"Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places" (Habakkuk 3:17-19). Like this passage, Dennis Jernigan’s lyrics to "You are My All in All," capture the essence of what it means to treasure Christ above all. "You are my strength when I am weak, You are the treasure that I seek, You are my all in all. I’m seeking You like a precious jewel, Lord, to give up I’d be a fool. You are my all in all… Taking my cross, my sin, my shame, raising again I praise Your name; You are my all in all. When I fall down You pick me up, when I run dry you fill my cup; You are my all in all…" Sadly, many today treasure anything and everything rather than Christ. Equally as sad is the number of so called ministers who stand in pulpits across this land and preach a blasphemous message of health, wealth, and prosperity, rather than the greatest treasure of all—Jesus Christ. Jernigan says it well—I’d be a fool to seek anything other than Christ. Indeed, He is the treasure that I seek and pray you seek as well.

The prophet Habakkuk gives us one of many reasons found within Scripture to treasure Christ above all. He concludes his short book (only 3 chapters) with an "If everything goes south I will still trust in the Lord" scenario. This is a far cry from much of what we hear coming out of Christendom today. Much of what is being taught today says God wants you to be rich. He wants you to feel good about yourself. He wants you to live a life of ease, comfort, and pleasure. He wants you to own expensive cars, big houses, and maybe even a yacht and airplane. The problem with such thinking is twofold. First of all, it simply is not true. Secondly, when one treasures such temporal things and the bottom does drop out, their faith (if they even had any to start with) will spiral out of control, leaving them bitter and disillusioned. But when Christ is my treasure, "Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines…, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk’s point is this—Treasure Christ above all! If everything collapses and I lose it all, I will still rejoice in and desire Christ. This is true hope and security. Such is not based on temporal blessings—stuff—but on the Lord Himself. This is the essence of treasuring Christ. Indeed, He is My all in All! If my focus is living by faith in the crucified, risen, ascended, and soon returning Lord—treasuring Christ above all—then I can say, "The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places." My faith in the Lord will enable me to endure difficulty, suffering, and even loss—tremendous pain and loss at that.

"I’m seeking You like a precious jewel, Lord, to give up I’d be a fool." I see a lot of fools these days and I’m not talking about "fools for Christ’s sake" (1 Cor. 4:10). I’m talking about those who seek earthly treasures over Christ. What treasure do you seek? Paul wrote, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). Do you consider all things loss, your sin included, for the sake of knowing and treasuring Christ? Is Christ more important to you than life itself? "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). The Psalmist wrote, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise you" (Ps. 63:3). What’s the point of all this? It is simple, really. Jesus is the goal. He is the prize. He is the treasure that we seek. Sadly however, many seek after that which will not satisfy. My heart grieves for those who follow after false prophets, false religious systems, and pseudo-Christianity thinking such things will bring them joy and guarantee eternal life. Furthermore, my heart breaks over those whom I know and care about who are seeking happiness by embracing sin rather than Christ. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34). If you treasure things your heart will be in things. If you treasure sin, your heart will be consumed with sin. If you treasure wealth, your heart will long for more and more. But if you treasure Christ, your heart will be satisfied with nothing less than Christ and Christ alone. Treasuring Christ guarantees satisfaction here and an eternal joy that simply cannot be described this side of heaven—"But just as it is written, things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who [treasure] Him" (1 Cor. 2:9). "You are the treasure that I seek, You are my all in all…to give up I’d be a fool."

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty… So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:16, 19-21). Many people believe that Bible prophecy is far too complicated to understand. Therefore, we should just leave it to the “experts.” Of course, these same people are often critical of the “experts,” insisting there’s plenty of work to be done for the Lord that one should not busy oneself with the study of prophecy. How stupid is that? Peter wrote, “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention.” How can one “pay attention” to the “prophetic word made more sure,” if one refuses to consider it at all? It is sin and shortsightedness to neglect the study of prophecy! God has revealed His prophetic plan “to show His bondservants, the things which must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1). Furthermore, the Scripture declares, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10). These are not “cleverly devised tales,” but the clear revelation of Jesus Christ given by God so that we may know “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God expects us to study and understand prophecy because He is the author of prophecy and Jesus Christ “is the spirit of prophecy.”

