Category: The Church

A COSMIC STORM IS COMING

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ 1 Comment

Be ready for what is at hand, because we are expected to endure to the end of our appointed time, then God will intervene and take us home.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I have admired and listened to Dr. David Jeremiah for 35 years.  Over the last 14 years, however, I have not agreed with his view of Bible eschatology.  I listened to a recent message by Dr. Jeremiah, on his website, title, “Where do we go from here?”  In that message he gave 3 points on HOW we are to respond to the troubles in these Last Days:

#1. Worship the Glorified Christ – the more you worship, the less you worry

#2. Embrace your Global Mission – We have a mission that is global.  Take the Gospel to the entire globe.

#3. Anticipate your glorious Hope – Never fear.  He is coming back to establish His eternal Kingdom.

(Oh.  And, yes.  #4. Buy his books.)

So, this is the answer of “Where we go from here”?

(1) We stare skyward, worship, embrace evangelism and anticipate Jesus’ return.  Let’s get honest, here.

(2) We sit in church. We do that pretty well.

(3) We worship.  We do that OK, probably once or twice a week for about 15 minutes each time.

(4)  We evangelize the world.  We are not doing to good at that one.  We actually ‘give, because we can’t or won’t GO’.  We tend to stay separate from the world and leave this one up to the ‘professionals’.

(5)  We are really good at anticipating Jesus’ return, because most Christians just ‘stare skyward’, but, honestly, we do very little more than that.

So, I guess what Dr. Jeremiah is saying is nothing new for the 20th and 21st centuries.  But, he is not alone in this type of teaching and assessment.  (Could this may be reason the church and church attendance is in decline?)

I get the feeling that most ‘religious leaders’ are concerned, but, really don’t know what to do beyond what they have listed (and, for certain, those are good things.

LET’S BE CLEAR:  Jesus has sent us on His Mission.  And, God has never, ever, been gentle to those who shirk or draw back from the Mission. Even Jesus says, “Why do you call me Lord, when you do not do the things I have told you?  I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work lawlessness.”

Somehow, most preachers think the ‘End Times’ (more correctly, Last Days), will NOT intensify until the Church is raptured off the earth.

BUT LET ME BE CLEAR – BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR –  there will be an intensifying BEFORE the “rapture”.  And, you must be ready or you will pay a high price.

(Please note:  The following Bible verses on this matter are in red text , and my commentaries are in parentheses and are color coded blue)

Matthew 24:4 says, “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

(this includes misinformed pastors, preachers, bible teachers)

Verse 5.  “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray.

(1) this can be someone literally saying ‘I am the Christ’, (2) but, it is more likely it will be someone who considers themselves as an emissary of Christ – such as ‘ordained pastors’ – who speak for Christ, but are blindly following denominational doctrine which are incorrect; or, (3) as we are clearly seeing, now, in our day, it is ‘institutional deception’, where entire denominations fall away from the clear teachings of Jesus and lead millions astray.

Verse 6.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Verse 7.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 

There have been wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes since recorded history.  So, concerning the ‘End Times’, which wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes should we refer to?  These things must occur in conjunction with ALL THE SIGNS and WARNING from Jesus and the Bible.

And, don’t miss the little phrase, “but the end is not yet”, as verse eight will elaborate.

Verse 8.  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

The phrase “the beginning of birth pangs” is a statement made by Jesus in or around the year AD 30 and is a translation of the Greek archē ōdin (ἀρχή ὠδίν). The meaning of the phrase, translated in the KJV as “the beginning of sorrows” is a direct reference to preliminary birth pangs that ultimately lead to the full scale contractions and travail, which leads to the actual birth.

Recognizing the Old Testament reference that Jesus was hearkening to is an essential, but often overlooked key to determining the timing of the prophecy. Jesus was pointing his disciples to two key passages from the prophet Isaiah.

The first passage is Isaiah 26, a portion of Scripture found in the middle of what is sometimes referred to as “Isaiah’s little apocalypse”. There, the Lord speaks through Isaiah, specifically contrasting the expectations of the Jewish people regarding deliverance, redemption and physical resurrection with the reality of the pain, suffering and travail that they had corporately experienced. In verses 16-18, the complaint of Israel is raised that despite having endured the great suffering of labor, the expected “birth” of deliverance, redemption and resurrection had not arrived (the preceeding 3 paragraphs were taken from the “Daniel Training Network”.)

This makes clear that the Last Days and the opening of the tribulation Seals began in our around AD 30.  Other references which confirm this date are…

Hebrews 1:2,

Hebrews 9:26,

Acts 2:14-17,

2 Timothy 3:1,

1 Peter 1:20,

1 Peter 4:7,

2 Peter 3:3. 

…spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy.

Verse 9. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

This is so clear and in such plain language, I regret having to point it out:  “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death”.  So, “YOU  WILL BE DELIVERED UP TO TRIBULATION”.  How much more intense can this be, than being put to death for Jesus name’s sake? The tribulation, Seals 1 through 4 have been described as having started, by Jesus, Himself, in the year A.D. 30.

Verse 10. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

First – This is the hallmark of the Great Apostasy, found in these verses and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. Furthermore, “And then” translates from the Greek word, “tote”, in this case means of the future, also in consecution, i.e., the act of following, or the condition of being in a series; that which is consecutive; succession; sequence.

Secondly – “fall away” is the Greek word ‘skandalizó’ and means to entrap, i.e., trip up (figuratively, stumble) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure.

This is further explained in the following verses and can also be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. For more detail see “Has the Great Apostasy begun?”.

Verses 11-14.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Verses 11 through 14 give us a major time line identifier through a concurrence of events: (1) many false prophets will arise and lead many astray; (2) lawlessness will be increased; (3) the love of many will grow cold.

“The one who endures to the end”, must be kept in context of the surrounding verses.  So, the one who endures to the end of these events – Which Events? – The tribulation seals ONE through FIVE.

“And then the end will come”.  Once again, this is clear, plain, face-value language. After these first FIVE TRIBULATION SEALS, which began in or around AD 30, and have continued progressively to overlap and gain in intensity, THE END WILL COME.

Matthew 24:29, says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light

Perhaps it would be a good idea to read this verse again. It begins with “IMMEDIATELY AFTER the tribulation of those days”.  This is rich with information.

 The tribulation of THOSE DAYS are the days from AD 30 through the current date; tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days”, should explain itself.  But, just in case, let me say, “THOSE DAYS” refers to the days already discussed (tribulation Seals One through Five).  Now , Jesus is moving our attention to what follows the first 5 Seals of the tribulation:  THE SIXTH SEAL.)

“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” is also found in Revelation 6:12-16, and uses the exact language.  It is the SIXTH SEAL of the tribulation, which is yet a FUTURE EVENT.

NOTE:  ANYONE WHO SUGGESTS OR SAYS THESE VERSES ARE SIMPLY METAPHORICAL WILL NOT PLAY OUT AS DESCRIBED, ARE FALSE PROPHETS, FALSE TEACHERS AND ARE AIDING THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST. (Other places in Revelation, you will find metaphors, allegories, imagery and similes to describe what was indescribable, such as, “The Lamb of God” to describe Jesus, “The Dragon” to describe Satan, or “The Four Beasts” to describe Satan, Babylon and Lucifer. The reader must learn to distinguish the difference.)

Many protestant pastors, preachers and Bible teachers adhere firmly to the John Nelson Darby version of the pre-tribulation rapture. These people with good intentions and most are good men and women, yet, they are sorely misinformed; or, perhaps, some are lazy in their study of scriptures or they could be ignorant about what scriptures say and mean. None-the-less, they are guilty of false teaching and of teaching a false prophecy.

What I have described known as the Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. Here is a link and several videos and teachings explaining the Pre-Tribulation Pre Wrath Rapture of the Church.

 Listen, friends. Things are getting worse, even as I write this, and, things are going to get a lot worse as the time of the Rapture (The 6th Tribulation Seal) draws near.  You and I need to prepare, both Spiritually and physically, for these difficult times.

I have presented the Spiritual side of the coming day of the Great Tribulation and of the coming day of God’s Wrath in this article.

 Please go to these links, “New World Order”, also, “Agenda-21, Cover of the U.N., One World Government”, and find the physical and earthly manifestation of this cosmic battle and of the spirit of anti-Christ, which is already at work.

The Bible tells us to be ready, for we do not know the day nor the hour when the Lord will return, and if you did know, you would be on the alert, “and would not have allowed your house to be broken into”. For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

In conclusion, let me ask you, if you knew a hurricane or a major destructive storm was coming, what would you do to get ready?  (Please answer this.  Make a short list using these lines).  I would:

1.                                                                                                                              

2.                                                                                                                              

3.                                                                                                                              

4.                                                                                                                              

A Major ‘Storm’ is Arriving as I write these words.  We must be ready!

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE READY

Although, the things I have listed below will not ‘save you’, they are some things we should consider doing while we expectantly await His Return to take us to our Eternal Home:

IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE:  Don’t be deceived.  There is only ONE Second Coming of Christ.  There will be only ONE Rapture.  There will be only ONE Armageddon.

Know your Bible.  Know the sequence.  Be Ready, found doing as He has said.  Endure to the end and be saved !!

The 2nd Advent of Christ (the second coming of Jesus) is one event which can be seen from TWO PERSPECTIVES:  One perspective as seen from the earth;  the other perspective, from John’s prophetic vision, is seen as it unfolds  – a Spiritual and Heavenly perspective!

Look at it this way:   When Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. it was a category 5 storm;  As Irma progressed up the peninsula of Florida, it became a category 4 storm;  then as it entered Alabama it became a category 3 storm;  and finally as it entered Georgia, Irma became a tropical storm; and later as it entered Tennessee, it became a rain event.

To those in the various states which hurricane Irma entered, it would have appeared to them that Irma might have been 5 different storms, occurring consecutively; first a Category 5 storm, then, a Category 4 storm, then, a Category 3 hurricane, then, a Tropical storm, and, finally, a rain event.  But if viewed “From Above” it was ONE CONTINUOUS STORM, progressively unfolding to its conclusion.

