Help is on the way, but you got to hang in there

Written By Dr. Ps.Vojran Bhatta

Until recently, I refrained from sharing the testimony of God’s grace in my life, especially among Nepali speaking world because it includes too many names that inflicted too much pain in my life and without mentioning them, my testimony is not complete.  What makes it more difficult for me to share my testimony is that the most of the sufferings I endured as a Christian were at the hands of missionaries, pastors and Christian friends, primarily because I refused to be a bread and butter Christian.  But now, as I plan to publish an autobiography as how God has led me thus far, I am sharing some of the anecdotes.  But in no way do I feel bitter for what they did to me.  In fact, if it was not for them, I won’t be where I am today.  Frank Boreham tells a true story that illustrates how I feel when I share my stories.

From England, when Boreham went for his first pastoral assignment at Mosgiel in New Zealand, there was a maiden named Lexie Drummond, possibly in her 30s; slightly overweight but wonderfully attractive woman who was always busy in helping the villagers in one way or the other.  Eventually took the membership of the church where Boreham ministered.  After enjoying many years of active service in that church, one day, Lexie broke down emotionally.  Turns out, Lexie was running from her past.  She chose Mosgiel because there no one knew who she was in her past.  She wanted a brand new future. 

Back in her home village of Hokitiu, Lexie had fallen in love with David Bannerman.  Bannerman was an active youth worker in Hokitiu Church but Lexie had no interest in what he was doing.  But they both loved each other dearly.  Lexie had one problem.  David had a beautiful cousin named Sadie McKay whom Lexie despised.  Being a good youth worker, David was good to everyone, but at the end of each church activity, he had to endure Lexie’s jealous fits.  However, David was such a calming assurance, after a while he would bring Lexie back to her normal smiling face.  

Unfortunately one day while Sadie was riding her wagon, she lost the control of her horses.  She was being hurled from one way to another, screaming for her life.  The more she screamed, the faster the horses galloped and as it happened, David was at the outside of a shop for some errand in town.   Witnessing the horror, he jumped on the wagon, hoping to control the horses.  Control he did, but he himself fell in front of the houses who stomped on his right shoulder, tearing it apart.   After a prolonged stay in hospital, it had to be amputated.  Lexie never went to see him in the hospital because he did that to save Sadie.  Lexie left the village; fell in love with some bloke visiting from England who promised to make her princess if she accompanied him back to England.  To her dismay and horror, she found out he was a swindler and a drunkard.  It was then; she went to live in that little town of Mosgiel so that no one would ever know whatever had happened to her in England.  

Meanwhile David had to learn how to make a living with one left hand; he missed Lexie but at the same time knew it was unfair for him to hope for her to be his bride.  Before Lexie left New Zealand, he had managed to hand her that letter of farewell and good will.  As a farmer, there was no way he could make a living in Mosgiel, so, David also left Hokitiu for Auckland to learn a new trade that would only require one hand. 

Under the faithful ministry of Boreham’s preaching, Lexie began to see her own wicked heart.  Without letting her guards down about the past, she undertook the task of repairing it by performing every available ministry in the church and throughout the village of Mosgiel; if there was anything to be done, anyone to be cared for, she would be the first person to volunteer. 

Alas, a day came.  She came crashing down with the load of loneliness and guilt.  She began to realize how innocent David was.  Watching her own life, now she realized how great a Christian he was.  How much David wanted to help those youths to know Christ.  He even risked his life to save his cousin; lost his arm, lost his future.  She even wondered about the fate of Sadie.  Lexie knew it was her jealousy that ruined many lives.  

After an hour of crying and confessing her sins to the pastor, Lexie felt better and went on her usual ways of serving the community.  From that day onward, she had a brighter face and lighter steps in what she did.  Time went on, years went by.  Boreham continued to rise in fame as his Sunday sermons were now being printed for a local newspaper reaching far and wide as far as Australia, England and even to the new world.  He began to be known as the preacher of the heart.  Interestingly, Boreham was the last student Charles Spurgeon had enrolled in his school of preachers.  After two days of admitting Boreham, the prince of preacher had died. 

One morning while Boreham was reviewing his newspaper and the printed sermon, he saw an announcement that startled him.  It read, “Mr. David Bannerman, the brilliant Auckland solicitor, has been appointed Lecturer in Common Law at the Otago University.”  And, the newspaper went on to give details of Mr. Bannerman's success, but there was no mention of his marriage and family.  Boreham was certain that this must be the Bannerman Lexie talked about.  Otago University was only about 10 miles from Mosgiel.  For better or worse, one day, he wrote to the professor about Lexie.  The reply comes, “Wire me immediately the lady’s address”.  In three months times, they both were married and went on to live a happy life with many children. 

