A response to A Short Course in Revelation - Part 2

Syria Street in Laodicea (Photo credit: Ken and Nyetta)

I stated in my post:

“The first three chapters cover Jesus addressing the churches.

These places were real, but also symbolic of the church today. Words of encouragement and warning were given to all but one. The Laodicean church, the last church, was destroyed because they did not respond to the warnings that were conveyed through John’s pen.

What does that mean to us today? Take heed, God is not joking.

Sadly I think the candle has been blown out.

2nd Century AD Temple in Laodicea (Photo credit: Ken and Nyetta)

A prophetic word: We are the Laodicean church.

You responded with:

“Laodicea means, ‘the rule of the people’, or ‘user friendly’.... *where is Christ Jesus?

(Rev 3:20) Outside, at the door and knocks!

In retrospect I wish I had not included the statement that the Laodicean church was destroyed. I honestly think I confused it with another church which commentators had clearly said was leveled. I despise speakers that make statements they cannot back up, and as yet, I cannot clearly back this up. Is it untrue what I said. I think not, but it’s spiritual ties to the modern-day church, and the way they act, should be a good indicator of where the church is headed; destruction.

Initially God lays out a proclamation to a church that was in existence. Physically that church is gone. Would there be a remnant to proclaim the hope and life of Christ to us if they had repented? We do not know. What we do know is that the churches were also spiritual analogies, not so different from the descriptions of the beast. They are clearly significant, and if we can allow for that, then the concept of Jesus standing outside the door and knocking is still relevant also.

Allow me to look at what you said:

“Laodicea means, ‘the rule of the people’.”

That statement, as a stand alone can go two ways. In the legal system it implies a consensus of your peers and not a dictatorial rule. We are told to only consider a thing if there are at least two witnesses, and then the issue is brought before the rule of the people, and the people who make that ruling are to execute the judgment. Bloodshed is such a gruesome act and only the heartless would be inclined to show no mercy. There is a point to this, and it is that God needed us to realize that it is his mercy that takes precedent over all other decisions.

The alternative take on this statement might imply that regardless of what God says we think we know better. This is how I understand this statement, and all you have to do is look around you; what do you see and hear, we think we know better.

‘where is Christ Jesus? (Rev 3:20) Outside, at the door and knocks!

A couple of things strike me about this.

First: To throw an exclamation point at the end demonstrates how closed you are to understanding. Regardless of your statements to me about desiring to understand, your attitude says completely different. To me, you might as well have slapped me in the face like an angry father, as he yells, your opinion does not matter.

Second: You referenced Revelation 3:20. So let’s ponder that a moment.

Revelation 3:20 NIV Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

There is a context and it needs to be considered. You made this reference because of two things: I used the word destroyed, and I stated that I think the candle has been blown out.

To be honest; I do not know where John MacArthur got his information indicating that the Laodicean church was destroyed by an earthquake. History has done a decent job of recording to much of things like this. Does an earthquake imply God’s judgment against a people? Maybe, but then where is the mercy. God has always been fairly straight forward by laying out an incredible plan to man, and then stating that regardless of what you do I will carry out my end of this. If destruction is included for not following the rules, then destruction must come. To do otherwise would make God a liar and that does not work.

Revelation 3:20 ESV Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

In terms of context.

1. He is talking to the church. We can make a huge assumption and call it a believing body. But if what MacArthur says is true then we cannot be sure what they believed. Jesus is God. That has been a difficult thing to wrap my head around at times, especially when the focus is upon the virgin birth. God became man, and Jesus is his name, and yet Jesus always was, beside the Father, creating with his words, and so has the Holy Spirit. The Laodicean church apparently did not believe this, and it impacted everything they thought about God. If they were so twisted why did God pour out his life and love upon them? It only demonstrates his mercy.

2. This passage is one that is used in trying to harvest the lost. An odd way of putting it when Jesus paid for all us when he bought us out of bondage. If a person is caught in bondage then it can only by their own choice to respond to the enticements of deception. Revelation 3:19 states: Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. If he is talking to the church that he gave his life for, then he is talking to family that he desires to come in line. Therefore his standing outside the door is an act of respect for the free will of the family members, and the want to receive them back in when they repent. Jesus said it, “I reprove and discipline,” so there has to be something that happens if they do not.

