Gloom and Doom

If a New Testament Christian "freaks out and frets" it's because of one reason only.
They haven't read the entire New Testament.
How much is given to eschatology.
And have they cross-referenced all of that NT eschatology to the Old Testament?

There's no way a person can not see the days we were born into if they've seriously studied their Bible.

I have no pity for the "freakers and the freters".

But I will uphold the weak in the faith, with my life.

Some of us feel honored to have GOD choose us to be born into "this generation".

Bless you.

TMK please bear with me. I am not trying to slam you.

Instead of labeling this "doom and gloom" which also gives a reaction in many that says,"Yea we need to focus on the good etc etc".

This is the carnal natural tendency of all of us to seek the easy way. I am guilty of this first and foremost.

Every one of Gods prophets apostles and teachers were labeled, "doom and gloom" by those who did not want to repent of the sin that was bring the doom and gloom message.

TMK I am not saying this is you.

However I do not like to use terms like this or "legalist" or "easy believism" etc cuz it really tempts us to divide more and more from what is scriptural. It throws the broad brush a dismiss the messnger from being heard.

"ALL the counsel of God must be proclaimed. Therefore posts and messages will contain pointing out of bad news and the need to repent so we can enjoy the good news.

TMK,
God sounds the prophetic "alarm" out of His love. It's because He knows there are MANY of His who are not ready for what's coming & the prophetic "alarmist" (as you call it) call is a trumpet. He sounds is to rattle up His people to see they aren't in the condition they think they are in. Sure, there are "so called prophet"-types along for the ride sending out fear-mongering, but there is also the truly prophetic camp of saints in the fold through whom God is blowing the shofar.
When, in Acts, a certain prophet in the Body told the church to prepare for a coming famine in Jerusalem, the church took it seriously, as directly from the Lord, & prepared. It was an act of Gods mercy. Some probably said, "oh, there's no need to worry, just trust God (basically He can send down manna if need be), & didn't take the prophetic cry real 100% seriously with sobriety followed by prompted action. They either starved, if isolated, or had to get food from those in the Body who heard the cry, trusted in the Word from heaven, took it dead serious, & followed it with the faith in action work of preparing/storing up for the soon coming famine. Who was more spiritual REALLY?
Do we need to trust in God 100% come what may? Absolutely! Do we need to grow more in Him now and come closer and shed more of the weights that hinder and entangle us? Absolutely! Do we need to truly die to self, take up our cross daily, & follow Him whithersoever He goeth? Absolutely! The fact that God continues to cry out through His prophets the way He does is de facto proof that WE ARE STILL NOT READY SPIRITUALLY for what's ahead. We aren't sober in our self-evaluation. We are so far off, as a whole and individually (most of the Body, especially in the West), that God is lovingly, kindly, mercifully sounding the trumpet louder and louder as enemy troops approach the city walls!
As far as "balance", the Body balances itself out. The eye can't say to the arm "I don't need you", nor can the feet say to the eyes "quit seeing ahead so clearly, I'm walking just fine where we stand right now". The eyes look ahead for danger in the Body's environment & where it's headed. It's what they do. I mean, how "balanced" was John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos, Joel, Ezekiel, etc. under that type analysis? They were as God made/called/gifted/empowered them to be. They in turn balanced out the rest of the Body, just as the rest of the Body balanced out them. But when they spoke, the Body listened. The true Body did. The rebellious wrote them off, got sick of listening to them, & eventually ignored them to their own peril.
How balanced was Noah? He looked like a crazy man preaching against wickedness & building a boat talking about a judgement coming FOR DECADES! They all laughed him to scorn, eventually of not immediately, but only Noah & His family were saved while the whole earth drowned in their disbelief of His message. Cause it wasn't "His" message, but God's! "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of Man." The Alarm is an act of love & mercy. "Don't despise those who Prophesy".
Love in Christ - Jeff

Good post jeffmar thank you for taking the time to write that out.

Goodpoints MrBillpro

So let's see here. I read my VOM magazine to learn about the persecuted church to pray for them. Gloom and doom. I read Martyrs Mirror to know about how saints overcame he devil in times past. Gloom and doom. I read Richard Wormbrandt's Tortured for Christ to be convicted and challenged in my faith walk with Jesus. Gloom and doom. Guess SI better classify Bonhoffe as gloom and doom.

I read the articles by Greg warning us of upcoming persecution. Gloom and doom. My goodness. Guess I got too much gloom and doom.

