Roman Catholicism
Source:www.jeremiahproject.com
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. [2 Corinthians 11:3-4]
Hundreds of millions live and die in the Roman Catholic Church without ever hearing the true gospel. Instead, they are taught that the Roman Catholic Church, with its sacraments and indulgences and saints, will eventually get them from purgatory to heaven through countless masses and rosaries recited for them after they die.Many points of Roman Catholic teaching contain sound biblical teaching. But the system is so overlaid and interwoven with non-biblical and even unbiblical ideas and practices that it seems to resemble what Paul called "a different gospel" (Gal. 1:6). For many Catholics, the Catechism of the Catholic Church takes precedence over the inspired Scripture.Throughout history, in order to make converts, Rome has absorbed the paganism peculiar to each culture and dressed it in Christian terminology.
Halloween, for example, is a confusing mixture of traditions and practices from pagan cultures and Catholic tradition. The traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain was blended with the Roman holiday of Feralia and Pomona. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs, to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. In 834, Gregory III moved All Saint's Day from May 13 to Nov. 1 and for Roman Catholics, this became an opportunity for remembering before God all the saints who had died and all the dead in the Catholic community. Oct. 31 thus became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint').
Most of the familiar traditional practices and symbols of Christmas, such as the Christmas tree, the Christmas ham, the Yule Log, holly, mistletoe, and the giving of presents, were adapted or appropriated by Christian missionaries from the earlier pagan midwinter holiday of Yule.
In the United States, Roman Catholicism hides behind a Christian mask and even claims to be evangelical. There is no such pretense in Catholic countries, where Rome long persecuted and killed evangelicals and still vigorously opposes them. In such countries there is no attempt to hide the obvious occultism, idolatry and worship of Mary. The open paganism and idolatry involved in Roman Catholicism is a shock to American visitors to Spain, Italy, Central and South America. For example, in Brazil, Roman Catholicism is mixed with spiritism and in Haiti with voodoo. Haiti is said to be 85% Roman Catholic and 110% Voodoun. Every voodoo ceremony begins with prayers to Catholic saints.
What must I do to be saved?Traditional Roman Catholic teaching holds that supernatural grace is necessary for salvation, but it must be combined with merit. No one can believe in Christ without grace, Catholics say, for faith is a gift of God. But certain works produce "merits of condignity" that prepare an individual to receive the grace to believe. After having received sanctifying (saving) grace, the believer is in a state of grace and can then earn true merits. By accumulating these true merits, called "merits of condignity," he then can be saved as an act of God's justice. Catholic doctrine teaches that salvation must be attained by both faith and works, and that baptism is necessary for salvation. The New Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that asures entry into eternal beatitude..."The Bible, on the other hand, says...
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..." [Acts 16:31]
Roman Catholic doctrine proclaims that anyone who believes in salvation by faith alone, or that baptism is not essential for salvation, is Anathema, or cursed. Catholics say no one can be sure, in this life, of possessing eternal life. But this is what Jesus plainly promised:
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life" [John 3:36]
Marian HeresyThe popular Roman Catholic dogma of the "Immaculate Heart" has no basis in the Bible, but comes out of the realm of the occult. Here we have a magical source of power and protection.The "Immaculate Heart" is depicted as a visible object glowing within the bosom of Jesus or Mary, and often held in Mary's hand. Devotion is directed to this mystical object in what becomes a subtle replacement of a personal relationship with Christ and devotion to Him. A primary purpose of the apparition of Fatima was to encourage devotion to this so-called Immaculate Heart of Mary.In fact, this is borne out by another related Roman Catholic dogma: the Immaculate Conception. That heresy was first popularized through the efforts of British monk Eadmer in the twelfth century and was at last declared a dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854. It teaches that Mary was "from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Christ Jesus the Savior of mankind, preserved free from all stain of original sin" and that she remained without sin during her life.Such is the false and idolatrous "Mary" of Roman Catholicism - an insult both to God and to the Mary of the Bible. She is looked to for the very pardon of sins and salvation that Christ procured with His own blood, and which He freely dispenses by grace to all who believe in Him. In the end, the denial of Mary's place as a "sinner saved by grace" has the effect of deifying her.
The ChurchAlthough the church teaches otherwise, many Catholics find their crucial identification with the church instead of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church like the Mormons consider theirs the one true Church, outside of which there is no salvation, and that its current head is the true representative of Christ on earth through apostolic succession. The Church is the dispenser of salvation through the rituals performed by its priesthood, without which mankind would be lost in spite of all Christ has done. Like Mormonism and other cults, Roman Catholicism denies to the individual assurance of salvation through a personal relationship with Christ and insists that salvation is not "by grace through faith" but must be earned through Church membership and obedience to her many rules and regulations including alms, good deeds, Rosaries, and suffering here and in purgatory, etc.
PurgatoryAccording to Roman Catholic teaching, men must suffer to pay their debts to God for sins which have been forgiven by Him, as if any suffering we endure could actually make a payment, were it necessary at all, and as if God's forgiveness were somehow deficient. God's mercy and forgiveness are boundless. If suffering is good for us, it is so exactly in the same sense as training is good for athletes, as fasting is good for the obese and gluttonous, as self-reproach is good for those who are prone to anger. God does not need these things, we do. Nor does He demand this "payment," since His forgiveness and grace are free - after all, the word "grace" itself means "free gift."The Catholic Encyclopedia defines Purgatory as "the condition or state for those who have not totally alienated themselves from God by their sins, but who are temporarily and partially alienated from God while their love is made perfect and they give satisfaction for their sins". The Catholic Church teaches there are some sins that can be forgiven after death, and forgiveness after death is possible. Since no one who has sin on his or her soul can enter heaven (Rev. 21:27), there must be a place of cleansing after death and before heaven. Roman Catholic doctrine teaches that most of us, because of our own failings will die either with the stain of some sin on our souls, or with some punishment due to sin still to pay, or both. Had we no purgatory to cleanse us of our filth, we could never hope to enter into eternal bliss.
