Category Archives: End-Times

Who or What is Restraining the Antichrist? (Part 2)

            For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective… (Hebrews 4:12a AMP)

The Bible contains 1,817 predictive prophecies. To date, approximately one half of them have been fulfilled. The remaining ones are expected to be fulfilled during the End-Times. Given God’s omniscience, He will always be 100% accurate. 

Now, think about an Isaiah or Daniel or Zechariah or another prophet speaking an End-Times prophecy over 2,000 years ago. The words were spoken and written down for future reference. Yet, these are not just dead words penned on a scroll, but are living, powerful time-bombs awaiting their appointed times to explode forth in fulfilment.

            Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word. (Psalm 103:20 NASB)

Who makes sure the Bible’s prophecies are fulfilled at the exact time specified by the Lord? 

I believe God’s angels are assigned this task. Somehow, these chosen angels can hear the DNA guidelines within the prophetic words and know when the prophecies need to be fulfilled.

In 2 Kings 19:32-34, Isaiah spoke a powerful prophecy to King Hezekiah of Judah that the Assyrians would not come into Jerusalem or even shoot one arrow at the city and that the Assyrian army would retreat back to Assyria.

That night, one angel went into the camp of the Assyrians and killed 185,000 soldiers.

Gabriel gave insight to Daniel, Mary and Zacharias so that the prophetic narrative could be moved forward.

Michael fought the prince of Persia so that Gabriel could finally speak to Daniel. It is Michael who will arise when Israel is facing defeat in the End-Times. It is Michael who will wage war against Satan and his kingdom of darkness, casting them out of heaven and down to earth.

And it is an unnamed angel who chains Satan and throws him into the abyss for a thousand years.

These are only a few examples of angels carrying out God’s prophetic words.

            And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 NASB)

So, who or what restrains the Antichrist?

I believe that Michael – the archangel who defends and has charge over Israel – is the one who restrains the Antichrist until God’s appointed time for the Antichrist to appear on the world scene. 

Now, don’t go thinking that Michael uses a metal sword or a spear to restrain Satan from pushing his Antichrist agenda ahead of time. No, not at all! Michael uses the prophetic words of the Bible as his sword. And he probably tosses in a few, “The Lord rebuke you!” in Satan’s direction every so often.

Okay, I will hang my hat on Michael as the restrainer.

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Who or What is Restraining the Antichrist? (Part 1) 

Do you remember Rosie Ruiz?

Rosie was the supposed female winner of the 1980 Boston Marathon in a record time of 2:31:56. Her posted time was the third fastest for a female in the history of marathons. (A marathon is 26 miles and 385 yards of grueling uphill, downhill road races, usually through urban areas.)

But upon inspection, Rosie had not passed through any of the checkpoints along the marathon route. She somehow skipped most of the race and reentered the marathon from a crowd of people only a half mile before the finish line.

Rosie was disqualified. The second-place finisher – Jacqueline Gareau – was declared the winner in a time of 2:34:38.

Checkpoints!

Does God have checkpoints for His redemption narrative intertwined in scriptures from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation?

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)

How did God hold off messiah imposters from appearing on the scene, trying to take the place of Jesus before the fullness of time had come?

Prophecies!

God’s checkpoints for His redemption narrative in Scripture are prophecies.

Some of the prophecies Jesus had to fulfill at His first coming include:

            1. Born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)

            2. Born into the lineage of King David (2 Samuel 7:12)

            3. Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

            4. Called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1)

            5. Born into the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10)

            6. Live in Galilee and be called a Nazarene (Isaiah 9:1-2)

            7. Massacre of children at Jesus’ birth (Jeremiah 31:15)

Neither man nor Satan could have figured out or fulfilled the above seven prophecies ahead of time. Only God through His omniscience and His power could fulfill these prophecies.

Okay, what about Jesus’ second coming? Who or what is restraining the Antichrist?

(Continued in Part 2)

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The Dividing Line for the End Times

            Let no one deceive you by any means; for the Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

Most scholars think that the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Thessalonica soon after he wrote his first letter. He probably wrote the second one because in the first, he wrote: “But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write you.”

As one scholar wrote: “Paul’s letters are like listening to a phone conversation and hearing only one side of the conversation. You have to guess what the other side is saying from the info you have received.”

