Pastor Jack Addresses the Spread of Fear and Panic #Coronavirus
Looking Back: Fed Created in 1913, JP Morgan Buys 25 Newspapers in 1917, Replaced Editors
Media Monopoly | All News Gets Same Script | FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC
J. P. Morgan’s Takeover Of The American Press In 1915
Coronavirus , 5G , vaccines… truth and lies. Who to believe?
A nurse speaks out about vaccines
How are we to live our lives in light of Christ’s return?
How can I overcome my fear of the end of days?
Surviving the end times – what do I need to know?
Should Christians stockpile food/supplies in preparation for a possible future disaster?
Should a Christian be a prepper or in any way involved with doomsday prepping?
Does China have a role in the end times?
Have any aspects of end times prophecy been fulfilled?
What is the blessed hope?
What will happen when Jesus returns / comes back?
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Pastor Jack Addresses the Spread of Fear and Panic #Coronavirus
Christians are seeing the truth behind the coronavirus. Praise the Lord.
We know the who, what, and why it is happening.
Planned!
Pastor Jack Addresses the Spread of Fear and Panic #Coronavirus
Christians are seeing the truth behind the coronavirus. Praise the Lord.
We know the who, what, and why it is happening.
Planned!
————————————————-
Looking Back: Fed Created in 1913, JP Morgan Buys 25 Newspapers in 1917, Replaced Editors
Friday, November 21, 2014 15:13
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Media Monopoly | All News Gets Same Script | FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC
————————————-
J. P. Morgan’s Takeover Of The American Press In 1915
——————————————
Coronavirus , 5G , vaccines… truth and lies. Who to believe?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/qUeRZ0UtjKte/
—————————-
A nurse speaks out about vaccines
I WAS RESTRICTED AN MY PHONE FAIL AS I WAS TRYING TO POST THIS PORT
AND THEY ASSURED ME IT WAS FAKE NEWS
REALLY???
Registered Nurse Reveals Vaccines Are Injecting Cancer! – coronavirus
https://www.bitchute.com/video/klX0doq0aTPw/
• claytreble
Mercury is never good for you. Cow puss is just that. If you still want it in
your veins, shoot up!
Coronavirus
Patent number: 10130701
Abstract: The present invention provides a live, attenuated coronavirus
comprising a variant replicase gene encoding polyproteins comprising a mutation
in one or more of non-structural protein(s) (nsp)-10, nsp-14, nsp-15 or nsp-16.
The coronavirus may be used as a vaccine for treating and/or preventing a
disease, such as infectious bronchitis, in a subject.
Type: Grant
Filed: July 23, 2015
Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
Assignee: THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE
Inventors: Erica Bickerton, Sarah Keep, Paul Britton
– PIRBRIGHT Institute funded in part by Bill Gates.
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Praise GOD that this lady knows it’s witchcraft! I tell you the LORD does not get enough credit for waking people up from this beast system.
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“How
are we to live our lives in light of Christ’s return?
We believe that the
return of Jesus Christ is imminent, that is, His return could occur at any
moment. We, with the apostle Paul, look for “the blessed hope—the glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Knowing that the Lord could come back today, some are tempted to stop what they
are doing and just “wait” for Him.
However, there is a big difference between knowing
that Jesus could return today and knowing that He will return today. Jesus
said, “No one knows about that day or hour” (Matthew
24:36). The time of His coming is something God has not revealed to anyone,
and so, until He calls us to Himself, we should continue serving Him. In Jesus’
parable of the ten talents, the departing king instructs his servants to
“occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13 KJV).
The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to
action, not as a reason to cease from action. In 1
Corinthians 15:58, Paul wraps up his teaching on the rapture by saying,
“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.” In 1
Thessalonians 5:6, Paul concludes a lesson on Christ’s coming with these
words: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert
and self-controlled.” To retreat and “hold the fort” was never Jesus’ intention
for us. Instead, we work while we can. “Night is coming, when no one can work”
(John 9:4).
The apostles lived and served with the idea that Jesus could return within
their lifetime; what if they had ceased from their labors and just “waited”?