According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary:

"The wealthy city of Laodicea was located on the road to Colosse about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia. About 35 years before this letter was written, Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake, but it had the wealth and ability to rebuild. Its main industry was wool cloth. There is no record that Paul ever visited this city, but he was concerned about it (Col_2:1-2; Col_4:16)."

John MacArthur states,

"Although these seven churches were actual, historical churches in Asia Minor, they represent the types of churches that perennially exist throughout the church age. What Christ says to these churches is relevant in all times."

In your challenge you mentioned that the Laodicean church meant, "the rule of the people."

The mere selfishness of that statement alone could be a primary reason for judgment against them MacArthur expounds upon something more.

"Beginning of the creation. This corrects a heresy, apparently present in Laodicea as in Colosse, that Christ was a created being (cf. Col_1:15-20). Instead, He is the "Beginning" (lit. "beginner, originator, initiator") of creation (cf. Joh_1:3; Joh_3:14) and the "firstborn of creation"; that is, the most preeminent, supreme person ever born (Col_1:15). As a man, He had a beginning, but as God, He was the beginning. Sadly, this heresy concerning the person of Christ had produced an unregenerate church in Laodicea."

I am not a big fan of John MacArthur and here is why. As I sat in a home-group/bible study, I was accosted weekly by a very adamant lady who apparently worshiped Pastor John. She would not say, but the bible says, it was always, "John MacArthur says!" I was already aware of the Pastor from radio, and I was aware of what he teaches especially on the topic of the Holy Spirit. I strongly disagree with him, but I am an advocate of intelligence, and Pastor John does give us that.

In the quotation above there is a very disheartening statement, and if this what these people believed then it makes all the more sense. The idea that Christ was a created being is the epitome of blasphemy in my mind. Jesus berated the Pharisees because they attributed his works to the devil. To say that Jesus is a created being is to deny that God's attributions in his son are not true either.

Even worse, when you consider that this is representative of this present church age, we are in trouble. Jonathon Cahn, in his book The Harbinger, declares this very thing. Although Jonathon Cahn holds out the hope that God will withdraw his hand against this nation I do not see that happening. I do not see "believers" responding to this plea to be a watchman upon the wall and blow the trumpet. Any that heard my trumpet blowing have treated me with scorn. I am sure that the common attitude is God has been coming for the last two thousand plus years, don't go getting so excited, beside that your scaring me.

Related articles

• A Short Course on Revelation
• A response to my post, "A Short Course in Revelation" - part one.
• A Laodicean New Years Resolution?
• What We Really Need

An open letter to the Churches

It has been a little over a year since I wrote this. I still weep when I read it. To those that have an ear to hear it is an encouragement and a call to war.

Hear what the spirit of the Lord is saying, not only to those who misguided the sheep, but to the sheep as well.

Sheep (Photo credit: James Good)

I am writing as I have been compelled to write. The Spirit of the Lord tells me that we are of the Laodicean church, and as such we are on the last stand and have failed to hold our ground.

The prophets¹ have put forth the call to repent, but you have ignored that call, and instead, induced fear in my people.

You have taken away their hope.

 Most will not receive this, but some will.

 "To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: The amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the source of God's creation, says: I know what you have done, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. But since you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I'm going to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I'm rich. I'm wealthy. I don't need anything.' Yet, you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. Take this seriously, and change the way you think and act. Look, I'm standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I'll come in and we'll eat together. I will allow everyone who wins the victory to sit with me on my throne, as I have won the victory and have sat down with my Father on his throne. Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:14-22 GW)

The call for repentance has gone forth and you have ignored it.

The cry for hearts to turn to me has gone forth and you have rejected it.

I have sent my prophets and you have mocked them.

I have sent my warnings upon this nation, do not put your hope in the idea that there will be more.

I do not recommend you ignore those warnings.

The time of my return for those who are awaiting me is now within minutes in my time frame. Will you ignore that too?

Pastors

I sent you as shepherds to lead and guide the flock, but you have failed. You have not only failed but you have robbed my sheep, and left them as fodder for the wolves. They wander around with no hope and direction. And even though I have told you that you are not in the darkness that this day should creep upon you, that is exactly what is happening to them. 

