Beginning of Sorrows

[for_his_glory]

Matthew 24:8 all these are the beginning of sorrows.

God is very specific in Matthew 24 of what things to look out for before the return of the Lord. Yes, we have always had all these things through out the generations, but never on the scale have we seen today. All across this world including here in the USA we see such devastation in the weather patterns of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and cyclones. We have always had wars and rumor of wars, nation against nation, famines, pestilence and those who come claiming they are Christ.

There are so many false prophets out there that are deceiving even the very elect of God and even the government trying to bring it's socialistic agenda to the Church and succeeding with taking over many churches as their agenda is to bring this world into a one world government as the mark of the beast is being set up. Iniquity is abounding more then ever as everyone is against everyone and it's becoming an all about me type of world and what I can gain.

We can look at ministries over in India, Africa, Pakistan, etc. etc. that Gods servants are being persecuted even to death for their faith in Christ and the witness of His name just as the Apostles being first called Christians in Antioch died a martyr’s death for the sake of Christ. We might not be experiencing most of these things here in America yet, but we need to know it is coming our way and even now is in our country as our government is getting more corrupt then ever and making hidden deals with foreign countries to bring this world into a NWO and cause many into taking the mark of the beast.

Who should we blame for what is going on in this world, the Government, the Churches, Satan or ourselves!!! I will say ourselves as if we would put more energy into witnessing Christ to others than we do arguing and debating Gods word we could make a big difference in the world. It truly does not matter who is right or who is wrong through the teachings of theology or doctrine for if we are allowing Gods Spirit minister His word to us then we need to stand by our own convictions of faith in Christ and be that witness that God has called all of us to be so we can get back to basics and take His salvation message out to those who need to hear and will accept Jesus into their hearts and also to help meet the needs of those less fortunate then ourselves.

Are we witnessing Christ to others as the disciples did in simplicity of His word, or are we allowing ourselves to be puffed up like the Pharisees who loved to be seen of others for their ways of vanity. Salvation is not theology or doctrines of the Church, but a conscience desire to want Jesus in your life and how to receive His call to Salvation. People want to clean up others before they come to the Lord, but Jesus says you come as you are and I will change whatever needs changing starting with your heart.

John 10:9 I am the door, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. Jesus was the word made flesh to dwell among us, John 1:14, to show us the way back to Gods grace. John 14:6 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Romans 10:9, 10 if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in his heart that God has raised him from the dead thou shall be saved. Vs.10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

All we have to do is believe and confess that we are sinners and allow Gods righteousness to cleanse us and renew our spirit man. Gods greatest commandment in Matthew 22:36-40 is to love so let's get out of our comfort zones and be about our Fathers business and take His word out in love and simplicity.

Mat 24:13 but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mat 24:14 and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

 

[RandyK]

Matthew 24:8 all these are the beginning of sorrows.

God is very specific in Matthew 24 of what things to look out for before the return of the Lord. Yes, we have always had all these things through out the generations, but never on the scale have we seen today.

If we are to properly interpret the "beginning of sorrows" we need to recognize the context, before we apply the lesson in other ways. In my view, Jesus was specifically addressing the timing of the fall of the Temple. He said certain activities would presage this event, including false prophecy, Jewish sin, and signs of divine displeasure. There would also be indications of military action.

The Prophet Ezekiel warned about false prophets of "peace" appearing immediately before the prophesied fall of Jerusalem in his own day.

Eze 13.15 "So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’

These signs were obvious to the generation of Jesus' Disciples. The sins of Israel were obvious as they were persecuting Jesus and his followers. There were indeed signs of divine displeasure in natural disasters. And the rumblings of Roman military action were nearby. They presaged the event Jesus was specifically addressing--the fall of Jerusalem. Jesus was sharing these things against the false prophecy of "peace" and "victory over Rome" in his own day.

Can we apply these things to our day? Of course. What happened to Jesus' Disciples in that day can happen to Christians in our day. If we live in a fallen Christian society, the apostate society may persecute us. And there will be diseases and natural disasters in our country, indicating divine displeasure. And military conflict will erupt, indicating the nearness of Armageddon. There will also be false prophecies and philosophies of ideal government order and peace brought about by conformity to the U.N. There will be intense fear of coming nuclear war while at the same time there are proposals for world order that are based purely on optimism, and not realistic.

