The Audacity To Hope? Not Really

The world has been focused on one man that they expect to give them their definition of hope. Barack Obama wrote a book called the “Audacity of Hope” which was based on a fiery sermon by his mentor and pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

Obama says he doesn’t remember the harsh rhetoric of his pastor, because maybe he was watching the show and didn’t hear the words? Who knows.

Wright’s sermon, or ranting, depending on how you look at it, was about the audacity to hope and is where Obama pulled his title of his book. So at least he was listening long enough to pull this title for his much publicized book.

I remember reading somewhere, that Wright preached about Hannah in the 1st chapter of Samuel, praying for what she did not see, and kept on praying all the while, Wright is weaving a story of hope by using a painting by George Watts called “HOPE”. It’s a painting of a women sitting on top of the world with her strings of her harp broken, all but one. She bandaged and wounded, but plucks her harp with one string while praising God. He submits that both are praying for something that they never knew would be answered in the affirmative.

In other words she had the boldness, the daring, the courage, the nerve, even the gall, to pray and keep on praying. The implication is that God had given her no indication that He was listening, but she had the bravery to pray nonetheless.

This is taking hope in the wrong direction, toward wishing. Hope is not based on the audacity to make the request, but on faith that God is true. That His Word does not change, that scripture cannot be broken and that God keeps his promises to his people. God cannot lie.

This world’s view of hope is some future thing that they are uncertain of attaining, They want more money, a luxury car, a beautiful home, or whatever else they greatly desire, but they may or may not get it. Webster’s Dictionary says that “hope implies little certainty but suggests confidence or assurance in the possibility that what one desire or longs for will happen.” Is that how we define hope?



Looking to find the definition of hope in the Old Testament we find these words:

1.Tiqvah, (tik-vah) literally a cord, an attachment, expectancy, expectation, hope, live, thing that I long for.

2. Yachal (yaw-chal) to wait, be patient, hope, to trust.

3. Sebar (say-bar) expectation.

4. Kecel (keh-sel) trusting in folly, as your hope is in gold or silver.

5. Betach (beh-takh) place of refuge, safety, security.



Looking to the New Testament for the words used to define hope in Greek:

The word is Elpis (el-pece) to anticipate, usually with pleasure, expectation or confidence.



Hope is found 140 times in the Bible, 80 times in the New Testament alone using the Greek word “Elpis”.



Romans 5:1-5

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

The word “stand” is translated from the Greek ‘histemi’, and in the context means “to continue, endure, or persist.” Our calling, election, repentance, and justification enables us to stand before God in the sense of being given access into His presence. After that , receiving the gift of His Holy Spirit and continuing on to salvation itself by means of His grace.

Romans 8:22-27

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

We as Christians rely on the eternal hope of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as our High Priest, making intercession for His saints. Not some man with a good personality and a charismatic style of speaking. People feign after a good speaker in a cult of a personality and hold them up as their answer to their earthly problems. In troubling times, our hope is in Christ, He will see us through.

I know some Christians have anxiety about coming events that might signal persecution or tribulation that could be right around the bend. They fret and worry and instead of having hope and faith in Jesus, they ponder the times by living in fear or denial, because they worry if they can stay faithful during hard times.

I was talking to my wife this morning and she made the comment that we should be praying for our president, not condemning him. She noted that God could change his heart and influence his policies and we should pray for the healing of our nation. I would totally agree with that statement. I don’t know his heart, but his actions are contrary to the laws of God, and what this nation was built upon. But whatever may come, I’m bound to turn to Psalms 91 and read the verse. “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at they right hand, but it will not some near you. For thou shalt see with thine eyes the punishment of the wicked. If you make the most High your dwelling, even the Lord who is my refuge, then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.”

He is our Blessed Hope….God is in charge. We have no need to fret!

Now let’s turn to another passage where hope is part of the theme:

1st Corinthians 13:9-13

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Here Paul lists hope as one of the “big three” virtues of Christianity. Whereas faith is the foundation on which the other two stand, and love is the object because it enables us to communicate, interact properly, and unite. Hope is the quality that motivates and provides energy by keeping us in the anticipation of greater and better things to come.

Hope, as used in Scripture, is not difficult to define. It appears as both a noun and a verb and conveys the absolute certainty of future good. In other words, even in the Kingdom of God here on earth and into eternity, we will always be eagerly looking forward to some blessing or accomplishment as age upon age unfolds before us. This will occur because God’s revelation never ends, as He Himself is an inexhaustible resource.

Paul makes another contrast by in Galatians 5:4-6:

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”



What sanctifies a person is faith through the working of love. These three verses introduce “Spirit “ and they are important. They show that faith works through love and because of love. Meaning if the person has the right faith in the right Person, he will produce love as a fruit because of that faith in that Person. That Person, is Jesus Christ.

Now what is the definition of love found in the Bible? “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1John 5:3) That’s is just beautiful. Paul is saying if we believe in the right things, and in the right Person, and have faith, it will produce keeping the commandments of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Folks claim that is legalism. I disagree. Although they have nothing to do with salvation, faith and love found in the right Person will cause you to WANT to do what is right in the site of God.

Turn with me to Ephesians 1:17-23

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

What is meant by “enlightened” in v. 18? Does He not enlighten us so that we turn our lives toward Him and the hope of achieving an eternity spent with Him? That faith and hope begins right here, right now. Not some future event. We hope and press for the reward promised us. To attain the resurrection of the dead, or to be changed in the “twinkling of an eye” and to join Him in His glory and “so we shall ever be with the Lord”. That is our hope. Jesus is our hope, our only hope. By his grace and his willing sacrifice, our expectation is with eagerness, our longing for the next life and to spend eternity with Him.

Now turn to a passage any reader familiar with this site should know by heart, but to you first time visitors, let’s read 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18:

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Probably one of the most beloved passages that has been printed on the website of Rapture Ready. These verses regard the return of Jesus Christ at the sound of the last trump.

So where in the grand scheme of things in AD 50, the possible date of Paul’s writing of this epistle? It is a mere nineteen years since Christ was crucified, raised from the dead, and ascended to the right Hand of the Father. At this time, they were looking for Christ’s return at any moment and He had not returned yet. Some people then, as people as now, fretting about the return of our Lord. They wonder, “why is it taking so long”. Their faith and their hope is beginning to fade. So Paul exhorts them here and even as you read his words, to exhort them to get back on track.

Are you fretting about the economy, the perception of trials and tribulations, a lost job, or maybe you’re worried about loosing your home? Get your hope and faith back on track!! That’s what I pray that you will glean from this article and increase your faith, and be looking for that blessed hope. “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (John 15:19) We are in this world, but we are not of it. We are as pilgrims passing through. Sojourners looking for a home, not built with hands, but by God.

Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

The thrust of the verses here that Paul writes exhorts us to quit looking back and longing for this world, but to live not to our former lives We must be looking forward to life eternal with our minds focused on the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must be preparing for that future, glorious event. That should motivate us to change our conduct as we live in this evil world. If we don’t have this glorious hope found in us, we’ll just be inclined to drift around in pursuit of trivial, useless carnal living. We will fail to use the grace that God bestowed upon us, to grow in His image, and to produce the kind of fruit He expects of all of His children.

1st Peter 1:13-16

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Now drop down to verse 21 of this chapter to verse 23:

“Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Paul gives us practical application of this hope, under girded by faith. Hope and faith can go to work for us and produce wonders. God’s calling is definitely wonderful, but God does intent for us to go off in a daydream. Peter declares in a call to arms. “Pull yourself together. Roll up your sleeves. Give hard thought and wrestle with the practical implications of your call to salvation.”

1st John 3:1-3:

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Our hope is to be conformed to the image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We long to see Him as He is. Our hope is to enter into His kingdom, beginning when He breaks into the clouds and calls the dead in Christ out of their graves and we being alive, changed instantly to ever be with the Lord. We sanctify ourselves and live as close to what He lived by the power of God’s Holy Spirit giving us strength and increasing our faith and trust in Him. If we do this, we can’t help but produce the kind of fruit pleasing to God and in so doing so, prepare us for His glorious appearing.

