The toolbox for the Beast of Revelation makes its debut. Caution is advised!

Nine Unnerving New Technologies That

Big Brother Wants to Implant Inside You

by Pastor Paul J. Bern

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The world we live in is finally starting to catch up with the book of Revelation in the back of the Bible. That would also include the books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah, among others. Thousands of years ago, God declared through his prophets that in the last days there would be an explosion of knowledge, and that the sealed books given to the prophet Daniel at the conclusion of his writings would be opened. "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many shall go here and there to increase knowledge." Daniel 12:4 He also said that as this was happening, a man of dark countenance would rise and deceive the whole world. That would include the Antichrist, who has not yet come to power.

As you read this, we stand poised on the razor's edge of prophetical history. One group, the blood-bought redeemed of the Lord Jesus Christ, wait in anticipation of the Blessed Hope found in Titus 2:13, as it is written: "... while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Everyone else is unwittingly waiting for the Man of Sin, the Antichrist in the flesh, to step out of the shadows and onto the world stage. Our question to you is this – which group are you in? "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." Revelation 13:16,17. If I were you, I'd place myself squarely into the former.

Wearable technology is right around the corner, there is no stopping it. Now don't get me wrong – I'm all in favor of technology. My consistent use of the internet is indicative of that fact. I'm a retired IT guy, I was in that business for 21 years, so I'm quite comfortable with technology. What makes me uncomfortable is the huge potential for abuse if what I'm about to describe were to get into the wrong hands. “Wearables” will have their moment in the sun, but they're simply a transition technology. This technology will move from existing outside our bodies to residing inside us. That's the next big frontier. Here are nine signs that implantable tech is here now, growing rapidly, and that it will be part of your life (and your body) in the near future. Unless, of course, you choose to resist as I do.

1. Implantable smartphones

Sure, we're virtually connected to our phones 24/7 now, but what if we were actually connected to our phones? That's already starting to happen. Last year, for instance, artist Anthony Antonellis had an RFID chip embedded in his arm that could store and transfer art to his handheld smartphone. But what takes the place of the screen if the phone is inside you? Techs at Auto-desk are experimenting with a system that can display images through artificial skin. Or the images may appear in your eye implants. So these scientists and engineers want to turn your eyeballs into a screen. Nice! Researchers are also experimenting with embedded sensors that turn human bone into living speakers. Other scientists are working on eye implants that let an image be captured with a blink and transmitted to any local storage (such as that arm-borne RFID chip).

2. Healing chips

Right now, patients are using cyber-implants that tie directly to smartphone apps to monitor and treat diseases. A new bionic pancreas being tested at Boston University, for instance, has a tiny sensor on an implantable needle that talks directly to a smartphone app to monitor blood-sugar levels for diabetics. Scientists in London are developing swallow-able capsule-sized circuits that monitor fat levels in obese patients and generate genetic material that makes them feel "full". It has potential as an alternative to current surgery or other invasive ways to handle gross obesity. Dozens of other medical issues from heart murmurs to anxiety have implant/phone initiatives under way.

3. Cyber pills that talk to your doctor

“Implantables” won’t just communicate with your phone; they’ll email your doctor, too. In a project named Proteus, after the tiny body-navigating vessel in the film Fantastic Voyage, a British research team is developing cyber-pills with microprocessors in them that can text doctors directly from inside your body. The pills can share (literally) inside info to help doctors know if you are taking your medication properly and if it is having the desired effect.

4. Bill Gates' implantable birth control

The Gates Foundation is supporting an MIT project to create an implantable female compu-contraceptive controlled by an external remote control. The tiny chip generates small amounts of contraceptive hormone from within the woman's body for up to 16 years. Implantation is no more invasive than a tattoo. And, "The ability to turn the device on and off provides a certain convenience factor for those who are planning their family.", said Dr Robert Farra of MIT. This is sure to give losing the remote a whole new meaning.

5. Smart tattoos

Tattoos are hip and seemingly ubiquitous, so why not smart, digital tattoos that not only look cool, but can also perform useful tasks, like unlocking your car or entering mobile phone codes with a finger-point? Researchers at the University of Illinois have crafted an implantable skin mesh of computer fibers thinner than a human hair that can monitor your body's inner workings from the surface. A company called Dangerous Things has an NFC chip that can be embedded in a finger through a tattoo-like process, letting you unlock things or enter codes simply by pointing. A Texas research group has developed micro-particles that can be injected just under the skin, like tattoo ink, and can track body processes.

6. Brain-computer interface

Having the human brain linked directly to computers is the dream (or nightmare) of sci-fi. But now, a team at Brown University called Brain Gate is at the forefront of the real-world movement to link human brains directly to computers for a host of uses. As the Brain Gate website says, "using a baby aspirin-sized array of electrodes implanted into the brain, early research from the Brain Gate team has shown that the neural signals can be ‘decoded' by a computer in real-time and used to operate external devices." Chip maker Intel predicts practical computer-brain interfaces by 2020. Intel scientist Dean Pomerleau said in a recent article, "Eventually people may be willing to be more committed to brain implants. Imagine being able to surf the Web with the power of your thoughts." OK, but what if the user's brain gets a computer virus? What will we do then, wipe their memories??

7. Melt-able bio-batteries

One of the challenges for implantable tech has been how to get power to devices tethered inside or floating around in human bodies. You can't plug them in. You can't easily take them out to replace a battery. A team at Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is working on biodegradable batteries. They generate power inside the body, transmit it wirelessly where it's needed, and then simply melt away. Another project is looking at how to use the body’s own glucose to generate power for implantables. Think the potato battery of grammar school science, but smaller and much more advanced.

