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Two Stones of Hope

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Main Text:  John 11:38-39

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

NKJV

There are two stones mentioned in the Bible, besides the five that David picked up going after Goliath, two stones that sit in the way of victory and blessing for every one of us.  To receive all that God has for us, these stones need to first be rolled away.

The first stone is mentioned in the text we just looked at.  This passage, along with several verses before and after it, tell the story of Lazarus and his resurrection.

John 11:1-37

11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.  10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”  11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” 12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”  41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”  43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”  44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

NKJV

In this story, Jesus arrives on the scene to find those whom He was close to grieving over the loss of their brother, Lazarus.  They were convinced that if Jesus had come sooner, then their brother would not have died, but now they were offended at Jesus who could have easily healed their brother if He had come as soon as He heard of Lazarus’ sickness.  They were offended.

You need to remember something.  Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were very good friends of Jesus.  They may or may not have been physically following Jesus from town to town, but they were followers of Jesus.  And, Scripture makes it very clear that Jesus loved them.  He loved, and still loves, everyone, but His love for them was special, otherwise Scripture would not have made a point in mentioning that.  How hurt and offended would you be if someone you loved dearly, someone you thought loved you the same way, did not come running to help you as quickly as possible or in the way you thought they should have if they truly loved you so much?

How many times have you been offended because Jesus didn’t respond to your prayers as soon as you thought He could and should have?  After all, we faithfully attend church, we’re faithful with our tithes and offerings, and we help at the church as much as we can.  Is it too much to ask after all we do?  Shouldn’t those things we’ve done make our requests a priority with God?  And now you’re offended.

Yes, Jesus could have gone sooner and healed Lazarus, but the Father had bigger and better plans for this situation.  When Jesus finally arrived on the scene, everyone thought that Jesus had come too late to help in any way.  How many times do we think the same way when Jesus hasn’t responded to our requests for help in our circumstances, and now it seems like it’s too late for Him to do anything on our part?  Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt that a situation got to the point that it was too late for Jesus to help or do anything?  (scene in Facing the Giants; another team cheated)

When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days, and the stone was in front of his tomb.  Jesus knew that Lazarus would be raised from the dead, but He also knew there was a stone that would prevent Lazarus from appearing to everyone else.  The stone had to be moved.  But Jesus, the Son of God, God, the creator of the ends of the universe, wasn’t about to move it, or even help move it.  The stone can represent things in our lives that block and prevent the manifestation of victories and blessings God has available for us.  If the stone wasn’t moved, Lazarus would not have come out of the tomb though he may have been resurrected from the dead.  How many times has God resurrected things in our lives only for them to never be seen or experienced because we hadn’t first removed the stone in our lives?

**** Things that can represent a stone in our lives ****

  1. Doubt and unbelief
    1. Israelites not allowed to enter the promised land due to doubt and unbelief
    2. Jesus was unable to do much of anything in His hometown due to their unbelief
  2. Fear
    1. What will others think
    2. What if God doesn’t come through
    3. Will I look like a fool?
  3. Unforgiveness
    1. Forgiveness that needs to be sought
    2. Forgiveness that needs to be given
  4. Disobedience and rebellion (towards God and those in authority over us)
  5. Sexual immorality in all its many forms
  6. Gossip, backbiting, slander and profanity
  7. Pride
  8. Attitudes and mindsets, “stinkin thinkin”

As Christians, our hope of seeing God’s hand move on our behalf when we need Him to is realized and manifested after we roll away the stone, or stones, that are keeping them from being seen.  When God shows us something in our life that needs to change or be removed, are we just as determined to obey Him in that area as we are in other areas where we exercise great determination and energy to accomplish? Or are we apathetic about it hoping God will move it for us, or that He will still move on our behalf with minimal or no effort on our part?  The very fact that Jesus shows us what to change in our lives as we grieve over a need we may have, that should energize hope within us that God is going to move on our behalf, but we still need to first roll the stone away.

To move the stone, as big and heavy as they were, would require strength and determination, or in other words, it would require work.  In the same way, the stone or stones God wants us to remove in our lives may take both work and determination on our part to complete the task at hand.  And like we read about Lazarus, where the results were more than worth the effort it took to remove it, even so the work it may take to remove the stone or stones in our lives will be nothing in comparison to what God will do afterwards.  Do we really want the victory and blessings we are seeking God for?

The second stone is mentioned in all four of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  The story as recorded in each of the Gospels centers around the stone that was placed in front of Jesus’ grave, and that the stone had been rolled away.

Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1

Matt 28:1-7

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

NKJV

In this historical account of the greatest event in human history, recorded or otherwise, God by way of an angel He sent out, is the one that rolls the stone away.  We often mention this from the idea that the stone had to be removed to prove Jesus wasn’t there, but perhaps there is another reason for this?  Like the account of Lazarus being raised from the dead, the stone had to be removed for all to see, but how the stone was moved in both situations is important to know and understand.  When we read of Lazarus being raised from the dead, even though Jesus was there on the scene, it was by His command that others had to move the stone.

In the case of the resurrection of Jesus, God was the one that moved the stone, and that is a very important point to understand.  The resurrection of Jesus is one of the essential elements of the salvation process, for without His resurrection there would not be any hope of eternal life in heaven.  When we understand that, it is then that we can understand why it was so important that God moved the stone, as that further represents that fact that salvation was not dependent upon humanity in any way.  It was through God and the death and resurrection of Jesus on our behalf, that salvation is made possible for us.  There was nothing on our part that we could say or do to make that happen, which further reinforces the passage that lets us know that we in no way can earn or be worthy of salvation.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 that salvation is not offered to us because we deserve it or because of any works we have done of ourselves.  It is a gift of God, and God makes it clear in that He’s the one that moved the stone.  He is the one that makes it available to all.

Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

NKJV

No matter what is in your past, or where you are at in the present, the fact that God, Himself, rolled away the stone from in front of Jesus’ tomb should cause hope to rise within you of better days and years ahead if you will accept what Jesus did on your behalf, and embrace everything about Him with passion and determination.

God isn’t asking or requiring you or anyone else to roll away the stone from in front of Christ’ tomb.  There is nothing needed on your part to make that happen.  You don’t have to, as some would say, “get your act together first before coming to Jesus”.  As others would say, “you don’t have to take a shower before getting cleaned up by Jesus”.  The tomb is wide open for all to see.  People go there by the tens of thousands to see for themselves.

Your past doesn’t determine whether the stone is blocking you from seeing the risen Jesus.  The stone is gone making the path to Jesus easy, but you must walk that path to Him.

What is in your past?

  1. Murder?
  2. Sexual immorality?
  3. An abuser of others (mental, emotional, physical, sexual)?
  4. A thief?
  5. A liar (dishonesty and deception)?
  6. A victim of abuse (sexual, mental, emotional, physical)?
  7. Rejection

In His death by crucifixion on a cross, Jesus paid a price enough to cancel out our debt of sin against God, a debt that we could never in ourselves pay.  In His resurrection from the dead, Jesus made the hope of eternal life in heaven a reality for all who accept what He did on their behalf and surrender their lives to Him and for His purposes.

Are you in need of hope in your life?  Are you in need of God to move supernaturally on your behalf in some way?  Are you needing to be set free of something, including sin and the penalty of sin?  If you haven’t accepted Jesus as savior and Lord of your life, God has a hope for you to embrace that is found in Jesus’ death and resurrection, evidenced in His moving the stone away for you.

A Christians Approach to Halloween

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Several weeks ago I walked into the local Wal-Mart and was immediately reminded about the time of year we were entering into.  You know that time of year, when fear, hate, terror, and the occult are glamorized and embraced with passion and excitement, reaching its peak on a day we call Halloween.  I’ve written since 2011 what my position is regarding this day that comes every year, and that hasn’t changed, but I want to take a different approach to the subject this year.

 

Each year the question is asked as to whether Christians should have anything to do with Halloween, or not.  And each year it only divides those who are opposed to it and those who think it’s okay for one reason or another.  You would think that the answer to the question is a simple one, and it really is, but when we determine our answer according to our personal opinions and feelings, instead of what Scripture has to say about it, then the answer becomes nothing less than complicated and divisive within church circles.

 

When we see that day approaching, it’s not uncommon to see and hear of churches gearing up and planning what they will do on Halloween.  Usually, the rationale they will embrace will go along one of two lines of thought; 1) they want to offer a Halloween alternative, or 2) they want to provide a safe place for children and adults.  But is Halloween something that Christians and churches should be involved with?  Unlike Christmas and Easter, holidays that some argue have both Christian and pagan roots, there is absolutely nothing Christian or God honoring when it comes to Halloween.  In fact, everything Halloween represents is anti-God and contrary to the mind and character of Jesus.  So, why is it that churches seem to believe that it’s okay to participate in one way or another on this holiday?

 

I’ve heard it argued by one pastor that even though their church has a community event on Halloween, an event where those who are organizing and putting it on incorporate costumes, various Halloween decorations, as well as activities that are clearly Halloween in nature, not to mention a name which is clearly a Halloween like name, that they are not participating in the Halloween festivities.  Well, I don’t know what his definition of participation is, but common sense for most people know that they are in fact participating in and celebrating Halloween.

 

There was a time several years ago that the United States was trying to befriend the nation of Iran, a country that is bent on nothing less than the total destruction of America and Israel.  It seemed like we were rolling out the red carpet of friendship with them, ignoring the fact that they did not share in that same endeavor.  As I observed what was happening, I couldn’t help but think of Halloween and how some churches and Christians seem to be okay with it.  Everything about Halloween and what it represents is anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-Bible, and anti-life, just to name a few.  There is absolutely nothing redeeming about it, yet we have churches and Christians trying to find creative ways to “Christianize” the celebration to justify their involvement with it.  Contrary to how many seem to view Halloween, we are told in Ephesians 5:11 not to have any part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to expose them.  We are also told in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to abstain from every form of evil, and in Deuteronomy 18:9-14 and Leviticus 19:30-31 we are told of some of those things God says are evil.