Obama and his “Audacity to Hope” implies that we really have no reason to hope. No sign has been given from above that anyone is listening, yet we boldly hope nonetheless. This may be true for those in the world and it is undoubtedly true for those waiting for the government to improve their lives. The world is looking to Obama to be their political savior, but it mustn’t be true for us. We are saved by faith and a hope in Christ Jesus. This hope is so strong that it carries us and supports us through whatever trial may present itself.

When studying these scriptures God has laid on my heart, I keep being reminded of the an old hymn that sums it up:

MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS, THAN JESUS BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. I DARE NOT TRUST THE SWEETEST FRAME, BUT WHOLLY LEAN ON JESUS NAME.

ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND. ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND. ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND.

No, brethren, we do not come out of this world and its politics because of a wish or a dream, but rather we come out of sin as a response to the hope, the trust, and the faith that God has placed in us, by His Holy Spirit.

Do not fret about world events. Increase your faith and hope. Look always expectantly upwards for the reward of your hope and faith, the coming of our Lord, as He ushers in His soon coming Kingdom.

God bless you and give you the faith and hope to believe solely on the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and make that personal commitment for Him to be Lord of your life., Amen.

Understanding God’s Will

Proverbs 20:24 poses an important question concerning discovering God’s will. It asks, “A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” On the surface, one could say this is a rhetorical question, saying that following your own way is a sure way to go astray. But the question is framed against the reality that the way is planned by a man’s heart. In light of this truth, I think the question is rather deep, and exploring it could unlock some deeper truths.

It seems like a contradiction to have Proverbs 16:9 set beside Proverbs 20:24. Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” If a man’s heart plans his way, I would think the man would want to “understand his own way” so that the plan will be good. Proverbs 14:8 says, “The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way.”

So, first, planning your own way is not a bad thing. It is what God says a person does with the heart. The challenge of understanding it, though, still remains. To understand this concept, some terms need to be defined. What is the way? What is the destination? What are steps in the way? What is understanding?

The way is the road I travel to get to the destination. Planning my way would be like highlighting the roads on a map to get from point A to point B. Of course, there is no map of life. Life is lived and is in time, not something that can be unfolded, touched, and plotted. The correct road, or way, is identified in Proverbs 16:17, which states, “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.”

It’s a hard metaphor to grasp because the highway of the upright is not a tangible road I can actually walk down. My highway may be different from your highway; though, it is clear they are the same in that the right one is the one that departs from evil.

The correct road is long. Proverbs 16:31 says, “A silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.”

What is at the end of this long road? Proverbs 18:10 describes the destination: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” Our destination is the refuge of our Lord.

So the Lord guides our steps. We are presented with life. We walk in it every day. Things that happen around us and to us, and we act and react to our environment, making decisions along the way.

So what does it mean to understand? How can a man understand his own way?

Proverbs 9:10 defines understanding as “knowledge of the Holy One.” This is the key to understanding the way planned by the heart and walked in God-guided steps. The more one knows about God, the more one understands his own way. It seems obvious, but without acknowledging that, getting to know God took a back seat to striving to learn His will for me. His will for me was there the whole time.

What an awesome message about God it is to know that His will for me is to know Him! And doing His will, or knowing God, is what guides my steps in life.

Eagerly Awaiting

I sure am! What am I eagerly awaiting? The return to earth of the Son of God – Jesus Christ. I have been really only since God rescued me back three or four years ago. It does make sense. After all, by the power of the Holy Spirit, God created a new heart within me that loves Him exceedingly. So it is no wonder I’ve been longing to be with my Saviour since then: it’s no wonder I long for His return. That is true for every Christian; every person whose heart has been recreated by God’s power – because He has put a heart within them that loves Him! If a professing Christian isn’t longing for Jesus to come back (as He Himself has promised to, and commended us to watch for), then it could well be because they don’t have a heart that loves Jesus: that they aren’t saved.

No true Christian feels at home in this world. They always will feel out of place. Jesus said:

‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ (Matthew 6:21 - NIV)

That is a clear statement that gives evidence of whether you truly are a Christian or not. If your heart is set on the things of this world - your plans and desires and thoughts are all consumed with temporal, earthly things – then that is where your treasure awaits. In other words, if you aren’t focussed on eternal things, you don’t have an eternal treasure waiting; meaning eternal life! That is talking about what consumes your time; what the overall pattern of your life is. Of course even true Christians get off track and focus on earthly things at times, but not as the overall pattern of their life – they will be set on eternity. Jesus said:

‘If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.’ (John 15:19 - NIV)

So if you do feel at home with the world, and it loves you and treats you like everyone else (this is talking of the way non-Christians treat you), then chances are you’re not born of God. Because if God is transforming you into the image of His Son, which He is with every Christian – then every unbeliever (all of who have a heart that hates God and the truth, according to the bible) will hate you more and more. Of course they will: the more you become more like the God they are hostile to in their depraved minds. It is inevitable. We truly are aliens and strangers in this world, as the bible says. We don’t belong to the world; we belong to God who chose us out of the world. That is the biblical characteristic of all those with genuine faith in God. Is that your description? Do you feel like an alien and stranger in the world? If not, you probably belong to the world and not to God (Hebrews 11:13-16).

Because of these things, I believe every one of Christ’s sheep will be eagerly awaiting His return. It is clear the early church were, by the apostle’s writings, and it is clear throughout the church age Christians were longing for Christ’s return in their generation and time (just read hymn lyrics from all throughout time – it was simply words coming out of a people that loved God). Today is just the same. But the Scriptures seem to indicate one of the characteristics of this time nearing the end of the age is that:

‘in the last days scoffers will come, following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. But they deliberately forgot that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men.’ (2 Peter 3:3-7 - NIV)

This is talking about people who have an understanding of Scripture; that is very clear in that they know about the Lord’s coming. They obviously have a basic grasp of prophecy and the bible, and the words of Jesus. They scoff at the idea of Jesus returning soon, and maybe even doubt the actual physical return of Jesus (one of the ploys Satan has used since the garden – doubt of the truth of God’s word – or distortion of this truth – or denial of this truth). They claim time continues to go on. If told that there are many signs today of the Lord’s soon return (in nature, society, Israel, the church, and many other arenas), they will say these things always happened (like earthquakes etc). They cannot see that the birth pains are increasing and the birth is about to occur, because these signs are rising dramatically and are all aligning and happening at once. They doubt that God would ever come back to destroy this world and every person who doesn’t have faith in Christ. They hate a God like that who is righteous and holy as well as merciful and full of grace and kindness (the true God of Scripture) because of their evil hearts, so they cannot accept God’s promise to return. They cannot see through spiritual eyes just how evil the world is at this time. I cannot understand why God has not come back to judge the earth yet! When I see the evil around and begin to see how much God hates it, I only start to grasp the riches of His mercy already shown to us. These people, Peter implies, are within the “church” of this age (the ‘last days’). Look around! It fits the description of so many. It used to fit me. A huge number have even embraced a false doctrine that Christ won’t physically return. Pure ridiculous. They cannot accept what scripture clearly says. And many say, “Every generation expected Christ to return in their time, and so far they’ve all been wrong, so why should we now?” Well of course they always did, because they had hearts that loved God and longed to be with Him, and they simply took to heart God’s words when He told us to be prepared and expect His return. Paul and the apostles did – they lived and breathed as though Christ would come at any moment! So how much more should we today? Peter says these scoffers will follow their own evil desires. Their seeking of God will be a self-centred seeking, a lust-based seeking, fuelled by their own desires. The result of this will always be a critical view of God’s warnings. If you look at the Western “church” today, most people have this view, and only a minority are truly believing in Jesus’ imminent return and living it out as the general pattern of their life. Could these ones be the real Christians? Peter infers this. He infers these scoffers won’t see His coming (verse 10 says it will come like a thief to them – and later we will show it won’t come like a thief to true children of the light), in other words, they won’t be taken by Christ along with the rest of the saints of the church age.