They would have been in disobedience to Christ’s command to “go into all the
world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15),
and the gospel would not have been spread. The apostles understood that Jesus’
imminent return meant they must busy themselves with God’s work. They lived
life to the fullest, as if every day were their last. We, too, should view
every day as a gift and use it to glorify God.
——————————–
“How
can I overcome my fear of the end of days?”
The best way to overcome a fear of the end of days
is to be spiritually prepared for it. First and foremost, you must have a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to have eternal life (John 3:16;
Romans
10:9-10). Only through Him can you receive forgiveness of sin and have
eternity with God. If God is your Father, there’s really nothing to worry about
(Luke
12:32).
Second, every Christian should live a life worthy of
the calling we have in Christ. Ephesians
4:1-3 teaches, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have
been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one
another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.” Knowing Christ and walking in His will go a long way towards diminishing
fear of any kind.
Third, Christians are told what will happen in the
end, and it’s encouraging. First
Thessalonians 4:13-18 notes,
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are
asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring
with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word
from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the
Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will
descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Rather than fear the future, we are called to anticipate the future with joy.
Why? In Christ, we will be “caught up” to meet Him and we “will always be with
the Lord.”
Further, Scripture says we do not need to fear Judgment Day: “By this is love
perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment,
because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever
fears has not been perfected in love” (1
John 4:17-18).
The apostle Peter reveals that, even if our future holds suffering, we need not
fear: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be
blessed” (1 Peter 3:14). Peter and many other early believers endured
much hardship and even death because of their faith in Christ. Suffering is not
to be feared; it is a blessing when it is borne for the name of Jesus.
Those who do not know Christ do not have the promise of peace for the future.
For them, there is a real concern because they have not settled the issue of
where they will spend eternity. Those who do know Christ do not fear the end of
days. Instead, we strive to live a life worthy of our calling, live with
confidence, suffer patiently, anticipate Jesus’ return, and rest in the
knowledge that our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15).
—————————————-
“Surviving
the end times – what do I need to know?”
Often, people experience anxiety when they think
about the future; however, it does not have to be that way. For those who know
God, thoughts of the future bring eagerness and comfort. For example,
describing a woman who knows and trusts God, Proverbs
31:25 says, “She smiles at the future.”
Two key thoughts to keep in mind about the future are, first, God is sovereign
and in control over everything. He knows the future and absolutely controls
what will happen. The Bible says, “Remember the former things long past, For I
am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring
the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been
done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My
good pleasure’ . . . Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have
planned it, surely I will do it” (Isaiah
46:9–11, emphasis added).
The second thing to remember about the future is that the Bible outlines what
will occur in “the end times” or “latter days.” Because the Bible is God’s
revelation to humankind, and because God knows and controls the future (as
Isaiah says above), then it stands to reason that when the Bible speaks about
what will occur in the future, we can believe it. Concerning predictions about
the future, the Bible says, “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will,
but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter
1:21). This truth is evident in the fact that, unlike the false prophecies
made in other religions or by individuals such as Nostradamus, the Bible has
never once been wrong – every time the Bible has predicted a future event, it
happened exactly as Scripture said it would.
When considering how to understand and survive in the end times, answer these
three questions:
1. How should I interpret what the Bible says about
the future (biblical prophecy)?
2. What does the Bible say will happen in the end times?
3. How should what the Bible says about the future affect the way I live today?
How
to Interpret Biblical Prophecy
There are a number of viewpoints on what methods should be used when
interpreting passages concerning the end times. While there are good people
espousing different beliefs, there is good reason to believe that biblical
prophecy should be interpreted (1) literally, (2) with a futurist view, and (3)
in what is called a “premillennial” manner. Encouraging a literal
interpretation is the fact that there are over 300 prophecies that concern the
first coming of Christ, all of which were literally fulfilled. The predictions
surrounding the Messiah’s birth, life, betrayal, death and resurrection were
not fulfilled allegorically or in a spiritual manner. Jesus literally was born
in Bethlehem, performed miracles, was betrayed by a close friend for 30 pieces
of silver, was pierced in His hands and feet, died with thieves, was buried in
a rich man’s tomb, and was resurrected three days after His death. All these
details were predicted hundreds of years before Jesus was born and were
literally fulfilled. And, while there is symbolism used in various prophecies
(e.g., dragons, horsemen, etc.), all of it portrays literal beings or events,
in much the same way as Jesus is spoken of as a lion and a lamb.
