R631 Standing Firm In Difficult Times

Standing firm in difficult times. That's today's message of this edition of The Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton Matthew 24 Verizon connecting right now on our website@twonline.org great resources, especially the book conduct will conduct its online at tewonline.org.

Jesus had some of the most staggering important things to say just before he died. I want to remind you that the Lord Jesus had not died.

The disciples of those to whom he was speaking knew nothing about these things.

We as human beings, contrary to public opinion concrete to broaden psychic phenomena have no ability to see the future.

We have neither been there nor do we understand where can we go there by some kind of psychic means the only one who is the future.

He's the pastor needs the present.

All wrapped up in one is God, our heavenly father and because Jesus Christ is God. You will remember that Jesus told us that he said if you've seen me, you seen the father, the father all one and so Jesus who is God.

Matthew 24 is standing if you please, and he is looking into the future when he already is that that's hard-pressed to understand that is hard to understand that somebody could already be in the future before they have abruptly but that's because he's gone and so Kara's blurb Jesus Christ is God and he's looking down time. What is he seeing while he is seeing his death, burial and resurrection and his ascension to be seated at the right hand of the father.

He is seeing the church. I could be back over here in terms of God's chronology or unfolding of events that Jesus is looking down on the passing of time and lay down here he sees what we've come to call the rapture of the church that's going to be the coming of the Lord, and you cannot separate God, the Lord Jesus Christ from the unfolding of events that don't take place apart from one another but you won't understand what's going to happen you got understand what Jesus teaches us about himself. One of those things as we know that at the end of the church age. Many remind you of something my dear friends, nobody knows that time, nobody knows that time, nobody Bible tells us only God does in fact the Lord is going to come as a thief in the night, but Jesus is looking down and he's giving us an unfolding of events, the rapture of the church which we read about in Thessalonians 7 year tribulation, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the battle of Armageddon and then the new heaven and the new great white throne judgment.

All those things that take place that the Bible teaches us about the if I might just go all the way back across here again because this is a long time about this is hundreds of years, but we don't know how long it could be hundreds of years. It could be next to it could be this week. This could be the bottom line we need to be ready. That's the bottom line and we need to encourage one another and Jesus is looking down here and in Matthew 24, Jesus makes a staggering statement of singular significance. He says in chapter 24 verse 13 and then I want to read this again to you. He says those who stand firm to the end.

Now watch this again. He says who is going to end up being in heaven with me if this is heaven and this is eternity here who's going to be here, Jesus says all those who remain in me, those who stand firm and those costs through the test of difficulty and times through the unfolding of the ages who belong to me. All periods in time when they die all going to be with me that going to be with me. Those who are left in the lab of the rapture are going to go to be with me. Those who come to know Jesus during the tribulation are going to go with me and the ones you are going to be real time and eternity in heaven.

All those who have stood so in other words, those who belong to me. Presenting those who belong to me can stand for, can remain stable across the word here is the word abiding and Jesus uses this in John 15. It's divine in the Bronx. As he says if you abide in me and I in you. In other words, if you are inextricably intertwined with one another together. Let's read this chapter 24 verse one Jesus left the camp looking away when the disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. You see all these things.

He also tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another. Everyone will be thrown later on, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, tell us they said and he has the three questions.

See, I don't think that you can understand these things if you don't understand what the question was the beginning.

You know why many people don't know the nonsense. Two things that I don't know what the question is will split that on three vulgarities. Question number one, when will this happen. When will the table come coming down number two. What would be the sign of your coming number three.

When would be the end of the age. Jesus answered this is what he said watch out that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name climbing on the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear the words and rumors of wars that seek to that you are not alone, because such things must happen at the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All of these are the beginnings of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death by the way that the word lien is very important that little word lien is a very key indicators to what Jesus would say. I believe that what Jesus was saying is often all of these things, then he's going to move us into the tribulation. Annie's going to say that often the church is being removed.

There are going to be there is going to be a climactic expression of persecution simulation is the crescendo of persecution we could start with a drum roll) and we could roll that drama role that drum and eventually when you get up there into the tribulation that drum roll is going to be deafening. It's going to boot up the subject climax and when you get to the second coming of the Jesus Christ comes together Satan is defeated cost into a prison Jesus sets up his reign upon this earth.

Yet, Jesus says, then you will be handed over to be persecuted. Verse nine and put to death and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray him hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold in here it is a great verse, but he who stands firm to the end will be. So that very quickly turn with me to Matthew chapter 5 everybody turn their love to hear the rustle of the pages of the word of God. Matthew chapter 5 in verse 10, I'm going to show you an incredible passage by the way, Matthew chapter 5, we have what is called the Beatitudes, and yet Jesus was sitting not to follow from the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the beautiful mountainside overlooking looking down south toward the opening of the river Jordan least of the outflows of move down to Jericho and then into the Dead Sea.