The false teachers of Peter’s day tried their best to oppose him and debunk the clear biblical teaching of the Second Coming of Christ. We see the same thing today from within the professing church. “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation’” (2 Pet. 3:3-4). The world’s rejection of the coming Messiah should not surprise us. But when we see such foolish thinking from within the ranks of those who profess Christ, it is alarming. I was informed recently about some people who have been reading my blog. I was told these people, although they profess Christ, took offense at the idea that Jesus is coming again. I use the phrase, “profess Christ,” loosely, as I believe these people have been deceived into believing a false hope because they think their false religious system is the one true church on earth. They scoff at God’s future plans, pretending to know the truth while denying judgment will ever come. The fact that Jesus is coming again—a lot sooner than most are willing to believe—is not “cleverly devised tales,” but the “prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention.” As the last days draw to a close the darkness of sin and blindness to the truth of God’s Word will increase. It is the “prophetic word made more sure,” that acts as “a lamp shining in a dark place.” It provides us with a security and hope that can never be taken away because this security and hope is the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. This “prophetic word” refers to the entire Old Testament, all of which was written by prophets. They spoke the Word of the Lord and all looked forward to the coming Messiah. By referring back to the entirety of the Old Testament prophets, Peter is asserting the Word of God over experience. Our experience may lead us to conclude Jesus isn’t coming back anytime soon. After all, “all continues just as it was from the beginning,” or does it? You see, when one asserts such foolishness, “it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water” (2 Pet. 3:5-6). In other words, God has already directly intervened in human history twice—once at the Creation and another in judgment at the Flood of Noah (and a third time at Christ’s first coming). The conclusion is He will intervene yet another time at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

The fact that Israel is in existence today and increasing in stature indicates the last of the last days have begun. Daniel’s Seventieth Week is on the horizon, which means the Rapture of the Church is even closer! Furthermore, the alignment of nations, the anticipation for peace, the arrangements being made for the Jewish Temple, and the argument over Jerusalem are further evidences the Bible is God’s Word, its prophecies are true and literally coming to pass. “We have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” Therefore, it is crucial you be ready. Are you ready? If Jesus shouted from heaven today would you be caught up to meet Him in the air? Time is quickly running out. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died… Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come… Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”(2 Corinthians 5:14-20). As Christians, we have the greatest message anyone will ever hear. Unfortunately, most of those who hear it will reject it. "We are ambassadors for Christ," meaning we represent the King of heaven with the His glorious Gospel. In his first letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul referred to this glorious Gospel as "the word of the cross," a foolish message to those who remain lost, yet the power of God to those of us who are being saved (see 1 Cor. 1:18). It is this foolish message we proclaim, "as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." Every time I share the Gospel with another, every time I stand in the pulpit to preach, every time I open the Bible to teach, I have this message in mind and my goal is always the same—to clearly and concisely preach Jesus, "namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself."

Why do I do this? "For the love of Christ controls [me]." The word translated "controls" is the Greek word, συνέχω (synechō), which basically means "to hold together, confine, secure, to hold fast." Its use throughout the New Testament is interesting. For example, it is used to describe the effect of the Word of God upon Paul in Acts 18:5: "Paul began devoting [synechō] himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." In Acts 7:57, it is used to describe the response of those who refused to listen to the truth of the Gospel message preached by Stephen: "But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered [synechō] their ears and rushed at him with one impulse." In 2 Cor. 5:14, it refers to the effect the love of God has on those of us who believe, meaning the love of Christ keeps us within bounds and compels us to preach the Gospel. This is the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 7:18) and it sums up the Gospel message in that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). This statement is the heart of the Gospel—Jesus Christ, the sinless Savior has taken our sins that through Him we might be forgiven and have His righteousness. God accomplished this "in Christ" and offers this righteousness to all those who will ever be saved. This is the "ministry of reconciliation" whereby believers proclaim the Gospel, God speaks through them ("as though God were making an appeal through us, we beg of you…be reconciled to God") thus urging unbelievers to come to Christ in faith and believe the Gospel. This means repent of your sins and believe on Jesus! This is the essence of reconciliation—a changed relationship where our sins are no longer counted against us. No religion in the world offers this. It comes only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and is offered freely to everyone who believes. This "belief" isn’t mere head knowledge but a heart knowledge that results in a changed life!

