Saturday, March 30, 2013

Signs Pt. 16 - This world will NOT last forever!


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.
Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
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.

Mar 13:9  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10  And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Mar 13:12  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Luk 21:12  But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13  And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14  Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16  And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

*******

Deliver you up to COUNCILS (Civil Authorities) and in the SYNAGOGUES (Church Authorities). Some delivered up to imprisonment, some to death.        Brought before RULERS and KINGS.  This happened and has happened throughout history.  People being delivered to authorities, both religious and civil and YES, some, in fact MANY have been put to death.

This is an ON GOING sign of the world's impending end.

This world will not last forever!  People will NOT going on indefinitely as they are. So many believe that nothing will change in the GRAND scheme of life.  They believe that they will have children and live out their lives as the world changes for good and bad around them and then their children will do the same and then their grand children, great grand children, great, great grand children and so on.  This ISN'T TRUE!

Our world will END. If ANY generation lives not believing that their world is going to end and Jesus is going to return, then where is their HOPE for a life that they KNOW in their hearts SHOULD exist but does not, a life that was abdicated by Adam and Eve and given over to Satan.  We KNOW there should be something BETTER, something PAINLESS in every way- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  We know this, but so many would much rather believe that everything is as it should be and we just have to deal with it all, suck it up and deal.

We MUST live with the HOPE of our SAVIOR returning!  Every single day that passes for us, is ONE day closer to our Lord's return! This is TRUTH!

False prophets (Again DECEPTION is a being brought up)  False prophets that will rise and DECIEVE many, and this after Jesus had already said 'Take heed that no man deceive you.'

DECEPTION-  Right now, no matter who you are, no matter what your religious affiliation ask yourself if you could leave all religious trappings you have around you and take your Bible and study on your own?  Could you live without any other person's influence? Yes, I'm talking about the favored pastor who seems to have all the wisdom of Solomon and comforting manner of the best healer ever.  Yes, I'm talking about the books, manuscripts, writings that you go to in order to put you on the right track. Yes, I'm talking about the church with all your friends inside it who help you live closer to God.  Can you give it all up? Would you be willing to give all that up and just take your Bible and go into a life where you are ONLY led by GOD and no outside source?  What are your attachments like? Are they hidden under the guise of godliness? Where is your heart, is it filled with the words of man, and not God? If you really cannot imagine yourself living without your spiritual human leader and still remaining God's and God's alone, then you might be caught up in deception. 

Now before you go off half-cocked and get all angry because I'm saying your favored minister is a false prophet, that's NOT what I'm saying. I don't even know your favored minister. What I'm saying is that being deceived is just that YOU ARE DECEIVED!

YOU WON'T KNOW!

Yet we are cautioned more than ONCE by our SAVIOR to make sure we AREN'T deceived! And the only way we can be sure of not being deceived is by knowing the TRUTH in CHRIST and holding to that TRUTH even when the whole world around you is caught up in SATAN'S DECEPTIONS! 

This point obviously cannot be stressed enough.  Jesus is our ONLY HOPE, no one and nothing else!
                                                                        
We will be betrayed by many- including brothers against brothers, fathers against sons, children against parents, friends against friends, relatives against relatives.         

Maybe you live in a family where members hate each other and think nothing of turning each other in to the police for anything at all. Maybe you live in a family where it's normal for you to hate your brother, your sister, your mother, your father.  Maybe you live in a family that has a way of life centered around feuding among each other.   I don't. I live in what I imagine to be an average family where we have our disagreements, our fights, our upsets, our periods of not talking, of angst and whatnot but for the most part we don't let it destroy our love for one another, and we wouldn't dream of turning each other in to any authorities for our religious beliefs. At least I THINK I live in that sort of family. To me the very idea that my son or daughter would betray me is unthinkable. The very idea of my sisters betraying me is absurd! And I have to believe that it would be the same for most families, but we are told that the betrayal among relatives and friends will take place.

We know it takes place and has taken place in religions such as Islam where honor killings in families is going on even today.  But I believe that all those who do hold fast to Christ will face a time such as described and in that day we MUST truth wholly in our SAVIOR and not even THINK about what we will say to those imprisoning us.
                                                                
We will be HATED because we love our SAVIOR - we love the TRUTH that our SAVIOR IS.                                                                        
When we are delivered- we must ENDURE, we must settle it in our hearts NOT to mediate before what will will say to those we are delivered up to (councils or churches), the HOLY SPIRIT, will give us the words to speak                         
                                                
Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.                         