SO IT IS WITH THE ‘LAST DAYS’ AND THE 2nd COMING OF JESUS as seen in the breaking of the ‘Seven Seals of the Book’ as recorded in Revelation chapters 5,6,7 and 8; although, the breaking of each Seal may seem like seven different events, if viewed “from above” it is ONE CONTINUOUS EVENT (eschatological STORM), progressively unfolding to its conclusion.

  • Breaking of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation,
  • The beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord,
  • The beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week also known as the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation,
  • Jesus’ SECOND ADVENT,
  • The Rapture of the Church,
  • The heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True,
  • From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and
  • He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty

Why does it matter?

  • Jesus tells us that it matters because we must ‘endure to the end’ and knowing the sequence of events will help us to ‘not lose heart and faint’.
  • The apostle Paul tells us that it matters, because “God takes no pleasure in the one who shrinks back”, and knowing that our ‘salvation draw near’ will help us endure to the end.
  • Jesus tells us it matters and that we must stay alert and be found doing what He has commanded when He returns, or we may be “assigned a place with the hypocrites”. Knowing the day is near will help us stay focused and ready for His return.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  WHY IS NO ONE LISTENING?

PREVIOUSLY:  A CORD THRICE BRAIDED

FRACTURED

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

FRACTURED

DIVIDED CHURCH AHEAD?

Whether it is money, status, position in the Church, religious hierarchies, pastoral preferences or personal biases, there are factions that exist in our churches, and they are fatally dividing the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:10, says, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. Verse 11.  For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

1st & 2nd Corinthians: Some “Not-so-Key points”:

(1) Things were not going so well for the (New Testament) Church in Corinth

(2) It seemed like the people in the Corinthian Church had rejected the Apostle Paul’s teachings and had rebelled against Paul’s authority

(3) Paul had to make a “painful visit” to the Church in Corinth. After his visit, Paul wrote the Church in Corinth another letter with “great anguish and tears”

*As a result, the Church at Corinth wanted to reconcile with Paul.

*Paul then wrote another letter, we know as Second Corinthians, to express his love and commitment to the Corinthian Church

*The Church in Corinth repented of their arrogance (sins), and reconciled with Paul

NOTE:  Corinth was known for its excessive moral decay. The word “Corinthian” was used by the Romans for someone who was immoral and excessive in that immorality.

The shipping trade made many people rich. But there were many more poor people in the city. There was a chasm between the two groups. These people did not socialize with one another.

The people in the Church at Corinth reflected the city and society in which they live. They practiced worldliness of the excesses of wealth, selfishness, arrogance, moral depravity and rebellion against authority.

The people could not or would not detach themselves from the world they lived in, and they were having problems shaking off the ways they lived before they were introduced to Jesus Christ. And, they were bringing the world into the church.

The church at Corinth was racked with divisions. The factions were a reflection of the different beliefs and backgrounds the people had before becoming Christians. The Bible speaks frankly about divisions within the church.

It is not much different from the Church of today.

Whether it is money, status inside and outside the Church, religious hierarchies, pastoral preferences, personal bias, there are factions that exist in most churches in America today, and they are dividing the Body of Christ.

Reconciling the Church

(1) Paul begins to approach these problems in 1 Corinthians – this problem of sinfulness – with a greeting to “the church of God that is in Corinth,” in which he offers thanks for the faith and strength of the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 1:2).

(2) Next, he immediately begins to list and address the problems that plague that church.

The first problem, to which he devotes almost four chapters, concerns factionalism within the church.

(2a) Paul stresses that each preacher of the Gospel is merely a servant of Jesus, and that all believers should be united in Jesus. The faithful should put aside their differences and remember that “all things are yours. . . . You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God” (1 Corinthians 3:23).

(2b) The place of the preacher is not to establish themselves as leaders among men; instead, “people should think of us as servants of Christ” (1 Corinthians 4:1).

(3) Paul speaks of the regulation of spiritual gifts in the church of believers. There are many instances in the Corinthian church of people prophesying and speaking in tongues.

These spiritual gifts are important because they help to strengthen the community. All Spiritual Gifts, and all believers, are indispensable to the church.

But Paul prioritizes prophecy, with its clarity of message, over speaking in tongues, which is generally indecipherable and therefore cannot provide instruction to the community.

(4) He charges us to “keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13–14).

All of this is only possible if we understand and stay focused on our role and responsibilities as Servants of Christ & Stewards of the mysteries of God.

God’s model, God’s remedy, for the divided Church is that

  • You – as “living stones” – are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, and
  • you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession,
  • So that you will proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

Our Lord is calling us to GET BACK ON MISSION – “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:4

The time is short, and the workers are few, indeed.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Related Post: Servants & Stewards

A CORD THRICE BRAIDED

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

There is a saying, a proverb, in the book of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which goes like this:

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

“Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?

“And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”

TYRANNY, MARXISM, ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT

 The ancient wisdom of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 is as true today as when it was written, and is becoming increasingly necessary if we are to resist the evil and darkness of Marxism spreading across the world, we must unite.

We have read the news stories, during the Obama administration, when factions of the FBI rounded up what they called “insurgency groups” or “white extremist groups”, arrested and charged them for sedition or as terrorist cells. These so-called ‘dangerous’ groups were usually men in their advanced years who, while drinking coffee at a local coffee shop, were overheard griping about government overreach and what they wish could be done about it. Obama’s ‘brown shirt Socialists’ were creating political a shock wave, creating fear and paranoia, silencing any dissent and free speech and sending a message to the masses:  “Comply with our agenda or pay the consequences”.

Then there was the ‘weaponizing of the IRS’ and of other government agencies to intimidate and deprive conservative and Christian groups and individuals of their rights. Again, a clear message that we, Socialists and Marxists (under the guise of the American Democrat Party), will not tolerate dissent.  (NOTE:  Coincidentally, the Biden Marxist-Democrat party’s  $3.5 trillion spending plan, contains a provision to spend $80 BILLION of your tax dollars to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to come after your money.)

How are they getting away with this blatantly un-American and illegal activity? They pick us off, one by one. We are not united, we are not organized, and our elected ‘conservative leadership’ is, by their actions, either ineffective, bumbling fools or are complicit with the Socialist-Marxist-Globalists.

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

We thought the Tea Party movement which was formed 2008 was going to be our  ‘grassroots’ answer to the spreading virus of Socialism. The Tea Party began inside the Republican Party and, tragically, was quickly absorbed by Republican Machinery. Many of the Tea Party leaders became intoxicated with political aspirations and joined the duplicity of the Republican Party, becoming an ineffective, squabbling herd of wannabes.

A quick footnote to mention that Donald Trump was an effective leader, a conservative and a friend of Israel, of Christians and of all Conservatives. Both political parties and the corrupt FBI turned on him with vicious lies, attacks on his personal businesses and family with outrageous and illegal political deceit.  The welfare of America was jeopardized by the corruption which emerged in our legal and political systems, all designed to destroy Donald Trump and his presidency.

This has a chilling effect for anyone who might consider a run for president as a conservative, unless he or she is a Marxist collaborator, the likes of George Bush, Mitt Romney or John McCain.

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

There are scores of political action groups you can join. But, they are being largely ineffective. Their plan is to win at the ballot box, but, we have seen that process thoroughly compromised and corrupted in the last presidential election – and no one was charged with a crime. So, why bother with PACs?

You can find “Patriot Groups” and “Conservative Militia Groups”, but, from what I can tell, they are mostly just bluster.

There are many conservative broadcasters using non-traditional means (internet, podcasts, etc.) to get their message out and to influence, but, it is mostly just talk.

ONE LAST NOTE

There was one recent event when hundreds of thousands of Conservatives and American Patriots ‘stormed the halls of congress’. The problem was that the LEFT knew it was about to happen and left the gates open, then co-opted a peaceful demonstration, calling it “a sad and tragic time in our democracy”. They had seeded the demonstration with Democrat-Marxist infiltrators who caused troubles, casting a bad light on an otherwise good intention. Still, a message was sent. A shot had been fired across the bow of the invading Marxist hoards who have illegally taken up residence in our nation’s highest offices. This demonstration seemed to get their attention and put them on notice as to what we could do, if Conservatives acted with a united and single purpose.

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?

And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”

Now is the time to step forward and unite in action, as Conservatives. But, there is no leadership. I recognize that I am a lone and unqualified voice, calling out in the wilderness, “Who will lead us?”  But, if we do not act quickly, decisively and will iron clad resolve, we are finished as a Constitutional Republic. In fact, it may already be too late.

Please help. Write a letter to your Congressional Representative and your State Representatives. Ask for help to defeat the LEFT with definitive action.

“Dear ___(Senator or Congressman or Congresswoman)_______,

I am writing you out of great concern for the future of our Nation. It seems to me that the Democrat party and their supporters are increasingly made up of people who endorse the agenda of Globalists, Marxists, Socialists and Communists, are dissolving our sovereignty, erasing our borders, violating and voiding our constitution, breaking our laws, raiding our treasury, promoting burdensome and onerous taxation and corrupting our society with debauchery and perversions which were unthinkable only a few decades ago. We are losing our freedoms and may have already lost our country and our way of life.

The political system and the ballot box, in our last national election, proved to be ineffective against the corruption, the tyranny and deceit of the LEFT.

We need strong, decisive leadership to fight back against this spreading virus of Marxism. We need men and women who, like our founders, are willing to say, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” (From the Declaration of Independence – click the blue text)

I am confident that here are hundreds of millions of American who will act in concert with a call to action by Conservative Leadership in our cause to save America. I am one of those.

Respectfully,

(Your Name, address and State and District)

 

Next, please, pray for our Nation and your efforts.  Appeal to local Christian leaders, to local businessmen and businesswomen, and anyone else you think is willing to help lead this fight.

IN THE MEANTIME

 Please click the following link titles to read what you and I must know and what we can do – must do – as a response:

  1. American Under Siege.
  2. Go on the Offensive, part 1.
  3. Go on the Offensive, part 2.
  4. Go on the Offensive, part 3.
  5. How to deal with Marxist in the Church.
  6. Be ready for the coming judgment and the return of Christ.

I realize this is a fairly long article.  But, please take your time to study each link and the information provided.  Then, if you are inclined, write to me at whitestonefellowship1@gmail.com.  Let’s put a RESPONSE into action.