So to balance myself out. I will go and listen to some Joel Olsteen.

Bearmadter standing down.

Good plan, mr bill pro. I watch zero tv (not even hooked up to an antanea) so no need to change the channel when anything comes on, so im not picking up some defmon from the tv shows that you dont watch. In love, that kinda makes my whole point. No demon spirit influence at all, especially to the "immune to deception", when our "entertainment" doesn't come from the television at all.
They told Jesus He had a demon when He prophesied. They called Jeremiah's prophetic declaration that Jerusalem was about to be destroyed "blasphemy". I'm sure similar declarations were made about many throughout the ages. Some of the martyrs were killed for claims of blasphemy, demon-possession, insanity, unfit for society, etc.
I exhort everyone here to unplug your tv completely and start with a 30 day "fast" (if you will, though a true fast is from food as well as activity), and spend all that time in prayer, fasting, fellowship, and the Word of God. See if your perspective doesn't change, at least a little. It's hard to hear the Lord clearly over the tv. Even "good, safe, tv" that though it may not be outright sinful, is definitely a weight and hindrance that consumes our hearts, minds, times, etc. Your brain is less active when watching tv than sleeping. Your burn less calories when watching tv than when reading or sleeping. Those are proven, tested, scientific physiological facts proven with EKG monitors. Basically, your brain is in "auto pilot". Turn your tv off for a month and use all that time you would have otherwise wasted entertaining yourself in seeking God. I know, cause I have done it for years at a time, and only after you pull away do you see the effect it had on you, your mind/heart/time, and you don't see it at the time.
Don't cry "Legalism", please for the love of Christ. Everyone save that response and pray about what I'm saying. Everything is permissible for me, but not beneficial. No soldier gets caught up in civil affairs. Redeem the time, for the days are evil. Study to show yourself approved a workman who needeth not be ashamed, but rightly dividing the Word of truth.
This all continues to prove the point I believe the Lord is trying to make to the Western church. You think the underground Chinese church is disputing over changing the channel when "something bad comes on". Honestly, I'm not trying to rebuke anyone individually or be self-righteous. I'm trying to get us to think. We don't see ourselves clearly as we are before the Lord. That's exactly why we need so many trumpet calls of mercy to wake up and repent before its too late. Foolish virgins who fell asleep and ran out of oil is what we will find ourselves to be in that day.
All of us, if we don't stop making excuses, thinking we are beyond correction/deception, and truly make our lives living sacrifices unto God sold out to the cross, the Gospel, and the Kingdom! I'm no different. No one is. The Lord sounds the alarm because we need it and don't see it. Just like the Laodicians, we think we are rich and have need of nothing not realizing we are poor, blind, naked, and wretched. And the church (Sardis maybe?) that had a reputation of being alive, but are dead, whose works are not found complete in His eyes. We need to repent and return to our first love.
How much time did we spend in His Word and prayer when we first came to the Lord and how much tv/entertainment did we consume? We should grow more radical in our walk as we grow over the long haul, not more comfortable, complacent, and correcting those who prophesy as though we know better ("don't despise prophesy"). C'mon church! This is not directed at anyone. It's directed at everyone. I'm cheifest. Time is short and the Lord is merciful and gracious.
If we knew Hitler was taking over America tomorrow would we still be so complacent? Seriously! If prophets cried out, would we label them as "doom and gloom"? Wake up church, strengthen what remains and repent. We aren't as we ought to be. The first step to restoration is seeing ourselves clearly, admitting/confessing it honestly, repenting, and turning to the Lord with ALL OUR HEARTS. you'll never see that watching tv. That's not some old school legalistic UPC mandate of how we proove our holiness to other men, but that's just a fact that God will honor if you honor him.
Before you attack me, just consider it openly and humbly before God first. If I'm being legalistic, then so are most of the preachers on this site. Men like Art Katz, David Wilkerson, AW Tozer, Leonard Ravenhill, etc. or maybe you know/see something these men didnt how you can be just as spiritual as they (or more) by feeding your spirit tv entertainment all the time? Are we a humble people or too proud to hear and receive correction from the Lord? Please think and pray before you are quick to answer. Be quick to hear and slow to answer right? Call God's warnings whatever you want. Stick your fingers in your ears. Hide away from it in enetertainment (eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die), but know you do so at your own peril. That's not spoken in arrogance, pride, self-righteousness, or a spirit of condemnation. That's the most loving message from the merciful throne of God I can share with you right now.

