“for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”  2 Timothy 4: 3,4.

There are over 450,000 churches in America[1] and over 50, 000 in the UK. Many other nations are littered with buildings people call “churches.” Yet the western world is in a moral and spiritual mess, spiraling to destruction. So most churches are clearly not giving clear moral guidance, not making a difference in society – not being salt and light to a sin-sick world.

The Apostle Paul predicted that in the time prior to the return of our Lord biblical doctrine would not be favorably received. Yet the churches are often full, car parks packed, their TV ministries watched by millions. Yet what do they stand for, other than the gospel of success? If the church stands for nothing, it will fall for anything - and has.

Easy-believeism has replaced hard truth as prostitutes preach in many pulpits, men – and even women - for whom the Word is the way to great riches.

There has been a great falling away from the fundamental truths of Christianity and the very word “fundamental” has acquired a bad reputation, when all it means when applied to Christians is that you believe the fundamental truths of the Bible.

Many bishops and ministers deny the most foundational truths of our faith – the virgin birth, the atoning death and the resurrection of Christ. A counterfeit Christianity has much of the church in its grip today.

 In our book Goodbye America, Goodbye Britain[2] my wife Pat revealed: 

“Alan and I were once accused of being ‘fundamentalists’ by someone trying to smear us. I took it as a compliment, a badge of honor, the only one I’m ever likely to get and the only one I want.

A Christian fundamentalist is one who believes that the Bible is the Word of God, one who tries to follow Jesus. It has nothing to do with politics.”

The fundamental beliefs of born-again believers are:

• The Bible was inspired by God and Scripture is inerrant (true, without error). It is the Maker’s Manual- God’s holy book telling us not only how He created everything, but how it will all end, and also showing us how we should live.
• The virgin birth of the Lord Jesus. He is fully God and fully man.
• The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross atoned for our sins. We are saved by faith in Him alone, not by any good works.
• The Lord Jesus died, was buried, and rose again.
• The miracles of our Lord were historical realities, all literally true.
• The literal return of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory to reign on this earth for 1,000 years.

I know there are many Christians who would object to the last point; however, we cannot compromise on the literal truth of the Bible, even the parts that are unpopular today.

Truth divides, whereas ecumenism – the coming together of the lukewarm, Laodicean church from many different denominations - is leading to the formation of the united, Great Whore Church of Revelation chapter 17.

There is a move towards global religion, matching the coming together of governments, world regions, the world’s money and big business. Leading this false religion will be the Pope, for numerous formerly protestant denominations have declared that they either acknowledge him as head of the church or are prepared to work with Catholics, burying centuries of discord.

The Roman Catholic Church, the only church with embassies and diplomats round the world, will for a time work hand in glove with the coming world government.

We have noticed that many prominent media personalities, often those beloved of the “right,” are Catholics. The world admires these attractive announcers, as well as the beautiful Catholic buildings, and the respectful behavior of the huge crowds which gather at the Vatican.

It appeals to the flesh and people like being associated with something rich and successful. The world is being softened up for the end timesdeception almost upon us, when everyone will have to choose between worshiping the Antichrist and being executed.[3].

Pat, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, points out that Catholics are already worshiping the communion wafer, believing it is Jesus “mystically” present in a man-made object. Yet the Bible tells us repeatedly not to worship anything man-made, so this is rank idolatry.

If you can be persuaded to kneel down and worship a little white wafer,  saying that it is God, how will you avoid worshiping the one the Bible calls the “man of sin” ?  If you are part of a church which meets in a building featuring statues and religious objects, you must come out of it, and soon! Today! You are in the wrong church.

This is man’s idea of religion and its roots are in the pagan worship of ancient Babylon, where there were popular religious images of the mother and child, images that crop up in pagan religions scattered throughout the world. Those ancient pagans were literally scattered, by God, when He confused the language atBabel.

Now, both religious and political Babylon are being rebuilt, primarily in Europe, but also in Americaand elsewhere. The “great whore church” of Revelation is being created before our eyes and it crops up in unexpected situations and places. Alongside it is the New Age movement, which also has its roots in Babylonian mysticism.

Despite these obviously evil influences there is a vast movement today to bring “churches together.” In most towns of the west, true, false and crazy churches come together as if they had everything in common, whereas they share only the name “Christian.”