The HOLY SPIRIT will USE US!
The HOLY SPIRIT will SPEAK THROUGH US, hey will be HIS WORDS, not our own!
Imagine that, just imagine it for a moment.

We are creatures prone to worry, to premeditate what we are going to say, to get caught up in all the what ifs, and what nots. We have trained ourselves to contemplate what we will say and yet we are being told NOT to do this when we are brought up before councils, before synagogues to testify to our Faith.

This isn't going to be any ol' simple trial either, but a trial of our FAITH, when we are standing against all the DECEIVERS, all those who believe they have the true faith but have been led into deep deception.  All will seem lost to those who are looking from the outside in. They'll want to destroy those who do NOT accept their LIES, their DECEPTIONS.
                                                
Because of iniquity- the love of MANY will wax cold.                                                                        
Love. Jesus' love. True love. Will not be found.  Once deception has taken over someone they are even immune to their own loveless lives. What they believe is love will be anything but God's true love!

The Gospel will be preached in all the world , all the NATIONS for a WITNESS unto all-  THEN the end comes.                

We know from previous studies that the 'times of the NATIONS would be fulfilled when Jerusalem was no longer trodden down of the Gentiles' when Jerusalem was no longer in the hands of the gentiles, and that came to pass after close to a couple thousand years (PLENTY of time for the gospel to be witnessed to all the world).  In 1980 after wars which started in 1948, and another in 1967, a six day war, Jerusalem was back in the control of Israelites. In 1980 the Israelites made Jerusalem their capital- the seat of their government. 

We are living in the last remnant of time now believe it or not, no one will force you to believe, I won't even try to force you. Truth is truth.
                                                        
Enduring to the end- saved.                                                                        
In our patience we possess our souls.                                                                        
If we ENDURE to the END we will be saved!  ENDURANCE.  If we don't have ENDURANCE through our SAVIOR we will NOT be saved. 

In our PATIENCE we will possess our life.

Our patience.

2Pe_3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Longsuffering.

What we might be tempted to call simply suffering, senseless suffering, unnecessary suffering, God calls LONG SUFFERING. 

No, God does not like anything that has to do with sin, not a single thing. Not the results of it, not the  committing of it, not the punishment is warrants, God does NOT LIKE IT AT ALL and that is WHY HE SACRIFICED HIS ONLY SON!  God felt more deeply than any of us ever could feel, the pain, the heartache that sin brings.  All sicknesses, all tortures, all pain in all its forms, God has felt worse than we ever will. We question God and say, why? Why must the innocents suffer.  And God knows why, because sin has allowed suffering and the most innocent of ALL suffered worse than any innocent here can. He knows, He understands and He hurts.  

So why doesn't He just end all the suffering?

Because He's not willing that ANY should perish!

All that will come to Him He will wait for!  He will not let a single person perish that will be saved, that is something He could NEVER do, He paid too high a price for that person. And He will wait for that very last person.  And before you even start to think about how He will know when that last person has accepted His salvation, we know historically that God knows, right down to the very few who are His.

Sodom and Gomorrah- Abraham wanted it spared, but knew that God had a reason for its condemnation, still He couldn't help but ask God to spare it if there were 10 people that were His.  God agreed, but there weren't even 10 people that belonged to God in those cities.  He knows those who are His. And He will wait, He is willing to suffer along with us until the last person is His that will be His. And we… we have to be PATIENT.  Through everything we must have patience, trusting our God, that He will save US and all those who are HIS, loving Him and all His TRUTH!

Please Lord, please help us, save us, be in us all according to YOUR good pleasure!

Luk_12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Eph_1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will

Eph_1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself

Php_2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

2Th_1:11  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
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Signs Pt 15- Beginning of Sorrows


Signs Comparisons continued-

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.

Mar 13:7  And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Mar 13:8  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

Luk 21:9  But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10  Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11  And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Two of the books have - all these are the BEGINNING of SORROWS.
One book has along with nations rising against nation, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines, earthquakes, pestilences (2 books) - FEARFUL SIGHTS and GREAT SIGNS SHALL THERE BE FROM HEAVEN.

