14 Things to Watch in Prophecy #3

Fred R. Coulter—November 23, 2013

- Video - - PDF - Audio - [Up]

Track 1:  or Download 

Today we're going to continue the 14 things in prophecy that we have to watch for to happen. How many noticed the vote of the Senate this week? About the filibuster and nuclear option? I can tell you one thing, if you don't get Fox cable News, you are brainwashed, because all of the others are agents of the same political view. Fox is not the greatest, but they will bring out some very important things that none of the other networks will.

I was absolutely appalled when I asked in Arcadia how many of about 45 there watch Fox News; about 5 hands went up. They don't know what's going on. They don't watch the news. Also that's how these things can come upon people unawares. You need to understand what that represents. That represents the first step, or maybe one of the last steps, to a dictatorship. You need to understand that.

Obama may not be the antichrist for the world, but he certainly is to the U.S.A. We have to understand that we're dealing with treacherous things. We need to understand very importantly; it is a difficult proposition for people to leave God.

We sang this hymn, Trust and Obey. That was written by a Protestant way back when they kept the commandments of God except Sunday. God blessed them for that proportionally because they weren't converted. Now everything is in steep decline with the Protestant world. So steep that now we're going to have to contend with atheist churches.

Remember when I read to you about transhumanism—note sermon series: Singularity is Near—how that the whole thing with transhumanism is they have their own church. God made people to need more than themselves, and Satan is right there to fill that need. Remember, once you start loving and serving and obeying God, do not think for one minute that Satan is going to run away and pout in a corner. No way!

Remember the word: incrementalism. I think Charles Krauthammer gave the most interesting analysis of this latest taking away 60-vote majority to pass on the appointments by the President. He said that this is a culmination of a 100-year process by the progressives starting with President Woodrow Wilson. They have gradually been centralizing and bringing things to the power of the central government. There was a big thrust during the Great Depression with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. There were a lot of Democrats at that time who would not go along with them because they still believed in the Constitution.
The Constitution is not only be avoided, it is being trashed almost every day by the administration. What Obama wants to do is to get his three judges on the circuit court in Washington, D.C., who are the extremists in their radical beliefs, because he knows that the EPA rules, which have been set in force, will shut down the coal companies. Because they are so irrational and so strict, that you cannot possibly make it work. I don't know if you saw the clip when he was running for President in 2008 for the first time, where he said that his goal was to shut down the coal industry.

Now everything is in place. The Republicans cannot give any resistance to any of these appointments because of their radical beliefs and they have made the Senate a lawless body, a dictatorial body of men rubber-stamping the radical choices of the progressives today.

A lot of people say, 'Why doesn't someone rise up and do something about it?' The reason is too many people have left God. It's not Obama's fault. He going to do what he's going to do, when he's going to do it, anytime he wants to do it, because he's president. He may be the end responsible person, but who is responsible for it? All the people who have left God!

Look at the progression through education, through government, through getting rid of God, through getting rid of the teachings. How many have seen the 'knock-out' squads that walk the streets? Where does that come from? That comes because

1. there was no father and mother in the home in the main—80 to 90%
2. because they were not taught from the Word of God how to love their neighbors

They were not taught that you were to take care of your neighbor. Whether it is Latino, Muslim, or a black/white issue, they have not been taught how to get along with people. They have been fed all the points: you have been discriminated against; everybody hates you. All of this is because we left God!

What you are seeing in these things, you can say, 'Oh, let's rise up and put the law in force.' Try it. You'll never do it, because they haven't been taught and their minds are set. Remember how Satan the devil works: incrementalism, just a little here, a little there, a little more; let a generation pass by, then a little more and a little more; let another generation pass by and little more and little more. Then you put all of your agents in charge of education and religion and what do you have? You have what we have today.

So what we are looking at is not a cause, but an effect. The truth is that God's laws work all the time, everywhere in the whole universe. Everything pertaining to the earth operates according to God's laws for blessing or cursing. Everything operates in the way, since we've been talking about the fall of the tribes of Israel. {see part two of this series}

5. Fall of Israel—Mark of the Beast

Let's come to Jeremiah 18. We've been here before, but remember the sermon that I gave, the difference that one man could make? Remember that, King Zedekiah. He was such a coward that what he did, he sent for Jeremiah secretly and said, 'Jeremiah, don't let anyone know that I'm talking to you. What is the Word of the Lord?' Remember what Jeremiah told him? 'If you will surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, I will not destroy the city, nor the temple, and you can remain as king, but you have to make a covenant with Nebuchadnezzar.' He didn't want to do that. He thought he could run off and sneak away; get away from it.

What happened? There's a prophecy in Ezekiel concerning him that God said that he would do that, because God knew what was in his heart and that He would send a net to capture him. That net was the Babylonians and Chaldeans to capture him. They got him and his sons. What did they do to his sons? BOOM! They were dead! What did they do to him? Gouged out his eyes and sent him to Babylon to die in blindness!