Regarding a futurist view, the Bible clearly states that prophetic books like
Daniel and Revelation contain not only accounts of historical events, but also
predictions of future events. After John was given his messages for the
churches of his day, he received visions concerning what would occur in the end
times. John was told, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after
these things” (Revelation 4:1, emphasis added).
Perhaps an even stronger argument for a futurist view involves the promises God
made to Abraham (cf. Genesis 12 & 15)
concerning the land of Israel. Since God’s covenant with Abraham was
unconditional, and His promises have not yet been fulfilled to Abraham’s
descendants, then a futurist view of the promises to Israel is warranted.
Lastly, with respect to prophecy being interpreted in a “premillennial” manner,
this means that, first, the church will be Raptured, then the world will
experience a seven-year Tribulation period, and then Jesus Christ will return
to reign over the earth for 1,000 literal years (Revelation 20).
But what does the Bible say will happen before then?
What Does the Bible Say Will Happen in the End Times?
Sadly, the Bible predicts a downward spiral of catastrophes, human sin, and
religious apostasy before Christ returns. Paul writes, “But realize this, that
in the last days difficult times will come. . . . Evil men and impostors will
proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy
3:1, 13). The world will continue to reject God, His Word, and His
people.
Some day in the future – a day no one knows – God will end the Church Age which
began in the first century on Pentecost (cf. Acts 2)
with an event known as the Rapture. At that time, God removes all believers in
Christ from the earth in preparation for His final judgments. Of the Rapture,
Paul says, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by
the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the
Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the
trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive
and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one
another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:14–18).
The erosion of peace and increase of turmoil that precedes the Rapture will
reach epic proportions when untold numbers of people disappear from the earth.
Such an event will cause panic and demands for a strong leader who will have
answers to all the world’s problems. Preparation for this leader has been in
progress for some time, as historian Arnold Toynbee has noted, “By forcing on
mankind more and more lethal weapons, and at the same time making the world
more and more interdependent economically, technology has brought mankind to
such a degree of distress that we are ripe for the deifying of any new Caesar
who might succeed in giving the world unity and peace.” Out of a revived Roman
Empire, one that is organized in a European ten-constituency fashion (cf. Daniel 7:24;
Revelation
13:1), the Antichrist will arise and sign a covenant with the nation of
Israel, which will officially begin God’s prophetic seven-year countdown to
Christ’s second coming (cf. Daniel 9:27).
For three and a half years, the Antichrist will reign over the earth and
promise peace, but it is a false peace which will entrap the people of the
earth. The Bible says, “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction
will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they
will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Wars, earthquakes, and famines will
escalate (cf. Matthew 24:7) until the end of the Antichrist’s 3.5-year
reign, when he will enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself to
be God and demand worship (cf. 2
Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15). It is at that point that the true God
responds to the challenge. For another 3.5 years, a Great Tribulation will
occur, such as has never before been seen. Jesus predicted, “For then there
will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of
the world until now, nor ever will. 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 24:21–22).
Untold loss of life and destruction of the earth will occur during the Great
Tribulation. Also, large numbers will come to faith in Christ, yet many will do
so at cost of their lives. God will still be in control as He gathers the
unbelieving armies of the world in order to judge them. Of this event, the
prophet Joel wrote, “I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the
valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on
behalf of My people” (Joel 3:2). John records the battle this way: “And I saw
coming out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan] and out of the mouth of the beast
[the Antichrist]
and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean
spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go
out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the
great day of God, the Almighty. . . . And they gathered them together to the
place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon” (Revelation
16:13–16).
