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Title: Are we living in the end times?
Source:
ChristianPatriot.com
URL Source: http://www.christianpatriot.com/05_13_2008.htm
Published: Jul 3, 2015
Author: Pastor Bob Celeste for ACP
Post Date: 2015-07-03 08:07:40 by BobCeleste
Keywords: ACP
Views: 1866
Comments: 10
“So, what are these signs of Noah that Jesus was referring to? Perhaps, just perhaps Jesus elaborated further to us through the pen of His Apostle Paul. 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (without self control), fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ACP/KJV) Today we are going to start looking at these signs. But, guys, it is time to wake up, it is time to get off your collective arses and start spreading the word of God. It is time to do the work of an evangelist. It is time to realize that Christ could rapture His church at any moment.” Some took offence at the word “arse” as in “it is time to get off your collective arses and start spreading the word of God”. Let me try to explain why I said what I said, for it is now said and cannot ever be taken back. For what is said is said, what is done is done. I firmly believe that end times prophecy is not to be used to try to scare the unsaved, the unrepentant, into seeking Christ and giving their lives to Him. No, instead I see end times prophecy as a way to light a fire under the sleepers in the Church of Philadelphia. Let me ask you a question; What if God sent the angel Gabriel to you right this very instant, and he said to you, “I am the angel Gabriel, I stand before God day and night, He has sent time to deliver a message to you, God saith, ‘I will rapture My church in fifteen days.’” and then he left. What would you do? I mean what would you really do? Would you stop what you were doing and immediately get out and start evangelizing? Would you question yourself asking if you really saw what you knew you saw and do nothing? Would you go out and use your line of credit to buy things to make these next fifteen days really comfortable, like a new car, a new boat and $15.00 a pound steaks? Justifying those purchasers by telling yourself that when your creditors come looking for you they will realize that you are gone to be with the Lord? What would you do? Let me tell you what I think would happened to an unsaved, unregenerate person who had the same encounter with Gabriel. I think they would do nothing. Oh they would think about it, they might ponder it, but then, in the long run, they would do nothing till after the rapture took place. Rich Christianio has an excellent movie called “The Appointment” that does and excellent job covering a lie subject. So, I don’t use prophecy in evangelizing, not unless an unsaved person brings it up by asking me questions concerning it. But I do use end times prophecy to try and wake up sleeping members of the church. All that said, let us look at what makes up the Biblical description of what Jesus meant when He said: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” While there is more, we shall start with Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Over the coming days we shall go into more and more descriptions of these days like as in the times of Noah. 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:1-2 ACP/KJV) Let’s start with the word “last” as in “in the last days” of verses one. That word “last” is, in the Greek eschatos, pronounced es'-khat-os and it means literally the final days of an era. The word “days” in the same verse is hemera, pronounced hay-mer'-ah and means literally the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 consecutive hours in one of our days. In verse one we also find “perilous times” that word perilous is chalepos, pronounced khal-ep-os' and means a time when strength is reduced, a time that is dangerous, by implication a time that is furious and fierce, a time that is perilous. So, you can see that verses one’s translation in 1611 is still extremely accurate today. Now let’s start looking at some of what makes up those times that remind us of the times of Noah. For men shall be lovers of their own selves. (Men shall be philautos, pronounced fil'-ow-tos they will be selfish and lovers of their own self.) Have we not become a society where we put ourselves ahead of all others? Do we not spend more and more time seeing to our own needs and comforts? Covetous; (philarguros, pronounced fil-ar'-goo-ros, meaning in love with money and the things it can buy.) Do you tithe ten percent of gross, net, or what is left after paying everything else first? What has become the number one thing in the lives of most? God or things bought with money? Boasters; (alazon, pronounced al-ad-zone literally meaning those who brag about possessions, wealth, sexual and business conquest, etc.) How often do you hear “Hey come check out my new car” or “Look here at my new girl friend” or “man taxes are terrible, last year I paid over X thousand of dollars”. How I would love to see a campaign ad that said “I serve Christ day and night and will, if you choose me to be your elected public servant, strive daily to do nothing that will offend Him.” Unfortunately instead most lie about their qualifications, not by understating, but by overstating, boasting. Proud; (huperephanos, pronunced hoop-er-ay'-fan-os conspicuously making yourself to appear above others. One who is haughty and