“The Bestest Feast Ever!”

…That’s the way it was described by me and everyone there. What a wonderful time we had.  As you know, I try to have a teaching theme for the Feast and this year it was, Time-lyin’. This was to be a look at false prophecies of the end-times that have affected our day and also recent history. The study for the series was so depressing that I decided to combine them one by one into an uncomfortably long sermon and then attach the over-arching message.

I decided to reiterate the ending message in this email. Not only to remind those who were there, but to reach those who could not come, with this important conclusion.

Time-Lyin’

We live in a time when prophecies about the end of the world, the coming of Christ, the coming of the antichrist, the destruction of the planet… Oh my goodness, I just realized this list will be nearly endless if I don’t just quit now. The fact is that since the Internet, every idiot with a concordance and an over-active imagination can say and publish anything they want to excite and incite what would normally be very intelligent people to believe the most ridiculous things. As a matter fact, I have been fascinated with the fact that it seems to be the intelligentsia that were so taken in by the tomfoolery of blood moons, planet X, solar eclipses, comets … oh my goodness, I just realized I am involved in another very long list.

I suppose everyone knows that the world did not end when it was expected on September 23, 2017 and every other prophesied time as well.  For those of you who do not watch the news, the world did not end – it didn’t even hiccup.

It is really not my intention to point out all the stupidity of the purveyors of these ridiculous applications of so-called scientific facts, nor is it my intention to lampoon those who believed it. In reality, I feel sorry for both.

Our Lord Jesus went to a lot of trouble to tell us how to handle end-time events. None of which, by the way, involves the following:

• scouring your Bible
• matching Scriptures with historical events / dates / times
• playing with equidistant letter sequences or
• interpreting rare, scientifically predictable events into “signs of the heavens”

In reality, our preparation for the end of the age, the end of our lives, and the end of our society as we know it, all culminate in one solid piece of advice.

Horrible events happen to all persons but there is no need for us to perish by them. Even the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that good and bad things happen to good and bad people. We should not be surprised by this. But as Jesus tried to tell us when he spoke of the Galileans who were slain at the altar, and the persons upon which the tower at Siloam fell, He offered His advice, “Except you change, you will all likewise perish.”

Oh, yeah? Change what?

Well, it’s simple. Change the way you process information. Change the way you trust those who are intent on scaring you, motivating you, merchandising you, and perhaps even using your fear as their entertainment.

Harold Camping was not the last of his kind. The solar eclipse experienced recently was not the last one we will see. The Planet X scare was not the last hoax. So, what do we need to change?

I think a little piece of advice, perhaps some new information, perhaps even old information may be able to settle you if you are one who believes that God uses rare (but not scientifically inexplicable) portents and signs to try to tell us what Jesus spent his entire ministry stating and restating,

“The end is near.”

My friend the end is near. Your end is near. The chances are very good, even if the end of the age is 15-20 years away, you will never see it. Wouldn’t it be a shame to find yourself 20 years from now in the same condition you are today having only added fear and dread and cowardice to your list of characteristics?

So, here’s the kicker.

If you need to change – do it now! 

There is not one bit of difference between the way we should be – the way we should act – where we should spend our money – how we should provide for our family – how we should worship our God – or any any other characteristic of Christianity whatsoever – and the way we should live in the severest tribulation.

There is no difference at all in the way we should live if the end of the world is tonight, tomorrow, 20 years from now or 200 years from now – IF you are Christian!

IF you are not a Christian – become one!  “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Eph. 4:15)

• Keep the commandments.
• Never, ever violate your conscience.
• Take time every day to hear the voice of God (guidance).

We cannot prepare for those days without guidance.  Concerning preparation for tribulation the Prophet Amos said, “Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.”

In reality, there is no effective preparation, other than the preparation of ourselves. We should pray, we should live, we should minister to our neighbor, and we should worship our God, now as in the day of our end (with a pure heart intent upon being the people He wants us to be). If that is the case, it makes no odds pertaining to tribulation distractions, wicked politicians, planets crashing into the earth, plagues, wars and rumors of wars.

Our mission is still the same, “To simply be God’s people full of His spirit and wisdom and knowledge.”

Don’t get sidetracked.

Friendly,

Don C Harris