Why should we note the differences? Why not just gloss over them. Sure, two words might mean the same thing such as 'troubled' and 'terrified' as written here so we can mostly understand they are saying the same thing, but when there is something in one that just isn't in the other, we need to note that this too is to be looked for as a sign.  We can't just take Matthew 24 and learn the signs, learn where they've come into play in history and such while ignoring the other 2 gospels simply because we want to assume they are saying the exact same thing. We need all the signs from all the gospels only then can we be sure we are following ALL the signs, noting all the signs.  Sometime missing a single sign can make for disastrous consequences.

I watch a show on television called The Amazing Race which pits various couples against each other on a journey with adventures around the world, and they are given clues. Sometimes a clue might tell them to follow the signs to such an such a destination and there have been times where a couple has missed a sign causing them to miss where they needed to go, having to backtrack and pick up the missed signs.  When we miss signs it's not always a non-consequential action.  The one sign we are missing could send us down an entirely wrong path, we just don't know.

Here in these few verses of the three gospels holding this similar occasion we are told by two that these signs are just the BEGINNING of sorrows.  Sorrows perhaps because of the destruction each sign portrays for humans. Wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences- all of these can mean a great loss of life.  Not all wars take millions of lives, just as earthquakes, famines, and pestilences don't all take millions of lives, but they can and have taken great numbers of lives. I just watch a move recently on a Tsunami that happened a few years back taking hundreds of thousands of lives that day- the tsunami was caused by an earthquake in the ocean. Tragedies such as these cause GREAT sorrow! And to think that these sorrows are just the beginning. We can only in our wildest imagination even minutely comprehend the sorrow that the seven last plagues will bring, a time of trouble such as never was.  At the time of the plagues though, we won't be looking to them as signs for us to get ready, all will be decided at that point, but rather realizing the wrath of God is being poured out and soon Jesus will appear to take His people with Him.  Right now we have plenty of signs to look at, to study, to watch for, to pray about all these signs warning us to take heed to what is coming so we may get ready, be prepared, to know we are going in the right direction, that the Bible is taking us where we need to go.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Written for our LEARNING.
That we...might have HOPE.

This is way we have the Scriptures, this is why we must study the Scriptures.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.


All scripture is INSPIRED by GOD.
All scripture is profitable for DOCTRINE.
All scripture is profitable for REPROOF.
All scripture is profitable for CORRECTION.
All scripture is profitable for INSTRUCTION in RIGHTEOUSNESS.

We can't forget this!

Prophecy-

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

PROPHECY comes not by the WILL of man!
PROPHECY comes by HOLY MEN of GOD, speaking as they were MOVED by the HOLY GHOST!

TRUTH-

Isa 42:9  Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them

BEFORE they spring forth I tell you of them.  PREDICTION, PROPHECY!

Isa 46:9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure

Declaring ...from ancient times the things that are NOT YET DONE.  PROPHECY!

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

We are NOT left in the dark! NONE will be able to say they had no way of knowing, not a single person!  No, we are not prophets, we are not personally given the secrets but the PROPHETS were given the secrets and they were given to them to give to US.

Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Those things which are revealed! And they are revealed by the PROPHETS!

TRUTH

2Pe 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
2Pe 1:17  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

TRUTH!

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you


Prophecy all given to us to allow us the realization of the reality of our SAVIOR'S GRACE.

God's plan- SALVATION.

By the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR more tomorrow!
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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Signs Pt. 14


We've gone through the signs of the end times given by Jesus and written in the Book of Matthew. We know that there are four gospels and in each there are different views of mostly the same happenings.  People often wonder why it was necessary for God, through the Holy Spirit guiding men over the many years the Word of God has existed in its many forms- Old Testament, which was at the time just the Scriptures that Jesus actually used, reading from and expounding upon.  The New Testament which came together over many years after Jesus' life and death, and resurrection and they were put together at various times by various means and then finally men took all the writings and decided which to include in what we now have as our Bible, some Bibles have more books than others, and people allow themselves to be confused by all this- even to the point of denying the validity of God's word.  The truth is… God has given us ALL we need of His truth and He's left nothing out.  We will by faith and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit be led to ALL His truth that we need.  Why God decided that we'd need the four gospels with three telling mostly the same thing is not a point for contention but rather for blessing.  We could read the three, the four and we could compare where we need to compare and we could see where one might word something one way while another words it differently only to give the message even greater meaning to us. We could note various differences and study those differences not to rip apart the truth but to solidify it even further.

The signs in Matthew, Mark, and Luke we must study them all, right?