So my question to you is this: Which use of the word "controls" will you choose for yourself? Will it be the positive use whereby you allow the Word of God and the love of Christ to control you, thus resulting in salvation by grace through faith and a compelling desire to preach Jesus to others? Or, will it be the negative use, whereby you hear the Gospel message yet refuse to listen to it, turning a deaf ear to the one message that can change your life for all eternity? Paul wrote, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." To be "in Christ" means that I was at one time without Christ. In other words, I was lost and by nature a sinner. But thanks to God’s grace I am now "in Christ," forgiven of my sin, and the recipient of a new nature, one of being a saint—a radical change wrought by the Gospel . It also means I have the promise of being with Christ in glory when He returns for His saints or calls me home to be with Him. All of this the Bible says is made a reality by faith. I must believe God—"And without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, "[I] beg you, be reconciled to God."

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). As we near the end of the age and the soon return of Christ for His Church, it is clear that Satan is ramping up his battle for the souls of unbelievers. This is especially true in the area of moral purity. No one is exempt from the battle. Satan’s number one goal is to so suppress God’s truth that wrong becomes right and right becomes wrong. This is clearly happening today. Although the evidence from conscience, creation, and God’s Word is clear, men continue to choose to resist and oppose God’s truth by holding fast to their sin. The words of Jesus ring true: “Men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). When God’s truth is rejected, the darkness of spiritual falsehood replaces it. Therefore, Paul admonishes us to fight this war, not “according to the flesh,” but with the “divinely powerful weapons of our warfare.” What are these divinely powerful weapons? It is actually a singular weapon—the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17). We fight the battle with truth—God’s Word. We cannot successfully oppose satanic assaults on the gospel nor can we defeat satanic falsehoods without this “divinely powerful” weapon. We are not called upon to bind Satan or demons (see Jude 9), nor are we called upon to debate truth and error, but to attack error with truth. When it comes down to it, this battle for God’s truth is really a battle for the human soul—perhaps your soul.

This is not an easy battle. Our enemy is clever, crafty, cunning, and a master deceiver. He is able to promulgate his evil schemes through his evil world system over which he rules (see Eph. 6:11). These “schemes,” according to John MacArthur are, “all-inclusive, encompassing every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement.” He is a master at using trickery and deception, therefore believers must respond with truth and righteousness. When we consider these “fortresses, … speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God,” we must understand this includes the most depraved abominations, including such things as extreme sexual immorality (adultery, fornications, homosexuality and the like), occultism, Satan worship, thoughts, ideas, reasonings, philosophies, and false religions. These are the “fortresses” with which men wall themselves in against God and the truth of the Gospel. Only the truth of God’s Word can destroy these fortresses! This is why we must preach Jesus! This is why we must continually proclaim the truth—unpopular truth at that—to a world that is hell-bent on suppressing the truth. One recent example of a satanic fortress “raised up against the knowledge of God” is the so called Hate Crime legislation that recently became law. Despite all the rhetoric to the contrary, the primary purpose of this legislation is to silence Christians who would dare to tell the truth about certain sins. If you don’t believe me, simply look to our neighbor to the north—Canada—where similar laws have been enacted and are being used to threaten and intimidate Christians—conservative Bible believing Christians in particular. Satan will stop at nothing to silence the truth so that darkness can prevail and souls can be enslaved and damned for all eternity. However, I will not be silenced!

Hear me and hear me well—there is a battle raging for the soul—your soul—and only the truth of God’s Word and the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ can free a soul from the grips of satanic darkness and eternal damnation. “We are taking every thought captive,” Paul says. This accentuates the total destruction of the fortresses of satanic deception and the rescuing of those enslaved to Satan. And one doesn’t have to be a Satan worshipper to be enslaved to Satan. One can be sitting in the pews of the local church and be enslaved to satanic darkness. Who is winning the battle for your soul—God or Satan? Remember, Satan doesn’t care what it takes or how long it takes. His goal is always the same—to win the battle for your soul. There is only one way to ensure victory over this enemy—faith in the crucified, risen, ascended, and soon returning King of kings and Lord of lords—the Lord Jesus Christ! It may not be easy. You may still struggle and fail at times. But the rewards of faith in the Son of God are well worth the struggle. “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:6-8). Believe God and you will be victorious!

“For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame…But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:4-6, 9). As a Southern Baptist Chaplain, I must admit, the title I have chosen for this article is a little misleading. After all, Southern Baptist are not historically known for bestowing false hope. We are better known as “People of The Book,” and as a missions minded group committed to reaching the whole world for Jesus Christ with a sure hope—Jesus Christ! By Bestowing False Hope, I am referring to a time-honored Southern Baptist tradition that I have come to detest—the altar call. As I have studied the Gospel message in the New Testament and the issue of altar calls—or walking the aisle to receive Christ—I have concluded it is a Southern Baptist distinctive not worth keeping. I know many of my SBC brethren will disagree with me on this and that’s okay. But when we consider the ever increasing numbers of people who previously walked a church aisle but are now fallen away, or backslidden as we like to call it, one can only conclude these folks were given a false hope based on their response of walking the aisle at the end of a church service and “praying to receive Christ.”

One would be pained to find any biblical evidence that the traditional altar call—or invitation—was a part of the worship of the early church. There is not one single verse of Scripture that shows the church issuing an altar call for hearers to come forward to receive Christ. In fact, I am convinced the altar call confuses the physical act of walking the church aisle with the spiritual act of conversion. Walking a church aisle is not required for salvation. Repentance and faith are (Mark 1:15). To suggest one must respond via an altar call confuses and deceives people about their spiritual state. I know several people who responded to the preaching of the Gospel by walking forward at the end of the service but whose lives now give ample evidence that conversion did not take place. Oh, they may have prayed to receive Christ. Many even followed through in “Believer’s Baptism.” But the sad reality is there is no evidence of a changed life—the one key indicator the New Testament teaches one can expect to see if conversion has indeed taken place—“things that accompany salvation.” This “Southern Baptist Distinctive” is often how people are deceived into thinking they are Christians when in fact they are not. Any message that fails to demand repentance and belief is no Gospel message at all! Coming forward at the end of a church service to “accept Jesus” and then being encouraged on that basis to feel assured of salvation without repentance and faith accompanied by evidence of a changed life is tantamount to bestowing false hope. It results in people who are “enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,” but who do not possess this heavenly gift or the Holy Spirit. They may have an intellectual perception but understanding the gospel is not the equivalent of regeneration and conversion. It is amazing that some can see and hear the amazing truth of the Gospel, respond positively and yet remain eternally lost. It saddens me as a Southern Baptist to know that my own convention has been guilty of bestowing false hope. Therefore, may all of us who claim Christ be careful how we invite others so that both our message and the required response are clear, biblically sound and straight-laced!

Now, for those of us who were saved as a result of walking forward at the end of a church service, do not fear! It is not the walking forward and praying to receive Christ that saves. It is repentance and faith—not a onetime decision but an ongoing condition. This ongoing condition is faith in action. It is the ongoing evidence that I possess new life in Christ. It is demonstrated fully in a changed life—no longer do I embrace my sin but I now embrace Christ. It is a faith that forsakes sin and continues with Christ, no matter how hard! I still sin. And sometimes I may sin grievously. But the key indicator is that I do not continue in sin. Paul wrote, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13). By “work out your own salvation,” Paul means we are to constantly evaluate our lives to see if God is indeed working in us, “to will and to work for His good pleasure.” The absence of such working should cause one to seriously consider the very real possibility they may not be truly born again—no matter what church they are a member of, how many church aisles they walked down, or how many times they may have been baptized.

