Wars and Rumors of War

⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.  ⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰ At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  (Matthew 24:6-13)

Thoughts: Tonight North Korea declared it was in a state of war.  Of course, it has never declared it wasn't.  The war in Korea never has officially ceased since 1953.  War, the fear/threat of war and famine are human made physical disasters that have spiritual implications.  So also when wickedness increases, false prophets and superstition increase, betrayal, hate, and the love for God growing cold there are spiritual implications that play themselves out in war, mistrust, persecution and starvation.  Communism is wrong in that it devalues human beings.  But if tolerance alone is our only value then surrender is better than standing up for what is right.  North Korea is responsible for over 400,000 deaths in its concentration camps and is well known for starving its own people. We also should not forget the civilian massacres of the intelligentsia in 1950.  Over 100,000 educated, religious leaders, political leaders, and academic leaders who might resist communism.  We resist them not just to survive physically but also because there are spiritual values involved.  It is more important to resist such evil than just tolerate them.  Yet we must pray that the rumors of wars stay just that- rumors of war. 

Prayer: Lord, we pray for peace with Iran, with Korea, with Afghanistan, but especially with you. 

(Many in the south up to 400,000 starved during the Korean War by the KPA.  In the 1990s about 500,000 North Korean civilians starved to death in a poorly regulated economy. )