At this point, the Messiah Jesus will return, destroy His enemies, and claim
the world, which is rightfully His. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a
white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His
head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows
except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called
The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 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. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written,
‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun,
and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in
mid-heaven, ‘Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat
the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and
the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both
free men and slaves, and small and great.’ And I saw the beast and the kings of
the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the
horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false
prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who
had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two
were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the
rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the
horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (Revelation
19:11–21).
After Christ has defeated all the armies gathered in the valley of Armageddon,
He will reign with His saints for one thousand years and fully restore Israel
to her land. At the end of a thousand years, a final judgment of the nations
and all remaining mankind will occur, which is then followed by an eternal
state: either spent with God or separated from Him (cf. Revelation
20-21).
The above events are not speculations or possibilities – they are what will
take place in the future. Just as all the Bible’s prophecies of Christ’s first
coming came true, so will all the Bible’s prophecies of His second coming.
Given the truth of these prophecies, what impact should they have on us now? Peter
asks this question: “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,
what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for
and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will
be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! ” (2 Peter 3:11–12).
The Effect of Bible Prophecy on Us Today
There are four responses we should have to Bible prophecy. The first is
obedience, which is what Peter speaks of in the verses above. Jesus continually
tells us to be ready for His coming, which could happen at any time (cf. Mark
13:33-37) and to live in such a way that we are not ashamed of our
behavior.
The second response is worship. God has provided a way to escape His end-time
judgments—His free gift of salvation offered through Jesus. We must be sure we
receive His salvation and live in gratitude before Him. Our worship on earth
will one day become worship in heaven: “And they sang a new song, saying,
‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain,
and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and
people and nation’” (Revelation 5:9).
The third response is proclamation. The message of God’s salvation and the
truth of His second coming need to be proclaimed for all to hear, especially to
those who don’t yet believe. We must give everyone the chance to turn to God
and be saved from His coming wrath. Revelation
22:10 says, “And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the
prophecy of this book, for the time is near.’”
The last response to God’s prophetic Word is service. All believers should be
diligent about carrying out God’s will and performing good works. Part of
Christ’s judgments will be of the works performed by believers. They do not
determine a Christian’s acceptance into heaven, but they do show what each
believer did with the gifts given him or her by God. Paul says of this
judgment, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so
that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what
he has done, whether good or bad” (2
Corinthians 5:10).
In summation, God is sovereign over all events and people of the world. He is
firmly in control of everything and will bring a perfect end to everything He
has started. An old Christian song puts it like this: “All is God’s creation …
Fashioned by One hand … Satan and Salvation … Under One command.”
Fulfilled prophecy is one proof that the Bible is a supernatural book. Hundreds
of Old Testament prophecies have already been fulfilled, and it is reasonable
to conclude that what it says about the end times will be fulfilled as well.
For those who know Jesus and have trusted Him as their Lord and Savior, His
coming will be their blessed hope (cf. Titus 2:13).
But for those who have rejected Christ, He will be their holy terror (cf. 2
Thessalonians 1:8). The bottom line is this: to survive the end times, make
sure you are a believer in Christ: “For God has not destined us for wrath, but
for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1
Thessalonians 5:9).
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“Should
Christians stockpile food/supplies in preparation for a possible future
disaster?”
There are certainly occasions where it makes
practical sense to make preparations for the future. However, it is our
attitude to this that is important. Our Lord Jesus made it clear in His Sermon
on the Mount that we aren’t to worry ourselves about “tomorrow,” that our
Heavenly Father knows our needs before we even ask Him, and that He will
faithfully provide for us (Matthew
6:25-34). Placing our faith in God for our future needs should give us
confidence in His provision for us as well as an open hand for all we meet who
are in need.
Look at the great example of this with the widow who fed Elijah (1
Kings 17:9-16) and how God rewarded her for her faithfulness. At the same
time, there are other scriptural examples where God clearly advises about
planning ahead. In the Old Testament we can see from the dream that Pharaoh had
that God wanted Joseph to advise him to prepare for a forthcoming famine to
keep the people from starvation (Genesis
41:15-41). In accepting Joseph’s God-given advice, Pharaoh not only saved
his own people from starvation, he also saved Joseph’s family, who were the
ancestors of the coming Messiah, Jesus.
