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Scriptures that applies to our world today. [I Am Interested In Bible Prophecy]

Matthew 24:10-12 “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”

During Jesus’ so-called Olivet Prophecy, He was telling the disciples that there would come a time where many false prophets or teachers will rise up and lead many, not a few, astray. The idea of lawbreakers increasing is easy to document around the world today with the rise of violent crime and so too has the love of many grown cold. A very important point is that many will fall away and many will arise to lead many astray. This isn’t a small problem but one where many (most?) will be deceived.

Second Timothy 3:1-5 “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

If you call the study of God theology then you might call the study of man “meology” or “it’s all about me” and satisfying my needs. No wonder that in the last days difficult times will come and in fact, have already come. People love money, self, are proud and arrogant, and abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable (can’t be satisfied), slanderous, having no self-control, brutal and the list goes on. Just watch the news and you’ll see that these last day are plenty full of difficulty. We used love people and use things but today we love things and use people.

Daniel 12:4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Daniel was told that in the last days many will run to and fro and knowledge will increase. Daniel was told to seal up the book until the time of the end and that time, at least it appears, could be close. People are certainly running to and fro via the host of transportation options we have available and the Internet has helped increase knowledge worldwide but not necessary useful knowledge. But in Daniel’s day, it wasn’t time to reveal the end time events yet and so he was told “seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future” (Dan 8:26b).

But-understand-this-that

Matthew 24:21-22 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
Returning again to the Olivet Prophecy, Jesus speaks about a time of tribulation unlike anything the world’s experienced before. Those days apparently would have to be cut short (supernaturally by God?), otherwise we’d likely wipe out all humanity off the planet but it was only for the “sake of the elect [that] those days will be cut short.”

Second Peter 3:3-4 “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

In the Apostle Peter’s last letter, he tried to warn the church that people would come and scoff at the ideas of Jesus’ return and say “all things are continuing as they were from the beginning” and nothing’s going to change but “While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1st Thess 5:3).

Luke 21:11 “There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”
The parallel to this passage is close to that of Matthew 24:7-8 where it’s written, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” When Jesus says that there’ll be “great earthquakes” I don’t think He means the typical earthquakes that occur on the earth every day and every year. This quake may cause famine and pestilence because of the widespread destruction and if that weren’t enough, “there will also be terrors and great signs from heaven.”

Jude 1:18-19 “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions. It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.”
Jude also mentions scoffers in the end times just like the Apostle Peter did. He said that in the last times, there will be scoffers who are following their own sinful passions and they love to cause division but have the absence of God’s Spirit, meaning this is the condition of the lost world and not the church. Jude is simply warning the church to prepare for such a scenario.

Conclusion
The last thing might be the most important thing and it concerns what Jude wrote, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (1:14-15). You don’t have to be among the ungodly because God has made it possible to have a relationship with Him through the death of Jesus Christ. There is no more separation as a result of our sins (Isaiah 59:2) for all who have repented and trusted in Christ.