From reading 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2, I figure Paul received some questions from the Thessalonian church concerning the timing of the Lord’s return. A few must have worried that the Lord had already returned and they had missed the rapture. This means they were not so sure about the times and the seasons as Paul had originally thought when he wrote 1 Thessalonians.

So, Paul emphatically answered their questions by stating that two events had to occur before the Lord returned: (1) the great falling away or apostasy and (2) the revealing of the Antichrist.

Where did Paul get his information about the two events? Although the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke had not been written as yet, the story lines would have been passed on to him by Peter, Luke and the other disciples. You see, it was Jesus Himself who first spoke about believers falling away and the revealing of the Antichrist.

Okay, many have felt that the falling away has already taken place. They point out the many pastors and leaders who have left Christianity as examples of the “falling away.” But these are only a few drips compared to what Paul experienced when “all of Asia turned away from Him and his gospel.”

And yet, Paul did not state that the turning away of Phygellus, Hermogenes, Demas and all of Asia fulfilled his words about the “great falling away.” Instead, he encouraged Timothy to continue preaching the word!

A few years ago, I felt the Lord say to my heart: “Fifty to seventy percent of American believers could fall away in the great apostasy. Warn your children and grandchildren and others to prepare themselves for this upcoming time period.”

            Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed. ((Proverbs 23:17-18)

How can we prepare ourselves for this chaotic upcoming event?

As I wrote in my last blog post, I believe the fear of the Lord will be the dividing line between those who fall away and those who continue to walk with the Lord.

Thus, we can pray for ourselves, our loved ones and others the following prayer:

            Father, in Jesus’ name, help us to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit, help us to depart from evil and do good, help us to seek Your peace and pursue it all the days of our lives. And help us to never envy sinners and also to be zealous for the fear of the Lord. (Based on Psalm 34:13-14 and Proverbs 23:17)

Remember: Jesus and Paul gave us advance warnings to help us through this event. We do not have to become a part of the falling away. We can set our hearts to fear the Lord all of our days here on earth.

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Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Déjà vu All Over Again

The Charismatic Revival of the 1960s and 70s had its beginning on Sunday, April 3, 1960, when Rector Dennis Bennett announced to his St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California, about his being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Newsweek and Time magazines featured articles on Bennett’s experiences,

The resultant controversy and press coverage spread the Holy Spirit fire from the Episcopal Church to the Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholics, Methodists and most other denominations. 

The end result is that at its highpoint one-quarter of American Christians were tongue-talking, spiritual-gift using believers.

But sadly, the charismatic fires have been dying out over the last ten years, but I feel the Holy Spirit is about to change this:

            Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away (apostasy) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NKJ)

The Apostle Paul just echoed the words of Jesus when our Lord said – “many will fall away and will betray one another and will hate one another.”

Several years ago, I felt the Lord say to me: “If believers are not warned and prepared for the End-Times, 50 – 70% of American believers may fall away.”

Why so many?

Because the End-Times will be so tough and the deceit will be so mind-boggling for any American believers who are lukewarm and who live their spiritual lives under the influence of the Laodicean spirit, which is the prevalent spirit over most American churches right now.

Thus, because the Lord is gracious and merciful, I feel He will soon send a second Charismatic Revival to stir up us American Christians. There will be an extreme emphasis on talking in tongues, prophetic words, discernment and healing.

We absolutely need these gifts for the days ahead!

P.S. I believe whole churches who are a part of the Reform tradition will be changed in a blink of an eye by the Holy Spirit to tongue-talking, prophetic churches.

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When and Where Does the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Take Place?

If you are a Pre-Trib zealot and believe the Church will be raptured just before the Tribulation, then your answer concerning the when and where of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is really quite simple. It will take place when the Church is raptured and will occur in heaven, continuing for the seven years that the Tribulation is being carried out on earth.

Now, most Pre-Trib enthusiasts believe the seven-year Marriage Supper is modeled after the Jewish wedding celebration where the feasting and partying can last up to seven days or one week. In the End-Times’ case, the celebration will take place in heaven and last for a week of years rather than a week of days – or seven years, right?

Ah, but there are some chinks in the logic here!

Why would the Father overlook the greatest addition of new Jewish believers ever to the Body of Christ, especially since it’s a Jewish wedding celebration?

What Jewish believers will be missing at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb if the Marriage Supper is held in heaven while the Tribulation is carried out on earth?

