Looking For Signs :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: August 4, 2019August 4, 2019 by RR7

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

Signs are important to our daily life. When we take a trip, we use a map and look for road signs to guide us along the correct route. The life we live is a journey, and God has given us signs to guide us. His guidance is found in Scripture, which is more trustworthy than any road map you’ll ever use. Roads can change over time, but God’s word never changes.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Prophesy is a sign given so we can know where we are in history. If we trust God’s word and look for the signs, He has provided that our journey in life will be less treacherous.

Prophecy is a large part of Scripture. If God didn’t want us to know what was ahead, He wouldn’t have included it in Scripture. Prophecy foretold that the nation of Israel would be dispersed but would be gathered again as one nation, and that has happened. Ezekiel tells of a major war, and today we see that the nations mentioned are coming together. Isaiah tells of the total destruction of Damascus, which could happen any day.

If you listen to the news and filter it through Scripture, you’ll see that we live in very exciting times. Watching the signs tells us what will soon happen, and they all point to the fact that the final seven years of history is near. That means the Rapture is even nearer. Let me give an illustration:

My daughter and I occasionally go to a movie in a town called Sullivan. As we drive along the interstate, we see signs telling us that St. Louis is getting closer. We don’t want to go to St. Louis, but by watching those signs, we know that Sullivan is getting closer. We know that Sullivan isn’t in the middle of St. Louis and it isn’t on the other side of St. Louis, but before we get to St. Louis. Think of Daniel’s 70^th week as St. Louis and Sullivan as the Rapture. The proximity of Sullivan to St. Louis has nothing to do with what we believe, but just the facts. The facts of the end times are found in Scripture.

Christians will be taken Home in the Rapture prior to Daniel’s 70^th week. As we see the signs of the Great Tribulation approaching, we know that the Rapture will happen before then. A “picture” of this is found in Genesis. Enoch is a picture-type of Christians, and he was taken by God prior to the judgment of the Flood.

“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24).

Like Enoch, Christians will be taken prior to God’s final judgment.

The Pharisees are always a good example of how not to behave. They knew the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament) but wouldn’t believe it was being fulfilled in their day. Like seminary students today, they studied Scripture. The Pharisees looked for signs of the Messiah but chose to remain blind to the facts. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies during His first coming. For example, Micah 5:2 told where He would be born, Isaiah 7:14 disclosed He would be born of a virgin, and so on. Still, the Pharisees wouldn’t believe the signs. Jesus healed many people, but the Pharisees just tried to discredit Him. The signs they had seen weren’t enough for them, and they chose to live in ignorance rather than understand the times in which they lived.

Many pastors have this same attitude. They point to the verse that quotes Jesus as saying “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign…” (Matthew 16:4a).

Not only is this taken out of context, but the rest of the verse is ignored. Jesus knew that more signs wouldn’t open the eyes of the Pharisees to the truth. In the previous verses He had chided them for being able to read signs regarding weather but unable to discern the signs of the times.

“He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:2-3).

He told them there would be another sign for them:

“…and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed” (Matthew 16:4b).

What was the sign of Jonas (Jonah)? Just as Jonah had spent 3 days and nights in the belly of the whale, so would Jesus spend 3 days and nights in the heart of the earth after His crucifixion. The Pharisees chose blindness and wouldn’t let go of their misinterpretation of Scripture. We can be so busy looking for signs that we miss the reality of what those signs point to.

Today, people look for many signs in life but ignore the most important signs of all…the signs of the times. Scientists look for signs of life in the far reaches of the cosmos. The Catholic Church has also joined in the search for extraterrestrial life, as evidenced by their activity on Mount Graham in Arizona. The ever-deluded leaders of the Catholic Church have stated that alien life forms can be baptized and are probably more pure than humans. Read your Bible. Jesus became human and gave His life to redeem humans.

“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:16-17).

They are looking for the wrong signs. Jesus listed some signs that point to the end of the age. Earthquakes will increase, wars and rumors of wars will be everywhere, the hearts of men will grow cold, false teachers will arise, and the list goes on. These things have always happened, but not like today. The strength and number of earthquakes have steadily increased. It’s hard to think of any nation that isn’t embroiled in war, including the internal strife. Heinous crimes are increasing, including abortion, and show the coldness and wickedness that permeates today’s world. The signs all show us that the end of time is approaching. As the days grow darker, we need to draw closer to the Light of the world…Jesus Christ.

How do we prepare? Many people encourage us to lay in supplies to last for the long haul. That’s not a bad idea. I try to keep extra food and water on hand because, during the winter, it’s not unusual for me to be snowed in and unable to go to the store for a week or so. My water pipes sometimes freeze, so I keep bottled water just in case. The people who push for having a large supply of food to last for years are usually those who think they must live through the Great Tribulation. Life will be worse than ever seen before during that time, but only non-Christians will face that final week.