But he had a chance. How much of a chance is left that things will change for us? We do not know! But since it is a relationship with God and all those churches that call themselves Christian, that say they believe in Jesus Christ, that say that God gave this nation to us, that say that we need to be a nation of law, there's still enough of them around.

With all of the newly graduated 'droids' out of the universities that are coming in the next three years in waves:

• that are trained in communism in their universities
• that are trained in group therapy and group doing things
• that have accepted all kinds of perversions and entertainment and music that destroys the mind and locks it in to the rebellion

Do you think there are enough of those who will change?

One of the goals of the movement is: simplest way to get rid of all the conservatives, most of them are old, just don't give them any healthcare, let them die. 'Oh, we don't have to do a thing, but you're old enough. You've lived a long life. Someone else a little younger needs a chance, don't you think?' And the death panels are set up. So, that's what's going to happen. If there are any youth out there listening, you better have some heads up. You better pay attention to God, because if you abandon God, if you don't take it seriously, you're going into captivity! That's just the way it is.

When you graduate so many 'drones' that all they can do is use their little texting phone, work on the computer, you play computer games where it's nothing but killing and destroying and lust, where you have nothing but music and pornography and sex, God is not going to spare you. God is not going to be mocked. It has to start with each individual turning his or her life around.

There isn't going to come someone rushing in as a 'savior president' unless there is a revival to God by the population. We have never lived through a time in history that our nation has been on the downfall. Jeremiah was sent as God's prophet and messenger to see the downfall of Israel, down to nothing. You read some of the dialogue he had with God. He said, 'Oh, God, this is so terrible. What's going to happen?' God says, 'Buck up, there's more coming.' I'm just paraphrasing it.

Just a little sidebar here. Did you see on the news where Costco put the price tag on the Bible and it was listed as fiction? Interesting. 'Oh, that was a mistake.' No, it was a trial, because that's what too many people think of it. When you read the prophets, here's what you're going to read more of than anything else:

Jeremiah 18:1: "The Word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying…" These are not the writings of men. These are the direct inspired words of God.

In the book of Ezekiel He says, 'And they shall know that I am the Lord.'

• How are you going to know that you know the Lord?
• Will it be after devastation?
• Will it be after you are in captivity?

or

• Are you going to seek the Lord now?

Didn't I give a sermon recently, Seek the Lord, how it could turn around? This ends up being a follow-up on it!

The tipping point just went another increment further with this vote of the Congress and told God,

• we disrespect law
• we are evil
• we intend to do our will

—and Satan the devil is right in there, 'Yeah.' All of those who join him, he gives benefits; he gives rewards. That's what we are going to see.

Verse 2: "'Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.' Then I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was working at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was ruined in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the Word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'O house of Israel…'" (vs 2-6). You see how all nations and people are subject to the will of God. That will of God is carried out by righteous angels and Satan and his demons.

Remember the book of Job what happened? The sons of God, or the angels, appeared before the Lord and Satan was among them. The Lord asked Satan, 'Where have you been?' Satan said, 'I've been walking to and fro in the earth.' God says, 'Have you seen my servant Job?' Satan said, 'Yes!' God said, 'He's blameless and upright.' Satan couldn't see all of Job's sins.

The recent CD that we sent out concerning the book of Job, you listen to that again, because Job was loaded in idols of his self-worship. He was blameless outside and by that it's teaching us. If you're good out here, you better be good in your mind. To be good out here is not going to solve the problem when the time comes.

Here's the house of Israel and every nation on earth, v 6: "'O house of Israel, can I not do with you even as this potter?' says the LORD. 'Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hands, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I [God] shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck it up and to pull it down, and to destroy it'" (vs 6-7). That's exactly where we are headed.

Verse 8: "'If that nation, against whom I have spoken, will turn from their evil… [mass repentance] …I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. And if at any time I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build it and to plant it;' If it does evil in My sight, that it not obey My voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would do them good'" (vs 8-10).

Why is China so successful? Because when they began to be built up, the United States and Britain were going down!Incrementally! It started very innocuous, and now look what we have. China just announced that they no longer are considering having foreign reserves in U.S. dollars. So, it's going to come.

Human nature is such that even though there is a risk, it deceives itself by saying, 'It'll happen to him; it'll happen to her; but it won't happen to us.' Yes, it will!

Verse 11: "Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the people of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am forming evil against you…."'" Why?

• because of your evil
• because of your abandoning God
• because you have taken My covenant, taken it to yourself and you are disregarding it

You never go against what you tell God! That is a sure way to great trouble and it started in the Protestant churches.

