Beware of Scoffers in the Last Days

I haven’t written the blog for some time now, but recently I read an article that reminded me how important it is to continue to look for the coming of the Lord. When things seem to be going well, and we are all anxious to begin our summer vacation, it is so easy to forget the things of God. And yet Scripture is very clear, that we must be on our guard, not only to be aware of people who oppose Scripture and the coming of the Lord, but to be vigilant in preparing for the Lord’s return.

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

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.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Even though we can’t predict the exact day or year of the Lord’s return, still, there are many signs. Noah warned people for 120 years that a world-wide flood was coming and they laughed him to scorn. But no one was laughing when the torrential rains began and the doors to the ark were already sealed closed! So don’t be surprised when people today do the very same thing. It still doesn’t change the fact of what is coming. And even though we can rest assured that there is indeed a rapture for every believer in Christ, many will not be included in this glorious event, so we must warn them before it is too late.

Let’s get back to what is important – looking for the coming of the Lord, and continuing to point people to what is to come and to make sure they are given an opportunity to be ready!

Order of Events – Part 3

First, as I’ve been saying a few times, I do not believe that present-day Christians will go through the 7 year Tribulation, but will be raptured before that.  There is, I believe, ample evidence in Scripture to support this belief, otherwise known as Pre-Tribulation.  I have heard some people say that it doesn’t really matter when Jesus returns, but I beg to differ.  It’s like saying that it doesn’t really matter what you believe, just as long as you’re a Christian.  But if you’ll recall yesterday’s blog, Paul warns the Thessalonians:

2Thes. 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2Thes. 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means:    

There are many reasons to know what we believe, not the least being what Paul was saying, not to be shaken in mind or troubled that Jesus was about to return (the Second Coming).  And secondly, if we don’t know what we believe, we can more easily be deceived and then be led astray (verse 3 above).  And if we’re led astray, it will definitely affect our relationship with Jesus, not to mention hinder any use we might be for the sake of His Kingdom.  Sometimes whole churches are brought down because of errancy in belief. 

One of the distinguishing features of the Rapture is that it is at this time that Christians will receive resurrected bodies (all Scripture taken from the NIV):

 Php 3:20  But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Php 3:21  who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  

1Jn 3:2  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

I Cor. 15:51  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

1Cor. 15:52  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1Cor. 15:53  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  

It is very important to note that in these verses the dead will also be raised at the same time to meet Jesus in the air.  This does not occur at the Second Coming of Jesus (at the end of the Tribulation). 

In the Scriptures below, we notice a definite sequence of events:     

1Cor. 15:20  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1Cor. 15:21  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

1Cor. 15:22  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

1Cor. 15:23  But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

1Cor. 15:24  Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.  NIV

Notice that Jesus death and resurrection is the first, then in verse 23, all those who belong to Him (the Rapture), and then notice verse 24, Then the end will come.  

Finally, the last Scriptures we will look at that mention the Rapture are below and they also mention the resurrection of the dead: 

1Thes. 4:13  Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

1Thes. 4:14  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

1Thes. 4:15  According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

1Thes. 4:16  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1Thes. 4:17  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1Thes. 4:18  Therefore encourage each other with these words.  NIV

If we know anything about the 7 Year Tribulation (where God pours out his wrath on the world) and the Second Coming of Jesus, the above Scriptures simply do not fit that time period.  There is every indication that the Rapture can happen at any time.  None of these verses are surrounded by talk of the coming wrath or judgement of God on the world, or the 7 Year Tribulation period!  In fact just the opposite is true, these verses are given to encourage present-day believers and to give us consolation and great hope that He is coming soon; and also that our saved loved ones who have died are also going up to meet Him at the same time!  What blessed hope and consolation.  Only Jesus could give us such an incredible gift!   