Read Matthew 25. Do not ignore this warning! 

Although everyone in this parable was invited to the same wedding half were not ready. The oil is not the Holy Spirit for you cannot buy a free gift, therefore the oil is passion and desire, and none of you have that.

The shepherds are foolish. They don't look to the LORD for help. That is why they won't succeed, and all their flocks will be scattered. (Jeremiah 10:21 GW)

 You think you are a success if you have fame and fortune, but I tell you that the first shall be last, and there will be a payment to be made for the damage you have done to my flock.

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My portion under foot; they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. (Jeremiah 12:10 LITV)

You love to call this time that is coming the Great Tribulation, and it is, but it is also a time of wrath. If you have played the fool with MY people then you will be included in that wrath. 

You can stand there in an attempt to rebuke me, I anticipated that, for that is what Pharisees do, but what in your foolish mind makes you think that you will escape the wrath of God.

Woe to shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture, says Jehovah. Because of this, so says Jehovah the God of Israel against the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, and have driven them away, and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Jehovah. Jeremiah 23:1-2 LITV)

Shepherds, you should be leading the sheep. Start crying, you great leaders! Roll around on the ground in pain, you leaders of the sheep. It is now time for your slaughter. You will be scattered everywhere, like pieces flying from a broken jar. (Jeremiah 25:34 ERV)

There will be no place for the shepherds to hide. They will not escape.

(Jeremiah 25:35 ERV)

We were designed for hope, it is the reason we are here.

You shepherds that chose not to attend the flock, have robbed them of hope. You have chosen to preach what people want to hear, and not what I have spoken to you. 

“..,the eye of the Lord is on those in whose hearts is the fear of him, on those whose hope is in his mercy;“ (Psalms 33:18 BBE)

Be strong and brave, all of you who are waiting for the LORD'S help.

(Psalms 31:24 ERV)

Hope is the main motivation that drives my people toward the end. Hope is the backbone of faith, based in faith, and the reason that we look toward a promised end and rescue from destruction. 

As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37 AMP)

You have not been bold enough to understand this statement, so I will declare it to you. Evil thoughts and violence filled the heart of everyman, except one, NOAH. I placed him in the Ark, and I closed the door. Then destruction came. In other words, tribulation, coming from people, was all around him, just as is it today.

You have eliminated the talks of hope because you do not believe my words. Did you think that I would not notice such an act of treason. In eliminating hope, you have proven your lack of faith, and shown your distrust of my word, my life, and my resurrection. 

You have robbed my people of hope by your unbelief.

Do you not understand that HOPE was and is an integral aspect of your beliefs. 

I promised and then guaranteed that hope with my body as the payment, when it should have been your body on that cross. 

Do you not understand that the riches of heaven are only yours because of the fulfillment of hope.

Paul challenged the Sanhedrin based on a solid understanding of this hope.

But Paul, when he perceived that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, cried out to the council (Sanhedrin), Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; it is with regard to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am indicted and being judged. (Acts 23:6 AMP)

While you have refused to establish hope in people, Paul was willing to be chained because he grasped the promise of hope based in Jesus.

This is the reason therefore why I have begged to see you and to talk with you, since it is because of the Hope of Israel (the Messiah) that I am bound with this chain. (Acts 28:20 AMP)

Abraham – One of the main reasons we are here, had hope.

There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, "You will have many descendants." (Romans 4:18 ERV)

Your deficient decision for Jesus Christ, demonstrating your lack of faith, has caused my Church to not know who I am.

Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God's grace that we now enjoy. And we are very happy because of the hope we have of sharing God's glory. (Romans 5:2 ERV)

Several translations put it this way: “this grace in which we stand,”, Without hope none of them will stand. 

And what is it that they might have need to stand in?
Faith in adversity?; Faith in my name?; The application of my Word and Name in bringing life to others.
No, you have not taught them that.

They cower and cringe in fear, and if not cowering, they think that they are god’s. Where would they get that idea? Because instead of preaching hope and faith, you preach a message of lust and idolatry.
You created a monster that will be your destruction.

You only have one option, and that is to repent.