"…and devising a plan against you. Return now… [God always give an opportunity for repentance] …each one from his evil way… [it has to get on an individual basis] …and make your ways and your doings good" (v 11).

• stop all of your extra-marital sex
• outlaw same-sex marriages
• all change from Sunday-worship to Sabbath-worship
• all change from holidays to God's Holy Days

That's a big order for people to do; they love their holidays; never thought of it.

Even some of the reporters are quite good on Fox News. If you go up to some of those gals, who are pretty good in what they do—one of them is exceptional—but if they found you don't keep Christmas, you would have the wrath of Bill O'Reilly coming down upon you.

But you have to ask them: Do you believe in telling the truth? Of course! Do you believe we should lie? Oh, no! What do you do if your children lie? We correct them. We let them know they are to tell the truth! Is Christmas true or a lie? It is a lie! 'Oh, but it's for fun.' Satan deals in fun. Look at Walt Disney. Look at all the theme parks. Look at all the movies, all the sports. It's fun, oh, sports are good, it's fun. Not when you deny God.

Have you ever considered that you are teaching your children to lie? I know when I first found out that Christmas was a lie, did it make an impression upon me? Yea! I remember it to this day. I remember what happened. We were living in Seattle at that time and I was about 6-years-old. It was the lead-up to Christmas time. Every Christmas it was the make believe, the footprints out of the fireplace, ashes over to the Christmas tree. The cookies that were given, only crumbs were left. I was out playing with the kids in the alley because at that time they had big lots and big alleys and so forth; there was a lot of room to play there. The older kids pick on the younger and they come up and say, 'There's no Santa Claus.' Yes, there is! 'There is no Santa Claus.' I went home crying, ran up the steps, came in the kitchen and I said, 'Mommy, they're saying there is no Santa Claus.' Oh, yes there is. There is a Santa Claus.

So, I took the answer, went down and said, 'My mommy says there is a Santa Claus.' About a week later I was rummaging around one of the closets, and guess what I found? Santa had been there earlier, called momma. I immediately ran to my mother and said, 'I saw the presents that I asked Santa Claus to get for me when we were down at the department store.' Shows how stupid and naïve little children are—right?

You go to the department store and here it's filled with all these things to buy for Christmas. There's a Santa Claus at this end of the store and one over at this end of the store and another one up on the next floor. People are buying and Santa is saying, 'Come here little boy, come here little girl, sit on my lap and tell Santa what you want.' All a big fat lie, but they enjoy it. Because there is 'a benefit in sin' for a while.

I looked my mom right in the eye and I said, 'The other day I asked you if there was a Santa Claus and you said yes. But I found the presents already delivered in the closet. How did that happen? Is it true that there is no Santa Claus?' And she said, 'Yeah, it's true.' I said, 'That's a lie. I get whippings for lying.' I even had to go out and pick my own switch. I used to get the ones that were a little thicker because they didn't sting as much. She'd make me go out and get a thinner one.

Look at what a mammoth change would have to take place. It would have to take place much like it was in the book of Jonah—from the king on down to all the animals. I don't know if the animals can pray, but everybody else would pray. The warning came, 'I'm going to destroy the city and everything in it.' Israel never did that.

Verse 12: "And they said, 'There is no hope…" How can we do that? You're asking the impossible. Right at the Christmas season we're to all give it up? Think of all the businesses that are going to go broke. Think of how the economy is going to plunge to nothing. Yes, indeed! It's going to one way or the other whether you do or whether you don't.

"…but we will walk after our own ways…" (v 12). What is it in the eyes of man? 'Every way is right according to a man; the end thereof is the way of death.'

"…we will each one do according to the stubbornness of his evil heart" (v 12). Look what we've gone to. Look at where it's been. You look at the ten-part series I did on Church at Home [churchathome.org] with same-sex marriage and see how their goal was to change the Word of God, which they did to make it appear that homosexuality is acceptable to God. Of course, that's why He spared Sodom and Gomorrah? Never happened!

One thing about opinions; let me tell you something: Any opinion contrary to truth is from Satan! When we have it that we are given our sacred opinion, if it is not backed up with truth it is worthless. Doesn't matter what you believe. All you have to do is go into any prison and talk to those on death row. What they did was right. Once in awhile you'll find someone who will say, 'I'm such an evil person I need to be executed.' At least he is honest.

Verse 13: "Therefore, thus says the LORD, 'Ask now among the nations; who has heard now among the nations; who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.'"

Do you know what the Chinese think of us? Those dragon-worshiping Chinese? They think we are immoral, especially in finances, because the 'banksters' as we have known have loaned out each ounce of gold 50 times to make money. There is one thing 'Reverend' Wright was correct in: 'the chickens come home to roost.' If you have ever lived on a farm, when the sun gets down just about so low before it's ready to set, the chickens run into the coop or fly up onto the branches and roost.