One of the most comforting passages of Scripture is found in John where Jesus promises His disciples: 

John 14:1  "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. NIV 

Notice the last verse, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  Where is He taking us?  Well, look at verse 2, my Father’s house.  Clearly, this will not happen at the end of the Tribulation period since Christ does not go back to heaven with the saints at that time.  Rather, He then begins his 1000 year reign (the dispensation of His Kingdom on earth), or another term for it, the millennium. 

Much has been written concerning the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture, and there is much debate over the order of events.  Again, I’d like to stress the importance of doing whatever we can to gain some understanding of what’s coming!  It’s important, not only for our own peace of mind, but especially to comfort present day believers and to warn unbelievers of what is to come.  I’d like to recommend a really good and scripturally sound book called The Rapture Question, by John F. Walvoord.  It’s worth reading through.  It has an excellent index and thorough Bibliography giving lists of books on the subject!  

This ends the Order of Events series in this blog.  Stay tuned for more blogs to come! 

Thanks for reading and may God Bless You! 

Order of Events – Part 2

In yesterday’s blog we began a discussion about God, that He is a God of order.  Today I’d like to discuss an important part of Scripture that deals with the order of events concerning the end times. 

No one would doubt that the world we live in is filled with turmoil, strife and war due to the sinfulness of man.  Nations fight against nations, there is civil war, and people fight with each other.  If you are a Christian reading this, not only do you see turmoil in the world, but you may be experiencing turmoil in your own life.  Perhaps you are not allowed to make a public confession of your faith in your workplace or school.  Or perhaps you are frustrated by all the injustice you see and yet you can’t even mention the Bible or God, for fear you will be you labelled a religious fanatic, fined, fired or worse.  If you grew up in the 60s, 70s or 80s, you can remember a time when the word “politically correct” didn’t even exist.  You had much more freedom to express your religious beliefs and things were more straight-forward than they are today.  Because some of our religious freedoms are threatened, and more and more “politically correct” propaganda is pushed our way, we can’t help but wonder what this world is coming to.  And if you add the earthquakes, tsunamis, wars, civil unrest, and Hollywood’s often perverted version of normal life, not to mention the prophetic warnings that have been uttered, I believe and I know many others would agree, that we are indeed in the last days. 

Yet still, we need more clear definition of what the Bible says about it. Similar to today, during Paul’s time, the Thessalonians thought they were indeed in the last days because they were undergoing such intense persecution.  So in 2 Thess. 2, we have an invaluable account of Paul’s assurance to them that they were not “in the Day of the Lord,” or the Great Tribulation period as described in Revelation, just preceding Christ’s Second return.  This is an extremely important passage of Scripture that every believing Christian needs to read and understand: 

2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

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.

2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2Th 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

2Th 2:14  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Th 2:15  Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

2Th 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

2Th 2:17  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.  

So what is Paul saying here?  Paul is saying that there are three distinct things that must happen before the Second Coming of Christ (and not the rapture which Paul distinguishes as a separate event preceding the second coming in I Thess. 4:13-18).  They are: 

1.     There is a falling away of people who say they are Christian, but really are not; also called the apostasy (verse 3).

2.     The anti-Christ is revealed, referred to as the son of perdition (verse 3).

3.     The Holy Spirit no longer acts as a restrainer of evil, but is taken away (hence the Rapture of the Church – the Holy Spirit indwells every true believer and is taken away with the Rapture of the Church).  See verse 6 & 7.   

But again, it is very important to notice the order of events.  Notice verse 7 and 8 below in the NIV version:

2Th 2:7  For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

2Th 2:8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

The Holy Spirit will be taken away (i.e. – the Rapture of the Church) and then the lawless one will be revealed (the anti-Christ) (vs. 8), and following that the Second Coming of Christ.  

Note: it is generally agreed that the restrainer is the Holy Spirit since He is the only One that can hold back the anti-Christ and all his evil workings, until it is time for him to be revealed to the world.  No man or government has the power to do this!  Even now, evil is restrained because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the position of the “praying” Church.  And if things seem really bad now, imagine what it will be like when the Church is taken away!! 

