Signs of the Times

 Fear is in the air, people looking for signs of the end of the age, talk is commonly heard about all the troubles befalling humankind and natural disasters. how is it that people will allow themselves to be gripped by fear because a few birds fall out of the sky or a few fish die in a stream. and point to these things as some sign of the end? lets look at what Jesus himself had to say about the signs of the end of the age.

Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

 First things first. he said not to let any man deceive you. Knowledge of men and knowledge of God are two different items, if you want knowledge of God where is it found? if there is one theme I try to express continually it is READ THE BIBLE! our best source for seeking the face of God is not other people, not looking up in the sky, reading the newspaper or watching television. the best way to "not let any man deceive you" is to know the truth. where can truth be found? 
Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
 Here is one issue that pains me to point out, that is this. the Church, in the last days, described by the Apostle John in the book of revelation is not spoken of in flattering terms. it is, in fact, called a whore. and will be in kahoots with the final worldwide human government. (which will later destroy it) pointing this out will probably not not earn me any goodwill from many Christians today. this is not the kind of thing you will hear from the pulpit on Sunday (or Saturday) either. but there it is, read all about it. I don't ask anyone to follow my understanding. what I want out of this blog is to stir you readers up to seeking Gods face in HIS WORD. 

Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 here we still 'aint there yet. this is just the beginning.

Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

 the saints will have a lot of trouble with the majority of the people and church leadership in the last days, it seems.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

 we have seen this in the past, and will see even more of this in the future, one key I can give to you here is that throughout God's word, saints are instructed to FEAR NOT. letting emotion get the best of you is clearly a mistake, according to God's word. allowing someone to stir you up in fear over one event or another is silly, you should fear God, that is have a reverence or respect. revere the redeemer, don't fear the accuser, or have any regard for him, the accuser stands opposed to the redeemer, and the redeemer's saints. and all that follow the accuser will follow him into the pit.

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
 once again we see that because the accuser and his minions hold sway over this world many that have love let that fade, let the spirit of apathy take over.

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved

 Here is the patience of the saints.

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

 while the Church has spread the word a lot, there are many who have not heard the message, sadly the one thing Jesus commanded of the church was to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel message, this has been done in part, it is not complete. many churches are little more that businesses, only serving those that serve the church, usually financially. how many churches are left carrying out the great commission? some, certainly, but not all, many churches don't even believe the basics of the gospel message, how can they teach them? mostly imperfect churches teaching an imperfect message. very few churches today would compare to the early church described in the book of acts. does God have a remedy for this, so all the world gets all the Gospel? yes, but will the church stomach it? who knows. For God will raise up his two witnesses (rev 11:3). there is also 144,000 described as needing protection from hazards while performing some mission (rev 7). could these be doing what Jesus had his Apostles, and another 72 do in going out ahead of him proclaiming the Gospel message during his first ministry?


Mar 6:7  And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
Mar 6:8  And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
Mar 6:9  But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
Mar 6:10  And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
Mar 6:11  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

Luk 10:1  Later the Lord chose seventy-two other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go.
Luk 10:2  He said to them: A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in.
Luk 10:3  Now go, but remember, I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves.
Luk 10:4  Don't take along a moneybag or a traveling bag or sandals. And don't waste time greeting people on the road.
Luk 10:5  As soon as you enter a home, say, "God bless this home with peace."
Luk 10:6  If the people living there are peace-loving, your prayer for peace will bless them. But if they are not peace-loving, your prayer will return to you.
Luk 10:7  Stay with the same family, eating and drinking whatever they give you, because workers are worth what they earn. Don't move around from house to house.
Luk 10:8  If the people of a town welcome you, eat whatever they offer.
Luk 10:9  Heal their sick and say, "God's kingdom will soon be here!"
Luk 10:10  But if the people of a town refuse to welcome you, go out into the street and say,
Luk 10:11  "We are shaking the dust from our feet as a warning to you. And you can be sure that God's kingdom will soon be here!"

 Will people take such a message to heart? God knows.

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Mat 24:17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Mat 24:18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Mat 24:19  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25  Behold, I have told you before.
Mat 24:26  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 seems as though the end will be rather evident. nuthin here about dead birds or global warming.

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

all the tribes of the earth shall mourn? yep, that's what it says.

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

 Many people like to quote this verse, yet ignore the signs Jesus just spoke of, and the warning that comes after:
 
Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Mat 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Mat 24:51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 do you not think Noah told his neighbors why he was building an ark? why do you think Jesus spoke of things to watch for? and to be vigilant? you have been given word of things to look for and you have been given reason why to look for them. to give you confidence, not fear. read the book, receive the free gifts God has in store for you.