Article by Jack Wellman
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It looks like we're almost there.
@NerdyPotato Very very close, but there is hope in Jesus, who came to rescue all who will accept Him as Savior, reuniting them in fellowship with their Father in heaven.
@LadyGrace I wish them good luck up there.
@NerdyPotato Not one has to miss heaven.
@LadyGrace nobody has to, but I want to. The heaven described by Christians doesn't appeal to me.
@NerdyPotato I hope you will reconsider at some time in your life, hopefully now, as I really don't understand why anyone would want to miss heaven as wonderful and beautiful as it is with no sadness or tears nor crying nor disease or anything like that. It's much better than the alternative.
@LadyGrace spending eternity at the side of a narcissist is just not my thing, sorry. (Let alone praise him.) I've lived together with one for a good 19 years and that was plenty until the end of time.
@NerdyPotato I think maybe someone has given you the wrong information about the Lord. He is anything but a narcissist. If he did not love us, he would not have come to the Earth to save us through the forgiveness of our sins. He didn't have to do that but he did because of his great love for us. If he had not done that, we would have all went to hell. That sure doesn't sound like a narcissist to me. He has done no wrong to us. He has never even wished evil or harm on us. Even when his enemies nailed his hands and feet to the cross and suspended him between heaven and Earth you know what he said to his heavenly Father, about his enemies who nailed him to that cross? He said,"Father, forgive them... For they know not what they do." So he not only said he loves us, he proved it. I know of no one else who would have gone to that length, to save me or anyone else in this world. The torture and beatings that he went through, and finally the horrible unspeakable suffering he went through on the cross, can be compared to nothing else. This is a man who is not against us but for us, clearly. And he loves each of us the same, none being any better than the other and none being more favored than the other.
@LadyGrace I beg to differ that he has never done us wrong. For one I suffer from a chronic disease that also killed 20 relatives before their 5th birthday and many of them within 5 days. I'll pass on that kind of "love" for eternity. 🤷🏻‍♂️
@NerdyPotato So how did God cause that, please tell me. Hurting people or desiring to hurt them, is not even in his character. There is no evil in Him. What you are experiencing are the affects of a fallen, diseased world, hateful, and wicked, which shows us exactly why we need Jesus. He never put evil or diseases or even death in this world. No bad things. So we cannot blame God for what man demanded he have.... his own way, and we can see what his selfish ways have brought him. Nothing but destruction. God did not even create man with sin in him. Man chose to be independent from God, wanting his own selfish way. He turned from God and brought all these things on himself by sinning, which separates man from God. Sin always separates us from God until it is forgiven. Then we come back into fellowship with God the way it was meant to be in the first place. Man cannot push the blame on God for unwise, rebellious decisions. Disease is a consequence of sin that entered this world through sin, and Jesus came to rescue us, not condemn or hurt us. We should be grateful. He gave his very life to save us all. If that's not enough, then I don't know what is. But instead he gets accused and cursed and mocked for being just the opposite of what he truly is. God gives us what we want and choose. God is not willing that even one of us perish, but if we say I don't like you, and I don't want any part of you, God, you give him no other choice but to honor your decision.
@LadyGrace right, so everything good is his work and everything bad is the fault of people.

1) Only taking blame and never credit is horrible for your mental health.
2) Being omnipotent but standing by idly when you see someone suffering is not love. Allowing it makes him as guilty as doing it would.

And before you start about respecting free will: I had no say in the existence of diseases or freedom to sin. This wasn't my choice, compromise or will.
@NerdyPotato I figured that would be the way you'd take that, but no. I didn't say it was people's fault. I said it is the [u]result[/u] of sin in this world.

Then....People have a choice. I'm not saying all, but some people, and I am not including you in this, in any way, but some people do not take care of themselves, for example. They may not eat right or exercise and are eating junk food constantly. Then they get cancer or some other ailment. That is not God's fault. He did not force them to be irresponsible.

No. What you have was not your fault. I'm saying, that [i]because[/i] we live in a fallen world where there is disease and what have you, we are naturally going to suffer the consequences of these diseases. There was no disease in the beginning. But anytime you have sin existing in this world, people are going to suffer all types of things. I'm saying that is not [i]God's[/i] fault. It was not God that brought those on. There's a whole perspective out there, and information that I don't feel you are seeing nor understanding. There's a lot more to it than what meets the eye. God did not bring on all this evil. He is not responsible for it. Satan did, but people would rather blame God. The very one who's trying to save us.

And boy do you have it right when you said always taking blame and never getting credit is not healthy. That's exactly the way God feels: Everything that happens in this world is God's fault according to people. Always. People are always putting all the blame on God, when he did none of this. Satan did. But no... people would much rather blame God, then Satan. He's not some genie in the sky, for our every call and beak, for us to be waited on and told what to do for us. And then if we don't get our way, like a selfish child, we kick him to the curb. That's not love, and that's not the way God loves us. HE loves us unconditionally. We don't set the standard. God does, because He is infinitely smarter and wiser than we are, any day. God doesn't interfere and just bring things to a halt when we're about to make a mistake. [b]We would never learn and grow into (hopefully) mature adults, if we did.[/b] Lessons in life are always for our good. They teach us many valuable things. They are never there to hurt us, but help us. I could tell my child, "Do NOT touch the stove! It's hot and will burn you!" Still, I can warn forever, but if that child decides to touch it anyway, he'll do it no matter what I say, and get burnt, but I'm not the one who stuck his hand to it! Yet....because I DO care and love that child, I'm old enough and mature enough, BEYOND that child's limited understanding, to fully realize, that if I do NOT allow that child to learn and grow from his own mistakes, he may suffer worse next time, or even death. God, in His infinite wisdom, always knows what's best for us. And all the mistakes man has made, thus far, He wants to forgive us for. God NEVER brings condemnation for man. It is crucial that you understand that it is not God that condemns us, but sin that condemns us and keeps us separated from a Holy God. If sin entered heaven, it wouldn't BE heaven. We are all in the same boat. In need of having our sins forgiven by Jesus. Have Jesus forgive us, at our request, and we'll be fit for heaven, our sins washed away and forgotten.
@NerdyPotato I'd ask you to look at this one thing. Here is why OUR goodness, is not good enough for Heaven.

