IT IS TIME – THE DAY IS UPON US

 

THE SIGN OF CHRIST’S RETURN AND THE END OF DAYS

‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God has said,

‘THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;

AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY,

AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS,

AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL HAVE DREAMS;

AND EVEN ON MY MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS

I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS,

And they will prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18 and Joel 2:28-29))

There are testimonies, warnings and plain statements regarding at time in the Bible known as the Last Days or the End of the Age. For example, Jesus gives us an account of the Last Days and The End of the Age from two distinct perspectives. We need to look at a Biblical comparison and correlation of The Seals of the Tribulation as seen in the book of Matthew and correlated with the book of The Revelation (1). So we can know the sequence of these events that may be prepared and ready at all times. (2). It is also important so that we will not be taken by surprise or frightened and lose focus and composure; (3). It is also a reminder that we are to inform and warn others of the present and coming judgements. To Wit:

Matthew 24:1-5 tells us, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Revelation 1:1-3, which was written around A.D. 95 says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place ; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

Verse 4. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who [c]is to come, and from the [d]seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— verse 6, and He made us into a kingdom, priests to [e]His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Verse 7. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING

Jesus and these same disciples testified that these present and coming prophetic judgments and events may have already begun. in or around the birth of Christ or as late as A.D. 95, calling them “events of These Last Days”: 

Hebrews 1:2, “but in these last days He (God) has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” 

(This was written by the Apostle Paul, is written in the present tense, in or around the year A.D. 70 and is referred to as these last days ).

Hebrews 9:26, “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He (Christ) has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

(These events were occuring in or around A.D. 30. The book of Hebrews is written by the Apostle Paul, and is written in the past and present tense, in or around A.D. 70 and is referred to as the end of the ages.)

Acts 2:14-17, “But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.”

(This occurred in or around A.D. 60 and as written in the past and present tense, by Peter the Apostle, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is referred to as  being ‘in the last days’).

2 Timothy 3:1,“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.’

(This was written by the Apostle Timothy, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in or around the year A.D. 67, was written in the present tense and is referred to as being ‘in the last days‘.)

1 Peter 1:20-21, ” He (Jesus) was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

(This is written in the past tense was recorded in or around A.D. 90, and is referred to, by the Apostle Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as being ‘in the last times ‘.)

1 Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

 

(This is written in the past tense was recorded in or around A.D. 90, and is referred to, by the Apostle Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as being ‘the end of all things‘.)

2 Peter 3:3, “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

(This is written in the future tense as a testimony about. things that were already beginning to occur, and was recorded in or around A.D. 90. This is referred to, by the Apostle Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as being ‘in the last days‘.)

1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have (already) come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.“

(This is written in the present tense was recorded in or around A.D. 90, and is referred to, by the Apostle John, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as referred to as being in ‘the last hour‘.)

Matthew 24:29-31, ““But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

This is written in the future tense was recorded in or around A.D. 70, and is referred to, by the Apostle Matthew, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as referred to as being in ‘after the tribulation of those days’ , speaking of the tribulation of those days already referred to (above here.)

RECAP:

Seals ONE through FIVE have been broken, progressively, up until this day.

  As seen in Revelation      –      As seen in Matthew

 the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution,Anti-Christ, falling away

 We are now standing at the precipice of the breaking of 6th Tribulation Seal . 

(CONCLUSION: These events (the breaking of Tribulation Seals 1 through 5) began in or around the birth of Christ or as late as A.D. 95, and have been overlapping and intensifying.  We are still waiting for the breaking of the 6^th Tribulation Seal as described in Matthew 24:29-31 and Revelation 6:12-16)

Considering the ‘seasons’ which we have entered, and considering the Seal which is upon us, this prophecy from Isaiah 61 is being fulfilled. This is the calling of the Shofar to gather around and begin the final assault!

NOW, HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD has come upon us, because the LORD is anointing and commissioning us to bring good news to the humble and afflicted;

He is sending us to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to proclaim release from confinement and condemnation to the physical and spiritual captives, and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, that is a day of salvation (49:8), and the year of His redeemed (63:4), and the day of vengeance and retribution of our God, so that we will no longer be prey to the nations, and the predators of the earth will not devour us; but we will live safely, and no one will make us afraid in this day of the Messiah’s reign.

To comfort all who mourn, To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning, the oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment expressive of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So, we will be called the trees of righteousness strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

We then will rebuild the ancient ruins, and we will raise up and restore the former desolations; And they will renew the legacy of the ruined cities, the spiritual desolations, deserted spiritual settlements, of many generations.

Strangers will stand and feed our flocks, and foreigners will be our farmers and our vinedressers.

And we shall be called the priests of the LORD; People will speak of us as the ministers of our God. We will eat the wealth of nations, And we will boast of their riches.

Instead of our former shame we will have a double portion; And instead of humiliation we will shout for joy over our portion.