Time is short and my patience with you has grown thin. The last days are upon us, and you need to clear your hearts and minds now. You need to restore the broken and lost to health. Ignore this and I will not ignore your wrongs.

The Assyrians are upon you already and you do not even know it. They will show you no mercy, and they will dash your children upon stones, before your feet. 

Repent in humility and weeping, and I will restore you. Turn from me and I will throw you to the winds.

If you are so minded, share this with the pastor of your choice.

Share this with the sheep of your choice. 

I do not wish to see you miss out on the in-gathering of the church to himself, but lacking zealous passion you may. You will deeply regret that as it will be hell for those still here.

Open your bibles and read the second chapter of Joel. Peter stood on the day of Pentecost and declared that Joel's prophecy was fulfilled in their hearing. God opened the door that day to the amazing.

Should you choose to turn to him, he will turn to you. Open your mouth and determine, as watchmen upon the wall that this destruction is not happening on your watch. 

Declare, in the Name of Jesus Christ, the risen one, that there will be peace and safety everywhere your foot stands. Declare sanity over this nation while you are upon it.

Grow a backbone and act like the man and woman of God you were designed to be.

Son's of Adam, and Daughter's of Eve, I am calling you out. You know who you are. You have heard the calling in your ears for some time now. What is holding you back? Fear? Fear is of the devil and does nothing more than incapacitate you. 

Do something. Shout, scream, cry out, repent over a broken nation. 
Still the enemy and the avenger. 
Have the guts to do something.
You do not have the time or the luxury to be silent.
Hold your tongues and I will hold you responsible. Their blood will be upon your head. (Find it in scripture.)
Cease to be lethargic and uncaring. Awaken to righteousness.
Do something.
Be a fire that will not go out.

Cause a few people to regret the fact that you walked into the room, and make a few glad that you did.

Men and women of God should be the last thing on earth that the unbelieving would ever want to mess with, and first person that they call.

Walk this earth as the prophets walked. BE BOLD, and show the world what the power of God is all about.

DEAR GOD, IT'S TIME.



¹Jonathon Cahn, The Harbinger, Subtitled “The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America’s Future,” The Harbinger is published by FrontLine, an imprint of Charisma House. - This only one of the voices, but if you will take the time to verify and compare you will see that the Spirit is telling all those that will listen to say the same thing.

Related articles

• The Church of Laodicea Pt. 2
• JESUS: "I will vomit you out of My mouth."
• Laodicean, but I'm learning!
• The Seven Churches of Revelation 2-3

Return to your first love

The Church at Ephesus

Revelation chapter 2

Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write,....

A little background

From Gill's commentary: a city of Ionia, and which Pliny calls (f) the work of the Amazons, and the light of Asia; it was famous for the temple of Diana, but more so for having a church of Christ in it: hither the Apostle Paul came and preached, and continued for the space of two years; where a very famous church was planted by him, and proper officers appointed, to whom he wrote a very excellent epistle: this is now a miserable desolate place, not a city, but a village; and is called by the Turks, Aiasalik: of this place and church; See Gill on Act_18:19, Act_20:17,

Acts 18:19 And he came to Ephesus,.... The metropolis of Asia; according to Pliny (c), it had been called by many names; at the time of the Trojan war, Alopes, then Ortygia and Morges, also Smyrna Trachea, Samornion and Prelea, and which he calls the work of the Amazons: some say (d) it was called Ephesus, because Hercules permitted the Amazons to dwell in it, Ephesus in the Greek language signifying "permission"; Pausanias (e) denies, that the famous temple in it was built by them, but by Ephesus the son of Caystrus, and says that from him the city had its name; though others say it was built by Androclus, the son of Codrus, king of Athens, in the time of David king of Israel; and that having suffered by the sea, it was rebuilt by Lysimachus king of Thrace, who called it after his wife's name Arsinoe; but he being dead, it was called by its ancient name Ephesus: it is now a poor village in the hands of the Turks, and with them goes by the name of Aiasalik; though with others it still has the name of Epheso; the Syriac version reads, "they came"; not only Paul, but Aquila and Priscilla; and certain it is that they came with him thither, since it follows, and left them there; unless this is to be understood of Cenchrea: this clause is not here read in the Syriac version, but is placed at the end of Act_18:21, where it reads much better; as that he should leave them at Ephesus, when he departed from thence, than when he first came thither; unless the sense is, that he left them in some part of the city, whilst he went to the Jewish synagogue; since it follows, but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews; concerning Jesus being the Messiah, and the abrogation of the law; and the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law: which were the principal things in debate, between him and the Jews: Beza's ancient copy reads, "and the sabbath following he left them there".

