as we see more and more headlines about
a cashless Society the next Global
pandemic civil unrest and rumors of War
as we see or rather hear how perverted
some worldly music is becoming it you
see the slipping standards Morality In
This World
as we see and hear all that is going on
I would like to share a few messages
regarding the last days from some of the
preachers who have made an impact on my
life
I pray this will refocus your mind on
God and encourage you to meditate on the
word of God
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at the end of his sermon as he was
conducting an altar call and urging
people to repent and turn to Christ
Derek Prince once said the following
dear friends we are living in the midst
of a perverse and a crooked and an
immoral and a dishonest and an
untrustworthy generation
you need to be saved from it
you need to come out from it you need to
be changed
you need to be different
I know people have come forward already
this morning thank God for everyone that
did but if there is anyone here this
morning
you've never turned your back on this
Godless world and this ungodly
generation you've never come out and
made a commitment to Jesus
I want to give you one final opportunity
to do it
don't be caught in the devil's snare
save yourselves from this perverse
generation
I know that there are those who need to
do that we're not going to wait this may
be your last opportunity you want to
escape the wrath of God
the judgments that are falling on a
Christ rejecting Nation
now one of my all-time favorite
preachers was a man named Adrian Rogers
concerning the last days here's a
powerful quote that he said
the late great Dr Vance havner used to
say that Civilization is like a
chimpanzee with a blowtorch in a room
full of dynamite
that's the situation we're in
so scientifically we're in The Graduate
School morally we're in the kindergarten
science is not the answer
I want to say that politics is not the
answer no politicians going to be able
to deliver us
we win the wars and lose the peace
the only thing that social reform does
if it prevails at all is to make the
world a better place to go to hell from
and it's not going to save this world
you know sometimes people say well you
preachers you're pessimists because you
don't believe that we can change the
world
I'm not a pessimist
I'm a glowing Optimist because I know
the only one who can
friend I am waiting for the Lord Jesus
Christ to come again
the answer to this world's problems
believe me
beyond a shadow of any doubt or per
Adventure is the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ
he is coming visibly
he's coming victoriously
Dr Tony Evans gave This brilliant
illustration which should help us to
live with our eyes on eternity
he said any NFL player will tell you
that during the season Monday is
Judgment Day
because that's the day where the tape is
revealed from Sunday's game and you go
in with your position coach and the
position coach analyzes the tape from
your position to tell you the Good the
Bad and the Ugly of your performance on
the previous day Sunday
will tell you that they weren't excited
about that day
if they knew they hadn't performed well
the day before and the tape would reveal
that
there's coming a day when you and I will
be with the Lord and he is going to show
you your tape
this will be the tape from the time when
you accepted Christ to the time of your
transition to Glory either by death or
by the rapture
it'll be a review of Your Life as a
Christian
it's not a review to determine salvation
you don't even get to this judgment
unless you're a Christian
it is an examination to determine the
gain or loss of reward
that is how did you function as a
Christian
over and over again the Apostle Paul in
particular but other New Testament
writers talked about this day
because he wanted to inform Christians
not only to understand the day
but to begin to orchestrate our lives in
light of that day
Jensen Franklin once said
David says I realize I could be here in
one moment and gone the next
this is a profound thought it's
something that we should always be aware
of that you're one step away from Death
that you could be here alive and well
this morning one step away you could be
gone
and you will stand before the Lord
one out of one dies the only way that
you can get to heaven is through death
are you ready
are you ready to face God
all men die
Hebrews 9 verse 27 it is appointed unto
men once to die and after death the
judgment
you're going to answer to God for the
life that you live
if you died today where would you spend
eternity
there's no other name whereby we can be
saved but the name of Jesus Christ
he is the way he is the truth he is the
life no other way no other truth no
other life
everything else is a deception and a lie
Jesus is the way
there's another life beyond this life
there's another place beyond this Earth
and it is more glorious and Splendid
than anything we can even imagine
as we navigate a world filled with
distractions Temptations and deception
the Bible calls us to protect the
Wellspring of our faith
the heart
let's look at four illustrations the
first is a Castle's mighty walls imagine
a grand castle with towering walls
guarding against Invaders
just as these walls Shield the precious
Treasures within our hearts must be
fortified against the enemy's attacks
proverbs 4 verse 23 counsels Above All
Else guard your heart
for everything you do flows from it
like diligent Gatekeepers we must
protect our hearts from the infiltration
of Doubt falsehood and sinful desires
now let's look at the watchful Shepherd
imagining a Vigilant Shepherd tending to
his flock
he scans The Horizon protecting his
sheep from lurking predators
similarly God Watches Over Us calling us
to be faithful over the condition of our
hearts
in First Peter 5 verse 8 we're reminded
be alert and of sober mind
your enemy the devil prowls around like
a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour
just as the shepherd's watchful eyes
Safeguard the Sheep our spiritual
discernment guards our hearts from the
enemy schemes
thirdly
we have to look at the garden's Tender
Care
think of a well-tended garden where
diligent care yields Bountiful fruit
our hearts are like Gardens requiring
careful cultivation
in Galatians 5 verse 22 to 23 we learn
about the fruits of the spirit as the
Bible tells us that the fruit of the
spirit is love joy
peace forbearance kindness goodness
faithfulness gentleness and self-control
nurturing these qualities guards our
hearts against the weeds of bitterness
anger
and impurity
and finally
the filtering lens
consider a camera with a special lens
that filters out unwanted light allowing
only the desired image to be captured
likewise your hearts need a filtering
lens that sees out harmful influences
Philippians 4 verse 8 guides us saying
finally brothers and sisters whatever is
true
whatever is Noble
whatever is right
whatever is pure
whatever is lovely
whatever is admirable
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
think about such things
this lens of discernment guards our
hearts against the corrosive impact of
negativity and impurity
you see the importance of guarding our
hearts in the last days cannot be
overstated
just as the Castle's mighty walls the
watchful Shepherd the gardens tender
care and the filtering lens offer Vivid
illustrations so does the word of God
guide us toward a heart guarded against
deception may we be diligent stewards of
our hearts
recognizing that they are the Wellspring
of our faith and the sanctuary of the
holy spirit let us heed of proverbs 4
verse 23 and commit to safeguarding our
hearts with unwavering dedication
as we navigate a world marked by
uncertainty Temptation and deception
let the love of Christ be our
impregnable Fortress
with hearts guarded in Christ we can
shine as beacons of Truth hope and
Purity amidst the darkness upholding the
Timeless truths of our Lord's promise
blessed are the pure in heart for they
will see God
have you ever read Daniel chapter 12
it's one of those chapters whereby if
you ever need a reminder of what's to
come
have to read Daniel chapter 12.
