The tragic death of two journalists in Virginia is making headlines across the nation and lighting up the social media world. What does it really mean?
For all the talk of underground terror cells in the land and ISIS threats on the nation, it was a disgruntled former TV station employee who took the lives of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. What should we take away from this tragedy?
According to a Reuters report, shots were heard and the reporter and the person she was interviewing screamed and ducked for cover. Parker, the on-air personality, was only 24. The cameraman was 27. How do we respond to the murderous madness?
We've witnessed deadly church shootings, deadly movie theater shootings, and deadly police shootings. We've seen bombings, riots, stabbings and all manner of violence raging in our nation. Some may argue it's always been this bad and the media attention just puts it on our radar screen. But I believe it's more than that.
So what does it really mean? What should we take away from this tragedy? How do we respond? Dr. Alex McFarland, religion and culture expert, says this crime is a reminder that America has become a godless nation.
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“Our country must be built on natural law, and America must turn to God, especially when such senseless violence permeates all of our lives,” McFarland says. “We should not disarm the populace; this is not about gun control, but instead we must turn to the moral law of God and the restraining power of God's law, as well as stand up to acknowledge God and His power and authority.”
Although I see McFarland's point, I don't believe we're absolutely godless. Millions of Americans may be godless, which is the spirit of what he is saying, but there is yet a remnant in America—just like there was a remnant in Noah's day, and a remnant in Sodom and Gomorrah and a remnant in Nineveh—that feared God. I am seeing pockets of revival break out across the nation.
I believe Jehovah is still the God of America because our Founding Fathers made a covenant with God. The fruit of that covenant was manifest for decades—until we allowed humanism to displace prayer from our schools; until we allowed babies to be murdered by the millions; until our government started celebrating sexual immorality. I talk more about this in my book, The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening.
So what does it really mean? What should we take away from this tragedy? How do we respond? McFarland is right when he says we should “turn to the moral law of God and the restraining power of God's law.” But many Christians in America are already doing that and the violence continues raging.
What is going on? To understand the prophetic significance of the rise of senseless deaths like the ones in Virginia, we must understand the signs of the times. Paul the apostle warned that in the last days perilous times would come (2 Tim. 3:1). Jesus spoke of an increase of lawlessness and violence in the end times (see Matt. 24:12). We can't pray away the end times, but we can preach the gospel, which is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (see Rom. 1:16).
We must continue making intercession. We must continue in repentance. But we must do more than that. We're not going to change minds until we change hearts and we're not going to change hearts without the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. We're all called to do the work of an evangelist (see 2 Tim. 4-5). We must redeem the time because the days are evil (see Eph. 5:16).
Millions of people are dying and going to hell every year. We may not save them all, but I want to take as many of them with me to heaven as I can. I'm making my appeal to heaven for souls in these last days. How about you?
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of AwakeningTV.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.