Your Friend and Brother,

Mike Young

NEXT:  A COSMIC STORM IS COMING.

PREVIOUSLY: THE OVERTHROW OF AMERICA BY SOCIAL-MARXISM.

Additional Reading: “A Grassroots Response to the Overthrow of America by Socialist-Marxists, a.k.a., the Democrat Party”

What Is This Strange new ‘gospel’?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, are ferocious wolves” Matthew 7:15

What is this strange and titillating new ‘gospel’ I am hearing, and where is it leading?

“The biggest mistake we make is that we think sermons will produce spiritual maturity” – Rick Warren, Saddleback Church

“Are you suggesting to me that heaven is an actual place? That the place of God is an individual place that you go? – Doug Pagitt, pastor, author

“Yes, I am a gay affirming pastor. I don’t think there is a thing wrong with homosexuality…”

“Yes, I am definitely questioning the atonement…”
Jay Bakker, son of Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker

“The Cross isn’t the center, then, the Cross is almost a distraction and false advertising for God.” Brian McLaren, pastor, emergent church leader

“Then here comes Rob Bell. He’s made a Christian Gospel for you, and it’s perfectly palatable and much easier to swallow” (Rob Bell says THERE IS NO HELL – Interview on MSNBC)

Please listen and hear, dear friends. Many false teachers – yes, the very ones you think sound so good – are mixing error and lies with a dash of Truth.  It is called “Syncretism”, the

  • Reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, especially when success is partial or the result is heterogeneous.
  • The merging of two or more originally different inflectional forms.
  • The attempted reconciliation or union of irreconcilable principles or parties, as in philosophy or religion;

The modern/post-modern religious humanist and ecumenical movements in America and other parts of the world,  are practicing syncretism, that is, they believe that all religious beliefs, philosophical teachings, and government systems are ultimately compatible, or a reflection of, a larger system. They practice a “one world, two systems” policies – pronouncing that all people had religious freedom, political freedom, and freedom of thought, yet maintaining strict control.

False doctrines and false teachings come and go.  False teachers come and go.  The problem is that they take thousands and millions with them where they go – and they are NOT going to “a place in God’s house that Jesus has prepared for them”.  No, it is a place of darkness and of wailing and of gnashing of teeth.

The Gospel is about Jesus, not about  you or me.  The Gospel is about God’s Grace and the finished work of Jesus on the cross, through the tomb and being raised to eternal life, so that we may live and serve Him!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Please go to this hard hitting article:  ARE YOU CHOSEN?

GLOBALISM and the TOWER OF BABEL

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ 3 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

Do they have anything in common?

Publications like Wikipedia or “The Economist” confuse the matter of Globalism and the aims of Globalism by asserting there are various kinds of ‘Globalism’. (disassembling the word into component parts and delving into fabricated systems).

Merriam-Webster is close by saying Globalism is “a national policy of treating the whole world as a proper sphere for political influence, similar to imperialism or internationalism”.

Socialists and communists say Globalism is the key to worldwide prosperity. But, the truth is that Globalists say it is a key to worldwide prosperity, but they know it is the key to controlling people under the dictatorial rule of godless communism.

“The task before UNESCO,” said its first Director-General Julian Huxley in 1946, is “the emergence of a single world culture” by transferring “full sovereignty from separate nations to a world organization.”

The “new world order” will be a socialist, authoritarian global government and court with “global rule of law” and a “one-world economy,” according to the Commission for Global Governance.

An article from the Jerusalem Post, titled, “UNESCO’s Globalist Agenda minus Israel” has reported that “the “New World Order” will be a socialist, authoritarian global government and court with “global rule of law” and a “one-world economy,” according to the Commission for Global Governance.

“The Obama Administration provided an example of leftist globalists in action. Bankrolled by billionaire George Soros, and using the radical social-manipulation “rules” of Obama mentor Saul Alinsky, the Left exploits groups like Black Lives Matter as “agents of change” to help usher in their new world order. They fund and direct radical groups to sow chaos and division by politicizing leftist targets such as police by labeling them as “racist.”

“The black community is in a grave situation and they are being exploited and manipulated by the liberal left,” said African-American Vanderbilt University law professor Carol Swain.

“In the same way, UN globalists manipulate the Palestinians. They play the “racism” card to incite chaos, division and attacks against Israeli police and soldiers—just like in Ferguson, MO. Their strategy: foment societal disruption to undermine democratic foundations—then step in and take over.

“The Globalist agenda also includes the establishment of a one-world religion, which means the
political globalists have a religious arm. The UN is riddled with New Agers, occultists and others who consider freedom of religion hostile to New Age global harmony.

“Former UN Assistant Secretary-General Robert Muller told the San Jose Mercury that religious fundamentalism’s “inflexible belief systems … play an incendiary role in global conflicts.” There’ll be no peace without “taming fundamentalism through a United Religion that professes faithfulness only to global spirituality,” he said.”

The Commission on Global Governance has publically stated that when their Agenda-21 plan is fully implemented, “it will bring all the people of the world into a global neighborhood managed by a world-wide bureaucracy, under the direct authority of a minute handful of appointed individuals, and policed by thousands of individuals, paid by accredited NGOs, certified to support a belief system which contains ideas that are foreign to the American experience, and ignores other values and ideas that are precious to the American experience.”

The World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in New York City, NY, USA, September 15-17, 2015, set a date of 2030 for complete implementation of their Agenda 21 and Global Dominance by this Marxist global movement.

So what are we to do? What can we do?

The Bible tells of the beginning’s this idea of One World Government and warns this system is coming again in the Last Days.

“They said, ‘Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’

“The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

“The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” Gen 11:4-6

Revelation 13:16-18, says, “And he (the “beast” aka, the anti-Christ) causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.”

DON’T BE DECEIVED

The ‘rest of this story’ or the ‘story behind this story’ is Globalism. As usual, a plausible, but false narrative is presented to obscure the real agenda – a One World Government.

An article saying Europe is dying is a false flag – a distraction. Europe is neither dead nor dying. And, Europe is not being ‘reborn’ (an unfortunate choice of words in this article). Europe was being infiltrated until around 2014. Since 2015 it became a full scale INVASION. This, too, is a distraction to have people think Europe is being transformed by the 4 Stages of the Islamic Conquest.  While Europe and the world grapples with the Muslim invasion through illegal immigration, the Socialists work on their Agenda-21, freely and furiously, unimpeded, and in plain sight,

This same this is happening in America. Under Obama, the infiltration was accelerated. President Trump is trying to stop the INVASION from abroad, as well as undoing the damage done to our Nation and national interests by the previous three administrations. And democrats / Socialists hate him for his efforts and are doing all they can to stymie or destroy his efforts, including hamstringing or collapsing the US economy, destroying American social structures, disrupting our banking systems, controlling the Federal Reserve, socializing our medical systems.

The enemies of America, the Globalists, are embedded in our government, in our religious systems, in our churches, in our school, colleges and institutions of higher education. They are using methods to erase and eradicate the culture, history and legacy both in Europe and in America.

In the United States, over 528 American cities are members of “Local Governments for Sustainability” or “ICLEI”, is an international Marxist and Socialist leaning sustainability organization, that helps to implement the Agenda 21 and Local Agenda 21 concepts across the world. The United States has nearly half of the ICLEI’s global membership of 1,200 cities promoting sustainable development at a local level.

The agenda of this “migration” and Globalism or One World Government is not the stuff of any book. It is stuff of THE BOOK, that is THE BIBLE.

A foreshadowing of this event can be found in Genesis 11. The Tower of Babel (Hebrew: מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל‎, Migdal Bāḇēl) as told in Genesis 11:1-9 is meant to explain why the world’s peoples speak different languages.

According to the account, a united humanity in the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating eastward, comes to the land of Shinar (שִׁנְעָר). There they agree to build a city and a tower tall enough to reach heaven.

(NOTE: “tall enough to reach to heaven” can be a metaphor for “man reaching to heaven, making himself god, to accomplish his own desires. This is the Socialist and Communist manifestos of the State being your god – from cradle to grave)

WHAT TO DO?

This is ‘forecast’ or what is Prophesied in the Bible. It will occur. It is underway. You and I must PREPARE.

1. Surrender to Jesus as Lord and for Salvation, and He will give you wisdom, strength, courage and knowledge.

2. Repent and enter the Kingdom of God. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 This Kingdom is a very real place. It is described by metaphor, but it is no metaphor. It is a real place we must possess in these last days. Jesus centers His teaching to His disciples around this Truth, telling them they must enter the Kingdom of God and continue His Works until He returns. (more on this in an upcoming article)

2. Educate yourself. Become Bible literate. “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom…” Revelation 13:16-18

3. “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

4. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

These are real and serious matters and you must know that…

Economics will not save you.

  • A good shelter (a home), a supply of food and water may help as God’s Judgments unfold and intensify in these Last Days, while we wait for His return to take us to our Eternal Home.
  • Medicines may help.  You should have what you need for a time.
  • Guns and politics will not save you.
  • Technology, such as phones, radio and internet can be helpful, but they will not save you.

These are exciting times in which we live! But, we must be prepared to ‘endure to the end’ (most likely the end of the 5th Seal of Revelation) as Jesus said in Matthew 24. And by all accounts, it would seem we are at that stage!

(Click here or on the image above for details about “WHAT IT MEANS TO GET READY“. Please read the entire article, but, Page 31 tells the Christian, specifically, what it means to get ready.)

Your Friend and Brother

Mike Young

Additional information:

Globalism and the Tower of Babel

(The New World Order )

Immediately After the Tribulation of Those Days, the Sun will be Darkened.

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

THERE IS A COSMIC STORM COMING

You and I need to be ready for what is at hand, because we are expected to endure to the end of our appointed time, then God will intervene and take us home.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I have admired and listened to Dr. David Jeremiah for 35 years.  Over the last 14 years, however, I have not agreed with his view of Bible eschatology.  I listened to a recent message by Dr. Jeremiah, on his website, titled, “Where do we go from here?”  In that message he gave 3 points on HOW we are to respond to the troubles in these Last Days:

#1. Worship the Glorified Christ – the more you worship, the less you worry

#2. Embrace your Global Mission – We have a mission that is global.  Take the Gospel to the entire globe.

