I’m actually writing this in
response to a post that was for discussion by a friend on Facebook. This was back in 2011. It made me stop
and ponder about what is going on in our world today. I’m not one for
telling ‘doom and gloom’ stuff, mainly because I head back to scripture to see
what Jesus said. I’m just going from The Gospel of Matthew right
here. A short study in Matt 24:4-14 and Eph 6:10-17.
The Sue Beckman “lightening round” approach, I guess.
In Matt 24:4-8
WARNING!!!
- Watch out! That no one deceives you.
- Many will come in Jesus’ name, even claiming “I am Messiah” they will deceive many.
- Wars and rumors of wars
- Nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom
- Famines and earthquakes
BECAUSE:
- All of them are the BEGINNING of birth pains.
I
do believe we are experiencing ‘birth pains’ not only as a nation but in
the world as well right now. You can see this happening all over the news
reports right now. Don’t rejoice in it. Get ready because these are the
warning signs - the beginning of more that will happen.
Going
further on in Matt 24:9-14
THERE
WILL BE:
* Persecution
and people being put to death
* Believers
will be hated because of our faith in Christ Jesus
* Many
will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other
* Many
false prophets will deceive people
* An
increase of wickedness
* Love
will grow cold
BUT:
* The
one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(Greek: sōzō – to keep safe and sound
from destruction (from injury or peril)
- to save a
suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well,
heal, restore to health
- to preserve one
who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue)
* The
gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world
THEN:
The
end will come.
You know, Jesus doesn’t mention
anything about rejoicing when evil comes. He wants us to be prepared so
that we will stand firm to the end and so the gospel of the kingdom will be
preached in the whole world. It sounds more like a lot of hard work to
me.
(The Greek: hypomenō - Stand Firm/Endure
- to remain
- to tarry behind
- to remain i.e.
abide, not recede or flee
- to persevere:
under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
- to endure, bear
bravely and calmly: ill treatments)
Pressing in and being true to Him
who gives us His grace and mercy. Encouraging one another to stand firm –
not rejoice because evil is more evident right now. That’s a warning
sign.
Get your battle gear on brothers and
sisters. Be ready.
Eph 6:10-17 “Finally, be strong in
the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so
that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand. Stand
firm then, with the belt of truth
buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and
with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of
salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
(Greek: endynamoō (verb)
- to be strong, endue
with strength, strengthen
- to receive strength,
be strengthened, increase in strength)
What I do rejoice in, during these
hard times, is knowing I have a God and Father with whom I can trust and
rely upon. I may not be able to rely on people, employment, money or what
have you, but God is faithful and loving. He will guide.
He has warned us to prepare.
STAND! STAND FIRM!
Get that battle gear on because you have to stand and fight.
“Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day; for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on
what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.” 2 Cor 4:16-18
Because Joy comes in the morning.