8. Smart dust

Perhaps the most startling of current implantable innovations is smart dust, arrays of full computers with antennas, each much smaller than a grain of sand, that can organize themselves inside the body into as-needed networks to power a whole range of complex internal processes. Imagine swarms of these nano-devices, called motes, attacking early cancer or bringing pain relief to a wound or even storing critical personal information in a manner that is deeply encrypted and hard to hack. But not impossible. With smart dust, doctors will be able to act inside your body without opening you up, and information could be stored inside you, deeply encrypted, until you unlocked it from your very personal nano-network.

9. The verified self

Implantables hammer against social norms. They raise privacy issues and even point to a larger potential dystopia. Already, the US military has serious programs afoot to equip soldiers with implanted RFID chips, so keeping track of troops becomes automatic and worldwide. Many social critics believe the expansion of this kind of ID is inevitable. Some see it as a positive: improved crime fighting, universal secure elections, a positive revolution in medical information and response, and never a lost child again. Others see the perfect Orwellian society: a Big Brother who, knowing all and seeing all, can control all. And some see the first big, fatal step toward the Singularity, that moment when humanity turns its future over to software.

I don't know about you, but to me that is unacceptable for the reasons I've already stated. Plus, I have another reason for never being willing to surrender my future to software. My future is spending an eternity with the Man who saved my very soul. I will be spending my future, my eternity, with the man who carried a 150-pound wooden cross about a half-mile or so – uphill! I will be spending my future, my eternity, with the man who hung on a cross for me for three agonizing, excruciating hours before finally dying of blood loss and shock.

And, I will be spending my future, my eternity, with the man who, after lying in a borrowed grave for three days while the whole world despaired and the demons rejoiced, rose again to live forever, much to the absolute horror of those demons and to the eternal benefit of humankind. All we have to do is (1) believe it sincerely and wholeheartedly, and (2) make it our business to lives our lives as if we do believe. We do that by serving others first, understanding that when we do so, all will be served including ourselves. How about yourselves? Have you embraced Jesus yet? If not, don't you think it's time you did? Place your unconditional faith and trust in Him today!

When Will Jesus Return? Does Anybody Really Know?

Clarifying the “Rapture” of the Church

by Pastor Paul J. Bern

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For as long as I have been alive, which is just over 6 decades, there has been endless talk and rampant speculation about the 'rapture', or literally snatching away, of all the real followers of Christ within 3-7 years of the return, or Second Coming, of our Lord and Savior. There are 3 versions or explanations of the “rapture” of the Church, also known in the Book of Revelation as the Bride of Christ. But before we get into that, let's have a look at one of several passages in the New Testament about the 'rapture' so we can get a little background. “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to God's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, and the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet our Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (1^st Thessalonians 4, verses 13-18)

There is considerable symbolism being used here by the apostle Paul, the man who wrote the above passage of Scripture, but its nature is not complex. The phrase “those who fall asleep” is an ancient expression for what we now call 'the deceased' or 'the dearly departed' or 'the late whoever' and so on. But Paul then comes right back and sums up the essence of Christianity in one simple sentence: “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” So right here Paul establishes that all who were sincere believers in Christ Jesus while they were living will rise again just as Jesus did, when he returns for us. Despite those who doubt or make fun of Biblical teachings such as these, they will all come to pass exactly as the Bible says, of that you can be sure!

The apostle Paul then closes out this train of thought with: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, and the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet our Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” Notice that when the Lord returns, he will not descend to the earth. We're going to meet Him in the air instead. I suspect that one main reason could be due to an excess of radiation due to nuclear fallout from a catastrophic war. Like, say, World War Three, for instance. Hold that thought, because I'm going to tell you why in just a minute. But first, I need to explain the difference between pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation “raptures”. Please stay with me, everyone, this will be easy to understand, but I have to be careful how I explain all this.

'Pre-tribulation' means the dead believers in Christ, along with all who are alive at the time of their resurrection, will be taken up at the beginning of the 7 year Tribulation period. 'Mid-tribulation' means at the halfway point, or roughly 3.5 years after it starts, and 'post-tribulation means we'll all be stuck here until it's over and Jesus returns to rule the earth. First, allow me to reference 2 short passages of Scripture that completely disproves the first scenario, the 'pre-tribulation rapture'. The first is from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24, beginning at verse 3: “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, some of the disciples came to him privately. 'Tell us', they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?' Jesus answered, 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying, 'I am the Christ', and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end shall be saved. And this gospel will be preached to the whole world, and then the end will come.'” (Matt. 24, verses 3-14)

When asked about this series of events by his apostles, the very first thing out of the mouth of our Lord and Savior was, “Watch out that no one deceives you.” That sums up everything we need to know about all those who claim to predict the future. Anyone who claims to know the date of Christ's return, or who says they know exactly when the 'rapture' of the Church will occur, simply doesn't know what they're talking about. Moreover, they bring divine Judgment on themselves for claiming to speak on God's behalf, when in fact they are only speaking for themselves. But right after that is when Jesus gets to the point when he said, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” These four little sentences straight from the mouth of our Savior and Redeemer eliminate any possibility that the “pre-tribulation rapture” is the correct interpretation regarding its timing. After all, we can't be taken up to heaven prior to the start of the tribulation period if some of us will be put to death for our faith, and for refusing to take the “Mark of the Beast” from the Antichrist and his soldiers and minions! It is not possible to be at two different points in time simultaneously! I rest my case – but wait (sorry for the cliche here)! There's more, and it can be found in Revelation chapter 13, and I quote:

“The beast was given power to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13, verses 5-8)

