Authors note: This week’s article is rather lengthy. It is the conclusion I wrote to our book Discerners: Analyzing Converging Prophetic Signs for the End of Days
I believe it is more relevant to this hour even than when it was published a few years ago. Certainly we are now nearer that spectacular moment when the Lord Jesus Christ will call us to Himself in an atomos of time.
Our weekly column on the raptureready.com website is called “Nearing Midnight,” named so because we discern that planet earth has almost reached the midnight hour of the Church Age, or Age of Grace.
Whereas the geopolitical humanist powers that be frame their view of human history’s closing minutes within their “Doomsday Clock,” we observe these fleeting times before Christ’s call to the Church by placing the template of Bible prophecy over the converging of prophetic stage-setting.
The political scientists and other scientists can only guess at what will happen to the human race. Most all believe that humankind will meet its end from nuclear holocaust or by climate-change disasters.
We who give total credence to what God’s Word has to say about the consummation of the age can know for certain, through a detailed preview by God, Himself, how the end of all things will unfold. We don’t know precisely when the end will come. We can know, however, the general time when it will begin to manifest.
We can know for certain when the midnight hour of God’s prophetic timeline is approaching.
The Lord Jesus gave His family (born-again believers) explicit instruction about how and when to discern the nearing midnight hour.
And when you see all these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your head, for your redemption draws near. (Luke 21:28)
Note that Jesus didn’t say to watch for when these things “come to pass.” He said “when these things begin to come to pass,” we are to “look up and lift up our heads, for our redemption is drawing near.” At that time, He will be on His way to rescue His Bride, the Church, from the carnage that is about to take place on earth.
The blackness of the midnight hour will descend following that rescue of the Church. Seven years into the Tribulation, complete evil will have engulfed the planet with satanic darkness. The first bright gleaming that pierces that most horrendous time of all of human history will then burst through the billowing storm clouds of Armageddon. Brilliant light will part the heavens, and Christ and His army will appear.
So, discerning the times in which we find ourselves is all-important to the believer. If it wasn’t possible to discern the times, Jesus wouldn’t have told us: “What I say unto one, I say unto all. Watch” (Mark 13:37).
He promises in Revelation 3:10 that we’re not appointed to God’s wrath and will be kept out of the very hour of that wrath.
So, what are the things the Lord forewarned would be taking place—beginning to come to pass—that we see happening at this very moment? Exactly what are the things for which we are to look?
Remember, the whole Bible is the Word of God. And, Jesus is that Word (John 1:1).
Every prophecy, whether already accomplished or yet to come, is attributable to Him. God, the Holy Spirit, inspired the Old and New Testament prophets to give the prophecies. So, we don’t have to consider just what the Lord Jesus, Himself, said by way of prophecy to discern the times in which we live. We can and must consider every prophecy yet to be fulfilled, presented in the Bible by all Bible prophets, as part of the process.
I am of the camp that believes we’re seeing the stage being set for fulfillment of prophecy yet future rather than fulfillment itself. The one caveat concerns the nation Israel. My view is that Israel again being a nation after millennia of dispersion across the world is fulfilled prophecy.
That said, however, everything we see happening around us at this very hour has significance. Some things involved are profoundly significant.
One such profound sign of stage-setting for fulfillment is the coalition of nations forming to Israel’s north.
Russia (land of Magog), Iran (much of ancient Persia), and Turkey (the land of Togormah) coming together in a coalescing alliance is a spectacular example of God’s foreknowledge of things to come. These, of course, are exactly the central actors scheduled to come against God’s chosen nation, Israel, according to Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.
It must be agreed that much of the stage-setting itself is likened to fulfilled prophecy in some ways. For example, the Apostle Paul’s “perilous times,” presented in 2 Timothy 3, is almost a vivid snapshot of these spiritually darkening days. While prophecy yet future, for the most part, seems reserved for the Tribulation (Daniel’s seventieth week), developments in our nation and world today are becoming ever more like those given in God’s Word for that last seven years immediately preceding Christ’s Second Advent.
