Posts filed under ‘second coming’
Why Some Christians Work Hard to Change Society
It is one thing to vote and choose our leaders wisely. It is important to understand the bills our elected leaders are trying to pass into laws. It is equally important to understand what God’s purposes are in all things and to appreciate the fact that – whether we think so or not – God has it all under control. He no more needs us to usher in a “golden age” so that He can eventually return anymore than He needed our help in bringing His redemptive purposes to fruition. We are simply the benefactors of His grace, love, and salvation. We receive it and do nothing to earn it. By the same token, we can do nothing to bring about the physical return of Jesus to this planet as the time, day, and hour has already been set in stone.
Lot Was Righteous But Wasn’t Able to Change a Thing About Sodom
Christians should take note. If we’re not careful, we will wind up either being drawn into an environment’s lifestyle or will simply end up being continually vexed every day because of what we see and hear. While it’s certainly permissible to vote, to take a stand, and to do what we can within the confines of the law to change society, hopefully improving it along the way, we cannot count on the fact that anything we do will amount to much as far as society is concerned. Rather than become so preoccupied with that, we need to be focused on evangelizing the lost, ensuring that they know that they have the opportunity to receive salvation, which is offered from the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Himself.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 9
Because Israel’s leaders will essentially be signing a deal with the devil, God responds to their complete lack of faith in Him by beginning to pour out His wrath on the nations that have deceived Israel (outlined beginning in Revelation 5). His wrath is also poured out against Israel as well, but the Bible tells us that at the three and a half-year point of the Tribulation when the Antichrist claims to be God from inside the rebuilt Jewish Temple, this is when the eyes of many Jews will start to open. They will realize they were deceived and will run for the hills. God will protect them from the onslaught by Satan and because he cannot reach the Jewish people, he will then turn his attention to people who will become Christians during that same time period (Revelation 12 – read the entire chapter!).
Defeat of the Religious Liberty Bill is Vexing
The truth is that Christians and Christian organizations only are the ones being squeezed and discriminated against. We turn the other cheek. We’re the humble ones. We are supposed to simply continue to take whatever the world dishes out. Certainly, there is some truth to that, however, as voters and people who pay taxes here in Georgia (as well as other states where this type of legislation is attempted), we have a right to express what is on our minds in a thoughtful, non-judgmental, yet provocative way. We know the world won’t like it but what does that matter?
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 8
Imagine what the world will be like when someone is able to step up and create some semblance of peace in the Middle East. Currently, much of the world’s problems are related to what is happening in that section of the world and specifically where Israel is concerned. Arab nations do not want to tolerate Israel’s existence. They are constantly threatening to annihilate Israel from the face of the earth. Animosity is thick. It is also why – I believe – Islam is being used to make such headway into other areas of the world. I believe many Muslims are being used as the Elite’s foot soldiers because they are not afraid to die. Like the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of WWII, these militant, radicalized Islamists see their actions as great acts of heroism. It is a repeat of the brainwashed Japanese Kamikaze pilots of decades ago. Their suicide missions helped Japan gain the upper hand in certain sectors of the war at least for a time. Eventually, the Japanese were stopped in their tracks and I believe the same thing will happen to radicalized Muslims.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 7
If there was no physical Antichrist coming to this world, there would be no need for the world to see a globally unified system of governance as we are seeing. In truth, the coming final world order is at our doorstep because Satan is being given the chance to rule over it as God. He will choose a physical human being to fully empower with his supernatural abilities as leader of this final global empire. While the spiritual ramifications of this coming empire are huge, the fact remains that it will be a physical manifestation of Satan’s promise to be “like the Most High” in human form as the Antichrist.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 6
But the Elite are blind to Satan’s (and certainly God’s) plans! They are working so hard behind the scenes to unify the world that they are not aware that once they bring the world together in its final global empire form (though they fully expect themselves to be the ones to rule; ten of the most important and powerful men of the Elite families), the Antichrist will step up at that point and literally take over, according to Scripture. The Elite will have done all the hard work but at the right time, Antichrist will waltz into the situation and take control. He will use fatal force to win his point.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 5
In truth though, the Bible has predicted that the world will become one and will be ruled by one individual. This individual – the Antichrist – will turn out to be Satan’s man of the hour, his spiritual “son.” Don’t forget also that God is going to allow this so that Satan can do whatever he can to bring his promises of Isaiah 14 to fruition. Because of this, God will allow Satan to create a counterfeit trinity as it were, with Satan as the “Father,” Antichrist as the “Son,” and the False Prophet of Revelation 17 as the “Holy Spirit.” It will be Satan’s time to shine and he will be given permission to use as many signs and wonders as necessary to deceive the entire world.
Bible Warns of Apostasy and Persecution: Birth Pang 4B
That’s huge! But this is also why I believe that this earthquake occurs prior to the start of the Tribulation. Consider the fact that if all mountains will be knocked down, steep places and walls will fall, what do you think that means for the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa mosques that currently sit atop the Temple Mount area? If the earthquake described is as large as the Bible indicates, then clearly anything that is standing on the Temple Mount before the earthquake will also be affected and will likely not be standing after the earthquake is over, right?
Even the High and Mighty Die
Yet in spite of all this, what did they really have? Did they have salvation? Where are they now? We know that in life as in death (or at least at the grave site), Douglas Fairbanks went to the extreme. In the photo of his grave at Hollywood Forever Memorial Park (where he is also buried with his son Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.), we can see that a great deal of money was spent to ensure that the Fairbanks grave site would stand out and be set apart. It was designed to let everyone know that someone of vast importance rested there. Who buys that much land to be laid to rest in, complete with a reflecting pond in front and trees lining the sides? Who does that? Certainly not someone who sees the utter temporal nature of this life itself.
StudyGrowKnow 