If this is true, why did Jesus die on the cross?
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9
It doesn't say here that anything more needs to be done; nothing about penance, nothing about masses said for our benefit, and nothing about left-over stains that still need to be removed. If we've been forgiven of our sin and purified from all unrighteousness there is no need for a purgatorial state.
"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." - Hebrews 8:12
Catholics will say that when we do something wrong to another, there are generally two issues to be addressed. One is seeking the forgiveness of the person who was hurt and the other is performing restitution. So if we die while still owing restitution to God, Catholics believe that our souls must pass through a cleansing state before entering Heaven. In 1 Cor 3:15, Paul tells us that each man's works will be tried after his death. If his works fail, he will be the loser and yet he himself will be saved, though only as men are saved by passing through fire. This penalty can not refer to Hell since no one is saved from Hell. It can't refer to Heaven since there is no pain in Heaven. Therefore, there must be some other state or process after our death. This belief of the purification of the soul after death is rooted in the Second Book of Maccabees, where we read of how Judas Maccabees offered sacrifices and prayers for soldiers who had died wearing amulets, which were forbidden by the law; "Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out," (2 Mc 12:43) and "Thus, (Judas Maccabees) made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin" (2 Mc 12:46). Certain sins "will not be forgiven either in this world or in the world to come" (Mt 12:32), at least suggests a purging of the soul after death according to Catholics. Pope St. Gregory (d. 604) stated, "As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come." The Council of Lyons (1274) likewise affirmed this interpretation of our Lord's teaching.Orthodox Christianity completely rejects any such intermediate state, since the doctrine of Purgatory appears nowhere in the Apostolic tradition and, in fact, denies the full efficacy of the free gift of grace and adoption which Christ offered us through His Incarnation, death, and resurrection.
Scripture says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable. What might be that sin against the Holy Spirit?
Consider the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that bears witness to our spirit about Jesus Christ (Acts 5:32; Heb. 10:15). It is the Holy Spirit that carried along the writers of the Bible to write what they did about Jesus and his ministry of reconciliation. The Holy Spirit has been called the "comforter" as God's love is poured out into our hearts (Rom. 5:5). If one does not accept the finished work of Christ on the cross for our sins, rejects what the Bible writers said about that same finished work, and finds their comfort in the Eucharist which "cleanses us from past sins and preserves us from future sins.... " or purgatory rather than the Holy Spirit, might that be blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? If one rejects the truth that through the shed blood of Christ all sin is removed, then what mechanism remains to remove the stain of sin? I'm afraid that if you do not accept Christ's complete and total forgiveness, you will not EVER be forgiven, for there is no other way.
It is taught that many poor souls time in purgatory can be shortened by the prayers and good works of those of us who are still alive. Especially can a soul in purgatory be helped by having Holy Mass offered for that purpose.The early Church preserved the belief in offering prayers for the purification of the soul. Pope St. Gregory said, "Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them." St. Ambrose (d. 397) preached, "We have loved them during life; let us not abandon them in death, until we have conducted them by our prayers into the house of the Lord."
If those who are truly penitent die in charity before they have done sufficient penance for their sins of omission and commission, their souls are cleansed after death in purgatorial or cleansing punishments .... The suffrages of the faithful on earth can be of great help in relieving these punishments, as, for instance, the Sacrifice of the Mass, prayers, almsgiving, and other religious deeds which, in the manner of the Church, the faithful are accustomed to offer for others of the faithful. Second Council of Lyons in 1274
Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, from the Sacred Writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught in sacred councils, and very recently in this ecumenical synod that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar; the holy synod enjoins on bishops that they diligently endeavour that the sound doctrine concerning Purgatory, transmitted by the holy Fathers and sacred councils, be believed, maintained, taught and everywhere proclaimed by the faithful of Christ. Council of Trent in 1563
It may be true that certain people have said that prayers for the dead or masses said for the dead will help them. Does that make it true? Scripture does not teach that. Scripture teaches after death comes judgment, not a second chance in some holding area until enough prayers are offered up for you. Who are you going to trust? Man or God?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS
Revival or Apostasy?
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. [Matthew 24:11]
There will be a revival of religion that will sweep the world in the last days. It will not, however, represent the truth - instead, multitudes will be deceived by false gospels, false prophets, and false messiahs.
The church in America, and indeed the entire world, is sinking deeper into the last-days apostasy foretold by Christ and His apostles. Jesus warned that false prophets will appear and deceive many people and today as the last days draw nearer to a close, false teachers and preachers are gaining in popularity. Satan is well on the way to success in his goal of enslaving the world. To accomplish his dark objectives, he has reestablished his Church, Mystery Babylon [Rev. 17].
