Even the secular, unbelieving world is stunned at all that is happening in our collapsing world. Most have no explanation for it. Some offer weak explanations that, to the tuned-in and spiritually astute, are laughable.

Even once-sound pulpits remain silent and perplexed. Political commentators suggest that if we just elect their candidate, all will be rosy again someday soon. Their faith is in their political party.

We Will Own Nothing and be Happy?

Leftists promise that if we fix climate change and spread the wealth around, we will achieve peace on earth. Outfits like the World Economic Forum suggest some day, if we follow their formula, we will own nothing and be happy! How can society be happy under Godless Communism?

Here are my conclusions as to why we’re where we are in history. I am sure the list is much longer than this but here goes:

• Our times are perilous because God is trying to wake up and warn a sinful world. People don’t listen when life is smooth-sailing.
• The Bible is fulfilling itself. It predicts perilous times (II Timothy 3); a Laodicea end-time church; a Romans 1 society at the end, characterized by depravity. Evil and violence will escalate. The “birth pangs” will become intense and will be hard to watch and read about. We get worn out seeing floods, fires, droughts, and hurricanes. But the Bible says these things must happen.
• God is warning because He always warns before He judges, and the world is facing judgment. It is being judged now, but far worse is coming during the Tribulation. This is just a warm-up.
• There are terrible consequences when we don’t do things God’s way. Society will fail. The church will head into apostasy. But prideful mankind always thinks their way is best, and wreckage results.
• God is specifically sending a message to His church. He is trying to shake us up so that we will wake up and ultimately look up.
• America and the world are now caught up in end-time strong delusion. That has serious consequences. Delusion does not permit people to think rationally and to act reasonably. It does not allow people to vote sensibly. The consequences are staggering.
• Many think that politics will be the savior, or a particular political party. They just want to “make America great again” but minus God’s oversight. God is letting us know that only “one nation under God” will ever function properly, and no nation can be great and Godless.
• America showed God the door fifty years ago. That has consequences. His blessing and protection may have left when we opened that door!
• God is allowing some pre-Tribulation birth pains on the entire world. But what we see happening today is minor compared to what is coming. The Church will be absent during that Tribulation time, so in the meantime, may we have a greater burden to save people from the wrath to come. The consequences for a world that rejects Jesus Christ are unthinkable.
• America and other Western powers have to fade as world influencers so that global government can rise up and rule the world. As these nations diminish, keep in mind that this is orchestrated by God for his end-time purposes.
• Lastly, I think there is chaos on earth because Satan knows his time is short, and he has ramped up his activity. He is getting new recruits for his kingdom. This is all the more reason we must be salt and light in these final days.

What Did You Expect the End-Times to Look Like?

That’s a short list summarizing a few options as to why the world is in a mess! What did you expect the end times to look like?

With God marginalized and mocked, society cannot work properly. It will collapse under the weight of everything in the world that is fractured. Only Christ’s return at the Rapture and then His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation to establish a near-perfect Kingdom will fix it!

The closing days of the Church Age are a challenge for all mankind. For the Godless, these days cannot make sense. For those who know the Bible, it has the road map ahead all spelled out for us!

Your Assignment

Don’t let more time become wasted. Seize the moment. Jesus is coming, and most of the world is in a dark place! And they have not a clue how to turn the light on unless you tell them.

olivetreeviews.org

You have heard of the word “remnant.” Some people are called “remnant believers.” There are “remnant churches.” Perhaps you know of some or attend one. I often say that I do “radio for the remnant.”

The most frequent e-mail I get is from people who make up the “remnant.” But what is that? I write about this often and even do radio about it as I’m trying to understand the phenomenon. Here are a couple of e-mails.

“Jan, I feel the remnant is getting smaller every day as the time approaches for the Lord’s return. The world seems to be getting darker and more evil. I know I am not alone as a member of the Body of Christ, but at times it is easy to feel isolated. No one gets it, and no one wants to. If I did not have access to you and a few others online, I would be so isolated! I try to talk to people about issues that are important, including end-times, and they look at me like I am an alien. A few of you help me celebrate my alien status. I feel like a lonely goldfish in a bowl. Prophecy is coming true right before our eyes. You and a few others are making a huge difference with all of us aliens in the world.”

Based on a lot of interactions, including people at my annual conference, I have concluded this about “the remnant.”

• It is made up of people longing for a solid church and a pulpit that will address issues of the day as well as the nearness of the Lord’s return. The remnant wants a church that will not fear offending with the truth and that will confront apostasy.
• Remnant believers have offended friends and family simply by telling them the truth of our times or for sharing information that is relevant to our times. This will often bring on mocking and scoffing. At the least, it results in irritated indifference. This doesn’t daunt a remnant believer, and such a tragic response doesn’t keep them quiet!
• Enthusiastic remnant believers will travel across town or across the country to attend events that present information about which the church is silent.
• Remnant believers often feel isolated and misunderstood even though they have the truth and the naysayers are clueless! This is what is so frustrating. Remnant believers want everyone to be tuned in and informed. They just want to spread around a wealth of information about which few are interested!
• Members of the remnant church see our times darkening but remain enthusiastic that this is but a herald of His coming — not signs of doom and gloom. Yet, they will be told they are spreading bad news.
• When a remnant believer finds someone who is a kindred spirit, it is like discovering a gold mine!
• Such believers often had a very solid church, but in many cases, it went haywire. A little leaven came in and ruined the whole loaf. They then begin a long journey of searching for a new church which can take years.
• Very often, these believers approached their church leadership to talk to them about these things, but they are most often shut out or even considered to be troublemakers.
• Understand that the end-time church is racing towards Laodicea and is more interested in conforming than transforming. Many churches and leaders will focus on “your best life now.”
• The Bible suggests an end-time church will be small. In Luke 18:8, Jesus asks if He will find any of faith when He returns. Many will have fallen by the wayside.

People who make quilts use a wide variety of mismatched remnants. Such professionals discard sections of fabric from garments that were no longer usable, but they were then sewn into an unbelievably elegant quilt! The tossed aside remnant became an object of creativity and beauty!

If you are a remnant believer, take heart and remember that you, too, are a creative and colorful quilt. Eternity may reveal that you broke through to more people than you thought. And remember that such mocking and scoffing are fulfilling end-time prophecies as well. Hang on, and don’t grow weary in your well-doing!

Bouncing from church to church is likely not the best idea. But sitting multiple times a week under bad theology, music with spiritually unhealthy lyrics, or leadership that is just dysfunctional is also not an option. Cutting yourself off from fellowship is no better.

Our assignment is to be “watchmen” (Ezekiel 33). We’re to be sounding an alarm. Trouble is ahead. The nations of the world seem moved, as though by a hidden hand, into exactly the right positions on a global chessboard. Amazing things are happening before our eyes. How can we be silent?

So, remnant believers, let’s not be silent. Go tell it on the mountains. The King is coming, perhaps today!

Awaiting His return,

Jan Markell

https://olivetreeviews.org