Prepared

On December 26, 2004, the world watched in horror as the story of the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia unfolded. An earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean 
triggered a huge tidal wave as high as 100 feet tall that came crashing on shore 
across the region. The tsunami did damage as far as the east coast of Africa, 
5000 miles away. Over a quarter million people died in the rampaging waters and devastation that followed. Entire island populations and coastal villages were wiped 
out – every man, woman, and child in some cases.

According to the Associated Press, there was one notable exception to the loss of life. The Morgan sea gypsies are a small tribe of fishermen who spend much of the year on their boats fishing between India, Indonesia and Thailand. Each December, between fishing seasons, they live in small thatch huts on the beaches of Thailand. Last December, they were living directly in the path of certain disaster. Yet every single member of the tribe survived, while most of their neighbors disappeared in the rampaging waters.

Why? The tribal chief explains, "For generations our fathers warned us that if the waters ever receded fast, they would quickly reappear in the same quantity in which they disappeared."

On December 26 when the sea suddenly drained away, many of their neighbors ran to the beach with baskets to pick up stranded fish. Not the Morgan sea gypsies. The chief ordered his tribe to run in the opposite direction, to the mountains and safety. When the tsunami hit, the entire tribe was spared.

There is ANOTHER event of grander – in fact, global – proportions that 
will occur at some point in the future: the Second Coming of Christ!  
NO ONE outside of heaven knows exactly when He will return.  This “day of the Lord” will come unexpectedly “like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).  He could come at any moment!  The key is to BE READY! 

The “SIGN” of Jesus’ 2^nd coming is that... He SAID He would!  (Mat 25:31ff).  
His apostles sounded the SAME warning (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10, for example).

WHEN Jesus comes, He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).  Those who have accepted Jesus’ offer of salvation will be ushered into heaven (Matthew 25:34).  Those who have rejected Him and His offer will be sent into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

Jesus WILL come again, but we can be prepared.  Jesus will save those who: believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and are faithfully awaiting His return (Hebrews 9:28).

Are YOU prepared?

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

* From Roger Thomas, sourced by Craig Brian Larson, Arlington Heights, Illinois; "How ’Sea Gypsies’ Survived the Tsunami," Associated Press, as seen in cbs2chicago.com (12-31-04).

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