In our book Cults and Isms: True or False?[4] which we encourage all Christians to get, we go into great detail about false faiths and the true Gospel,  and we stress that you should investigate the people you follow. They might be leading you over a spiritual cliff.

Go back to the fundamentals of the faith. Clearly, doctrine divides. Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans and Baptists cannot all be right. If we join together to march, which “Jesus” are we marching for?

If homosexual priests are all right, then the Bible is wrong. If “priests” must be celibate, the Bible is in error and anyway, it says that all believers are “priests and kings.”

All believers are members of “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people…..which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God.”[5] If the Bible is fallible, why follow it? You might as well follow a cookery book and brew up your own unholy stew.

I would say that most Christians today follow this ecumenical line, criticism of which gets you charged with being “unloving” and “having a critical spirit.” God is not pleased when light aligns with darkness in pseudo unity, so Churches Together can pray to a god of their own imagination.

Remember, the Lord our God is a holy God and His doctrinal truths are not to be compromised. In ages past saints were martyred for refusing to compromise on biblical truth, and the same thing is happening in theThird World today.

One movement bringing a mishmash of mysticism and Catholicism into the mainstream protestant churches is The Emergent Church – something Christians need to emerge from! It appeals to those who favor sensory experiences, altars, statues, pictures, incense, candles and vestments. In other words, the road back to Rome, via contemplative spirituality.

Roger Oakland gave two insightful addresses to our church in England on the Emerging Church movement, and has written a book on the subject called Faith Undone[6].

In his author’s notes, Roger states on his website[7], “In the not-too-distant future, most evangelical pastors will have to decide whether to support or reject the spirituality behind the emerging church.

If this movement continues unfolding at the present pace, mainstream Christianity will be completely restructured, and the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ will be considered obsolete.

If I believed for one minute that this movement was just another passing whim or the discontent rumblings that so often occur with young people as they search for answers to life, I would never have written this book.

“But sad to say, the emerging church is far more than a fleeting fad and much more than the complaints of a group of young leaders. It is indeed a new way of being Christian and its objective is to usher in a new reformation throughout the world.

“Those who refuse to embrace this direction will be considered spiritual oddballs who are hindering a unified one-world spirituality that is promoted as the answer for peace and that is prophesied about in the Bible. I know these sound like preposterous concerns.

How could a movement that seems so unorganized and mismanaged do so much damage? The answer to that is the reason I wrote this book. For behind this new kind of worship, this new kind of church is a strategic apostasy and maneuver by the prince of this world, the enemy of our souls, to literally take apart the faith of millions—it will be nothing less than faith undone.”

Emerging church leaders speak approvingly of getting wisdom from a Trappist monk, a Buddhist monk and even insights into Jesus from an eastern perspective. (5)

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (6).

Let’s turn to the money making tub-thumpers, the name it and claim it brigade who preach the false prosperity gospel and who pollute the airwaves from many a “godless” TV channel. Pat and I know them well. When we were younger and less discerning we shovelled thousands of dollars at them, for surely these were men and woman of God?

We now have their measure. This is how Pat put it under the heading “The Sheep Are Being Fleeced”[8]:

“False prophets and false teachers are getting rich. ‘And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you…’[9]

“When we warn Christians about specific people, sometimes their jaws literally drop as they realise the famous men they think are so wonderful are nothing more than charlatans. Please investigate the people you follow! Don’t be gullible!

The bad guys (and sometimes women) are building their bank balances on your hard-earned money. Type their names into a search engine after the words ‘critics of.’ See what their critics are saying about them.

The good guys have critics too. But may God grant you the discernment to see through that. Not all the false teachers are rich – they only wish they were and they are trying their best to get you to give, give, give. To them!

“Here’s one pretty good indicator – do they constantly harp on about giving? Is it always in their sermons and talks? Do they brag about money? Then stop following them.

Let them spend their own money on their television programs etc – you keep yours. The good guys would rather die than enrich themselves from the preaching of the gospel. They do not get rich off the scourged back of the Lord Jesus.”

Here are some Bible quotes to confront the money preachers. Does God really “want you rich”?

