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Jesus
said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace
I give to you; not as the world gives
do I
give to you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid". (John 14:27)
4
SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF THE END TIMES AND THE SOON RETURN OF JESUS
CHRIST
There
are four significant signs that show us where we stand today in
relation to then end times and our Lord’s soon return, namely:
The Sick Condition of our Planet
The Sick Condition of the World
The Sick Condition of Israel
The Sick Condition of the Church
#1 - Signs of the End Times
THE SICK CONDITION OF OUR PLANET
1)
Mankind is groaning under the terrible weight of sin and
condemnation. Satan - the enemy of God and man - has bound the
human race with shackles of rebellion, unbelief, fear, torment,
lust, greed, hatred and perversion! It was Adam's acquiescence
to the Evil One's lying temptation that brought sickness and
death (spiritual and physical) upon the human race!
(Romans
8:19-23) The Bible states: "For the earnest expectation
of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of
God."
"For
the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope,
"Because
the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
"For
we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now."
"And
not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit (that is to say), the redemption of our
body." (Romans 8:19-23)
People
everywhere are waiting for the 'MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF
GOD'! What does that mean? Six billion people are looking for
an escape from the emptiness, fear, torment, sickness and
bondage in which they live.
HOW
DO WE FIGHT THE DEVIL?
The
Bible says, "Satan, your adversary, goeth about like a roaring
lion, seeking who he may devour, whom resist in the
faith..."
(1 Peter 5:9) We resist him by serving Jesus to the best of our
ability; by living a holy and righteous life, preaching the
gospel of Jesus Christ, healing the sick and casting our devils!
The
Scripture says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong
holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2
Corinthians 10:4-5)
IN
OUR SEARCH FOR MORE LAND TO CONQUER, NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE
OUR LIVING STANDARDS AND THE PURSUIT OF MORE WEALTH, MANKIND HAS
ENGAGED IN WARS, ENSLAVEMENT, VIOLENCE AND POLLUTION WHICH HAS
RAPED OUR ENVIRONMENT, WATER, LAND & AIR!
#2 - Signs of the End Times
- THE SICK CONDITION OF OUR PLANET
Our
Planet is groaning under the terrible weight of the awful
harvest of mankind's sins of rebellion, greed, hatred,
violence and slavery!
In
the beginning, after the fall of our first parents, THE ENTIRE
HUMAN RACE was plunged into sin, fear, sickness & death! God
immediately placed a curse upon the earth - "And unto Adam He
said, Because thou hast harkened unto the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou
shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in
sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life".
(Genesis 3:17)
OUR
PLANET is struggling to stay alive and is groaning under this
burden! The 'second law of thermodynamics' began after the
fall and continues today with aging, deterioration and decay.
Only the return of Jesus Christ will salvage the earth. Mankind
will not be allowed to destroy the earth, but will be punished
for defiling and polluting it, as is prophesied in the last book
of the Bible.
THE
BIBLE SAYS, "And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is
come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and
that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets,
and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great;
And shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth."
(Revelation
11:18)
God
will have the last word and will judge polluters! If you want a
good example of this, look at the former Soviet Union which
polluted the land, sea and air and after raping the environment,
ended up totally bankrupt!
JESUS
CHRIST MUST RETURN IN ORDER TO SAVE US FROM OUR OWN
DESTRUCTIONS, SO THAT HE CAN REIGN ON THIS EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS
OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY!
No.
3) Believers in Jesus Christ, like St. Paul, are waiting for the
moment when we can be free from the limitations of our weak,
carnal flesh and to be glorified (in the next life) to forever
be in Heaven with Jesus Christ and all the redeemed from all
ages! WE WILL THEN RECEIVE A RESURRECTED BODY WITHOUT THE
LIMITATIONS WE HAVE TODAY!
The
Bible says, "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have
the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit (that is to say),
the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23)
Eternity
will be a joyful time of peace and glory as we live eternally in
Heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ and all the redeemed from
every nation, tongue and people of all ages!
"And
I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us
be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of
the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."
