Know The Signs

    The church as a whole should not be having the attention focus of an untrained dog. One moment attentively listening to its master, the next off chasing cats and squirrels. We need to pay attention to our Lord's words regarding being watchful for His return, so that we'll be able to know the signs. For to those who know, His return will not come as a great shock. 

    Now, remember, Jesus is speaking with His disciples, not the general public. (vs 3). For such queries were even being said in their day that caused them to seek His wisdom concerning these things. Three questions they put to Him. 

1. When will these things happen?

2. What will be the sign of Your coming?

3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?

    WHEN WILL THESE THINGS HAPPEN? 

Matthew 24:9-25 gives us more details. False Christs rise up to distract and try to detract from the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Witnessing to All Nations wherein we will be afflicted (suffer for the sake of the cross) and killed (for His Name's sake). The Abomination of Desolation will call himself God and declare himself God over all other gods, regardless of religious affiliation.

THE SIGN OF HIS COMING

    That one's pretty simple. 

    Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 

    1. HE COMES ON CLOUDS and 

    2. EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM

    3. ANGELS WILL TRUMPET HIS ARRIVAL (Matthew 24:31)

    So, if someone says, I am the Messiah you seek, but then he arrives not on clouds, nor is seen by every eye across the globe at the same time, then we know that the speaker is false and not to be trusted. 

THE SIGN OF THE END OF THE AGE

 Matthew 24:4-8 is brief in its description. 

4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you.

5. "For many will come in My Name, saying, ‘I am The Christ,’ and will deceive many.

6. "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7. "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

8. "All these are the beginning of sorrows." 

    These eight verses are not several signs, but one sign taking place in many events. The first two verses here warn against listening to lying spirits: false prophets and false teachings. Such will sound good to the itching ears which do not want to hear the Truth of God's Word, but will only bring about their downfall and their destruction. Too many people will choose not to believe God and His Word. As stated earlier in The Day of The Lord: The Warning to The Church study on this site. 

    Verse six tells of wars and rumors of wars. But the church, the born again, Spirit-filled believers, are not to worry or be anxious about such things. 

    And then, there's the rumors of wars. We hear those now, as our grandparents heard it then. Since early Bible times wars have been fought on every continent, with the victor deciding how the conquered nation should live, or whether that defeated nation should live at all. Though some countries have known relative peace and safety throughout time, many have not. 

    In the last days, during this time of falling away from The Truth of God's Word, when the church will be sifted like wheat, and judged for her philandering ways, the world will always be at war with the believer.  As it has been, so shall it be, until the church is taken up out of this world by her Groom and Friend of The Groom. 

    Verse seven breaks this down even further. Not only will there be the wars and rumors of wars, but nation will rise against nation. And kingdom against kingdom. Within any continent there are many nations. And even within these nations there are more than one kingdom in place. 

    While all of the upheaval is happening, so, too, at the same time do famines, disease, and earthquakes in diverse places. Not just randomly, but in God's timing and on God's chronological chart, will these events take place. But don't be anxious, Christian: do no allow the worry of the world to take root in your hearts and minds. Yes, be wary of what is being said. But also be joyful, for these are only the birthing pains of what is about to happen. 

    In verse eight Jesus informs His disciples, then and now, that these events are merely the beginning of sorrows. The beginning of sorrows usually means travailing (contractions), childbirth. Though the arrival of a child is joyful, the getting to the arrival of the child, is painful for many women to go through. 

    In order for the church to be birthed, her Savior had to go through a period of sorrow, hence one of His titles is Man of Sorrows [Isaiah 53]. And His time of affliction is well documented both prophetically in The Old Testament and prophecy fulfilled in The New Testament. There are over 400 prophecies made in The Old Testament regarding The Messiah. In the gospel books {Matthew, Mark, Luke and John} Jesus Christ fulfills around 300 of them. (reference given below). Not all of them have been fulfilled yet; some will be fulfilled near the end of all life. That time of fulfillment of prophecy is nearer than many think or believe. 

OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE AS CHRISTIANS - Preaching The Gospel

    The church's main objective is to tell people about Jesus Christ, it is to win souls for the kingdom of heaven at any cost (Proverbs 11:30; Mark 16:15; Jude 1:22, 23): 

That He is God's Only Begotten Son  (1 John 4:9)

That He suffered and died (nailed to a cross) for the whole world, but that each individual must make a decision whether or not to believe this Truth. (John 3:16-18; Mark 16:16)

That He had the sins of the whole world laid across His shoulders (taking the load of sin off of us) (Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21) God attributed the sins of the world to His Son Jesus Christ and then attributed Christ's righteousness to us, the believers. 

That He was laid in a grave, wrapped in burial clothes (Luke 23:50-53)

That He went to hell and defeated it and death (Revelation 1:18)

and

That He conquered the grave when He rose from the dead and walked out of it in a new body, becoming the First of us to rise in newness of life (John 20; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Ephesians 1:18-20)

That people need to know they will die in their sins unless they repent and turn away from their sins, turning to God in the process, choosing to be obedient and faithful to and in His Word (Ezekiel 14:6,7; Acts 3:19; Matthew 4:17; Acts 17:30; Romans 3:23; Hebrews 4:1; Romans 3:9-20; Romans 10:9-13) 

That water baptism is a public confession of faith in Christ Jesus, a symbol of being buried with Him and rising with Him (1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3, 4)

That the believer must hold fast, cling tightly to, faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation, not adhering to any words but The WORD (Anchored in Hope: Hebrews 6:19; Be Steadfast and Immovable: 1 Corinthians 15:58)

    Then we know that the sign of the end of this age of political, ideological and spiritual unrest will be when the antiChrist stands in the holy place, when he seats himself in the temple and calls himself God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 "Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." 

    Our redemption is near. Luke 21:5-36. 

    

**Resource Used: Ray Konig, Author & Investigative Journalist 

The Day of The Lord: The Warning to The Church

 

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition; 

FALSE PROPHETS & TEACHINGS

    Here is a warning given to God's people. Don't allow yourselves to be deceived by people who say that Christ's coming is almost here or that He has already arrived. Jesus warns us of that in Matthew 24:23; Mark 13:21-23; Luke 21:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:2. 

    Many false Christs have appeared throughout history, drawing people to them with their charismatic ways, convincing them that they are Truthsayers, when in reality, they were merely liars, because they followed the father of lies: Satan who disguises himself as an angel of light, mimicking The Truth but not actually being The Truth. Of some of these past false Messiahs, these are but a few, though some are of the distant past, and some of recent past days, some are still around and many more are yet to claim the title of Messiah and Savior (to their detriment and destruction): 

Bahá'u'lláh (1817–1892) Founder of the Baháʼí Faith, who claimed to fulfill prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming and other religious figures

Arnold Potter (1804–1872) LDS leader who claimed the spirit of Christ entered Him and called himself "Potter Christ"

Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676)  Jewish mystic who called himself the Jewish Messiah

Ariffin Mohamed (1941-2016) Founder of the banned Sky Kingdom in Malaysia, claiming to be the incarnation of Jesus, Muhammad, Shiva, and Buddha

Jose Luis de Jesús Miranda (1946–2013) : Founder of Growing in Grace, who claimed to be both Jesus Christ returned and the Antichrist

Alvaro Thais (1948-     ) claims to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ

Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012) Founder of the Unification Church and claimed to be Messiah

Krishna Venta (1911–1958) [claimed to be Christ]

Alan John Miller (1963-   ) & Mary Suzanne Luck (1979-   ) [he claims to be Christ and that his female partner is Mary Magdalene] Founder of Divine Truth

Jim Jones (1931-1978) [claimed to be Messiah]

Adolph Hitler (1889-1945) declared himself to be a German Christian, a church which aligned itself with nazi indoctrination, antisemitism, and racism. He promoted 'nondenominational positive Christianity', which did not follow the (Apostles') creed nor having the confessional (of the Catholic church). 

