Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

- By Grant Phillips -]

 

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me... Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:1, 27).

 

Most of us would agree that this world has gone mad, but we in the USA should consider that many other countries have been experiencing madness as a way of life. What magnifies the insanity here in America is that it is new to us. We have been the land of the free and the home of the brave for many, many years. Love of country has been our badge of honor. Respect for authority (police agencies, for example) has been taught to us by our parents. Respect for others was once ingrained in our psyche. Sexual morality and character-building once existed in our society, as did honesty and justice. Then it all started going south around 1963.

 

It's nearly impossible for the younger generation, but for those in their twilight years, the contrast is shocking. The world I remember and the world I see now are as different as two sides of a coin. It's the same coin, but that's about it.

 

The country I love, the one of my birth, is beginning to pay for its rejection of the God of the Bible, and it's just going to keep getting worse. In my opinion, there is no longer any hope for us as a nation. We have crossed the line, and the wrath of God is coming soon.

 

However, there is hope, a sure hope, for every believer in Jesus Christ. He told us in the introductory Scriptures above to believe in Him. He said He will give us peace, not the phony peace the world gives, but real peace that works. He told us not to be troubled or afraid. Even though the world is falling apart around our ears, God is faithful to His Word and will not disappoint.

 

Many Christians are afraid, or at best concerned, but as you trusted Him to save you, also trust Him to be with you in times of trouble. We can rest assured that God is in control. What we are seeing today surprises many of us, but God is not surprised. The world is doing exactly what He told us it would do as the days draw closer to His return. Notice the following words of God and take heart.

 

"Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: 'Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.'

 

"I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'

 

"Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him" (Psalms 2).

 

This passage of Scripture is just as relevant to us today as it was to Israel during the days of King David. By the way, did you notice the last sentence, "Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him?" With that said, let's take a look at a few Scripture passages in the book of Jeremiah.

 

Those Who Trust in The Lord

 

"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

 

Our hope is not in the President of the United States (although I pray the Lord allows him to serve one more term). Our hope is not in Congress; neither is it in a political party. Our hope is in the God of gods, the Lord of lords and the King of kings.

 

God knows what He is doing. We just need to trust Him. He is divinely orchestrating this fallen world to its own fate. We look around us and see man fighting against man, but the real battle is spiritual. The apostle Paul said:

 

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

 

Does it seem the battle is intensifying? Well, it is because Satan is quickly approaching his last days, and he knows it. I have no idea when the Tribulation will start, but one thing is sure, all the road signs are pointing in that direction. And remember, Jesus removes His bride before His day of wrath (Tribulation) begins.

 

Understanding these verses and accepting them will help us be just like the trees God speaks about in these verses of Jeremiah 17:8. By the way, He says the same thing in Psalms 1:3.

 

Those Who Trust in Man

 

"This is what the LORD says: 'Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land'" (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

 

Those who trust in the Lord do not put their trust in man, but to the contrary, those who do not trust God will depend on man to pull us out of this mess we have created for ourselves.

 

These dear folks will depend on presidential leaders and Congress to save our bacon. They will believe that politicians and the media are being truthful to us. In other words, they are naïve, to say the least.

 

The sad thing is the Democrat party is doing everything in their devious might to destroy this country. The same can be said of some Republicans. Will God continue to work through President Trump and Vice President Pence? I pray He does, simply because it tells me anyway that God is delaying His game plan a short while longer so more can be saved.

 

The point is that those who trust man over God are going to be mightily disappointed. If President Trump does not get a second term, the Democrats will finish what they started with Obama and destroy everything this country has stood for over the last 200 plus years. If President Trump is allowed by God another four-year term, the anti-nationalist Democrats (and some Republicans) will attempt to derail President Trump at every turn, just as they have been doing the last four years.

 

The Democrats (and some Republicans), the liberal media and others of influence want more than anything to have a one-world government. Guess what? Eventually, that is exactly what they will get. It will be headed by the Antichrist during a time called the Tribulation, all because they trust in man instead of God.

 

Those Who Trust in The Heart

 

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve" (Jeremiah 17:9-10).

