IT'S NEARER THAN YOU THINK!

All across the world today, the sceptics, atheists, agnostics, and the media are "having a field day" -- mocking the prediction that May 21, 2011 is the Rapture of "true believers", and that earthquakes will happen beginning at 6 p.m. in whatever time zone you live.  These predictions have been broadcast all over the world on Family Radio and on billboards.....hundreds of thousands of dollars or more have been spent on getting 'the word' out.  Well, the 'word' is out!  Some are watching and waiting for the END to come.  I didn't even flinch this morning, when I boarded a plane for Ohio to preach God's Word to a congregation TOMORROW morning!  Why?  I know the TRUTH, and the "TRUTH" sets me free!

These latest predictions come from 89 year-old Harold Camping, founder of Family Radio.  Over the years I have been blessed by listening to music and teaching on this network of stations across the land.  Harold is no stranger to "predictions" -- Having a degree in engineering, he has an analytical mind that leads him to approach Scripture in that manner.  In 1994, he predicted the "end of the world" -- and he was wrong then.  Claiming that he made a mathematical error, he set out to revise his prediction.

In 1988, I was a Pastor of a congregation in North Carolina, and one day I opened my mail box to see multiple copies of a small book entitled:  "88 Reasons Why Jesus is Coming Back in 1988" --  Author Edgar Whisenaut went on to sell over 4.5 million copies of that little book.  Guess what?  Jesus did NOT come back in 1988.  Undaunted, Edgar edited the book the next year, and mailed me another copy of "89 Reasons Why Jesus is Coming in 1989" --- somehow Edgar admitted he miscalculated. I humorously have said that the 89th reason was -- he didn't come in 1988.

If Harold and Edgar had only read the Bible -- not as a mathematical analytical textbook -- but as a guide- book for life -- they would have noted the words, "no man knows the day or the hour"! Jesus himself declared that only God the Father knows the time of His return!!

Yes, most every "true believer" and a lot of "nominal Christians" realize that we are living in precarious times .... some even say "the end times".  I believe we are in the "end times" season .... BUT ... the SIGN is NOT what Satan is doing....the sign is NOT what Israel is doing....the real SIGN is what is GOD doing in the world!

When the disciples asked Jesus, just before His ascension into heaven, about the "times" -- read what Jesus said:
"HE said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niches in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power. BUT, you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth."    (Acts 1:7-8 Amplified Bible)

I am a WITNESS -- God is doing mighty things in the earth!  Souls are being brought into the Kingdom!  Lives are being changed!  The Sick are being healed!  Miracles, Signs and Wonders, are being done in HIS name!  The earth is groaning and even shaking ... yes, there is unrest .. but GOD is ahead of the game!  What we are seeing is the REACTION to the Action of the Holy Spirit!

Two questions:  
# 1 -- Are you ready to meet Jesus, when He comes?  - No, I didn't ask which church you belong to, or even if you go to church!  I'm talking about a relationship with Jesus.   Is Jesus Christ, God's Son, your LORD and Savior?  If not -- Get on your knees right now, and pray .... ask Jesus to forgive you .. ask Jesus to come into your life ... your own words ... it works!  If you ask, HE will come!!!

# 2 -  What are you doing with the Power HE sent?  Are you daily "filled" with the power, ability, and efficiency of the Holy Spirit in your life?  If you are, then you are involved in the Kingdom work of reaching out to everyone you can to minister to their needs - in every way possible. If you are, then you are so busy doing the "works of ministry" that you hardly have time to worry about somebody's prediction of the "end".  You know the world will not END, until God the Father says so!!!

IT'S NEARER THAN YOU THINK!  

When I hear of these types of predictions, and I see all the media attention they draw, I know that God is really up to something BIG.  We must be closer to the finale than we could even imagine. SO, I will re-double my efforts to get the Word out -- to love people -- to proclaim the Good News everywhere. 

 Jesus IS coming soon! 

AND THE WORLD CELEBRATES........

May 1, 2011 - the world received word that Osama bin Laden, a Saudi Arabian born terrorist who was the mastermind of the attacks on America on 9/11, was killed by a special team of Navy Seals in Pakistan.  Thus, one chapter of the "war on terror" is closed -- another begins!

This man was the "most wanted" man in the world for the past ten years.

It's hard to imagine that with all the technology that we possess, this man managed to allude detection for near ten years.

Then - when he is found -- he is hiding in plain sight in Pakistan - near a military base! Wow!

I guess this will probably be the "news" of the decade -- as every TV channel was humming with speculation, until the President confirmed the fact of his death.  Then a strange thing happened....... A party -- a celebration -- broke out all over the land......

People were celebrating the DEATH of a bad man!  A little strange, isn't it??  Yes, we are glad that this man has been put out of business --- our military and intelligence community are rejoicing  that "they did it" -- BUT ..... seems a little odd .... victims of 9/11 breathe a sigh of relief... they now have some degree of "closure" -- but it's not over, is it?

Reminds me of two things:

(1) A crowd cheered and celebrated the death of a good man, so many years ago -- some of the same people who days before had cried out "Hosanna" - now cried out "Crucify Him" -- and Hell threw a party as Jesus died on a Roman cross on a Jewish hill called Golgotha.

Even a thief on the cross next to Jesus could recognize that he was innocent.

(2)  The day will come, recorded in the Book of Revelation, when two witnesses will be assassinated and left dead in the streets for three days -- and the world will have a party -- even give gifts to each other in celebration of the death of two good men.

I wonder what the headlines will read in the papers on that day?  We have a strange sense of justice today, don't we.  Yes, I believe that Osama bin Laden was a very bad man -- a wicked person -- a deluded and deranged man -- worthy of death.  But, we know -- death isn't the end!  The Bible declares that "...and after that the judgment".  Real JUSTICE has not been served -- yet -- God, the Judge of the Universe, will stand at the Great White Throne Judgment -- and THEN, real Justice will be served for all time.

Jesus Christ has taken YOUR judgment for you -- at the Cross --- if your reject that judgment -- if you reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ over your life -- then YOU TOO will stand will Osama bin Laden on that day in the Judgment -- and when your name is not found in the Lamb's Book of Life -- YOU will join Osama bin Laden (and every other sinner) and will be cast into the Lake of Fire, to reside there FOREVER.

Don't listen to false prophets and teachers who would tell you -- there is no hell -- there is not final judgment -- and a good God will never send people there -- even if that teacher is the pastor of a large church and sells books...

 THERE IS A REAL HELL, AS SURE AS THERE IS A HEAVEN!

REAL JUSTICE WILL ONE DAY BE FINALLY SERVED. 

On that day, I will Celebrate!!!!!