But in giving this message, Paul is not only enlightening the Thessalonians on the order of events preceding Christ’s return, He is also encouraging them that with this knowledge, to be comforted.  Today, perhaps some people don’t even want to discuss the end times or last days because it makes them feel uncomfortable and that their safe and ordered world is about to be upset.  When we are upset or ill-at-ease or worried, it is often only pacified when we start to come to terms with it.  Once we find an answer, we regain a sense of order, and yes, we start to feel at peace.  This is the same message Paul is trying to convey to the Thessalonians.  Let’s go back to the passage of Scripture:

 2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2Th 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

2Th 2:14  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Th 2:15  Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Look at verse 15, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.  There are all kinds of doctrines out there, not necessarily based on a thorough study of the Word of God.  Some of these doctrines are not sound, meaning they haven’t been thoroughly tested or understood by comparing them to other passages of Scripture.  And it is also wise to talk to a trusted theologian, like your pastor, who likely reads and researches important Biblical passages all the time.  He or she may be able to give you further literature that is Biblically based. (But of course we must always discern any source against the truth of God’s Word).   

And there is something else that Paul is saying right after verse 15, namely to remember how God acts towards us.   

2Th 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

2Th 2:17  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.  

Just because there is turmoil in the world around us, doesn’t mean that God has suddenly changed towards us and now it’s time to be afraid.  God has loved us and given us everlasting consolation.  This is hardly the picture of the wrath of God poured out on a wicked and evil world endangering His people (the Church) during the tribulation period spoken of in the Book of Revelation!     

There was still work to be done for the Thessalonians and there is still work for us to do!  But, how can we go about doing good work if we are too exhausted from the worry and fear about our future?  Like the Thessalonians, we are to be filled with hope and encouragement.  Our job remains the same (and this discussion will take another separate discussion) – to go out into the world to bring the lost to Christ (the good word and the work that Paul refers to in verse 17).  

Thanks for reading and may God Bless You & fill you with His love and comfort.

Order of Events – Part 1

When you have a lot to do, what is the best way to stay on task?  Be organized and get things in order!  Without order, there is chaos and it’s difficult to get anything done, don’t you agree?  In thinking about the end time events, it troubles me greatly that so many people seem to be confused.  They don’t know what’s happening.  It’s like when you’re driving along and all of a sudden you hear a siren and you don’t where it’s coming from.  You wonder what to do, Should I pull over, keep driving, stop?  One thing is for sure. You have to get out of the way to let it pass because, after all, it is an emergency and someone needs help NOW!  And in a disaster, you have to be prepared because lives are at stake.  So in thinking about the end times, how much more should we have some kind of idea of the order of events and also be prepared? 

I believe that before we can really come to understand the end times, we need to know some important things about God, as He’s revealed Himself in His Word.  First, our God is a God of order, and this is what I want to talk about.  This is a tremendously comforting thought that God has everything lined up and there’s nothing that surprises Him or happens outside of His creation that He doesn’t already know about.   

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. 1 Cor. 14:33  NIV 

The fact that He is a God of order is very obvious when we look at creation.  When God began creation as we know it (see Genesis 1), there was a definite order to it; first there was light, then there was water, then there was sky, then land, then vegetation and so on.  He created everything, and then He created man at the last.  And just look at the minute detail in which He created everything -- the miracle of a single leaf, each snowflake is different, each of us have different fingerprints, the different seasons and the miracle of birth and re-birth.  In each 24 hour day, there is an order, from sunrise to sunset. In Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 2a, it says:  There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, (NIV).  God’s creation is both beautiful and beyond explanation and everything has an order. 

