Life is certainly not dull. Things are happening all the time that constantly affirm the authority of the Word of God. God has told us long before it happens, of the chaos that will dominate the world in the last days.
We just finished our study of the book of Daniel this past Sunday. Daniel was given information on events that would take place long after he was dead. There are things that Daniel was told that have not happened in our time yet, however, they will happen.
I received a news item this weekend speaking of the increasing world conflicts. The reporter was looking at past history of events that led up to World War II. She suggested that we are seeing a similar rise in regional conflicts now that suggest we are close to World War III. It is interesting that people are willing to look at world history and surmise things that might happen, rather than looking at the Bible and knowing what is coming and Who is in charge.
Jesus warned in Matthew 24, that the last days would see many wars and rumours of wars. The fulfilment of that prophecy is during the Tribulation time. We are not there today. The reporter suggested that Joe Biden has allowed world conflicts to rise to the level where there is no turning back. It is amazing that anyone would put their hope in a senile old man who cannot keep world leaders straight and does not know how to leave a stage. Yet, this same reporter is not willing to trust in the God Who knows everything and is working all things for His glory. There is no national leader that is capable of policing world affairs. When godless people rule, trouble is sure to escalate.
It is true that our world is steam-rolling toward destruction. In the meantime, God is still giving us the freedom to gather together to proclaim the truth. It is a shame that so few professing Christians are willing to take the time to gather to study God’s Word. Scattered house meetings will not produce strong Christians.
Then I received an email as well that talked further about the digitizing of people’s records. This has been going on for a long time. I recall when the bank cards first came out. There were people who were concerned that this was the mark of the beast. They did not want to accept the card for fear that this would doom them to hell.
It is true that the antichrist will try to force all people to take his mark at the mid-point of the Tribulation. No one will buy and sell without that mark. The concern that was raised at that time was a reflection of the lack of teaching taking place in churches. God has given us so much information in the Bible regarding the events of the last days. There is no need to be confused about it.
At the time when the bank cards came out, there were still godly churches on this earth. There were still Christians on this earth.
The Bible is clear that when the “man of sin” rises to power, there will be no true Christians on this earth and there will be no true churches on this earth. There are many false churches today and they may still function at that time. Many of those religious places are already being used by politicians to deceive the people. They are also used for other social events that have nothing to do with the purpose of a true church.
People will no doubt want to get together during the time of the antichrist to discuss their various strategies. We have seen over the past 3+ years that many different groups have arisen to fight against the globalist agenda. I receive emails from several of these groups. They are always asking for money and they are trying to suggest how necessary they are to fight against the globalist agenda. The problem is that they do not understand they are also a part of the globalist problem. They are ungodly organizations seeking to slow down what they do not like, but they also do not want the truth. I wrote to one organizer a short time back and suggested her need to study the Bible and believe the truth. She took the time to write me back and tell me she was not interested in what the Bible has to say. Yet, she is now organizing online meditation meetings where deluded people like herself can further pollute each other’s minds with their delusional thoughts.
The latest report I received had to do with Australia’s desire to digitize their citizens’ information this coming summer. That may happen. This same article warned that the U.S. is also looking for the opportune time to digitize everything about its’ citizens. No doubt Canada is pursuing this further as well.
There was a warning in this article that when the government digitizes everything about you and I, then they can force us to take the shots or else they cut off our finances. We have already seen that the government can freeze bank accounts even though it is against the law. The government believes it is above the law. They believe they can change the laws to suit their agenda. We have seen that the courts are willing to support their efforts to change the laws. All of this is in preparation for the time of the antichrist. He will not abide by the laws of the world. He will develop laws to suit his agenda. He will be able to do this because the world at that time will be a lawless world. Without God’s law, a nation and a people are lawless.
Those who are saved need to understand that wickedness will abound prior to the coming of the Lord. We also need to be reminded that wickedness was running wild in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ and at the time of the apostles. It is increasing, but it was around then as well. How did Jesus cope with the wickedness of His time? He taught the people the truth. How do we protect ourselves from the deception that is all around us? We do so by knowing the truth. Not just in our heads, but in our hearts.
In the first chapters of the book of Acts we find that the apostles were out preaching the Word of God and people were listening and the Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of the hearers, and many were saved. Those that were saved were publicly baptized and they joined the local church in Jerusalem.
The apostles were doing good things, but they ignored the command of God to go into all the world. We read that God sent persecution into Jerusalem, to force the people to spread out and go into all the world. The apostle Paul was saved in Acts 9 and after being trained by the Lord Jesus Christ, he was heavily involved in spreading the Gospel of Christ in the Middle East and into Asia. He travelled extensively and many churches were established. He learned how to cope with hunger and with imprisonment and with being stoned. God had work for him to do and he did not find a cave to hide in. He continued to go where God wanted him to go. He stood before kings and governors and Roman soldiers and he continued to preach the truth.
As we read of the efforts of our governments to gain further control of us as people, those who are saved would be wise to humble themselves and gather around God’s Word and study to show themselves approved unto God. God is purifying His body, true local churches. The denominational churches are already gone. Those who still believe in God need to become obedient to God’s Word and trust God to guide them into all truth through His Word and through the faithful men He has chosen for the task of being evangelists, pastors and teachers in our time. It is still the truth that shall make your free.
Will Canada digitize its citizens? Sure they will. We are part of the world. Our leaders are just as corrupt as those of any other country. Christians need to take the opportunities God has given us to come together under His authority and then to go out under His authority into our neighbourhoods, etc. If we refuse to unify around what God tells us to unify around, we may gain a following, but we will not be helping others to know God’s peace.
In the news we read that a young woman with a gun entered Joel Osteen’s corrupt religious gathering with a gun and started shooting. Two people were injured and the shooter was killed. It turns out this person was not a woman at all. This was a man who chose sodomy as his lifestyle and wanted to identify as a woman. He had a criminal record prior to this latest event and will not bother anyone anymore. The mainstream media is trying to hide the facts of this case. No one is helped when we ignore the facts and make up the story line we want people to believe.
In our own province of Manitoba, another tragedy took place this past weekend. A young man with a criminal record killed his live-in and four others, including three young children. The premier of our province stated that we as a province, would not allow darkness to win. The premier is the picture of darkness. He is lost and has nothing to offer anyone. His spirituality is of the devil and this tragedy is the result of a people who are steeped in devil worship. Powwows and sweat lodges will not fix the problem. They are part of the problem.
We sympathize with the families of the murdered people in this case and others. We demonstrate our love for them when we speak the truth to those left behind. We cannot help them when we bury the facts and speak niceties that flatter the flesh, but deprive the soul of the truth.
Yes, we live in troublesome times. The antichrist may be alive today, but God has not revealed him to mankind. He will not be revealed until the New Testament saints are removed from this world. That is what the Bible declares. Until that time, wickedness will continue to increase. Wickedness will be at its height during the seven year rule of the antichrist. Even during that time, God will make a way for His truth to be proclaimed.
For those who are saved, obedience to God’s Word is essential. For those who are lost, listen to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in your heart and find a godly pastor who can help you to know the truth. Don’t bury your head in the sand. That will not help at all.
Pastor Bartel