Counterfeit ChristianityFalse forms of Christianity have become increasingly popular in our culture and it seems there is a resurgence of interest in things "spiritual." The media has been compliant with its recent offerings of everything from Brad Pitt scaling a Tibetan mountainside in search of divine inspiration to Nothing Sacred, the controversial TV drama that features a sometimes fallible priest. Joan Osborne sings "What if God Was One of Us," while Michael Jordan, jogging in Tibet in a Gatorade commercial, encounters a holy man who tells him "Life is a sport: drink it up." Then there are the millions throughout the world who are involved in the occult, astrology, witchcraft, spiritism and Satanism. The Harry Potter series of seven fantasy novels promoting witchcraft among children, written by English author J. K. Rowling. have sold more than 325 million copies and have been translated into more than 64 languages.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. [1 Timothy 4:1]
The most obvious sign of the spiritual decline of the church is apathy - apathy towards the house of God, the Word of God and the presence of God. Apathy sometimes overtakes a believer - even an entire body of believers - before they are even aware anything is wrong. The fruit of apathy is apostasy.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. [2 Timothy 4:3-4]
The appearances of these false gospels, false Christ's and false prophets is only a prelude to the final apostasy. They are only preparing the way for the ultimate antichrist who will set himself up in the temple and declare himself to be God. You might say he is preparing his followers to accept his ultimate lie.
What fuels this apostasy?
Unbelief: Implicit or explicit rejection of the authority of God's Word is being spread throughout the Church, often, it seems, with the explicit purpose of leading God's people away from His Word, and sometimes to the active encouragement of immorality. Pulpits across America are silent about sin and do not tell their congregations of their need for repentance. Rather, they preach a politically correct gospel of "tolerance" of sin. According to Ralph Martin, "Even when the unique and absolute claims of Christ are not clearly rejected on an intellectual level, syncretism often fosters an emotional hostility to such claims. This creates an atmosphere that saps the strength of Christianity as effectively as explicit apostasy. If belief about the unique and absolute claims of Christ is unclear, then faith is corrupted, worship becomes enfeebled and distorted, and evangelism ceases." [Ralph Martin, A Crises of Truth (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1982), pg. 21.] According to a recent survey by the Barna Research Group, while 88% believe Jesus Christ was a real person, what they believe about Him differs sharply from scriptural teaching. Forty-two percent of those surveyed believe that while He lived on earth, Jesus committed sins, just like other people. Even among born-again Christians, one-quarter believe Jesus sinned during His time on earth. In the book, The Da Vinci Code, author Dan Brown claims "almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false." For example, Brown suggests that Jesus married Mary Magdalene as he raises doubts of the origins and legitimacy of orthodox Christianity. The Da Vinci Code was a worldwide bestseller with more than 60.5 million copies sold.Other pulpits are silent about sin because those sitting in the pews do not want to hear anything that might shatter their perceived security. Or, maybe the preacher is more interested in the collection plate and he believes that if he preaches anything controversial, he will lose some large contributors.
Ignorance:Without regular communication with God through prayer and regular, systematic study of God's Word, we are at the mercy of the doctrinal storms that are raging in the church today. Much of Christendom is now in an apostate condition as professing believers accept "new revelations" even though it conflicts with the revealed Word of God. New Age occultism of every variety is exploding not only in the secular world but also in the church in what is indeed the greatest worldwide revival of paganism ever known. Spanning the globe and encompassing hundreds of millions of teachers and disciples, it has within its fold thousands of individual cults, churches, groups, and organizations. Those who preach a distorted gospel are even gaining strategic leadership positions in denominations and theological schools, enabling them to deceive and mislead many within the church. All kinds of radical groups claim some affinity to the gospel of Jesus Christ and only serve to confuse the non-churched and borderline Christian. The KKK for example has as one if its rallying cries, "We are Warriors fighting for our great white race, our families and our savior Jesus Christ." In many ways the Church has turned to the beliefs, teachings and practices of the world and the cults, from the penchant for humanistic psychology among conservative evangelicals to the cultic affinity for godhood and the demonstration of godlike powers among more extreme charismatics. Popular movements and teachers are influencing the Church to take dominion over the earth, to set up the Kingdom as a requirement for Christ to return, to produce signs and wonders, and to solve its problems through unbiblical methods such as self-esteem therapies, 12-step recovery programs, inner-healing rituals, "binding demons" strategies, and "Christian" mysticism. Many professing Christian leaders promote unity by demoting doctrine and encourage ecumenism to include even overt paganism.
Fear:A large part of the church is held in bondage because of fear of the unknown. They don't know their Bibles and they don't know about the promises of God. Rather, they rely on what others tell them. Self help books flourish and authors fill bookshelves with titles extolling every kind of human wisdom - but they do not contain the truth of Scripture. Fear drives some to seek knowledge in places where truth is the most distorted. New Age teachers abound with messages from ascended masters and spirit guides. For example, one popular quasi-christian movement surrounds the writings of Helen Schucman who penned "A Course in Miracles," which teaches that the world, sin, sickness are all illusions which can be overcome with the power of the mind. Where you find the "Course" you will often also find teachings about reincarnation, Yoga, dream rap, channelling, Christ consciousness, pyramidology, astrology, meditation, metaphysics, shamanism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. You might expect to find these teachings at some remote New Age retreat center, but incredibly "A Course in Miracles" is the text being used by many Sunday School classes in some mainline Christian churches. I personally was introduced to the study at one of Wichita's leading evangelical churches. For many Christians caught in the web of fear, they profess faith but looks to works for their salvation for they have no faith. They judge others according to their works as well for that is their only barometer, i.e. that which they can see. They walk by sight exclusively and not by faith. What can I do for God? And, what are you doing for God? They can be very busy workers, but they do not listen to the voice.
