Ready, Watch, Pray... Look Up!

real life presents the Jack Kibs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth equip the saints and impact our culture now people always look for directions at P.F. Changs it's the fortune cookie and it's funny because after you're done eating it's like are you gonna eat your cookie everybody what are you gonna do your cookie you're gonna throw it out are you oh you like them I know they're horrible I want to see what's inside have you noticed that are you like that? if I was a hacker I'd like to hack into the machine that makes those things and put Bible verses in there do you imagine and then I chip them all to China you can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackkibs.com slash podcast today if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ then make sure you leave us one of those five star ratings to us that's like saying amen or yes then that rating will encourage others to listen now open your hearts to what God's word has to say to you here is Jack Kibs when you see these things Jesus challenges us regarding wars and rumors of wars wars and rumors of wars isn't it amazing the Bible says you say well there's always wars and rumors of wars yes but in the context of Matthew 24 Jesus is talking about on a global scale think of it now for a moment for those of you are skeptics we have an itinerant preacher who was raised as a carpenter by his stepdad in a little country town up north called Nazareth a lot of scandalous talk about his coming into the world and his mother and all that stuff that we've moved on from that it's been some 30 years and now he comes on the scene and he says hey you asked me a question about what's it going to be like at the end of the world well one of the things will be that there's going to be a global conversation taking place it's going to be rumored about constantly about wars oh and there will be wars and I want to show you a list right now I think we have this list I want you to just look at this these are the conversations in news now today China versus Taiwan unless something happens ladies and gentlemen which I guess it's not going I who knows China could swallow up Taiwan and the world would just keep going America would do nothing America I don't think can China versus the United States that's always on the table and and increasing believe it or not Venezuela versus United States is you kidding me there have been some serious weapon tree that Iran and Russia has moved into Venezuela pointed at us right now they're there North Korea versus Japan this is so sad for Japan because when Japan tried to take over the world and we beat him up we said no no armies and navies for you will be your protector sign here and you can't do this anymore because we can't trust you guys so we'll be your protector big big brother America we're gonna take care of you and so now North Korea wants to beat up Japan and Japan's like reaching in its pocket to ain't got nothing to defend itself with look into America and North Korea versus United States what's his name has been lunch and test ICBMs again Iran versus United States this has been going on for a very long time Russia versus United States Russia versus Israel that's a constant dynamic because Russia is in an interesting way because it uses it uses land that's north of Israel like Syria it used it possibly areas of Lebanon via his Bala we'll see that in a second but if you know the Ezekiel chapter 38 the Bible speaks exactly as to what eventually will happen regarding Russia and Israel now when I say Lebanon versus Israel this is not Lebanon the nation that you would know this is his Bala who has come and dear Lebanon and they are sworn enemies of Israel to wipe it off the face of the earth Iran versus Israel Iran versus Saudi Arabia did you know that these two are constantly pointing weapons at each other to annihilate each other did you know that they can't stand each other they are the two different houses of Islam you say Jack what do you point these things out Jesus said there'll be days like this Jesus said there'll be days like this there'll be days like this my Jesus said it inspired a song I'm kidding no I'm just kidding here's one thing right on the news happening now Syrian Kurds suspend anti ISIS operations to brace for Turkish invasion this is a big deal it's been announced to Turkey that Turkey is about to invade Syria most likely it's going to involve the United States you see what we just got done fighting decades of war you say well why why is this even being discussed why would we help in this situation now remember all of this flies under the banner of wars and rumors of wars do you know when your economy is in bad condition do you know what you do when your economy thinks you start a war why didn't Hitler stir up Europe and start a war because their economy was in the tank whenever your economy thinks start a war it does wonders for your economy why would we get involved in this because our economy is in the tank pretty weird isn't it pretty strange so as a skeptic you've got to be thinking do I believe in the Bible or not Jesus said there be wars and rumors of wars before the end number seven regarding a world in rebellion to Christ that would be increasing and I'm going to give you three passages of scripture that you're going to want to remember and write them down in your Bibles especially in your margins of your Bibles first John chapter 2 verse 18 first John 218 little children it is the last hour a guy loved John he's not even talking about last days John looked at his son dial on his wrist and said man we're dance like the last hour I love that it is the last hour and as you have heard that the anti Christ is coming even now many anti Christ have come by which we know that it is the last hour 2000 years ago John had his eyes open as it were in his head looking up next verse check this out first John 2 22 who was a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ he is anti Christ who denies the father and the son listen that's a reference to the Trinity if you think about it if you deny the deity of Jesus Christ the Bible says that's because you have a spirit of anti Christ governing your life well I believe in Jesus but I don't believe that he's who he says he was or who the Bible says he was that thinking comes from the spirit the atmosphere of anti Christ remarkable isn't it look at second John second John seven says but many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh this is a deceiver and an anti Christ friends many of your cults that you encounter with friends are at your doorstep hold to this view remarkable I just find it fascinating always fascinating that once somebody denies Jesus Christ they become a denier of all things God it's remarkable what's next on the world saying people want to know that's what your newsstands are saying in the grocery stores what's next makes me a I don't think normal I if if I if I were a computer hacker this is how I'd spend my time you know people always look for directions at P.F. Changs it's the fortune cookie and it's funny because after you're done eating it's like are you gonna eat are you gonna eat your cookie everybody what are you gonna do your cookie you're gonna throw it out are you oh you like him huh no they're horrible I want to see what's inside have you noticed that are you like that you by the way have you noticed fortune cookies