All across this world including here in the USA we see such devastation in the weather patterns of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and cyclones. We have always had wars and rumor of wars, nation against nation, famines, pestilence and those who come claiming they are Christ.

There are so many false prophets out there that are deceiving even the very elect of God and even the government trying to bring it's socialistic agenda to the Church and succeeding with taking over many churches as their agenda is to bring this world into a one world government as the mark of the beast is being set up. Iniquity is abounding more then ever as everyone is against everyone and it's becoming an all about me type of world and what I can gain.

Yes. See above.

We can look at ministries over in India, Africa, Pakistan, etc. etc. that Gods servants are being persecuted even to death for their faith in Christ and the witness of His name just as the Apostles being first called Christians in Antioch died a martyr’s death for the sake of Christ. We might not be experiencing most of these things here in America yet, but we need to know it is coming our way and even now is in our country as our government is getting more corrupt then ever and making hidden deals with foreign countries to bring this world into a NWO and cause many into taking the mark of the beast.

Yes. See above.

Who should we blame for what is going on in this world, the Government, the Churches, Satan or ourselves!!! I will say ourselves...

It may seem to be noble to take the blame for what this wicked world chooses to do, but Jesus did not make this claim. Instead, he distinguished between Christian victims and the perpetrators of their abuse.

as if we would put more energy into witnessing Christ to others than we do arguing and debating Gods word we could make a big difference in the world.

It is true that some Christians are weak and failing in their testimony. But I wouldn't lump all Christians together as if it characterizes *all* Christians! I trust you're not doing that?

It truly does not matter who is right or who is wrong through the teachings of theology or doctrine for if we are allowing Gods Spirit minister His word to us then we need to stand by our own convictions of faith in Christ and be that witness that God has called all of us to be so we can get back to basics and take His salvation message out to those who need to hear and will accept Jesus into their hearts and also to help meet the needs of those less fortunate then ourselves.

I would take issue with this in a sense. Yes, we can get overly protective of peripheral Christian traditions and interpretations of the Bible. But doctrinal orthodoxy is critically important, or the NT Bible would not have been written.

Don't underestimate how truth and the experience of God can be twisted with false doctrine. The moment you think you're simply "sharing Christ" can suddenly become something utterly misinterpreted and experienced in a weird way. It is Bible doctrine that keeps the experience in the right lane.

Are we witnessing Christ to others as the disciples did in simplicity of His word, or are we allowing ourselves to be puffed up like the Pharisees who loved to be seen of others for their ways of vanity. Salvation is not theology or doctrines of the Church, but a conscience desire to want Jesus in your life and how to receive His call to Salvation. People want to clean up others before they come to the Lord, but Jesus says you come as you are and I will change whatever needs changing starting with your heart.

Point taken. We can, indeed, lose the "simplicity of preaching Christ." At the same time we should not lose the importance of remaining in orthodox truth, or Biblical truth. An experience can go wayward without objective truth guiding it. There are different "Christs" and different "Holy Spirits." These false spirits can imitate Christ and sound just like them--I know. I've seen them.

 

[for_his_glory]

Matthew 24:5-8 are the beginning of sorrows that started centuries ago and have escalated throughout the years, but the end is not yet. Vs. 9-13 even in our lifetime these things are happening as they always have and yet again on a greater scale. Vs. 14 the end is not here yet as the gospel has not been preached everywhere as of yet. Vs. 15 the abomination is in the process, but not yet has it reached fruition. Vs. 16-21 we are to flee the abomination that Daniel spoke of and it will be hard times for those of faith as much tribulation will befall them who are still alive at this time.

Vs. 22-28 I believe is the future coming of the beast and the son of perdition that will reign for a short period of 3 1/2 years (the abomination Daniel spoke of). This is the time to look up as our redemption is near. Vs. 29-31 Immediately after all these tribulations then the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

How can anyone believe in a pretrib or even a midtrib rapture especially when Jesus never taught there would be either one. Pretrib teachers use Rev chapter 4 as proof, but nothing there says anything about a pretrib or midtrib rapture. Chapter 4 immediately is after the seven churches received their messages then John while only being in the Spirit like being in a trance as Peter and Paul were, John is still in prison in Patmos and receives a vision of what heaven looks like.