In her old age, she wrote back to Boreham a letter of thanks and said, “I am getting to be an old woman now, and I spend a lot of time in looking backward.  Isn’t it wonderful?  It all came right after all!  But for the accident, Davie would never have been a professor; and, if we had been married in the old days, I should only have been a drag and a hindrance.  As it is, we have passed o’er moor (wasteland) and fen (swamp), o’er crag and torrent; but the Kindly Light that I once doubted has led us all the way”. 

So, my friends, the same Kindly Light that has led me thus far will lead you on into victory.  Just hang on there when the going gets tough.  

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Problems Between Rich & Poor Pastors

गरीब र धनी पास्टरको समस्या

प्रिय मित्रहरू,

त्यो मानिस माहान हो जसले आफ्नो लागि नभएर अरूकै लागि केही गरेर यो संसारबाट विदा हुन्छ। आफ्नो लागि मात्रै वास्था गर्ने मानिसको उदाहरण यूनानी किम्वदन्तीमा उल्लेखित प्राचिन पुरूष नारकिसोसले छोडेको छ। नारकिसोसको नामबाटै पश्चिमा संसारमा “नारसिसिजम्” भन्ने सब्दको उत्पत्ति भयो जुन सब्दले आफ्नै रूपसँग मोहीत भएको मानिसलाई बुझाउँछ। किम्वदन्ती अनुसार नारकिसोस अति नै सुन्दर र घमण्डी थियो। म जस्तो अरू कोही छैन भन्दै आफ्ना प्रशंसकहरूलाई समेत उसले घ ृणा गर्दथ्यो। उसको अहंकारलाई ठिक पार्न नेमेसिस नामकी स्त्रीले उसलाई एउटा सुन्दर र सफा पानी को पोखरीमा लान्छे। पोखरीमा प्रतिविम्वीत आफ्नो रूपलाई देख्ने वितिक्कै नारकिसोस घोप्टो परेर हेरेको हेर्‍यै भयो। उसले आफ्नो छायाँलाई यति मनपरायो कि उसले त्यो ठाउँ छोड्नै चाहेन र अन्तमा त्यो छायाँलाई हेर्दा हेर्दै उसको म ृत्यु हुन्छ।

आफ्नो लागि मात्रै जीवन जीउनुमा खासै रस छैन कारण नारकिसोसको छायाँ जस्तै यो जीवन पनि क्षणिक मात्रै हो। अाज रमझम र तडक भडक गरे पनि भोलिको कुनै ठेगान छैन। तर आज हामीले कसैको यो क्षणिक र दु:खी जीवनमा केही मात्रामा भए पनि आनन्द र खुसी थप्न सकेको खण्डमा हाम्रो लागि भोलि आफ्नै अर्थ लिएर आउने छ।

अरूको लागि केही गर्न उ ठुलै मानिस; धनी, मानी र ज्ञानी नै हुनुपर्छ भन्ने छैन। भए त झनै राम्रो। तर हुनै पर्छ भन्ने छैन। केवल उसको मन हुनुपर्छ। अर्काको दु:खेको घाउमा मलहम लगाउने मन प्राय सबै मानिसमा हुँदैन। मानिस मानिस न त हो। उसका पनि थुप्रै घाउहरू छन्। तर जब हामी आफ्नो घाउलाई बिर्सेर अर्काको दु:खिरहेको घाउको वास्था गर्छौं, तब हाम्रो घाउ आफै निको पनि हुनसक्छ।

हुनत संसारमा धर्महरूको कुनै अभाव छैन। तापनि, येशू जस्तो मुक्तिदाता अन्त कतै छैन भनेर बाईबलले भन्छ र हो पनि। येशूले मानिसका पापका, रोगका, गरीबीका, र बन्धनका घाउहरूलाई छोएरै निको पार्नुहुन्छ र भाँचिएका र टुक्रियका मनहरूलाई फेरी जोडिदिनुहुन्छ। एक पटक कसैले येशूलाई साँच्चै चिन्दछ भने त्यो व्यक्तिले आफ्नो जीवन आफ्नै लागि जीउँदैन। परमेश्वर र मानिसको लागि उ जीउँन थाल्छ। मानिसलाई मुक्तिको सन्देस सुनाउनु उसको जीवनको मुख्य लक्ष बन्दछ भने उसलाई पालनपोषण गर्ने जिम्मा येशूको हातमा जान्छ।