Therefore, in this our land, we will possess double what we have forfeited; everlasting joy will be ours. (personalized from Isaiah 61)

(Then, at The Breaking of The Sixth Tribulation Seal (See Matthew 24:29-31))

‘I, (GOD), WILL DISPLAY WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE

AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,

BLOOD, FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.

‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS

AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,

BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’  (Acts 2:18-20 and Joel 2:30-32, Matthew 24:29-31)

The Lord is calling and. I am inviting you into the ranks of His earthly army. I am inviting you to join together as an earthly contingent of God’s heavenly armies to join in this final assault.

What does this mean?

First know, that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly and supernatural places.

Secondly know that we will encounter physical opponents who are of the spiritual forces of wickedness, but it is not ours to destroy them physically, but We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when our own obedience as a church is complete.

The time has come that the Church is no longer to be an idle building, a gathering place for pleasure and entertainment.

“The Apostle Paul says the foundation of this building called the church is made up of the prophets and the Apostles, that is, the Old Testament prophets and New Testament Apostles. Why? It’s because the prophets and Apostles are the agents of revelation by whom God speaks to His people. They delivered the Word of God. Another way of saying this is that the foundation of the church is the Word of God.

“That’s why we must pay close attention to our doctrine of Scripture. The attacks launched against the integrity, authority, sufficiency, and trustworthiness of Scripture are attacks not upon a side alcove of this building. They don’t put a dent in the roof of the church. They’re attacks on the church’s very foundation. To have a church without Apostolic authority, without the Word of God as its foundation, is to build a church on sand rather than on rock. The foundation of the prophets and the Apostles is necessary for the entire edifice of the church to stand securely.

“Paul continues the building metaphor in Ephesians 2:20b: “Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.” Christ is the cornerstone, the point that holds the foundation together. Take out the cornerstone, and everything falls apart. “In [Christ] the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:21–22). The church is a new temple built in Christ, by Christ, and for Christ. Obviously, Paul isn’t saying the church is a building made out of mortar and brick, but that we are the stones, the living stones, as 1 Peter 2:5 tells us. Each believer is part of this church just as each stone is part of a building. The church, the new temple, is still under construction. Every day, new stones are added. This new temple will not be finished until Jesus returns to consummate His kingdom. Christ is still building His church, not by adding cement but by adding people who are the stones that hold together in Him.

“Paul continues in Ephesians 3:14–19,

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

“The Apostle Paul explains the doctrine of the church so that we might understand what God has done and so that we may understand who we are. And in calling us to understand who we are and what we’re called to do, Paul says that we’re the church. We’re the church that God ordained from the foundation of the world. We’re His people; we‘re His household, so let the church be the church.

“Christ is the cornerstone, the point that holds the foundation together.

“We’re living in a time of crisis. Many Christians are decrying the decadence of American culture and complaining about the government and its value system. I understand that, but if we want to be concerned for our nation and culture, our priority must be the renewal of the church. We are the light of the world.

“Government merely reflects and echoes the customs embraced by the people in a given generation. In a real sense, our government is exactly what we want it to be, or it wouldn’t be there. Change in culture doesn’t always come from the top down. It often comes from the bottom up. The change we need to work for, chiefly, is renewal within the church. As the church becomes the fellowship of citizens of heaven who manifest what it means to be the household of Christ, and when the church walks according to the power of the Holy Spirit—then the people of God will shine as the light of the world. When people see that light, they will give glory to God (Matt. 5:16). This will change the world. But Paul says, first of all, let the church be the church. We must remember who we are, who the foundation is, who the cornerstone is, who the head of our building is, who the Lord of the church is.

“Do we love the church? I doubt if there have been many times in our history when there has been as much anger, hostility, disappointment, and disillusionment with the institutional church as there is today. It’s hard not to be critical of the church because in many ways the church has failed us. But if the church has failed, that means we have failed. We are called to serve the church in the power of God the Holy Spirit.

“We, the church, have been made for this task by the indwelling presence and power of God’s Spirit. Yet, we are called not so much to rise up but to bow down. And if we bow down to our Lord, as Paul says in Ephesians 3:14, the church will be the church, and our light will pierce the darkness.” (the foregoing in quotes is from Ligonier.com, by R.C. Sproul)

PUTTING OUT THE CALL

This is an all-volunteer force. I you need financial support, you will eventually have to raise that funding as you go.

This is not a call to build buildings, to establish religious corporations nor to leash ourselves to any 501-c-3 contract. This is not a hierarchy of priests. You are like living stones, being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture:

You are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A CONSECRATED NATION, A special PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies, the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were NOT A PEOPLE at all, but now you are GOD’S PEOPLE; once you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

We will consider others as more important that ourselves. We will continually and faithfully devote ourselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers. Day after day we will meet, continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. We will eat their meals together with joy and generous hearts.

