“Do this,
knowing the
time, that it is
already the hour
for you to
awaken from
sleep; for now
salvation is
nearer to us
than when we
believed.
The night is
almost gone, and
the day is near.
Therefore
let us lay aside
the deeds of
darkness and put
on the armor of
light.
Let us behave
properly as in
the day, not in
carousing and
drunkenness, not
in sexual
promiscuity and
sensuality, not
in strife and
jealousy.
But put on the
Lord Jesus
Christ, and make
no provision for
the flesh in
regard to its
lusts” (Romans
13:11-14).
All you have to
do is look at
the world around
us and you will
know that we are
living in the
season of
the second
appearance of
our Lord and
Savior Jesus
Christ.
Jesus
gave us signs
with which to
help us gauge
just where we
are on the
prophetic
calendar.
We are
not to try and
set a date, but
we know we are
close. The
Rapture could be
the very next
event on God’s
prophetic
calendar and
there is no time
for spiritual
slumber.
We need
to wake-up and
be about God’s
business because
dawn is almost
here.
Christians are
called to
righteous living
because Jesus
Christ is coming
again. We live
in the light of
His Second
Coming.
It is our
GREATEST hope
and we are to be
Christ-like,
living soberly
in anticipation
of His return.
“Therefore, we
also have as our
ambition,
whether at home
or absent, to be
pleasing to Him.
For we must all
appear before
the judgment
seat of Christ,
so that each one
may be
recompensed for
his deeds in the
body, according
to what he has
done, whether
good or bad”
(2
Corinthians 5:
9-10).
Let me say it
again: It is my
opinion that the
NEXT biblical
event to happen
could be the
Rapture. And we
need to live in
the shadow of
the imminent
return of Jesus
Christ, living
as wholesome a
life as we can,
never taking our
eyes off the
Savior.
WAKE UP!
We are 2000
years closer to
the Second
Coming than when
the New
Testament was
written.
And all
the signs are
here. Ever since
Jesus walked the
earth, we have
had horrific
weather
patterns,
brutality to our
fellow man and
apostasy in the
church, to name
just a few. But
it is not the
event that is as
important as the
frequency.
Right now
everything is in
hyper-drive. And
the key to all
events is
Israel. We know
we are in the
last days
because Jesus
said that when
the signs spoken
of in Matthew
24:3-34 begin to
be fulfilled
(and Israel
becomes a nation
again), then He
is near, right
at the door!
I believe
that the
prophecy of
Israel’s rebirth
kick started
this end-times
clock and we are
now headed for
the climatic end
of this church
age and the
glorious return
of Jesus!
There are many
signs that tell
us we are now
living in the
end-times.
For those
who are serious
followers of
Bible prophecy,
you already know
all of this.
But for
those who may
have just
discovered the
prophetic side
of God’s Word or
are recently
saved, this may
help to
summarize some
of what is going
on now.
It is by
no way
comprehensive.
But I love
lists.
I love to
read about the
20 signs that
Jesus is coming
soon or the 12
reasons why this
or that might
happen. It’s
just how I am.
Ø
Increased
apostasy in the
church. I have
never seen in my
life such a
twisting of the
gospel, taking
place in the
very church that
claims it is the
body of Christ!
We have always
had people who
were agnostic or
atheists
(actually, just
lazy and content
in their sin),
but the level of
such hatred for
Jesus Christ
boggles my mind.
The evil
that is being
spewed out of
the mouths of
our “trusted”
pastors is
shocking. There
is much more
interest in
social justice
than biblical
truth. The Word
of God has been
watered down and
made benign to
the point where
it is hardly
recognizable any
longer. God is
now a woman,
Cain and Abel
were gay, Jesus
married Mary
Magdalene and
had children and
moved to Japan
(I saw the
monument myself
while stationed
there), and
everybody is
going to heaven
because we are
basically good
people.
Many
believe that
“God helps those
who help
themselves.”
Really?
I’ve
never read that
in the Bible.
And when
you have famous
people
irresponsibly
regurgitating
this nonsense,
more people
believe it.
Ø
Monumental
increases in
earthquakes,
severe and
extreme weather
patterns,
floods,
droughts,
pestilences, and
even sink holes!
It seems every
time we have an
extreme weather
event, it is
classified as
the “event of
the century”
only to be
replaced by
another “event
of the century.”
There is
a heat wave
going on in
Alaska which
makes living
here in Florida
seem not so
uncomfortable.
This is after a
history making
winter with
colder than
normal
temperatures
throughout
spring and
bringing with
that flooding
and evacuations
(once the heat
hit).
I’m
talking about
Alaska!
The
largest tornado
ever recorded
just hit
Oklahoma
recently and
India is
experiencing the
worst flooding
ever to hit that
region, with the
death toll at
one-thousand and
rising.
Colorado
is burning,
drought is
everywhere, and
we are still
witnessing
massive numbers
of wildlife
dying for
unknown reasons.
And the
list just keeps
on growing.
Ø
We are also
seeing the
worldwide hatred
of Israel for no
other reason
than they are
Jews.
Satan
absolutely hates
God’s people.
Why?
Because
it was through
this nation that
God showed
Himself to man.
It is
through the
Jewish nation
that Jesus came
down here to set
in motion God’s
plan of
salvation,
conceived from
the foundation
of the world, so
that sinners
like us could
share in the
glory that is
God’s. Satan
hates with a
hate that we
cannot even
comprehend.
And those
who shun God and
shun His people
are fools. The
world as a whole
is siding
against Israel
and making her
the scapegoat,
if you will, for
everything bad
that has ever
happened, and
anti-Semitism is
on the rise.
Many
European
countries are
refusing to
purchase Israeli
goods on the
world market in
protest against
her alleged
“abusive”
treatment of the
Palestinian
people, which is
just another lie
that had its
origin with
their “esteemed”
leader (gag)
Yasser Arafat.
Israel is
being blamed for
the woes of the
Palestinian
people and the
world believes
this rubbish!
I guess
it is easier to
believe a lie
than to take the
time to research
the truth.
Ø
The nations in
the Middle East
are building for
war. Syria is on
the verge of an
apocalyptic
event prophesied
thousands and
thousands of
years ago
(Isaiah chapter
17, Damascus
will be
destroyed) and
Assad is more
than willing to
start a war in
an attempt to
unite all the
Arab countries
against Israel.
That
would definitely
take the heat
off of him for
the wholesale
slaughtering of
his own people.
Russia is
beginning to
maneuver itself
into position
off the coast of
Syria prior to
the eventual
start of the
Ezekiel 38-39
war.
Iran is
on the verge (if
they are not
there already)
of developing
nuclear weapons
and then being
able to attach
those warheads
to a missile
enabling them to
hit Israel with
a nuclear bomb.
(Don’t worry God
won’t let that
happen.) But the
posturing goes
on.
The
Muslim
Brotherhood is
consolidating
its regional
power with the
entire Arab
world and Turkey
has turned its
back on a once
good friend,
Israel, and is
embracing
radical Islam.
And the
world is
praising the
newly elected
president of
Iran, Hasan
Rouhani, because
they are under
the delusion
that he is a
moderate and now
peace will come
to the region.
He is no
moderate.
He is
just packaged
differently.
Ø
Filth and
corruption is
running rampant
in our society
and our
government.
Condoning
homosexuality as
a “normal” way
of life,
accusing
Christians of
being
“intolerant”
when, in
actuality, the
accusers are the
ones that are
intolerant of
Christians.
Even our
government
(federal and
local) are
jamming
“alternate
lifestyles” down
the throats of
our children and
indoctrinating
them to believe
that this
incredibly
perverse
lifestyle is
okay, even
preferred.
Our
government is
having a
free-for-all
with our hard
earned money and
stomping on the
Constitution in
the process.
Every day
our rights are
being eroded
away and there
is very little
protest.
Look at
what happened in
Boston.
Talk
about a dry run
for Martial Law
(only they
changed the
name) and the
people of Boston
accepted it with
no complaints.
The
Supreme Court
has ruled to
invalidate the
“Defense of
Marriage Act”.
I see The
Book of Romans
description of a
reprobate mind
in chapter one
applicable here.
Ø
Satanic activity
is on the rise.
Removing
prayer in the
classroom;
criminalizing
any expression
of Christ in the
military (yes,
they may have
backed off a bit
on this, but it
will reemerge);
no nativity
scenes allowed
on government
property (but
you can openly
celebrate
Ramadan); the
name of Jesus
(the most
precious name
ever) is
blasphemed and
used as a swear
word; Christians
and their
beliefs are
openly ridiculed
and made fun of
on television
and in movies by
our wonderful
self-proclaimed
role models in
Hollywood and
there is no
outrage.
However,
don’t say a bad
word about
Allah.
In this
country you have
the freedom to
stomp on the
name of Jesus
without fear of
retribution (at
least in this
world). But over
in the Middle
East, say one
negative thing
about Allah or
Mohammad and
there would
probably be a
death warrant
put out on you.
If
caught, you
would be
tortured and
beaten and
murdered in a
most horrific
manner and
people would
rejoice.
To call
that religion
evil is an
understatement.
Ø
Our youth would
rather focus on
comic book
superheroes
(i.e., Iron Man,
Superman,
Spiderman) and
spend time
playing their
interactive war
games on their
IPads or on
their IPhones,
or feed their
addiction to
Facebook, and
Twitter instead
of learning
about the God
that created
them.
(Please
forgive me I am
technologically
illiterate.) My
phone has a
calculator and a
world clock!
Zombies
and vampires are
the “heroes” of
choice now and a
novel about
sadomasochism
attractively
packaged has
replaced the
Bible in some
hotels.
Mind
numbing
“reality” shows
are taking over
the airwaves and
our children are
being
indoctrinated to
believe that
life isn’t worth
living if you
don’t own shoes
made by
Christian
Louboutin or
Louis Vuitton.
Ø
Worldwide, the
suicide rate is
up because it is
perceived that
there is no more
hope in the
world.
Economies
are failing,
people are
living paycheck
to paycheck in
constant fear
that the bubble
will burst and
their
entitlements
from the
government will
run out.
Ø
Christians are
being persecuted
more than ever
before,
especially in
Africa and the
Middle East.
And,
praise the Lord,
Muslims are
converting over
to Christianity
at an astounding
rate and at
considerable
risk to their
very lives. In
Nigeria, a
pastor refused
to renounce his
belief in Jesus
Christ and
Islamic
extremists then
proceeded to
slit his throat.
Every day we are
hearing more and
more reports of
believers being
slaughtered in
the name of
Allah.
Ø
Laws in Europe
(specifically
Belgium) are up
for vote to
allow children
with health
issues (autism,
terminal
diseases) to be
able to choose
euthanasia
instead of
living.
This law,
if passed, could
allow caregivers
or doctors to
decide if an
Alzheimer’s
patient should
live or die.
Life is
becoming a not
so precious
commodity any
longer.
Ø
And Big Brother
is now here. Our
emails, phone
calls and
Internet
searches are
being monitored:
by our
government all
in the name of
the “War on
Terror.”
You can walk in
a thousand
breast cancer
walks, or you
can spearhead a
local/global
campaign to end
hunger or save
the Smelt, but
your efforts
will be futile.
As long
as sin is in the
world, there
will be hunger
and disease,
evil and misery.
You may be able
to cure breast
cancer, but
there are dozens
upon dozens of
other cancers
left to ravage
our flesh. You
can recycle
every soda can
ever produced
but the planet
will continue to
die. Until Jesus
comes back and
sin is removed
permanently from
this earth, you
will NEVER cure
or fix anything.
God did make us
stewards of His
creation and we
do have an
obligation to
help the poor
and feed the
hungry and to
care for what
God has given
us; however, our
first and
foremost job is
to preach the
gospel and
pray
continuously.
You don’t have
to be a John
MacArthur or a
Billy Graham to
do your part in
spreading the
gospel.
Be kind
to people and
through your
kindness they
will know what
king you serve.
Place all of
your cares and
concerns onto
Jesus – He has
very big,
shoulders. And
He promised to
care for us and
be there, even
unto the end of
the age.
I believe
it was Hilary
Clinton that
said, “Never
waste a good
crisis.”
And I say
the same thing
to you. When the
next crisis
surfaces, use it
as an
opportunity to
tell people
about God’s
prophetic word
and His plan for
salvation.
People
listen when
there is chaos.
The world is
fast becoming a
scary place and
people want to
know what to do.
You
cannot save
anyone─only the
Holy Spirit can
truly convict
someone.
But He
uses you as a
link to that
person’s heart.
Who
knows, you may
be the catalyst
that causes the
final person to
become saved to
usher in the
Rapture.
What a
thought!
In a
recent teaching
tape I was
listening to
from John
MacArthur, he
summed it up
very well.
To the
unsaved, we need
to show love as
God loves and
also kindness,
goodness and
compassion as
well.
Then tell
them what is
coming when we
die and offer
them the gospel.
It is our
calling.
“The end of all
things is near;
therefore, be of
sound judgment
and sober spirit
for the purpose
of prayer.
Above
all, keep
fervent in your
love for one
another, because
love covers a
multitude of
sins” (1 Peter
4:7-8).
“Therefore be
patient,
brethren, until
the coming of
the Lord” (James
5:7).
“You too be
patient;
strengthen your
hearts, for the
coming of the
Lord is near”
(James 5: 8).
Even so, Lord
Jesus, come
quickly!