Luciferic darkening has so infected this generation in America and throughout the world that we who “watch” in order to discern the times are brought face to face with end-times insanity born of greatly increased rebellion against God. Other than the fact that Israel itself is what most discerners view as the most dramatic sign of where this generation stands on God’s prophetic timeline, there runs a deadly septicemia throughout humankind that marks this as a generation at the end of its prophetic rope. The infection proves we’re in the terminal stage of rebellion.
The Apostle Paul explains very clearly that infection, satanically injected into humanity’s collective bloodstream.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:18–32)
Carefully reread the above block of prophecy. It is astonishing how much it says about the human condition at the time of Christ’s next catastrophic intervention into mankind’s rebellion.
In my view, no descriptive could be more vivid or accurate of what has taken place in America over the past decade. This nation, despite its founding as a Christian nation—and it was so founded regardless of whether anyone wants to dispute the fact—has served as the prototype for the human condition and comportment given here by the Apostle Paul.
The most recent presidential election and the era surrounding it encapsulates practically every nuance of condemnable points about rebellious man herein characterized by the great apostle. It shows where we currently must stand on God’s prophetic timeline.
Paul points out that the culmination of all the rebellion against the God of Heaven results in the Lord turning the rebels over to a “reprobate” mind. This is where this generation, as a collective, stands.
A reprobate mind is one that cannot think clearly. These rebels turn everything upside down. Good is called evil and evil is called good in their convoluted world.
Even Christendom—all religious entities that claim Christianity as their base—has become terminally infected with this end-times lunacy. These are false-teaching, apostate wolves in sheep’s clothing who cannot (and do not even want to know) truth. They’re of the totally reprobate mind Paul described.
An example of this religious septicemia during our time is provided by my close friend and colleague, Daymond Duck. Daymond writes the following:
On June 16, 2019, the building caretaker at Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dan Davidson, dressed up as a drag queen called Sparke Leigh.
Sparke wore a purple dress, make up and high heels.
Sparke stood at the door of the church to greet people as they entered. (It seems to me that Auburn is a church in name only.)
During the children’s portion of the worship service, Sparke went on stage and read “The Story of Harvey Milk and The Rainbow Flag” (possibly the opposite of training up children in the way that they should go).
Sparke could have read Scripture and shared a Bible Story with the children (such as what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah), but Sparke preferred to talk about Harvey Milk and the rainbow flag (days of Lot, departing from the faith, even worse, turning evil into good and flaunting it at church, etc.).
Literal events like this are why I believe the Master of the House is coming (and soon). (The Master of the House is Coming, Daymond R. Duck, raptureready.com commentary.)
Indeed, in consideration of a worldwide cultural and societal 180-degree turn away from God, the spirit-filled discerner of these prophetic end times cannot but conclude that the moment of Heaven’s judgment must be very near at hand.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. (Titus 2: 13)
Terry James Prophecy Line 
EXACTLY! RIGHT ON TARGET! COME, LORD JESUS!!!!
I had gotten this book right after it came out and strongly recommend it to everyone. It is even more relevant now.
Jesus had said, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” {Matthew 24:22}
He was mainly referring to the Tribulation, but I think the same principle applies today in the sense that we believers are already an endangered species. If what is going on around us is allowed to persist, I think we’d become an extinct species.
Just look at what passes for the church today has become and I think that backs up my point. Rather than calling society to a higher standard (God’s), it has instead adopted its worst characteristics (man’s).
Even Jesus wondered, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” {Luke 18:8b}
Without his promised intervention, it wouldn’t be long before the answer would be a definite, “No!”
I have not read all your blog yet but I just had to say that Pastor Jack Hibbs of Clavary Chapel, Chino Hills, California was stressing the same passage in Luke 21 in exactly the same way you have done, which I hope encourages you. It certainly does me!
I have now finished reading your blog. I agree with it 100%, it is stunning in its simplicity and is encouraging in that which we are all looking up for – maranatha, Lord Jesus, please come. And it is very encouraging too to see I am not alone in my opinion.
