Watch And Be Ready

“They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of your signs;”
Psalm 65:8

Yes truly, the peoples are afraid of his signs. The signs have been unmistakable – a tetrad of lunar eclipses over a two year period – four blood moon lunar eclipses, and each one fell on a Biblical holy day, and there weren’t any others, only these on Passover and and Tabernacles two years in a row! Reminds me of when Jesus says, “truly, truly.” When God repeats something, take notice!

Several years have passed since he gave the world those signs. Several years for all to hear and all to know. And look at all that has happened. An agenda is being forced upon the world, a planned agenda that is GLOBAL, signalling the very obvious approaching Tribulation which will be global.

God gave the world these signs early enough that the world would have plenty of time to “get it” and repent. Since those signs were given, multitudes have come to the Lord.

We also saw two total solar eclipses within that same time period, and the “great sign” in the constellations. How could anyone doubt that it is God presenting these signs to warn the world of what is to come?

What is a sign? It’s like traveling on I-95. When I see the sign for Freeport, I know Portland is near. Even so, he has put the warnings so very clearly - how could anyone miss it, especially when his followers bring these things to people’s attention again and again. We are like the shepherds in the fields running to tell people the Messiah has been born, only this time we’re announcing that he has shown us in the heavens that his second coming is near.

The people fear. And rightly so. Who is it that does not fear the Lord? Even God’s Word speaks of the rightness of fearing him.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7

Truly they ARE fools who do not fear him, who listen to their own counsels and heed their own “wisdom,” who get their instruction from tv news but refuse to heed the Word of God.

But the righteous look to God’s Word knowing he will be with them no matter what comes before we are finally taken from this world of woe. Even those being martyred – they will not die alone but God will be with them and they will pass from the land of woe instantly into the glories of his Kingdom, just as did his servant Stephen who cried out in joy even as he was being martyred:

“Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God!”
Acts 7:56

As we see the day approaching, the great Tribulation which the signs have been heralding, Scripture tells us the days will grow progressively darker, and surely we are seeing the truth of that now. We’ve watched with our jaws dropped - the global agenda forcing its way upon the world. We’re seeing the signs that this is that which we’ve been warned about, the GLOBAL Tribulation, the “one-world government” under the rulership of the Antichrist.

But God’s people must not fear because he will surely be with them in every circumstance until he takes us.

We know that at some point, perhaps even today, Jesus Christ will come for his people to Rapture them out of this evil world BEFORE the great Tribulation begins.

So for the believer, it is a joyful anticipation no matter how it plays out. If any are martyred, they enter heaven immediately and laugh at death as soon as they realize that heaven is theirs. And — they receive the martyr’s Crown. God has not revealed much about the Crowns listed in his Word. Maybe that’s because they are so much more glorious than we could understand in our present limited state. What we know is that those glorious Crowns are treasures in heaven forever – treasures that will never fade away. Men spend years of their lives in rigorous labor in order to receive the highest honor, the “PHD” because of which the people will call them “Doctor So-and So.” The Crowns waiting for the least of God’s servants can’t even be compared to the greatest of earth’s honors. That’s what Jesus meant when he said:

“Do not lay up for yourselves TREASURES ON EARTH
where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
BUT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN
where neither moth nor rust destroys
and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Matthew 6:19-20

We know that the signs God has placed in the moon and stars are declaring a great change, and his Word tells us that BEFORE the Great Tribulation Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will come to take his people home. Nothing could be more greatly anticipated and hoped for, as we watch – keeping ourselves ready – for all these things are nearly upon us. We’ve passed Freeport already.

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
BEFORE the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.”
Joel 2:31

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision,
for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”
Joel 3:14

There is nothing more important that we can do on earth than to reach out to people and help them come into the Kingdom of God. This life will pass. Eternity is forever.