Tag Archives: Last days

The Coming Judgment of God (Part 2) – Preparing Yourself Spiritually

19 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Spiritual

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Full Size ImageThunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and even snow storms are a normal part of the natural occurrence of weather patterns. Each year, we can see both the beauty and the severity that exists as it relates to active weather scenarios. With each storm that approaches there is also the personal responsibility of everyone who will be affected to prepare and prepare adequately. Storms that are severe can and often impose hazardous conditions to those within range.

Thus, it is paramount that anyone who is warned of a looming storm prepare before it actually occurs. Lack of preparation will only lead to a disaster which could mean suffering minor or major injuries or even losing your life. Natural disaster mitigation has become more important than ever before due to the increase in the severity of weather patterns.

Spiritually speaking you and I must prepare ourselves before the judgment of God falls upon the nation that we live in. It is a fact that all nations will be judged by God at some point. In the book of Psalms chapter 9, the Psalmist David is actually giving adoration unto God for the judgment that He gives. Many of the Psalms which were written by David are songs of praise for the attributes and even the many acts that God had done for David in his life.

In chapter 9, David starts in verses 1-2 by giving praise:

(NLV) “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart. I will tell of all the great things You have done. I will be glad and full of joy because of You. I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”

Verses 3-6:

(NLV) “When those who hate me turn away, they fall and are lost from You. For You have stood by my right actions. You sit on Your throne and are right in how You judge. You have spoken sharp words to the nations and have destroyed the sinful. You have thrown out their name forever and ever.”

It is clear in verses 3-5 that David found himself in conflict with those who were considered to be his enemies. In Psalm 109, David prayed for the destruction of those who hated him or were against him. However, in Psalm 9, notice that the word ‘judge’ is used. This word is used to indicate that God is the ultimate judge over each person. This means that ultimately God will have the final say over every life and every nation.

Verses 6-8:

(NLV) “Those who fight against You are finished forever. You have destroyed their cities. They will be remembered no more. But the Lord lives forever. He has set up His throne to say who is guilty or not. He will punish the world by what is right. He will be fair as He rules the people.”

These verses point to the fact that God has and will judge the world. David says that God “will punish the world by what is right.” which means that any nation or any person who is not following God’s decrees or His will, will find themselves in a state of punishment as it relates to the wrath of God. As mentioned in part 1 of the topic of the coming of God’s judgment, there will be a day in which God’s judgment will fall.  Sin cannot continue without a penalty. David made it clear that God’s judgment during His time of living was one of fairness and swift punishment against all who rejected God in His righteousness.

If you look at our world today, there are many signs of the coming judgment that God will bring. Various acts of violence occur daily in addition to blatant examples of God’s decrees being rejected by the masses.  The truth is that we are living in a world that is godless.  It doesn’t mean that those who God has called out of darkness do not exist. However, the majority have decided to embrace wickedness and a lifestyle that is open to sinful behavior. Even with the monumental evidence pointing in a direction of accepted sinfulness, there are things that you and I can do to prepare for the coming wrath of God.

1. Ensure that you are truly in Christ – To be found in Christ is the safest place that you can be during a time of disaster.  Scripture makes it clear that everyone who engages in pride and a rejection of God’s authority will be judged and taken down.  Isaiah 2:12 says the following:

(KJV) “For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:”

However, in order to avoid calamity, you and I must find ourselves in a position of surrender unto Christ. You can think of being in a relationship with Jesus as being in a bunker or a cellar during a time of destruction. A bunker is a place in which you can hide during a time of a nuclear explosion. The purpose of a bunker is to shield those who are confined within it from the chemical elements and explosions that would be a result from chemical warfare. If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior, you are living in a life of sin and you are vulnerable to God’s judgment.  By finding yourself in Him, you will escape the penalty of a life that will be judged by God rather harshly.

2. Know what the signs of the times are – The truth is that we are living in the End Times. The End Times represent the active scenarios that will take place before Jesus Christ returns for those who have accepted Him as Lord & Savior.  The book of Matthew chapter 24 is a passage of scripture that points to many of the signs that would occur on Earth just before Jesus Christ will return. Many of the signs have taken place such as Earthquakes in many places, in addition to wars and rumors of wars.  Another such sign is the increase in wickedness which is stated in 2 Timothy 3:2.

The point is that we are seeing an escalation in the sinfulness of humanity in addition to increasing tragedies that are occurring daily. What you see on your local, national and international news networks are many signs which are pointing to the End Times. It is important that you and I are aware of the signs so that we are not caught unprepared when Christ returns. 1 Peter 4:7 says to be sober or aware so that you can be watchful and praying. We are to be mindful of the times that we live in and we are to be prayerful about our world and our very lives.

3. Know God’s Voice and know His truth – It is incumbent upon every person who desires to prepare before God’s judgment comes to know God’s voice and His truth. Knowing God’s voice comes by spending time with Him in prayer and in worship. It is the same as building a relationship with a person. The more you communicate and have a relationship, the more you will know the person’s voice or habits. God speaks in various ways but by spending time with Him you are then aware of His voice. God may be speaking to your heart and He may be urging you to deviate from your daily routine which may one day save your life.

Having a firm sense of when God is speaking and what He is saying will be vital during these times. Discerning His voice and knowing what He commands can be a difference in what happens to you and what you may avoid as a result. Knowing God’s Word will also help you to avoid the deception that satan proposes to us daily. If you don’t have a clear understanding of what God’s Word says and how to apply it, then you will fall for the lies of the world.

