Signs

I have been doing my fair share of reading prophecy sites as of late. Many I find seem to be more interested in selling their latest books then they are with presenting sound argument for what they write. I have found Bible Prophecy Today to be an exception and have gleaned much from their biblical perspective on the news.

From the website: BIBLE PROPHECY TODAY
Seven Major Prophetic Signs
Of The Second Coming

By Jack Kelly
There are seven major prophetic signs of the Second Coming, and for the first time in history all seven are in some stage of fulfillment. As in years past, I’ll list the seven with their primary biblical references and offer commentary from current events.

1. Israel Will Be In The Land… Ezekiel 36:24, 37:21

2. Jerusalem Will Be In Jewish Hands… Luke 21:24

3. A Moslem Coalition Armed And Led By Russia Will Attack The Holy Land… Ezek. 38:2-6

4. The Ancient Roman Empire Will Re-Emerge As A Political Force… Rev 17:9-10

5. The World Will Embrace A Single Religion… Rev 13:8

6. The World Will Accept A Single Government… Rev 13:3

7. Babylon Will Re-Emerge As A Prominent City In World Affairs… Rev 18:2-3

Read the whole article here.

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree:

"As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." MATTHEW 24:32-35

No, no date setting here. We are told that we cannot know the day or the hour but the season is something different. Jesus told us to be watchful. To look and listen to the times.

Back in the 70's and 80's prophecy and end times discussions were all the buzz in Christian circles. The Lord used Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth" to draw me to Him. I was fascinated with that book and became very interested in eschatology. The year 2000 and the infamous Y2K came around, I prepared for the worst, then nothing happened. So my eschatology got put on a shelf. I swore to myself that I'd never get hyped up about end times again. Well now I can't help myself. It's all just too obvious to me where things are headed.

Today prophecy is being fulfilled in front of our eyes. One just has to read and watch the mainstream news to see the signs. Global economic chaos, increasing tensions in the middle east, more and more threats of severe storms, earthquakes and signs in the heavens, and growing apostasy. The leaders of the world are all looking for a man to save us and are calling for a unified economic system, a one world government. This isn't fodder from some conspiracy website but it is in fact disclosed in the daily news. Meanwhile it seems that the Church is asleep at the wheel.

Where is the Body of Christ? Where is it's focus? Are we more occupied with church growth and ministries to please every pew sitting individual? Are we looking up? Are we hungering for the Lord and for His promised imminent return? The Church used to be, before it entered into the Laodicean mode.

"Peace and safety" is the mantra people are hungering for but there will not be peace until the Son of Man returns to set all things right. And if the Church doesn't wake up it will be looking for that wrong man as well.

No man knows the hour. The fig tree may be dormant now but summer will come and its leaves will soon appear.

I'm ready to go Home. How about you?

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

(Click on image for a larger view)

Now learn this parable from the fig tree:

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Dying to meet Him

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10

"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?" - MARK 8:36

My Schizophrenic Selves

I could go in so many different directions here. I'm one that usually has a blog idea first in the form of an image, then a title, then usually don't know where I'm going from there.

I could say that I feel so schizophrenic because I can be such a moody person, one that can be controlled by emotions and circumstances if I allow them (and I do allow them too often).

Or I could say that I feel schizophrenic because I am so full of faith and doubt at the same time.

Or that in one breath I am at peace with the Lord, sensing a real rest in Him, enjoying life in the moment, and then in the next breath I am distraught over my job, my finances, the wars in the Middle East, economic and other crises around the globe, and let's throw in some end-times scenarios for good measure.

I guess they're all part of the same for me (and my other selves). So why do I feel so alone when I really know that I'm not? We all play a good game of, "I have it all together" don't we?

A good friend and brother asks me, "How do you do it, Dave? How is it you have such faith, peace, assurance?" To which I reply, "HA!, how little you know me... and how sorry I am for misleading you!"

If there's one thing I do have and you do as well, if you're one of those crazy people that keeps asking Jesus to make Himself real to you, I have, we have, this ongoing, consistent drive in us that, above all else, KNOWS in Whom we believe and KNOWS that WE ARE KNOWN by Him!

By the way... my dear brother and friend, Rich, and I had one of those seemingly schizo moments today. It was a boomerang of bad emotions that ended in peace, reconciliation, and a deeper love for one another. Please read this if you're so inclined. We are learning, on this journey together, what it means to have faith, doubt, fear, assurance, and everything in between. And discovering the reality of...

...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROMANS 8:37-40

Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus... fill your Church, Your Body, with Yourself... and may it be to overflowing... may it be that we find that if we don't speak forth Your goodness the rocks will cry out. So let it be, Lord!

--

A new year's blessing

"May all your expectations be frustrated.

May all your plans be thwarted.

May all of your desires be withered into nothingness.

That you may experience the powerlessness and

poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of

God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit."


A blessing prayed over Henri Nouwen by a friend.

Happy New Year.

:-)