Blood Moon, Schmood Moon!

   There's a lot of talk these days about the "Blood Moons", that they are signs of prophecy being fulfilled. And many prophecies are indeed being fulfilled, but I'm not so concerned over something so mundane as a lunar eclipse! Why? Because that's not what the Book says!
Let's open our Bibles, and see what the actual sign of the end, and of Christ's return, is.

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come." Acts 2:20

"For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine." Isaiah 13:10

"Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed,  when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously."

Isaiah 24:23

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken."  Matthew 24:29

"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken." Mark 13:24-25

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars...for the powers of heaven shall be shaken" Luke 21: 25-26

"And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise." Revelation 8:12

   Clearly this is none of this is referring to a common lunar eclipse that takes place before the Tribulation as a sign that it is coming! Notice the both the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament apostles, and even Christ Himself state that not only the moon, but the sun also and the stars will all be obscured from view. Don't you realize, it is impossible to have a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse at the same time? This is not a natural, normal, predictable event!

   It is a catastrophic, one-time occurence, heralding Christ's return!

 All through your Bible, it is always the sun AND the moon AND the stars...not the moon only! The first time this sign is mentioned appears in Genesis, in a dream God gave Joseph!

"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told his brethren and said, 'Behold, I have dreamed a dream more, and behold, the sun, and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.' "  Genesis 37:9

   Now Jacob thought the dream meant he & his family would bow down to Joseph, which was the short-term fulfillment of the vision. But the deeper, Messianic meaning was that one day, the Sun, and the Moon, and the stars would switch off their high-beams and flip on their low-beams in deference to the True Light, Jesus Christ Almighty!

   Folks, there is no prophecy as such stating that a lunar eclipse foretells the coming of the AntiChrist, or of the beginning of the Tribulation. Read da book! Don't add to His words, don't take any away! Blood Moon, Schmood Moon!

Peace.

I'm a Christian, BUT........!

I am a Christian, but....
...I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Isaiah 6:5
...who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"? Proverbs 20:9
...if I bridle not my tongue, my religion is vain. James 1:26
...if I have not love, I am become as sounding brass, and as a tinkling cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1
....if I say I have not sinned, I make Him a liar, and His word is not in me. 1 John 1:10
....we have this treasure in earthen vessels. 2 Corinthians 4:7
...I am a worm, and no man. Psalm 22:6
...I am carnal, sold under sin, for that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:14-15
...I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing....for the good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Romans 7:18-19
...all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 2:16
...without holiness, no man shall see the LORD. Hebrews 12:14
...if I say I know Him, and keep not His commandments, I am a liar, and the truth is not in me. 1 John 2:4
...if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Psalm 66: 18
...if I do not forgive, neither will my Father which is in heaven forgive my trespasses. Mark 11:26
...we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6
...if I think I know anything, I know nothing yet as I ought to know. 1 Corinthians 8:2
....not everyone who says to Jesus, "Lord, Lord!" shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 7:21
...neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
... the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked...Jeremiah 17:9
....we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:10
...when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8
....He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see? He that chastises the heathen, shall He not correct? He that teaches man knowledge, shall He not know? Psalm 94: 9-10
...if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Peter 4:18
...except we repent, we shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3

I AM A CHRISTIAN, BUT I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST!

Take My Hand, Precious Lord..............

   "Should  I stay or should I go? " asked the Clash back in the day. The Apostle Paul wrestled with the same question (Philippians 1:20-24)  with going to Heaven looking better and better, yet remaining here on earth more needful to his disciples.

"The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness"

Isaiah 57:1-2

"Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."

Revelation 14:3

   Over the past few years, I have seen my mother, mother-in-law, and several other friends and fellow saints pass from this world, and into the everlasting arms of the Father. I do not pity them; I do not pity any other family member, friend, or fellow minister whom the Lord shall see fit to call home from this time onward. Blessed are they, for they shall be spared the distress of all that is coming on this world!

  As Jesus was being led away to Golgotha, He turned and said to the women who cried after Him, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.......For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:28-31) Yeah, things are gonna get really bad, really quickly, really soon. No, I don't feel sorry for those who get out before it all hits the fan! Whom the Lord chooses to keep from the hour of temptation (for they are worthy).