 

Our county does not have a political problem, or a morality problem, or a justice problem, or a ________ (fill in the blank) problem. Our country has a heart problem that is filled with sin. All these other things are just what flows out from a deceitful and wicked heart.

 

Only a wicked heart would murder innocent, defenseless little babies. Only a wicked heart would loot, burn, destroy, steal and murder to get their way. Only a wicked heart would be the number one propagator of porn, illicit drugs, sex slave trade and all that is evil in God's eyes.

 

Only a deceitful, wicked heart would look us in the eye and purposely lie to us for their own gain while they smile at our gullibility.

 

Not so ... those who trust in the Lord. Satan is having a field day for now, but we know who gets tossed into the lake of fire when the dust settles. No wonder he is fighting so hard. But we have nothing to fear and everything to rejoice about. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will rule with a rod of iron in the end. I close with these verses:

 

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

 

"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely...

 

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly..." (Revelation 22:12-17, 20a)

 

Grant Phillips

Things That Will Come to Pass

 - By Gene Lawley -

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As an earlier article indicated, there are four phases of God's revelation of Himself to the world. The first one was by verbal declarations directly and through His prophets; the second was by the written Word of Law given to Moses and related to the children of Israel; the third was, and is, the direct entry into human history when Christ, the living Word, became flesh and dwelt among us; the fourth will be when Christ returns to the earth and takes up the restored throne of David in Jerusalem and rules the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It will be a government by theocracy.

 

This present age of grace began with the entry of Jesus Christ into the world to give up His life as the Son of Man as payment for the sins of all mankind, that whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). This era has now spanned over 2,000 years, and still counting. It is the age of grace, that unmerited favor of God whose arm is not shortened that He cannot save. What then is yet to happen before this age comes to an end?

 

Daniel 9:26-27 foretells of a coming person of Roman heritage, that ancient Roman regime which destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its temple in 70 A.D. This person apparently will be one of international authority or recognition, for he will confirm a covenant with others, a covenant that will give Israel seven years of peace. He will be someone who has far-reaching authority in the world, for he will stop the new Jewish temple worship activities and declare himself the God to be worshipped. Look at Daniel 9:26-27:

 

"And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself, and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war, desolations are determined.

 

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."

 

Jesus said, in Matthew 24:15, that this event is still future, being an indication of the impending last days: "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." This occurs, apparently, when the Antichrist assumes the position of the eighth head of the Beast (Revelation 17:10-11) and confirms a covenant with "many." It was with many nations that the United Nations established Israel as a new nation in 1948. No doubt, it will take such authority to establish a peace covenant between Israel and the Palestinians, most likely one that is imposed upon them.

 

This person's authority extends into the seven years of tribulation, for he has power to shut down the worship of the Jews in their new temple. He will even declare himself God and demand all to worship him as God. This is confirmed in 2 Thessalonians 2:4: "... who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." He will continue on to ride out on that white horse (Revelation 6), "conquering and to conquer" during that seven years, ending with his being cast alive into the lake of fire.

 

At the moment of that covenant's confirmation, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, this follows: "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape."

 

No doubt, but the "they" in that passage is Israel, for who else has desired peace and safety since its founding in 1948? Also, this seven years is identified in Jeremiah 30:7 as "the time of Jacob's trouble," using "Jacob" instead of "Israel" to indicate a judgment against the sinfulness of those people of Jacob's heritage. (Israel was God's new name for the man who had wrestled with the Angel of God and prevailed.)

 

At the moment of this "sudden destruction," another activity ends and a massive change in the earth's population occurs. Look at 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 6-7: "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first... and now you know what is restraining, that he [the deceiver] may be revealed in his own time, for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."

 

The only one capable of restraining evil has always been the Spirit of God, and He indwells the lives of mortal believers on earth. Therefore, when the One who restrains is taken away, that body of believers in Christ is gone also. It is the Rapture, and with it, the Day of the Lord, like a thief in the night, comes bringing sudden destruction upon the whole world. (Yes, the Holy Spirit fills all things and will remain in the world, but the Spirit-filled believers will not be here, and those are the ones who live among the evildoers where their presence provides a restraining force against them.) The world is experiencing a massive push to embrace evil instead of righteousness.