Concerning the founding fathers and abortion. What's going to happen with abortion is this, with the morning-after pill there's going to be a big decrease in abortion. They'll say, 'See how successful this is.' No, it's just murder at an earlier stage! And who has to make the decision? The woman! What's that little nursery rhyme? Little girls are sugar and spice and everything nice! Little boys deal in snakes and snails and puppy dog's tails! Everything is slanted against men today. That's just the way that it is.

Verse 14: "Does the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Or shall the cold waters that come from another place case to flow? Because My people have forgotten Me…" (vs 14-15). How long have we forgotten God? Look at all the wars we go through. We were supposed to be, in those wars, instruments of God to bring good to the world.

"…they have burned incense to vanity… [that's what we do] …and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in by-paths… [each on his own way] …not on the highway, to make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by shall be astonished, and will shake his head" (vs 15-16).

I cannot tell you enough times, with enough conviction, to make you really grasp what is going to happen when the dollar collapses. We're going to accelerate the fall of America and Britain in prophecy from 7-1/2 to 8 on the tipping scale to 15 and 10 is the maximum limit. Nobody will know how to do anything.

• Do you have a garden? Some of you do!
• Does anybody in the cities have gardens?

Maybe on the top of some buildings there are a few that have little gardens.

• Do you know how to milk a cow?
• Do you know how to even get one in the barn to milk it?
• How about a goat?
• Do you know how to kill a bullock?

Think about it!

• What do you really know, other than what you can go to the store and do and buy?

Nothing!

We are going to be the most technologically advanced dunces in the history of the world. They'll have no compunction at cannibalism. None! It's meat. It's going to be something.

We have gone over Deut. 28 how many times? You better go over it again. If you're still in doubt, go over it on your knees in prayer. Then you need to really begin watching. Watch the news! Don't just watch you own life. Watching your own life is one little part of it. That's the most important thing for our daily conduct, but you are to watch the news. Because Jesus says, 'Lest that day come upon you unaware!' Well, I didn't know this was going to happen, Lord. It's been in print for how many thousands of years. You have how many Bibles in your home? Someone asked me that after I asked them how many they had in their home. We've got pretty close to 50 just at home. It's there. No, they won't do it. Isn't that going to be something?

In some of the Midwest cities they are bringing in Somalians and Muslims, and very soon Iraqis, because 'we are good hearted people and we want to share with other people what we have.' Little do they know that they are coming for their own advantage and they are coming because they hate us. They'll smile, get settled in, be very innocuous until the day comes. Then people in the Midwest are going to say, 'Where did all of this come from?' You didn't pay attention.

So He says, v 17: "I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them My back, and not My face, in the day of their calamity." Jeremiah had to say it. They all gathered around and fell on their knees weeping and wailing and repenting. No!

Verse 18: "Then they said, 'Come and let us plot schemes against Jeremiah…. [We've got to get rid of this one because he is bringing these things against us.] …For the law shall not perish from the priest, nor wisdom from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words.'" Surely we wouldn't do that.

Remember what happened when Jesus came into the temple in John 2? He said He would suddenly appear to His temple and He did. What did He do? He made a scourge of cords and drove out the animals and overturned the exchangers' tables! He said, 'Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise.' 'Where did this guy come from? What right did He have to do this? I'm just here making money. I'm selling 'holy' lambs to the people who want them. Well, I've been charging a little more than I should'—like 20%.

Verse 19: "Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to what my accusers are saying against me. Should evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before You to do good for them, and to turn away Your wrath from them'" (vs 19-20). Their worlds are so upside down they cannot grasp what is happening.

When Hitler first came to power, people said, 'He's a good man. Look, he stopped the inflation.' Satan got his toehold there. Then he began implementing every one of his plans and the first one was universal healthcare. Then everything began to clamp down and soon Adolph Hitler was Satan possessed, just like the coming beast. Soon the whole nation was Satan possessed. Soon they had great victories without lifting a rifle: Czechoslovakia, the Anschluss, Austria. All of these are benefits; Satan gives benefits and you think you are doing well. Then Hitler invaded to the east and later to the west.

You need to read the rest of the book of Job, because Satan will lead you in a way that you think is correct, but he is a deceiver, totally mentally deranged. He will force you to make absolutely the worst decisions, because his goal is to use you and destroy you. Did that not happen to Nazi Germany? God had to send Israel to the rescue. Ephraim had to be rescued by Manasseh. Big brother had to come and save Ephraim.

We won the war! Great victory! Where are we now? We are multiplying the sins of Nazi Germany within our own nation! That's what we are doing. We are no more God's people than Sodom and Gomorrah. So here's what God says it's going to do:
Verse 21: "Therefore, deliver up their children to the famine…" 'Oh, God wouldn't do that.' Yes, He would because you are putting in their minds all these lies, bringing them up on sex, so that the pedophilia, age of consent can come down to nearly zero.

