They Meant It For Bad But God Meant It For Good

“But all of these things are but the beginning of birth pangs” (Matt 24:8).
Hey Gang, what an absolutely beautiful day It is.  We Michiganders are truly blessed.  I received a letter from Dr. John DeVries of Mission India which is worthy of sharing with you: 
Texas has been declared a natural disaster emergency because of the drought. They had actually looked forward to the next hurricane and the rains it would bring - but no rains came. Think of what has happened in the past decade alone! 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which killed 200,000, the Haitian earthquake, the New Orleans floods, the recent devastation of tornadoes in the Midwest, and now flooding in India. Add to that the impasse and virtual breakdown of governments struggling with debt, including our own, and the global recession: the picture seems grim. (the earthquake and hurricane of last week not yet happened).
It seems that God is shouting at us, but Jesus told us that the end times would be marked by these disasters. He also pointed out that this was only the beginning... "All these are the beginning of birth pains" (Matthew 24:8).
Remember when it started? Just a few years after Jesus ascended to heaven, a horrible persecution swept Jerusalem and all the believers were scattered abroad (Acts 8:1-4).
They were dragged from their homes and thrown into prison. What was going on? Why did God allow His new church to be decimated this way? Why didn't He stop the demonic activity?
The answer is that God turned it all into victory. That first persecution of the church and its scattering abroad set the pattern of the way He works. We are Christians today because the earliest Christians did not "sit in their churches" and enjoy pleasant, prosperous, quiet times. God said GO! When they did not go, He made them go by allowing persecution. And he took the main instigator of it all, Saul, and made him His chief missionary.
We need to remember this as we view the world today. Jesus said that those who endure would be saved (Matthew 24:13). This means we can't just sit and watch - we must actively turn disasters into opportunities to show Christ's love and plant the seed of His Word. And this is exactly what is happening as God's people mobilize for each new disaster around the world.
Sooo, keep in mind, “Jesus said,"This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 14:14).   Are you packed and ready?