Hebrews 12:10 – 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
A good father always disciplines out of love. The Father of us and the One who created us, knows completely what is best for us.
We need nudges in certain directions all the time. When we stand in front of God we’ll be very happy that He cared about us enough to discipline us during the journey.
Mark 8:33 – 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
What was Peter doing that was so bad?
He wasn’t trusting the Lord.
As men and women we try to do things that seem right to us. Things that are good for us without first thinking what’s best for the Kingdom. What’s the Lord wanting or saying?
However, God and Jesus are very serious when it comes to doing things the way of the Kingdom.
You’ve seen this one many times and will many more.
Proverbs 14:12 – 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Man’s thinking is not God’s thinking. That’s why we have to go against our thinking and read His Word so we can try to think like Him. Even then it’s tough as a sinner, but if you’re not even trying? Ouch!
The Lord wants us to do what’s right. He didn’t put us on this earth and turn us loose to figure out what’s best for us and then check in later. Satan is peddling that dope likes its candy in these last days. Don’t be a user of his.
Matthew 24:21-22 – 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. NIV
That was the NIV version.
Here is the KJV version.
Matthew 24:21-22 – 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake
those days shall be shortened. KJV
No flesh be saved. If the Lord didn’t have a promise to keep or decided He didn’t want to come back and intercede, no flesh would be saved.
In the last days the Bible indicates that there would be weapons that could wipe out mankind. They didn’t exist until the mid nineteen forties. Right at the same time the Jews were being slaughtered which also led to them being allowed to go back into their old homeland.
I used to believe the Gog and Magog war preceded the tribulation until further study. Now I believe the
scriptures intertwine and reveal it’s one with Armageddon. However, that’s a later study.
The thing we are going over today is that unless those days are shortened no flesh would be saved.
Ezekiel 39:1-6- 1 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. 4 On the mountains of Israel you will
fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD.
Zechariah 14:12-15- 12 This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other. 14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. 15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.
No mistake that this sounds like the kind of weaponry that exists today. Here is something else that points to the fact its weapons we do have today.
Ezekiel 39:12-16- 12 “‘For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. 13 All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I am glorified will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign LORD.
14 “‘Men will be regularly employed to cleanse the land. Some will go throughout the land and, in addition to them, others will bury those that remain on the ground. At the end of the seven months they will begin their search. 15 As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. 16 (Also a town called Hamonah will be there.) And so they will cleanse the land.’
This was unheard of until this last generation. Now from what we know about weapons of mass destruction and radioactivity, etc, this is exactly what will need to happen.
We are in the last days and this prophecy like all the others is ready to happen soon. If Jesus doesn’t come back in the last days, no flesh would be saved. However, for the elect sake (Israel) and His promise, He is coming back to rule and reign on this earth.
John 10:10 – 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
We don’t take it that serious enough. It’s hard for us to understand why someone would hate us to do everything in his power to destroy us and everything around us.
But Satan does. He hates us. There is no love in him.
1 Peter 5:8-9 – 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
The love is in the one Who made us and died for us.
We need to constantly seek Jesus, be in the Word, because just as it states above there is one who is right there, ready to tell you what you want to hear.
John 8:44 reminds us that the devil is a murderer. It started in the garden and it continues today. Eve had the serpent tell her what she wanted to hear at the time. He was her friend or so she thought. Turns out
he was a murderer. This passage also reminds us that when he lies he speaks his native language.
So what is one to do? We are all to resist him.
How do we do that? The word repent means to turn away from (sin). Jesus is standing right there behind us the whole time, we just keep running away so were not facing Him.
They both speak to us. One’s a liar, a murderer, and hates us. The Other loves us, gave us life, and asks us
to love and obey Him in return.
We have to do what’s right, resist the devil, and serve our Lord. It is eternally important that we do.