"…and pour them out upon the hands of the sword. And let their wives be bereaved, and be widows, and their men be slain to death; let their young men be struck by the sword in battle. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when You suddenly bring a raiding party on them. For they have dug a pit to take me, and have hidden snares for my feet. Yet, LORD, You know all their counsel against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from Your sight, but let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger" (vs 21-23).

That's quite a thing. That's where we are right today. We are right at this point, the United States of America. You add up everything that there is and you will see that.

Track 2:  or Download

Now let's bring us up to date to modern times. I might mention that Phil Neal is getting closer and closer to finishing the book, The United States and Britain in Prophecy. Since there have been a lot more people writing on it, there are a lot more references. There is a lot more research that has been done through the years concerning it that it is really going to be quite good. It's going to be historically documented by findings of many, many people concerning the migration of Israel into Northwestern Europe and into Britain. So that is coming. I don't know exactly when he will finish it, but I think we're going to find that it will be one of the most needful books that we have.

6. Fall of the Modern Descendants of Israel

Matt. 24 is quite a chapter, because you could make a book out of Matt. 24 itself. Let's understand some things concerning prophecies. There are cycles where different things happen in much the same way. Why do they happen in very similar patterns? Because of the laws of God working on everyone everywhere;that's why.

We also have fulfillments that are type, that is original fulfillment, and anti-type. Matt. 24 contains all of these together, not only beginning with the time of Christ, but down to His second coming in this one chapter. It also has some very unique things that we have covered in the past, which is that we are going to see that the majority of Matt. 24 applies in the end-time.

This fits in with the 14 things in prophecy, because there are many things here we're going to find that we'll refer back to in the remaining 14 things to happen.

Matthew 24:1: "And after going out, Jesus departed from the temple; and His disciples came to Him to point out the buildings of the temple." They were magnificent at that time. You have to have an understanding of the geography there concerning the temple, the valley of Kidron, and coming up to the Mount of Olives.

Verse 2: "But Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things?.… [It's kind of like looking at New York City and say, 'You see all these buildings?'] …Truly I say to you, there shall not be left there even a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down.'" That happened. So much so that they really have not known where the temple actually stood until the last few decades, maybe 50 years plus. That was an astonishing statement because the valley of Kidron drops down all of a sudden and then comes up to the Mount of Olives.

Sidebar on the Mount of Olives: Where did Jesus ascend after His resurrection? From where did He ascend? Mount of Olives! There's more to it than just that. Let's back up in time in the book of Ezekiel. When Ezekiel saw the cherubim and the glory of God over the temple, it departed from over the temple to show Ezekiel that God's presence was being withdrawn. It came and stood over the mountain to the east, which is the Mount of Olives. Then disappeared into heaven. Because God removed His presence from the temple before it was destroyed.

Likewise, in 66-70A.D. Actually you back up from 71A.D. there was a prophet of God, who until the destruction of Jerusalem, he went through Jerusalem and said, 'Woe, woe, Jerusalem.' You can find this in the book of Josephus. 'Your destruction is coming. Woe, woe, woe, Jerusalem.'

Then Josephus records that in 66-1/2A.D., just when they began the rebellion against the Romans, the priests were lighting the night-lights. They had to have lights burning all the time and those were the special wick candles. The wick went into a little cup of oil, so every day they had to put oil in and put a wick in.

As they were doing this there appeared a great glow in the temple and the priests heard it and verified and the voice said, 'Let us leave from here.' God took away His presence again before the destruction of the temple. It went over and stood over the Mount of Olives. At night there could be seen at times angelic chariots circling. Remember there would be signs and wonders. That was to that generation. Then it too went into heaven. God took His presence from them. There's a lot at play here in Matt. 24 concerning these prophecies and what are going to take place.

Verse 3: "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives…" When you're sitting at the Mount of Olives, the Mount of Olives is much higher than the temple area, so they were looking down on the temple area. They could see all the people coming and going, the beautiful temple, and everything.

"…His disciples came to Him alone, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the completion of the age?'" That is the question that goes from that day clear down to the actual return of Jesus Christ.

7. Let no one deceive you; the true Gospel shall be preached

Verse 4: "Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Be on guard, so that no one deceives you.'" We are going to see at the end time, as we already know, Satan is deceiving the whole world. We've seen it happen to the Churches of God—haven't we? It happened during the days of the Apostle Paul and the apostles. Men stealthily snuck in changing the grace of God into licentiousness, teaching contrary doctrines and teachings.

One of the first ones that came up even before the completion of the Apostolic Age, about 56A.D. Paul writes that there were some who had no knowledge of the resurrection. How did that come to be? Because people were bringing in ideas thinking that Christianity was a 'religion' when it was not!It was a way of life and training for those who are going to be in the Kingdom of God at the resurrection!