“The beast” symbolizes the Antichrist, who was “given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.” How can the Antichrist conquer the saints, evidently by the use of the military, if they were “raptured” at the start of the 7 year tribulation? This is my second and final reason for my case against the “pre-tribulation rapture”. But for my final part of this week's message and Biblical teaching, we need to go back to Daniel chapter 9 and verse 27: “He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven'. In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the Temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Rather than quote the entire 7-verse paragraph the above verse is taken from, let me define “seven” as a year, although this is sometimes used interchangeably with 'weeks', depending on which version of the Bible you prefer. So we can see here that the “covenant with many” will be most likely of 7 years duration. Based on my own intensive studies, as well as the commentaries and teachings of those more qualified than I, this most likely symbolizes a Mideast peace agreement that is about to be fulfilled. But then, in the middle of the 'seven' described by Daniel, the “beast” – or Antichrist – “will put an end to sacrifice and offering.” And so all religious worship involving anything other than the Mark of the Beast will be outlawed, as it is written: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is going into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” (Revelation 13, verses 8-10) Does this read like there's going to be a “pre-tribulation rapture”? On the contrary – some of us will be imprisoned for our faith, still more of us will be killed. This is because their names are all found in the “book of life belonging to the Lamb”, who is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who has removed the sins of the world, but only for those who believe in Him and call upon his name. But the rest of humanity who worships the beast, which will be the majority of people from that time soon to come, will seal their own doom by doing so. None of us has any way of knowing when the 'rapture' will occur. It's time to stop wasting time speculating about it, and to live our lives as if Jesus were coming that very night to take us home. Because, you know, one of these nights he really will.

THE MOST RATIONAL END TIMES ANALYSIS ON PLANET EARTH

Of Bogus Prophets and the Truth

Wars, Rumors of Wars, and the Truth

by Pastor Paul J Bern

One of the things I did on my own behalf five years ago as I was looking for ways to cut my expenses was canceling my cable TV subscription. My reasons were partly economic, partly practical, and partly because of my Christian faith. I also had practical reasons. I was just getting started with my writing and blogging, so I no longer had time to watch TV. To me at least, there's really nothing much on there worth watching, so why bother? Plus, the news and information channels such as Fox, CNN, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel and so many others are filled with misinformation at best, and propaganda at worst. So, I started streaming videos off the Web, mainly from You Tube, Mypeace.tv and a few others. I have intentionally cut myself off from much of the world, just as it is written: “Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world....” [John chapter 18, verse 36]. It is also a fact mainly known to Jesus followers that real Christians define intelligence differently than anyone else, as it is written: “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight.....” [1^st Corinthians chapter 3, verses 18-19]. The apostle John, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, also had a comment or two in this regard when he wrote, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” [1^st John chapter 2, verses 15-17, NIV]

These are the underlying reasons, my dear readers, why I have disconnected from the world (I no longer own a radio for the same reasons). There is one very noticeable difference between cable and network television and what's being shown on the internet, besides the fact that much of it is free. I can sum it up in one word – truth!! The contrast between the news, information and even the entertainment on the Web compared to commercial TV and the movies is pretty stark. One of the most worrisome trends I'm seeing on the internet, however, is those who go overboard in search of the truth to such an extent that they damage their own credibility due to excess speculation about humankind's future. The wild speculation about the timing of World War Three and with regard to End Times Prophecy are the two examples of what I mean by “worrisome trends”. Never mind all the misinformation. Let me set a few things straight.

First, and much to the discredit of organized religion, or “Christianity, Inc”, I often wonder why some of the answers to these questions are not being discussed in churches. All I hear in the majority of them are false doctrines such as the “pre-tribulation rapture” and the bizarre idea that Jesus wants us all to be rich. I can hardly find a church these days that teaches the truth of all these things except on the internet. The ugly truth is far worse than what is currently being 'taught'. No wonder the church is not mentioned in Revelation directly, just the tribulation saints (see Rev. chapter 7, verses 9-14). The rest are being consumed in the great apostasy that will hit a peak once the Antichrist governmental system gets into full swing, and that will be happening in the near future. Have any of you other Christians brought up these subjects in church? I have and it does not go over well, but that doesn't matter to me. Now is the time to speak out and expose false teaching on these subjects. One prime example of what I mean can be found in scripture in Revelation chapter 13, verses 1-5: “And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he gave great authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, 'Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?' The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.”

 

Don't worry, I'm not going to confuse or confound anyone with any long, drawn out explanations because none is necessary. “The Beast” symbolizes an extremely powerful nation. “The Sea” is a biblical metaphor for the sea of humanity. The “10 horns, 7 heads and 10 crowns” refers to a large international organization, most likely the countries that are the primary or founding members of the United Nations. “The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion.” What modern countries use those animals as their national symbols? Germany, Russia and Great Britain, in that order. The “fatal wound that had been healed” is presumably Germany, who lost WW2 but has since been rebuilt and revitalized. “The Dragon” is a synonym for the devil, or Satan. And who is “The Beast”? What does it say? “'Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” This is a clear reference to the largest and by far most powerful military force the world has ever known – the United States!

What else could this be? “The beast” in the Book of Revelation is none other than the United States military, the American Empire, the US military-industrial-incarceration complex, or all of the above! I mean, it does not take a seminary or a university graduate to figure this stuff out!!

