As the old adage goes "Things that make you go hum."
Gay marriage is being accepted as "normal" by more
churches and states. All the flip flops on the position of Biblical marriage by Democrats as well as those that call themselves Conservative
Republicans.
2 Timothy 3:1-3
(1.) "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."
(2.) "For men shall be lovers
of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,"
(3.) "disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,"
(4.) "Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God;"
Those that have authority in churches as well as in political position are getting caught
in adulterous relationships and finding other moral if not criminal offenses. Before we think that these incidents are not any more
numerous than 50 or even 100 years ago, its just the advancement of the type of media that reaches more people, we must stop to consider
again 2 Timothy 3.
2 Timothy 3:4-7
(4.) "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;"
(5.) "Having
a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
(6.) "For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,"
(7.) "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth."
The Apostle Paul was telling Timothy about the last days. Was he talking about now?
One would think so seeing the warnings coming to past, however in order to know what last days Paul was talking to Timothy about,
we must see Matthew 24:3-51. We will look at the key to Paul writing in verse 3.
Matthew 24:3
(3.) "And as he sat upon the mount
of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy
coming, and of the end of the world?"
Notice the key questions? "What is the sign of thy coming and
of the end of the world?" The disciples were not talking about the rapture of the church because: first they did not know of the rapture
because it was still a mystery, second when the rapture occurs those Christians that have died are called forth from the graves and
we that we that are living are caught up to heaven. Christ never comes to earth as He calls us to Him. (See 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.)
All the teaching that these "sign of the times" are now is just not true, they are however after Christ calls the church home and
all these things happen during the tribulation. So while the things that are going on now could fit in the warnings that Paul and
Christ gave, as well as Peter now days, I can only say things will get much worse! Praise be to God that those who know Christ as
Savior will not be here.
I have been asked “what about where Jesus says we are not to know the time
but we are to know the season?" If you are one of those that think Christ was talking about the signs of the rapture, the verses you
seek are Matthew 24:32,33.
Matthew 24:32,33
(32.) "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth
forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh:"
(33.) "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even]
at the doors."
I will tell you like I told the others, "there are verses above and below those verses that
give the whole context of what Christ was talking about." Remember the two key questions Christ was answering to the disciples. (See
verse 3) Now I will have to say that the stage is set, like never before in history, for the rapture. IT IS CLOSE! As we study the
Revelation of Christ that the Apostle John delivered to us in the book of the Revelation, as well as the other teachings pertaining
to the tribulation and the end of the world we should be very busy reaching others for Christ. While we are on the subject of the
rapture and end times, let me say that while a lot of movies and books are made or written about the rapture most have some real problems
staying true to the teachings on the subject. For instance, the movie that Billy Graham made called "A thief in the night" where a
guy wakes up and his wife is gone in the rapture and the theme was accept Christ because He comes as a thief in the night and you'll
miss the rapture if you're not ready. While the last part is true, the part about if you're not saved you will not be raptured, but
the idea that the Christian is not expecting Christ is pure "hoe-come"!
1 Thessalonians 5:1-7
(1.) "But of the times and
the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you."
(2) "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh
as a thief in the night."
(3.) "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon
a woman with child; and they shall not escape."
(4.) "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you
as a thief."
(5.) "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."
(6.) "Therefore
let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober."
(7.) "For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken
are drunken in the night."
The Apostle Paul told the Christians in verse one that he didn't have to
give them the times or seasons because they know Christ was going to call them before verse two. Verse two says "the day of the Lord"
(better known as "the great and terrible day of the Lord" or also known as "the seventh week of Daniel" even "the time of Jacobs trouble")
referring to the tribulation period. Then Paul in verse 3 tells of the unsaved being overtaken by the tribulation period. Then in
verse 4 he specifically says the saved will NOT be taken like a thief. Verses 5-6 tells them why. My friends, we as Christians are
to look forward to His calling us home and if we know we will be called how in the world is He coming to us as a thief? A thief is
someone you don't expect, they sneak in and steal.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
(16.) "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"
(17.) "Then we
which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord."
(18.) "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
When the
rapture occurs there is a shout, a trump and people rising out of the graves. I would hardly call that like a thief. Then we are told
comfort each other with the fact Christ will call us home and we will be out of here. While things look bad they are, but for the
Christian they will get better and I believe it won't be very long.
Pastor Charles E Wilson
