Sunday, November 26, 2017

Signs of the Times or Time of the Signs?



“Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; “and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.”   Matthew 16:1-3  NKJV

As most of us know, the fundamental belief of Christianity is that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God, sent to the earth to save mankind from their sin. Many people are surprised though to find that other religions have their messiah figures as well. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all share a belief in a messiah type individual as part of their eschatology, or beliefs concerning the end of the world. It also goes without saying, that one thing in common with each of these three religions is that each is watching and waiting for the appearance of this messiah in the very near future.

There is, however, a very large difference in what Christianity believes about its Messiah, and what Judaism and Islam believe about theirs. You see, we as Christians believe in the deity of Jesus; He was the Son of God. Judaism and Islam share the same idea that their coming leader will simply be a man. In Judaism, they believe their coming messiah is a human descended from the line of King David, and he will be annointed King of Israel to rule much the same as the ancient kings of Israel did. He will be a righteous king, be a strong political and military leader, and he will cause the temple to be rebuilt. But most of all he will be human, not a divine or god-like individual.

In Islam, many of the faithful are looking for the appearance of a person they call the Mahdi, or Guided One. Depending on their interpretation of prophecy, he will appear on earth for a period of 7 years before the advent of what they call the Day of Resurrection. There is a lot of disagreement within Islam concerning the particulars surrounding this individual, but it is safe to say they believe he is going to appear on the scene very soon. The president of Iran has been very vocal in his belief that he feels it is his duty to prepare the way for the appearing of the Mahdi, and there are other leaders in that part of the world who share that belief.

Several news sites have reported this past week on the establishment by Iran of a base of operations just miles from the Golan Heights in Syria.   Some are boldly stating that their presence in Syria is an effort on their part to accelerate and hasten the appearance of the Mahdi. https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/98132/iran-trying-bring-islamic-end-days-syria/#/ also http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1802  If this is the case, it follows that there is mischief in the near future which could in all probability threaten Israel to such an extent that the fulfillment of the Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39 prophecies could occur.  The following is an attempt to explain just how this scenario might play out.

The relationship between Iran and Syria is complicated, but the one thing that remains clear is that Iran has invested a lot of money, materiel, and personnel to develop and upgrade Syria’s military capabilities. Much of Syria’s missile technology and armament has been provided by Iran, and at present it is reported as fact by many intelligence sources that members of the Iranian Republican Guard are in Syria helping develop and train Syrian troops. So the question must be asked, just what does Iran want from Syria in exchange for all of this help?

There is no question that Syria now finds itself indebted to Iran in a very big way, so it's logical to wonder to what extent Syria might go in order to repay the debt, or, for that matter, how much would Iran require as a payback for its investment? Iran has made known their desire for the total annihilation of Israel, and even gone so far as to brag about how many missiles could be launched in the event of a conflict, however most intelligence organizations agree their boast exceeds their capabilities. This fact leads many to wonder if Iran has agreements with other Arab countries for help in any attack on Israel. If so, this would easily explain the extent to which they have gone to arm Syria with weapons and technology they have not previously possessed. It may well, in fact, explain one of the most disturbing reports to come out of that region in the recent past which is the Jane's Defense Weekly report about the WMD accident in Syria. If Syria indeed has the capability to launch a WMD into Israel, is it possible that Isaiah is trying to tell us this is exactly what is going to happen?

Let's look a little closer at the prophecy in Isaiah and examine exactly what it says. In the Isaiah oracle it says;

The cities of Aroer [are] forsaken; They will be for flocks Which lie down, and no one will make [them] afraid.      Isaiah 17:2 NKJV

The word "forsaken" in the Hebrew is "azab" which means "to depart, abandon, loose, relinquish, leave." The first thing that crossed my mind when I read this was not what it does say, but what it doesn't say. It doesn't say that Aroer is destroyed; only abandoned. It also says “cities” which gives the impression of a very large area being affected. I believe this may be our clue to understanding the entire scenario Isaiah presents here. If we look at this with the understanding of what technology Syria now possesses, it seems extremely possible that Isaiah is describing an attack on Israel with a weapon of mass destruction, such as a chemical, biological, or possibly a nuclear "dirty bomb" warhead. This would perfectly explain why this area is "abandoned" but not destroyed.

