PERILOUS TIMES SHALL COME? THEY ARE HERE!

by Pastor Mike Taylor

1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2^nd Timothy 3:1-7)

As the apostle Paul warned, some 1960 years or so ago, in the last days, the end of this age, we would see perilous times. A time when men would grow exponentially more evil in their practices than in any other time before. Now men have always been sinners, but the expression of evil that has entered into our times, is unprecedented. When combined with Paul's thought in verse 13 of 2^nd Timothy, (“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”) the Greek grammar gives the sense of conditions or expressions of human nature that ebb and flow like waves of the sea rather than a constant state of affairs. However, when combined with the idea of things growing "worse and worse" and Jesus' comments about the  day's of Noah, we can understand the situation will be especially intense in our time.

In addition, Paul did not intend us to suppose that everyone would express all of these traits all the time. Rather, all of them would indeed exist in each person since he is describing the elements of every human's deceitful heart, but the intensity of their expression would vary from person to person.

PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED IN OUR DAYS

But can anyone say that the above scriptures have not been fulfilled? It seems we are seeing these prophecy warnings in ever-greater frequency, as people seem to have less and less compunction about terrorizing and taking the lives of their fellow human beings. Under the grip of a merciless narcissism, many are losing their humanity. Take a look around the world we live in. Let's start with the evil in the Middle East with Islamic terrorist history in the likes of ISIS that spread from Iraq to Libya and they inflicted a swath of rape, death, and destruction in their march to install a caliphate with its Sharia Law into all parts of the land.

In western Europe, migrants from these lands have invaded their countries where the God of the Bible has all but been relegated to the trash can of human depravity. In its place they have been flooded with “immigrants” who commit evil acts against a people who used to enjoy freedoms that we have enjoyed in our own land. The news is awash with the deeds of Middle Eastern and African Muslims who have all but raped the country into terror for their very lives.

In Communist Russia, the bear has come awake from it's Soviet Socialist days and has flexed its muscles militarily that took over Crimea and the whole of Ukraine without so much as a response from western countries, except in verbal protest. They have moved into Syria and supported the evil regime of Assad and have alliances with Turkey and Iran that has never before been seen in all of human history, as they have been natural enemies prior to our time. Each have filled the void that was left by a withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by the so called past POTUS, (in name only) and have set up military bases that are now a permanent structure in the life of Syrians and threaten the surrounding areas with bombings and chemical warfare. The whole of Syria is a devastation with a homeless population that struggles to stay alive.

In Israel, the center of God's universe, the Jewish people have been demonized since the creation of their nation in 1948. The UN which is dominated by Arab countries that hate Israel since Isaac and Ishmael were born, have attempted to create a situation where the land of Israel will be pulled back to pre-1967 borders and Jerusalem divided. Christians, even in American have sided with the Palestinians against Israel and directly bring judgment on them by their un-Biblical stance against God's chosen. Israel is surrounded on all sides by those who hate her, and now they have a big dog in their corner, Putin's Russia. It's only a matter of time when another prophecy is fulfilled discussed further down.

Looking across the big pond of the Atlantic, we see death and destruction coming to America in the form of terrorist attacks, noted by Black Lives Matters domestic terrorist group killing law enforcement officers, lawlessness in our streets, corruption on a national scale, and an economy that teeters on the brink of collapse now due to the Coronavirus. We saw the Democratic political party who nominated a known criminal and her family, who has more scandals to her credit than Carter has Liver Pills. Islamic terrorist have made multiple attacks on our citizens that fill our news outlets and more are surely planned as the past “idiot in chief” brought unvetted Syrian refugees and settled them in most of the 48 continental USA states without assurances they are not ISIS fighters embedded in those settled in our country. And to make it even worse, it was reported that a past candidate for the Democratic party (you know who she was) planned to increase the amount by 500% without taking precautions to insure that the American people are protected from these same terrorist infiltrators. To me, that was insanity.

If you be a Conservative and thinking for yourself, and not a ”godless” liberal thinker who embraces a blended population without borders and where lawlessness abounds, then you can rightly say, as I do, the world has gone totally mad. Insanity does indeed abound and love for others have grown cold. Even with the terrible deeds that have been perpetrated on an unsuspecting public, here and abroad, the problem will grow exponentially worse, far worse in the near future. If Trump looses the next election, then we are ripe for socialism and the loss of all our freedoms our forefathers fought and died for. Right now we see character and political symptoms that as bad as they are happening, but they are only a precursor of the evil that will raise its ugly head when “Hell will be loosed on this earth” during the coming prophesied Tribulation and the Great Tribulation comprising seven years of unrestrained evil.

As a people, the world's population is bumping right up next to the end of this age. The signs of the end of man's rule on this planet are shouting loud and clear.

I know that I keep bringing the subject up, and the reason being, the drumbeats of that beginning of a time so horrible become louder and louder, with more intensity. Just look at the symptoms that are screaming at every man, woman and child on this planet. Why do I say that?

