ECCE

      Israel is a prophetic time clock. As we keep our eyes on that appointed nation, we can see the prophecies of the end times revealed through the events surrounding Israel. The prophet, Zechariah, wrote the Word of the LORD concerning Jerusalem: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." (Zech. 12:2-3). All people will be burdened by Jerusalem and the LORD will destroy all who come against it. We see threats made against Jerusalem and all of Israel today.      The prophet, Habakkuk, wrote about the LORD's command to write plainly the prophetic vision, and that He, the LORD, will bring it to pass. (Hab. 2:2-3). One of those prophecies, as Paul wro...

      This message comes after last week's message about redeeming the time. It is about what we are seeing now and what we will see in the days ahead as Christ's return draws nearer.      Paul wrote to Timothy of the things that were coming: "This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away..." (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Those who are sin laden and lust-filled will be easily led away as there will be a seeking of new ideas and learning but without ever learning the truth of God. (v. 6-7). Never before have we seen such advances in computing, even to the development...

     There is much speculation about the timing of the Rapture and the return of the Lord. While we do not know the day nor the hour, we are expected by the Lord to pay attention to the signs of the times. What are His appointed times, and how are we to consider them?      The prophet Habakkuk was given this command from the LORD as the prophet waited for what the LORD would say to him: "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time , but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." (Hab. 2:1-4). "Appointed time" used here is the Hebrew word, mo'ed , which means "appointed time, set time, feast." It also refers to the tent or tabernacle of meeting, where the people of God assembled before Him. In genera...

      We have begun a new year. When considering what to expect for the new year, far too many are focused on the world and the agenda of men, rather than the Word of God. As we look at scripture this week, many of them will have a twenty or a twenty-four associated with them.      Psalm 20 is a song in which David asked the LORD: "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reigns and my heart...I will wash my hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD...I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men." (v. 1-9, excerpt). Our lives are to line up with God's Word as Paul wrote in Rom. 12:1-2 . We are living in the time of "Jacob's Trouble", and we need to be following 2 Chron. 7:14 , turning to God, seeking His forgiveness, and the healing of our land. This was David's attitude as he sought the LORD.      In Mt. 24 , Jesus is asked ...

     Because we will be discussing the Ekklesia , it is necessary to define it. The Greek word ekklesia , which is translated as "church" in the New Testament, really means "the called-out assembly of God's people".  The Ekklesia is called out of the world and into God's Kingdom. This is New Year's Eve and the world will be celebrating as it usually does, but what is the goal of the Ekklesia for this new year?       Jesus described for His disciples the conditions that would exist in the last days before His return. He said that no man would know the day nor the hour of His return, only the Father in heaven knew this. Because of this uncertainty, when the day and hour comes, it would be as in the days of Noah when the time of the judgment flood drew near. At that time, Jesus said, life went on as usual with the people going about their daily tasks and being completely unprepared for what was about to come. Although they would have witnessed the ...

     Although some churches do not study the Old Testament, future events, as well as our future, are written in it, as they are also revealed in the New Testament.        The prophet Daniel was given a timetable of prophetic events that are continuing to be fulfilled, and will be fulfilled in the future. Daniel had been reading the prophecy of Jeremiah "whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." (Dan. 9:2,  see Jer. 25:1-11 ). This caused Daniel to come before the LORD in prayer, seeking forgiveness for himself and the people of God who had failed to listen and obey the Word of the LORD through His prophets, and through the statutes of God's Word: "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, w...

While we do not know the day nor the hour of Christ's return, we belevers are expected to know the signs of the times, if we are to be obedient. Jesus told His disciples the signs that would signal His return and the end of the age, and we should understand them: "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet . For nation (ethnicity) shall rise against nation (ethnicity), and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Mt. 24:1-8). All of these signs are just the beginning. The end is not yet at hand. Often in modern history, people have mis-identified a war as "the last war", but it has not been so. Jesus continued, warn...

General William Sherman, who led Union troops during the Civil War, issued the famous quote, "...War is Hell". Experienced soldiers often make up many of those who are the most reluctant to see a war begin, because they have seen first hand the horrors that it brings. We are seeing a war currently in the Middle East, and innocent blood is being spilt on both sides. We have also seen and heard the reports about those who have no respect for human life boasting of the beheading of children and other civilians. They took joy in it. Scripture tells us how war and other tragedies come upon one's land. The prophet Hosea wrote the Word of the LORD: "...there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish...My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, because tho...