Amen and Amen.
Gods judgement is getting closer , but don’t get carried away by wishful thinking. Too many seem to be giving up too soon on seeing their prayers for the lost fulfilled. That is, giving up on the lost! That includes some their own loved ones. They would pull up the ladder now because ‘I’m O.K.’. I am glad God is not a man that He would give up so easily. He is not and will not. I would remind everyone of another of His promises yet to be fulfilled – before the Rapture. “When the enemy comes in like a flood , the Spirit of The Lord will lift up a standard against him”. Isaiah 59 :19 (N.K.J.V.) That verse came to mind the other day when I was thinking -realising – that indeed the enemy has come in like a flood -in every way. Time to pray for that outpouring . The song “Its beginning to rain” came to mind also. I believe that we are approaching the ‘day of the latter rain of promise.’ Don’t give up!
Apparently there are different ways of interpreting Isaiah 59:19 – there are some bibles which, in effect, say the word ‘enemy’ is an incorrect translation and it should be the LORD! Personally I have no idea but this is how it reads in my NIV: “The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so His own arm achieved salvation for Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will He repay wrath to His enemies and retribution to His foes; He will repay the islands their due. From the west, people will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere His glory. For HE will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.” verses 15b to 19. By the way I do have other translations too but I cut my teeth on the NIV hence I knew there was something not quite right compared to that which I have read so many times.
It would be good to hear Terry’s opinion on this one.
I certainly can’t speak for everyone, but it seems to me that, rather than giving up, believers are acting with more urgency to get the message out about the course of history and showing how closely current events are matching what the Bible says the last days will be like.
Unfortunately, I do not think there will be a widespread final revival down here before Jesus comes back for the Rapture, quite the contrary. Organized religion is getting more corrupt and heretical, society is deteriorating. In fact, Paul shows us people will only get worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:1-4). Seems to me these are hardly the kinds of conditions that would be conducive to a wholesale revival.
For what they are worth, this is how I see things in this regard.
Thank you for your weekly report, it is very encouraging to know that there are many more like us, watching and ready to meet our Gracious Lord. We don’t have a church to go to, in the last 5-8 years we have gone to at least 6 church and after witnessing their doctrine we (my wife) and I just had to leave, hoping to find a true bible believing church but they were all the same, pastors in wolves clothing’s, So now we do church at home. Thank you, may God bless you and keep you safe. Pierre
If it is of any encouragement I do believe there are thousands of us, scattered across the world who cannot find a Bible believing church where the whole counsel of God is taught, including eschatology.
I live in Cyprus and have done so for ten years and we have not found one yet. We have now been ‘churchless’ for nearly three years. We now thank God that we have the internet because we have found some fabulous pastors (all Calvary Chapel guys) who fit the bill and so we have church with them.
Organized religion is a real mess ,for the most part. You are wise to get out of it as I did about 15 years ago, applying Paul’s advice to Titus regarding an individual heretic as a general principle when it came to my former and subsequent parishes:
Titus {3:10} A man that is an heretick after the first and second monition
reject; {3:11} Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
I stuck it out for a few years while I and a handful of others tried to get it to stand up to its bishops, but in the end, we saw it was a waste of time and left.
I am sure God honors your departure from an apostate church.
There are some of us out here who were not brought up in Christian homes and who have had no dealings with English of the 17th century. I am English and I loathed Shakespeare too from that same period. Therefore for me the two verse you have quoted were complete gobbledygook until I looked them up in a 21st century translation. And this is what I came across: “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” I trust some other ignorant souls, like myself, will now be able to understand your comment a little better.
Thanks for the modern version of the passage I quoted.
I would just add that the KJV version indicates by the use of the term “heretick” to avoid someone, and by inference, any entity that preaches error.
And, trust me, your previous comments to this site proves that you are certainly not ignorant!