Isaiah even goes so far as to say that only animals will wander this area. Why would that be? If an attack of this type occurs, after the evacuation, the contaminated area would be quarantined and posted with warning signs in order to keep the public out. Unfortunately for animals, they can't read, and although I’m sure there would be patrols to keep people from entering the area, they aren’t going to be too concerned with policing the wild animals that want to wander. This area in Israel is well within range of Syria's Scud missiles, and we know they are placing chemical warheads on them. The area known as Aroer is now home to Israel’s nuclear research facility named Dimona. That would, in effect, make it a logical place to attack, and a very worthy target, but the real question is obviously why?

Again, I believe the most logical reason returns us to the question of Iran. Iran is at present considered to be the most dangerous, if not unsettling country in the Middle East. Their pursuit of nuclear capabilities has the attention of the entire world, and most fear what they intend to do when they achieve their goal. A military response by the west has been in the forefront of the news for more than a year now, and speculation on the possibility of a strike to cripple their facilities makes the news almost weekly. Iran has made it very clear what they intend to do if attacked by the west, and as you might expect, they include an attack on Israel as part of that response. The trouble is, while they boast about just how many missiles they would launch against the west if attacked, we know they do not possess near the number they promise to launch in response. If their threat is to be taken seriously and not as just bluster and exaggeration, the only answer to the question of how they would accomplish this is if they intend to enlist the help of another country or countries. What exactly would happen if Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Syria all began to fire their entire arsenals at Israel at the same time? Is it possible Iran is not bluffing? Does Iran have the leverage over these organizations to the point they could compel them to join in a response against Israel?

The world waits to see what Israel or the United States will do about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the news is full of speculation about existing plans to strike Iran militarily. Could an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities provoke a response against Israel's nuclear reactor at Dimona? If so, the most important question we can ask at this point is just what kind of response could the world expect from Israel if they were attacked by all these organizations at the same time, especially if the attack included WMD's? The answer to that question might have already been written in something known as the Sampson Option.”

Would it be a stretch to think Iran knows it needs supernatural help in any conflict with the nation of Israel?  If they truly believe they can bring their messiah by starting a war with Israel do you think they would do it?  The more you know about what the Bible says about the times we are living in, the more you can see that the actions occurring in that part of the world are lining up for the conclusion we have all been watching for. God in His infinite wisdom has given us a very detailed picture of what the situation on this earth will be as we approach the time of the end. Let's not forget the big picture as we watch for the signs. Remember that in Matthew 16:3 Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for not recognizing "signs of the times". If we look, it would appear the world is even now looking for that one individual who will not only solve the problems that exist, but will somehow be acceptable and followed by all.

The signs of Jesus’ return, the labor pains He told us would occur, are happening all around us and He could call us home to be with Him at any time.  If you have never made the decision to accept this free gift of salvation, or are in any way unsure of your eternal destiny, I encourage you to pray this prayer and accept God’s promise to save you.

Jesus I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live for you from now on. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Keep watching.

https://www.debka.com/netanyahu-warns-assad-thru-3rd-party-dont-accept-iranian-bases/

Sunday, November 19, 2017

No Condemnation



O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?    Romans 7:24  NKJV

Does it seem to you that the apostle Paul sounds just a little frustrated in this passage?  One of the reasons I enjoy studying the life of Paul and reading his letters is the fact that he is experiencing much the same things we all as believers experience.  In the seventh chapter of Romans, Paul’s lament is having to live his life as a believer in a body controlled by a sin nature.  Of course, as a believer in Christ, Paul and anyone else who has made the same decision to accept Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is forgiven, yet the frustration of wanting to live up to God’s standards while trapped in this worldly body is evident not only in Paul’s letters, but to us every day.