Our goodness, is not good enough for God's. That means the goodness we [i]think[/i] we have, does not stand up to [i]God's[/i] [i]standard[/i] of perfection. Sin stains our soul. There can be no sin in heaven, or it wouldn't be heaven. Jesus said "good" people don't go to heaven. Forgiven sinners do.

Sin separates us from God. Therefore, we have no way to communicate with our Father in heaven, except by His perfect, sinless Son, Jesus. When you ask for forgiveness of your sins, Jesus goes to His Father on behalf of you, and tells Him you have asked to be forgiven. Because of Jesus, who paid for your sins on the cross, God pardons your sins, and you are brought back into fellowship with God and inherit eternal life in heaven, because you are now a member of God's family.

God is holy, and even one sin—just one—would be enough to keep you from dragging it into heaven with you, until they are washed away by the blood of Jesus. This is why we need Christ, for only He can take away our sins—all of them—and make us acceptable in God’s sight.

Christ alone, gives His righteousness to those who believe in His name (Romans 1:17), accepting His free gift of salvation.

@NerdyPotato Unbelievers do not have a corner on sin. All of us sin, saved or not. The only difference is, one has recognized that sin separates them from fellowshiping with their Father in heaven because of the condemnation SIN imputes on us. UNTIL...we ask Jesus to forgive us.

WE weren't born perfect, however, Adam and Eve were, but fell to temptation and marred/tainted their nature/character, which was then passed down through the bloodline/genes. This passed-on sin is known as inherited sin. Just as we inherit physical characteristics from our parents, we inherit our sinful nature from Adam.

Just like the state of sin [or the very nature of sin] was passed down through the disobedience of [u]one man[/u] (Adam), salvation also is passed down through the obedience (or sacrifice) of one Man, (Jesus).

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way, death spread to all people, because all sinned. Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die. Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it.
@LadyGrace I understand that diseases are part of the world due to sin and not (directly) part of his plan or love. But a loving person would do what he is capable of to right any wrongs. God doesn't. Why?

And blaming evil on Satan is too easy for me. Why did God create Satan? Why did he create temptation and allow the first two perfect humans to fall for it? Why did he punish them for that rather than correct the situation? Why is he continuing to punish people for things they have no control over, or allowing Satan to do so?

I don't expect him to serve us on our every whim and am happy to believe he knows more than us, but even with that in mind it doesn't show that he is both omnipotent and omnibenevolent. Either or both are obviously missing.
@NerdyPotato You're wise to ask and demand these answers. And there [i]are[/i] answers. God didn't leave us in the dark. I'm going to give my eyes a rest for the day, then I promise you'll receive what God gives us, in regard to these important issues, tomorrow, and give you the time you deserve. Till then, take care and stay safe!
@LadyGrace Thank you for acknowledging my will to learn. Most religious people see my doubts as dismissal of the possibility of the existence of a God. I appreciate your willingness to answer my questions and your choice to take your time for it even more so. Sleep well and I'm looking forward to your reply tomorrow.
Mguinm · 51-55, F
@LadyGrace Amen Grace! Jesus loved us so much and He was gracious to the end even asking His father to forgive them for they know not what they do.
@NerdyPotato You ARE important. You're not important because you agree or DISagree with me. You are important because you are YOU. Because your thoughts and input are important! Every bit as much as mine. I want to HEAR your thoughts, etc. You might know something I've never heard, nor thought about. It's not all about ME.

For tonight, I am answering this one. Please let me catch up before we go on answering more questions, though, ok? 😂 I want to make sure I do not miss any. I will be addressing each one until I'm done, then IF YOU WANT, we can move on to others. I would love to share with you, what happened in heaven, BEFORE the fall of man.

