As I read this passage, it kept reminding me of something. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was something very familiar about it! I know that I have read this somewhere else, other than the bible. But where?
Maybe I read it in a book. Maybe I read it in the Left Behind series? That must have been where I read it! But somehow, that did not seem right. I do not recall this in that book.
Possibly I saw it in a movie? No, that couldn’t be it. I would remember it if it were a movie. Possibly I read it in a magazine article. Or maybe someone told me this story. Then it hit me. This was from the Sunday morning newspaper.
It was bits and pieces though. Different stories about these scriptures. Stories about the false prophets. Jesus said to watch out for those claiming to be the Christ. They will deceive many! People like Charles Manson, that lead so many to such destruction and death. Like Jimmy Jones. There are many who claim to be the way to heaven. The disciples were warned over 2000 years ago, and we are warned today.
In 1849 a wagon train was traveling through Death Valley to follow the gold rush into California. As this particular wagon train trudged through Death Valley, the hottest place in California, they looked ahead and saw a sheet of water they all believed was Owen’s Lake. But it was just a mirage created by the intense heat, and the harder their pressed on to make it to the water, the more frustrated they became. The foundation for many people’s spiritual journey is no more real than that mirage. Some people base their entire spiritual lives on illusions whether it’s the psychic friends network or astrology, whether it’s some strange teacher like David Koresh or some new claim to have special insight into the future .
Jesus said that we would hear about wars. Rumors about wars. That nation will rise up against nation and kingdom will rise up against kingdom! Is that happening today? I would say so! There is war all around us. Not just in the Middle East. There is a war on drugs right here, in the US. Right outside those door in the streets of Tucson.
The disciples ask Jesus for a sign of his return and the end of the age. His first response was “watch out that no one deceives you!” He knew there would be many false prophets.
The simple fact of the matter is that when we look for signs, we become very susceptible to being deceived! There are many false prophets that have counterfeit signs of spiritual power, and spiritual authority!
The only ‘sure-fire method of not being deceived is to focus on Jesus and his words! The word of god has all answers! Do not just look at it in part, as many people do. Take it as a whole. Read the entire chapter and book if possible to discern the true meaning of what you are reading! Otherwise you may be fooled by parts of the scriptures!
Do not look for special signs of his returning. Do not spend time looking at other people and what they have to say about it! Look at Christ! Read his word, he will show you!
A lady of society was gazing upon an image she had never seen before in the city’s art museum. "My dear fellow," she said condescendingly to the Curator, "I have never seen this painting before. I find the image shallow and rather crude in appearance. What do you call this?" The curator answered without giving the slightest expression," That madam, is a mirror." The lady’s vision was not very focused.
Losing focus on the Jesus of Scripture blurs our own view—not only of Christ—but of ourselves, as well. The Bible is also a great mirror. We may go to it to observe its content with a critical eye, but in the end, we are under its criticism.
Then he tells of many famines. He talks of many earthquakes! He called these the beginning of the birth pains! Birth Pains? Why did he choose these words to describe the beginning of the end? Because this is not the beginning of the end, rather the beginning of the beginning! Remember that we shall all be given new bodies to wear! We will either spend an eternity in the kingdom of God, with Jesus, or an eternity in condemnation! But we will all be spending an eternity! Next, we will be handed over and persecuted for our faith in him.
Some will be killed for their faith. And those might be considered the lucky ones! For the rest will endure much pain and suffering he says. He tells us that believers will be hated by all the nations. Just because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
You may not be facing intense persecutions now, but many around the world are. There are missionaries that lose their life for the good of their neighbor. They are spreading the gospel of Jesus and his unconditional love!
Gordon Kroeker says in a story:
Growing up as a missionary kid in the De. Rep. of the Congo, communist rebels forced us out of our mission station in 1964. I was only 8 years old at the time; but I remember that our family, with 20 others white people on the station had received a radio message that the rebels were close by, and we only had about an hour to get out. We only had one Chevy Suburban on the station for 25 people. We all took a half-hour to pack. The women and kids went in that vehicle. Another vehicle came to get the men left behind. Many of the Congolese Christians were killed, or died of starvation during this time. Other missionaries were killed in other parts of the country. Our mission station was looted and burned. We lost all of our belongings, but the Lord spared our lives.
The Lord did protect us. I am thankful that the Lord helped me to not have any feelings of d against those who destroyed my Congolese friends and the placed that I had lived.
As I stated earlier, you may not be intensely persecuted for your faith, but many are. We need to ask God the Father to help these people. We need to ask what we can do to help them through their times of suffering and persecution. Remember that they are your brothers and sisters in Christ!