#3. Anticipate your glorious Hope – Never fear.  He is coming back to establish His eternal Kingdom.

(Oh.  And, yes.  #4. Buy his books.)

So, this is the answer of “Where we go from here”?

(1) We stare skyward, worship, embrace evangelism and anticipate Jesus’ return.  Let’s get honest, here.

(2) We sit. We do that pretty well.

(3) We worship.  We do that OK, probably once or twice a week for about 15 minutes each time.

(4)  We evangelize the world.  We are not doing too good at that one.  We actually ‘give, because we can’t or won’t GO’.  We tend to stay separate from the world and leave this one up to the ‘professionals’.

(5)  We are really good at anticipating Jesus’ return, because most Christians just ‘stare skyward’, but do very little more than that.

So, I guess what Dr. Jeremiah is saying is nothing new for the 20th and 21st centuries.  But, he is not alone in this type of teaching and assessment.  (Could this be reason the church and church attendance is in decline?

The pastor of a church we used to attend, is preaching on these same matters.  His advice is the same. (1) When are the end times?  “Near (1 Peter 4)” (However, If you read Acts 2:14-21 you will see it is NOW, not near)   What are we to do?  (1) Thrive  (2)  Love  (3)  Worship, etc.  All good things.

But, I am certain that they are either underestimating the urgency of our mission and the severity of what is at hand or they really don’t know what to do beyond what they have listed (and, for certain, those are good things).

However, we are on a Mission.  And, God has never, ever, been gentle to those who shirk or draw back from the Mission. Even Jesus says, “Why do you call me Lord, when you do not do the things I have told you?  I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work lawlessness.”

Somehow, these preachers think the ‘End Times’, (more correctly, Last Days), won’t intensify until the Church is raptured off the earth.  It is true that the Judgments of God will intensify as He moves from the Seal Judgment to the Trumpet Judgments and then into the Bowl Judgments.

BUT LET ME BE CLEAR – BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR –  there will be an intensifying BEFORE the “rapture”.  And, you must be ready or you will pay a high price.

(Please note:  my commentary on the following Bible verses are in parentheses and color coded blue)

Matthew 24:4 says, “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

(this includes misinformed pastors, preachers, bible teachers)

Verse 5.  “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray.

( (1) This can be someone literally saying ‘I am the Christ’, (2) but, it is more likely it will be someone who considers themselves as an emissary of Christ – such as ‘ordained pastors’ – who speak for Christ, but are blindly following denominational doctrine which are incorrect; or, (3) as we are clearly seeing, now, in our day, it is ‘institutional deception’, where entire denominations fall away from the clear teachings of Jesus and lead millions astray)

Verse 6.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 

(There have been wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes since recorded history.  So, concerning the ‘End Times’, which wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes should we refer to?  These things must occur in conjunction with ALL THE SIGNS and WARNING from Jesus and the Bible

(And, don’t miss the little phrase, “but the end is not yet”, as verse eight will elaborate.)

Verse 8.  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

((1) The phrase “the beginning of birth pangs” is a statement made by Jesus in or around the year AD 30 and is a translation of the Greek archē ōdin (ἀρχή ὠδίν). The meaning of the phrase, translated in the KJV as “the beginning of sorrows” is a direct reference to preliminary birth pangs that ultimately lead to the full scale contractions and travail, which leads to the actual birth.

Recognizing the Old Testament reference that Jesus was hearkening to is an essential, but often overlooked key to determining the timing of the prophecy. Jesus was pointing his disciples to two key passages from the prophet Isaiah.

The first passage is Isaiah 26, a portion of Scripture found in the middle of what is sometimes referred to as “Isaiah’s little apocalypse”. There, the Lord speaks through Isaiah, specifically contrasting the expectations of the Jewish people regarding deliverance, redemption and physical resurrection with the reality of the pain, suffering and travail that they had corporately experienced. In verses 16-18, the complaint of Israel is raised that despite having endured the great suffering of labor, the expected “birth” of deliverance, redemption and resurrection had not arrived (the preceeding 3 paragraphs were taken from the “Daniel Training Network”)

This makes clear that the Last Days and the opening of the tribulation Seals began in our around AD 30.  Other references which confirm this date are   Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 9:26, Acts 2:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:1, 1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:3. as spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy. (Also please see this teaching by Pastor and Teacher, John Piper on the timing of the End Times).

Verse 9. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

(This is so clear and in such plain language, I regret having to point it out:  “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death”.  So, “YOU  WILL BE DELIVERED UP TO TRIBULATION”.  How much more intense can this be, than being put to death for Jesus name’s sake? The tribulation, Seals 1 through 4 have been described as having started, by Jesus, Himself, in the year AD 30.)

Verse 10. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

(First – This is the hallmark of the Great Apostasy, found in these verses and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. Furthermore, “And then” translates from the Greek word, “tote”, in this case means of the future, also in consecution, i.e., the act of following, or the condition of being in a series; that which is consecutive; succession; sequence.

 (Secondly – “fall away” is the Greek word ‘skandalizó’ and means to entrap, i.e., trip up (figuratively, stumble) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure).

This is further explained in the following verses and can also be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. For more detail see “Has the Great Apostasy begun?”)

Verse 11.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

(Verses 11 through 14 give us a major time line identifier through a concurrence of events: (1) many false prophets will arise and lead many astray; (2) lawlessness will be increased; (3) the love of many will grow cold.)

(“The one who endures to the end”, must be kept in context of the surrounding verses.  So, the one who endures to the end of these events – Which Events? – The tribulation seals ONE through FIVE)

(“And then the end will come”.  Once again, this is clear, plain, face-value language. After these first FIVE TRIBULATION SEALS, which began in or around AD 30, and have continued progressively to overlap and gain in intensity, THE END WILL COME.)

Matthew 24:29, says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light

(Perhaps it would be a good idea to read this verse again. It begins with “IMMEDIATELY AFTER the tribulation of those days”.  This is rich with information.

( The tribulation of THOSE DAYS are the days from AD 30 through the current date; tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE.)

(“Immediately after the tribulation of those days”, should explain itself.  But, just in case, let me say, “THOSE DAYS” refers to the days already discussed (tribulation Seals One through Five).  Now , Jesus is moving our attention to what follows the first 5 Seals of the tribulation:  THE SIXTH SEAL.)

(“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” is also found in Revelation 6:12-16, and uses the exact language.  It is the SIXTH SEAL of the tribulation, which is yet a FUTURE EVENT.)

NOTE:  ANYONE WHO SUGGESTS OR SAYS THESE VERSES ARE SIMPLY METAPHORICAL WILL NOT PLAY OUT AS DESCRIBED, ARE FALSE PROPHETS, FALSE TEACHERS AND ARE AIDING THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST. (Other places in Revelation, you will find metaphors, allegories, imagery and similes to describe what was indescribable, such as, “The Lamb of God” to describe Jesus, “The Dragon” to describe Satan, or “The Four Beasts” to describe Satan, Babylon and Lucifer. The reader must learn to distinguish the difference.)

Many protestant pastors, preachers and Bible teachers adhere firmly to the John Nelson Darby version of the pre-tribulation rapture. These people with good intentions and most are good men and women, yet, they are sorely misinformed; or, perhaps, some are lazy in their study of scriptures or they could be ignorant about what scriptures say and mean. None-the-less, they are guilty of false teaching and of teaching a false prophecy.

What I have described is known as the Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. Here is a link and several videos and teachings explaining the Pre-Tribulation Pre Wrath Rapture of the Church.

 Listen, friends. Things are getting worse, even as I write this, and, things are going to get a lot worse as the time of the Rapture (The 6th Tribulation Seal) draws near.  You and I need to prepare, both Spiritually and physically, for these difficult times.

I have presented the Spiritual side of the coming day of the Great Tribulation and of the coming day of God’s Wrath in this article.

 Please go to these links, “New World Order”, also, “Agenda-21, Cover of the U.N., One World Government”, and find the physical and earthly manifestation of this cosmic battle and of the spirit of anti-Christ, which is already at work.

The Bible tells us to be ready, for we do not know the day nor the hour when the Lord will return, and if you did know, you would be on the alert, “and would not have allowed your house to be broken into”. For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

In conclusion, let me ask you, if you knew a hurricane or a major destructive storm was coming, what would you do to get ready?  (Please answer this.  Make a short list using these lines).  I would:

1.                                                                                                                              

2.                                                                                                                              

3.                                                                                                                              

4.                                                                                                                              

Well, A Major ‘Storm’ is Arriving as I write these words.  We must be ready!

 Your Brother and Friend

 Mike Young

What we should be doing while we expectantly await His Return to take us to our Eternal Home:

IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE:  Don’t be deceived.  There is only ONE Second Coming of Christ.  There will be only ONE Rapture.  There will be only ONE Armageddon.

Know your Bible.  Know the sequence.  Be Ready, found doing as He has said.  Endure to the end and be saved !!

The 2nd Advent of Christ (the second coming of Jesus) is one event which can be seen from TWO PERSPECTIVES:  One perspective as seen from the earth;  the other perspective, from John’s prophetic vision, is seen as it unfolds  – a Spiritual and Heavenly perspective!

Look at it this way:   When Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. it was a category 5 storm;  As Irma progressed up the peninsula of Florida, it became a category 4 storm;  then as it entered Alabama it became a category 3 storm;  and finally as it entered Georgia, Irma became a tropical storm; and later as it entered Tennessee, it became a rain event.

To those in the various states which hurricane Irma entered, it would have appeared to them that Irma might have been 5 different storms, occurring consecutively; first a Category 5 storm, then, a Category 4 storm, then, a Category 3 hurricane, then, a Tropical storm, and, finally, a rain event.  But if viewed “From Above” it was ONE CONTINUOUS STORM, progressively unfolding to its conclusion.

SO IT IS WITH THE ‘LAST DAYS’ AND THE 2nd COMING OF JESUS as seen in the breaking of the ‘Seven Seals of the Book’ as recorded in Revelation chapters 5,6,7 and 8; although, the breaking of each Seal may seem like seven different events, if viewed “from above” it is ONE CONTINUOUS EVENT (eschatological STORM), progressively unfolding to its conclusion.