            1. All of Israel will be saved. (Romans 11.26). This could amount to a few million new Jewish believers.

            2. The one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed martyrs slain during the Tribulation (Revelation 7:4-8)

            3. The two witnesses – possibly Moses and Elijah. (Revelation 11:3)

Plus, in Isaiah 54:1-8 and Isaiah 62:1-5, the Father promises to marry Israel.  If so, does this mean there could be a marriage supper in heaven for the Church and then a marriage supper for Israel on earth?

No, absolutely not!

And also, Jesus, Israel and the Church are interwoven together through –

            1. Jesus is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), Bridegroom to the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33) and Husband to the bride who is named New Jerusalem (Revelation  21:2). But Jesus is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David (Revelation 5:5) and the Son of David. (Matthew 21:9).

            2. The twelve apostles are the foundation of the Church (Ephesians 2:20) and will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel ((Matthew 19:28) and the twelve apostles will be honored by having their names inscribed on the walls of the holy Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:14)

            3. Jewish believers and Gentile believers are recreated into “one new man,” making peace between the two. (Ephesians 2:15)

            Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride had made herself ready…Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:7, 9)

I just can’t see the Lord Jesus pouring a huge blessing on the basically Gentile side of the Church, while ignoring the Jewish believers. This is certainly not the way to make peace!

Studying the End-Times helps us understand the period better, but it also opens up new questions for us. But I believe I can make this one statement:

            The marriage supper of the Lamb will not be happening in heaven while the Tribulation is being carried out on earth.

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Who is Restraining the Antichrist?

There are so many ridiculous End-Time prophecies circulating on the internet that many of our brains are ready to explode. Let’s search Scripture for some answers, okay?

The Apostle Paul wrote;

            Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son on perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV)

Frank Viola states that reading Paul’s epistles is like listening to one side of a phone call, and yes, we miss the other side of the conversation. Thus, we have to assume that Paul was answering questions that had been communicated to him by the various churches.

In Chapter 2, Paul was explaining to the Thessalonian Church that they had not missed the Lord’s return and the Rapture because two events needed to happen first:

            1. The falling away (or apostasy).

            2. The Antichrist is revealed.

Now, if you’re thinking Paul just pulled these two events out of thin air. He hadn’t! He was actually quoting what Jesus said in Matthew 24:

            And at that time, many will fall away and will betray one another and will hate one  another (Matthew 24:10 NASB)

            Therefore, when you see the “abomination of desolation,” which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand (Matthew  24:15 NASB)

Have both of these events happened yet? No. Maybe a few preachers and others have fallen away from the faith, but it is not what anyone would refer to as “many.” And as far as the Antichrist’s identity? We have no clue as yet.

So, what’s holding back that Day?

            And do you know what restrains the Antichrist now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed… (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 NASB)

Who is restraining or holding back the Antichrist from appearing right now?

For the answer to this question, let’s look at Jesus’ first coming, okay?

            But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son… (Galatians 4:4)

What determined the fullness of time for Jesus’ first coming? Over 300 Old Testament prophecies had to be fulfilled in Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection. With one of the toughest ones being:

            Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)

Not only did the woman have to be a virgin, but also, her freewill could not be violated. Only a wonderful woman like Mary could fulfill this prophecy:

            And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word…” (Luke 1:38)

Then, if you consider all of the prophecies for Jesus’ supporting cast, such as Judah, John the Baptist, Simeon and others, the fullness of time had to be determined by all of the Old Testament’s prophetic words coming to pass in their perfect timing.

Okay, did you realize that there are more prophetic words for Jesus’ second coming than there are for Jesus’ first coming? 

Over 150 chapters in the Bible are devoted to His second coming. That’s more chapters than are in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John combined!

            So, we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19 NASB)

            …For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10 NASB)

Some scholars believe the Church is the one who restrains the Antichrist. Others believe it’s the Holy Spirit. Still others suggest different ideas. 

But I believe it’s all of the prophetic words (or the Word) in the Bible that restrains the Antichrist so that he’s revealed in his time

Hey! The prophetic words ushered Jesus into His first coming and I believe this will be true for His second coming, too.

My suggestion is that we study the 150 chapters and know His word so that we are not deceived.

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Wolfgang’s Views on Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Wolfgang Simson posted the following on Facebook:

RUSSIA’s APPETITE FOR THE UKRAINE IN KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE

Tell a bear to stop eating meat and become vegan, because it is “in and green.” What would that bear do? Probably have you for breakfast…

The biggest challenge for anyone trying to grasp what is going on around the globe has always been this: If you don’t understand God, you won’t understand the world. Most of the Western media outlets trying to report on “Bloody Putin” versus “Oh So Holy NATO” entirely miss this. Same is true for the Russian-controlled press, just the other way around. 