Mat 24:1  And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mar 13:1  And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
Mar 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Mar 13:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Mar 13:4  Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Mar 13:5  And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
Mar 13:6  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Luk 21:5  And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
Luk 21:6  As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Luk 21:7  And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
Luk 21:8  And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.


The differences are minimal here, but there are differences.

Sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?
And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Matthew says these most important words--

END OF THE WORLD.

This ties all these things together for the destruction of the temple and the end of the world.

More comparisons tomorrow by the GRACE of our GOD. This deserves a lot more studying, comparison. The Bible even tells us this--

Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Please LORD help us! We need to watch for Your signs, given to us for a reason, Your heavenly reasons. Please save us.


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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Signs Pt. 13 Take Heed...


Sign One-
Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

We've come full circle here with these prophetic signs given to us by Jesus pointing us towards the end of the world, and the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Take HEED.
Pay ATTENTION!

Why?

So NO MAN DECEIVES YOU!

This isn't the first warning about DECEIVERS- please, please read more straight from our Lord's word.

Jer 29:8  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, DECEIVE you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
Jer 29:9  For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to DECEIVE;

Eph 5:6  Let no man DECEIVE you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain DECEIT, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

2Th 2:3  Let no man DECEIVE you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2Pe 2:1  But there were FALSE prophets also among the people, even as there shall be FALSE teachers among you, who PRIVILY shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2Pe 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2Pe 2:5  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2Pe 2:6  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2Pe 2:8  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own DECEIVINGS while they feast with you;
2Pe 2:14  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
2Pe 2:15  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16  But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Did you read all that?
Did you STUDY all that?
Did you understand what it is saying?

Sign One-
Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Signs for the end of the world.
Signs we MUST take HEED to.

DECEPTION.

If it's not according to God's word then there is NO LIGHT in those who are preaching and teaching, they are DECEIVING you. They may even appear as being preachers/teachers of RIGHTEOUSNESS!  So if they appear this way then we have to be on guard! Why do we think we won't be deceived? We have to study, we have to pray, we have to WATCH! 

We can't let our guard down! So many let their guards down and then Satan sneaks in bringing all his deception with him.

If you think you can't be deceived, you're wrong.

We can all be deceived, it's the nature of deception.

Please LORD, you've given us all these signs, signs we MUST be aware of, signs we MUST study and know.

Please LORD, save us even from ourselves, especially from ourselves.

In YOUR love!

Always in YOUR LOVE!

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Signs Pt 12


Sign Two-
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.

Sign Three-
Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

Sign Four-
and there shall be famines,

Sign Five-
and pestilences,

Sign Six -
and earthquakes, in divers places.

Wars.  Endless wars over our world history. If there wasn't an active war being fought in some area of this world, there were rumors of wars.  I looked up on the web whether or not there's ever been a time of world peace, and really there hasn't. While one corner of the world was at peace, others were not. Maybe there have been no constant WORLD wars, but there have been wars even minor ones between tribes in Africa, being fought consistently in our entire world history. 

Wars and rumors of wars.

Nations rising against nations.

Huge WORLD wars, small conflict wars, intelligence wars, cold wars, cyber wars and NATIONS are rising against NATIONS.  This is truth.

Someone wrote recently that the U.S. , China, Russia, Middle East, all the big powers are at war and will forever be at war - the only thing that has changed is the mode of warfare.  We might never again be involved in a world war such as those fought on the battle fields of old, but the wars are still real and the casualties will grow. 

Nation against nation.

I can personally, never envision world peace without believing that will only happen when our Savior comes and then after a thousand years in heaven, the earth is made new.

Our Savior said these words-

Mat_10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Sadly, many people including those who have been labeled great religious leaders strive for world peace, when our Savior did not tell them to. It's as if these leaders haven't read the Bible at all. They haven't read, or simply do not believe that Jesus said there would be FEW that are saved, that He did not come to send peace.  I'm not saying that anyone should simply accept that there is war and hatred, but there needs to be an understanding that the Devil rules this world and will have majority hold over it until our Savior returns.

Sign Four-
and there shall be famines,

Sign Five-
and pestilences,

Sign Six -
and earthquakes, in divers places.

Truth.

Sad, truth.

Can you imagine a world without famine? Without any deadly sicknesses? Without any earthquakes?

Earthquakes today-

M 5.1, 24km SSW of Teberda, Russia
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 23:35:24 UTC

M 5.4, 197km SSW of L'Esperance Rock, New Zealand
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 17:36:25 UTC

M 5.5, 12km NNE of Tambulatana, Indonesia
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 17:23:57 UTC

M 4.5, South of the Fiji Islands
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 14:53:08 UTC

M 4.7, Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 13:37:49 UTC

M 4.6, 8km NNW of San Pedro Jicayan, Mexico
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 13:36:15 UTC

M 4.6, 4km WSW of San Pedro Jicayan, Mexico
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 13:25:59 UTC


Pestilence-

The following is a list of the most common infectious diseases throughout the world today. Accurate caseload numbers are difficult to determine, especially because so many of these diseases are endemic to developing countries, where many people do not have access to modern medical care. Approximately half of all deaths caused by infectious diseases each year can be attributed to just three diseases: tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS. Together, these diseases cause over 300 million illnesses and more than 5 million deaths each year.

African Trypanosomiasis (“sleeping sickness”)
Cholera
Cryptosporidiosis
Dengue
Hepatitis A, B,C
HIV/AIDS
Influenza
Japanese Encephalitis
Leishmaniasis
Malaria
Measles
Meningitis
Onchocerciasis (“river blindness”)Pneumonia
Rotavirus
Schistosomiasis
Shigellosis
Strep Throat
Tuberculosis
Typhoid
Yellow Fever

Famines-

1. 2012-08-03 N. Koreans in desperate need of food after floods North Korea
2. 2012-06-07 Violence, hunger plague South Sudan Southern Sudan
3. 2012-03-08 Oxfam warns of West Africa crisis West Africa
4. 2012-02-14 Food prices 'hit poor families' India
5. 2012-01-18 Sudan faces potential famine Sudan
6. 2012-01-17 East Africa drought delay 'cost lives' East Africa
7. 2012-01-15 Somali famine 'to kill thousands' Somalia
8. 2011-09-05 Somalia famine 'may kill 750,000' Somalia
9. 2011-08-13 Somalia PM orders aid protection Somali


TRUTH.

Signs.

Signs we have to KEEP noting until our SAVIOR returns! Signs that should SHOUT at us to wake up and listen, WATCH and PRAY!

By the grace of GOD may we SEE the signs, wake up, watch and pray!

Please LORD, please!
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Monday, March 25, 2013

Signs Pt 11


Sign Seven-
Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you
Sign  Eight-
Mat 24:9  ...and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.


Christ followers afflicted, killed, hated?

Read the following--

'Persecution of Christians can be traced historically from the time of Jesus in the first century to the present time.[1] Early Christians were persecuted for their faith at the hands of both Jews from whose religion Christianity arose and the Roman Empire which controlled much of the land across which early Christianity was distributed. Early in the fourth century, the religion was legalized by the Edict of Milan, and it eventually became the State church of the Roman Empire. By no means was that the end of the persecution. Michael Gaddis wrote:

Christian missionaries as well as the neophytes that they converted to Christianity have been the target of persecution, many times to the point of being martyred for their faith.
There is also a history of individual Christian denominations suffering persecution at the hands of other Christians under the charge of heresy, particularly during the 16th century Protestant Reformation.

In the 20th century, Christians have been persecuted by various groups, and by atheistic states such as the USSR and North Korea. The Christian missionary organisation Open Doors (UK) estimates 100 million Christians face persecution, particularly in Muslim-dominated countries such as Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.[3][4] They also face persecution in atheistic states like North Korea in which there is no religious freedom.[5] A recent study, cited by the Vatican, reported that 75 out of every 100 people killed due to religious hatred were Christian.[6][7]'


*******

Headlines-



Rights groups urged the world to pressure Burma to end a crackdown on ethnic and religious minorities after government troops reportedly killed and raped dozens of mainly Christian civilians while burning hundreds of churches and homes.


The Freedom From Religion Foundation is suing the U.S. Treasury Department to remove "In God We Trust" from all its currency.


*******

Are Christ followers hated, afflicted, killed?  It's a fact.

And historically they've been persecuted continuously, even by their supposed own.

God's people, His true followers have always been persecuted and will continue to be persecuted until our Savior returns.

Maybe you aren't personally openly HATED, AFFLICTED, or in danger of being KILLED, but many are.

You are HATED by Satan and all Satan's followers, don't forget that. We tend to forget that we are hated when  truthfully we are constantly under a barrage of hatred from unseen spiritual forces that are busy influencing our lives negatively any way they can.

We are hated.