If you look at the Old Testament especially, you can see how important order is to God – just look at the building of the Tabernacle in Exodus, and all the laws for worshipping God in Leviticus.  God’s ways were exacting.  In the New Testament, God chose a former lawyer, Paul, who also knew the Jewish laws to the letter, to write much of the New Testament.  The Bible was inspired, but it was also written by mostly learned men.  There is an order in marriage (the husband is the head of the wife, see Eph. 5:23) and there is a definite order in the Church (Christ is the Head of the Church, Eph 5:23; I Cor. 12:28) and also in the way things are to be done.  And so it is when it comes to the end times, there is a definite order and no reason to be confused about it.  He has told us everything we need to know. 

Just as there is an order to a single day, and there is an order to the seasons (one follows another even though one may last longer than another), I believe if you go back in time, you can start to see that the events concerning God and how He deals with man can be divided into definite time periods.  Bible scholars call these blocks of time dispensations.   This is plausible if you also believe that God is sovereign, meaning that God has complete power.  So if we put the two together, God is a God of order and He is sovereign, it only makes sense to also believe that we would be able to understand God in human history in terms of these blocks of time, or dispensations.  Most scholars derive their information from C. I. Scofield.  There are numerous sites online that talk about dispensationalism, and it is generally agreed that there are seven dispensations (seven is also the number of God).   I’ve listed the seven below and found that this link is one of the better sites to consult about dispensation theology (gracenotes).   The Seven Dispensations are:

1.  Innocence -- from the creation of Adam and Eve until they fell into sin.

 2. Conscience -- from the fall into sin to Noah's flood.

3. Human Government -- from Noah to Abraham.

4. Promise -- from Abraham to Moses.

5.  Law -- from Moses to Christ.

6. Grace -- from the death of Christ to the rapture of the Church (approx. 2000 years).

7. Kingdom --where Christ reigns for 1000 years, (the millennium).

(** NOTE:  For a simple explanation with Biblical references to each dispensation, go to this article).

Most would agree we are in the age of Grace (#6).  So what happens between now and #7 is the end of the age as we know it, which (I believe) will include the Rapture, the 7 Year Tribulation (where the anti-Christ rules) ending with Armageddon and the 2nd Coming of Christ, then the 1000 year reign (#7), and finally the Great White Throne Judgement.

About the Age of Grace

Most scholars agree that we are currently experiencing the grace of God (#6).  In other words, He is not raising His Hand in severe world-wide judgement as long as the Church is here.  Some have said, “But what about Japan?”  Others have said, “What about Haiti and Australia and other countries that experienced natural disasters?”  Yes.  All of this is happening.  No one thought the First and Second World War would happen.  In fact, my parents have said that during the Great Depression of the 30’s and during both world wars, that many people thought it was the end of the world and that Hitler was the anti-Christ.  

I have always believed and been taught that Jesus will not snatch away (meaning “rapture”)  the Church until the Gospel has been preached to every person in every nation (Matt. 24:14), and then the Jewish nation will take over evangelizing.  But I’ve also believed that things will get shaken up like we’ve seen happening to get us doing just that – preaching the Gospel to every person.  No one is exempt from the persecution of man, but I believe that according to Scripture, we are exempt from the judgements and wrath of God.  However, we are not exempt from His loving discipline.  What does it have to take to get us consecrated to Him and doing the tasks He’s asked us to?

I do NOT believe for one minute that we are left here to go through the tribulation so that our sufferings will make us worthy to meet Christ.  No amount of suffering can ever make us worthy, but thank God we are accepted by Him and counted as one of His own thanks to Jesus when He died on the cross and forgave us each and every one of our sins (see Eph. 6:1).  But of course we must first receive Him before we receive this great salvation!  Suffering does not make us worthy, but it might draw us closer to Jesus, that’s for sure.  And I sometimes wonder if the current wars and disasters are happening to bring many more to Christ than could otherwise happen.  And if North America goes through more of these types of devastating disasters, I think it is meant to shake us up more than anything.  But it is not an indication that we are being “judged” by God to become better Christians!  I just don’t believe He is going to cripple us in the last days, but rather He is going to strengthen us, so that we can finish the work He has set before us and go out in blazing triumph and glory to Him!  But this doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t be persecuted or go through difficult trials!  What could result is what we’ve all been praying for – repentance, renewal and revival!  After all, nothing can drive us to our knees or the Word quicker than persecution, trials and near-miss disasters, don’t you agree? 