Carnality:There is little focus on Christ's second coming because that would end the pursuit of pleasure and prosperity. Instead of Christ as the object of affection, the popular church is attracted to a celebrity, an evangelist, a project, a political cause, a fund-raising campaign, a new building, or supposed miracles and healings. Faith has turned to fantasy with a message of health, wealth, and comfort. In that kind of environment "easy believism" flourishes and many people who associate themselves with the church aren't even Christians. They may have a form of godliness, but they deny its power. Satan is still using this form of deception, and often his representatives are being disguised as ministers of righteousness. While propagating that which brings death and darkness to the mind and heart of the sinner, they profess to be representatives of enlightened living. This is satanic deception. Theology in many modern churches is focused on meeting people's needs, on solving one's own problems so one can live more comfortably. Few churches hold to a Christ-centered faith that helps a believer stand in the midst of his trials. "For all too often the twentieth-century church takes its cues and defines its role by the ways of the world. It accommodates a consumer-oriented culture that wants, above all else, to feel good. And it focuses on action at the expense of character, on doing rather than being. There is nothing wrong with seeking to meet people's needs or creating programs to do so. The church setting should be an environment where non-Christians feel welcome. The church should grow. But when programs and growth become the central focus, the church is in danger of profaning her first Love... In danger of trivializing the holy." [Charles Colson, The Body, pg. 381.]
Are you prepared? Are you armed with the truth so as to recognize the lie and extinguish the firey darts of satan? Are you burdened with a sinful past that weighs you down and makes you feel unworthy? Maybe you've lived a good life, went to church every Sunday, and followed the Ten Commandments as best you could. But, you're still unsure of what right you have to enter heaven. Friend, there is an answer you can find right here!
The Coming Crisis And The End Of DaysSoon this world will be thrown into a time of great tribulation. God's word tells us that, before the end, there will only be a small number who will stand firmly on the Rock of Truth in preparation for the crisis that is soon to over-take the earth.
Soure:www.jeremiahproject.com
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. [Matthew 24:11]
There will be a revival of religion that will sweep the world in the last days. It will not, however, represent the truth - instead, multitudes will be deceived by false gospels, false prophets, and false messiahs.
The church in America, and indeed the entire world, is sinking deeper into the last-days apostasy foretold by Christ and His apostles. Jesus warned that false prophets will appear and deceive many people and today as the last days draw nearer to a close, false teachers and preachers are gaining in popularity. Satan is well on the way to success in his goal of enslaving the world. To accomplish his dark objectives, he has reestablished his Church, Mystery Babylon [Rev. 17].
Counterfeit ChristianityFalse forms of Christianity have become increasingly popular in our culture and it seems there is a resurgence of interest in things "spiritual." The media has been compliant with its recent offerings of everything from Brad Pitt scaling a Tibetan mountainside in search of divine inspiration to Nothing Sacred, the controversial TV drama that features a sometimes fallible priest. Joan Osborne sings "What if God Was One of Us," while Michael Jordan, jogging in Tibet in a Gatorade commercial, encounters a holy man who tells him "Life is a sport: drink it up." Then there are the millions throughout the world who are involved in the occult, astrology, witchcraft, spiritism and Satanism. The Harry Potter series of seven fantasy novels promoting witchcraft among children, written by English author J. K. Rowling. have sold more than 325 million copies and have been translated into more than 64 languages.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. [1 Timothy 4:1]
The most obvious sign of the spiritual decline of the church is apathy - apathy towards the house of God, the Word of God and the presence of God. Apathy sometimes overtakes a believer - even an entire body of believers - before they are even aware anything is wrong. The fruit of apathy is apostasy.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. [2 Timothy 4:3-4]
The appearances of these false gospels, false Christ's and false prophets is only a prelude to the final apostasy. They are only preparing the way for the ultimate antichrist who will set himself up in the temple and declare himself to be God. You might say he is preparing his followers to accept his ultimate lie.
What fuels this apostasy?
Unbelief: Implicit or explicit rejection of the authority of God's Word is being spread throughout the Church, often, it seems, with the explicit purpose of leading God's people away from His Word, and sometimes to the active encouragement of immorality. Pulpits across America are silent about sin and do not tell their congregations of their need for repentance. Rather, they preach a politically correct gospel of "tolerance" of sin. According to Ralph Martin, "Even when the unique and absolute claims of Christ are not clearly rejected on an intellectual level, syncretism often fosters an emotional hostility to such claims. This creates an atmosphere that saps the strength of Christianity as effectively as explicit apostasy. If belief about the unique and absolute claims of Christ is unclear, then faith is corrupted, worship becomes enfeebled and distorted, and evangelism ceases." [Ralph Martin, A Crises of Truth (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1982), pg. 21.] According to a recent survey by the Barna Research Group, while 88% believe Jesus Christ was a real person, what they believe about Him differs sharply from scriptural teaching. Forty-two percent of those surveyed believe that while He lived on earth, Jesus committed sins, just like other people. Even among born-again Christians, one-quarter believe Jesus sinned during His time on earth. In the book, The Da Vinci Code, author Dan Brown claims "almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false." For example, Brown suggests that Jesus married Mary Magdalene as he raises doubts of the origins and legitimacy of orthodox Christianity. The Da Vinci Code was a worldwide bestseller with more than 60.5 million copies sold.Other pulpits are silent about sin because those sitting in the pews do not want to hear anything that might shatter their perceived security. Or, maybe the preacher is more interested in the collection plate and he believes that if he preaches anything controversial, he will lose some large contributors.
