Perilous Times*

There has been a great increase across all of the forms of media of those who deny the existence of God. Our response is to teach truth to them. The times are perilous now, and will become more so, because, according to all of the signs, we are living in the last days before Christ's return. As we read last week in Second Timothy: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Tim. 3:1-5). These are people who may know God in a certain way, but do not allow Him to have any power or authority over them, or anything else. Paul also warned Timothy that persecution would come for those who live godly lives through Jesus Christ. Evil men and deceptions shall grow worse (v. 12-13). Timothy is told to continue in the things he has learned from Paul, and from the scriptures, for they are sure: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect (complete), thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (v. 16-17). There is no other book on earth which is produced by men that is like the scriptures, which is written by men, but those men wrote the scriptures under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God does not need man to prove its truth, because it proves itself. The scriptures do not lead men into a legalistic or religious relationship with God, but rather, a personal relationship with the Savior, Jesus our Salvation, as Saul/Paul discovered on the road to Damascus. He had been a persecutor of the believers in Christ, but after his supernatural encounter with Christ speaking to him from heaven, Paul dedicated the rest of his life to living as a servant of Jesus Christ. Paul told Timothy: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:2-4). We see now that society demands that sin be tolerated, accepted, and even celebrated. Even the Church is afraid to teach against sin, and its sure wages of death. However, the scriptures say that all have sinned, and are only saved by grace, the gift of God through Jesus, and not by good works nor good intentions. Again, Paul wrote of the perilous last days, and the deceptions that come with them. There was a deception being taught at the time of Paul that Christ had already returned. There were also letters going to the churches claiming to be from Paul, teaching false doctrines, but they had not been written by him. Paul wrote to correct this: "Let no man deceive you by any means: For that day (of Christ's return) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2 Thess. 2:1-4). Paul is speaking of the acts of the antichrist who will come before Christ's return. However, this spiritual evil is already at work, seeking to sit in God's spiritual temple of men's hearts. Paul wrote that there is a restraining force to hold back the actual event that reveals the wicked one until the time is right, but "the mystery of iniquity doth already work" (v. 6-8). This wicked one will come with deception, and the works of Satan, "with all power, and signs and lying wonders". God will send a strong delusion to believe the lie upon those who are doomed because they do not accept the truth, and take pleasure in unrighteousness. The wicked one to be revealed will be consumed by the Lord "with the spirit of his mouth", and shall be destroyed "with the brightness of his coming." (v. 8-12). The perilous times, as we see, include a pandemic of lies and strong delusions, and the supernatural, lying works of Satan. Part of the perilous times were told by Jesus concerning the Kingdom of God and the coming harvest of those who were righteous in Christ, and the unrighteous. Both parables involve the sowing of seed, and then the harvest. In one parable, the Kingdom is like a man who plants seed in the ground, and then sleeps. The earth does its job, and the seed germinates, gradually bringing forth a shoot, then a plant, then finally the mature ear of corn. Then the man knows it is time to "putteth in the sickle" to harvest the crop that the seed and the earth has produced (Mark 4:26-29). In the second parable, again a man has sown good seed in his field. However, this time, while men slept, an enemy came and sowed tares among the man's wheat crop. The man's servants noticed that as the wheat matured and brought forth fruit, the tares showed themselves because of their lack of fruit. He realized that an enemy had done this to his crop. He instructed his servants: "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Mt. 13:24-30). In perilous times, men teach false doctrines, sowing tares that do not bear the fruit of Christ. There are those who profess Christ, but in works, don't know Him. The prophet Joel prophesied about the harvest, and the judgment of the Day of the LORD, at a time when the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem has ended, and God's people have been brought back to the land (fulfilled in Israel, 1947): "Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come get you down; for the press is full, the fats (vats) overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision." (Joel 3:12-14). Joel described the Day of the LORD as a day when the sun, moon, and the stars are darkened. It's a terrible day when the heavens and earth shake and quake. We need to know the signs of that Day, and when the harvest grows ripe. The New Testament speaks of the same signs. As it becomes evident that the Day is drawing near, it is a fool who says in his heart that there is no God. Joel wrote of the purpose of God's people as this Day of the LORD approaches, and it is what sets the difference between "the wheat and the tares" of the ripening harvest: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand...Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and 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 gret kindness, and repenteth him of the evil...Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproah among the heathen." (Joel 2:1, 12-13, 18-19, see also 1:13-15). Joel called the people of God to repentance, as we have often said the same in referring to 2 Chron. 7:14. The Book of Revelation also prophesies about the harvest to come. One who looked like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand, heard the loud command that came out of the temple in heaven: "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe." (Rev. 14:14-15). Then additional angels came with their sickles also, but this time, the grapes of the vine were ripe and ready for harvesting (v. 17-18). "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God." (v. 19). Much blood came out of that winepress of wrath (v. 20). As we saw in the parable of Jesus, there were two reapings here of the ripe harvest - one was reaped by Jesus for the Kingdom, and one was reaped by the angels for the wrath of God. We see the harvest ripening all over the world, and we see wickedness waxing worse and worse. Isaiah warned, "Woe" unto you who call evil good, and good evil...and justify the wicked for a reward. We must continue to sow seeds of righteousness, and keep our lamps lit, for darkness is here. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/4/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook.

