In view of my personal re-focus and a debate arising from last Thursday’s post, this by my End-times friend posted 8th April is now a featured item:

ARE WE READY?

I have been trying to grasp something that has been hovering on the edge of my consciousness for a while. Last week I had a dream where I urgently needed to fly home (from Germany, I think). I had not booked a flight, I had not arranged for transport to the airport, I had not shaved, I didn’t have a razor, I didn’t even have a washbasin, I had not packed; and so it went on. Each element of the dream identified another level of unpreparedness.

I know I am not ready, and even as I write I think in terms of there being no hurry.

But time is short. Satan’s onslaught on mankind is reaching a climax (the climax?): those with eyes to see and ears to hear, recognise that the tumultuous world events that we are witnessing indicate that End-Times prophecies are being fulfilled as we watch.

To the casual (but well informed) observer, it must seem that Satan’s Machiavellian manipulations are proving effective. It looks a near certainty that his schemes will lead to the introduction of a New World Order. If that is correct, and acknowledging the speed at which the world is changing, it is conceivable that the “time of tribulation” is near. It must appear, from Satan’s perspective, that his diabolical plans are close to fulfilment: the key stage objective, i.e., of his henchmen achieving world-wide power, is moving from being a possibility to being a probability. (I believe Bible prophecy shows that a New World Order is inevitable).

Satan’s causing chaos and whipping up outrage and uproar against the innocent, by deception and intrigue, is not new. Man’s (our) venal susceptibility to pride, taking the easy option, avoiding hardship, following the herd and “me first” self-interest, leave us prone to propaganda, and open to manipulation. These traits were on full display when the Pharisees encouraged the crowd before the crucifixion.

We cannot even begin to understand the agony, distress and dichotomy of God in the crucifixion of Jesus. On the one hand, the Son of God had the power and authority to destroy all who opposed Him: He could have rejected the crucifixion option and departed in a blaze of glory.

On the other hand, he could (and did) choose to lay aside His divinity. In obedience to His Father, and in order to fulfil His destiny as Saviour of the world, Jesus went through crucifixion as the Son of Man. It was as Son of Man that Satan presumed Jesus was vulnerable: he thought he saw an opportunity to thwart God’s plan for the salvation of mankind. However, Jesus Christ, by rejecting Satan’s temptations and going through His crucifixion as the Son of Man, prevailed against Satan. The agony of Christ gave each and every one of us the opportunity of choosing to become sons of God.

What we can understand from all this, and the many fulfilled prophecies relating to Jesus’ first advent, life, crucifixion and resurrection, is that what might at first have seemed to be an unmitigated disaster, was in fact the most glorious and earth-shattering accomplishment since the creation of the world. The resurrection was the absolute confirmation of Satan’s defeat. Furthermore, it was all foretold and ordained, as is Jesus’ second advent and Satan’s ultimate destruction.

God is supernatural, omnipotent and omniscient. His ways are not our ways and His inscrutability is not ours to fathom. He knows the end from the beginning: no diabolical scheme will outwit God Almighty. While it is true to say that I have known these things for some time, the magnitude and seriousness of current events has brought into sharp focus the urgent need live by the Word of God and prepare for the return of Jesus.

If we unreservedly accept the atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross, we become sons of God. We are then both sons of God and sons of man. Are we willing to fully accept the mantle and responsibilities of “sons of God”, or would we prefer to keep our options open?

It is a heart question: our answer will have eternal consequences

The point that had been eluding me is that the extraordinary, and several millennia long, way in which God engineered our salvation, and confounded Satan’s plans, was far beyond the whit of man. We can be assured that the Second Advent of Jesus will be equally or more incredible and glorious – and it is unstoppable!

RB’s Note:

Neil uses ‘man’ in the generic sense of ‘mankind’ and in New Testament “son” in the generic sense equally includes daughter.

Whilst editing and scheduling this for publication I’m reminded of that amusing sexual paradox of both men and women becoming ‘sons of God’ as well as the ‘bride of Christ’ – thus twisting and corruption of sexuality is an obvious satanic stratagem, no matter our all too fallible, human opinions.

Apostle Paul refers to this special relationship in chapter 5 of his letter to the church in Ephesus instructing husbands and wives…’³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ³¹ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.’

Click to read GPS#61.2 – The Glory Unveiled

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