  • Breaking of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation,
  • The beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord,
  • The beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week also known as the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation,
  • Jesus’ SECOND ADVENT,
  • The Rapture of the Church,
  • The heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True,
  • From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and
  • He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty

Why does it matter?

  • Jesus tells us that it matters because we must ‘endure to the end’ and know the sequence of events will help us to ‘not lose heart and faint’.
  • The apostle Paul tells us that it matters, because “God takes no pleasure in the one who shrinks back”, and knowing that our ‘salvation draw near’ will help us endure to the end.
  • Jesus tells us it matters and that we must stay alert be found doing what He has commanded when He returns, or we may be “assigned a place with the hypocrites”. Knowing the day is near will help us stay focused and ready for His return.

 

THINK – Part 3 – Where are you going?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

ANYONE GOING DOWN?

The Gallup organization reported In April 2021, that for the first time since they started polling in 1937, fewer than 50% of Americans claim membership is churches, mosques or synagogues. Sociologists have tracked these burgeoning declines for several decades, with attrition that runs from 70% claiming membership in the 1990s, to 50% in 2019, to 47% in 2021 (with no plateau in sight).

In Gallup’s study, these fissures in religious participation seem evident among every American demographic age group, including “traditionalists,” born before 1945, down from 73% to 66%; “Baby Boomers,” dropping from 63% to 58%; Generation X, from 57% to 50%; and “Millennials” from 51% to 35%, as indicated in 2020 studies.

SO, WHAT’S UP?

The Covid-19 outbreak is being blamed for the recent decline in church attendance, but, that is an anomaly.  Here is some information from a George Barna study reporting on five standing reasons people give on why they drop out of church (the comments are my own):

1. The church is irrelevant, the leaders are hypocritical and leaders have experienced too much moral failure

Yes, I know. That’s three reasons in one. But the Barna study groups all three reasons together as one reason.

2. God is missing in the church

People go to church looking for God, but are having difficulty finding him.

This one hurts, but in an age where perception is reality, you can’t ignore this criticism.  The paucity of personal experience with God is disturbing.

3. Legitimate doubt is prohibited

Honestly, I simply agree with this criticism. It is very difficult to have an honest conversation in many churches today.

4.  They’re not finding community

Sometimes expectations are too high; sometimes expectations are unrealistic; sometimes people really don’t want what they say they want; sometimes a church has metastasized into cliques.  This is a tough one – but can be true on many levels. At any rate, this is not acceptable for the Body of Christ.

5.  They’re not connecting with God

It does not amaze me to hear that people come to church seeking God, and they get some good sermons ABOUT GOD or ABOUT THE BIBLE, then they are discouraged when all they get is a religious pep talk, a religious rock concert or a religious lecture ABOUT GOD or ABOUT THE BIBLE.  They aren’t as interested in knowing ABOUT God, as they what they want to KNOW IF GOD CAN DO, IN THEIR LIVES, WHAT PREACHERS SAID HE CAN DO.  They don’t come to church to get stories about the Bible, they want to KNOW IF THE BIBLE can direct their lives,

Or perhaps, this is what is referred to the “Great Apostasy” (a falling away from the faith) of the Last Days, as mentioned in scriptures?

In either case, you and I need to be very careful because Jesus has warned, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.”  This can be both individual and institutional deception.

HE SAID WHAT?

So, what was your experience in church this past month?  And, what did your pastor or preacher preach on this past Sunday, and how did he preach on it?  Now, be very honest; was it something ‘about the bible’ or ‘about Jesus’?  Or, was it something the Bible or Jesus said to you and for you to do and, you are doing it?

Just for the ‘fun of it’, let’s compare what you are hearing and seeing in Church versus what Jesus taught and did in ‘churches’ and along His way.

Let’s do a little ‘time travel’ and imagine we can go back in time to when Jesus begins His ministry.  Here’s the scene found in:

Matthew 4;12, “Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. Verse 14.  This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

Verse 15.  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

Verse 16.  “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,
And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”

Verse 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The First Disciples

Verse 18. Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Verse 19. And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Verse 20. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Verse 21. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Verse 22. Immediately, they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”

Calling and making and sending disciples is what Jesus does.  In fact, that is exactly what He told us to be doing.  (see Matthew 28:16-20)  

Did your pastor or preacher say something even remotely like Jesus when He said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” or when He said, “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded; and remember, He is with you always, even to the end of the age.”?  Or is this something to be left to the ‘professionals’?  You know, ’you invite your friends, family and neighbors, and he’ll take it from there’.

But, that is not what the Bible says.  It says, YOU GO, and YOU MAKE DISCIPLES, and YOU BAPTIZE THEM.  Is your pastor teaching, training and sending you to DO WHAT JESUS SAID?

Put people on mission and let them run with it.  Let the pastors pastor, the teachers teach, the evangelist evangelize, etc., and watch what happens.

Ministry in Galilee

Matthew 4:23  “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.”

Notice that Jesus does not just ‘talk a good game’, He leads by example.  In fact, Jesus’ pattern and method of ministry and of making disciples is to ‘Say the Words; Show the Wonders; Send the Worker”, and this is consistent throughout His ministry.

How about your pastor or preacher and ‘church leaders’?  What do they do?  Are they leading by example, then sending YOU to follow Jesus in like manner?  Remember, it’s all about YOU making disciples who, in turn, make disciples.

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?

Matthew 4:24  “The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Verse 25.  Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.”

THE POINT?

The point is that Jesus did not sugar-coat the Gospel Message nor did He devise slick advertising gimmicks to get people to ‘come to church’.  There were no worship teams, no missions budgets, no building programs.  Jesus just told it straight, did what He said, and made disciples who did likewise.

The point is that, even under constant and severe persecution, the early church grew exponentially because the Gospel Message was preached and practiced!

The point is that, THIS IS OUR MODEL and God will provide the increase.

Now, stay tuned for “THINK – Part 4 – THE SERMON?”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Previous article:  “THINK – Part 2 – Repent and Live”

NOTE:  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is about JESUS, first, foremost and only.  He has secured a salvation for you to save your soul from perishing in the most horrible way.  He has prepared a place for you as your eternal home, in His Kingdom.  The other things that happen to and through a believer and follower of Jesus, are the blessing and benefits that follow. – Michael Young, Pastor / Teacher, Whitestone Fellowship.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

(Please note, links are used in place of footnotes for references and citations.  Please review each link in order to get the full teaching on these matters.  Also, you can pause the Audio podcast to follow a link and resume the audio when ready.)

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.”  John 21:25

There are millions and millions of books, articles, commentaries and opinions describing and defining “What is a Christian”, and, how a Christian should think, behave and what they should do.  It can be a bit daunting and confusing, but, it need not be.

The Bible, if read in context of itself and read at face-value (except for the obvious metaphors, idioms and similes) the Truth clearly emerges.

Here is an example of KEEPING IT SIMPLE when asking…

1. What is a Christian?

2. How does a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, think?

3. How does a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, behave?

4. What is a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, to do?

Here are some, out of numerous scripture verses, that may help answer this important, but basic, questions – all without opinions.

1. WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?

Acts 11:21-26 ” And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.  The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then, when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with a resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

John 13:34  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Acts 1:8  “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

John 15:5  “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”

 

 2. HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN, A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, THINK?

Philippians 2:5  “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [h]on a cross.”

 Philippians 2:1  “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any [a]affection and compassion, make my joy complete [b]by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

 

3. HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN, A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, BEHAVE?

 John 5:19  “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever [e]the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

 John 5:30  “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

John 12:49-50  “For I did not speak [s]on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

 

4. WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN, A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, TO DO?

 John14:10  “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

 MY CONFESSION

(To memorize and repeat as your confession, and be strengthened)

I WILL THINK LIKE THIS:

 Philippians 2:5  “I will have the attitude in me which is also in Christ Jesus, Who, although existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. I, TOO, WILL TAKE ON THE ROLE OF A BOND-SERVANT OF CHRIST. Being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. I too, will humble myself and become obedient to the point of the death of my fleshly desires and passions.”

Philippians 2:1  “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, I will make Jesus’ joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, just as Jesus. I will do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind I will regard others as more important than myself; I will not merely look out for my own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

I WILL BEHAVE THIS WAY:

 John 5:19  “Therefore as a follower of Jesus, I confess that, “As the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing, I will do the same; for whatever the Father does, these things I will also do, in like manner.”

 John 5:30  “I can do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear the Holy Spirit, I judge; and my judgment will be just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of God through the One He sent, that is Jesus.”

 John 12:49  “For I will not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Jesus has given me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Jesus has told me.”

I WILL DO THESE THINGS:

 John14:10  “I believe that Jesus is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, and He is in me.  The words that I say, I will not speak on my own initiative, but I will allow the Father, Who is abiding in Me do His works through me. I believe it when Jesus says that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, and He is in me; otherwise I believe it because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, I believe in Jesus, so the works that He does He will also do through me; and greater works than these He do through me, because Jesus has gone to the Father. Whatever I ask in Jesus name, that will He do, so that the Father may be glorified.  If I ask Jesus anything in His name, He will do it.”

Let’s pray for one another and hold one another up, until that day – may God find us faultless when He comes.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

More valuable resources at these links:

Knowing and Doing the Will of God.  Do you ever wonder about “The Will of God for your life” or for your life’s circumstances?  It is recognizing and continually doing God’s Will in the course of my life that determines the outcome of His Will for my life

Experiencing God’s Will.  Have you heard this ‘funny definition’ of Insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.”  I guess it is sort of funny, but because it bears so much practical truth, it’s really not that funny, especially if you are struggling with an issue. Sometimes it seems, the harder we try, the worse it gets. We might have success for a while, but then we slip back into the same old patterns. We try to lose weight, or we try to stop a habit, over and over and over, we keep using the same old methods, and nothing changes, permanently.   The Bible says to “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

What We Believe.  Our saving faith in Christ Jesus and our Biblical Christian World View determine how we approach all ares of life. We express our Christian World View through politics, theology, art, sociology, philosophy, ethics, anthropology, the humanities, science, history, law and government. But, in the end, this music video (creed and confession) captures the essence of what we believe.