1st Corinthians chapter 12 we learn that we are all part of the same body! We all make up his body. Remember the pieces of the puzzle? If one part of the body hurts, all parts suffer! When all the parts in the body join in unison to ease the suffering, the entire body benefits!
Verse 11 heeds a warning for us all. A warning about false prophets that will deceive many. False Prophets are by no means a new thing. In fact, in the Old Testament we were warned many times about them. In Ezekiel 13 Vs 2-3, Ezekiel is told by God to tell the false Prophets that they are like a bunch of jackals among the ruins!
False prophets claim to have received special “messages” from God, but preach a Health and Wealth message! They say just what the people want to hear. Not what God wants them to hear and to learn.
There were false prophets before Jesus, during his days and there are so many in this day and age! These people deliver sweet messages that many like to hear! Like “God wants you to be rich!”or “Do whatever your desires tell you too! It’s okay, God made you that way! Give in to your desires!” Or even worse, “there is no such things as hell or sin.” And even more recently, “Jesus is not the only way to Heaven!” These are statements from People that claim they are Christians and pastors?!
We wonder why so many of our youth fall to the waist side. Could it be the unsound doctrine that we as Christians do not take a stand against? We should point out that these are wrong, and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its entirety with all the people that will listen!
This religion of me and thee, as George Gallup, Jr. calls it, along with a hunger for experience over knowledge, has contributed to a tremendous diversity of beliefs, many of which are antithetical to biblical principles. These unhealthy attitudes have crept into the church, as evidenced by the following results of a survey of church lay leaders by researcher George Barna:
· only 53 percent believe that there are moral truths that are absolute
· 43 percent say there is no such thing as the Holy Spirit
· 33 percent believe that Jesus never had a physical resurrection
· 19 percent believe Jesus sinned while on earth.
It may seem unbelievable to you and me, but this is what is happening in this world with our youth. These are the things that false prophets are teaching! And because the method in which they deliver the message, people are listening!
Jesus warned his disciples then, and he warns us even today! We need to be on guard. Watchful those that would teach a false doctrine for their good on earth!
You see, with this false doctrine comes a deadly disease. A loss of love for God. And a loss of love for others! Sin turns your love for God and others into a focus on yourself! And if you focus on yourself, you cannot love others, including God. You only think of yourself.
Jesus predicted that his followers would be severely persecuted and would experience great suffering on his behalf. But he also gave them a great promise that they could hold on to through it all. He promised them their very salvation!
Times of such trials and suffering and anguish serves as a sift for the true Christians from the false, or fair-weather Christians! So remember that when you are being pressured to turn your back on Jesus, or to deny him, keep the faith! Just remember the benefits by far out weigh the cost. Your salvation!
Jesus says that before he returns that the gospel will be known at all ends of the Earth! That is where we, as Christians come in to play. We are told that we are to go in to all regions of the world spreading his message to all! If not as an evangelist, as a financial sponsor, or a prayer warrior. There are so many things that each and every one of us can do.
We are to work while we wait. A gardener for a large estate in northern Italy was conducting a visitor through the castle and the beautiful, well-groomed grounds. As the visitor had lunch with the gardener and his wife, he commended them for the beautiful way they were keeping the gardens. He asked, "By the way, when was the last time the owner was here? He said, "I was about ten years ago." The visitor asked, "Then why do you keep the gardens in such an immaculate, lovely manner?" He said, "Because I’m expecting him to return." He persisted, "Is he coming next week?" The gardener replied, "I don’t know when he is coming, but I am expecting him today." Although he didn’t come that day, he was living in the light of the owner’s imminent return. The gardener wasn’t hanging over the gate, watching down the road to see whether his master was coming. He was in the garden, trimming, cutting, mowing, weeding, planting. He was busy. That is what Paul is talking about when he says we should be established in the work of the Lord in the view of the fact that He is returning. We need to wake up, watch, work and witness for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is coming again!
Years ago, when 20th Century Fox advertised in the New York papers to fill a vacancy in its sales force, one applicant replied: "I am at present selling furniture at the address below. You may judge my ability as a salesman if you will stop in to see me at anytime, pretending that you are interested in buying furniture.
When you come in, you can identify me by my red hair. And I will have no way of identifying you. Such salesmanship as I exhibit during your visit, therefore, will be no more than my usual workday approach and not a special effort to impress a prospective employer." From among more than 1500 applicants, this guy got the job. Jesus wants us ready like that. We don’t know when He’s coming back, so be prepared all the time.
