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10 Signs of the Looming Seven-Year Tribulation - By Jonathan Brentner - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/06/06/10-signs-of-the-looming-seven-year-tribulation-by-jonathan-brentner/
Have you ever wondered during the past few months if the seven-year tribulation has already begun? I know that it hasn't yet started because Scripture says that we will be with the Lord before the antichrist establishes a covenant with Israel that starts the clock ticking for this time of God's wrath (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:3-8). Although the tribulation has not yet started, we see the beginning of conditions we know will be much worse during this seven-year period. I believe this is God's way of getting the attention of the world before His judgments begin. He's also assuring us that His appearing is imminent and we will soon be with Him in heaven and the place He is now preparing for us. I have picked ten signs that tell us the tribulation is rapidly approaching. Famine Revelation 6:8 tells us under the fourth seal, the rider on the pale horse is "given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence . . .." Deadly famines will occur during the tribulation; they will be a factor in wiping out one-fourth of the world's population during the seal judgments described in Revelation 6. According to a story published on the National Geographic website on May 12, 2020, swarms of gigantic locusts are swarming parts of East Africa bringing with them great famine. The National Geographic story also stated, "Some 13 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea already suffer from 'severe food insecurity' . . . meaning they may go without eating for an entire day or have run out of food altogether." The National Geographic story also noted that swarms of locusts can destroy up to "300 million pounds of crops" in a day. Can you imagine the disaster this can bring to already impoverished nations? These swarms of devastating locusts have also invaded India according to recent reports. Inflation Revelation 6:6 reveals that a time of great inflation lies ahead for the world during the tribulation such that a "quart of wheat" will sell for a day's wages. Do we see the potential for this in our world? Absolutely! Venezuela stands as an example of devastating inflation caused by government debt and printing of money. The enormous debt in the United States alone along with its printing of money during the past decade has already pushed the economy to the edge of disaster. That, along with exceedingly high unemployment of over forty million, has moved America ever so close to a complete collapse. Any more shocks will push it over the edge to great economic catastrophe and mind-boggling inflation and bring the same to the world. Violence Revelation 9:21 tells us this this about people during the tribulation: "nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts." Just as in the days of Noah, violence will fill the earth during the tribulation. The antichrist will cause the killing of a large number of saints during this time. Revelation 7:9-14 pictures a large multitude of martyrs that have come out of the "great tribulation." These are no doubt the same ones John refers to in 6:9 who were killed "for the word of God and witness they have borne." We already see this violence against Christians in our world and the seeds of it in the United States. Can there be any doubt regarding the deadly intentions of the left in America who advocate abortion up to and after birth, who put patients sick with COVID-19 in nursing homes, and who send police to stop worship services? Someday the rage and hatred of the left in the US will erupt into violent persecution against those who hold fast to the Word of God, if not before the rapture then surely after it. The Increase of Anti-Semitism We also know that the second half of the tribulation will be a time of deadly violence against the Jewish people (Matt. 24:15-20). We see the seeds of much anti-Semitism at work in our world. New York City, home to 1.8 million Jews, saw a record number of anti-Semitic attacks in 2019. France and Germany are rapidly becoming unsafe places for the Jewish people to lie. We also see antisemitism rampant at the United Nations. During the first couple months of the 2019-2020 session of the UN, it adopted 18 anti-Israel resolutions compared with just 7 concerning other nations. The New World Order Scripture tells us that a world government will dominate the entire earth during the tribulation, over which the antichrist will seize control (Dan. 7:24-26; Rev. 13:1-10). Today, we see this coming one-world government forming before our eyes. The UN now has a web page titled "Let's Take Our Planet Back" at https://unnwo.org/. An easy way to remember the link is to think "United Nations New World Order." This website represents a more blatant revelation of the UN's desire to create a New World Order, although it has always been quite visible under its stated Agenda 2030 goals of establishing a Marxist world order by 2030. The website puts a positive spin on the seventeen goals of Agenda 2030, which in reality reflect a Marxist/fascist world government in total control of the lives of people in every nation. Surrendering of Rights Since the onset of COVID-19, the willingness of people in the United States to surrender their rights and freedoms has astounded me. Many blindly follow unconstitutional restrictions without protest or any resistance whatsoever. This has been a successful test-run for the globalists. The elite have learned that with a world crisis and control of the media, many people will unwittingly submit to whatever the government tells them with little or no resistance as long as it's for the "common good." When the tribulation arrives on planet Earth, great fear and panic will also lead to a surrendering of rights and freedoms that will enable the globalists to finalize their plans for a New World Order. The Mark of the Beast I do not believe that Bill Gates is the antichrist, nor do I think that his vaccine and its accompanying tattoo is the mark of the beast that we find described in Revelation 13:16-18. However, I do believe these things are also preparing the world for the control that the antichrist will exert over the world during the tribulation. The idea that the government can require a vaccine along with proof of it in order to leave one's home and participate in society would have been thought tyrannical just a decade ago. But now, after the fear generated in the media over COVID-19, multitudes now accept such an idea and see no problem with it. In addition to this, we now have the technology for the antichrist to implement such a program worldwide. Revelation 13:16-18 is not here yet, but it's springing to life before our eyes. Middle East Tension While the world remains distracted by COVID-19, tensions keep escalating in the Middle East. Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Iranian military installations in Syria in recent weeks. And, Iran continues to promise the world that it will soon wipe Israel off the map. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's pledge to annex portions of the West Bank on July 1 is also increasing tensions in the region. The Palestinians and their allies say they will never accept the adding of land in Judea and Samaria to Israel and will most likely react violently to such an annexation. The Gog-Magog War described in Ezekiel 38-39 seems closer than ever. The nations remain aligned precisely as we read in 38:1-13. It's also interesting that Israeli Rabbis believe the war of Ezekiel 38-39 could begin at any moment. Apostasy In both 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul warns of great apostasy in the church during the last days. This day has arrived. The widespread acceptance by so many churches of what the Bible labels as sin is just the tip of the iceberg. Just as the apostle predicted in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, people today flock to false teachers in great numbers. In some cases, these so-called pastors have become multi-millionaires as a result of their perversion of the Gospel. It's far more popular for preachers today to regard vast sections of scriptural prophecy as allegory and proclaim a false, unbiblical hope to their congregations, one that denies the imminent return of Jesus. The heretical teaching that the church will triumph through the tribulation and bring in the millennial kingdom itself has attracted millions of Christians during the past few decades. It's by far the fastest growing view of the end-times in churches today and yet another indicator of the great apostasy that exists in our time. Lawlessness I added this point after reading the accounts of the rioting in Minneapolis that has spread to many other cities. Is this not a prime example of the lawlessness that Jesus said would appear during the tribulation? In Matthew 24:12, Jesus said this about the signs of the end of the age, "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." Paul refers to the antichrist as the "the man of lawlessness" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Right now we see the spirit of the antichrist visibly at work throughout the United States. As I look at these ten indicators of the rapidly approaching tribulation, I am amazed that the true church remains earthbound. I expect the rapture to happen at any moment. If the tribulation that begins months or perhaps longer after Jesus' appearing seems so very near, how much closer must we be to our blessed hope? The economies of the world may recover from the brink of disaster, and the push for a New World Order may decrease. However, at the moment, this seems highly unlikely given the tremendous debt of many nations and the staggering high unemployment. Forbes online magazine recently stated that as many as 42% of the jobs lost in America may be gone for good. Could the growing lawlessness and riots push the US and world closer to economic collapse? It's entirely possible. The history of the twentieth century tells us that the aftermath of great economic distress, war, or both provides fertile soil for the emergence of socialist/fascist dictators. I believe the antichrist will arise from the ashes of the coming worldwide chaos to seize control of the coming New World Order. Given the condition of our world at the moment, it will not take much to plunge the world into a great economic disaster or trigger the Gog-Magog War. The resulting chaos will provide the perfect opportunity for Satan to place his man in charge of the world