“I will turn you about and put hooks in your jaws, and will bring you out, and all your army…Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you…You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you…” (Ezekiel 38:4-6; 39:4). Is the Bible really the Word of God? As far as I am concerned, that is the question. For me, the answer is a resounding yes! There are several reasons I could give as to why we know the Bible is God’s Word, not the least of which is faith. However, the most compelling reason is the accuracy of fulfilled biblical prophecy. Unlike Nostradamus, Joseph Smith, Edgar Cayce, and other self-proclaimed prophets who seem to be able to get away with being wrong ninety-nine percent of the time, the Hebrew prophets had to meet a very stringent requirement—100 percent accuracy, 100 percent of the time—no exceptions. And when I say 100 percent accuracy, I mean accuracy down to the very smallest of details. One such small detail is found in Ezekiel’s prophecy of an alignment of nations that will come against Israel in the last days. In Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, the prophet predicts an Iranian led Russian equipped invasion force that includes several Middle Eastern and North African countries. Russia’s military and economic alliances with these nations have been in the news for the past few years. The lone holdout has been “Gomer and Beth-togarmah,” known today as Turkey. For the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and 39 to take place, Turkey must be aligned with Iran and Russia. Otherwise, the prophet Ezekiel misspoke and the Bible is not true.

Historically, Israel and Turkey have enjoyed close ties. However, current events indicate a shift is taking place. I believe it began when the European Union rebuffed Turkey’s desire to join the EU. Furthermore, it appears Turkey is developing closer ties with Syria. Last week, Turkey signed a civil and defense cooperation deal with Syria. Even more striking, Turkey appears to be taking a leading role in condemning Israel and recently cancelled a joint military exercise with Israel, choosing instead to hold joint exercises with the peace loving Syrians and Iranians. Israel’s loss of such a vital Middle East ally leaves it more isolated than ever. Of course, for students of Bible prophecy, such isolation is no surprise. The prophet Zechariah predicted a day when all the nations of the world would gather against Jerusalem (Zech. 12:3). We are witnessing Bible prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes. 2600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel looked down through the corridors of time and saw something that, until now, seemed like an utter impossibility. He saw nations not yet in existence and alliances not yet formed. He foretold the rise of a Russian military alliance with Iran, Turkey, and other Middle Eastern and North African countries. This alliance of nations would have but one purpose—to annihilate Israel in the last days. This alliance “will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel… [They] will go up…like a storm; [they] will be like a cloud covering the land” (Ez. 38:8-9). For Israel, all hope will appear to be lost. Notice I said, appear. Just when it appears Israel is about to be overrun, defeated, and utterly destroy, God says, “It will come about in that day, that My fury will mount up in My anger. In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel” (Ez. 38:18-19). Ezekiel goes on to say that God will supernaturally intervene on Israel’s behalf, utterly destroying this alliance of nations. Israel will become a super-power, Islam will come to an end, and God will reveal Himself to the world. Obviously, Turkey is making an unwise move. But their unwise move shows Ezekiel bats one thousand when it comes to Bible prophecy—100 percent accuracy, 100 percent of the time. Their move will also ensure that the Lord God of Israel will make Himself known “in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord” (Ez. 38:23). This is the Word of the Lord!

Ezekiel’s amazing prophecy seemingly coming to pass right before our eyes gives us yet another reason to believe the Bible is God’s Word and Jesus is coming soon for His Church. Surely the Rapture is nearer than it’s ever been. What if the end is closer than you think? Are you ready to meet the Lord in the air? If not, your time is quickly running out. “So you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Matt. 24:33). “Behold, the judge is standing right at the door” (James 5:9).

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God”(1 John 5:4-5). I believe the Bible is crystal clear that those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ—truly born again—will overcome the world. By world, I mean that organized system headed by Satan. It is an invisible spiritual system of evil which manifests as “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:15). One thing most people fail to realize about this satanic world system is that it is only temporary. In other words, it is passing away along with the passing pleasures of sin. All true believers—those who have been born again by grace through faith in Christ alone—will overcome the world. This is the witness of the New Testament and one way—perhaps the primary way—one can know for sure whether or not they have been born again and are on their way to eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

