Why I believe "The Time" is at hand

 

Make no mistake-scripture is very plain that Jesus Christ is returning. The prophetic signs that are to appear before His return are already in place. Jesus, Himself, clearly taught these signs so His disciples would know when the season was approaching, yet much of the Church doesn't seem to be preparing for this great event. Some in the Church have the same attitude that Peter warned against:

"...I now write unto you...I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God...the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But that the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."   2 Peter 3:1-7 (excerpt)

Peter points out that men laugh at the idea of the imminence of Christ's return based upon the false idea that God has never judged the earth, but He has indeed judged it- by a flood of water. Of this flood, evidence can be found today. Peter goes on to say that the only reason the coming judgment by fire has not yet happened is because of God's nature and desire to allow man as much time as is possible in order to repent and return to God. He "is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  Believers, as opposed to the scoffers however, should be looking for, and anticipating these things to come (v. 12-14).

The prophet Joel gave us a description of our role and purpose as the day of the LORD draws near. That description has nothing to do with sitting back apathetically while we wait, as we can see:
"Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty it shall come...Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all of the inhabitants of the land tremble, for it is nigh at hand...now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rent your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil..." Joel 1:14, 2:1-2, 12-14
Joel tells us that all of the people need to assemble, even children and babies (2:16). The priests and ministers of the LORD should be weeping and crying aloud, "Spare thy people, O LORD..." They should be crying to the LORD to deliver his people from the rule of the heathen. It is a terrible thing for God's people to be in the hands of the heathen. We see today, the effects upon people of faith as we have become ruled by the heathen. They are pitiless and intolerant towards those of faith, and it will become even worse according to the prophetic word of scripture. Their rule is so complete in their own estimation, that they feel free to mock the God of the faithful (2:17).
Has the Church sounded the alarm? Have we assembled together without exception in a united appeal? Are we crying out to the LORD with weeping and repentance, or is it "Church as usual"? Joel describes the day of the LORD, and it is one of terror, darkness, war, quakes, and fire, as Peter also said. Joel asks in horror, "...for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?" (Joel 2:11). How can the petitions and repentance of God's people possibly have any effect upon this pending devastation? Yet it does. Upon the repentance and cries of His people, God moves:
"Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people...I will no longer make you a reproach among the heathen...Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God,...and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month...And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit...And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mt. Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."   Joel 2:18-32 (excerpt)
Not only does the LORD do a wondrous spiritual thing for His people, pouring out His spirit as never before, but He will also bring the heathen who have sought to divide, rule over, and profit from His people of Jerusalem, Judah, and Zion, into the valley of judgment. The harvest is ripe, the press is full, because their wickedness is great (Joel 3:12-13, Rev. 14:14-20). We are seeing the fullness of that wickedness even now. However, because of the cries and repentance of His people:
"The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel."  Joel 3:16
Is the reason that we are failing to follow the LORD's provision for our miraculous deliverance because of our own disbelief? What other reason could there be for us to have failed to gather, fast weep, and cry out to Him, as we see the signs of His return all around us? Have we fallen into the league of scoffers that Peter warned about who are saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?"
Church, I am here to tell you that I believe the time is at hand.

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.


 



The Way Back to Greatness

 

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.   Excerpt from an address* by Benjamin Franklin, Constitutional Convention of 1787

 In order for America to become great again, for which cause many Americans have cried out, America must find out the truth of what made it great in the first place. Its greatness is not found in its checkered history, nor its wealth and power, nor its political system and elected officials. America's greatness is found in the light that was brought to the whole world through its foundational principles. Never before had such hope and promise been offered to peoples and nations as was offered in the founding tenets of this nation. Other nations were so awed by those principles, that they copied the ideas into their own new constitutions and governments. Americans revere their foundational documents, but do they understand the divine inspiration and truth from which those documents were drawn, and the prayer that was necessary in order to bring many disparate views together into a national unity? Through all of the debate and divisive thoughts and opinions, the founders repeatedly returned to and clung to the one principle that unified them all- that God is the Creator and King over all, including the nation they were trying to establish.The greatness of this nation was begun in the Word of God, and in humble prayers of dependence upon Him, and the greatness of this nation will be found again only in the return to these same things. King David described it this way:
"The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion...
We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in the name of our God, we will set up banners: the LORD fulfill all thy petitions...He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen and stand upright. Save LORD..."  Psalm 20 (excerpt)
Military might will not save a nation, nor define its greatness. America! - we tell you to trust in the name that can save, the name of the LORD our God. Battle banners are impressive, but it is the banner of the LORD's name that delivers from destruction. The return to greatness that American hearts are crying out for cannot be found in an election, or a political figure:
"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day, his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God. The LORD shall reign forever...unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD."   Ps. 146 (excerpt)
Even when men have led America in good ways with good thoughts and plans, when they perish, that way perishes with them, and with their generation. However, what the LORD establishes and revives lives forever, because He lives forever, to ALL generations. Men aspire to do justice, but the LORD IS justice for all (v. 7-9).
The LORD, in His mercy, has brought many great spiritual revivals to this nation, and saved many through them. Those revivals have come through humble believers, who cried out to Him in prayer. One of the greatest revivals at Azusa Street, in 1906, became plagued by racism and division. White people broke away because they did not want to come under the authority of a black man, William Seymour, whose prayers and heartfelt desire for the face of God, birthed the revival that saved them. Revival and restoration to greatness starts in the heart of a believer. The Church is still crippled in racism, strife and division. The Church itself needs revival back to greatness in Christ, to the truth of God's Word. Are believers calling upon the name of the LORD for restoration of this nation, or are they trusting in the winner of an election, taking sides in the division of political "solutions"?
As America has come to a crossroads that will determine its future for generations, Dr. Stevenson has spent years preparing a book for just such a time as this. Each chapter deals with a key to restoring the true greatness of America. One of those keys lies in a challenge to a "world weary church" that has grown weary trying to conform to this world, trusting in this world, rather than being transformed into the image of Christ, and consequently transforming those around them:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."   Rom. 12:1-2
The restored greatness of America is lying in the true, humble, heart of a believer, who is seeking the face of God and His truth, for himself, and for his troubled nation, whose heart is grieved by what he sees, and is crying to God for His help. Trust in the LORD: our help comes from God.
A long ago generation left us a key to the way back to greatness for America. This key was established to help us if we, as a nation, lost our way. It is in the form of a monument established near Plymouth Rock, which is commonly considered to be the birthplace of America. To honor the Pilgrim forefathers who established this nation in faith, the monument is called, National Monument to the Forefathers**. This monument was also the subject of a documentary called, "Monumental"***, which is strongly recommended for your viewing. The four sides of the base of the monument represent Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty. Each side of the base has keys of spiritual knowledge pertaining to  those four building blocks of this nation. For example, the north face features a representation of Morality, a woman holding a tablet bearing the beginning of the Ten Commandments, “I am the Lord thy God.”  Rising far above, and in the midst of those four sides of the pedestal of the monument is the figure representing Faith, which is holding the Bible.
This is where the greatness of our nation began, and this is where we will find the way back to greatness.
*Benjamin Franklin's full address to the Constitutional Convention
**Information on the National Monument to the Forefathers
***"Monumental" Documentary

