“Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and they shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24
When Jesus was on the Mount of Olives at the end of His ministry and had just told His disciples about the signs of the coming End Times, they went to Him later and specifically asked Him what signs they should be looking for. I find it very interesting that before he ever told them about the “…wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places” – Matthew 24:6,7 etc., He FIRST told them about the lies and deceptions that would be rampant in the Last Days. He said this, I believe, to ensure we always use the Bible alone to verify those things He prophesied about. Many have and will try to convince us of things that have no Biblical merit but which will ultimately ensnare those who want to have something to believe in without really knowing what the Bible has already told us. Some major prophesied figures will come forth in the Last Days, especially the anti-christ and the false prophet, doing many things that without the pre-warnings of the Word of God will make people say “This must be Jesus. Look at what he just did!” It will be tough! Jesus even said the Believers, if it were possible, COULD also be deceived by Satan’s lies.
Unfortunately, after the Rapture of the True Believers from this world, the Holy Spirit will not be here to help people find salvation in Jesus. Yes, the 2 prophets and the 144,000 evangelical Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel (Where did the 144,000 come from and what are they doing here? and What happens when these 2 guys come knocking on your door?) will be actively spreading His Word to the world, but the vast majority of people living on the earth during the final 7 years (the Tribulation) simply will not be able to hear, find OR believe His Words. Times will be tough! They will seek, but they will not find.
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD (capitals mine): And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to SEEK THE WORD OF THE LORD (capitals mine) and shall not find it.”
Amos 8:11-12
During the current times we live in, there IS DEFINITELY a falling away of people from the true teachings of the Church. Fewer people view Christianity as the generations before them did. Many church goers no longer trust in the Word of God as they should. They have replaced His Word with what feels good! In essence, mankind is becoming agnostic and doubting the Promises made to us by Jesus. One of those Promises Jesus made below highlights one of the things to be observant of in these Last Days, i.e., the day of the Lord WILL NOT happen until AFTER unbelievers have left the church!
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the day of Christ) shall not come, except there come a falling away first…”
2 Thessalonians 2:3
What is truly sad is this falling away will occur when people who knew about Jesus decide to go a different path. They pick a different faith, a different lifestyle, a different way of viewing all that has been promised. You know what? That is where man was BEFORE the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! And, it appears they will decide to go back to that lifestyle which ultimately “…enslaved” them in sin and unbelief without knowing the message of Jesus.
“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principals? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?”
Galatians 4:8-9 (NIV)
Let’s face it. Mankind needs to believe in something! The desire to have questions answered is there for all of us. The difference in the Believer vs. the unbeliever is Faith. When I hear something the Bible (not someone touting non-biblical ideas or theology) says, I accept it by Faith! Remember, the Word of God is just that! The Word of God! He has given us absolutely NO OTHER documentation of His Plans for us, regardless of what some lying churches teach. When you don’t have that, you have nothing and will be on the lookout for something that goes along with your misguided and DECEIVED views of God’s Ultimate Plan for all of us. Of course, they will always hear what they want to hear:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and it shall be turned into fables.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4
To those who do not accept the lies being told by non-believers, we have been promised by God a reward in Heaven. It is therefore important not to necessarily listen to what people (even me) say UNLESS you can totally verify what is said using the Word of God, the Holy Bible. I have repeated what the Bible says many times. “But I have had God’s help to this very day and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike that I AM SAYING NOTHING BEYOND WHAT THE PROPHETS AND MOSES SAID WOULD HAPPEN (capitals mine)“ – Acts 26:22. Please remember, Satan’s goal is to deceive you into believing his lies and not the Truth of God’s Word. IF he can do that, he wins and you lose. One of those lies will be when he enters the rebuilt 3rd Temple of the Jews in Jerusalem midway through the Tribulation and proclaims he is God, the long awaited messiah, and DEMANDS to be worshipped as God. That is a lie! Again, if you believe it, regardless of the “…great signs and wonders” he will show, he wins and you lose FOR ETERNITY! If you don’t believe him, you win FOR ETERNITY!
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8
There is NO DOUBT when Christ Returns, we will know it. There will be no question who it is that just came down to earth through the opened door of Heaven. Jesus WILL NOT demand to be worshipped by us because at that time, ALL will know who He is! He will not have to tell us!
Today, leading up to the demand by the anti-christ to be worshipped in the rebuilt Temple (What is the Abomination of Desolation in Biblical Prophecy?), there are still many lies and deceptions being thrust upon us by many religious leaders, including those who claim to be mainstream Protestant and Catholic leaders. When they endorse things like abortion and gay marriage, simply put, they are lying about what the Bible says. While all men are sinners, the Bible is clear on what is right and what is wrong. Early on in my journey I wrote a post discussing exactly how we should deal with sinful ways (Don’t condemn, but DO NOT condone either! ). While we will be judged as we judge, we are specifically told by Jesus directly we should not condone the lies of Satan!
Perhaps nowhere in the entire Bible is it more clear than in Romans 16:17-18
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE (capitals mine) which ye have learned; AND AVOID THEM (capitals mine). For they that are such SERVE NOT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (capitals mine), but their own belly: and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
In the Last Days, as unbelievers are empowered by the removal of the Church from this world, those who convert during the Tribulation will be mocked AND persecuted. The only way Satan can win (he can’t!) is to get people to reject God’s Word and he will do anything, including lying, to keep them from getting the Truth. If he could disprove the Word of God (he can’t) then he feels he will be vindicated regarding his own sin and rejection. The more people he gets to agree with him rather than with God, his “empire” in hell grows. We, as Believers, however should never be ashamed that we believe what God, not Satan, says:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile). For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:16
While I feel very comfortable I will “miss” the Tribulation because I will already be with the Lord in Heaven, my heart goes out to all who have not heard or who don’t want to believe what has been told to them. They will pay the price for eternity for their believing what Satan tells them. True, they had free choice to make up their minds themselves but it is critical for ALL of us to do what we are told to do and that is to “…therefore comfort one another with these words.” How can you do this? Simply share with your family and friends your email. Share/Like your Facebook or LinkedIn page. Let all know what is coming as the result of Satan’s lies but more importantly, what Jesus said is coming for those who DO Believe. Now, that is comforting!
May God Bless you and remember to thank Him for His Blessings this Thanksgiving.
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