"When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
(Luke 21:28)
This one comes from a site I was previously unfamiliar with ("The Things 2 Come") and kudos to the author for this timely piece:
The world is entering into a time unlike any we have ever seen. No, we are not just entering it, we are neck-deep in it. I know, I have been watching, waiting, analyzing and digging into prophetic studies for decades. My very first Bible study ever was on the book of Revelation, and if “you are what you eat” applies to spiritual things, well it’s no wonder the Lord got a hold of my heart to embrace the things to come with joy and anticipation.
But not everyone embraces this often weighty topic with joy; in fact, more and more I get a reaction resembling fear and even panic. The Fear Factor as it relates to prophecy is a very real condition, and I don’t want to make light of it because I don’t take it lightly. But I do want to offer some gentle suggestions to those who struggle with a very real sense of foreboding at the thought that ‘the end is near’, with it’s accompanying birth pangs and global tragedies as outlined in the Scriptures.
Having been involved in a ministry for many years that stays on the cutting edge of Bible prophecy, I have learned that there are only 2 responses that stir in the heart of a believer when they hear that time is short, and that the human race is headed for certain “unpleasant” events on our way to redemption and the consummation of all things. As I said, some respond with excitement, joy, and a rush of adrenaline that usually leads to a voracious appetite for “more of that”. If a believer grew up in a denominational tradition that never acknowledged the Bible’s tendency to predict the future with 100% accuracy, these Christians tend to react with the most incredulity that they were kept out of the Revelation loop for so long. I was one of those who was religious but spoon-fed only those things my denomination deemed palatable or necessary for my possible redemption at my last breath. Note, I said, ‘possible’ redemption. They never really knew the way to San Jose after all, it turns out.
But here I wish to address those who feel great discomfort at the mention of certain events on the prophetic horizon. Things like global government and the accompanying dictatorship, famine, pestilences, wars, and financial insecurities or all-out ruin. The natural response to threats such as these would be fear, as we are all hard-wired to survive and give all we have for our lives. The Bible says that those who are on the earth at that season will literally experience their hearts failing out of fear of what is coming on the planet.
But the key word here is: natural response. As in, the “natural man”, or unregenerate, or fleshly. To all those Christians who struggle with a fear response to any solid case presented for prophetic fulfillment, you need to know that while your response is natural and understandable, it is not biblical. There are many things in life that scare us out of our wits, and we will feel fear, sometimes daily. But feeling it, and acting on that fear or living by it is not the proper choice for the believer in Jesus Christ, those to whom have been given the keys to the Kingdom – to come. Not an earthly kingdom. This world is passing away, rapidly, and we look forward to the one in which righteousness dwells. This should be good news to all those who are vexed by the lack of righteousness and justice in this life.
But in order for that to happen, God has deemed it necessary that planet earth endure some serious birth pangs as the sin of mankind reaches its fullness, making His judgments righteous and pure, to His praise and glory. Wow, I can get pretty wound up at the thought. I am so looking forward to the day Christ returns in His glory. But I digress – sort of.
Let me propose a perspective that might help anyone struggling with this ‘fear factor’.
Let’s say for the sake of my case here that there are people that God has actually given the task of sounding the trumpet and letting folks know just how late the hour is, and in exercising these gifts, also exhorts them to live their lives in such a way that they really believe that time is short.
2Peter 3:11 suggests that this is exactly what a right perspective should be when we see the handwriting on the wall. “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” In other words, when we realize that things could be winding down, we should live like we believe it and thus accomplish even more for the kingdom than if we believe we have all the time in the world.
With me so far?
Now let’s say you have a chance to hear a well thought-out prophecy presentation, one that brings forth ample evidence, based on Scripture and solid research, that we are edging closer and closer to that time of which the Bible speaks. But perhaps you are one of those who tends to keep your distance from prophetic topics because it is distressing. But maybe on that day there is someone – perhaps a friend or relative of yours – listening in who sees their lost state, understands that they don’t have all the time in the world after all, and receives Christ before it’s too late. Would you say then that the presentation was meant to terrify, or that the Holy Spirit was truly convicting and working? I have no doubt that countless people have gotten saved thanks to a well-timed and well done prophetic Bible study.