Remember that the prophecy of Ezekiel 38-39 will bring to light, in my opinion, the rise of the Anti-Christ, as a peace maker between Israel and the surrounding nations. A so called “peace treaty” that is confirmed with the “many” will attempt to prevent another onslaught of complete annihilation of the coming Anti-Christ and his army of demonically inspired reprobates.

Not withstanding all the turmoil we see all over the world with the Muslim invasion of democratic countries, but focusing in on what is forming in the Middle East right now that is the precursor of that prophetic event. Russia has formed an alliance with Iran, which has been their proxy in the region for years. The Russian bear has set up military bases and airfields, along with intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of nuclear weapons on Israel's doorstep. One false move on either party could bring all out war between Israel and it's Islamic neighbors. I believe there will be an early attempt by fulfilling Psalm 83, but Israel will be victorious in that fight with God's help.

Coming not too long on the heels of this victory by Israel, Russia will think an evil thought, or should I say Putin will.

2“Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company withbucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:

6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

10Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

11And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,” (Ezekiel 38:2-11)

Thus will the time that will usher in a battle so feriocious that 5/6 of this invading army will die on the mountains of Israel and the “plague” will follow them back to their home country. This will happen at the Hands of Almighty God when He passes judgment and His fierce anger is taken out on the nations that dare come against His people or His land. I believe this whole scenario will be after the coming of our Lord and Savior to take His church out of this world, so that the Anti-Christ will be revealed...”evil incarnate”.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8 And THEN (my emphasis) shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” (2^nd Thessalonians 2:7-9)...

The reference in the previous verses point to the only possible Power that is holding back rampant evil on this planet, unabated, and without limits. This Power is the Holy Spirit, and He lives in every born again believer. If our Comforter, our Counselor, and our Advocate is taken out of this world, then so are the vessels He indwells spiritually. But up to that point, before this explosive war comes to pass, and the Anti-Christ is finally revealed, the world will be going about living their life as normal as possible...It is the time we live in right now. Don't mistake me, when I say the Holy Spirit is being removed. God's Spirit is being drawn back to Pre-Pentecostal times and giving full sway to the evil that is lurking in the shadows to come out fully into the light.

People will still be saved in this time for the efforts of the 144, 000 Jewish evangelist who speak to the world, along with God's two witnesses and many will be saved, but will not be sealed as the Church was, but must guard their salvation at all times, to prevent their crowns from being stolen and succumbing to the Beast power taking the mark of the beast.

JUST BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGINS

Jesus said, that as it was in the days of Noah, people would be going about their usual patterns in life. Those patterns have grown more and more evil with passing time.

37 “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39)

Evil men were doing then, just as they are doing now, without even thinking that their time on earth was soon to be cut short. What was Jesus referring to, when He made this astonishing prophecy that will play out, I feel, in the not too distant future? He was referring to the time of Tribulation, and the Great Tribulation that would see the rise of the Anti-Christ. See, I believe the man is alive, right now and just waiting for the moment to reveal himself to the world as a charismatic “peace maker”. This man, the Anti-Christ is called the “lawless one”. The horrific results of Ezekiel 38-39 will, in my humble opinion, set the stage for someone to come forward with a peace treaty that scripture says will be for 7 years.

“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (II Thessalonians 2:9-12)

The man will be glorified, heaped praise upon, and will bring a false sense of security and safety that has finally come to that region of the Middle East and the rest of the world. He will speak great and inspiring words for those who will hang on his every word, labeling him as the “messiah” a bringer of peace. To Israel, he will be a “political messiah” who brings temporarily, what they have longed for since they were a nation again in May 1948, peace and security. He will offer them what they have longed for and allow them to rebuild their temple, possibly on the temple mount. They will be blinded by the true intentions of the evil tyrant until he enters the temple proclaiming himself “a god” and they will know they have made a pact of evil with the devil.

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” (Daniel 7:25)

The coming Lawless One will attempt to wipe out the Jewish race and all who proclaim Jesus as Savior. He will wear them out by hunting them down for extermination. These are the Tribulation saints who must guard their salvation as precious as gold.

The man will proclaim peace, when there is no peace, as was spoken of in similar times by the prophet Jeremiah:

“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, `Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14)

So begins the most evil time that has ever come upon the earth. We think the times are evil now, but my friend, “you ain't seen nothing yet.” I pray, that those reading this never see what I am describing.

 “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. . . .(dropping down)

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:6-11, 15-17)

MARK OF THE BEAST, EVIL FROM SATAN HIMSELF

Those of us who call Jesus, Lord of our life and have believed in His death and resurrection as God incarnate, need not worry about what is to come during this time where the world is thrown into the coming Tribulation. This part of this message is for the so unfortunate unbeliever that is doomed to live through the time we call the “tribulation”. If you should be reading this and the world is in chaos as millions of people have vanished, and a powerful leader has deemed it necessary to take a “mark” in your forehead or your right hand to continue some form of normal life in a one world economy then you must understand one thing. What is this mark?