Ignorance:Without regular communication with God through prayer and regular, systematic study of God's Word, we are at the mercy of the doctrinal storms that are raging in the church today. Much of Christendom is now in an apostate condition as professing believers accept "new revelations" even though it conflicts with the revealed Word of God. New Age occultism of every variety is exploding not only in the secular world but also in the church in what is indeed the greatest worldwide revival of paganism ever known. Spanning the globe and encompassing hundreds of millions of teachers and disciples, it has within its fold thousands of individual cults, churches, groups, and organizations. Those who preach a distorted gospel are even gaining strategic leadership positions in denominations and theological schools, enabling them to deceive and mislead many within the church. All kinds of radical groups claim some affinity to the gospel of Jesus Christ and only serve to confuse the non-churched and borderline Christian. The KKK for example has as one if its rallying cries, "We are Warriors fighting for our great white race, our families and our savior Jesus Christ." In many ways the Church has turned to the beliefs, teachings and practices of the world and the cults, from the penchant for humanistic psychology among conservative evangelicals to the cultic affinity for godhood and the demonstration of godlike powers among more extreme charismatics. Popular movements and teachers are influencing the Church to take dominion over the earth, to set up the Kingdom as a requirement for Christ to return, to produce signs and wonders, and to solve its problems through unbiblical methods such as self-esteem therapies, 12-step recovery programs, inner-healing rituals, "binding demons" strategies, and "Christian" mysticism. Many professing Christian leaders promote unity by demoting doctrine and encourage ecumenism to include even overt paganism.
Fear:A large part of the church is held in bondage because of fear of the unknown. They don't know their Bibles and they don't know about the promises of God. Rather, they rely on what others tell them. Self help books flourish and authors fill bookshelves with titles extolling every kind of human wisdom - but they do not contain the truth of Scripture. Fear drives some to seek knowledge in places where truth is the most distorted. New Age teachers abound with messages from ascended masters and spirit guides. For example, one popular quasi-christian movement surrounds the writings of Helen Schucman who penned "A Course in Miracles," which teaches that the world, sin, sickness are all illusions which can be overcome with the power of the mind. Where you find the "Course" you will often also find teachings about reincarnation, Yoga, dream rap, channelling, Christ consciousness, pyramidology, astrology, meditation, metaphysics, shamanism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. You might expect to find these teachings at some remote New Age retreat center, but incredibly "A Course in Miracles" is the text being used by many Sunday School classes in some mainline Christian churches. I personally was introduced to the study at one of Wichita's leading evangelical churches. For many Christians caught in the web of fear, they profess faith but looks to works for their salvation for they have no faith. They judge others according to their works as well for that is their only barometer, i.e. that which they can see. They walk by sight exclusively and not by faith. What can I do for God? And, what are you doing for God? They can be very busy workers, but they do not listen to the voice.
Carnality:There is little focus on Christ's second coming because that would end the pursuit of pleasure and prosperity. Instead of Christ as the object of affection, the popular church is attracted to a celebrity, an evangelist, a project, a political cause, a fund-raising campaign, a new building, or supposed miracles and healings. Faith has turned to fantasy with a message of health, wealth, and comfort. In that kind of environment "easy believism" flourishes and many people who associate themselves with the church aren't even Christians. They may have a form of godliness, but they deny its power. Satan is still using this form of deception, and often his representatives are being disguised as ministers of righteousness. While propagating that which brings death and darkness to the mind and heart of the sinner, they profess to be representatives of enlightened living. This is satanic deception. Theology in many modern churches is focused on meeting people's needs, on solving one's own problems so one can live more comfortably. Few churches hold to a Christ-centered faith that helps a believer stand in the midst of his trials. "For all too often the twentieth-century church takes its cues and defines its role by the ways of the world. It accommodates a consumer-oriented culture that wants, above all else, to feel good. And it focuses on action at the expense of character, on doing rather than being. There is nothing wrong with seeking to meet people's needs or creating programs to do so. The church setting should be an environment where non-Christians feel welcome. The church should grow. But when programs and growth become the central focus, the church is in danger of profaning her first Love... In danger of trivializing the holy." [Charles Colson, The Body, pg. 381.]
Are you prepared? Are you armed with the truth so as to recognize the lie and extinguish the firey darts of satan? Are you burdened with a sinful past that weighs you down and makes you feel unworthy? Maybe you've lived a good life, went to church every Sunday, and followed the Ten Commandments as best you could. But, you're still unsure of what right you have to enter heaven. Friend, there is an answer you can find right here!
The Coming Crisis And The End Of DaysSoon this world will be thrown into a time of great tribulation. God's word tells us that, before the end, there will only be a small number who will stand firmly on the Rock of Truth in preparation for the crisis that is soon to over-take the earth.
Soure:www.jeremiahproject.com
SIGNS OF THE LAST DAYS AS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE
Signs of the Last Days
Events of the twentieth century alerted Bible students to the tremendous potential for fulfilled prophecy, and many students of the Bible and eschatology recognize the events continuing to unfold in the world today as signs of the last days.The signs are visible all around us.
" wars and rumors of wars" - Matthew 24:6
Endless war seem to rage in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism is spreading to nearly every corner of the globe. Since 2000 alone, America has been mired in conflict in Sierra Leone, Yemen, East Timor, Afghanistan, Philippines, Cote d'Ivoire, Iraq, Liberia, Georgia, Haïti, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Somalia.
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." - Matthew 24:7
Other conflicts are raging in Darfur, Saudi Arabia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thailand, Chad, Gaza Strip and the West Bank in Israel, Niger and Mali, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.
"There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." - Matthew 24:7
Every year, earthquakes cause thousands of deaths, either directly or due to the resulting tsunamis, landslides, fires, and famines.
