On Monday, May 31,2010, I received a vision from God that I believe is important enough to warrant interrupting our study of the end times to present it to you. I was awakened at 5:00AM and could not return to sleep. It was at this time that I saw the vision. I saw a young father standing along a street with his family. His six children were lined up beside him with his lovely wife at the end of the line. His children ranged in age from sixteen down to eight years of age. This family appeared to be a clean-cut, church going, normal all-American family except the entire family was nude. As I passed by, the father called to me saying, "Sir, for a dollar you can have sex with one of my children or for ten dollars you can have all of us, including my wife and myself, for one hour for your sexual pleasures. We are starving. We will do anything for food." I then got out of bed and headed for my living room. As I walked down the hall I began to cry and by the time I reached my living room I was crying harder than I have cried in years. I cried this way for over two hours as I prayed unto God for clarity on what I had seen.
I asked God if what I was seeing was real. He put it in my spirit that what I saw was real and that it would soon come to pass. He said that there is coming an economic crash "very soon" accompanied by a great famine. Parents will become so desperate to feed their children and to survive themselves that they will be willing to do anything for food. I said, "Lord, this can't be. What parent would do such a vile thing?" Then I was reminded of some current news stories where parents were trying to sell their children for sex on the Internet. A mother offered her six year old daughter. Another mother offered herself and her ten year old daughter for sex. A teen girl offered her younger sister to a group of boys for money and they raped the younger sister. Parents offer their children for money that they might support their addictions. Child abuse is rampant. Priest abusing young boys is on the rise. Ministers having sex with teenage girls is on the rise. This is becoming "normal." This isn't new. In chapter nineteen of the Book of Genesis we see where Lot was willing to give his two virgin daughters to a lustful gang of sodomites in order to save his male visitors. There seems to be a mindset that children are dispensable. We abandon them in divorce. We father them out of wedlock and walk away. We sacrifice them to this world because we are too busy to give them quality time. And worst of all, we murder them in the womb because they are an inconvenience. So it isn't beyond belief that as the economy crashes and food will be next to impossible to buy, parents will do the unthinkable. Desperate times call for desperate actions.
I was lead to read II Kings 6:24-29 and Rev.6:6. God said that this will soon take place here in the U.S. as well as the rest of the world. Jer.19:9 prophesied that we will become so desperate that we will even eat the flesh of other people. Eze.5:10 and Zec. 11:9 also refer to this being done. God showed me that this will all take place before the Great Tribulation. It will be this economic crash, as well the great famine and upheaval in the world, that will set the stage for the rise of the anti-christ. Man will be ready for a saviour. A man that promises change for the better. Man will do the unthinkable. Desperate times call for desperate actions.
God then began to show me the role of the true church in these desperate times. The church will be experiencing a time of miraculous provision. We are no longer to send out evangelistic teams, but Rescue Teams. We are to rescue the perishing!! God is going to give the true church equipping centers (cities of refuge) where we will equip the saints to go forth and gather the harvest of souls in these last days. We will lead the family I saw in my vision, as well as a great multitude of others, to Christ and then we will bring them in to are "cities of refuge" where we will feed them, clothe them and shelter them. We are to offer them the love of Christ then show them the love of Christ. We will prove to them Phil.4:19 and Matt.6:25-34 by the supernatural supply of God. We will have warehouses full of food and clothes. We will have shelters for all who come to Christ. We may have to acquire a taste for manna and water from a rock, but God will supply every need. Like the widow of Zarephath, our meal and oil (food) will not run out.
Then God spoke something into my heart that goes against all that I had been taught about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and sheltering the homeless. "We are NOT the world's guardian but its salvation!" The church has for years been pouring monies and work into countries and people that will never accept Jesus as their saviour, while all along we are ignoring those suffering in the shadow of the steeple. We are to meet the needs of the saints first and foremost. While we are giving our time and money to those who will never serve God, those that we are to rescue are perishing. "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."(Matt.7:6) We need discernment of the Spirit in these last days like never before. The very people we reach out to may be the very ones sent to destroy us. We must be lead by the Spirit as to whom we are to feed, clothe and shelter otherwise we may be using the goods for the body of Christ wastefully. Read Matt.25:34-46. As you read this you will see that Jesus is referring to saints (brethren) when He is speaking of feeding,clothing,etc. We are to take care of our brothers and sisters in Christ that are in need. James 2:15-16 tells us the same thing. In Acts 4 we see where the saints sold everything they had in order to see to it that there were no needs among the saints.
