Prophecy, Facing Reality, Responding Accordingly :: By Dave Hubley

(There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.)

(There is a correction to my previous article at the end of this one.)

It is with mixed feelings that I write this article. Feelings of both joy and sadness.

It is one of life’s little juxtapositions.

There may be some who do not understand my position, especially those who may read this that have no interest in God, His Savior Jesus Christ, and the other things relative to His plan that are discernable only if enabled by the Blessed Holy Spirit’s indwelling of believers that results in the enabling of the understanding of Scripture.

There may even be some followers of Christ who may not understand it either, primarily due to having little or no interest in Bible Prophecy. Such a shame.

This article is prompted by the realities of God’s Prophetic Word rushing into view like a high-speed freight train.

I do not want anyone to perish, and God has made it clear that He does not either.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Having made that clear, I feel we must now face reality head-on. Situational awareness matters, and the Lord is executing His plans just as He promised.

In the famous movie Titanic [1997], possibly, the most sobering scene in the entire film was when the character, Rose, was told in response to her questioning of Thomas Andrews [played by Victor Garber], the man who was the builder of the stately, “not even God Himself could sink this ship” vessel, answered, “In an hour, or so, all this will be at the bottom of the Atlantic.”

In that same scene, Rose considered Mr. Andrews’ statement for a moment and then accepted the truth. It was convincingly portrayed by Ms. Winslet.

Given present current events and circumstances, it would be timely if people would respond in the same manner to the reality that America is not recoverable by any political candidate, any remnant of the military that is still loyal to the Constitution, lawyers, lawsuits, what few congressional members that are still loyal to their oath to protect and defend the Constitution, or any other human being(s), neither the rule of law nor any other mechanisms embedded in the Constitution by the founding fathers.

I believe evil and sin have become too firmly entrenched, not just in America but in the entire world.

Lawlessness now rules over the affairs of men.

This is, of course, my opinion and is made with the understanding that God could prove me wrong by intervening in the ongoing American (and worldwide) national and individual suicide that has become impossible to ignore. Indeed, He has done that many times over the span of human history.

But why should He continue to do it any longer?

Every evil act that is anathema to Him and His Righteous Laws is common practice now, and He has warned repeatedly over the entire course of human history that there must be, and will be, consequences for this deliberate disobedience and depravity.

“And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).

By the recording of these different events, God has demonstrated that there is a point at which, by His own authority, He must reluctantly execute His righteous judgment by destroying, in whole or in part, the offending nations and/or individuals.

Eventually, this human conduct will lead to the complete destruction of the world as it currently exists.

This is the reality that must be understood in order to respond accordingly.

There are two factors that bear witness to my sad but firm conviction that this is true, especially as far as America is concerned:

  1. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – John Adams.
  2. There is absolutely no mention of America anywhere in Bible prophecy.

When faced with impending, unavoidable calamity, people normally take some kind of action to prepare to deal with the circumstances once we accept and understand them.

It is also common for many to try to ignore unpleasant realities when we sense their presence.

Much like seeing the loss of an aging and beloved pet drawing near, we try to put the reality of it off, but we must eventually deal with the truth, as difficult as that is.

If they succeed in ignoring these things, they do nothing, and this is the sad status of most people today.

Coming to grips with reality must occur in order to make right decisions. Again, it is called “situational awareness,” and it must be faced.

The collision of current world events and the impending fulfillment of Bible prophecy will soon force people to choose one of only two options.

Like it or not, God is Sovereign over all creation, and His will will be done.

I believe God’s Word has made these two choices clear right from the outset.

  1. We can put our hope in man.
  2. We can put our hope in God through Jesus Christ.
  • In the first case, an honest review of human history should be enough to make the consequences of putting trust in man very clear. Are things getting better? Or worse? It’s a simple question with a yes or no answer.

It is a question you must answer for yourself. You have been given free will along with the responsibility and the accountability that accompanies it.

  • In the second, I would offer up the proof of Bible prophecy and its record, up to this point in history, of 100% accuracy. And it will be 100% at the end of history as well.

Prophecy, like God’s Righteousness, is rolling on like a river.

The Lord of creation has spoken for Himself through His Word.

“Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:22).

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Some say the Bible is a myth, or they will attempt to downplay its veracity by saying, “The Bible is just a bunch of books written by men.” There are so many smoke screens like this that I could go on for hours. Already fulfilled Bible prophecy debunks every one of them. Some have said, usually in an effort to condemn the Bible’s teachings, that Christianity is “exclusive,” meaning its claim to be the only way of Salvation is somehow unfair, false, or “mean-spirited.”

It is exclusive in only one respect: It is what God has established as the method He chose to bring about His perfect will to rescue people from the consequences of their sin without compromising His Perfect Righteousness.