3,000 people died in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Around 110,000 were killed in the 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
More than 5,700 deaths were reported following the strongest earthquake ever recorded in 1960 in Southern Chile.
While only 15 people died in the 1964 Prince William Sound in Alaska quake itself, 110 more people were killed in the resulting tsunami.
66,000 were killed off the western coast of South America in the 1970 Peru earthquake.
Between 250,000 and 655,000 died in the 1976 China earthquake that struck Tangshan, then a city of one million people.
63 people were killed in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake -- which struck the San Francisco area.
60 people were killed in the 1994 Northridge quake in Southern California.
More than 5,000 were killed the 1995 Kobe, Japan earthquake.
230,000 (and perhaps as many as 290,000) people in 12 countries -- including about 168,000 in Indonesia alone were killed in the 2004 earthquake just off the west coast of the island of Sumatra, and the tsunami that followed.
More than 80,000 people were killed in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.
More than 69,000 people died in the 2008 Sichuan China earthquake.
We're hearing of an increasing scarcity of food on a worldwide scale, due to increased consumption in growing countries such as China and India and rising fuel costs. These shortages have caused riots in some places and some predict the future outbreak of wars fought over increasing food scarcities.
Change
The twentieth century was an unprecedented period of change and the twenty-first century is proving to be even more dramatic. At no time in history have more changes occurred in science and in the political structure of the world.
More changes occur in science in a single year than formerly occurred in a century.
The world's brightest beacon of liberty has been corrupted by immoral bankers and is now quickly becoming one of the greatest forces of evil in the world.
With Israel restored as a nation in 1948, the panorama of end-time prophecy came into a focus in which Israel will be a prominent player.
The introduction of the concept of a world government, made real by the United Nations paints a scenario that is in harmony with prophecy concerning a future world government.
The wholesale collapse of ethical and moral values throughout society and government. Children are killing their classmates, employees are killing fellow employees, and government leaders are promising change.
Is civilization coming to an end?
"Armageddon is now near not because of this event or that event which may, in isolation, look like a prophetic fulfillment. Rather, it is because of the very nature of what causes Armageddon, coupled with the fact that our world today is rapidly assuming, on a global scale, the characteristics of that which underlies Armageddon." [William R. Goetz, Armageddon Next]
Malcolm Muggeridge suggested, "The basic condition for a civilization is that there should be law and order. Obviously this is coming to an end. The world is falling into chaos, even perhaps especially our western world... There are many other symptoms. The excessive interest in eroticism is characteristic of the end of a civilization because it really means a growing impotence, and fear of impotence. Then the excessive need for excitement, vicarious excitement, which of course the games provided for the Romans and which television provides for our population. Even the enormously complicated structure of taxation and administration is a symptom of the end of the civilization. Above all, there is this truly terrible thing which afflicts materialist societies - boredom, an excessive boredom which I note on every hand."
Today many secular as well as religious authorities recognize ..."These are extraordinary times."An Associated Press writer asks, "Is everything spinning out of control?" A Wall Street Journal headline read, "Millennium Fever: Prophets Proliferate, The End is Near." A New York Times book review began, "Some 50 million Americans share a belief that these are the last days." Even the Chicago Tribune ran a front-page story about the end times in a recent Sunday edition.
Dr. Linus Pauling, winner of Nobel Prizes in 1954 and 1963, has said he believes the greatest catastrophe in the world is approaching. This looming catastrophe might well result in a world war which could destroy civilization and spell the end of the human race. Or, it might take the form of mass starvation among a world population that has been doubling every 35 years. Civilization might end because of the collapse of the systems on which it depends; or the end of civilization might result from weather changes induced by governments to improve the yield of crops.
Even the most seasoned newsmen who have "seen it all" are in awe of the world developments in recent years. All of them realize that something unique in the history of the world is happening today. And what's most stunning about it all is the breath-taking rapidity of these recent developments.
Consider the following:
The crumbling of the Eastern Bloc of Europe and the Communist Empire.
The opening of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of a divided Germany.
Events transpiring in the Middle East.
Growing Islamic - Zionist jihad
The failing ecosystem of Planet Earth.
Changing weather patterns worldwide.
The breathtaking pace of technological advancements.
The collapse of ethical and moral values.
The weakening influence of our churches and their leaders.
The world has entered a time of dramatic and ominous change. At the present moment of history, the planet Earth is in grave crises. This celestial ball is on a collision course with its Creator. We have reached the day which the prophet had in mind when he wrote,
"Woe unto them who call evil, good, and good, evil" [Isaiah 5:20]
Man has pushed the self-destruct button. Foundations of godliness have crumbled; things sacred have come unzipped. We are trying to build a peaceful world, but there is no peace within people's hearts. We must have an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Somehow God must reveal himself to this lost generation. Everything else has failed. Education has failed our youth. For the most part, parents have failed them. Government has failed to reach them. Dead religion has turned them off. Billy Graham quoted John Walvoord in his book, "Storm Warning":
"The present world crisis is not a result of any one factor, but a concurrence of causes and effects which combine to set the world stage for a conflict which may quickly bring an end to hundreds of years of progress in western civilization and establish new centers of international power. Whatever the future holds, it is going to be dramatically different than the past. In this dark picture only the Scriptures chart a sure course and give us an intelligent explanation of worldwide confusion as it exists today."