I know many myself, as a matter of fact.
I had the “hell” scared out of me reading the Book of Revelation. Chapter 3 to be exact.
Thank you faithful pastor for teaching that book.
Now let’s say you have a chance to hear a well thought-out prophecy presentation, one that brings forth ample evidence, based on Scripture and solid research, that we are edging closer and closer to that time of which the Bible speaks. But perhaps you are one of those who tends to keep your distance from prophetic topics because it is distressing. But maybe on that day there is someone – perhaps a friend or relative of yours – listening in who sees their lost state, understands that they don’t have all the time in the world after all, and receives Christ before it’s too late. Would you say then that the presentation was meant to terrify, or that the Holy Spirit was truly convicting and working? I have no doubt that countless people have gotten saved thanks to a well-timed and well done prophetic Bible study.
I know many myself, as a matter of fact.
I had the “hell” scared out of me reading the Book of Revelation. Chapter 3 to be exact.
Thank you faithful pastor for teaching that book.
But if you still think prophecy is merely frightening and has no other value that you can see, think about this: what if no one was watching these things, what if no one was warning? What would the Church be like? Even as fewer and fewer give heed to the times, we can see a great lukewarmness, and social gospel of ‘purpose’ infiltrating and taking over the body of Christ, to her great peril. But what if no one bothered to address the times in any way? Would you feel more comfortable, or would you at some point be indignant that no one told you in love which end was up? If you want to send a loved one to hear a church service in the hopes they will give their lives to Christ, where do you send them? If all they got was a feel-good seeker doughnut instead of a full breakfast of the gospel, would you be angry that your loved one was not challenged spiritually and simply allowed to simmer in their own sin? It seems more and more that even believers fail to understand what the Church of Jesus Christ even exists for.
As we do get closer, more and more signs will be in place and more and more evidence will present itself that the Bible is the pure word of truth. This is a guarantee. It is not meant to make us feel good, however. So what should our response be as children of the One who has all things in His grasp?
The Bible warns us of these things so we can know what to expect. We are told that when we see these things BEGIN to take place, (implying we will be watching all along if we are believers) we are to look up, lift up our heads (not bow them down in fear) and rejoice because our redemption is nigh. We are told to comfort one another with the blessed hope of the rapture. Fear indicates we do not trust our Lord with the events coming upon the earth, that He should come up with a different method or plan as this one does not suit us or keep our comfort zone in tact. It could also indicate a closer connection to this life than we ought to have, a love for our lives that could indicate that the things of heaven are farther from our thinking than they should be. Lukewarmness? Maybe. Only the fearful know that in their hearts, I am not their Holy Spirit. But if you are one of those who reacts with fear instead of excitement or joy, I would encourage you to set your affections above, and count all things loss for the sake of Christ. This life is but a vapor, eternity is, well, forever. And only by keeping our eyes on Jesus hour by hour can we avoid the carnality of reacting with fear at the thought of His soon return.
Rev 19:10b – “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
2Timothy 1:7 – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Also see:
Russia said its military is massed on Ukraine’s doorstep and warned against further US sanctions overnight Friday as a deal struck with Washington appeared to stall because of intransigence by Moscow-backed rebels in the former Soviet republic.
A threat by US President Barack Obama that more sanctions would befall Moscow if the agreement, reached Thursday with Ukraine and the EU, failed was “absolutely unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian television.
“Some are based there, others have been sent as reinforcements due to the situation in Ukraine,” he added.
The comments appeared to be a warning shot to Washington that the situation could quickly degrade if Moscow were punished for a failed implementation of the accord.
The White House reiterated it was watching Moscow to see if it is holding up its end of the deal.