There is much talk today about war being imminent. Granted, when it comes to the Middle East, war could break out at any time, nobody knows for sure. So you can forget about those who say they know the date of Jesus' return, or that WW3 or a colossal economic crash is going to occur on a certain day. They either don't know what they're talking about, or they have ulterior motives for saying such things (like selling books, for example). Let's not forget what Jesus taught: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels of heaven, or the Son, but only the Father". (Matt. 24:36) But there are several other quotes directly from our Savior that may offer a clue about a certain time frame regarding Christ's return. Jesus also said, "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night", and, “The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him". Moreover, when Jesus taught the parable of the wedding feast (see Matthew 22, verses 1 to 14), the groom arrived at midnight, and everyone had fallen asleep. When I combine the above quotes, the message is clear. He will arrive in the middle of the night to take his Bride home, and the world will have fallen asleep because it's taking 2,000 years for this scenario to play itself out so that all prophecy can be fulfilled. Problem is – and this is where it gets interesting – if Christ comes in the middle of the night in Jerusalem, when I add up the time zone changes from Israel to the US, He would arrive here during afternoon rush hour. Wouldn't that be something!

Watch out that no one deceives you

Bogus Doomsday's, False Prophecies,

and the Real Returning of Christ

by Rev. Paul J. Bern

Over the last several years I have seen a lot of blog postings and also viewed a number of video's regarding Biblical end times prophecies, doomsday reports such as the impending start of World War Three, as well as predictions about catastrophes such as monstrous killer earthquakes and the planet Nibiru and so on. For example, just this past week I saw a video on You-tube titled, “Nibiru enters earth's orbit”. Undoubtedly the majority of you have already heard of this wayward planet, also called “Planet X”, or more recently “Planet 9”. Although it is factual that the presence of a large planet has been detected on the outer rim of the known solar system, NASA estimates this planet to be somewhere between Neptune and Pluto, or well over two and a quarter billion miles away. Moreover, this hypothetical new planet is estimated to be roughly two thirds the size of Jupiter, or approximately 60,000 miles in diameter. If this 9^th planet were to enter the earth's orbit, or be as close to earth as the earth is from the sun, it would be clearly visible in the sky, even during daytime. Enough said about Nibiru.

A California pastor and radio host named Harold Camping made what turned out to be a series of false prophecies dating back to the 1980's, the most recent (before his “retirement”) being that the “rapture of the church” would occur on Saturday May 21, 2011 at exactly 6PM. “Rev.” Camping and others like him have brought judgment down on themselves and their congregations (except for those individuals who left) by uttering prophecies that have turned out to be without substance. Such predictions give non-Christians one more reason to discount the Bible. In another example, many secularists dismiss the Bible because they assume that it teaches the world is only 6,000 years old. In reality, the Bible never makes such a claim about the Earth’s age. Instead, some well meaning Christians have misused the genealogies in the Bible to attempt to ascertain the date of creation. Second, predictions about the end of the world always lead some people to make foolish decisions. Just as every teacher knows how unproductive and unfocused students are the week before school lets out, God knows how tempted we would be to neglect the responsibilities he has entrusted to us if we knew the date we would be “raptured” into heaven. That is why God refuses to show us his calendar and instead instructs us to focus on our assignments. But the most harmful consequence of false predictions is that it discourages people from making the necessary preparation for the real event when it actually occurs. But some will be tempted to join the chorus of cynics whom the Bible predicts will mockingly say, “Where is the promise of Christ’s coming?” (2 Peter 3:3-4). Let's not forget that it was Jesus himself who said to his apostles that no one knows when he is coming back to the earth, not even himself, but only his heavenly Father. Let's pause and look up what He said about that. “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. 'Tell us', they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?' Jesus answered, 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come, claiming, 'I am the Christ', and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” [Matthew chapter 24, verses 3-8, NIV]

I'm sure you noticed the very first sentence of Christ's response, “Watch out that no one deceives you”. At this point it is easy to see that Jesus was talking about the times in which we are currently living. The increased number of earthquakes that have been recorded over the last decade or more are in the news almost on a daily basis. When it comes to famines, humankind has them in spades, starting with a 2014 United Nations report saying that 50,000 children per day, ages 5 and under, die from starvation globally. But these things, our Lord said, are just the beginning. There will be a lot of “false Christs” who will deceive an awful lot of people. Jesus wasn't only talking about people claiming to be Jesus Christ in the flesh, he was talking about entire churches or even denominations. 'Ours is the true way', one church might say, and yet another different from the first may say the same thing. Jesus was talking about divisions within the body of believers, as well as phony con artists operating without.

At this point, I really should add some additional background to add more clarity to this week's message. I'm going to mention three things here – the Great Tribulation, the coming of the Antichrist, and the “rapture” of the church. Whatever anyone has read or heard elsewhere, get ready to enjoy hearing and be warned about the truth about the world's future as the Bible tells it. Most everybody knows about the 7-year Great Tribulation that is prophesied elsewhere in the Bible, mainly in the books of Daniel and Revelation, and which were written many hundreds of years apart. This 7-year period will be the final seven years leading up to the return of Jesus Christ, who will proceed to rule the world from its new capital in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. The main argument revolves around the timing of this 7-year period. Some say it hasn't started yet, others insist we 're already in it. There are many details I could delve into regarding this matter, but it all boils down to what Jesus told his apostles: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father”. [Matthew 24: 32-36, NIV] Based on that last sentence, if anyone tells you orally, in writing, or on a You Tube video the exact date of Christ's return, you can be certain they are lying, and that's the nicest way I can put it. Many Biblical scholars and pastors, unfortunately, take the phrase, “this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened” and try to add something that isn't there. You probably know that the nation of Israel as founded on May 14, 1948. You likely also know that a 'generation' in the Bible was considered to be 40 years when it was originally written. For all you long-time Christians like myself, it was widely prophesied on the then-relatively-new Christian TV stations that Jesus would return one generation later on May 14, 1988. Much to the discredit of main stream Christianity, we all know what happened back then, and one of the purposes of this week's posting is to try and prevent this from happening a second time during these last days.

