Warning Systems Series

Warning Systems

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people

Illustration:

Various technologies in place to warn of danger:

· Reversing sensors

· Smoke detectors

· EGPWS

I love to watch air crash investigations and other technology programmes; I heard about this:

To avoid air disasters, GPS was used; this alerted the pilot to some terrain, but the satellite system alone wasn’t enough. GPWS introduced: A major drop in crash incidents occurred when the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) was introduced in the early 1970s.

In simple terms GPWS just looks at your radio altimeter to determine if you are about to bump into anything solid, which is useless if you are flying into a vertical cliff sticking out of level ground.

The EGPWS (Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System) system incorporates a GPS so that the aircraft knows exactly where you are, it also knows the location of terrain all over the world, and so is able to work out if you are going to bump into anything on your route. A much safer system than simply relying on a radio altimeter!

Colour coding is used - green for terrain 500’ or so below the a/c, amber for terrain near a/c level and red for terrain above a/c level. On the newer updates we even have man made obstacles displayed such as towers. All in all, it’s an extremely positive addition to flight safety and terrain awareness. The GPWS monitors terrain proximity using an internal worldwide terrain database.

In the future, pilots won’t have to look out of the window because like a satnav, you will see the outside on a screen and the plane will follow the flight path set.

All data received is for the safety of the planes.

But, what if the data was incorrect?

The wrong information given? = Tragedy

The plane would go off course and lives would probably be lost

God has built into the Church warning signals too

Three things God is warning about:

1. The state of the individual

2. The state of the Church

3. The state of the nation

Where is the righteousness to hold back evil and corruption?

We sit back and allow it to happen!

The individual can be broken into:

· Unbeliever

· The believer of a god of some kind

The Church can be broken into:

· Nominal Christians

· Apostates

· Fired up Saints

What does a real Christian look like?

Not one who attends church, but one who fellowships with God and the body of Christ

Not one who prays without conviction, but wrestles with the Almighty for answers

Not one who comes when it’s convenient, out of duty or for socializing, but one who gives their all for the work and because they love their saviour = commitment, dedication, passion

The nation can be broken into:

· Moral decay

· Political confusion

· Spiritual apostasy

Do you remember the solidarity during the world wars?

People pulled together, helped one another, fought battles side by side, gave their lives for the nation

And now?

Our world is in chaos, our nation is in turmoil and people are in confusion

What is English? What does it look like?

Who are we has a people? Our identity?

The Scots have kilts and haggis, Welsh have leeks and Welsh costumes, the Irish have lepricorns, 4 leaf clovers, dances and national costume; what do we have?

It’s the same with the church

What does church look like????????????????????

Stuffy, boring people who go to a cold building, sing a few hymns, pray and live the rest of the week like everybody else

Most people only go to church for special occasions like, weddings, funerals and baptisms

Many of those in the pulpits have failed, it’s nothing more than an arena of entertainment and a place where people’s ears are tickled with what they want to hear

Not many want to stand up for the truth today in case they offend someone or something

In 1 Tim. 4:1 we are warned of a departure from the faith. That in the "Latter Times" (the Last Days of this Dispensation), some shall "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils."

This is being fulfilled in the increasing number of those who are forsaking their Christian belief to become followers of Spiritualistic Mediums and to dabble in Psychical Research

Sensual indulgences where their ego is lifted

Many shall follow their "destructive ways," and sad to relate these "followers" are recruited from the orthodox church members, of whom the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:3-4). saying: "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto FABLES."