END-TIMES
EVIDENCE: FOUR BLOOD MOONS (Part I)
I am profoundly
convinced, more so than ever before, that we are smack-dab-in-the-middle of the
very last days of the end-times. Since we are so rapidly approaching the end
of the current dispensational age (The Church Age or the Dispensation of Grace
and Truth), it is of paramount importance that we study seriously and reflect soberly
upon the signs of the times so we
will be prepared for the second coming of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
There
can be no doubt. The empirical evidence
is everywhere. Christ will soon return!
Yesterday, I presented a sermon that I feel compelled to share with
you. Please bear with me as I will do so
over the next few days, and please take its contents to heart. This is not an attempt to promote myself or
my ministry; in fact, the concepts are not even originally mine. Rather, this is my modest attempt to awaken
us to the reality of our present state and our eternal destiny. It’s truly a matter of life or death. It is my heartfelt hope that pastors,
evangelists and teachers will utilize these materials to spread this message
everywhere. Here it is…
Scripture Text:
II Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away.
There can be no clearer picture of
the age in which we now live. Indeed,
these days are the last days…the last days in the dispensation of grace and truth…the last days of the church age. And those among us who are spiritually
discerning, those among us who are not too preoccupied with and distracted by
the things of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life…those people can now sense in their spirits…that something supernatural is just about to happen!
The signs of the times
are everywhere.
Today, I want to lay out for you the
evidence that these are indeed the end-times. No one can dispute that these are perilous times…dangerous times…when
child abuse and domestic abuse are running rampant. Perilous times…when school houses are no
longer necessarily safe-havens for our children. Perilous times…when human life is discounted
and accounted to be of little value.
Perilous times…when we commit murder both on our streets and in our
clinics. Perilous times…when we find (both
within and without the institutional church), people who love themselves and are
indeed obsessed with whatever makes them feel good, feel powerful, feel
successful, feel larger-than-life…more so than they are with a preoccupation of
loving and serving the true and living God.
The Apostle Paul’s characterization of end-times’
people bears repeating; it is our text.
Contemporary people are all too often “lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent
(meaning uncontrollable), fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
KINGDOM PRINCIPLE
NUMBER ONE:
God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed
through times and seasons.
Daniel 2:20-22
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be
the name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he
removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret
things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
The Apostle Paul writes in I Thessalonians 5:1-3…
1 But of the times and the seasons,
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh
as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and
safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with
child; and they shall not escape.
I repeat…: God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed
through TIMES AND
SEASONS.
KINGDOM PRINCIPLE
NUMBER TWO:
God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed
through SIGNS OR
SIGNALS on the earth and in the heavens.
In his letter to the church of
Corinth, Paul declares…
I Corinthians 1:21-24
21 For after that in the wisdom of God
the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
This scripture clearly indicates
that we cannot DEMAND signs from
God. BUT, by His grace and mercy,
God GIVES signs to us
as a spiritual admonition, as a clear warning.
Matthew 24:3-14
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came
unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy
coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no
man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and
shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye
be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not
yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in
divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall
kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one
another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall
wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
I repeat…: God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed
through signs or
signals on the earth and in the heavens.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.
For example, when a 19th
century a missionary arrived on a remote island in the South Pacific to preach
the gospel, he had an interesting conversation with a native woman there. As the missionary told the gospel story of
the Savior, the woman replied to him: “Thank
you for filling in all the details for us, but we
already know of the coming of the Savior of the world, because we have reading about His
story in the heavens!
The heavens declare his
righteousness, and all the people see
his glory.
I repeat…: God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed
through signs or
signals on the earth and in the heavens.
For example, the scriptures reveal in
Romans 8:22 that “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now.” Why is the entire creation
of God groaning with strong birth pains? Romans 8:19 tells us that the creation is
“waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Is there any evidence to support this
statement? YES! Consider this:
Recently, the Philadelphia
Inquirer published a scientific survey of worldwide earthquakes, dating
back to the 1950s. This study looked at major
earthquakes that had a rating of 6.0 or higher on the Richter scale. The results show that the earth is
experiencing a rapidly growing increase in seismic activity. Here's the way the numbers stack up (regarding
earthquakes measuring 6.0 or higher on the Richter scale)…:
During the 1950s -----
9 earthquakes worldwide…
During the 1960s -----
13 earthquakes worldwide…
During the 1970s -----
51 earthquakes worldwide…
During the 1980s -----
86 earthquakes worldwide…
During the 1990s -----
over 100 earthquakes, worldwide!
Jesus Christ prophesied that in the endtimes, “there will be earthquakes
in diverse places!” (Matthew 24:7)
REMEMBER: God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed
through signs or
signals on the earth and in the heavens!
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