What am I talking about here? If 40 years isn't what Jesus meant, many Christians are saying, and the average life expectancy here in the 'end times' is a little over 70 for men, then 1948 plus 70 years equals 2018. Aha!! So that's when our Lord will return! Got it, now let's get ready! Wait, wait – stop. With slightly less than two years to go until this date, I can tell you without reservation that, like 1988, May 14, 2018 will most likely come and go without any major incidents. “No one knows the day or the hour”. Isn't that what the Lord said? Not even himself, He stated. Now let's look at this from another angle. If May 14^th, 2018 is the day of Christ's return, and since the Great Tribulation is of 7 years duration, then the 'tribulation' should have started back in the Spring of 2011, and the Antichrist should have come to power sometime last summer or so. Clearly, since none of these has occurred, those other “predictions” won't come true either. So, now let me move on to the second topic, and that is the coming of the Antichrist, who will come upon the world scene according to the prophet Daniel (see Daniel chapter 12 in the Old Testament), as well as the book of Revelation chapter 13. As before, without having you all plunge headfirst into the murky pool of end times prophecy, let me make a generalization or two. In the first place, World War Three and the Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39 in the Old Testament are one and the same. Moreover, the Antichrist will not come to power until just after this war's conclusion. While I would be quick to agree that the stage for WW3 is currently being set, we aren't there just yet – but, continue to watch events unfold in the Middle East very closely, because that's where it's going to start. It will not be until the conclusion of that war that the Antichrist will come to power to enforce his own brand of peace, and that is when the countdown to the final 3.5 years will commence before Christ's return. The final event before our Savior's return in this context is the Battle of Armageddon, which is not the same as the God-Magog war of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. So, to dispel another myth or false teaching (take your pick), World War Three and Armageddon are two different battles set approximately seven years apart.

The final end-times issue I want to discuss is the so-called “rapture” of the church (I'm using quotes because the word 'rapture' isn't in the Bible). The “rapture” of the church is the abrupt taking away of Christ's Church, allegedly at the beginning of the 7-year tribulation prophesied in the Bible. Many modern pastors and nearly all TV evangelists are teaching this as being factual. Only our heavenly Father knows for sure, just as Jesus said above. A generation or two ago, few mainline Protestant churches discussed the second coming of Jesus Christ. Fifty years later, however, televangelists, network television programs, movies and books like the "Left Behind" series — which has sold more than 60 million copies — have succeeded in placing the return of Jesus Christ in the public consciousness. A 2004 Newsweek poll revealed that 55 percent of Americans believe in the “rapture”, the snatching away of all Christians prior to the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ. Speaking as a Web pastor who preaches often about Bible prophecy, I am grateful for the general awareness people have of the promised return of Jesus Christ. My hunch is that the date God ultimately has chosen is one that will not be plastered on billboards around the country. Make no mistake about it, Jesus is coming back some day. Over 1,800 verses in the Old Testament and 300 verses in the New Testament prophesy of the Lord’s return. But I sometimes find some modern interpretations of Scripture leaving something to be desired, and the teaching about the “rapture” is one of them. To find out the truth, all we have to do is read a little farther in Matthew's gospel beyond where we were when we started. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and be put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of many will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” [Matthew 24: 9-14, NIV] 

 

Now let's go back to the Book of Revelation for some similar scripture: “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given the power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patience and endurance on the part of the saints.” [Revelation chapter 13, verses 5-10, NIV]

After reading through these two carefully chosen passages of Scripture, there should be no remaining doubt in the mind of every reader that there will be no 'get out of jail free' card for any of us. If you're watching a preacher on TV, or at the church you attend, and you find yourself hearing about a “pre-tribulation rapture”, stop watching that preacher or find a better church in your area, because I just proved with the two passages above that there is no “rapture”. I let the Bible do the talking for me, this isn't just my opinion. The rapture is a false teaching!! Of course, there will be many people who will cite 1^st Thessalonians chapter 4 (“behold, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall all be changed”). Problem is, that chapter isn't talking about the second coming of Christ, the apostle Paul was writing about what happens when we die. Go back and read First Thessalonians chapter four, verses 13-18, and chapter five, verses 1-6 in any Bible version you want, and you'll see what I mean. Those verses are about what happens when we die! The church will not escape the brutal rule of the Antichrist or the horrors of World War Three. We're going to be right in the middle of it, and many of us could even get killed. Moreover, this will be happening on a global scale, meaning the United States will not escape what's coming upon the whole world – the real Tribulation yet to come. I don't think we'll have much longer to wait. Prepare yourselves accordingly.

