Living in the Last Hour

So to pick up from the last post…

Can anyone honestly say, or truly know that we are living in the last days? I don’t know. There are a lot of signs that would indicate as much. But what does that mean? Seriously though, it feels like the end times – with me in the middle of a wheat field. Lions and tigers and bears, oh no… everywhere.

The older I get the faster time seems to fly by and the scarier the world gets. Praise God that He did not give us the spirit of fear. Violence comes into my home via television, social media, my PC, my cell phone, sometimes it comes from within. Is there any safe place to hide? Oh my gosh! Even though they are necessary – I dread those Amber alerts. Just the thought of another child in peril is heartbreaking.

I’m fed up with the war between the democrats/republicans, the right and the left believing one is better than the other. They both swim and rise out of the same murky waters. The Scriptures says. And to see Christians caught up in the mire is even more disheartening, as if they in particular can know the heart of any man.

“God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Psalm 53:2″

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. Romans 3: 10-11”

Between the unending violence  and the two political sides constantly making a mockery of our political system – that’s why I say… it feels like the end times. I am so ready for the Lord’s return. Yes, it will be hard on us all. It will be as nothing we have ever known or experienced before, but if we are secure in the knowledge in the One that is to return, we should not fear. Whether the Lord returns before, during or after the tribulation, it’s all about waiting on His return. And we should be looking forward to His return. Who wouldn’t rather be in the presence of God Almighty. We should be warning people. Like the song says…”People get ready, Jesus is coming…”

Matthew 24: 3-14 “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The truth of God is out there, it’s here, it’s near, but is it really? I listen to a few of the televised church leaders. When I do, I feel like I got a dose of some happy juice. Happy juice that does nothing more than make me want to shout out and claim the Powerball jackpot and the Megamillions. It could happen. But my spirit is disturb, knowing that – that it is not of God. God is not a genie. Seriously, some sermons sound more like a Twilight Zone episode.

It’s quite intriguing to watch these fellas spew out feel good medicine, like fairy dust meant to give one the courage to go out and conquer the world. They tell you to go claim your land. Set foot on it and claim it. The Lord has already promised it to you, so go take hold of it. Claim your healing! Claim your riches! I’m like, what if God doesn’t follow through? What if God doesn’t want someone to be healed? Or what if He doesn’t provide the funds to pay that utility bill? The God of heaven will bless you! They shout. If you just trust Him. I’m like :/… I waited for God many years, many lean years, but when the harvest came it wasn’t financial riches that I received, it was grace, abundant grace. Whether or not God provide for my immediate need, His grace was always sufficient to accept His answer.

And I am reminded of Paul the apostle.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10”

The question is not will my God supply all my need. Because He will. The question is, is the living God, the God of the heavens, the Creator of things, my God? Whether or not He chooses to do anything for me, as Daniel proclaimed, “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. (Daniel 3:17-18)”

It’s not about what we can and cannot do in the name of Jesus, because we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13).

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:12-14).

“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:17-20).”

There are too many voices, to many choices, different tones, different tongues, various interpretations, styles and such. It’s easy to get caught up with any one of them. The Gospel has gone out to every nation, but whose Gospel went out? I’ve never read of any end time revival, only apostasy. Will we came together as one big Jesus believing family?

The Lord said He came to divide (Luke 12:51-53).

So where is the truth of God? Well… I was reminded of the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-52.

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

It’s all about interpretation of Scripture. I love to quote Rich Mullins on this. The man had an understanding of the things of God that few of us ever gain. My favorite quote of his is, “We were given the Scriptures to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing.” ― Rich Mullins.

The more I listen to all these preachers and pastors, etc… the more I find that statement to be true. But he realized that God could use anybody to deliver His message. “I had a professor one time… He said, ‘Class, you will forget almost everything I will teach you in here, so please remember this: that God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He has been speaking through asses ever since. So, if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And, if on meeting someone, right away you recognize what they are, listen to them anyway’.” ― Rich Mullins 

Some of today’s Christian leaders leave a lot to be desired. So whomever we choose to listen to we need to test their spirit by the word of God. God has said… he will send out people from the masses.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. (Acts 2:17)

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

I won’t say don’t be a fool, because we can all be deceived, but we have to be aware. Matthew 24:24;  2 Peter 2:1-3:13; Luke 6:26; Matthew 7:15; Ezekiel 13:9. The enemy will try to deceive us.

There’s always been a wave of deception. History speaks of people that have gotten caught up in some very destructive ministries. So unless we can discern real fruit from fake fruit we can get caught up in that deception. Jeremiah 23:16 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.”

We know where the truth of God can be found. And we must seek the truth while it may be found. But that’s another post. As a believer in Jesus Christ my reason for writing is not to convince anyone to go one way, or the other. My reason is only to implore readers to consider which path they are on. Will we recognize if we have been deceived? We must all ask God to search our hearts (Psalm 139:23).

“Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very life, that it won’t also cost you yours.”
― Rich Mullins

Be blessed.