[b]"I understand that diseases are part of the world due to sin and not (directly) part of his plan or love. "[/b]

Death and diseases were [i]never[/i] part of God's plan for mankind. That is why He made the beautiful Garden of Eden WITHOUT any sin in it, so it would be absolutely PERFECT for His Crown Creation...mankind! Jesus told us why He came to earth, "I come so that you may HAVE LIFE, and live it more abundantly." In other words, he was saying, "I WANT the very best for you. I WANT you to be HAPPY and have it ALL! THUS.....I made heaven for you." However....Satan put the brakes on that!! That was his scheme. But why did we need [b]Heaven[/b], when we already had Adam and Eve in the perfect Garden of Eden??? Alright, look at this! Carefully!!

Just because God had the FOREKNOWLEDGE that Adam and Eve would rebel against Him, and later have to be expelled from the Garden of Eden, this does NOT mean He CAUSED it.

When it comes to love, actions speak louder of our love, than words. Adam and Eve rebelled against God, given their free will to do so, though He tried to protect them and gave them much warning, that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge, they would surely die. In doing so, that would open up their eyes to know and understand what good and evil was, and the consequences of sin!....Meaning, they would invite sin into their lives for the first time, and sin ALWAYS separates one from their Holy God, and brings spiritual death with it, along with physical death. It showed God where their heart was....Not in loving and trusting their Creator, who knew best for them, but in doing things their own way, when God clearly tried to protect them from the horrible fate of being separated from their God.

The second they sinned (rebelling against their Maker) a new owner took over Adam's given position as caretaker of his environment, and he forfeited his dominion of the earth, plant life, animals, and all, over to Satan, the one who had lied and tempted him to disobey his Creator. Sin was introduced to the world, man fell from grace (UN-earned favor from God), evil entered this world, and Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, lest they eat from the Tree of LIFE, and live forever separated from their God, with no remedy for escape from sin. Their sins interrupted their fellowship with their Holy God. It was not GOD that condemned them. Sin did. BECAUSE God is so Holy, He cannot even look upon sin, so sadly, He had to turn His face away from them. If sin ever entered heaven, it wouldn't BE heaven. They left their paradise, and God closed the gate to the garden of Eden (Eden, meaning "delight".)

But God never locked the gate!! Instead, in His great love for us, He placed two huge Seraphims at the entrance of that garden, to make sure Adam and Eve wouldn't sneak in and forever be banned from God's presence. And then.....God made a plan.

God went and prepared Heaven to receive those forgiven of their sins; those who would accept His son, Jesus, as their only Mediator between God and man. Now, man would have to repent of their sins, before they could have fellowship with their Father in heaven again. Jesus volunteered to make a way in which we could come to him as Lord and Savior,have our sins forgiven, and once more, unite us with our Father in heaven.

But I ask you...what is the very best way to tell if someone loves YOU? They show it, right? God is no different. He made us human (in his image), THEN, came down from His home in Glory, to show us He understands us and our feelings. He became [b]one of us[/b], so he could show us exactly how much he loves us, and what lengths He was willing to go to, to prove His love for us. AND even KNOWING many would reject Him and his great love, He STILL volunteered to die to pay for the sins of those who hated Him...In their PLACE, so they wouldn't have to pay for their sins with their own blood.

He didn't want nor create us to be as robots, with no feelings. When you love someone, you WANT to show them. When we show God how much we love Him, that tells Him exactly where our heart is. Yes, he already knows, but that's not the point. The experience of loving each other is so much more beautiful than just [b]knowing[/b]. It is experiencing, as well. When you love someone, you WANT to show them.

Tomorrow....more. ❤🤗
@NerdyPotato I feel for you and your suffering. I lived with one for 34 years. It was the worst.
@NerdyPotato I'm going to call you "Phil" if that's ok, since I don't know your name. 😂😂 I thought I'd send you this, to give you a feel for things, while I'm working on one of the questions you sent. I hope you don't mind. Thanks. Grace

https://similarworlds.com/19-Spirituality-Religion/3652789-He-knew-what-would-happen-but-he-did-it-anyway
@LadyGrace Phil isn't far off and I like it. 🤣
@NerdyPotato 😂😂😂 Aww, you're sweet. Thank you.
@NerdyPotato Phil, I'll write tomorrow. I hurt myself lifting a heavy end table. Leave it to me! 🙄😂
@NerdyPotato Phil, I know this isn't for everyone, but others have asked me these questions as well, so I'd like to share my thoughts with you, and thank you for being so kind as to read it. If this content offends you, please simply ignore. Some enjoy such discussions. This will give you a bit of background about who Lucifer (Satan) is.

