The condition of the church and in the world in the days just before the return of Christ

THE END OF THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES

D.P. Weary

October 2010

Introduction

In this study we will look at the times and events just before the end of the times of the Gentiles, what we call the Church Age. The presuppositions that I make as we enter the study are:

1. The days we are considering are the days at the end of the Church Age. The Church Age being the days from the Day of Pentecost in about 33 AD when the Church came into existence (Acts 2), until the rapture of the Church (1 Thes. 4:15-18).

2. These days are the days at the end of the gap between Daniel 9:26 and 9:27.  These are the days just before God once again returns His attention to Israel and the Jews to complete His covenant promises to them (Rom. 11:25-36). These are the days just before Daniel’s last seven years (Dan. 9:24-27).

3. The book of the Revelation is the revelation of the last days of the Church Age and the revelation of the details of Daniel’s last seven years.

4. The book of the Revelation, though it contains much symbolism is to be taken literally and sequentially.

      We set the stage for this study from the first chapter of the book of the Revelation. In Chapter 1 we see that this is a revelation of Jesus of things that are to take place in the future. Note that there are blessing for those that read and hear the words of this revelation and obey the things are presented. The revelation is from the fullness of the Godhead and it is written to the churches. John, “your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom”, penned it. Note that John considers himself a “partaker in the tribulation”. The image of God presented here is that of a Judge with a sword. The book of the Revelation is a book about God’s judgment of those on earth and about the process of His coming to establish His Kingdom on earth. The judgment begins with the churches.

The Church in the Last Days

Lost Love

Rev 2:1 NASB - "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

Rev 2:2 NASB - 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

Rev 2:3 NASB - and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

Rev 2:4 NASB - 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Rev 2:5 NASB - 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent.

Rev 2:6 NASB - 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Rev 2:7 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'      

The first church (people who go to church and at least claim to be Christians) to be dealt with is the church that has lost its first love. This church is the church that has maintained good doctrine and has persevered, endured, and not grown weary through the years. It is also a church that has hated idolatry and sexual sin (the deeds of the Nicolataitans). But, it is the church that has lost its first love of God. The zeal, passion, and awesome respect of God (the fear of the Lord) that it had in the beginning has waned and grown cold. It is in danger of loosing its place among the true churches of God. But for those who hear this warning and respond, God promises to grant eternal life in the Paradise of God. (Rev. 2:1-7)

Persecution

Rev 2:8 NASB - "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

Rev 2:9 NASB - 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Rev 2:10 NASB - 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Rev 2:11 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'

 The second church God deals with is the persecuted church. This is the church that is persecuted, ridiculed, and attacked by the religious establishment. It is the poor church with little worldly resources. It is the church that is suffering at the hands of those that are being used by the devil to the point of being imprisoned and even martyred. This is the church in tribulation in the days at the end of the church age. The promise is a crown of life for those that are faithful, even unto death. These will have no part in the second death, which is the lake of fire. (Rev. 2:8-11).

Spiritual Warfare

Rev 2:12 NASB - "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

Rev 2:13 NASB - 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Rev 2:14 NASB - 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.

Rev 2:15 NASB - 'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Rev 2:16 NASB - 'Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

Rev 2:17 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'

            The third church to be judged is the church that dwells where Satan has dominion (where Satan dwells and has his throne). It is interesting to note that it is Pergamum in Turkey where Satan has his throne. This is a church in the depths of spiritual warfare. This is the church that must use the “sharp two-edged sword of the Lord”. This is the church whose faith is tested and who do not deny God in the face of extreme testing and trials. The problem in this church is “idolatry” and sexual sin (holding the teachings of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans who sacrificed to idols as well as committed sexual sin). (Rev. 2:12-17)

Jezebel

Rev 2:18 NASB - "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:

Rev 2:19 NASB - 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.

Rev 2:20 NASB - 'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Rev 2:21 NASB - 'I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.

Rev 2:22 NASB - 'Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.

Rev 2:23 NASB - 'And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

Rev 2:24 NASB - 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call themI place no other burden on you.

Rev 2:25 NASB - 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.