For this week's Bible study we'll start the Book of Ephesians

Having the Mark of the Spirit

[Ephesians chapter 1, verses 1-14]

This week we begin our study of the next consecutive book in the New Testament, the book of Ephesians. This book, like the book of Colossians we just finished, was written by the apostle Paul, the twelfth apostle. Among the highlights in this book are Paul's explanation of his ministry to the Gentiles despite his own Jewish ancestry and religious education, and his still-controversial comments at the end regarding the relationship between husbands and wives and the Church. Bearing that in mind, let's begin at verse one, where Paul gave them a most eloquent and Christ-like greeting.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” (Ephesians chapter 1, verses 1-10, NIV)

The first thing I want to point out here is that the timeless prose in which this is written is clearly inspired by the Holy Spirit, not just because Paul was a gifted writer, even though he was well-educated during a period in history when most people were illiterate. He is completely focused on Jesus Christ, correctly asserting that those who are saved by His blood were saved since long before recorded time began. We are adopted as sons and daughters of God, which is a reiteration of a point of fact Paul made in his letter to the Roman church, which we studied previously. Jesus has also freely given us his grace, which is defined as unmerited favor from God, like a birthday present. One modern example of grace would be if a traffic cop pulls you over because he or she caught you speeding, and then lets you off with a warning for whatever reason. God's grace is very similar, but it's also far more serious – you're being let off the hook for offenses that will send a nonbeliever straight to hell. And, just in case anyone is unsure, there really is such a place as hell. Jesus shed his blood and died on Calvary to save us all from eternal condemnation. That's why faith in Christ, alongside belief put into action, is absolutely essential for salvation and a shot at eternity in heaven with our Lord and Savior.

Paul closes this portion of his message to Ephesus with a prophecy, which the Bible defines as a proclamation of the Word of God or a fulfillment of His will. And Paul states that God's will is “to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” Without a doubt Paul is referring to the end times, which are the last days on Earth before the return of Christ for his church. The true Church will be taken up and away from the earth when the often-prophesied antichrist comes to power and initiates his world government. The antichrist will rule on earth for three and a half years prior to the return of Jesus Christ who, along with his true believers and followers who do his will, will defeat the combined armies of the antichrist at the battle of Armageddon at His return. But, let me save any additional comments on the End Times for another time so I don't stray off topic. For now, let's move along with our study beginning at verse 11.

“In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of his will, in order that we, who are the first hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession – to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians chapter 1, verses 11-14, NIV)

Everybody who hears the Gospel of Christ, and all who read their Bibles and these words and all the rest, all are included with Christ in his Father's plan for salvation for all of us. Remember what Jesus taught us, “Never will I leave you, and never will I forsake you”. You are adopted into the eternal family of God as a son or a daughter, and you remain that way for all eternity since there is no passage of time in heaven like there is here on Earth. But there is much more to this than the act of adoption. We are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit which is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, and this mark is located on our forehead. We can't physically see it but it most definitely is there. I would compare “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” to a down payment on a house. Jesus wants to come in and live there with you forever, just like a marriage. So he leaves us his Holy Spirit as a security deposit until he returns for the redemption of our souls, and to abide with us forever.

What I find most interesting is that this same language and terminology that Paul is using when he wrote that we are all “marked with a seal” is also used in the book of Revelation chapter seven to describe the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel who will be marked with the seal of the Living God. On the other hand, after the antichrist comes to power, he forces everyone to receive his mark, or seal, in order to be able to work, to buy and to sell. Without the mark of the beast, as Revelation calls it, no one will be able to buy food or anything else for that matter. No fuel for your vehicle, no way to make rent or mortgage payments, and no way to obtain employment will be just a few of the hallmarks of the antichrist's reign for those who refuse to worship him and to take his mark. The mark of the beast is the polar opposite of the mark of the Holy Spirit in the spiritual realm. 

 

My point here is that the apostle Paul used a quote from what later became the book of Revelation, which was not written until long after Paul's death by execution in Rome. How did Paul know what it would say in that part of Revelation if it had not yet been written? By the discernment of the Holy Spirit! It's the only possible explanation! And that, my dear readers, is how we know for sure that the Bible is the inspired written Word of God. Here is your proof in black and white, although there are numerous other similar examples. But this one fits in best with this week's study, and I hope you all find this to be at least as encouraging as I do, if not more. Let's close on that note and reflect on it for a minute. Be encouraged in the Lord, as He taught and as it is written, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”

This week's BIble study will be 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2

End Times Warnings From the Apostle Paul

[2^nd Thessalonians chapter 2]

As I wrote when I closed out our study of Second Thessalonians chapter one, “God always protects and he never fails”. Today as we plunge into the refreshing waters of the writings of the apostle Paul we will examine chapter two in detail. As I wrote last week, it is here in chapter two that Paul goes into detail about the end times after only giving this a quick mention in chapter one. So let's begin chapter two of Second Thessalonians starting at verse one.

“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord is already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2nd Thessalonians 2,verses 1-4, NIV)

Remember what Jesus said when he taught his apostles about the end times in Matthew chapter 24 and Luke chapter 21 (among others)? “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” So here we can clearly see that Jesus prophesied what Paul would write decades before Paul did so. There are also a few misguided individuals and denominations (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) who teach that Jesus has already returned. As we can see from this bit of Scripture, these sects, or more accurately cults, have been around since the dawn of Christianity. “Don't let anyone deceive you in any way”, Paul wrote, which is nearly identical to Matthew's gospel, chapter 24 and verse one where Jesus said, “Watch out that no man deceives you”. I love it when I find two seemingly unrelated chapters and verses within the Bible that have these hidden similarities, because I find it so fascinating! In short, I have fallen in love with God's Word, and I hope you have too. But Paul continues on, making two references to the antichrist by calling him “the man of lawlessness” and “the man doomed to destruction”. Then he elaborates on what he means starting in verse 5.

“Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance of the works of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perished because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2, verses 5-12, NIV)

“And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” The first thing Paul makes abundantly clear is that the antichrist has not yet come. It was not “the proper time”, and it still isn't. I have seen one example after another of modern-day phony messiahs claiming to be Christ (such as David Icke and others). Have nothing to do with these people. If you turn on your TV and someone is on your screen saying, “I am the risen Christ” or that the path to God can be found only in and through that person who is on your screen, turn the channel immediately! These people are nothing but incredibly evil deceivers, so avoid these people if at all possible and keep on seeking Christ. Continuing on, we find a reference to the book of Revelation, which had not yet been written, regarding “the one who now holds it back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way.” So here we have something truly prophetic by the apostle Paul because he was specifically mentioning this quote from Revelation, which is as follows: “The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, 'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates'. And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.” (Revelation 9, verses 13-15, NIV) This passage of Scripture was written at least 3 decades after Paul's death by execution in Rome.