Charles Manson (1934-2017) his followers referred to him as 'light-bringer' 

    Though millions have died in their sins in following the above mentioned 'prophets', untold numbers will fall, will leave the church and its beliefs, in the days preceding the second prophecy of the man of sin.

    We know that The Day of The Lord which is prophesied to come will not happen until two things happen beforehand. Jude 1:14, 15; Joel 2:31, 32.

THE FALLING AWAY

    First, there will be a falling away. Who is falling away? What are they falling away from? The Word tells us that judgment begins in the house of God, the family of God [1 Peter 4:17]. So, these who are falling away are people who profess Christ but do not live Christ. Their foundation is faulty, and they will fall when persecutions come against them [Matthew 7:26]. 

    They who are falling away have drifted away from The Word of God. They listened to vain philosophies and teachings, following after forbidden idols and images, exchanging their nebulous love for rocky lusts, praying to empty gods: images of stone and wood and gold and sand: whatever men and women put their hands to make for themselves. 

    They who are falling away cannot find their way back to The Lord God until they repent of their wicked ways and fully surrender their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ, The Firm Foundation upon which a Christian builds their faith. 

    While many have behaved in such wickedness throughout the centuries, it was a few here, some there. This prophetic falling away is massive; it is on a global scale that people are falling away from The Truth of The Word of God. They have more than itching ears: they are deliberately stepping, walking, away from God. In fact, many are running from The Word of God because they do not want to stop what they are doing. They like living in sin. They are comfortable in their sins, allowing that dark slop to wash over their minds and fill their hearts. 

THE MAN OF SIN REVEALED

    The second thing that must happen before The Day of The Lord arrives is that Satan will seat himself on the throne in the temple of The Lord in Israel. How will those who remain in the church after the rapture know him? Listen to how he is described.

    Out of this falling away rises the man of sin: the man who not only actively lives sin, but promotes it, as well. He is the son of perdition, knowing he is condemned to destruction, his goal is to destroy as many souls as he can. He is the usurper of God's authority, taking God's throne for himself, he proclaims himself to be God. He is Antichrist, against everything that Christ Is: 

Christ is Redeemer/Antichrist is Destroyer

Christ is Savior/Antichrist is Murderer

Christ is Friend/Antichrist is Enemy

Christ is Son of God/Antichrist is the son of destruction

Christ is Resurrection/Antichrist is death. the grave and hellbound

Christ is Hope/Antichrist is despair, hopelessness 

Christ is The Rock Upon Which Our Faith is Built/Antichrist is faithlessness

Christ is The Chief Cornerstone/Antichrist is sand

Christ is Love/Antichrist is hate

Christ is Light/Antichrist is false light

Christ is The Way/Antichrist is the wrong way

Christ is The Truth/ Antichrist is liar

Christ is The Life/Antichrist is death

Christ is Bread/Antichrist is wormwood

Christ is Water/Antichrist is poisoned tongue

Christ is Conqueror/Antichrist is defeated 

    This Antichrist, the lawless one, who disregards God's Laws and desires God's throne and kingdom for his own, will set up his own laws in direct contradiction to God's laws. And people will listen to him, obey him and follow him directly, instead of how they used to follow him, inadvertently and unknowingly. 

   He will do wonders and miracles that will deceive many into believing that he is the promised Messiah. He will give life where life was not, nor should be. And, having turned their hearts and minds against God and His Word, they will believe to their condemnation and destruction. 

    These two things MUST HAPPEN FIRST before The Day of The Lord takes place. The Day of The Lord is a day of judgment and recompense [Obadiah 1:15]. It is in the valley of decision [Joel 3:14]. It is a day of clouds [Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 2:2]. It is a day that is near [Zephaniah 1:14]. It is a day of destruction [Joel 1L15]. As The Day draws near, The Lord has consecrated His guests, the ones He invited [Zephaniah 1:7]. The Day of The Lord is coming [Joel 2:1]. 