 

Some will argue that it’s okay to do so because Jesus was a friend of sinners, a term that was given more as an insult to Him than a compliment.  Just because He associated with those considered to be sinners does not mean that He was a participant in sin, in that which was opposed to God in any way, or that He encouraged or condoned such activity.  To have done so, Jesus would have certainly lost His credibility as one sent of God to them, perfect and without sin, as such activity was explicitly prohibited by God, Himself, and if He had done so that surely would have been mentioned in Scripture and at His trial before going to the cross.  Instead, Jesus strongly promoted purity of heart and an undivided and total devotion to the Father and Himself.  Nowhere in Scripture will you find that Jesus was okay with or was involved in any way with that which was opposed to God, yet for some reason we have Christians and churches thinking differently about this subject.

 

What about the Apostle Paul?  After all, he was sent to preach Jesus to the gentiles, people who were actively involved in various forms of pagan holidays, worship and activities.  The same Apostle Paul, the one who taught us of the grace of God, who showed us that our relationship with Jesus is a marriage relationship, who revealed to us the return of Jesus for us in an event known as the Rapture.  Does he tell us anything that would relate to the subject at hand?  In Philippians 4:8-11, he speaks against observing days, months and years, but this was in relation to the pagan practices these converts to Christ once participated in before they received salvation.  However, in Colossians 2:16-17, when he addresses festivals and a new moon, he is referring to the seven feasts God instituted back in Leviticus 23, all of which point to Jesus.  It’s important to make that distinction as some will assume both passages are referring to the same things, but that is not the case.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:22, the Apostle Paul instructs us to avoid or flee from the appearance of evil, and in Ephesians 5:11 he also tells us to take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but to instead expose them.  So, Paul, identified by some as the Apostle of Grace, left no room or argument condoning a Christian’s involvement with things like Halloween.

 

At this point I feel the need to clarify something.  When I mention the participation of Christians and churches in the Halloween festivities, I am not referring to those who are opposed to Halloween but do what they can to reach the lost with the full and unadulterated gospel of Jesus.  There are churches that reject the idea of Christians participating in that day, but they will do something purely as a ministry outreach of some sort that does not resemble Halloween in any way.  I applaud these churches, and Christians, as they take a stand against the growing trend within church circles, but at the same time doing all they can to reach those who are lost and spiritually dead in sin.

 

While I have no objections to having an alternative to offer people, and certainly no objections to having a safe place for children and adults alike, I do find myself questioning the reasons and the motivations one has in doing so, and how they are going about it.  For many churches, they are quick to say they are reaching out to the lost in doing so, wanting to use these activities as a means of doing so, but is that true or just words to ease their conscience or silence those who object?  When a church does this, incorporating an appearance or activity that resembles Halloween in some way, they give the unsaved, those who are not followers of Christ, mixed messages as to what it means to be a Christian, a disciple and follower of Christ.  Also, if the focal point is only to provide an alternative or a safe place, and very little to nothing is said or done to present the full gospel and each persons need of a savior, then all they are doing is building a reputation within the community and growing a religious social club.

 

I’ve heard it said that it’s okay for a church to have Halloween like events for the community because someone got saved or started attending their church as a result of these.  There’s a problem with this logic, however.  I’ve heard testimonies of some who were high on drugs or in a drunken state, how that in that condition they had an encounter with Jesus and got saved, and as a result they were radically transformed and set free from their addiction to drugs or alcohol.  Since people have been reached for salvation while in these intoxicated states, does it mean, based on the above logic, that churches and Christians should encourage or embrace the use of drugs and alcohol as a way to reach the lost with the message of salvation through Christ?  I think not!  God is sovereign, and as such He can reach people in whatever condition they may be in, but that does not mean that we can discount what Scripture otherwise commands us just so we can “reach” someone.  To ignore or discount the commands and instructions of God for the purpose of community acceptance and gaining followers, that is nothing less than rebellion towards God fueled by pride that puts our opinion on an equal or higher level than God and His Word.  This must not be the case in the life of a Christian.

 

Halloween.  A controversial subject for Christians as some are okay with it while others are not.  The question is whether God is okay with it, and the answer is found within Scripture. Are we taking a stand for Christ, or are we more concerned about getting people to join our religious social club?  If we are to do something on Halloween, let’s make sure it doesn’t resemble in appearance or activity to Halloween in any way, and that the gospel is clearly presented as the focus and theme of the event. Time is short, and we need to focus more on the salvation of the lost than building our social clubs and community reputations.

 

Are you a Christian that has participated in Halloween one way or another over the years, or even in those things that God identifies as detestable?  If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to repent of your involvement in these, and to turn from them having any part in your life from here on out.  We hear of animal shelters taking these things very seriously, law enforcement taking them very seriously, especially on October 31st of each year, and how much more should we as Christians who have been given very clear and specific instructions from God Himself regarding this?  What’s been said and done in the past can be forgiven, but you need to repent and turn from them today.

 

Maybe you have never given your life over to Jesus.  Maybe you have been living life as you wanted, and on your terms, but in listening to me today you realize there needs to be a change in your life.  You are seeing the influence and impact of evil upon society is only increasing, and you can tell things are not going to get any better but instead much worse.  There is victory through Jesus, and there is a hope beyond anything this world can even imagine giving you through Jesus only, and you would like to receive Jesus as savior and Lord of your life.  Well, you can make that change right now wherever you are.  It’s simple, as simple as “A, B, C”.  Let me tell you how.

 

For you to be considering making such a change in your life, this only shows that God is speaking to you.  He wants to have that saving relationship with you far more than you could ever want it yourself.  To enter that relationship with Him, the first thing you need to do is acknowledge that you are a sinner.  To acknowledge, or to admit, that you are a sinner is the “A” in the “A, B, C’s”.  This may be difficult for some to do, but it’s vitally important.  We are told in Romans 3:10 that no one is righteous or good, no, not one.  The reason for that is found in Romans 3:23 where we’re told that all, everyone, has sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  This means that nobody is good enough, no matter how good we may be, because we all have sin in our lives.  Continuing in Romans, we are told in Romans 6:23 that the wages of our sin is death, or in other words the penalty of the sin in our life is eternal death.  So, where does that leave us?  We are told in Ephesians 2:8-9 that the salvation God offers us is a gift of God, something we receive by grace and through faith.  No one deserves salvation, and no one certainly can earn it through works of any kind, but rather it is a gift from God.  To receive this gift from God, the first thing a person must do is “A”, acknowledge or admit that they are a sinner.

 

The second thing a person must do, and this is “B” in the “ABC’s”, is to “BELIEVE” in their heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  It’s not just a mental believing as some would like it to be, but rather a believing that dictates the way one lives their life.  It’s a way of life that reflects and supports what they say they believe.  In James 2:19 were told that even the demons believe, and they tremble, but salvation is not available to them.  Just having a head knowledge is not enough.

 

The third thing a person must do, and this is “C” in the “ABC’s”, is to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”  You need to call Jesus Lord, and to do so means one must surrender their life to Him.  There is coming a time when every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess to God that He is Lord.  Now is the time for salvation, and now is the time to voluntarily surrender your life to Him.  The eternal rewards for surrendering your life to Jesus is far greater than anything this world could ever hope to give you.

 

Is a relationship with Jesus like I’ve described important and worth it?  It is most definitely worth it, and then some.  I won’t say that life will be easier or with less problems, but it will be more fulfilling, and with that there is a Blessed Hope for all Christians to embrace and pursue.  More and more people are beginning to feel hopeless with life, especially when they see everything that is happening around them and around the world, but as Christians we have a hope that is solid and independent of anything this world could ever hope to offer us.  The signs we are seeing across the news headlines now days only energizes the hope we have of Jesus’ ever imminent return for us.  It is that same hope, that Blessed Hope, that encourages Christians to keep the faith and to continue living for Him and Him alone.  Are you one of those who place their trust and hope in Jesus?

 

If you do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, and you would like to, I encourage you to talk to God right now.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or eloquent, just a sharing of your heart to Him.  If that is you, and you’re ready to give your life to Jesus, then say this prayer from your heart and to Him.  Again, it’s not a formula, just a sharing of your heart to Him.

 

“O God, I am a sinner.  I’m sorry for my sin.  I want to turn from my sin.  I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin, that He was buried, that You raised Him to life, and that He’s coming to take me back to His house in heaven very soon.  I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, trusting only in His shed blood as more than sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me.  Amen.”

 

Now that you have entered into this relationship with Jesus, I strongly encourage you to find a Bible and start reading it, and to find and get plugged into a solid Bible-believing church that teaches and preaches the full Gospel of Jesus, which includes Bible prophecy and the need to be living righteously and holy before the Lord in all your ways.

 

In closing, know that Jesus is coming soon, very soon, for His followers, and it is vitally important for each of us to be found both watching and ready for Him when He does.  Don’t get lulled into the deceptive thinking that His return is not near for one reason or another, especially when the fulfillment of the signs given in the Bible tell us that it’s at the door.  It’s our responsibility to be watching the signs for Him, and to be ready, free of any spots, blemishes, or wrinkles brought on through sin in our lives.

 

By John Johansson

How Shall They Know

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Hello, Everyone!  My name is John Johansson, and welcome again to another broadcast of the Resounding Shophar Blast!  It’s been a while since our last broadcast due to some pretty significant things taking place on the Johansson front, and in time we may share some of those with you in future broadcasts.  In the meantime, we are back and looking forward to sharing more Resounding Shophar Blasts with you as we see the day of our Lord’s return speedily approaching as never before.

 

To begin with, the Apostle Paul asks a rhetorical question that is the theme for today’s broadcast, and that question is found in Romans 10:14 which says;

 

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

 

As Christians, believers and followers of Christ, we know and have a message that the world is looking for, and it is our responsibility to share that with others.  What is our message?  It’s the message of salvation through Jesus, and Him alone.  It’s a message that through Jesus one can be set free of the bondage and penalties of sin.  It’s a message that gives hope to the hopeless of a glorious, pain, sickness and death free eternity in heaven.  It’s a message of the Blessed Hope found in Jesus alone where He returns to receive His people to Himself, an event that takes place before God’s judgement is released upon the whole world in a seven-year period identified in Scripture as the Tribulation Period.  The problem is that it seems most churches in America are not sharing this message with others.