There is a link between these people, the scoffers Peter describes, and people Paul describes in his letter to the church in Philippi:

‘For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 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.’ (Philippians 3:18-21 - NIV)

Here, by context, Paul is speaking of people in the church (professing Christians). He says many will go to hell. Not just a minority, or a few here and there – but MANY. There are two types of professing Christians in the church; one type live as enemies of the cross by the way they walk/their lifestyle. The characteristics of these people are again a self-based seeking of God. They just do whatever their own desires tell them. They feed their desires. Of course they’re living as enemies of the cross, because the cross is all about self-denial and the Lordship of Jesus, and submission to His will and Word. These people, Paul makes clear (a large number in the church setting) will not see the coming of the Lord at His return. He also contrasts them from ‘us’, in other words the true Christians, who are eagerly awaiting the return of Christ. The others have their mind on ‘earthly things’. That goes hand in hand with a destiny of destruction. He says ‘we’ don’t have our mind on earthly things, but on the Lord’s return. Why? Because our very citizenship is in heaven. Of course our mind won’t be on where we truly don’t belong. In other words, if we truly have a citizenship in heaven, we will be focussed and thinking about this heaven. If our mind is on earthly things as a pattern, then our citizenship is simply not in heaven. So Paul clearly makes a distinction between two types of people in the church. From the last few scriptures that we have explored, we can draw a table marking down their definite characteristics. Let me say again: these characteristics are the general pattern of their lives; the fruit of their faith or lack of faith; how they ‘walk’:


TRUE CHRISTIANS:
DECIEVED CHRISTIANS:

- A number who claim to be Christian
- Many people who claim to be Christian

- Have a Christ-centred seeking of God, based upon the truth of His Word, denying self and their own fleshly desires. Live in submission to Christ as Lord
- Have a self-centred seeking of God. In reality are not seeking the true God, but a god they desire formed in their own flesh and mind. Don’t deny themselves, but lives as enemies of the cross

- Mind on heavenly things
- Mind on earthly things

- Eagerly await Christ’s return
- Don’t eagerly await Christ’s return

- Destiny/citizenship is heaven and eternal life
- Destiny is destruction/hell

- Boast in Jesus Christ, not in their own flesh or strength, and nothing of this world
- Boast in things they should be ashamed of, like things they’ve done and can do in their own flesh

- They will see Christ returning. It won’t surprise them. They’ll expect it
- They won’t see Christ’s coming. To them it will come like a thief and surprise

- They’ll long for, believe in, and proclaim Christ’s coming, and in love warn of judgement to come
- They will scoff at Christ’s imminent return, and other promises and warnings of coming judgement

It’s amazing how much truth we can extract from just a few passages of scripture! Paul said in the previous scripture that these destined for judgement within the “church” (quoted because God’s definition of church is different than ours) are ‘living as enemies of the cross’. It doesn’t matter about their profession of faith; that means absolutely nothing. It doesn’t matter about their church attendance or any other religious activity. The general pattern of their how they live (day in, day out) shows they don’t walk in self denial and putting God’s will above their own, but following their own desires. So Jesus doesn’t have Lordship over them. Christians won’t have this as a pattern. They won’t walk like this. They may have characteristics of an unbeliever for a short time. But God will reprove them by His Word. He will discipline them out of His love for them as their Father (Hebrews 12:4-11). They won’t as a lifestyle have a single characteristic of an unbeliever described above. It is not a matter of matching up to most of the above characteristics. If you’re a professing Christian in the church you’ll either have all of one list or the other. If you have a single characteristic of a deceived Christian, that gives evidence you are deceived. Why? Because these characteristics show forth the nature of the heart of a person: they go hand in hand. And you can’t have one nature/heart and another at the same time – we’re talking about the very root of your being. You’re either a new creation or you’re not! To deny that you’re completely a new person in Christ, with new characteristics and nature and fruit, is to deny the power of God to truly and completely change someone’s heart. It is to diminish God’s mighty power, and take away from His nature. This can be done even in a practical way. Someone

who lives in a way that is not completely different than the way they were before they became a Christian (who still has characteristics of an unbeliever, like sinful living, or mind on earthly things) is denying, even without words, that they really are a new creation, that God is truly mighty to save not only from the penalty but also from the power of sin, and the power of the Holy Spirit. How can anyone have a true encounter with the Spirit of God and not be permanently changed? Mind you, Paul also said that these days would be characterised by these very people – people who have a practical denial of God’s power to change their nature in salvation:

‘People will be lovers of themselves........ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.’ (2 Timothy 3:2,5 – NIV)

And later on, Paul says these same people are:

‘.... loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth........ these men oppose the truth – men of depraved minds, who, as far as faith is concerned, are rejected.’ (2 Timothy 3:6-8 - NIV)

These people Paul is talking about are in the last days. The context:

‘But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.’ (2 Timothy 3:1 - NIV)

Clearly this is our time: the season of the end of this current age, the time of the Gentiles. We know this not only because of the clear signs of the season in numerous quantities. But this passage shows this too

because clearly at this time there is a lot of apostasy in the church, and because of our lack of knowledge of God and ways of God, and how we have been filtered with many false doctrines and teachings (and perhaps also the lack of loving church discipline), the church is filled with people who are practically denying the power of God. They ‘have a form of godliness but denying its power’. I was one of them for a long time, so the only thing in my heart is love and sorrow for these people – the vast majority of our Western “church”. It is also because we have this last century or so watered down and changed the gospel of our Lord. So back to the table on the previous page: If you say you have one of the characteristics of a deceived Christian but call yourself saved, there is a high chance you are lost. Because in identifying even a single biblical characteristic of a deceived Christian (fruit of lack of genuine conversion), but then saying you are still a Christian, you are denying the power of God to change your very nature that leads to this evidence/fruit of conversion. And this denial of God’s power, even of a single characteristic, according to the passage in 2 Timothy shows you, ‘as far as faith is concerned, are rejected’. Wow!

Notice also, a characteristic of lost people in the church is being ‘swayed by all kinds of evil desires’: that self-centred based seeking again. They do whatever their own desires tell them to; their god is their stomach.

They are also ‘always learning, but never able to acknowledge the truth’. In regard to the promise of Christ’s return, that is why they scoff; because they are actually not able to acknowledge this is what will happen, what God has declared it in His Word. That is why they are not eagerly awaiting the return of Christ Jesus, which as we’ve seen, is a characteristic of a true believer.

This indeed is the theme of this piece of writing (believe it or not): that indeed, every Christian will be eagerly awaiting the return of their groom, Jesus Christ. I have explained a few reasons why this is so, like for example how it comes from our love of God and the fact our citizenship is in heaven. As we’ve seen, another major reason is because unbelievers pursuit and seeking of God is a selfish lust-based seeking which leads to an attitude of scoffing God’s Word in regard to warnings (because they are believing only what they want to believe, not true faith which is believing it because God has said it, and His nature is trustworthy) which leads to being apathetic towards Christ’s return. True believers cannot be.

To the church in Corinth, Paul says:

‘Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.’ (1 Corinthians 1:7 - NIV)

Again, Paul emphasises that they are eagerly awaiting the rapture (note ‘Christ to be revealed; His meeting with them in the clouds. This revealing is for Christians and not for the rest of the world; that will come at His actual second coming back to earth where He will set foot on the Mount of Olives). Paul clearly sees it as being something inevitable with these Christians, something completely expected, not out of the ordinary or unusual or only something a few would do. He is addressing the whole church: all the believers.

Paul addresses the church in Thessalonica:

‘They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.’ (I Thessalonians 1:9-10 - NIV)

Paul is reporting to these people how he had heard they had become Christian; how they had turned from idols to serve God, and how they also began to wait for Jesus to return. The two are clearly linked. For these things, they are exhorted. This whole passage is talking about Paul’s thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ faith – how he has heard about their conversion. The things Paul was told about them are the very characteristics of their faith (the evidence), that cause Paul to give thanksgiving as they demonstrated it in these ways. After all, if you didn’t have faith in God and His Word, why would you be waiting for Christ’s return? It actually shows you do have faith. It shows you believe God will do what he said He will do! That is, return to earth for His awaiting bride. This is clearly shown by the parable of the wise and foolish virgins at Christ’s return (Matthew 25:1-13). The wise ones, who we know were Christians because they had oil: the seal of the Holy Spirit, could see their groom coming when He returned at midnight. His bride can see Him coming! Every Christian can see our Lord’s return as imminent; they’re expecting Him. The above passage says that Jesus will rescue us from ‘the coming wrath’. If you

don’t believe Christ will rescue us from the time of God’s wrath being poured out upon the earth (the time of tribulation, or Day of the Lord), then of course you won’t be waiting for Jesus: you’ll be waiting first for the antichrist to appear! If the church is raptured later on, why should we be expecting Christ to come at any moment? And why then does Scripture say above that He will rescue us from wrath to come? And why should we obey Jesus:

“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man”.’ (Luke 21:36 - NIV)

Where His command for us, in the context of the return of Christ, is to pray we’d be able to escape all that is to come, but instead stand before Him? If the church is raptured after the time of tribulation, wouldn’t it make more sense to not eagerly await Christ’s return that is now not at all imminent, but instead wait for the antichrist being revealed which precedes Christ’s appearing to His bride? That is why anything other than what the bible teaches is silly! Christ’s return is imminent! It can happen at any moment. Only our Father in heaven knows when. Nothing needs happen before. Otherwise, why wait for Jesus, ‘who rescues us from the coming wrath’?