 

The so-called "Progressives" in tandem with the sexual revolution, identifying as the acronym LBGTQI+ (and I would add "P" for "perversion") have pushed the nations into a corner that has no pleasant answer. Will it continue until the nations are permeated with immoral degeneration, as was Sodom in Lot's day, or will God bring judgment at a sooner time?

 

Finally, it strongly appears that the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets among the seven festivals of the Lord that He had Moses schedule every year is the Rapture of believers. (See Leviticus 23.) No other explanation fits that annual festival. All the other six have clear purposes to celebrate, and four of them have already been fulfilled-Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost.

 

Then, the economic and social conditions when that event comes to pass are certainly relevant. In Luke 17:26-30, we see that economic and social conditions are flourishing abundantly when the Lord is revealed. Contrary to many prophecy watchers, this cannot be the case at the end of the seven years of tribulation when the Second Coming of Christ is scheduled. Then there will be famine, warfare, death-all depicted by the four horses of Revelation 6, plus the mark of the beast, limiting buying and selling to only those who have taken that mark. Even so, it will not be anything like what is described in Luke 17:26-30.

 

What happens after the Rapture for those who are taken out of the judgments of God? There are four major events that Scriptures indicate the risen saints will be doing, plus other services to the Lord. In Revelation 4 we see, with John, the first of the four-the judgment seat of Christ. There, the saints will be judged according to their obedience during their lives on earth after being saved. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 tells of this:

 

"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

 

In that scene of the twenty-four elders, having crowns on their heads, we see them bowing before Christ on His throne of judgment. Then we see them casting their crowns at His feet.

 

After that, the saints will be taken to places the Lord has prepared for them in His Father's house, as John 14:1-3 tells us:

 

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO." (Capitalization used for emphasis-see Luke 17:37b in NKJV.)

 

The third of the four events is the marriage supper of the Lamb, the coming together of the Bride and the Bridegroom, depicting Christ and His body of believers in unity, as reported in Revelation 19:7-9:

 

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, 'Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.'"

 

The final event involving the saints will be when they join with Christ at his Second Coming. It is recorded chronologically at Revelation 19:11 and following, but Jesus foretells it also in Matthew 24:29-31, telling of angels being sent to gather God's elect from the four corners of heaven [not the earth] to go with Christ at His return: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

 

So it is written. So it is prophesied. So it will come to pass. "If we believe not, yet He abides faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Of these things put them in remembrance..." (2 Timothy 2:13-14a).

What Would You Change?

 

 - Nathele Graham

 

What a mess. I never thought I would see the United States being destroyed and the people of America allowing it to happen. The destruction isn't just in the United States, but the entire world is engulfed in demonic hatred. I shouldn't be surprised. No Christian should be surprised. Prophecy is on fast-forward. Anyone who studies prophecy can easily see what's happening. Unfortunately, too many Christians don't take time to read Scripture, let alone study it. I have actually had Christians tell me that there are parts of Scripture that God doesn't want us to understand. Oh my. Why would God inspire men to write words that aren't to be understood? "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Those words where inspired by the Holy Spirit and penned by Paul. So, think about it for a minute. That verse says "all" (Greek word "pas" meaning each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything), so shouldn't we study all of Scripture? That's a no-brainer. Yes, we need to study every word of Scripture. That means the easy parts as well as the parts that take a bit of study. In order to grow in our walk with the Lord, we need to change our way of thinking and living to match God's expectations. One of those parts of Scripture that takes a bit of study is prophecy. God put prophecy into Scripture in order to let us know where we are in history. It's up to us to study the signs.