Keep in mind that Revelation itself is a book revealing Jesus. Jesus is who John is seeing, and it is Jesus that is speaking to him; speaking about “what was, what is, and what is to come.” Therefore God is speaking to these churches. It is a message that is specific, for as we can see from the background, already stated, that Ephesus effectively dissappeared off the map.

The words spoken over the churches are at first encouraging, for they point out some good aspect(s) prior to the delivery of the bad news.

Revelation 2:2-3 NIV I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. (3) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

The bad news is:

Revelation 2:4-5 NIV Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (5) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

They only seem to get dinged on one point. The oddity here is, when you read the background information, the potential for many other accusations are there. Consider the pointed way God steers us through scripture and we do not get it. I am not surprised.

What is the one thing that Ephesus does that draws God's ire? “You have lost your first love.”

God's directive to them: Return to your first love or I will remove your candle stick from its place. John saw Jesus walking among the candlesticks in Heaven. Perhaps this scene is representational of our foundations, but on that I am not sure. After getting admonished to return to their first love what do they do? Nothing or too little.

Considerations:

What can define a first love?

• Excitement
• The desire to learn about the one your attentions are set upon.
• Passion
• Fire
• Love
• Sincere questioning as you learn about the other.
• Studying the other person, memorizing each line of the face (as an example).
• Enthusiasm
• Exploration

I am sure there are many more aspects, but now apply these ideas to the newness of our relationship with the Father. I will tell you, that as I pondered this I thought of my own experience in “coming to the Father”. I was raised in church. My mother would lay a blanket down behind the seats in the back row, and in many ways I literally grew up there. I came to know God as I came to talk, but in our thinking there must be a point in which you, with understanding, make a decision to follow him. I suspect I did that at about age 12. So many give their testimony how they, after a brutal life, came to know the Lord on a particular day; mine was not so dramatic. I think that it feels more like a family, which gets along somewhat, and there is no painful drama that makes you wish you born to someone else. Within this family there is an expression of love through actions and words. In my quiet times I can hear God telling me that He loves me, just as a father might. I had my attempts at a family and kids stripped away from me, but during the time that I had them I told them that I loved them, and that they were valuable.

The point in this is that when you are accustomed to loving environment, you may not see or feel the passions that are involved when you leave the nest and find love on your own. That takes me to my next point, and that is that we tend to associate a first love with a girlfriend or marriage.

Sadly, as so commonly happens within a marriage, we tend to lose our first love. Really? Or do we slowly decide that the things that made that exciting are just not worth the effort any more, as you shout out at your wife, “get me a beer”.

So then, the question is, how do you keep you love alive. This becomes important because God told this church to return to their first love. Obviously God and his Son were the basis of this.

An aspect of a first love is exploration. That means finding out what makes the other tick, and and eventually finding out the habits they already have, the good and the bad.

Yes, I have been married several times. Now that we are past that I can say my second wife was doing just that, when she asked me what kind of bread I liked, and what kind of toothpaste I used. Wow, I never really thought about the toothpaste thing, but I suppose that it is important, for some taste pretty odd. I answered her question with I will eat just about anything, but I prefer wheat bread. She then seemed shocked, so I asked her why. She had had a relationship with a young man who got very angry over having white bread in their “home”. The way I see it, starving people just eat.

Now God has no bad habits, but he does have a misunderstood reputation. If you are going to have a love relationship with the Father then I would think that it would be a requirement for you to find out who he really is. God is love, and when you have been damaged by people that requires some serious personal time, spent learning about, and building a relationship in which you can love him back. I have found that I respond to the realisation that his goodness is toward me, for no one has ever loved me the way he does; no one listens to me the way he does; no one talks to me the way he does, and no one has ever made me feel so wanted, the way he does.

