U.S. School Shootings

An afternoon ramble -----

Wikipedia U.S. school shootings - link

L.A. Schools Closed due to credible threat - 700,000 people impacted - CNN

NYC Schools possible threat - CNN

With all of the school shootings and threats I wonder when people will seek God for help out of this mess?  These are our children, still no repentance, no prayer, no humility.  What does it take?

As bad as it is, it's nothing like it will be during the 7 year tribulation:

Revelation 9:20-21 (NASB)

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

I continue to be amazed at all of the self-determination "we can do it ourselves", Tower of Babel-thinking.

Amazed that even when our children are being killed and threatened still there is no repentance, no humility, no national call for prayer, no discussion of failed morality and the public debate is centered on weapons control.

As America becomes less rural (more real need for hunting and protection from the wild) and farther from God the numbers go up.

Deaths in U.S. School Shootings (Wiki numbers):

Have we become more rural with more need for weapons?  Clearly not.

The U.S. population has grown 25% in 25 years, yet the rate of mass murder is up 300-400%.  Why?

Gun ownership in the U.S. has decreased from 50% of the population 35 years ago, down to 35% today - NY Times, yet gun violence is way up.  Why is that?

• Perhaps the depravity has reached a state when guns should be banned as there is just too much moral bankruptcy?
• Perhaps the inverse is true - because of the increase in those who are morally bankrupt, the rest of us need to protect ourselves.
• Perhaps both are true.
• Perhaps the threat of over reaching global governance is such that fire arms will become a necessity (if it came to that, not sure what any individual would be thinking to take on the fire power of the government, nor am I in any way an anarchist).

Personally I'm looking forward to the day when we beat our swords into plowshares.  (Isaiah 2:4, Joel 3:10).  I'm not a fan of hurting anyone, if at all possible.

For purposes of this post I'm not advocating gun ownership one way or the other.  I am a strong advocate of repentance.

I would like to clearly say that with the accelerated run away from honoring God and His Word, we are reaping the consequences and few are directing their energies to the real source of the problem and the one and only place where real help can be found.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NASB)

And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

I hear many advocate isolation.  Gather guns, ammo, food, provision and move to the bunker. Sounds like the Essenes (religious isolationists who brought us the Dead Sea Scrolls - John 17:16).  There are political interests that feed off of isolation and self-preservation.  But when "leave me alone" and "I'll take care of myself" is louder than "deny yourself, take up your cross" (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23), we've got a problem.  I'm being poured out like a drink offering (Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6) - denial of self (Philippians 2:1-11).

God told us to spread out and trust Him (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1) - many say I'll spread out and take care of myself or together (Genesis 11:4) - without God we can manage.

Elections and laws are important, but they are not the answer.

P.S. - in all of this mess I see great grace, patience and mercy from our Father.  Slowly, steadily, He is backing away.  Carefully.  He's no rapist.  If we don't want Him He will graciously step back and leave us to it.  The world is getting what it wants.  Hell is the utter absence of God.  He is light.  There is no light there.  He is peace. There is no peace there.  He is order, grace, beauty and purpose.  There is no order, grace, mercy, beauty or purpose apart from Him.  He is life.  There is no life in hell.  With Christ there is healing. There is no healing in hell.

2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 (NLT)

For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way.

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