Later in his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul talks about the coming of the Lord at the trumpet call of God to take His bride and resurrect them (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11). We are told to encourage each other with these words. In other words, reminding each other what could happen at any moment will give us as Christians courage to live out our faith with strength. I acknowledge I really haven’t been doing this as much as I should, encouraging other believers with these words. This is very important to do, so that our focus is on this day of our Lord’s coming and not on earthly things. The apostle Paul says some very interesting statements after he describes this coming:

‘Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 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 labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in the darkness that

this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of 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........ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6,9 - NIV)

Paul says he doesn’t even need to write to the Christians about the times and dates of this coming, because they will know when He’s coming! They are sons of light. Every Christian is. Paul says only those in the darkness will be surprised by this day: it will be like a thief to them. If you’re scoffing about an event happening, you’re obviously going to be surprised when it does happen; it will be like a thief. Paul, with no ambiguity, says our Lord’s return won’t be like a thief to us; because we’ll be awaiting, expecting, and aware of it. Again, the idea is of light and darkness: we are in the light so our spiritual eyes are all open, and we can all see His coming. We are all aware of the times and seasons – of the season we’re in; which is why Paul says that he doesn’t even need to inform any other Christian of the knowledge of these times and seasons, because every other Christian will have an awareness of Christ’s soon return. Most in the “church” are asleep. They belong to the night. Every person, even every professing believer, who cannot see Christ’s return, belongs to the darkness – simple as that. This isn’t easy to write, but it is what Scripture clearly says. Paul also says, in the context of the previous teaching on the coming of the Lord, that we as Christians have not been appointed to suffer wrath – so of course Christ is going to come at any moment before the Day of the Lord (He Himself said that no one would know the exact day or hour beforehand – so if it were at the end of the seven-year tribulation period, we would during those years know the exact hour of His coming by counting forward to the end of the tribulation – but He said we can’t know it, so it must occur before the tribulation).

Sorry this writing might not seem to have a lot of structure! I’m kinda just skipping from Scripture to Scripture and expounding on each. But I’m really trying to overall drive home the point that we should as believers in Jesus eagerly await His appearing – it actually is one of our marks.

We read in Titus:

‘For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.’ (Titus 2:11-13 - NIV)

In other words, we can only say no to sin by the grace of God, not in our own strength or merit, but by God’s power given in grace to us to leave sinful ways and overcome their power in our lives through the Holy Spirit working in us. That is all grace. This is talking about the continuing work of God’s grace and sanctification in our lives, and is addressed to every believer as a reality in their life. Then it links the other part of our continuing walk in faith: as waiting for the appearing of Jesus. It says this will be glorious, this appearing for His church. When Jesus appears to all mankind at His second coming, it will be terrifying and frightening for unbelievers and make them angrier than they were already. Paul in this passage links believers living in this age to having a constant attitude of waiting for Christ’s return (which completes the age). This event is not some hum-ho, far-off occasion – but it is our present, constant, daily blessed hope! It is the great acropolis of all our future hope. And so much so, that it will always shape our present. Because if it is our blessed hope, a reality for every believer, then how could it not then affect the way we live. Waiting for something, particularly something very important, changes the way you view things in the now – it broadens your outlook past today; it lifts your eyes to a far greater event than will every happen at any other point, not just in our lifetimes, but in all of history. To Christians, our Lord’s return is the ultimate. It’ the culmination of everything. It’s all we’ve ever hoped and believed in. It makes every suffering we inflict, every sacrifice, every trial, every minute we serve God – all worthwhile. It is our blessed hope – when our bodies will be redeemed and glorified, and when we will actually be in the presence of our Lord, in an instant, for eternity more. When sin will no longer be a battle, when pain and suffering will pass away. When this God whom we’ve only ever had faith in but never seen will actually be revealed before our very eyes as we rise to meet Him in the air! The One who has infinite worth, who created and sustains the universe, who gave His life and suffered the wrath of God we deserved for our sinful ways on the cross, who is Lord over absolutely everything: this Being will in an instant

be before our eyes in ALL His glory and majesty, and we, united with every believer in this church age since the apostles, will have our lowly bodies transformed so they will be like our Saviour’s glorious body; clothed in an immortal, heavenly, in corruptible body, forever more forward. Does that sound at all like a blessed hope to you? Of course it is. It’s the longing of every believer’s heart. It is to BE WITH HIM. To be like Him. It is to be gone from this earth. Jesus says:

“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.” (John 14:3 - NIV)

This promise from our Lord, which was to encourage us as His followers in this age, will be completely fulfilled for all in the church at our Lord’s return. It really is our blessed hope! If we are Christians that is. Remember a Christian is a follower of Christ. Now it makes sense that the greatest thing someone who follows Christ could desire is this One they give everything to follow to come and return to them. If we are saved, then Christ’s return will be our blessed hope. And if that is true, then of course we’re going to be waiting for this blessed hope to occur, otherwise by definition, it’s not a blessed hope. It should consume us. Like Paul:

‘But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.’ (Philippians 3:13-14 - NIV)

Read all his letters. Was there anything that consumed him more? Was he focused on the past, or what was ahead? He said the one thing he does do is forget the past and strain towards the future hope and prize in heaven. His mind was on heaven, on the return of Christ, on glorification and His eternal reward. And we are called to be mature people by having this same outlook and drive, towards our eternal hope; our blessed hope.

At the end of the final revelation given to us, the church, to show what must soon take place (Revelation 1:1-3), we read:

‘The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!”’ (Revelation 22:17 - NIV)

And a few verses later:

‘He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.’ (Revelation 22:20 - NIV)

What the Word of God says is that the Spirit says, “Come!” That is one of the deepest desires, one of the deep groaning of the Spirit – He longs for Christ’s return, for creation to be redeemed, and the world judged for sin. And He is within the church, in every believer (we are His temple), which is why the bride also says, “Come!” This verse is so awesome. It is so clear. Everyone who has really been part of Christ’s bride over this whole church age has had the longing within them for Christ Jesus to come. It is their deep desire. That is why the bride says, “Come!” It always has been (and will be till He does actually come) on her heart. Because His bride loves Him, that is why she is His bride of course! A bride is a lover. A lover cannot bear to be away from her groom. She longs to be reunited; for Him to come back and take her away to where they belong, to where they’ll live. Christianity is a love relationship with people and God, and not so much just individuals (though that is true), but as a body of people, a bride, who love their God. Are you part of that body who belong to God and love their Saviour? Jesus confirms these things said in this revelation given to John are true; that He truly is coming. And not just coming, but coming soon. It is what is always on our hearts and on our lips as the children of light; “Come!” That is why we’ll eagerly await His return. Remember it’s because has put within us a heart of flesh that loves Him, replacing our former God-hating heart of stone.

Jude writes in his letter:

‘Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.’ (Jude 21 - NIV)

When will He bring us to eternal life? When He appears to rapture His church and resurrect all their bodies to become eternal bodies.