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.



A Covenant vs. A Testament

 

 

Often the Church views its relationship with Christ as a result of a testament, rather than a covenant, and teaches others to do the same. However, the Church cannot be the Ekklesia, the called out assembly, until it understands and walks in covenant relationship with Christ. Jesus expressed the result of that failure to do so this way:

"Not everyone that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."  Mt. 7:21-23

Many are going to make this mistake, having felt secure in their knowledge of Christ, only to find out too late that they never had a covenant relationship with Christ.

One way the Church has missed the Gospel of Christ completely because of the lack of covenant, is in its neglect, or wilfull ignorance of some of the Gospel's foundational truths. Much of the Church believes and teaches that the Church has replaced Israel in covenant with God - that the Church is spiritual Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we shall see.
Also the Church teaches that salvation is a one-time, for all time, gift from God through Christ, requiring nothing from the receiver, but acceptance. As we learned from Jesus in Mt. 7, above, there is more required.
 Writing to the church at Rome, Paul said:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith...To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life...Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; But glory, honour and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with God."   Rom. 1, 2
Salvation in our lives is not a one-time event, received as a testament bequeathal from the One dead. It is worked out in increments and growth in an ongoing covenant relationship with the One who was dead, but is now resurrected, and living. A testament is unilateral from one dead. A covenant is bi-lateral, requiring two to enter into it. As Paul taught, the Gospel is a continuing, developing growth into the full measure of the stature of Christ-from "faith to faith", and with "patient endurance".
Often the Church leaves behind the principles of the Gospel in order to please men, especially in its compromise regarding righteousness. Paul taught that those who continue in the flesh and sin, are still servants or slaves to sin unto death regardless of the gift of grace available through Christ (Rom. 6:1-2,16). To continue to sin brings us right back under the dominion of death. Covenant with Christ, on the other hand, joins us in baptism with His death, with His burial, and with His resurrection. We become dead to sin, it no longer having power to entangle us, and living in resurrection, or Spirit instead:
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwell (to occupy a house, reside, cohabit, inhabited house, all become one in a house) in you...For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."   Rom. 8:11, 13
Instead of excusing and accepting sin, which leads to certain death, shouldn't the Church be teaching how to dwell in and with the Spirit, in order to live? The Church should be advocating the way to life in Christ, and in the Spirit, not the way to death. If we continue to advocate the way to death, even though we know the way to life, then we are like those who thought they were doing great works for Christ, but were, in reality, unknown to Him. What a sad and useless end! However, this does not have to be our end.
Additionally, as the Church, which claims to preach salvation, continues to ignore the importance of the Jew first in that salvation, again, we will be like those incomplete, and even dead.The Jews are not excluded from the Gospel of Christ, and His salvation. In fact, they are an integral part of it. Paul insists that their re-grafting back into the Gospel and Christ, or "the olive tree", is life from the dead:
"...through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches...And they also, if they bide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again...how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?  Rom. 11:11-24 (excerpt)
After the resurrection of Christ, thousands of Jews, even scribes and priests, believed on Him. Israel was blinded in part so the fullness of the Gentiles could be brought in. However, the Church ignores the will of God that "All Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:25-26, Isa. 59:20, Ps. 14:7). To continue to ignore the importance of the Jew to the Body of Christ, is to continue to refuse to do "the will of the Father", as Jesus instructed us in the verses from Matthew 7.
Most of the problem comes in our misunderstanding, and our incorrect use of the word "church". "Church" has become to us an organization, even a building. However, the word in the New Covenant, poorly translated into English from the Greek is the word ekklesia. Ekklesia is neither an organization, nor a building. It is a called out, called forth, called by, called away from, called aloud, separated from, assembly of people, to receive the name of, to bear the name or title of, by word, command, or order (of God), especially gathered for sacred purposes (by God). If we do not understand the awesome and miraculous "calling out" with which we were called, we cannot fulfill it.
Being the Ekklesia is not the result of a testament. Being the Ekklesia is the result of a covenant, a covenant with the One who was dead, but is now alive (Rev. 1:18).

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FhuiqfVgzw&feature=youtu.be                                                                                           

 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, forgive me, and fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.