It is a time like no other. If we are aware – if we are students of His Word – if we are discerning: We can sit and watch the culmination of history; the fulfimment of prophecy; the arm of the Lord’s judgment; the working out of our salvation. Israel is back in the Land, a nation once more. The nations of Psalm 83 are forming up. The nations of Ezekial 38 are falling into place. There is a concerted drive to build a new One World Order, a Global Government, that will one day serve as the seat of Antichrist. A Pope on the throne of the Roman Catholic Church compromises doctrine, preparing the way for a False Prophet. Earthquakes and famines and pestilences and wars and rumors abound. We are faced with the call to discern the times in which we live.
The Overriding Reality
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matt 24:32-33)
“…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” ….But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2Peter 3:3-4, 7)
We live in very unique times; – the like’s of which we’ve never seen. There is so much evidence around us that we are indeed living on the edge of the Last Days, – The Day of The Lord. To those that recognize that fact, the task now becomes to sound the alarm among those that call themselves Christian, and to call the unbeliever to seek and find a relationship with the very God of the universe. We are all charged by God to do so. “If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand,” reads Ezekiel 3:18.
So knowing what we know; – what we are supposed to know, I have a very important question to ask. ‘Do we really trust God?’ Do we have REAL faith? As Jesus Himself asked, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Or to put it another way, Does what we believe about God affect the way we live? Does what we know about the Times – affect the way we live? We read the news; – Israel, North Korea, Syria, Iran, EMPs; – But we don’t live in that reality. The reality that we live involves; how we’re going to pay the bills, and getting the kids to dance and soccer and getting ourselves to church, and the work around the house and the car needs fixing and on and on. But the fact is: That other REALITY is overtaking us! In fact, it has overtaken us.
So we see, – in many cases the TRUTH of our situation, – but refuse to acknowledge the situation we’re in. Jesus faced a similar situation with the Jews of His day. He was riding into Jerusalem after His triumphal procession of Palm Sunday. He had just been feted and honored and hosanna-ed and recognized as King and Messiah. It should have been the prime moment of His ministry here on earth, yet He instead expressed an incredible sadness. Here is the Gospel account as recounted in Luke 19:41-44. “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’”
Did you notice that last line? He held them responsible, because, as He told them, – “you did not know the time of your visitation.” We are responsible…to know…the Time of our Visitation. Christ leaves no room for us to plead ignorance. He left none for the Pharisees, who despite their witness of His many miracles and signs and wonders, – were always asking Him for another sign to prove just who He was. On one occasion He told them: “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 16:2-4) Strong words, those!
His actions should have been compelling evidence for them of the overriding reality of their time. It is the same for us. Just as they were given all of the Scriptural / prophetic evidence to recognize His first coming; – So we too are faced with the same compelling evidence. We too face an overarching reality that is greater than the reality we live on a day-to-day basis. JESUS CHRIST IS LIKELY GOING TO RETURN IN THIS GENERATION!!!
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