My hubby and I are without a church, also. Many years ago, we were part of a fantastic Baptist church near Dallas TX. However, of late and after many visits of local churches, we have decided to hear Biblical teachings on the web. It is a sad day when a Believer can not fellowship in real life with other Believers, however there are many of us “out there”. Perhaps it is a good thing because it gets us out of the “Christian covey”.
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate you. I just think it is sad that it appears to me that we have so many pastors that seem to avoid the subject. They may preach it from the podium, but when the hour is over, or 2 hours, that’s it for the week. I wonder if any pastors actually go and speak/ confront those like the Drag queen at the Presbyterian church.. with compassion… confront those with love and truth. .. with God’s Word. It means caring about others. It means growing a backbone… not being lazy.
I really don’t understand why so many pastors do nothing but preach.. or write maybe.
Do they think because God has prophesied this will happen.. that there’s no point in taking action? Just sit back and what the show?
Are they afraid to ruffle feathers? Are they afraid of consequences to themselves?
I am trying to understand. So many preachers do not make themselves available for talking after service.
They say they are available for prayer sometimes but you can tell they are really in a hurry to leave. It’s sad.
What do you think?
Thanks in advance, Kathy
I believe you’re so right Jesus is at the door, and my husband and I can’t wait, we’re so excited!!!!
The only thing I’m upset about is our son has been in a relationship with another man for the past 10 years or so. My husband and I have tried to talked to him above the sin he is living in. We’ve raised him to believe that Jesus died on the cross for us sinners so we could be with him. My son believes that Christianity is a hooky pooka religion, and he doesn’t want to talked about it. We’re so upset and I want to know is there anything we go say or do to get thru to him?
Thank you for putting your blog post out here for everyone to read .
Dawn
Oh precious lady, how incredibly sad, I cannot even begin to imagine what you must be going through. It does appear as though you have done everything you can – as long as you do not cease to pray and, please, if he visits with his boyfriend, do not let them stay the night – I know that will be very hard but in the very act of doing that you will be condoning their relationship. I have true born-again Christian friends whose own faith has been made shipwreck because one daughter, after a divorce from her husband married her girlfriend and my friends went to the wedding, (even her young son was there and heaven knows what this has done to him) therefore robbing themselves of the right to bring godly input, tragically their other daughter is a medium! Therefore whatever you do be aware of how it might impact you, not that you can lose your salvation, but you could lose out in your walk now and your relationship with Jesus could be hindered or damaged. Never forget the enemy of our souls is a perfectr legalist.
Now for something really hard – you are going to have to let him go, really, let him go which is the hardest thing a mother has to do but Jesus needs to be first in your life and the more you fret over your son the less Jesus is first in your life. Your son needs to be free to make his own awful mistakes.
Please forgive me for this but this is truth and if your sister in Christ cannot give you truth who can? As the saying goes “faithful are the wounds of a friend” :Proverbs 27:6. May the Lord bring you great comfort and may you know how much more He is feeling for you than I am. God be with you.
I am sorry to hear about your situation.
The thing is, the best you can do is what you have done – present the information. Jesus did the same thing and then it was up to the listeners to decide what to do about it. As God in the flesh, he certainly could have compelled people to “do what he told them,” but he didn’t. I have no doubt he deeply regretted those who rejected both him and his message.
That’s what free will is all about. God gave us this gift and so we can choose our own course – along with the consequences, good or bad. I think a lot of people reject biblical Christianity because it clearly points this “accountability” factor out.
Nevertheless, just because someone denies the truth in no way changes the veracity of it. As I’ve said, you’ve done your job and now your son must make up his own mind.
God bless.
Dear Dawn, I know exactly what you are talking about as we have a son who is now living with a girlfriend. Supposedly, he was saved when he was just a boy and grew into his teenage years as a Godly kid. Then he went off to college and was greatly influenced by that environment.
It has been a very painful 20 years, or so. We just pray for him and love him as much as we can. Any mention of the Bible or God just turns him off. I really get the impression that he knows the truth but is rebelling against it. We continue to patiently and gently endure. Julia is right…please don’t ever allow such bad behavior to go on under your roof. You are not alone, my dear.
