Today’s prevalent kingdom mentality comes from applying human reason to the words of Scripture rather than interpreting them as the authors intended. The false assumption that God has replaced Israel with the Church dismisses a great multitude of clear prophetic texts as allegory, symbolic of another reality. Such interpretations find their basis in human wisdom, that which someone brings to Scripture rather than letting the words speak for themselves.
Today’s prevalent kingdom mentality comes from applying human reason to the words of Scripture rather than interpreting them as the authors intended. The false assumption that God has replaced Israel with the Church dismisses a great multitude of clear prophetic texts as allegory, symbolic of another reality. Such interpretations find their basis in human wisdom, that which someone brings to Scripture rather than letting the words speak for themselves.
Today’s prevalent kingdom mentality comes from applying human reason to the words of Scripture rather than interpreting them as the authors intended. The false assumption that God has replaced Israel with the Church dismisses a great multitude of clear prophetic texts as allegory, symbolic of another reality. Such interpretations find their basis in human wisdom, that which someone brings to Scripture rather than letting the words speak for themselves.
As a pastor, I try to keep my eye on Jesus, my nose in the Bible, and my ear to the ground. I try to pay attention to the cultural, social, and political trends that shape people's thinking and lives. I will often address those things from the pulpit through a biblical lens to help equip my congregation. We need to be wise about the times—and that will only happen if we know our Bibles and have the discernment of the Holy Spirit. As I've paid attention to recent events in our culture and the world, the trend is clear that antisemitism is on the rise.
Will Graham, who was invited to speak and lead a prayer, took the opportunity to share the Gospel with anyone who didn’t yet have a relationship with Christ. He told the story of Nicodemus, a religious leader in the Bible. “You can do good things, you can serve your community, but that doesn’t make you right in God’s eyes. You may look like you have it all together, but on the inside you’re far from God.”
Federal civil rights officials are investigating the disruption of a Sunday church service in St. Paul after anti-ICE agitators stormed a Minnesota congregation, while some left-wing Christian leaders publicly applauded the incident as a form of judgment.
In effect, annihilationism provides an alternative option that is more palatable to those whose hearts are hardened towards God. Rather than placing their faith in Jesus for salvation from an eternity of anguish, those who are hostile towards Christ may willingly choose to endure the agony of the Lake of Fire in lieu of God’s offer of redemption, however long that suffering may last, provided that it ultimately comes to an end and they simply cease to exist.
Most are under the impression that the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict is primarily over land and sovereignty, with disputes over control of the Judea and Samaria, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. It would seem that this is all about possession of land. Yet the Muslim nations surrounding Israel already possess over 250 times as much land as the Jews have in the tiny nation of Israel. So, there is clearly more to this issue than meets the eye.
The bright side of the growing evil in the world is that it is a sure sign that we are living in the season of the Lord’s return. If you will check Genesis 6, you will find that Noah’s society was characterized by violence and immorality. This is the reason that the great pastor, Adrian Rogers (1931-2005), once said, “The world is growing gloriously dark.” How can the acceleration of evil be considered “glorious”? Because it is a sign of the imminent return of Jesus.
I often hear statements such as, “Today is no different than any other time in history; look at what happened in the last century with its deadly wars and oppression.” Others point to New Testament times when immorality across the Roman Empire rivaled that of our day, as if to say there’s nothing new about our day. How do we answer such objections? Is our day truly unique in we live in the season of Jesus’ imminent appearing?
None of this is new. Church history is filled with attempts to commercialize grace—from the sale of indulgences to modern prosperity schemes. Martin Luther confronted such corruption head-on, recognizing that salvation and spiritual authority cannot be purchased, manufactured, or franchised. The New Apostolic Reformation follows the same trajectory: elevated leaders, diminished Scripture, and followers taught to trust personalities rather than the Word of God.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s (BGEA’s) ministry, Search for Jesus, connects with individuals online who are looking for answers to life’s deepest questions. Through nine languages, over 1,900 trained volunteers from around the globe are faithfully pointing people to Christ as their saving hope.
With that terse observation, the late church historian Martin Marty summarized our attitude toward a vanishing doctrine that received a great deal of attention in previous generations. Hell is scarcely mentioned in most evangelical churches today. I must ask: When is the last time you heard a sermon or a serious Bible lesson on the topic? Sometimes it is given a quick mention, but yes, Marty is right, hell has disappeared, and we didn’t even notice.
There is much talk going around these days about how unified, triumphant and glorious the Church will be in the end times right before the return of Jesus. This pollyanna image of the Church is certainly attractive, but it only partially corresponds with what the Bible prophesies. But before we take a look at end time prophecies regarding the Church, let’s take a look at the Church in Bible prophecy in the past and present.
That genealogy in Genesis 5 is very tight. In fact, the wording literally states about those listed, “He himself begat.” You can’t put gaps in there. There’s no way you can fit millions of years in there. So people say, “Well, if we’re going to fit millions of years into the Bible, somehow we have to do it before Adam,” which means somewhere within the six days of creation. And that is the reason I find that people don’t want to believe in six literal days—because ultimately they’re trying to fit the millions of years somewhere into the Bible.
In other words, a large percentage of churchgoers do not have a biblical worldview when it comes to the sanctity of human life. Rather, these churchgoers have simply adopted the culture’s view (from the secular, thus anti-Christian, worldview) that children are a choice and their lives can be ended at the convenience of the parents—and 19% have acted on it!
Truth is, most of us are already pretty obsessed with ourselves—we love ourselves too much. We’re constantly thinking about our own needs, our own happiness, and we even live in a society that encourages us to do so. But Jesus completely flips the script on the world’s approach to self-focus and self-love. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Yes, Satan is the god of this world, and he has deceived millions. But his deception hasn’t stopped there. It has moved into the church. Despite what the Bible says—that Satan is real, a deceiver, and the god of this world who blinds minds—look at what has happened. According to the Barna Research Group: "In 2004, an incredible 50% of those who profess to be 'born again' actually deny Satan’s existence."
Are you looking forward to the day when Christ returns? Does the thought of Jesus coming back at any moment cause your heart to leap with excitement? Or does it sink with dread? I think your response is a good litmus test of your spiritual character.
In Romans 11, Paul is proclaiming that even though Israel rejected Jesus, that doesn’t mean God’s plan of redemption was thwarted. Instead, it was spread to the nations and the once-severed relationship between God and His creation was reconciled in Jesus. That’s real good news. However, the news gets even better, Paul looks ahead prophetically to that day when Jesus will return
At the heart of the disagreement between the various eschatological viewpoints lies the Millennium. We have addressed the theological variance in those perspectives many times, but suffice it to say that anyone who simply opens the Book and reads God’s prophetic revelations will tend to come to a Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Millennial understanding.
Paul was calling out Corinth and its culture. He loved the people enough to tell them the truth and wasn't afraid to confront sin using the power of the Gospel in love. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." What was the result? The Corinthian church exploded. Prostitutes became believers, and idolaters became worshippers.
Jesus wept for the people of Israel long ago because they did not recognize that their Messiah walked among them. Does He not feel a similar grief when pastors and believers push biblical prophecy aside and fix their hope on earthly aspirations? I believe so. Bible prophecy is not just about recognizing the signs and drawing peoples’ attention to the lateness of the hour in which we live, although these things are vitally important. Its primary focus must be Jesus and the eager expectation of His appearing (Philippians 3:20-21).
Wokeness teaches that we are not responsible for our own lives. We’re born privileged or oppressed. The Bible says we are personally accountable for our sins (James 1:13-15). God created us all equal. Acts 17:26 says we are all created “of one blood.” The sin of racism requires repentance, like any other sin. Wokeness replaces repentance with reparations.
In its most extreme form, Preterism will tell you that Jesus has already come back, there is no future resurrection of the dead, and we are currently living in a spiritualized version of the New Heavens and New Earth! Preterism is on the rise in the American church, and Christians should be aware of some of the issues involved.
They either say that God’s promise to Abraham was conditional or that it was only spiritual or that it was all part of a grand scheme to do a “God’s chosen” quick swap with the advent of the church age. This doctrine continues to spread rapidly through the body of Christ, and it is not new. There have been many in the history of the church who have been doing all they can to erase the ongoing importance of Israel.
Our world is getting worse. At first we might think, Who would want to be an end-times Christian? However, we have been called for such a time as this, and we are here on assignment! It is a privilege and a challenge to be alive in these days. We have a front-row seat to the last act. The drama has become intense. The players are all in place. The stage is being set. And you can’t understand the times without developing a biblical perspective that helps to shine the light of God’s truth on everything.
Few in the body of Christ would deny that America has fallen into unprecedented moral depravity. The question is, who is to blame? Is it the politicians? Hollywood? The liberal media? I’m inclined to think that we should lay a big part of the blame on the pulpits of the nation. Let me tell you why.
Failing to understand God’s judgment means that you also neglect to recognize your desperate need for a Savior—and what you have been saved from. Severely downplaying the horrific nature of Hell may be popular in a culture not wanting to be judged for their sins, but it undermines the entire Gospel message.
Nathan's presence in the genealogy of Jesus underscores the divine orchestration of history and the fulfillment of God's promises, which have been given in detail throughout the Bible. So, this Christmas, as you celebrate the cradle, make sure you also celebrate the fact that Jesus will wear the crown and rule from David’s throne, as revealed to Mary in Luke 1:32-33: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
A few weeks ago, a short documentary from a secular news media outlet proclaimed “the quiet surge of France’s evangelicals,” sharing that “evangelical churches are booming in France, a country often seen as one of the most secular [atheistic] in Europe. They’re multiplying so fast that every ten days, a new evangelical church opens its doors”—a new church every ten days!
The Rapture agnostics tell us we cannot determine whether or not we will go through all of the Tribulation or perhaps a part of it. This is not true. The Bible provides us with a clear path leading to the certainty that Jesus is coming to take us home before the start of the Tribulation period, or what the Old Testament describes as the Day of the Lord. The absence of nary a hint that we must prepare for this time adds confirmation to this trek through Scripture.
Our society has gotten lost in the addiction of “cancelling.” But let’s be real... this is not a new phenomenon. It’s time for you to decide for yourself. Will you blend in and accept the current calm while surrendering what God has laid on your heart? Or will you step forward boldly, knowing that God is behind you, before you, and beside you, no matter what the world says?
When you think of the book of Revelation, what comes to mind? Fire? Destruction? 666? Whether you have read the book many times or your experience is limited to a youth group showing of Left Behind, the terrifying scenes don’t always spur excitement for the future. And yet, the book that concludes the story of the Bible—and the story of the world as we know it—is a story of hope.
"People are hungry for what’s real and true,” said Bobby Gruenewald, YouVersion’s founder and CEO. “The Bible stands alone as the source of truth, carefully passed from generation to generation. It’s alive and active, and relevant to our everyday lives. These numbers represent millions of changed lives—people finding hope, direction and purpose in God’s Word.”