End times are approaching

The world is fast approaching end times, as the word of God shows us, but many people have the wrong impression of end times. Secular TV shows total destruction of the world, when in reality what the word of God says is that it’s the end of the church age, the Gentile age when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to rapture the church.

Matthew 24:3-15 tells of all the earthquakes, tornadoes and other things that will happen at the end of this age.

It’s been said that in 1973, there were 5,000 earthquakes worldwide, and in 2003 there were 30,000 earthquakes. It is predicted in 2013 there will be 40,000 earthquakes. The head of Federal Emergency Management Agency says nothing of this magnitude and frequency has happened in the past.

Tornado alley in the United States usually has 150 tornadoes in the month of April. In April 2011, just two days had 170 tornadoes.

People are confused what is going on, Things are not the same as they used to be, as we have seen in the last 10 or 12 years. In 1975, the national debt was $75 million. Three years ago (2009), it was $3 trillion. Today, it is as high as $18 trillion.

All these things are happening, and why is that?

I believe that the United States was founded as a godly nation. I also believe we have been blessed because of that stand, but there are many people today trying to prove and say that is not so and too many times we Christians seem to be the silent majority.

Prophecies from the Bible are being fulfilled and some have been fulfilled for a number of years, prophecies speaking to the end of the church age when Jesus comes to rapture the church, the body of Christ. After the rapture, the antichrist will be revealed and the seven years of the great tribulation will be up on the earth (Second Thessalonians 2:1-8).

The way some people are living in this world, they seem to think if they miss the rapture then afterword they will accept Jesus. The reality of this is the antichrist will have a demonic spirit capable of deceiving even the elite. Those who do get saved during the great tribulation face martyrs. It is highly unpractical those who are putting off Christ today will accept him after the church is raptured. It appears that during the tribulation — especially the last 3 1/2 years — that it will be very difficult to preach the gospel and to hear the gospel preached. We need to tell people about Jesus now, for the time is short.

The only way we can reach those without Christ is to walk in love and tell them God doesn’t hold their sins against them and all they have to do is repent and accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. The sin the world is convicted of is not believing in Jesus (John 3:18).

Some people seem to think they have to do a whole lot to get God to save them — plead, give up something, make themselves better. But all the time Jesus paid the price at Calvary when he died, rose and shed his blood for all mankind sins.

Then there are the other people who believe they’re saved because they go to church or their families are Christians, maybe they sing in the choir, are a member of a church or they do good works. These are all good things in themselves, but unless you make Jesus Christ your personal savior sometime in your life, eternal life is not yours.

If one does not believe Jesus is returning soon to take Christians with him in the clouds, it will happen anyway. Don’t be left behind by false teachings that have given you a sense of security that doesn’t line up with the word of God.

God is a loving God, that’s why he sent Jesus his only begotten son to redeem us. All we have to do to have eternal life is make Jesus Christ our Lord Savior. Won’t you do it today? There is only one way to the father, and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lavon Barve works with Cup of Life Ministry in Wasilla.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2268.