I have always endeavored to be faithful to what the Lord has shown me in what I have shared. I do not want to enter into argument with fellow Christians who may differ in opinion because of their different interpretation or teaching on any particular scripture. The Lord speaks in various ways. To me it has been often in visions and dreams. That relies on my interpretation so I try to be careful not to get it wrong but I ask you to pray about it until you have an answer.I do want to offer hope however and encourage all to believe God who is our hope.
Concerning the organised church, the Lord specifically called me out of it, well over ten years ago. He said He was rebuilding His house (the old one was to be demolished ).His new one would be in the ‘hearts of men’ . He would re-use the ‘materials’ from the old one where they were suitable (i.e people who were faithful. They would be cleansed and fitted to the new. Much of His new house will be hidden or ‘underground’. So be encouraged. if you find yourself in such conditions. Don’t go looking for another ‘church’ but find fellowship with true believers wherever it seems appropriate – homes, offices or elsewhere , even outdoors when suitable . Networking is important too, but most of all make certain that you are in right relationship with God and that those with whom you are in fellowship are of like-mind.
Why would He tell me this? “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to .His servants the profits ” (Amos 3:7).Ask Him if what I am saying is correct. Keep asking, but do nothing unless you are sure that He is approving it.
Actually I was taught much Shakespeare at school as it was part of our curriculum at the time , and I enjoyed it. But don’t get carried away by it. The person who brought that up was obviously not born again, like many who were or may be still a part of the church system, sadly .
Wow., Julia. I have many translations, including the NIV, but I gave up on the latter because of its inconsistencies with the others. Strong’s Concordance (which gives the original meanings of the words) leaves me in no doubt as to which is correct (referring to Isaiah 59:19) but by all means I would urge you to check with others to ensure that you have the right understanding.
Terry, do you have something to offer ?
Excuse me, are you saying that I am not a Christian? Really? I have just one response to that – Romans 14:4.
A BIG OOPS! I am not really that money-minded. I meant prophets of course. (I am not ‘in it’ for the profis)
ZZZZZ. Profits)
Julia, Are you talking to me? I am not sure who or what you are referring to, but since I did respond to you I want to make it clear that I was not saying or even suggesting that by anything I said. Your response seems a little ‘out of the blue’. People have different interpretations. The one you referred to ( Isaiah 59:19) is a typical example. It is not a salvation issue. We don’t have to get everything right to be Christian. I am not judging you and I can’t see where anyone else was. Is there something else troubling you? I am not trying to be clever but I seriously think you should talk to a Christian friend about anything which concerns you, openly. You seem rather ‘proddy’. ‘There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus’. Please, don’t let pride get in the way of learning the truth. .
Well there’s one thing you got me doing and that is laughing, what on earth does ‘proddy’ mean – I am English and am not too au fait with Americanisms. I have been married to my husband for 53 years and we became Christians within seven years of our marriage. We have in these years, pastored a church, led a prayer ministry team all over the world for a large miinistry and we are now missionaries. The one thing the Lord did the minute we became Christians was to devour His Word, ALL of it from cover to cover on a regular basis. Whilst I am able to acknowledge that pride is the most besetting sin in Christians I am not sure that it has gotten in the way of my learning the truth these days. Admittedly it did for years when we were, rather like the gradually boiled frog, sucked into NAR but, praise God He was able to get through to us and He rescued us some years ago. Isn’t it ironic we knew the Word of God but yet were thoroughly deceived. But these days I have nothing to be proud about unless it is my precious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth Whom I love with all my heart.
Is there something bothering me, no more than it is bothering anybody else. We have been in lockdown for nearly eight months but now restrictions are beginning to lift and we are becoming a lot freer than we have been for quite a while. These last couple of years because even Christians have believed the appalling and ly8ing narrative about covid have been very lonely but now that, I am sure is going to change and, on top of that, we are both so ancient that it truly is a toss up whether we die first or are raptured first either of which I welcome with open arms. I trust this puts you at ease and shows you that you have no need to be concerned, thank you.