"And
to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of
saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are
called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto
me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:6-9)
The
Bible says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are
in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father
is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away,
and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth
for ever." (1 John 2:15-17)
These
are Satan's three knockout-punches which he uses to tempt the
"children of men", namely: 1) the lust of the eyes, 2) the
lust of the flesh and 3) the pride of life!
Satan
used these three temptations on Eve with great success.
"And
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the
flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes),
and a tree to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life),
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto
her husband with her; and he did eat." (Genesis 3:6)
King
David fell under this temptation also: He saw a beautiful woman
taking a bath in the privacy of her garden (the lust of the
eyes). He desired her and sent for her, committing adultery (the
lust of the flesh). HE FELL AFTER ONLY TWO STRIKES!
JESUS
DEFEATED SATAN TOTALLY!
It
was a different story when Satan used his time-tested strategy
on our Lord Jesus Christ. He withstood the temptation and
defeated the devil each time he came with a new "trick up his
sleeve"!
After
Jesus had fasted 40 days, Satan said to Him: "Command that
these stones be made bread.” (the lust of the flesh) Jesus
answered, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
The
devil tried again: "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge
concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up,
lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. (the pride
of life)". Jesus answered, "It is written again, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God."
IN OTHER WORDS, GOD DOESN’T CLOWN
FOR ANYBODY!
Finally,
Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of
time and said: "All these things will I give thee (pride of
life), if thou wilt fall down and worship me." WHAT A
DESPICABLE, ARROGANT, EGOTIST SATAN IS! Jesus rebuffed him
immediately with the Word of God saying, "Get thee hence,
Satan (enemy): for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord
thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:1-11)
SATAN
HAD TO LEAVE HIM, THEN!
The
Bible affirms that Satan is "the god of this world" and
"the spirit which now worketh in the children of the
disobedience". (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2) He is the
world's
greatest liar and the father of lies and a murderer extra-ordinaire
(John 8:44)!
The
whole world lies in the lap of the wicked one (1 John 5:19) and
he "goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may
devour" (1 Peter 5:8). We however, can "resist him in the
faith and he will flee from us". (1 Peter 5:9; James 4:7)
The
Bible records that Demos was swayed by the bright lights of
Thessalonica and forsook Paul, "having loved this present
world" (2 Timothy 4:10). And St. John commends the young men in
the Church for overcoming the wicked one! (1 John 2:13)
ST.
PAUL WARNED OF THE TOTAL DETERIORATION OF MORALITY, DECENCY AND
FAIRNESS IN THE LAST DAYS.
Decadence
& perversion will rule just prior to our
Lord's Return, state the Apostle!
As
we read the prophecy, we feel saddened by
the resemblance of our present age to the
prophetic Word of God!
IN
THE LAST DAYS PERILOUS TIMES SHALL COME
"This
know also, that IN THE LAST DAYS PERILOUS TIMES SHALL COME. For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,"
"Traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
"Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that IN THE LATTER TIMES SOME
SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils;" (1 Timothy 4:1)
“And have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things
which are done of them in secret.” (Ephesians 5:11-12)
"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which
walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I
have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they
are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is
destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in
their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is
in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:17-20)
Interjected
among the reports of hypocrisy, backsliding & gross moral
evils, St. Paul interjects the Blessed Hope of the Return of
Jesus Christ!
"For
our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."
Our
thoughts, actions, prayers, plans, goals and complete agenda
here, is tied to Heaven’s plans, purposes and desires. We
belong to His heavenly kingdom and labour first and foremost for
Christ!
Why
is this so important? Only our Blessed Jesus Christ has the
mandate, power & desire to straighten out this wicked world.
Therefore we wait for Him to come!
VIOLENCE: A SIGN OF THE END TIMES AND SOON
RETURN OF JESUS
CHRIST
Jesus
warned of the tremendous increase of violence which would
identify the time just prior to His return in the second coming
of Jesus Christ. He made the comparison between that time and
the Antediluvian age of Noah, as well as the days of Lot!
