A man fell in a hole/Um homem caiu no buraco(legendado em Portugues)

Fervent Prayer

Oración Ferviente y Efectiva

 Todos podemos caminar con nuestros pechos llenos de orgullo como algunos predicadores y personas que he visto decirles a todos que no se preocupen, Dios tiene el control. Es mejor que la valentía que muestran a los demás sea verdad, y si lo es, son mejores, mucho mejores personas que yo.

Cuando estás sentado con tu hijo cuya temperatura está subiendo, ¿realmente inclinas la cabeza con indiferencia, cierras los ojos y oras: “Oh Señor, realmente nos gustaría, si está en Tu voluntad, de acuerdo con Tu plan soberano, bendice a este niño de acuerdo con tus propósitos”, ¿verdad? Como padre, su hijo tiene insuficiencia cardíaca y está en una lista para un trasplante de corazón. ¿Oras casualmente, no hay problema, Dios tiene el control, y sigues dando vueltas solo porque sabes que tienes la justicia de Cristo?

Fervent Effective Prayer

     We can all walk around with our chests out filled with pride like some preachers and people I’ve seen that tell everyone don’t worry God’s in control. The bravado they’re showing to others better be true, and if it is they are better, much better people than me. 

    When you’re sitting with your child whose temperature is rising do you really, nonchalantly, just bow your head, close your eyes & pray, “O Lord, we would really like, if it's in Your will, according to Your sovereign plan, to bless this child according to Your purposes,”? As a father, your son has heart failure and is placed on a list for a heart transplant. Do you just casually pray no problem, God’s in control, and keep diddy-bopping along just because you know you have the righteousness of Christ?

Abomination of Desolation Matthew 24:15

The Antichrist and Great Tribulation / O Anticristo e a Grande Tribulação

Tem que haver algo cataclísmico para que isso aconteça e algum conversador político realmente suave entre em cena para negociar um tratado de paz aceitável para Israel. Hoje em Israel, o medo dos árabes, dos russos e, claro, dos iranianos é profundo. Especialmente o fato de que o Irã em breve terá armas nucleares, somando-se a isso o profundo ódio que eles têm pelos judeus. Flavius ​​​​Josephus identificou as terras nomeadas por Ezequiel (38:2-6) que hoje conhecemos como Rússia, Meseque e Tubal como Turquia, Irã, Afeganistão, Etiópia, Líbia e outros países que se unirão contra Israel. Soldados israelenses disseram que se os árabes acreditam que Alá lhes diz para matar judeus, é isso que eles farão e quaisquer tratados e pactos de paz não significarão nada.

À medida que este “eixo do mal” inspirado por Satanás continua a aumentar, está se tornando cada vez mais evidente que a imagem profética do fim dos tempos está se revelando. Então, quando a ameaça se tornar terrível, tenha certeza de que Israel buscará segurança e proteção de um poderoso aliado e fará um pacto com a confederação européia, que também é inspirada e energizada satanicamente.

Então, no meio dessa última semana de anos, no final dos três anos e meio, aquele líder enganoso (o Anticristo) se voltará violentamente contra Israel e se estabelecerá como Deus, e cometerá a abominação da desolação que então desencadeará a Grande Tribulação, levando a intensa perseguição aos judeus. Ainda há mais por vir, mas continuaremos na próxima semana.

Charles Swindoll disse que "A preocupação é característica dos pagãos, não do cristão".

Things to Come / Cosas por Venir

He Who Has an Ear Let Him Hear, Things to Come

>He Who Has An Ear Let Him Hear what The Spirit Says To The Churches<

Jesus’ Second Advent,

 “Things to Come, Birth Pangs 

Part 7,  Delivered to Tribulation, Defections”

Matthew 24:9-14

Quacco Baptist Church

Savannah, Georgia

Sept. 4, 2022

Introduction 

For then comes the time when men will hand you over to persecution, and kill you. And all nations will hate you because you bear my name. (verse 9).

The question to which I haven’t found a coherent answer to; is verse 9 referencing persecution of the church throughout the age of the church, or during the tribulation period, or the last part the 3 ½ years of the seven year tribulation?  

