Just when you think the world is at peace, I will call you to rise up, take up your cross and enter a battle. Bring nothing with you, for I have prepared a mighty army that will fight on your behalf. You are now living in the world’s darkest hour and just before I raise My hand in judgement. I will smite the nations that do not honor Me. But you will be spared if you embrace My Truth as your most sacred armament. Avoid the entanglements of the world, for it will soon pass away. Watch, and be ready, for then I will come for you.
Now we come to the next part of the message:
You are now living in the world’s darkest hour and just before I raise My hand in judgement.
You are now living in the world’s darkest hour …
Darkness means the absence of light. Remember the world, or world system, is already and has always been a dark place because people do not know God and because Satan and his demons are allowed free reign (but are still subject to God’s permissions). If you are a Christian, you are living in the world, but you are not of the world, so this darkness is the result of the world that continues to deny and ignore God. In the following, John introduces Jesus as the Light of men:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46
We can be assured that we have nothing to fear from anything that will happen in this world. But this is not a time to be complacent. I believe that if we are true believers and worshippers of Jesus, then we must shine our light brighter than ever to a lost world in this present darkness. And if the world is already dark, this message is saying it is not only getting darker, but is at its darkest hour.
(You are now living in the world’s darkest hour) and just before I raise My hand in judgement.
Something is about to happen that man or Satan has no control over. God is going to raise His hand in judgement. Judgement isn’t something we want to think about because it seems so harsh. But believe me, it is far better than hell, a real place that is unimaginably filled with eternal terror and torment and it is far better to endure the judgements of God on this earth and still have hope, than to end up in hell where there is no hope (please read my account of hell http://www.creativefocus.ca/HellisReal.html). So we talk about God’s love and loving people, and fail to give them the truth of what awaits them if they do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior (the only way to escape eternal hell).
But today there is a great misconception about love. No one really wants to share the hard truth about man’s eternal destiny. So we shy away from talking about things like God’s judgement and the condemnation that rests on every unbeliever until they accept Jesus into their heart and life (see John 3:18-19). We are afraid of offending people. But if you read the Bible, you’ll find that the prophets and apostles may have loved people, but they also offended people and they were martyred for giving them the truth. They gave up their own lives. Many missionaries right now are risking their lives every day to bring Jesus love and Truth into the darkness! So you can be as loving as you like, but remember you are entering into darkness, the darkness of a soul that is not only deceived, but probably loves their sin. Be careful that your love isn’t void of the truth. Let your light shine, but don’t forget your salt!
So breaking this down practically, how do we share the Gospel message and doing so “in love” and still give them the hard truths (they are lost and condemned, dead in their sins without Jesus) – do we break it to them gently? One of the best ways to begin to share the Gospel I’ve found is by personal testimony. How did you get saved? Share your own testimony and do it with the greatest conviction and also enthusiasm and people will want to listen to you. Share the greatest conviction of your heart because your message will then be heartfelt and sincere and once you’ve got their attention, continue to pull out Bible truths that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind and He’ll lead you from there.
If ever I feel afraid and self-conscious to spread the Good News, I remember the vision I had of the man who wasn’t ready to meet Jesus before His return, looked at me and said, “Why didn’t you tell me?” He didn’t say, “Why didn’t you love me enough to tell me?” Or worse still, I remember my vision of hell. If we really care about people and want to "love" them, we must share the SAME message of our Lord -- not only that He loves them, but loves them enough to warn them that they are lost forever without Him.
Have a great day and God Bless You as you journey through this dark world that is looking for and needs your light.
It seems to be true that some Christian's seem to hide behind love to keep from the Truth.
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