“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:7-11 KJV
Here is a list of instructions for those who find themselves in the ‘End Times.’ It’s like a set of instructions given before you fly on a plane or if you live in an Earthquake or Tsunami danger zone. This list is given so that you might be prepared for what could lie ahead.
I remember as a child living in New Zealand, running under a door frame when earthquake tremors started in my home town. Since we lived next to the sea I was also aware of the fact that if the tide goes out a long way unexpectedly, run for the hills, for it’s a Tsunami coming. In those days we called it a Tidal Wave, as a Tsunami sounded like a Japanese Sandwich to us then. If the people in Thailand had known the warning signs on Boxing Day 2004, many lives would have been saved. You are given these instructions in case something like this happens, so you’ll be prepared. These may never happen, but the Return of the Lord isn’t a maybe, it’s an absolute certainty, so these instructions are very important.
You may know you are in an Earthquake or Tsunami Zone, but how do you know you are in the End Times? The way to find out is to look in the Bible and then at the Signs of the Times around you and you’ll see that we are well into the End Time Zone.
Here are just 4 of the obvious signs to show that we have arrived in the End Times, and they have only been with us for the last 70 years.
1. The Jews have returning home to their land is a major sign. The Muslims invaded Palestine in the 637 AD and controlled Jerusalem up until 1917AD when it was delivered by the British. The Jews then began to return home from all over the world as prophesied gaining their independence in 1948 AD.
2. Men are running to and fro all over the earth and knowledge increasing at an alarming rate. Daniel 12:4 tells us that this will be a sign of the End Times, when men will move fast and knowledge increase.
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. “
3. We are now exploring Space. For thousands of years man has tried to fly, but this feat was reserved for the End Times and in 1904AD man lifted off the ground in a flying machine. Since then we have even entered space. Joel 2:30 says that a sign of the End Times will be ‘Wonders in the Heavens’.
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. “
4. The Atom Bomb has been invented. Joel 2:30 also says that before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord there shall be Pillars of Smoke in the Sky. This can be taken in a several ways both negatively and positively. In Hebrew this word ‘Pillars’ means ‘Palm Trees’ of Smoke, which is a vivid illustration of a nuclear explosion. I’m not saying that there will be a nuclear war, but this will be a sign of the End Times. As I said in a previous message the pillars of smoke can also mean concentrated manifestations of the presence of God. Both are prophesied in the End Times.
The Bible shows us that if we find ourselves in the End Times then we are to do the things listed in 1 Peter chapter 4.
Basically it’s to be sober, pray, love one another, and use the gifts God has given to us. If this is what God wants us to do then you can be sure that Satan is vigorously opposing them.
When I look around me today I see much opposition to this list, even by Christians. Are we sober, praying, loving and using the gifts of God? Satan is all out to stop us obeying these instructions just as he resisted Moses following his God given instructions in Exodus. Look at how Pharaoh resisted Moses when God wanted the Children of Israel to come out of Egypt.
Also look at what Herod did to all the babies when Jesus was born in Bethlehem and what Satan sowed in the earth during the 1800’s with the birthing of the JW’s and Mormons in the midst of Great Revivals. Whatever important things God does, Satan tries to steal it all away or spoil it. Look at the parable of the Tares and the Wheat and how the birds of the air came immediately to steal the good seed away.
Here is the End Time Checklist.
How are you faring?
BE SOBER:
We are told to be sober, temperate and self controlled in the End Times, but we see the complete opposite occurring, even amongst Christians. People are getting drunk like never before and the age limit for drinking has dropped. Every day we read in the paper of all the violence, murder and crime committed by those under the influence of alcohol and it’s not just alcohol but from all sorts of drugs.
To show how things have changed. I remember when playing golf many years ago you only had a drink of beer after the game at the Club House. It was called the 19th Hole. Today people drink alcohol all the way around the course, why wait for the 19th Hole?
Because of the days in which we live so many are trying to escape reality with the excessive use of medication and harder drugs. They are now wanting to make recreational cannabis legal here in New Zealand.
Another translation of this verse says that we should be ‘sober minded’ and not think too highly of ourselves. When you listen to the way many celebrities boast about themselves today you can see that they are unaware of the times in which they live.
WATCH AND PRAY:
Luke 18:1-8 asks the question; “Will Jesus find a praying people when He returns?” I have noticed less praying by many Christians in the West today as opposed to 20 years ago. Prayer isn’t so popular anymore, especially amongst young people. We don’t mind singing and praising but prayer can be a problem especially when it’s with others in a prayer meeting. The trouble is we are too busy with our work, sport or watching television or playing video games to find the energy and time for prayer. Most often we only pray when we are forced into a corner. Look at Jonah when he was running away from God, he didn’t start praying until he was in the belly of the whale and many of us don’t pray until we are in a tight corner either.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER:
In these End Times we are called to love both man and God like never before, but being kind and gentle is frowned upon by modern man. Look at pictures of Pop Groups now days; they can’t even smile at the crowds as it doesn’t look ‘cool.’
We are taught by many that in the achieving of our goals we are to use and abuse people in order to get to the top. But this isn’t the way of Jesus. The trouble is we are a generation that cares more about ‘things’ than people. When Jim Bakker the shamed TV Evangelist was being sentenced, the Judge said that Jim began his ministry by loving people and using things. But as time went by he began using people and loving things.
Matthew 24:12 says that in the End Times the love of many will grow cold and this really is a problem today. Our generation has produced a loveless people. So often we end up fighting each other more than the enemy of our souls, the Devil. Love is very important in the eyes of God for we may not be perfect but when God see our love for Him and others it covers a multitude of sins.
We too should be keener to cover the faults in others and love them unconditionally. This is called Agape love. The God kind of love that loves unconditionally.
So often we are just regarded as a number in a big Church. I often hear of people who start going to Church and are asked more than once whether they are new. The person asking them didn’t take much notice the first or second time as they weren’t really all that caring. During the ‘lock down’ a friend of mine wasn’t contacted to see how he was during those 6 weeks even though they were part of the Home group that had their number.
USE THE GIFTS GIVEN:
As far as the Gifts of the Spirit are concerned we see them less and less even in Pentecostal circles. Prophecy is becoming a rarity and healings a thing of the past for many Churches today.
We love to praise but fail to prophecy.
1 Corinthians 13:1 says that we should covet the best gifts of the Spirit. Man is getting too clever for his own boots and says that prophecy is really just preaching and tongues are speaking in different languages. One clever critic says that the miracle of the loaves and the fishes in the Bible wasn’t such a big deal after all, for the loaves were really big in those days. He also said that a lot of the miracles that happened in the Exodus were due to a volcanic eruption.
We shouldn’t be hiding our ‘giftings’ today, whether they are our natural gifts or our spiritual ones. This is the time to be using our talents for God and not burying them in the sand. If Jesus used the Gifts of the Spirit to enhance His ministry (and He was the best preacher in the world) then how much more should we seek the gifts of the Spirit?
Do you believe that you are in the End Times? If you do then make sure that you are following the instructions given to us by God and live a sober life, praying always, loving one another and using the gifts God has given us. Amen.
