{"id":1207,"date":"2016-11-29T11:05:36","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T16:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/?p=1207"},"modified":"2016-12-01T10:20:18","modified_gmt":"2016-12-01T15:20:18","slug":"preparing-for-his-coming-part-1-signs-of-the-end-time-september-25th-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/?p=1207","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for His Coming, Part 1, Signs of the End Time, September 25th, 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h1>\n

\u00a0<\/a><\/h1>\n

Preparing for His Coming, Part 1<\/h1>\n

Signs of the End Time<\/h1>\n

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Central Thought: The coming of the Lord is at hand!<\/h3>\n

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Hymn: \u201cWhen the Trumpet of the Lord Shall Sound\u201d<\/p>\n

Text: Matthew 25:3-51; 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 1 Peter 4:7<\/p>\n

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At the fall of man, God promised that the \u201cseed of the woman\u201d will crush the head of Satan, NIV. With time, the prophets gave more details about the first coming of Jesus Christ, Isaiah 53:1-12.<\/p>\n

However, at the time the promise was fulfilled, the religious order of the day was caught unawares. Their expectation of Messiah was blurred by personal bias and opinions and the political state of Israel.\u00a0 They expected a political deliverer.\u00a0 God may not have told them exactly when Christ would come but the circumstances of His birth, life, ministry and death were clearly spelled out, but \u201c\u2026the world did not recognize Him when He came\u201d, John 1:10b NLT.<\/p>\n

Jesus is coming soon. Again, the events that will signal His second coming and the end of the age are clearly taught in the Scriptures.\u00a0 We must be prepared, lest we should be taken unawares.\u00a0 \u201cFor you know very well that the day of the LORD will come like a thief in the night.\u00a0 While people are saying \u201cpeace and safety\u201d, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape\u201d, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3.<\/p>\n

In this study, we will examine the signs of the end time. It is our prayer that the Lord will keep us all awake and alert at His coming.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n

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Lesson Objectives:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. To understand the events that will herald the end of the age.<\/li>\n
  2. To understand the effects these events will have on men.<\/li>\n
  3. To state how believers must handle the events of the last days.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n
      Identify the events that will herald the end of the age.<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      -Spiritual events, Matthew 24:4, 9-12, 24; 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 4:3-4<\/span><\/p>\n

      The last days, which we are already in, will be characterized by deception. There will be an unusual emphasis on signs and wonders, many of which will be performed by false teachers and prophets to draw men after themselves.\u00a0 The Bible says that the deception and the greatness of these lying signs and wonders will be such as to deceive even the elect \u2013 if that were possible!\u00a0 Matthew 24:24<\/p>\n

      Secondly, \u201cthe love of most will grow cold\u201d. The love of Christ will grow cold in the church and be replaced by the love of self, money and pleasure.\u00a0 Men will have a form of godliness but their lives will be the exact opposite of the teachings of Christ.\u00a0 They will troop to churches with leaders that tell them what they want to hear.\u00a0 The emphasis of the gospel will shift from Christ to self, money and pleasure.\u00a0 As a result of this, those who stand firm will be ridiculed, persecuted, treated as out dated, not dynamic and not in touch with the times.\u00a0 We must watch out!<\/p>\n

      However, despite, the negative events \u201cthis gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations\u201d, Matthew 24:14. The days we are in have witnessed the greatest push in preaching the gospel ever.\u00a0 On radio, TV, satellite, in the internet, in villages\u2026 everywhere the gospel is being preached.\u00a0 At times, the motives are wrong, but prophesy is being fulfilled: it is for a \u201ctestimony to all nations\u201d.\u00a0 We must align with this and put our money and energy in it.\u00a0 This must be done before the end comes.<\/p>\n

      -Political events, Matthew 24:6-7<\/span><\/p>\n

      The world has witnessed more wars, deaths and destruction in the past 100 years than it did in the preceding years. This is worsening, \u201cwars and rumors of wars\u201d.\u00a0 Civil strives, terrorist attacks and outright wars between nations.\u00a0 Such must happen, the Lord says, but the end is still to come.\u00a0 The events in the Middle East should be watched with a keen interest by the believers: as these will herald the end of the age.<\/p>\n

      -Economic events, Matthew 24:7<\/span><\/p>\n

      Currently, even the world\u2019s economic powers are experiencing economic recessions. Famines continue to ravage a large segment of the world\u2019s population especially in Africa.\u00a0 Famine speaks of want, a state of helplessness and lack of basic necessities of life.\u00a0 It is obvious that much of the world\u2019s population live in this state.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n
        How will men react to these events? 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Luke 21:34<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The events of the last days will cause the hearts of men to faint and be filled with anxiety. They will live in fear with no hope for the future.\u00a0 Naturally, this will make those who do not fear God to do all needed to survive.\u00a0 Hence, men will pursue after money at all cost, corruption will become the norm and crime will increase.\u00a0 In a bid to soothe their troubled, fearful and depressed hearts they will be given to the pursuit of drunkenness and all manner of pleasures but these will not help as the situation will continually worsen as they watch all they trusted in crumble.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

          \n
        1. \n
          How should believers handle the events of the last days?<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          -The believer must stand firm, remain focused, and keep a clear mind of what the Christian faith is. Matthew 24:13-14; 2 Peter 4:7; Jude 3<\/span><\/p>\n

          Our Bother Jude urges us to take a steadfast stand for the faith and not to shift ground. This must reflect in what we believe and the principles that guide our lives.\u00a0 We must have a thorough understanding of Scripture and be what we believe.\u00a0 Our Christian lives are to be shaped by the word of God and not by the teachings of a teacher, Pastor, Bishop, \u201cfire spitting\u201d preacher or whatever, it we cannot find a basis in scripture for what he\/she says.<\/p>\n

          The Apostle Peter, writing to Christians like us, faced by the threat of false teachers, gave a blue print for \u201cwholesome thinking\u201d: that they should recall the words spoken in the past by the prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through the Apostles.\u00a0 Christian teaching must be based on the teachings and life of our Lord Jesus Christ and as taught in the epistles or seen in the lives of the early apostles.\u00a0 It must not be based on the \u201cexpert\u201d interpretation of an isolated verse or phrase in Scripture, 2 Peter 3:-2.<\/p>\n

          -The believer must not be moved by signs and wonders, Matthew 24:25-28<\/span><\/p>\n

          Signs and wonders are a part of the gospel and must be appreciated, but these follow those that believer, Mark 16:17-18. We are not told to follow after or seek after signs and wonders anywhere in the scripture; must test every spirit.\u00a0 We must not follow a man of God merely because miracles happen in his ministry.\u00a0 We must closely examine his life and doctrine.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026by their fruit you shall know them\u201d.\u00a0 For example, if it is all miracles and healings but we do not find tangible evidence of the fruits of the Spirit in the preacher\u2019s life or that of his followers, we may be dealing with a false teacher.\u00a0 Remember that the Lord said, Matthew 7:21-23, \u201cOn that day many shall say to me, did we not prophesy and\u2026work miracles in your name. But I will say to them depart from me you evildoers, I NEVER KNEW YOU.\u201d\u00a0 Miracles are not a true measure of a man\u2019s life or ministry.<\/p>\n

          -The believer must never give in to the anxieties of life or fear, Luke 21:34<\/span><\/p>\n

          The believer must remind himself that he is not of this world and his life or future is not tied to the events of the world. He must remind himself that the Father loves him and has plans for him\/her.\u00a0 He plans to give him a future and a hope.\u00a0 God will bring His purpose to pass irrespective of the political or economic events of the times, Jeremiah 29:11<\/p>\n

          -The believer should give himself wholly to the work of the Lord, Matthew 24:45-51<\/span><\/p>\n

          Each believer is a steward of the human, material and spiritual resources bestowed on him by the Lord. Some callings may have greater outward glory than others. What matters to God is that we are faithful.\u00a0 We must maintain the fear of the Lord in our hearts and give ourselves to the preaching of the gospel and whatever service we provide in the body of Christ as men that will give account soon.<\/p>\n

          -The believer should avoid getting involved in controversies on the hour or timing of Christ\u2019s coming. Those who do so are not wise, Matthew 24:36.<\/span><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Daily Living Application:<\/h3>\n

          The Bible says there will be perilous times in the last days. While those around us live in fear and their hearts fail them, we should be like, \u201c\u2026mount Zion which cannot be move.\u201d\u00a0 We must keep our focus on Christ, be watchful and be faithful in the Lord\u2019s work.\u00a0 We must remind ourselves that the Lord will establish all that concerns us, not the government, not the economy.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Memory Verse:<\/h3>\n

          Matthew 24:12-13 NIV \u2013 \u201cBecause of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          \u00a0 Preparing for His Coming, Part 1 Signs of the End Time     Central Thought: The coming of the Lord is at hand!   Hymn: \u201cWhen the Trumpet of the Lord Shall Sound\u201d Text: Matthew 25:3-51; 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 1 Peter 4:7     At the fall of man, God promised […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sundayschool"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/c9b1e272bf18b6f993be96239bbe7b98.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1207"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1245,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1207\/revisions\/1245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}