Jesus Said: "I Have Told You These Things" ... All the Reasons to Be Aware

Once again, it is time for me to ask, How aware are you of what is going on in the world? Do you have a Biblical worldview? How do you identify as a Christian? It's important to know the answers to each of those questions, because I believe they will determine your chances of survival in our near future. Now, before you decide I'm a fear-monger and a conspiracy theorist, I assure you that I am a devout Christian with a dynamic relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Give me a chance to explain my reasons for presenting this discussion to you.

Consider this... Only those who choose to be blinded can ignore what is coming upon the earth. And it is hard for me to pretend that anything else is on my radar. Not only is Covid rearing its ugly head again in my community, but there is now a report that a man in New Mexico has died of Bubonic plague. The growing threat of Isis is back in Afghanistan. We see the explosion of crime and hatred across our country every night on TV. Nations are rising against nation; and the earth is being robbed of peace and stability. And that isn't even considering all the things that are happening in the earth, including floods, unprecedented and unusual weather events; plus volcanoes, earthquakes, and strange objects in the skies.

NOTE: The above paragraph is reminiscent of a blog post I wrote in 2014! Here we are ten years later, and I have to ask ... are you more or less aware than you were then? And I'm primarily talking to Christians because it is our responsibility as representatives of Heaven [here on earth] to not only defend the faith in Jesus Christ, but to expand it and spread the Good News. And what is that News? It is this: Salvation [and eternal life] is available through faith in Jesus, but also the Good News that entrance into His Kingdom [which He brought with Him] brings power and authority to defeat the wickedness and evil that is in the kingdom of darkness that Satan controls here on earth. We need to understand that Salvation is the first step, and there's more for us to do! 

That "doing" requires that we be aware of what we are facing! So, let me ask you another question or two ... are you the kind of Christian that just reads the Psalms that proclaim the love, mercy, grace, and victory that are part of our relationship with the Lord? Nothing wrong with that! We should be aware of His heart towards us, so that we can model that to others. That, too, is part of our purpose as His representatives; to help others come to their faith and salvation. But once they're saved, we need to encourage them that there is more.  

I would submit to you that Matthew 23 and 24 are well-known to faithful Christians. In these important chapters at the end of the Book of Matthew, Jesus begins warning His followers of what is to come. He warns against the distortion [of His Father's will] that Religion can bring, and the judgment that will come to the "self-righteous religious leaders and hypocrites, because they shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for they do not enter themselves, nor do they allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so" (Matthew 23:13). 

Jesus then continues delivering the remainder of His eight Woes against that generation of religious leaders for being fools and spiritually blind guides; for being prideful in their positions and not revealing the full counsel of God -- both His Mercy and His Judgment. At that time in history, He is lamenting over Jerusalem, who will be ransacked and left desolate; abandoned by God and destitute of His protection because the leaders of the Jewish faith have not carried out their purpose of equipping the people to walk in the full knowledge of God and their purpose, according to His will (Matthew 23:37-39).   

So, just think how He must be lamenting over us! Our political leaders and our religious leaders have fallen down on their duties to us. And we have fallen in our responsibilities and duties as Christians to the Kingdom of God! Jesus very clearly tells His followers in that first century -- and us in the 21st! -- that He has a warning of "perilous times" times that will come upon the world; especially those who believe in Him. We are all familiar with the signs of the End Times in Matthew 24. And I know that there are many Christians who are suffering emotional overload with the ceaseless warnings of doomsday prophets; and many live in fear, so they just can't look at it.

But as Christians we can't ignore what Jesus wants us to know. And I would like to share this quote from an article I read in the Wisconsin Christian News, titled There's Bo Excuse For Being Clueless: "Christians, especially, should never be ignorant of the devil's devices, and should always be the most informed and well-equipped of all, in order to be able to explain to others all that is really going on, along with the real hope we have in Christ". And here's my thoughts on this subject ... those who ignore the signs of the End Times do so at their own peril ... remember "My people perish [are destroyed] for the lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). Refusing to look at the signs or be aware of them is exactly what the devil wants you to do! And guess what? You'll never see the devil's destruction coming!

