PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE:
Heard any good news lately? Prophecy comprises about one-third of the Bible, and believe it or not, most of it is good news! The prophecies
of the first coming of Messiah were certainly good news. And the massive amount of Bible teaching about the Millennial age and beyond,
is unquestionably positive!
But admittedly, much of "end-time prophecy" is depressing. We should remember that Jesus called this phase of
the future "labor pains." Just as the birth of a baby is preceded by difficult and painful labor, the birth of the Millennium, and after
that, the glorious New Heaven and Earth, is preceded by the Tribulation.
We need to balance our study of prophecy with a reminder that God is still on His throne. He is the loving, all-powerful creator and the
designer of our incredible salvation.
The Gospel is the "Good News." The Bible is His love letter to us. The incredible Creation is His handicraft. The Family is His idea.
Israel is still His chosen people. And the Church is the greatest expression of His power and purpose during this age.
Additionally, the Bible tells us repeatedly not to be afraid! So let's check out the good news today!
Dec. 24, 2014 - When Sir Issac Watts, the master hymn-writer composed "Joy to the World," he meant it primarily to focus
on our belief in the Return of Christ as King of Kings.
The original theme of this song was the second coming of the Lord. Christmas won’t always be a joyful time, but when Jesus comes back, even the rocks will sing!
Source:Monica Hunter - A Godly Heritage
Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love
Dec. 21, 2014 - Following up the year's top cable TV sensation, "The Bible," with 100 million views, Executive Producer Roma Downey
plans to bring a welcome sequel that covers the events of the Book of Acts. The new miniseries, "A.D.," will air on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015.
Watch this video, featuring...
...stirring music video from Christian pop sensation For King & Country that powerfully illustrates Jesus’ words to the young church, “By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).
Dec. 7, 2014 - The city of Ontario, California has just restored the 12 Nativity scenes on Euclid Avenue.
The display has drawn visitors for more than half a century. A nonprofit "Christmas on Euclid Experience" has been
established with a goal of carrying on the tradition in perpetuity.
Dec. 4, 2014 - A new survey shows that Christianity continues to be an essential ingredient of Americans
private and public lives.
“In an average week, one-in-five Americans share their religious faith online, about the same percentage that tune in to religious talk radio,
watch religious TV programs or listen to Christian rock music,” Pew researchers declare.
It was also revealed that 46 percent of respondents say they have seen others share their faith online.
The Jesus Film Project says that since the film debuted in 1979, it has been translated into about 1,200 languages with a viewership
of more than 6 billion.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is “the most-translated film in history.” It is estimated that over 200 million
people worldwide have decided to follow Christ after viewing it.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things
are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.
- Philippians 4:8
Unfortunately, most of the headlines here at Prophecy Central are negative. That is inevitable since our purpose is to track the progress
toward God's ultimate plans for the earth. Those plans are clearly revealed in Bible prophecies that certainly appear to be coming to pass right
before our eyes.
The wonderful reality about God's revealed plans is that Jesus Christ is coming back to earth to establish His Kingdom. He will rule in
righteousness over an indescribably fabulous age. The problem is that before He returns as King of Kings, the Earth must go through a dreadful
period of disasters known as "The Tribulation" (Matthew 24:9-28). And Jesus, who taught us about these coming trials, said there would even be
big problems in the generation leading up to the Tribulation. He called this period of time, "The beginning of sorrows [birth pains]" (Matthew 24:4-8).
This could very well be a reference to our own troubled times.
Looking for the good in every situation is not a denial of reality. It is the proper way for a Child of God to respond to the serious problems
we face. (Be sure you are a born-again member of God's family.)
