To the editor:
Seventeen years ago on September 11, 2001 America was attacked without warning. During Hurricane Harvey, America was attacked by the most destructive hurricane in American history producing over four feet of rain. The lessons of the 9/11 attack and from Hurricane Harvey and other disasters is that people are more important than things. Things can change quickly and everyone needs to be prepared spiritually for death. Many people have a normalcy bias and wrongly believe nothing will change or everything changes slowly. Some believe the evolution lie that things always change slowly and for the good. Things changed quickly when the 1998 flood killed seven in Carter County and filled our landfill. Things changed quickly in Fall 2016 when a fire began on top of a mountain, whose height is 1,440 meters (144,000 centimeters), and burned parts of Gatlinburg. After the fire a Joel 2 passage from the Bible was found proclaiming the day of the Lord tribulation) was near. The tribulation will bring millions of times more disasters than the Earth has ever seen. God changes things in the twinkling of an eye. As God will soon do when born again (also translated born from above) Christians (also translated called out ones) are raptured (given a new eternal body) and taken to Heaven just before the start of the seven-year tribulation. Many believe the tribulation could start this year and the Jesus believing will soon be leaving!
Jesus gave some precise indicators that his return is near. All the indicators show Jesus could rapture Christians at anytime. We have had record volcanoes, record earthquakes, record hurricanes, and mass animal and fish die offs. We have had record signs in moon and stars. We had the Great American Eclipse on August 21, 2017. We had the longest blood moon/lunar eclipse this entire century on July 27, 2018. While we don’t know the day or hour, the Bible says, “But you brethren are not in darkness that this day should overtake you like a thief.” I agree and speculate with Pastor Steven Sewell (www.blessedhope2018.com) and (www.watchfortheday.org) that the best scenario for the rapture this year is the two Jewish feasts that include the use of trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets from September 9-11, 2018 and Shemini Atzeret from October 1-2, 2018. Both dates are high watch times. September 11th is quite interesting because many would think a rapture was an act of terrorism. The Torah calendar and many believe September 11, 3 B.C. to be the birthday of Jesus. Also, there’s Comet 21P making its closest approach to earth on the Feast of Trumpets on September 11, 2018. For the first time I am excited about 9-11 coming. Whatever day Jesus comes I will be doing what Titus 2 says, “Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ!”
God allows tragedies as signs of the end times, as judgment, to awake people, and to teach good things such as humility and mercy. All are sinners (apart from Jesus and His blood covering our sins) and deserve nothing but eternal torment. Disasters are meant as a call to repentance (turn from sin and self to Jesus) and revival. Max Lucado said, “Listen to the lessons of Harvey. Let the storm remind you of the value of relationships, people and, most of all, the promise of heaven. It’s not to me to declare the day the Lord (Jesus) will return. But we know this much: it’s the beginning of the end and the beginning of new beginnings. Calamities and catastrophes must occur before the birth of the new world. In the meantime, practice what they teach in Lamaze classes — take some deep breaths and hold the hand of the one who loves you.” Don’t hold tightly to temporal things but hold tightly to Jesus who holds you now and forever!
In the rubble of the 9/11 destruction a steel cross was found. It was a reminder provided by God that Jesus is present even in tragedy. God provided a reminder with the 17-foot cross that nothing can separate Christians from Jesus and His love. Romans lists 17 things that can’t separate Christians from the love of Jesus. Only Jesus can give you a future in Heaven. Only Jesus can “bless you and keep you, can make His face shine on you and be gracious to you and lift up his countenance on you and give you real peace.”

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton