Is the World Actually Getting Better?

My guest today says that we been duped that the world is getting better, not worse stage for the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience have president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown (to the line of fire broadcast. This is Michael Brown going to be with you this summer. Call 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH 87884 or go to be asking an interesting question today, namely as well. Getting better as the world getting worse.

How should this affect our theology should affect our theology at all. Do we just look at what Scripture says about the end of the age. And what does Scripture say to be expected.

Every generation is going to be spiritually worse than the generation before or or should we understand that well know things are actually getting better. The gospel is spreading will be talking to author JD King about that at the bottom of the hour. What that means though, is this if you would like to weigh in with a point about the tribulation.

If you hold to a pretrip rapture and would like to raise some reasons that you hold today.

If you believe that Jesus could be coming any second, and that there are no signs that were to be weighed, or if you differ with my view and that of Prof. Craig Keener that there is no separate rapture that is seven years earlier than the second coming of Jesus you'd like to express your differences. By all means give us a call 866-348-7884.

Then, bottom of the hour. Be speak with author JD King. His new book while you been duped into believing that the world is getting worse. Yeah, very, very interesting subject. Okay let me lay out a few things about the end times, God is not interested in satisfying our curiosity or titillating or interest or or or just throwing things out to fascinate us.

God is practical that he talks about the future so we know how to live today. He talks about the future so we can have hope he talks about the future so we can be prepared talks about the future so that we can live in a way that makes sense in light of who he is and in light of what's coming so there's a lot of fascination about the end times, which is impractical. In other words, it has it has no particular meaning for today.

It's just wow. Did you know that wow that's good be interested. This unequivocal prophecy. Even though biblical prophecy is amazing and fascinating. It's there in a practical way on a given example in Isaiah chapter 2 verses one through four. God speaks about the end of the age, the last days, and he talks about Jerusalem being exalted is the highest mountain and that all nations will come streaming to it to learn the word of the Lord, the teaching of God which will go out from Zion and nations will be there plowed their swords into plowshares, there will be war anymore. It's it's an extraordinary extraordinary passage necessary to one through four. Isaiah then turns to his people and says oh Israel, Judah, my people walk in the light of the Lord. In other words, the days gonna come when the nations of the world will come streaming to Jerusalem right will come streaming to Jerusalem to learn of God and infrared emissivity Hebrew could potentially mean they will will be vibrant of gaze on it with joy.

The most naturally as the come streaming like a river up upstream to the mouth of the Lord your very interesting that will be the dynamic pole of God's presence. So we are we the nations of the world because the Isaiah talks was on people's come on, let's walk in the ways of the Lord and there's a play on words. The way the nation speak their gonna come and learn this a play on words that Isaiah since people come on, let's let's do this the nations are to follow Argosy to let us follow his teaching or another example, a New Testament example. In second Peter three, Peter talks about the destruction of the universe of the their renewing of the universe by fire speaks of the day of the Lords of the soul future. Of the return of the Lord and his kingdom, and then the renovation of the universe right and then he says this in light of all this in light of the fact that everything is going to change everything is going to be shaken. How should we live today. That's what's written, how should we live today and any says this since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning in Evelyn's elements will melt with intense heat, but according to his promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells is not interesting in light of the coming shaking of the universe. Let's live holy lives today and by doing so, let's hasten the coming of the Lord and then let's live with expectation of the promise that is ahead of us, or first John to the end of the chapter and into the beginning of the third chapter in light of the fact that when he appears, rights of first John two end of the chapter into first John three when he appears were going to be like him really see him as he is, therefore, how should we live today. We should live in purity today because were waiting to see the that the pure one himself.

So he says this first John two verse 28 now, little children, abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born from notices again. Let's abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame at his coming. So we talk about creaking and I talk about not afraid of the antichrist. In our book. By the way, when you get the book will also give you a link to down load the interview that we did together on Monday when not differing with a pretrip rapture to be combative. Craig is absolute.

Not the kind of person were not doing it to say we know better than others were saying our own study of Scriptures convinced us convinces both decades ago that the pretrip rapture is not scriptural and that rather whatever period of tribulation will be on the earth, God will preserve us through it and were promise tribulation in this world. And when his wrath is poured out he can protect us from his wrath and that at the end of whatever tribulation there is that Jesus will return and establish his kingdom when he returns were caught up to escort him just as the Jewish wedding customs were caught up to escort him to the earth with his kingdom will be establishes rules and reigns or groups of €4000 but if you differ with us on this. These these are subjects we don't provide over these are subjects that would within the Lord beloved vital some people get very aggressive on either side.

