if there was ever a time to answer the call.

It's been quite the holiday season. In the last eight days, it's been proven that you can't go to the mall, and you can't go to church...and least not without realizing that we are a nation under siege.

I think it's interesting that these shootings didn't take place on one of those evil coasts that we Midwesterners tend to fear. No, it happened in the Midwest, where things like this don't happen. Except that they did, because the hearts of men are the same, no matter where they lay their heads.

In the past, I've taken heat for reading Joel 2 and seeing present day application. I've been told that those days are behind us, that calamity is passed, and that this kingdom within us will transcend all society's wrongs....but suddenly Joel and Drudge sound a lot alike, and this kingdom within us (while all powerful) is not transforming the earth so long as I limit it to what happens within me.

Yes, the Kingdom is within us. But the Kingdom is coming too. Jesus used both phrases. He wasn't so easy to pigeon hole. It's not coming in the form of a fuzzy self awareness, but with a sword to right wrong and deal with evil. All of those who wonder "if there's a God, why doesn't He do something?" are going to be answered. Wrongs will be righted, a Kingdom will prevail, and evil will be no more.

Until then, we give ourselves to solemn assemblies in the city of our nation, believing that the words of the prophet are true. We hold steadfast to the perhaps of God, knowing a perhaps with sovereignty trumps our wishful thinking every day.