Philip wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:57 am
Stu: It is part of the pestilences spoke of in the Bible though during the end times.
The reality is that ALL pestilences since Revelation was written are part of the "End Times" - with the problem being, we cannot know precisely when we're truly near the very end - at least at the present, because we don't have enough info - and God says we WON'T know the time but are to be SPIRITUALLY prepared. Some are so obsessed with this issue to the point that they mentally dwell in a very negative view of Christian life - yes in a dark, often difficult world - yet one that is meant to be lived in victoriously and optimistically and prayerful in whatever timing we might live in in the final portion of the Church era. God is working and changing lives. So many Christians sound so pessimistic as if we are defeated and there is nothing but doom and gloom ahead. That's a terrible way to view the world - at least our world and God's control over it, because there are many opportunities ahead, many will yet come to Christ, and many victories are to be had by God's people!
We are to be prepared for Christ to return - but UNTIL He does, in Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul gives us some very good instructions as to what our outlook should be:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness[d] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is
just, whatever is
pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is
any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise,
think about these things. 9 What you have learned[e] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Note how Philippians 2:1-2 echoes this!)
And none of Paul's advice in this means we are to be naive or ignorant of world events. It just means we need to live in joy and peace NOW, as God provides it. We live in the world but are not OF it! And we need to start looking at the unsaved and people living unGodly lives with compassion and prayerfulness that they will eventually know and receive Christ as God so desires for them. And NOT as if they are all the enemy we must despise. People always cynically focusing on the "gloom to come" will never live mentally peaceful or happy lives, because they get sucked into the vortex of viewing everything as pointless and hopeless - which, btw, is precisely how the devil and his co-conspirators desire for us to.
Yes, but you need to be prepared for what is to come. Just like with Joseph, God gave Joseph warnings to prepare. He harvested the wheat, not God. God has given us the New Testament and Daniel's prophecy and others as our warning. We must prepare. Am I saying God will not help or protect some Christians during the end times. No. But He also won't protect everyone, there will be MANY martyrs as the Bible says.
I have heard Christians say that if there is no rapture and God makes my daughter got through the tribulation then I will no longer be a Christian. It is notions like this that are ridiculous. The church has become soft and cowardly. I welcome the tribulation as it gives me a chance to save souls more than any other time in history.
We need to know those times.
Jesus gives us many clues on when the end times will be. We won't know the time of Jesus' return, yes, that will be unknown, but the OT prophecies, Jesus, Paul and Jesus again through John in Revelation give us plenty of clues as to the
season of the end times.
Otherwise what was the point of saying all the things He did if it was useless information to us. Nothing in the Bible is useless
especially the red letter parts.
The mark of the beast, 666.
You won't be able to sell or buy without it.
The Anti-Christ will declare himself God and stop sacrifices.
He will require that you worship him and his image (and those who do will go to hell).
A war that will kill a third of mankind.
The list goes on and on.
We are to be watchmen on the wall for our brethren and those who know no better.
If the Covid-19 plandemic is not the precursor working toward the mark of the beast and end times then I and many others have been fooled.
IMO this is all acclimatising the world for future vaccines, vaccine passports (eventual mark of the beast), government crackdowns, the removal of liberty and so on.
Word is that the next release could be a MERS variant with a 30% death rate or an Ebola variant.
I don't live in fear, despite having my ear to the ground and keeping a close eye on world events, rather I feel that I am prepared for whatever may come, and I am prepared (prepping) for the people in my life that aren't Christians and who will look to those who seem to not be disturbed by what is unfolding. The Bible says men's hearts will fail them for fear given what is coming, we need to be a light to such people and show them the true light, Jesus, and how He can save them and it is thanks to Him and his word that we have prepared for these events.
Obviously you can never truly prepare one's self for war and everything that is to come during the tribulation but you can certainly do your best to prepare both spiritually and in the physical world with water, food, guns, etc.