Here is another clear teaching of this reality in a believer’s life:

‘We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.’ (Romans 8:22-24 - NIV)

A beautiful verse, this describes basically the deepest desire within us. Our inmost being, our spirit, is groaning to be redeemed from these bodies, and the sin that still is part of our nature. As slaves to righteousness, we long to follow God’s law, yet struggle so much because our sinful nature is restricting us from doing so; it is restricting us from our deepest desire to honour and glorify and serve God, and to obey and delight in God’s law (Romans 7:22). So that is why our deepest hope and desire is to be redeemed into a glorified body and to be adopted as sons of God, so we can do these things without any hindrance or restriction of the enemy’s schemes or our sinful flesh and fallen nature. Again it emphasises that we are waiting eagerly for this redemption and adoption. When will these things happen? The answer is when our Lord returns. That is another reason why everyone who ‘have the firstfruits of the Spirit’ eagerly await Christ’s return. Because in us, the Spirit testifies, it means redemption!

Another interesting point in this last Scripture is that creation also is groaning – and it is groaning like the pains of childbirth as it awaits for its redemption by Christ at His coming, for He will redeem creation; it will be restored for His millennial reign on earth following His second coming. Now I have to admit that I’ve never personally experienced the pains of childbirth (or intend to, you’ll be relieved to know). But I do have a basic understanding of what happens with giving birth to a child. As the birth nears (or redemption in this particular case), what happens? What happens is that the pains (contractions) increase in frequency and size. Paul says ‘we know creation has been groaning’, because we can look around and see natural disasters and extremes of weather, carnivorous and poisonous animals etc. It is under the curse, as we all know. But as the birth is about to happen, so the birth pains increase. As Christ’s second coming (creation’s redemption) is about to happen, we should expect to see natural disasters increase in magnitude and frequency. They have always been there, right up till this present age (since the fall when creation was put under the curse), as Paul has stated: but they will dramatically increase right before Christ’s return. This is interesting, is it not! It is undeniably what we’ve seen the last 50 years or so, and particularly the last 10 years – natural disasters on an unprecedented and unparalled scale.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, bushfires, droughts, landslides, floods, hurricanes, monsoons, storms, volcanoes, winds – all bigger than ever before and in the news more and more often, in fact almost daily now, over every corner of the world. This is just fact, it is scientific fact. Just the other day I was reading the results of a report: that natural disasters have increased by 400% in the last 20 years. Here is a little of it:

‘The number of natural disasters around the world has increased by more than four times in the last 20 years, according to a report released by the British charity Oxfam. Oxfam analyzed data from the Red Cross, United Nations and researchers at Louvain University in Belgium. It found that the earth is currently experiencing approximately 500 natural disasters per year, compared with 120 per year in the early 1980s. The number of weather-related disasters in 2006 was 240, compared with 60 in 1980........ “This is no freak year,” said Oxfam director Barbara Stocking. “It follows a pattern of more frequent, more erratic, more unpredictable and more extreme weather events that are affecting more people.”’ (From article on NaturalNews.com, 6/5/08, by David Gutierrez – http://www.naturalnews.com/023362.html)

And this report was up till 2006 - the last three years have had even more – just look at the news every day! Having studied geology and seismology, I have seen the recorded rise in earthquakes’ frequency and magnitude particularly over the last decade. It is frightening. Yes there have always been disasters, but major natural disasters fairly few and far between. Today, they are frequent and almost beyond keeping up with. Creation is having birth pains: the birth is about to happen. Of course Jesus actually echoes this very truth. In Matthew’s gospel, He says in response to the disciples question about what the sign of His coming and of the end of this present age would be:

“There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of the birth pains.” (Matthew 24:7-8 - NIV)

In other words, the sign of the end of the age, among wars and many other things Jesus mentions, is that natural disasters such as famines and earthquakes (pestilences also mentioned in Luke 21; very interesting) will increase in numbers and size, like contractions before the baby is born; the beginning of the birth pains. Actually creation won’t be fully redeemed till Christ’s actual second coming at the end of the time of judgement upon the earth. That is when Satan will be bound and the curse lifted, leading into the millennial reign of Christ where creation is restored to as it was before the fall, with the earth as God created it originally to be; flourishing, with no natural disasters, with animals living side by side (Isaiah 11:1-11, 35:1-10, 65:17-25). We will be redeemed from our fallen bodies at the rapture, creation at the second coming (two separate events), so this birth in reference to creation’s redemption is at that second event, the actual second coming of Jesus. This is further shown by a few verses:

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.” (Acts 3:19-21 - NIV)

‘The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.’ (Romans 8:19 - NIV)

The sons of God (the church) will be revealed when they return with Christ to earth at the final battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:7-14). That is creation’s redemption; her re-birth. Of course this makes sense, because during the judgement period on earth, creation will be going berserk (huge contractions) with earthquakes, signs in the stars and heavens like meteor showers and solar activity, famines, plagues etc. (Revelation 3-20). That is why what we are seeing now is nothing compared to what will happen in terms of nature’s extremes. Nothing. It is only the beginning of the birth pains.

Something interesting is that later on in this summery Jesus gives of the signs of the end of the age and His second coming, He says:

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Matthew 24:32-34 - NIV)

Let me remind you, these are the words of Jesus Himself. He tells us to learn something – to gain

wisdom – from the example of what happens to a fig tree. We can tell the season by what we see happening to the tree; by looking at its twigs and leaves. Using this example, Jesus informs us that when we see these things, his return is near – right at the door. It is about to happen.

There is actually a double meaning here too, because the previous day He had put a curse on a barren fig tree. This was a symbolic prophecy that God would soon pour out His wrath upon the Jewish people because of their spiritual barrenness in rejecting Jesus, His Son (in the bible a fig tree is often a metaphor for Israel). In this same speech, as recorded in Luke’s gospel, Jesus also echoed this prophecy:

"They [the Jews] will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24 - NIV)

These things happened in history of course as the Jews were dispersed among the nations by the Romans under Titus, who conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D. They really were scattered to all nations; they were cursed by God for their disobedience; they were punished for their rebellion. But in accordance with the prophets (like Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Jesus Himself), God made Israel a nation again in 1948. Jerusalem had remained under Gentile occupation for 1,897 years, but on June 7, 1967, Israel won the city back during the Six Day War. Since it became a nation again, God has been regathering them to this land from all the nations of the earth they were dispersed to for nineteen centuries. It is a modern day miracle, thought impossible even up till the early 1900’s. But it happened because God is in control and ordained it to happen; He has set the times and dates and seasons.

Anyway, the prophetic meaning here with this illustration Jesus gives of the fig tree in Matthew 24 is that when its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know it is the season of Jesus’ return: when we look at Israel and see the leaves comes out, which we saw in 1948 when it became a nation again, and the Jews return to the land again (in contrast to Jesus cursing the fig tree; dispersing the Jews). So in context to both these meanings of looking at the fig tree – with the regathering of God’s people to Israel and re-establishment of the nation, and with these things Jesus had previously described in Chapter 24 beginning to happen – what Jesus says next is just astounding. It is unambiguous. Read the passage above again. He says, “This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened”. What generation? The generation that were born at the time Israel became a nation again in 1948; that saw the fig tree blossom. This generation has begun to see “all these things”. They have seen the beginning of the birth pains, with natural disasters increasing in size and number over their lifetime. Jesus’ own words are that this generation won’t pass away till all these things happen. In regard to this promise, He says “I tell you the truth”. In other words, we can absolutely trust this to happen. Jesus assures us that His words are true. Maybe He said that because He knew there would be people who would doubt what He said in the future. We can’t just ignore what our Lord has said.

“All these things” includes the time of judgement on earth (the Day of the Lord), which lasts seven years, much of what is described by Jesus in this chapter. For example, the very end of this tribulation period :

“They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30 - NIV)

“They” is referring to all the nations of the earth, so this is talking of the second coming of Christ, visible to every person, where He again sets foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:1-4, Acts 1:11), at the end of the seven years of judgement upon the earth. Jesus says all these things will happen in the lifetime of this generation, because they will see all these things happen! All of them: the second coming of Christ, and the beginning of the birth pains we can all see around us (this is among many other things Jesus speaks of, which I won’t go into detail here). Point is, this generation Jesus speaks of is clearly the one born in 1948, at Israel’s rebirth. They will see in their lifetime the return of Jesus – He has clearly promised this. This generation, as of now, is 61 years old. If the judgement before the second coming of our Lord is seven years, as Scripture tells us, and the rapture of His church is before that (maybe months or years); then that doesn’t leave a lot of time, particularly as the average lifespan is given in Scripture as ‘seventy years – or eighty, if we have the strength’ (Psalm 90:10). Obviously, in fact without any doubt at all, the Bible declares we are in the season and generation of the Lord’s return – it is very, very imminent. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees Sadducees for not being able to interpret the signs of the times (Matthew 6:1-4) and He tells us to know and understand the signs he has clearly given us. The world who will face God’s judgement will have no excuse: they can’t say they haven’t been warned. They have. God is always patient and merciful. What we learned earlier is that many in the “church” will be blind to see the season we are in. But not those who belong to the light. We will see. We can see. The Holy Spirit has opened our eyes and illuminated our vision.