are amazing you're so awesome you open it up you're gonna meet somebody really interesting tomorrow it's always just this stuff wouldn't you like if I was a hacker I'd like to hack into the machine that makes those things and put Bible verses in there you imagine and then I chip them all to China can you imagine they open up all these cookies billion cookies everyone you start seeing people getting saved all across China because they're reading a fortune cookie whoa isn't that cookie for God so love the world that he gave us only begotten the sun that who's so ever could be me would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life give me that cookie right amazing everybody wants to know what does the new year hold well I don't know we can speculate but I have this little list first of all the imminent and sudden appearing of Jesus Christ that's what I'm rooting for or a rush toward worldwide economic solution because the world is in trouble that's increasingly in debt or an aggressive attempt to reinstate some form of global fear tactic like what's happening right now in China right now as I speak the poor Chinese people in Shanghai in other places the brutality that's taking place right now there's they're stirring up the next wave to get you masked up and waxed up in something new and they're starting it now because the first pass didn't work or the imminent and sudden appearing of Jesus Christ and that doesn't happen then you can maybe look forward to an obscure but yet fulfilled destruction of Damascus say what and then something right out of the blue listen a lot of biblical scholars in Isaiah chapter 17 they have a hard time placing this particular prophecy in the Bible because the Bible says that regarding Damascus in conjunction with Jeremiah that Damascus it says in the walls of Damascus there's going to be a fire that begins and it is going to consume Damascus and it's going to be so bad it says that Damascus will never be inhabited again by a human being and when that happens it says Israel will suffer from it Israel and Damascus so close together that city to the border is that an interesting Isaiah 17 and scholars don't know is that possibly the trigger to the Ezekiel 38 battle but one thing we know for sure right now Damascus is very well populated but the Bible says there's coming today when it's going to be uninhabitable somebody could in this day and age somebody could trip over something and set off a nuke set off something who knows wow or the imminent and sudden appearing of Jesus Christ or a Russian led Islamic coalition to destroy Israel Ezekiel 38 or the imminent or sudden appearing of Jesus Christ or an increased global destabilization of laws and rules in order the world's losing control of itself or the imminent and sudden appearance of Jesus Christ or an utter collapse of Europe as we know it today you guys Europe is hanging on a thread like this Europe is godless leaderless and it's in trouble or the imminent and sudden appearing of Jesus Christ you see what do you keep saying that for because he could come at any moment before any of these things happen so very quickly we end with these last two regarding the preparing of his church I believe God's preparing his church I believe God's people are going to be doing their jobs getting married going to school doing what you're supposed to do occupy till he comes live your life but at the exact same time you got your head as it were spiritually up you're looking for him all the while you're doing the hardest thing of all and that is disciplining your life to stay the course you got to be ready to meet him today but plan for the next 100 years you think about that but we need to do this for sure Jude chapter 1 verse 20 starts there by saying but you beloved this is it but you beloved building yourselves up on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit keep yourselves in the love of God that's a great marching order keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life what a great statement and then finally number 10 when you see these things regarding living out our lives until he comes you and I are going to choose how are we going to how we're going to live out their rest of our days and I want to give you this verse and then a commissioning and who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good but even if you should suffer for righteousness say you are blessed and do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you and you do that with meekness and with fear or with honor and respect as you share Christ with others so church honestly stand I'm going to give you some marching orders these are things that we need to have in our lives active from this moment on I just wrote down to my notes to myself I just called them countermeasures whatever the enemy is throwing at you your home your life your business your health God in his word gives us countermeasures number one having the right attitude have the right attitude about what's going on listen if you're going to follow Jesus it's going to be tough can somebody say in end of this it's going to be tough this is so tough of a time we have to fight and get our minds and our attitudes right in line with scripture because our emotions are so strong and we are so opinionated with our emotions watch out measure countermeasure number one having the right attitude number two countermeasure keep yourself ready keep yourself ready watch out for things that would cause you to get sloppy about your life spiritually speaking I haven't gone to church for six months now I'm going to take next six months off don't do that this church stinks then go to a church that doesn't stink but don't stop keep yourself ready third countermeasure avoid compromising situations well you know no no no I was just curious stop it I just want to see what it'd be like get over here countermeasure number four resist complacency and spiritual laziness this is dangerous for all of us complacency and spiritual laziness again number five exercise extreme judgment regarding information simply put don't believe it well what if you're saying it don't believe it you're supposed to do an X 17 11 on people test everything you hear against the scripture will you hear this guy said I don't want to hear it or if I have to hear it I want to judge it through the Bible and then finally this galvanize yourself with the Bible I like the word galvanize I like that why do you galvanize something to keep it from rusting galvanize just stuff galvanize it's not pretty you notice that it's a little thing it's so shiny over there it's not galvanized that's the way I understand it anyway it's so so glittery and shiny that's great but you know what for the long haul I'll take the one that's galvanized it means it has been treated in such a way that it's impervious to the environment around it it can snow rain hail heat it's just there and to me that's the picture of the Christian we've been galvanized the world looks at us and throws heat at us it throws cold it throws hail and mud at us and we're like this it's I mean it hits us but it doesn't stick and how does that happen we are galvanized with the word of God know the word and be saved this jack hips podcast as well as all the broadcast out reach opportunities are listener supporting will you consider partnering with us through a special gift go to 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