हो, आज नेपाली ईसाई समाजमा धेरै दु:ख छ। गएको एक हप्ता मैले सिन्धुपाल्चोक जिल्लाका केही मण्डलीमा सेवा गर्ने मौका पाएँ। राजधानीको निकट जिल्ला भए पनि खासै जीवन स्तरमा कुनै सुधार देखिँन। मण्डलीमा आउने विश्वासीहरूको भौतिक अवस्था झनै नाजुक देखिन्थ्यो। पास्टर, अगुवाहरूको अनुहारमा पनि एक किसिमको हार अनि अनिश्चितता। माहाभुकम्पले थपिदिएको दु:खको त कुरै नगरौँ र राज्यले गरेको दुर्व्यवहारको पिडा अर्कै छ। यस्तो अवस्थामा कता कता मण्डलीलाई नै नैराष्यको आत्माले छोएको जस्तो लाग्थ्यो; हार खाएको भान हुन्थ्यो। एक जान पास्टर त लगभग २० बर्ष अघिनै म कहाँ केही भौतिक सहयोगको आशा राख्दै आएका थिए कारण काठमाण्डोका प्राय सबै पास्टरहरूले केही न केही उपाए लगाएरै भए पनि आर्थिक उन्नति गरेकै हुन्छ भन्ने विश्वास छ गाउँ बेँसीका पास्टरहरूलाई। हो पनि। सहरका मण्डलीहरूले आर्थिक उन्नति गरेकै हो। यो उन्नति कसरी भयो भन्ने एउटा जटील पक्ष त छँदै छ।

सहरमा आरामदायी जीवन यापन गर्दै “परमेश्वरले दिएको आशिषमा” रमाईरहेका पास्टरहरू जब दु:खी र गरीब विश्वासीहरू माझ पुग्छन् तब दया हो या दोष हो या लोभ, भन्नै गाह्रो, केही न केही जागरे आउँछ उनिहरूको मनमा। सायद दयाको खोल भित्रको दोष र लोभको मिश्रण पनि हुनसक्छ त्यो। आफ्नो मण्डली वा सम्प्रदायको प्रभुत्वलाई स्वीकारेमा पास्टर अगुवालाई हजार पन्द्रसय, विश्वासीहरूलाई पुराना लुगाफाटा वा यस्तै यस्तै भौतिक राहातको आस्वासन दिएर फर्किन्छन् फोटो र भिडियोहरू टन्न खिचेर।

भौतिक सहायता चाहिने कुरा हो। सकेमा सबैका गरीबी र रोग-व्याज सदाको लागि हटाउन सके झन कति राम्रो। सबैलाई जागिर मिलाउन सके कति राम्रो। तर प्रभु आफैले यहूदा स्कोरितीलाई भन्नुभयो “गरीबहरू त तिमीसँग सधैँ रहनेछन्” कारण यो संसार पापको बसमा छ र यी गरीब पास्टर र विश्वासीलाई बल्छीको चारो बनाउनु पनि पापैको लक्षण हो।

अरूका लागि केही गर्नु भनेको खाली भौतिक सहयोग गर्नुमा मात्रै समित हुनुहुँदैन कारण अधिकांस समय भौतिक विपन्नताको पछाडी आत्मिक विपन्नताको हात हुन्छ। सहरबाट जाने पास्टरहरूले कसरी यी गरीब र दु:खी विश्वासीहरूको जीवनमा आनन्द र खुसी थप्न सक्छन् होला त? यदि म आफै गरीब र दु:खी छु भने म कसरी यसबाट उकासिन सक्छु त? यदि म गाउँको पास्टर हुँ भने कसरी त्यो गाउँमा म सफल सेवा गर्नसक्छु त? मलाई के चाहिएको छ?

१) गाउँका पास्टर र गरीब विश्वासीहरूलाई विदेशी दाता होईन स्वर्गका परमेश्वर चाहिएको छ जसले उहाँका सबै खाँचोहरू पुरा गर्नुहुनेछ। मानिसले दिएर हाम्रा भौतिक आवस्यकताहरू कहिल्यै पुराहुन सक्दैनन्। हाम्रो गरीबी र दु:खबाट केवल परमेश्वरले मात्रै हामीलाई उकास्न सक्नुहुन्छ। कसैको दयामा बाँचेको मानिस झन् दरिद्र हुन्छ।