GET READY 

    So I say to you who are not ready to meet The Lord, you better get ready. For times are short for the saints' sake. This is your day of salvation. Believe on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation from eternal damnation. Study The Word of God and learn to live in Christ as Christ lives in you when you believe. Speak The Name of Jesus. Believe The Name of Jesus for your deliverance from wickedness and unholy living. 

Romans 10:9-10, 13

That if you shall confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved.

COME TO JESUS - Chris Rice

NO FEAR - Jon Reddick & We The Kingdom

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Diligent

 2 Peter 3:14 

Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight. 

The preamble to this verse is 2 Peter 3:10-13

(10)  But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

(11) All these things being dissolved in this way, what kind ought you to be? In holy conduct and godliness,

(12) expecting and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens will be dissolved, being set on fire, and the elements are melting, burning with heat.

(13) But according to His promise, we are awaiting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4704

Every Effort: to move speedily by showing full diligence (fully applying oneself); acting fervently (speedy commitment) to accomplish all that God assigns through faith ("His inbirthed persuasion"); to make haste, to give diligence.

The Diligent Spiritual Warrior keeps digging through God's Word while in constant communication with The Holy Spirit, working our way through it until we reach the nuggets of wisdom that help us gain a better understanding of what it means to be Diligent.

THE DILIGENT

 

The Diligent are Threshers. 

Isaiah 41:15, 16

Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

The Diligent Soul Prospers

Proverbs 10:4

Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 13:4

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

The Diligent Strategize & Work Hard To Accomplish Their Purpose

Proverbs 12:24

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Proverbs 21:5

The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.

DILIGENCE MAKES OUR HOPE SURE

Hebrews 6:11, 12

We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. 

Hebrews 3:6

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.

Knowing that our diligence to be faithful in our hope of salvation and patience in eagerly anticipating The Day of The Lord, when all wickedness will be consumed, we must also be diligent in winning the lost souls to Christ, that they would not be consumed in the coming conflagration. 

Jude 1:23

And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

With this thought in mind, let us pray earnestly all the more: mornings and afternoons and evenings and throughout the nights. Effectual Fervent Prayer accomplishes God's purpose for the one being prayed for, just like electric current flowing from the power plant (GOD) through the cables (The Holy Spirit) into the outlet (the person praying) which attaches to another cable (the person being prayed for) to produce an instant action (that which is being prayed for). 

James 5:16

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

A Diligent Spiritual Warrior must be spotless (without stain) and blameless (without fault). We will all be held accountable to God for how we lived our lives. To be spotless is to have our sins washed away. To be blameless is to have Christ ruling in our hearts. For we are His temple, His house: in us He dwells (takes up residence). He cleans His house on a daily basis, when we let Him. A Diligent Spiritual Warrior allows Christ to clean His house. 

There is no fault to be found in Christ. Because He lives and lives in the born again believer there should be no fault in us either when The Day of The Lord makes its appearance. 

John 19:6

Therefore when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate says to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him." 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No 156
Fault:  a cause, reason, excuse; a charge, accusation; guilt

Therefore let us persevere in our daily walk with Jesus Christ to be the Diligent Spiritual Warriors He has called us to be. Let us grab hold of this grace He has extended us and pray that all may come to know Him personally. 

Dear Lord,

Thank You for saving me, for calling me out of the darkness and into Your marvelous Light. Thank You for leading me through Your Word and filling me with Your Holy Spirit, that I might walk these last days, these last hours, with Your strength, Your peace. I pray that everyone who reads this knows You, in all Your glory and strives to become Your Spiritual Warriors, too. 

Many whom we pray for have heard Your Name but have not kept You near: whatever it takes Save them before it's too late. We grab them by the collar and shake off the flames which are encroaching on their souls. 

A slap upside the head doesn't seem to work any more, Lord, so give ear to our prayers and break their hardened hearts for You. Save our lost family members, our lost acquaintances, our lost strangers and our lost enemies. for they are all lost in the darkness of this world until they, too, see Your marvelous Light, just like we did. 

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen.