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Ready or not, it’s coming!
The book of Revelation at the end of the Bible tells about a time where money will not be used to buy or sell. I don’t know if it will be soon, but things are ripe for it to happen anytime. So here’s what the Bible has to say about it.
Revelation 13 has the first reference to it. You may read the entire chapter if you want to, but here I will summarize verses 1-12. There is a very bad creature called a beast who in verses 6 and 7 talks very badly about God and makes war against God’s people. He is allowed to rule for three and a half years. Verse eight is important: “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life.”
Now here are verses 13-14: “He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs…”
Verses 16-17: He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the number of his name. Verse 18 says the number is 666.
The next mention of this is in 14:9-10. “Then a third angel … with a loud voice saying, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” 11, “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
Those who receive the mark end up in hell. This is forever!
Rev. 16:2, “So the first angel went and poured out his bowl onto the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon men who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image.”
And the last one is Rev. 20:4, “…Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or one their hands.” And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” To be killed but escape hell is preferred!
Those people who believe in the rapture will be quick to say that we will not be here when this happens. I have proven that there isn’t going to be a rapture in other brochures, so won‘t explain here.
We need to know how to work the Kingdom of God in order to survive in the time that this happens, or even if we just experience another Great Depression!
God has promised to meet our needs, Phil. 4:19, and to take good care of us, I Pet. 5:7. But most of God’s people are not able to receive from God what He wants to give us! The world’s way has been working for us all of our lives. But things are changing and the world’s way is collapsing! You might be interested in reading Daniel chapter 2. Daniel had a vision of a time when God’s Kingdom will take over all the kingdoms of the world. So whatever is in OUR future, we need to learn how the Kingdom of God works.
1. Matthew 6:33 is the first promise of God’s provision. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” His righteousness just means His way of doing things. This is where we must begin. To seek God we must spend time reading in the Bible and some time in private prayer every day. It takes time to develop a habit but this is what we must do in order for God to supply our needs. And don’t forget, we are seeking to know God, not just what He can do for us. That’s priority!
2. Obedience. God’s Kingdom works by laws, like the law of gravity. Deut. 11: 26-27, “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: The blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today. And the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God…”
The main commandment for us now is the commandment of love, Matt. 22:37-40, And Jesus said to him. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second one is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” And the book of I John is largely about loving everyone.
Another issue that fits under obedience is keeping a pure heart or clear conscience. I John 3:21, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God, and whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” If you have done something you know is wrong, admit it and ask the person to forgive you. This is good for you and will help you be more careful in the future.
3. Believe you receive. This is from Mark 11:24, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” If you haven’t heard much faith teaching, this will seem strange, but we must be able to see ourselves with it before we get it.
Verses 23-26 are important too. We can have what we say, but most people are saying what they have! (verse 24). This is called our confession or affirmation of faith. And consistency is the key. Many people try it for a while but soon quit. And don’t be speaking your faith around people who don’t understand.
Also we must in our hearts forgive those who’ve done us wrong, (verse 26). If Jesus could forgive those who were killing Him, we can forgive anyone. No one has hurt us that bad! Bitterness will stop all blessings from God.
4. Faith, Patience and Love. We get everything from God by faith and patience, Heb. 6:12. And nothing works without love. Gal. 5:6 is best in the King James Version ~ “Faith which works by love.” Without love, faith won’t work! And I Cor. 13:1-3 says that we can do all kinds of great things but without love none of it is worth anything ~ Love for ourselves, love for people, love for God, and knowing God’s love for us! All of that together is what we need to have. It’s a growing thing. But develop in number one first. |