In the New Testament, when Jesus was sending out His disciples ahead of Him, He
told them not to take any provisions with them (Luke 9:3;
10:1-4).
And after their return He reminded them of how they were provided for (Luke 22:35).
Yet in the following verse, Jesus reverses His advice and tells them to take
with them a purse, a bag, and a sword (Luke 22:36).
Perhaps He knew they were to face opposition they hadn’t encountered before. He
had wisdom and foreknowledge the disciples lacked, and this led Him to give
different directions in different circumstances.
Practically speaking, of course it is right and sensible to make preparations
for the future. But we must be careful not to place extraordinary confidence in
those preparations. Jesus’ parable about the prosperous business man who wanted
to build bigger barns for his crops is an example of poor planning. The rich
man was looking to his riches for his provision and security (Luke
12:16-21). There was nothing wrong, in principle, with his building bigger
barns. Where his attitude was wrong was by placing his confidence in himself,
without acknowledging God in his plans. After all, it was to God he needed to
be thankful for the increased crops he had, and it was God’s wisdom he would
need for how he would spend his wealth. But he never consulted God, and his
life was taken before he even had a chance to spend or use what he had hoarded.
The bottom line is that we must seek the wisdom of God in matters of
preparation for the future. God promises to grant wisdom to all who seek it (James 1:5),
and He never fails to keep His promises. Christians must be wise stewards of
what God has provided, setting aside enough for basic needs and investing our
money, time and talents in a future eternity that will never fade away (Matthew
6:19-20). When preparing for tomorrow, think “eternity.”
——————————————–
“Should
a Christian be a prepper or in any way involved with doomsday prepping?”
The
sky is falling! The end is near! Prepare now for doomsday!
For centuries, people have been predicting the end of the world or some other
cataclysmic disaster and, stirred by their passion, many more people try to
prepare for it. Preppers, as they are called, are known for stockpiling food,
weapons, and other supplies as they await doomsday.
Even Christians have gotten caught up in end times’ predictions, tangling
biblical prophecy with fear and current events. Some Christians believe they
must physically prepare for Armageddon, the return of Jesus, or World War
III—whichever comes first. Of course, Jesus is coming back, and the
earth as we know it will some day come to an end, but should Christians
be preppers? Does the Bible say anything about doomsday prepping?
Prepping is big business. Websites, books, and products abound that promise
inside information about impending doom and give instructions about storing,
canning, or freeze-drying food and purifying water. Y2K, the scare during the
late 1990s, started the current trend toward prepping, and the practice has
continued as the world gets crazier. During the Y2K frenzy, thousands sold
their homes and dug hideouts for their families in the event of a nuclear or
chemical attack or a worldwide financial meltdown. In some regions, the prepper
mentality is still going strong, even leading to standoffs with law
enforcement.
Some people simply want to live more self-sustaining lifestyles by using solar
energy, growing their own food, and keeping livestock for dairy products and
meat. They consider it wise to be less dependent upon utility companies and
supermarkets for daily survival, but these people are not motivated by paranoia
and fear. They are not considered preppers in the strictest sense but are
focused on simplifying their lifestyles. Many Christians have adopted this
lifestyle in varying degrees, especially among the homeschooling community.
They find that raising crops and livestock is a better lifestyle for their
families and consider it a bonus that they are also prepared in the event of
most emergencies, ranging from power outages to terrorism.
To be considered a “prepper,” a person must be preoccupied with thoughts of
preparing for an impending disaster. Some extreme preppers have quit their
jobs, burrowed into underground bunkers, and gone completely off the grid to
await the end of all things. They see every negative news story as evidence
that they are right and doomsday is just around the corner. For Christians to
behave this way means that they have lost sight of our mandate to “go and make
disciples of all nations” (Matthew
28:19). They have also lost sight of the fact that God’s people are not to
live in fear (Isaiah 41:10; Matthew
10:28). First Peter 3:14 says, “But even if you should suffer for
what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be
frightened.’”