"And
as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of
the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives,
they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into
the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise
also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same
day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from
heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day
when the Son of man is revealed." (Luke 17:26-30)
NO. 1 - THE DAYS OF NOAH
The
Bible gives us a good description of the wickedness, violence
and ungodliness which pervaded the antediluvian age. "And GOD
saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on
the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I
will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the
earth..."
"The
earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with
violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was
corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And
God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for
the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I
will destroy them with the earth." (Genesis 6:5-7, 11-13)
In
verses 11 and 12, the Bible characterizes "the Days Before the
Flood" as corrupt and violent! People in general had forsaken
the Lord and were living only for themselves, filled with greed,
lust, pride and unrighteousness!
THAT
SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE THESE TIMES, with people turning their backs
upon the teachings of God's Word, so that they can do their
own things?
NO. 2 - THE DAYS OF LOT!
The
Prophet Ezekiel pinpoints the sins of Sodom & Gomorrah as
follows: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom,
pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her
and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the
poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination
before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." (Ezekiel
16:49-50)
Here
is a list of their sins:
PRIDE
FULLNESS OF BREAD
ABUNDANCE OF IDLENESS
LACK OF COMPASSION
PERVERTED SEX
Our
world is guilty of all these five sins in this generation. Sin
is the transgression of God’s law, a rebellious spirit against
that which is godly!
Pride
is the sin which caused Lucifer’s fall!
When
there is too much wealth, people usually get spoiled and want
more! Never satisfied, they strive for more and more!
Abundance
of idleness - is the devil’s opportunity to fill the mind with
nonsense. Shorter work weeks gives people more time to serve the
lusts of the flesh, the world and the devil!
A
lack of compassion for the poor and needy is always a sign of
pride, arrogance and selfishness!
Sexual
perversion is one of the final signs of a fast dying society!
And when perverted sex is mandated by law as an alternate
lifestyle and heralded by the media as healthy and normal, then
you know we are in desperate straights.
That's
where our world is today! Oh, how badly we need a red-hot
revival in our land and across the world! May God help us!
My
prayer is that God will speed the day that Heaven will come down
to us with abundant blessings for everyone! Will you join me in
prayer? Send us an offering to continue preaching the gospel by
radio, TV and the printed page! Please help us to reach more
with the TRUTH before it is too late! Thank you!
#3 - Signs of the End times
THE SICK CONDITION OF ISRAEL
ISRAEL
IS VULNERABLE FACING ATTACKS FROM EVERY DIRECTION
At
this moment in history, Israel is very vulnerable because of the
pressure placed upon them by the nations of the world to give up
land for peace. The United States - who traditionally has
been the friend of Israel, is turning the screws the hardest of
all.
Eventually,
Israel will succumb to all this pressure and give away so much
land that they will be unable to defend themselves. Sometime in
the future, Israel will be deceived into accepting the
Antichrist as their Messiah and will suffer terribly because of
that. Referring to this, our Lord said to the Jewish leaders,
"I
am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another
(the anti-Christ) shall come in his own name, him ye will
receive." (John 5:43)
The
Jewish leaders rejected Jesus Christ Who came to save them in
His Father’s Name. When Antichrist comes in his own name, they
will receive him!
WHAT
A SAD & TRAGIC COMMENTARY ON WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!
My
guess is that Iraq will eventually be reduced in power after the
United States and her allies are finished with her. Then
undoubtedly, Iran will pick up the pieces and gobble up Iraq
(and possibly Syria) and control all the oil flow in the Middle
East! (Ezekiel 38 & 39)
GOD'S
WORD STATES THAT RUSSIA WILL RISE UP AGAIN IN GREAT POWER AND
LEAD THE MARCH AGAINST ISRAEL
Iran
will then be the dominant power in the area, with the USA and
Israel giving in to their demands! According to God’s Word,
Russia will rise in great power again and lead the march against
Israel!
The
prophet Ezekiel declared that Iran (Persia) together with
Ethiopia, Libya & Turkey will march against Israel in the
great battle of 'Gog and Magog'.
