{"id":384,"date":"2012-01-12T11:44:06","date_gmt":"2012-01-12T16:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/isittheendoftheworld\/?p=384"},"modified":"2012-01-12T11:44:06","modified_gmt":"2012-01-12T16:44:06","slug":"reasons-for-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/isittheendoftheworld\/2012\/01\/reasons-for-hope.html","title":{"rendered":"Reasons for Hope"},"content":{"rendered":"

While looking at the website of my good friend, Carl Kerby (www.rforh.com), I came across an amazing and sad statistic: every day on this planet, almost 155,000 people die.<\/p>\n

Think about that for a second. Each of the 155,000 is a real person, with real experiences, a soul, family, etc. Although the numbers overwhelm us, God knows each person.<\/p>\n

Carl’s ministry, Reasons for Hope (he has a new book of the same title), shows people clearly that God exists and cares about them as individuals. I can think of no greater agenda, especially now. <\/p>\n

There is still good in our world\u2014quite a few people try to make it a better place. Yet even in our efforts, we see clearly how finite our efforts are.<\/p>\n

It is now being reported that the recovery effort in Haiti is not going as well as everyone had hoped. Billions of dollars in aid are missing. Isn’t that sad? And isn’t it more sad that we really aren’t surprised? Man being man, the temptation to steal is great.<\/p>\n

Now comes news that UN peacekeepers to Haiti have carried a “virulent strain of cholera” to that tortured country.<\/p>\n

More than 7,000 people have been killed by this scourge; Haiti had never been exposed to cholera before, so far as anyone knows.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it makes us want to throw up our hands in total frustration.<\/p>\n

Carl, though, had an interesting blog the other day, where he asked a popular question: Is 2012 the End of the World? He answered in the affirmative, which led me to read further.<\/p>\n

The brilliant point he made is that, yes, this year will be the end for at least 155,000 individuals. His perspective put in perspective for me. Carl’s ministry exists to point people to genuine peace, spiritual rebirth, and, well, truth.<\/p>\n

So yes, 2012 is the end after all. What if it ends for you? Are you ready spiritually? Those poor people in Haiti matter to God, just as you do. He knows you and everything about you.<\/p>\n

In John 14:27, Jesus said this:<\/p>\n

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”<\/p>\n

If you call on Him, He will answer. And then you won’t have to worry about when the end comes. Because He meant exactly what He said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Carl Kerby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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