Will the Church Fiddle While America Burns?*

 

 

This nation is in a crisis, and at a crossroads. Fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, riots, pandemic cross the country. Second Chronicles 7:14, calling for His own people to repent, tells us that God judges a land by the saints that inhabit it. God's call for repentance is to His people, called by His name.

It is said that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. While people suffered, he played music. He was ineffectual and uncaring in the crisis. The persecuted Christians were blamed for the catastrophe at the time, becoming the scapegoats. The word "fiddled" is appropriately used to describe Nero because it not only refers to the playing of an instrument, but it also has the meaning "to defraud, to cheat, to falsify".

Are God's people also "fiddling" like Nero as America is about to burn?

Through His prophet Hosea, God described not only a catastrophic judgment to come upon Israel, but the attitude of God's people just before it would fall:

"Hear the word of the LORD ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore, shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish....Therefore thou shalt fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, and thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity." 

                                                                                                        Hos. 4:1-8

America has begun to turn away from God. Even the Church has been sucked into seeking political solutions, and spiritual compromise and political correctness. God judges by His people, but the Church is too involved in the opinions of men. Our goal should be to get people saved. This is what Jesus came and died to do, and this is what He instructed us to do in His name.

Even His disciples did not understand the salvation purpose of Jesus. They thought only those in their group could be saved. That is often the feeling of various divisions and denominations within the Church as well. The disciples forbade someone they were not familiar with who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus. Jesus scolded His disciples saying, "...he that is not against us is on our part." (Mk. 9:38-41)

When the Samaritans rejected Jesus because He planned to continue His journey to Jerusalem (there was long standing racial hatred, and contention regarding worship between the Jews and the Samaritans), His disciples asked if they should call down the fire of heaven against the Samaritans as Elijah had done (2 Kings 1:12). This situation had nothing in common with the demonstration of Elijah. Jesus rebuked His disciples saying, "You know not what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."  (Lk. 9:51-56).

We did not die to save men; Jesus died to save men. He spoke about the different people for whom He had also been sent, people of which His disciples knew nothing. Those other seemingly "unsaveable" souls included all of us as well: "I am the good shepherd...and I lay my life down for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."   Jn. 10:14-18

The Church must keep in mind that this is our directive from Christ- to preach the gospel to all nations and people. He rejects no one out of hand because of their outward appearances or circumstances. God looks upon the inward man, upon the heart. The flock of Jesus comes out of every nation, tribe, and tongue, and they are all to be given the opportunity to hear the gospel.

In His parable of the wheat and the tares (Mt. 13:24-30), Jesus teaches of a man who sowed good seed in his field, wheat seed, but then found that an enemy had furtively sown worthless tares in his field also. In order not to harm or uproot the valuable wheat, the owner of the field told his workers to let the tares continue to grow together with the wheat until harvest time. Then the tares would be separated out to be thrown into the fire, and the wheat would be gathered into the barn unharmed. There are tares that have been sown into the field of the Lord, but they will be dealt with at harvest time, which is soon coming. The tares are those who are within His Church, but do not teach truth, which is fruitful, but teach and tolerate untruth, which never will bear Godly fruit.

In Matthew 23, Jesus prophesied to the religious leaders who have not taught the people correctly. He called them hypocrites and serpents, fools and blind: "you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in...ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."  v. 13-38

These same religious leaders, while approving themselves and others based upon outward appearances only (v. 27), end up leading not only themselves, but all whom they teach into hell. Ultimately those who have rejected His sheltering salvation will be left desolate (v. 37-38).

Meanwhile, the Church fiddles while America is on its way to hell. What will it take for the people of God to wake up, pray, repent, and to teach the uncompromised Word of God, in order to save a soul, a nation?