The meaning of this vision is very simply this, we are to rescue the perishing! We are to meet the needs of the saints by storing up food, clothing and preparing shelter. No more church as usual! Any church that does not have God's heart for the perishing in these last days will have His Spirit removed and Icabod written over it. We are to go into the highways and byways and compel whosoever to come to Jesus. If they accept the invitation to receive Jesus as their Saviour, then we are to rescue them not only from hell but from their plight.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
End Time Study-Pt. 2
Truly if we are in the last of last days we must look at the church to see if she is prepared for the end-time events. Look at your own church , is it ready for the end-time events and harvest? Is the church at large equipped to answer the world's questions as end-time events are now unfolding? Do we know and understand the seasons and signs of the last days? I believe the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, among other things, are a picture of the end-time churches. This is why the end-time prophetic book begins by describing the churches. Yes, it is true that these were actual church regions in John's day, but they also hold the key to what the end-time church will look like. Most prophecy is given not just for the present time of the prophet, but also for the near and far future, thus it is recorded in our Bibles. If it were just for a one time event then it would not have been recorded for us today, except maybe for an example or historical significance.
We will begin our scriptural look at the end times by examining the churches of Revelation chapters two and three. Followed by dovetailing scriptures from Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelation, Matthew and others, in order to bring us into the current knowledge that God is revealing to His church.
Jesus begins His letters to the churches in chapter two verses one through seven with His letter to the church at Ephesus. As in all seven letters, this one is addressed to "the angel of the church." The term angel means the messenger or person sent or set by God to preside over His church. The Greek word used here is equivalent to the Hebrew "Sheliach Tsibbur" which means the messenger of the temple whose duties were to read, pray and teach in the synagogue. Today these letters would be addressed to the Senior Pastor or Minister of the church.
Jesus makes it clear in this verse that it is He who holds the true ministers of His Word in His right hand or, to say, by His power. He walks in the midst of the true churches of Jesus Christ, the candlesticks. Those churches bearing His light are those that He upholds in His right hand, or power. Unfortunately, today many ministers and churches are functioning without the light of Jesus. Many churches have become social bless me clubs while all the time believing that they are the true church. Yet, Ichabod (the Spirit has departed) has not only been written over the church but has labeled its minister. This will be the condition of some churches in the end time.
Some churches in the end times, like the church at Ephesus, will be known for their good works, labor and patience. They will not grow weary in well doing. They will be clothing the naked and feeding the hungry. They will be applauded by their communities for all their good works. They will be known as a church that opposes error in doctrine and never given to compromising the Word of God. They will have the reputation of being a church that will not tolerate evil and wicked people in their midst. They will not drop the standards of holiness. Plus, they will have great knowledge of the Word.
Because of their knowledge of the scriptures they test those claiming to be apostles. They know if the messages spoken are truly from God or merely a fabrication of the one delivering it. If the messengers do not measure up to the Word's requirements for his office and message, he is cast out as a liar. This is a church that rejects worldly music, immodest dress and lifestyles, false doctrine and anything forbidden by scripture. They have all the appearances of a New Testament church.
Like the church of Ephesus in verse three, the end-time church will be known as a church that perseveres through trials, persecutions and continues in good works. They will withstand the attempts of the false teachers to pull them away from the truth. Even though they will be keeping the faith, they will be found guilty of one thing by Jesus; namely, they have lost their first love.
An entire generation had elapsed since the founding of the church at Ephesus. With the passing of the first Ephesian converts came the inevitable cooling of spiritual zeal. The victories that the pioneers had won were taken for granted by the next generation of the church. They remained religious but had become unloving, self-righteous and proud. The church had become void of spiritual life. It did not retain its strong passion and affection for God which is present in a church that is in love with Jesus. But they had quit, forsaken, remitted, let down and lost their first love.
What is first love? It is much like the love between a man and a woman when they realize that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. This is first love. They act upon it and get married. But if they do not build upon their first love experience it will begin to grow cold and stagnate, especially during hard times. So it is with our first love experience with Jesus, our Bridegroom, we come to Him and we fall in love with Him; but if we do not build upon that first love experience, our love will grow cold and stagnate. We may continue going through the motions of being in love. We will testify of our love for Jesus. We will sing the songs of praise and worship. We will do all the things that a good bride is to do and all the while our love has grown cold, complacent and indifferent.
Our first love has another facet about it. When we have a first for anything or anyone it means that they are of the greatest value to us. Nothing else compares. No one else compares. The Ephesians had lost their first love for Jesus. Jesus was no longer their top priority. No matter how religious they appeared they no longer had the relationship with Jesus that they once had. The cares of life and the persecution of the saints had taken their toll. They were losing sight of the soon return of Jesus as decades past. They began to lose their relationship with God., through Jesus, and they did not even realize it.
Does this not happen in the church today? We too have persevered through trials and persecutions and have continued in good works. Yet our relationship with the Father, through Jesus, has turned into a religious lifestyle not the father-child relationship that it once was. The church today has become unloving, self-righteous and proud just like the Ephesian church. We have, for the most part, lost our zeal for spiritual things, holiness, righteousness, fear of God, and a strong passion and desire for a father-child relationship with God. In essence, we have lost our first love for Jesus. He is no longer our top priority. No longer does He occupy the number one spot in our hearts, desires and passions. We love Him for what He can give us or what He can do for us but not for who He is.