Paul spends the entire seventh chapter of Romans explaining and expounding on the struggle all believers face attempting to live up to the standards God has set for us.  In terms that often resemble an argument in a court of law, Paul not only shows us why we struggle, but explains in no uncertain terms that although at times the struggle seems hopeless, there is in fact hope for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.  Romans 7:7-13  NKJV

In his own way, Paul tells us that the law shows us how high a standard God has set before us.  Unfortunately, the result is the knowledge that we can never live up to that standard.  Although the law is good, and we can use it as a guide for our actions, because of our sin nature we also realize the ultimate futility because sooner or later we will stumble and fall because of the sin which lives inside of us.  We often think that if we can control our actions we somehow have achieved success but Paul makes it clear here that our thoughts condemn us as well.  No matter how hard we try, because of our sin nature it is impossible to live a sinless life.

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.  Romans 7:14-20  NKJV 

Did you know Paul was a sinner?  As holy of a life as he tried to live, and in spite of all the good he accomplished in his lifetime, in the end Paul was a sinner just like all of us.  Have you ever wondered just what types of sin Paul was struggling with?  I believe most of us tend to think godly people struggle with different sins than the rest of us, but in reality all of us share the same sin nature and are tempted by the same sins.  Have you ever had these same thoughts go through your mind that Paul shares with us here?  You want to do good, you try to do good, but in the end you fail. Yet Paul also sheds some light on this struggle we all share by the revelation that it is our sin nature that is responsible for the sin we commit.  We sin because it is our nature, and it is for this reason Jesus forgives us of our sins whenever we ask Him to.

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.  Romans 7:21-25  NKJV

Do you notice how Paul differentiates between our inward mind and our outward flesh?  Inside we desire to do right, but outwardly the sinful body just keeps on sinning.  The one thing the law will always do is show us that we cannot save ourselves.  Knowing that, God has made a way for all to be saved from the penalty of death by having His own Son, Jesus Christ, pay that penalty for us.  Yet because He was the Son of God, he defeated death and rose again so that we might spend eternity with Him, in a new body devoid of this sin nature.  This then, is the hope that lives in all of us as believers.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:1-2  NKJV

Have you ever seen the reaction of accused people when they hear the words “not guilty”?  Think about that for a minute and then tell me why there will be so much rejoicing in Heaven.  Shouting, praising God, singing and dancing, it all makes perfect sense when you consider that not only will we be saved and forgiven, but we will also receive a new body that has no sin nature.  In the twinkling of an eye, we will all be changed.  Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Keep watching.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Living in the Last Days



“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. “It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— “lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”   Mark 13:32-37 NKJV

By now I am sure you understand I consider it very important for us as believers to do exactly as this passage commands; watch! Whenever I teach on this subject I inevitably get questions relating to what should we be watching for and what exactly will we see? My answers to those questions reveal my belief about the origin of many of the events we will observe, and while many are aware that it was God in His inspired Word who has foretold what will happen, the truth as I see it is that most of the events we will see occur come from Satan himself because he too, is watching.

The truth is, nobody knows scripture better than Satan. After all, who has been around to study it as long as he has? He quoted it when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and he most assuredly uses it against us. So do you think with what he knows about the end of the age, he wouldn't have a clue as to when God was preparing to take us home?  Satan knows what God has in store for him, and when he believes the end times are approaching it would make sense that he would do anything in his power to release all the evil on this earth at his control in order to take as many down with him as he could.

I believe much of what we will see happen before the rapture is a direct result of Satan increasing his efforts as he sees the day approaching. I truly believe this is exactly what we can see right now in the world around us. So many events are occurring on a daily basis that it simply seems unbelievable that we could not be close to the time Jesus commanded us to watch for.  Yet as believers, what do these times mean for us and what does God expect from His children in these last days before the rapture? 