Every shock, and every new installment of bad news, should cause us to consciously focus our attention on what God is allowing or doing in human
history. Things that look bad have a divine purpose (Romans 8:28). And God has given us supernatural resources to employ at times like these. He has
promised that believers will have supernatural wisdom (James 1:4), the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:6-7), His own love flowing
through them (Romans 5:5-8; 1 John 4:19), joy and the other qualities listed as the "Fruit of the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Looking for the good in whatever is happening is not just positive thinking or self-help religion. We can recognize what is bad in this sinful
world, but by faith, we should remember that God is good, and He is in control.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28
This is the Thanksgiving season. It would be a great time for each of us to see every personal or world-wide problem in the light of this command to look for the truth and goodness that can result from everything that happens.
After teaching about the Rapture of the Church and the destructive Tribulation (Philippians 4:13-5:11) the Apostle Paul wrote:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Nov. 15, 2014 - In this interview, Phillip Yancy said that the church in this age needs to be like the early church. It was in the minority
but it attracted outsiders by its message of grace. He said,
Jesus came “full of grace and truth.” We’ve done pretty well with the truth part. But . . . let’s restore some balance.
He said he Jesus was perfect, yet he reached out with grace. Jesus avoided saying, “I’d love to get off this planet.” He never seemed
offended by people who would offend us.
Over the past several years, over 2 million veterans from the post-9/11 generation have returned to civilian life and our communities. Many
faced the immense stress of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our nation owes them enormous gratitude...
Encounters with Jesus through dreams and visions increasingly are being reported, according to Pastor Frank Costenbader, founder of
Manifold Hope Ministries, publisher of the Isa Dreams website.
Costenbader says that in the last two years there has been an explosion of accounts on the Internet about Muslims and others encountering
Jesus in dreams and then becoming His followers. The article gives many examples.
My wife Barbara and I watched the Dove Awards for Christian music last night. We enjoyed it more than ever, and toward the end of the event, it
occurred to us that the whole evening was more like a beautiful worship service than a display of human achievement. It was truly a night of
glorious praise and worship of our Great God and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Before announcing the award for "Best Artist of the Year"- Amy Grant confirmed our feelings by saying this:
I heard a lot of artists whose music was new to me, and I feel a kind of energy in the music of the Church that I have not felt in all the
years of making music.
It comes as no surprise that in Bible times, when wars were to be fought, the musicians were sent out in front. It's a powerful place to be.
[2 Chronicles 20:20-23]
The winner was Hillsong United for the album that includes the incredible worship song, "Oceans."
Near the end of the event they announced the "Best Praise and Worship Album of the Year." It went to Kari Jobe, a vibrant young worship leader
who is known for encouraging huge audiences to praise the Lord and experience His presence.
If you have read this far, you probably have the same earnest longing that I do for a great revival in our days. Is such a desire realistic?
Yes, because God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). In the book of Jonah we learn that even in such an evil place as Nineveh,
the capital of Israel's enemy, the Assyrians, God wanted those who had never heard the truth to have the opportunity to believe and be saved.
The prophet Jonah did not want the Assyrians to have that privilege, so he fled from God. After he had been caught, and then released from the
great fish, the Lord sent him to Nineveh, and he did warn the people there to repent and turn to God. To his amazement, a great revival broke out,
and huge numbers believed in the Lord. Nineveh was still eventually destroyed for its evil history, but at least those who would believe in God
were given the opportunity to believe.
Earlier, in Noah's time, God not only told him to build an ark, but also to preach righteousness to the people. In their case, the Bible says,
their thoughts were "only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). None of them repented and believed except for Noah's own family.
Our generation is complex. There are places like parts of Central and South America, Korea, and parts of Africa where there are revivals going
on now with amazing numbers of believers winning others to Christ. In China the underground church has grown exponentially and is spiritually
strong in spite of persecution. Europe and North America, the bastions of the truth during the Missionary Age, have slowly grown apathetic. It i
s worse in Europe, where many of the churches have become taverns or mosques, but it seems that the United States is following in their footsteps.
How does God see our present world? We can be sure He still loves all of His creatures. Through His Son He has already provided salvation for
all who will receive it.
Like the Laodicean Church, there is still an opportunity for lukewarm Christians to be revived. But will we? Our young people desperately need
to know the truth about Jesus, and a great many of them do not understand the Gospel.
We cannot schedule a revival, nor do anything great to make it happen. But we can repent of our worldliness and pray:
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14
Critics might point out the fact that this verse was given in Solomon's days to the Chosen People. But can anyone doubt that God would treat
His adopted children in the Church (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5) the same way? Writing to the Corinthians, Paul made it
clear that the things that happened to Israel are examples to us (1 Corinthians 10:6-11).
To put it another way, if we care about the souls of people-including our own relatives and friends, how can we not earnestly desire for them to
come to know the Lord? How could we not pray for the right circumstances in their lives to point them to Christ? Why would we not pray for another
mighty revival for their sake?
In conclusion, here are some of the promising developments of this present time that could lead to a world-wide revival, or to many smaller
renewals. In future years, if we are still here, we will look back and notice whether or not they produced the desired result. If not, we will
compose a new list and publish an updated commentary.
Missionary activity - (See the extensive notes about the Missionary accomplishments of the Church in Chapter 3, verse 8).
Even though missionary work has declined, there are tens of thousands of highly-trained, incredibly-devoted missionaries still taking the Gospel
to the masses using all the methods that have been produced in the past, and utilizing advanced technology to finish the task of providing
Scriptures to people everywhere. Most of the best results in our generation are the work of indigenous leaders in nearly every country of the
world. Who knows when something very powerful might begin in some inconspicuous place that would lead to a wild-fire of revival and evangelism!
Heroes of the Faith - People love heroes, especially in sports and entertainment. There are many dedicated, courageous Christians in government,
the media, education, science, and other fields. Some of them might have the platform to influence great numbers of young people for Christ.
Time will tell.
Prayer movements - There are many prayer movements today. Some of them are led by young people. This is especially
significant since bright young people and young adults have been leaders in past revivals, and it is primarily for their sake that we
desire to experience such a renewal. Historically, major revivals have often come from college youth movements.
Christian music - Just as most the great hymns of yesteryear were the product of revival movements, so inspiring new
music, performed by exceptional young artists, are making an incredible impact on people today.
Christian movies and videos - The Jesus Film Project (mentioned in Chapter 3, verse 8), which has been seen by more than
6 billion viewers, is still being shown to approximately 3.8 million people per year in more than a thousand languages.
Actually some of the highest-grossing movies on the big screen have been Bible epics or faith-based stories. In 2004 Mel Gibson shocked the
movie industry by making the blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ." It became the highest grossing R-rated film in the United States. (It was
rated R because of the violence Our Lord suffered.) The most popular 2013 TV series was "The Bible," with more than a million viewers. Mark
Burnett and Roma Downey, the producers of that series have now released the biblically-accurate and moving "Son of God." And they are
planning on a follow-up series in 2015 on NBC called "A.D.: After the Bible." An independent film, "God's Not Dead," had surprising success
at the box office and delivered a powerful Gospel message for young people and young adults. Several other Bible or faith-based movies are
in process, and the trend is seen as a surprise movement from Hollywood.
Television and Radio keep improving with new applications and technological advancements. TBN, CBN, Sky Angel, Daystar
and other TV satellite networks reach most of the planet with Christian programming.
Trans World Radio (TWR) is the largest media ministry, and it is still expanding. They project that by 2015 they will be able to deliver
Christian content to nearly 60 percent of the people in the world in their own language.
Salem Broadcasting is another extensive provider of Christian content, but there are hundreds of smaller networks and Christian stations
that also feed the mind and spirit of Christians. Some of these programs are Christian talk radio. These informative broadcasts help inform
Christians of important events that could lead to revival, and mobilize the Christian community for action when necessary.
As mentioned above, The Internet has become the preferred source of information for many people. Web based videos now
rival television's viewing audience. An almost unfathomable number of videos are now available via YouTube and other providers using smart
phone service and the Internet. Some of these "go viral" and can suddenly and unexpectedly be seen by millions of viewers. Many of these
spontaneous successes have been Christian stories or messages.
