The Life We Live – The Death We Choose

Europe teeters on the brink of collapse. The evidence of economic disintegration continues to roll in. America beats the drums of war. The Chinese stock market may crash on Monday. Evil rises across the world.

And, a lovely woman died on Thursday.

She was a sister in Christ and held the Lord close, until her last breath. She was my wife’s aunt, and the one that I admired the most. I was in the other room when she went to be with the Lord. And, it gave me an opportunity to reflect on the life we live, and the death we choose.

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The Life We Live – The Death We Choose

My wife and I are at an age when our parents’ generation make their final journey. My hope is that there will be more birthdays and celebrations in their future, but there is no guarantee.

We will all die.

And then, we will stand before the Lord and answer for all that we did in His name.

I shudder to think of what you will experience if you are NOT called according to the name of Jesus Christ. NOW is the day of repentance. Tomorrow is uncertain. Please accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Nothing is more important than that. Nothing.

Live For Christ

But, allow me to assume that you are a brother or sister in Christ. I always do.

Are you truly living FOR Christ?

Is your greatest desire… is it to serve Jesus, until your dying breath?

Do you love God with all your body, soul and spirit?

If you do not, please stop reading now and ask God to change your heart and your life. Only God can do this, so ask now. The moment of repentance is ALWAYS NOW.

My Wife’s Aunt Passes Away

For months, my wife’s aunt in Tainan silently battled cancer. She fought this terrible disease quietly, and we only discovered her condition by accident. She didn’t want to be a burden, or her family to be concerned.

She lost that battle on Thursday.

My wife was there, praying with her and reading to her about the goodness and greatness of God, from the surest source that we have – the Bible. You could see the peace that came over her, while my wife was there. And, when her aunt took her last breath, it was with the words of God, ringing in her ears.

May we all be so fortunate.

This aunt became a Christian late in life, and it was a surprise to everyone. None of her brothers or sisters are Christian. Here parents weren’t. In fact, the only Christians in her family are my wife and my wife’s two siblings. My hope is that the passing of this aunt will be an opportunity for her family to come to the Lord.

Are You A Messenger Of Salvation?

However, we are only the messengers. Salvation is a miracle, that can only come from God.

Are you a messenger of salvation?

When people look at you, do they see a follower of Christ?

Are you sure?

Blaspheming God

The origin of the word blasphemy is Greek: blasphemeo. It means to damage (blas) the reputation or fame (phemeo) of God.

Are you doing something that damages the reputation of God?

If you are, then you are a blasphemer, and God will have something to say to you, when you stand before Him. Our lives should always – and everywhere – glorify God.

This is a difficult challenge, and I have failed in this challenge far too many times. But, do your best, and pray to God for help.

Prepping So That You Can Continue Serving God

This is ultimately why I write these articles. My desire is for you to live a life that glorifies God, for as long as possible. If you are serving God to the best of your ability, I want you to prepare for the dark days ahead, so that you can continue to serve God.

To put it another way…

Good Christians are in short supply. I want as many as possible, to keep shining in the darkness, so that others will see the way of salvation.

Your life is a lifeline that God will use to save others.

Of course, being a lifeline can be dangerous. God bless you, if you’ve accepted the risk and embraced the danger. Few of us will die of old age, and there is nothing better than to live for Christ, no matter what the outcome will be.

Life is short.

Eternity is long.

Choose well.

Deadly Horizons

Now, let me turn your attention to a deadly horizon. Stuff is happening that the mainstream media isn’t telling you – stuff that threatens your future.

A China Monday

You might not have caught this, but a trillion dollars got wiped off of the Chinese stock market on Friday:

As US Soars, Chinese Stocks Crash 13% – Worst Week Since Lehman
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-19/us-soars-chinese-stocks-crash-13-worst-week-lehman

Here’s quote from the above article:

The current crop of farmer/housewife-turned-trader has never experienced anything like this and so Monday’s (Sunday night) open will be fascinating especially if Greek events are roiling.

Um… he’s um… using the word ‘fascinating’. I think that my irony meter just overloaded. Please remember that THESE are the people being referred to:

Meet China’s New ‘Investor’ Class: “It’s A Lot Easier To Make Money From Stocks Than Farmwork”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-09/meet-chinas-new-investor-class-its-lot-easier-make-money-stocks-farmwork

Chinese Corporations Become Stock Speculators, Joining Housewives, Banana Vendors
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-16/chinese-corporations-become-stock-speculators-joining-housewives-banana-vendors

The Banana Vendor…

Banana Seller Invests In Chinese Stock Market
Banana Seller Invests In Chinese Stock Market

…And the Chinese Grandma.

Chinese Grandmothers Trade Shares on Chinese Stock Market
Chinese Grandmothers Trade Shares on Chinese Stock Market

THOSE people are TERRIFYING. Those pictures are the biggest and loudest selling signal possible. I posted those pictures on May 1st, and the possibility of doom on Monday increases – because of what they represent.

The Chinese grandmothers and banana sellers are going to look at their losses over the weekend and panic.

The next question is whether this is the black swan that collapses the global financial system. It’s hard to say. The question is whether the Chinese government will jump in on Monday and prop up the market.

Does anyone know how to say ‘margin call’ in Chinese?

A Greek Monday, Too

Of course, I led with China, ‘cuz I’m just a bit close to that land of rice and Cho Dofu. But, there’s another threat on the horizon – Greece.

Oh… you’re getting tired of hearing about Greece?

Yeah. You and everyone else.

Unfortunately, Greece isn’t going away, and Europe is getting more and more upset AND nervous. Europe is turning the screws on Greece, but the Greeks aren’t responding in ways that they want.

The turnip that they are squeezing is running out of blood.

Worse, Europe is asking Greece to cut the pensions to old people. In a traditional, family-oriented society like Greece, that’s a BIG no-no. You. Just. Do. Not. Do. That.

Period.

AND, they want Greece to increase taxes on basic needs – on a people that are increasingly short of food and work.

Is Europe insane?

Wait… don’t answer that. I got this one.

Why Israel Is Saved BEFORE The Tribulation

Hmmm… this is running on a bit long, so let me end this one with a few thoughts brought up by DRG – a regular commenter.

He/she said:

I still don’t get it that Israel has to get saved before the Antichrist is revealed.

That question took me by surprise, partly because I haven’t thought about the subject for a very long time. I just assumed that it was obvious.

That’s what happens when you spend too much time in your head.

So, let me go over a few reasons why Israel MUST be saved BEFORE the Antichrist and the Tribulation arrives. And, it’s important, because what happens at the time of Israel’s salvation will affect – and even threaten – your life.

God Doesn’t Change

First of all, let me explain something that should be obvious:

God doesn’t change.

For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

 – Malachi 3:6

God is the same today, as He was two thousand years ago and six thousand years ago.

God. Does. Not. Change.

Period.

God Not Satisfied With Old Covenant

Read Hebrews 9 and the Book of Galatians. God was NOT satisfied by the blood of bulls and goats. He was NOT satisfied by the Old Covenant.

The Old Covenant was NOT the Final Covenant.

The covenant that we live under now, THIS is the Final Covenant.

So, if that is true (and it is)…

…why would God call the Jews to the Old Covenant?

Well, God doesn’t. THAT is why all Israel will be saved by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 – Acts 4:12

Now, this doesn’t explain why Israel must be saved BEFORE the Tribulation, so let me get to that.

Is Israel Saved AFTER The Tribulation?

First, let me ask you this:

Why is it impossible for anyone to be saved AFTER the Tribulation?

Well, as I have explained before, the First Resurrection occurs AFTER the Tribulation:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

And, there is only ONE resurrection for God’s people:

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:4-6

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Luke 14:14

Everyone else goes to the SECOND resurrection, and you do NOT want to be in that one. So, Israel CANNOT be saved after the Tribulation.

Is Israel Saved DURING The Tribulation?

Is Israel saved DURING the Tribulation?

Not possible.

Remember what happens:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

 – Matthew 24:15-21

Now, compare that with Ezekiel 36. You can read what I have to say about Ezekiel 36, here:

Ezekiel 36 and 37 – Tetrad One and Two
http://www.ezekielsfire.com/chapter-two/ezekiel-36-and-37-tetrad-one-and-two/

So…

Do you see a resemblance?

Not me.

Furthermore, God beats back the armies of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39. If this was the beginning of the Tribulation, the Antichrist would have been defeated before he ever began to reign.

So no, Israel CANNOT be saved DURING the Tribulation.

Israel MUST Be Saved BEFORE The Tribulation

That leaves us with what’s left – the salvation of Israel BEFORE the Tribulation.

Of course, there’s more evidence than THAT – about Israel’s salvation before the Tribulation. That’s just what occurs to me on a Saturday evening, in June.

Please do not hesitate to leave comments and questions below. I’m glad to get them, and will respond. Thank you DRG, for your awesome questions.

Ezekiel’s Fire

Again, the second draft of Ezekiel’s Fire is in PDF form, here:

Ezekiel’s Fire – Second Draft
http://www.omegashock.com/ef/ezekielsfire.pdf

Please read that book. It’s free. It’s the most important thing that I have ever written, and it may just save your life.

I truly hope that you’ll be ready for this
(That’s a link. Click it for a discussion on preparation.)

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.Proverbs 22:3

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If you find a flaw in my reasoning, have a question, or wish to add your own viewpoint, leave a comment on the website. Your input is truly welcome.

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