:PS In Northern Ireland if you called somebody a ‘proddy’ you could likely get into real trouble.
PS this is the comment of yours which caused me to respond the way I did: “Actually I was taught much Shakespeare at school as it was part of our curriculum at the time , and I enjoyed it. But don’t get carried away by it. The person who brought that up was obviously not born again”
Hi Julia,
There was an earlier reference to Shakespeare than your 14 March comment, which you obviously read and were referring to. I cant find it now but it was he that Terry was talking about . He had attended church for some years and was totally rubbishing the experience and Christianity. It was he to whom I was referring. He obviously was not born again. That is discernment and not judgement.
The reference to Shakespeare meant nothing of significance to me. Academic ‘wannabes’ seem to feel that Shakespeare lends some weight. I came to enjoy a lot of his plays, thanks to the teachers encouragement, but do not regard him as being an authority to quote.
I could rubbish a lot of my experience in church, but I am, with hind- site, grateful for the experience and all I learned from it . I just wish it had not taken me so long. I am a slow learner apparently, but amazingly there are others still slower.
I am sorry. ‘Proddy’ was a word that just slipped out. It is not, as far as I am aware, an Americanism. I am a Kiwi and I try to avoid American expressions unless they are worthwhile. It is a colloquialism which is intended to mean ‘unduly sensitive’ about something. Able to be prodded. We used to be called proddy-hoppers by our Catholic neighbours and it always went over my head , like the word we used in retaliation. I take it that Northern Ireland was the origin of the apparent insult .
I am guessing that I may be just a few years older than you. I used to feel that it did not really matter whether the Rapture or death came first.’ To live is Christ and to die is gain’. However the Lord showed me that I would live to see the last Revival/outpouring of the Holy Spirt, after I told Him I was sick of hearing about it. I wanted to be in it! (There was always talk about revival somewhere -usually America. )I saw His Hand and in it a white cup.I believe He was saying ‘That will be your cup’. I expect to participate in the final outpouring.I have had hours of visions about it. I have to ‘bide my time’ when others tell me that they have different opinions. I do not trust opinions .I prefer the word of God ( Rhema and/or written word. Trouble is, the latter do depend on correct interpretation , translation, final understanding . I will find out one way or the other. I am not too concerned, seeing enormous benefits both ways, but I do love the truth.
With regard to your ‘dream/vision’ or whatever it was, may I recommend you do not eat cheese so close to retiring for the night. What you saw bears absolutely no relationship to the Word of God, all we – and by ‘we’ I mean the world – have to look forward to is God’s judgment. In the light of His Word and His promises. Why, in the name of all that is holy, should He provide us with another ‘great revival/outpouring’? The nations are ripe for His judgment and Israel needs to turn to her Saviour which she will do during the last half of the Tribulation.
Your claiming hours of visions is very, very, worrying and, to be quite frank, smacks of pride. I fear you have been seriously deceived but then ‘pride’ is not good at accepting the possibility of being deceived, hence why it took my husband and I such a long time to realise we had been deceived by NAR (New Apostolic Reformation), decades even, I say, to my shame now, that we worked with some extremely well-known names all over the world, that is how badly we had been deceived and how long God had to work on our pride. Thanks be to God He rescued us and brought us back to His Word and the plain and simple meaning of His Word.
In the meantime, before the Tribulation kicks off, Jesus will call His Bride home and, amazingly I can say this with all confidence, having not had a dream, a vision, or a word about it, apart from that which He says in the Bible.
If anybody has a word, or a dream, or a vision, which goes contrary to the Word of God then you can absolutely guarantee that it was NOT from God.
Again you say you “prefer the Word of God” then apply it to that which you believe God told you and it does not match up, not unless you dump the book of Revelation, the book of Daniel and the book of Ezekiel to start with.
My d.o.b. – 23.04.43.
