You can find many more videos to check out for yourself to make your own decisions about these end times.
At church on Sunday, Brad Dacus who is the founder of Pacific Justice Institute spoke about his experiences with defending civil liberties, religious liberties, protecting freedoms such as freedom of speech, and how to educate ourselves on the attacks on our humanity and freedoms.
It is the first church I have attended where I am listening to a pastor who embraces talking about the tough and almost taboo topics not usually talked about in church. He challenges believers to be a voice in the signs of the times. He speaks of being an active participant in reaping a harvest for God’s kingdom. Fault of the church is not being engaged in our civic duty of influence. Darkness is so dark today because we are not fighting against the evil we see in our country and all over the world. So, the topics covered were prophecy and how the Bible declares the end from the beginning. All that is happening in Gaza has been spoken in the only true history book: The Bible.
Dacus spoke about being in the beginnings of sorrows and that we are in the time of great deception. As believers, we should understand the importance of prophecy as it is weaved throughout the Bible from Genesis to the book of Revelation.
Prophecy was given not to create fear and anxiety, but is given to be used for peace. These prophecies outline the signs of the times and how believers can mobilize which is to be in the Word and glean revelation from the Word to reap a harvest for God.
In Genesis 12, The Lord spoke to Abram to go from his country and travel to the land God would show him. This was an example of our calling to walk by faith and not by sight. It would have been easier for Abram to stay in comfort, but he chose to obey God to see God’ promised fulfilled. Here is God’s prophecy/promise to Abram who would become Abraham.
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3)
Remember Joseph who dreamt in prophecy that he would reign and his brothers would bow down to him. His brothers in their jealousy sold him to slavery. At the end of Joseph’s story, his brothers did bow to him as Pharoah’s highest official. He spoke to his brothers with compassion.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).
Jeremiah, the prophet, told Israel that if they didn’t turn from living in and participating in worshiping pagan gods then God was going to turn them over to the Babylonians. Then it happened. Israel was exiled, but then a prophecy came that they would, after a time, be allowed to return to their promised land which Persia did allow and even helped pay for her rebuilding.
Another story is the book of Esther. It is reflective of war in Israel happening today. It is a time when the hatred of Israel is so deep that Hamand convinces the Persian king to annihilate All Jews from the face of the earth. The Persian king not knowing his queen, Esther, is a Jew. Her uncle, Mordecai, tears his clothes and wails in the streets in chapter 4 verse 1. He didn’t deny where they were but he sounded the alarm to cry out to the Lord for his people. “Such a time as this” didn’t mean that God needed Esther to do anything. He used her for His glory. God doesn’t need us to fix things but he does expect us to be involved in “such times as this.” Esther understood where she was, she knew God’s call on her life, and we see her trusting God in the outcome which could have meant her death. In Esther 8:17, a line may be missed but when the edict came from the king that Jews would live they celebrated, but many nationalities became Jews. There was a revival that came over all the land!
Fast forward to today and the prophecies not talked about in many churches. The last days, the signs of the times, and that the great tribulation is coming. We may know the day or the hour but it is interesting that all the nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38 are the arch-enemies of Israel and they are all in place. Our pastor said he doesn’t believe “the Lord’s great victory over the nations” is the end of times war as in the scripture it states that the nations will gather against Israel and no one is there to defend Israel. America is still an ally to Israel, so when we do get to this prophecy do you wonder what happened to the United States? Seems like a question we should be talking about. We should see who the players are and be aware of the prophecies outlined here:
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, Peace be within you. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity” (Psalm 122: 6-9).
Matthew 24 outlines the destruction of the temple and the signs of the end times where Jesus predicts nations will rise against nations.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3: 1-5).
Heavy topics, but instead of the church ignoring them or being silent my prayer is more churches start discussing these issues as He is not the feel good God, but He expects us to stand in our faith and to engage in spiritual combat to work hard to reap the harvest:
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6: 7-9).
It seems that people religious or not are using Esther 4:14, so it is up to you to choose how to use your time!
As he said to Esther, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
Prayers for people caught up in so many different battles happening throughout the world. I pray for strength during these heightened spiritual battles. Rely on Christ because we know how the final battle ends.
I heard this song and it made me think about how many of our young people have no true positive identity. It is such a struggle for so many mixed-up kids and it is such a sad state when our kids have lost their way. I pray they would come to understand:
Nobody can count me out
‘Cause I am already somebody to you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7J1s3c0yz4