 

A lot of churches are embracing various false and deceptive teachings, and in the process, they are not presenting the message of salvation accurately or completely to those that are within their sphere of influence.  Some churches are not embracing false and deceptive teachings, but still they are not presenting the message of salvation and what it is, what it means, and why it’s so important for each of us to embrace.  We recently left a church we had been members of for nearly five years, and at that time someone made the comment to me that as long as it wasn’t over a salvation issue then that was okay, but something inside me rose up and I had to tell them it was over a salvation issue.  There were different reasons for our departure, but the main one was that in the nearly five years we were attending it was extremely rare, if at all, that the message of salvation was actually preached or taught from the pulpit or at any “outreach” events, and that is a salvation issue.  Let me explain.

 

If I know someone is very sick, perhaps with something like cancer, and I know what the cause of it is and have the cure for it, what could be a great life-giving event turns into a life and death situation if I withhold that from them.  In like manner, if I know the spiritual condition of a person, the root cause and that salvation is the cure, if I don’t let them know and give them the cure which is Jesus, then that is a salvation issue.  It doesn’t matter how knowledgeable I am of the situation, it doesn’t matter if I learned from honest and accurate teachers about it, if I don’t share the cause and the cure with them then that is a salvation issue.  In other words, even if a church is doctrinally sound, if they do not preach and teach on the subject of salvation, then that is a salvation issue as those under their influence have no idea what it is and why they need it, and as a subsequent result could still be eternally lost in hell unless they are told the truth about salvation.  How can people know about the salvation made available to them through Jesus if no one tells them about it?

 

On the same note, a lot of churches lead people to Jesus, but it stops there.  I liken it to me taking someone I know to be sick to the doctor.  If I take them to be introduced to the doctor, but I never tell them why they need to see the doctor or how the doctor can help them, after the introduction we can turn around and leave and all the person knows is that they just met a nice doctor.  We can take people to Jesus, figuratively speaking, but if we never tell them why they need to meet Jesus and what He can do for them, then all they’ve done is met an important person in world history.  Again, how can people know about the salvation made available to them through Jesus if no one tells them about it?

 

Something else we need to be sharing with others is about Jesus’ soon return for His bride.  This is another message that seems to be overlooked or ignored in many churches here in America.  There are many reasons for this; pastors and other Christians don’t know much about it, some are intimidated by the subject, some are afraid that others will respond with fear or contempt, possibly taking their money with them, and others just don’t believe in it.  In either case, it isn’t getting preached or taught in most churches.  I remember a time when I was a kid in which this subject seemed to be talked about nearly all the time, both behind the pulpits and outside the four walls of a church, but now it seems like it’s almost taboo to even discuss it.  People that once strongly believed in the pre-tribulation rapture, now it seems many of them no longer believe even in the rapture itself.  Sadly, this is another fulfillment of Bible end-time prophecy pointing to the ever-imminent return of Jesus for His followers.  Getting back to the issue, it’s scary to me that more and more churches are not preaching or teaching on Biblical end-time prophesies and the return of Jesus for His followers in the event we know as the Rapture.  When I think about this, I can’t help but remember some of the things Jesus said on the subject, things that should be a red flag for us to pay attention to.

 

When it comes to His return for us, on multiple occasions Jesus tells us to watch and pray, and He said it with emphasis.  Each time He said it, it was not a suggestion or a recommendation, but it was a strongly stressed command.  What does it mean to watch and pray?  To watch for His return, it means that we need to expect Him to return at any moment, and with that to be watching the signs of His coming.  Granted, there are no specific signs pointing to His return at the Rapture, but there are many signs pointing to the Tribulation Period, and when we begin to see those signs being fulfilled pointing to the Tribulation Period, that should tell us that the Rapture is that much sooner.  There are some who say we don’t need to be watching for Jesus to return at any moment, or even to be watching the signs of His return, but that is simply in contradiction to what Jesus tells us to do.  I don’t know about you, but I believe Jesus means what He says, He says what He means, and since He knows more than we do I think it best to take Him at His words and be obedient to them.  To not be watching as He has commanded us is disobedience wrapped up in pride that says we know better than Jesus what we need or don’t need to do.  In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus tells us not only to watch, but He also tells us to pray that we are counted worthy to escape that which is coming on the earth.  Counted worthy?  Yes, that is what Jesus said.  Some will argue that we are already worthy at the point of salvation, and that we will remain worthy from that time forward no matter what, but there are many passages in Scripture that would seem to contradict that way of thinking.

 

In Titus 2:11-13 and 1 John 3:2-3, we are told that as we look forward to Jesus’ return for us in the Rapture, the Blessed Hope, we are to purify ourselves from sin and all ungodliness.  For those who believe their admittance into Heaven was sealed at the point of salvation, and that there is nothing more they need to do until then, it is a dangerous place to be in because it becomes very easy to not take the presence of sin in their lives seriously.  According to the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John, the more we look forward to Jesus’ return for us, the more we should be motivated even more to repent of sin in our lives and turn from it.

 

So, how serious is it that we be watching for Jesus’ return for us?  Well, apparently Jesus takes it pretty seriously.  In Revelation 3:1-6, speaking to the church in Sardis, He pretty much tells them to repent and start watching for Him, and that if they don’t watch for Him to return, they will miss it when He does.  I don’t think you can get much clearer than that.  If we don’t watch for Him to return, then we will be caught off guard and miss it when it does happen.  Is there another passage that lends some weight to this?  Yes, there is.  In Revelation 16:15, Jesus makes it clear that those who are watching for His return, and who keep their garments clean of sin, they are blessed.  But He goes on to say that those who did not watch and keep their garments, people will see them naked (without their robes of righteousness) and see their shame as ones who knew the truth but didn’t take it seriously enough to apply it to their lives.  Wow!  I guess that means we should be watching for Jesus’ return for us, and to make sure we’re ready when He does.  Going back to the main theme for today, how will people know about Jesus’ soon return, the need to be watching for Him, and the need to keep our garments clean of sin, if no one is preaching and teaching them about it?

 

How shall they know ….

 

In Ezekiel 33:1-11, God makes it very clear that if we don’t warn others of what is coming, then their blood will be upon us.  However, if we do warn people of what is coming, and how to prepare and avoid it, then if they choose to disregard the warning then their blood will be upon themselves.  This should be a stark warning for all followers of Christ given that we have been given a message we are commanded to share with the lost, and if we neglect to do so their blood will be upon us.

 

Do you realize that Jesus’ return for His followers is very close and could happen at any moment?  Do you even care?  Jesus isn’t going to rescue you from the judgment that is coming to the world if you really aren’t concerned about it.  He’s looking for people who are eagerly waiting for Him to return for them, the Blessed Hope we read about in Titus 2:13.

 

Perhaps you are a Christian, but you haven’t been living as you know you ought to, allowing sin and idolatry to reign in your life.  If that is you, then I strongly encourage you to repent of such, to make things right with Jesus, asking Him for forgiveness and turning away from the sin.  Don’t play what I call Russian Roulette with your eternity because you want to hang onto that which is sin and dishonoring to God.  Do it today!  Don’t delay!

 

Maybe you have never given your life over to Jesus.  Maybe you have been living life as you wanted, and on your terms, but in listening to me today you realize there needs to be a change in your life.  You are seeing the signs I mentioned earlier only increasing, and you can tell things are not going to get any better but instead much worse, and you want to avoid as much of it as possible and realize the only real way of doing so is by surrendering your life to Jesus.  Well, you can make that change right now wherever you are.  It’s simple, as simple as “A, B, C”.  Let me tell you how.

 

For you to be considering making such a change in your life, this only shows that God is speaking to you.  He wants to have that saving relationship with you far more than you could ever want it yourself.  To enter that relationship with Him, the first thing you need to do is acknowledge that you are a sinner.  To acknowledge, or to admit, that you are a sinner is the “A” in the “A, B, C’s”.  This may be difficult for some to do, but it’s vitally important.  We are told in Romans 3:10 that no one is righteous or good, no, not one.  The reason for that is found in Romans 3:23 where we’re told that all, everyone, has sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  This means that nobody is good enough, no matter how good we may be, because we all have sin in our lives.  Continuing in Romans, we are told in Romans 6:23 that the wages of our sin is death, or in other words the penalty of the sin in our life is eternal death.  So, where does that leave us?  We are told in Ephesians 2:8-9 that the salvation God offers us is a gift of God, something we receive by grace and through faith.  No one deserves salvation, and no one certainly can earn it through works of any kind, but rather it is a gift from God.  To receive this gift from God, the first thing a person must do is “A”, acknowledge or admit that they are a sinner.

 

The second thing a person must do, and this is “B” in the “ABC’s”, is to “BELIEVE” in their heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  It’s not just a mental believing as some would like it to be, but rather a believing that dictates the way one lives their life.  It’s a way of life that reflects and supports what they say they believe.  In James 2:19 were told that even the demons believe, and they tremble, but salvation is not available to them.  Just having a head knowledge is not enough.

 

The third thing a person must do, and this is “C” in the “ABC’s”, is to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”  You need to call Jesus Lord, and to do so means one must surrender their life to Him.  There is coming a time when every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess to God that He is Lord.  Now is the time for salvation, and now is the time to voluntarily surrender your life to Him.  The eternal rewards for surrendering your life to Jesus is far greater than anything this world could ever hope to give you.

 

Is a relationship with Jesus like I’ve described important and worth it?  It is most definitely worth it, and then some.  I won’t say that life will be easier or with less problems, but it will be more fulfilling, and with that there is a Blessed Hope for all Christians to embrace and pursue.  More and more people are beginning to feel hopeless with life, especially when they see everything that is happening around them and around the world, but as Christians we have a hope that is solid and independent of anything this world could ever hope to offer us.  The signs we are seeing across the news headlines now days only energizes the hope we have of Jesus’ ever imminent return for us.  It is that same hope, that Blessed Hope, that encourages Christians to keep the faith and to continue living for Him and Him alone.  Are you one of those who place their trust and hope in Jesus?