I've seen some people cause false teachers or heretics for rejecting something that the church never even knew about the first 1800 years, but I've also seen people ripping through pretrip and very ugly ways we can divide over this without dividing over unity in Jesus, we can differ over this. Without differing over fundamental faith in the Lord. So if my differing with you upsets you then asked why is it of such some student of the word and I love Jesus and am looking forward to his return and I'm not saying the Lord.

The lease is coming rather, I'm saying let us have the mentality of overcomes. Let us identify with the church in the midst of persecution and suffering is the early church wasn't, to whom Revelation was written with us have the mentality of overcomes. Revelation 1211 tells us that the saints of God overcome Satan all his wrath out of the blood of the Lamb were their testimony by not living their lives, even to the point of death. If you differ with me on that will be taking calls on this next week as well. Doubling with you. Differ with me. By all means give us a call 866-3423. If you need clarification on a specific passage 866-34-TRUTH a let's go to Jay and Idaho walking to the line of fire and you're welcome. So I will little taken aback, honestly by the title to the yard. I made my own news program.

Apologetics for the exact opposite of how you will do much worse) so I was wondering if we were to argue the woman is getting better. What would we have to make of the things that we see today that we haven't been beforehand, such as for example been a big thing, but assuming that Apulia growing, not overall on the sexuality of course is mass expected of polygamy is growing in acceptance of the effectual things you have even things like where the traditionally conservative side, like the Catholic Church or Donald Trump are not really morally great. You know what I mean. Mom and then stop all that off. If you have a baby wave of ecumenism and also a wave of nomination Don denominationalism, nondenominational, and think to be projecting almost everything that we just yelled love and adultery great on the minimal link to their rigidity, but also managed to help come together on things that maybe we should disagree on.

Like maybe like communion. For example, open the wall you talk about that if you like on every front is my point worth rather than better, wondering what you might not solicit jail and on the one hand I live with tremendous confidence and excitement about what God is doing and believe that the light will go grow brighter and brighter until Jesus returns. At the same time. I'm constantly calling out danger urgency look at things falling around collapsing around us, so Gigi King will be on at the bottom of the hour. Since about 15 minutes from now to open up his book to us, but he would. He would point out probably two main things and responsible of asking some of the three questions day for sure. But he would point out two main things. One is that overall quality of life. Length of life around the world. Deaths by war. If you look through history that over all that human beings are living longer that human beings are healthier, that the world is actually a safer place than it's been before Debbie one thing and that outside of America and Europe.

The gospel is growing by leaps and bounds more people are coming to faith than ever before. Churches are growing people are turning to conservative biblical morality and and the growth is is continuing and doesn't seem to be slowing those would be I would say that the natural and the spiritual points that making and how all agree with some is this review with others will see will result was that all right, thanks for calling and hate start the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown friends will join us on the line of fire. This Jesus return with a significant sound that will be heard when he returns what's the blast of the trumpet of the shofar blasts the ram's horn.

That's what will be heard. What is it say in first Thessalonians for the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God was to say in first Corinthians 15 at the last trumpet. Now, first with this 15 first Thessalonians for our famous rapture passages always used to refer to the rapture that will be caught up to meet the Lord that that the living will be transformed and glorified that the dead Messiah will rise first will be caught up to meet the Lord God.

I'm very much looking forward to this can be the most amazing thing that's that's ever happened to the human race to the believers. It's gonna be with the blast of the trumpet player and remember first 2015 tells us, can be the last trumpet last trumpet right his last and will be raised up on the last day. So that's last but but look at what's written in Matthew chapter 24 verse 29.

But immediately following the trouble or the tribulation of those times some will go dark, the moon will stop shining the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the tribes of the Lamb will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet that will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one into the sky to the other. That's what were looking forward to. It's a public event. It's a public appearing and it's after the tribulation. That's when he returns appears for every eye to see him. That's when we are caught up to meet him and escort him back down to the earth. Yes, it's public. It's visible it's audible. It's the last trumpet right first with his 15th is the last trumpet. This is the trumpet here. Obviously, this is the last one yeah that's what we're looking forward to a let's go to Jake and Michigan.