Then he writes in 1-Timothy that were certain ones who were teaching that the resurrection has already passed. What was one of the first beliefs that snuck into the Church? The immortality of the soul! Because everyone is interested—right? What happens when someone dies? How can you sleep in the grave? Now we know scientifically all you need is just a recording of your genes and chromosomes. That can be just a little speck of nothing, as far as volume is concerned. You came from a speck of nothing, you return to a speck of nothing. Nothing changes, just the size and growth and death.

We have seen it happen within the Church in our day. That's why there are so many Churches of God, because people, even within the Church of God do not really believe God as they should. Why is that? It's the individual responsibility to grow in faith and to grow in knowledge and to believe God.

I get all kinds of papers down through time concerning many different things. Unless it's a repeat of what I covered before, I always go through to make sure I understand what they are saying and I understand what the Bible says. Because as God's people, think of this. We have the Word of God—all of it! We have the blessing and peace to study and to learn and to grow and to dedicate ourselves to the Word of God and growing and overcoming.

That's why Jesus said, right when He began His ministry, 'Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.' Not a comfortable righteousness that we all agree we settle on and like each other; that's not really loving God. Too many are that way today. We'll talk a little bit more about that when we get to the Laodiceans, because it is going to surprise a lot of people.

Let's ask ourselves, each one of us, how many lies do I still believe? Whether they are taught by someone else? or whether we have them ourselves? Until we come to the point that we have nothing we did not receive, it all comes from God—everything: physically and spiritually.

There can never come a point with the Word of God that we can put our thumbs in our suspenders and say, 'We know it all, sonny.' No, we don't, because this is the mind of God. We need to understand there are many more applications of the Word of God than we have ever thought there would be.

From here on in I want you to think about this applying to our age today and why it is important to watch. Sometimes the news will be difficult to handle. Some who are tender hearted, it's hard to bear. I understand that. But unless in living in this age you realize the depravity to which we are sinking, you will never understand the punishment of God. You will say, 'Why couldn't God do it some other way? Why did He have to do it this way?'

Verse 7: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places." This has to be where there is instant communication and you know it almost immediately. If you lived back in the 1200sA.D., how would you ever know there were earthquakes in different places, because there are earthquakes all the time. Oh, you can understand about famines because you just got through about 300 years of famine through the Black Plague.

Verse 8: "Now, all these things are the beginning of sorrows." Here's a key for the end time. You do not know how long this time period is. It could be a long time. The time of sorrows because it builds and it builds.

Verse 9: "Then shall they deliver you up to affliction…" That is coming! Hatred of all Christianity, all forms of Christianity!

"…and shall kill you…" (v 9). Are you ready for that? They will offer you a way out. What will you do?

"…and you shall be hated by all nations for My name's sake" (v 9). That applies to Israel and that applies to the Church in the end-time.

Verse 10: "And then shall many be led into sin… [all kinds of sin] …and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another." That surely is what is happening daily. We have to be aware of these things, brethren. I know that it's a difficult load to handle some times, but we need to be watching and being prepared.

Verse 11: "And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many." How many brands of Christianity are there in the world? 1,000? I remember when the Church of God, way back when, they would say, 'We are the only Church of God. Look at the Protestants out there. They have 450 denominations.' What happened to the Church of God? We have 450 denominations!

That's why we have the means today, through the Internet, to search out their beliefs, not what they claim to be. One man who claims to be the 'Restored Church of God' calls Fred Coulter an antichrist. I've been called a lot of different names, but I guess that's the top one. How is that to love your brother?

Do we teach any doctrines that are against Christ? No, we don't! We hold the Word of God in Truth and realize that only Truth can support Truth. Only the Spirit of God can lead us in Truth, because it is the Spirit of Truth. And only rightly dividing the Word of God is going to keep us in that Truth and that we don't exalt ourselves over anyone. Why should that be?

Verse 12: "And because lawlessness shall be multiplied…" This is where we are. If you want to take this on a scale of 1 to 10, we're probably about 7 to 8. Lawlessness! People make their own laws and reject the laws that are there. This is not talking about traffic laws. This is talking about the laws of God.

And now we have atheist churches. Do you know why they will be a success? Because they think they have gotten rid of the hypocrisy of the Christian churches that claim allegiance to God, but live just like they do. What do they have? They have all-inspiring music, nice big choirs. They have motivational and inspirational speeches—'be the best you can be.' Those who still go to the Christian churches fail to realize God hasn't been there for a long, long time. Why not go to the atheist church where they don't want God and tell you so.