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;    Titus 2:1-2  NKJV

Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you    Titus 2:6-8  NKJV

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,    Titus 2:11-12  NKJV

Now like most of us, when I see the word sober my first thoughts are about drinking, and not being intoxicated, but if you look at the Greek you come up with something a little more complex than that.  The word translated sober comes from the Greek word “sōphrōn” which means “of a sound mind, sane, in one's senses, curbing one's desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate”.  As you read Titus, it seems clear that the issue of self-control applies to just about every facet of a believer’s life, especially as it affects and influences what others see when observing our words and deeds.

“The Church is full of hypocrites!”  Have you ever heard those words?  Isn’t it amazing that believers are so carefully observed and held to such a high standard?  Of course not, yet somehow there are many who ignore the fact that the world will watch us closely to see if what we are trying to sell is really as life changing as we claim.  If we don’t live up to the standard set forth in the Word of God, we become liars and the world rightly considers us to be hypocrites.  In the believers life, being “sober” includes being of a “sound mind” which would certainly include being honest about how we choose to live out our faith.

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; “and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.”    Luke 12:35-37  NKJV

In this passage from Luke, Jesus explains what we are expected to do, and the benefit we will receive if we choose to do so.  His desire for us can be summed up in just four words; working, waiting, watching, rewarded.  Let’s briefly look at these expectations in order to better understand what our Lord wants from us.

Working; “Let your waist be girded”.  Most of us have seen pictures or images of the way people dressed in Jesus’ time, and in truth, some in the Middle East still do.  Generally speaking, you wore an undergarment covered by an outer garment of long, usually ankle length flowing material.  If one was to engage in physical labor, the common practice was to “gird” your outer garment around your waist to facilitate the ease of movement while working.  When Jesus tells us to “gird”, there are two results which become apparent.  One, we are prepared to do His work, and second, anyone who sees us will know we are working because we are dressed for it.  Our work is summed up nicely in this passage from Peter, who also uses the word “gird”.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”     1 Peter 1:13-16  NKJV

Waiting; “and your lamps burning”.  If we are instructed to wait with our lamps burning, it follows that it is possible to wait without our lamp burning.  Obviously it does no good at all to be waiting with a lamp that is not lit because you can’t see who is coming, and they certainly can’t see you.  First of all, when our spiritual lamp is lit, not only will we be looking for our Lord to appear, we will recognize the events which signify He is near.  Secondly, because our lamp is lit, others will see the light and we will have an opportunity to glorify God by sharing the reason we are watching and waiting.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.     Matthew 5:16  NKJV

Watching; “be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately”.

I have always been somewhat amused by discussions concerning the question of will we know when the rapture will occur?  My response has always been that why would Jesus spend so much time, and give so many illustrations concerning watching, if He did not intend to allow us to see and recognize the time of His appearing?  Understand I am not saying it is possible to predict the day it will happen, but rather if we are watching and waiting for His return, just like these men waiting for their master to come, we will see Him coming for us.  Have you never been watching for a friend or relative to come for a visit?  Do you not see them arrive and open the door and go out to greet them?  That is what Jesus is telling us here, and I firmly believe that any believer, who is faithfully watching for our Master to come, will see Him as He appears and not be at all surprised when He does.

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. “It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—“lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”      Mark 13:33-37  NKJV

Rewarded; “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.”

 Is this not the ultimate role reversal?  Instead of the servants serving the master, as a reward for watching diligently for His return, the Master assumes the role of the servant and rewards His servants by serving them at the feast.  Can you picture in your mind the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Savior, sitting us down in Heaven at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb and then girding up His royal robes and serving us our first meal in Heaven?  I can see many of us feeling exactly as Peter did when Jesus went to wash his feet and protesting that He should not do it.  Yet this is exactly the reward Jesus has promised we will receive if we follow His commandment to watch for His return.  There is, however, an alternate reward for those who do not.

As believers, servants of God the Father, we have been commanded to watch for His appearing.  We do that by girding ourselves to work, to wait, to watch, and ultimately to receive our reward.  I don’t know about you, but I choose to watch, and do.

And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.     Luke 12:42-43  NKJV

Keep watching.