Earthquake Awareness!

I thought it would be appropriate to bring some awareness to the urgency of the times—this time, earthquakes as a sign of the Second Advent of Christ. (see USGC link below) I know, I know, there are a lot of people that will scoff and the common answer to anyone who even mentions Bible prophecy and Signs of the Times is met with, "These things have been happening for thousands of years." What they fail to realize is the rapidity to which they are occurring. Jesus revealed the following in Rev. 1:1-3:

¹ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
² who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.
³ Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

I emphasize the word “Shortly” because of its meaning. In the Greek the word is τάχος, pronounced tachos and it means speedily, quickly. The Bible describes end-time events as “Birth Pangs” of a woman in labor:

¹ Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (ESV))

The sudden destruction that comes so quickly is represented as coming as birth pangs. We know that when a woman labors the pain gets more intense the closer the new mother is to birth. So it will be in the day when the Lord sounds the trumpet to call all true believers to their eternal destiny. This cannot be emphasized enough! Christ is telling us He is coming soon, but are we listening?

Furthermore, the analogy of birth pains are not only used of signs that point to the return of Christ, but also it is used as a description of the pain that those who do not believe will feel when they see these things coming to pass. Consider the following:

Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man's heart will melt, 8 And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames. (Isaiah 13:6-8 (NKJV))

When King Belshazzar saw the mysterious “handwriting on the wall” in Dan. 5:6 he is described as thus:

⁶ Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.

³ Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it. (Isaiah 21:3 (NKJV))

Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? (Jer. 30:6 (NKJV))

Friends, the Bible is very clear and it does not paint a rosy picture concerning the times that are coming. When Isaiah says, “Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, And those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, And few men are left.” (Isaiah 24:6 (NKJV)), He was not describing a “Sunday Picnic”. All of us must be warned. Our neighbors must be told. The sound of the four horsemen are echoing over the hills and the Lord is soon coming.

If were up to me, I would like to paint a rosy picture of love and butterflies flapping in the wind, but as a true ambassador of the gospel, I cannot. God has been longsuffering now for nearly two thousand years since the crucifixion. His mercy has made us soft. His lack of judgment against sin has allowed us to prolong our lives in it and even get lax in our own discipleship practices. But the bottom line is, He is our Creator and He created us to fellowship with Him. He is holy and He is just. Sin requires judgment. A rapist is to be judged because he broke the law of the land and victimized a defenseless woman. We applaud that justice. But sin must also be judged for the way it has destroyed the earth and the lives of the billions of inhabitants.

If you take the time to go to the USGC website you will see the rapidity of quakes occurring. In love I ask what are you going to do? If you refuse Jesus Christ are you prepared to persuade your wife, brothers, sisters, mother, father and friends to go along with you? Are you prepared to be the one who turned others away from Christ? Maybe you are the one being persuaded to turn from Christ by another. Are you to cowardly to face up to Christ and confess your sin? Are you afraid of the friends and family who do not believe and are described as grasping their loins because of the destructive events and judgments they will find themselves in because they rejected Him? The Bible says:

 “Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV))

Drop the mask. Face the Lord and let Him know of your fears, failures, and doubts. He will listen intently and if you will believe He will surely bring salvation into your soul. Rom 10:9, 10. He loves His creation and He so very much, loves you! Listen to Him as He speaks—as He calls—as He grips your heart.

¹ To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A song for Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
³ Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
⁴ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
⁶ The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah (Psalm 46:1-7 (NKJV))

God Bless

Bro. Mike

Update! Aug 24th. 7.0 EQ Northern Peru. 

Why Should We Care About Prophecy?

It is with sincerity of heart that I list the things below hoping they will speak to the heart of those who have not given their hearts and lives to Christ. They all relate to the importance of why one should be concerned about the soon coming of Christ. Although no one knows the day or the hour we know He is coming soon due to the multitude of signs that are occurring with rapidity. We should never take the chance that because we do not know the day He is coming that we still have time. The Bible teaches the Rapture (1Thess. 4:16-17) is imminent, meaning it could occur at any moment!

I hope you will book mark the page and visit often!

Why Care?

Many people completely ignore or just do not believe that Christ will one day return. That is their prerogative and I do not believe in forcing anyone to say a prayer of faith in Christ; that prayer of faith must come from the heart. I have seen too many people put their trust in a prayer and not genuinely in Christ. Jesus said:  "... Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8b)

Currently I am working on a new book called "Entangled In God!" It may not make it to the publisher before the Rapture. It's soul purpose is to explore and expose why some are sold out for Christ and why some are not; in a nutshell, exploring the kind of faith Jesus will find when He returns. The question Jesus posed in Luke 18, becomes very relevant for us when we consider Bible Prophecy or "Eschatology," which is, the study of future things. If indeed, Christ is returning to setup a "Kingdom that shall never end," Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 9:6-7; Zechariah. 14:9; John 14:1-3, and many others, just what will He find?

