8-24-20 As the Day Approaches

As the Day Approaches - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-8-20-2020/ Global plagues and pestilence... rumors of war... earthquakes in "diverse places"... men crying "peace and safety"... lawlessness... persecution of Christians... growing Antisemitism... increasing violence... a worldwide mental health crisis... Iran's alliance with Russia and Turkey... apostasy in the churches. These are all biblical signs of the soon return of Jesus, and they're heating up as never before. The technology the Antichrist will use to rule the world economy has been invented and is being implemented right now. An atmosphere of desperation has made the world ripe for the Antichrist's plucking. The signs go on and on and on. The accuracy of Bible prophets in talking about our time is nothing less than miraculous. And yet, most evangelical churches refuse to point it out. It's too controversial. Christians don't want to hear about it because they have placed their hopes and dreams in this world. They don't spend their time thinking about the things of God. They prefer to think about what they're going to do when their lottery ticket hits - the homes they will own and the cars they will drive. Sometimes they selflessly dream about what they will do for others. But the center of those dreams is not Christ and His eternal kingdom, but the earth and its pleasures. Most Christians today don't want to think about the Rapture because they like it here. They can't yet say with the Psalmist, "Thy lovingkindness is better than life." They can't yet say with the Apostle Paul, "Chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy." (Acts 20:23-24) The Bible repeatedly says to watch for the Lord's coming, but it's hard to watch when you're intentionally looking the other way. When Peter said, "Scoffers will come in the last days," who would have thought he was talking about Evangelicals? But he was. 2 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'" He told us what the scoffers' last days argument would be. Today we hear almost these exact words from cold pulpits every week and cold Christians every day. In verse 10 of that same chapter, Peter quotes Jesus saying, "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, Paul also quoted Jesus. "For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." They were speaking prophetically about us - about this generation and our time. But for those who know Christ, the teaching does not stop there. Verses 4-6 say, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober." That's why Jesus laid out signs by which to know His return is near - so we won't be in the dark, and so that the day will not overtake us like a thief. We will not know the precise time of the rapture until we hear the trumpet from on high, but we can know when we have entered the general time frame. And, friends, we're there! In recent years, large numbers of Christians allowed themselves to be lulled into complacency. But the events of this year have changed the calculus. It's easy to see that you can no longer trust the world and its systems. The fragility of our cities, constitutions, courts, militaries, financial systems, etc. grows more obvious by the day. If you've never trusted Jesus as your Savior. Don't waste time. Do it now. And if you have trusted Him, realize that you will never be at peace if your hope is in this world and its institutions. Now is the time to "crack the faith barrier." Put your complete hope and trust in Christ. Hebrews 13:5 tells us why. "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" You can put your full weight on Him! d The Shepherd Psalm Trilogy - Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/spiritual-life/the-shepherd-psalm-trilogy/ The diligent student will discover glimpses of the Messiah throughout the Old Testament. Many of these require the insight gained from the New Testament to be recognizable, but a reasonable amount of study will enable most students to give a persuasive presentation of the Messiah using Old Testament passages exclusively. This is the way Messianic believers convert their Jewish brethren, since Jews don't recognize the New Testament's authority as Scripture. Perhaps their most often used passage, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, is actually the last of the four so-called Servant Songs of the Messiah. The other three are Isaiah 42:1-9, 49:1-7, and 50:4-9. These four passages present as complete a picture of the Messiah as you'll find anywhere in Scripture, Old Testament or New. But my favorite selection of Old Testament Messianic Scripture is the Shepherd Psalm Trilogy, Psalms 22, 23, and 24. In these three Psalms, we find the three specific roles of the Messiah, cast in terms of the Shepherd's responsibilities. The Good Shepherd (John 10:11) In Psalm 22 we see a picture of the Good Shepherd, giving His life for the flock. Psalm 22 is the clearest description of what it's like to be crucified anywhere in Scripture and is the most often quoted Psalm in the New Testament. Written by David 1000 years before the fact, it reads like a first person account of the pain and humiliation that form of punishment inflicted upon its victim. Surprisingly, it opens with the first words our Lord spoke from the cross and closes with His final ones. You have to read the Psalm in Greek to get this last tidbit, because in English the last phrase of verse 31 reads "He has done it." But in Greek it's is the same word John used in documenting our Lord's last statement from the cross, translated "It is finished" in John 19:30. The Greek word in both cases is tetelestai a legal term in Jesus' day that usually meant paid in full and was written across a paid invoice, for example. Upon his release, it was also written across the bill of charges for which a criminal had served time. The ex-convict carried this document with him as proof that he had paid his debt to society so he wouldn't be charged with the same crime again. Used this way, the legal implications of the Lord's last words are staggering, and are explained in detail in Colossians 2:13-15. The bill of charges of which Jesus was convicted were actually the charges God has filed against us-our sins. With His last words, Jesus in effect declared, "Paid in full!" indicating that all our sins past, present, and future were paid for, our record exonerated, and we can never be charged with them again. "Because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" (Hebr. 10:12-14). By the way, some of the modern translations omit a key phrase from Psalm 22 at the end of verse 21. It's proof that the Father had heard and answered the prayers of His Son. If your Bible doesn't have the phrase "You have answered me" at the end of the verse, add it. It's there in the King James and in the Hebrew interlinear. It also leads the reader from a graphic description of the most painful form of execution ever devised to a declaration of God's faithfulness and a song of praise only possible if the One being executed was also resurrected from the dead. So this Psalm begins with the Lord on the cross and ends with His resurrection. The Great Shepherd (Hebr. 13:20) Psalm 23 describes our Lord's role today as the Great Shepherd who tends His flock. It's by far the most popular among believers and is quoted even by those who couldn't give you another passage from Scripture if their lives depended upon it. It begins with His promise to be with us always and everywhere we go, and ends with the Rapture of the Church as He takes us to dwell in the house of the Lord forever (John 14:1-3). Psalm 23 promises that we are beyond the reach of our enemy while here on Earth, and have no cause to fear even though we find ourselves in his proximity. It is the basis for Paul's admonition to rejoice in the Lord always (lit. without ceasing) regardless of circumstance, and thereby receive the peace that transcends human understanding (Phil. 4:4-7) as well as the goodness and mercy that are the rewards of the faithful, for "when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies live at peace with him" (Prov.16:7). The Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4) In Psalm 24 the Chief Shepherd rewards His Flock. It begins with a reminder that the Earth is the Lord's and everything in it, and ends with the Messiah in Jerusalem as King of the whole Earth (Zech. 14:9). The Lord created the Earth, He redeemed it, and He has come to take possession of it. Those with clean hands and pure hearts may now ascend to His Holy place and receive vindication and the blessing of the King of Glory. Clean hands and a pure heart are traits unknown to the human condition (Jer. 17:9). Nothing less than a complete re-creation can qualify us, but if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. For God made Him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:17-21). There you have it. In His first visit to Earth, our Lord came to die for His people, to take away all our sins. His resurrection is proof that accomplished His mission. During the time since His ascension, He is keeping His people spiritually secure even though we wander in the valley of the shadow of death, until He takes us to be with Him forever. After that, He will return to Earth as the King of Glory to establish His Kingdom and vindicate and reward His people for their faith. Who is He, this King of Glory? The Lord Almighty - He is the King of Glory. Our Creator, our Savior and our Redeemer, our Lord and our God. He is the King of Glory. Selah