Welcome to the line of fire. You are my questions concerning the abomination of desolation, spoken on Saturday, November 9 24 and I believe it's a revelation. Also, I heard a recent teaching and another 20 or pay not that because it says in Daniel chapter 9, America 24 that you don't use set himself up in the holy place that that is possibly a spiritual reference to someone coming out of the body of Christ out of the church and setting himself up as Jesus returning that this is silly because they're not certain of the text essay first, when Jesus references the abomination of desolation in Daniel.

It's on the few places Daniel. Daniel seven Daniel nine and elsewhere in Indiana thing. The 12.

So it's not a few different places its most immediate reference would have been when anti-Lucas epiphanies enters the fourth sacrifice. The pig on the Temple altar in Jerusalem and in the in the 160s BC that would've been the first reference but Jesus say no no no there's there's something more that's being spoken of in certain. In Daniel 924 to 27 it's speaking of right up through the end of the second Temple and which is destroyed the year 70 so when Daniel speaks of in Daniel 927 it's having to do with the destruction of the second Temple in Jesus giving a warning about that when you see this in their various interpretations. Was it was the Romans bring in an idolatrous image into the temple with something else going on that one. That usually was when you see this that there were that to flee. When this happens the streusel is coming down you say yes, but is just like there was a dual reference in Daniel is your future reference as well. Many would say yes that there will be 1/3 temple physically built and that there will be some abomination that causes desolation in the third temple and yet again right before the final destruction of warning from the Lord, but the passage that you're speaking of, in particular, is in second Thessalonians chapter 2, second Thessalonians 2 been in connection with the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and our gathering together to meet and we ask you, brothers, not to be easily shaken in your thinking or anxious because of the spirit or a spoken message or letter supposedly from us, claiming that the day of the Lord is ready come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way for the day will not come until after the apostasy has come and the man who separates himself or excuse me, the, the lawless one is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worships that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Now you could argue that this means he sets himself up in the church which is the temple of God proclaiming that soccer your doctor right there. The reason is highly unlikely is because it's an end time passage speak about the temple and you have Jesus talk about the end times in Matthew 24, Mark 13 121, all with reference to physical Temple and the Temple in Jerusalem was standing when Paul was writing so it's it it's it's possible that it is referred to that that there will be some false Messiah setting himself in the church and claiming to be God. We know Jesus elsewhere warns us.

If anyone says on the Christ on the Messiah don't don't believe him, because his government is going to come in the clouds but the most likely meaning is that he will himself, set himself up in the temple just as others conducted idolatrous rights in the temple before and that was the abomination of desolation with the, the abomination that causes desolation that it will be the same within the eight so it's not some possible this is not the most natural reading of the text and you always think first of the what's the most natural reading of the text before going to a more spiritually conscious on possible just unlikely. Follow your because we know the Scripture divinely inspired by God in Scripture that if someone or an organization is wrongly interpreting Scripture that make that person organization of all future right so it all depends on what they're teaching false teacher in the New Testament as a heretic, false teacher second Peter to that they like the false prophets of old. They deceive and mislead God's people to hell they it's not a matter of you know you have a difference about the nuances of the end times or nuances about the future millennial kingdom, or that were having a debate about whether women can wear pants or not.

A woman should only wear dresses or or stuff like that or how much makeup should someone where can the men were in a gold watch.

No work were talking about denying the resurrection of Jesus, or denying his deity or saying that there many ways skews me the salvation so a false teacher is someone who misleads God's people in a destructive hell bound line if you say no anyone teach anything false is a false teacher.

I can guarantee you I can I can find every teacher on the planet and find something that they got wrong in the San Juan going on right so muscular someone is gonna find something I got wrong so the the idea that I have every jot and tittle exactly right today only me only my little group that agrees with me is is the height of arrogance and was basically means is all of the church calling all of the rest of the church.

False teachers and that's why I reserve the term carefully for those that I believe are hell bound heretics. If you say do I agree with what some teachers on this or that, I might say no. You might say how you feel about this that so I could be misleading and even dangerous. But if I bring some of the false teacher.

My understanding is there not children of God.

Their children of the devil.

They are misled and their misleading others. Either they are openly deceiving others note was they know what they're doing is deception or they themselves have been deceived but either way there.