Jesus was up there on the Mount of Beatitudes Magnus natural amphitheater, you can just imagine that the Lord Jesus have all these thousands of people sitting out there and he was teaching them boys and girls just like your Sunday school teachers and he was operating he was telling them and he was telling them wonderful stories and helping them to understand the word about and one of the things that Jesus said is not there in verse 11, he said, blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Then he goes on, he says blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely cytokines of evil against you because of me choice and be glad, because great is your heritages, your home in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets and will be fully Jesus spoke about the prophets because those disciples of the Jewish people that they knew about the law and the prophets.

They had read about the leg done very well in Sunday school cost and when Jesus said, you know the prophets that will save see Jesus baby even said all Knobloch this you know the prophets, I will sit yet we know the prophets tell me about them all the prophets were bold man of God, or that held firm to the fight by student. How did they not only this one was executed and this one Rusty's laugh at this one was persecuted. Remember how that King all of this one and P's head and Jesus looked at them and he said what where all those prophets now and they will say though we know where they all later in heaven with God. He said just the same way as the prophets you respect and know are up in heaven with me. Having gone through prosecution, but having students so it is with all those who are persecuted for my sake going to end up in heaven that I want you to know you going to get persecuted. I guess the question why did Jesus tell us these things forgive the interruption will be back in just a moment with the completion of today's message but don't forget you can sign up for a daily email from Dr. Wilson on our website@tewonline.org top of the page will see the word devotion click on that and you can sign up to either receive a physical copy or get an email every day from Dr. Wilton again just by signing up online@twonline.org back today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. Gary is standing here. He's talking to his disciples and he gives illness, bad news about these difficult times. Why would he do that for reasons number one want to give us a word of fact, Jesus remembers looking down the path of time and he saying these things are going just the fact I don't know about you but every now and again. I've had someone come to me and say Gloucester baguette Mahanta Jesus does that mean to say that something on everything just going to be absolutely wonderful that audible low in the Bible does the Bible say when you give your heart to Jesus that you never have another headache.

11 fact with your husband, you never have a problem at home. The children will never give you grief never have another financial need.

Love Bible doesn't say that she Jesus was making a statement of fact giving us a word affect.

The second thing he was doing is giving us a word of warning, giving us a little morning it was I not only want to tell you the facts, but I want to bring you something he's going to do is give us a word of instruction. A word of instruction. He's going to tell us what to do about it. Thinking is going to do and I love this part is a word of encouragement. Jesus is saying something that is profoundly significant and the interesting thing is my beloved friends this morning is that the Lord Jesus points to four major difficulties that are going to transpire between the time that he says these things in the time that he comes back again number one and we thought about this.

I'm not going to camp. One of the folks about massive deception, massive deception during these verses. He says wraps that no one deceives you that what's he doing is giving us affect is issuing a word of warning is giving us instructions. Open your eyes. Be aware of it elsewhere. He tells us how to handle false prophets and people who deceive and try to take away from Lord Jesus Christ, and that what's he doing. He's encouraging our hearts while Knobloch is always encouraged when I know God is saying something he's put that fact and Mahanta he's given me a warning.

He's instructing me to how to handle it that encourages me. It doesn't eliminate the problem that it helps me to be able to undergo the journey so the area of difficulty that Jesus brings us about in these last days. Massive deception folks today in the year 2000. By the way did all of you know that yesterday was 222 doesn't often happen that way does it was the second of the second of the second you can put out in front of it.

If you want to that's fine with me let you know folks listed in this damaging February of the year 2002. The deception that is out in the world today. The number of false prophets, the tug-of-war that is going all the numbers of religions that have proliferated rights throughout the world trying to take away from Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Has multiplied over and over and over and over again.

Jesus is saying these are going to be difficult times number two second difficulty talks about his increased welfare. In verse six and seven increased welfare. By the way you be interested in this.

Perhaps in verse six.