order, which he will do. The good news is that we will be with Jesus before the devil unveils "the man of lawlessness" to the world. Take heart; Jesus is coming soon! Maranatha! Jonathan Brentner Website: Our Journey Home Please consider signing up for my newsletter on my website. Thanks! E-mail: [email protected] Nearing Midnight: Our Nation Is Literally Coming Apart at the Seams - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The violence that resulted from the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been shocking to observe. In less than a week's time of unrest, over 300 businesses have been destroyed in the twin cities area. The violence and looting have spread to several other cities. I watched YouTube videos that show levels of destruction that I would have never thought possible. In New York and Los Angeles, thousands of people were moving with military precision to strip whole city blocks of anything of value. There are groups that are using highly organized efforts to orchestrate violence on a nationwide basis. The most shocking thing is that 40,000 police in New York were unable to contend with mobs of people who have no regard for the law. The unrest has been the most widespread in the United States since 1968, when cities went up in flames over the slaying of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., and rekindled memories of 1992 riots in Los Angeles after police were acquitted in the brutal beating of black motorist Rodney King. The whole Black Lives Matter movement is not doing African Americans any good. Over the past six years, the value of life has been in a steady descent with each major incident. On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown Jr., an 18-year-old black man, was fatally shot by 28-year-old white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Michael Brown pushed Officer Wilson back into his squad car and proceeded to punch him in the face. They struggled for the officer's gun. Michael Brown then continued to beat the officer nearly unconscious. Wilson gained full control of his weapon and shot Ferguson six times. November 24, 2014, a St. Louis County grand jury had decided not to indict Wilson. On March 4, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice reported the conclusion of its own investigation and cleared Wilson of civil rights violations in the shooting. On April 12, 2015, Baltimore Police Department officers arrested Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Gray sustained injuries to his neck and spine while in transport in a police vehicle. On April 18, 2015, after Gray's subsequent coma, the residents of Baltimore protested in front of the Western district police station. Gray died the following day, April 19, 2015, a week after the arrest. On May 1, 2015, Gray's death was ruled by the medical examiner to be a homicide. Six officers were charged with various offenses, including second-degree murder, in connection with Gray's death. Three officers were subsequently acquitted; in July 2016, following the acquittals, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped charges against the remaining three officers. The death of George Floyd seems to be an open and shut case. The officer had his knee on Floyd's neck for ten minutes. Despite Floyd saying he can't breathe and witnesses telling the officer on video of the problem, he continued to apply pressure to Floyd's neck long after he quit breathing. Derek Chauvin, the officer involved in George Floyd's death, had 17 complaints filed against him during his career. The root of the problem is the collapse of our moral foundations. Our nation has turned its back on God, and we have been given over to the pitfalls of sin. The only form of moral compass we have today is from Democratic mayors and governors that issue meaningless platitude: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is blaming the violence being seen at protests in Brooklyn and Manhattan on people with a "warped ideology." Speaking to Spectrum News, de Blasio said a "small number" of people at these protests are "clearly trying to incite violence against the police, and create property damage and vandalism." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey: "This is about violence, and we need to make sure that it stops. We're in the middle of a pandemic right now. We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one another." Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz: "Let's be very clear. The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities. The greatest threat to blacks isn't from police officers or even the Ku Klux Klan. Read the FBI crime statistics. Check out white-on-black crime, black-on-white crime, and black-on-black crime. Is the truth racist? Do numbers, in this instance, lie? An important underlying factor is the "gangsta" sub-culture that's so alluring to minority youth. No, I didn't attack a skin color; I've addressed a destructive mindset of machismo, violence, profanity, prolific promiscuity and lawlessness that directly leads to low expectations, broken families, substance abuse, poverty, incarceration and death. Until it's addressed forthrightly by blacks and whites, this problem isn't going away. BET founder Bob Johnson unveiled a $14.7 trillion reparations plan; he looks at it as an investment. Unless