२) भौतिक सहयोगको लागि गरिएका मानिसका प्रतिज्ञाको सट्टा जीवित परमेश्वरले गर्नुभएका प्रतिज्ञाहरूलाई समात्नु परेको छ। पाप पखाल्नको लागि गरिएको सहायताले हामीलाई आशिष दिँदैन। तर परमेश्वरको वचनमा भर पर्ने मानिस खोलाको किनारमा रोपेको रूख जस्तै हुनेछ जसका पात कहिल्यै ओईलाउँदैनन्, जसले हरेक ऋतुमा फल दिन्छ। उसले जे पनि गर्छ त्यसमा त्यो सफल हुन्छ।

३) आफ्नो वास्तविक परिचयको परिभाषा भौतिक उपलव्धीबाट नभएर आत्मिक उपलव्धीबाट परिभाषित हुनुपर्‍यो। वचन र पवित्र आत्माको शक्ति केवल सहरका र धनी पास्टरको लागि मात्रै होईनन्। लेख्न पढ्न सक्ने जुनसुकै व्यक्तिको जीवनमा वचनको ज्ञान र आत्माको भरपुरीले उदेकको काम गर्नसक्छ। तर यसको लागि हाम्रो सोच परिवर्तन हुनुपर्‍यो। स्वाभिमानी पास्टर बन्नको लागि चुनौतिहरूलाई आत्मिक तवरले जित्नुपर्‍यो।

४) सेवाकाईमा आउनुको मुख्य कारण आफ्नो लागि हो वा मानिसको लागि हो; निश्चित हुनुपर्‍यो। पेट पाल्नको लागि सेवामा आएको भए, सेवा छोडेर कुनै काम व्यवसाय गर्दै मण्डलीको सक्रिय सदस्य हुनु राम्रो। येशू प्रभुले हामीलाई “गएर पेट पाल्नको लागि चेला बनाउ” भन्नु भएन। क्रूस उठाएर जानको लागि बोलाउनुभएको छ। आफ्नो लागि हामी बाँच्दैनौ, ख्रीष्टको लागि र उहाँका मानिसको लागि हामी बाँच्नु पर्ने हुन्छ। त्यसकारण नारकिसोस जस्तो सेवकको काम छैन् परमेश्वरको राज्यमा।

५) स्वर्गिय आशामा जीवन जीउन सिक्नुपर्‍यो। संसारमा रहुन्जेल कुनै पनि भौतिक उपलब्धी गर्न सकिएन भने पनि आनन्दित हुँदै सेवामा समर्पित हुनसक्ने मनको लागि स्वर्गको दर्शनले हाम्रो मजगलाई भरेको हुनुपर्छ।

हुने खाने पास्टरहरूले पनि भौतिक सहयोगको चारो देखाउनुको सट्टा विश्वासी र कम्जोर पास्टरहरूलाई परमेश्वरको वचन र पवित्र आत्मामा भर पर्न सिकाउनु पर्‍यो। त्यसको लागि आफुमा भएको भक्तिको भेषलाई त्यागेर शक्तिलाई धारण गर्नुपर्‍यो। हिँजो अस्ति सम्मको लोभ र लालचको पापबाट पश्चताप गर्दै परमेश्वरको शक्तिमा कसरी भर पर्नसकिन्छ भनेर आफैले अनुभव गर्नुपर्‍यो। परमेश्वरको आशिष चतुर्‍याँईबाट नभएर उहाँका प्रतिज्ञामा गरेको विश्वासबाट अनुभव गर्नुपर्‍यो। तब मात्रै हामी अरूलाई पनि यो आशिषको बाटो देखाउन सक्छौँ। गरीब र दु:खी विश्वासीहरूले पनि परमेश्वरका प्रतिज्ञामा भर परेर उनीहरूको गरीबी र दु:खबाट सदाको लागि मुक्ति प्राप्त गर्नेछन्।

Written By Dr. Ps. Voj Raj Bhatta

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He is coming back to this Earth very soon.

Now, Jesus Himself made it crystal clear that we cannot know the date of His return. He stated in Matthew 24:36, “of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

But, the Bible makes it equally clear that those who have the Holy Spirit living in them — that is, those who believe in Jesus as Savior — can understand the nature of the times that mark His return (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6).

And folks, the season of the Lord’s return is now! We are coming to the end of one age and the beginning of the age of Jesus’ glorious reign right here on earth.

Signs that Show How to Know

What does God reveal in the Bible that shows us that now is the season of the Lord’s return?

Well, there are nearly 500 prophecies in the Old Testament and in the New Testament 1 in every 25 verses that describe Jesus’ Second Coming. Included in these prophecies God gives us an abundance of signs to be looking out for to know how soon Jesus’ return will be.

