Noah's Day Life Today (Shawn Smith)

As you may know sadly just as in Noah's day right before the flood came and swept them all away (MATTHEW 24) violence and corruption continue to also dominate the news in our world today.  And no matter how hard some may try to deny the truth, the truth is that until Christ returns to establish his kingdom here on earth for the thousand-year millennial reign sadly things will just continue to worsen and decline steadily over time. We are also nearing clearly now the apostle Paul's prediction and the mystery of what he revealed known today as the RAPTURE of the church (Greek-Harpazo-Snatch) of true believers known also as the bride of Christ in these end times (See parable of 10 virgins in Matthew 25). The idea of a "mystery" means something not revealed in scripture before Jesus revealed it to Paul during the first century probably around AD 55 or so according to some scholars (By the way this doctrine wasn't added later as some claim today to try and dismiss the facts for some reason). In fact the apostle John in his day wrote that we are in the "last hour" so how close must we actually be now? His coming now is imminent as in suddenly without warning in the blink of an eye! According to Paul more precisely it will happen one day at any moment in the "twinkling" of an eye at the last (TRUMP)! (See 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50-52 and 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16-17).  I find it very interesting that President Trump is in his second and last term but just a thought.  Coincidence?  Maybe but maybe not. The Greek word Harpazo means in English to be caught-up or snatched-away. Yes indeed my friends caught up, up, and away to be with the Lord Jesus soon forever one day!  We all need to prepare ourselves now for this exciting and prophetic event and not delay.  The night is far spent and the day is at hand and we need to always watch and pray as Jesus himself once had to say (See MARK 13).  John also said concerning this truth that we are to "abide" in Christ so that when he "appears" we may have confidence and not be "ashamed" before him at his coming (See 1 JOHN 2:28).  In our generation today sadly many predict falsely that things will eventually improve here some day some how some way.  However the truth is as Jesus himself predicted that here on earth there would eventually be "great" tribulation unlike there ever was or there ever shall be (See MATTHEW 24).

Sadly violence and corruption will continue to dominate the news both here in America and around the world until Christ comes with His bride to set up His reign on earth when He returns visibly to the world after the rapture with His bride at His "second coming" when all on earth will see Him at that time even those who "pierced" Him (See REVELATION 1). Here's what Jesus also had to say about those living in this generation today, "BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND THE LOVE OF MANY WILL GROW COLD BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE TO THE END THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED"  (MATTHEW 24:12). We should also remember what was happening way back in Noah's day just before the flood came and swept them all away. Just as God judged violence and wickedness in Noah's day he will do so once again some day.  We also need to realize if we don't somehow already that God's ways are truly higher than ours. There is of course evil in the world from the very beginning (See GENESIS 3) and God allows it to operate here for reasons obviously that we as mere humans simply can't totally understand or ever fully explain.  Just ask JOB.  But God always has a plan in the end for good for those who love him and are called according to HIS purpose (See ROMANS 8:28).  

There's no way to fully comprehend why all the violence and chaos in the world is occurring today and as you well know there's plenty of it unfortunately going around everywhere lately these days as predicted. We do know however from the scriptures that the devil of course is behind all the confusion and deception just as he was in the beginning when he deceived Adam and Eve while disguising himself and lying to them about God and his plan causing them both to unfortunately fall and pass on to us our inherited sin nature. Like today violence was also prevalent back in Noah's day.  The earth was filled with it then along with wickedness as well.  Here's what Moses himself had to say just before the flood came and swept them all away, "THEN THE LORD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN WAS GREAT ON THE EARTH AND THAT EVERY INTENT OF THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY.  THE LORD WAS SORRY THAT HE MADE MAN ON THE EARTH AND HE WAS GRIEVED IN HIS HEART (GENESIS 6:5-6)."  Wow what a sad commentary. Thankfully Moses goes on to say however that Noah found favor in God's sight because he and his family were the only ones on earth apparently back then actually serving God and still living right! There's also a remnant of believers living today who, and more who eventually will, are obedient to God and who love God and fear him and will also escape God's wrath here on earth that will once again one day unfortunately come as revealed in the book of Revelation. 

It's true that today we're now clearly starting to resemble the generation living in Noah's day and history is about to repeat itself.  But just as God provided a way of escape for Noah and his family through an arc in the same way in our day through the cross of Christ he's also made a way for you and I today. Just as predicted there are scoffers rising up just as there were likely long ago as well back in Noah's day (See 2 PETER 3:3-10).  But the truth is to escape God's wrath one day we must trust and obey today believing that Jesus alone is still the truth the life and the way!  Yes it's true that God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.  And we can add absolutely nothing to all he did for us while hanging on a tree two-thousand years ago on that old rugged cross at Calvary.  Paul said the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (See ROMANS 6:23) and we're saved by grace through faith in Christ it's the gift of God so no one can boast (See EPHESIANS 2:8-10).  No one deserves it and we can never earn salvation because we've ALL sinned and fallen short of God's glory.  It's true Jesus Christ himself will one day come again appearing to all those watching for him.  But to a world unprepared and unaware one day for them he will return like a "thief" in the night (See 1 THESS 5:1-10).  And when he eventually does I wonder will he find us like Noah obeying God and living right or ignoring him like the world today just asleep in the light? 