If the church is going to endure to the end of the tribulation, she must rediscover her first love experience. We must place supreme value on our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. We must have our total affections and trust set upon Him. To fall in love all over again with Jesus and to rekindle the passion for His presence will sustain us through every circumstance of life and equip us for His appearing. We then can expect to "eat from the tree of life."(v.7)
We will begin our scriptural look at the end times by examining the churches of Revelation chapters two and three. Followed by dovetailing scriptures from Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelation, Matthew and others, in order to bring us into the current knowledge that God is revealing to His church.
Jesus begins His letters to the churches in chapter two verses one through seven with His letter to the church at Ephesus. As in all seven letters, this one is addressed to "the angel of the church." The term angel means the messenger or person sent or set by God to preside over His church. The Greek word used here is equivalent to the Hebrew "Sheliach Tsibbur" which means the messenger of the temple whose duties were to read, pray and teach in the synagogue. Today these letters would be addressed to the Senior Pastor or Minister of the church.
Jesus makes it clear in this verse that it is He who holds the true ministers of His Word in His right hand or, to say, by His power. He walks in the midst of the true churches of Jesus Christ, the candlesticks. Those churches bearing His light are those that He upholds in His right hand, or power. Unfortunately, today many ministers and churches are functioning without the light of Jesus. Many churches have become social bless me clubs while all the time believing that they are the true church. Yet, Ichabod (the Spirit has departed) has not only been written over the church but has labeled its minister. This will be the condition of some churches in the end time.
Some churches in the end times, like the church at Ephesus, will be known for their good works, labor and patience. They will not grow weary in well doing. They will be clothing the naked and feeding the hungry. They will be applauded by their communities for all their good works. They will be known as a church that opposes error in doctrine and never given to compromising the Word of God. They will have the reputation of being a church that will not tolerate evil and wicked people in their midst. They will not drop the standards of holiness. Plus, they will have great knowledge of the Word.
Because of their knowledge of the scriptures they test those claiming to be apostles. They know if the messages spoken are truly from God or merely a fabrication of the one delivering it. If the messengers do not measure up to the Word's requirements for his office and message, he is cast out as a liar. This is a church that rejects worldly music, immodest dress and lifestyles, false doctrine and anything forbidden by scripture. They have all the appearances of a New Testament church.
Like the church of Ephesus in verse three, the end-time church will be known as a church that perseveres through trials, persecutions and continues in good works. They will withstand the attempts of the false teachers to pull them away from the truth. Even though they will be keeping the faith, they will be found guilty of one thing by Jesus; namely, they have lost their first love.
An entire generation had elapsed since the founding of the church at Ephesus. With the passing of the first Ephesian converts came the inevitable cooling of spiritual zeal. The victories that the pioneers had won were taken for granted by the next generation of the church. They remained religious but had become unloving, self-righteous and proud. The church had become void of spiritual life. It did not retain its strong passion and affection for God which is present in a church that is in love with Jesus. But they had quit, forsaken, remitted, let down and lost their first love.
What is first love? It is much like the love between a man and a woman when they realize that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. This is first love. They act upon it and get married. But if they do not build upon their first love experience it will begin to grow cold and stagnate, especially during hard times. So it is with our first love experience with Jesus, our Bridegroom, we come to Him and we fall in love with Him; but if we do not build upon that first love experience, our love will grow cold and stagnate. We may continue going through the motions of being in love. We will testify of our love for Jesus. We will sing the songs of praise and worship. We will do all the things that a good bride is to do and all the while our love has grown cold, complacent and indifferent.
Our first love has another facet about it. When we have a first for anything or anyone it means that they are of the greatest value to us. Nothing else compares. No one else compares. The Ephesians had lost their first love for Jesus. Jesus was no longer their top priority. No matter how religious they appeared they no longer had the relationship with Jesus that they once had. The cares of life and the persecution of the saints had taken their toll. They were losing sight of the soon return of Jesus as decades past. They began to lose their relationship with God., through Jesus, and they did not even realize it.
Does this not happen in the church today? We too have persevered through trials and persecutions and have continued in good works. Yet our relationship with the Father, through Jesus, has turned into a religious lifestyle not the father-child relationship that it once was. The church today has become unloving, self-righteous and proud just like the Ephesian church. We have, for the most part, lost our zeal for spiritual things, holiness, righteousness, fear of God, and a strong passion and desire for a father-child relationship with God. In essence, we have lost our first love for Jesus. He is no longer our top priority. No longer does He occupy the number one spot in our hearts, desires and passions. We love Him for what He can give us or what He can do for us but not for who He is.
If the church is going to endure to the end of the tribulation, she must rediscover her first love experience. We must place supreme value on our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. We must have our total affections and trust set upon Him. To fall in love all over again with Jesus and to rekindle the passion for His presence will sustain us through every circumstance of life and equip us for His appearing. We then can expect to "eat from the tree of life."(v.7)
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