Within a marriage there comes a point at which you must decide to keep love alive. How does that happen? You become accustomed and complacent. Do I really need to say “I love you” to her that much, if at all. She knows I love her, just look at those pots and pans I bought. Are you serious. Unless you are just an ignorant caveman that scratches his head with a club, then communication is essential. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked away from work depressed and emotionally spent, feeling little to no self-worth. And yes, suicidal at times. So to keep love alive requires that you overlook perceived faults, and look for those things that ignited you at the beginning, while thinking outside the box. This makes me think of a commercial in which the family looks at the table with dinner on it, and says, “ same thing again”. Did you constantly do the same things? No, you made life interesting.

I am so dismayed by people that are bold enough to tell God that he cannot act through people in certain manners. For example: tongues, interpretation, and essentially the gamut of the giftings of the Holy Spirit. I went up to a lady because I had heard of her, her questions she raised, and the lack of response from the leadership of that church. I spoke a few words to her that I felt the Holy Spirit had directed me to say, and then asked her if I could pray with her about the situation. The first thing she said to that request was “no ghost”. What are you talking about, and yet I knew the answer. She started to explain that she wanted no refence to the Holy Ghost. An odd thing about that, I already feel that way about the term because I am not finding it in scripture, but the negativity was almost overwhelming. To be honest, I wanted to walk away from her at that moment. I did not, but internally I was skeptical about her receiving anything. Sometimes you just do what you are told and let God do his. It all gets sorted out in the end.

We, as a church, seem to struggle with the concept blaspheming the Holy Spirit. People have serious concerns when they ask, either about themselves or someone else they think has condemned themselves to hell because of what they said or did. Jesus made it pretty clear when he was rebuking some pharisees for attributing the miracles, healings, and words that he had done and spoke, to the devil. In addressing the pharisees he told them that they were blaspheming when they were doing that, and in danger of hell itself. If we associate the acts of the Holy Spirit to something other than God then what makes us think that we are not doing the same thing when we try to restict God, because we have decided that He is inappropriate.

Make note: Even though this church was vibrant and alive, something happened and they “lost that loving feeling” (The Medley Brothers). God warned them to get it back, therefore it was something that they could get back, if they choose to, but they did not, and the fact that little to nothing exists of that metropolis today is a statement to the God whose word is true.

Some will argue that this letter is exclusive to the non-existant church body that met at Ephesus, but what if your wrong. What if every aspect of these churches exists within us today. One of the signs of His return is the falling away of the church; another translation is the rebellion. We as a church have lost our first love, we have fallen away, and we are in rebellion. What if God is telling us to return to our first love, and find that passion, fire, and desire to learn of him. Studying every wrinkle of his face.

Does it really matter?

Cults, religions, and people who just want to control, all think they know what our end is.

Some do not believe that there will be an end at all; you merely get recycled until you get it right. The fact that you are waiting for some entity (God) to make a decision about whether you got it right, therefore ending your pain here on earth, clearly implies that you do believe in a higher power; some will call that a moral authority.
You have merely opted to make to make it a god of your choosing. AA gives you the leeway, though that was not the original method, and therefore you can make a fire hydrant your higher power if you choose. A rather pathetic choice.

Hardly anyone will disagree that man sinned and fell from grace. It was really more comparable to treason, for man exchanged the enemy's pipe dream for the ownership of the earth. Yes, you can argue that one all day, but that is not what I intend to do here, but what spawned out of man's selfishness is.

Islam has strict ideals wrapped in a cloak of "righteous" living. Praying five times a day, covering your body - if you are a woman, believing in one god, and having the hope of a peaceful end to life. Sounds OK at first glance, but if they (the Muslims) are honest (They are permitted not to be if they deem you to be a threat. - A threat can be anyone that challenges their beliefs.) 
they would let you know that there is only one method of assuring a life worthy of Allah and that is through the spilling of the first drop of their blood, as a martyr, in the act of Jihad. Nothing outside of that can provide you the comfort of knowing what your end will be.

If you understand what Muslim's are taught, then their use of swords for beheading people might help you to understand how well Islam fits into God's end times events.

In their own prophetic writings about end times events you will find that annihilating Jews and Christians is a number one goal.