A SERMON THAT REACHES TO “THE NEXT LEVEL”

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

I am sharing today’s message, via a video sermon (at the end of this page), by Pastor Trent Casto, Covenant Church of Naples PCA, Naples, Florida, that will answer some of the most daunting questions about our covenant relationship with God.

I have been a Christian for about 45 years.  I have been taught and trained in Christian theology and the study of God’s Word and I still study God’s Word, daily.  And I still have questions about what and why God has unfolded our salvation and world history the way He has done it.

Why did Jesus have to suffer so horribly and die so shamefully, for our sins?  Couldn’t God have done it any other way?

How does Jesus’ death excuse my sins?  (I know the doctrinal explanation, but, really, HOW does that work in LIFE?)

When did this all start?  Men and women had become so evil that God destroyed most of them.  I mean, Jesus wasn’t a ‘sudden idea’ of God, so He wouldn’t have to destroy us again, was He?

Where is this all going?

What does ancient Hebrew law and Israel have to do with me and God’s plan for my life?

This sermon answers the most daunting and most sought after explanations about WHYs, HOWs, WHENs, WHEREs and WHAT of our faith, SO ANY CHRISTIAN CAN UNDERSTAND and have their faith strengthened.

I am sharing today’s message (sermon) by Pastor Trent Casto, Covenant Church of Naples PCA, Naples, Florida, that answers those questions.  Listen to the end, and you will be deeply and greatly encouraged.

In Deuteronomy, God re-establishes Israel as his covenant people. What does it mean to be the covenant people of God, and what are the implications for our lives today?
Get ready to be encouraged in a very BIG way!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
Sermon Outline:
I.   A Promise of Land, People, and Blessing.
II.  The Establishment of God’s Covenant People.
III. Deuteronomy as a Covenant Treaty.
IV. The Long Way of Disobedience.
V. Living as God’s Covenant People Today.

SHIPWRECKED – Enemies Within the Church

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

SHIPWRECKED?

And, what is “Big Eva”?

Before I introduce my main point, I want to point out, that it was common for Jesus and His Apostles to deal with false teachers and false prophets within the Church.  Here are some links for your study:

FALSE PROPHETS WITHIN THE CHURCH- Biblegateway.com

HYPOCRITES WITHIN THE CHURCH – Biblegateway.com

FALSE TEACHERS WITHIN THE CHURCH – Biblegateway.com

SOUND DOCTRINE – Biblegateway.com

We are hearing about and reading about so many being SHIPWRECKED with regard to their faith. What is this world is going on? And how is this happening?

SHIPWRECKED – a noun

  • The destruction or loss of a ship, as by sinking.
  • The remains of a wrecked ship.
  • Destruction or ruin: the shipwreck of one’s hopes.

Verb (used with object)

  • To cause suffering in shipwreck.
  • To destroy; ruin.

I want to start with

Here is a video presented by E.W.T.C., (Enemies Within The Church), which sound the ‘shofar’, warning about the Woke movement invading the Church.  This includes the Globalist-Marxists ideologies and practices, the secularism of the ‘Social Gospel’ , the shaming of ‘white Americans’, the promoting and glorifying of the Marxists led, ‘Black Lives Matter’, and more.

Just in the small area where I live, in the past few years, there have been and are, at least 3 major Christian SHIPWRECKS on public display.  I will point out on one, but, here is a link to others:  CHURCH SHIPWRECKS IN NAPLES, FL

First Baptist Church, Naples: Crisis

These videos are produced by http://www.EnemiesWithinTheChurch.com

“Conservative church members labeled racists, purged by elite Southern Baptists” (Capstone Report)

“F.B.C. Naples leadership sinfully violated Matthew 18, smeared church members concerned about pastoral candidate’s support for pro-abortion, pro-LGBTQ Democrat” (Capstone Report)

“Report: Coup forced out longtime pastor who wanted period of transition to new leadership” (Capstone Report)

Neo-Marxists turn Stalinist after election defeat (Capstone Report)

Now, finally, what about Big Eva?

“Big Eva” is not a large German who works in border control for the Bundesrepublik.  Big Eva is a term for the network of large evangelical organizations and conferences that seeks to shape the thinking and strategy of the American evangelical churches. (“Big Eva” = “Big Evangelical Churches, organizations and conferences”)

“What Big Eva has done is, create an economy of power, people, and indeed money which is non-ecclesiastical but highly influential within evangelical churches. It is a populist movement of tremendous influence and minimal accountability. It provides an identity for its most passionate acolytes.

“And because it promises rewards to individuals and organizations – influence, students, platform – it is both very hard to criticize and functionally unaccountable to any but its own. The Trinity controversy of two years ago was a case in point: no church creed had ever taught the nonsense that had become so pervasive in evangelicalism. Quite the contrary – the creedal history of the church was arguably constructed to exclude precisely the kind of views that were being espoused. But key conferences and key organizations had a vested interest in sidestepping orthodoxy and demonizing any who pointed that out.

“An aspiring movement, to direct and shape the policies and testimony of the church, is quite another thing. (This is what has been done, or, put more bluntly, ‘What have we done?’ Selected and edited (comments from Carl Trueman, “Revoice, Evangelical Culture, and the Return of an Old Friend”  July 31, 2018)

Here are links to several other notable and tragic recent SHIPWRECKS:

Willow Creek, Chicago, Illinois and Bill Hybels

Willow Creek, Chicago, Illinois and Bill Hybles, II

Harvest Chapel, Sandwich, Illinois and James MacDonald fired by Harvest Bible Chapel

Harvest Bible Chapel in Naples, Florida sent eviction notice by landlord

This article and its content was collected from various “identified sources” and is reprinted as originally posted by these “identified sources. Some parts are editorialized and contain the opinion of this author.   White Stone Fellowship.

The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18, saying, “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them, you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.”

This is advice to all Christians.  Let’s heed the words of the Apostle Paul and stay vigilant and “fight the good fight”, and God will be with us.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Eschatology of the End Times – Simplified

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A Timeline Chronolgy of the Last Days

Genesis to Revelation

A Chronology of the prevailing view of the TRADTIONAL DENOMINATIONAL TIMELINE OF THE “END OF DAYS” – SIMPLIFIED.

  1.   In the Beginning
  2.    Prophecy of things to come
  3.    Foreshadowing of things to com
  4.    Events missing in the Outline of the End Times
  5.    The tribulation’s days of distress begins
  6.    The Signs
  7.    The Events
  8.    The Eschatological Clock – The 5th Seal
  9.    Daniels 70th Week – The Great Tribulation – The 6th Seal
  10.  The Rapture of the Church – The 6th Seal- The Interlude- The 144,000- A Multitude from the Revelation
  11. The Wrath of the Lamb – Trumpet & Bowl JudgmentsThe Battle of Gog and Magog
  12. The Abomination of Desolation
  13.  The Battle of Armageddon
  14. The judgment of the nations
  15. The binding of Satan
  16. The Great White Throne Judgment
  17. The new creation.

Eschatology of the End Times –  Chronology 

  1.  In the Beginning – Prophecies of the coming New World Order.  God creates mankind, with a flaw.  Failure is planned; a Savior is provided; The Plan has begun.
  1.  The Tower of Babel– Then and Now.  Man rebels and reaches for the heavens.
  1.  The coming of Messiah.  The Messiah is foretold.
  1.  Prophetic warnings– 1st century AD.  No one is listening.
  1.  The Days of Distress of the tribulation.The End has begun.
  1.  The countdown – The first 4 Seals of the Days of Distress
  1.  The World Events of the Seals.  ONGOING.
  1.  The 5th Seal is broken. The Great Apostasy begins,the falling away from the faith,The Antichrist is revealed. After the church is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:20)
  1. The rapture of the church. Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him (1 Corinthians 15:52). At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From our perspective today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The rapture is imminent;  The only things that mus yet happen are, (#1), the revealing of the anti-Christ, (#2), the Great Apostasy and, (#3), the breaking of the 6th Schroll Seal of the Tribulation.
  2.  The Breaking of the Sixth SealThe Great tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week begins. A period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulationon earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10).
  3. The Battle of Gog and Magog. In the first part of the tribulation, a great army from the north, in alliance with several other countries from the Middle East and Africa, attacks Israel and is defeated by God’s supernatural intervention (Ezekiel 38–39). (Some commentators place this battle just before the start of the tribulation.)
  4. The abomination of desolation. At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Daniel 12:11; Mark 13:14; Revelation 12:17).
  5. The Battle of Armageddon. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns with the armies of heaven (Mark 14:62). He saves Jerusalem from annihilation and defeats the armies of the nations fighting under the banner of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11–21). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).
  6. The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell.
  7. The binding of Satan. Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).
  8. The Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Revelation 20; Isaiah 60–62). Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48).
  9. The last battle. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.
  10. The Great White Throne Judgment. All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). The verdicts are read, and all of sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.
  11. The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him (Revelation 21–22).

There are multiple views of the chronology of the Biblical End Times.  I do not want to pursue or repeat what has already been written.  The following outline is a generally accepted chronology and is from the pre-tribulation view.

Almost every such outline or chronology of this sort, is the same.  They begin with the rapture of the church and go from there.  They usually ignore the prophecies about the coming End of Days, the events which foreshadow the coming Day of the Lord (a.k.a., End Times) and the most recent first century warnings which are leading up to the tribulation and the Great Tribulation periods.

I will use this outline, taken from Gotquestions.org – end times timeline, as my template and fill in the missing parts.

  1. IN THE BEGINNING

It is difficult to imagine that God planned the entirety of time.  We cannot go back far enough to discover when this began, because there is no beginning with God.  In so few words, such an incomprehensible statement:  “God has always existed”.

It is equally difficult to imagine “a world without end”, but God is eternal, even beyond “the new heavens and a new earth”.  (Revelation 12:1)

But, God has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, and in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.  And it is by these ways that we can know.

  2. THE PROPHECIES

First, God has spoken to us through the prophets in various ways.  God’s warnings are warning of coming judgment for His people’s rebellions and disobedience.  God’s judgments followed His warnings, and each of these events, known as The Day of the Lord, are a foreshadowing of what is yet to come.  A time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation.  (Daniel 12:1)

The words and the imagery of the destruction during the great and Terrible Day of the Lord would be difficult for most to accept or to understand.

