Relax…Stop fretting and Trust God!
Relax…Stop
fretting and
Trust God!
By Pastor F. M.
Riley
Revised February 22,2014
“Be careful [anxious;
worried] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 3:6-7.
“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the
days of the Son of man.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in
marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood
came and destroyed them all,” Luke 17:26-27.
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of
Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all,” Luke 17:28-29.
“Even thus shall it be in the day
when the Son of man is revealed,” Luke 17:30.
Introduction
I am well aware, that according to the inspired prophetic Scriptures, we
are living today in “the last days,” and the coming of our Lord to resurrect and
rapture His New Covenant people to glory has never been closer than it is right
now.
In spite of this, many today appear to be far more concerned about the
economy of this nation, and the world economy, than they are about being ready
for the coming of the Lord. I am
repeatedly asked by readers when I think the economy in this country and
around the world is going to collapse? Should
I take my money out of the bank now, or wait a while longer? Should I stock up on food and water in
preparation for the collapse? Ad
infinitum!
I can easily understand why some lost person would ask such
questions. However, I admit that I get
frustrated with those who “profess” to be Christians repeatedly asking such questions. What does God have to do to get your
attention? Does He have to engrave the
answers on a billboard and then slap you over the head with it? Whatever happened to the intelligence which
God gave to each of His believing children?
Do you really believe the promises of God, or do you not?
The title of this study sets forth the theme of it! By the grace of God my desire is to inform
God’s people exactly to the day when the economy of the United States of
America and of the whole world is going to collapse. Let’s get started…..
The
Scripture text
The Scripture text listed above is taken from Luke 17:26-30. What the text and context is speaking
about is the terrible judgment of the flood upon humanity which occurred “in
the days of Noah,” and the terrible judgment upon the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah which occurred “in the days of Lot.” And then the Lord God emphasizes that
there will be a repetition of those exact same conditions on the earth
when He is “revealed” to His people.
The inspired Word plainly points out that Christ will be “revealed”
to His people twice in the coming years. First, Christ will be “revealed” to His New
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Covenant believers at His “appearance”
[at the rapture], and then
Christ will be “revealed” to Israel and to the whole world at His “revelation”
[at the end of the Tribulation].
The Greek word translated as “revealed”
is the word, “apokalypto,” which
literally means “to reveal; uncover; make
bare; manifest; appear; make visible.” See
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 62, Strong’s No’s 601 and 602.
The judgment of the flood destroyed all “living
things” upon the earth, except those who were in the ark, Genesis
6 – 9. Therefore the flood was a
judgment that all of mankind living on the earth today can look back on and see
for themselves the consequences of rebelling against Almighty God who created
the earth and all life upon it.
Likewise, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, even though it was
limited in scope, was equally a judgment that all of mankind living today can
look back on and see for themselves the consequences of rebelling against God
and perverting His Divinely appointed order for humanity upon the
earth. Why do I say this? Because the inspired Word says so! Read it for yourself in 2 Peter 2:6.
The
Timing of these Judgments…..
It is glaringly obvious that life for all humanity on the earth in “the
days of Noah” went right on as it normally did every passing day. The “quality” of life in those days is
described in some detail in Genesis 6:1-6, and 6:11-13. From the description given, the
entire world system in those days was in a state of apostasy and rebellion
against Almighty God, exactly as we see the world system in today. There were “giants” [nephilim] in the earth as a result of
Satanic intrusion into human procreation, [ever
hear of Genetic Engineering?] the earth was filled with violence [shootings, drive by shootings, robberies,
muggings, home invasions, rapes, child molestation, kidnappings, bombings, cold
blooded murders, need I say more?] and wickedness abounded in every area of
life. This was the normal life
that people were living before the flood. Look around you today! Does this description “ring any bells” for
our day and time?
No, the Lord God did not
stop this daily lifestyle of the people in “the days of Noah.” He allowed it to go right on until the day
of judgment! However, He did
graciously raise up Noah as a “preacher of righteousness” to warn
the people of what was about to come upon them unless they repented and turned
back to the Lord. Read it for yourself
in Hebrews
11:7 and 2 Peter 2:5. Today there
are still a few true “men of God” preaching their hearts out and trying to warn
the people, but how many of the people are listening? How many listened in “the days of Noah?” Rather than taking heed to God’s warnings, the
people in this country and other countries all over the earth are laying their
plans for “a better world.” Sic!