GOD
WILL FIGHT FOR ISRAEL AND DEFEND HER
The
Bible promises that God will fight for Israel and defend
her. A great slaughter will
unfortunately take place however, before God's chosen people
come to their senses. They will ultimately receive their long
awaited Messiah Jesus Christ, when He returns n the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ in power and great glory at the end of
the age!
Jesus
Christ will then rule and reign for 1000 years of peace upon
planet earth, as King of kings and Lord of lords!
#4 - Signs of the End Times
THE SICK CONDITION OF THE CHURCH
Celebrated
Canadian writer, Peter Newman exposes the weaknesses in our
churches and outlines wherein and how we have failed to
communicate the Gospel to our children, grandchildren and our
neighbours.
In
his recent book, 'The Canadian Revolution' Peter Newman
chronicles the free fall of the United Church of Canada's
membership as well as their influence in society during the past
three decades.
Newman
writes, "The United Church, formed in 1925 through a union of
Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists, suffered the
steepest decline. Three million Canadians declared their United
Church affiliation to the latest census takers but less than
380,000 bothered going to church. Although the most liberal of
the mainstream congregations, allowing for the ordination of gay
priests and promoting the social gospel, the United Church found
itself paradoxically unable to attract the young."
A
footnote says, "An increasingly typical event was the closing,
during the fall of 1994, of Chalmers United Church in downtown
Vancouver. There wasn’t a single member left on its
congregational rolls who was less than 80 years old."
For
years, University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby has
tracked the religious life of Canadians. In his book 'Unknown
Gods', Bibby states: "Tragically, religious groups are
failing in what appear to be spiritually prosperous times. The
churches are inept religious companies that cannot get the faith
out of the ware house …The news is that interest and intrigue
persist, in spite of the problems of organized religion. The
result may be a very sizable, ongoing spiritual vacuum."
The
Anglican Church, according to the census has 2.2 million members
with 784,000 active adherents. Addressing the church synod in
1994, Archbishop Peter O’Driscoll warned: "In the next ten
to fifteen years the largest age group in the present Anglican
Church of Canada will be dead. At the end of two generations,
there won’t be enough people to say there’s still an
Anglican Church alive in this country."
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Bible
study
scriptures /
verses on
IMPORTANCE
OF BIBLE
STUDY
Matthew
6:33
Jesus
said,
"But
seek ye
first the
kingdom of
God, and His
righteousness;
and all
these things
shall be
added unto
you."
1
Peter 3:15
The
Bible
instructs:
"But
sanctify the
Lord God in
your hearts:
and be ready
always to
give an
answer to
every man
that asketh
you a reason
of the hope
that is in
you with
meekness and
fear."
1
Timothy
6:17-19
"Charge
them that
are rich in
this world,
that they be
not
high-minded,
nor trust in
uncertain
riches, but
in the
living God,
Who giveth
us richly
all things
to enjoy;
That they do
good, that
they be rich
in good
works, ready
to
distribute,
willing to
communicate;
Laying up in
store for
themselves a
good
foundation
against the
time to
come, that
they may lay
hold on
eternal
life."
Psalms
119:2
"Blessed
are they
that keep
his
testimonies,
and that seek
him with
the whole
heart."
Isaiah
55:6
"Seek
ye the
LORD while
he may be
found, call
ye upon him
while he is near."
Proverbs
8:17
"I
love them
that love
me;
and those
that seek me early
shall find
me."
Isaiah
1:18-19
God
invites: "Come
now, and let
us reason
together...
though your
sins be as
scarlet,
they shall
be as white
as snow;
though they
be red like
crimson,
they shall
be as
wool." (Isaiah
1:18-19)
MARK
8:34-38
Jesus
said,
"What
shall it
profit a
man, if he
shall gain
the whole
world, and
lose his own
soul?"
(Mark
8:34-38).
JOHN
3:16-17
"For
God so loved
the world,
that he gave
his only
begotten Son,
that whosoever
believeth in
Him should not
perish, but
have
everlasting
life."
"For
God sent not
his Son into
the world to
condemn the
world: but
that the world
through Him
might be
saved:"
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