As always, peace and grace to you all in Jesus name!
This will be the last article for about one to two weeks. We are in the middle stages of moving our household, hooking up new phone lines, plus a much larger and faster internet capacity. My next article will continue the Matthew 24 study regarding the end times and specifically, more information regarding the earthquake activity that the world is currently experiencing. I received a comment from a man regarding additional information available on the web site for the U.S. geological survey. I will address that and much more. Also I received a question from a lady in Canada who asked about the current status of our Jewish brethren and whether or not blood atonement is still being practiced.
There are answers to these and other fascinating questions that are pouring in to my desk, plus more thoughts on the rapture of the church. One from a friend that leans toward mid-tribulation theology.
For now however I want to pass along an interesting tidbit received just today from another ministry. The issue of "where is the United States in Biblical end times chronology?" keeps popping up wherever I go. I have realized it is one of the premier questions on many people's minds today. I honestly wish I knew the definitive answer to that but I do believe that we can look around us and draw some very provocative conclusions...
First, please allow me to tell you that I am not an economist. I will be discussing dangerous trends that I see developing in not only the U.S., but also regarding the world's economic woes. However NO ONE should make any investment decisions based upon my comments. :-) My job is to study the Bible and specifically comment on the ancient Biblical prophets as they may or may not relate to what is happening in today's world.
Having said that, (and not wanting to seem like a know it all), anyone who knows me and has heard my teachings will tell you that I have been predicting a major U.S. and worldwide economic crash---for several years now. Simple common sense dictates that no one, including a major world power, can continue forever spending money that does not exist, without eventual dire consequences. I have been hearing the Government lately saying that "the economic crises is nearly over" ???
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!!!!!~ If you believe that, I have a brand spanking new toll road for sale just off the southern coast of Florida. I will give you a bargain basement deal!
Folks, the world's economic woes are only just beginning and I will personally be surprised if the entire bottom does not drop out no later than mid 2012, (remember---my opinion only for what it is worth). How much money do you have in the bank? Perhaps you should think about the fact that there is NOTHING anywhere to back that up except COMPUTER BYTES. Is your Social Security safe? I don't know anyone who believes that. And how about your retirement? Do you really believe that is safe when so many major corporations and banks are in grave financial difficulty? Oh, yes I forgot, your bank deposits are insured by the Federal Government, correct? Perhaps at this point we should go back and consider your investing in my bridge... (just kidding).
We are on very shaky ground here and I see that trend growing worse by the day. Have you noticed that the Nation of Greece is completely bankrupt and that the U.S. government plus some European Nations are considering LOANING Greece bailout money THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID BACK??? Look at Spain---it may be next to fall. The Euro is in big trouble and Nations like Japan have yet to fully recover. Oh my goodness, I could go on and on here!
The U.S. Government itself reports that our national debt rose slightly above 12 TRILLION dollars by the end of 2009. That may be projected out to as much as 20 TRILLION dollars in the next 10 years. Well, yes you say but good ole' Uncle Sam surely has a plan to fix all that, right? Have you been watching the news lately? Congressman after congressman, Senator after Senator, not to mention all the other "talking heads" on television------FROM BOTH MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES, are openly admitting that they have no clue about how to fix this mess.
So how long can we continue to spend money that does not exist? How long could your own personal family do that?
Let's just think of an example for a minute. This is what I just received from another ministry today and although I have seen this demonstrated in various ways---think about it from this perspective:
For the U.S. alone, we have a 12 trillion dollar national debt (and rising daily)! So how much is ONE TRILLION?
Going back in time, 1 MILLION seconds is 12 days ago.
1 BILLION seconds is 30 years ago.
1 TRILLION seconds is 32,000 years ago!
Matthew 24:4-8 (JESUS SPEAKING) "Take heed that no one deceives you" For many will come in my name, saying I am the Christ, and will deceive many.
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For Nation will rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNINGS OF SORROWS".
So if all this is so bad, why doe's Jesus say "see that you are not troubled"? Please remember that the Lord is speaking to those that have a relationship with HIM! We who DO have that relationship know what is in our ultimate future. For those that do NOT have a relationship with Jesus Christ, frankly they have lot's and lot's to be worried about! I always laugh (not because it is particularly funny by any means) when someone says, "you Christians are always using fear tactics"! Now most believers immediately protest that and say "No way---we are not doing that"! Too bad because although I think that the gospel needs to related with love in all circumstances, the fact is THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE DESPERATELY AFRAID OF. An eternity without the Lord is frankly unthinkable! Sugar coating that is not love.
Here are some self help questions for you to consider:
Please remember in doing so that God puts things in order in scripture and if we follow that order we should be able to recognize the "signs of the times".
1). Beginning in about 1900, how many wars have taken place in the world? How many hundreds of millions have been killed just in the last century? Is that trend continuing into this century?
2). How many Nations have risen against other Nations?
3). How many Kingdoms have risen against other Kingdoms" Do the names NAPOLEON, PAPA DOC, HITLER, STALIN, MUSSOLINI, FRANCO, SADDAM and an entire host of other tyrants, mean anything in the context of this scripture?
4). How many famines have occurred during those years worldwide including in the U.S. during the Great Depression? Was it not either changing weather patterns, wars or financial crisis that eventually brought on those famines?
5). How about PESTILENCES? Black death, bubonic plague, yellow fever, measles, polio, typhoid, Malaria, Asian flu, Swine flu etc., etc., etc... Yes I know many of those have been eradicated from planet earth through antibiotics and other modern medicine. Well if that is true then why are the world's health agencies suddenly discovering a large number of those very same diseases recurring but ARE NOW IMMUNE TO THE VERY ANTIBIOTICS that once killed them? Aids anyone? Or, as many as possibly 45 % of American teenagers (depending upon who you believe or the latest survey), infected with some form of STD's (Sexually transmitted disease)?
6). Or, how about a reported 40 million Americans now on the welfare roles? Or how about an estimated 45% of ALL AMERICAN BABIES being born into single family households? Or at least 40 million babies killed through abortion in the US alone. Did you know that the numbers are reportedly even higher in places like Russia and China?
7). Do I even have to mention earthquakes? You saw my last article and I will continue with that and give you some absolutely astounding numbers and things to think about? ALL FROM GOVERNMENT RECORDS!!!!!!!
You know folks, all guys like me can do is interpret the Bible and report what we see. In the end it is YOU who must decide for yourselves if we are in fact living in the end times just before the return of Christ. Some of you will agree with me and some will not. I am not offended by that. Anytime you take it upon yourself to begin writing in the public domain, you are going to "take some heat". As they say in the military, "duck---incoming rounds"!! That does not bother me at all. What does bother me is what I see in my various travels. There are so many believers today that do not seem to have the slightest clue about what their Bible says. Please do not be offended if you are one of the ones who do know. But the facts are the facts and I know for certain that the Bible IS THE FACT and all the answers are there.
My sincerest desire is that these articles on my blog will inspire study even if the end result is that you do not agree with me. That's OK, no problem. But for goodness sake take the time to know what the God of all eternity said when He published HIS ARTICLES! All the answers are there.
Are we in fact living in Matthew 24:8 "All these are the beginning of sorrows"? You decide!
See you in about a week or so, God bless you and your families.
Pastor Rance.