Books- Solomon said "Of making many books there is no end" (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Printed books are less popular at the
moment, but Amazon.com had started a new free book publishing service to stimulate the production of new literature. This upsurge will not
just appear on paper, but will be electronically transmitted instantly and inexpensively to computers and smart phones all over the world.
A new thing--something we have not yet considered--might be the most likely form that the Lord, the ultimate creative
genius of the Universe, will use to launch an end time revival. The Bible story is a continuous progression of new things from God's own hand.
The Creation, the Flood, the call of Abraham, the birth of Isaac when Abraham was 100, Joseph's rise to power in Egypt, the burning bush,
the Exodus, manna in the wilderness, supernatural conquests, the prophets dreams and visions, the star that led the Magi, the human birth
of the Son of God, Jesus miracles, the apostle's miraculous ability to speak in other languages on the Day of Pentecost, and so many
other innovations demonstrate the endless variety of God's dealing with mankind.
The whole chapter of Isaiah 43 reminds believers of God's creativity. Here are just two verses from that chapter:
"Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert. - Isaiah 43:18-19
What will the Lord do in our times to bring about a revival? Will we be part of it? Please join me in asking the Lord to allow us to be involved in whatever He is going to do!
Oct. 5, 2014 - With the release of "Left Behind," based on Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' best-selling novel series, Joel Rosenberg
addresses the question: "Does the Bible really teach that Christians will suddenly be 'caught up' by Christ when He returns for us?" Liberal
theologians try to make the case that the concept of the Rapture was invented in the 1800's, but this article shows that the belief is firmly
established in the Bible itself. Rosenberg answers basic questions:
•What exactly is “The Rapture”?
•Is “The Rapture” a Biblical concept, or merely a fictional plot device?
•What does the term mean?
•What are the implications of “The Rapture”?
Oct. 4, 2014 - Carrie Underwood's new song, "Something in the Water" is a testimony of her own deep Christian faith. The lyrics
include:
“There’s somebody saying what I’m saying to you / Opened my eyes and told me truth / He said just a little faith and it’ll all get better
/ So I followed that preacher man down to the river and now I’m changed.”
Underwood then sings a portion of ‘Amazing Grace.’
Sept. 7, 2014 - Evangelist Greg Laurie answers why America does not seem to be mentioned in End Times prophecy. He admits that no one
can say for sure, but even though many modern countries can be identified in prophecies, there are two possible reasons that our country may not be
mentioned. One of these reasons would be that we have been reduced in power and importance by God's judgment on the nation for straying from our
historically biblical roots, and the other possibility would be that we have experienced another much-need revival.
In the judgment scenario, it is possible that the U.S. will have been crippled by a nuclear attack before the final End Times conflicts begin. It is also
possible that the nation will have just lost its importance on the world scene, and will have declined like all the former empires in history.
Laurie's preferred theory is that there could be another great revival. He says,
In some ways, things have never been worse morally. Yet there is great opportunity for the gospel. There is an open door for believers to go
through to reach out to other people.
If there is a great End Times revival the number of born-again Christians will increase. Then, when the Rapture takes place, the nation will suddenly be
left without many of its best citizens, and could become less relevant on the world stage.
Sept. 5, 2014 - Franklin Graham writes that with all the bad news about wars, persecution, diseases, etc., he "Can’t Help But Wonder if We're
in Last Hours." He said that Jesus gave this answer when His disciples asked about the end of the age:
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted,
and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9, KJV).
At the same time, he stressed that this is an opportune time for evangelism. In addition to stadium crusades, he says the Good News will be proclaimed
to thousands and broadcast over the Internet to reach even more. In addition, a powerful new My Hope film will soon be released with a never-before-seen
message from his father, Billy Graham about Heaven. This will give Christians a reason to invite friends and loved ones to their homes and churches to hear the Gospel.