Signs of Society

What are these signs? Well, one of the categories of signs to be looking out for pertains to the nature of Society. In Matthew 24:37 Jesus says that His coming “will be just like in the days of Noah.” What the Lord is saying here is, “I’m going to come back in a time when the earth is in as bad a shape as it was in the days of Noah.” In other words, world society will go full circle and return to being as evil as it was in those days.

Genesis 6 describes the days of Noah when mankind’s “minds were focused upon evil.” In the days of Noah, immorality and violence were everywhere. The Apostle Paul spells it out in detail (2 Timothy 3:1-4), “Realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” Truly that is the condition of society today.

Signs of Technology

Another category of end-time signs pertains to the amazing advancements in Technology.

Daniel 12:4 said there would be an explosion of knowledge and an increase in the rapidity of transportation at the end of this age. The Bible describes scenarios that depend on mass communication, satellite television, the Internet, computer technology and medical advances that have become a reality only in our day and time.

For example, Jesus foreshadowed nuclear weapons in Luke 21 in speaking of people “fainting from fear” due to the “powers of the heavens being shaken,” and how people will wish to hide underground to escape the devastation (Revelation 6:15).

Think how amazing it is that in the 20th Century people began on horseback and ended in a rocket.

Signs in World Politics

Yet another category of signs pertains to World Politics. The Bible prophesies a very specific end time configuration of nations.

Israel is pictured as a nation once more that is surrounded by hostile Arab neighbors intent on its destruction. This, of course, has been the situation in the Middle East since the Israeli Declaration of Independence in May of 1948 (Ezekiel 35:1-36:7; 37:21-22).

Daniel prophesied that the Roman Empire would be revived. This began with the formation of the European Union (Daniel 2:36-41).

The Bible prophesies a great power located in the “remote parts of the north.” This nation will menace Israel in the end times and will ultimately lead an invasion of Israel together with specified allies, all of which are modern day Muslim states (Ezekiel 38:1-39:16). Russia and its Muslim allies fit this description precisely.

Spiritual Signs

More evidence that Jesus will soon return is that at the end of this age Spiritual signs will abound.

Three times in Matthew 24 Jesus warns that the end of this age will see many false prophets claiming to be Christ with a resulting rise in cult followings, misleading many people away from the true teachings of the Bible.

Satanism in the form of witchcraft, New Age, and the occult were prophesied to become mainstream, and so they have. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:1 that “the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.”

And, many churches will become apostate, denying Jesus and ignoring His moral law. Paul writes about those who profess to being Christian in 2 Timothy 4:3-4,“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine… and will turn aside to myths.”

But, the signs are not all bad news. We are told that there will be some very positive spiritual signs in these end times. For instance, Jesus said that the Good News of salvation will spread throughout the world. He said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

There also will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a greater interest in Bible prophecy and understanding of it (Matthew 24:14; Joel 2; Daniel 12).

Signs of Nature

As a result of all this turning away from God, God will increase the signs of Nature. Natural disasters of every type increasing greatly in frequency and intensity like “birth pains” are God’s way of calling people to repent and return to a loving relationship with Him (Matthew 24:8). Jesus stated in Luke 21:11 that “there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”

Signs Concerning Israel

The prophetic signs that relate to Israel, though, are the most important of all because the Jews are God’s prophetic time clock. What this means is that the Scriptures often tie a prophesied future event with something that will happen directly to the Jews.

An example can be found in Matthew 24 where Jesus prophesied that the re-establishment of the nation of Israel would be an end time sign. Using the fig tree as a symbol of Israel, He prophesied that when the fig tree re-blossoms, the generation that sees that happen will be the one that will witness His return. Well, the fig tree re-blossomed on May 14, 1948 when the nation of Israel was re-established, making our generation the one that will witness the Lord’s return.

Jesus gave a similar prophecy about the city of Jerusalem. In Luke 21:24 He prophesied that the Jews would be dispersed from Jerusalem and be led captive among the nations. He then said to watch for their return to Jerusalem because, when they return, it will mark the season of His return.

In fulfillment of this prophecy, the Jews were dispersed from Jerusalem in 70 AD, and they returned in June of 1967, marking this day and time as the season of the Lord’s return (Luke 21; Zechariah 8:4-8).

There are other prophecies concerning Israel that mark the end times when Jesus will return. One is found in Isaiah 35 where we are told that the decimated and barren land of Israel will flourish once again. In fulfillment of this prophecy, early in the 20th Century the Jewish settlers began to reclaim the land. Today, Israel has become the breadbasket of the Middle East.