It IS NOT exclusive in this incontrovertible truth. Absolutely no one is excluded from God’s Grace, Mercy and Salvation. The only thing that makes Christianity exclusive is a condition that those who reject it refuse to meet, which is to acknowledge that they are a sinner and that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and Him alone paid the price for their sins on the cross of Calvary.

They want to achieve it on their own merit, but God has already made it clear that that is not possible:

  • “All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
  • And, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
  • Salvation is a free gift offered to penitent humans, paid for by Jesus’ death in our place. (The entire Gospel / Good News).

It is a simple path to eternal life and rescue from a sin-doomed world.

The joy of writing this article is in knowing that God is, as He always has, keeping His Word and that the end of sin and rebellion, depravity and evil is drawing very near.

It is joy also that I can still convey this life-saving message to anyone who will listen. (Please see the special message below).

The sadness of writing it is that so many will not respond to the signs that are all around us by heeding and believing God’s message of life: The Gospel.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Emphasis added by me.

Now to the crux of this article.

  • You don’t have to take the path of destruction. You can choose life.
  • You must act. It is not earning salvation (works) that saves you; it is repentance and receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Again, it is a simple path to eternal life and rescue from a sin-doomed world.

If you have not yet received God’s free gift of redemption, I pray that you will not put His Grace off any longer.

The special message I promised you:

For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and therefore has no hope or peace in your life.

You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. The peace that passes understanding.

It requires that you come before God on His terms.

And, what are His terms according to His Word?

  • Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him).
  • Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God).
  • That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
  • To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt.
  • Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross.
  • To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion.

God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused.

  • No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one.
  • No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will.
  • Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions.

If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus, and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying, “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will.

“Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life” (John 5:24).

There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics or politicians. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek.

The answers are in the Word of God—The Bible. If you ask God, with all your heart, He will hear you.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Pro Salvator Vigilans

To contact me: canoeman96@gmail.com

Correction to previous article, “So What Makes “This Time” Any Different II”

Third paragraph: At that time, I wrote: “The imminence of the Rapture of the Church (the true Church) has undergone many undulations over the years. By imminence, I do not mean the scriptural indications – they remain [un]changed.

Correction above in BOLD.

My apologies! Scripture does not ever change.

 

Nobody Is Promised Tomorrow :: By Nathele Graham

What a joy it is to know that Jesus paid the price to redeem us from eternal death. Do you feel that joy? Many things can cause us to forget that joy. One thing that always seems to take joy away is confusion. There are so many “teachers” who have contradicting opinions, and they all speak with confidence and conviction. A new Christian, or one who hasn’t studied Scripture, can become confused as to whether they are saved or not. All conflicting teachings cannot be correct, so how do you know who to listen to?

I’ve been as confused as anybody, but through the years, I’ve learned to run everything through Scripture. God never changes, and His word always is truth. Confusion over what God’s word means isn’t a new problem but has been around for thousands of years.

The Apostle Paul did more to spread the Good News than anybody in history, and from various letters, we know that there were false teachers who would confuse people with new ideas. The gnostic teachers were very busy trying to corrupt the truth. Today we hear of people pushing New Age, meditation, yoga, purpose-driven, contemplative prayer, “Christian Meditation,” and more. Also, there were Judaizers who tried to draw Christians into thinking they were still beholding to the Law of Moses. Today, it’s called the “Hebrew Roots” movement. Some groups today say you cannot eat certain foods or be out after sundown on Friday night. It’s very important to understand the Law and the Prophets, but Christ died to provide us with the only way to find salvation. That way is to be born again.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

There’s even confusion over that verse. Some would have us believe that proof of your faith is speaking in tongues or suddenly becoming perfect. It’s not that complicated but means to admit you’re a sinner and humbly ask Jesus to forgive your sins.

The best way to know what to believe is to go to the source… Scripture. At various times in my life, I’ve been confronted with people who have very strong opinions of what God’s word says. I can’t think of one congregation I’ve attended that didn’t have unbiblical quirks. For instance, a very dear friend once told me that “God doesn’t even know you exist until you are baptized.” Not only did he equate baptism with salvation, but the baptism was only valid if done in his particular denomination. That was a very odd idea to me, so I went to Scripture and found this opinion to be false.

The entire Old Testament is account after account of people who lived prior to Christ being crucified and raised from the dead and never had a Christian baptism. People like Adam, for instance, and Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to name just a few. The pastor from that congregation wouldn’t teach from the Old Testament, so it’s no wonder there was confusion.

God certainly knew these men. Read about Jeremiah who was a young man who God called to be a prophet. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). God certainly knew Jeremiah long before Christ gave His life on the cross. That was enough to convince me that baptism is something that is very important as a public declaration of a personal decision. King David was certainly known to God, as were all of the Old Testament heroes of the faith. Take a look at Hebrews chapter 11, and you’ll see accounts of people who lived prior to the cross and heard God’s voice. They responded and accomplished great things because of their faith.