White America recognizes the need for reparations to atone for slavery, the country will remain separate and unequal, says Johnson. Some folks seem to be taking their reparations early in payment of shoes, jewelry and other looted goods. I am greatly concerned that the luxuries that blacks already have will soon be taken away from them. Our economy is on the brink of calamity. We cannot keep pumping trillions of dollars into a system that has no ability to service this debt. When the dollar crashes in value and the welfare state quits working, people will make this recent violence look like a Sunday picnic. When the unrest reaches a level that threatens the stability of the government, military action becomes the only way to restore order. The tear gas will be replaced with live rounds, and fear of death will replace the rule of law. "And I say unto you my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him" (Luke 12:4-5). The Antichrist Won't Have to Rent-a-Mob - By Jan Markell - www.olivetreeviews.org When Utter Lawlessness Visited My Home Town Do you have "crisis fatigue" yet? That happens when we get overwhelmed by constant unrelenting pressures, images, dilemmas, and heartaches. And that describes our state of affairs since early March, 2020. This year is not for the faint-hearted! Gun shops are selling out. Those in the know warn of a serious revolution in America. Such confusion reigns that in some cities, police officers are joining the side of the protesters and rioters! Mix some strong delusion in there because there is serious talk of cities like mine dismantling their police departments! Others are slashing their police budgets. Parts of America will resemble the wild West! On January 25, I spoke at Pastor Barry Stagner's annual Proximity Prophecy Conference in southern California. I reviewed ten top stories that people should keep their eyes on in the new year. Number one on my list was the rise of the spirit of the Antichrist around the world! You can find that teaching here. Little did I know at that time that such lawlessness was going to come to my home town - Minneapolis/St. Paul, and that these two cities would become "ground zero" in the rioting and looting scenario that broke out right after Memorial Day. I've had an up-close-and-personal look at mankind at his worst. Thankfully I am 30-40 minutes from the mayhem although there have been constant threats to move the turmoil to the suburbs. In the Twin Cities, 1,000 properties have been vandalized, looted, burned, or totally destroyed along with apartments above these businesses and homes. Our media shows business owners staring in stunned disbelief as many were reeling from Cornavirus destruction but now they face the result of rampant anarchy. The media adds insult to injury by calling the destruction "peaceful protests." How peaceful was it to spray wheelchair-bound woman with a fire extinguisher? So the Twin Cities looks like Somalia. I hope Rep. Ilhan Omar, in whose district a great majority of the damage resides, is finally happy. We are Mogadishu on the Mississippi. Our liberal politicians cry crocodile tears while their loyalties are with the demonstrators. They seem detached from reality by obsessing over proper social distancing of all involved and the looting thugs realize they can get away with literal murder in such a climate of lunacy. To Minnesota politicians, demonstrating is "essential" but being with sick and dying loved ones is not, visiting our elderly is off the list, funerals and weddings are put on hold, and church is but an inconvenience. What bizarre reality is this? In the meantime, mile after mile of landscape has been changed in the Twin Cities that will take years-and perhaps a decade or more-to reconstruct. The rent-a-mob business is alive and well, very organized, and brutal. And lawless-but nothing like the lawlessness that is to come. The smoke and tear gas are gone now and I have had time to reflect. Though I am many miles from ground zero, I have seen enough film of the rioting that I had the opportunity to look at the faces of the lawless. I could sense their heartlessness and brutality. "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12) One of the names of the Antichrist is the "lawless one." The term was coined by Paul in II Thessalonians 2 where he warns the Church of the soon arrival of this man who would come on the scene and deceive the masses in the latter days during the Tribulation. Two verses read, "Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God." (II Thessalonians 2:3-4) Again, this occurs during the Tribulation from which the Church is absent. Yet what we have seen playing out on the streets of America in May and June is a dress rehearsal, though subdued compared to the lawlessness and turmoil in the Tribulation. It is still setting the stage. The Antichrist won't have to rent-a-mob. When he reigns, much of the world will be lawless, godless, tumultuous, and confused. Antifa will be the normal! The burned and looted sections of my home town will be the gold standard around the world. With the restrainer gone, there will be absolutely nothing to hold back the evil, selfishness, and out-of-control behavior! The world can go crazy and will. They will glory in utter chaos. What we have now is a trial run that is a weak fire cracker in