Zechariah 12 tells us that Israel will become a military powerhouse in the end times, and today, the tiny nation of Israel is considered by military experts to have the fourth most powerful military force in the world.

Another key prophetic sign related to Israel in the end times is the one whose fulfillment we are witnessing today — the focusing of world politics upon the nation of Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3). All the nations of the world, including the United States, are coming against Israel over the issue of who controls the city of Jerusalem.

Truly, Israel’s return as a nation almost 1900 years later is a miracle, proof positive that the Bible is the Word of God and that the prophecies in it have come true in this generation.

The Nature of Christ’s Return

So why is God giving us all these signs to let us know about Jesus’ soon return? Well, the key lies in why He is returning. Jesus is returning to deal with rebellion — sin — before setting up His Kingdom on earth. It is God’s merciful and loving nature to let us know beforehand when He comes in justice and judgment to give us a chance to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 explains, “God does not wish that any should perish but that all should be brought to repentance.”

God deals with sin in one of two ways — either in grace or in wrath. A person is under either the grace of God or the wrath of God. There is no third option. To be under the grace of God is a glorious thing. It means you have the promise that one day soon Jesus will appear and take you out of this world in an event called the “Rapture” before He deals wrathfully with rebellion (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The Bible promises over and over that those who have accepted Jesus as Savior during this age will be delivered from God’s wrath. Romans 5:9 says that “we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10 states that we are waiting “for His Son from heaven… who will deliver us from the wrath to come.” The promise is repeated in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 — “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

But, if you’re under God’s wrath because you haven’t ask for forgiveness of your sins and accepted Jesus as your Savior, you will stay behind and experience a wrath unlike anything you can even imagine. This will happen during what the Bible calls “The Tribulation” — seven years when the wrath of man, the wrath of Satan, and the wrath of God will be let loose upon this earth. For seven terrible and terrifying years the Earth will be devastated and billions of people will be annihilated before Jesus’ Second Coming.

God is a God of love. Jesus says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” But, God is also a God of justice. The Bible says in John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” It is God’s very nature to love, but His love demands that evil be dealt with in justice.

The Bible clearly teaches that God never pours out His wrath without warning for He is a just and loving God who does not wish that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). That is why He has provided so many signs to alert us to the fact that we are living on the threshold of the Tribulation and the soon return of Jesus Christ.

Decide

Where do you stand? Are you under God’s wrath because you haven’t accepted His free gift of salvation, or are you under God’s grace because you have? Will you be one of those raptured before God’s wrath, or will you suffer in it? Can you truly say that you are ready for Jesus’ return?

You have a decision to make. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior, then heed Mark 1:25. “The time has come…the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Believe in Jesus, God’s Son, and have everlasting life.

If you have accepted Jesus as Savior, your sins have been forgiven and forgotten, and you can look forward with confidence to that glorious day when Jesus will appear in the heavens. Make sure in these last days that Jesus is also Lord of every area of your life, so that when He comes He will find you ready.

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'” (Mark 13:35-37 NIV)

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US. former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann: 'We're Seeing Fulfillment of Scripture'

Jesus Christ is coming soon.

That's not the message of a religious tract or televangelist.

It's a warning from former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann who has called for an intensified effort to convert Jews to Christianity in time for the return of Christ.

"We recognize the shortness of the hour, and that's why we as a remnant want to be faithful in these days and do what it is that the Holy Spirit is speaking to each one of us, to be faithful in the Kingdom and to help bring in as many as we can — even among the Jews — share Jesus Christ with everyone that we possibly can because, again, He's coming soon," Bachmann said on FRC's "Washington Watch" radio show broadcast from Jerusalem last week, according to JTA News Agency.

Bachmann also said that recent violence and growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are because "we're seeing the fulfillment of Scripture right in front of our eyes, even while we're on the ground," and claimed that the events leading to biblical End Times prophecy are being sped up.

The former congresswoman from Minnesota traveled to Israel last week as part of a tour organized by the FRC, an American conservative group.

Rabbi Avi Shafran of Agudath Israel of America, a Haredi Jewish communal organization, spoke out against Bachmann's comments, however.

"A statement like Ms. Bachmann's should serve to remind Jews that missionizing is, unfortunately, alive and well, and that we must always be on the lookout for it," Shafran said, according to The Jerusalem Post.

"It also should be a reminder of the importance of Jewish education, since the surest defense against missionizing is authentic Jewish knowledge."