 

Another statement I've heard from Christians is "Every generation has believed they were the last". That's true. Actually, Paul's writings seem to indicate he felt the Rapture would happen during his lifetime. Since he was inspired by the Holy Spirit in what he wrote, shouldn't the Spirit have told him that the Rapture and the end days would happen many centuries after his lifetime? Ask yourself this question. If you knew the exact day of the Rapture, or even the exact day of your own death, would you live a wild and crazy life right up until the final hour? Then just before the end would you repent and get right with God? We need to repent now and live for Him because at any moment we may find we've run out of time. Although we cannot know the exact day, we can see the signs. That is, we can see the signs if we study all of Scripture, including prophecy. Jesus seems to think it's important to understand the times in which we live. He rebuked the Pharisees for not discerning the times in which they lived. "He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew 16:2-3. The Pharisees had just asked Him for a sign that He was the Messiah. Jesus had fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies which gave signs of the Messiah, but the Pharisees chose to continue in their stubborn blindness and ignorance. Christians today also choose blindness and ignorance of the signs of the end times which are happening so quickly.

 

The Old Testament includes many prophecies concerning the end of days, including ones by Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and others. The New Testament also contains end times prophecy, including Jesus' answer to His disciples when asked about the end of the age. He told of false prophets, wars, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes. Have you noticed any of these signs today? Actually, these are reasons why every generation thought theirs was the last. These signs have always happened. Jesus said "All these are the beginning of sorrows." Matthew 24:7. These events would happen throughout time, but grow stronger towards the end...like birth pains. He also talked of love waxing cold. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:12. The word for "iniquity" is "anomia" and means "a condition without law; contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness". I see a lot of that on the news lately, and it's getting worse. The word for "love" is agape and the word translated "wax cold" is "psycho". When there's contempt for law, and people no longer have a Godly type of love then they will sink to the lowest levels of wickedness. The coldness can be seen in every generation, but the coldness of today is astounding. The Caesars of Rome were cold hearted and immoral, and they had little love for Christians. Hitler was cold hearted and the murders he sanctioned were absolutely evil. Today we see riots in the streets fueled by demonic hatred and the murder of babies is sanctioned by government law. Yes, things are getting worse and iniquity is abounding. Can any good come from such evil? After Hitler's fury, the nation of Israel was re-established, which is an amazing fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 11:11 and Amos 9:14-15). If you've studied prophecy you know that God said the nation of Israel will never be uprooted again.

 

Let's get back to love waxing cold. When I was a teenager growing up in the 1960's I was very afraid. Drug abuse was rampant, riots were violent, and student protests at colleges kept me from going to college because of fear. Those things all seem mild by today's standards. The riots of today are for the sole purpose of destroying America. "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places." Matthew 24:6-7. These "wars and rumours of wars" have always happened, but are growing in numbers. Civil strife within a nation and war between nations are happening worldwide. I can tell you that I have very little sympathy and no respect for a high paid movie star or sports figure talking about how unfair their life is because of their skin color. I have no sympathy for hoodlums destroying businesses that hard-working people have built and then crying police brutality when they are treated like the criminals they are. Verily, verily love is waxing cold and satanic forces are driving the unreasonable hatred seen today. This strife is all leading up to world leader who will turn out to be pure evil. That's in prophecy.

 

Can we talk about pestilence? There's a virus today that has shut down the world. Is it a fake crisis or is it real? No matter what you believe on that point, the stage is being set for complete control of people. It also shows just how cold people are becoming. When this craziness began, a movie star and his wife came down with the virus. Headlines were filled with concern and when they survived, it brought hope that others could survive. Recently, President Trump and his wife have come down with this virus. The same liberal voices who were so concerned about the movie star are spewing hatred and venom towards President and Mrs. Trump. One liberal big mouth said he was praying for the virus and that it kills the President. What's wrong with people? Oh, I remember. Scripture says that love would wax cold as the end of days approaches. Because of this virus, many are forbidden to gather together to worship God, but angry lawless people are allowed to destroy cities and businesses. Schools have been closed, masks are required, and the governments of the world are successfully isolating people from each other. Not to worry. There's a miracle vaccine that's about to make everything OK. Actually, it's about to set the stage for the Anti-Christ to force the mark of the beast upon all people, as prophesied in Revelation. "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: and 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." Revelation 13:16-17. Is that shot the actual mark of the beast? No, but it's laying the groundwork for it. If you refuse to be injected with this shot, will you be able to work or go to a grocery store? What will be the proof that you've had the shot? Let's just see what the next few months bring. By the way, the mark described in Revelation 13 comes at least 3 ½ years after the Rapture. Do you think signs of the times show the Rapture will happen soon? I do. Maybe you should think about things you need to change in your life in order to honor God. Tomorrow may be too late.

