The pastor’s e-mail went something like this: “We have a group that meets every month or two for fellowship and discussion. We want to invite you to join us at our next meeting and give us your thoughts on good ways to prepare for the hard times we’re likely to see.”

Preparing for hard times that could take place before the coming of the Lord covers many things: spiritual preparation (faith issues); storage of food and water (famine); purchase of silver and gold (economic collapse); safe rooms (tornadoes), etc.

Also, some people scoff at those who prepare. They remind me of the foolish virgins who were not prepared to meet the Bridegroom because they took no oil with them (Matt. 25:1-13). And others remind me of the wise virgins who were prepared to meet Him because they took vessels of oil (symbolic of the Holy Spirit) along with their lamps.

To keep this article from being too long, it will be limited to spiritual preparation based on the teachings of Jesus in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12). Christians are in a spiritual battle and we need to know if we are performing by God’s standards. If we have a spiritual problem, we need to deal with it before Jesus comes for His Church. My check list contains eight attitudes or Christian characteristics.

Concerning our first attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Poverty of spirit concerns our attitude toward self. It can be narrowed down to how we think we are going to get into heaven:

By paying for our own sins or by trusting Jesus to pay for our sins for us? Getting into heaven requires a payment that God will accept not a payment that we want to pay (not something we want to give or do) and it is quite clear that faith in Jesus is the only thing that God will accept.

Concerning our second attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Mourning concerns our attitude toward our sin. If we are saved, our sin should cause us to be convicted by the Holy Spirit. This conviction should be accompanied by an attitude of unworthiness that should lead to grieving and confessing. Mourning over sin is a blessing because it can produce change that causes people to get their hearts right with God through Jesus.

Concerning our third attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Meekness concerns our attitude toward God and others. It means we are not self-righteous and we humble ourselves before God. It also means that we treat others in a kind, gentle, self-controlled, non-judgmental way. We are blessed when we have a right attitude toward God and others.

Concerning our fourth attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Hungering and thirsting after righteousness suggests an attitude of wanting spiritual food and drink to be more like Jesus. Physical food and drink are our strongest bodily appetites. We can eat and drink a lot, but it won’t be long until we want more.

We can get so hungry and thirsty that nothing else will satisfy us. In like manner, our desire for the Bread of Life (Jesus) and Living Water (the Holy Spirit) should be our strongest spiritual desire, we should always want it and we shouldn’t be satisfied with anything else. The one who hungers and thirsts for God’s righteousness is blessed because he knows his spiritual life and health depend on it.

Concerning our fifth attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Here mercy concerns our attitude toward the needs of others. It involves acts of compassion for the needy and the lost. Those who have this attitude are blessed because they will receive mercy from God.

Concerning our sixth attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Pure in heart refers to an attitude of sincerity or right motives. It means not being a hypocrite or not putting on a show or not attending church to look good or to receive a pat on the back. Those who attend and serve for the right reasons are blessed because they will see God in His magnificent glory.

Concerning our seventh attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” The attitude of peacemakers is to spread and preserve peace not to sow discord. It is to prevent strife not cause it or stir it up. The peacemaker is blessed because he belongs to God.

Concerning the eighth attitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Many church members never do anything in the church except attend about once a week, if that much. Some hop from church to church or stop attending because they get their feelings hurt or for some other petty reason.

Others serve in many ways, are falsely accused, criticized, etc., but they don’t fall away. They remain faithful, hang in there and persevere. This attitude of perseverance come what may (and it has started) is a blessing because they are in the kingdom.

One of the best ways to prepare spiritually for what is coming is to get our attitude in line with these eight God-given attitudes.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

Someone once said a showdown is a confrontation that is intended to settle a dispute. It is a moment of truth that usually comes at the end of a problem that two or more sides are unable to settle.

In 1948, Israel became a nation despite great opposition. The Arabs refused to accept the existence of Israel and they immediately launched an attack “to push the Jews into the sea.” But God’s Word says that He would put Israel back on the Promised Land at the end of the age to stay and the Arab’s failed miserably (Amos 9:15).