But don't take my word for how important it is to be aware and knowledgeable about what is going on in our world. Let Jesus tell you, Himself, from John, Chapter 16 ... I have told you these things so that you will not stumble or be caught off guard and fall away (John 16:1) ... I have told you these things [now], so that when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them (John 16:4) ... I have told you these things in figurative language (veiled language, proverbs); the hour is now coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you plainly about the Father (John 16:25) ... I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous (be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy); I have overcome the world. (My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding). 

I think it goes without saying that we are living in times that many of us are not prepared for. But we can't say that we've had no warning. Jesus clearly told those "with ears to hear and eyes to see" that these times would one day come. If you are among those who have chosen to ignore the warnings or chosen not to see because of doubt and unbelief, or fear, then I want to encourage you to revisit your Bible and receive Jesus's instructions on how we should live out these days; what to do in the face of spiritual and physical warfare; how to lead others to Him; and how to overcome our Enemy for the sake of God's Kingdom. Rest and rely on the wisdom of Jesus and the Helper He has sent us to be victorious.

Jesus told His disciples in those days, I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now. I believe that time has now come ... that we must learn to bear it, because I believe He is now beginning to reveal to His true Remnant what is coming. We are beginning to see clearly what He foretold 2000 years ago, and we are feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will guide us into the full and complete truth of God, disclosing to us what is to come [in the future]. And I bear witness to the dreams and visions that His Remnant are experiencing and they mirror the warnings given by our Lord in Matthew 24 and John 16. 

So, it is time that we all come out of our slumbering ignorance, get past our fears, and prepare for what is coming. I can tell you that hiding out in Religion is not going to spare you from what Jesus told you is going to happen in the world. Jesus told His disciples that the time would come when they would all scatter and leave Him alone. He knew that He was going to suffer, but He declared, And yet, I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. Do you know -- really know -- that holds true for us, too? Are you prepared to believe Him and all His promises?

John 16:15    All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Holy Spirit] will take from what is Mine and reveal it to you.  

What Do You Know About the Book of Revelation?

I ask the question above for the simple reason that so many Christians know nothing of this important prophetical Book of the Bible. Actually, they know very little about any of the prophecies that are revealed in it! Throughout my years of Biblical study, I have often  been surprised at how few Christians study this Book, and it has become obvious to me that Satan has closed the eyes, minds, and hearts of the Body of Christ to receive the revelations it contains. 

I have heard so many reasons why it is discounted. But here is a short summary of the four most prominent reasons sited by theologians: 1) The Idealist view believes Revelation is not to be believed as a presentation of actual events that will occur, but rather as symbolically representing the struggles that Christians will have throughout the ages; it simply presents Biblical themes. 2) The Book of Revelation is looking at events in the past. Everything it prophecies took place with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and we are now living in the age of the new heaven and new earth. This is called the Preterist view. 3) The Book of Revelation is a symbolic presentation of the course of history from the Apostle's life through the end of the age. But this view, known as the Historicist view, finds that those who adopt this view usually interpret the Scripture through the lens of their own period in world history, thus resulting in lots of variations, depending on the generation in which you live. 4) Then there is the Futurist view, which teaches that the Book of Revelation reveals prophecies that will occur in the future. This view does not discount the symbolism or spiritual truths presented in the language of the Book, but applies a literal interpretation, based on the meaning of the language at the time of the prophecies. 

And of course, on top of the various views and interpretations, the different denominations that comprise "The Church" all have their own reasons for ignoring the Book of Revelation. All this disagreement results in a divided and oftentimes hostile environment among Believers, which further separates the Body of Christ from a deeper relationship with God. And Satan is clapping his hands in delight! But, as we increasingly see the prophecies of this amazing Book of the Bible come into view, I'd like to give you just a couple of things to think about.

