Discerning the Signs of the Times?

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Sherilyn Stephens
5 years ago
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1 "The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever." (Psalm 12: 6 & 7) Graefenburg Road Lawrenceburg, KY February 28, 2011 Discerning the Signs of the Times? 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: 2 & 3) If any human being on earth can accurately discern the signs of the current times, as they relate to our God s timetable in the affairs of men, it should be the Born Again, Spirit filled man or woman of God. After all, discerning the signs of the times is critical to our spiritual well being. Sadly, history (both Biblical and Secular) tells us that few there are who accurately discern the signs of the times from one generation to another; and so it is today. I am confident that many professing believers of today s church would disagree with me on this matter; after all, the shelves of the Christian book store display numerous books written by those who are certain of the soon (at any moment) return of our King. Nearly all of them make their case centered on international affairs that involve Israel; and no doubt, there is a measure of truth in what they say. 1

2 Israel, is most certainly the nation that plays the key role in the last battle fought on earth; she is also the geographic location where Jesus Christ will set His feet upon His return to earth. However, I would suggest that to focus on Israel alone, to discern the times that we live in, while neglecting the other signs that are clearly outlined in detail throughout God s word, is a very costly mistake for professing believers. Our failure to accurately discern the signs of the times, and to respond as our Father has instructed us, results in a horrendous loss of life among believers; and gives greater meaning to our Lord s words: Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21) For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) When one honestly and objectively examines Father s word, it becomes alarmingly clear, that from the whole of those who claim to be Christians, only a few are chosen to enter into eternity with our lord, Jesus Christ. Not being able to discern the signs of the times, increases ones likelihood of being numbered among the majority, of whom our Lord spoke when He said: And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17: 26 30) Even so as it was written, so it is in this late hour of man s time. Failure to discern the signs of the times, will be the final epitaph that marks the grave of those who failed to believe the warnings that God has given to us in His word; warnings that were given in Love, in an effort to spare us a horror that is beyond human comprehension. Sadly, Scripture seems to indicate that, for the most part, as time for man draws to a close, those who are known as the people of God the church believers etc., will not discern the signs of the times and will continue on with their lives just as if nothing was going to change. Many of us would even believe that while things may be bad, they will soon get better, even believing that there would be a great gathering of souls, to faith in Christ, referred to as an end time revival. While such beliefs give us a temporal hope, they are certainly not supported by Christ, nor by the Holy Scriptures. Please listen to Father s word: Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day (the return of our Lord) will not come unless the falling away comes first, (2 Thessalonians 2:3a) 2 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, (1 Timothy 4: 1 & 2)

3 And Jesus Christ said, concerning the latter days in which we live: For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24: 5, 11, & 24) Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18: 8) Father s word could not be any clearer, as it relates to the signs of the times preceding our Lord s return to the earth; and that word focuses far more on the spiritual condition of God s people (professing believers), than it does on international affairs, and in particular, Israel. The Word of God is very personal; it begins with me and with you. At the end of the day, my eternal future will be determined by my response to Father s word, which will define my personal relationship with His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; likewise, so it will be with all men and women of the earth. When all is said and done, what happens with the nations and all the governments of the world, will have no bearing on our eternal future. This truth should never be forgotten! Behold, the Nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales; look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. (Isaiah 40: 15 17) He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him --- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (John 12:48) For one to properly discern the signs of the times (Matthew 16: 2 & 3), and know what the future Holds (John 16: 13), that one must repent of their wickedness, embrace Jesus Christ as Lord over their Life as their Soverign King and as their Savior; and, they must embrace His word as Truth, down to the last jot and tittle (Matthew 5: 18). Any attempt to separate Christ from His word, beginning with Genesis 1:1 and continuing through Revelation 22:21, is an exercise in futility. In truth, Jesus Christ and the Word are One and the same. To accept Christ, but reject His word, is to deny His Lordship, and as much as call Him a liar. Never forget, if Jesus Christ is not the Lord of your life 24/7, He is not your Savior. If He is, in fact, your Lord, then His word will become your very life. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6: 63) It is our Father s desire that each of His sons and daughters be well informed concerning His Kingdom and government, including the signs of the times that will precede the return of His Son to this earth, that we 3

4 presently occupy. Just prior to our Lord s departure, He made a promise for all those who would be drawn by His Father (John 6: 44) who would go through a Spiritual re-birth (John 3:3), and become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); whose heart had been circumcised by the hand of God (Deuteronomy 30: 6); a new creation in whom God had placed in the mind and written on the tablet of the heart, a love for His word (Hebrews 8: 8-10). To those of this new creation, and to them alone, would the promise apply The Promise Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and -----He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (John 16: 7, 13 15) The Holy Spirit is sent to those who belong to the Lord (Romans 14: 7 & 8) and to no others; to them, He will (1) lead and guide them into all truth, (2) He will tell them of things to come, (3) and He will glorify Jesus Christ alone! I beg you, dear reader, soak in our Lord s words, until they become life to you. We can trust with our lives our Lord; whose word alone, will guide us through life here on earth and lead us into eternity; where we will experience a joy which is inexpressible and beyond our present capacity to fully comprehend. What a promise! What more could we ask for than to be led and guided into all truth to be told of things to come (discerning, in truth, the signs of the times) -----and to have the One we call Lord, glorified in and through us?? I close this message by encouraging all whose hands it falls into, to turn to Father s word and ask Him to confirm, in them, His Son s words, as recorded in John chapter 16, verse 7 and 13 thru 15. These words are a covenant promise to all who Believe Him; not just for a select few, but for all. Never forget, in Father s house He shows no favoritism (Galatians 2:6); there are no classes among Father s true children; what He does for one, He will do for another; no one is required to ride at the back of the bus ----no one!; that is for the world s church, not for the church that Christ is building. Man can join the world s church, but he must be born into God s church. To confirm what I say, I refer you to our Lord s own words, as recorded in Matthew chapter 23, verses 1 thru 12. Finally, I urge you, to wake up before you are overwhelmed by the unstoppable storm of God s judgment. The outer bands of that storm are already upon us. Soak in Matthew chapter Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 1 thru Timothy chapter 4, verses 1 thru Timothy chapter 3, verse 1 thru Peter chapter 4, verses 17 & Peter, chapter 3, verses 10 thru 13, John chapter 2, verses 15 thru John verses 9 thru 11, --- Jude verses 3 thru 19, --- and Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. These referenced scriptures give a clear description of the signs of the times. They describe the many within the ranks of what we so loosely refer to today as, the church. Be warned, dear reader --- take heed, lest you be caught off guard, just as it is written. 4

5 May we all be found worthy to be numbered among the over-comers; the remnant of those who heard the Word, and who prepared themselves accordingly. To them, it will be granted to walk in the fullness of the 91 st Psalm For His glory, His praise and His honor! When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. (Luke 11: 21 & 28) Your Brother All rights reserved Thomas"Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:5 & 6) 5

MAKE YOURSELF, AN ARK!

MAKE YOURSELF, AN ARK! "THE WORDS OF THE LORD ARE PURE WORDS, LIKE SILVER TRIED IN A FURNACE OF EARTH, PURIFIED SEVEN TIMES. YOU SHALL KEEP THEM, O LORD, YOU SHALL PRESERVE THEM FROM THIS GENERATION FOREVER." (PSALM 12: 6-7)