Hell bound sinners.

The same with false prophets. Jesus tells us there are wolves in sheep's clothing. In Matthew seven. So really what you have been very helpful. Thank you, Jake and me to say this, less things are. Let's say that brother Joe prophesies in the. The Lord is really been speaking to me about the political climate and he showed me that that Donald Trump will will not make it out through this year. He won't be president and then Donald Trump is president and makes out this fun will do. I brand brother Joel false prophet. No I say he prophesied incorrectly. He prophesied falsely do I listen to his other prophecies.

Well I'm going to have to see quite a track record of accurate words and have an explanation for why he got this one wrong referral take his word seriously, but to Brando false prophet does not mean he just prophesied falsely once or twice. It means that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing that he is a mislead or and that what he is introducing is destructive falsehood. That's what assumes it will present person of us brought us.

Why don't read this teaching I don't support his ministry, but I'm not guaranteeing that is right now. Hell bound sinners. That's why don't you hate thank you sir for the call. I friends don't forget your website and order the new book. Not afraid of the antichrist. Prof. Craig Keener, and Yours truly why we don't believe in the pre-tribulation rapture. You see, it's not written a divisive tone, respectful of differences really opening up the word and giving you a strong message of hope and courage and faith. All the problem passages are dealt with all the major arguments are dealt with and we present the scriptural evidence as to why we don't believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. Let's put the issues on the table. It's prayerfully discuss them and prayerfully interact over what the word says when you order from our website will also send you a link to download the interview that Prof. Craig Keener and I did. She can listen to the interview from Monday as well as read the book and if you enjoy the book. It's official release date is next week March 19. If you enjoy it. Then by all means go to Amazon and post review their brother. Folks to see. It's a great place to post reviews. Others read the book yourself] JDK talk about his new book, why even give for believing that the world is getting more in the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown is JDK has experienced revival service leader in the Smith an outpouring which was an outgrowth of the Brownsville revival, which many people in America and around the world is in tremendous research in the issues of divine healing look at it academically, biblically, spiritually and as new book out what you can do for believing that the world is getting worse and and JD. What's funny is that some people are really mad at you for setting the world. This is getting better all yeah that that will will go through your reasons are of dogeared the book in a bunch of different places and when a glacier that with you but why do you think people are mad at you for saying that the world might actually be getting better, not worse, destroy the very notion of maybe the end times are I don't know I may live invested too much in despairing stories. Dr. Brown and how is it that you stumbled on this subject yourself will get all this comes out of you know just being in around revival and seeing good things God is doing studying church history and also coming across a number of news articles over the years were you see these amazing statements about how the world is moving a better direction. Wow, this goes so contrary to what many believe, and so I guess just a number of pieces came together for Maida to make me believe that God is doing something may be different than many expect. Yet now I've written the past about the growth of the gospel around the world will come to that in a moment of an end, and how the New Testament mentality is that the light is getting brighter and brighter that the darkness is fading more and more stubborn about that for for many years as mayor and traveling around the world to see what God is doing at the same time there are verses that seem to speak of apostasy, rebellion, darkness is the end of the age and in addition to that, there's a lot that's happening in society rent is that it's really bad so part of what I want to do. JD is is go through the evidence with you that you present in your book while you been duped and that they fused the title. If you cook provokes folks a little bit the likes being duped, but part of it. I want you to present your evidence and pointed him to give me some pushback in and tear and play that the other side of the devil's advocate outfit sure how it is nothing left. October You could get restlessly living my book here. Okay you say this from the vantage point of the present almost all of history's trends take us in a positive direction around the globe, violence, disease and poverty are lessening the unfolding Annable annals of history review and optimistic source of not even reading the Bible, but just looking at the state of the world today compared to past centuries we should have optimism so impacted from sure well you know looking at Ross coming. For example, ancient homicides were maybe on average 15% of the world and now there there such a small amount.

I think the FBI mentioned they drop 50% in the last 25 years and there's things like your life expectancy ancient Greece I think people live 18 to 25 years night and early 20th century may be in the 40s now are approaching like 80 years of life. I could go on and on but all these different statistics and statements about famine, you know, extreme poverty is below 10% now 200 years ago was probably 94%. So all these different you know factors that affect people's real lives are moving in incredibly positive directions is not the sailors and a few outliers you lose it category of single parenthood is is higher than it used to be, but many categories show no things moving very much in a positive direction. Isolate list to stay focused on that the natural frontier moment you you cook and Steven Pinker by any standard rules and when there is Dennis I was.

