Last Sunday, as the different church crowds began filtering into the restaurant, I thought about how soon our minor doctrinal differences won't matter anymore. And, most of Christ's body has never heard about what's really going on in Europe Read about it here, or the UN's new Alliance of Civilizations (AOC) Read about it here.

Sometimes I wonder how long the last generation is supposed to last. You see, it's commonly held by students of Bible prophecy that the end-time events will all happen within the span of just one generation (Matthew 24: 34). And, most also agree that the first major event of end-time prophecy was the rebirth of Israel in 1948. Nevertheless, although that first event occurred almost sixties years ago, many still find it difficult to believe that some of the other end-time events could be happening now too.

This morning I decided to read the First Epistle of John. Perhaps due in part to my recent concern regarding God's people, some of John's words took a slightly different shade of meaning. John said:

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1: 6 New American Standard Bible).

As I read John's words, something the Apostle Paul said came to mind.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober (1 Thessalonians 5: 4-6). 

Before this morning, I had never put these two passages together. But, there they were -- both basically saying the same thing. And, in light of what I knew was going on completely unnoticed by the majority of our evangelical world, it suggested that there might be something lacking in many of our modern churches.

Yet, when you think about it, if it turns out that we're really witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecies, so much of what we evangelicals have been doing will become irrelevant. And, if our persecution comes, we will once again find ourselves gathering around the same table. In losing everything else, we'll rediscover those few things truly important.

Other things won't matter.