When a person honestly searches for God with a humble heart, he will not allow Satan to keep them blinded to his purpose and what he is doing. Consider this Scripture as being a reality, just for the sake of having a basis for this discussion. Jesus said God's word is TRUTH - John 17:17 - Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth. - - - - If that statement is accurate, everything in the Bible, the Holy Scriptures is truth. Please also look at this Scripture that highlights one very important thing that God wants for every individual on earth - 1 Timothy 2:4 – whose (God’s) will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth. - - - - According to that Scripture, God wants people to have accurate knowledge. It also indicates that accepting this accurate knowledge and living according to it, will lead to salvation (the phrase "be saved"). Saved from what? One thing is to be saved when God brings to ruin those ruining the earth - Revelation 11:18 - But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time came for the dead to be judged and to reward your slaves the prophets and the holy ones and those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those RUINING the earth.” - - - - The weather conditions on this planet give clear evidence that something is seriously wrong. However, the words, "bring to ruin those ruining the earth" makes clear that God is going to resolve these matters. In fact, while Jesus was on earth, he demonstrated that he has power over the natural forces of this planet - Mark 4:39 - With that he got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea: “Hush! Be quiet!” And the wind abated, and a great calm set in. - - - - Why was this recorded in the Scriptures? To give us faith in the fact that God is going to use his Son, Jesus Christ, to bring an end to the forces of this planet going awry. In fact, all of the miracles Jesus performed while he was on earth, was to demonstrate what he will do on a worldwide scale, when he takes full control over the affairs of this earth. What do the Scriptures say about this happening? Jesus taking control over the affairs of the earth? Look at what was written about him in the Bible book of Isaiah - Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. - - - - That Scripture is from the King James version of the Bible. It was made available around the year 1611. You don't hear many religions teaching about a literal "government" being headed by Jesus Christ. But there are many Scriptures that back this up. Note what the following says about that government and what it is going to do to all of mankind's governments around the entire globe - Daniel 2:44 - “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever, - - - - Revelation 16:14 - They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. - - - - So, IF God's word is truth, IS there any evidence that we are getting close to that time? ABSOLUTELY! First, note what this Scripture says about a time period when wickedness and wrong doing would be flourishing - Psalm 92:7 - When the wicked sprout like weeds And all the wrongdoers flourish, It is that they may be annihilated forever. - - - - For people that are concerned about what is going on all over the earth recently, this Scripture should catch their attention. Because violence, wickedness, and wrongdoing has become rampant all over the globe, like never before in mankind's history! What else do the Scriptures say about the wicked being annihilated? Proverbs 2:21 & 22 - 21 For only the upright will reside in the earth, And the blameless will remain in it. 22 As for the wicked, they will be cut off from the earth, And the treacherous will be torn away from it. - - - - Here is another Scripture in stark contrast with what most religions teach. That instead of all good people going to heaven, they (the blameless and upright) will remain on the earth! Isn't that what Jesus indicated in these words - Matthew 5:5 - Happy are the mild-tempered, since they will inherit the earth. - - - - That's also in harmony with these Scriptures - Psalm 37:10 & 11 - 10 Just a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more; You will look at where they were, And they will not be there. 11 But the meek will possess the earth, And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. - - - - Psalm 37:29 - The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it. - - - - If God's word is truth, WHY don't the religions that claim to teach God's word, teach this? Again, it is God's word of truth that gives us the answer. It is because God's enemy, Satan the devil, gets people to use FALSE religion to mislead people to the truth - 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works. - - - - God will help people with a humble attitude and a humble heart to see and understand these things. The Scriptures call him the Hearer of prayer - Psalm 65:2 - O Hearer of prayer, to you people of all sorts will come. - - - - Honest-hearted people can approach the Hearer of prayer and ask for help to understand the truth found in his word, the accurate knowledge that leads to salvation, as mentioned at 1 Timothy 2:4 quoted above. Jesus even shows that God keeps these things hid from the haughty, but reveals his truth to people that are humble - Matthew 11:25 - At that time Jesus said in response: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children. - - - - Another Scripture that reveals this is here - Psalm 138:6 - Though Jehovah is high, he takes note of the humble, But the haughty he knows only from a distance. - - - - If you are concerned with the name "Jehovah" consider this. The King James version of the Bible mentioned earlier had God's name, Jehovah, in 4 different Scriptures. One of them was at Psalms 83:18 where God (and his name) is identified in this way - Psalm 83:18 - May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the Most High over all the earth. - - - - It is also important to note that NOWHERE in the Scriptures did Jesus EVER claim to be God, the Father. Rather, he stated clearly that he is God's Son - John 10:36 - do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? - - - - Today, just as it was back then, it is the FALSE RELIGIOUS LEADERS that make the claim that Jesus is God. Jesus himself NEVER made that claim. Shouldn't we accept what Jesus said as "accurate knowledge"? Especially since he said God's word is truth? - - - - So, what is God doing RIGHT NOW? While all these bad things like the weather are happening? As the Scriptures point out, his purpose is moving ahead very rapidly - Habakkuk 2:3 - For the vision is yet for its appointed time, And it is rushing toward its end, and it will not lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it! For it will without fail come true. It will not be late! - - - - What do the Scriptures indicate as to what is going on RIGHT NOW? Notice Jesus' words about a work that his followers would be involved in all over the globe before the end comes - Matthew 24:14 - And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. - - - - "In all the inhabited earth"? Is this going on? YES! Even though Satan is trying to keep people blinded to what is taking place. The good news is being preached RIGHT NOW in 240 lands around the globe! It is available online in around 975 languages! Now, think about Jesus' words at the end of Matthew 24:14 - "then the end will come". And couple that with the prophecies quoted above about the wicked flourishing like weeds. We MUST be getting close to the fulfillment of Jesus' words, "then the end will come"! - - - - In view of the foregoing, I encourage all to approach the Hearer of prayer and ask for his help, and ask him to put you in touch with those preaching the good news. One more thing that God's word of truth makes clear, is how to make sure you indeed get the truth, an accurate knowledge. This Biblical example needs to be followed - Acts 17:11 . . . carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. - - - - With that said, I encourage you to visit this web site that offers free Bible lessons, without even asking for your email address. But always examine the Scriptures carefully, to make sure you are getting the truth, accurate knowledge. The site is:
www.jw.org