self servingly proud.) Not only individuals, but nations. The United States of America is head over heals in debt. In debt by borrowing so as to be the big shot on the block with the biggest plane for the President, the biggest and best foreign aid, the most powerful military, the ones able to spend the most on all kinds of foolishness such as funding of the United Nations. Remember this “ Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Blasphemers; ( blasphemos, pronounced blas'-fay-mos, it means impious towards God, railing against God, insulting God and using His name in inappropriate ways.) I hear the unsaved using the name of the Lord more than I hear the Saved. How often do you hear someone calling on the name of God to damn someone or something? As a child I was taught to bow my head before uttering the name of Jesus. That is no longer taught. Disobedient to parents; (apeithes, pronounced ap-i-thace' literally one who disobeys his our her parents including step parents. One who is unpersuadable, and/or contumacious, a disobedient child.) The other day I heard, at my own diner table, a 50 year old ordained Methodist snap at his 82 year old ordained fundamental pastor father. All to often I hear of children sneaking around behind their parents back, lying to their parents, calling their parents names, and saying no or ignoring their parents when told to do something or stop doing something. God has said “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Yet, outside of Christian homes parents and step parents are, all to often, treated with disdain and like dirt. Perhaps this is the reason so many teens commit suicide, are afflicted with sexually transmitted diseases, and the like. Unthankful; (acharistos, ach-ar'-is-tos, thankless and ungrateful. Not only to man, but to God.) Been to a public restaurant lately? Notice how the one receiving the meal thanks everyone except God? Not long ago I helped a man, he was to busy asking God to damn people and things while blaspheming God to even thank me. Unholy; (anosios, pronounced an-os'-ee-os, it means wicked.) Understand this, if one is not holy, one is wicked. If your kids do not know and serve Christ, they are wicked! Look around, look at all those you love who are unsaved, they are wicked and are going to the lake of fire for all eternity! There are no wicked in heaven. Read this carefully: “It is done! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end! I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Jesus said that. Let us end there for today, there is much, much more to the description of the times Jesus refers to as “in the time of Noah”. It is important for you to see and understand these times so that you can see just how perilous and short the times are. The Lord could come at any time. I personally think ...
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#1. To: BobCeleste (#0)
Things will get a lot worse before that happens. Personally, I don't believe in a Pre-Trb rapture. I believe that the Church will go through much more persecution. IF there is a rapture, I believe it will be in the middle of the 7-year Tribulation, right before anti-christ declares himself God, at the 3 1/2 year point. No more so than the folks who were living in Romans 1:25+ www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poems_copybook.htm "As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn"...
The question is an interesting academic exercise. Si vis pacem, para bellum
2 Timothy has been on my mind so much lately. Every word of it has already come true. We are living it. I personally believe that the true end times began when Israel became a nation again, like scripture predicted. 1948. If I am correct, then this passage from Mark 13: 34-30 means this generation born in '48 will see the coming of the Lord: 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 28 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Right or wrong, we should be looking up for our salvation draws nigh. In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell
Being a Bible literalist, I am convinced that we, the church of Philadelphia, will be raptured either immediately before or immediate after the very beginning of the seven years.
I'm not sure of your point, could you expand a bit more?
Translating out of the Greek makes me sure you are right, wait till next Monday when I will, God willing and the fed don't kill me, go into the next verses, pay attention to the Greek words and their definitions, for that makes it even clearer that we are indeed in the last days.
Human nature is cyclical.
Human nature is cyclical. So that others will understand what we are talking about, 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
CHARLIE MIKE Pastor Bob!
The Lord could come at any time. I personally think ...
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#2. To: BobCeleste (#0)
#3. To: BobCeleste (#0)
" Are we living in the end times? "
#4. To: BobCeleste (#0)
(Edited)
2 Timothy 3:1-5
#5. To: Deckard (#1)
#6. To: VxH (#2)
No more so than the folks who were living in Romans 1:25+
#7. To: out damned spot (#4)
2 Timothy has been on my mind so much lately. Every word of it has already come true. We are living it.
#8. To: BobCeleste (#6)
#9. To: VxH (#8)
No more so than the folks who were living in Romans 1:25+
#10. To: BobCeleste (#9)
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