   But as for me, who am less than the least of all saints....do I wanna be here? Do I want to see the scoffers & scorners go scurrying into their holes like little mice when God's judgement hits? Do I want to see the Two Witnesses send plague after plague upon the unrepentant ungodly? Do I wanna see the look on the smart-mouth atheists' faces when every eye shall see Him, and every knee shall bow?

    Do I wanna hear the children of Israel ask the Messiah, "What are these wounds in Thy hands?" when they look on Him Whom they pierced?  Do I wanna see the Beast and the False Prophet taken? Do I wanna see Babylon fall? Do I wanna see the angel grab hold of Satan and lock him up 1,000 years? Do I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in?

 I wouldn't miss it for the world!

   God granted old Simeon his wish that he wouldn't die without seeing the LORD's Christ. My heart's desire and prayer is that I might not only survive and endure all the things that are coming quickly, but also that I might remain faithful unto the end,  to be among those that are alive and remain at His coming.  To be among those Isaiah heard say, "LO, this is our God, we have waited for Him.....this is the Lord, we have waited for Him!" (Isaiah 25:9)

    Lord, carry home whom You will, sparing them the grief of the fiery trial that shall test them that be upon the earth in these days, only let me serve you and abide faithful until You return!

Amen & amen. Maranatha!

September 2015: Hell, Hope, or Hype?

   Have we entered a critical period in history? Is the stuff about to hit the fan? Is humanity's destiny a step closer to fulfillment? Prophecy watchers warn that all hell is about to break loose, even as New Age gurus proclaim a new era of Light and Love! And it's all coming down in the next few weeks.......!
  I know what you're thinking. Y2K bug didn't exactly bite. Mayan Calendar off by more than a few years. We've heard it all before. One side says Doom & Gloom while the other cries, "Peace and Safety". Most of us just say, "Nuthin's gonna happen." Why is this time different? Or is it?
   Those of you who've been with me awhile know I'm no Chicken Little. I'm no sensationalist, I don't tickle ears with juicy gossip. I don't just repeat what everyone else is saying without checking it out first. But a lot of people out there are saying a lot of things about this month we've now entered. Listen, if half of what the prophets & prophecy watchers are saying is right, September 2015 is gonna rock you're world and not in a good way.
  Am I scared? A little, I'll admit. Not because of "blood moons" or Newton's timetable or any of that, but because everything written in the Bible is going to come to pass in its time, GUARANTEED. When? I don't know.
   When His Apostles asked Christ about the time of His coming and the signs thereto, He told them, basically, "It ain't none of yer business" (Acts 1:7) But now in our day many of the things John wrote of in Revelation-that were for ages total mysteries to Bible scholars & commentators  - are part of our everday life. Like using numbers and symbols to buy & sell goods & services. The political & spiritual aligments spoken of in the Scriptures are falling into place.
   I'm not here to tell you it's all going to fall apart this September. I hope to God it doesn't. Personally, I am not ready for all this! I would like things to stay "normal" a while longer. But what God said, He said, and He ain't changing His mind.
   His judgements are certainly coming down on this nation & this world; nothing can hold it back. God is merciful and gracious, and His ears are open to the prayers of His people. But He is not changing one word of what the apostles & prophets have written.
   What's going to happen this month? A new wave of love? Hell on earth? Nothing at all?
We can only wait and watch. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, hold onto Him with all you've got. If you are a fence-sitter, it's time to get serious with God. And if you are a scoffer, just keep laughing. Only don't say nobody told ya.

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"  Hebrews 2:3

NUMBERED!

   Are you ready to hunker down & ride out the storm? Daniel warned Belshazzar, "God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it" (Daniel 5:26). The kingdom of the Antichrist also is numbered: it has an expiration date! Satan's kingdom is NUMBERED! And he knows it, too: "...the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time."   YES!
   I don't know about y'all, but I am SICK of Satan's rule! I am so ready for a regime change! I hate everything he says & everything he does. But the scumbag is a lame duck and he knows it. He's going to try a last ditch effort, not to win, but to make his defeat as costly as possible. The good news is, the clock is running!
   We don't have to defeat him, brothers: Jesus already did that!!!!  We just have to hang in there & hold on until the clock runs out. Jesus says: "...he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22) and, "In your patience possess ye your souls....and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."  (Luke 21: 19,28)
   All we have to do is survive until the kingdom of darkness is destroyed! Don't wimp out, don't back down, don't compromise.....just hold fast unto the end. Did not our Lord promise, "I will be with you even unto the end of this age." ? We don't have to throw a "Hail Mary" pass folks: just take the knee & let the game clock run out!
   Have you not read, "...from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."  Daniel 12:11-12)
   I tell you, the moment the abomination of desolation sets up, I will be marking my calendar: 1,335 days, 1334, 1333, 1332......that's not even four years, folks! Less time than you spent in High School (only a whole lot more evil). But we can do it! Be encouraged! Satan's kingdom is numbered! He's looking at a 1,000 year prison sentence! I can't wait!
 Sure, things suck right now, but "the triumphing of the wicked is short" (Job 20:5) For this Scripture must needs be fulfilled: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15) Yeah!
   And I ain't saying it's going to be easy, guys: far from it. But God has promised to give His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. This is the time for faith & patience. Even so, Come, Lord Jesus! Peace!