I am putting out the call, first for:

Apostles:   The title apostle comes from the Greek word apostolos which means “a messenger, one sent forth with orders”.  It refers to one who has been delegated authority by another in a foreign land.  Apostles were the first leaders of the Church; they were commissioned by Jesus to initiate and direct the preaching of the gospel. (There is no passage in the Bible saying this gift was temporary nor that is has ceased)

Prophets: In the New Testament, the office of prophet is to equip the saints for the work of service through exhortation, edification, and consolation (1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:3 Ephesians 4:11).  The prophet’s corresponding gift is prophecy. Prophecy is “reporting something from God’s Word that God brings to your mind”.

Prophecy is addressed to the human understanding “he who prophesies speaks to men,” Corinthians 14:1-25. The prophet “edifies the church” (14:4).

​Evangelists:   An evangelist is one who devotes himself to preaching the gospel. In the New Testament, evangelists preached from city to city, church to church.

Pastors:   This term derives from a Greek word for “shepherd”.  Pastoral Gifts include integrity and compassion.

(The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep to defend the sheep from attackers to heal the wounded and sick sheep to find and save lost or trapped sheep to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.

​During World War II, a shepherd was a pilot who guided another pilot whose plane was partially disabled back to the base or carrier by flying alongside him to maintain visual contact.)

Teachers:  Someone who devotes his or her life to preaching and teaching the Christian faith. When teaching is provided for the Church by God, two gifts are actually given—to the Church is given a teacher and along with the teacher comes a divine capacity to teach.

Also, Those with the spiritual gift of Service: The word translated as “ministry” is diakonia, which can also be translated “service”.  Since there are many types of ministries and service to the Church, this then describes a broad array of gifts rather than a single gift.

Those with the spiritual gift of Exhortation: The ability to motivate Christians “to patient endurance, brotherly love, and good works”.

Those with the spiritual gift of Giving: Those with this gift share their own possessions with others with extraordinary generosity. While all Christians should be givers, those possessing this gift will go beyond this normal giving.

Those with the spiritual gift of Overseeing:  This gift speaks to the various roles found in the Church. While many think of roles such as administration, management of funds, strategy planning, etc. as functions outside of the supernatural realm, in reality individuals in these positions are just as in need of supernatural empowerment as are ministers of the gospel.  This is sometimes inappropriately called ‘leadership’.

Those with the spiritual gift of Mercy:  Possibly identical to the gift of helps, the mercy-shower possesses a ministry of visitation, prayer, and compassion to the poor and sick.

​ Those with the spiritual gift of a Word of wisdom:   An utterance or message of wisdom supernaturally granted to an individual. For Paul, wisdom refers to “the knowledge of the great Christian mysteries: the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ, and the indwelling in the believer of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesians 1:17)”.

​ Those with the spiritual gift of a Word of knowledge: The knowledge referred to is often said to relate to understanding Christian doctrine or scriptural truth.  It is sometimes said to be connected with the ministry of teachers.

Those with the spiritual gift of Faith:  This refers to that strong or special faith “which removes mountains, casts out devils (Matthew 17:19–20), and faces the most cruel martyrdom without flinching”.  It is distinguished from the “saving” and “normal” Christian faith.

Those with the spiritual gift of Gifts of healing:  The ability to supernaturally minister healing to others. The plural indicates the variety of sickness healed and the many forms the gift takes, such as healing by anointing with oil, by the laying on of hands, by saying the name of Jesus or by the sign of the cross.

Those with the spiritual gift of ​Working of miracles: The performance of deeds beyond ordinary human ability by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Visions. An outpouring of this gift is prophesied in Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17 and is expected to increase and be of great value in the “last days”.

Those with the spiritual gift of Discerning of spirits:  The capacity to discern, distinguish, or to discriminate the source of a spiritual manifestation—whether it emanates from a good or evil spirit. It seemed to have been particularly associated with prophecy as it would be necessary to know whether a prophetic utterance was truly inspired by God.

​ Those with the spiritual gift of ​Helps:  This gift has to do with service to the sick and the poor.   Possessor of this gift has a “spiritual burden and a God-given love for the needy and afflicted”.

Those with the spiritual gift of Administration:   Also called the gift of governing, the Greek word translated “governments” is “kubernesis”, the verb form of which means “to steer” or “to be a helmsman”. This gift then refers to the God-given capacity to oversee or guide the Church through storms and difficult seas.

 

CONCLUSION

This is not meant to be and is not a ‘new movement’. It is a continuation of the Church that Jesus built, as the Bible describes it. There are to no assumptions to be made about anything that is not written in the Bible (such as special or new revelations, unwritten words of knowledge, new prophetic words, cessation, reformation, replacement). If the Bible is silent, we are silent. Where the Bible speaks, we speak.

We must become (recreate in our own lives) what Jesus created as His Church. The fruit of the Spirit, the result of His presence within us, is love and unselfish concern for others, joy, inner peace, patience, not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Remembering that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified and are crucifying the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

We must strive to remember that as we claim to live by the Holy Spirit, we will also walk by the Spirit with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.

Pray that, following the lead and example of Jesus, as our numbers grow, God’s influence will become an irresistible force as the day of His return draws ever-so-near.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Please reply in confidence, below. I will reply and we will begin the Assembly.)