Rev 2:26 NASB - 'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;

Rev 2:27 NASB - AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;

Rev 2:28 NASB - and I will give him the morning star.

Rev 2:29 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

           

            The problems we find in the last days church here are ones of religious spirits, manipulation and control, sexual immorality, worshiping the lusts of the flesh rather than God, and the occult.

1.    Jezebel calls herself a prophetess.  She is a religious spirit and she uses perverted religions and religious ideas to destroy the true character of God. Often this shows up in the church as either extreme legalism or liberalism. In other words she distorts the Bible, deceives the people and manipulates and controls people with religious sounding/looking things and ideas.

2.    She teaches and misleads.  This is the witchcraft of controlling and manipulating people.  She controls through deception, lies, intimidation, manipulation, and teaching others to do the same.  She can attack not only the will but also the mind and she can bruise the emotions in order to control and manipulate people. Drugs and drug abuse are under her. The Greek word for witchcraft is pharmakeia which is:

1) the use or the administering of drugs

2) poisoning

3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it

4) metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry

3.   She uses sexual immorality.  Lust and perversion in thought and in deed are used to bring shame, and destroy relationships and Godly lives.  Confession and exposure shuts Jezebel down for she says that no one sees her (Is. 47:10).

4.   She causes men to eat food sacrificed to idols.  This is in essence to participate in idol worship (I Cor. 10:18).  This is satisfying the lusts of the flesh, giving in to the temptations of sin and serving self or anything other than God.  It is compromise where we excuse our sin instead of just confessing it.  It is compromise in order to meet perceived needs and desires. It is pleasing self rather than God. It is humanism. It is the fear of man instead of the fear of God.

5.   “Satan’s so-called deep secrets”. This is the occult; occult powers are submitted to Jezebel. Astrologers and magicians are under her, and so is the New Age, fascination with the occult, etc. (Isa. 47).

           

Those who do not repent of these things are promised tribulation, sickness, and death. (Rev. 2:18-29)

Spiritual Death

Rev 3:1 NASB - "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Rev 3:2 NASB - 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

Rev 3:3 NASB - 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

Rev 3:4 NASB - 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

Rev 3:5 NASB - 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Rev 3:6 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

            Another problem in the last days church is spiritual death. These are churches that have great reputations of “being alive”, but in truth are really spiritually dead. Their deeds or works are incomplete and inadequate. They are considered to be “asleep” to the things of God. This is the church that is unaware and untaught about prophecy. For them the Lord’s return will be like a thief in the night. They will not know the hour of the Lord’s return. They stand in danger of having their names erased from the book of life. (Rev. 3:1-6)

Little Power - Perseverance and protection

Rev 3:7 NASB - "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

Rev 3:8 NASB - 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Rev 3:9 NASB - 'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

Rev 3:10 NASB - 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Rev 3:11 NASB - 'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Rev 3:12 NASB - 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.

Rev 3:13 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

            This is the church that has but little power, but they have kept God’s word, not denied His name, and have persevered in difficult times. This church is promised open doors, victory over the enemies of God, and God promises to keep them from the hour of testing that is soon coming upon the whole world. This is the faithful, true church just before the Lord’s return. This is the raptured church. (Rev. 3:7-13)

Lukewarm

Rev 3:14 NASB - "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

Rev 3:15 NASB - 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.

Rev 3:16 NASB - 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

Rev 3:17 NASB - 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

Rev 3:18 NASB - I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Rev 3:19 NASB - 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

Rev 3:20 NASB - 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Rev 3:21 NASB - 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Rev 3:22 NASB - 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

           

This is the tepid church. It is the wealthy and self-sufficient church. Neither hot nor cold, this church is the middle of the roaders, the politically correct church; they stand in danger of being “spit out of God’s mouth”. They have worldly wealth but no spiritual wealth. They have worldly good deeds, but have not found the rightesness of Christ Jesus. They have worldly wisdom but do not have spiritual sight or true revelations of truth from the Holy Spirit. They do not receive reproof or discipline from God. They have lost or never had the zeal of the Lord and do not understand true repentance. Though God is continually speaking to them, they do not hear. This church does not have nor understand intimacy with the Lord. (Rev. 3:14-22)

The highlighted verses above are good ways to pray for the churches today.