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have declined to honour a peace deal brokered in Geneva by the EU and US with Russia.
Denis Pushilin, the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, told press on Friday (18 April) his forces will not surrender arms, vacate government buildings, or put off a referendum on independence on 11 May.
“[Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov] did not sign anything for us, he signed on behalf of the Russian Federation … We will persevere until the end,” he said, according to Reuters, in a reference to the Geneva accord.
“As far as vacating of buildings and areas is concerned - everyone must leave them including [Ukraine’s interim PM] Yatsenyuk and [interim President] Turchynov - as they also took them illegally … We are ready to do it after them."
The big money, often referred to as the smart money, is getting out of the game and they are dumping these assets on unsuspecting investors.
They know, for example, that earnings growth has now plunged to its lowest levelssince 2012.
As these in-the-know elites unload their positions, average investors depending on their financial advisers to tell them the truth are slamming money into these stocks and paying, in some cases, 500 times earnings. Real estate investors are, likewise, overpaying for homes based on the idea that markets are “hotter” than they’ve been in years.
It’s a recipe for disaster and it won’t end well – at least for 99% of people who blindly believe the opinions of their favorite “experts.”
Guerrero:
-At least 700 buildings have sustained damage around the state (including churches, municipal buildings, etc.)
-12 homes collapsed in Los Pitos, Arroyo Frio and Los Hornos.
-9 homes collapsed in Juluchuca, 28 sustained significant damage.
-521 homes in Tecpan de Galeana were damaged.
-32 homes were affected (4 of them severely) in Refugio Cristobal Colon.
-10 houses were damaged in La Barrita.
-13 landslides have been reported.
-5 government buildings, 3 hospitals, 2 clinics and one school suffered damage.
-2 roads have sustained significant damage.-In Iguala a wall collapsed and a mall presented fissures.
-Blackouts were reported around the state.
-The quake caused a bridge to misaligned from the road.
-In Chilpancingo there were several reports of damaged homes, the church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion was also damaged, a municipal building suffered minor damage and a wall fell on a car without causing injuries.
-An hospital in Acapulco sustained minor damage.
-At least 700 buildings have sustained damage around the state (including churches, municipal buildings, etc.)
-12 homes collapsed in Los Pitos, Arroyo Frio and Los Hornos.
-9 homes collapsed in Juluchuca, 28 sustained significant damage.
-521 homes in Tecpan de Galeana were damaged.
-32 homes were affected (4 of them severely) in Refugio Cristobal Colon.
-10 houses were damaged in La Barrita.
-13 landslides have been reported.
-5 government buildings, 3 hospitals, 2 clinics and one school suffered damage.
-2 roads have sustained significant damage.-In Iguala a wall collapsed and a mall presented fissures.
-Blackouts were reported around the state.
-The quake caused a bridge to misaligned from the road.
-In Chilpancingo there were several reports of damaged homes, the church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion was also damaged, a municipal building suffered minor damage and a wall fell on a car without causing injuries.
-An hospital in Acapulco sustained minor damage.
The virus that has caused a deadly Ebola epidemic in Guinea is a new strain that emerged locally, possibly transmitted by fruit bats, virologists have said.
The outbreak is the first to be recorded in West Africa, but researchers said the virus causing it did not come from other countries where Ebola already circulates. An international team of scientists unravelled the genome of the virus and found it to be distinct from strains in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon, though they share an ancestor.
The virus is of the EBOV type -- one of three species that have caused outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, said the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday. "This study demonstrates the emergence of EBOV in Guinea," the authors wrote.
Data from the genetic analysis "suggest a single introduction of the virus into the human population," probably in early December 2013 "or even before", according to the study. "It is suspected that the virus was transmitted for months before the outbreak became apparent," it added.
"This length of exposure appears to have allowed many transmission chains and thus increased the number of cases of Ebola virus disease." Though it has not been confirmed, the study said fruit bats found throughout West Africa were "potential reservoirs" of the virus.
