End Times

Around November of last year I was searching something in my Bible. I don't remember what it was I was studying at the time but my search took me to the last chapter of Revelation. As I was reading in chapter 22, I felt that Jesus was speaking to me personally. The Bible I usually study from is the "New American Standard Bible." Here is what it said in verse 16: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star." And, in verse 20, it reads: He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

I felt and still believe that He wants me to tell the churches that He is coming soon. Now this is not the soon as we think of soon, it is God's soon.

Sense that day, He has led me to many scriptures to help me understand why it is so very important to tell the churches. Unless many of us, who call ourselves Christians, wake up, we are going to be very disappointed when we stand before Jesus Christ on judgement day.

........I just got back from another funeral. This is the third person I know who has passed away recently. As I look at these three peoples' lives, I see that they some how got it. I don't think it was from the teaching they received but I could see that all three lead godly lives. You could see their love and concern for others was very genuine; a Christ like love. I have no doubt in my mind that all three will hear "Well done my good and faithful servant.", when they stand before Jesus Christ on that day.

These funerals and the scriptures that the Lord has lead me to, tells me that there is more to it than just believing in God's Son, Jesus Christ and that He paid for all my sins; there is more to this than what I've mentioned but I feel I need to move on to the point I feel I need to make.

I heard this again this morning at the funeral, in fact the pastor had us all say John 3:16 which is so familiar to us and is used in sharing the gospel. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." But, if you look down the scriptures a little farther to verse 21, it says "But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." 


I do not want to minimize Christ Jesus and what He did in any way; for it was because of Him I have been made right in God's sight. Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus. Not only has He paid for my sins, but He wants to help me live a godly life, to be holy, so that I can enter into His kingdom. I can not do this without Him.

Some how we Christians are waiting for God to change us so we can live a godly life. It doesn't work that way. We have to start the work and Christ will perfect it. The more we do through Christ, the more we are changed into His image, His likeness. We become godly, holy.

God told Israel, His chosen, to be holy. He also tells the church, us, to be holy. Why, because He is Holy. How can He allow sin into His new kingdom? Why destroy His creation, this heavens and earth, create a new one and allow sin to enter back in?

You don't have to believe what I am saying, but please don't just trust what someone else has taught you. Search the scriptures and let God teach you. What I've said so far is what I believe God has shown me.

I want to leave now with some more scriptures:

(NAS) Ezekiel 18:23 "Do I have pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord God, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? 24 "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die."

2 Peter 3

Amplified Bible (AMP)

2 Peter 3

 ¹BELOVED, I am now writing you this second letter. In [both of] them I have stirred up your unsullied (sincere) mind by way of remembrance,

    ²That you should recall the predictions of the holy (consecrated, dedicated) prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior [given] through your apostles (His special messengers).

    ³To begin with, you must know and understand this, that scoffers (mockers) will come in the last days with scoffing, [people who] walk after their own fleshly desires

    ⁴And say, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the forefathers fell asleep, all things have continued exactly as they did from the beginning of creation.

    ⁵For they willfully overlook and forget this [fact], that the heavens [came into] existence long ago by the word of God, and the earth also which was formed out of water and by means of water,

    ⁶Through which the world that then [existed] was deluged with water and perished.

    ⁷But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been stored up (reserved) for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.

    ⁸Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

    ⁹The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.

    ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish (pass away) with a thunderous crash, and the [^[a]material] elements [of the universe] will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.

    ¹¹Since all these things are thus ^[b]in the process of being dissolved, what kind of person ought [each of] you to be [in the meanwhile] in consecrated and holy behavior and devout and godly qualities,
    ¹²While you wait and earnestly long for (expect and hasten) the coming of the day of God by reason of which the flaming heavens will be dissolved, and the [^[c]material] elements [of the universe] will flare and melt with fire?
    ¹³But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise, in which righteousness (uprightness, freedom from sin, and right standing with God) is to abide.
    ¹⁴So, beloved, since you are expecting these things, be eager to be found by Him [at His coming] without spot or blemish and at peace [in serene confidence, ^[d]free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].
    ¹⁵And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord [^[e]His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world] is salvation (^[f]that which is conducive to the soul's safety), even as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the spiritual insight given him,

    ¹⁶Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist and misconstrue to their own ^[g]utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures.

    ¹⁷Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind].

    ¹⁸But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and ^[h]recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)!