It seems as if every time I turn on the news, I notice that there is turmoil in this world. Whether it is war, natural disasters, or the coming together of nations as each nation seems to be falling apart. One world government and one currency seem to be taking shape in the world today. Our government has turned its back on Israel in search of appeasement to nations who did not previously dare threaten us because of our strength.
A few months ago, Pastor mentioned William Booth (1829-1912), the founder of the Salvation Army. William Booth wanted to take his ministry to the streets, yet his Methodist denomination would not allow him. He finally left the denomination and eventually started the Salvation Army, which was a mission field in dirt and grime that found diamonds in every bar and on every street corner. William Booth said this quote:
“I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”
I have a somewhat negative outlook for the church because I have been to so many churches and I see what William Booth was talking about. I see the lawlessness of what was once godly nations, including America, and I feel like we are in the days of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah. I look at the churches on television and see what has happened in many churches, and I think we are not too far from when Jesus first came onto the scene.
Suppose we examine some of the scriptures in 2 Timothy 3:1–5 and Matthew 24:5–13 and relate it to our world today.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Matthew 24:5-13 NASB - "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. (Christ =Kristos = anointed, that is, the Messiah, a quality of Jesus: - Christ) You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved”.
Matthew 24:24 NASB - "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect”.
Matthew 24:37-39 NASB - "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be”.
Matthew 24:46 NASB "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes”.
There are so many more scriptures about the last days!
NO ANXIETY
God’s government will be perfect. Who really cares what happens to me today as long as I can be with the Lord tomorrow. If you feel like the world is spinning out of control, first I want you to understand that we are not of this world. If we are of the Spirit of God, this is not our natural habitat. It is a place we are renting and our lease is almost up.
God is full of scriptures that talk about the last days. The wonderful Word of God is an eviction notice, that is telling us today, now is the time to move. If we are renting from the things of this world, we will be found sleeping on the day of the court ordered judgment. The church seems to be asleep, snoozing with vision of the things of this world dancing in their heads. Their door has a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign hanging on it. Occasionally we hear the faint sound of don’t wake us for we are in our lukewarm beds.
We have forgotten that every soul is precious to our Lord and Savior. We have neglected the Great Commission. We are afraid of being turned down, and we have turned and ran from the world and enclosed ourselves within the local churches. We have imprisoned our God within the walls of the church. It is time to take God out of the church and into the world. Let us start something this day and allow God out. Let us live and exist in Him that we may empower Him to move through us.
God sent John the Baptist, who was full of the Spirit to tell the people, “prepare ye the way of the Lord.” How much more, we being filled with the Spirit of God should be saying “prepare the way of the Lord, for He is coming soon!” Today is the day to proclaim upon the housetop (Matthew 10:27) what our Lord and Savior is whispering in our ear. He is telling us our eviction is coming. Whatever we do for the kingdom, we should be doing with all of our heart. If He has called, we should not be sitting in complacency, but in position honoring the One who has called us and not ourselves. Now is the time to move.