A prophetic friend of mine, John Mulinde of Uganda, once said – and I call that Kingdom truth # 1: “God preaches through geography.” 

In his insightful book, “Prisoners of Geography“, journalist Tim Marshall describes Russia as a prisoner of its own vast – and vulnerable – geography. He portrays Putin as someone who goes to bed praying: “Why, God, did you not put some mountains into Ukraine?!” Russia has always been most vulnerable towards the Western flatlands – and will forever try to protect its imperial interests there.

On a mundane level, the cultural West often conveniently “forgets” to mention that, as the Soviet Union went bust in 1989, they made a deal with NATO to completely withdraw from East-Germany against the NATO-promise that they will not extend NATO eastwards. Russia kept that deal, NATO absolutely did not. So, Russia – no choirboy in that matter itself – has been betrayed and is agitated.

And if you come too close to a dangerous and hungry bear, setting up a tent right in front of its lair, what will be the outcome? Peace and cozying up? No way, Norway, a country trapped right in between a rock and a hard place.

The Kingdom truth # 2 is: Russia is a prisoner of an imperial spirit placed in it by God himself. 

The world has seen its sequence of “Age of Empire” -Jesus calls it the “Kairos of Nations” (in Lk 21:24). Daniel 2 and 7 introduces four creatures that are the hallmark or Totems of four empires that will come and rule on the earth: The “lion with wings like an Eagle”, Babylon; the bear, Medo-Persia; the leopard, Greece; and a mutant-monster chimera, Rome. 

These empires are given a time window to be imperial as a corrective and pedagogic measure of God, after his own people had rejected his rule over them (1 Sam 8:7). God simply said: You, my own people, reject me to be who I am, King of kings? OK, then as a homework for the next couple of thousand years, y’all learn what it is to be under the fist of global empires that will fill the God- & King-shaped void. Then you will say: Oh my God, we would have better submitted to you than those brute colonizers!

Kingdom truth #3: These empires still exist; their imperial spirit is still alive, although they are coming swiftly to an end in our very days. If you are just following the beasts, you will see that the first empire (Babylon), is still alive in the “Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation” with Henry the LION and the EAGLE as its original double-totem (yes, remember Hitler). It does not take much prophetic acumen to see “Russia the Bear” as an heir to the Medo-Persian bear-spirit. And, for the sake of completion, the British Empire, with originally a LEOPARD, not three lions, in its flag, is a continuation of Greece under Alex the Great. And what is left of the USA is nothing but a Roman Empire Spirit gone West – and now soon going South (as in: falling apart). Watch it.

Kingdom Truth #4 is that Russia, called names like Magog, Gog, Thogarma or Mesech (see Ez 38 + 39, and don’t forget Rev 20:6) has a gaff in its cheek, a hook, a leash placed there by God himself (Ez 38:4). The bear is God’s bear and will dance to God’s flute.

Kingdom truth #5: The bear was told by God: “Eat much meat!” (Dan 7:5). Just as every animal on our planet has a divine thought and intention that created it and gave it persona, God makes nations to do the same: To be vessels for good or bad, holy or unholy. Does the pot have the right to tell its potter: Why did you make me like this? No. But it has the right to ask: WHAT is my purpose? And God would answer: You are carrying a partial Kingdom truth as a narrative and message about a world that ran away from me. You are whom I made you to be. And a bear is not a pussycat!

Although most bears actually like being a bear, to be a voracious and devouring bear is not the prettiest and most romantic of animals. Remember that most of the current “Russian population” (in inverted commas because most “Russians” are actually not ethnic Russian) is probably fed up by Czar Putin and his bloody wars (like Afghanistan or Syria). 

This is why many in Russia will now turn away from the empire mindset that traps a man like Putin – and start looking for a better framework for their future, a better allegiance than with Soviet Union 2.0. And this search mode will lead many to the discovery that yes, there is exactly such an empire – totally loving, benevolent, powerful and meaningful – under the wise rulership of a Czar of czars. And this empire is called The Kingdom of God, and it is ruled by Jesus the Christ. 

Be ready, therefore, for a huge Kingdom harvest in Russia of many who are getting tired of PK – Putin & Kyrill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, running in circles.