When fear or
self-centered survivalism is the motivation for prepping, it becomes a
lifestyle that cannot be supported by Scripture. We are to live wisely in this
world, while remembering that this world is not our home (Hebrews
13:14). And we are to love others as we love ourselves (Galatians
5:14; Luke 10:27). Preppers, for the most part, have
self-protection as their highest goal. They stockpile for themselves and their
families. But what about their neighbors? What about those who may be in need
in time of crisis? What are the guns for? Are they prepared to shoot hungry
families who come knocking on their barricaded door? The doomsday prepper
mindset can take on a desperate life of its own and lead Christians down a
decidedly non-Christian path.
Some Christians have adopted a prepper lifestyle with the purpose of being able
to provide for the community in the event of catastrophe. They may have massive
storage facilities from which they already sell produce and consider their food
cache similar to Joseph’s storehouses (Genesis
41:46–57). Some people have even created community gardens and neighborhood
livestock barns and have enjoyed the camaraderie of their neighbors in this
joint venture. Such motivation is pleasing to the Lord because it is not
self-centered (Philippians 2:4).
A Christian may be a prepper if the Lord is directing that action as a means of
furthering His kingdom and ministering to others (1
Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 6:33). If one’s heart motive is love and a desire
to utilize what God has given in order to share the gospel and care for as many
people as possible in time of need, then prepping is a biblically sound choice.
However, most prepping is motivated by fear and self-preservation. It is driven
by a lack of faith, and Romans 14:23 says that “whatever is not from faith is sin.”
The reasons that a Christian becomes involved with doomsday prepping are what
determine whether or not God approves.
————————————————–
“Does
China have a role in the end times?”
Many
students of Bible prophecy consider Revelation
16:12–16 to possibly refer to China in the end times:
“The sixth angel poured out his
bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare
the way for the kings from the East. Then . . . demonic spirits that perform
signs . . . go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the
battle on the great day of God Almighty. . . . Then they gathered the kings
together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” (Revelation
16:12–16).
This passage predicts a massive, climactic conflict known as the Battle of Armageddon.
It occurs at the end of the tribulation, after the sixth bowl judgment. At that
time, the Euphrates River will be dried up, allowing the “kings from the East”
to invade the Near East and march toward Israel. It is the “kings from the
East” identification that many associate with China. The Chinese army, or a
Chinese-led coalition, will take advantage of the removal of a natural barrier
and sweep westward to meet up with the forces of the Antichrist.
When the end-times’ force from China joins with the armies of the Antichrist,
the seventh and final bowl judgment will be poured out. The Lord Jesus
will return, the most violent earthquake ever will shake the world, and the
forces of the Antichrist and the armies of the East will be destroyed (Revelation
16:17–20; 19:11–21).
It is impossible to know for sure if the Eastern confederacy of the end times
will include China; however, it seems likely that China will be involved. Recent
years have seen a dramatic rise in China’s power and influence. The development
of enormous military strength; intimidation of Hong Kong, Tibet, Taiwan, and
other regions; pursuit of global economic dominance; aggressive rhetoric on the
world stage; and, of course, the persecution of Chinese Christians—all this has
been characteristic of China. It is not hard to imagine that the “kings from
the East” who one day march into Israel will include China.
Some people identify another battle, mentioned earlier in Revelation, as a
prophecy of China in the end times. The association hinges on the mention of an
army of 200 million (Revelation 9:16) and occasional reports of China’s
capability of equipping such a vast army. There are a couple problems with this
view. One is that Revelation 9 says nothing of an army from the East; rather,
it speaks of a demonic horde that destroys a third of mankind. The “horses”
these beings ride are definitely not normal horses (verse 17). Also, the battle
of Revelation
9 occurs after the sixth trumpet judgment; the battle of Revelation 16
involving the kings of the East occurs after the sixth bowl judgment, probably
about three and a half years later.
In the end times, many nations, likely including China, will try their hand at
conquest. Ultimately, their fight will be against God. The tribulation will be a
tumultuous time of warfare, disasters, and divine judgment. But God has it all
under control, as Psalm 2:2–6 assures:
“The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
‘Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.’