Julia,
Nothing I have said goes against the word of God. I test everything as we are told to do. You still allowed yourselves to be deceived when you should
have known better. That is, as you know, a failure to properly apply Gods word, but we can all fall into that trap. I am not a liar, nor given to imagining things. I do not spout my own opinion but only say what I know is of God. I spoke of visions only for the sake of your understanding as, I thought, a mature Christian. I was wrong, but for the sake of other readers who may need further understanding, I offer this brief explanation. I did not say anything out of pride as you accuse me of doing.. What I have are the gifts which God has given me to equip me for service. (1 Cor., Chapter 12 and elsewhere)Plain reading ,unless you are a cessationist and subverting the word of God.Your own relating of all that you and your husband have done speaks more of pride to me . I am grateful for what God has done and is doing to use me. (F.Y.I mine is 15/1/41)
I am so sorry to see that you completely failed to see the difference between your comment and mine and I will leave it at that, as I have no need to be further shot down in flames with the ‘bullets’ which God designed for our growth not our spiritual death.
Actually I am going to try to reach you with the truth one more time because I am deeply concerned about your spiritual well-being so here we go.
There is a dichotomy between what you say and what you do, claiming that you do not want to argue when there’s every indication that you do! There’s a very real air of spiritual superiority in the way you write and have talked down to me, and with no reason at all have assumed things about me having other things troubling me (indicating that I am unstable, requiring counselling, and thus “unfit” to question you in any way). But there is a very valid reason for questioning you and your beliefs and claims.
Your very first one set some real alarm bells ringing with me, in that you reveal you hold to a ‘Latter Rain’ theology. In support of this, you “remind everyone” that Isaiah 59:19 promises an End Time pre-Rapture Revival. It does not. It simply teaches that the attacks of the Enemy on God’s people, no matter how heavy, are able to be thwarted through the Spirit. Your “reminding” people of the verse is just giving them your own personal spin on it. But we are told in 2 Peter 1:20 that “no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.” So you are essentially just bending Scripture to a form that can back up your “Latter Rain” great harvest of souls mindset, which simply does not tally with Biblical eschatology that tells us that the End Times will be characterized not by great revival but by great apostasy.
You also use personal dreams and visions to attempt to confirm this belief of yours, going so far as to claim the Lord showed you that you would live to see this revival. There’s such an NAR feel to what you declare. Even if we were to accept that you did indeed see a hand and a cup, anybody could read into that absolutely anything they wanted to – which was exactly what you did! Unsurprisingly, you do not trust anyone with a contradictory opinion – which says a lot about where pride lies in this discourse. Significantly, you put the Rhema – the spoken word – above the Logos – the written Word of God. Whose “rhema” are you actually hearing? Your “rhema” tells you that there will be a Latter Rain outpouring; the “logos” tells us that there will be a great Falling Away. Seems we have a God who contradicts himself.
As I said previously, you completely failed (which I guess was inevitable given your mindset) to see the difference between my commentary and yours: my testimony of pride in what I was involved in and on such a high level, coming before a great fall, and your haughty self-promoting put-downs. The bottom line is always going to be grace – or a lack of it.
I am now going to draw a firm line in the sand, and leave you to your delusional self-awareness-that-isn’t!
I think your misunderstanding of everything I have said is deliberate . What a distortion you convey .I am not familiar with Latter Rain teaching, beyond hearing that it was unhealthy. It did not seem to reach our shores. I simply referred to a song, which I had heard, which might have come out of that movement, but conveys to me that God is going to do what He promised .I refer to the Book of Joel, Chapter 2 and Acts , Chapter 2, which refers to Pentecost which was not the fulfilment, but a foretaste of what is to come. I do not set the Rhema above the Logos.. I use the latter to test the former,. but hold every word dear which proceeds from the Lord. . Your reading of my words was careless and again, I suggest deliberately .Your NAR referral is simply an attempt to smear me with something I am innocent of. Again , I say this for the sake of the casual reader who might be mislead by your comments. I take it that your’ line in the sand’ is the end of the folly. Sadly, further exchange would be futile.