 

If you do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, and you would like to, I encourage you to talk to God right now.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or eloquent, just a sharing of your heart to Him.  If that is you, and you’re ready to give your life to Jesus, then say this prayer from your heart and to Him.  Again, it’s not a formula, just a sharing of your heart to Him.

 

“O God, I am a sinner.  I’m sorry for my sin.  I want to turn from my sin.  I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin, that He was buried, that You raised Him to life, and that He’s coming to take me back to His house in heaven very soon.  I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, trusting only in His shed blood as more than sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me.  Amen.”

 

Now that you have entered into this relationship with Jesus, I strongly encourage you to find a Bible and start reading it, and to find and get plugged into a solid Bible-believing church that teaches and preaches the full Gospel of Jesus, which includes Bible prophecy and the need to be living righteously and holy before the Lord in all your ways.

 

In closing, know that Jesus is coming soon, very soon, for His followers, and it is vitally important for each of us to be found both watching and ready for Him when He does.  Don’t get lulled into the deceptive thinking that His return is not near for one reason or another, especially when the fulfillment of the signs given in the Bible tell us that it’s at the door.  It’s our responsibility to be watching the signs for Him, and to be ready, free of any spots, blemishes, or wrinkles brought on through sin in our lives.

 

Remember these two things:

  • The King is Coming!
  • Be ready for Him when He does!

 

By John Johansson

At the Doors

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Hello, Everyone!  Welcome to another broadcast of the Resounding Shophar Blast!  In case you haven’t been watching, there is a lot going on right now regarding the fulfillment of Biblical end-time events, so much so that some people are scrambling just to keep up with everything that is going on.

As I observe all that is going on right now, I am reminded of something that took place back in December of 1989.  The event was a meeting between then President George W. Bush, Sr. and the Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev on the island of Malta.  I don’t remember much about that event, but what I do remember was something said by a well-known news anchor who was on a boat in the middle of the Mediterranean, and during a storm.  This news anchor, and I don’t remember which one it was, while he’s on the deck of the boat braving the storm, told the audience that things were happening so fast that they were having trouble keeping up and reporting all the news taking place.  When I heard him say that, immediately God quickened to me that when the time comes for Jesus to return for His Bride and for the start of the Tribulation period, things will be happening so fast that people’s heads will be spinning, and what the world was experiencing at the time this reporter made these statements was only a glimpse, a taste, of what will happen when God says it’s time.  People are now actually beginning to comment about how so much is happening right now in the area of Biblical end-time prophecy fulfillment, they are having trouble keeping up with it all.

In Matthew 24:32-35, as well as in Mark 13:28-31, Jesus gives us the parable of the fig tree.  In the Bible, the fig tree is symbolic of the Nation of Israel.  When Jesus gave this parable, Israel was not a nation, but He was looking at a future time when Israel would become one.  In this parable, Jesus makes it known that the generation that sees Israel become a nation will not pass away until all the things He previously mentioned takes place.  Well, Israel became a nation May 14, 1948, and ever since then the fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophecies has kicked into high gear along with the highly anticipated return of Jesus for His Church.  Some people want to say that it will be several years yet before Jesus returns, and some say even at least 100 or more years yet, but there is one very big problem with this rationale.  The generation that saw Israel become a nation is about to pass away, which means that there isn’t the 10’s or 100’s of years some would like to believe there is before Christ returns.  There has been much debate over the years as to how long a generation is Biblically speaking, ranging anywhere between 40 to 120 years, but the consensus seems to point to 70-80 years as mentioned in Psalms 90:10.  The current life expectancy statistics show just under 80 years, which seems to correlate very well with what we are currently seeing in the fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophecies.

In the parable of the fig tree, Jesus tells us that when we see all the signs He had mentioned taking place that we are to know that the end is near, at the doors!  Talking about end-time events and when Jesus will return for the Church, many people will comment about how the signs Jesus mentioned, as well as what has been mentioned in other passages, have been seen for years.  This only feeds into the fulfillment of one of the prophecies we’ve been given regarding the end-times, and that is found in 2 Peter 3:1-7 when the Apostle Peter tells us in the last days many will mock and question the promise of Christ’s return.  While it is true that many of the signs Jesus mentioned have been seen for years, the difference to the times we are now living in is that all the signs seem to be converging together at the same time.  This is different from the past in that not all the signs were present at the same time, but at different times and in different places.  As we watch the fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophecies all around us, as well as all the signs prophesied converging together at the same time, it is evident that the final fulfillment of the signs Jesus gave is near, even at the doors!

When we talk about the final fulfillment of the signs Jesus gave us being near, it is important for us to remember a couple things.  To begin with, some of the signs Jesus gave are directly connected to the Tribulation period we know will be coming, but we also know that if what He gave us relates to the Tribulation period, then that means the Rapture is that much closer.  Therefore, Christians who are watching for the return of Jesus for His followers in the Rapture are excited about what they are seeing, knowing that this only means that the Blessed Hope mentioned in Titus 2:13 is about to happen.  I’ve heard it said in the past, and I’ve since mentioned it myself at times, that when you begin to see the signs pointing to the fact that Christmas is near, that only means Thanksgiving is that much closer.  What we are seeing take place right now point to the reality that the Tribulation period is about to start very, very soon, and that only means that the pre-Tribulation Rapture is that much closer.

Notice that in Matthew 24:32-35, Jesus is talking about Israel.  He’s not talking about America, which didn’t come into existence until over 1700 years later, or any other country or people group.  He’s talking about Israel and the Jewish people.  What should that tell us?  That should tell us that Israel is God’s prophetic timepiece, not America, or any other country or people group.  In fact, when we look at Bible end-time prophecies, both in the Old and New Testaments, it’s all pretty much centered around Israel and the Jewish people.  Those who want to say that God is done with Israel, and that He replaced them with the Church, a teaching that is spreading more and more within Church circles, they haven’t really read their Bible as that is most definitely not the truth.  In fact, the Tribulation period the Bible talks about was prophesied for the Jewish people way back in Daniel 9, the purpose of which is to judge and discipline Israel and bring them to a place where they will acknowledge Jesus as the messiah they have been promised from the beginning, the same Jesus they rejected almost 2000 years ago.  So, not only does this mean that God is not done with the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people, but it also means that Israel is the prophetic timepiece God is using.

In Matthew 24:3-4, Jesus is asked by the disciples as to when He would be coming and when would the end of the age be, and Jesus’ initial response to them was to not be deceived.  As we see more and more of the signs of the end-times being fulfilled, it becomes even more necessary for us to be guarded against being deceived.  In 1 Timothy 4:1-3 and 2 Timothy 4:1-5, we are told by the Apostle Paul that deception will be strong in the last days as Christians will fall away from the faith to embrace false doctrines inspired and promoted by demons, false doctrines that tickle peoples ears who reject the truth to embrace that which feels and sounds good.

Deception is not limited to just false doctrines and teachings, but also to that which distracts us away from the truth and what we are called to be as ambassadors of Christ.  One form of deception that is often overlooked is that of misdirection, the practice of getting peoples attention away from where it needs to be and onto something else.  This is something that is often seen in the area of magic tricks and those who practice the art of illusions, making something appear to be something other than what it really is, but it is employed in a variety of ways that include directing the focus of Christians away from Biblical truth and onto something else that feels and sounds good.  We see this happening in various forms within the Church. 

Jesus mentioned that when we see all the signs He told us about being fulfilled, then we are to know that they are indicating to us that the Tribulation period and His subsequent return to establish His kingdom here on earth is very near, even at the door.  So, what are those signs that Jesus mentioned?  One of the signs He gave us, going along with that of deception, was of false prophets in verses 4-5.  While we are seeing some who claim to be Jesus, this will only increase especially leading up to the Tribulation period.  These will join the crowd of false teachers who teach and promote false doctrine that does not line up with Scripture, something that is becoming more and more prevalent in the days we are currently living in.

Another of the signs He mentioned is found in verses 6-7, and that is of wars and rumors of wars.  There is currently no shortage of wars going on, and rumors of wars about to break out around the world is great, and it seems to only be increasing.  These include the Biblically prophesied wars found in Psalms 83, Isaiah 17, and Ezekiel 38-39, wars that appear to be right around the corner, some of which could happen any day now.

Another sign that Jesus gave in verse 7 was that of famines, pestilence, and earthquakes.  Famines are only increasing as regions are either experiencing severe drought, severe flooding or other natural catastrophes that devastate crop productions and other food sources, and which greatly impact availability and access to food and pure water.  Pestilence is also increasing around the world with disease epidemics growing and expanding all over the place, as well as the re-emergence of some diseases long thought to be no longer in existence.  As for earthquakes, they are increasing both in number and intensity as never before, and even in places once thought to be free of earthquakes.  Might I also add the increase in volcanic activity all around the world, activity that can in themselves sometimes create earthquakes?

In verse 9 we see that the Jewish people will be hated by all nations, also known as anti-Semitism, something that is present even now and speedily growing all over the world.  Even in America this is becoming more of a reality as never before in this country.  And in verse 12 we read that lawlessness will abound, and that the love of many will grow cold.  We are seeing both as never before, and as fast and powerfully that it’s growing there are no signs of it diminishing one bit anytime in the foreseeable future.  Lawlessness is becoming a global problem infecting all walks of life and positions of leadership.

Again, while each of these signs have been present at different times and in different places in world history, the main difference from the past and the present is that they are all happening simultaneously as if they are all converging to a point of time in the near future.  In other words, the end of life as we know it is at the doors.  Are you ready for it?

When Noah built the ark, he had 120 years to preach about the judgment coming to all the world, but only eight entered the ark.  The people mocked him until the judgment came, and by then it was too late for them.  When Lot was saved, he was warned by angels that God was going to pour out judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, but only he and his wife with two of their daughters left.  Sadly, however, Lot’s wife didn’t get very far before she looked back at Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt instead of getting to safety.