Thank you for reading and may God fill you with hope and joy!

What are we waiting for?

Today is the final day to discuss the end of the following message that I believe I received from the Lord several days ago (see highlight).  

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.  

Watch, and be ready, for then I will come for you.  

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:37-44 NIV

I have always believed that this passage Jesus referred to has to do with the Rapture of the Church and not the Second Coming (which I believe occurs AFTER the 7 Years Tribulation). At the Second Coming, people may be surprised, but they will expect Him if they have been reading and understanding Bible Prophecy and obviously living through the tribulation (Christians left behind especially will know it is the anti-Christ and recognize the mark of the Beast!). But, whenever the time period, the main message of the above Scripture is that Jesus is coming at an hour that could take us all by surprise and it could happen at any moment. (Note: An excellent movie about the Rapture and end times is Left Behind. You can watch the whole thing on You Tube.)  

I highlighted part of the Scripture because I find it interesting that it says he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. I find it puzzling in a way, that the Lord compares his coming to a thief breaking into a house unexpectedly. Another time when I read this part of the passage, the first thought I had was that it is more important than ever to stay tuned into God’s timetable of end time events by keeping a vigilant habit of prayer. In other words, if we pray AND listen to His specific instructions to us, we won’t be caught unaware when He does come for us.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. I Thess. 5:2-6 NIV

Before the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, life was going on pretty normal for me. I wasn’t thinking about end times, the Rapture or that the coming of the Lord is very very soon. I was busy going about my business working on the usual (my artworks business) and plugging through the day to day of this long cold winter. I was watching Christian programming (The Miracle Chanel, Vision and sometimes Grace TV), and sometimes a guest would mention the end times. But after the disaster in Japan, I couldn’t believe the destruction that was happening there. I became worried because I have friends that live there (although not in the part that was most affected). And I was astounded to see how their disaster never really ended, since they are still trying to fix the nuclear reactors that were affected by the earthquake. And even helicopters that were sent to help before they realized the gravity of the nuclear reactors breaking down, had to turn back for fear of radiation poisoning! And then I thought about how their economic situation affects the west in terms of vehicles and electronics and numerous other exports. Wasn’t the yen one of the strongest monetary systems in the world? Their bank had to pour billions of dollars into the economy to prevent a collapse. The food shelves in the stores were empty and people had to stay inside. This is on top of losing their homes, entire villages, loved ones, neighbours and friends. How much more will they have to take?  

So after this, I noticed that some of the programming on the Christian stations were not talking about the disaster in Japan, but that we are living in the last days or the end times. I don’t think all of the programs were airing these programs dealing with end times because of the Japan disaster. I just think it was the timing of the Lord urging some of these programs to remind us that we are indeed in a time like no other! The general message is that the Church age is coming to a close and Jesus is coming back soon. It’s really a glorious time for every believer in Christ, but a terrible time for those who refuse to believe and get left behind, for they haven’t even begun to see the destruction that is yet to come. (And we’ve already been warned in the message that we’re currently discussing that the nations will be judged!) So for me, my current wake-up call was to write this blog and connect people to my web-site which offers some of the books I’ve written (as a free read) that I also felt I should write and complete. I began writing the books in earnest in 2001 and began publishing them myself in 2006.  

It’s almost been 10 years since the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, September 11, 2001. I remember that day my world changed, and not just because of anything the newscasters said about it threatening our free democratic society and the way air travel would become such a pain with heightened security (which should have been there anyways). But it was really the first time that I can remember feeling such a strong calling and pull to write the books I had felt inspired to write forever so long. So rather than toying with the idea, I started writing them in earnest and since then have written 14 inspirational non-fiction books, one art book, two full-length fiction, plus three complete manuals for creative writing courses (and add to this six chapbooks of poetry). One of the books is a complete family history of my mother’s side and I also did another complete family history on my father’s side. I have about three more books forth-coming, but not as urgent as some of the non-fictional inspirational that I knew I had to complete and publish. In addition to the strong call to write these books, I believe that the Lord asked me to put aside my personal goals and dreams (mostly traveling) because He is going to come soon and I had a lot of work to do and still do!  