Ever since that war in 1948, politicians have been searching for a diplomatic solution to the Arab-Israeli controversy over Israel, but they can’t find one. The real problem is Satan’s desire to destroy Israel (Rev.12:12-17). The Arabs and their political allies are just tools in his evil hands.

Starting in the Garden of Eden Satan tried to prevent the First Coming of Jesus (the Seed of Woman), but Satan lost when Jesus died on the cross. Since the cross, Satan has done everything he can to destroy Israel because the Bible says Jesus will come back to Israel and Satan doesn’t want that to happen (Zech. 14:4).

Satan doesn’t want to be bound and chained for 1,000 years; he doesn’t want to be cast into the Bottomless Pit or for Jesus to be worshipped, or for the Word of God to go all over the world, etc.

So in the spiritual world, Satan is on one side and Jesus is on the other. And in the physical world, the Arabs and their political allies have taken Satan’s position and the Israelis and their supporters (those who believe the Bible) have taken Israel’s position.

Some say peace between the Arabs and the Israelis is possible, but according to the Bible the Arabs and the Israelis are in a confrontation that won’t end until the Second Coming of Jesus and the battle of Armageddon.

Don’t misunderstand this. The Arabs and their political allies will push this controversy until they get a phony peace treaty that will signal the start of the Tribulation period, but the Antichrist will break it at the middle of the Tribulation period and the issue will bubble and boil until that time of trouble approaches the end (Dan. 9:27).

When that time approaches, unclean spirits will gather the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to bring this matter to a head and they will get a showdown with Jesus that they will forever regret (Joel 3:2; Rev. 16:13, 17-20).

Consider these recent events:

The U.S. is working with France to draft a resolution for presentation to the UN Security Council shortly after the P5 + 1 is supposed to have a final agreement with Iran over her nuclear weapons (shortly after June 30, 2015). This Satanic document will give Israel and the PA 18 months to agree to a peace treaty.

If these two adversaries can’t agree to a peace treaty in 18 months, France will recognize the existence of a Palestinian State on the West Bank based on the pre-1967 lines. In effect, this would be a division of Israel and Jerusalem, a red line that God warned the nations not to cross.

Just recently, on Jerusalem Day 2015 (May 17, 2015), Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said, Jerusalem will remain undivided and under Israeli sovereignty “forever.” The PA responded by saying that they will never sign a treaty that doesn’t give them control of east Jerusalem.

So will control of an undivided Jerusalem go to Israel forever or will control of the eastern part of a divided Jerusalem go to the PA? This is a showdown (with God) in the making and the UN’s 18 month deadline will bring it to a head sooner than most people realize.

Also just recently, the new Israeli government got a new Deputy Foreign Minister, a lady named Tzipi Hotovely. Mrs. Hotovely soon met with some of Israel’s diplomats and told them she wants the world to know that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jews because God gave it to them.

Citing verses of Scripture she told these diplomats the entire earth belongs to God, He created it, and He can give it to whoever He wishes and He gave it to Israel. She urged those diplomats to return to the truth that God gave the Promised Land to the Jews, it belongs to them, all of it belongs to them and they don’t need to apologize for that.

Hey! That is what the Bible says.

So, supposedly (but probably not long) after June 30, 2015 the UN Security Council will pass a resolution to give Israel and the PA 18 months (perhaps until early 2017) to negotiate a peace treaty. These two warring sides can’t seem to settle their differences so a moment of truth will surely come. At that time, many world leaders will decide that it is time to bring the matter to a head.

They will attempt to settle the controversy. But they will ignore what God has said and try to settle it on their own terms. God knows the end from the beginning and He has already said their terms will not be acceptable to Him.

This is the bottom line: The world is rapidly approaching a showdown with God and the true church is rapidly approaching the catching up in the Rapture.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck