In Matthew 24, Jesus has just finished exposing the religious fraud and blasting the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. They are furious with Him. He has stood and wept over Jerusalem. He said your house is left to you desolate. I would have gathered you to Me, but you were unwilling. You won't see Me again until you say blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Oh, we must welcome that precious Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit of God-for it is HE who has been sent to show us Christ! It's not a popular message but Jesus Christ is the ONLY Way, the Only Truth, the Only Life. (Joh_14:6) The world needs truth not tolerance. The disciples are stunned. He's ripped everything their life up until they met Him was based on. They privately ask Him "When will this happen? What will be the sign of Your coming and the end of this age?"
The first thing Jesus says to them is be careful that no one deceive you, seduce you into believing a lie, or lead you astray. First and foremost, be careful you know the truth so you don't believe a lie. He knew there would be rampant error taught as truth. Paul warned Timothy that the Holy Spirit had told him explicitly in the last days some would leave the truth, and lead others away from it as well. They would pay attention and turn to corrupting spirits and demonic instruction. (1Ti_4:1) Jesus said many would come in His Name, they would stand as representatives of His character, His power, His authority, and deceive many. They would declare they had the anointing (for Christ means the anointed One of God) and lead many into error. Many imposters will rise and deceive so many souls. There will be so much transgression of the law of God that people will lose the love of God, the love for God, and for their fellowman.
Nations turning on nations, famine, hunger for food, for spiritual truth, all kinds of pestilences, diseases, earthquakes all over the place, natural disasters, wars, rumors of wars keeping people tense and unsettled. Many will be offended and turn on each other. (Remember great peace have they that love His law and nothing will offend (cause to stumble) them. Nothing will make them fall when they are rooted in His Word, and His life. Those who aren't will be offended- (G4624 skandalizo) it means they will behave in such a way they will cause offense, they will cause others to fall away from truth, they will entrap, trip up others, entice them into apostasy.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. That word 'endure' caught my attention. It means they tarried, they stayed behind, they waited, they persevered. There is only one place I can think of you can tarry, and wait and get something that will give you the strength to endure what He just said is coming. This verse keeps coming back to me, I can't get away from it. He said you would receive power if you tarried in His presence until you received power from on high. The Holy Ghost will come on you and you will receive power to overcome. (Luk_24:49, Act_1:8) So this tells me the only folks who will stand are those who are meeting God, praying and seeking His face and being filled with His Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is what they will have to have.
When you see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place, comprehend what it means and flee from it. What does this mean? It's mentioned in Dan_8:13. The sanctuary of God being trodden under foot by God's enemies. 2Thess 2 mentions it as well. Paul tells them "Don't be troubled in your mind, upset in your spirit by what you hear or read. Dont be deceived. There will be those who fall away. There is that man of sin and he will sit in the temple of God and exalt himself as God, over everything that is called God." That is a selfish spirit. A selfish spirit demanding what is due God-and demanding it in GOD'S own House!
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Stay awake, stay alive, for you don't know when I'm coming-don't let me find you spiritually asleep.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
We need to love one another, because if our love is God's love poured out through us to others, it will not hurt others, or neglect them. Who is our neighbor? Our brothers and sisters in Christ who are part of the Body of Christ. It's time we rise up from our inactivity and obscurity. If we've been neglecting God, we need to shake ourselves from the dust, from self, and make it right. If we have been languishing in a spiritual stupor, making excuses and looking to "Someday things will change, and I'll overcome" we better shake ourselves and face the fact that NOW is the time to get busy, and get in the presence of God to seek Him and get what we need so we are prepared before He tires of our excuses and shuts the door. Our rescue, our deliverance, it is much nearer now than when we first put our trust in Him. Don't let loose of the truth. Don't over indulge in anything except prayer and the Word of God. Be clothed with the presence of the Lord, be like Him, and don't provide for self to have its way.
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