To begin with, the very first sentence says, The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His servants the things that must soon take place. If we say we believe that the Bible is truth, then we cannot ignore that this is the revelation of Jesus, Himself! Some have mistakenly seen it as the revelation of the Apostle John, as if he might possibly have dreamed it, or the prophecies are of his own making or understanding. But the Bible clearly states that Jesus sent an angel to John to record everything he was about to see, and to write it down in a book and share it with the  specifically-named seven churches that Jesus commands. 

This is where Christians must develop their own Biblical worldview. And that takes time and study. But if it is important to you to fully know our God [who created us] and His Son, through the Holy Spirit, you will be drawn to spend the time and seek Biblical knowledge with all your heart. But, sadly, as it too often appears, our society and culture are all about instant gratification and instant answers. We are too easily distracted by everything that swirls around us, and unfortunately, we oftentimes make God a last priority. This results in our lack of knowledge about Him, the world, and the spiritual reality of a real Enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And so we are perishing in a self-centered demise of our own making.

And because we don't know that the Book of Revelation is Jesus's prophecies to prepare us for what He knows is coming in this battle between Good and Evil, we don't think it has anything to offer us for today. Furthermore, because of our failure to engage with the Bible and seek revelation through the Holy Spirit, we're afraid we won't understand it ... so why bother. But perhaps the biggest reason Christians ignore this last Book in the Bible is because it scares us. We've heard bits and pieces from other Believers [and also false teachers and prophets] that it predicts horrific persecution and world events, and the world is scary enough right now, in this moment. Even if we stay rooted in our "normalcy bias", there is a part of us that is afraid it might reveal the end of the earth and it's just too much to bear.   

But I would like to offer you a word of encouragement! No matter what your belief system is based on, if you call yourself a Christian and believe He died for your sins and went to Heaven to prepare a place for us, then you believe that He is coming again. The Book of Revelation is the voice of Jesus telling us what to expect regarding that future event. You've more than likely read [or heard] what Jesus has to say about His return in the future in Matthew 23 and 24. If you can believe that, then you should know that Jesus would not lead you astray as He reveals more details about those prophecies. Yes, He tells us the world will be full of evil, famines, wars, plagues, and an Anti-Christ figure that will seek to dominate the whole world under his Beast system.

I agree, all that sounds really scary. But if you know and understand who our God is, and who we are in Him, then you will rejoice at the positive things the Book of Revelation reveals to help us persevere through those trials. There will be a resurrection of the dead [just as Jesus experienced] and we will stand before Him to receive our inheritance for how well we stewarded the Kingdom He left us. We will then live with Him eternally, ruling and reigning with Him. That is why God gave us the promises of eternal life for those who believe in His Son; promises of hope and strength in the Might of the Lord! There is more Good News in the promise that there will be a righteous judgment against those who rejected Him and His ways; a judgment against the ungodly and evil men throughout history. You see, Jesus gave us the Book of Revelation, not only to prepare us, but to reward our faithfulness with a clear picture of His victory over the final attempts of Satan and his fallen angels to defeat us. And His victory will be our victory!

So, now I ask you ... don't you think understanding what Jesus revealed to us in God's Word [for our own benefit and well-being] is worth the time to read? Whether or not we are in those final days, there is much wisdom in the Book of Revelation that will train us up for the battle to come. We need not fear it! And I urge the silent Pastors to do their job and equip and train their flocks to be on the front line to overcome the Man of Lawlessness who is knocking at the door. It is time to remove the dirty veil from before your eyes. Seize the opportunity, while we still have time, to see Jesus's prophecies coming into view, and get prepared. Get excited! Suit up in your spiritual armor, and don your weapons of spiritual warfare! Be bold and share the truth as Jesus connects the dots for you. And be ready, for He will make all things new! 

I don't know about you, but I want to be prepared for that day we see Jesus coming on the clouds, and I want to fulfill my purpose in those last days when Evil will be revealed and defeated before the whole world, and the righteous saints greet our God who will dwell with us forever! Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 1:3    Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near".