But do I feel ready for the Lord’s return? Far from it. It still feels like there’s so much work yet to be done. I don’t mean just writing the books; I mean that every time I step outside the door, there is someone in need in one way or the other. I try to pray for at least one stranger a day and try to make a difference, even in the smallest ways (although I must admit I often fall short). So how do we get ready? Once again, I believe that we must keep in touch with the only One, the Lord Jesus, who knows all things and He will speak to us about how we need to get ready and what more we need to do.  

Thank you for reading and may God bless your day!

What in the World?

Now we are nearing the end of the discussion on this very important message I believe that I received from the Lord several days ago.  So today’s topic is about our involvement with the world (see highlight below). 

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. 

Avoid the entanglements of the world, for it will soon pass away.

I remember after returning home from a life-changing year at Bible school that I was really curious to know and very concerned about how to live in the world (system) and yet not become part of it.  Prior to going to Bible School, I had lived a lifestyle that had started out as fun, but ended up binding me in chains.  I certainly didn’t want to return to that!  So I began to search the Scripture to see what I could find about how to live in the world and not get caught up in its many pleasures and enticements like I had done before.  What resulted was a thorough study of the world in which we live (a world system that is mostly ungodly), from a Biblical perspective.  One of my papers got published, entitled “No Compromise.”  And then I spent about 25 years researching the topic of backsliding (you’ll find this word in the book of Jeremiah) and I wrote it a few times before I published it.   

In my research on backsliding, I uncovered three major things that contribute to our own backsliding (which means to turn away from God).  They are the world, the flesh (our own selves and the choices we make), and the devil, or Satan.  Most of the cause, I discovered, was the world in which we live and how we choose to respond to what’s out there.  I also discovered that I wouldn’t need too many outside sources to write the book because the Bible was absolutely filled with accounts of how people faltered in their faith because they allowed the world in which they lived to influence them and pull them away from the things of God.  Most notably, I spent a great deal of time reading about the Children of Israel and their journey through the wilderness.  I just couldn’t understand how they could continue to turn away from God even though He had miraculously freed them from slavery under cruel taskmasters back in Egypt.  What was going on anyway?  God was with them (by cloud and fire), was providing for all of their needs and they were going to a wondrous place – the Promised Land that God had promised Abraham hundreds of years before (the account of their journey is found in Exodus). 

After careful study, I started to figure out what was happening and it all had to do with the world they had left behind.  It wasn’t too far into the journey and they wanted to turn back and return to Egypt.  Why?  Hadn’t they been freed as slaves?  Wasn’t God providing for their needs?  When I came to the part where they asked Aaron to build a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, it became clearer what was happening to them (see Exodus 32:1).  Have you ever wondered where they got the gold to build the golden calf?  It was from the gold they had pillaged on their way out of Egypt!  So even though they had been freed from the slavery in Egypt, their hearts had never changed.  They begrudgingly followed Moses, but wanted the life they had left behind.  Idolatry was their undoing and many people died that very day because of it. 

So I made another connection – if we continue to love the things of the world, our hearts will not belong exclusively to God (1 John 2:15  Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. NIV).  Is this asking a lot?  As soon as we make a choice to follow Jesus, we are choosing to give Him our all.  This is the very least we can give Him since He gave up His life for us. 

