What

 

he said basically :-).

Five Reasons to Value Studying the End Times

"The nations of the earth are in a season of acceleration towards both the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the greatest hour of pressure in world history." Isaiah made it clear that both darkness and the glory of God will increase to unprecedented levels together in the generation that Jesus returns.'

Isaiah 60:2

For the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples the nations; but the Lord shall rise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. 

(Under pressure,  :-)

Um ba ba be

Um ba ba be

De day da

Ee day da, that's okay...figure it out :-)

"Yes, a time of deep darkness is coming, yet at the same time, the glory of God will be seen upon His people in an unprecedented measure. In essence, Haggai prophesied the same thing..."

Haggai 2:6–7

"For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts."

"In other words, the greatest harvest of souls is coming in context to the end-time shaking of the nations. This shaking will be like a “perfect storm,” affecting many areas of life—financial, political, societal, spiritual, military, and more. It is in this context that God’s glory will be seen and magnified in the nations."

"I embrace a view that differs from the popular view that the Church may be raptured at any time and, thus, will miss the great revival and the pressures that will occur during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 7:9, 14). I honor the godliness and biblical scholarship of many who hold this view, but I see it as a mistake that will leave multitudes of God’s people spiritually unprepared when negative events escalate more in the end times."

(Halleluiah! I am nor alone! Pre tribulation rapture is confined mainly to the western Church and has only been a round a short time. Go back to my presentation on deconstructing the pretribulation rapture of the church and you will find that the author of this piece and I are on the same exact page! Football analogy alert :-). If you prepare for a wishbone running attack and then your opponent uses five wide receiver sets the whole game? Your opponent will catch you a lil off guard, or as the author says: "multitudes of God’s people spiritually unprepared when negative events escalate more in the end times." It's what I am working as hard as I can to prevent.  Who is the great deceiver again?"

Five Reasons to Value Studying the End Times 

Unique Dynamics

"The generation of Jesus’ return will have very unique dynamics—there is only one generation that will see both the greatest revival and the greatest pressure in all history occurring on earth at the same time. These two great extremes will come together in one timeframe. Yes, the dynamics on the earth will be totally unique due to an unprecedented increase of good and evil—nobody has ever walked that path before. No other generation has had to navigate these two extremes. This will create a situation in which many will be afraid and confused, searching for answers."

(Not if you understand that everything is supposed to be happening exactly as it is you wont be afraid and confused).

There Are Biblical Reasons—Seen in 150 Chapters with an End-Time Focus

"By far the most described generation in Scripture is the generation that will be alive when Jesus returns. In fact, the events occurring in the generation in which Jesus returns are the main focus in over 150 chapters in the Bible...To get a perspective on how important these 150+ chapters are, consider that there are 89 chapters in the four Gospels that focus on Jesus’ first coming to accomplish salvation. In contrast to these 89 chapters, almost twice as many chapters (150) in the Bible focus on events or trends that will occur in the generation that Jesus returns to rule the earth openly."

"God’s people easily receive the good news about a coming great revival. The challenge lies in interpreting the unprecedented pressures that will occur at that time without being afraid or offended by the many negative things happening. Therefore, God’s people must understand the biblical narrative related to the coming pressures, or they will be left, by default, to embrace a secular narrative...Only by embracing the biblical narrative of the end times will God’s people be able to process the pressures in a way that will help them to grow in love and peace with steadfast faith in Jesus’ excellent leadership."

"Far too many in the Body of Christ in the nations are almost totally unaware of the biblical narrative contained in these 150 Bible chapters. Understanding the biblical narrative includes more than knowing a few general ideas about the end times, such as the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, and the rapture." 

(Church fell asleep, somebody said :-), Who was that again BTW?)

"Those who don’t understand the biblical narrative or storyline of unfolding events will be much more vulnerable to be overcome with fear and even to being offended at God. As pressures increase, many will be greatly perplexed about where things are going if they are unaware of the biblical narrative of the end times. To them it will seem like the “train of history” is veering off the tracks, and it will feel as though no one really knows where things are going or why.

There is power in knowledge...

Only those who interpret what is happening from God’s point of view will be equipped to respond with such faith and confidence.

(It's kinda why were doing what were doing, so that many might hear and see and understand. The all ruler guides all the processes of history...All!)

There Are Prophetic Reasons—Seen in the Biblical Signs of the Times

"In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, Jesus identified 22 signs of that time. Now, for the first time in history, most of these signs are increasing and making global headline news. When all the signs accelerate at the same time, then God’s people are “to know” they are living in the generation of Christ’s return.

Scripture Promises Increased Understanding in the End-Time Church

"Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would give His people “perfect,” or mature, understanding of His end-time judgments against the Antichrist’s empire. In other words, He will raise up people who will gain mature understanding of His end-time plans as set forth in the Scripture."

Jeremiah 23:20

The anger of the Lord will not turn back

Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.

In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.

(Ya kinda been witnesses to it around here)

"Daniel prophesied a promise of the Lord to raise up “people of understanding” who will help many others to understand the biblical narrative related to the end times. This promise is available to all believers. He emphasized that “many” will be hungry for answers from God’s Word.