James wrote for us to confess our sins one to another, so that we may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. As we cause even one soul to be turned, converted back to the truth, a great miracle occurs:

"...he which coverteth  the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."  James 5:16-20

 

*The above is based upon the 8/23/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", and to help us get out the message, to contribute to the Book of Remembrance, or Memorial Fund for Sean Stevenson:

Dr. Kenneth Stevenson
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX  76705

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

everlastingcovenant@ymail.com

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

Sermon.net/EverlastingCovenant
 

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. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. 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.
 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:

  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/ 

 

 Remembering:



  Sean Stevenson



The Signs of the Times*

 

After the miracle of the loaves and the fishes by which Jesus fed thousands, Jesus traveled to another area where the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were seldom united in anything, both came to Jesus and demanded that He show them a sign from heaven (Mt. 16:1, Mk. 8:11). The meaning of "heaven" used here pertained to the stars and planets set in the heavens. Jesus sighed at their hypocrisy. They could discern signs of impending conditions that would affect their everyday lives, but they could not discern the greatest sign of all-Himself, sent by God to them. There was to be no other sign for them, but this sign of Jonah, a living warning call to repentance and the salvation of God before the destroying judgment. One who would be dead three days and returned, like Jonah from the belly of the fish. And the destroying judgment did come to Israel, to Jerusalem, and to the Temple of God at the hands of the Romans in 70 AD, on the same date, the 17th of Tammuz, as a similar destruction had come hundreds of years earlier at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 BC. The stars, sun and moon were set in the sky by God, not to be worshipped as in astrology, but for the purpose of dividing the day from the night, the light from the darkness, and "for signs, seasons, days and years" (Gen. 1:14-19). The Hebrew calendar reflects this principle. According to the Mishnah, five calamities have occurred on this same date, the 17th of Tammuz. The 17th day of Tammuz occurs today, July 21, for this year. The Jews observe this date with three weeks of mourning, understanding the ongoing ramifications of God's significant dates and times. The constancy of math and days in the scriptures is an awesome act of God.

We also have signs all around us in these times. As our nation has turned way from God, floods, storms, tornadoes, as well as racial and ethnic divisions, have ripped our land. Have the people of God discerned these signs, and if so, have they changed their lives accordingly? As the signs mount up, what is important to God's people: the things and kingdoms of this world, or the kingdom of God?

The prophet Daniel wrote the word of the LORD concerning the end times, and what was to be the role of the people of God in them:

"And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know (know by experience, to ascertain by seeing, to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess, to know intimately, to be revealed) their God shall be strong (strengthened, sustained, encouraged, made bold, made firm, to press, be urgent), and do (accomplish, produce, act with effect, bring about, appoint, ordain, institute) exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil many days...And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed."   Dan. 11:32-35 (excerpt)

Those who have an intimate knowledge of God are called to accomplish great things during these times of the end. It will not be without cost to them, however, as Daniel revealed.

Jesus described in parables the conditions challenging the kingdom of God, and what should be the driving focus of the people of God.
Concerning the challenges to the kingdom of God, Jesus told the parable of the man who sowed good seed in his field (Mt. 13:24-30). As the crop grew, it was noticed that worthless plants called tares, which initially look like wheat but never grow the head of useful grain at maturity, had been sown among the good wheat seed. The man knew immediately that this was the work of an enemy during the night. His servant asked if the worthless plants should be removed immediately, but the wise owner said to let them continue to grow together, otherwise the good wheat might be pulled out with them. "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
The matured worthless tares without the developed grain head would be easily identified and separated out at harvest time to be destroyed, while the good wheat, having produced the fruit of grain, would also be easily identified and harvested into the barn.
John the Baptist also spoke to the religious hypocrites who recognized the warnings of the wrath to come, but failed to produce fruit worthy of repentance, which is the fruit the LORD was looking for. Again, these fruitless hypocrites would experience the cut of the ax, and the casting into the fire by the One coming who would baptize with fire (Mt. 3:7-12).
Jesus warned not to put importance and effort into material and corruptible things as the world does. Those things will be consumed, destroyed and stolen. Make effort instead to value and accumulate the heavenly treasures, which are indestructible. As you so labor, your heart and soul will be fixed on those things. In the case of those who covet the corruptible things, the light they do have will be darkened into great darkness (Mt. 6:19-23).
Those heavenly treasures are described in parables by Jesus:
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."
                                                                                                         Mt. 13:44-46
Have you discerned the signs of the times? Will the expected fruit and grain be found in you at the time of the coming harvest? Where are you laying up your treasure? In the corruptible things of this world, or in the eternal, incorruptible things of heaven, the things of the kingdom of God? The signs tell us that time is growing short.

We hope to soon be able to bring to you and many others an End Time School, instructing and preparing as many as possible regarding the end of this age, and the events marking the soon return of Christ. We hope that you will support this work of the kingdom of God. More details will soon be forthcoming.

 *The above is based upon the 7/21/19 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH":

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

https://everlastingcovenant.sermon.net/main/main/21320220
 

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. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. 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.

 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:
  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/