Today's Passage: Revelation 9

In this chapter we read about the fifth and sixth trumpets and the first two woes that were mentioned at the end of chapter 8. 

The five month torture by the locus after the fifth trumpet, and the killing of one third of mankind by the four angels are striking images for us to imagine.  For me however I believe the most disheartening element in this chapter is found in  verses 20 and 21:

The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.  Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Is this true?  Are there really people that even after six obvious signs from God they still refuse the gift of salvation?  If this passage speaks the truth, which I firmly believe it does, then there are people in this world that no matter what kind of life changing event they go through they will never accept Christ.  Not because the offer of salvation has been denied them, but because selfishness has become their God and they have been blinded to the truth.

Sadly you are living life surrounded by people like this everyday.  I encourage you to pray for them.  Thankfully the day of judgment is not here yet which means they still have time to respond.  Make it a point to gracefully show Christ's love to those who live selfishly.  You never know which of your actions God may use to speak truth into their life.