In summary then, the picture painted of the church (people who go to church and at least claim to be Christians) in the last days is a mixed bag. On the positive side, part of the church is toiling, enduring, and persevering in difficult times. It has maintained good doctrine, and hated idolatry and sexual sin. It is a church that has been true to God during much persecution, trials and poverty. It is a church that never gives in or up even in the face of death. This is a church that is experiencing severe spiritual warfare whose faith is tested and yet who do not deny God in the face of extreme testing and trials. The deeds, love, faith, service, and perseverance, are strong and the deeds of late are greater than at first.

            The true church of the last days has but little power, but they have kept God’s word, not denied His name, and have persevered in difficult times. This church is promised open doors, victory over the enemies of God, and God promises to keep them from the hour of testing that is soon coming upon the whole world. This is the faithful, true church just before the Lord’s return. This is the church that hears the Lord’s voice, has intimacy with Him, and knows the signs, times, and seasons of His return. This is the raptured church.

            On the other hand there is much negative to be found in the last days church. Some of the church will have lost its first love for God. The zeal, passion, and awesome respect of God (the fear of the Lord) that it had in the beginning has waned and grown cold. It is the church that is suffering at the hands of those that are being used by the devil to the point of being imprisoned and even martyred. This is the church in tribulation in the days at the end of the church age.

            We will find in this last day’s church a church in the midst of great spiritual warfare, a church whose faith is being severely tested. It is also a church embroiled in sexual sin and “idolatry” (the worship of things other that God), “religiosity” (religious sprits), manipulation and control, deception, and spiritism of various sorts. We will find a part of the church that thinks it is alive, rich, wealthy, and doing quite well, thank you very much, but in reality is spiritually dead. Part of this last days church will be quite unaware of the signs of the times and the times and seasons of Christ’s return and will be caught by surprise when He comes for His true church in the last days and perhaps even left behind. This is the lukewarm and dead church. They have not found the righteousness of Christ, have no intimacy with Christ, and in truth have not been born again and are not really saved. These are the lost ones.

The World in the Last Days

            With this being the general picture of the church in the last days, we now turn to the scriptures to see what in general are the conditions in the secular world in these last days before Christ’s return.

2Ti 3:1 NASB - But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2Ti 3:2 NASB - For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3 NASB - unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

2Ti 3:4 NASB - treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

2Ti 3:5 NASB - holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

2Ti 3:6 NASB - For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,

2Ti 3:7 NASB - always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2Ti 3:8 NASB - Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.

2Ti 3:12 NASB - Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

2Ti 3:13 NASB - But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2Ti 4:3 NASB - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

2Ti 4:4 NASB - and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

2Pe 3:3 NASB - Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4 NASB - and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

Mat 24:3 NASB - As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

Mat 24:4 NASB - And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.

Mat 24:5 NASB - "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.

Mat 24:6 NASB - "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

Mat 24:7 NASB - "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

Mat 24:8 NASB - "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Mat 24:9 NASB - "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

Mat 24:10 NASB - "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.

Mat 24:11 NASB - "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

Mat 24:12 NASB - "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

Mat 24:13 NASB - "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Mat 24:14 NASB - "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Mat 24:24 NASB - "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

Luk 21:7 NASB - They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"

Luk 21:8 NASB - And He said, "See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them.

Luk 21:9 NASB - "When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately."

Luk 21:10 NASB - Then He continued by saying to them, "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,

Luk 21:11 NASB - and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

Luk 21:12 NASB - "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake.

Luk 21:16 NASB - "But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death,

Luk 21:17 NASB - and you will be hated by all because of My name.

Luk 21:25 NASB - "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

Luk 21:26 NASB - men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

These are difficult days of great unrest, anxiety, distress, fear, false doctrines, terrible moral conditions, lawlessness and scoffers. It is also a time of a great rebellion and falling away from God. Difficult times will come. Men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.

Sexual issues and abuse of women will grow worse and worse. Evil will go from bad to worse. Lawlessness will increase and believers will be persecuted, imprisoned, and even killed because of their faith in Jesus. Because of this the love of many will grow cold and there will be a significant falling away from the faith.

