b'END TIMESKeep Your Lamp Burninging for our Lord to come. The apostle Paul also follows the Lords example in By Michael Forti Why does the Lord FIRST, give such strong warn- other passages of scripture. He warns of the greedy ings about falling away, yet at the same time, justfalseteachers,andthenofGod\'scomingjudge-verses away, warnings of His coming catastrophicment (1Tim 6:3-15, 2Tim 4:3-8). "If anyone teaches J esusmakesitcrystalclearthatintheveryjudgment?otherwise, teaches false doctrines, Last Days, the signs of the times will begin tocontradictsthetruth,anddoes increase off of the scale, indicating that our time isTheBibleteachesthattherenotagreetothesoundinstruc-about up. He teaches that the earth will be shakenisoneculpritthatgoeshandintion of our Lord Jesus Christ and withearthquakes,fearfuleventsandwithgreathand with apostasy and with falseto Godly teaching, he is conceited signs from heaven.teaching, and that\'s GREED. andunderstandsnothing"(1Tim However, if you notice, there is one major sign ofJesus teaches that GREED will6:3-4NIV84,KJV,NLT)."Who the times that He mentions FIRST, with the utmostbe the main motivator for mislead- have been ROBBED of the truth, importance. Jesus delivers a strict WARNING aboutingteaching,indicatingthattheandwhothinkthatgodlinessis the Last Days APOSTASY (Matt, 24, Mk 13, Lk 21).LOVE for more money and worldlyameanstofinancialgain.From "Watch out that no one deceives you. For Many willwealthwillbeatthecenterofsuchwithdrawyourselves"(1Tim come in My name, claiming that I AM the Messiah,attraction.6:5NIV-KJV)."Peoplewhowant (preaching that Jesus is the Christ) and will deceiveto get rich fall into temptation and many"(Matt24:4).Jesus,throughHisapostles,Again,itappearsthatwhenatrap,andintomanyharmful taught that in the very last days, right before HeJesusandHisoriginalapostlesdesires that plunge men into ruin comes, there will be a GREAT FALLING AWAY fromteach about the greed within theand DESTRUCTION. For the LOVE the true Christian faith.church, they also teach about theof money is a/the root of all kinds lastdayssignsofthetimesandMichael Forti ofevil.Somepeople,eagerfor "Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way. Forthedestructiontocome,eithermoney,havewanderedfromthe that day (the day of the Lord and the coming of theright before or directly after.truth and have pierced themselves antichrist) will not come unless the apostasy comesLet\'s take a closer look. Jesus FIRST rebukes thewith many griefs. But you man of God, flee from all first, that is, unless the predicted great falling awaygreedy in Matthew Ch 23. What comes next? Thenof this-fight the good fight of faith-keep this com-of those who profess to be Christians has come (2He immediately warns of the signs of the times andmand without spot or blame until the APPEARING Thess 2:3 Ampc). destruction (Matt Ch 24). of our Lord Jesus Christ"( Then tribulation- 1Tim As we see the forest fires, earthquakes, tornadoes,Peter follows the Lords example in 2nd Peter Ch6:3-14 NIV-KJV).hurricanes, volcanoes, near earth asteroid threats,2-3. Peter starts off in 2nd Peter 2:1-3, FIRST warn- So,whydoestheLordrebukeandexposethe crop failure due to the low population of insects,ing the church about the money grubbers who willgreedywhile at the time, send forth warnings about schoolshootings,governmentandmediacorrup- be destroyed, and then he warns about the Lord\'sthe catastrophic and devastating signs of the times? tion, many church goers will continue to keep theircatastrophic judgement throughout the rest of hisDaysbeforeJesusdiedonthecross,Hetook hearts focused on earthly pleasures instead of look- second and third letters. care of business. He educates His disciples by tell-ing them that all of Jerusalem will be DESTROYED because they did not recognize the visitation of God coming to them ( Luke 19:43-44 NIV). What comes As we see the forest fires, earthquakes, tornadoes,next? The next thing you know, in Luke 19:45-46, He teaches WHY they did not recognize His visita-hurricanes, volcanoes, near earth asteroid threats,tion. He then walks into the temple courts, pulls out a whip, turns over the tables and chases out crop failure due to the low population of insects, schoolthegreedymoneygrubbers."Youhaveturnedmy Fathers house into a den of thieves." shootings, government and media corruption,Paul,againfollowedtheLord\'sexamplein1 Thessalonians Chapter\'s 1 and 2 by commending many church goers will continue to keep their heartsthe faithful for turning from idols and for faithfully WAITING for their Lord to Come. They will escape focused on earthly pleasures instead of lookingthe coming WRATH. Then, right over in chapter 2:3-5, just a few verses away, he accuses the others for putting on a mask to cover up GREED.for our Lord to come. If you research the top 20 most wealthy preach-Continued on Page 81.Donnie Mcclurkin -6.Casting Crowns - A Different SongThe Voice Of Truth2.Eric Waddell - Hour of7.Byron Cage - Isolation Power Experience 8.Renee Spearman -3.Anthony Brown - I Love Him 2Econd Wind 9. William Mcdowell -4.Travis Greene - The Cry Broken Record 10 John P. Kee -5.Neal Roberson - ShoutI Made It Out4 DECEMBER 2019 BOCNEWS.com'