Daniel 11:33–35

“Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time."

"Notice that Daniel prophesied that “many,” or multitudes, will be hungry for answers from God’s Word about the end times from “the people of understanding.” In other words, the Lord’s messengers will make the biblical narrative known in diverse ways to many in the Body of Christ and to the uninstructed millions of unbelievers who will be desperate to gain understanding."

(You are witnessing it right in front of your eyes)

"Unbelievers are interested in knowing what the Bible says about the end times. By growing in understanding, we can be a part of the solution instead of adding to the confusion of those who embrace the secular narrative and are overcome with fear, offense, lust, or deception. We don’t have to be confused. By having a robust biblical picture of the unique dynamics of the end times, God’s people will be equipped to have the right expectations and interpretations of various negative events. By understanding the biblical narrative, God’s people will have the tools to process escalating pressures in a way that will help them thrive spiritually and grow in love."

There Are Four Pastoral Challenges That Will Escalate in the End-Time Church

"Again, I emphasize that people must understand the biblical narrative of what will happen, or they will be left, by default, to embrace a secular narrative of the increasing pressures, making them more vulnerable to be overcome by fear, offense, lust, and deception."

Fear: Jesus warned that men’s hearts will be overcome with fear in the end times if they are not properly equipped in the Word and walking in the Spirit. This warning applies to both believers and unbelievers. People who are overcome with fear are far more vulnerable to make terrible decisions. Jesus prophesied that people will be overcome with fear.

Luke 21:26

"Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things."

Offense: Many will be offended at God and one another in context to the escalating pressures in the end times. Some will be offended at Jesus’ leadership because they grew up being taught that things were mostly going to get better or that Jesus would rapture them before the trouble increased too much. Thus, many will be offended at God, even questioning Jesus’ leadership and whether the Bible is true. People who are offended at the Lord cannot respond to Him with wholehearted love and strong faith.

Matthew 24:10

"And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another."

(It's just best, (and I would argue more biblical),  to expect trouble and hardship and persecution than a magic carpet ride out from tribulation.)

Lust: Jesus warned His people not to allow their hearts to be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness. The word for “carousing” speaks of self-indulgence, with the main idea being immorality. Often people who are overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, depression, or offense seek to find temporary relief from their stress in drunkenness, drugs, and immorality. In other words, they “self-medicate” with lust in seeking some relief from their fear and pain. The explosion of immorality in our culture will intensify even more as new cutting-edge technology provides multitudes with intense new ways to engage in internet pornography. Imagine how intense the pornified culture will be in the next few decades with holograms, virtual reality, augmented reality, and state-of-the-art robotics with “skin” that feels human.

Luke 21: 34

But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness [lust], . . . and that Day [Jesus’ return] come on you unexpectedly. 

(Do I need even say anything about the underlined portion above?)

Deception: "...But I believe some of the most dangerous false prophets will be popular social commentators and media personalities who are dignified, good-looking, cool, caring, intelligent, and well-spoken. They will use dynamic and creative social media platforms to communicate to multitudes. They will promote a false narrative regarding what is happening—a deceptive narrative that will oppose the biblical narrative of what is unfolding across the nations."

"The social commentators will be very persuasive in their call for new values and perspectives on social, sexual, and financial issues—issues currently escalating quickly in the social conversation of many nations and identified as key topics in the cultural wars. They will come across as logical and loving to many who listen to them. They will seek to “rescue” people from old-fashioned biblical values and perspectives. The enemy is raising up even more popular new voices to spearhead counterfeit justice and mercy movements. They will use the biblical terms—justice, unity, and love—but not in the same way that the Bible defines them. These false voices will lead many people away from Jesus, the God of the Bible."

Matthew 24:11

Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 

"The combination of escalating fear, offense, lust, and deception will result in some believers falling away. Scripture prophesies that some will fall away from their faith in the end times (1 Timothy 4:1–2; 2 Timothy 3:1–7; 4:3–5; Hebrews 6:4–6; 10:26–31, 39; 2 Peter 2:1–3, 20–22; 3:17). The end-time falling away will be one of the most tragic realities in history. People who become fearful or offended are more vulnerable to drift away from their faith because they are not able to make sense of the increasing troubles in the world."

(Already here)

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1)

"Paul presented the end-time falling away to be as obvious and significant as the appearing of the Antichrist (the man of sin) as a prominent political leader on the world stage."

2 Thessalonians 2:3

"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [Jesus’ return] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin [Antichrist] is revealed [on the world stage].

'The Lord has graciously given His people a significant amount of biblical information as part of His zeal to prepare them to walk in love and victory even amid the greatest pressures in all history, which will occur in the generation that Jesus returns.”

"How can you increase your understanding of the end times?

The shakings of 2020–21 have left many disillusioned and confused—but God is drawing His family closer together for the great end-time revival."

(And I would add 2022...This guy is saying exactly what I've been trying to communicate for a while now...)

"The challenge lies in interpreting the unprecedented pressures that will occur at that time without being afraid or offended by the many negative things happening"

It's why were here :-).

I love you honey ;-).

Where's my Fajitas and Guac yo!