According to what is written in Matt. 24:9-23; Mark 13: 14-20; and Luke 21:10-28; it appears to me that Jesus is talking of the time just prior to His second advent. But as you look back through the history of the church from the first century to today, one could say that Jesus included the entire church age.

Last week I mentioned about the current persecution in Afghanistan against Christians and throughout the eastern hemisphere initiated on the most part by Muslims along with other people groups … It seems that here in the west for the time, we have been somewhat fortunate to not experience physical persecution but that isn’t entirely true.

 The first of the early Christians to die for the church was Stephen, (Acts 6-7). Dragged to the synagogues then stoned to death. Luke documents in Acts 8:1 that a “great persecution arose against the church; also he comments that Saul (later named Paul), was in “hearty” agreement with putting Stephen to death.

There was James, John’s brother, who was the first of the twelve to be executed around 44 AD by Herod Agrippa I of Judea, Acts 12:2. It is said that when he was being led to his execution, one of his captors was so impressed by James' courage that he fell to his knees and asked for forgiveness and confessed that he too was a christian. Of course all the other apostles were killed with the exception of John who died about 98 A.D.

From the days that Jesus walked on the earth it is estimated that over 70 million Christians have been martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ. The number that have been persecuted but not having been killed will elevate that number.

Just prior to the turn of the 20th century, during the Boxer Rebellion in China from 1898 to 1901, 200,000 were executed, and in Comunist China between 1950 & 1980 approximately over 700,000 were persecuted and killed.

In Mexico between the mid 1800’s to 1930 ocwe 107,000 Roman Catholics were killed - under Idi Amin in Uganda, between 1971& 1979 over 300,000 were killed.

There are varying numbers on the annual number of Christians that are martyred. The Study of Global Christians says that about 100,000 christians are martyred while the Institute for Religious Freedom puts the amount between 7,000 & 8,000 – But even there that is a huge number.

Sadly though, the names of these heroes of Christ & their stories go largely unspoken & not reported by the press. Rou Stults of ‘Voice of the Martyrs’ says, Many Christians in the west either deny or are ignorant of it but persecution is part of a present reality.  (At christianhistoryinstitue.org you can go to read more on this.)

But we do know that they will lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.’” Regardless of what we endured on earth, a priceless crown will seem a meager offering, but it will be the best gift we can give Him. Although the Scriptures do not state it specifically, it is likely that we will all follow the example of the twenty-four elders in casting our crowns at Jesus’ feet. 

(Rev. 4:10-11)

Now I said earlier, that in Matt. 24:9-23; Mark 13: 14-20; and Luke 21:10-28; it appears that Jesus is talking of the time just prior to His second advent, or to say the last of the seven year tribulation, but as we looked back, somewhat, through the history of the church from the first century to today, one could say that Jesus included the entire church age.

Then again, in Rev. 6:9-11 John writes that when the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.

Later John writes in Rev. 7 that he saw a multitude that no one could number from from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they *cried out with a loud voice, saying “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” … 13 Then one of the elders explained to John These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, (the last 3 ½ years of the seven year tribulation, or time of Jacob’s trouble) and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

The great tribulation? But believers are not destined to wrath but to salvation as we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:9?

Well these are people who will come to salvation when they realize the millions that have been taken away, raptured, mysteriously and with the preaching of the 144,000 who will be sealed by God. As David Jeremiah puts it, If twelve disciples transformed the world in the first century, imagine the revival what will take place during the Tribulation!

Because the persecution and killings intensify Jesus says plainly in verses 24:10-13 : And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. 12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved.

I would venture to guess that as in the past, but more so in these days, when believers begin to be arrested, hated and killed for Christ’s sake, many “supposed” Christians will leave the faith, defect, forsake it, join the opposing side. Outwardly they identified with Christ but when the going gets to be too much, the persecution too severe, they will desert proving they never belonged to Christ; they will forsake Christ. 

John writes in his 1st letter, They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident that they all are not of us. (2:19). So these will leave & join fellow unbelievers in assailing God’s people. That's  been going on since the 1st century.

The cost is going to be high, too high. Anyone who has ever served in the U.S. military learned the U.S. military’s Code of Conduct. In boot camp we were required to memorize it. It comprises six articles that set behavioral obligations for U.S. military service members who are in combat or held in captivity as prisoners of war. The Code came to be because of the personal narratives of some American POWs from the Korean War who were fortunate enough to have survived their time as POWs.

