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.”

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

“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.

Only two books in our Bible end in a question: Jonah and Nahum. Both of these books belong to the section of Scripture called Minor Prophets. Both of these prophets spoke to the people of Nineveh. And both of their concluding questions challenge us today as we pray for America.

Around 750 BC, Jonah spoke against Nineveh, the capitol city of Assyria. This city represented all that was evil and cruel about the Assyrians. As you might remember, the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. Their repentance was not totally unexpected by Jonah given his understanding that the Lord was gracious, merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness, and ready to forgive (4:2), and yet the prophet had determined them ready for God’s judgment and wrath. The book concludes with God asking the question: Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand…? (4:11 NASB) God was motivated by the large number of innocent children in Nineveh (who could not tell their right hand from their left) to offer His mercy. America is as ripe for God’s judgment today as Ninevah was in 750 BC! How we pray that the Lord will have mercy on our little ones by bringing repentance and His forgiveness!

A mere 20 years following that revival of Nineveh, the city was once again ripe for God’s judgment. In 730 BC Nahum spoke against the city. This time there was no relief from their incurable wickedness. God’s judgment came and Nineveh fell. Nahum concludes his prophecy with the question: For on whom has not your evil passed continually? (3:19, NASB) The prophet is asking the troubling question that needs to be considered today. Who and what people have not been impacted by the evil and wickedness of America?  America, a nation that has witnessed great revivals in the past and has been lavished by God with great preachers, now stands proud and unrepentant. America, a nation once known for her missionary heralding, has become a nation that exports her sins more than her produce! Is it possible that God showed His mercy and forgiveness for our children’s sake twenty years ago and now our grandchildren must partake of His judgment? Should our prayers be focused on preparing both our children and our grandchildren to be preserved a remnant for His glory?

These are days that challenge our prayer lives!

Biblical Philosophy of History

…And His name is called The Word of God…
And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Hebrews 11:4, 5, 7)

The natural man allows his morality to dictate his theology, but the believer’s theology should dictate his morality. Every Christian should be governed by a biblical philosophy of history. This philosophy is a set of values that govern life. A true biblical philosophy of history should include ten foundational beliefs.

1. Creation – an explanation of the dawning of life
Gen 1:1; Neh 9:6; Heb 11:3; Acts 14:15; Rom 1:20

Key Concept: Unique view of God as Triune Creator and Man created in His image

God is a Creator God Who is All-knowing, All-powerful, Ever-present, and Totally good (or the theological terms: Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omni-present, and Omni-righteous); The Godhead consists of a tri-unity (or Trinity) of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Man was created in the image of God and he too is a tri-unity of body, soul, and spirit.

2. Corruption – an explanation of the depravity of sin
Rom 5:12; Rom 3:23; Rom 6:23; Is 53:6

Key Concept: Unique view of Man’s problem being spiritual and moral in nature

Man has rebelled along with God’s enemy, Lucifer (Satan). Through rejection of God’s design for him, Man has been birthed with an Adamic nature (called sin), has willfully broken God’s moral law (called transgression), and has believed Satan’s lies that have shaped his life (called iniquity). The consequences of this rebellion are separation, suffering, and death.

3. Catastrophe – an explanation of the deliverance of a remnant
Gen 6:3-8

Key Concept: Unique view of God allowing a space of time for Man to repent and His justice requiring judgment

Through God’s grace, He provides a faithful remnant to execute His will. God must respond to limit Man’s rebellion and pride. With devastating judgments, God satisfies His just demands while at the same time preserving a faithful remnant. This truth is pictured for us in the worldwide flood story and the preservation of a remnant comprised of Noah and his family.

4. Confusion – an explanation of the diversity of Man
Gen 11:1, 4, 6-8; Acts 17:26

Key Concept: Unique view of the origins of Man’s diversity

Once again, God acted swiftly to bring judgment upon Man’s rebellion and to place a limitation upon his imagination as pictured in the Tower of Babel account. God confounded Man’s languages resulting in a scattering into differing people’s groups and cultures. Over a process of time, various groupings resulted in differing genetic tendencies such as eye shape and skin color.