He’s Coming Soon (Limpic & Rayburn) 1 Thessalonians 5

 

How Majestic Is Thy Name (PSALMS 8) Keith Green

Night Light Burns Bright (Shawn Smith-Ed Welch)

Happy New Year everyone you might agree with me it's hard to believe that yet another year has come and gone again so fast and as Christmas celebrations and decorations start to fade and we're forced to press onward to face the realities and challenges ahead in our personal lives, both in this nation and abroad, it should give us great pause and reflection. While preparing to give a special Christmas message recently I  began to notice the significance of lights in this season once again and in the scriptures as well.  After speaking with Ed Welch, a US Navy Veteran, Logistics Engineer and also an original founding FAM board member here in San Diego, we recently began discussing the importance of this topic and its significance in these end times and darkening days.  The day of the Lord will come upon those in darkness like a "thief" but all believers walking in the true light of the glorious gospel will escape God's wrath here on earth one day soon because of sin, corruption, and violence just as in Noah's day that Jesus himself referred to in Matthew 24.  As Ed and I discussed prophecy together we agreed it was time to remind others publicly both here at home and abroad through this website and elsewhere once again the imminence of Christ's return both initially in the air first to be "caught up"with Him before the great tribulation, which makes the most sense, and then of course seven years later returning to earth with His saints after the tribulation to touch down in Israel just east of Jerusalem where His feet will stand on the Mount Of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) one day to judge and rule and reign for a thousand years! Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 9 reveals the seven-year period on earth called the 'great tribulation' or 70th week of Daniel, that God deals with the nation of Israel and His people the Jews specifically.  First however according to the apostle Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 as many scholars agree, Christ will first come for true believers both Jew and Gentile alike, known in the scriptures as the body of Christ and also the bride of Christ, suddenly without warning at the appointed time at the "last trump" soon one day to take us up and suddenly away. 

Yes indeed my friends for all who believe in Jesus personally as Lord it's truly up up and away very soon one day!  Paul calls this departure a "mystery" in the Greek indicating a reference to something not yet revealed previously in the scriptures, but a revelation given by Jesus to the great apostle personally like so many of his personal encounters with the Lord in the Spirit.  Christ's second coming however is actually visible to all even to those who "pierced Him," to rule and reign on earth for a thousand years when one day He will return with His army riding white horses to establish His kingdom on earth after the rapture of the Church as recorded by the apostle John in Revelation 19 where John the beloved writes, "And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True and in righteousness he does judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean.  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11-16)." 

I remember while in college a roommate and I began reading the book of Revelation and were excited to learn more about what this prophetic letter written by John the apostle was about when he was caught up to heaven after being persecuted and banished from the Island of Patmos narrowly escaping death in a cauldron of boiling oil miraculously delivered which under normal circumstances would have ended his life, or anyone's obviously for that matter, as a martyr for Christ just like all the other disciples no doubt.  But God had much more in store for this beloved apostle and as we know now for sure one purpose incredibly for believers then and for us as well today, was to pen the book of Revelation! What my friend and I didn't know at our young and inexperienced age and didn't realize until we drove through a local taco shop one night and shared with the server our new found knowledge about Christ's second coming to earth.  After sharing our excitement he calmly encouraged us to check the book of Daniel to really understand eschatology and the second coming of Christ to earth.  Daniel we mused?  Wait wasn't he the Hebrew prophet known best for escaping a lion's den?  Yes of course but we discovered eventually that he was also the one chosen to prophesy about the 70th week of Israel found in Daniel 9.  In addition he would close his book prophecying about the end times how that "knowledge would increase and many would run to and fro (Daniel 12:4)".  Obviously we're seeing this unfold quickly today with an explosion of technology and AI,  It's important to note in the gospels, specifically Matthew 24, that Jesus himself refers the reader to understand what Daniel the prophet himself spoke of.  So with all that said you may wonder what does that mean for us living today now in 2026 as yet another year has quickly passed away?

Well one thing's for sure it means we are now closer than ever to the Day of the Lord and we all need to be ready to answer one day soon one way or another for how we've lived here on earth.  As the apostle Paul said in his epistle to the believers in Thessalonica and for those of us also living today, "But of the times and the seasons brethren you have no need that I write unto but you yourselves know that the Lord himself so cometh as a thief in the night.  For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.  But you brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.  You are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken are drunk in the night.  But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.  For God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him.  Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)."  We all should of course heed the words of the Lord Jesus himself who gave a parable in Matthew 25:1-13, known today as the Parable Of The 10 Virgins. Jesus says there that five were wise and five were foolish and when the bridegroom eventually came only the five who had oil in their lamps were ready to meet him.  They were ready to meet him instantly when the midnight cry was made. Sadly however the five foolish virgins had no oil in their lamps and weren't ready! What about us today living in these perilous times (2 Timothy 3) will we be ready when the Lord one day appears suddenly will our lamps be lit and filled with oil our hearts and lives right and shining bright or like those five foolish virgins not ready but sadly slumbering just asleep in the light?  