We know Christ’s return to rapture us is in the matter of years, or else our God is a liar. And that He ain’t! No we don’t know the day or hour, only the Father knows the precise time. But we know we are in the season.

So in light of the fact we can see the Day drawing near, what should we do?

‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.’ (Hebrews 10:25 - NIV)

This says we can see the Day approaching. Some people say, “We can’t know the season of Jesus’ return or if we’re in that season”. Well not according to the bible. Here it says we can and will be able to see the Day approaching. And we are told, in light of this, to encourage each other even more. That is priority number one – because the world will get blacker and blacker, more evil, more chaotic – so we as believers need more courage. Hence why we who are living in this season today (people the writer of Hebrews specifically addresses) should be encouraging each other like mad!

Another decent response is outlined by Paul in his letter to the Roman church (Romans 13:8-14). Basically he tells, understanding the hour we live in, and because the Day is near, to love. Love our neighbours as ourselves. And clothe ourselves with Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

The writer of Hebrews also says:

‘Just as one man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.’ (Hebrews 9:27-28 - NIV)

Jesus will appear a second time, to bring salvation. Who to? To those who are not waiting for Him? No. To those who think they’re Christian, but are not waiting for or expecting Him? No. Only those who are waiting

for Him. Only they will receive this salvation when He appears a second time. It is as clear as day. And if salvation will be granted to every true Christian, which it will (all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved and are redeemed by Christ’s blood), but only those who are waiting for his appearing will receive salvation; then the only logical and biblical conclusion is that every true Christian will be waiting for Him. If you are not waiting for Jesus to return, you won’t receive salvation when He does come (which is very soon as we’ve seen). You see, waiting for Christ eagerly is not merely an option for Christians, it simply is a reality.

In writing his second letter to young Timothy, a pastor, Paul says (right before his death):

‘For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’ (2 Timothy 4:6-8 - NIV)

Paul goes on from saying that because he’s fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith, he will receive the crown of righteousness as a reward. These things are true for every single Christian. Can someone not fight the good fight and be a Christian? Can someone not finish the race and be a Christian? Can someone not keep the faith and be a Christian? Every person who enters heaven will be able to say they also fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith (endured). So, like Paul, every believer will receive this crown of righteousness in heaven. It suggests perhaps a right standing with God (righteousness), which is through Christ’s blood. Is that not true for every Christian? Paul isn’t some super-spiritual Christian who’ll receive this special reward along with a few others who ‘longed for his appearing’. Rather, Paul says this prize will go to all Christians by saying, ‘and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing’ (obviously including himself in that group). So every Christian will long for His appearing. All who have longed for His appearing = every Christian in history. By context, this verse could not mean anything else.

Jesus said:

“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.” (Matthew 24:37-42 - NIV)

What Jesus is emphasising here is what the world will look like at His return. Although the days of Noah were evil, and evil certainly will increase towards the end of this age, Jesus is actually emphasising the fact most people won’t be ready or expecting it. They’ll just be living normal life, eating and drinking and marrying and divorcing, as though nothing is about to happen (clearly this has to be talking about the rapture, because if it was the second coming, people sure won’t be living normal life at that stage, in the midst of the great hour of tribulation). They’ll ignore any warnings of God’s coming judgement, like Noah’s day did; and so they will know nothing of what’s about to happen on earth (a terrible time, in fact Jesus said it will be a time of “great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again” – Matthew 24:21) until suddenly the church are raptured away from this earth and absolute chaos breaks loose across the earth; mayhem, confusion and fear. The restraining power of the Holy Spirit over sin and lawlessness in this world (present in the body of Christ) will be taken away and people will be let loose in their depravity. There will be no second chance to escape it. They will face the Day of the Lord if that time comes suddenly to them/like a thief. Many will turn to Christ during this time (Revelation 7:13-14), but they will face this time all the same, many being martyred for their faith but of course immediately taken to heaven if they are believers. It will come like a thief to most of the world alive right now, and many in the “church” who right at this precise moment are not expecting it in the least. Many in the church are completely oblivious to the fact God is about to judge mankind on earth, or if they have been told they scoff at the idea. It is exactly as Jesus predicted. People are just living normal lives with no awareness – they can’t SEE, because they are not in the light! What is about to happen? This passage above tells us. People will just disappear; they will literally vanish off the face of the planet (that is, Christians). Two people will be working side by side, one will be taken, one left. One raptured, one not touched. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye, at the trumpet call of God (1 Corinthians 15:52). Did you know, that scientifically, this twinkling of an eye takes one six billionth of a second (i.e. 1/6,000,000,000 sec)? That’s how quick and suddenly it will happen; Christ’s bride will vanish. No wonder it will be a surprise! Especially if you happened to, right at that moment, be looking right at a believer. It will particularly be a surprise for those who thought they were really Christians. I just hope lots of them straight away realise the truth of what’s happened and repent and turn to Christ. We are all called, because of this all, to “keep watch”.

Again, Jesus repeats His exhortation:

“So you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44- NIV)

Are you expecting Him? Am I? Most are not....

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or hour.” (Matthew 25:13 - NIV)

Keep watch means open our eyes and look! See Him returning. Or else it will surprise you like a thief, and you will be left behind to face the great judgement of God, the demonstration of our God’s perfect justice and righteousness.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (Mark 13:32-37 - NIV)

God has appointed the time; the day and hour. He will blow the trumpet for His Son to return, for our redemption. We’re told to be alert and on guard for

our Master’s return. We don’t know the exact day or hour, so we have to be watchful and ready at all times, and never let down our guard. We are all that servant at the door: and we are all told to “Watch!” Jesus is

sure making it emphatic and clear! We know He’s returning soon: we don’t know exactly what time of day, whether it will be in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn, or in the middle of the day. But we must be ready:

“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress them himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” (Luke 12:37 - NIV)

What good news! Our blessed hope, the glorious return of our Lord, is about to happen. I have been eagerly awaiting it since God saved me in 2005, and now I understand why. Every Christian, as we have seen, will be eagerly awaiting Jesus Christ’s return. Of that there is no question.

Let us encourage each other all the more, because WE CAN SEE THE DAY DRAWING NEAR!

Amen.

Where’s Your Home, Christian?

With all the talk of last days, Jesus coming to retrieve His bride, and all the saber rattling bombarding us daily, those who believe in Bible prophecy realize we as a church are actually coming down to the wire. In fact we are getting so close to what many of us have been patiently, and in some cases impatiently, waiting for that the excitement is almost to a fever pitch. There are no limits it seems to written commentaries on the subject of end time’s prophecy. Some people get so keyed up they find it difficult to concentrate and they get consumed with the inevitability of the imminent rapture of the Church to the exclusion of all else. Yet others belonging to the same fold of Christianity pay all this prophecy stuff little mind.
For those of us who actually believe in Bible prophecy, we see the universal church being prepared for a great event. A huge departure of believers is on the near horizon. Believers who’ve fixed their sights on their home in Heaven are seriously anticipating that snatching away of the saints. We are going home! Praise God.

On the other hand the question begs to be asked. Christian, where’s your home? I’m sure we’ve all heard the quip, “Home is where the heart is” but how many of us can actually say Heaven is where my heart is? Are Christians truly excited about going home? If so, why is it so many of God’s children are seemingly clinging to planet earth like a tree that has grown roots a mile deep?

Believers and non-believers alike have lived on planet earth for the last six thousand or so years and this has been the only home we’ve known. Good or bad, happy or sad, angry or glad this is where we have grown and flourished and this is where many have died and more will die. We’ve become familiar with, even dependent on, our surroundings. For the most part, we’re patriots of our particular country of origin. But sometimes patriotism to country gets in the way of believers devotion to their God and Savoir Jesus Christ.