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
‘I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.’”
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“Have
any aspects of end times prophecy been fulfilled?
Revelation
4:1 introduces a section of Scripture that details “things which must be
hereafter.” What follows are prophecies of the “end times.” We have not yet
reached the tribulation, the revelation of the Antichrist, or other “end-time”
events. What we do see is a “preparation” for those events.
Jesus said that the last days would be preceded by several things: many false
Christs would come, deceiving many; we would “hear of wars and rumors of wars”;
and there would be an increase in “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes,
in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew
24:5-8). Today’s news is full of false religions, warfare, and natural
disasters. We know that events of the tribulation period will include all that
Jesus predicted (Revelation 6:1-8); current events seem to be a build-up for
greater trouble ahead.
Paul warned that the last days would bring a marked increase in false teaching.
“In later times, some will abandon the faith, and follow deceiving spirits and
things taught by demons” (1 Timothy
4:1). The last days are described as “perilous times” because of the increasingly
evil character of man and because of people who actively “oppose the truth” (2
Timothy 3:1-9; also see 2
Thessalonians 2:3). The list of things people will be in the last
days—lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving,
slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous,
rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of
godliness but denying its power—(2
Timothy 3:1-2) seems to fit our modern age exactly.
Can there be any doubt that the prophecies concerning apostasy are being
fulfilled? Our 21st-century world has embraced moral relativism, a philosophy
which is tainting even the church. For example, many denominations are having a
hard time defining marriage as being between one man and one woman, and many
religious leaders today are openly supporting homosexuality. The Bible has
become subordinate to the modern church’s quest for a more appealing “truth.”
These are indeed “perilous times” spiritually.
The formation of the European Union—and the fact that we have a reunified
Germany—is very interesting in light of biblical prophecy. The “ten toes” of Daniel 2:42
and the ten-horned beasts of Daniel 7:20
and Revelation
13:1 are references to a “revived” Roman Empire which will hold power
before Christ returns. Although the precise political structure has yet to be
formed, the pieces can be seen as falling into place.
In 1948, Israel was recognized as a sovereign state, and this, too, has
ramifications for the student of Scripture. God promised Abram that his
posterity would have Canaan as “an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:8),
and Ezekiel prophesied a physical and spiritual resuscitation of Israel (Ezekiel 37).
Having Israel as a nation in its own land is important in light of end-time
prophecy, because of Israel’s prominence in eschatology (Daniel
10:14; 11:41; Revelation 11:8).
While there is no biblical proof that the things mentioned above are prophecy
fulfilled, we can see how many of these events are similar to what the Bible
describes. In any case, we are to be watching for prophecy fulfilled because
Jesus told us that the day of the Lord—His return for His own—would come like a
thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10), unexpected and unannounced. “Be always on
the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen,
and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).
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“What
is the blessed hope?
Titus
2:12–13 says that the grace of God teaches us “to live self-controlled,
upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed
hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
This passage identifies the “blessed hope” as the glorious appearing of Jesus
Christ, our great God and Savior.
The word blessed can mean “happy” or “beneficial”; our hope is “blessed”
in that Jesus’ return will be an amazing, joyful experience for the believer in
Christ. We will be blessed beyond measure when we see Christ. The trials of
this life will be over, and we will see that “our present sufferings are not
worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
The word hope does not communicate uncertainty, as in “I hope that
something might occur”; rather, it is the glad assurance that something will
take place. Jesus is our hope, and no one can take that hope away. “Hope does
not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).
The “blessed hope,” then, is the joyful assurance that God will extend His
benefits to us and that Jesus Christ will return. We are waiting for this event
now. Jesus said He would return (John 14:3),
the angels said He would return (Acts 1:11),
and the epistles say He will return. Jesus could come back at any time for His
church, which includes all believers in Christ from the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2
onward. This event is called the rapture. It will be announced by the voice of
the archangel and God’s trumpet call. The bodies of those who have died will be
raised to be joined with their souls, and then the bodies of those believers
still living on earth will be changed into a body like the Lord’s resurrection
body. The believers raised from the dead and the believers living at Christ’s
return will meet the Lord in the air and be taken to heaven. They will “fly the
friendly skies united” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). This will happen in the twinkling
of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52).