Bachmann has repeatedly said in the past couple of years that Christ's Second Coming is "imminent," and has accused President Barack Obama's foreign policy of helping to hasten apocalyptic projections.

"Talk about what you see in the newspaper every single day. We can talk about God's time clock and the fact that Jesus Christ's return is imminent. Is there anything more important to talk about?" Bachmann asked back in April.

"That needs to occupy our time and our thoughts from virtually morning to night because we have very little time, in my opinion, left before the second return of Christ."

The former Republican presidential candidate also suggested that the recent U.S.-Iran nuclear deal will be a fulfillment of End Times prophecy.

Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, the World Evangelical Alliance chairman of the Global Task Force on Nuclear Weapons, told The Christian Post in an interview in August that Bachmann's statements are "nothing new," and that people have been making End Times predictions for hundreds of years.

Wigg-Stevenson, a former Baptist minister who has since become an Anglican, also insisted that the deal brokered with Iran bars the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "So how that brings about the End Times is beyond me."

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5 Signs That Jesus Is Coming Back Soon

No one can tell us with certainty what tomorrow’s weather will be except the one who causes it – God – but by listening to the weather report or looking at the sky, people use their eyes and their brains to at least make an educated guess about tomorrow’s weather. Likewise, no one can tell us with certainly when the exact timing of Jesus’ return will be except the one who will cause it to happen, God the Father (Mt. 12:36), but by listening to the right information sources, people can use their eyes and their brains to at least make an educated guess about how close we are to the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that when you see certain things begin to happen, “Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near,” and “when you see them happen the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:28,31). Jesus and Paul both taught that the proper way to wait for His return is to therefore be watchful, ready and sober (Matthew 24:42-44,25:13; 1 Th. 5:6).

The apostle John wrote that when Jesus appears, we who believe in Him shall become like him, and everyone having this hope in Him purifies himself (1 John 3:2,3). He also wrote that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). So two benefits of studying Bible prophecy and comparing it to world events are personal purification and a better understanding of Jesus. Besides, in 1 Th. 4:18, Christians are commanded to encourage each other with words about the return of Christ. Hebrews 10:24,25 also says that as we should regularly meet to encourage one another, especially as we see the Day of Jesus’ return approaching.

Although we cannot say with certainty how today’s events are related to Bible prophecy, it is unwise to ignore them. Following are 10 for your consideration. The first seven are already happening. The last three are in preparatory stages:

Signs that are already Happening

1. Wars and rumors of wars

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”(Matthew 24:6,7a) Since World War II, many countries have been building up massive arsenals of conventional and nuclear weapons. The potential for war grows day by day. In addition to potential nuclear war, we have war on terror, water wars, weather wars, Albert Pike’s Three World Wars, angel wars, and transhuman wars.

2. Famines, Pestilence, Earthquakes

“And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:7b,8). Due to flooding and droughts, world food supplies are running very low. Many people are expecting a global food shortage and famines in many places.

In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning that infectious diseases are emerging more quickly and spreading faster around the globe than ever before, and they are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. The UN said in its 2007 annual world health report that an outbreak or epidemic in one part of the world can easily threaten billions of people in other parts due to large numbers of modern day air travelers.

Regarding earthquakes, scientific data does show that we have been seeing a large increase in seismic activity. According to a number of scientists, another star or large planet is affecting the sun’s magnetic field, which is also affecting the earth’s magnetic field – both the core and the ionosphere. The north pole is shifting at an accelerated pace, and the earth seems to be expanding. Thus, we should see a continual increase in earthquakes and volcanic activity in coming years. Stan Deyo follows earth changes very closely. He’s a scientist and has written a lot on the subject. His web site covers numerous topics related to changes in the world today.

3. Deceivers who claim to follow Jesus

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in My name saying that I am the Christ and will deceive many.” Mt. 24:4,5

Although the Bible teaches that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah (seeproof) and is “the only begotten Son of God” (see John 3:18), who created the world and everything in it (see Col. 1:16), at the end of the Church Age many people will be teaching these truths, yet they will have other teachings that that are not consistent with the Bible and will deceive many. Perhaps the majority of professing Christian teachers in the world today fall into this camp, as most have fallen away from sound Biblical teachings and instead place traditions of men and/or the goal of increasing church attendance figures above the authority of the Bible. Some are subtle, and some are blatant. Sincere followers of Jesus should come out of these wayward institutional churches and seek to fellowship with people who follow and teach what Jesus and His apostles did. If you are unsure about your current church or fellowship, see Should I stay in my church or leave?