(The good news is that God’s people, everyone who is found written in the Book of Life, will be rescued.)

Here is are those prophecies:

Isaiah 13:9 See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with …

See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger–
to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. …
//biblehub.com/isaiah/13-9.htm – 18k

Lamentations 2:22 “As you summon to a feast day, so you summoned …

… terrors on every side. In the day of the LORD’s anger no one escaped or survived;
those I cared for and reared my enemy has destroyed …
//biblehub.com/lamentations/2-22.htm – 19k

Ezekiel 30:3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near– a …

For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near– a day
of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. …
//biblehub.com/ezekiel/30-3.htm – 17k

Hosea 9:5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals …

… What will you do on a festival day, on the day of the LORD’s feast? …
//biblehub.com/hosea/9-5.htm – 16k

Joel 1:15 Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it …

Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it
will come like destruction from the Almighty. …
//biblehub.com/joel/1-15.htm – 17k

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For …

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day
of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. …
//biblehub.com/joel/3-14.htm – 17k

Amos 5:18 Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you …

….. Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why …
//biblehub.com/amos/5-18.htm – 17k

Obadiah 1:15 “The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you …

….. The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As …
//biblehub.com/obadiah/1-15.htm – 18k

Malachi 4:5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before …

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that
great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. …
//biblehub.com/malachi/4-5.htm – 17k

Zephaniah 1:7 Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of …

….. Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near. …
//biblehub.com/zephaniah/1-7.htm – 18k

Zephaniah 1:8 “On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish …

“On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the officials and
the king’s sons and all those clad in foreign clothes. …
//biblehub.com/zephaniah/1-8.htm – 18k

Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of the LORD is near– near and coming …

….. The great day of the LORD is near– near and coming quickly. …
//biblehub.com/zephaniah/1-14.htm – 18k

Zephaniah 2:2 before the decree takes effect and that day passes …

… the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the LORD’s
fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon …
//biblehub.com/zephaniah/2-2.htm – 18k

Zechariah 14:1 A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your …

A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will
be plundered and divided up within your very walls. …
//biblehub.com/zechariah/14-1.htm – 17k

1 Thessalonians 5:2 for you know very well that the day of the …

for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. …
//biblehub.com/1_thessalonians/5-2.htm – 18k

Each of these prophecies tell us what is past, what is present and what is yet to come.  This is important because in order to look forward, we must look back.  This is how prophecies work.

 3. FORESHADOWING OF THINGS TO COME

Besides the prophecies in the Old Testament, we can foreshadowing of what is to come.  It is as if we “see through a dark glass dimly”.

  1. Genesis 6– The Flood shows us God’s judgment on a global scale.  A catastrophe for mankind.  God judged the world because (Genesis 6:5) “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

2. Genesis 6  –   The Corruption of Mankind

    •  Building the Ark of their Salvation

3. Genesis 7  –   The Flood; purging, cleansing the earth of sin

4. Genesis 9  –   The Covenant; restoring

5. Daniel gives us a glimpse into our present and future.  We know this by looking back.  (the Book of Daniel chapters seven through 12)

6. Daniel 7 – Daniel’s vision of the 4 Beasts and a future Tribulation

 7. The “Ancient of Days” – The Son of Man presented – The Vision Interpreted

 8. Daniel 8 – Daniel’s vision of the Goat and the Ram

-The Little Horn

-The Vision Interpreted

10. Daniel 9 – Daniel’s Prayer for his people

11. Seventy Weeks and the Messiah

12. Daniel 11 – Conflicts to Come

13. Daniel 12 – The Time of The End

These are just two of many foreshadows of the coming Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

  1. *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come: from Gotquestions.org – end time timeline, as my template:
  2. *MISSING FROM THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES”of thing to come: The rapture of the church. Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him. (1 Corinthians 15:52). At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From our perspective today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The rapture is imminent; no other biblical prophecy needs to be fulfilled before the rapture happens.’
  3. *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come: Prior to the rapture of the church.  We are told by Jesus and some of the Apostles that the End of Days, also known as the “times of distress” had begun as early as AD 1, but more likely between AD 60 and AD 100.

(1).  Jesus called this period the LAST DAYS or the END OF THE AGE in Matthew 24:3-8

(2).  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in Acts 2:16-17

(3).  The Apostle Paul call this period THESE LAST DAYS in Hebrews 1:1-2

The Bible tells about the END OF DAYS and the Tribulation.  It is important to know that the Tribulation period actually is called by three prominent, although variant names:

(a)  The beginning of Sorrows, Birth Pangs, The End of The Age or the Last Days

(b)  The Tribulation also known as The End of Days

(c) The GREAT Tribulation also know as the Wrath of God or the Wrath of the Lamb.

The beginning of Sorrows, Birth Pangs The End of the Age or the Last days, begin with the opening of Tribulation Seal ONE began between AD 60 and AD 100, and perhaps as early as AD1.  

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

 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 . 

(4).  *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come:  The Denominational Outline says His Return is IMMINENT. BUT,

 1.  2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no one in any way deceive you, for

    •  it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and
    •  the man of lawlessness is revealed,the son of destruction”

There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.

2.  The rise of the Antichrist. After the church is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the Antichrist. (Revelation 19:20).

3.  MISSING FROM “THE DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINE”:  

 First, as has already been stated from 2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no one in any way deceive you, for

    •  it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and
    • the man of lawlessness is revealed,the son of destruction”

There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.

Secondly, a simple face value reading gives you a timeline.  That timeline is deliberately blurred by denominational bible teachers who have to make the Bible fit their doctrinal statement.  This can be confusing for the Christian Bible student and dangerous for those preparing in earnest.

4.  The tribulation. A period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10).

5.  The Battle of Gog and Magog. In the first part of the tribulation, a great army from the north, in alliance with several other countries from the Middle East and Africa, attacks Israel and is defeated by God’s supernatural intervention (Ezekiel 38–39). (Some commentators place this battle just before the start of the tribulation.)

6.  The abomination of desolation. At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Daniel 12:11; Mark 13:14; Revelation 12:17).

7.  The Battle of Armageddon. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns with the armies of heaven (Mark 14:62). He saves Jerusalem from annihilation and defeats the armies of the nations fighting under the banner of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11–21). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).

8.  The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell

 9.  The binding of Satan.Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).

 10. The Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Revelation 20; Isaiah 60–62). Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48).

 11. The last battle. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.

 12. The Great White Throne Judgment. All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). The verdicts are read, and all of sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.

 13. The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him. (Revelation 21–22)

Finally, here is a table showing the alignment of World History, an historical overview of Daniel’s 70 Weeks and a Biblical Historical outline:

Timeline of World History compared to Biblical Timeline of Daniels 70 Weeks

I know that this is a long read/study, but, (#1), it is important for you, as a Disciple of Jesus to know where you are on God’s Timeline, (#2), what it means to you, (#3) what is required for you to be ready, and, (#4) what it means to be ready for what is at hand and (#5), how to prepare.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

AS A MAN THINKETH

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

Hey, “pastors”, “church leaders”, “Christian”, here is an urgent reminder:

IT IS GOD’S CHURCH.  

The Church was created by God, in His Name and for His Purpose.  His Church is empowered by His Spirit and enabled by His Presence.  And, we are That Church.

Hear Ye:  Now, we “see through the mirror, darkly”.  No man or woman can fully understand the things of God, because no one can fathom the Mind of God.  No one can understand His thoughts or His Ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Therefore, no one can fully understand anything of God, or His Church, except what God has revealed through His Prophets, and, in these last days, through Jesus, His Son, (Hebrews 1:1-3) Who is The Word. (John 1:1)

Furthermore, no man or woman has any right to proclaim or teach any doctrine or ritual or any practice that Jesus has not already taught or practiced. (Matthew 5:17-19)  There is no “vision”, except that of Jesus.  There are no practices, except those of Jesus. There are no good ideas, except those of Jesus.  No buildings will prosper you.  No projects will elevate you.  There is nothing except Christ crucified; Who died and was raised to life on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:-34); Who ascended into heaven and is seated at the Right Hand of The Father! (Luke 22:69, Ephesians 1:20)

You are to teach Jesus, alone.  We need to know nothing more than Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. (2 Corinthians 2:2-6)

And, please, ask yourself, “Who do you think you are to reinvent God’s Methods and Ways?  Who do you think you are to advise God on anything?” (Job 38)   You must retract and repent in dust and ashes, as did Job. (Job 42:6)

Let’s remember, Jesus is gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29), and we  are to be the same.  So, remember ‘pastor’, ‘church leader’, ‘Christian’, you are to treat your brothers and sisters in Christ just as Jesus has treated you.  That is, you are to consider them “as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  (Philippians 2:3-8)

Be warned.  The Word is saying to you, this day, ‘preacher’, ‘church leader’, ‘Christian’, “Remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

Here is a message from Pastor Trent Casto, of Covenant Naples Church, Naples, Florida, to help along our way.

Let’s pray for one another, that we continue, in all humility and in His Grace, to be the good and faithful servants of our Lord, Jesus.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

The Message to the “Laodicean Churches” in 2021

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

PREAMBLE:  If you come away from church services without having a sense of repentance of sin and a fervency for the work of God, you probably missed the point of going to church.

If you come away from church thinking you are a “Better You” or that you are going to give God some kind of special favor this week, you probably missed the point to going to church.

Read this letter to the Chruch a Laodicea and see how you are measuring up.

Revelation 3:14-22

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

      The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

      ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Laodicea = Word Origin from laos and diké;

Laós:  (the root of the English term, “laity“) – a people, particularly used of “the people of the Lord”

Díkē – penalty, punishment; properly, right, especially a judicial verdict which declares someone approved or disapproved; a judgment (just finding) that regards someone (something) as “guilty” or “innocent”;  judgment, punish, vengeance. See 1343 (dikaiosynē).

A city in Phrygia, in the Lycos valley in the Roman province Asia, near Colossae and Hierapolis.