Jesus says you will hear of wars and rumors of wars, well, I guess because I need to know these things. I went back and just starting the syntactical development of that little phrase you will hear the word. There is the word mellow MEL L transliterated from the Greek text, and that literally means that Jesus was saying, you will be continuing to all rare and rumors but I'm great is something that because of the sin of man which is exceedingly good. Not only is there going to be massive deception. There is going to be increasing. Where does and rumors of wars and it is going to be difficult to be a Christian in the middle of all of you have often wondered what it must be like to be the president of the United States of America and be a born-again Christian, signed on never thought about that.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the man is a born-again Christian and is unapologetic about his faith in Christ Jesus and wants to be president of the United States of America, he probably would never get elected, he probably would never get elected not in today's day and age in America today, my friends, we have espoused the philosophy that everything is important. Believes everybody has value. God is the same God. No matter how you worship him no matter how you get that Jesus Christ doesn't mind. He stepped aside. These duties and anything Jesus was down the passage of time and he was so I spoke to that time. That's what Jesus was, say there's 1/3 thing here in this passage that the Bible teaches us about spoke about without any massive deception, increased welfare worldwide devastation right there in verse seven. The Bible says they will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Very interesting. What do you suppose Jesus was talking about when he spoke about worldwide devastation. Jesus was thinking about a fact, and Jesus was saying something that we Americans have time understanding Jesus was going to come back to be difficult times and circumstances to which you have my 20s.

There's a first theory of difficulty not just massive deception and increased welfare worldwide devastation of the first one he refers to here in chapter 24 is the delivering up of believers in verse nine is an interesting verse here in chapter 24 Bob alluded to this already. In verse eight, it seems like he draws a line he shifts gear even introduced Mary and perhaps in parentheses rep with a major emphasis on imperative emphasis here in verse 9 billion. Often these things, but on a continuing continuum. In other words, Jesus is not saying that the delivering of believers is uniquely only going to happen during the tribulation. What Jesus is saying here is that the handing over believers in the prosecution associated with believers for righteousness sake is going to come to a climactic resolution during the tribulation. It is going to be if you think it's bad now you know will be there during the tribulation and Jesus that literally says that these people will be delivered up to be interested to know that the riverbed will be handled out of a paradigm in the Greek text is the same word that is used when Jesus was handed over the Son of Man will be delivered up. He will be handed over to be killed.

God's word says Jesus Christ the son of God will be handed up.

He would be delivered over to the chief priests and the elders, then he will be handed over to the Romans, you will beat up on him and put a crown of gold zombies. And will lead him to Golgotha executed that's what it means to be handed over who was Jesus.

Jesus was the sinless one. Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ did not deserve any of this but he was delivered either. He was handed out yet Jesus is saying listen you belong to me. Being prosecuted righteousness. Why was Jesus executed Jesus was executed for righteousness sake. Jesus was executed because Jesus was executed because the accepted as of the only begotten receiving them to be the power to become the sons of God, even to those that believe on his name. What's Jesus talking about in Matthew 24 talking about the giving up the handing over believers. Well, let's just focus our attention that on the tribulation rapture of the church, the Holy Spirit's wrong.

Christian people are bound.

The witness of the church is gone.

How did people come to know Jesus during the tribulation. By the way, how do we know that there are going to be people side during the tribulation because the Bible tells us to read about it in Revelation 6 verses nine through 11. Read about it in Revelation 20 verse for the souls of those that were beheaded for the sake of Christ had not listen to this had not had refused to receive the bulk of the beast, only fellows lowering their hands. They had refused to acquiesce to the antichrist and the question is this how the maggots say there's no Holy Spirit to convict. There's no church to teach them how to come to know Christ is the thigh get so brought this down if you ever wanted about this one tied to the rapture. I remember that the tribulation is only seven years long in length and so I do not believe this can refer to people at the time of the tribulation is that I got seven years. The first 3 1/2 years, please seconds.

All this is a time of unmitigated terror.

Is it possible for someone seven years of age and younger to get cyber courses we have that happen every week I'm going to say to you that I believe that there are people who are going to come to know give their hearts to Jesus because of what they heard. Prior to the rapture. Now who all those people that cannot be people with whom the Spirit of God has strived because of the Spirit of God is been speaking to you in the spirit of God is revealed Jesus Christ do you and you said no you send what you value grace. You can go through 100 tribulations you not going to get saved number two tribulation saints are going to be cited by believe by the events of the rapture itself is 1/3 means by which tribulation saints are going to be saved and you can turn with me and look at it in Revelation chapter 11 very quick Bible Turks about the preaching of the two witnesses verse three of Revelation and Chapter 11. So those who are going to be saved during the tribulation could possibly come to know Jesus Christ.

Because of the preaching of the two witnesses are going to be sorry not only by the preaching of the two witnesses, but I believe by the resurrection of the two witnesses is the bottom line. You know the Lord Jesus Christ.

Someone said to me with the safest place in the world and I told them in the hands of the Lord been listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word and from the pulpit.

He's been bringing insight to this concept of standing firm in difficult times, but as he steps into the studio. Would you open your heart what he wants to share with you next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now they are gone. I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today.

I repainted and by faith I receive you into my Jesus, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is citing you perhaps pray with Dr. little moments ago to give your life to Christ or we dedicate your life today.

The last day of January is the perfect only forget resolution and committed to Jesus rest of this we have free resources.

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