The outbreak is the first to be recorded in West Africa, but researchers said the virus causing it did not come from other countries where Ebola already circulates. An international team of scientists unravelled the genome of the virus and found it to be distinct from strains in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon, though they share an ancestor.
The virus is of the EBOV type -- one of three species that have caused outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, said the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday. "This study demonstrates the emergence of EBOV in Guinea," the authors wrote.
Data from the genetic analysis "suggest a single introduction of the virus into the human population," probably in early December 2013 "or even before", according to the study. "It is suspected that the virus was transmitted for months before the outbreak became apparent," it added.
"This length of exposure appears to have allowed many transmission chains and thus increased the number of cases of Ebola virus disease." Though it has not been confirmed, the study said fruit bats found throughout West Africa were "potential reservoirs" of the virus.
The virus can then easily spread among humans through contact with infected blood, body fluids and tissue. An epidemic can only be stopped by isolating suspected cases in ultra-clean conditions and quarantining those who had been in contact with them.
What do Herman Cain, Sarah Palin, Ted Cruz, Tim Scott, Michele Bachmann, Condoleezza Rice, Allen West, Dr. Ben Carson, and TW Shannon all have in common?
Calm down, Joseph. I see your hand, but I want someone else to answer for a change. No takers? Okay, Joseph.
You are correct. They are hated by liberals and Democrats. Tell us why? Correct again, Joseph. They are women and minorities who honor God, family, and country. They are self-reliant, extremely successful and do not view themselves as victims.
Liberals and Democrats will not tolerate such liberated independent thinking by women and minorities. It threatens the foundation of the Democratic Party which is built on insidious evil lies, class envy, and victimhood-ism.
For decades, liberals and Democrats have been indoctrinating women and minorities, filling their heads with lies, such as that America is eternally racist and sexist. They claim that the only way for women and minorities to succeed is through Democrat-led government-mandated lowered standards, entitlements, and special concessions.
Women and minorities who succeed via education, right choices, and hard work, without Democratic Party intervention, upset the Democrats' applecart. These uppity women and minorities must be silenced at any and all cost.
But wait a minute, Joseph. Are you saying that these self-proclaimed heroes of women and minorities would actually seek to punish and destroy them? Oh, I get it. You are saying their faux compassion is nothing more than a PR campaign promoted by their buddies who dominate the mainstream media.
Liberals and Democrats do not give a hoot about women and minorities other than their usefulness in furthering the socialist/progressive agenda. Their mantra is, Continue your monolithic voting for us, and we will continue upping the entitlements and keep rich white racist conservative Republicans at bay. Despicable.
Because they thrive on perceived victimized voting blocs, that explains why liberals and Democrats will not seriously address epidemic levels of black out-of-wedlock births, school dropouts, unemployment, urban poverty, black-on-black crime, and genocidal abortion rates.
They became hysterically outraged when Bill O'Reilly and Republican Congressman Paul Ryan compassionately dared to address issues that aredevastating the black community.
Joseph, please define “socialist/progressive agenda.”
Their agenda includes banning God from the public square to install a secular society; homosexual marriage; illegal immigration, which means new Democrat voters; late-term abortions; and continuously increasing the size and overreach of government. Their goal is to have as many Americans as possible dependent on government (unprecedented 48 million on food stamps, over 90 million unemployed, and ObamaCare), which equals government having total power and control over every aspect of our lives.
Anyone, particularly women and minorities, who promotes traditional family values and Christian faith is problematic for the Democrats' PR campaign of indoctrinating the American people.
This also explains liberals' and Democrats' high-tech raping of Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Condoleezza Rice, and others. Liberal celeb Cher called Sarah Palin a “dumb C-word.”
Rabid liberal Bill Maher called Michele Bachmann a “bimbo.” He also called Sarah Palin the C-word and a “dumb twat,” with no rebuke from the liberal infected mainstream media. Can you imagine the media feeding frenzy had a conservative used the C-word to describe Hillary Clinton? Glaring hypocrisy.