It was during its peak in the 1940s when Nazi Soviet Japanese mass murders targeting civilians by all sides in World War II resulted in civilian death rate in the vicinity of 35 per 100,000 people per year. They have a chart of global war related deaths 1946 to 2016. To show how how massively it is decreased even with terrorism in his other things taking place so limitless pushback against that for a moment. There are a lot of people who had kind of a hopeful, almost humanistic theology that the human race is just getting better and better and better and you know the end of the 1800 so much progress coming into the 1900s out of optimism. If we look at this in a larger scope not say 1946 till today, but rather say 1900 and so today or 1800. So today when we say that the 20th century was the bloodiest century of all time in terms of the numbers of people slaughter certainly true. Dr. Brown 20th century was you know many many – many murderers, many violent war – but you know the there were a number of deaths still in previous century.

Sometimes on the same scale, but we also have to consider the effect of population growth has increased considerably over this time period as well so sometimes you have to not just look at the numbers and who have died but the actual percentages are based on population.course right you got it you got affected that in but you want to downplay the devastating nature of the 20 century just things of calm down some.

After World War II, the question is this is a trend was a just a temporary respite before it gets it's really bad cute Jewish history.

There was never a time when when two thirds of of the population of multiple multiple nations was wiped out in the Congress did in that way. Let's look again. It life expectancy because I think this is a bit of a shocker and global child mortality, so it life expectancy say worldwide 1850s worldwide because I compare with where we are today. Well, you know you're looking at, say maybe you know 30s and 40s, on average, you know that one person would live to today again in the West were let in the late 70s in Asia. It's an early 80s. There's been probably 34 year increase of life. Just in the last hundred years, and that's pretty amazing when you think about what it what about child mortality. The percentage of children that that Jared within the first year or at birth compared to now go back to centuries ago was close to 50%. I think it was in the area of 20% in on may be up until about maybe 50 or hundred years ago course globally. Currently in the West it's it's one half of 1% so it is very low. When I was ministering to some Koreans many years ago I found out that they had bulimic computers. Some of his aides.

They were one year off and that's because they they basically waited to hear before kata started life because making enough you make it severe committed to the year. The new like you made it. You know that will will start will start counting.

What about global poverty worldwide. Yet a great question. The close to 200 years ago, including even the wealthier Western nations. You had what what is been estimated to be 94% in extreme poverty and get on it and I think it was still in the 50% range. In the 1950s. Currently, it's less than 9%, and many analysts are saying it can be below 3% in I was reading on Dr. Pinker and others may talk about many moms Ross linked to in the Immaculata statistics and data but they say many countries that we consider developing countries are now more in the mid-level category of economics. Just amazing economic growth going on your around the world. Typically, places like China, India, places like that even even pockets of Africa are experiencing some real economic advancement.

So again, if we just looking at quality-of-life advertisements. Solutions morality, focus on that yet, which is honestly very important with the general life expectancy quality-of-life you got shorts or annual rate of people dying from famine per decade, and in tremendous decreases global access to clean water and things like that rape and sexual victimization that in times past, women were just perceived Morris as property with less rights. It's still the case in some parts of the world using that's on the decrease to. I am a a lot of the yellow you know you're like the social issues and social questions, but you know I was reading you know about even racist issues of any and all of the ethical the last year or so only about three unarmed African-American men were work shot by police officers way lower than what I think the popular culture believes in your own case of even you know how women are treated women are treated so much better today than they were centuries ago and I was reading about.

