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Responding to Current Events
Response to a devotional by David Jeremiah
This message by David Jeremiah surely should not be taken to mean that he is oblivious to Scriptures concerning end-time events. But given the limited comments that he has made, if taken as a whole, he does strike me as one who is not understanding the events before him.
One of Jesus’ favorite words is the word “beginning.” He spoke about the beginning of creation (Mtt 19:4; Mk 10:6), the beginning of the Exodus with man’s heart being hardened (Mtt 19:8), and the beginning of Satan’s murderous rebellion (Jn 8:44). The Apostles also spoke about a time-line of beginnings when they spoke of the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry (A 1:22) and the beginning of the Church (A 11:15).
David Jeremiah states in his devotional that there is nothing new under the sun – a comment written by the back-slidden, polygamous Solomon giving the perspective of the world from Man’s viewpoint and not God’s viewpoint. Solomon wrote in Ecc 12:11 about “goads” that are worldly reflections that are designed to arouse us from lethargy and about “nails” that are spiritual revelations designed to give us stability and direction. The Book of Ecclesiastes is outlined by these clear lines of distinction.
David Jeremiah goes on to state that we have always had recessions and depressions indicating that today’s events are nothing new or unprecedented.
But this is not in line with what Jesus said! Jesus said that there is coming a time that is unprecedented since the “beginning of the world.” In Mtt 24:21, Jesus said that there is coming a great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world or ever shall be. This would be an unprecedented event! Leading up to and preceding that event is the “beginning of sorrows”! He spoke about events in such a way that Man would be able to recognize the end times: global wars, massive famines, unheard of pestilences, abnormal number of earthquakes, unbridled iniquity, the rise of world renowned false prophets, and world evangelism. These are the “beginning of sorrows” prior to the end (Mtt 24:4-14) and should be recognizable events to prepare us for what is coming.
These days are unlike previous generations! A study of scripture would lead one to understand that we are living in an unprecedented day!
- The Church has progressed through the Church Ages to the fulfillment of the Laodicean Church – the end-time Church!
- The alignment of the nations of the world as prophesied throughout scripture (regathering of Israel; recovery of the Arab Confederacy, renewal of the nation from the East, resurgence of the nation from the North, return of the Roman Empire, rise of the Apostate Church, relapse into the Occult/paganism and revival of the Remnant). Geographically, the world today aligns precisely with what the prophecies state the world would look like at the end. Each of these events is unprecedented!
- The Feasts of Israel and their fulfillment in Jesus indicates that we are now ready for the Return of Jesus at the Rapture!
- The prophecies of Jacob concerning his sons and their tribal descendents in Gen 49 indicate that Israel is exactly where it is supposed to be in the end-times!
- And other prophetic “signs of the end” from Paul, Peter and Jude. Taken together they paint unprecedented times that are right before our eyes!
Without question there are those preachers that are preaching that there is nothing new under the sun, but I am declaring loud and clear that there are unprecedented events taking place before us! Comments like those of David Jeremiah only dull one to the prophecies and events in the end times.
These are not normal days of recessions and depressions! The sooner we realize this the better off we will be in enduring coming events. These are not days of “Leave It To Beaver” and “Andy Griffeth.” Those days are gone! They will not be coming back! There are those who would like to bury their heads in the sands of time and continue to live in an unrealistic world of television. They unfortunately are being lulled to sleep by the pipers who preach, “there is nothing new under the sun.”
Peter stated, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.’ For this they willing are ignorant…” (2 Pet 3:3-5). Things are not continuing as they have always been! We are in the End-Times – unprecedented End-Times!
Now, since these are unprecedented end-times, the questions before us are these: do you truly believe we are in the end-times? If we are, what should you be doing now to prepare yourself and your family for the coming events? Are you living (mentally, morally, spiritually, financially, etc.) as though these are the end-times. Jesus admonished us to “settle it therefore in our hearts” (Lk 21:14). He was strongly advising us to get settled on what He and other prophets said about the last days. As David Wilkerson used to say, “Make your final move now.”