(If you are wondering why three additional commas were not included in the Scripture above, see Note on commas in the text of Mt. 24:4,5.)

4. People of Israel return to their land

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that … I will bring again captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” (Amos 9:13-15)

“Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.'” (Ezekiel 37:21,22)

During the last 130 years Jews from 108 nations have migrated to the land of Israel.

In 1882 the first wave of modern immigration to Israel started as Jews fled persecution, or followed the Socialist Zionist ideas of Moses Hess. From 1882 to 1919 around 75,000 Jews immigrated to Palestine, mostly from Russia. They bought land from Ottoman and individual Arab landholders and established agricultural settlements. During this period the Hebrews language was revived, newspapers and literature were published in Hebrew and political parties and workers organizations were established.

In 1917 during World War I, the British government in its Balfour Declaration supported plans for a ?national home? for the Jews in their promised land. Later, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) lost control of the Middle East. This made it possible for hundreds of thousands more immigrants to arrive from Europe. Anti-Semitism drove most there. Many more would have come had it not been for Arab protest and resulting British restrictions on immigration.

During World War II, the Nazis killed around 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, so it became clear to the Jews that they needed a homeland. Many Holocaust survivors immigrated illegally to Palestine. When the British pulled out of Palestine in May 1948, the state of Israel formally declared its independence. It was immediately recognized by the USA, followed by Guatemala, Nicaragua and Uruguay. A few days later, the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and South Africa did the same. No Arab states have ever recognized Israel, but several have attacked them. However, Israel has successfully defended itself against numerous Arab attacks. As a result, Jews throughout the Middle East have also been forced to immigrate to Israel, and the nation has grown strong. It has turned a desert into an agricultural success, and it?s technology industry exports cutting edge innovations.

Today, Israel’s population is over 7 million. In 2018, Israel will celebrate it’s 70th anniversary, but some of its neighbors hate it and want to “wipe it off the map”. It is still mostly a secular state, but it has a growing percentage of Orthodox Jews and Christians. Today, the Aliyah immigration movement continues to embrace Jewish newcomers, help them become a part of communities and help them learn Hebrew.

5. Increased wickedness & loss of love

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”(Matthew 24:12) Today, more and more people are living primarily for themselves and their own happiness. The idea of denying themselves, taking up their crosses daily and following Jesus (Luke 9:23) is a foreign concept. What TV and movies show as “normal” has affected the values of those who indulge in them. At the same time, couples are divorcing, and children are growing up with deep unmet needs as a result. Many couples are not even marrying but living together in fornication (any form of sex not sanctioned by God). The result has been the blood sacrifice (murder) of hundreds of millions of innocent, helpless children through abortion and the birthing of even more children who lack a healthy home where they can receive love and training from their own father and mother.

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Jesus Is Coming Soon !!!

The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is primarily a Christian concept regarding a future return of Jesus to Earth after his "first coming" and ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The belief is based on messianic prophecies found in the canonical gospels and is part of most Christian eschatologies. Views about the nature of Jesus' Second Coming vary among Christian denominations and among individual Christians.

Most English versions of the Nicene Creed include the following statements: "...he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. ... We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come."

Protestant Views 

The many denominations of Protestantism have differing views on the exact details of Christ's second coming. Only a handful of Christian organizations claim complete and authoritative interpretation of the typically symbolic and prophetic biblical sources.

A short reference to the second coming is contained in the Nicene Creed: "He [Jesus] shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and His kingdom shall have no end." An analogous statement is also in the biblical Pauline Creed. 1Cor 15:23.

Some Protestant churches proclaim the Mystery of Faith to be: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." 

Catholic & Orthodox's Views

Most English versions of the Nicene Creed in current use include the following statements about Jesus: "...he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. ... We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen."

It is the traditional view of Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, preserved from the early Church, that the second coming will be a sudden and unmistakable incident, like "a flash of lightning".Mt 24:27 They hold the general view that Jesus will not spend any time on the earth in ministry or preaching. They also agree that the ministry of the Antichrist will take place right before the Second Coming.

Orthodox layman Alexander Kalomiros explains the original Church's position regarding the Second Coming in River of Fire and Against False Union, stating that those who contend that Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years "do not wait for Christ, but for the Antichrist." The idea of Jesus returning to this earth as a king is a heretical concept to the Church, equated to "the expectations of the Jews who wanted the Messiah to be an earthly King." The Church instead teaches that which it has taught since the beginning—Christ will not return to earth, rather the Kingdom of Heaven, the New Jerusalem, will be established through the Resurrection of the dead.

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