Paul says lots of stuff in the Bible, lots of very good stuff. But since I'm still hung up on the End Times, I'm going to stick to what he says about that particular topic.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-9 he says: But understand this, in the last days there will come timesof difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power.
WOW! It's almost like Paul looked ahead into our time and could see what was coming. He is totally describing the people of today. And I know you could say there have always been people like that but it's difficult today to NOT find people like that because there are so many of them. The general population is filled to overflowing with the types of people Paul is talking about. Truely God fearing, faithful, humble people are getting to be few and far between.
And that makes me think of another verse: Matthew 9:37 Jesus tells his Disciples: The harvest is plenty but the workers are few.
There are so many lost people in this world- millions, if not billions, of them. So very lost, suffering apart from God. And there are so few people who are willing to go to them, to show them the way to the Cross. We are living in the End Times...and before much longer, it will be too late for the lost.
Matthew 7:13-14 says: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that
leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few
find it.
Many will follow the wrong path because no one shows them the right one. They are blind to it. We, as God's children, cannot sit idly by and watch as they walk into an eternity apart from God. How many of these lost people would give their hearts to God if they had been told the truth by someone who showed them the love of God? It breaks my heart to think of all these people who die in their sin without ever hearing God's truth, never knowing they have a Savior who loved them enough to die for them.
Because we stand silent.
The days grow short. Will you be a worker with me? Will you stand up and join me in the fight to win one more soul for the kingdom of God? You win one more. I win one more and those two go win one more each and the numbers grow and grow.
I refuse to turn my back and do nothing while people suffer!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Are we living in the end times?
Ever since the Left Behind series was first released back in 1995, interest in End Times prophecy has sky rocketed. There are so many different interpretations about how things will play out in those days.
Some people believe that Jesus will return and take the church to heaven in the blink of an eye before the Great Tribulation throws the Earth and its inhabitants into turmoil the likes of which have never been seen before.
Some people believe that Jesus will come mid way through the Great Tribulation and take the church to Heaven, forcing believers to endure these terrible times for 3.5 years.
Other people believe that Jesus will come only after the 7 years of great trial have been completed.
Basically the only thing believers disagree about is timing- when Jesus will return for God's children.
I've read the Left Behind series- if you haven't you can find information about it here: Left Behind Series. I've studied the Bible prophecy pertaining to the end times and I believe that the book series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye are pretty spot on. I believe in the first scenario- that Jesus will return and remove true believers from the earth before the Great Tribulation.
When Jesus was here the first time, people saw him and those whose hearts were inclined to believe didn't have to have faith that He was real. He was there, He was real, they could touch Him and hear Him with their ears. Today, we have to believe by faith alone. We've never seen Jesus with our eyes, heard him speak with our ears, touched Him or felt His touch. Our faith is all we have.
Revelation 3:10 says: 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
Because we, God's children, have believed in Him without seeing, have kept His world and endured patiently, He will take us from the Earth before the Great Tribulation. That is what I believe.
And why do I believe that those days are upon us?
Matthew 24:36-38 says: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
In the days of Noah, the people were corrupt, they were full of sin, they were wicked and participated in all manner of sinful lifestyles. If you read the story of Noah, you could very easily imagine that you were reading about our world today. Homosexual marriage, vulgarity and sex on TV, child abuse, murder, drugs, alcohol, and all manner of depravity are so common it fails to shock the average person.
In the days of Noah, God chose the only Godly people left. He chose Noah and his family to build the ark, save the animals, and represent Him as they rebuilt the world after the flood. And just as will be in the end times, God will take His children out of harms way when He unleashes His wrath on the earth. God made sure that Noah and his family were safely sealed inside the ark before the rains came. Because Noah and his family loved God, kept His commands, God saved them from the flood. He will do no less for His children today.
Jesus' disciples asked Jesus about the signs of the end. Here's what Jesus said in Luke 21:7-19:
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
We've had many people come and try to convince people that a certain date will mark the end of the world. Just recently a preacher insisted that the rapture would happen in May of 2011 and again in October 2011...both dates came and went and we're still here. We're hearing of wars and uprising nearly daily- our embasies and consulates being attacked all over the world, Syria and Egypt in turmoil, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Israel and the Palestinians.