It is estimated the average American spends 6 hours s day in front if theTV. The Chinerse believers spend about that much tine in the word. And that us just the warm up

Bear

bearmaster,

quote

"It is estimated the average American spends 6 hours s day in front if theTV. The Chinerse believers spend about that much tine in the word. And that us just the warm up"

Thanks for this reminder.

Years ago I was watching a K.P. Yohannan video on a training school in india. One of the things emphasised in that video was having the students just read the bible alot daily. How refreshing.

Many American semminary students are reading one commentary after another. With very little Bible.

A church that I was fellowshipping at got a new pastor fresh out of 7 years of seminary training for his denomination. He declared from the pulpit that he had read very little of the bible over the past seven years. That he had read tons of books and commentaries.
It showed.
He really had know idea what the bible teaches on the most basic of things. His head was filled with confusion and worldy plans of how to grow a church.

To your BIBLES men of God!!!!!!!

Greg knows cause he's hearing from God living a life consecrated to God, probably spending time others spend in frivolous entertainment (like watching tv) in the secret place with God hearing from heaven.

You mentioned the verse on "thinking on whatsoever things are pure,,,noble, praiseworthy, of good report,,,,,meditate on such things"

I know prophesying about the coming persecution doesn't seem to line up to that for you (it does to me, & I believe anything the Lord would have to share with the church for its own exhortation, edification, and encouragement fits that bill), but you take that prophesy as gloom and doom. I have to ask, which tv shows do you watch that meet the requirements of that same scripture? Honestly, don't answer in haste. Consider it prayerfully (as the Moderators request) before answering. Which ones?

I'm not judging you, but exhorting you. If you're not a believer, then you'll hate the truth as the truth condemns you. If you are truly a believer, you'll listen, consider, pray about what I'm saying and see if The Lord is in what is being said. Because I'm not Christ, there may be some imperfections, but God teaches us to discern so that we can chew up the staw and spit out the sticks.

I speak because I love the Body and desire that we all, me especially, walk worthy of the high calling in Christ Jesus.

"But he that prophesieth speakers to men into edification, exhortation, & comfort...but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.....FOR IF THE TRUMPET GIVES AN UNCERTAIN SOUND, WHO WILL PREPARE HIMSELF FOR BATTLE?...for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh in a tongue....wherefore brethren covet to prophesy"
(1 Corinthians 14)

That's fine. God bless you. I wasn't attacking you at all!!! Nor giving you "this mans opinions", just asking you questions based on God's Word, the one we all want to listen to. I don't always have to answer a man when he speaks to me, but I do always have to evaluate what he says if he's showing me what God's Word says, cause that's the plumb line, not what you think, what I think, what Greg thinks, etc. sometimes, we want God Himself to speak to us, when He already is. Through a woman's husband, through a child's parents, through the minister of the Gospel, & through His Word. Just food for thought.
In Christ's Love,
Jeff

What do you think Jesus was remembered for after His Crucifixion? What did He leave us with to ponder? The Gospel account, yes, to His believers. Can you count the prophetic warnings of "weeping and gnashing of teeth?, [ Five times in Matthew and Luke ] and judgment of a sure Hades to the greedy and power loving clergy.

How about the Gospel warnings of Matthew 24 and His final warning to Jerusalem itself;

" And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.
But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ ...prophesying of the sure annihilation of the city.

Coming to pass with Titus' cruel razing in AD 70...[ an estimated 50,000 Jews, men, women, and children crucified along the roadways, and the city salted, and the remaining deported.]

Do we recount the fact that everyone of the Apostles were butchered and slain? [It is thought by some that John survived an attempt] Is this Gloom and Doom to you? It was not to the early disciples. It was Glory to them.

Should we live our lives in fear? Only in that we fear God and Him only; This is our Peace and our joy. We can only follow Him in the meantime, and hope to please Him and Honor Him.

How about this?

"What persecutions I endured!"; And out of them all the Lord delivered me."

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution!"

ALL and WILL. This is just a fact of life, and it should not be a focus. Our focus should be on the face of our Lord Jesus! We are called to carry His redeeming and merciful heart, to our own, and to a lost and dying world, and in this following of the Lamb, there will be persecution. Stephen was our first and most awesome example.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own."

Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’

If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also."..Jesus

Added to this is National Judgment, and it is aligned with this persecution, and it is of God, designated as a trial, to try who loves Him more than their own way and life. "Who do you love?"

"Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the HOUR OF TRIAL which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."

The whole world.....those who dwell on the earth.

America too.