In like manner, God has warned us for thousands of years of the judgment coming to the world both in the Bible and in the fulfillment of Bible end-time prophesies.  Yet, people are not believing it even though the signs are screaming the truth and reality of this.  People are caught up with life in general, enjoying all that they can oblivious to what is going on in the world, and for some of them believing that we still have time because of one thing or another.  Some are even embracing prophesies of good things from people who believe false doctrine, discounting the fulfillment of the signs all around them which validate what God tells us in the Bible.  We can even see this as a fulfillment of the prophecy mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, where it talks of those who will not endure sound doctrine and truth but will instead embrace those who tickle their itchy ears with good fables.

Again, the Tribulation period and the subsequent return of Christ back to earth to establish His kingdom here is at the doors, and you don’t have to be here for that.  You can miss all of that, but it’s entirely up to you.  Those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus, those who have shown themselves faithful in living for Him in every area of their life, they will escape all that is coming in what I call the great evacuation, the Rapture.  This is one appointment you don’t want to miss!

Do you realize that Jesus’ return for His followers is very close and could happen at any moment?  Do you even care?  Jesus isn’t going to rescue you from the judgment that is coming to the world if you really aren’t concerned about it.  He’s looking for people who are eagerly waiting for Him to return for them, the Blessed Hope we read about in Titus 2:13.

Perhaps you are a Christian, but you haven’t been living as you know you ought to, allowing sin and idolatry to reign in your life.  If that is you, then I strongly encourage you to repent of such, to make things right with Jesus, asking Him for forgiveness and turning away from the sin.  Don’t play what I call Russian Roulette with your eternity because you want to hang onto that which is sin and dishonoring to God.  Do it today!  Don’t delay!

Maybe you have never given your life over to Jesus.  Maybe you have been living life as you wanted, and on your terms, but in listening to me today you realize there needs to be a change in your life.  You are seeing the signs I mentioned earlier only increasing, and you can tell things are not going to get any better but instead much worse, and you want to avoid as much of it as possible and realize the only real way of doing so is by surrendering your life to Jesus.  Well, you can make that change right now wherever you are.  It’s simple, as simple as “A, B, C”.  Let me tell you how.

For you to be considering making such a change in your life, this only shows that God is speaking to you.  He wants to have that saving relationship with you far more than you could ever want it yourself.  To enter that relationship with Him, the first thing you need to do is acknowledge that you are a sinner.  To acknowledge, or to admit, that you are a sinner is the “A” in the “A, B, C’s”.  This may be difficult for some to do, but it’s vitally important.  We are told in Romans 3:10 that no one is righteous or good, no, not one.  The reason for that is found in Romans 3:23 where we’re told that all, everyone, has sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  This means that nobody is good enough, no matter how good we may be, because we all have sin in our lives.  Continuing in Romans, we are told in Romans 6:23 that the wages of our sin is death, or in other words the penalty of the sin in our life is eternal death.  So, where does that leave us?  We are told in Ephesians 2:8-9 that the salvation God offers us is a gift of God, something we receive by grace and through faith.  No one deserves salvation, and no one certainly can earn it through works of any kind, but rather it is a gift from God.  To receive this gift from God, the first thing a person must do is “A”, acknowledge or admit that they are a sinner.

The second thing a person must do, and this is “B” in the “ABC’s”, is to “BELIEVE” in their heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  It’s not just a mental believing as some would like it to be, but rather a believing that dictates the way one lives their life.  It’s a way of life that reflects and supports what they say they believe.  In James 2:19 were told that even the demons believe, and they tremble, but salvation is not available to them.  Just having a head knowledge is not enough.

The third thing a person must do, and this is “C” in the “ABC’s”, is to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”  You need to call Jesus Lord, and to do so means one must surrender their life to Him.  There is coming a time when every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess to God that He is Lord.  Now is the time for salvation, and now is the time to voluntarily surrender your life to Him.  The eternal rewards for surrendering your life to Jesus is far greater than anything this world could ever hope to give you.

Is a relationship with Jesus like I’ve described important and worth it?  It is most definitely worth it, and then some.  I won’t say that life will be easier or with less problems, but it will be more fulfilling, and with that there is a Blessed Hope for all Christians to embrace and pursue.  More and more people are beginning to feel hopeless with life, especially when they see everything that is happening around them and around the world, but as Christians we have a hope that is solid and independent of anything this world could ever hope to offer us.  The signs we are seeing across the news headlines now days only energizes the hope we have of Jesus’ ever imminent return for us.  It is that same hope, that Blessed Hope, that encourages Christians to keep the faith and to continue living for Him and Him alone.  Are you one of those who place their trust and hope in Jesus?

If you do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, and you would like to, I encourage you to talk to God right now.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or eloquent, just a sharing of your heart to Him.  If that is you, and you’re ready to give your life to Jesus, then say this prayer from your heart and to Him.  Again, it’s not a formula, just a sharing of your heart to Him.

“O God, I am a sinner.  I’m sorry for my sin.  I want to turn from my sin.  I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin, that He was buried, that You raised Him to life, and that He’s coming to take me back to His house in heaven very soon.  I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, trusting only in His shed blood as more than sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me.  Amen.”

Now that you have entered into this relationship with Jesus, I strongly encourage you to find a Bible and start reading it, and to find and get plugged into a solid Bible-believing church that teaches and preaches the full Gospel of Jesus, which includes Bible prophecy and the need to be living righteously and holy before the Lord in all your ways. 

In closing, know that Jesus is coming soon, very soon, for His followers, and it is vitally important for each of us to be found both watching and ready for Him when He does.  Don’t get lulled into the deceptive thinking that His return is not near for one reason or another, especially when the fulfillment of the signs given in the Bible tell us that it’s at the door.  It’s our responsibility to be watching the signs for Him, and to be ready, free of any spots, blemishes, or wrinkles brought on through sin in our lives.

Remember these two things:

  1. The King is Coming!
  2. Be ready for Him when He does!

John Johansson

Gut Check

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Hello, everyone.  Glad you could join us today for another broadcast of the Resounding Shophar Blast!  The last couple weeks we looked at the signs and the need for us to be paying attention to the signs indirectly pointing to the return of Jesus for us, His Bride, the Church, His followers.  As I’ve mentioned in earlier broadcasts, my heart is first to remind Christians that Jesus is coming back at any time, and that they need to make sure they are ready when that time comes.  Today, I want to look at one of many reasons some Christians will not be ready when the time of Jesus’ return takes place.

When someone is expecting something to take place, how much they believe it will happen is seen in their preparation for it.  For example, if a person is excited about attending a football game where their favorite team is playing for the championship, they will be sure they have the proper attire for the event cleaned and ready, they will make sure the car is fueled up and ready to go, and that they have enough cash to pay for the $1,000 hot dogs being sold there.  Or, if someone is waiting to be picked up by a friend to attend a birthday party for their best friend, they will make sure they are dressed and ready to go, that the present they are taking to the party is boxed and wrapped up with a nice bow, and they will be all ready to simply walk out the door when their friend arrives.  In the same way, if a person is expecting Jesus to arrive at any moment, they will be sure to do all they can to be ready when that event takes place.

This picture of followers of Christ being ready when Jesus returns for us is seen in the parable of the ten virgins located in Matthew 25:1-13.  In this parable, there are ten virgins, Christians who are waiting and expecting the bridegroom to return for them, but only five of them were wise in making sure they were adequately prepared when that time came.  The five foolish virgins had not taken the initiative to make sure they were prepared for that time, and as a result they were left behind and were refused entrance to the wedding festivities.  So, what could keep someone from being ready when Jesus returns for us?  There are any number of reasons that this could be the case, but I want to look at one reason a person may find that they were not ready when they needed to be.

I realize that this is a controversial issue within Christian circles, but nonetheless it must be mentioned, and that is the idea that a Christian’s eternal destination is forever sealed at the point of salvation, where they surrendered their lives to Jesus.  In other words, we are talking of those who don’t believe that a Christian can “lose” their salvation, a dangerous teaching that is putting many at risk of falling short of eternity in heaven with Jesus.  I first want to mention that I don’t believe everyone that believes this train of thought is not going to heaven, but rather that those who do run the risk of not being ready when the time of Jesus’ return comes.

Why would the teaching that Christians can not lose their salvation be a dangerous one for people to embrace?  Well, the reason is really quite simple.  If they believe their eternal home has already been sealed and is non-revocable, then it becomes very easy for someone to slack off and not take their relationship with Jesus seriously.  And if a person isn’t taking their relationship as seriously as they ought, then they are more apt to allow unconfessed sin to continue in their life, or to put something or someone other than Christ on the throne of their heart, which is idolatry in the sight of God.  In other words, the person becomes complacent and apathetic as a follower of Christ.

Obviously, some will still argue that a Christian can not “lose” their salvation, but let’s take a brief look at some passages that would seem to indicate otherwise.

In John 15:1-8, Jesus identifies Himself as a vine, and that we are the branches of that same vine.  In order to be a part of the vine, one must be in a life-giving relationship with Jesus.  If a person never comes to salvation through Christ, then they are never a branch attached to the vine.  However, if a person enters a relationship with Jesus through salvation, then they become a branch attached to the vine.  In verse two, we are told that every branch that does not bear forth fruit He takes away.  In verse six, we are told that anyone that does not abide in Him will be cast out as a branch and withered, showing that while they initially received the life-giving nutrients available only through Christ, they are now no longer in a place to which they can continue receiving those.  Furthermore, we see that those same branches that were cast away for not abiding in Him, which meant they were no longer bearing fruit, were also thrown into the fire and were burned.  In this passage, we see a picture of those who had entered a relationship with Jesus at some point, but because they did not continue to abide in Him, they no longer bore fruit and were subsequently cast away and thrown into the fire.

We also see in 1 Timothy 1:18-19, that there are some who become shipwrecked in the faith because they rejected having faith and a good conscience.  When a sea vessel becomes shipwrecked, they have been immobilized to varying degrees, often suffering damage that sinks them to the bottom, a place they will more than likely “rest” for an indefinite amount of time which could be permanent.  The ship had to have a good beginning in order to take to the seas, but no matter how good it initially was it became shipwrecked sometime later.  This picture that the Apostle Paul gives us could be considered a parallel passage to that of John 15:1-8, in that there were some who started off good, but for one reason or another they became relationally disconnected from Christ.

