“They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of your signs;”
Psalm 65:8
Yes truly, the peoples are afraid of his signs. The signs have been unmistakable – a tetrad of lunar eclipses over a two year period – four blood moon lunar eclipses, and each one fell on a Biblical holy day, and there weren't any others, only these on Passover and and Tabernacles two years in a row! Reminds me of when Jesus says, "truly, truly." When God repeats something, take notice!
Several years have passed since he gave the world those signs. Several years for all to hear and all to know. And look at all that has happened. An agenda is being forced upon the world, a planned agenda that is GLOBAL, signalling the very obvious approaching Tribulation which will be global.
God gave the world these signs early enough that the world would have plenty of time to “get it” and repent. Since those signs were given, multitudes have come to the Lord.
We also saw two total solar eclipses within that same time period, and the “great sign” in the constellations. How could anyone doubt that it is God presenting these signs to warn the world of what is to come?
What is a sign? It's like traveling on I-95. When I see the sign for Freeport, I know Portland is near. Even so, he has put the warnings so very clearly - how could anyone miss it, especially when his followers bring these things to people's attention again and again. We are like the shepherds in the fields running to tell people the Messiah has been born, only this time we're announcing that he has shown us in the heavens that his second coming is near.
The people fear. And rightly so. Who is it that does not fear the Lord? Even God's Word speaks of the rightness of fearing him.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7
Truly they ARE fools who do not fear him, who listen to their own counsels and heed their own “wisdom,” who get their instruction from tv news but refuse to heed the Word of God.
But the righteous look to God's Word knowing he will be with them no matter what comes before we are finally taken from this world of woe. Even those being martyred – they will not die alone but God will be with them and they will pass from the land of woe instantly into the glories of his Kingdom, just as did his servant Stephen who cried out in joy even as he was being martyred:
“Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God!”
Acts 7:56
As we see the day approaching, the great Tribulation which the signs have been heralding, Scripture tells us the days will grow progressively darker, and surely we are seeing the truth of that now. We've watched with our jaws dropped - the global agenda forcing its way upon the world. We're seeing the signs that this is that which we've been warned about, the GLOBAL Tribulation, the “one-world government” under the rulership of the Antichrist.
But God's people must not fear because he will surely be with them in every circumstance until he takes us.
We know that at some point, perhaps even today, Jesus Christ will come for his people to Rapture them out of this evil world BEFORE the great Tribulation begins.
So for the believer, it is a joyful anticipation no matter how it plays out. If any are martyred, they enter heaven immediately and laugh at death as soon as they realize that heaven is theirs. And — they receive the martyr’s Crown. God has not revealed much about the Crowns listed in his Word. Maybe that’s because they are so much more glorious than we could understand in our present limited state. What we know is that those glorious Crowns are treasures in heaven forever – treasures that will never fade away. Men spend years of their lives in rigorous labor in order to receive the highest honor, the "PHD" because of which the people will call them "Doctor So-and So." The Crowns waiting for the least of God's servants can't even be compared to the greatest of earth's honors. That's what Jesus meant when he said:
“Do not lay up for yourselves TREASURES ON EARTH
where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
BUT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN
where neither moth nor rust destroys
and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Matthew 6:19-20
We know that the signs God has placed in the moon and stars are declaring a great change, and his Word tells us that BEFORE the Great Tribulation Jesus Christ, God's Son, will come to take his people home. Nothing could be more greatly anticipated and hoped for, as we watch – keeping ourselves ready – for all these things are nearly upon us. We've passed Freeport already.
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
BEFORE the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.”
Joel 2:31
“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision,
for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”
Joel 3:14
There is nothing more important that we can do on earth than to reach out to people and help them come into the Kingdom of God. This life will pass. Eternity is forever.
Even the demons acknowledge that Jesus is THE Lord…
James 2:19
"The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,
that is, the word of faith which we preach,
that if you confess with your mouth 'the' Lord Jesus
and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead,
you will be saved."
Romans 10:8-9
It's important to have an accurate translation of the Bible. This passage for example, has one implied word that without it - the meaning is literally changed.
"...if you confess with your mouth 'the' Lord Jesus…"
In the Greek text in which this was written, the word "the" is not there. When you see an italicized word in the Bible it means that word is not in the original, but has been added for clarity. In this case, "the" is not in the original.
Why does it matter? It matters because it's vital to salvation. Many would confess that Jesus is the Lord, even the demons do that. But when you remove the implied "the," it becomes this:
"...if you confess with your mouth "Lord Jesus."