The fact is that God’s judgment is coming and it is coming soon. While you and I do not know exactly when the next wave of God’s judgment will fall, I can tell you that the day is sooner than not. God has already promised in various parts of the Bible that anyone who rejects His authority will be taken down by His righteous judgment. Every nation that approves of sinful behavior will be met with destruction. The judgment of God isn’t an easy topic to discuss, but it must be shared with the masses.

Every day there are many examples of how close we are coming to the judgment of God. It is only a matter of time before He reveals His wrath on every nation and person who is not found in Him. Will you be prepared for what is coming? If you don’t know Jesus Christ, today is the best day that you can accept His sacrifice. Find your safety in Jesus Christ and avoid the wrath of God’s judgment.

Who Will Stand for God In the Last Days?

06 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Spiritual

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Take a moment to use your imagination and ponder the following circumstance:

You have decided to enter into your country’s military to serve in active warfare against a formidable foe. The enemy who you are battling against has declared war on your country and everything that it stands for.  As a citizen, you recognize that you have a personal obligation to stand and fight this foe. So, you join the campaign to stand against the enemy.  Realizing that casualties are occurring and that you are in danger of losing everything, you are determined to battle against the enemy. Regardless of the threats or the actual deaths that you see, you fight because you know what the cause is for. Even when many around you fall and it seems that the enemy is winning the war, you fight. The call of duty is a call that you have answered despite the challenges or the climate of the war.

In reality, all of humanity is involved in a war.  The war that we all participate in is one that isn’t against human flesh but against the principalities and rulers of darkness according to Ephesians 6:12. Whether you are fighting on the side of God and His righteousness, or you have given into the shameful lusts and sins of the world, you are in a battle.  However, the side that will always win and defy the odds, is the side that is affiliated with Jesus Christ.

In a well-known passage of Matthew 24, Jesus is teaching His disciples about the signs of the end times.  Throughout this chapter, signs include much of what we are seeing today, (e.g. Earthquakes, wars, pestilences, an increase in sinfulness). However, Jesus makes an important statement that ties into the current structure of our society:

After Jesus mentions the beginning signs of the end of days He says in verses 9-13:

(NIV) “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” 

The first thing to examine in this scripture is the increase in persecution concerning Christians. While historically, Christians have been persecuted for centuries, it is the rapid escalation of persecution that will occur just before Jesus Christ returns. If you look at our society today, Christians are being persecuted around the world much more than in times past. There will come a day (even in America) in which Christians will experience persecution for not capitulating with the order of society. Notice what Jesus says in verse 10 when He says that “many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” 

Various studies and trends are actually pointing to a growing majority that are no longer identifying with the Christian faith.  It isn’t just the fact that many are no longer attending church services.  The projection is that many are deciding not to affiliate with Jesus Christ and God.  Basically, many are now adopting the secular humanist mindset and forsaking the things of God altogether.  This is the very thing that Jesus said would happen in the last days, and it is happening now.  We are experiencing the “Great falling away” as 2 Thessalonians 2:3 mentions. The time of rampant wickedness is the time that we are living in.

If you look further in Matthew 9-13, you will see the words, “false prophets.” This is meant to denote those who speak against God’s truth and entice those who are willing to listen, to believe the lies that satan has put forth. Looking at the constant push for the acceptance of homosexuality and even the transgender lifestyle, many in our world are falling for the lies that satan is pushing. Now, there are many who are seeking to indoctrinate young children to believe that it is perfectly normal for two individuals of the same sex to get married. Even children are now being taught that you can change the gender you were born as.  Essentially, what satan is doing is actively pursuing young children, because he knows that they will perpetuate the next generations. If he is successful in distorting God’s order, then the next generations will reap chaos and confusion.

As Jesus said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” which is what is happening in our world today.  Regardless of what sins are approved of, anything that goes against God’s decrees and His design will always bring with it negative consequences.  However, Jesus offers an encouraging statement in the latter part of verse 13 which says, “but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”  

This is meant to be for those who have decided to follow after God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Even if our world continues to decay and the effects of sin worsen, those who are willing to take a stand for God will be saved. However, Jesus offers more hope in verse 22 when He says, (NLT) “In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.” 

What Jesus is alluding to is the entire theme of Matthew 24, which is that the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ is imminent.  Verse 22 only confirms that time continues to shorten, so that those who are chosen of God and will choose Him in the pardon of their sins, will be able to survive.  Think about it in this context – if violence and various types of tragedies continued without an end, then humanity would always suffer in anguish.  At some point, God promises to put an end to all of the chaos, by setting up His Kingdom on the Earth. Of course, those who choose to reject Him both now and in the future, will be addressed justly – however, the end of the world as we know it must happen, but only in God’s timing.

The main point that we should take away from this message is that only those who are willing to stand will be saved in the end.  Our world is constantly pushing sinfulness and conformity to every image that is against God’s design. Many have decided not to take a stand but to remain silent due to fearfulness, and not wanting to be marginalized by society.  Jesus Christ did not die so that you and I would perish, but He died and rose again so that you and I could experience eternal life.  That is something that is worth standing for.

Regardless of what the media and even those in your life may try to suggest is “acceptable” and the “right way to live”, God’s truth does not change.  His truths are immutable and they are concrete. The world sinks lower and lower into chaos, because of humanity’s insistence on rebellion against God. However, those who are willing to take a stand will be saved and will receive the reward of everlasting life.

Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?  If not, you have an opportunity to receive Him in the pardon of your sins.  Our world will not get better but worse. Instead of wondering how you can get through our social and even economic climate on your own, the one and True God is there and He is willing to help you. For those of us who are in Christ, stand firm in the faith and stand up for God’s righteousness.  Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for all, and by rejecting the sinfulness of our world and speaking up, we are proving that Christ’s sacrifice was not in vain.  So, like a soldier who fights in a war, stand and fight the good fight of faith.