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Earthquakes causing tsunamis in Asia and the south Pacific. Japan, Haiti, Chile, and Indonesia. Massive tornados, hurricanes, and snow storms around the world. Drouts causing crop failure and famine.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
Christians around the world are being persecuted for their faith. Church leaders in China, North and South Korea, Afganistan, Iran, and India being imprisoned, tortured, and killed just for believing in Jesus. Even here in the United States of America believers are being persecuted. Churches are being attacked, burned down, and our rights are being stripped away at an alarming rate. Families are being torn apart. Christians are being labeled as intollerant and hateful because we stand against sin. Our freedom of speech is being revolked because what we have to say isn't what the world wants to hear.
All of these things we're seeing are things that Jesus himself said would happen at the end of the age...in the time before He would return. Never before in church history has the world been more ready for the return of Christ than it is now.
I pray daily for Jesus to return. I long with everything in me for His return, to be in Heaven with Him. But I know He waits for one reason only...He loves every unsaved person as much as He loves those of us who've made the choice to love Him back. He wants everyone to come to Him and He'll be patient until the time when He knows there is no more hope. That being said, it is up to us, God's children, to take up the cross daily and win souls for Him. Win the lost, do what we must- sacrifically so- to lead the blind to the arms of Christ.
We are at the gates of eternity. The signs are before us, staring us in the face if we'll but open our eyes to see them. Jesus is preparing to return! Do you have someone in your family who is lost? Someone in your neighborhood who doesn't know Jesus? Can you in good conscience let those people continue to live in darkness when you have the lamp the light the way? Can you picture them trying to survive in a world ruled literally by Satan. Through the Great Tribulation that will be the worst and most desperate time our world has ever faced?
Some people believe that Jesus will return and take the church to heaven in the blink of an eye before the Great Tribulation throws the Earth and its inhabitants into turmoil the likes of which have never been seen before.
Some people believe that Jesus will come mid way through the Great Tribulation and take the church to Heaven, forcing believers to endure these terrible times for 3.5 years.
Other people believe that Jesus will come only after the 7 years of great trial have been completed.
Basically the only thing believers disagree about is timing- when Jesus will return for God's children.
I've read the Left Behind series- if you haven't you can find information about it here: Left Behind Series. I've studied the Bible prophecy pertaining to the end times and I believe that the book series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye are pretty spot on. I believe in the first scenario- that Jesus will return and remove true believers from the earth before the Great Tribulation.
When Jesus was here the first time, people saw him and those whose hearts were inclined to believe didn't have to have faith that He was real. He was there, He was real, they could touch Him and hear Him with their ears. Today, we have to believe by faith alone. We've never seen Jesus with our eyes, heard him speak with our ears, touched Him or felt His touch. Our faith is all we have.
Revelation 3:10 says: 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
Because we, God's children, have believed in Him without seeing, have kept His world and endured patiently, He will take us from the Earth before the Great Tribulation. That is what I believe.
And why do I believe that those days are upon us?
Matthew 24:36-38 says: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
In the days of Noah, the people were corrupt, they were full of sin, they were wicked and participated in all manner of sinful lifestyles. If you read the story of Noah, you could very easily imagine that you were reading about our world today. Homosexual marriage, vulgarity and sex on TV, child abuse, murder, drugs, alcohol, and all manner of depravity are so common it fails to shock the average person.
In the days of Noah, God chose the only Godly people left. He chose Noah and his family to build the ark, save the animals, and represent Him as they rebuilt the world after the flood. And just as will be in the end times, God will take His children out of harms way when He unleashes His wrath on the earth. God made sure that Noah and his family were safely sealed inside the ark before the rains came. Because Noah and his family loved God, kept His commands, God saved them from the flood. He will do no less for His children today.
Jesus' disciples asked Jesus about the signs of the end. Here's what Jesus said in Luke 21:7-19:
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
We've had many people come and try to convince people that a certain date will mark the end of the world. Just recently a preacher insisted that the rapture would happen in May of 2011 and again in October 2011...both dates came and went and we're still here. We're hearing of wars and uprising nearly daily- our embasies and consulates being attacked all over the world, Syria and Egypt in turmoil, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Israel and the Palestinians.
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Earthquakes causing tsunamis in Asia and the south Pacific. Japan, Haiti, Chile, and Indonesia. Massive tornados, hurricanes, and snow storms around the world. Drouts causing crop failure and famine.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
Christians around the world are being persecuted for their faith. Church leaders in China, North and South Korea, Afganistan, Iran, and India being imprisoned, tortured, and killed just for believing in Jesus. Even here in the United States of America believers are being persecuted. Churches are being attacked, burned down, and our rights are being stripped away at an alarming rate. Families are being torn apart. Christians are being labeled as intollerant and hateful because we stand against sin. Our freedom of speech is being revolked because what we have to say isn't what the world wants to hear.
