Noah's Day Life Today-Shawn Smith (Repost-06/2013-Edited SS)

As you know another vicious and senseless act of violence recently visited us here in America. Innocent victims were caught completely by surprise as they simply stood and watched friends and loved ones finish their Marathon on that terrible and horrific day. Our thoughts and prayers continue for all those in Boston devastated by this horrible atrocity. This attack sickens and horrifies us all as Americans as we unfortunately witness yet again the sheer evil of our day. To truly overcome in life and do right today without God first in our country and personally in our lives is just not possible. Evil is on the rise and obviously it will stop at nothing to pursue our demise. Deception is rampant and we call good evil and evil good today.  These are the last days and lately they're resembling a scary familiarity to life once back in Noah's day.  We've always needed God of course and contrary to popular belief and all the misinformation that's circulating today our nation was indeed founded on godly values and principles long ago one day. Our founding fathers and their families are true patriots indeed quite unlike the heroes we tend to idolize here today.  No these Americans were true heroes willing to give their very lives for the freedom that we still enjoy today! The way we're heading lately however I can't help but wonder how much longer it will actually stay this way?

You may agree that the freedom we often take for granted is now seriously at stake. Things here are changing quickly now and in all the confusion today it's obvious we've somehow lost our way. Just being American or simply knowing about God intellectually never was and never is enough.  No the truth is we must also believe that Jesus is Lord personally not just intellectually.  Recently while speaking I asked someone what he thought was the greatest commandment? Thinking I was referring to the Old Testament he quoted one of the ten commandments and in fairness to him that's probably what most people would naturally think. I told him however it was not the answer I was looking for and went on of course to share with him a little more. We should obviously strive to always obey God's commands and statutes that were originally given to Moses and the children of Israel the best we can today. The truth is they couldn't nor can we ever completely fulfill them all. If we break one in God's eyes we've broken them all. While here on earth the Lord Jesus himself told us what the greatest commandment truly is, "THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND (Matthew 22:37-40)." He also declared that the second is likened unto it which is to 'LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.' All of God's commands and statutes fall for us under these two simple yet powerful and all encompassing commands in the age of grace we now live in today. It's much more than a religion it's a relationship.

From the beginning God was and still is longing for an intimate relationship with us. Remember when Adam sinned in the garden he called out to him, 'Adam where are you'? Did God somehow misplace him? No Adam separated himself when he disobeyed God's one and only command. It broke his heart to remove Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden but disobedience demands discipline and unfortunately we see the consequences of his original sin today. You see the law initially was simply our schoolmaster that would one day bring us to Christ and was ultimately designed by God to show us the wickedness of our ways. And now incredibly Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law to all who simply believe in him both to the Jew and to the Gentile alike! (Galatians 3:23-29). A relationship with God is so much more than just religion ladened with a lengthy checklist of do's and dont's. Man made rules and regulations required by any religion today don't ever truly make us more spiritual or even closer to God. But incredibly because of Jesus salvation is free and now each of us can have a loving and lasting relationship with the God of this universe through his only dear Son. Now because of his death our debt is paid in full and the victory is won! The answer for us today is not to turn away but to draw closer than ever to him. Closer to him and farther from sin. As we see things unfolding now precisely as predicted with increasing violence and sin we need to constantly seek his face and grow in his grace. God has promised us that if we will draw closer to him then he will draw closer to us. He wants all of our hearts not just one part.

But sadly today just as in Noah's day the world is ignoring God and pushing him away. With all the violence and corruption today you'd think we'd listen more carefully to what Jesus himself had to say about life in the last days, "VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY. BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NO NOT THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, BUT MY FATHER ONLY. BUT AS THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE. FOR AS IN THE DAYS THAT WERE BEFORE THE FLOOD THEY WERE EATING AND DRINKING, MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE, UNTIL THE DAY THAT NOAH ENTERED INTO THE ARK AND KNEW NOT UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY. SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE (Matthew 24:34-39)." Clearly the world today is not looking for him as we see by the increase of ungodliness and sin. No it's looking more today like Noah's day just before the flood came and swept them away! With godliness on the decline and evil on the rise today will we still keep the faith will we always watch and pray?