Another passage to consider is found in 2 Peter 2.  This chapter is dealing with false teachers and false doctrines, and in verse 15 we read that they have “forsaken” the right way and gone astray.  Well, what does it mean to be forsaken?  The Greek word for “forsaken” is, “kataleipo” (2641), which means to abandon or leave behind.  This clearly indicates that some of these false teachers once knew Jesus and the truth of the Gospel, but through deception they had gone astray from the truth.

1 Timothy 4:1 is another passage that indicates that in the last days some will depart from the faith.  The Greek word translated as “depart” in this verse, “aphistemi” (NT:868), means to desist, to depart, to fall away, or to withdraw self.  Again, we are clearly seeing Scripture indicating that there will be some who, for one reason or another, will leave the faith, which subsequently means they will experience broken relationship with Jesus.

What about Romans 8:12-13?  In this passage, we read that those who live according to the flesh will die.  Some will argue that this chapter is showing the distinction between followers of Christ and those who are not, but we must consider two things before we can make that assumption.  To begin with, we read in Romans 1:7 that the Apostle Paul is writing to all the saints, all the Christians in Rome.  He’s not writing to non-Christians, but instead to Christians.  Second, Romans 6 speaks to us about submitting ourselves to unrighteousness and sin, or to righteousness that leads to life, an option that only Christians can make.  Non-Christians are bound to unrighteousness and sin, and even if they change their sins, so to speak, they are still bound to unrighteousness apart from a relationship with Jesus.  However, having been set free from the bondage of sin and unrighteousness through Jesus, we now have the option, the freedom to choose, to submit ourselves to unrighteousness or to righteousness.  So, when we look at chapter 8, we must view it as a chapter exclusively addressing Christians.  To solidify that point, let’s take closer look at verses 12-13.

In verse 13, we are told that those who live according to the flesh will die.  If a person is already born dead in trespasses, how can they die if they are already dead?  They would have to first come alive for them to die, but we know that a person can not become spiritually alive apart from a saving relationship with Jesus.  Furthermore, the Greek word for “die” in this passage is “apothnesko” (NT:599), which means to “die off”, either literally or figuratively.  This only reinforces the belief that not only is the Apostle Paul referring only to Christians, but also that Christians who live according to the flesh will die spiritually, unless they repent and start living according to the Spirit and will not find their eternal residence in Heaven.  In another verse in this chapter we read that those who live according to the flesh will not even be called the sons and daughters of God.

Other passages to consider are found in Revelation chapters 2-3.  In these chapters, Jesus is speaking directly to seven churches, Christian churches, as well as churches and Christians into the future.  When speaking to the churches, there are times when Jesus tells them to repent or suffer the consequences if they don’t.  I want to look specifically at chapter 3:1-6, the section where Jesus is speaking to the Church in Sardis.  In verse 2, Jesus tells the angel, or the messenger and minister there, that there are some who are ready to die.  It’s interesting that the Greek word for die in this passage is the same one we mentioned earlier for Romans 8:13, which means to die to an eternal death, and why is that?  That is because Jesus was not finding their works to be perfect before God.  This implies that not only is God expecting us to be doing “works” after receiving salvation, not to be confused with obtaining salvation apart from “works”, but that He also looks at our works and the motivations behind them to determine if they are right and holy in His sight.  This seems to coincide perfectly with what we saw in Romans 6 and Romans 8, where we have the option to submit ourselves to righteousness and live according to the Spirit of God, or to submit ourselves to unrighteousness and live according to the flesh.

In verse 4, we see another indicator that even though we have been washed clean of sin and unrighteousness at the point of salvation, we are not permanently clean of it if we allow sin and unrighteousness to continue in our life.  What I’m referring to is the word “defile”, which is the Greek word “moluno” (NT:3435) and means “to soil” figuratively.  If something or someone is already defiled, they cannot later become defiled because they already are.  In other words, a Christian can become defiled if they allow sin and unrighteousness to continue in their life.  Therefore 1 John 1:9 is so vital for us as followers of Christ.  If when we are saved, we remain permanently clean of all sin and unrighteousness, and that our future admittance into heaven is permanently sealed, then why would the Apostle John say, “if WE confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us all unrighteousness”?  Obviously, the Apostle John was saved, so why would he include himself in both the present and future tense in the statement if there was no way he could become defiled with sin?  This reminds me of what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:25-27, where he speaks of Jesus coming back for a bride without spot, blemish, or wrinkles.  Why would he mention that if it were not possible for Christians to acquire spots, blemishes, and wrinkles in their relationship with Jesus?  What about John 13 where we read of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet?  When Jesus came to wash Peter’s feet, Peter initially refused to let Jesus do so, but Jesus told him that if he continued to refuse then he would have not part with Him.  Peter then responded by telling Jesus to wash all of him, but Jesus responded by saying he only needed his feet washed because he had already been bathed.  I believe what Jesus was saying to Peter perfectly goes along with what we’ve been looking at today.  It’s practically impossible to go through this life, after having received salvation, and not get our feet dirty with sin and unrighteousness, which left undealt with can have serious and eternal consequences for us.  Therefore, John tells us to confess our sins so that we remain clean and righteous before Jesus.

How serious is it for us to stay clean and free of sin in our lives?  In Revelation 16:15 we get a pretty good glimpse of why that is important.  In an urgent news flash of sorts, Jesus interrupts what John is writing to tell us that those who are watching for His return, and who have kept their garments, or in other words kept their robes of righteousness clean and free of sin, that these people are blessed.  On the other hand, Jesus makes it clear that those who don’t watch or keep their robes of righteousness clean and free of sin will be naked and others will see their shame.  Jesus is making it very clear, in the middle of John’s account of that which was revealed to him regarding the last days, that if we don’t watch for His return or to keep our garments clean and free of sin, then we will lose our robes of righteousness, or in other words will be left behind, and those who see them will see their shame because they knew the truth and didn’t adequately apply it to their lives.

There’s one last passage I want to share with you regarding today’s topic, and that is found in Hebrews 6:1-8.  In this passage, we read that those who once had relationship with Jesus, but either due to neglect or a conscious choice had fallen away, that it is impossible to renew them again to repentance and salvation.  This is not a hypothetical situation that will never happen as some would believe, but instead a clear and definite statement of fact.  The impossibility is not found in whether this could happen or not, but rather in that it would be impossible to renew someone to repentance and salvation if this pertains to them.  In a book I wrote called “The Glory Filled Future”, I point out that there is a difference between those who backslide in the present and those who get left behind at the rapture.  The difference is that as Christians we are now in the marriage phase of our relationship with Jesus called a betrothal, but after the rapture there is no bride left here on earth to be betrothed to Jesus.  As being betrothed to Jesus, that betrothal can not be terminated except through divorce or death, which leaves room for an unfaithful bride, Christians not living as they ought, to make amends to her groom, Jesus, and then prove herself faithful to Him as she watches for His return.  However, any bride that is found to be unfaithful when Jesus returns and is left behind, I think this is where that passage in Hebrews is applied.  As a kid growing up in a Christian home, there seemed to be a mindset within Christian circles that if anyone got left behind, that there was a plan “B” to still make it to heaven.  However, as I look at this passage and others, including the parable of the wedding guest that got kicked out for not having the proper wedding apparel on, I believe this passage is telling us that there is no plan “B” for Christians who were neglectful in their relationship with Christ and got left behind.  That is not to say that people will not be getting saved during the Tribulation period, because Scripture is very clear that there will be many who will be, but I believe Scripture would indicate that it would be impossible for a Christian to miss the Rapture to later obtain salvation.

It is with the understanding from Scripture we have looked at today, and how that contradicts the teachings some embrace that their salvation is permanent no matter how they live, that I want to encourage each of you to take a gut check of your relationship with Christ.  If we are to be ready when Christ returns, then it’s important for us to re-evaluate our life and relationship with Jesus often, perhaps even daily.  If we have sin of any kind in our life, it is imperative for us to confess and repent of it to God, to turn from that sin asking God for forgiveness keeping our robes of righteousness clean without spot or wrinkle.  If we think that our salvation 20 years ago secured our eternal home in heaven, it will be easy for us to get slack and apathetic in our relationship with Jesus, or even to be watching for Him to return.  Don’t play Russian roulette with eternity by allowing sin to reign in your life, or by being apathetic regarding the return of Jesus for His followers.

Perhaps you have bought into the deceptive lie that a Christian can never fall from the faith and relationship with Christ.  If that is you, then I strongly encourage you to start taking your relationship with Jesus seriously in preparation for His ever-imminent return.  If you have allowed sin to remain in your life because you didn’t think it could interfere with your eternal destination, then I again strongly encourage you to repent of it and start living your life in a way that honors and pleases Him through obedience.

I venture to say that some of you listening to our broadcast today have never entered a saving relationship with Jesus, but you would like to.  Today is the day to receive the salvation Jesus makes available to us, and to do so is very simple.  While other religions require prospective adherents to do works, Christianity is not the same.  In Ephesians 2:8-9 we are told that salvation is a gift of God, nothing that we could ever earn or deserve, but the required steps to receive it is a simple as A, B, C.

Looking at the A, B, C’s of salvation, letter A represents the first step in the process, and that step is to “ADMIT” or to ACKNOWLEDGE that you are a sinner.  This is a simple step that can also be very difficult for some who find it hard to admit this of themselves.  However, Romans 3:10 tells us that no one is righteous, no, not one.  And why is that?  In Romans 3:23 we’re told that all, everyone, has sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  This means that nobody is good enough, no matter how good they may be, because they still have sin in their life.  We further told in Romans 6:23 that the wages of our sin is death, but as I mentioned earlier, Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that salvation is a gift of God that we can receive by grace and through faith.  So, the first thing one needs to do is “A”, to admit that they are a sinner.