Where does it all lead? Even though we see it all so clearly, it's still difficult to comprehend. What does it all mean? Where is it all leading? Why is there so little peace in the world when we have such unprecedented knowledge and unlimited potential?The book of Revelation describes the end times. It speaks of a one-world government, a godless dictator, total regulation of all business, plagues, crime and rebellion, and devastating disasters. To many, it seems like a far-off time. But there are "signs of the times" in today's headlines - signs Jesus said would herald His return. Some people argue that the characteristic of 'end time' people have been our character throughout the ages and that people haven't really changed. In its simplest form, that is true. It's not that we don't do the same things, what's relevant is that we do it with increasing intensity and we are teaching new ways of doing it. Certainly, these things have been happening since the beginning of time. However, the intensity of these things today is such that we dare not blind our eyes to their meaning.
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, "When evening comes, you say, `It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, `Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away. [Matthew 16:1-4]
Jesus said, "You can read the signs of the weather in the sky, but because of spiritual blindness you cannot read the signs of the times." Our Lord was saying the Jews of that day were blind to the signs of their time. He indicated that only those who have spiritual illumination and discernment from the Holy Spirit can hope to understand the trends and meanings of history. This explains why so many people haven't got a clue about what's going on and why most of our political leaders are taking us down the path to destruction.
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." [1Tim. 4:1]
We are now living in the "last days!" The only way to understand the big picture is to look at the Bible and the various categories of signs that the Bible predicted would come together just before the return of Christ. The key to understanding current events is in some familiar old scriptural passages. Jesus Himself gave us the best insight shortly before his execution on the cross.
"Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 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 24:4-14]
General 'signs' Jesus said would be visible prior to His return.
Deliberate deception by men of God's Word
Rise of false Christs
Increase in wars and rumors of wars
Famines, Pestilence & Earthquakes
Discrimination and hatred against Christians
Backsliding, turning from the faith, betrayal
Hatred of Christian against Christian
False Prophets and "New Age" leaders
Lawlessness abounding
Love and concern for others grows cold
Gospel preached worldwide
Our Lord told us not to be troubled, because these are only the beginning of "birth pains" [Matt. 24:8]. I believe that God is warning the world. The world has broken His covenant and has gone away from Him and these events are warnings designed to turn us to Him. And what we have seen thus far is just a prelude. The warnings are going to continue during the next few years, even building in intensity. After these warnings, the real judgment is going to come.
"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. - Matthew 24:15-28
A day of reckoning will come. There will be an end.
Source:www.jerimiahproject.com
Events of the twentieth century alerted Bible students to the tremendous potential for fulfilled prophecy, and many students of the Bible and eschatology recognize the events continuing to unfold in the world today as signs of the last days.The signs are visible all around us.
" wars and rumors of wars" - Matthew 24:6
Endless war seem to rage in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism is spreading to nearly every corner of the globe. Since 2000 alone, America has been mired in conflict in Sierra Leone, Yemen, East Timor, Afghanistan, Philippines, Cote d'Ivoire, Iraq, Liberia, Georgia, Haïti, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Somalia.
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." - Matthew 24:7
Other conflicts are raging in Darfur, Saudi Arabia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thailand, Chad, Gaza Strip and the West Bank in Israel, Niger and Mali, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.
"There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." - Matthew 24:7
Every year, earthquakes cause thousands of deaths, either directly or due to the resulting tsunamis, landslides, fires, and famines.
3,000 people died in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Around 110,000 were killed in the 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
More than 5,700 deaths were reported following the strongest earthquake ever recorded in 1960 in Southern Chile.
While only 15 people died in the 1964 Prince William Sound in Alaska quake itself, 110 more people were killed in the resulting tsunami.
66,000 were killed off the western coast of South America in the 1970 Peru earthquake.
Between 250,000 and 655,000 died in the 1976 China earthquake that struck Tangshan, then a city of one million people.
63 people were killed in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake -- which struck the San Francisco area.
60 people were killed in the 1994 Northridge quake in Southern California.
More than 5,000 were killed the 1995 Kobe, Japan earthquake.
230,000 (and perhaps as many as 290,000) people in 12 countries -- including about 168,000 in Indonesia alone were killed in the 2004 earthquake just off the west coast of the island of Sumatra, and the tsunami that followed.
More than 80,000 people were killed in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.
More than 69,000 people died in the 2008 Sichuan China earthquake.
We're hearing of an increasing scarcity of food on a worldwide scale, due to increased consumption in growing countries such as China and India and rising fuel costs. These shortages have caused riots in some places and some predict the future outbreak of wars fought over increasing food scarcities.
Change
The twentieth century was an unprecedented period of change and the twenty-first century is proving to be even more dramatic. At no time in history have more changes occurred in science and in the political structure of the world.
More changes occur in science in a single year than formerly occurred in a century.
The world's brightest beacon of liberty has been corrupted by immoral bankers and is now quickly becoming one of the greatest forces of evil in the world.
With Israel restored as a nation in 1948, the panorama of end-time prophecy came into a focus in which Israel will be a prominent player.
The introduction of the concept of a world government, made real by the United Nations paints a scenario that is in harmony with prophecy concerning a future world government.
The wholesale collapse of ethical and moral values throughout society and government. Children are killing their classmates, employees are killing fellow employees, and government leaders are promising change.
Is civilization coming to an end?
