We heard from Chris Selby this week. You do not often hear about the end times being talked about much in churches these days. But this week we did hear a little more about it. The question is are we in end times?

There certainly seems to be a lot of Christians saying so at the present time. Firstly, what did Jesus say about the signs of the end times in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 24 v 1-8

24 “Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

What did Jesus mean by birth pains, he says earthquakes will take place and other disasters involving the earth. Could this be true?

There have been devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco. We have had the fires in Hawaii, Australia, Spain, Greece and Portugal, as well as the terrible disaster in Libya where 10,000 people are missing with that number they say could rise by even more.

Other signs Jesus talked about were wars and rumours of wars breaking out. We have the Ukraine and Russia war happening as we speak, there are constant rumours of wars between other nations in the world that could break out such as the situation with North Korea.

We do not write this to scare anyone, but we do believe in the Bible and it’s prophecies. Jesus was prophesised to come over 300 times in the Old Testament and they all came true. There are prophecies said in the Bible that are still yet to come true but the signs are getting more and more likely that they will come true, and that includes Jesus’ second coming. So should we be ready, and take more consideration about Jesus’ second coming could be coming very soon.

Why are we pointing this out to you?

The Lord has made it clear he doesn’t want anyone to perish. When Jesus returns and raptures the church, billions are going to be left behind and suffer the great tribulation, not a good time. So, think about this. How important is it to share your faith with people?

Let’s give everybody the opportunity to be saved. You do not have to save people from start to finish in your strength. Jesus makes it clear what the kingdom is like as said in the book of Mark through the Parable of the Growing Seed as shown here.

Mark 4 v 26-29

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

All we have to do is this, share a seed with people and let God water that seed. A seed could be to share your testimony with people, to plant the simplest of seeds inviting someone to a church service. It doesn’t have to be a huge monumental effort to get someone saved, it will be God doing the work using us one person at a time to water the seed planted in people that can lead a person to salvation.

Jesus came to save sinners. He took the punishment for our sins which makes us as white as snow before God, our sins are forgotten and the slate wiped clean. With the end time signs happening more frequently there is a greater need now to tell people about the good news of Jesus, so that people whoever they maybe will be saved and will be confident about their futures in eternity.

Will you take every opportunity to share your faith with people? So that they will have confidence in knowing where they are going and also for the forgiveness of their sins.

We are living in an age where technology has changed our lives either for good or for bad. But either way we can still look to the word and trust what is written in the Bible.

One scripture we have been discussing lately is the scripture written in Daniel displayed below.

Daniel 12:4

4 “But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

This is a prophecy of the end of time. There are a lot of Christians that are saying we are in the end times. We certainly could be, but nobody knows the hour in which the Lord will return. Only the Father knows when these events will happen that will bring about the end.

The intriguing part of the scripture is where it says, “Many will go here and there to increase knowledge”. Are we not in an age where people are hungering for an increase in knowledge. A classic example in today’s times is human beings’ fascination for space exploration.

India have just produced two space missions at a cost of millions of pounds, Space X are launching rocket after rocket and NASA have landed a rover on Mars in recent years. Is this not a demonstration of a thirst for knowledge. How does all of space exist? It is almost like people are trying to work out God.

Is the prophecy in Daniel saying that the end times is coming when people are trying to increase their knowledge coming true. It could well be.

Why are we pointing this out to you?

The Lord has made it clear he doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants people to know the truth, the truth that sets people free, the real knowledge of existence. If we are in end times the rapture of the church and meeting the Lord in the sky could happen at any moment.

When Jesus returns and raptures the church, billions of people are going to be left behind, as well as enduring the great tribulation, not a good time. So, think about this. How important is it to share your faith with people? Will you take every opportunity to share your faith with people? Giving them the real knowledge that they need to know.

We should be more conscious than ever to share our faith, as the signs of people’s thirst for knowledge grows, as it has been stated in Daniel 12v4. Let’s give everybody the opportunity to be saved. You do not have to save people from start to finish in your strength. Jesus makes it clear what the kingdom is like as said in the book of Mark through the Parable of the Growing Seed as shown here.

Mark 4 v 26-29

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

All we have to do is this, share a seed with people and let God water that seed. A seed could be to share your testimony with people, to plant the simplest of seeds inviting someone to a church service. It doesn’t have to be a huge monumental effort to get someone saved, it will be God doing the work, using us one person at a time to water the seed planted in people that can lead a person to salvation.

Why we should worry less?