“My kingdom is not of this world.”  John 18:36

“It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:25

“The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”  1 Timothy 6:10

“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 

"Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.  Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”  James 5:1-3

“Having food and raiment (clothing), let us be therewith content.”  1Timothy 6:8

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matthew 6:19,21

“How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” Luke 18:24

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”  Colossians 3:2

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous…” 2 Timothy 3:1-2

“Labour not to be rich…”  Proverbs 23:4

“Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”  Luke 6:20

There were material rewards for Israel under the Old Covenant, but we have a new and better covenant in Christ’s blood that entitles us to spiritual, not material, benefits.

The Lord tells us to first seek His kingdom and He will provide all we need.  This does not mean you can sit back and do nothing while expecting the money to roll in.  “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat”  2 Thessalonians 3:10.  And 1 Thessalonians 4:11 tells us to work with our hands and mind our own business!

While we don’t “give to get,” we certainly must not be reluctant to give.  God is a giver; He gave the best He had for us.  The Lord Jesus left the delights of heaven to suffer horribly for us. 

Are you a giver too?  Look at 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 

This means you should work out in advance what you can afford to give, without robbing your family of what they need, and then be cheerful about it.  But don’t go telling everyone how generous you are, because we are not supposed to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing when we give. 

But please, don’t be manipulated into giving to the money-grubbing prosperity preachers.  Give to the good guys. The bad guys will get their comeuppance either in this world or the next……

"I never knew you!"  These terrible words of the Lord Jesus will ring out as some famous preachers are cast into hell. It's time to get serious, and get some serious knowledge so that you can recognise those whom the late Dr J. Vernon McGee calls the 'religious rascals' - the "miracle men" who are out to fleece you.

 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? 'And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' Matthew 6:21-23.

Who are these people? Jesus told us the ones to watch out for. They speak as if they know the Lord personally, but He does not know them. They act like they belong to Him, but they do not. They use the right words, the right jargon, they know our language, they talk Bible talk.

They talk the talk, but they cannot walk the walk because they are not really Christians at all. They have never been born again (born spiritually by trusting in Jesus).

They may talk about the Holy Spirit from morning until night, but they do not have the Holy Spirit inside themselves. They will say, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied … cast out devils … done many wonderful works?' They are going around claiming to work wonders, miracles, in the name of Jesus, but they do not even know Him.

Beware of those who claim to work many miracles in Jesus' holy name. A Christian doctor in England set himself a task, to find out the truth behind claims of healing miracles.

He wrote to some of the big names, some of the famous people who claim to work miracles of healing and who claim to prophesy in God’s Name.

He asked for the names of three people who had been healed so he could verify the cases. These names were a long time in coming and when he finally got some names and investigated the so-called healings; he could find none. No healings. All hype. Smoke and mirrors. Wishful thinking.

This is not to say that God is no longer healing people. He is sovereign, but He does not share His glory with another. These 'miracle workers' get a lot of glory from the crowds who come to their meetings and fill their buckets with cash.

The point is that one of the clues Jesus gave us to unmask the false leaders was to do with miracles. If someone today is claiming they have done many mighty miracles, or could do some at their next service, have your divine antennae out.

Don’t be gullible. God expects us to test everything and to be discerning. A person who was really entrusted by God with doing some miracle would never boast about it - never. And if a real miracle happened, the person who performed it would not want any glory for himself. He would give the glory to Jesus. And he would not mind having it tested.

Jesus always told people to go and show themselves to the priests to verify that they were healed.

Today's 'miracle workers,' on the other hand, are not too keen on being tested. Most of them probably know in their hearts that they would not stand up to scrutiny.

So they condemn anyone who wants to examine critically what they teach and what they do. They say: 'Don't judge or you will be judged.' And they add: 'Don't touch God's anointed!' (meaning themselves).

I was taken in by this and became quite disillusioned with much of what goes under the name of Christianity, but which I now know is not real biblical Christianity.

There are five Greek words for judging, not just one like there is in English. The New Testament is written in Greek and when you learn the Greek words, you realize that there are different kinds of judging in the Bible.

One kind of judging we are forbidden to do is to judge hypocritically, judging others for what we ourselves are doing. For example, if you are stealing and you then begin to publicly condemn someone else for theft, you are in trouble with God, big time.