I think the age of consent, or whatever, and some parts United States was in the nine and 10 years of age yet so that's a horrible way to imagine how women were treated years ago on a mean but gratefully things are moving in a better direction now right yeah okay so I'll pushback on some of this in the moment, but here it appears that what will touch a wood let's let's just focus on the snow, not just in America but worldwide. There is there been tens and tens and tens of millions of performing hundreds of millions of abortions right white even though you point that there's been a decreasing from 1988 in America down to the today of there's been a steady decrease saw the blood of 60 million+ you've got hundreds of millions of babies slaughtered worldwide something that's taking place on a greater level in every forever baby sacrifice to place with idols in the past is not on the on the scale of what we see today. When that one thing alone tilt the balance in the direction of the world is getting worse. The slaughter of so many unborn children walk in no way justify abortion, perhaps most horrific thing happening in our lifetime and even in previous lifetimes. It cannot defend the taking of an innocent baby. How can I justify that there's no way in. Again, I do believe the numbers are showing a decrease in and I didn't include it in the book, but I've seen some evidence of it even other parts to click the West there is a decrease but still way too many babies are dying in the book human chance to read it, but I talked little bit about the high numbers of babies that were you know aborted through other means. In previous generations. Unfortunately, it appears that abortions are not entirely a new thing and it seems that women in other generations were doing it through you know, drinking toxic you know mixes and doing other things to try to take the life children it's horrific thing. I'm not sure that the desire to take children's life is entirely Jesus saw the snow soon another new thing, but my only point is that this plus years saith overall forces provided it's the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 86643 here again is Dr. Michael Brown on speaking with author as a four by Bill Johnson. Some of you be really excited about that and one get the book immediately so he won't touch the book because of tests of different different audiences. I interviewed Bill Johnson probably got as much attention as anything that I've done from from all sides at JD let let's just say that we agree that in the natural, people are living longer, there's less global poverty is more general prosperity.

There's more general health, etc. that's that's pretty much undeniable, and obviously Ritsema real suffering real hardship, not statistics, but I know people barely getting by in families having to migrate from territory to territory. Just try to find food to make it in a bad winter, and the whole thing is going to die and you watch half your kids die and so on it so this really is savings very, very, very important. But the bigger issue would be the spiritualist ally saying we we just had a slight sync problem with our clock so it might molest words just got cut off, but was saying if if you look back let Siegel back 50 years and you are writing the book is the will getting better or worse and then look back from that perspective you know the rise of abortion, various moral issues that say gay activism of the transforming of marriage that that battles being fought out all around the world as being in the it's been Fortin tries not just in America. So what about what looks like to be a moral decline in Europe pushback against the gospel which is unprecedented, maybe more history to the gospel in America than we we seen before but couldn't you argue that where it really counts that the world is getting far worse rather than better. I know many feel that way. Dr. Brown only be very clear. I don't suggest that there is nothing getting worse and there's no problems in the world and I'm not trying to embrace a Pollyanna-ish approached all this, but again I'm saying, for the most part, things are moving the right direction. Let me acknowledge right now that abortion moral issues issues and family you know transgender is him gay activism all that that unit that's a problem and seems to be a growing problem in the United States.

Certainly Europe, but to answer your question, I don't believe that the moral trends or are you know going the wrong direction. Every arena and again you are pregnant a little bit more in the future. But because of the gospel because of the spread of revival either many places where there are more conditions moving in the right direction. In many ways of being one of them it comes to mind Latin America, particularly the issues of severe alcoholism and family abuse and what have you and just husband stringer wise right is moving in many areas in an incredibly better way and the others. Other examples like that to me. Even in Africa the other. Again, you know I I I am very disturbed by some the same issues you cover often and but now there is examples of morality becoming better in places.

I do believe, yeah, and in fact a lot of the pushback against the extreme LGBT activism and things like that is United Methodist to seen this coming from a place like Africa with the house was growing so III do want to put these things on. I want to be sober about them. My own view of the end is what you have parallel extremes, great darkness, great light, great moving of God great apostasy right until the Lord returns, then that's how I see the Scripture, but before I I ask you questions about verses that seem to speak of apostasy and rebellion. Let's talk about what God is doing in terms of the increase of the gospel here around the world. NAS in Latin America writing in Africa and NY.

The idea that Islam will pass Christianity's is really a wrong idea right well I'm glad yet you brought that out. Naturally, the point of my book. Dr. Braddy could well imagine, I'm interested in talking about how Jesus is changing the world. I do believe he is not to say there is a problem here pushback or darkness or evil to triumph over there obviously is but the church is growing by conservative estimates.

We have 2.5 billion Christians today. Some have said maybe as many as 3 billion maybe even 3.5 it's probably little bit of a stretch action for Christians, I should say people to identify with Jesus that would be a better way to say it. You and I both know there's not real conversions. In many cases, but the numbers are still there. Africa right now there is conservatively around 500 million Christians think there's a billion people in the oh African continent to be a 750 million analysts are saying you know within a decade is pretty amazing, Latin America has had an 877% growth of like evangelicalism since 1900. That's pretty amazing, incredible, something like this is seen the growth of the gospel know in the 20th and early 21st century is like nothing ever seen in world history.