The View from Here

   Rip Van Winkle awoke from sleep after twenty years to find the world he knew had disappeared completely. As I look about upon my country, my society, my culture, I feel as bewildered as ol' Rip. When I was born again (as we called it then) back in the summer of '76, the world was a far different place!
   The Seven Words Ya Can't Say on Television weren't said on television. Books that today are required reading would have been banned from High School then. Though evolution was taught in public schools and Ancient Alien theory had already been born, most people still believed the Bible was the Word of God.
   Guys who wanted to be girly were called sissies, not heroes. Everything is upside-down and backwards from how it once was. Men are changed into women, women into men, kids into adults and adults into kids. The "Furries" masquerade as animals while lobbyists fight for human rights for apes. Computers are getting smarter, people getting dumber.
   The Confederate flag is coming down, the LGBT rainbow banner going up (and going up over many churches!). Vulgarity is so rampant that Charlie the Tuna doesn't even bother discussing "good taste" anymore; this generation wouldn't have a clue what he was talking about. And respect? Where will you find that?
   What of freedom? We had that, and privacy, too. There were laws against usury, protecting borrowers from exhorbitant interest rates. Now banks charge you $3.00 to use your own money!  The world has changed, the Church has changed, and yes, I too, have changed: not always for the better. Many have even tried to change the Scriptures themselves. But God says,

"For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." 

"Of old hast Thou laid the foundations of the earth: and the Heavens the works of Thy hands.They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same,and Thy years shall have no end."

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

"JESUS CHRIST the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

   What a comfort to know our firm foundation will never alter or vary! Peace!

Thw Walking (Wish They Were) Dead!

   It's nearly a year since my mother left this world to be with the Lord she'd loved and served since she was a child. And in a way, I'm glad she's passed on before the stuff really hits the fan. "The righteous perishes, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the the evil to come"  says Isaiah 57:1. What evil is coming?
   Some of you think I've lost it already, but I'm telling you that some of the Bible prophecies that for centuries theologians and commentators have assumed were allegorical or symbolic may actually be quite literal! That would be extremely disturbing! In particular, I'm referring to Revelation chapter 9, and the ungdoly beasts that ascend from "the bottomless pit" or abyss, asc John called it.
   In our day, the technology exists to open a wormhole to another dimension. Some of you say, "Matt, you've been watching too many movies", but I tell you , CERN is not science fiction. The people of the world are actually trying to fire this thing up. I believe it is the fulfillment of Rev 9's prophecy.
   When this door is opened, horrible creatures emerge into our world to attack the human race. John tells us things things have faces like men, yet hair like women. Friends, the beings from the other side are indeed androgyneous (that is, guy-gals) having both male and female characteristics as the prophet describes.
   Another terrible aspect of these creatures is, they have a sting like a scorpion, only far more intense; and worst of all, some component of their venom actually prevents their victims from dying. Imagine! People wracked with such unbearable pain they want to kill themselves, but cannot! "And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them."  Rev 9:6 This is what awaits those who reject God and His Christ!
   No matter what they do....jump out of buildings, crash their cars, set themselves on fire, toss themselves into the sea......nothing will kill them for 5 months! Sound  impossible? So does rising from the dead, but Jesus Christ did it. And He will both protect His own who trust in Him, and punish His adversaries.
 I know you think I'm crazy, but the Bible has this habit of being right. Like when Moses predicted the Diaspora. I am telling you that everything wriitten in Scripture will come to pass, not one jot or tittle shall fail until all be fulfilled. No matter how wild or far-fetched it sounds. Who would have thought one could rise from the dead, or people could speak in languages they'd never learned?
 Ads for a beer brand talk about being ready for whatever comes next. You're gonna need more than beer.......