Another Year Gone By
It's hard to believe how fast another year has gone by, in just 32 days it will be 2016 and there are only 26 more shopping days left until Christmas. Where has the time gone? When I was a young child during the 60s, I can remember one of my teachers discussing the future and saying that by the year 2,000, we would be living in a very different world. The year 2,000 seemed so far away then, I could not imagine even seeing that time, but here we are nearing 2016, and even that teacher could not have imagined the world we are now living in!
The Bible tells us that in the last days, perilous times shall come
Yet the Bible, nearly 2000 thousand years ago predicted exactly what life would be like in the year 2016. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 the Bible preciously describes the times in which we live:
"But realize this, that in the last days, perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these." 2 Timothy 3:1-5
These words were written nearly 2000 years ago, but they perfectly describe the times in which we are presently living in. At no time in history were times more perilous on a global scale than they are now. There have always been wars, and rumors of wars, but never has the potential for the utter destruction of the human race been more profound. We are living in the last days according to the Bible and never has there been such a need for this ministry and other similar ministries that are Watchmen on the Wall and that stay the course and teach the whole Word of God!
End Times in Focus
Last Thursday, I drove over four hundred miles, round-trip, to be with my family for Thanksgiving, so I had a lot of time to think, and pray. I kept thinking just how close we are to the end! For nearly thirty-seven years, I have been living daily in expectation that perhaps today; the Rapture would happen. I even used to wear a pin on my shirt that said, "Perhaps Today," and even though I have lived believing that the Rapture could happen at any moment, I have never let it stop me from continuing to do the work of the Lord. As a matter of fact, as time has passed and the understanding of end time's prophecy has become clearer, which is come into sharper focus, I feel it is more important than ever, that we stay focused on the finish line, so that we can hear those words from our Lord, "well done, enter in good and faithful servant!" I don't think any of us want to hear, "well, you made, just barely by the skin of your teeth!"
Many Are Deceived
I think there are more people than we realize, that are just going to barely make it. I read recently in a recent Barna survey, that it is estimated that about only fifty percent of church goers are actually saved, and that they only attend church out of obligation because they believe that's what makes them a Christian. At first, I thought that sounds a little out whack, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made.
I see so many people these days that attend church on Sunday's and then live the rest of the week like hell. I often wonder if some of these people are really saved, I never see them carrying or reading Bible's, and if you mention anything about the end times, they give you that look like you're out of your mind. I see a lot of people that claim to be Christian, and I pray they are, but their actions and lifestyles seem to be in total opposition to the Gospel. I see a lot of people on Facebook that claim to be Christian, but the things they like, music, books, movies, lifestyles, are no different, sometimes worse, than those who are in the world. I well know that we as believers are saved sinners, and that we all have struggles in our walks, and that we all mature in the Lord at a different pace, but I think the enemy has a lot of people deceived into believing they are saved, just because they attend church.
Reaching the Lost
It's kind of scary to think when you attend church and realize that if only fifty percent of churchgoers are truly saved, and you know you are one of the truly saved, then there is a good chance that the person to your left and the person your right, are lost churchgoers. So not only do we have to keep doing the Lord's work to that try to reach the lost of the world, we also need to reach the lost right here in our churches.
End Times Checklist
I believe that as each day passes, the opportunity to reach the lost, is being shortened. We are running out of time, and we must use the short time we have left to count for all of eternity. Again, as I was traveling Thursday, I was running kind of an end time's checklist through my mind, prophesied events that have been fulfilled and events that might be fulfilled soon. In our recent video, "The Fate of Damascus and the Psalm 83 Battle," we explored possible future scenarios. Some Bible teachers feel that the Psalm 83 could happen in the near future, and some Bible teacher's feel Psalm 83 is just an imprecatory prayer for God's victory over Israel's enemies. I find it interesting that many in Israel believe that Psalm 83 was fulfilled in the 1948 and 1967 wars. So it's possible we can check Psalm 83 off the end time's checklist.
With Psalm 83 possibly being checked off the list, that leaves us with the Isaiah 17 destruction of Damascus, this has definitely not been fulfilled. Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, and it has never been completely destroyed or become a ruinous heap. Would Israel dare to take out Damascus, a few years ago, I would have said, no way!
A lot has changed in Syria in the last four years. In just four years, over half of Syria's population of 22 million has been killed, displaced or fled the country. Damascus with an estimated population of 1,711,000 in 2009, is said to have been reduced down to 350,000 due to the war in Syria. According to Israeli sources, those remaining in Damascus are mainly Muslim extremist, ISIS militants, and number of other terrorists groups. Making the decision, if it comes down to it, of the possibility of having to take out Damascus, much easier, since the majority of all the women, children, and innocents have fled. So, we may soon be able to check Isaiah 17, the fate of Damascus, off our end time's checklist.
This only leaves us with the battle of Gog and Magog, and mind you, none of these events I am discussing have to happen before the Rapture, but I do believe the Rapture will happen before the battle of Gog and Magog. I also believe the destruction of Damascus could be the tipping point and part of the hook in the jaw for the Russian; Iranian led coalition against Israel. Remember, Russia will not necessarily want to invade Israel, but God himself, will put a hook in their jaw, turn them around, and drag them to Israel. So in reality, the end time's checklist, is really short, about the only thing left is the Rapture, and it could truly happen any day, even perhaps today!
Doubters and Naysayer's
Of course many say, there is no Rapture, and that the Church will go through the Tribulation. If the Lord had to literally drag righteous but compromising Lot, kicking and screaming out of Sodom or harm's way, before he destroyed Sodom, then I believe we can take comfort in knowing that the Lord will also remove His bride out of harm's way before the Tribulation begins. Lot was a compromiser, like many of us at times. First, he looked longingly at Sodom (Genesis 13:10). He then chose the area of ground near Sodom (Genesis 13:11). He next pitched his tent toward Sodom (Genesis 13:12). Then he moved into the city of Sodom (Genesis 14:12). He finally gave both his daughters and his energies to Sodom (Genesis 19). All this and God still delivered Lot out of Sodom before its destruction.
"God remembered Abraham, and sent (snatched) Lot out" (Genesis 19:19). A gracious God has promised to forget the confessed sins of all believers (Hebrew 8:12), but in his faithfulness, he does remember at least two things: 1) the prayers of a believer (Genesis 18:23; Revelation 5:8. 2) The works of a believer (Hebrews 6:10). Thus Lot was saved through the faithful prayers of Abraham. Perhaps Jude had Lot in mind when he later wrote:
And of some have compassion, making a difference. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Jude 22-23
Never Give Up
This is why it is important that we never stop praying for our friends, family members and loved ones. That we never give up trying to reach the lost.
Truly Thankful
We are truly, truly, thankful for your support, and we give God thanks for wonderful Saints like you that make this ministry possible. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update!
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