Never Alone-Barlow Girl

Love Is Here-Tenth Ave North

Jesus Is-Jaci Velasquez

Perilous Times Significant Signs-Shawn Smith

It's obviously very difficult to put into words the sorrow we as Americans and especially those in Boston of course must feel at a time like this. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to you and to all those suffering and now recovering from the latest senseless and brutal act of violence to visit us here in America. Our world is obviously changing fast once again fulfilling biblical prophecies that are unfolding precisely as predicted. And obviously not for the better! No sadly corruption continues to rise in our day and time as godliness continues unfortunately to decline. These prophecies are all fulfilling exactly as the holy apostles and prophets of old predicted warning us all in the end what would eventually come to pass. In fact the Lord Jesus himself warned us that just like in Noah's day God will eventually judge mankind because of sin and the only escape would be through the Son of God himself. The apostle John said while writing to the believers in his day almost two-thousand years ago that they were living in the last "hour" with many anti-Christs already on the scene then (1 John 2:15-19). In light of that which is true I can't help but wonder just where we are today from God's perspective and from his point of view. We should realize that the mysterious rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) which is only for all true believers living for him now, is distinctly different from the second coming of Christ where in judgment he will return to rule and reign and be seen by all. The apostle Peter said that in the last days many scoffers would come mocking his return but the signs are all there now so we really should watch and learn.

If those alive were living in the final "hour" then could it be that we're just moments away now from reaching the end? If that's the case we should awake quickly and smell the coffee that's been cooling lately in our lukewarm cups! At the same time he may choose to tarry a while longer and we should realize that God's timing is rarely if ever ours. After all in his eyes a thousand years is as one day and one day is as a thousand years. So in that light this generation has just recently entered its third day of existence here on planet earth since Jesus left. Does that ring a bell? As you may recall on Easter Sunday Jesus rose again early on the third day and appeared to Mary before dawn. So early in fact that it was still dark when he appeared to her at the empty tomb. Is it possible that by doing so he was also giving us living today a sign signaling his return one day and when it would finally be time? Most were still asleep at the time obviously possibly indicating yet another sign. The days we live in are dark indeed with corruption on the rise and godliness on the decline. Not surprisingly though look what the apostle Paul once had to say about those of us in the end living today, "THIS KNOW ALSO THAT IN THE LAST DAYS TERRIBLE TIMES SHALL COME. FOR MEN SHALL BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES, COVETEOUS, BOASTERS, PROUD, BLASPHEMERS, DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS, UNGRATEFUL, UNHOLY. WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, TRUCEBREAKERS, FALSE ACCUSERS, INCONTINENT, FIERCE, DESPISERS OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD (2 Tim 3:1-3)."

Although many falsely predict today that things will somehow get better here some day but the truth is the world is becoming more corrupt day after day. In fact the mark of true Old Testament Hebrew prophets like Jeremiah and Noah for example was that their predictions foretold impending judgment for the rebellious not prosperity and peace like so many continue to wrongly predict today. And if we believe them we are sadly mistaken! The scriptures are clear that until the Messiah returns there will never be any true and lasting peace anywhere here. No unfortunately contrary to popular belief things will only get worse as mankind in general refuses to repent today and continues drifting farther away. In fact the anti-Christ who will appear on the scene soon will offer a very convincing pseudo-peace that the entire unbelieving world will one day fall for and succumb to! And all those still living here then who don't believe his lie one day won't ever be able to sell or even to buy (Revelation 13:11-18). But all true believers will see through his disguise because they know the only real peace is found in a personal relationship with the Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Here's what the apostle Paul had to say about the man of sin to appear on the scene soon one day, "THE COMING OF THE LAWLESS ONE WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH HOW SATAN WORKS. HE WILL USE ALL SORTS OF DISPLAYS OF POWER THROUGH SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT SERVE THE LIE AND ALL THE WAYS THAT WICKEDNESS DECIEVES THOSE THAT ARE PERISHING. THEY PERISH BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH AND SO BE SAVED. FOR THIS REASON GOD SENDS THEM A POWERFUL DELUSION SO THAT THEY WILL BELIEVE THE LIE AND SO THAT ALL WILL BE CONDEMNED WHO HAVE NOT BELIEVED THE TRUTH BUT HAVE DELIGHTED IN WICKEDNESS (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)." So what does this all mean to you and I living in these last days? We need to grow in grace and seek his face to draw closer to him and farther from sin! Here's what Jesus himself said to those of us living at the end, "AND TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES LEST AT ANY TIME YOUR HEARTS BE OVERCHARGED WITH SURFEITING AND DRUNKENESS AND CARES OF THIS LIFE AND SO THAT DAY COME UPON YOU UNAWARES. FOR AS A SNARE SHALL IT COME UPON ALL THEM THAT DWELL ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. WATCH YE THEREFORE AND PRAY ALWAYS THAT YE MAY BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS, AND TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN (Luke 21:34-36)." It's true the end is now near it's all very clear we're living in perilous times with significant signs!

Rise Again-Dallas Holm

Remember Me-Mark Schultz