16 “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” (Revelation 13:16-18)

Those who take this mark, by scripture we read that they are doomed to a Devil's hell for all eternity.

9 “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11)

Some ask if you can take the “mark of the beast” unwittingly and will not be counted as in rebellion against God. The answer in my opinion, is “NO”. As it was in the Roman times, each citizen had to burn incense to a statue of Caesar once a year and proclaim Caesar as a god and worship before that statue. So will it be here. Each of those who take the mark, will make a conscious decision to proclaim the Anti-Christ as a “god” in the flesh and will worship him or be unable to buy or sell, and will be subject to pain of death if they do not pledge allegiance and worship the Beast Power found in the Anti-Christ. The false prophet will set up a golden image of the “beast” and demand worship of it....Some have suggested that the one world religion will use computer technology that will be broadcast over all the airwaves of the world and ability to monitor those who worship and those who do not. In times past, this was not possible, but with technology advanced as it is, every man, woman and child will be monitored electronically for compliance.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE GREATEST EVIL ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH?

Our Lord and Savior spoke of a time when the world will be living their lives as usual. Right now, things are pretty messed up and the world is in upheaval...things will have to settle down for the coming glorious appearance of our soon coming King to come in the clouds and cry, come up hither”....what did Jesus say?

36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:36-39)

What could settle down the chaos this world is experiencing right now due to this “Hyped” Coronavirus?. Could it be a vaccine that gives each of those who accept it and have a traceable tattoo on the right arm so they can return to some form of “normalcy” again?

Men and women will be living their lives and be completely blind-sided with the coming event that is just out of site....the coming of our Lord Jesus for His Bride comprised of the True Church of the Living God. Suddenly, the world is thrown upside down and chaos is the rule of the day. People searching for loved ones, their children, women who are pregnant suddenly without the child residing in their bodies, and destruction all over the world of unexplained accidents ie. Car crashes with no drivers, trains derailing without an engineer, planes falling from the sky because it has no pilot.....where there can be an accident, you can be sure it will happen.

Know that God has NEVER in all of the pages of your Bible subjected His people, His chosen saints that have made that decision for Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected, now sitting at God the Fathers right hand to the wrath and righteous indignation that will rain down on a rebellious world. Even in Lot's day, the angels could NOT destroy Sodom and Gomorrah until they were safely out of harms way.

15 “And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.” (Genesis 19:15-16)

I don't know about you, but if I read any of this and read what is going on in the world that is growing darker and darker with each passing day, I would be in deep depression if I didn't have the blessed Hope that will keep me from this hour of total evil. I read about the suicide rate rising exponentially in the world of people who can't handle what is coming upon the earth, so they end their life out of depression and despondency because they have no HOPE. Who is that blessed 'HOPE” I speak of?

11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)

In this time of great evil that coming upon this world, we proclaim One Name that will save us from the evil to come. His Name, is Jesus Christ...Yeshua...I AM that I AM...Jehovah...God of the Bible. Evil will abound in this period of man's history and many will die. The Bible talks of nearly 80% of the world's population meeting an untimely death, either by divine retribution or at the a hands of evil men. Can you imagination in your wildest nightmare, seeing almost 6 billion people dying all over this planet in seven short years? There won't be enough surviving to bury the dead, even though they may try. Dead bodies will litter the ground. Wild animals will come out of the woods and hiding to devour those bodies left without burial and OH THE SMELL....the smell of death will permeate the entire planet from humans, sea creatures and animals. ..God's wrath will double down on a rebellious mankind during this period. If you are so foolish or unfortunate to not take the free gift of salvation offered to you by the grace of God, then you will experience that wrath of God first hand, up close and personal. But Jesus made us a promise that those who belong to Him, as His followers, washed in His precious blood, can have assurance of redemption from what is to come.

10 ”Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:10-11)

9”For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (1^st Thessalonians 5:9-11)

And the salvation message that saves you from the wrath to come and the evil that will be exponential in this horrific time to come.

“ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “ (John 3:16-18)

We are all sinners and can't approach a Holy God, but God sent His Son:

8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:8-9)

Evil is rampant in the world. Evil will only grow worse, but our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord will find us ready for Him when He comes for His church, before this dire time called the Tribulation comes into existence. Don't wait another moment...ask Jesus into your heart and repent of your sins, right now...call out to Him, and ask for His forgiveness. You do that with a humble and contrite heart knowing that without Him, you will die for all eternity...not just physically, but spiritually for all eternity. And our Great God and Savior will honor your plea and see your humble heart and come into your heart as you open your life to Him...Remember, don't wait...evil grows in this last days to overcome those who wait. Perilous times aren't future, they are with us now.

8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying for your eternal salvation today. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com,  ...God bless you all,

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