BIBLE PROPHECY--INTRODUCTION

BIBLE PROPHECY

INTRODUCTION
MATTHEW 16:1-3; II PETER 2:19-21

Introduction:

During the life of Jesus Christ, He dealt with the religious crowd of His day, called the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus spoke to them declaring their inability to discern the signs of the times in Matthew 16:2. We have our religious Pharisees of our day also. They are religious but lost. Many are pastors of social clubs that call themselves “churches.”

I. WE ARE LIVING IN CHANGING TIMES

A. Our nation has always been an IMMORAL nation.

1. Immorality implies that there is a standard of morality.

2. But now it is fast becoming an AMORAL nation, that is, it has no moral standard whatsoever. David said in 2 Samuel 22:5-6, “When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; 6-The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;”

a. David saw distress all around him and feared.

b. However, David also remembered FROM WHOM his strength came, 2 Samuel 22:7, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.”

B. Churches (made up of people, not buildings) are becoming much like the world in which they exist, 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

1. They are “neither cold nor hot,” Revelation 3:14-16, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15-I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16-So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

2. God threatens TO REJECT them as true churches, “16-So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

II. WE ARE LIVING IN PREDICTED TIMES

A. These times are OUTLINED in the Scriptures, Isaiah 14:24, “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:”

B. Our times are PROPHESIED, Luke 17:26-36, which declares that the time of the COMING OF THE LORD will like the times of Noah and Lot.

C. Our times are PERILOUS times, 2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”

1. Paul’s description, 2 Timothy 3:2-4, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3-Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4-Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;”

2. However, they continue to be RELIGIOUS, 2 Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

III. WE ARE LIVING IN CHALLENGING TIMES.

A. It is later than you think, Romans 13:11, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”

1. The implication is that the 'Second Coming of the Lord' is very close, James 5:8, “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

2. The challenge is to be FAITHFUL during these difficult times, Psalm 12:1, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”

B. It is a time for strong hearted men to show COURAGE, Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

1. It is always easier to give up or to move on to some other place or church, however the same conditions exist there if they are standing for the Lord.

2. We need to make up our mind if we are going to serve the Lord OR are we going to AID THE DEVIL by doing nothing or running away from the confusion the devil causes during this time just before the Lord’s coming.

CONCLUSION

We have the opportunity to make a difference among Christians today by standing for the truth. In order to stand we will have to be strong in the Word of God and Prayer. This is a time for men to stand and not for the faint hearted. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” “Quit” = to show one’s self a man, be brave.