John wrote, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world” (1 Jn. 5:4). The word, overcomes, is the Greek word nikao, from which we get the English word, Nike. In the New Testament, it is used of God, Christ, and His followers. It is used to describe true saving faith and means to conquer, prevail, and get the victory. More often than not, it always appears in the present tense and active voice, meaning it is happening right now and it is continuous. Therefore, true saving faith is a continuous abiding faith that endures, and those who possess it overcome the world. For Christians, it means we hold fast our faith even unto death. It also means we renounce and forsake sin, no matter how difficult such may be. I can remember counseling and praying with a young man, years ago, who was struggling with a particular sin. This young man had supposedly become a Christian a year earlier. I can remember him asking, “Why does this have to be so hard?” The reason following Christ is oftentimes “so hard” is because life simply is not easy, nor is it fair. Paul wrote, “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” (1 Tim. 6:12). Clearly, overcoming the world is war! This is why Peter wrote, “Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). I was saddened to learn, nearly twenty years later, that this young man has fully embraced that sin which he previously fought to renounce and forsake. It appears Satan is winning—perhaps has won—the war against my friend’s soul. But I continue to pray for him and others of like persuasion that God would open their blind eyes that they might “see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ [so as to be saved]” (2 Cor. 4:4). After all, the Bible warns us, “The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9). It is crucial that we overcome the world. It is crucial because any moment now Jesus will return for His Church. If you are left behind, the chances of you coming to saving faith in Christ are slim and none. Therefore, you must overcome the world!

How does one overcome the world? How do we gain victory over a world that continually makes it so difficult? Notice what John says: “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” First of all, we must understand who Jesus Christ is and who we are in Him. In other words, we must understand our position in Christ. The Bible says that everyone born of God overcomes the world and is therefore (and will be) victorious over sin. It may be a struggle. There may be times of failure. But in the end, we will always be victorious. And this victory comes by way of our faith. Faith is the vehicle by which we overcome the world. Faith is standing on the truth and promises of God’s Word and learning to think like God thinks. In other words, I must believe God, no matter what. “And without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6). We must refuse to allow our struggles and particular inclinations to certain sins to defeat us. If God’s Word says some decision or lifestyle is a sin, we must believe God. I came to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord when I was eleven years old. I didn’t understand it all then (and barely do now). But as a young adult, I made a decision that I was going to believe and obey God no matter what. I think this is the attitude one must adopt in order to overcome the world. But it’s not the attitude that ensures victory. It is faith—believing God. It is a faith that looks forward to that which is not yet. In other words, this life is not all there is. Like Paul, we must “press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil. 3:12). The key to overcoming the world is believing God. “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4).

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast” (Revelation 17:12-13). I cannot recall the number of articles I have read concerning the identification of the coming world ruler who will fulfill the role of Antichrist. I’ve browsed several websites claiming any number of world leaders, U.S. Presidents especially, are this long awaited world ruler. Every time there is talk of peace between Israel and the Palestinians, people began to wonder if this is the treaty the Antichrist will make. No doubt, we are witnessing important signs of various end-time trends. But it seems many are trying to put the cart ahead of the horse. I have two responses for those who spend their time trying to identify this character. First of all, as Christians, we are not looking for the Antichrist, we are “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). Secondly, the Bible is clear that this last days world ruler will come on the scene only after certain events take place, not the least of which is the rise of a ten nation confederacy out of which the he will rise to power.

Who are these “ten kings” the Bible speaks of? The prophet Daniel refers to them as “toes of the feet” in Daniel 2:42, and “ten horns” in Daniel 7:7. Additionally, Daniel wrote, “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them…” (Dan. 7:8). This “little one” is the beast of Revelation 17:13, also known as the Antichrist. Therefore, we can safely conclude this individual will not come on the scene until sometime after this ten nation confederacy arises in the last days. In fact, John tells us this ten nation confederacy exists for one reason: “they give their power and authority to the beast” (Rev. 17:13). Although I believe the Bible is clear the Antichrist will not be revealed until sometime after the Rapture of the Church, I believe it is very possible; indeed highly likely, this ten nation confederacy may begin to emerge prior to the Rapture. Not only would this be an amazing testimony to the accuracy of biblical prophecy (as if we needed more proof) but it would indicate just how amazingly close we really are to the return of Christ. One often overlooked point Daniel makes is in verse 44 of the second chapter: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed.” I believe this group of ten nations will arise during a time of global economic uncertainty. It has been intriguing to watch world leaders over the past several months as the world experienced global economic meltdown. The G-7 quickly morphed into the G-20. Perhaps this is because, given the worldwide implications of the economic troubles, 20 nations is considered better than seven. But if you think about it, 20 may be too big. Perhaps they will soon decide ten would be a more reasonable number. Any number of scenarios is possible and there will definitely be many twists and turns before we finally get there. But get there we will.