I think it'll be interesting, because in time we will get some video of their services and so forth. I can't see much difference between an atheist saying, 'We don't believe in God. We believe in doing good,' and compare that with a Christian minister who stands up and says, 'Jesus did away with the law.' Is there any difference? No! "…lawlessness shall be multiplied…"

Remember, we saw that little clip on demographics, how to perpetuate the population. Those in the western world in many places are on the downside because they are not producing enough children to have the population in balance and filling in the gap are the Muslims and the strangers within their gates that they have 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and remember they are eligible to vote at age 18.

You need to think about that. All of those of you who are old and gray-headed you'll probably say, 'Hallelujah, I'll be gone.' Maybe God will be merciful that you will be gone, but that's not the question. What are you going to do in your relationship with God between now and 'sayonara day'?

Here's what happens, "…the love of many shall grow cold" (v 12). That's precisely what happens. Now in a lot of little towns you can find people love each other and get along better. But you go to some of these big cities, you almost have to wear a knight's armored suit to feel as though you are safe.

Someone asked me one time, 'Have you ever been to New York City?' I said, 'No, and I have no desire to go.' Especially after I watch a History Channel presentation that New York City has been dedicated to Satan the devil. It's all stamped in all of their monuments and buildings and stone engravings. It begins with the Statue of Liberty. 'Oh, how dare you say that. That's a sacred thing.' Really? It was modeled after Diana the goddess of the Ephesians.

It's nice to have that it's a beacon of light. It would be good if they put a monument out there with a beacon of light and under the monument was the Word of God and you could walk around it and you could read the Ten Commandments of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ and that He is the Light of the world. That would be fine. But everything that we think is good is evil. Everything that you think in too many cases that is evil is considered good.

Jim was telling me about an article that was written by someone in the Church of God about we need to accept homosexual marriages. How can that be? "…the love of many shall grow cold."

Here's where we are; this is what we need to do, v 13: "But the one who endures to the end, that one shall be saved." That's what we need to do. In today's world everything is geared to keep it cool, kick back and enjoy. Don't exert yourself. Don't get carried away with anything. Just be cool, brother. That's kind of lukewarm—wouldn't you say? What does it mean you have to endure?

• you have to apply yourself
• you have to continually draw close to God in prayer and study and things like that
• that's how you use the Spirit of God

Verse 14, this is very interesting. "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come." That you know have to be end-time. When this was written, do you think the apostle had the faintest clue as to how that was going to be done?

Remember what Jesus told them in Acts 1 that 'you are My witnesses unto the end of the earth.' Lord, do I row? or Take a sailboat? How do I go? I don't mean to be factious, but it is to tell you that the writings of the apostles and their teachings would go clear to the ends of the world before it would be completed. That was so mammoth they couldn't understand it, but today we can understand it and look at the tools that we have to do it.

Look at how many people are preaching things concerning the end-time, whether in full Truth or in mixture of Truth and error. I think that nearly everyone, even if it has a mixture of Truth and error, understands that the beast power is going to be a worldwide gestapo government.

We can preach the Gospel better, more cheaply, and proliferated through the Internet than at any time in the history of the world. How much of a witness is a witness? We're not told, but we're not told to come to a point we think we've done enough and then we'll slack up and back off from there and leave it to the two witnesses. We'll talk about the two witnesses a little later because they have a special thing they are to do. Don't anyone send me a book that you are one of the two witnesses.

Let's put it this way. Since the return of Christ is going to be the greatest and most important thing and the most absolutely cataclysmic thing that is going to happen, that it can't be a little 'pipsqueak.' 'By the way, did you hear?' Because when Christ shakes the heavens and the earth (Rev. 6:12), this whole world is going to realize this is an invasion from outer space. and they will be correct. It's going to shake this earth.

As I mentioned concerning the rapture, don't count on that, because it isn't going to happen. I think it is going to be mammoth. It is going to be intense. Everyone is going to hear. That means all the Churches of God, which is my prayer daily that we don't get lifted up in vanity and self, but that we repent to God and preach the Gospel and teach what is necessary. And that each one quit fighting against each other. You're not serving God. Pray for each other that

• they will be blessed in what they are doing
• that they will receive Truth and understanding in the things that they are doing
• that they will do the witnessing that they need to do,

lest Jesus Christ comes and says, 'What were you doing?'

Come back here to Luke 12 for just a minute. Luke 12:35: "Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning… [continuously doing that] …and you yourselves be like men who are waiting for their lord, whenever he shall return from the wedding feast; so that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him" (vs 35-36).

You want the blessing of God? Here's what to do, v 37: "Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he comes, shall find watching. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself, and will make them sit down, and will come and serve them." Isn't that something?

Verse 38: "And if he comes in the second watch, or comes in third watch, and finds them watching, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Now you, therefore, be ready; for the Son of man is coming in an hour that you do not think" (vs 38-40). He's coming two ways:

1. the end of your life
2. His literal return

Whether we will be alive at that time or not, we don't know. But we are to be ready.