 

Blow Me Away-Ascend The Hill

 

I Can't Get Past The Evidence (ROMANS 1) 4Him

Listen To Our Hearts (ROMANS 8) Geoff Moore



Strong Tower (PSALMS 71) Kutless

Ready For You (PSALMS 84) Kutless

Why The Rapture Is So Important-Greg Laurie

Jesus Will Still Be There- Point Of Grace

Amazed (Ephesians 3) Phillips Craig & Dean

Grace Like Rain (EPHESIANS 2) Todd Agnew

Thank You Jesus (EPHESIANS 2) Terry Clark



Waiting (PSALMS 27)-Dallas Holm

The Last Trumpet-Amir Tsarfati

Divine Compassion Earthly Passion-Shawn Smith

This weekend of course believers all around the world will celebrate the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The fact that Jesus rose again distinguishes Christianity from all other world religions who have no Savior to offer and none to proclaim.  To fully appreciate his divinity I believe we must first understand his humanity. I'm not sure of course what you're facing in life today but I'm certain that if you're his child he's always there for you and whatever it is he'll see you through. Remember that the writer of Hebrews once said we can now come boldly to the throne of grace anytime to find mercy and grace to help in our time of need. Jesus is our faithful High Priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities because he himself was tempted in all points but yet never sinned. He overcame it all for us when he cried out on the cross,"IT IS FINISHED!" and then yielded up his spirit.  When Jesus walked the earth of course he was often moved with compassion while feeding the hungry, healing the sick and raising the dead. It was that same love and compassion that drove him to the cross to hang on a tree for six grueling hours of pain and agony for you and me and for all the world to see.

Remember with me for a moment just what it was Jesus was facing long ago that fateful day. According to the ancient Hebrew tradition once every year a spotless lamb was to be sacrificed for the sins of the people and the blood offered upon the altar by the high priest (Hebrews 9). This time however it wouldn't be the traditional lamb slain for sin no this time it would actually be God's only Son the precious Lamb of God!  Knowing that his time had finally come Jesus met with his disciples for one last supper. There he explained to them that his time had come and now he must suffer and now he must die. And although Jesus himself knew all along that he left heaven precisely for this his disciples had no idea they just didn't understand what he was saying and they didn't know why.  After their final Passover meal they all sang a hymn together  then headed for the Mount of Olives where Jesus began to agonize in prayer sweating great dops of blood while calling on his Father.  His disciples had followed him and walked with him three amazing years watching him so often perform miracles like healing the sick raising the dead and feeding the poor.  After all that now all this?!

But Jesus knew exactly why he left heaven and exactly what he must do, "THEY WENT TO A PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE AND JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES 'SIT HERE WHILE I PRAY.' HE TOOK PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN ALONG WITH HIM AND HE BEGAN TO BE DEEPLY DISTRESSED AND TROUBLED, 'MY SOUL IS OVERWHELMED WITH SORROW TO THE POINT OF DEATH' HE SAID TO THEM,'STAY HERE AND KEEP WATCH' (Mark 14:32-34)." God's one and only Son was now facing intense suffering beyond belief and his disciples could not watch and pray with him but somehow could only fall asleep.   He knew he must now face death all alone but even still knew his Father was there with him even though so high above yet so near right there with him even from his heavenly throne. Here's what the apostle Paul once had to say about what Jesus did for us on the cross that incredible and unforgettable day,"NOW THEN WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST AS THOUGH GOD DID BESEECH YOU BY US. WE PRAY YOU IN CHRIST'S STEAD BE YE RECONCILED TO GOD. FOR HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US WHO KNEW NO SIN THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)." Not only did Christ die for us but he became sin for us as well.  Supernaturally because of the cross he bore we were made righteous and he saved us thank God from that terrible place Jesus referred to so often the place he called hell!

In spite of all this and all he did for us still many don't believe today that Jesus still is the truth the life and the way.  Although fully divine he's fully human too and he alone knows every day exactly somehow what you and I may be going through.  To us as believers he is our faithful and true High Priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.  In spite of what the world and the enemy may say he's always there he feels our pain and he really does care!  No matter what you're feeling and facing in life he understands you and if he's your Savior today he's always right there for you.  He will never leave you or ever forsake you.  That's because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever!  One of the most amazing things to me and there are many of course is that he never changes his mind about us and for some reason he never stops loving us.  No matter what we say or what we do he always remains faithful and he always remains true!  And know this too that after he rose from the dead he appeared to his disciples and to more than five-hundred brethren. Yes it's all true my friend Jesus is alive and he's coming again soon.  And if you believe he's risen and that he died personally for you then salvation can be yours today because he loves you deeply and the truth is he will forgive you too!

Blink (PSALMS 90) Revive

Top Of My Lungs (PSALMS 33) Phillips, Craig, & Dean

 

Your Love Oh Lord (PSALMS 36) Third Day