comparison. Multiply it by ten or a hundred or a thousand! In Matthew 24, Jesus reminds us that the last days will be as the days of Noah. They will resemble Noah's time of lawlessness, violence, wickedness, and depravity. Satan is working overtime today to prepare the way for the man of the hour who will, in the near future, make his grand appearance. The Church does not get to witness this thankfully. The good news is that God will consume the Antichrist and his minions at the end of the Tribulation with the brightness of His coming! Author Terry James writes, "The rage makes clear the existence of the Antichrist spirit in high places that continues to do everything to bring America and the world into the configuration Satan wants to establish for his soon-coming Antichrist platform. At the heart of the minions' (both human and supernatural) effort is destruction of moral values and norms based on Judeo-Christian precepts/concepts. "Cultures and societies throughout the world-especially in America-must be altered drastically to pave the way for the coming Antichrist regime." James states, "This nation, therefore, is the chief obstacle to Satan's plans in forming the one-world order he wants to set up for the coming Antichrist. That's why we've endured insane rage while the powers in high places strive to get power back into the formerly established order by getting rid of this president." He concludes and rightly so, "Just as we witness the Antichrist spirit surging, we, as born-again believers, should have a surging sense of excitement and comfort. Redemption is near" (Titus 2:13). The Bible Warned of "Perilous Times" in the Last Days - Ricky Scaparo - https://endtimeheadlines.org/2020/06/the-bible-warned-of-perilous-times-in-the-last-days/ The Apostle Paul gave a grim warning to a future generation that would be here on the earth at the time of the fulfillment of his writings found in 2 Timothy in the New Testament. The passage below tells us: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." - 2 Timothy 3:1-5 Paul tells us that the last days would be marked by "perilous times". The Greek word used here for the word "perilous" is defined as dangerous, treacherous, or violent. And if there were three words that we could use to clearly define the current conditions of the planet right now it is definitely dangerous, treacherous, and violent. We have witnessed unprecedented levels of lawlessness, rioting, looting, and violence taking place across the United States over the past week that has resulted in businesses being completely destroyed, police officers shot, some killed, and even the call for the police force being disarmed and now the Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has come out saying that 600 police officers were considering leaving the force amid protests. Now the protests and chaos have reportedly spilled over into other countries as reports indicate many have now protested against police brutality on Thursday in the second-largest city, of Guadalajara, calling for authorities to be held accountable for the death in custody of a local man allegedly arrested over not wearing a face mask in public according to a report from NBC. As I have stated before I truly believe we are seeing exactly what Jesus warned us about as a "sign of the times" when he stated that the condition of the planet will mirror that of the "Days of Noah and Lot" prior to his return. In the Days of Noah, the Bible states the following: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. - Genesis 6:11-13 Notice here in this passage that the condition of the Earth in Noah's day was filled with "Corruption" and "Violence" and that it was so bad that the Lord was grieved and prepared judgment and destruction as a result. I believe we are seeing this same climate unfolding again in our lifetime and the danger of this is the fact that this means that humanity is once again prime for major judgment from Heaven. The final portion of Paul's warning goes into an even greater assessment of the condition of civilization as we come closer to the return of the Lord and that is that: Men and women will become lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." When reading this from a perspective of a believer, we expect the World to grow darker from understanding that prophecy has to be fulfilled and even the scriptures state that the love of many will wax cold in the time of the end as well as those who don't have a relationship with God will demonstrate these characteristics and actions out of the abundance of their heart, however, the most terrifying statement is the last sentence made by Paul to Timothy and that is the fact that in the last days many will possess a "form of Godliness, but they will deny the power thereof". Let's check out that last verse from a different translation to bring out the full meaning of what the Apostle Paul is saying here. This same passage from the New Living Translation states: "5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.". Unfortunately, This is a sad indictment to the modern-day Church. We will tolerate "religious services" today but will completely reject any solid and sound preaching and teaching that calls for repentance and the turning away of sin. This is leading to more and more Churches today that are filled with false converts and lukewarm