 

Many, many prophecies have been fulfilled since Israel has been reestablished as a nation, and many are being fulfilled right now. What does that mean to you? If you knew the Rapture would happen tomorrow, what would you change today? Would you continue to condone sin and embrace it in your own life, or would you repent, ask Jesus to forgive you, and live your final hours sharing the Gospel? The reality is, the Rapture could easily happen tomorrow, or it could even happen before you finish reading this commentary. Yes, my friends, we are that close. When it happens, it will be quick. You won't have time to repent and get right with God. "Behold, I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. What if you don't live to be taken in the Rapture? What if you die of a heart attack or car accident tomorrow? None of us know when we will find ourselves standing in the presence of Jesus. Now is the time to start living for Him. If you don't think there's sin in your life, then you need to start studying Scripture. Remember, it's God's opinion that matters and He never changes. If you think people have changed and Scripture needs to updated to accommodate the modern ideas of man, then think again. Pride, lust, anger, etc. were sins when Scripture was written and are still sins today. Scripture says that Christians are to be a living sacrifice. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. That means to put aside our fleshly desires and attitudes in order to serve Jesus. Serve Him on His terms, not human terms.

 

I will ask again. If you knew that tomorrow would be your last day on earth, what would you change? My heartfelt suggestion is that you would live for Christ and that you make those changes now.

 

God bless you all,

THE COMING SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION

 

By Pastor Mike Taylor 

 
7 “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.  
8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 
9 “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.” .. (Mark 13:7-9) 
 
There have been many prophecy teachers that have tried to explain what the coming Tribulation will be like. Many believe that we are in the tribulation right now. Surely with all the Christian persecution, the Middle East murders of the followers of Jesus Christ, the beheadings, the crucifixions, and the systematic purging of anything that looks like an aberration from what is defined as radical Islam and victims of Communist countries, this must be the start of the tribulation. But they fail to understand what Jesus tried to convey when he spoke with the apostles 2000 years ago what this time period will be like. 
 
 
I'm going to take a stab at trying to paint a picture for you of what the 7 years known as the Tribulation will be like, from scripture that describes a period so horrible, so demonically inspired that it will be the worst time in all of mankind's history that Jesus said in Matthew 24 in the Olivet Discourse: 
 
21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  
22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”(Matthew 24:21-22) 
 
 
Men and women of our world fail to differentiate between tribulation that has always been brought against mankind for the belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ down through the last 2000 years, and the Tribulation that Jesus speaks of. There has always been death and destruction by evil men that Satan has inspired to persecute the church of Jesus Christ. We have read of these crucifixions, beheadings, and people being burned alive at the stake by the “dark age” religious authorities, and pagan nations that condemned Christianity as an affront to their dictatorship. 

 
Much of the confusion about the Rapture of Christ’s Church, His Bride, and when it occurs could easily be solved if we clarify what actually happens during this seven-year period. It is not just tribulation as the church has experienced during the past 2,000 years. Saints have been martyred by the thousands, sawn asunder, fed to the lions, had their own children slaughtered before their eyes, and suffered untold deprivations.  But what is coming upon the earth in possibly a few short years, or even sooner, will pale the time past of the evils of men killing other men. In short, it will be a thousands of times worse. The coming destruction of mankind will be the Middle East we are seeing right now on steroids. To think that the “Tribulation” is just more of the same type of martyrdom we have seen in the past, is to miss the point of what Jesus was talking about and what scripture testifies that this time will be about. I can't fully comprehend or grasp (and I don't want to, because you would have to live it) what will be evident during this terrible time of man's last gasp of trying to rule himself and failing miserably. Let us make a short list of reasons that could possibly be coming soon to a community near you, worldwide. When Satan is allowed to rule over this earth, even for this short period, the dwellers on this earth can expect the following: 

1. The number one reason, is that Satan will be cast down to earth and will be physically and paranormally here for the duration of the 7 years we know as the Tribulation.  