You are judging hypocritically and you are going to be judged. God will see to it that you are exposed as a hypocrite because you have judged someone for something of which you yourself are guilty. Do not judge hypocritically, or you will surely be judged! Another kind of judging we cannot do is to damn someone to Hell. The Lord Jesus is the judge.

He has the keys of hell and of death, not us. But there are other kinds of judging which we are commanded to do. We are commanded to review objectively and think analytically about things going on in the church.

God expects us to use our brains. He is not happy when we are duped by a false teacher. There are no rewards for gullibility. God is truth, and He wants people who love the truth and who are not easily fooled and taken in by charlatans.

If you attend religious meetings where someone claims to have a special power, earnestly ask God to show you the truth about them. Be a Berean (Paul commended the noble Bereans for checking out everything he preached in the scriptures). Many Christians today have been so badly taught that even when they try to search the scriptures, they remain confused.

Some advice from Pat:  “Get a good Bible commentary like William Macdonald’s 'Believer’s Bible Commentary,' which clearly explains the truth behind scriptures that are twisted by today’s ‘miracle men.’ Those deceivers take Scripture out of context and use it in ways the Lord never intended.

Most believers today have never had a good grounding. They need a good basic course in the Bible. Dr J Vernon McGee's 'Through The Bible',is a course[11] which takes you right through the entire Bible.   This course in Bible basics is so easy to hear in the USA – just switch on your local Christian radio station, in many areas!  How blessed is the USA! 

It’s not so easy in Britain, where the gospel is not at all welcome on the airwaves.  Dr McGee is on the web at www.ttb.org and on Transworld Radio, which you can listen to online at www.twr.org.uk or if you have satellite TV, it is channel 0138.  

“It's time to get serious, and get some serious knowledge so that you can recognize those whom Dr McGee calls the 'religious rascals' - the miracle men who are out to fleece you.  Another excellent ‘through the Bible’ course is by Chuck Smith (founder of Calvary Chapel). 

It is brilliant.  You can get free downloads from The Word for Today website[12].  Pat copies them on to an MP3 player and listens at the gym or in the car or whenever.  Those ‘dead times’ can become the best time of the day, when your heart throbs with love and praise for the Lord as you listen to the exposition of His eternal Word. 

Today rock music, falsely labelled “Christian,” sets the mood in many outwardly successful churches. Too many churches become pale parodies of rock concert halls when charismania sweeps in. Hey, man, it’s “performance church.”

Loud rock music is heard in many Sunday services, with the beat encouraging people to get up, fling themselves about and lose their inhibitions. In fact, having inhibitions, not wanting to leap about wildly, was almost a sin in one church we used to attend, where people were encouraged to get up and start bopping – and if they did not, they were accused of ‘standing on their dignity.’ 

 I remember one Sunday when I refused to take my shoes and socks off after a woman got up and announced that we were standing on holy ground, and should remove our footwear.

Those of us who stayed shod were ‘missing the move of the spirit’, or even quenching the spirit. Some spirits- not the Holy Spirit – need quenching!  Like so many others, we had become enmeshed in the charismatic movement. Needless to say, we left that church many years ago.

We are told to come out of the world, not to conform to it. When the church tries to ape the world, it usually makes itself look foolish, like the middle-aged vicar joining in the youth club rock dance.

Shortly after I became a Christian, Pat and I took my mother along to a so-called Christian outreach at Guildford Civic Hall in the county of Surrey,England. I was astounded to see a full rock group line up on stage, complete with massive sound system.

Oddly enough, I had once been in a successful Guildford-based rock group, billed as “Surrey’s top group”. Anyway, the scene of many a Primevals’ (that was us) triumph was Guildford Civic Hall. I had played the drums on stage there scores of times, at New Year’s Eve dances and so forth.

So the setting was familiar to me. So were the sounds, when the group started up. It was just like any other rave night at the Civic, with lots of noise, teenage couples lying together on the floor and shouting out to each other, and a general air of raucous licentiousness.

The sound level was so shattering, and we were in the front row, that I don’t really think mother ever quite realised what was going on. She certainly wasn’t saved. Who could have been? This is not the way the world will ever turn to Christ.

While some services have become very sensual, others are just plain short; a quick hymn sandwich, a prayer, the notices, a little homily about doing good and they’re quickly off for tea, coffee and cookies.

I lived near one denominational church where they were in and out within the hour on Sundays, taught, if that is the word, by a woman minister. In the foyer of the church hall was a poster for a yoga class.  This is not a church that can withstand false teaching, let alone the power of Antichrist with his lying signs and wonders.

Todd Bentley and his false Lakeland revival used this kind of hypnotic rock music to pull in and excite the crowds: music has a powerful effect. When an obvious buffoon like Bentley struts around on stage, flaunting his (new) tattoos and bellowing "bam", you wouldn't think it took much discernment to tell that this is not of God. But you would be wrong.  

Gullible Christians flocked to view this disgrace. People like us were criticised for daring to point out that these fiascos are not scriptural. It didn't take long for the latest "revival" to fall apart, just like all the other recent ones.

Another who has used rock music is Rick Warren, probably the second best known Christian in the west, after the Pope. Warren is author of the mega-selling “Purpose Driven Church.”

Dr. Warren launched a so-called global peace plan to enlist “one billion foot soldiers for the kingdom of God.” According to Let Us Reason Ministries and many other sources[15], in a talk given to 30,000 people in Anaheim, he announced what he called the ‘most important series of messages’ ever taught in 23 years at Saddleback Church.

The plan is to change the world, eradicate poverty, disease and ignorance and overcome spiritual emptiness and self-serving leadership. He called this no less than a new Reformation, a reformation of purpose, “what the church does in the world.”

It sounds good, but does not stand up to critical evaluation. Where are the billion Christians who are going to eradicate poverty, for a start?  Rick Warren’s Peace Plan   www.saddleback.com/peaceplan  was openly posted on his site until the end of 2004 when it was changed. Here is the new address where you can read it. http://www.saddlebackfamily.com/peace/Services/110203_high.asx )  

The Let Us Reason report continues: “On Sunday, April 17, 2005 speaking before 30,000 at Angel Stadium, he announced his Global Peace Plan. He believes it will herald in a new worldwide spiritual awakening in the 21st century.

But before he made the announcement, he decided to have some fun and surprised the audience when he said: ‘I've always wanted to do this in a stadium.’ He then sang Jimi Hendrix's hit song, Purple Haze.

As the audience erupted into laughter, the church band joined in playing back-up to it. http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05040087.htm 

“Purple Haze is a song by the late Jimi Hendrix from his album ‘Are you experienced? about an LSD trip.

“The lyrics go like this: ‘Purple haze all in my brain Lately things just don't seem the same. Actin' funny, but I don't know why 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky. Purple haze all around, Don't know if I'm comin' up or down Am I happy or in misery? Whatever it is that girl put a spell on me. Purple haze all in my eyes Don't know if it's day or night, You got me blowin', blowin' my mind. Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?’

“Frankly I find the song quite revealing and fitting for wha Warren has been doing. Sometimes God shows us what is under the surface. Amazing that people would approve of this as he launched his plan to change the world.

“He then went on to unveil and outline the PEACE Plan: ‘Our goal will be to enlist one billion foot soldiers for the Kingdom of God, who will permanently change the face of international missions to take on these five ‘global giants’ for which the church can become the ultimate distribution and change agent to overcome: Spiritual Emptiness, Self-serving Leadership, Poverty, Disease and Ignorance (or illiteracy),” he said. http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05040087.htm 

The above statements do not accord with what the Bible teaches about the end times, nor with reality. Jesus warned of earthquakes, disasters, famines and disease hitting the earth with increasing frequency. Far from influencing the world, true Christians are hated, despised and flung into jail – or worse.

The reality is an apostate church, led, in the case of the Anglican community, by a druid! (The former Archbishop of Canterbury was inducted as a druid in a centuries-old Celtic ceremony in August, 2002.)[16] (12) Eastern religions are sweeping the world, together with militant Islam.

“Taking the world for Christ” is a Californian daydream. It is nowhere prophesied, but then, Rick Warren thinks that the study of prophecy is a distraction from sharing our faith.  Dominionist-inclined Christians have some reality checks coming their way.  Perhaps Murdoch could commission a book on this?

Mega churches like those which follow the Purpose Driven program don’t like to be negative. So hell, judgment , repentance or sin are unlikely to be mentioned. The jargon calls sinners “pre-Christian people.” 

This “seeker-friendly” approach shows a church in love with the world. Yet we are to come out of the world and take the church into the world - not the other way round. Until sin is acknowledged there can be no redemption and no future hope for tens of millions of lost souls, who think they are saved by “going to church.”

In an article on our website, www.thefreepressonline.co.uk  Jan Markell said this of Warren and his “purpose”[17]:

Rick Warren and the coming one world religion. The "Christian leader" the world loves - so beware!

07/07/2009

 “On July 5 the Washington Times online reported that Pastor Rick Warren told his Islamic audience, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA,) that he envisions "a coalition of faith."

Whether Pastor Warren knows this or not, this is just another term for the coming one-world religion outlined in Revelation 13. It is further outlined in Revelation 17.

 Let Us Reason continued: ”Pastor Warren, you pleaded with 8,000 Muslim listeners  to work together to solve the world's greatest problems by cooperating in a series of interfaith projects.  You said, ‘Muslims and Christians can work together for the common good without compromising my convictions or your convictions.’

"Pastor Warren, you needed to compromise the convictions of the Muslims in attendance. To just say that ‘My deepest faith is in Jesus Christ’ was not enough to a thoroughly lost crowd. The hour is too late to withhold a gospel message without which they will face a Christless eternity, and you will be held accountable.

"The ‘world's greatest problems’ will always be with us and the Bible says so in Matthew 26:11. Sin is at the root of them. I have to conclude you are more interested in ecumenical unity and solving AIDS, poverty, and other social issues.”

As for the big name Word of Faith/prosperity/miracle men, the Bible has their measure:

“….they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh…”[18]  Beware of their “wonders,” especially when they make people fall down “under the power of the spirit.” Remember, we are warned about lying signs and wonders. I know there is power in the occult as I (Alan) was involved in it.

Those who litter the floors of their churches with swathes of prostrate people are using occult power, whether they know it or not. Eastern gurus do the same thing: a former Hindu, descended from a long line of witchdoctors inNepal, told me that they do exactly the same.

This is Satan making fools of Christians, at places like the Toronto Vineyard fiasco: avoid such lunacy. Remember that deception is a major sign of the endtimes and the Lord warned about it severaltimes in Matthew 24, a summary of endtimes conditions.

We touch on many false faiths in our book, Cults and Isms: True or False? and I  am often accused of being “negative” or worse. After giving a talk on the end times, I was challenged by a man who said the message was doom and gloom, too depressing.

He wanted something to cheer him up – a positive message. Perhaps he had come from one of the churches which teach that a church triumphant will somehow Christianise the world and present it gift wrapped, so our Lord can come back and rule.

The Bible teaches the exact opposite- there will be apostasy, deceit and a great falling away and men’s hearts will grow cold in the endtimeswhich we are in. This man had not been correctly taught, or he would not have asked why my message could not seem more cheerful.

God is in control, with his hand on the helm of history – and He has a wonderful future worked out for those who love Him. The King - and the Kingdom - are coming.

The Book of Revelation is actually incredibly positive - but only if you are a Christian. It tells us how the present world will end – when the One who created it returns in triumph to rule and reign, bringing us - his saints- with Him. Christians through the ages have looked forward to this time - the time of the return of our Blessed Hope.

Oddly enough, as we actually move into the End Times that are prophesied, fewer churches bother to teach on the amazing events that are drawing near.

We are in exciting times and momentous things are already happening. So what, someone said to me. ‘Because you believe in the pre-trib rapture you won’t do anything to improve the present world.’

I think that the pending rapture gives us a sense of urgency, which is why we are hurrying to get this book out, before censorship prevents such publications.

Knowing the signs of thetimes, we must get right with God – and encourage others to do so. In Revelation, the only book which the Bible tells us brings a special blessing if we study it, chapter 22, verse seven, says: “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Around a third of the Bible was prophetic when written. Around 90 per cent of the prophecies have already come true and we now look to the final, climactic time when the last ten per cent are revealed as true predictions.

Maranatha – come, Lord Jesus!