The second thing a person must do, and this is “B” in the “ABC’s”, is to “BELIEVE” in their heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  It’s not just a mental believing as some would like it to be, but rather a believing that dictates the way one lives their life.  It’s a way of life that reflects and supports what they say they believe.  In James 2:19 were told that even the demons believe, and they tremble, but salvation is not available to them.  Just having a head knowledge is not enough.

The third thing a person must do, and this is “C” in the “ABC’s”, is to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”  You need to call Jesus Lord, and to do so means one must surrender their life to Him.  There is coming a time when every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess to God that He is Lord.  Now is the time for salvation, and now is the time to voluntarily surrender your life to Him.  The eternal rewards for surrendering your life to Jesus is far greater than anything this world could ever hope to give you.

Is a relationship with Jesus like I’ve described important and worth it?  YES!  Yes, it is.  I won’t say that life will be easier or with less problems, but it will be more fulfilling, and with that there is a Blessed Hope for all Christians to embrace and pursue.  More and more people are beginning to feel hopeless with life, especially when they see everything that is happening around them and around the world, but as Christians we have a hope that is solid and independent of anything this world could ever hope to offer us.  The signs we are seeing across the news headlines now days only energizes the hope we have of Jesus’ ever imminent return for us.  It is that same hope, that Blessed Hope, that encourages Christians to keep the faith and to continue living for Him and Him alone.  Are you one of those who place their trust and hope in Jesus?

If you do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, and you would like to, I encourage you to talk to God right now.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or eloquent, just a sharing of your heart to Him.  If that is you, and you’re ready to give your life to Jesus, then say this prayer from your heart and to Him.  Again, it’s not a formula, just a sharing of your heart to Him.

“O God, I am a sinner.  I’m sorry for my sin.  I want to turn from my sin.  I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin, that He was buried, that You raised Him to life, and that He’s coming to take me back to His house in heaven very soon.  I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, trusting only in His shed blood as more than sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me.  Amen.”

Now that you have entered into this relationship with Jesus, I strongly encourage you to find a Bible and start reading it, and to find and get plugged into a solid Bible-believing church that teaches and preaches the full Gospel of Jesus, which includes Bible prophecy and the need to be living righteously and holy before the Lord in all your ways. 

In closing, know that Jesus is coming soon, very soon, for His followers, and it is vitally important for each of us to be found both watching and ready for Him when He does.  Don’t get lulled into the deceptive thinking that you’re a shoo-in for eternity in heaven simply because you accepted the salvation offered you through Jesus Christ at some point in your past.  It’s our responsibility to be watching for Him, and to be ready, free of any spots, blemishes, or wrinkles brought on through sin in our lives.

The King is Coming!

Be ready for Him!

John Johansson

Can You Hear It?

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Can you hear it? The “midnight cry” is sounding out even now that the very near return of Jesus for His followers is imminent. Should we be hearing it? Or should we be ignoring it?

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Last week I shared about signs, specifically the need to be paying attention to the signs of Jesus’ soon return for His Bride, the Church. Today, I want to ask a simple question, “Can you hear it?”

Since the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, when I began to see the apathetic mindsets of some Christians towards the return of Jesus for His followers and the need to be living right in His sight, I have had a burden to remind Christians that Jesus could return at any given moment, and that they needed to make sure they are ready when that does take place.  It is with that backdrop that I believe God wants me to share my heart with you today.  If you have this apathetic mentality, I hope today will awaken you to break free of it.  If you don’t have this apathetic mentality, I hope you will be more aware of those around you that are apathetic, and with that be more active in helping to shake them out of their lethargy.

I’m titling this broadcast simply, “Can you hear it?”  It’s a phrase that I pull from the parable in Matthew 25:1-13 of the ten virgins, a parable that is well known by most of us.  This is a parable about our relationship with Jesus, how that He is coming back for us, and how it is vitally important for us to be ready when He does.  I am not going to dig into this parable today, but the title of this study comes from verse 6 which says; “And at midnight a cry was heard:  Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!”

The midnight cry was just one part of the marriage custom for Jews of the Old and New Testaments.  When the father of the groom gave the go-ahead for the groom to go and receive his bride too himself, someone would go ahead of the groom announcing that the groom was on his way.  My question for you is this, what is the “midnight cry” for us as Christians as it pertains to our Lord’s return?  And, “can you hear it?”

There is no doubt many different ideas as to what that midnight cry is, and there is really no way to know for sure what it is, but I have an idea as to what that cry is for us as followers of Jesus.  As I think about this, I believe the midnight cry must be something that only God can control.  Only the Father knows when Jesus is to return, and therefore it is up to Him to determine when and how that cry is to go out letting us know our Groom is on His way for us.  I believe that the midnight cry God would, and is even now sounding, is the fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophecies.  It is something we can not control, and it’s something that cannot be denied.

It’s been said that when you walk into a store on November 1st and see the Christmas decorations coming out and Christmas music being played, you know that Christmas is near.  But you also know that if Christmas is near, then Thanksgiving is that much closer.  In like manner, when we see Bible prophecies being fulfilled that are connected to the Tribulation Period, we can be assured that the Rapture of the Church is that much closer.  So, how close are we to the return of Jesus for us, His Bride?

When we look at prophecy, we need to remember that the nation of Israel is God’s prophetic timepiece.  It’s not America, it’s not any particular group of people, and it’s definitely not even the shadow governments frequently talked about by some (Deep State, Illuminati, the Bilderberg’s, etc.).  If you want to know where we are on God’s timetable for humanity, then you must look first and foremost at Israel and what is going on with them.  To ignore them is to ignore what God is doing, and where we are at.

In Matthew 16:1-4, we read about one of the occasions that the Pharisees and the Sadducees approached Jesus to test Him.  In this passage, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day because they could discern the signs of the weather, but they could not discern the signs of the times.  In a lot of ways, Christians today can be discerning in areas like politics, society, culture, just to name a few, but more and more Christians are unable to accurately discern the signs of the times prophetically speaking.  And why is that?  I believe, as others do, that the main reason for this is because Bible prophecy is not being preached or taught from the pulpits, and surprisingly I’ve recently heard that the topic of eschatology, the study of the end-times, is being dropped more and more from Bible schools and seminaries.  More and more ministers are graduating from colleges and seminaries with very little to no instruction on this vital subject.  It seems that the growing trend around America is to ignore or discount any discussion on the subject out of the fear of offending someone or being divisive, or that giving will drop, or that it would instill confusion and fear within their congregations.  For some ministers, perhaps it’s because they don’t know enough about it and the subject intimidates them.  As a result, very little is taught on the subject of end-time Bible prophecies and how they relate to followers of Christ.  Is it any wonder, under those circumstances, that so many Christians are not accurately discerning the times we’re in or hearing the cry going out?

A very prominent and influential pastor, someone whose name I believe most of you would readily recognize if I were to mention it, or the name of a book he wrote about 25 years ago, makes the following statement in one of his books.  In Acts chapter one, the disciples asked Jesus when He would restore the kingdom back to Israel, and according to this pastor Jesus’ response to them was, “the details of my return are none of your business.”  He further goes on to imply that anyone who gets distracted with Bible prophecy is not fit for the Kingdom of God.  In the past 20+ years or so, this pastor and his teachings have played a major, and perhaps pioneering role in current “Seeker Friendly” and “Church Growth” movements, a clear contributor to the absence of the teaching and preaching of Bible end-times prophecies.  While there is good that has come from his book, one would be hard pressed to deny his comments about Bible prophecy having an impact on churches today.  Again, is it any wonder why less and less churches are teaching and preaching on the subject?  More and more Christians are becoming illiterate when it comes to Bible prophecy, or should I say that more and more churches are raising up Biblically illiterate Christians who know very little if any Bible prophecy and what it means to them. 

More than a fourth of the Bible, almost a third, is filled with Bible prophecy.  And, contrary to what that minister says regarding Bible prophecy and the end-times, Jesus Himself gives us signs to watch for regarding His return.  In fact, Jesus even commands us in Mark 13:32-37, among other places, to be watching the signs, and in Revelation 3:1-6 He rebukes those who are not watching to the extent that they will miss Him when He does return.  Jesus adds an exclamation point of sorts to this in Revelation 16:15, too.

Bible prophecy is one of the key elements of the Gospel message, and without it the Gospel message is incomplete.  I recently heard someone say that 100,000’s of people, if not more than that, have come to salvation as a result of Bible prophecy.  As I thought about that, I am one of those individuals that was greatly influenced to surrender my life to Jesus as a result of Bible prophecy.  Not only that, but when we keep in mind that Jesus could return at any given moment, we will be more motivated to live in a way that is honoring and right in the sight of God.  When we truly believe that Jesus could return at any moment, we will be more serious and proactive in living right and making sure we’re ready for when Jesus does return.

Now that I’ve touched on the importance of knowing and following Bible prophecy, let me highlight some of the Biblical signs that are being fulfilled right before our eyes, and as I do ask yourself if you were aware of these before today.  In other words, have you been hearing the cry going out?

The Gog/Magog war; Ezekiel 38-39

We are beginning to see the final pieces of this prophetic war come together.  Despite some of the differences they may have, Russia, Turkey, and Iran have formed an alliance and are working together in the region.  While it can be argued that Russia is a friend of Israel at this time, they are allowing Iran who is bent on Israel’s complete destruction to establish a foothold in the region.  The economies of these three countries is tanking right now, and this is driving them even more into the area.  Turkey and Russia are both eyeing the eastern part of Syria, the area that the United States is currently controlling, to take control of the rich natural resources located there.  The scene and the many dynamics in the region are continually changing, but with every change it seems to solidify the near fulfillment of Bible prophecy regarding this war that is on the horizon.  The stage is being set as never before for the fulfillment of this war to take place, a war that many scholars of Bible prophecy believe takes place right before or right after the start of the Tribulation Period, and it could take place at any time in the very near future.