This is where we are today. The Antichrist will not come on the scene until the Church is removed and the world is staged to receive him. This stage setting has been rapidly occurring in recent years. I don’t think people really realize how quickly all this could come together. All it takes is one major crisis or the right mix of crisis, such as another major economic downturn, a nuclear exchange somewhere in the world, or the sudden and unexplained disappearance of millions of people worldwide. God is able to bring to pass whatever necessary to give rise to this ten nation confederacy and the eventual rise of Antichrist. When this ten nation confederacy arises, it will be for one purpose and one purpose only: “they give their power and authority to the beast” (Rev. 17:13). How close are we? Mind bogglingly close! Jesus Christ will return for His Church at any moment. Therefore, it is imperative that we are ready. Are you ready? If Jesus shouted from heaven this very moment, would you hear Him? Would you disappear from the face of the earth along with millions of others? It doesn’t matter whether or not you believe in the Rapture. What matters is do you believe in Jesus? Have you received Him as your Lord and Savior? Does your life give evidence you belong to Him? These are questions only you can answer. My prayer is that your answers are yes! “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout…Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

“Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail” (Jeremiah 7:8). Deception has been a problem for humankind since the serpent deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-7). However, the Bible indicates that as the return of Christ draws near, deception will increase significantly. In Matthew 24, Jesus, when answering the disciples’ question about His Second Coming and the end of the age, warned them repeatedly about deception: “See to it that no one misleads you” (24:4; see also verses 11, 24). Paul warned against this last days deception as well: “Let no one in any way deceive you” (2 Thess. 2:3). In Revelation 13, we are warned about the great deception that is coming, literally in the flesh, known as the Antichrist: “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform” (Rev. 13:14). Paul calls this great deception that is coming, “lying signs and false wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9). Deception is ever present but the days are coming and have come when many will be deceived by these “lying signs and false wonders.”

Visions of “Mary” are nothing new. They have been appearing around the world for hundreds of years. However, in recent years, there appears to be a significant increase in these appearances. I believe these so called apparitions, claiming to be messages from heaven, are nothing more than a last days deception. It only takes a casual familiarity with Scripture to see that these appearances simply are not biblical. Take for example the apparition that began appearing in Conyers, Georgia on October 13, 1990. An apparition claiming to be the “Blessed Virgin Mary” began appearing to Nancy Fowler to give messages to the United States. For me, the first thing that comes to mind is Hebrews 1:1-2, “Although God spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.” Clearly, God is not speaking through Mary or anyone else today. On May 9, 1991, this apparition appeared and said, “Please photograph this statue [a statue of Mary] and distribute it freely to my children.” This is nothing new as nearly every “Mary” apparition through the years has requested a statue or shrine. But this brings several warnings from Scripture to mind. Here is one example: “So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female” (Deut. 4:15-16). These kinds of visions continue to increase around the world. The visions are often accompanied by prophecies about the last days, urging all men and women to, “love the mother of God and submit themselves to her.” But the Scriptures tell us that we are to love God and submit ourselves to Him: “Submit therefore to God” (James 4:7). One witness to an apparition reported, “I do not know exactly what she wants me to do, but this much I do know, that she will complete the good work she started in me!” This is pure blasphemy. Paul wrote, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He [Christ] who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). This kind of deception is what we can expect from a movement that fails to submit to Christ alone through the Scriptures alone. Jeremiah wrote, “Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail” (Jer. 7:8).

It grieves my heart to no end when I think about the countless multitude of people following after these “lying signs and false wonders.” Mary was not venerated in Scripture. She is not the “Queen of Heaven.” The only time that title is used is in Jeremiah chapters 7 and 44, both times referring to an Assyrian and Babylonian goddess, the worship of which Scripture seems to indicate will occur in the last days. This is not Christianity. Christianity, by definition, is a faith centered on Jesus Christ alone. Paul warns us to be careful so that we can avoid being deceived. He wrote, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). Furthermore, writing about these deceitful workers, he wrote, “No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:14-15). Do not be deceived! These apparitions often said to be messages from heaven are nothing more than messages from the pit hell, designed to deceive and lead astray. Furthermore, they are another sign that we are indeed living in the last days just prior to the return of Christ for His Church. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42).

