In the past two weeks, we have been talking about learning to depend on God. Depend on Him for our daily living, our daily bread and more. Today we touch on a very important topic, we need to depend on God because Jesus is Coming soon, and before He arrives, we are going to experience troublesome times. The Bible refers to these times as a great tribulation.
Remember what Jesus taught us in Matthew 24… The disciples asked Jesus, “what are the signs of your return?” Jesus replied that there will be widespread spiritual deception.
Our world is in jeopardy when there is a turn in society against those who stand for traditional moral values. Gender confusion has taken hold in our society and schools, there is misinformation about what is right and wrong, and we’ve gone from men in men’s sports to men in women’s locker rooms – and it is WRONG!
We’ve lost much of our moral compass along with our moral code. This term, “deception” in Greek means being seduced, duped, beguiled. People will believe the false over the true.
This is the outer rim of our era – a time when delusion attempts to penetrate into society.
It’s also the beginning of birth pains! This decline is the result of the “mystery of iniquity” at work, luring the world to a position of mutiny against God. (2 Thes 2:7) and grooming it for the new world leader – the Antichrist. Using the power of legislation and the courts, this progressive mindset is attempting to force Christians to comply with the spirit of this age.
In Matthew 24, Jesus teaches that many false prophets will arise all around the world. It says that there will be wars, and rumors of wars. Are you aware of these events taking place around the world right now?
- The USA is preparing for war. We have renamed our military as the Department of War.
- North Korean troops have moved into Russia supporting its attempt to take over Ukraine.
- The USA is beefing up its presence in the South China sea and reactivating old air and naval bases on the Pacific island of Peleliu, as well as the island of Tinian it owns in the Pacific.
- The USA has announced a $7.1 billion budget for Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands for further development of bases.
- China is practicing taking over Taiwan which the USA has sworn to defend, with Japan and Australia in the mix. China just commissioned the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the Fujian, larger than any other the USA has.
- The EU is banding together into one entity. They have already joined together in a common money, (euro) and they are joined together in military pacts. They have passed new sanctions on Russia, banning oil trades and taking frozen Russian money to help Ukraine.
- They are pushing something called READINESS 2030, all about building a united European army.
- They are building a European defense shield, a space shield, a drone army – and forming a new European superpower army.
- The Bible in Daniel 7:23-24 talks about nations coming together in a pact – creating a 4th beast – a 4th world power – on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, which shall control much of the world, trample the whole earth and break it in pieces.
- Revelation 17:12-13 describes the ten kings who receive no kingdom yet, but give their power and authority to the Beast. They are of one mind.
- EU leaders are bringing more control over and less freedom to their citizens – in the name of safety. Right now, the nations of Europe are giving up power to others out of fear, to join a bigger system. This is what the EU is about. The EU now controls currency, trade rules, border systems and soon even defense. That is a superpower forming in front of us. In other words, we are at the cusp of the end.
What about the timing of all this? When is the Great Tribulation? It will come as a great rebellion against God (2 Thes. 2) and it will reveal the man of lawlessness – the Bible calls him a beast, given the moniker of ANTICHRIST. He will do the work of Satan, and will have counterfeit powers like those of Jesus Christ, in order to fool the lost. Those who follow him will be condemned forever.
The Bible talks about a time when no one can buy or sell or trade unless they are part of a certain system, a mark of this beast – represented by 666. We’ve been chipping our pets for years. Could this be the foundation of that system? With chips – control is rising everywhere. Chips offer digital id’s, and a cashless society where everything is tracked.
Those of us who refuse to take the mark will have to DEPEND ON GOD FOR OUR DAILY BREAD – not on 666! Remember, these things are written to prepare us, not to scare us.
Jesus Christ will return to do away with this beast, the Antichrist. However, the return of Christ isn’t a threat to believers; it’s our “blessed hope.” Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10: “For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.”
This changes everything about how we view current events. The wars, destruction, famine and pestilence are all signs that our deliverance is approaching! Maranatha, Lord Jesus!
Think about it this way: when you’re expecting a beloved family member to come home, such as for Thanksgiving, you don’t dread their arrival—you prepare for it with joy. You clean the house, prepare their favorite meal, and watch for their car in the driveway. Every sign of their approach fills you with excitement, not fear. That’s how we should view the signs of Christ’s return.
Each birth pain, each fulfillment of prophecy, each indication that His coming is near – should fill us with holy anticipation and joy. We’re not preparing for judgment; we’re preparing for a reunion!
This hope transforms our present circumstances. Remember that our troubles now are temporary but our future glory is eternal, so we can endure anything. When we remember that Christ is coming to make all things new, we can face any chaos with confidence. This blessed hope doesn’t make us passive; it makes us purposeful. We prepare not out of fear, but out of love for the One who is coming. Therefore, our goal today is to learn to really depend on God, not ourselves!
-Pastor Scott Gabrielson
Craig Valley Baptist Church, at 171 Salem Ave in New Castle, welcomes you to visit and share in the love of God. We meet Sundays at 11AM, with an upbeat service of music, sharing and preaching. You don’t need to dress up, and you won’t be asked to speak, so just come and hang out and meet new and old friends! Questions? Call 540-864-5667 or email pastor@cv-bc.com.