By Alan D Campbell Introduction A German chemist named Joseph Wilbrand first made the chemical known as trinitrotoluene in 1863. We know it better as TNT. TNT is a powerful explosive from which bombs can be made. In fact, the explosive yield of TNT serves as the measure of the strength of bombs and other explosives. We learned on September 11, 2001, that a jet laden with fuel in its wings can be a flying bomb. People who fly on an airplane early in the morning often stay up late packing and preparing for their flight. They may grab a pillow and a blanket and go to sleep on the airplane. If any passengers went to sleep on the jets that hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, they would have gone to sleep on a bomb. Have we gone to sleep on a bomb? Have we gone to sleep spiritually? This world will explode with troubles such as the world has never seen. The world has become such a dangerous place because of terrorists that passengers are no longer allowed to carry even a bottle of water on an airplane. Surely the trials of life will come our way because time and chance affect us all. Are we spiritually awake and ready for the trials that will come and for the coming of Jesus Christ? Or have we gone to sleep on a bomb? The purpose of this article is to inspire you to be spiritually awake so that you will be ready for the trials and tribulations of life and for the return of Jesus Christ. Let Us Not Sleep Let us read an admonition from the apostle Paul about staying alert and not going to sleep spiritually in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11: Verses 1-3 1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (KJV) This World Does Not Know the Way to Peace With all the wars and conflicts in the world, there often comes a cease fire or an agreement to end the war. And all too often, the war resumes with even greater intensity because the rulers of this world do not know the way to peace. Verses 4-11 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. (KJV) What Are We to Watch? What are we to watch? Watching world news is good to keep us aware of the evils that are happening and to see the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. However, primarily, we are to watch our own spiritual condition so that we are not weakened by the cares of this life. We need to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:36-44). We must have faith in God; we must have hope in our salvation in the Kingdom of God; and we must love God and others, especially other members of the Church of God. In I Thessalonians 5, Paul emphasizes faith, hope, and love, just as he did in I Corinthians 13. Sigh and Cry for the Abominations in the World We need to be concerned about the people of the world also as we see the evils and abominations that hurt so many people. Lets read what God told Ezekiel about the importance of being concerned about the evils and abominations in the world as shown in Ezekiel 9:1-11. Verses 1-4 1He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. 3And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; 4And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. (KJV) Linen The high priest wore linen (Leviticus 16:4), and it is symbolic of purity. The six angels who are to execute the judgment of God along with the man dressed in linen total seven, which is the number of perfection. What Were the Abominations? The abominations are discussed in Ezekiel chapter 8 and include idols portrayed in the temple. The people said that God had forsaken them and did not see their sins. Women wept for Tammuz. Men had their backs toward the temple of God and worshipped the sun as it was rising in the east. They filled the land with violence. To sigh at the abominations done in the earth means to have inward grief. To cry is an outward manifestation of that grief. We should have tender feelings of compassion for those who commit abominations because we want them to repent and live. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and neither should we (Ezekiel 33:11). Verses 5-6 5And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. (KJV) Why God Commanded the Slaying of Little Children God commanded even the slaying of little children who did not bear the mark made by the man with the writers inkhorn. We see today that Islamic terrorists teach their children from a young age to hate the United States and the state of Israel. Even little children are taught to be suicide bombers by these evil terrorists. God knew that to eradicate the evil in the land even little children had to be slain. Verses 7-9 7And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. 8And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? 9Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. (KJV) The Sins of the House of Israel and the House of Judah The house of Israel and the house of Judah had sinned exceedingly. They were violent and they were perverse in their worship of God. They had turned to idols. Their attitude was that God had forsaken them and he did not see the evils they committed. Verses 10-11 10And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head. 11And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. (KJV) The sins of the House of Israel and the House of Judah had separated them from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). We must cleanse our lives of sin by repenting and having our sins washed away with the blood of Jesus Christ (I John 1:7-10). We must draw near to God, and he will draw near to us (James 4:8). Yes, we need to put on the whole armor of God by having faith and obeying God (Ephesians 6:11-14). We need to read and study the Word of God as never before (Ephesians 6:17). We need to pray for other Christians and for the ministry that preaches the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world (Ephesians 6:18-20). Another TNT–Today Not Tomorrow There is another kind of TNT that can have a powerful effect in our spiritual lives. This TNT is today not tomorrow. The author of Hebrews admonishes us to be steadfast in Hebrews 3:12-15: 12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 15While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (KJV) Renew Our Spiritual Power Daily After Conversion Notice that the author of Hebrews is writing to Christians. Even after repentance, baptism, and conversion, we can depart from God. We must endure to the end. We must renew our spiritual power today. Today sigh and cry for the abominations that are done in the earth such as terrorism, child abuse, and idol worship. Pray for God to send more laborers into the harvest. Read and study the Bible as never before. Conclusion If we seek God today, we will be ready for the trials and tribulations that will come our way; we will be ready for the return of Jesus Christ; and we will never go to sleep on a bomb. Alan D. Campbell lives in Brandon, Florida. For more good news, please request your free subscription to the Good News Magazine at http://www.gnmagazine.org Also, see his blog The Good News of the Kingdom of God at http://goodnewsofthekingdomofgod.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_D_Campbell http://EzineArticles.com/?Asleep-on-a-Bomb&id=280082 phentermine no prescription cod online prescription for phentermine purchase phentermine with mastercard rx pharmacy phentermine