July 28, 2014 - A cross beam in the shape of a cross was found in the rubble of the twin towers after the 9/11 attack. It was seen by many as
a symbol of faith and hope, but the American Atheists Inc sued to not allow it to be displayed in the Ground Zero Museum. A federal circuit court ruled
against the atheists. The three-judge decision said:
“The stated purpose of displaying The Cross at Ground Zero to tell the story of how some people used faith to cope with the tragedy is genuine and an
objective observer would understand the purpose of the display to be secular.”
July 24, 2014 - Meriam Ibrahim, the woman who was sentenced to death in Sudan for refusing to recant her Christian faith, has finally been
released.
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi welcomed Meriam Ibrahim at Rome's Ciampino airport, calling it "a day of celebration." Ibrahim and her family are expected to
spend a few days in Rome before heading to the United States, where her Sudan-born husband has citizenship.
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that certain "closely held" for-profit businesses can cite religious objections in order to opt out of a requirement in
ObamaCare to provide free contraceptive coverage for their employees.
The 5-4 decision was the first time the court has ruled that for-profit businesses can cite religious views under federal law. Justice Samuel Alito wrote
the majority opinion. The document calls the contraceptive mandate in its current form "unlawful."
Feb. 13, 2014 - "Uncommon," a new faith-based, full-length film from Liberty Counsel and JC Films, is available for showing at
churches or community events. It message is:
It's possible – and constitutional – for Christian teens to fight against political correctness to defend their right to worship, meet, and perform.
Feb. 10, 2014 - In the midst of too much bad news, today's headlines trended toward encouraging events and stories! It reminds us of Anne Murray's
song from the '80's, "A Little Good News."
Feb. 4, 2014 - Abortion rates in 2011 dropped to 16.9 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-44. This is the lowest rate since 1973. New pro-life
laws are being adopted and in 2013 eighty-one abortion facilities were permanently closed. Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, senior fellow of Concerned Women for
America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute, explained:
“Our young women are benefiting as fewer are engaging in too-early sex, fewer are choosing abortion, fewer doctors are willing to do abortions, and more
clinics are closing.”
Feb. 2, 2014 - In an exclusive video from Sold Out Sports, players from both the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks were
invited to share how they keep things in perspective from the standpoint of their personal faith in God.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things
are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.
- Philippians 4:8
Unfortunately, most of the headlines here at Prophecy Central are negative. That is inevitable since our purpose is to track the progress
toward God's ultimate plans for the earth. Those plans are clearly revealed in Bible prophecies that certainly appear to be coming to pass right
before our eyes.
The wonderful reality about God's revealed plans is that Jesus Christ is coming back to earth to establish His Kingdom. He will rule in
righteousness over an indescribably fabulous age. The problem is that before He returns as King of Kings, the Earth must go through a dreadful
period of disasters known as "The Tribulation" (Matthew 24:9-28). And Jesus, who taught us about these coming trials, said there would even be
big problems in the generation leading up to the Tribulation. He called this period of time, "The beginning of sorrows [birth pains]" (Matthew 24:4-8).
This could very well be a reference to our own troubled times.
Looking for the good in every situation is not a denial of reality. It is the proper way for a Child of God to respond to the serious problems
we face. (Be sure you are a born-again member of God's family.)
Every shock, and every new installment of bad news, should cause us to consciously focus our attention on what God is allowing or doing in human
history. Things that look bad have a divine purpose (Romans 8:28). And God has given us supernatural resources to employ at times like these. He has
promised that believers will have supernatural wisdom (James 1:4), the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:6-7), His own love flowing
through them (Romans 5:5-8; 1 John 4:19), joy and the other qualities listed as the "Fruit of the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Looking for the good in whatever is happening is not just positive thinking or self-help religion. We can recognize what is bad in this sinful
world, but by faith, we should remember that God is good, and He is in control.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28
This is the Thanksgiving season. It would be a great time for each of us to see every personal or world-wide problem in the light of this command to look for the truth and goodness that can result from everything that happens.
After teaching about the Rapture of the Church and the destructive Tribulation (Philippians 4:13-5:11) the Apostle Paul wrote:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