Christians that aren't able to stand long in the face of adversity and trials. The Apostle clearly instructed us what to do when we are faced with this form of "Christianity". He tells us to "Stay away from people like that". Daily Jot: Political Prosopagnosia - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com I suffer from a mild form of prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness. For as long as I can remember, I have had trouble consistently recognizing faces. There were times in my career that I would have to take high ranking politicians around a room and introduce them to people I had only met minutes before. In preparing, I would match the name with a shirt or dress. That sufficed. Prosopagnosia can cause a good bit of anxiety when you are meeting a friend at an airport that you haven't seen for a long time. Often I would stand there with a smile on my face hoping that person will recognize me first. I wonder what all the people think of my friendly smile. This inability to recognize faces spills over into other things as well. My wife has spent years teaching me the difference between plants and weeds because there are often such similarities that I end up "weed wacking" both the weed and the garden plant. Nobody in our family likes watching movies with me because I can't recognize the actors from scene to scene. It is said that there is no cure for it, but that people who have prosopagnosia learn "to use "piecemeal" or "feature-by-feature" recognition strategies. This may involve secondary clues such as clothing, gait, hair color, skin color, body shape, and voice." Voice cues, such as tone, resonance, and rhythm help. Body motion and hand gestures can also give a clue. I find myself watching people a lot to study ways to recognize these patterns. In short, one has to develop a keener sense of discernment to compensate for this shortcoming. The nation currently has a recognition problem. One has to also develop a keen sense of discernment to compensate for what I would call Political Prosopagnosia-the inability to recognize the true issue in a political situation. Ever notice how something with the right intention, such as equality, gets hijacked by other agendas, then people focus on the agenda rather than the real issue? All of a sudden the issue becomes the agenda of the hijacker and the main point is lost. Happens all the time. Look at the current situation in America. Antifa, Islam, Black Panthers, communists, socialists try to make police brutality the tip of the spear for their agendas. This invites counter agendas from conspiracy theorists, very right-wing groups, people who discredit victims, etc. Political Prosopagnosia has created deep conflict within many a mind. Very similar to how the radical left took the Russian conspiracy theories and garnered the support of the deep state, socialists, communists, globalists, etc., to remove an elected president. People were blind to the real issue, became offended, took a side and made their judgment, only to find out in the end that their position was based on a lie. Still, many are so committed to believing the lie, they will not change their minds. Discernment is key to compensating for Political Prosopagnosia. It is like the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Christ tells of good seed sown, but the receivers can't remain strong to the word, "and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word" or tribulation arises "because of the word, by and by he is offended." What I'm saying here is don't be blind to agendas, stick to the word of your calling, discern the truth. Daily Devotion: When "Believers" Turn Away - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. -1 Timothy 4:1 How can someone be a Christian and then one day say they're not? It's a difficult question because we don't know whether they were Christians to start with. Just because someone makes a profession of faith doesn't mean they're necessarily a Christian. But maybe a question like that concerns us because we wonder, "Am I next? Am I going to abandon my faith?" Here's the answer: that is entirely up to you. Let's remember that one of the signs of the last days is that some will fall away from the faith. The apostle Paul wrote, "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons" (1 Timothy 4:1 NLT). One way you know you're going in the wrong direction is when you challenge Scripture. It isn't bad to question Scripture because you will come across passages that don't make sense to you. But there's a difference between questioning Scripture and challenging Scripture. When you come to a verse and say, "Well, I don't like what that verse says, because I've chosen to live this way. I don't want to do what the Bible says." That's a different matter altogether. Someone once asked me, "If you come to a passage in the Bible that you don't agree with, what you do?" I said, "Change your opinion." The Bible is the Word of God. So, we don't adapt the Bible to our lifestyle; we adapt our lifestyle to the Bible and understand that it is God's inspired word that He has given to us. True believers may stumble, but they ultimately will return to God. And if they do not return to God, then they never were really true believers to begin with. 
FROM THE HEART
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