Now let’s land on earth again after all these Kingdom perspectives and remember the very earthly truth that what is Russia today actually started in Kiev, as a loose federation of Slavic States called “Kievan Rus,” along the Dnieper River in what is todays – Ukraine!

(Wolfgang Simson is the author of Houses That Change the World.)

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Can the American Church continue to ignore Jesus’s and Paul’s warnings?

Eusebius, an early Church historian, stated that Matthew wrote his Gospel in 41 A.D. If this is true, then maybe the Apostle Paul had already read Matthew’s book when Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Thessalonica in 52 A. D.

At the time, the Thessalonians were facing severe persecution and needed to be encouraged by Paul. But also, the apostle wanted to derail a false teaching that the day of the Lord had already come. This false teaching undermined Paul’s words in his first letter to the Thessalonian believers.

Paul countered the false teaching by stating:

            Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of  the Lord had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NKJ)

Paul gave two specific events that had to occur before the day of the Lord occurred: (1) the falling away of professed Christians from their faith and (2) the Antichrist is openly revealed for all to see.

Now, where did Paul get this information? Did he receive it solely through the Holy Spirit or was he also inspired by Matthew’s Gospel?

It’s just an interesting possibility that we’ll probably not know until we arrive in heaven. But look what Jesus said in Mathew’s Gospel:

            And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 

            Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand (Matthew 24:10, 15 NASB)

Even though Jesus and Paul warned us about the great falling away, what is the American church doing to prepare their congregations ahead of time?

90 – 95% of America’s Evangelical churches are not teaching on the end times or the Book of Revelation. This becomes even sadder when one considers that Jesus admonished us to understand the end times in Matthew 24:15.

In the weeks ahead, let’s take a look at what we can do to prepare ourselves for the end times so we do not end up being casualties in the “great falling away.”

(Continued in Part 2) 

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“I’m Mad as Hell and I’m not Going to Take it Anymore!”

(“Network” (1976 movie starring Peter Finch as Howard Beale.)

            A few weeks ago, I had a vivid dream in which I saw Americans struggling with today’s COVID issues. Masks. Six-foot distancing. Vaccines. Possible vaccine passports. All of us felt so frustrated with the foolishness and hype attached to these issues. We just wanted to return to normal.

            But next in the dream, I saw new strains of COVID hitting our nation. The foolishness and hype ramped itself up again with new government mandates as politicians hoped to remain in control of each outbreak. Everything happened quickly but the politicians always seemed to answer all questions with: “Let’s follow the science.”

            Then, in the dream, new plagues and pestilences hit America. 

            No longer were a mere 1 – 2% of the people dying from the diseases, but now, 10 –   20% were dying. Pharmaceutical companies, scientists, the media and politicians threw their hands in the air. They no longer had answers. Chaos and hysteric pandemonium reigned throughout America! 

            I felt so overwhelmed in the dream. There seemed to be no hope.

            The dream finally ended.

Maybe your first thoughts upon reading about my dream is: “God wouldn’t allow that to happen! He’s a God of love. This guy must have had a bad pizza experience.” 

            And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people…. (2 Chronicles 36:15 NKJ)

Like many of you, I am frustrated with the administration, our governments and the media. I feel – with rare exceptions – these institutions have mishandled COVID 19 and its various strains.

But at the same time, I also realize the Lord God Almighty has allowed the administration, various governments and the media to be set in place for this time period. This is the hand we are dealt with by the Lord and how we play it out may well determine the life and death outcomes for many people. Maybe even our children and grandchildren!

So, at the very least, pray about my dream and ask the Lord for discernment.

If you feel the Lord has told you to ignore the warning, God bless you. 

If you believe my dream is a warning from the Lord, then you have two options:

            #1. Accept this dream as a warning, but then do nothing to prepare yourself and your loved ones. (The five foolish virgins.)

            #2. Accept this dream as a warning, and then prepare yourselves through prayer, fasting and studying the Word. (The five wise virgins.)

My first bit of advice is:  don’t waste your time being angry at the administration, our governments or the media. Forgive them and pray for them. Channel your energy and passion into seeking the Lord.

(More on this in the future, but if you missed my article on being political dropouts, you can read it here.)