In the opening message we see the word entanglements.  Yesterday I talked about us being in a battle.  Let’s look at the following verse:

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  2 Timothy 2:4    

Have you ever felt like a soldier in God’s army?  I have, but probably not nearly as much as I know I should.  How easy it is to get led astray.  When I’m writing my books, my body becomes weary and my mind sometimes wanders.  I’d rather take the easy way out and go and watch some TV or go shopping.  In fact, there are times, I’ve shut off the computer and left my writing for months at a time, hardly the picture of a good soldier (I should explain that writing my articles and books is, I think, one of my life’s callings and ministries. I’ve been compelled to write inspirational material for most of my life.)  And when I am writing, sometimes I’ve taken a break to play spider solitaire or some other addicting and mindless computer game.  So time drifts by until I get some kind of a wake-up call to get busy and get back to my writing.  I’ve had to learn to discipline myself and it hasn’t been easy.  I know there are much worse distractions (entanglements) than the ones I’ve mentioned, but a distraction is a distraction, no matter what it is.  Even researching the internet can become a huge distraction.  Sometimes I’ve been looking up new card, sewing or jewelry design ideas and have killed hour after hour just surfing and going off on all sorts of tangents that had nothing to do with my original search.  Now it’s texting too.  Are we entangled in the net and can’t get out? 

Avoid the entanglements of the world, for it will soon pass away. 

Time.  It always comes down to time.  Whenever I attend a funeral, I am reminded of time as foe.  Time doesn’t wait for anybody, but rages on like a flood of water cascading over the falls.  Do we have projects we need to finish, or people we need to love and/or people we need to forgive?  Is there a friend we promised we’d call and didn’t?  Have we been putting off that really time-intensive and difficult task that we put on the shelf over a year or two ago?  I know I have.  And most important, are we ready to say goodbye to the things of this world and move forward to the next level of our spiritual life? As good and faithful stewards of the life we have been given, may we strive to keep our focus on the things that really matter, and leave behind the things that don’t. 

Thank you for reading and please join me on the next blog for the last part of the opening message.

  

Embracing the Truth

Once again, here is the message that I received several days ago, that I believe the Lord gave me to share:

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.

In yesterday’s blog “A Right to Judge?” we discussed the line before:  I will smite the nations that do not honor Me.  And so today we’ll discuss: But you will be spared if you embrace My Truth as your most sacred armament. 

For most of this day I have been praying and pondering over this line and what it means.  In fact, what you are reading now is my third attempt at searching for the meaning that I believe God wants to reveal.  I feel very humbled already even to think that He has given us something incredibly Holy and powerful and that He has allowed all humankind access (except in some restricted countries) to His Holy Word, the Word of Truth, the Holy Bible.  In the Bible He has revealed Himself, the God of the whole universe, of the earth, of us and of all things “created.”  He didn’t have to give us the Bible and tell us anything at all about Himself.  He didn’t have to give us a tried and true Guideline for living that would bring us life (abundant life), give us hope, and promise us success if we apply His principles, not to mention a roadmap to the hereafter.  But He did.  I have found that the Bible is a treasure like none other. 

But what happens when we neglect to read and study the Bible?  There is a very good chance that we will leave ourselves open to being led astray.  We’re exhorted in the following: 

Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.  Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.  2 Timothy 2:14-18  NIV 

When we neglect the Word of God, I believe we walk away from our Lord, although perhaps not intentionally.  I’d like to share a personal story of what happened to me (spiritually) when I started to neglect the Bible.  I have a degree in Arts and I majored in English Literature and Political Studies (and later History).  What a grand time I had!  I read many of the classics (English, Canadian, American, Italian, etc.), and then studied books on socialism, naturalism, universalism and about as many “isms” as you can name.  Part of my studies included philosophy, so I read Plato and other great philosophers.  I absolutely loved it all – it stretched my thinking and I became a “critical” thinker since I had to reference many different sources when I wrote my research essays.  You might ask, “So what is wrong with that?” 