"Armageddon is now near not because of this event or that event which may, in isolation, look like a prophetic fulfillment. Rather, it is because of the very nature of what causes Armageddon, coupled with the fact that our world today is rapidly assuming, on a global scale, the characteristics of that which underlies Armageddon." [William R. Goetz, Armageddon Next]
Malcolm Muggeridge suggested, "The basic condition for a civilization is that there should be law and order. Obviously this is coming to an end. The world is falling into chaos, even perhaps especially our western world... There are many other symptoms. The excessive interest in eroticism is characteristic of the end of a civilization because it really means a growing impotence, and fear of impotence. Then the excessive need for excitement, vicarious excitement, which of course the games provided for the Romans and which television provides for our population. Even the enormously complicated structure of taxation and administration is a symptom of the end of the civilization. Above all, there is this truly terrible thing which afflicts materialist societies - boredom, an excessive boredom which I note on every hand."
Today many secular as well as religious authorities recognize ..."These are extraordinary times."An Associated Press writer asks, "Is everything spinning out of control?" A Wall Street Journal headline read, "Millennium Fever: Prophets Proliferate, The End is Near." A New York Times book review began, "Some 50 million Americans share a belief that these are the last days." Even the Chicago Tribune ran a front-page story about the end times in a recent Sunday edition.
Dr. Linus Pauling, winner of Nobel Prizes in 1954 and 1963, has said he believes the greatest catastrophe in the world is approaching. This looming catastrophe might well result in a world war which could destroy civilization and spell the end of the human race. Or, it might take the form of mass starvation among a world population that has been doubling every 35 years. Civilization might end because of the collapse of the systems on which it depends; or the end of civilization might result from weather changes induced by governments to improve the yield of crops.
Even the most seasoned newsmen who have "seen it all" are in awe of the world developments in recent years. All of them realize that something unique in the history of the world is happening today. And what's most stunning about it all is the breath-taking rapidity of these recent developments.
Consider the following:
The crumbling of the Eastern Bloc of Europe and the Communist Empire.
The opening of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of a divided Germany.
Events transpiring in the Middle East.
Growing Islamic - Zionist jihad
The failing ecosystem of Planet Earth.
Changing weather patterns worldwide.
The breathtaking pace of technological advancements.
The collapse of ethical and moral values.
The weakening influence of our churches and their leaders.
The world has entered a time of dramatic and ominous change. At the present moment of history, the planet Earth is in grave crises. This celestial ball is on a collision course with its Creator. We have reached the day which the prophet had in mind when he wrote,
"Woe unto them who call evil, good, and good, evil" [Isaiah 5:20]
Man has pushed the self-destruct button. Foundations of godliness have crumbled; things sacred have come unzipped. We are trying to build a peaceful world, but there is no peace within people's hearts. We must have an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Somehow God must reveal himself to this lost generation. Everything else has failed. Education has failed our youth. For the most part, parents have failed them. Government has failed to reach them. Dead religion has turned them off. Billy Graham quoted John Walvoord in his book, "Storm Warning":
"The present world crisis is not a result of any one factor, but a concurrence of causes and effects which combine to set the world stage for a conflict which may quickly bring an end to hundreds of years of progress in western civilization and establish new centers of international power. Whatever the future holds, it is going to be dramatically different than the past. In this dark picture only the Scriptures chart a sure course and give us an intelligent explanation of worldwide confusion as it exists today."
Where does it all lead? Even though we see it all so clearly, it's still difficult to comprehend. What does it all mean? Where is it all leading? Why is there so little peace in the world when we have such unprecedented knowledge and unlimited potential?The book of Revelation describes the end times. It speaks of a one-world government, a godless dictator, total regulation of all business, plagues, crime and rebellion, and devastating disasters. To many, it seems like a far-off time. But there are "signs of the times" in today's headlines - signs Jesus said would herald His return. Some people argue that the characteristic of 'end time' people have been our character throughout the ages and that people haven't really changed. In its simplest form, that is true. It's not that we don't do the same things, what's relevant is that we do it with increasing intensity and we are teaching new ways of doing it. Certainly, these things have been happening since the beginning of time. However, the intensity of these things today is such that we dare not blind our eyes to their meaning.
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, "When evening comes, you say, `It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, `Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away. [Matthew 16:1-4]
Jesus said, "You can read the signs of the weather in the sky, but because of spiritual blindness you cannot read the signs of the times." Our Lord was saying the Jews of that day were blind to the signs of their time. He indicated that only those who have spiritual illumination and discernment from the Holy Spirit can hope to understand the trends and meanings of history. This explains why so many people haven't got a clue about what's going on and why most of our political leaders are taking us down the path to destruction.
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." [1Tim. 4:1]
We are now living in the "last days!" The only way to understand the big picture is to look at the Bible and the various categories of signs that the Bible predicted would come together just before the return of Christ. The key to understanding current events is in some familiar old scriptural passages. Jesus Himself gave us the best insight shortly before his execution on the cross.
"Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 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 24:4-14]
General 'signs' Jesus said would be visible prior to His return.
Deliberate deception by men of God's Word
Rise of false Christs
Increase in wars and rumors of wars
Famines, Pestilence & Earthquakes
Discrimination and hatred against Christians
Backsliding, turning from the faith, betrayal
Hatred of Christian against Christian
False Prophets and "New Age" leaders
Lawlessness abounding
Love and concern for others grows cold
Gospel preached worldwide
Our Lord told us not to be troubled, because these are only the beginning of "birth pains" [Matt. 24:8]. I believe that God is warning the world. The world has broken His covenant and has gone away from Him and these events are warnings designed to turn us to Him. And what we have seen thus far is just a prelude. The warnings are going to continue during the next few years, even building in intensity. After these warnings, the real judgment is going to come.
"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. - Matthew 24:15-28
A day of reckoning will come. There will be an end.
Source:www.jerimiahproject.com
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