I must say I am somewhat dismayed by what I see happening around this nation. Not because of all the repulsive things I see coming about through our government’s leaders, we are to expect persecutions and trials coming from the world. What really concerns me is what I see taking place in the lives of many of my brethren.

For some time now, the United States of America has been a nation bent on giving God the boot, no new revelation there. It’s also being said that America is no longer a Christian nation, others say it never was. There was a point in America’s history when many of the government leaders were indeed Christian. Sadly that is no longer the case.

Whether America is considered a Christian nation or not is irrelevant. Believers shouldn’t be looking at America or any other country as their home. We know through studying God’s word where our long term residential care home is and it isn’t on planet earth.

That’s something else that has bothered me for quite some time now; I’m speaking of Bible illiteracy. Along with biblical illiteracy goes a lack of discernment. Just because Christians are seemingly in the majority in this nation doesn’t mean the majority of those Christians have any biblical discernment, or if they do from what I’ve seen, it’s precious little. After all, as a nation made up of a supposedly Christian majority we’ve now allowed ourselves to be placed under the control of a fully secular humanistic government that gives no more consideration to the God of the Bible than does a worm. How is that possible with a 70% majority of Christians? Failure to know and understand God’s word for one thing, and apathy and greed for another.

Believers should not be holding onto this country, or this world for that matter, as though it were their final destination. If we read, study, and believe the scriptures we are fully aware of something greater existing on our horizon. I’m sure many will agree with me when I say planet earth is, at times, a very beautiful place. There are numerous reasons why we enjoy our earthly existence. After all God wants us to enjoy this life and each other for that matter. But even before the fall of man God has had another plan for humanity and it isn’t going to involve what we currently see in our surroundings.

We only know what we’ve seen and we have all seen a beautiful flower or a fiery sunset. Unless we have been walking around with blinders on we have also seen much of what we would certainly consider the opposite of beauty. The Bible doesn’t give us a clear picture of everything we will see in Heaven. Even Paul was given a look into Heaven yet he would not describe it. On the other hand the Bible does tell us about what won’t be there.

Most people on this planet would love to see the end to war, famine, hatred, all forms of evil, and have everything opposed to our well being eliminated from our environment. The Bible tells us none of that will be in Heaven. All evil, malice, strife, hated, envy, sickness, sadness, wealth and poverty will be completely forgotten the moment we enter that realm. So why do so many of my brethren hold onto this earthly existence as though Heaven doesn’t even exist? Could it be that the riches of this life are so controlling that even believers can’t resist their attraction? “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9.

Christians love it when they can recite the following quote to another believer or even to non-believers for that matter, “I’m living in this world but I’m not of the world. I’m only a sojourner here. I’m one of God’s ambassadors and soon He’ll call me home.” Sadly, more and more we see that many Christians today have the same mindset as their worldly counterparts. Greed, lust, and fear are evident in the lifestyles of many of my brethren and it’s becoming clear many of America’s seventy or so percent Christians are not just in the world but of the world. “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” James 5:5.

Among Jesus’ earliest followers there were some who were wealthy, Zaccheus, Joseph of Arimathea, Barnabas, but they we not ruled by wealth. Today there are many Christians that have obtained great wealth, yet we’re presented with sufficient evidence of just where the pursuit of wealth can lead, especially when we allow that pursuit to motivate our lives. Sin can and will avail itself when Christians become consumed with attaining wealth. The key word here is consumed. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10. And wealth can create a significant obstacle to the Kingdom of God. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24.

Ask yourself this question: If when tomorrow comes I‘ve lost everything I have will I trust God to supply my needs? Or, will I worry and fret and scheme and connive to get back what I’ve lost? It’s easy to say I’ll trust God when we haven’t really lost anything yet, but what if it really happens. What if you really did lose your home, your car, your bank account, all your earthly possessions, and lastly, your spouse walks out on you? That scenario sounds like Job’s situation, doesn’t it? What did Job do? And how did God reward Job later on? If you haven’t done so already, read the book of Job, the answers to those two questions are in plain view.

We hold onto worldly materialism way too tightly. I know we need things and I know most, in this country at least, are prosperous and many are thriving. Knowing all this, sometimes I wonder how many Christians are really looking forward to the rapture of the Church. How many of my brethren will need to be dragged, kicking and screaming all the way to Heaven when the rapture happens? Remember Jesus’ admonition to the young wealthy man who wanted to gain eternal life? “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” Matthew 19:21. Where did that young man’s treasure get him? “But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” Matthew 19:22. His riches had too strong of a hold on him and he was unable to see any benefit in knowing and following Jesus Christ.

“I just bought a new and very expensive BMW, awesome car.” “Have you seen my new Harley? Wow what a ride.” “We we’re finally able to buy our new ‘dream home’.” The bank account is fat, the garage has two new cars sitting all waxed and ready for cruising, the lawn is manicured, the new giant flat screen TV is installed on the wall and you’ve just invested in a surround sound system for your home, you’ll never need to go to the theater again. “Yes sir, now this is Heaven.” And all is well in suburbia. Heaven? Dream home? Earthly materialism? Ask yourself Christian, where is my home, really. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” Matthew 6:19-20.

It seems in many cases Jesus’ words go unheeded. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” Matthew 6:21. How many believers are storing up treasure here on earth just like the heathen? Sadly, it seems many see no benefit in moving on to Heaven, they seek after earthly rewards and have stored nothing up for their eternal home.

It seems as if many of my brethren are looking for some specific sign or Jesus’ glorious appearing before they’ll begin to get ready for the great escape, but what they don’t seem to realize is there will be no sign given. There will be a great disappearance of believers at some point, but that isn’t a sign for believers, it’s a sign for non-believers. We are witnessing many events falling into place that lead us to believe we are very near the end, and it’s exciting to watch. These events fuel our anticipation of what’s coming. But for the most part the signs Jesus’ disciples asked Him to reveal to them are concerning the end of days just before His Second Advent. They aren’t really signs for determining a time for the rapture of the church.

We are admonished to be ready for the rapture. Jesus is coming as a thief in the night. That’s not speaking of His second coming, that’s telling us the rapture of His Church is imminent. As I visit various prophecy websites this question inevitably pops up. “Are you ready?” I honestly don’t believe many of my brethren are ready and we know the lost aren’t.

Central to the Christian faith is the knowledge that we, as born again believers, are set apart from the world. We belong to Jesus Christ. That really does place a huge responsibility upon us. We aren’t to conform to the world so why do we? Jesus tells us over and over again what happens to those who become consumed with the cares of this world. Pride, greed, fear, covetousness, lust are ever recurring themes throughout the entire Bible, all of which stem from losing our focus on Jesus and replacing that focus with a materialistic world view.

The more we have the more we want. Instead of seeing Heaven as our real home where we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ we become enamored with all we can accumulate. This accumulation of materialism becomes the love of our lives and our god. There is a direct correlation between where your treasure is and where your heart is. If you regard your material possessions as your treasure then your heart is set here on this earth, and that my friend is a far shot from Heaven.

We should look at Heaven as the believer’s “Dream home”. Jesus tells us there are many mansions in Heaven and He has prepared a place for each of us. “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2. Heaven will be far superior than even the most luxurious of mansions here on earth. But that’s not why we look to Heaven. We look to Heaven because Jesus is there.

There’s an old adage that says “To be too Heavenly minded is to be no earthly good” this is nonsense. Being too worldly minded is exactly the problem today with many a Christian, they have no sense of Heaven whatsoever. This little adage may well be part of the problem. Jesus, in the Gospel of Matthew, speaks of Heaven 69 times He wants us to be Heavenly minded, there is no possible way to be too Heavenly minded.
I was born here and if the Lord tarries I’ll die here, but I am certainly not remaining here. The dwelling I call a house and this country that has me registered as a citizen even this planet that gravitationally holds my body here is not my home.

Where is your home, Christian?

There’s A New Day Coming

A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.

On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah.

Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. (Zech 14:1-9)

In view of the current emphasis on peace in the Middle East, we should take another look at how (and when) this conflict between Israel and the rest of the world will be resolved. Let’s take these nine verses individually to see what they say.