Should this blessed hope of Christ’s any-time return have an effect on the
believer in Jesus Christ? John wrote, “All who have this hope in him purify
themselves, just as [Jesus] is pure” (1 John
3:3). The believer anticipating Christ’s blessed return will seek to live,
in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, a life of purity. We will all stand
before the Lord and give an account of how we lived for Him on earth (2
Corinthians 5:10).
Jesus’ imminent
return should motivate the believer to live godly in an ungodly world. The word
looking in Titus 2:13 is the key for that to happen. To be “looking”
means that we live each day in continual anticipation and expectancy, with the
conviction that Jesus could come at any time. That hope becomes a transforming
reality in this life, resulting in God being glorified through us (1
Corinthians 10:31). The blessed hope brings us joy and cheers us through
the trials of this world. It should also cause us to stop and evaluate our thinking,
words, and actions.
———————————————–
“What
will happen when Jesus returns / comes back?
The
second
coming of Christ is referenced many times in Scripture, with over 1,500
passages in the Old Testament and one out of every 25 verses in the New
Testament mentioning the Messiah’s return. The large amount of material devoted
to this important event underscores what God says in Amos 3:7:
“Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his
servants the prophets.”
In short, the return of Christ brings about what is referred to as the kingdom
of God in Scripture—God’s absolute rule over His creation, including humankind.
To accomplish that, Jesus ushers in two different judgments, two different
resurrections, and two different eternities.
When Jesus returns, He will be ready for war (Revelation
19:11–16). The nations will be gathered to fight against Jerusalem (Zechariah
14:2) in what we call the battle of Armageddon.
But that will be the day Jesus returns: “His feet will stand on the Mount of
Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in
two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain
moving north and half moving south” (verse 4). It will be a unique day in the
history of the world: “On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold,
frosty darkness . . . a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between
day and night. When evening comes, there will be light” (verses 6–7). God’s
enemies will be defeated, and the Antichrist
and the false prophet
will be “thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation
19:20). Jesus will set up His kingdom, and “The Lord will be king over the
whole earth” (Zechariah 14:9).
In establishing His kingdom on earth, Jesus will first set up a judgment for
those who are still alive after the tribulation and who are on the earth at the
time of the second coming. This is referred to as the “judgment of the
sheep and the goats” or “judgment of the nations” (Matthew
25:31–46). Those who survive this judgment will remain on earth and enjoy a
time of peace and prosperity with Christ for 1,000 years (referred to as the millennium; see Revelation
20:4–6). Those who are found guilty in this judgment are cursed and
consigned to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew
25:41). Satan is bound and forbidden to act during the millennium (Revelation
20:1–3).
During this time there will also be a resurrection of all believers in God (Revelation
20:4–6). These resurrected believers will join believers who are alive at
the time of Christ’s coming and those Christ brings with Him from heaven, and
all will live with Jesus during His 1,000-year earthly reign.
At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released, and one final battle will
occur, which will rapidly be won by Christ (Revelation
20:7–9). Satan is then permanently consigned to the lake of fire. At this
point the second resurrection will occur, and another judgment. Unbelievers
will be resurrected and judged at what is referred to as the great
white throne judgment; based on their works, they will be assigned to the
lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).
So, the return of Jesus will usher in two different eternities—one with God and
one without Him. This truth is captured in two verses in the book of Malachi:
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and
every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on
fire. . . . Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere
my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you
will go out and frolic like well-fed calves” (Malachi
4:1–2).
What happens when Jesus returns? Evil is defeated, the earth is restored, and
God wins. Your response to Jesus’ return depends on your relationship with Him.
It will either be, as John MacArthur calls it, “the greatest calamity in all of
human history” or the fulfillment of the Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13).
Faith in Christ makes the difference.
Luke 18:8
“I tell you that he will avenge them
speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the
earth?”
King James Version (KJV)
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