Well, in the process of immersing myself in all these wonderful books (I love reading and still do!), my mind was changing – it was so tuned into the thoughts and philosophies of and from (many) godless men (certainly not all), that I started to become dull to the thoughts, intents and purposes of God.  Don’t get me wrong, I still read the Bible and went to church, but my thoughts were predominantly on what I was studying in university at the time.  In some of my essays I made connections to the Bible, and I would defend a Biblical position in front of the whole class including the Professor (whom in one class was a professing atheist/communist) but I was no longer “on fire” with the Word of God.  After I graduated (after six years of night school and working full time) I now had time to go back to my routine of reading and studying the Bible, and it was time to really start researching and writing my book about backsliding.  Well, sad to say, when I went to read and research the precious Word of God that had brought me so much life and joy and continued revelation of my Lord and Savior, Jesus, it felt like I was reading a foreign language!  There was no life or understanding for me although it had been there consistently before and for several years. 

So I panicked, “What has happened to me?” and then I cried.  I begged God to reveal His Word to me again, like He did before.  I believe what I was really missing was Him.  But Jesus is such a gentleman and He’s so patient.  He waits for us to be ready.  So I had to wait.  During that time of waiting and continuing to read the Bible and other wholesome Christian literature, I felt like I had been brainwashed and was now going through the slow and painful process of detoxifying (getting rid of the world’s anti-godly philosophies that had taken hold in my mind and heart).  Wow!  I never knew that this would ever happen to me, ever, that I could be that easily led astray.  It all sounded so good, but isn’t this what the very pavement to hell is made of?  It’s so easy to get drawn in and it sounds so good. 

Now I am in no way against secular education.  I have two degrees from a secular university.  I love reading, and learning, researching and teaching.  I thank God for the many wonderful books out there that I’ve been privileged enough to read.  But in my own life I’ve learned this – I have to love God’s Word more than any other book, especially if I say I love God.  The Psalmist writes in Psalm 119 (worth reading the entire chapter beyond what I’ve shared here): 

Psa 119:1  ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Psa 119:2  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Psa 119:3  They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Psa 119:4  Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

Psa 119:5  O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Psa 119:6  Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

Psa 119:7  I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

Psa 119:8  I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

Psa 119:9  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Psa 119:10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Psa 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psa 119:12  Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

Psa 119:13  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

Psa 119:14  I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

Psa 119:15  I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

Psa 119:16  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psa 119:17  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

Psa 119:18  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Psa 119:19  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

Psa 119:20  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.  

If you really want to get into the Word of God, give yourself an assignment.  Pick a topic that really interests you (let’s say it might be on the word love), download e-sword (it’s a free download of the entire Bible), and do a search under the Bible menu.  Start reading all the verses you can find in the Bible on that one word and you will start not only reading the Bible, but “researching” the Bible.  You will be blessed indeed, and if you write out your thoughts or questions about it, then you will now be “studying” the Bible.  Perhaps this is something you already do.  

So back to the beginning line of the message: But you will be spared if you embrace My Truth as your most sacred armament. 

My father was a brave soldier who fought on the front lines in Italy during World War II.  He was later told that he had been in one of the bloodiest and most intensive battles of the entire war, and he himself was shot.  Many of his friends died in that battle.  My father shared his entire war experience with me and some of his story is published.  I often think about him running out on that field amongst army tanks and men shooting with rifles, the smell of the gun powder and the terrible sound of the shells dropping, the men around him dying and some in pain.  He said it was terrifying and so confusing that at times, he didn’t know the enemy from a fellow soldier.  How do you go into a battle field?  You have to be prepared.  So much of my dad’s story was about the years of preparation for those few horrible days on the front lines.  He went in prepared.  He was physically and mentally trained and he was equipped.  He knew what to do, how to fight and how to defend himself.  The battle of the Christian is the same.  We have to be prepared and equipped with the truth of God’s Word against all the untruth that’s out there that tries to pull us in and away from the things of God.  After all, we’re on the winning side and God has given us what it takes to be victorious (His Spirit and His Word), one battle after another. 

Thank you for reading and I encourage you to enjoy the gift of God’s Word today.