How many Christians today rest contentedly on the fact that they were baptized so that’s good enough for salvation? Were you a baby when you were baptized? At that time, did you realize you were a sinner and make a confession of faith? Faith is a personal choice, and a baby cannot choose to accept Christ. A baby has no idea about sin, nor can they make a profession of faith.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

If you haven’t made your own decision or confession of faith but were baptized as an infant, then you need to study God’s word and truly understand that you are a sinner and need Jesus to forgive you. Baptism doesn’t bring salvation; only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will save you.

The final command to His disciples was to spread the Good News. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16). It’s unbelief that condemns a person, not the lack of being baptized. That being said, baptism is very important. It’s a public declaration of an inward change and is an act of obedience.

Today, some well-meaning Christians would have us believe that we have to act a certain way or do certain things in order to be saved. The Apostle Paul was very to the point in his letters, which were all inspired by the Holy Spirit. He wrote to the Congregation in Ephesus to assure them, and us, that there is nothing that we can do to earn our salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If there had been a way to salvation other than through the shed blood of Christ on the cross, Jesus wouldn’t have had to suffer and die. There is no other way than by faith. You aren’t saved by “going to church,” although fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ will help keep you walking along the right path. Paul also made it clear, when writing to the believers in Rome, that it made no difference what a person’s ethnic background is, that faith is the key.

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:12-13).

Salvation is offered to everyone, and it’s up to each of us to share the Gospel with the people around us. Somehow, we’ve come to the false thinking that only pastors and missionaries are competent to share the Gospel with others. If your family and friends don’t hear the Gospel, they will never come to salvation. You need to share your faith.

“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? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15).

When we make a profession of faith, and it’s earnest, there should be a change of heart. Your neighbors and friends will see the new person you’ve become, and you’ll have the opportunity to share your faith. Don’t keep silent.

Once we come to realize how much we need Jesus and have placed our faith in Him, our faith should be evident in our changed life. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Remember that whatever you do and whatever you think, you will involve Christ. It isn’t easy to put sinful lifestyles aside. And the sin of gossiping and being judgmental or telling “white lies” are all sins to be overcome with Jesus’ help. There are many sins that are generally accepted by the world but aren’t acceptable in a Christian’s life. The Holy Spirit is sealed within us at the moment of true faith, and if we allow Him to work in us, we will bear His fruit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:22-24).

Christ gave everything for our salvation, and the only way to thank Him is to live our life to honor Him.

Salvation has many benefits. The first is the fact that we will live eternally with Jesus. The alternative is eternal death in the lake of fire. You see, your soul will live eternally, but we have a choice of living with Jesus or eternally dying. It only takes true faith to be assured of eternal life with Jesus. Admit that you’re a sinner. Too often, pride stops us from recognizing our sins. We are all sinners, but those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ are forgiven sinners. We will continue to struggle against sin, but the important thing is to keep your heart, mind, and spirit turned to Jesus.

Study your Bible and let the Holy Spirit show you God’s ways. Don’t try to twist Scripture to conform God to you, but honestly study and conform your life to God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Don’t just sit back and let someone tell you what Scripture says. Study for yourself. Instead of watching television and filling your mind with the ways of the world, pick up your Bible and study. One thing you can be assured of is that we are all a heartbeat away from death. No matter how young or how old you are, death could come at any time. Nobody is promised tomorrow. If death doesn’t take you, then Christians have the promise of the Rapture.

There are many ill-informed people who deny the truth that time is getting short. Time will end just as Bible Prophecy discloses. There will be a final seven-year period of time filled with horrendous judgment, but Christians won’t face those final years. All Christians will be taken Home prior to that time. Many people don’t study Scripture, so they don’t have the joy of knowing that Jesus will call us all Home. So many signs are pointing to the fact that it will happen soon. I hope that it happens before you finish reading this commentary. God didn’t give us an exact date, but He did give many signs.

The world is swiftly moving to a one-world economic system, and that is a sign of the end. As Russia continues to wage war in Ukraine, we know it’s just a stepping stone to the Middle East. Russia is already aligning with Iran against Israel. As I see reports of battles breaking out in Syria, specifically near Damascus, I remember that Damascus will be destroyed.

“The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 17:1-3).

It will happen; God said so. As you watch these things and many others happening, remember that the final seven years are on the near horizon, and the Rapture is even closer. You need to be sure that your salvation is secure. The only way to do that is to profess your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism won’t save you, nor will any other work.

You can profess your faith now, today. Salvation is too important to think that you will always have time to repent. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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