First, I'd like to share with you, that God did not create evil. That is not in His character nor heart. When God created the angels in heaven, He also gave them free will...the knowledge of right from wrong. Also, there was no evil in heaven. So God did not [i]create[/i] an [u]evil[/u] angel. God's Word says, rather, that evil was FOUND in Satan's heart. That means that Satan's thoughts were evil. He had gotten jealous of God and full of pride. He had been the most beautiful angel in heaven! He got puffed up with pride AND power, thinking he could take over the whole kingdom of God.

Many people are surprised to find out that Lucifer was first one of the most honored of all angels, (found in Ezekiel chapter 28 verse 14.) Satan was originally called Lucifer, (Isaiah 14 verse 12.) But his name changed to Satan as we see in Job and Matthew, chapter 4 verse 10. The majority of Bible verses that talk about Satan before his fall as a glorious angel, are found in Ezekiel, chapter 28. Ezekiel chapter 28 verses 12 to 13, describe how beautiful Satan was, God created in him wisdom and beauty, and gave him special capabilities in music and voice.

The question is, how could something SO beautiful, go so wrong? The answer is pride. "Your heart was lifted up, because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor." Ezekiel 28:17

Satan started to think too highly of himself because of all his gifts and then started to crave the honor that was bestowed on God, for himself. For you have said in your heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the Mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will Ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." So God did not create evil. Evil was in Lucifer's heart and mind.

Lucifer wanted the honor that should only go to the Creator. He wanted it so badly, that he was even willing to fight against God for it. Revelation 12:7-9 reveals the fact that there was an actual war in heaven.

Why did God create the devil?

Actually, God did not create the devil. God created a beautiful, perfect angel named Lucifer (see Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28). Lucifer, in turn, made a devil out of himself. Lucifer’s self-pride caused him to rebel against God and to challenge Him for supremacy...to take over the Kingdom of God. He created a war in heaven, and was thrown out of heaven (sin cannot be allowed in heaven, or it wouldn't be heaven) and came to this earth, where he tempted Adam and Eve to sin. When they did so, by choice, they opened a floodgate of evil upon the world.

Why does God not kill the devil?

Some have wondered, “Why doesn’t God stop the devil? If it is not God’s will for people to die, why does He allow it to happen? Have things gone beyond God’s control?”

God could have destroyed Satan when he rebelled in heaven. God could have destroyed Adam and Eve when they sinned—and started over. However, if He had done this, He would not have been ruling from the standpoint of love, and God is love personified. Without freedom to choose, there would be no such thing as real love. We would simply be unfeeling robots. God chose to preserve our freedom of choice, out of love for us. He chose to allow Satan and sin to run their course. Why? Because that would allow us, and the universe, to see where sin would lead. He would let us see the reasons for making the choice to serve Him in love. God is, and always has been, for you...not against you.

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Why is it so often the poor, the elderly, and the children who suffer the most?

Is it fair for the innocent to suffer? No, it’s not fair. The point is that SIN is not fair. GOD is fair, but sin is not fair. That is the NATURE of sin. When Adam sinned, he gave himself and the human race into the hands of a destroyer, Satan. Destruction is a consequence of man’s choice, not God's. God does not want it to happen. He did not want Adam and Eve to sin. But he allowed it, because that was the only way human beings could have the gift of freedom of choice. Of knowing right from wrong. If you love someone, the best way to see if they really love you, is to give them the choice of freedom. If they come to you freely, because of the love in their heart for you, you'll know they really love you, and didn't come to you because they were forced. God didn't want robots, with no feelings.

Don't Blame the Wrong Person

We can be grateful to God. Adam and Eve forfeited ownership of this world over to Satan, through disobedience to God (which is what sin is, disobedience to God, and therefore separates us from fellowship with God forever by our own choice). Without the love of God towards us, every one of us would have been destined for Hell, and lost forever. Why? Because only a holy, pure, sinless sacrifice would do, to cover our sins. That's why we could never save ourselves and had to depend on God's son, Jesus, to provide a way for us to have eternal life in heaven.

Hebrews 9:22 - "Without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins."

Jesus didn't just SAY he loves us...He PROVED it. He shed His precious blood to pay for your sins...for the sins of the world. That whoever shall believe on Him, shall never perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. He didn't have to do that... but He did. He volunteered to suffer and die for your sins and mine, so you and all those you love, could have the promise of eternal life in heaven. Without God, all our friends and relatives would perish forever. That's how great His love is for you and me...that He would die for us, so we might live forever in heaven. John 15:13 - "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."