“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance of the works of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perished because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” Have you ever watched a “faith healer” on TV or seen one at church? You know what I'm saying, you can spot a phony preacher if you watch them closely and carefully evaluate their words. The point is that Paul wrote about these shameless hustlers long before the advent of television. He prophesied their coming of age 2,000 years before it occurred. That's what the real prophets look, act and sound like, not those con men on “Christian” TV. (I should also point out that there are also some TV preachers and teachers who are not only very good, but they are clearly anointed by the Holy Spirit. It's our job to sort them out, so don't stop watching Christian TV! But that's exactly what is happening today. People are being led astray by all kinds of teaching from supposedly “anointed” people who often have no business being in a pulpit to begin with. Followers of these unscrupulous individuals, together with their financial backers, will perish because they don't love the truth. Only the truth can set us free, just as Jesus himself taught us. And so, “For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie”. What powerful delusion was Paul writing about here? This has been debated by Bible scholars and ministers from diverse backgrounds and faiths for centuries. Some say Paul was writing about Islam, others say it's the Catholics, while the Catholics say it was the Protestants. But I don't think it's necessarily commenting on religious denominations as it is regarding the world in which we live, with all its trappings, temptations, sin and empty materialism, not to mention its predatory and greed-based Capitalist economic system. That would qualify, I think, as the ultimate delusion. The endless acquisition of riches, fame and fortune, and investments and fine collectibles as an end unto themselves is the biggest delusion of all. Having said that, let's close out today's study beginning at verse 13.

“But we always ought to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our Gospel, that you might share in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we have passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2, verses 13-17, NIV)

“... from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” When Paul wrote “from the beginning”, he meant the very beginning of time as we know it, from the creation of the universe itself. As it was above, so it is here, which is that the apostle Paul having knowledge of the beginning of creation from a scientific as well as a Spiritual perspective was and is a prophetic statement. As most of you know, the universe as we know it was created about 13.7 billion years ago. The earth, on the other hand, is known to be around 4.4 billion years old. How did Paul know that the universe had been around for 9.3 billion years before the earth was made? Is this not what he is referring to? It could only have been by revelation of the Holy Spirit, there is no other explanation. “Belief in the truth”, on the other hand, is very likely a reference to a few of the early churches that weren't teaching the truth of the full Gospel. Paul has made ample mention of the apostasy of those churches elsewhere in his writings. So when Paul wrote, “He called you to this through our Gospel”, he meant the genuine true Gospel that he was preaching and teaching, the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, died and resurrected, and his twin gifts of eternal life and the Grace of God.

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we have passed on to you”. The same thing applies today, and every day of our lives. Stand firm, stand with Christ and he will stand with you. “If God is for us”, Paul wrote elsewhere, “then who can be against us?” Hold on to the teachings of Jesus! The best starting point for this is to simply start reading your Bible regularly. For those who may not yet be doing this, I recommend starting with any of the four gospels, with Mark's gospel being the shortest. The other thing we can all start doing is to sever our ties with the world. Unplug your TV, especially your cable service, pocket the money you save each month like I do, and begin streaming Christian content from the internet instead. I have been doing this for years, and I encourage all who read this to do the same. Of course, this doesn't mean we should all become hermits or recluses. On the contrary, we should have no reservation whatsoever about letting our Christianity show by putting our faith to work. Going to church is not enough – not if we are serious about following Jesus. Giving a beggar your spare change or buying them a sandwich, fries and a drink, spontaneously assisting a blind or disabled person, taking in a foster kid or two, and giving to charity are only a few of the things we can do that don't cost much. Please don't forget to give to the church of your choice as well. It doesn't always have to be a lot, but the Bible reminds us that “God loves a cheerful giver”. “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father... encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” Those are exactly my words that I extend to you as I close out this lesson. Be encouraged and strengthened, because that is God's will for your life. And once you learn to tap into His will and utilize the courage and strength of Jesus Christ you will be a truly empowered individual, which is what having a relationship with Jesus Christ is about.

This week's Bible study will be 1st Thessalonians chapter two

Better to Please God Than Other People

[1^st Thessalonians chapter 2]

Last week when we concluded chapter one of 1^st Thessalonians, the apostle Paul was telling the church that “your faith in God has become known everywhere”. You will also recall that I urged all of you to live the same way. Today as we move on to chapter two, Paul continues his commentary regarding the evidently unshakable faith of the Thessalonian church. There are, however, a couple of differences between the apostle Paul's description of his ministry at that time and that of many modern churches. With that in mind, let's plunge into 1^st Thessalonians chapter two in search of Spiritual treasure.

“You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his Gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel. We are not trying to please men but to please God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed – God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the Gospel of God to you.” (1st Thessalonians chapter two, verses 1-9, NIV)

“... with the help of our God we dared to tell you his Gospel in spite of strong opposition.” How many of us are doing this today? I run into this sort of thing all the time when I try and share my Christian faith. Sometimes I get grief from the atheists, other times from the Muslims or those who fancy themselves as mystics and “healers”. I do not let this bother me, in fact I have gotten used to it. When it comes to ministry, I have learned to accept this fact of life as going with the territory. But I dare not back down because of the teachings of Christ when He said, “If anyone is ashamed of me and neglects to make mention of me, I will not mention their name to my Father who is in heaven”. If there is anyone who professes belief in Jesus and yet is reticent to talk about their faith, then the faith of that individual immediately becomes superficial at best, and counterfeit at its worst. Nobody wants to be like that.