1) A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.

By the time we get to verse 4 it will be clear that Zechariah is speaking of the time leading up to the actual day the Lord arrives on the Mount of Olives to establish His Kingdom. The plunder spoken of is Jerusalem itself, and the phrase “among you” literally means in your midst or in front of your faces. As we’ll see, the city will be divided yet again, not by negotiations but by force.

2) I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

The phrase “all the nations” points to a time still in the future when all of Israel’s allies will have abandoned her. This could only happen after the Rapture of the Church, when the Christian influence that keeps the US and some other western countries at least nominally allied with Israel is long gone. This is the final battle of the age, Armageddon.

3) Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.

This is a clear reference to the Lord’s role as Israel’s real commander-in-chief just as He was through out the Old Testament.

4) On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

The Lord in this reference is King Jesus, returning like He said He would, to the very spot from which He left (Acts 1:10-11). According to Isaiah 63:1-6, He will be coming from Bosrah (Petra) where He will have just fulfilled His promise to protect the believing remnant of Israel from their enemies. His return triggers an earthquake that creates an East / West cleft as the Mount of Olives is split in two. The geological fault line along which this split occurs has been discovered and runs from the Mediterranean east to the Dead Sea. Its presence prohibited the Intercontinental Hotel (now called the Seven Arches Hotel) from being built on the brow of the Mount of Olives as originally planned. It was re-located to the south and built on more stable ground where it stands today.

5) You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

The cleft creates a route of escape for those fleeing the battle. They will flee in fear for their lives, just as their ancestors did in the ancient past (Uzziah reigned from 792-740 BC in the time of Isaiah). The phrase Holy Ones is used 13 times in the Bible: 6 times its translated saints, 4 times holy and 3 times holy ones. Most evangelical scholars conclude that this reference includes both perfected saints and angels. Rev. 19:14 calls them the armies of Heaven

6-7) On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light.

Even a day without light from the Sun would normally cause freezing temperatures, but this day is unique in all of creation: warmth without light. The fact that evening brings light is reverse to all we know, but Matt. 24:29 says that one of the signs that the Great Tribulation has ended will be the absence of light from the Sun, Moon or stars. Rev 21:23-24 explains that the New Jerusalem has no need for the Sun or Moon for the Glory of God gives it light, and that the nations of Earth will walk by the light of the new Jerusalem as well. The phrase “on that day” means that Zechariah is describing the actual day the Lord arrives.

8) On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.

Ezekiel 47:1-12 tells us that fresh water will flow constantly from under the south end of the Temple and will fill the newly created valley with water that becomes a great river flowing west to the Mediterranean and East to the Dead Sea. A line drawn due west from the place on the Mount Of Olives where Jesus departed would pass through the Eastern Gate of the Temple Mount. That means the earthquake triggered by the Lord’s return will destroy the Temple Mount, consigning it forever to the bottom of the great river. Only a Temple constructed some place to the north of the current Temple Mount would survive to provide the flowing river on the Day that the Lord arrives. And sure enough, a comparison of the boundaries outlined in Ezekiel 48 with ancient maps of Israel reveals that the coming Temple will be built in Shiloh where the Tabernacle once stood. (Read The Coming Temple for a complete explanation.)

9) The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

Looking forward to Phil 2:9-11, this verse tells us that eventually there will be peace in the Middle East and indeed the whole world, for the Prince of Peace will have become King of the whole Earth. Until then mankind will struggle in vain, grasping at one false hope after another, because if the truth be known the very existence of Israel is a cause for war in the Middle East.

But the Lord promised that after He re-gathered His people to Israel for the 2nd time He would never disperse them again (Isaiah 11:11 & Amos 9:11-15). This re-gathering began in 1948 and continues to this day. One day soon He will use an unexpected attack against Israel to reveal Himself to them and to the world in an undeniable way (Ezek 39:1-7) drawing every living Jew to Israel (Ezek 39:28) to re-establish His covenant, re-build His Temple, and complete the remaining 7 years of the Dispensation of Law (Daniel’s 70th Week).

But during that time a false messiah will emerge and lead the world astray again. Standing in the new Temple, he’ll claim that he is God and millions will be deceived (2 Thes.2:4). For a time it will appear as if he’s brought peace to the world, but while people are saying “peace and safety”, destruction will come upon them as suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape (1 Thes. 5:3). This is the Great tribulation, a 3 1/2 year long period of judgment unequaled from the beginning of the world and never to be equaled again (Matt. 24:21).

At its end the Lord will return to defeat this false god and those who have joined him. On that day the Lord will finally be King over the whole Earth, having taken possession of that which He redeemed with His own blood, and peace will flow like a river throughout the land. If you listen carefully you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

WHY PERILOUS TIMES ARE NOW IN OVERDRIVE

You may think that headline is a strong statement so let me defend it. We have now entered the most serious “perilous times” (II Timothy 3:1) in history. President Obama’s speech in Cairo was a total surrender to Islam and a drastic turn against one of our best allies, Israel.

Because of this one-two punch, America and the rest of the world will never be what it once was. Why? Because Obama is the acknowledged leader of the free world as all American presidents are. And he sent the world of Islam a dramatic message that America wants to be their friend and that America respects Islam—even though they continue to be at war with us.

In his speech in early June in Cairo, there was not a single word about Islam’s well known and checkered past of conquering by the sword. There was no reference to the indoctrination by Islam of her youth to steer them toward violence. There was no reference to the fact that Islamic suicide bombers are blowing themselves up around the world and beheading innocent people. No mention of the “honor killings” against family members who prove to be an embarrassment. And he gave a pass for Muslims to keep stoning their women for various offenses. He also signaled the world that we could go back to a 9/10 mentality.

As Bill Koenig states in his weekly e-newsletter, “Obama complimented them (Islam) for their religion. Both moderates and radicals heard the speech through the lens of Islam and they will use it for their benefit to further their religion throughout the world.” The speech sent a message to the world that Islam should be respected even though as he was speaking, radicals were likely planning evil deeds.

The president stated that Israel has no business attacking Iran. This stretches credulity when you think about it. Who do we think we are to dictate policy that involves Israel’s survival? But this foreign policy statement signaled to the radical Islamic world that they need not fear America! It also emboldened North Korea to continue its escalation of nuclear weapons and to ignore all the West’s warnings, as we’re now paper tigers. So while America fiddles, these evil powers are planning a full-scale nuclear showdown with the West perhaps sooner than we imagine.

It was clear from the Cairo speech that America has taken a new direction with one of its best allies, Israel. The president would rather focus on his Islamic-friendly agenda. Israel is obviously an inconvenience and again, shouldn’t even think about striking Iran who wants her to be history just as Hitler did. Obama went on to rewrite history, suggesting there was a Muslim connection to Jerusalem (and the president will no doubt try like crazy to divide it.)

He then showed his disconnect with reality by equating Holocaust horror with Palestinian rights and alleged mistreatment. He did not chastise the corrupt Palestinian leadership as the root of Palestinian suffering.

Concerning the endless “peace process” in the Middle East, there was no mention of Israel’s efforts via “land for peace.” There was no mention that her Arab/Muslim neighbors tried to wipe her off the face of the map in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, 2006, and 2008. In that speech, the president made it clear that America will stand with the Muslim world and craft policies that will lead to Israel’s destruction—although God will not allow that.

Obama signaled to Israel that she is on her own now. She got the message that her welfare is no longer a priority to American leadership. What matters is holding hands with the Arab/Muslim world—the new focus of American foreign policy.

The world is a far more dangerous place because of that speech. The radicals will plot even more, knowing they will not be held accountable. America will look the other way just like we did when a soldier was killed at a recruiting office in Arkansas a few weeks ago. The killer was a man who had converted to Islam. The press and the Obama administration ignored the story.

What happens when Islam strikes terror on America again? The delusional state of our current leadership thinks that such an incident will never happen now that we are friends with Islam. And now that we’ve turned on Israel, will God remain our Homeland Security Director?

Fasten your seat belt. Extremely perilous times are ahead. Evil was given a green light to go in Cairo. Now would be a very good time to go out and win the lost for Jesus Christ while there is still time. When more than just the economy crumbles around us, hearts will be much more open!