The signs seem to be happening very quickly, and prophecy will soon come to a climax. The one-world currency is getting closer. Instead of francs and pounds, most European nations use the Euro. Worse than that, people are having a chip implanted that only needs a wave of the hand to pay bills, buy food, and start cars.

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:16-17).

Is that chip preparing the way for the mark? Could artificial intelligence be paving the way for the end time events? I’m convinced we’re very close to the Tribulation, and even closer to the Rapture.

Again, I ask how do we prepare? There’s a spirit of fear growing among Christians, and that’s of Satan, not of God.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Many see the signs and know that the Tribulation is near, but don’t believe God when He says that Christians won’t face the judgment of that final seven-year time-span. The only way to prepare for that final judgment period when God’s wrath is poured out upon the inhabitants of earth is not to be here. Only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will guarantee eternal life with Him, and that faith promises that Christians won’t face God’s wrath.

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

If you give your life to Jesus, you will be called Home prior to the Tribulation. That doesn’t mean life on earth will be free of troubles and persecution before then, but whatever we face today is nothing compared to what we will be caught away from.

That last 7-year period of time is not a judgment upon Christians. Jesus paid the price for our redemption and took our judgment upon Himself. As we read the signs and know what’s coming, Christians should draw closer together.

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Every one of us should also look at our own lives to be sure that we have truly placed our eternity in Christ’s hands. We have freedom in Christ, but if you can embrace sin with no prick of conscience, then maybe you need to ask yourself if you truly meant it when you said you accepted Christ. If you have any doubts, then repent today and allow Christ to change you.

As we watch the signs of the times, we should also feel an urgency to witness to the lost. Today, the door is still open for everyone to accept Christ for salvation, but there will be one final convert before the Rapture takes place. You may be the one who leads that last person to Christ. What a thrill that would be!

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25).

Witnessing should be urgent no matter what. We look with great expectancy for the Rapture, but the person you’ve led to a saving faith in Christ just might be in a fatal accident or have a sudden heart attack. Eternity depends upon what you believe, not how perfect you behave.

Look for the signs and draw nearer to God. Only He can properly guide us in these final days.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

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The Thrill Is Gone :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: July 28, 2019 by RR7

It seems that today everything has to be exciting and fast. Amusement parks have rides that are a far cry from the Ferris wheel or a Merry-Go-Round of yesteryear. Movies thrill our senses with cop and robber car chases. Modern movie magic of CGI transforms human actors into creatures, and we’re amazed. Even our eating habits aren’t what they used to be. We can purchase a French-style frozen dinner, pop it into the microwave, and in a matter of minutes we have a fancy dining experience without leaving our home. The days of lovingly preparing a meal from an old family recipe are gone. The fast-paced life we live and the quest for greater thrills interferes with our service to God.

Modern-day people look for thrills and excitement in all the wrong places. It’s more common for someone to get excited over a baseball game than over worshipping the Lord.

“Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for job, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11).

If the thrill is gone from your love for the Lord, then maybe you should spend more time in Scripture and less time seeking secular thrills.

Scripture contains many suspenseful and thrilling accounts full of intrigue. Picture this: An army cowers in fear of the enemy. That enemy is one giant. He’s at least 9 feet tall and very strong.

“And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him” (1 Samuel 17:4-7).

This bad-tempered giant challenged Saul’s army to send a man to fight, but there was no man up to the challenge. Then a young shepherd boy named David happened to bring food to his brothers who served in Saul’s army. David took the challenge. He told Saul how he had fought a lion and a bear which had threatened his sheep. David’s confidence wasn’t in his own strength, but in the Lord.

“David said, moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee” (1 Samuel 17:37).

David chose to face Goliath with no armor or sword, but with a slingshot and five stones. Goliath mocked the young man, but David’s faith in the Lord couldn’t be shaken. With one stone and a sling, David brought down Goliath, then ran and stood upon him. He drew Goliath’s own sword, and cut off his head. From shepherd to king, David’s faith was proved many times. Scripture is filled with thrilling stories like this, but you need to read them yourself. Don’t just read words on paper, but feel the thrill and intrigue, and Biblical truth will come to life.

The Old Testament gives many accounts of great courage and examples of how God protects those who turn to Him for strength. Too many preachers give watered-down sermons that lull the congregation into complacency.

Queen Esther is another story of courage and victory. She was young when taken captive by King Ahasuerus who was looking for a woman to be his queen. Many women were taken captive, but Esther’s beauty won his heart. She kept the fact that she was Jewish a secret, but when a plot to kill all of the Jewish subjects of King Ahasuerus was discovered by her uncle, she devised a plan to expose Haman and save her people. The problem? Unless the king called her to him, she could be killed. Esther did the right thing. She found strength to face whatever the king would do, through prayer.