Sex appears to be the driving force that motivates today’s young
people. Young men and women can’t
hardly wait until they can leave home so they can have “a roll in the hay” with
some “young chick” or some “handsome dude!” Marriages are not regarded as a
sacred commitment any longer, but rather an opportunity to indulge in fleshly
lusts. When the “fun” wears off, then a
divorce is easy to obtain. This allows
them to go on to the next one, and then the next one; etc. The “average” college or university today is
one never ending party; “eating and drinking” and “living it
up” as if there is no tomorrow. The
Lord said, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be….,” Luke 17:26. Hello!
It is just as obvious that life was going on just as it “normally” did
in Sodom and Gomorrah, when God brought about the destruction of both of those
cities. The Lord Himself said that the
wicked people in those cities were eating and drinking [partying; living it up], buying and selling, preparing for a new
crop, and building, Luke 17:28. Everywhere
we look today, exactly the same thing is going on as was going on in Sodom and
Gomorrah “the same day” the judgment of God fell on those cities. Partying, drunkenness, debauchery, commerce
being driven by greed; “the love of money,” farmers plowing
their fields and planning for a bigger crop next year than the one they
harvested this year, and building, building, and more building. Never a serious thought about the future!
History reveals that such a lifestyle will invariably descend into
homosexuality, and ultimately will destroy itself. Read for yourself the sorry account of the
city of Gibeah in Judges 19 – 20. The sin
of Gibeah infected the entire nation of Israel for centuries, and ultimately
brought Israel under the righteous judgment of God, Hosea 9:8-9; 10:9. Remember that “…a little leaven, leaveneth the
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whole lump,” 1 Corinthians 5:6. Then there was
the Roman Empire! What happened to the
Roman Empire in their time of great prosperity, Romans 1:21-32? Some historians claim that it was the
adoption of the homosexual lifestyle which ultimately led to the collapse of
the ancient Roman Empire.
According to the inspired Word, the whole city of Sodom gave themselves
over to the homosexual lifestyle, Genesis 19:4. The people of Sodom literally spent
their time going from one sensual pleasure to another, as the Lord Himself
said, “…they did eat, they drank…,” Gluttony, drunkenness, and sodomy!
It was in this kind of worldly environment that both
of these ancient judgments fell “suddenly” upon a humanity that was not
paying a lick of attention to the multiple warnings from Almighty God and
therefore were not expecting such judgment, 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
Those who truly believe God’s Word know that only Noah and his extended
family; “eight souls” were saved from a watery grave, 1
Peter 3:20. All of the
rest of humanity met their doom in the waters of the flood.
Likewise, only Lot and his two daughters escaped from the city of
Sodom. The Lord Himself said that “it
rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them
all,” Luke 17:29. There is no record in the Bible or in
secular history, of anyone but Lot and his two daughters escaping from the
fiery judgment that fell upon the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. None! Take
heed!
By the way, “8” is the Bible number for “the new birth” as signified by Noah and the seven members of his family. And “3” is the Bible number for “resurrection and/or rapture” as
signified by Lot and his two daughters.
When
then will the Economy Collapse?
It ought to be obvious to any “thinking” reader that the American
economy will collapse “the same day” the resurrection and
rapture of New Covenant believers occurs, which will also be “the
same day” the terrible judgments of the Tribulation begin. Didn’t the Lord Himself say that the flood
began “the same day” Noah entered the ark? He sure did!
Didn’t the Lord also say that fire and brimstone fell from heaven “the
same day” that Lot was taken out of Sodom? He sure did!
Then what is it about this inspired expression, “the same day” that even
many of God’s people today can’t seem to grasp or understand?
The
natural consequences…..
Folks, think seriously for a moment.
What people are there in the world today who are still basically honest
in their dealings with others, because they still retain the “moral values” set
forth in the inspired Word of God? What
people in the world today still work hard, and seek to earn their living by
honest labor, pay their taxes and fulfill their honest obligations to the
government and to their fellow human beings, and seek to obey the laws of the
land? What people in the world today
still seek to uphold and pass on their Godly “moral values” to the society in
which we live, and to others around them?