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A Dream for Today

It was only a dream, but it seemed so real:

I stood on a starting line waiting for a race. A man dressed in a long white robe stood off to my left, wearing leather sandals on his feet. His dark beard and long hair framed his bronze face. He held a starter’s gun in his hand and nodded at me.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

I pulled up my red track shorts, yanked my white athletic t-shirt outside my shorts for more freedom of movement, and checked to see if my shoestrings were tied tightly on my Nike running shoes. Everything seemed ready. I nodded back at him.

“Now remember,” he said, “you need to go as fast as you can. This is a timed race. You only have a limited amount of time to finish it, okay?

I looked over the racecourse. In the distance, I saw the finish line with healing, deliverance, prosperity, miracles, wonders, peace, and joy awaiting me on the other side. Between the starting and finishing lines stretched an obstacle course. Posts sticking out of the ground. Fences. Brick walls. Quicksand pits. Mud bogs. Trees. Rivers. Water falls. Railroad tracks. Highways. Tunnels. Dangerous cliffs. A narrow path zigzagged its way through the course like a switchback jungle road. It looks easy enough, I thought, just stay on the path and run as fast as I can.

I nodded again to him.

“Get ready.”

I got down on my haunches.

“Get set.”

I rose into a sprinter’s position. My feet and legs strained, set to slingshot my body forward.

“But first, you’ll need this,” he said before firing the gun. 

He walked over and covered my eyes with a black blindfold. Not one ray of light touched my eyes. I could not see a thing, not even my feet.

“Now, don’t forget, you must go as fast as you can.”

I heard a faint whispering behind me, a soft voice saying something. I paid no attention to it.

BANG!

I took off like an Olympic sprinter, running as fast as I could.

BAM!

I hit a post and fell to the ground. My nose felt like it was broken with blood gushing from it. The warm wetness soaked through my t-shirt. It hurt so much I wanted to just lie there and quit.

The dark haired starter walked over and stood above me.

“Now, don’t forget this is a timed race. You need to run as fast as you can.”

I struggled to my feet. As I did, the same soft voice whispered words behind me. But again, I paid no attention and took off running.

YUCK!

I fell into a quicksand pit and found myself sinking under the heavy glop. The more I flailed my arms and legs, the faster I sank. The sandy goop soon reached my neck, not far from my nose.

“Help me, Lord,” I shouted.

My body relaxed and I floated over to the edge, crawling out of the pit. I flopped down there. It was all I could do to catch my breath from the all-out physical effort of trying to survive. I wanted to quit.

“Don’t forget. This is a timed race. You need to go as fast as you can,” the starter exclaimed.

Why I stood up, I don’t know. Maybe I was a glutton for punishment or possibly a modern day Don Quixote searching for futile endeavors to joust against. I brushed the sand off my legs and attempted to clean my shoes. I once more heard what sounded like soft whispers in the background, but like the earlier times, I ignored them.

My sense of direction was completely out of kilter. I could not figure up from down, let alone north, south, east, or west. However, I gave it the old college try and took off running.

SPLASH!

I fell into a deep river with fast-moving waters rushing over me. The hurtling rapids sent me flying downstream in a haphazard manner, smashing my body against rocks and floating logs. I attempted to swim toward shore, but the full force of the current battered my body, flinging me about like a rag doll in a typhoon.

“Lord, help me!” I screamed.

My hand reached out and grasped a tree limb. I pulled myself across the stream, hand over hand on the limb, and climbed onto the shore. This was the end. I couldn’t handle anymore.

I heard the soft voice whispering to me once again. This time I gave it my full attention and listened.

“Stand up,” said the gentle voice.

I obeyed it.

“Okay, now turn to your right ninety degrees.”

Again, I obeyed.

“Walk four steps ahead and stop.”

I walked ahead and waited for the next command.

“Turn forty-five degrees to your left.”

I turned.

“You went too far. Turn to your right five degrees.”

I adjusted myself in accordance with the instructions.

“Walk ten steps forward and wait.”

I stopped after walking ten steps.

“Won’t this take a long time to finish the obstacle course,” I said.

The gentle voice laughed.

“My system is the fastest way through the obstacle course. However, you can always choose to return to your running blindly method, but as you have learned, that can be extremely painful. What do you want to do?” the voice said.

“Lord, what’s Your next instruction?”

Then I awoke with a Bible verse on my mind:

“Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left (Isaiah 30:21 NLT).

(An excerpt from my memoir, The Hunt for Larry Who.)

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Filed under Christianity, Church, Encouragement, End-Times, Prophecy