to admire the commitment and perseverance of the US Airways disaster teams determination to restore, renew, and return to their owners every last piece of their lost possessions. The attempts were heroic, if not perfect.

There is coming a day, however, when One far more committed, far more determined, far more capable, will restore and renew ALL things. In that day, nothing will be mourned as loss. Nothing will ever again suffer corruption or decay. All loss will be satisfied. All creation will be redeemed. ALL will be new!

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17, ESV).

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’ ” (Revelation 21:1-5, ESV).

“But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13, ESV).

Signs of the Times

Sexual Promiscuity End Times Wrath

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2022-02-12

Scripture: Romans 1:24

Author: Illustration Exchange
3

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The Doomsday Clock

Watching for Jesus End Times Prophecy

Contributed By: Matthew Kruse | Date Posted: 2019-02-01

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:11

Author: Matthew Kruse
5

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They Call It Sologamy

Marriage End Times Self-absorbed

Contributed By: Rod Crowell | Date Posted: 2017-12-03

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:2

Author: Rod Crowell
9

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The Feast of Trumpets

Prophecy Second Coming End Times

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2017-09-19

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:8 ; 1 Corinthians 15:52

Author: Mitchell Dillon
7

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Better To Avoid Alien Contact

God's Judgment End Times Prophecy

Contributed By: Lawrence Dake | Date Posted: 2015-06-08

Scripture: Isaiah 29:6

Author: Lawrence Dake / Illustration Exchange
0

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A Place for Your Stuff

End Times Worldview Humor

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2015-05-21

Scripture: Revelation 14:15 ; Matthew 13:39

Author: George Carlin / Illustration Exchange
3

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Anticipating the End of the World

Doomsday End Times Second Coming

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2014-09-20

Author: Tom Krattenmaker
5

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