“We are not trying to please men but to please God, who tests our hearts.” The apostles didn't care about rejection or being ostracized for their beliefs. On the contrary, it made them more bold and determined than ever to get the Gospel to the masses for whom it was intended. Again, we as faithful Christians must busy ourselves with telling as many people as we can about Christ and how He transforms people's entire lives. This doesn't mean you must transform yourself into a Billy Graham, T. D. Jakes or anyone else. However, the apostle Paul does tell them one thing they shouldn't do. “You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed – God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men...”. How many others besides myself does this look familiar to? Plenty, I would think. Putting on a mask to cover up greed was evidently already occurring in Paul's day, and today it is more prevalent than ever. I see this stuff on Christian TV all the time, which is why I only watch maybe 10 percent of what's available. The rest of it is a bunch of junk as far as I'm concerned, not counting what's on cable or satellite TV. For example, there is mention in the four gospels of forgiveness when Peter asked Jesus, “If my brother sins against me how many times should I forgive them? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “Up to seventy times seven”. In this case the topic is forgiveness, but that's not how they teach it in these “money churches”, as my own pastor calls them. “Sow a generous seed of seventy dollars and God will reimburse you for up to seventy times that amount. So, if there is anyone here this morning in need of a financial miracle, donate 70 dollars and God will return back to you up to $4,900.00, donate $1,000.00 and God will give you $70,000.00”, and so on. These “ministers” are taking the Word of God completely out of context and they are twisting and warping it to satisfy their intense desire for donations, the majority of which they view as profits as if their churches were businesses instead of houses of worship! In my opinion, the hottest places in hell are going to reserved for these practitioners of spiritual sophistry, who think they can manipulate God's Word for their own aggrandizement. So if you find yourself in a church that is teaching this kind of junk, get out of there immediately or you will find yourself condemned with the rest of those folks.

“As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children... Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the Gospel of God to you.” So here we see that, unlike modern churches, Paul and his co-workers worked full-time day jobs and then held their services at night, probably just after dinner. The pastor at the church I attend works as a professor at a local college here in Atlanta where I live, in addition to his duties as pastor. But unfortunately this seems to be the exception rather than the rule in much of modern Christianity. “What, me work (they would say)? I don't have to work, I already serve the Lord!” These kinds of people, and I do encounter one once in a while, are in the ministry for all the wrong reasons. All they want is a nice, easy paycheck with minimal effort on their part. Speaking as a minister and as an ambassador for Christ, these folks will get their devil's due when their shallow and pathetic lives are over. It is these kinds of individuals that are already prophesied against by Christ in the book of Revelation, as it is written, “I wish that you were either hot or cold. But because you are neither, you are only lukewarm instead, and therefore I will spit you out of my mouth.” Need I say more? And now let's conclude today's study starting at verse 10.

“You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. And we also thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe. For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last. But brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person but not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan stopped us. For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which they will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” (1 Thessalonians 2, verses 10-20, NIV)

“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God...”. There is an incorrect teaching circulating among quite a few modern churches of all denominations: “God is good all the time – all the time, God is good”. Oftentimes this can be and most certainly is true. But what about the times in life when things turn out badly? The loss of a job, the breakup of a marriage, the loss of one's home due to foreclosure, business failures or the onset of disability, disease or even early death – all these things are hard but necessary facts of life that we must all deal with at one time or another during our daily living. Does God want these things to happen to us, then? Absolutely not! But there are many times when God uses personal tragedy or devastating loss to make us stronger and to help build our character. I would equate this with raising children, for example. Do we allow our children to do whatever they please and to run wild? Of course not, on the contrary, we teach our kids that life has limits and boundaries that they should not cross because it's in their own best interest. So it is with God's children, which is why this portion of Scripture is such an excellent example of how God wants us to live our lives.

“... when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” Beware of false “prophets”, “apostles”, “bishops”, etc. They “preach” the gospel as if they have this direct channel to God exclusively to themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth because there is no such thing! They also teach the wrong things as I have already described. No one has exclusive rights to God's Word, but instead we all share equal access. Christ died on the cross and rose again on the morning of the third day for all of us, and His salvation is spread equally among us. “You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews... in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.” This is what it meant back then – and still means today – to be a Christian in many parts of the world. It is a documented fact that more Christians were put to death for their faith in the 20^th century than in all the previous 19 centuries combined. Moreover, what will 21^st century Christians do when the antichrist comes to power sometime in the next year or two – certainly well before the end of this decade? The Bible is absolutely clear about this. Anyone who refuses to accept the “mark of the beast” from the antichrist, or who refuses to worship his image, will be put to death, and that will include the entire world. Meaning – religious persecution of Christians here in the US will become a fact of life soon after the antichrist steps suddenly onto the world stage. In Christian terms, this will be the “acid test” of our faith. People will be put to death for professing unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, they will not be able to work or to buy anything, and many will face starvation as a result. I wonder how many of the religious establishment and their dependable church goers will be able to hold up under the strain of the antichrist's rule? There will be quite a shakeout over this, you can be sure about that. So in closing for today, and to come full circle, will we get along just to get along, or will we stand firm? Remember what Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Only by focusing on Jesus can we be made strong enough to stand up under the coming religious persecution. Set your sights on Him and he will lead you in the way in which we should all go.