And the LORD shall be King over all the earth.

      In that day it shall be—

      “ The LORD is one,”

      And His name one. Zech.14:9

Again if indeed He is coming, and He is, then wisdom declares that all eyes and ears should be listening to what the Scripture says. This is not an issue with me and my family as we will serve the Lord with all of our heart. But Jesus still asks the question, "Will I find faith?"

Why you should care about this topic:

a)   If you are married you have a responsibility to your family. Parents, and especially fathers, will be judged dearly for not taking careful heed to the Scriptures declaration of teaching your children about Christ. (Gen. 18:19; Dt 6:7; Dt 11:19-21; Ps 78:2-9; Mk. 10:14; 2 Cor. 12:14; Eph. 6:4 )

b)   You were created to serve and fellowship with God. In other words, you have a created purpose. God will never reveal it to you until you turn your heart to Him in repentance and faith. It is called being "Born-Again" John 3:3. If you do not believe; it is the life you missed.

c)   Your eternity depends upon what you do now with Christ. It is not what some other person does, said, or did; but what you do, say, and believe. (Rom. 14:12)

d)  Your name is written in God's "Book of the Living." But in order to inherit heaven and all the blessings prepared for eternity, it needs to be transferred from that book to the "Lambs Book of Life." If it is not transferred through salvation in Christ, it will be blotted out of the "Book of the Living." (Ps. 69:28; Rev. 13:8, 20:12, 15; 21:27)

e)   Your decision to believe and serve Jesus or not to do so, affects the lives of those in the sphere around you. You do have an influence, especially upon innocent children. (Rom. 14:14-23; 1 Cor. 8:7-13)

f)    Because the signs revealed in Scripture are happening at a breakneck pace, it is time you became concerned about your own eternal destiny. (Luke 21:25; Mark 13:8; 1 Thess. 5:13; Jer. 30:5-7)

g)   You do not want to endure what Jesus referred to as the "Great Tribulation" period. (Luke 21:26; Mt. 24:22; Is. 24:6; Zech 14:12-13)

h)   Even though the Scripture declares children to be innocent, therefore to be taken away with the church at the Rapture, you do not want to put your wife and other family members through hell on earth. (2 Sam. 12:23; Mt. 19:14)

i)    You do not want to suffer the judgments that will occur. (See Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets, and Seven Bowl judgments - Rev. 6:1ff)

j)    If you fully reject Him now there will be no chance for you to be saved during the Tribulation. You may think there will be, but the Scripture plainly declares that God will send a strong delusion, very similar to the one you struggle with now in coming to Christ, so that you will not be able to be saved. (2 Thess. 2:9-11)

k)   If there is a chance because you did not fully understand the need for salvation in Christ, you will most likely die a terrible death at the hands of Antichrist and the unbelieving. The Bible teaches that the tribulation saints, those saved during the tribulation period, will be decapitated. (Rev. 20:4)

l)    You will face famine, war, strong upheavals of the earth, strong storms, large hail, attacks by wild beasts, and most likely death. All of this and more is foretold by the prophets. (Rev. 6:8; Rev. 16:21; Luke 21:25)

m)  Very few will survive what is coming. (Is. 24:6; Mt. 24:22)

n)   You should care because Jesus loves you and He died for you. It does not matter the sin you have committed if you commit your life to Him. The Bible teaches where sin abounds grace abounds much more, Romans 5:20.

If you are still unsure about turning your life over to Christ, pause a moment, and ask yourself why?

Are you afraid? Do not let what others think determine your eternal destiny.

Do you believe you will just fail? In Christ your salvation is sure and guaranteed by the indwelling Holy Spirit who is the One working within the believer to bring about the new life. You may fail but He will not if you are sincere.

Do you just not see that it is sin that separates you from God? He is Holy we are not. Therefore, we are on a different plane. Only the righteous and cleansed through the blood of Christ will enter heavens gates.

Do you lack Faith? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17) If you lack faith then why not ask God to grant it to you.  Acts 3:16; Romans 12:3; Ephesians. 2:8.

In my book "Those Who Are Wise Will Shine! Understanding the Work of God in Your Redemption" I have included an Appendix that is a "Table of the Nations" taken from Genesis. The appendix is an excellent resource for those who want to know who the nations are, and where they exist in Bible Prophecy. It is available at any online retailer in Hard bound, Paperback, or e-book.