Suppose you feel comfortable because technically you do not fit into one of these categories. Besides that, you might consider yourself a devout Satan worshiper, and therefore excluded from the Islamic fall out.
Don't you wish!

Islam has their own Jesus, but he is certainly not God's son to them. The son of Mary, yes. Mohammed allegedly rescued him from death, and then Jesus merely disappeared like Elijah of old Testament fame did. Though he is a good man he is not God's son, that would be blasphemy on the highest order, for God (Allah) stands alone. Jesus is also a prophet to them, a Jew of course, and get this, a good Muslim. He will make pilgrimage to Mecca, and when he shows up he will give himself in service to the Mahdi, supporting him.

What I have attempted to describe for you fits with precision what God has described in end times revelations as the Antichrist and the False Prophet. Both of these characters are well integrated into the Islamic prophecies of the Koran. And they bring death and destruction for Jews and people of the book, but that is not all. One of the primary functions of these two is to bring about a subservience to the "beast". To demonstrate that commitment you will have to take on some form of symbol, the Bible calls it the mark of the beast, indicating your allegiance. It will be on your hand, arm or your head, and it will most likely say: "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger".

I started this topic with "Does it really matter?" and the answer is yes, but what does that mean?
If you have looked at the book of Revelation at all then you know that those that receive this mark of Islam and worship the beast, will have cut themselves off from God, end of argument. Well wait a minute, I believe that many of you said this does not matter to you because you do not believe in God anyway. Unfortunately for you Islam believes and they are fanatics about it. Not only does Christian scripture describe how you will be treated (written almost 700 years before Mohammed hit the scene) but the Koran describes how you will be treated. You either submit to Islam or have your head cut off, for to be in opposition to Islam is to be an enemy and there is only one option, beheading.

So then, the Jehovah's witnesses, marching the residential streets, preaching their own version of god, or the Mormons leading people astray with angels named Moroni, and the ever peaceful Buddhist's with their religion of peaceful thought, will be killed, along with anyone in opposition, if they do not bow to Islam.

You think this is joke, and that I am just a nut case preaching hatred, then you have your head stuck in the ground, paying absolutely no attention to what is going on around you. What if all this violence, and it will be disgustingly violent, is centrally located in the middle east, where "they" live. That would work if that was the only place they lived. This wonderful country of ours, that is established in freedoms, allows anyone to come here without questioning what their ulterior motives and background religion is. The FBI thinks that conservative numbers for Muslims in this nation (USA) are least 15% and growing rapidly. Consider what England, France and Spain are and have been going through. If their population numbers are approximately 850,000 and the possibility of even as low as 10% are fundamentalists (fanatics). That means that there are more than 85,000 willing to commit jihad in this country. We are talking about 85,000 people in the USA that could create a world of havoc, and they may not have to establish any sort of "global caliphate" in order to do that. In reality it would only take a handful with the right weapons to bring us to our so called knees.

If they press a knife to your throat what religion will you be on that day?

Note: It is not my intent to provoke violence against any people group, but it is my intention to wake you up! The end is near. Nearer than you thought possible. Islam believes that every event necessary for the end to come has happened with the exception of two. One of those is the fall of the Arabian king, and the other is the arrival of the Mahdi.
Now how comfortable are you. You need to make a decision now! And if you are a Christian reading this then you have just heard the call to pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray in tongues. Pray with weeping and sorrow. Pray for repentance. Pray for Christians that are being captured, tortured, and killed because they had a backbone and said yes "I belong to Jesus, the living Son of God" knowing full well that death was coming. Pray that God opens the eyes of the Muslims world wide and makes himself real to them. Pray for others that do realize that God is real and that he is coming soon; pray that God opens their eyes as well.
You should  know that they are coming to the Living one, the Son of God, Jesus himself, by the thousands on a daily basis. We have an opportunity because you do not know but what God will hold back his judgement and preserve those that we pray for.
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn to the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repents of the evil. Who knows if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; (Joel 2:12-14 Webster)

And more importantly pray that God makes you a vessel worthy of His honor.

Learn about Islam, because if you know Christ then you are not in the darkness that you should be deceived.

If you believe that I have attempted to deceive you then READ your Bible.

If you feel like I have chewed you out, you are probably right, and the Lord will have to straighten me out.