All of these things we're seeing are things that Jesus himself said would happen at the end of the age...in the time before He would return. Never before in church history has the world been more ready for the return of Christ than it is now.
I pray daily for Jesus to return. I long with everything in me for His return, to be in Heaven with Him. But I know He waits for one reason only...He loves every unsaved person as much as He loves those of us who've made the choice to love Him back. He wants everyone to come to Him and He'll be patient until the time when He knows there is no more hope. That being said, it is up to us, God's children, to take up the cross daily and win souls for Him. Win the lost, do what we must- sacrifically so- to lead the blind to the arms of Christ.
We are at the gates of eternity. The signs are before us, staring us in the face if we'll but open our eyes to see them. Jesus is preparing to return! Do you have someone in your family who is lost? Someone in your neighborhood who doesn't know Jesus? Can you in good conscience let those people continue to live in darkness when you have the lamp the light the way? Can you picture them trying to survive in a world ruled literally by Satan. Through the Great Tribulation that will be the worst and most desperate time our world has ever faced?
Friday, September 14, 2012
What about MY civil rights?
I was reading the news this morning and came across this story: ACLU fights for KKK rights. It talks about how the ACLU is taking up the fight on behalf of the Ku Klux Klan who want to participate in the Adopt-a-Highway litter patrol program and were denied. The state of Georgia believes having signs up advertising the KKK would be offensive to some (and they're right) so it denied their request for signs on the highway.
Here is a quote from the ACLU: "The fundamental right to free speech is not limited to only those we agree with or groups that are inoffensive. The government cannot pick or choose who is protected by the Constitution," said Debbie Seagraves, executive director of the ACLU Foundation of Georgia. "There will always be speech and groups conveying hateful messages that are distasteful to some. That is why the First Amendment protects free speech for all."
Now, what I want to know is this: If the ACLU is willing to fight for someones rights to offend people, why are might rights to freedom of religion and expression of that religion being stripped away from me because they offend people?
The ACLU is fighting day and night to prevent the posting of the Ten Commandments, Memorial Crosses on public land, Christmas Nativity scenes in the public square...supposedly because they offend non believers. But they'll take up the fight for the KKK who are violent and hate non whites and offend most people in this country.
What is up with that?
Basically what it comes down to is that my freedom of expression makes people feel guilty about the sinful lives they're living. Jesus in the public square makes people uncomfortable because they're forced to look inward at the way they're living and they don't want to do that so it's easier to ban Him altogether.
And Christians are allowing it to happen by not fighting back! Well I'm going to fight back the only way I know how. I'm starting a letter writing campaign and would love some support from fellow believers. Please join me in writing to the ACLU to demand they fight for the rights of ALL Americans!
The address to write to is:
ACLU
125 Broad Street, 18th floor
New York, NY 10004
Please join me in this fight to take back our rights!
Here is a quote from the ACLU: "The fundamental right to free speech is not limited to only those we agree with or groups that are inoffensive. The government cannot pick or choose who is protected by the Constitution," said Debbie Seagraves, executive director of the ACLU Foundation of Georgia. "There will always be speech and groups conveying hateful messages that are distasteful to some. That is why the First Amendment protects free speech for all."
Now, what I want to know is this: If the ACLU is willing to fight for someones rights to offend people, why are might rights to freedom of religion and expression of that religion being stripped away from me because they offend people?
The ACLU is fighting day and night to prevent the posting of the Ten Commandments, Memorial Crosses on public land, Christmas Nativity scenes in the public square...supposedly because they offend non believers. But they'll take up the fight for the KKK who are violent and hate non whites and offend most people in this country.
What is up with that?
Basically what it comes down to is that my freedom of expression makes people feel guilty about the sinful lives they're living. Jesus in the public square makes people uncomfortable because they're forced to look inward at the way they're living and they don't want to do that so it's easier to ban Him altogether.
And Christians are allowing it to happen by not fighting back! Well I'm going to fight back the only way I know how. I'm starting a letter writing campaign and would love some support from fellow believers. Please join me in writing to the ACLU to demand they fight for the rights of ALL Americans!
The address to write to is:
ACLU
125 Broad Street, 18th floor
New York, NY 10004
Please join me in this fight to take back our rights!
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