SIGNS OF THE IMPENDING RAPTURE & THE PROGRESSIVE CHURCH TOLERATING SIN

                                                Now don’t get me wrong because I don’t have an answer, but neither does Jesus in Matthew 24:46 and Mark 13:32—and God’s angels don’t even know.  But I pray for Christ to come quickly because I’m tired, but I promise you, I’m prepared as directed in the Scripture.  But I see so many signs and it would be morally weak of me NOT to address them.

                                                The first is unprecedented global apostasy.  There is a massive turning away from the true Christian faith and Biblical truths (II Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.”  There is a rabid increase in false teaching and watering down our faith, deception, idolatry to performance art, and even occultism.  I Timothy 4:1 says, “ Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”  As God gets removed further from our lives there is a multiplication of mocker’s denying Christ’s return as in II Peter 3:3-4 “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear, but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious  And of course we have a rapid decline of morals and spiritual standards as the majority of clergy are too afraid to define what sin is anymore.

                                                Secondly, over this century and since the times of Jesus, we have seen so many wars and rumors of wars.  In my lifetime there has been an escalation in frequency and intensity of wars and nations rising against nations causing global instability that Jesus warned of in Matthew 24:6-7 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”  There is constant global crisis and unpredictable political change.  We are only scratching the surface on the fear and distress people will feel, but we see it in the dramatic increase of psychotropic drugs given out like candy.

                                                Third, let’s talk natural disasters, sickness, and pestilence.  Luke 21:11 tells of the increase in devastating earthquakes, famines, floods, and other natural disasters.  We have seen a rise in global pandemics—look at AIDS, COVID, and others that sequestered people from loved ones and closed churches’ doors.  “Water wars” are next on the horizon—mark my words.  Like Jesus as the “living water,” water is necessary for survival.

                                                Fourth, there is an incredible decline in the moral fabric of mankind as in the days of Noah.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:12 of the increase of lawlessness, violence and wickedness.  We see it every day and we open the door wider for evil and Satan’s influence.  People are so self-absorbed that they love money and themselves over their devotion to God in II Timothy 3:2-4.  I see daily occurrences of betrayal, persecution, and spiritual darkness.  Jesus told us this in Matthew 24:10.  Again, I ask, “Why does the clergy NOT teach the entire teachings of Jesus?!!!”  Lastly, we are seeing a complete breakdown of Christian, orderly society and the foundation of the family—and YOU voted for it.  Shame, shame, shame.

                                                I want to take this thought and bring it to the shores of America.  There is no direct mention of America, unlike Babylon or Egypt, in the Scripture or prophecy.  Some theologians will debate that America, and specifically New York City (and I would contend LA/Hollywood), as the catalyst to be a key player in the one-world government from Revelations 17-18.  Others suggest that America’s influence in the world will wane or get absorbed into the global power struggle.

                                                One of the keys that I look at is America as superpower allied with Israel and I wonder if our shift away from Israel as we see the media and political trendline point directly to Biblical eschatology.  Ultimately, I see the moral and spiritual decline of our nation from Biblical values as in II Timothy 3:1-5.  I see a rise of apostacy and secularism.  I also think and believe that America has the potential to lead the world into further demise. 

                                                Look, I’m a Biblical scholar, theologian, historian, philosopher, psychologist, teacher, and forever-student of what God puts on my plate.  I have never felt so strongly that we, now more than ever, need to be in our Bibles to hear God speak to us and in intense dedicated prayer for ourselves and our loved ones to be ready…”for in such an hour as we think not, the Son of Man cometh” and this time He will have fire in His eyes.

                                                The church has turned a blind eye to sin that adds to the validity of the Scripture that few there be who find the narrow way.  The church is at fault.  It quietly allowed the gay and whatever letter agenda to steal the rainbow from God  for sexual sin.  It votes for abortion candidates and separation from God in all public venues and schools.  Why is the clergy so afraid to speak out against sin?  Do they not believe in the rapture?  Do they not fear God?  Or do they fear dwindling numbers and dollars in the plate?  Ask yourself when you heard your last sermon on sin or eternal damnation…you tell me.