Christ's bondservant,
Rob Finley
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How to Pray for the Sick
I recently did a message on How to Pray for the Sick. Here is the outline, or you can download a PDF of it here: How to Pray for the Sick.
How to Pray for the Sick
James 5:7-20
In the New Testament, there are three Greek words that are translated “healing”: iaomai (instantaneous, immediate healing; 30 times), therapeuo (gradual; 40 times), and sozo (become whole, experience salvation; 3 times).
James, the brother of Jesus and the first Christian pastor, writes the Book of James to give practical instructions on how to live the Christian life. In chapter five, James focuses his attention on how to be healthy enough to pray for the sick and then specifically how to pray for those who are chronically ill.
A. God Calls Intercessors to BE PATIENT – v 7
B. God Calls Intercessors to BE POSITIONED – v 8
C. God Calls Intercessors to BE PARDONING – vs 9-11
D. God Calls Intercessors to BE PURE – v 12
E. God Calls Intercessors to BE PRAYERFUL – vs 13-20
- Emotional distress – v 13
“Afflicted” means a chronic, long drawn out hardship of suffering and refers to the deep emotional depression that accompany the sickness - Physical distress – vs 14-15
“Sick” refers to being weary of mind, being exhausted physically and mentally from the sickness - Financial distress – v 16
“Faults” means a loss or a making of a false step, a trespass across legal and financial ground - Psychological distress – vs 17-18
Ellijah’s prayer was directed against the Ahab’s stronghold that gripped the nation of Israel. Elijah was of the “same passions” as were the other Israelites. - Spiritual distress – vs 19-20
“Err” refers to a wondering or a straying from the truth, to be seduced by lies
Christ's bondservant,
Rob Finley
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The New Year and Beyond
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” – Luke 22:31-32 (NASB)
Prognosticators are coming out in full force predicting what the new year will bring. They look to the Mayan calendar, Nostradamus, astrology, and other “tea leaves” type of indicators while ignoring the only true indicator of the future – the Scriptures. The Bible has much to say about the future.
In considering the prophecies concerning the last days in Matthew 24:1-14, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, and elsewhere, the Bible clearly presents a tremendous catastrophic turn of events that will impact believers worldwide.
This impact is illustrated in Jesus’ dialogue with Peter when He said that Satan desired to have and sift “you” (Peter). Actually in the Greek, the pronoun “you” is in the plural. Satan had already claimed Judas, now he was after Peter and the other disciples. Prophetically, Jesus was warning His followers that Satan desires to sift each of us! The sifting that Jesus has in mind is the violent overthrowing of one’s faith!
Globally Christians are now experiencing that sifting. Personally, you may be experiencing that sifting as well! This past year may have been the greatest “sifting” of your faith that you have experienced. Yet we know that these last days are going to be those of unprecedented sifting!
Jesus’ dialogue with Peter gives us sound steps of action during these days:
- Warn of adversity: We should love enough to warn others as we see them vulnerable. Even after three years of discipleship, Peter still maintained deep spiritual pride that blinded him to his weaknesses. Jesus, however, could clearly see where Peter’s pride was taking him and He warned (not lectured) him of his peril. (See 1 Thess 5:14; Col 1:28.)
- Pray for victory: Jesus said to Peter that He was praying for him. He did not say that He was praying that he would escape the sifting, but that he would overcome the sifting. Like Jesus, we should be intercessors for others going through the sifting. (See Rom 8:37; Jn 17:15; 1 Cor 1:4-9; Eph 1:16-23.)
- Restore to Ministry: Jesus spoke of Peter being restored to the point of strengthening his brothers. To the disciples’ credit, they did not reject Peter after his sifting. Instead, they restored him to fellowship and to leadership. May we find ourselves restoring those who have been sifted! (See Gal 6:1.)
As we face the new year, and beyond, may each of us do so with the confidence that Jesus anticipated the attacks on our faith; that He is praying for us; and that we must warn, pray, and restore others who will be sifted.
Christ's bondservant,
Rob Finley
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