Would anyone else like to chime in? OK, Joseph, the floor is yours.
I had the opportunity to meet the American-minded Bundy supporters from all over our country. They were peacefully protesting the BLM’s actions, and I’m excited to report the Bundy family was successful in keeping the peace until the BLM stopped their roundup and returned the Bundy’s cattle.
I’ll also report the actions of some spineless, poor-excuses of BLM staffers. An armed BLM officer picked up Mr. Bundy’s elderly sister from behind, a total sneak attack, and body slammed her to the ground; there is video footage. This woman is the mother of 11 and just survived cancer. Following that brutal incident, another BLM officer ordered his dog to attack Mr. Bundy’s son, Ammon, and as Ammon Bundy was trying to get the dog off his leg, the Nazi-minded bully tazed him twice, once in the neck and the second one right above the heart. As if that wasn’t enough, the brutal BLM thugs beat up Dave Bundy, a pilot out of Las Vegas, detained him, stole his iPad because it contained the brutal footage, confiscated many other items out of his car, transported him to Henderson where he was further detained, then released him in the middle of street. They didn’t stop there. No, they detained two more young guys while they were hearding some more cattle in Overton.
The BLM tried to paint their actions as enforcing the law; however, there are several other reasons why the BLM chose to pick this fight. It cannot be a coincidence that the place where the Bundy’s have grazed their cattle for hundreds of years would suddenly become an animal refuge for desert tortoises; is it really desert tortoises? If so, why would the BLM be euthanizing them? That’s right, BLM has EUTHANIZED 700-800 desert tortoises. Trust but verify. Click here to read one of many stories about it.
We’re also seeing reports that the BLM land in Gold Butte is very desirable for energy projects, which may have prompted this sudden strong-arm tactic. Don’t trust me, verify it. Click here to read the BLM’s own report on the project.
A major concern in all of this was how the BLM treated the cattle. It is completely irresponsible that after years of conversations, the Feds would begin their roundup during the season when calves are being born. In this mess, newborn calves were separated from their mothers; some were trampled in their holding pens and left for dead. A helicopter acted as a cowboy to heard the cows, causing a few to have heart attacks and die. The conditions of the holding pens where they kept the cows for days were heartless and cruel. Where was PETA?
3 comments:
Bill Maher in my opinion should have been publicly reprimanded for such reprehensible and foul gutter talk. That's typical language from heathen who don't fear God or have any respect for women as fellow human beings. As for Cher, well I think she would rather be an ancient Egyptian princess and be waited on hand and foot by her "underlings" than listen to women who hold Godly principles. My goodness she might learn a thing or two!!
"Because they thrive on perceived victimized voting blocs, that explains why liberals and Democrats will not seriously address epidemic levels of black out-of-wedlock births, school dropouts, unemployment, urban poverty, black-on-black crime, and genocidal abortion rates.
They became hysterically outraged when Bill O'Reilly and Republican Congressman Paul Ryan compassionately dared to address issues that are devastating the black community."
I am astonished to find out that these societal woes only exist in the "black community", and that the heroes of the faith(and party), Bill O'Rilley and Paul Ryan, are not singling out any particular people group. They are simply and compassionately trying to educate these people. Its such a blessing to hear that that the "out-of-wedlock births, school dropouts, unemployment, poverty, crime, and genocidal abortion rates", only affect blacks. I would hate to think that we could possibly face the same plight as these poor uneducated souls. After all, somebody has to have the guts to speak the truth with love.
obediah
I think I know which article you are referring to. The author didn't say that these 'woes' were exclusive to the black community. He stated that they are at 'epidemic levels' in that community and I believe the facts support this. Sadly, it is indeed occurring in all of society, but it is still a fact that the numbers are disproportionate in the black community. It is also a fact that the governmental manipulations via 'the great society" by LBJ was designed to collect votes (his words not mine)...I believe that was the point by the author
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