There is only one honest answer to this question! It is true “born-again” Christian believers
who are the stability of this entire country, and for that matter, for the
countries of the whole world. Think
about it! Now also consider what is
going to happen “the same day” that the Lord God jerks every true believer out of this world
by the resurrection and rapture. The “light
of the world” will be instantly removed, and the unbelieving wicked
will be left behind to walk in total spiritual darkness.
Folks, that “same day” the whole world system will enter into the
Tribulation period. There will not be
left one true believer on the
earth to buffer the effects of a world gone mad on their idols, Jeremiah
50:38. If our readers want to
know what life on earth will be like immediately following the rapture and the
beginning of the Tribulation, then I suggest you carefully study Micah
7:1-6 and Isaiah 59:1-14, and allow the truths stated in these
Scriptures to soak in.
The
Immediate Future
Yes, I am well
aware that inflation will continue, and our money will buy less and less. The price of various items that we need will
keep on rising. Shortages of some items
will possibly develop as
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supplies dwindle. As time passes, it will become harder and
harder to make ends meet financially.
But this doesn’t mean that the economy has collapsed, or that we are in
the Tribulation. It only means that hard
or grevious times have arrived, which the inspired Scriptures clearly
prophesied would come upon mankind “in the last days,” 2 Timothy 3:1. Then
what should we do? Could Paul’s inspired instructions to young Timothy apply to
all of us who claim to be men and woman of God? Paul told Timothy plainly, “Be
not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His
prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel
according to the power of God,” 2 Timothy 1:8.
“Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ,” 2 Timothy 2:3, and “But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions....,” 2 Timothy 4:5. We
are told in God’s Word that these things would come upon humanity in the last
days, so we need again to simply look to the Lord, trust Him, and make the best
of it. I refer our readers to our text
passage again in Philippians 3:6-7. If
you want peace in the midst of the storms of this life, then find it in prayer
and supplication to and through our Savior and Lord.
Conclusion
I did not say that I was going to tell anyone “the date” the Lord
is coming in this study, or “the date” the economy will collapse. What I said was the exact day that the
collapse would occur, and that
is exactly what I have done. The American and world economy will totally
collapse “the same day” that the resurrection and rapture of all true New Covenant believers
occurs.
The rapture will occur “suddenly” without any further
warning! 1 Corinthians 15:52.
The entire banking and world system will be thrown
into chaos by the sudden removal of all the saved who presently give moral and
financial stability to the whole world system.
The
Doomsday Preppers
Oh, what about all of the “doomsday preppers” who are storing up vast
amounts of food and other items in view of what is coming upon this country and
the world. If these people are not truly
saved, after the rapture they will have to defend what they have stored up with
their very lives. Hungry, starving
people left behind on the earth following the rapture, won’t hesitate to kill
mercilessly to obtain food for themselves and their starving families.
On the other hand, if some of these “doomsday preppers” are true believers, they will not
need their stores of food and ammo after the rapture occurs, and so who will
get it after they are gone? Read Ecclesiastes
2:18-21.
My advice, for whatever it is worth to those who are willing to receive
it, is to keep only enough food on hand for a week or two or perhaps even a
month in view of an emergency that might arise. Earthquakes, tornadoes, floods,
and fires are still occurring somewhere every day. But storing up a year or more of food and
other survival items only reveals a total lack of faith in the Lord’s
ability to provide for His people as He has repeatedly promised in His Word
that He will do. Hello!
I hope this study answers the questions on this subject which I often
receive. In closing I would emphasize
that we believers today are living right at the end of this present
dispensation. The day of the Lord’s
coming to resurrect and rapture His New Covenant believers to glory could come
at any time now. When it does, that “same
day” we believers will enter into our eternal inheritance in glory in the heavenly New Jerusalem, and on earth
that “same
day” the terrible Tribulation will begin. Are our readers ready to face “the
same day?” Really ready? Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 and 2
Peter 1:10, and “make your calling and election sure.”
May the Lord God graciously bless the truths of His Word to the hearts
and minds of every reader is my prayer.
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Permission is
granted to any true believer
or Bible believing Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with
others, or to quote from it in context
as written.
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My heartfelt thanks to those readers who have sent cards and gifts on
the occasion of my 80th birthday, and for the support of this ministry. Thank each
one of you dear folks so very much.
Please address all comments, questions, and correspondence to: Pastor F. M. Riley, Last Call Gospel
Ministry, 184 County Road 108, Harrisburg, Missouri 65256, or to: fmr7sngn@centurylink.net
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