12 “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” (Revelation 12:12) 
 
Satan has hated the Jewish people, as through them came Jesus Christ, and for the last 2000 years, he has raged against the Christian Bride of Christ. He has beaten up and ravaged the people of God, both Jew and Christian with a diabolically hatred that has only grown stronger as the end grows ever closer. But the last 7 years, when Satan is cast down, his rage will be unrestrained and frantic as he knows his time is very short. The Holy Spirit will be drawn back to allow him full sway over rebellious mankind and to attempt to destroy all human beings on earth. 

2. Coupled with Satan being thrown down, he will have at his disposal the ability to lead billions of demons forces to torment men upon the earth. 
3. as briefly mentioned in the first point, the Holy Spirit will step aside to allow Satan full sway in the destruction of mankind.  

 
7 “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.  
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. \ 
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 

10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:7-10) 
 
4. Demonic forces will be allowed to take on grotesque shapes and forms and present themselves to torment and destroy sinful men. I envision the return of the Nephilim, a hybrid of half man, half demon that in Noah's days were giants that enslaved and cannibalized other men. 
5. Disease and plagues will be mutated into dark forms and there will be no cure for these diseases unleashed on the unsuspecting earth dwellers. 
6. Churches will not exist and it will be suicide to meet with anyone to worship the True God of Heaven, as new converts to Christ will be hunted down for extinction. 
7. Anyone taking the Mark of the Beast will take on Satan's nature and will be the enemy of all who accept Jesus Christ during this time, and will cause many to be killed, even their own family members. 
8. Those who refuse to take the Mark of the Beast will be brutalized, raped, tortured and possibly cannibalized after their death. 
9. It will possibly be illegal for men and women to marry, as homosexuality will be worldwide, and the family outlawed.  
10. With all the disease and plagues being rampant, hospitals and clinics will be extinct, or overrun with cases, and unable to meet the demand. 
11. Famine and starvation will be universal. No one will be exempt. 
12. The earth will become a God forsaken hellish place to live and to die upon. 

 
THE WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD 
 
In past messages, I've tried to convey another aspect of this hellish time, when Satan will have unlimited access to destroy the dwellers of the earth, known as the nations. The Tribulation will be bad, so horrible beyond description, but will be even more horrifying to those who are actually alive on earth at this time. Oh, it will be so much more terrifying beyond your wildest nightmare, as a Righteous and Holy God has unleashed all the power of His might upon a rebellious mankind who have rejected Him and His payment for their sins, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and His atonement written in His own blood, that God's fury is unleashed full strength.  
 
“Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.  
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,  
16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 

17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17) 

But this is just the beginning. It gets exponentially worse as time drags on and millions will die under the wrath of God. 

 
This period is the time of God’s wrath. The only precedents in history to this time are the worldwide flood of Noah’s generation and the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Of course, this event of God’s wrath will be the ultimate judgment of wickedness and will certainly surpass those two prior events as named above. The first time, destruction was by water. This time the destruction will be by fire...Jesus made it clear in Matthew 24 that this is the finale of judgment against the vileness of human sin.  
 
OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE 
 
The Old Testament prophets wrote of this time period through Holy Spirit inspiration when Isaiah wrote: 
 
27“Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:  
28And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.  
29Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.  
30the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.”(Isaiah 30:27-30). 
 
And again Isaiah prophesied: 
 
“Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?  
I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.  
For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.  
And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth” treadeth in the wine fat?  
I have trodden the wine press alone; and of the people there was none with me:”(Isaiah 63:1-6). 