You're exactly right. And you know I think that is comparable to the first few centuries of the church are, you know I Brazil is currently somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% identifying with them, spirit filled evangelicalism that's that's pretty amazing we talk not just about Latin America and Africa, but Asia you know there was only about 1 million Christians in China in 1949 conservatively hundred 50 million in on something even more than that and some you know some of the European journalists all suggesting that China will be the largest Christian nation within just a few years 1910. There is 27 million Christians all across Asia.

Now, there's probably close to half a billion. That's pretty incredible. You think about it, even the Middle East and I'm sure you've studied the sum but there's been more activity last 15 years in the previous 15 centuries, it may be upwards of 20 million people from Muslim backgrounds of accepted Jesus math, that's fantastic news right in these unprecedented numbers, and Islam does not grow a lot by conversion in the birthrates and point out the was a leveling out as well yeah so it's so important that I had an where my books.

I asked the question, is good news, bad news for the groom's and boomers.

It's so important. I look I sound the alarm every day about what's happening in our culture, and I think whatever generation you put me in that would be the message. I'd be sounding that the prophetic wake-up call and and that's that's been with us through through history, and as long as Guzman raising up his service to speak, but we don't want to major put our focus on who the devil is and what he's doing, but who the Lord is and what he's doing and what's happening in terms of the harvest terms of people coming to faith and I'm with them in these countries all around the world. No generation is ever seen.

We're seeing now in terms of people coming to faith in these numbers around the globe.

What about the passages though. Matthew 24. If we if we leave it has an end time of applications well that because of the increase in wickedness, the love of many will grow colder. Second Thessalonians 2 that the the rebellion, the apostasy has to come first before the Lord returns, what about those passages that speak of apostasy as well. How do you factor that in the great questions the scenario you and I agree on most everything I've read even your healing dissertation II love your work on. You continue some I admire, but we differ. Perhaps here on eschatology in these issues.

I mean I'm to be honest, post millennialist and and I believe if not mistaken, you're more like a stork premillennialist yes or that which is great. I respect that I've come to my view. You know from studying history and theology in and revival influences. I believe the passages referred to a referring to issues quickly. Matthew 24 that were affecting the first century, the apostasy that was within Israel at that time that I would interpret those passages as loans to you and also interpret with with regard to the first century, I believe it is referring primarily the first century as dotted okay yes we definitely have a difference there that's that's a whole other whole other question currently to get into in terms of post-millennial versus historical premillennial view so you expect then that the gospel is going to continue to increase and grow bringing in basically the, the fullness of the kingdom of God on the earth, after which Jesus will come in and bring us into eternity.

Hence, post-millennial, so that no effusion. These transits going a certain direction. I see them as the other. We can have a mess. Apostasy is that this mass conversion first, and that the we we see it ongoing as it is. That is the gospel spreading. There's also great apostasy and people following a shallow gossip and obesity in America we see in certain Europe, but we stand together and preaching a strong message of repentance and recognizing the urgency of the hour so. Last question for you, and again the new book while you been duped into believing that the world is getting worse in France is no denying the statistics in the book, especially with the growth of the gospel worldwide.

That's the big thing I want to major on and get excited about an entry to be encouraged about the JD one minute if you can answer this I live in a sense of tremendous urgency every day but if I thought everything is getting better. I might not feel that's emergency how do you come back a lack of urgency. If you convince the world is getting better. Great question. I believe that you know really encountering you know that the power of the Lord and just the grace in a dynamic way compels us to share the gospel and to preach truth and I will perhaps some different but I find that the young, the idea of victory and transformation, hope, compelling and actually makes me want to preach even more.

Perhaps some different but it's a valid concern that you bring up but you know why I don't know if I've never met anyone that hasn't genuine encounter with grace and glory that doesn't want to share that with others. Perhaps the other answer would be, what about people living right now, and in other words, this urgency because people need Jesus today and if they react in their loss, and therefore we have an assignment this generation may friends rather time.

But as with time of the end times is a great time.

JD was great hanging out with a couple years he'll look forward to seeing you again.

God bless you and God bless you. All right tomorrow early years there