In the Old Testament and New Testament God is constantly telling us not to worry. So, we have been looking into this more and more and we concluded. There are two scriptures that bare very similar themes we have found. The first is from the Old Testament in Proverbs 3 v 5 to 6 shown below.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

The second scripture is in the book of Matthew which is outlined in the New Testament. Here is the scripture Matthew 6:25-34 shown below.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

It is like God has been pulling his hair out and has always told us don’t worry from Old Testament times to New Testament times. Obviously God doesn’t pull his hair out he is God, that was our poor attempt at humour. But the point is the Lord has given us clear instruction to not worry, to not lean on our own understanding and let God look after us ensuring our paths are straight.

Yes we are saying that in Proverbs 3 v 5 to 6, is the Old Testament version of the Lord saying do not worry. Unfortunately we do worry, but today we are here to challenge you, stop worrying about things and trust the Lord to provide for your needs, when you start trusting the Lord as if you are little children you will see God show up in your life, and as he provides your faith in him will grow and grow.

Pray on this and start trusting the Lord he can help you.

Visit us at Church in the Avenue

If you have a natural curiosity about existence or God, then why not pay us a visit. We are happy to have a friendly talk and you can come and listen to our family service to quench that curiosity. Our family service takes place every Sunday where people are welcome to join us for refreshments from 10.45am.

In the book of Matthew Jesus said that on this rock he will build his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus wasn’t just saying that the church was only for one particular type of person he was saying it was for everyone, and especially those in need of a second chance in life, making forgiveness available for whoever desired it.

Jesus set the example for all of us to love our enemies and to show us that the Gospel is for everyone. Let’s look at an example. During Jesus ministry he walked through Samaria. It was an odd thing to do for a Jewish person to walk through Samaria as Samarian’s and Jewish people were sworn enemies. Why might you ask?

Let’s take an in the nutshell look. In the book of 1 Kings, it tells us that Israel was divided into two kingdoms, and Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom, this led to disagreements with where people from Israel should worship God, where the normal tradition was for Israelites to go to the temple in Jerusalem to worship God and to offer sacrifices. Because of these disagreements, it led to idol worship, there were also problems with intermarriage, and this led to much hatred amongst people from Samaria and Jewish people that went on for hundreds of years.

However, with Jesus walking through Samaria he was making the point that the good news to be found in him is for everyone, even old enemies like the Samarians. Jesus was basically saying there should be no discrimination, favouritism or picking and choosing who gets saved, salvation is available for whoever turns to the Lord and accepts him as saviour.

So, if someone turns up at your church remember, the Gospel is for them too, and they should be welcomed into the church to learn more about Jesus. So give them a warm welcome, go up to them and ask them how they are? This will help the church grow not being a small tribe but an ever growing family built on the values that Jesus taught and what the word of God teaches.

The Bible contains many different books from those in the Old Testament and New. One book is called Proverbs and this was written by King Solomon and is an Old Testament book. When Solomon became king he pleased God by asking for wisdom and this is how the book of Proverbs came to be. It is a book jam packed with useful scriptures and wisdom that can help us in our lives today.

We are going to look at a very well known scripture from chapter 3 in the book of Proverbs. Here is Proverbs 3 v 5 – 6.

Now the reason we want to talk about this scripture is this. Are you in a bit of a dizzy spell when it comes to life right now. Is all hell breaking loose. You have this bill to pay, that commitment to keep and the clock doesn’t slow down it is only speeding up and day after day it is the same grind just trying to get by.

Well Proverbs 3 v 5-6 is a promise of God. He promises that if we acknowledge God and put him first in our lives, leaning not on our own understanding he will make the path straight for us.

Lets go a little deeper. What does this scripture mean when it says lean not on your own understanding? Sometimes we can worry about things and take action in our own strength. For example. We may need money to feed our children, you are desperate and things are getting ever so tight. The Lord says seek first his kingdom and you will be provided for. Instead of worrying have faith that the Lord will provide for you, and you will see miraculous provisions in your life that can help you.

When these miraculous provisions arrive, you will not likely understand how these things have happened, accept God provided for you. This gives us every opportunity to not lean on our own understanding but to accept that God is a great provider and loves you. It is about having faith that the Lord can do all kinds of miracles in your life to help make your path straight, and he will.

Are you curious and want to know more?

If you are someone who’s life is being turned upside down, you are worried what the future holds, and are thinking to yourself how am I going to get to each day to the next? This scripture is a promise of God you can claim. Put God first and do not lean on your understanding what each day could bring. Worry less and God will reward you and put your path straight.

The only way to know if this is true is to try it for yourself. So, spend a season being curious about God whether you’re a Christian or not and see that he is good, that he loves you and cares about you. In months to come you could have a testimony that can encourage others to do exactly the same, and your life will improve once you allow the Lord in to make the pathway straight.

Visit us at Church in the Avenue

If you have a natural curiosity about existence or God, then why not pay us a visit. We are happy to have a friendly talk and you can come and listen to our family service to quench that curiosity. Our family service takes place every Sunday where people are welcome to join us for refreshments from 10.45am.