 
This language has no connection with the tribulation that has been present from the beginning of the Church Age, even up until now. God Almighty will tread down evil mankind, as wine is pressed in a wine vat. God will march through His creation and destroy those who have rejected His mercy and His grace and have accepted the Mark of the  Beast. His judgment will be for the rejection of his perfect judicial opportunity for man's redemption and His cup of wrath will be full to the brim of His righteous indignation for their lawlessness. God will purify this earth from either end of the earth and back in man's blood. God will wipe all rebellion and sinful men from this earth leaving no one, but a remnant that He supernaturally protects from the Anti-Christ.  

Many will be saved during this time, but for their belief they will be killed in many terrible ways. The death and destruction will be world wide and the only ones that will live any length of time, are the ones who take a mark of the Beast, and their life will be short lived and will be doomed for all eternity and separated into a devil's hell.  

 
God will judge the world because they rejected His Son and His ultimate love to man. Jesus describes this judgment Himself,  
 
“And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.  
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.  
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city” (Matthew 22:1-7). 

 
If you closely read scripture that describes the scene of God's righteous indignation, then you get a glimpse of the carnage that will be on this earth, when by calculation of the billions that live on this earth right now...(estimated at over 7.7 billion people). 80% will die in 7 short years, with the majority dying in the last 3.5 years, known as the Great Tribulation. Can you even imagine of over 6 billion people dying in that short a time by untold acts of violence and environmental disasters? I can't and I don't want to, as I don't plan to be a witness to it for those years of man's complete hell on earth.  

 
When the picture of this event Jesus called “The Great Tribulation” is understood Biblically, then it bears no resemblance to the present tribulation that all believers endure to some degree. The gas chambers of Hitler were hell on earth and snuffed out millions of lives. At least six million Christians died, along with six million Jews. But this judgment to come is not the death of men to yet be raised in resurrection to face God in judgment. This Tribulation is the wrath of God Himself to which there are no claims of higher appeal. 
 
I can't even imagine what the Jewish people went through as they were systematically slaughtered and I hurt for them. But to have evil rampant in this world that you will live in, and have even God Himself raining judgment down on the top of your head makes your life very short and full of misery and pain. The environment will become completely toxic with rivers and streams of blood, water becoming bitter, people dying by the millions and billions until it finally takes your own life, then I hope your imaginations can grasp the hell on earth I'm describing. 
 
GOD'S WRATH IS AGAINST UNGODLY MEN 
 
“For we are not appointed to wrath, but to receive salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (1st Thessalonians 5:9) 
 
“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.” (Revelation 3:10) 
 
To those who are Pre-Tribulation rapture deniers, I ask you to show me in your Bible where God's wrath comes against His servants who are living for Him. Save yourself some trouble, as there are none. There is no place in Scriptures that this day can be identified to affect the Godly servant of the Lord. Whenever the First Testament prophets spoke of judgment, they always showed that God provided a haven for the righteous. Isaiah spoke of “a day of indignation.” He clearly revealed the provision of the Lord for the saints,  
 
“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain” (Isaiah 26:19-21). 
 
Scripture after scripture in your Bible proves that God never, ever subjects His chosen servants to His righteous wrath...and I mean NEVER. Malachi made the same argument when he wrote how God provides for His own: 
 
“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not” (Malachi 3:16-18). 
 
PRE -TRIB DENIERS 
 
I have had individuals email me and chastise me for giving Christian's a false hope, that when the Tribulation comes, they will not be prepared. Let me explain something to those who scoff at the scriptural sound doctrine of God removing His children from this earth before the 1st seal of Revelation chapter 6 is broken and His wrath is unleashed. Let us think logically here for a moment as I give you a scenario and tell me what the answer is.  
 
According to our Bibles, Jesus will come and the dead in Christ will rise first, at the last trump, and we who are alive and remain will join those who have been raised to join them in the clouds...right? (1st Thessalonians 4:15-17).  
If this happens at the end of the Tribulation, and Jesus returns to do battle with those who are gathered in the valley of Megiddo and destroys all rebellion on this earth, and all who have taken the mark of the Beast, (as there will be no middle ground) will be destroyed, then my question that I have proposed many times is, who will go into the Millennium as mortal beings to repopulate the earth? See the problem? The answer is NO one will be left mortal...the only doctrine that makes sense of the return of Jesus Christ before the Tribulation even starts, as those who survive the Tribulation are saints that escaped the wrath of the Anti-Christ, or those God supernaturally protected in the wilderness according to Revelation chapter 12:14-17 and they may be all Jewish. Those are the ones who go into the Millennium alive and mortal to repopulate the earth. Now back to the subject at hand, the horror of the coming Tribulation. 
 