Reading it correctly without the word "the" changes everything. It goes beyond confessing THAT Jesus is Lord which even the demons do. It's not to confess THAT Jesus is Lord, to be saved one must confess "Lord Jesus," meaning Jesus must become YOUR Lord.
It's a matter of authority, because in the fall of mankind, Adam relinquished authority over the earth when he submitted to Satan's deception. Satan usurped the authority and has become "the god of this world" (2nd Corinthians 4:4). All born under Adam are born into the authority of Satan, into the kingdom of Satan, who is now the "god of this world." That's why it's imperative to be born again.
"But even if our gospel is veiled,
it is veiled to those who are perishing,
whose minds the god of this world has blinded..."
2nd Corinthians 4:4
Until a person can confess Jesus as his/her Lord, he remains in Satan's world into which we all are born, and that's why Jesus stressed "you MUST be born again."
"Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he CANNOT enter the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh,
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You MUST be born again.’"
John 3:5-7
Being born again takes place when a person chooses to leave the lordship of the world system under the reign of Satan, and chooses to surrender his life and himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is a transaction that must take place and when it does, the Lord Jesus Christ removes that person from the kingdom into which he was born, and BIRTHS him into the Kingdom of God. He is born again.
Believing that there is one God does not bring salvation.
"You believe that there is one God?
You do well - even the demons believe and tremble!"
James 2:19
Salvation does NOT happen when one believes "that..."
Salvation depends on making it personal. Believing that there is one God changes nothing in your heart. Salvation comes when a man surrenders his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus is no longer the Lord generally, he becomes Lord personally. You must confess with your mouth, "Lord Jesus."
Only when he becomes your Lord, does he become your Savior.
MORE:
How One Is Born Again
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves." 2nd Corinthians 13:5 On what basis do you feel comfortable that you are "in the faith?" The Word of God tells us not to take it for granted, but to "test yourself." If you go to church on Sundays, does that prove that you are "in the faith?" Does going to church make you a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ? If so, then that would mean that in a church of two or three hundred persons, every one there is "in the faith." Of course we know it doesn't work that way. If your unbelieving spouse goes to church with you because it's a good thing to do or maybe just to keep the peace, that certainly doesn't make him or her "in the faith." If a person goes to church because he was brought up to go to church every week, then it's more an act of tradition and it certainly doesn't prove that one is "in the faith." If you try to be "a good person," does that prove that you are "in the faith?" Have you noticed that when people from a cult come knocking on your door, they're usually very good people? Some of them live far cleaner lives than many of us. So whether one is "a good person" or not, it surely doesn't mean one is "in the faith." Consider that many atheists are "good" people and pride themselves on that. If you tithe faithfully and give to charity, does that mean you're "in the faith?" And of course we know that members of cults do the same. So that can't be a criteria proving one is "in the faith." So ...how does one "test" himself? How much time do you spend with the Lord himself? If he speaks to you, do you "hear?" If you haven't heard from the Lord in a long time, you might want to "test yourself" to see whether you are in the faith. "In the faith" implies a relationship, it implies action as a result of hearing from the Lord. If you don't hear from the Lord, then how can you being living in faith? How does one hear from the Lord? Often, the Lord will speak to a believer as the believer spends time in God's Word (the Bible.) It's preferable always to have your prayer time BEFORE going to the Bible, because many times you'll find in your reading for the day an answer to what transpired between you and the Lord during your quiet time. Speaking through his Word is the primary way that God speaks to one's heart. Sometimes the Lord will speak directly to one's heart in answer to a question. Sometimes one's understanding is suddenly opened on a specific subject; then sometimes the Lord will answer by simply orchestrating circumstances in response to prayer. So if you don't hear from God, if you aren't reading his Word daily, how do you expect to be "in the faith?" And finally, all of the above is predicated on the assumption that you've been born again in the first place. One is not born again by attending church. One is not born again by being "good." Being born again is a transaction between a person and God. All human beings are born in a fallen, sinful nature. All human beings are born into a fallen world. 2nd Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan is the god of this world that we have been born into, therefore it is necessary to be born again ...into the Kingdom of God. That's what Jesus Christ came to tell us. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 vs 7: Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You MUST be born again.’" Leave religious practices that are simply traditions you grew up with, and seek the Lord himself. ASK to be born again into the Kingdom of God. Then ...just watch! MORE: How Is One Born Again?