We are truly hated by men and women around the world who steadfastly hate ALL Christ followers.  Your winning personality here in the land of the free, would win you NOTHING in another country dominated by those whose faith tells them to HATE all Christ followers.

The signs are true.
The signs are real.
The signs are here for us to take NOTE of, often, and realize that we are living in prophecies fulfilled, signs fulfilled, signs that MUST make us realize that EVERY day we need to be growing closer to our SAVIOR, every day is ONE day closer to our LORD'S return.  PRAISE GOD!

All in HIS LOVE!

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Signs of the Time Pt. 10


Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Offended.
Betraying.
Hating.

This is everywhere.

We can deny it. We can say we don't hate and know any haters. We can say we've never betrayed anyone and do not know any betrayers. We can say we've never offended anyone, and know not any offenders.  We can say all that but we'd be lying.

I'm not saying you're hateful, or a betrayer, or an offender but I'm saying there are a lot of people who are hating, betraying, and offending others and they are doing so all the time.

Again we must come to the realization that today people call evil things good and this is very true in this respect as well.

Isa_5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Gen_6:5  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.

Luk_17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Many shall be offended.
Many shall betray one another.
Many shall hate one another.

These are SIGNS.

Do we see these signs in our world?
Do we see them daily?

Do we feel nothing when we see them?
Have we become immune to the evil of these signs?

Are we among those who have begun to call evil, good?

Seriously, these are questions that need asking and answering.

And if we dare to say this is all just part of life, then we are excusing evil, and in excusing evil we are guilty of that evil.

We love to make excuses for evil by calling it natural, calling it normal. And before you say you don't do this, realize that every time you offend anyone in word or deed even in the littlest way you are sinning and sinning is evil. Yet, we do this and we accept it as being normal. We tell our children that life is tough and people are cruel, that's just the way life is.  We say it as if it is normal, but it's not, it's tragic that we have to live in a world filled with sin in so many, many ways that we call it all normal.

These signs--

'And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. '

--have been covered in layer after layer of filth until we can barely see them as signs any longer. Satan has done his work well.

Open our eyes, please Lord, open our eyes to the signs.

We cannot afford to say that these signs have been the same for generation after generation, after generation and therefore no longer relevant to us today. 

In our past 'Signs of the Times' studying we've seen where a major sign as recent as 1980, and hint towards another major fulfillment of prophecy is currently underway, so how can we say these signs- ALL of them are not relevant in some manner.  Some past signs are relevant simply because they have been fulfilled and are history. Other signs serve to remind us of the EVIL surrounding us, evil that is filling almost every single corner of our world, evil that will fill men's heart continuously until this world ends as our Savior returns for us!

Please, Lord, save us! Please, Father, Keep us from EVIL.

All in YOUR LOVE!
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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Signs of the Times Pt. 9


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

You're too smart to be deceived by a false prophet, aren't you?  We all think we are. We have in our minds this picture of a false prophet and we've given him (because inevitably they seem to be male) wild, crazy hair and possibly a scraggly beard. This false prophet's eyes are the eyes of a lunatic, and his smile is just as crazy and creepy. He is most likely wearing some funky robe attire and he will definitely be spouting nonsense usually from the top of his lungs at wary passerby's.  This is the image we've bestowed upon modern prophets for the most part.  Of course if you're much too sophisticated to even imagine that sort of stereotypical ideal of a false prophet then you've most likely dressed your false prophet up in a nice suit and given him a clean cut hair style and the words drip from his mouth like sweet nectar.  Because he's a false prophet however, you've given him secret vices hidden from plain view.  Again, you're much too savvy to be taken in by even this sophisticated false prophet, right? Right.

The trouble with both of these scenarios of sorts is that we HAVE to take these words into account-

SHALL DECEIVE MANY.

No, it doesn't say, shall deceive all, but it does say MANY.

And unless you are God's, truly God's in all His truth, you will be among those many who are DECEIVED. 

The deceived will NOT know they are DECIEVED, that would negate the word DECEIVED.  They won't know they are deceived until it's too late. 

They'll try to use their deceptive state as an excuse too-

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

DECEIVED!

They'll be able to count the multitude of things they have done all for Christ, but He knows better. He knows that none of those things were truly done for HIM, but rather for secret, self-deluded, selfish ends.  We can help others until we are worn to the bone but that will NOT count as our being known of CHRIST if we do these things falsely.