SEVEN BOWLS OF THE WRATH OF GOD 
 
If the scenario that I have painted for you isn't bad enough, and if you're a fence sitter and have not made a decision for Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, then read Revelation chapter 16 if you really want to get into a funk which describes: 

1. Putrid sores that cover men, much like running boils or cancers. 

2. The sea is turned into blood, as that of a dead man, and everything dies. 

3. All fresh water, streams, rivers, and fountains of waters become blood. 

4. The sun becomes so hot, it scorches men with fire to burn men alive. 

5. Darkness covers the land that cause men to gnaw their tongues in distress, as the darkness must be painful. 

6. Rivers are dried up to allow the gathering of kings and men to Armageddon for man's last stand against God Almighty.  

7. Earthquakes, hailstones of 100 # weight called a talent weight, every mountain falling down flat, and islands sunk , see verse 18-21 of Revelation: 
    
    
    

18 “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” (Revelation 16:18-21) 

 
Are you starting to get the picture? This earth will literally be hell on earth, where mortal men will die by the millions daily, every day for 7 years. It will be a most ghastly and horrific time that my words cannot even begin to address in any adjectives that conveys the extreme pain and suffering that men will do to one another in their evil ways, and a Holy God who will purge this earth of every sinful, rebellious man and woman left alive on this earth. It will be near total destruction that Jesus said, if it were allowed to continue to its climax, “no flesh would be saved, but for the elect (tribulation saints) the days would be shortened”. (Matthew 24:22) God will rescue the last remaining humans alive to prevent man totally destroying the righteous remnant left.  

 
Now some will say, “Hey, Pastor, are you trying to preach hell fire and brimstone?”...my answer is yes, to a point. The intent is to get a sane individual to weigh and think upon what I'm describing. No sane individual that values their own mortal life would want to live through what I'm describing briefly and live out its details in real time. I really do hope I scare the “living daylights out of you” or as some say tongue in cheek, “Scaring hell right out of  you”, as that is what mankind left on this earth is headed for, hell on earth.  

If I was living this horror that's coming, I would have prayed someone would have scared me enough for me to think on my eternal future. Are you thinking about it? What is the answer to avoid such a horrible end of one's life? It's right in front of you, if you have your bible in your lap..His name is Jesus!! 
 
“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,God sent not His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be save.” (John 3:16-17)  
 
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (his name is Jesus)(Acts 4:12,) 
 
“Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,” (2nd Timothy 1:9) 
 
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”(Mark 16:16,) 

 
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Lest any man should boast.”(Ephesians 2:8-9 ) 

 
God our Father is long suffering not willing that any should perish, but also is a Holy and just God that will repay those who have rejected His free gift given in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. I will close with a scripture that identifies our God who is a God of love, but a God of judgment when His righteous wrath finally is poured out on this earth..and my friend, it is soon. Paul the apostle echoes Isaiah when he spoke of God as a consuming fire: 
 
“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:  
26: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.  
27:And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.  
28:Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  
29: For our God is a consuming Fire”( Hebrews 12: 25-29) 

I pray I have shaken you, made you feel uncomfortable, and unsettled in your mind and spirit while in your refusal of the free gift of grace given by God, because my friend, the coming Tribulation will be a horror that I pray you miss out finding out about. Repent and turn to Jesus while the time and chance is available this side of the Tribulation. Jesus could come any moment and without warning.  

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, pleading for your acceptance of the free gift of our Lord Jesus Christ and your salvation. If I can be of any assistance, either in counseling, prayer, or just a friendly, listening ear, drop me a line at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com,  God bless you all,  
                                   TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET