How do you know the end is near?

 How do you know the end is near? - Amy L. Travis - https://amyltravis.substack.com/p/how-do-you-know-the-end-is-near Read alarming proof that Jesus' return is imminent. You don’t need to be an alarmist to know that the world, as we know it, is in deep trouble. Growing up in the 70s and 80s I could never imagine we would be witnessing thechaos that the world is currently experiencing. Recently, I watched a short video clip from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood from a kinder and gentler time. During each half-hour segment, Rogers spoke directly to his viewingaudience—preschool children ages 2-5—about being yourself. In this particular episode (circa 1970) Rogers is talking about gender. In his delightful way, Fred sings, “if you’re born a boy, you stay a boy…” He dares to continue, “onlygirls can grow up to be the mommies.” Oh boy, how things have changed. It’s probably good that Fred didn’t live to witness this craziness. The poor guy would be canceled faster than he could say “could you bemine?” Watch the clip here, but be warned: you’ll have a hard time getting this song out of your head! I had a conversation with a friend about the times we live in. She commented that she could literally “feel the evil.” We agreed it appears something terrible was unleashedthroughout the world in the past few years. The Beginning of the End  This spiritual darkness is not only obvious but also predictable. Thousands of years ago the Bible warned that evil will increase in the last days. But why? How does thishappen and how do we know this isn’t just random? Can we be sure that our current condition is proof that the end of the world is near? Deception is from Satan, but delusion comes from God. That’s how you know. Consider the following headlines: “Drag Queens make everything better.” Seethe article here. “Harvard Medical School offers a course about healthcare for LGBTQIA+ 'infants'.” Readabout this here. “Britain's 'first non-binary CofE priest' says 'God loves variety'.” Seethe article here. What in the World is going on? Even if you aren’t buying what these individuals/organizations are selling, we all know people who are—hook, line, and sinker. Something appears to have shifted in recent days. Convincing someone that eating Fruity Pebbles every morning is good for them is one thing. What we’ve witnessed lately, however,is something very different. If you missed my post on “The Times We Live In” from September,I encourage you to read it here. “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and allthe ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who havenot believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. Let’s break down the passage above and look at 4 ways that our current situation is a sign of Jesus’ soon return: 1. Evil is increasing. We’re living in an age characterized by evil. Just look around. Last week, 210 Democrats voted against the Born Alive Act—legislation that requires physicians to care forinfants who are born alive following an attempted abortion. Even Newsweek, a publication known for their left-of-center views, condemned their actions saying, “The overwhelming majority of House Democrats, many of whom support abortion on demand, voted against it, even though abortion itself wasn't at issue. Their extreme reactionto the bill showcased just how out of step they still are with the majority of Americans' views on protecting the most vulnerable members of society.” Read the article here. In what world would it be ok to allow a sick baby to die alone without receiving care? Just imagine if members of Congress tried to pass the same bill but substituted theword “baby” with “puppy”. They would be run out of town—and rightly so. 2. People are easily deceived because they refuse to love the truth. Deception has always been a thing. Since the fall of man, Satan has been lying to humanity. The devil is the original gas-lighter. And, unfortunately, history has shown thatit’s easier to fool someone than to convince them that they have been fooled. When you look at the storylines above, you can see how easy it is for us to be deceived. Every lie sounds good at face value but rejects a basic element of truth. For example,regardless of how “pretty” they look, these men are sexual predators who prey on children and should not have unfettered access to our school system. Infants are not born the wrong sex. This fallacy denies the simple truth that God creates men and women in His image. Performing dangerous operations meant to sterilize healthychildren is just as evil as withholding care from dying babies. While God created human beings with a diversity of eye color, skin color, height, etc. He also declared at the beginning of human history that He created us male or female.When we deny basic biology, we are deceived. 3. God is judging those who have rejected Him. When God instructs us to avoid something such as sexual sin what He’s really saying is, “Don’t do it. This will hurt you.” As the Creator of the Universe, God designed thehuman body, mind, and spirit to function in a certain way. When we follow the instructions in the user guide, we can make the most of what we’ve been given as human beings. When we don’t, we forfeit many of the benefits such as peace, happiness, and fulfillingrelationships. His judgment often takes the form of natural consequences to our actions. For example, when we neglect our marriage, the relationship with our spouse will suffer. When we’reverbally abusive toward our children, our kids will rebel and act out. When we engage in sexual perversion, we open ourselves to pain, disease, and heartbreak. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Galatians 6:7 4. This age of “strong delusions” is paving the way for the Antichrist. As long as there are people who love God and still seek His truth, the devil will not be able to unleash the hell on earth he has planned for humanity. This is why the Biblesays that the “Man of Lawlessness” can’t be revealed until the true believers are taken out of the way. (This is referred to as the Rapture or the “catching away” of the Church.) We’ll discuss this more in the coming weeks. The Wrap Up We know that the end of the world is near when God sends “powerful delusions” to those who have rejected Him because it signifies the end of the Age of Grace. No one willbe able to survive what comes next. Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ and are obeying His commands? I’m not asking if you are spiritual. I’m not talking about whether you go to church. Tragically,hell is full of religious people. If you believe that Jesus has the power to save you from this darkness, you should be encouraged. But if you don’t know God personally, you should be terrified. Recognize that—regardless of your age—you could be in the final 100 yards of a 26-mile race. The decisions you make now could affect where you spend all of eternity. Now isthe time to focus on getting to know the Lord and what He requires from us so that you are not deceived. Read the Bible. If have you never have before, I encourage you to read the gospel of Matthew (first book of the New Testament) and a couple chapters from Psalms and Proverbseach day. If you don’t have a Bible, I suggest reading the New Living Version on the Bible Gateway app. If you have ANY questions, please reach out to us at loveandtruthbook@gmail.com. We would love an opportunity to talk with you. Thanks so much for reading this very important message today and remember to always pursue the Truth.