Sound The Midnight Cry

“The End Is Near”

Last week, I had the privilege to speak a group of students attending a Young Ministers Institute. My subject? Eschatology. I had a relatively short period of time to give them a brief overview of the subject and try to convey “why” it’s important to understand it.

Over the past few decades, there has been a decrease in church attendance in America. I personally believe that part of the reason is due to the loss of the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Church in America has largely become about “meeting the needs” of those that attend the local church. If their perceived needs are not met, they will go elsewhere looking for something to fill their lives. But that's not the reason the Church was established by Jesus Christ.

The Church was given a commission—a Great Commission to go into the world as witnesses of Jesus Christ. It has been given a message to tell—that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; He came to die and pay the price for our sins. Why? Because without the shedding of His blood on the cross, there is no hope for the human race after death; eternal damnation is waiting for every person.

However, Jesus isn’t dead, and the grave is empty because He rose back to life! That’s the Good News—The Gospel that every person that calls themselves a Christian is supposed to be sharing with other people. Yet, statistics show that very few people that profess belief in Christ ever tell one person about Him.

Proverbs 29:18 – “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” The Amplified Bible says, “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God and His Word], the people perish…”

I think that’s where the teaching on what the Bible calls “The Last Days” or “End Times” comes into play. It keeps before us the “big” picture of God’s redemptive plan for the human race. It’s too easy today to get caught up in our little world and lose sight of what is most important.

Understanding the overall plan of God which includes the events written in the Book of Revelations, and other books of the Bible, helps us to realize that it’s not about us and our needs. It’s about eternity and the lives of those who have never been told what awaits them without Jesus Christ.

My passion for teaching bible prophecy is not about conveying facts. Facts in and of themselves seldom if ever change lives. Yet, that is what the truth of the Gospel of Jesus is about—transforming lives.

Neither is my purpose in teaching bible prophecy to frighten people into receiving Jesus Christ into their lives. Fear, while a powerful motivator, usually only lasts for a time and then wears off. Instead, my motive for sharing God’s Word regarding the End Times comes from the Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”

Now, whenever I mention The Last Days or End Times, people will always say that they have been hearing that their whole lives. Where’s the “proof” that these are The Last Days. I always point them to an event in the Bible that happened almost 2000 years ago known as the Day of Pentecost, found in the Book of Acts, chapter 2. When the people in the city inquired as to what was happening (you’ll have to read the chapter to see), the Apostle Peter stood up and said, “…this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” (Acts 2:16-17)

Peter stated that the events of that day were a part of the fulfillment of “the last days”. That means we are in the last days of The Last Days. And it also means that The End is near—closer than you think!

“Are You Ready For The Coming Storm?”

This past week, people around the US watched continual broadcast of what eventually became known as Hurricane Barry. It was forecast to be a storm that would wreak devastation; mainly in the amount of rain and flooding that would ensue.

While it didn’t materialize to the degree forecast, many people were impacted by it and flooding is still a problem in some areas.

What was noticeable to me during the few two days before it came ashore, was the amount of activity going on in my city. I’m not talking about governmental agencies preparing for what might be needed; I’m talking about the people that were totally unprepared for this storm.

Please don’t take this wrong, but the sheer number of people that didn’t have the basic necessities that anyone living in this part of the country should have on hand for tropical storms was astounding to me.

It’s a forgone conclusion that there will come a time for people living along the gulf coast of the US, that there will be a tropical storm. Every year, when hurricane season starts, advertisements and new articles talk of being prepared in advance. The purpose is so that in the event of a hurricane event, necessities will be already in place.

After Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, FEMA was chastised for not having the needed equipment and relief supplies at possible distribution sites in anticipation of the possible need. Yet, in the couple days leading to Hurricane Barry’s impact, every store I went into had lines of people waiting to purchase basic supplies. Can goods, batteries, generators, extension cords, flashlights, propane (to cook with) and the list goes on. People were literally beginning to panic as the storm approached and supplies were depleted.

You might be reading this and wondering what any of this has to do with bible prophecy. The answer is simple, and I was reminded of it as a taught an overview of eschatology to a group of young adults this week.

I was deeply impressed of the degree of the unpreparedness people were for Hurricane Barry, who should have been prepared. I then realized, how much more are people not ready for what the Bible forecasts to come—and soon.

People today scoff whenever anyone mentions stuff like this. But I’m reminded of what 2 Peter 3:3-4, it says, “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and… ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?”

You see, there is a “storm” coming that is going to change not only the history of the world but the natural order of things as we know it today—Jesus Christ is going to return to earth! However, before He comes back, there are events foretold in scripture that will take place; events of such magnitude that nothing to date can compare to it.

The Apostle Peter continues in the same chapter as the above verses, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat…” 

Hebrews 12:25 says, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” There is a shaking coming folks—one from heaven. And the only preparation is having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

My question for you is, “Are you ready for the coming storm?”

“When Freedom of Speech Is No Longer Allowed”

As I sit here at my computer typing away, fireworks are heard outside as this is the July 4^th—Independence Day in the United States. I thank God that I was born in this great country and that I experienced my childhood during the times when America was still the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

However, those times are changing—and they are doing so rapidly. The values we once cherished in this country have almost been eliminated and replaced with a hodge-podge of ideas so foreign from what our forefathers saw for this great land.

I recently was challenged to take part of a US citizenship test, as it was reported that less than 27 percent of folks in Louisiana (where I live) could pass the test. Curiosity got the best of me, but I can state that I scored 100 on the test. Which really got me to wondering what people in America really believe and if they don’t know what the foundation of our nation is, then who will standup when the powers that be rise up to challenge them.

For example, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution declares, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

However, there is a movement underway across America, specifically in California that would directly quell what pastors can preach from the pulpit. Specifically, “Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99 calls on 'counselors, pastors, religious workers, educators' and institutions with 'great moral influence' to stop perpetuating the idea that something is wrong with LGBT identities or sexual behavior.” 
And lest someone thinks this is idle talk, the bill passed it its committee vote and is heading to the California Senate for a full vote. 

ACR 99 is based on a number of conjectures, all introduced with the word WHEREAS. The first one states, “The California State Legislature has found that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBTQ) is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming.”

Based on this, it would be wrong to believe or teach that homosexual practice is sinful. Or that homosexual desires are disordered, or that there is anything wrong with homosexual relationships. Or that a man who believes he is a woman has any type of deficiency. And this is just the first of the 9 “WHEREAS” clauses!

Another clause states that “the stigma associated with being LGBTQ often created by groups in society, including therapists and religious groups, has caused disproportionately high rates of suicide, attempted suicide, depression, rejection, and isolation amongst LGBTQ and questioning individuals.” 

In other words, if you preach or teach what the Bible says about LGBTQ issues and people, no matter how loving and compassionate you are, you are guilty of stigmatizing them, thereby causing them emotional and even physical harm.

So, where does this leave a minister or counselor? Should we avoid demonizing those in the LGBT community? Absolutely. Should we be careful to make a distinction between an aggressive agenda and a hurting individual. Yes. Should we proclaim God's love through the cross for every person? Without a doubt. But we must not refrain from declaring what God's Word plainly says.

It may be that Freedom of Speech may be coming to end in the U.S., but that will not stop the preaching of the truth found in the gospel message of Jesus Christ—no matter what the cost!