“So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). Every so often I receive a mass of emails in response to a particular Thoughts to Ponder. My recent one, There’s a Change Coming, is one such example. Many responded telling me how encouraging they found the article to be. Speaking of Christ’s return for His Church, some even asked, “Do you really think it’s that close?” Short answer—yes! Just a casual familiarity with Bible prophecy reveals we are mind-bogglingly close to this amazing, life-changing, earth shattering event. But of course, there are always mockers. Those who say, “Look, every generation of Christians believed Christ would return in their lifetime.” This is true. But the difference between those generations and this present generation is this—our generation has more reason to believe Christ will return in our generation than any previous generation ever imagined. And it all boils down to predictive prophecy—the Bible’s track record of 100 percent accuracy, 100 percent of the time!

The Bible predicts a number of events that will be in play just prior to Christ’s return for His Church. If we were witnessing just one or two of these events, we might have reason to believe Christ’s return was still far off. However, the fact that we are now, for the first time in history, witnessing all these events in play—setting the stage for Daniel’s prophesied Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:27)—gives us greater assurance that the Rapture of the Church is indeed close at hand. There is now a nation called Israel. No end-times prophecy could be fulfilled without an Israel. On May 14, 1948, against all odds, this tiny nation no bigger than the State of New Jersey, became a nation again. It occurred in less than 24 hours, sovereignly fulfilling numerous prophecies, particularly Isaiah 66:7-9. In verse 8 of that passage, Isaiah asks, “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once?” History has confirmed for us that yes, such a thing can and has happened. Israel’s return to the land is no accident of history but the sovereign fulfillment of God’s promise. The Bible also predicts Israel’s enemies, the Palestinians in particular (they are no peace partner), would try to steal Israel’s covenant land as their own (Ezek. 35; Psalm 83). The prophets also predicted, in the last days just prior to the Lord’s return, the whole world would come against Israel over the issue of Jerusalem. Zechariah writes, “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it” (12:3). We are witnessing this unfolding right before our eyes! Even the United States, Israel’s historic supporter, has now sided with the rest of the world in demanding that Israel cease settlement activity in its covenant land and divide Jerusalem. When you mess with Israel, especially Jerusalem, you mess with the apple of God’s eye (Zech. 2:8). That basically means that we as nation are now actively poking God in the eye. This is not a good position to be in as it invites catastrophic judgment. But it does show how close we really are to hearing Jesus shout from heaven! One more prophecy I would draw your attention too is that which Daniel mentions in chapters 2 and 7 of his prophecy. In both chapters, Daniel prophesied a revived form of the Roman Empire in the last days. We see the stage being set for this in the modern European and Mediterranean Unions. As of today, they are one vote away from a major step forward, and that vote will come soon. And just as Daniel prophesied, they are “partly strong and partly weak” (2:42). Out of this union, Daniel tells us ten kings (or nations) will arise. And from these ten kings, an eleventh king will arise who will, “make a firm covenant with the many for one week…” (Dan. 9:27). This is where we are today—the world is longing for someone—anyone—who can solve the Middle East problem. The only thing standing in his way right now, according to Scripture, is the true church. Once Christ removes His Church, this “man of lawlessness will be revealed” (2 Thess. 2:3).

I’ve only touched the surface. Space will not permit me to talk in detail about other prophecies in play this very moment—the march to globalism and the rise of global governance, economic upheaval, and the rise of an Iranian led, Russian equipped coalition that will attack Israel in the last days, apostasy, natural disasters, deception, calling evil good and good evil, and many, many more. The point is this: it is all coming to pass, exactly as the Bible predicts. Therefore, we can conclude God’s Word is true, its message of salvation by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8) is true, and Christ’s coming for His Church is very near (1 Thess. 4:13-18). So, my question to you is simply this: Are you ready? If Jesus came for His Church today, would you be caught up with all the saints of all the ages or would you be left behind? “I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place…For this reason, you also must be ready”