5. Covenant – an explanation of the division of mankind
Gen 12:1-3; Rom 11:2

Key Concept: Unique view of God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendents

God established an eternal agreement with Abraham and his descendents to provide redemption for all mankind through them as they preserve His Word. This covenant was embraced by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and then later refined with the Davidic covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant has not been revoked and divides mankind into Jew and Gentile.

6. Christ – an explanation of the demonstration of God
Jn 1:1-4, 11; Col 1:19; Col 2:9

Key Concept: Unique view Christ as the Second Person of the Trinity

Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity Who became incarnated through the miracle of the virgin birth and lived a sinless life.  Through the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus has provided redemption to all who would believe. Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man – fully God and fully Man.

7. Cross – an explanation of the dynamic of grace
Rom 5:6, 8; Rom 5:19; Eph 2:8-9

Key Concept: Unique view of grace, instead of works, as God’s means of salvation

God has provided through the death of Jesus upon the cross the full atonement for Man’s sin. Salvation and forgiveness is through God’s grace without any merit of Man. In response to God’s work of redemption, Man may receive or reject this work of grace. The crucifixion of Christ was followed three days later by His resurrection and the later His ascension to the right had of God the Father.

8. Church – an explanation of the distinction of Christianity
Mtt 16:18; Acts 1:8

Key Concept: Unique view of the Church as God’s steward of truth

The Church was birthed on the day of Pentecost following the crucifixion and resurrection. The Holy Spirit (the Third Person of the Trinity) descended upon the followers of Jesus and initiated the Church. The Church does not replace Israel but provides a third division of Man: Jew, Gentile, and the Church. Jesus is the Head of the Church, not the king of the Church. He has commissioned the Church with the spread of the Gospel and the discipling of believers. To accomplish this goal the Holy Spirit has given the Church apostles (missionaries), prophets (reformers/revivalists), evangelists, and pastor-teachers and has gifted each individual member for service.

9. Coming – an explanation of the declaration of the prophets
Acts 1:11; Heb 9:28; 2 Pet 3:10

Key Concept: Unique view of Christ’s Second Coming toward the end of history

The Bible clearly presents two comings of Jesus. The First Coming occurred when Jesus came as a Suffering Servant and was incarnated as a Man. This is the Christmas story of the virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus. He lived a sinless life and gave his life as a ransom for sin upon Calvary’s cross. Then He arose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is presented in His Second Coming as a Supernatural Sovereign Who will rapture up His Church. An additional part of His Second Coming is His return to defeat the enemies of Israel and to establish a millennial (thousand year) reign.

10. Consummation – an explanation of the destiny of life
Phil 2:10-11; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; Deut 10:17; Josh 22:22; Rev 19:16

Key Concept: Unique view that all of life is progressing toward Judgment

All history is moving toward a culmination in one of two directions: Heaven or Hell. God’s justice demands an accounting. With the judgment of sin completed at Calvary, history now awaits four future judgments:

• The judgment concerning the saints (Judgment Seat of Christ). This judgment concerns the works of the believers (1 Cor 3:11-15; 4:5; 5:9-10; 9:24-27; Rom 14:9-12).
• The judgment concerning the states/nations (in the Valley of Jehoshaphat). This judgment concerns the nation’s treatment of Israel (Matt 25:31-46; Rev 12:13-17; Dan 7:22; Jude 14-15).
• The judgment concerning sinners (Great White Throne Judgment). This judgment will be concerned with sinners who have rejected Jesus (Rev 20:11-15; Jude 6; 2 Pet 3:7).
• The judgment concerning Israel’s submission (at the time of the Great Tribulation). This judgment will focus upon Israel’s rejection of Jesus as their true Messiah and a faithful remnant that have trusted in Jesus as their Messiah (Jer 30:4-7; Ezk 20:34-38; Dan 12:1).

Recapturing the Biblical Epic of Prayer

This sweeping historical book traces prayer throughout the lives of the patriarchs, the judges, the kings, the prophets, Christ, and the apostles. We are excited to make this available in a newly revised form. Click on the link above to order.