if you ever need a reason to be more
focused and determined to live right
we'll read Daniel 12 and it's a it's a
chapter that will give you plenty reason
to focus on things above and not on the
things of the Earth
the Amplified translation paints a more
Vivid picture of this Revelation in
Daniel 12 because the Bible says from
verse 1 to verse 3 now at that end time
Michael the great Angelic prince who
stands guard over the children of your
people will arise and there will be a
time of distress such as never occurred
since there was a nation until that time
but at that time your people everyone
who is found written in the book of life
will be rescued many of those who sleep
in the dust of the ground will awake
resurrect these two everlasting life but
some to disgrace and everlasting
contempt
those who are spiritually wise will
shine brightly like the brightness of
the expanse of heaven and those who lead
many to righteousness will shine like
the stars forever and ever
my main prayer request to the Lord is
not that my name should be found written
in the book of life it's obviously
something I want but it's not my main
prayer point my main prayer point is not
even that I should escape the distresses
which verse 1 describes as having never
occurred since there was a nation until
that time you see my main prayer point
is Lord help me keep me alert open my
eyes and ears so that I do not miss the
signs you are giving us as your children
and here's why it's my main point you
see the Bible says in Acts chapter 2
verse 17 and in the last days it shall
be God declares that I will pour out my
spirit on All Flesh and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy and your
young men shall see visions and your old
men shall dream dreams what a shame
what a disaster it would be for any
believer to miss the sign
we've been told here that in the last
days God will pour he will release a
steady flow of his Spirit on All Flesh
but what a shame it would be for any
believer to miss the sign what a shame
it would be to miss out on the
outpouring of God's wonderful spirit
that's why my main prayer point is Lord
don't let me miss out on you pouring out
your spirit don't let me miss out on
this wonderful sign we all know that
we're given many different signs about
what will happen in the last days how
people will act how people will be
unfaithful how there will be a nation
Rising against Nation but those are not
the signs I want to focus on I do not
want to miss the sign of God pouring out
his spirit in the last days I instead
want to be a recipient I want to be a
partaker I want the Holy Spirit to flood
my life so what is it that you are
focused on in the last days because if
you're not praying and watching then
that day of the Lord will sneak up on
you like a thief in the night
is it not a scary thought that there are
those Among Us who say the name of Jesus
they stand in praise and worship and
sing the name of Jesus
they stand behind the pulpit and preach
the Gospel of Jesus Christ
they have the Hat t-shirt and shoes to
match
and I mean on the outside they look like
disciples but on the inside
their hearts are far away from the Lord
isn't it a scary thought that Matthew 7
verse 21 to 23 says
not everyone who says to me Lord Lord
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven
but he who does the will of my Father in
Heaven many will say to me in that day
Lord Lord have we not prophesied in your
name cast out demons in your name and
done many wonders in your name
and then I will declare to them I never
knew you depart from me you who practice
lawlessness so you see there are people
who will look like they are in the
church they will look like they love the
Lord but looks is as far as it goes
there is no substance to them no real
conviction to repent and live their
lives for God
so my message to you is that you should
make sure that you have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ
don't be caught up on whether you look
good or holy to other people
instead be caught up in really living
for God
take note of the events happening in and
around this world
take note of the strange things
happening but keep your focus on
developing a deep meaningful and
intimate relationship with Jesus Christ
the focus for our lives should be to
make sure that our individual
relationships with God are in good
standing
Saints the Bible says in second Timothy
3 that in the last days perilous times
will come
the world will be unthankful Unholy
lovers of Pleasures rather than lovers
of God among so many other things
now whether these are the last days or
not
whether this is the 11th hour or not you
and I as Believers need to make sure
that we have a relationship with Jesus
Christ
we can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven
through the one who is the way the truth
and the life and that is Jesus Christ
Jesus who explicitly said no one comes
to the father except through me
you and I need to make sure that we are
not found to be the ones who the Bible
States
many will say Lord Lord I have done many
wonders in your name but God will say I
never knew you depart from me don't be
in that group of people who are told to
depart from the presence of God
seek him today while there is still time
so rather than look at each and
everything happening in the world and
focusing your time and energy with a
checklist Focus your time and energy on
seeking God that should be our only
focus
to know Jesus to seek his face to
meditate on his word to have a right
relationship with the Lord aim to hear
the words well done good and faithful
servant because if you don't
then the words depart from me will be an
eternal sentence to the darkness of hell
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