NOTE: It is important to know, (#1), the CONTEXT of these, or any Bible verses, and, (#2), what the original Biblical Greek words mean.  Secondly, most ‘translations of the Bible’ are NOT TRANSLATIONS at all, they are VERSIONS of what man thinks the Bible should say.  A Bible concordance, such as Strong’s Bible Concordance gives details of the words usages, root words, context, parts of speech and more.

Start with the ‘plain, face value statement of the verse’; ask, ‘what does it say’ at face value.  Next, study the context of the verse, first by the surrounding verses, then, in the usual context of the entire Bible.  Then ask, ‘what does it mean’?

There are also social, economic, political and geographic influences to consider when reading the Bible. Then, you should consider the style, whether it is historical, poetic, prophetic, etc., and, whether the verses are literal, metaphorical, idiomatic, allegorical or parables.

But, most of this has less to do with the Truth you are to learn, than does the intention of the writer and the MEANING of the words he writes.  You can do the research and get to the Truth, if you want.  Pray, ask God for illumination, understanding and wisdom.

Finally, ask yourself, ‘what do these verses mean to me’, and apply it.

Never let anyone tell you the Bible was ever written only to a specific group of people or that it is just a story.  The Bible is the eternal, inerrant Truth of God, written to you and for you so that you can go do it and live it!

I have quoted these Bible verses in Revelation from the NASB 1995 version.  The Bible text is in RED and the re-quoted version with more detail of the words used, immediately follows in parentheses.

Revelation 3:14-22 says,

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:  The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

Question #1. To whom is this letter written?

Question #2. For whom is this letter written?

Question #3. Is is applicable to people and ‘churches’ today?  (If, not, why do we care it was written at all?  If so, is this your church?  Is this you?

Verse 15 says, ”I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot;” (In other words, “I know your works, you are neither cold-hearted nor are you fervent about your works as a church”)

Question #4. What does this say about God’s watchfulness?

Question #5. Who is “The Church”?

Verse 15 goes on to say, “I wish that you were cold or hot.”  (In other words, “I am wishing for the unattainable when I say that you were either fervent or cold-hearted about your works, because I see you cannot be anything but lukewarm.”)

Question #6. Why would God prefer the Church at Laodicea to be either hot or cold?

‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (In other words, “Because you are unrepentant and continually tepid and lukewarm about your works, I am repulsed and I vomit you out of My Mouth to show My utter rejection and total separation from you; a rejection of extreme disgust.”)

Question #7. Why does being ‘lukewarm’ disgust God?

Questions #8. Does God actually reject and separate Himself from ‘lukewarm’ church members?

‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked”

Question #9. What makes a persona wealthy?

Question #10. How can a person with wealth be considered wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked?

The world’s view (non-Christian view) of wealth is found in material things. God says, that real wealth is found in relationship with Him, who is the source of all things.  Material goods are temporary and fading away.  God’s riches are eternal.

 We see this Truth taught and repeated in Matthew 6:19-21, when we read, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

And, again in, Matthew 6:31-33, we read, “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Again, in Matthew 19:21-24, “Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

“And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

And again, in Matthew chapter five, we see Jesus teaching that we are blessed when we are are dependent on God, alone.

(NOTE: An earthquake devastated the region in a.d. 60 and, Laodicea refused Imperial help to rebuild the city, successfully relying on their own resources. They didn’t need outside help, they didn’t ask for it, and they didn’t want it. “Laodicea was too rich to accept help from anyone. Tacitus, the Roman historian, tells us: ‘Laodicea arose from the ruins by the strength of her own resources, and with no help from us.’” (Barclay)

 Verse 18 says, “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Question #11: What does it mean to buy ‘gold refined by fire”?

Gold:  From Strong’s #5553 xrysíon – gold, viewed in terms of its purchasing power, i.e. what it brings about. “unlimited ability to purchase (acquire).”

Refined by fire:  From Strong’s #4442 pýr – fire. In Scripture, fire is often used figuratively – like with the “fire of God” which transforms all it touches into light and likeness with itself

God’s Spirit, like a holy fire, enlightens and purifies so that believers can share more and more in His likeness. Indeed the fire of God brings the uninterrupted privilege of being transformed which happens by experiencing faith from Him. Our lives can become true offerings to Him as we obey this imparted faith from God by His power.

[This is illustrated by God’s fire burning continuously at the entrance of the Tabernacle where the priests made sweet-savor offerings. Compare Lev 6:12,13 with 1 Pet 2:5,9.]

1 Peter 1:6-7 also tells us, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Daniel 12:10 also tells us that, “Many will be purged,purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.”

God says, in Zechariah 13:9,  “And I will bring the third part through the fire,
Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’
And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”

(Revelation 3:14-22, and specifically, verse 18, are too rich and too full of meaning to be fully explored here.  Suffice it to say, for now, that this verse encapsulates all the teaching of the process of salvation and sanctification. You can discover more on these matter by reading “A Tutorial on Effective Spiritual Warfare”, which is a work still in progress.)

God tells us in Verse 19, ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.”  (In other words, “Those whom I love, I expose you and convince you and convict you as guilty” so you will be fervent, hot and zealous and change you way of thinking.)

Reprove:  From Strong’s #1651 elégxō – properly, to convince with solid, compelling evidence, especially to expose, prove wrong, show to be guilty.

 Verse 20 says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Verse 21

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.“

Question #13:  What does it mean to “overcome” in the Biblical sense?

Question #14:  How does one “overcome” in a Biblical sense?

(click on any of the text of verse 21 for a detailed commentary and explanation)

Verse 22 says, “‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Verse 22 is a word to you, the reader, and to me the writer, and to everyone who calls themselves a Christian.

These verses in The Revelation transcend the argument among the churches whether one is ‘once saved, always saved’ or if on can ‘lose their salvation or can turn away’.

This is a warning and a call to everyone to check yourself:  Are you “hot” or “cold” toward the Gospel and toward the work of the Church?  Or, do your actions tell of a “lukewarmness” that spells doom?

Dear friends, loved ones and reader:  Christianity is a dangerous game to be trifled with. It can give you safe harbor and hope during this life and save your soul for all eternity, or, it can spell doom to those who are deceived into thinking you can casually stroll along with Jesus.

Christianity is a purging, a refining a cleansing and a preparation to follow Jesus and do the works He has done, and even greater works; and, then, eternity with Him.

Following Him means to be blessed, made safe, whole and full of purpose.  Following Him means doing what He says to do, just as He has done it.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

HAS THE APOSTASY BEGUN?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”

IN PLAIN LANGUAGE

(AND WHY YOU SHOULD CARE)

2 Thessalonians 2:1- 4 Now we request you, brethren, (1) with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you (2) not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

(3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for (4) it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and (5)the man of lawlessness is revealed, (6) the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that (7) he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Outlined, verse by verse (easy-to-understand; just read slowly and take it at face value)

1. With regard to the coming of our Lord and the gathering together to Him

2. Do not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

3. Let no one in any way deceive you

*4. For the day of our Lord and the gathering together to Him will not come unless the apostasy comes first

*5. For the day of our Lord and the gathering together to Him will not come unless the man of lawlessness is revealed

6. The man of lawlessness is the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship,

7. He takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

WHAT IS THE APOSTASY: In Christianity, Apostasy is the rejection of Christianity by someone who formerly was a Christian. The term apostasy comes from the Greek word apostasia (“ἀποστασία”) meaning defection, departure, revolt or rebellion. It has been described as “a willful falling away from, or rebellion against, Christianity.

WHAT IS THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS / ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION:

Mattew24:15 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

1. You will see him

2. He will be standing in the Holy Place

3. Then, there will be a great tribulation

WHAT IS THE DAY OF THE LORD:

The Day of the Lord” is a biblical term and theme used in both the Hebrew Bible (יֹום יְהוָה) and the New Testament (ἡμέρα κυρίου), as in “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come” (Joel 2:31, cited in Acts 2:20).

Matthew 24:21 “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Matthew 24:29 “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. 30“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. 31“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

1. For then / Immediately after the tribulation of those days (prior to the day in question, i.e., (the 5th seal)

2. 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 (The 6th Seal)

3. They will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory

4. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

The-Emeny-Within.jpg

(Look on page 17 and following on the presentation  for relevant explanation of verses noted; also, see video links below presentation)

Deception within the Church

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT.  WE MUST TURN AWAY FROM WESTERN POST-MODERN RELIGION, AND RETURN TO JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL AND PRACTICE THESE THINGS

Come and join in the harvest, as we go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He commanded; and lo, He is with us always, even to the end of this age. Contact me above here for further information, or click the invitation link below.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

invitation2.jpg

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HAS THE GREAT APOSTASY BEGUN?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ 1 Comment

The GREAT APOSTASY

The “falling away from the faith”

(The 5th Seal of Tribulation)

2 Thessalonians2:1- 4, “Now we request you, brethren, (1) with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you (2) not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

(3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for (4) it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and (5) the man of lawlessness is revealed, (6) the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that (7) he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Pew Research and Barna Research, both, are revealing what the corporate Church is unwilling to admit, that many are leaving the church and are not returning. But, the other half of this ‘equation’ is that many are LEAVING THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS – falling away from the faith – but are staying in the church .

This “falling away from the faith”, alone, may not signal what prophetic scriptures has foretold regarding the “Great Falling Away” (The Great Apostasy) but, considering all has already come to pass (the breaking of the first four Tribulation Seals) you can be confident this is what is prophesied.

We are so very close to the 6th Seal. So, please LISTEN you who are Pastors, teachers, Bible “scholars” and all Christians. Please, let’s get off our religious and denominational ‘high horses’ and sound the Shofar!

THE FIFTH TRIBULATION SEAL IS NOW INTENSIFYING and the DAY OF THE LORD and the Rapture is near.

The SIXTH SEAL of Tribulation will be broken soon, and it will be too late for those who are procrastinating or for those who think they are saved but have never surrendered their lives to Christ as Lord.

We must be DOING what Jesus said we were to be DOING, or face the consequences:

Matthew 24:48 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ 49and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 50The master will return unannounced and unexpected, 51and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God has commanded us to follow Jesus, to carry on His Works, to love one another and to preach the Gospel, make disciples and to teach them to follow Him.

Let’s be ready!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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