One world religion; Revelation 13:11-18

The Pope and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (the most important imam in Sunni Islam), on Monday, February 11, 2019, signed a historic covenant with each other to encourage believers from all religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and other faiths) to “shake hands, embrace one another, kiss one another, and even pray” with one another.  No where in the document does it make any mention of Jesus, and each time the word God is mentioned it is used simultaneously to identify Allah and the God of Christianity.  There has been a push for several years, and especially within the past few years, to merge the not only Christianity and Islam together, but in fact all the religions of the world together.  There have even been prominent Evangelical pastors and leaders who have participated in this attempt under the guise of being ecumenical with religious leaders of other faiths, including the minister I mentioned earlier, this all being done under the pretext of sharing the same desire to “love God” and “love thy neighbor”.  What happened just a few weeks ago is considered by many as the official start of the One World Religion as prophesied in Scripture.  This is no small thing, and we need to be watching as it develops more knowing this could be the beginning fulfillment of the One World Religion prophesied in Revelation 13.

Peace and Security; Daniel 9:23-27 (vs. 27); 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

President Trump’s “Deal of the Century” peace plan is a BIG thing.  A couple weeks ago, Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law, spoke at the Warsaw conference addressing in part the peace plan that will be unveiled in its entirety after the Israeli elections on April 9, 2019.  This conference was focused on peace in the Middle East and dealing with Iran, and the backdrop shown behind the speakers had the statement “Peace and Security in the Middle East”.  Apparently only five or six people know the contents of this “Deal of the Century” peace plan, but some of the details that have been supposedly leaked surrounding this peace deal seem to suggest it could include possibly a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, with the issue of borders and the potential dividing up of Jerusalem as parts of this deal.  There is a lot of speculation regarding what all is contained within this peace plan, but scuttlebutt is that there are some MAJOR points that will be unexpected and out of the norm, that countries will find parts that they absolutely don’t like and parts that they love, and there is a major push for all parties involved to cooperate with the plan.  Who knows, perhaps this peace plan will include the building of the third temple?  No matter what it contains, if this is the seven-year peace treaty prophesied in Daniel 9:27, we are very, very close to the return of Jesus for us, His followers.  We know that the Anti-Christ will not be revealed until after the Rapture, and that his revealing will be through his signing of a seven-year treaty with Israel, which starts the seven-year Tribulation period, and which further points to the imminent return of Jesus.

WITHIN THE CHURCH

Deception; Matthew 24:3-4, 2 Timothy 4:1-5

A lot of times when we talk of deception in the last days, we usually think of it as something evident in the world we live in, but Jesus’ warning to not be deceived was not to those who were not following Him, but to those who were.  Whether you see it or not, deception through false doctrine is growing.  Teachings that tickle the ears, that sound and feel good, that avoids any accountability for sin and unrighteous living, is drawing Christians left and right away from the truth, and deception then wins their hearts.  The deceptions many Christians are falling into isn’t just in what is being taught, but it’s also becoming increasingly more prevalent within the Christian music being played on Christian radio, the same songs that are used in churches for their praise and worship times.  Some of these songs and those who sing them, not only do the words promote some of the false teachings that are widespread within church circles, but some of those who sing them have roots in churches and movements that embrace such teachings.  These songs promote the false teachings of Kingdom Now, the New Apostolic Reformation, as well as the “seeker friendly” and some “church growth” movements.  We already know that we are to take any and everything that is being taught by anyone, even if it was Billy Graham or your favorite pastor or teacher, or even me, and hold it up to Scripture to see if what they say lines up, but we should also be doing that with the music we sing and listen to.  Sometimes it’s the music we hear and sing that is more impacting on our life than the words someone has said.  From the words of Jesus, “Take heed that no one deceives you.”

Falling away; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 4:1-2

As we see, the Bible clearly says that in the last days, the days leading up to the return of Jesus, will be a time when many will fall away from the faith.  It does not talk of revival and the building up and purifying of the Church leading up to the return of Jesus, but the contrary, and we are seeing that happen more and more.  Part of this is due to the deception we find in the church at large, some due to the deception found in the world, and some of it is due to people making conscious choices that reject God’s word in their life or to be subject to Him.  I heard a report a few years ago that stated over 90% of professing Christians don’t even have a Biblical world view.  About a year or so ago, the Barna group came out and said a recent study showed that 51% of professing Christians had no clue of what the Great Commission is, where it comes from, or what it means.  Within a few weeks ago, the Barna group released another report that showed 47% of PRACTICING Christian Millennials believe it is wrong to share your faith with others, especially with the hope that someone else will embrace your belief.  Wow!  Numerically speaking, there are conflicting reports as to whether or not Christianity in America is growing or shrinking, but it would appear from these statistics, as well as the choices and priorities some Christians are exhibiting, that coupled with the deception I spoke of a moment ago, while pews are being filled there is a growing number who are falling from the faith and the truth of the Gospel while filling those same pews. 

Mocking and scoffing; 2 Peter 3:1-7

Growing up in church, I remember hearing a lot of talk about the end-times, the Tribulation Period, the judgements of God, and the Rapture, especially the pre-tribulation Rapture.  In recent years, I’ve been amazed at how many of those who once believed in the Rapture now discount it as not true, or they deny that it will happen any time soon despite what we are seeing in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.  It’s one thing for unbelievers to mock the teaching of the Rapture, but we’re seeing more and more of that within church circles.  One well known prophecy teacher has actually taught how the Blessed Hope, which is the Rapture, has now become the Blasted Hope within Christianity as led by some influential Christian leaders.  What these people fail to realize, or they simply discount because they don’t believe in it, is that they are actually fulfilling Bible prophecy with these attitudes of mocking the Rapture teachings as they have.  When you hear of people, of Christians, who are mocking and ridiculing teachings on the Rapture, know that it is a sign that Jesus’ return is that much closer.

These are just some of the Bible end-times prophecies that are being fulfilled these days.  So, the question to be asked is, Can You Hear It?  It’s been said that we are “one minute before midnight” in regard to the start of the Tribulation Period, but I think it is safe to say that we are now just seconds, prophetically speaking, from that happening.  Are you watching?  Are you ready for Him?

Before we end today’s podcast, I must again ask each of you two questions.  First, if you were to die within the next few minutes, do you know whether you would go to heaven or not?  This is an important question that each of us need to ask ourselves.  Second, and this is a bit more thought provoking, if you were to die within the next few minutes and find yourself face to face with Jesus, and I’m not saying that is how it would be, but if He were to ask you why He should let you into heaven, what would your answer be?  Some people believe that everyone will eventually make it to heaven, and others believe that just because they’ve been good then that should automatically afford them eternal access into heaven, but that is not so.  In Ephesians 2:8-9 we’re told that salvation is simply a gift of God, something that is obtained by His grace and through faith.

Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

NKJV

If salvation is something nobody can earn or deserve, then how can one be saved, not just in this life but in the life to come on the other side of eternity?  Well, let’s keep this as simple as “ABC”, because it is simple.

Unlike other religions, Christianity does not require you to do works to receive salvation because it’s a gift from God.  Rather, it’s as simple as “ABC”.  To begin with, “A” stands for your need to “ADMIT” that you are a sinner.  Romans 3:10 tells us that no one is righteous, no, not one.  And why is that?  In Romans 3:23 we’re told that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  This means that nobody is good enough, no matter how good they may be.  Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of our sin is death, but the gift of God, the gift of God, is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Like we mentioned earlier, in Ephesians 2:8-9 we’re told that this gift of salvation is nothing that any of us can earn or deserve.  It’s simply a gift that He offers us by grace and through faith.  So, the first thing one needs to do is to admit that they are a sinner.

The second thing a person must do, and this is “B” in the “ABC’s”, is to “BELIEVE” in their heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  It’s not just a mental believing as some would like it to be, but rather a believing that dictates the way one lives their life.  It’s a way of life that reflects and supports what they say they believe.  In James 2:19 were told that even the demons believe, and they tremble, but salvation is not available to them.  Just having a head knowledge is not enough.

The third thing a person must do, and this is “C” in the “ABC’s”, is to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”  You need to call Jesus Lord, and to do so means one must surrender their life to Him.  There is coming a time when every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess to God that He is Lord.  Now is the time for salvation, and now is the time to voluntarily surrender your life to Him.  The eternal rewards for surrendering your life to Jesus is far greater than anything this world could ever hope to give you.

Is a relationship with Jesus like I’ve described important and worth it?  YES!  Yes, it is.  I won’t say that life will be easier or with less problems, but it will be more fulfilling, and with that there is a Blessed Hope for all Christians to embrace and pursue.  More and more people are beginning to feel hopeless with life, especially when they see everything that is happening around them and around the world, but as Christians we have a hope that is solid and independent of anything this world could ever hope to offer us.  The signs we are seeing across the news headlines now days only energizes the hope we have of Jesus’ ever imminent return for us.  It is that same hope, that Blessed Hope, that encourages Christians to keep the faith and to continue living for Him and Him alone.  Are you one of those who place their trust and hope in Jesus?

If you do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, and you would like to, I encourage you to talk to God right now.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or eloquent, just a sharing of your heart to Him.  If that is you, and you’re ready to give your life to Jesus, then say this prayer from your heart and to Him.  Again, it’s not a formula, just a sharing of your heart to Him.

“O God, I am a sinner.  I’m sorry for my sin.  I want to turn from my sin.  I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin, that He was buried, that You raised Him to life, and that He’s coming to take me back to His house in heaven very soon.  I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, trusting only in His shed blood as more than sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me.  Amen.”

Now that you have entered into this relationship with Jesus, I strongly encourage you to find a Bible and start reading it, and to find and get plugged into a solid Bible-believing church that teaches and preaches the full Gospel of Jesus, which includes Bible prophecy and the need to be living righteously and holy before the Lord in all your ways. 

In closing, if you haven’t been doing so already, you need to start listening for the cry that is even now pointing to the very near return of Jesus for His followers.  This “cry”, is seen in the fulfillment of Biblical end-time events, and while some may become depressed or discouraged with what they are seeing, and while others get their focus misdirected off of Jesus and His imminent return to focus on things here on earth, this is truly the most exciting times to be living in as Christians, as followers of Christ!  Watch the signs!  Listen to the “Cry”!

John Johansson

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