April 14, 2012
I am truly perplexed! ... (and I'll tell you why in a minute)  ......   What characterizes our times today?  The rapidity of change!!!  If we would just stop & look around for a minute, we could not help but notice how fast everything is changing right before our very eyes.  ... Jesus said in Luke 21:8-11, "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'the time is near.' Do not follow them. 9) When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." 10) Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11) There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."  

So what are the basic highlights of Christ's prophetic words here:

   *Deception... false teaching ... false doctrine -    Is this happening today?  ... Just everywhere!!!   I have visited many, many churches in the last 12 years and I could not begin to tell you how much watered-down, doctored up, disguised & distorted teachings I've witnessed.  It all falls under the titles such as  "seeker-friendly" (which means watered down - be careful & not hurt anyone's feelings),  "Emergent Church" (most sin is OK), "Universalism" (all sin is OK because there is no hell),  "Wealth Teaching" (give me your money & God will make you rich),   'It's all about You" (feel-good teaching) and on & on ........ 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, "For a time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4) They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."   ... Not much more needs to be said here ...

   *Wars & Revolutions - The daily headlines scream of this tragedy.  To date, more than 50 countries are involved in some sort of warfare .. either civil or otherwise.  Just remember that Jesus said this must happen first & not to fear it.  They will continue & will increase as we draw ever nearer to His glorious return. Matthew 24:8 says that "... these are the beginning of birth pains."

   *Earthquakes ... Famine ... Fearful Events ... Great Signs From Heaven ... Pestilence (The definition of pestilence is 'Infectious diseases, epidemics, plagues, anything harmful or dangerous)  -  This category of signs has always been the least respected, even among believers. The mere mention of it usually evokes a snide remark such as "Come on, what else is new? There have always been earthquakes and tornadoes and hurricanes...." .. but what they forget is what Jesus said ... that they would be like "Birth Pains" ... and we know that they get closer & closer together as the end draws near.  ...... Here's just a few quick stats to prove this point - Natural disasters have quadrupled in the past two decades - People affected by these disasters has surged some 70% ... from some 175 million (1985-1994) to almost 300 million to date - floods & windstorms have increased from some 60 events in 1980 to almost 300 today - Natural disasters was 120 in 1980 to some 500 per year currently -   ... You get the idea ...

Another quick point - This passage also mentions "great signs from heaven'." - In addition, Luke 21:25 says, "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars ...."  Have we heard much lately about comets, asteroids, phantom planets, etc.? .. Look at Hollywood!  Movies like 'Armageddon', 'Asteroid', 'Deep Impact' and the like ... Here's just a quick glimpse as to how the world is dealing with these issues ... National Geographic says, "It is almost certain that earth will be hit by an asteroid large enough to exterminate a large % of our planet's life, including possibly over a billion people, according to researchers." Since that article, we've heard this sentiment echoed again & again on talk shows, in congressional testimony, in newspapers, & even movies like the aforementioned.  Scientists are saying that it isn't a matter of 'if', but 'when' a killer asteroid will hit the earth ... and we MUST do something now! .....  Not too many people know this, but over the past two decades, the U.S. has spent hundreds of millions of $$$ on tracking N.E.O.'s (near earth objects).  In fact, every industrialized nation in the world now has some kind of N.E.O. tracking system. .... 

So here lies the reason why I am so perplexed.  Why is it that no one is even talking about these things anymore.  It's like the world has become numb from so many terrible events that they begin to take them for granted ... and then when one of us 'watchmen' mention these facts, most people just say that we are kooks & like the little boy that 'cried wolf' one too many times ... nobody believed him.  .... and therein lies my biggest worry.  Time is very short .. Jesus said so ... but no one seems to be paying attention .....  The warning signs are EVERYWHERE but no one seems to much really care .... The pastors from the pulpits are not teaching it so no one knows what to look for ....  

Going forward, sometime during each week, I want to give a brief overview of news headlines that relate to Bible prophecy.   Each day I look at many sites that most people never see to find these stories.  What's interesting is that the vast majority of you will NEVER see these headlines on the more popular stations (Fox, ABC, NBC, etc.). Here's a sample of just the past few days:

Monday, 4/9

*Reuters - Fighting rages in Syria
*Haaretz.com - U.S. deploys aircraft carrier in gulf as west prepares for nuclear talks
*National Post - Japan deploys missile batteries as North Korea readies long-range rocket    
*Haaretz.com - Special IDF

Tuesday, 4/10

*Haaretz.com - Syrian forces fire into Turkey & Lebanon
*The Extinction Protocol - Russia massing troops near northern Iranian border     
*Haaretz.com - U.S. deploys 2nd carrier to Persian Gulf

Wednesday, 4/11

*The Extinction Protocol - Rising global tension: Philippines largest warship in tense standoff with Chinese vessels
*The Telegraph - Iceland volcano: And you thought the last eruption was bad .......  
*WND World - Syria on war footing 
*Reuters - Huge quakes off Indonesia stir panic

Thursday, 4/12

*American Thinker - War in middle east inevitable
*Yahoo.news - Magnitude 5.9 quake hits off coast of Oregon .. followed by quakes off central California coast      
*BBC News - Latin America shaken by two earthquakes in 24 hours (6.9 & 6.5)
*Yonhap News Agency - North Korea launches rocket over Pacific - Asia on alert

Friday, 4/13

*The Extinction Protocol - Cluster of large earthquakes rattle the globe from Indonesia to Mexico        
*LA Times - Strong pair of quakes (6.2 & 6.9) strike Gulf of California
*Reuters - Italy's Mt. Etna volcano rocked by 6th eruption of 2012
*Japan Times - Threat of monster tsunami poses ominous threat
*Accuweather.com - Life-threatening tornado outbreak this weekend

...... and that's just some of the 'prophetic' - related news over the last five days ........ Yes, these types of things have always happened over time but NEVER with such frequency & intensity   ... hence, "Birth Pains".

The Bible says that we cannot know the time of the Lord's return (Matthew 25:13), but the scriptures make it quite clear that we can know the season of the Lord's return. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 says, "... for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3) While people are saying, 'peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4) But you brethren, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5) You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6) So then, let us not be like the others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."

Upon reading this then, His return should be no surprise to those of us who know Him and His word, for we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of the nature of the times.

Finally, Luke 21:28 says, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."  ......... Hallelujah, He is coming soon!!!!!!

Until next time,

Red
-----

Please feel free to leave us a comment below.

If you do not have a profile please select NAME/URL from the drop down menu to add your name and type your comments in the box above. When you are ready to submit press Publish.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.