Deception is heinous.

The deceived feel horrifically betrayed.

The deceived have to ask themselves if somehow they didn't allow themselves to be deceived.

We want to blame everything on the deceiver taking NO blame upon ourselves, but usually there is truly some small bit of guilt, not always, but usually. 

There is ALWAYS going to be guilt on the part of the deceived when it comes to our being deceived by a false prophet. Those who are truly God's will be kept from evil. Those who are truly God's will have the Holy Spirit opening their hearts to all truth.  Only those who are deceived have acquiesced to that deception in some manner they've subsequently chosen to deny even to themselves until the day of Christ's return.

Everything will be revealed in the end.

Not a single person will be able to say in truthfulness that they are NOT guilty in and of their own accord.

Yes, those who are FALSE PROPHETS choosing deliberately to deceive others will suffer for their treachery, but those who have allowed themselves to fall prey to the deceiver will suffer along with them.

We are WARNED.

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

Whether this false prophet wears 500 dollar suits, 1000 dollar suits, 20 dollars suits, or mere rags, there are MANY false prophets out there and they are deceiving all those they can from ALL walks of life. This false prophet could be a charismatic leader of a mega church, or the street preacher who doesn't boast of any church at all but has managed to deceive one other person.

We need to be on guard against FALSE PROPHETS, and the only way to do that is to know the TRUTH of God's word and LIVE that TRUTH.

A false prophet will not deceive you by telling you that they are lying. A false prophet will tell you they have the truth.  YOU have to go to God and His Word YOURSELF and study out the truth, not relying up ANYONE, NOT ME, NOT YOUR PASTOR, MINISTER, PRIEST, RABBI, GURU, FRIEND, or FAMILY to tell you the truth!  SEEK the TRUTH for YOURSELF in prayer and humility!

Follow NO MAN, but choose to follow ONLY CHRIST JESUS and HIS WORD PREACHED!

Please LORD we do NOT want to be among the deceived! We do NOT want to be among the MANY! Please LORD, help us! Guide us! Keep us, wholly YOURS! Known by YOU and knowing YOU!

All in YOUR LOVE LORD, in YOUR LOVE ALWAYS!
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Friday, March 22, 2013

Signs Pt 8


Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Sometimes don't we wish we lived in an isolated place, far from the outside world with all its many horrors? I know I long for that but the truth is what we are truly longing for can only be found in another world, not this one.  We could hide away in some place here on earth but the horrors won't cease to exist.  In that isolation death and sickness, injury and pain will still find us all on our own without any outsiders contributing to it. The fact remains that this world is under a curse and has been given over to the ruling power of Satan.  This means that from the beginning after sin entered our world that it would fight for dominance and for the most part, it wins.  Of the innumerable amount of people that will have lived from earth's beginning until Christ comes again and take all those that are His with Him to heaven, the overwhelming majority will belong to Satan.

We can read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and know by that example alone that the majority of people belong to Satan. 

This verse here in Matthew 24:12 tells us that BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND- the LOVE of MANY SHALL WAX COLD.

All you have to do is read one day's worth of news to know that this is factual.

All you have to do is turn on the television and watch a day's worth of television, and you'll know.

Of course, if you've been BLINDED to what is evil, you won't comprehend the evil that exists and you'll actually call evil...good.  To you the world might be a mostly good place, the majority of people might be mostly good people, but the truth is vastly different. We can spin things in many directions but the truth is the LOVE of many is ICE COLD.

And the corresponding truth is that it is ice cold because, iniquity abounds.

SIN rules this world.

The closer you grow to Christ and His love, the clearer you can see the true evil of sin in its many, many forms- large and small.

And your heart breaks.

We have to stop donning our rose colored glasses called optimism, called wishful thinking, because the clearer sight they give is truly called deception.

Love, true love, God's love has been practically frozen solid it's so incredibly cold in our world today and sin reigns from the tiniest evil to the greatest.

Please LORD help our LOVE not wax cold but be burning hot, alive, on fire for YOU and all others as YOU would have our love truly be!

All through YOUR LOVE! By YOUR GRACE, YOUR MERCY!

And just moments ago on the news I heard the following:

A seventeen and fourteen year old are being charged in the murder of a toddler. They went up to the mother who was walking her baby in his stroller and demanded money. Then they shot the baby.  My heart breaks!  Love is ice cold, ice cold and iniquity abounds!

Save us, Lord, please, save us!
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