Verse 41: "Then Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are You speaking this parable to us only, or also to all?' And the Lord said, 'Who then is the wise and faithful steward…'" (vs 41-42).That's what we all are.

• we are stewards of God's Word
• we are stewards of God's Spirit
• we are stewards of God's Truth

A steward is one who exercises power over the Lord's possession to make profit for the Lord. That's what a steward is. This is not you sitting on the sidelines and you watch everything that goes along and you dash in a little bit and do a little bit and come back and sit back and don't do anything. No!

Verse 42: "And the Lord said, 'Who then is the wise and faithful steward, whom the lord shall put in charge of his household, to give to each one the portion of food in season? Blessed is that servant whom the lord, when he comes, shall find so doing'" (vs 42-43).

If it ends up like all the apostles, that you die before Christ returns, and everyone who has been a Christian has died, we need to be like the Apostle Paul when he knew he was going to exit this life. He said, 'I have run the course. I have finished the race. Henceforth, there is a crown of life laid up for me.' That's the attitude we need to have. Doesn't matter how young you are, how old you are, what your circumstances are, that's what it needs to be.

Verse 44: "Of a truth, I tell you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if…" (vs 44-45). We all have to make a judgment in these things ourselves. In reading these things, don't think if you find you yourself falling short that anybody is picking on you. Nobody is picking on you. If it's read from the Word of God, and it is true, then accept it for what it is. It comes from God. So you judge yourself.

"…But if that servant shall say in his heart, 'My lord delays his coming,' and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to be gluttonous and become drunk, The lord of that servant will come in a day that he does not expect, and in an hour that he does not know, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint his portion with the unbelievers" (vs 45-46).

• Do you believe the Word of God is true?
• All of the Word of God to be true?

We find out, what did Jesus say? 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall never pass away.' They are true! They are in action, constantly. Just like the law of gravity and the gravitational power coming out of the earth to the surface and from the sun to the earth. Just like that, all the time.

We can't treat it like the law of gravity. We get so used to it we just walk around and everything is just fine. You don't know what's going to happen or how it's going to occur, so you always have to be ready.

The comment was made to expound a little bit about the glutton and drunkard. It's not just the physical drunkenness. What kind of drunkenness? From whose cup does that come? Babylon the Great and the golden cup of her fornication and her doctrines!

Understand this: Everything we need God has provided in His Word and with His calendar! He has preserved true histories, where we need that to confirm what has happened. Those are discoverable. But we can never go to the Christianity of this world and say, 'How did you believe this doctrine?'

There is one man who has been a minister for as long as I have known him, so that's got to be well over 50 years, who is now saying and teaching that God the Father married the Holy Spirit. Nowhere does the Bible say that! That's why the first thing Jesus said, 'Be on guard.'

• guard yourself
• guard your thoughts
• guard your behavior
• guard the Word of God

—because He's given it to us. This is greater than gold, greater than silver which you would probably store away because it's valuable. God wants this to be so valuable you put it in your mind.

So Jesus says: "…and will appoint his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew the will of his lord, but did not prepare…" (vs 46-47). What's the will of God? That we attain to the Kingdom of God, to be kings and priests! That is a lifetime education.

"…nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but the one who did not know, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For to whomever much has been given, from him shall much be required; and to whom much has been committed, from him they will demand the more" (vs 47-48). We've had a lot given to us. We need to

• develop it
• expand it
• spread it
• teach it

with every fiber of our being. Never can we at any time sit back and say, 'We've done all we can do.' How do you know? We don't know what can be done.

Verse 49: I came to cast fire into the earth, and what will I, if it already be kindled?'" What do you want from God?

There is the warning, going through Matt. 24 and Luke 12 gives us a good foundation of the things that we need to do and will help prepare us for going through the rest of the things in the 14 Things to Watch in Prophecy. A lot of them will come fast and there they will be.

Just like when we watch the Middle East. Who would have ever thought that the Russians would be the power player in the Middle East to thwart the United States of America? Who would have ever thought that the Russians would have enough moral backbone to say that homosexual marriage is wrong? Think about it!

You go back how many years you have been in the Church and think about those things. Those things are going to happen quickly. We don't know how it's going to come, so we need to really be prepared!.

Scriptural References:

• Jeremiah 18:1-23
• Matthew 24:1-4, 7-14
• Luke 12:35-49

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Deuteronomy 28
• John 2
• Acts 1
• Revelation 6:12

Also referenced:

Sermons: Seek the Lord
Sermon Series:

• Singularity is Near
• Same-sex Marriage (church at home)

Books:

• The United States and Britain in Prophecy (coming soon)
• Josephus

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 12-6-13
Formatted: bo—12-8-13

Copyright 2013—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.