Matthew 24

"The End Is Near" You've all seen the pictures. A man on the street corner, disheveled and distressed attire, unkempt hair and the musty smell of nights spent sleeping under the park bridge. Slung across his shoulders is a double sided sign heralding the coming apocalypse. "REPENT" He cries in an alcoholic's guttural voice, barely able to string together more than a few coherent words. This has become the archetype for stereotyping the "prophet of doom" in our media cultured world. They are men you would cross the street to avoid and go out of your way to ignore. But are we wrong to ignore the message they are speaking of?

Every person that grew up in a Christian household or has spent anytime in a Christian community has, at some point in time, heard talk about the end times. The "Tribulation", "Apocalypse", "Second Coming", "Catching Away", "Day of the Lord" and many other terms are used to describe different aspects of the end of this generation*. I have heard many sermons and teachings on the end times and it has even entered main stream media recently with publications like the "Left Behind" series.

I never really felt a personal drive to study and find out what the Word said about the end times. I have even made the statement on several occasions "I think it's interesting but because it wouldn't affect my salvation I don't feel the necessity to study it yet." I must admit now that I feel I was wrong. I believe it is necessary for every Christian to understand what is coming because without a knowledge of the end I don't think we are fully equipped to witness to those around us.

It surprised me to find out the the first apostolic message preached on the day of Pentecost by Peter, when he spoke in Acts ch. 2, was a message of the coming end "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel" going on to expand on the "Day of the Lord", [see acts 2:16, 19-21]**! The message of The Day of the Lord is indeed a terrible and frightening thing but it is given to be used as a message of salvation.

Because of the power that the prophetic preaching of the day of the Lord wields to the salvation of lost souls the enemy has used his abilities to add a stigma to the imagery associated with those who teach or preach it. It is our responsibility to "Study and show [ourselves] approved" in this area of ministry. So i encourage everyone to study the relevance of Matthew 24 in relation to current events. I intend to use this platform over the next couple posts to show that relation on a few of the more recent stories to make headlines. My greatest desire is to arouse in you a mutual desire to study out the end time teaching and spark a fire in everyone of us to become soul winners.

 Make sure you are always speaking to your pastor first and foremost on any subject of prophecy. They are your Shepard given to you for a reason. I encourage all Rock Church members to begin with Pastor Young's message on CD from Tuesday night 8-30-11. This is the message that brought me under conviction about not studying the message of salvation out more and I would hope it helps inspire you as well.

It is Friday!! I wish everyone here a great weekend and will pick up again on Monday. God bless.

*[When I use the term generation here I am referring to an age or dispensation rather than a singular life span]
**[Pastor Young spoke about the importance of Peter's ref. to Joel in his message in 2011's No Limits conference I encourage you to get that CD as well for further study]