There will be an increase in false Christs, false prophets, false signs and wonders, and false doctrines. There will be those that are ever learning but never coming to knowledge of the truth. Deception will be rampant, people teaching and believing myths according to their own desires. There will be a great mocking of Jesus and of His second coming, and believers will be mocked, persecuted and hated in all nations.

As the last days begin there will be wars and rumors of wars, nations against nation and ethnic groups against ethnic groups. These are the beginnings of the birth pains of Christ’s second coming. As these days progress there will be ever-increasing famines, earthquakes, plagues, terrors, and signs from heaven. As the last of the last days approach there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on earth dismay, and perplexity at the roaring of the seas. The powers of the heavens will be shaken.

But in the midst of all of this, the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to the whole world, and then the end shall come.

Israel in the Last Days

When considering what is going on in the world in the last days and what these times look like, we can also look at the prophecies regarding Israel and the Jews. God has made great and wonderful covenant promises to Israel and He has promised to fulfill those promises when the times of the Gentiles are completed.

Rom 11:25 NASB - For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

Rom 11:26 NASB - and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."

Rom 11:27 NASB - "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."

Rom 11:28 NASB - From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;

Rom 11:29 NASB - for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

As we watch God moving to complete the prophecies of Ezekiel 37 He is gathering the Jews back to their promised land, He is putting flesh on their dry bones, and He is beginning to breath spiritual life back into them.  These are sure signs of the last days. We watch with awe as events in the Middle East continue to fulfill the prophecies of Psalms 83 and Isaiah 17 and the stage is being set for Ezekiel 38 to unfold right before our eyes. These are last days’ events. The conditions in the world around us are last day’s conditions.

How then shall we live?

As we look at the world around us in light of this study, it becomes ever clearer that we have indeed entered into the beginnings of the birth pains of Messiah, the last days, the days just before Christ’s second coming to the earth. The challenge set before us is this. How then shall we live? In light of the events and world conditions all around us, as true disciples of Jesus, sons and daughters of God, the Bride of Christ, what should be our priorities? What should we be doing? What image should we be portraying to the world around us?

2Pe 3:10 NASB - But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 NASB - Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

2Pe 3:12 NASB - looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

2Pe 3:13 NASB - But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

2Pe 3:14 NASB - Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

1Pe 1:3 NASB - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Pe 1:13 NASB - Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1Pe 3:15 NASB - but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

1Jo 3:3 NASB - And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Hbr 12:2 NASB - fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jam 1:2 NASB - Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

            We should be a people looking for and hastening the coming of our Lord Jesus. We should be a people living holy and Godly lives. We should be a people in peace, spotless and blameless in the sight of God and man. We should be a people full of hope and faith with a joy set before us that will carry us, and those around us, through the difficult times ahead of us. We should be a people always ready to share the hope that is within us and to share the Gospel with gentleness and reverence with all who will listen.

Jesus told us, “I send you out as sheep among wolves”.

Mat 10:16 NASB - "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

Mat 10:17 NASB - "But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;

Mat 10:18 NASB - and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

Mat 10:19 NASB - "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

Mat 10:20 NASB - "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Mat 10:21 NASB - "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

Mat 10:22 NASB - "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

Mat 10:23 NASB - "But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

Mat 10:24 NASB - "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.

Mat 10:25 NASB - "It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

Mat 10:26 NASB - "Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

Mat 10:27 NASB - "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

Mat 10:28 NASB - "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mat 28:19 NASB - " Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 NASB - teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Mar 16:15 NASB - And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Mar 16:16 NASB - "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Mar 16:17 NASB - "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;

Mar 16:18 NASB - they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Mar 16:19 NASB - So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

Mar 16:20 NASB - And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.

We are to be shrewd and innocent, to beware of worldly men but not to fear them, always ready to give our testimony and proclaim the Word of the Lord. We are to go into all the world, proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and teach obedience to God’s Word. If we do these things, God promises to confirm the Word with signs and wonders.

Time is short my friends. The harvest season is coming to the end.

 Let us go out and

 GLEAN THE FIELDS FOR OUR KING!

References: “Prelude”, D.P. Weary, January 2009.