“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

Because God guided her, she confessed she was Jewish, exposed the plot, and thwarted Haman’s evil efforts. The account of Queen Esther is exciting, but most preachers pick and choose quick sermons with little to think about. Teaching line upon line from Genesis through Revelation feeds the congregation on the meat necessary for faith to grow. Most pastors serve milk, and the congregation has no fire. The thrill just dies out.

There are too many spellbinding accounts in the Old Testament to describe all of them here. Each one is filled with suspense, but they teach us that whenever people depend upon God, there’s victory.

The New Testament also has exciting accounts. We’re told of a brash young fisherman named Peter who walked on water until he took his eyes off of Jesus. Peter had many experiences while he followed Jesus, but after the crucifixion, the intrigue grew. Peter was never shy, but once the Holy Spirit came upon him, there was no stopping him. The man who hid in fear when Jesus was crucified was able to bravely stand before a crowd of Jewish people and preach a sermon that brought 3,000 to salvation. Peter no longer hid from the truth but stood fearlessly for the Lord. He was often imprisoned for his faith, and once was on death row.

“And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison” (Acts 12:6).

Peter had learned a lot about trusting God. Even though he was to be martyred in the morning, this night he was able to find peace. God had plans for Peter, and it wasn’t his time to die. Instead of the cavalry coming to rescue him, God sent something better.

“And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands” (Acts 12:7).

The prison doors opened, and they walked out of the prison. Peter was free. After all that intrigue, we’re given a little comedy relief. Peter went to a house where he knew his friends were praying for his release. Sadly, they didn’t really expect God to answer their prayer. Peter knocked, and a girl named Rhoda answered.

“And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate” (Acts 12:14).

The answer to their prayer was standing there, but Rhoda just ran away! When she told the others their prayers had been answered, they said she was crazy. Peter was finally allowed into the house, and they were amazed to see him…even though they had been praying for that very thing. Peter had many exciting adventures, but if these accounts are ignored or read with no feeling, Scripture becomes dull and the lessons are lost.

Then there’s Saul (also known as Paul). Saul was an angry man who persecuted Christians. While on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, he was met by Jesus. It had been quite a while since Jesus was crucified, but He met Saul on the road. That encounter left Saul blind and alone. He was feared among the Jewish converts who embraced their Messiah, but now he was one of them. Or he would be when God convinced Ananias that he needed to go and talk to Saul. Ananias was afraid, but obeyed God. Saul received his sight back and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

“And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).

We live in the days of apostasy. Pastors seldom preach to the congregation that Christ is the Son of God, nor do they preach that fact to the lost. That’s what Jesus commissioned His disciples to do. Preach the Gospel to the lost. Not feed them, clothe them, or anything else but give them what they truly need… the truth of Jesus.

Can you imagine Paul’s enthusiasm? Everyone who heard him was amazed that the man who had been the worst enemy of Christians was now preaching the Gospel.

“And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him” (Acts 9:23).

The tables had turned. Saul had been the hunter; now he was the hunted. He had been one of the Jewish persecutors of Christians; now the Christians were his protectors.

“Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket” (Acts 9:25).

The intrigue grows. He left Damascus and returned to Jerusalem, where he tried to join the Christians there. They were afraid of him. Only one man believed that Saul’s conversion was real… Barnabas believed Saul had truly met Jesus. We know Saul better as Paul, and his adventures were just beginning. He faced persecution, beatings, imprisonment, and shipwrecks but never faltered in his faith. Now that’s an exciting story filled with plot twists that will thrill you and strengthen your own faith. Have you ever heard a 15-minute sermon that really teaches Paul’s story in depth? No wonder the thrill is gone.

There are many more exciting stories in Scripture, but unless your pastor teaches line upon line through the Bible, you probably won’t hear them. That’s no excuse for you to not know these stories. You can read. Start in Genesis and learn the truth of how the world really began. Evolution is a fantasy taught by ignorant people who don’t believe God. The reality is very intriguing. You’ll learn how sin and death entered as a result of Satan’s lies. You’ll also learn of the greatest love story ever. Although humans rebelled and sinned, God’s love has never wavered. Because He loves us, He paid the ultimate price for our redemption.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

Every story recorded in Scripture is there for a purpose, and they all reveal Jesus. There’s no way to find everlasting life than through your personal faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

If you haven’t put your future in His hands, then do it now. You see, you cannot be good enough by your own merit or work hard enough to earn eternal life. You cannot buy your way to eternal salvation, and no religion will get you in. Christianity is faith, not religion. We all sin, but Jesus Christ will forgive your sin, no matter how big, if you humble yourself before Him and repent. He loves you. He died for you. If you reject Him, then you’ve made your own choice of spending eternity in the lake of fire.

If the thrill is gone out of your faith, then get into Scripture. Read about how people faced their fears with God’s help. There you will find the joy of your salvation and a renewed zeal in your faith.