 Prisoners were tortured, starved and denied healthcare in order for the enemy to acquire public statements from the POWs in support of communism and against the U.S. government. The captors worked doggedly to ensure they broke morale, disrupted the strength of the chain of command and they waged psychological warfare on the minds of captives. Here it is called, good cop bad cop. The propaganda the enemy created eventually trickled back and began to impact public support of the war on the home front. Some POWs had turned on each other, betrayed each other and the country in order to survive. Sounds like Jesus saying of Christians, Matt. 24:10 they will betray one another and hate one another. 

7,245 Americans were captured during the Korean War and roughly 39 percent died in captivity; When the Korean War ended, almost two dozen Americans chose to remain in China and they declined repatriation. According to the Defense Department, 192 former POWs were charged and tried for serious offenses that equated to treason, desertion and aiding the enemy. In 1954, the roots of the military Code of Conduct began to form when the Department of Defense ordered a study to examine the Korean War POW experience. 

The U.S. military Code of Conduct was first established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on August 17, 1955 with the signing of Executive Order 10631. The order stipulates that “All members of the Armed Forces of the United States are expected to measure up to the standards embodied in this Code of Conduct while in combat or in captivity.”

There are six articles in the U.S. military Code of Conduct. Let me read the First & Sixth:

Article I: “I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.” – 

The Article is clear that American warriors are expected to remember that they are American warriors and that they are charged with safeguarding the nation and the values that it represents. It also states clearly that the American service member is expected to give his or her life in defense of the nation.

And;

Article VI: “I will never forget that I am an American, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.”

What would Jesus' code of conduct be? If you research the various commentators you’d find volumes of theological gobbledygook; but Matthew 10:38 is pretty clear - the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Let me ask you, are you worthy of Christ? Or will you hear, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ 

Before the Lord returns to take us to heaven, people will fall away from the faith. The statistics for mainline churches already show signs of fulfilling that prophecy because a lot of people who used to go to church, a lot of people who used to be religious, have pushed away, and churches are shrinking. There has been no persecution and killing of Christians here.

Within the Savannah Association many of the churches have not returned to the level they were at before 2020, (ie Covid). even then they weren’t what they were 7 to 10 years before.

People have become so used to having the services online and lounge in their PJ’s that they have chosen to stay home instead. Now, when actual persecution begins they’ll see the cost is too high and not worth the trouble of attending. 

There are those churches with hundreds to one to two thousand attendees but what are they teaching? When the tribulation arrives and false believers begin to defect and look for those who will tickle their ears there will be just as many false teachers who will persuasively teach doctrines that seem true & godly, but are in fact, false & satanic. 

To the Galatians Paul wrote  even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! (1:8). To Timothy he said For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, (2 Tim. 4:3).

To the Corinthians concerning false teachers, he tells them,  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. (2 Cor. 11:13-15)

Lawlessness is on the increase even now. Matt. 24:12 tells us that because of its increase, “the love of most people will grow cold.” You see that nowadays with the violence, people striking others with bats, driving through crowds, and striking people. All that makes people cold and callous towards others. How much worse will it be during the tribulation?

All this won’t be just in New York City or Chicago or San Francisco. This will be worldwide, globally. Men will engulf themselves in a tsunami of corruption and they will glory in it.

Jesus says he who endures to the end will be saved. Meaning that the endurance will be  Spirit-empowered and proof of the reality that he is saved. Endurance is a mark of salvation, Jesus said “you will be hated by all on account of my Name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22)

Despite all the deception of the false christs, the false teachers, the warfares, pestilence, disasters, the fierce persecution of the saints, and the defections of believers, the gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to be preached throughout the whole world.

God is going to supernaturally present the gospel to every person on earth.  An angel flying in midheaven with an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, and sea and springs of waters.”

After the final & total evangelization of the world being proclaimed miraculously from heaven, man’s day will be finished; the rebellion will be over and there will be no more opportunity for salvation, for those who are alive at that moment, because then Jesus will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 

I know I sound like a broken record; that’s too bad. Today is the day of salvation, don’t be among the ones thrown into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place. (Matt. 22:13)

But there is More to Come … The Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel.