Is He Really Coming?

October 1, 2025.

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

-Matthew 24:36-44 (NIV)

I really believe we are living in end times!  I know I said it before that technically ever since 2,000+ years ago when Jesus resurrected from the grave and ascended to God the Father in heaven and sits on his right hand in glory, it’s since this event that everyone after lives in “end times”.

However, and even on top of this, I really believe we are currently living in the super end and the end of the end times.  In fact, I honestly believe I’ll see Jesus in my own lifetime and…..THAT’S EXCITING!

How am I so convinced?  Well, have you seen all the evils happening in the world?  Jesus said we’ll hear wars and rumors of wars (Matt. 24:6, Mk. 13:7).  Sadly, we know about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Palestine/Iran/Qatar conflicts.  Most people don’t know Yemen is in the midst of an ongoing civil war since 2014 between Houthi (Shiite) Muslim rebels rising up against the Sunni Muslim government.  That’s not even close to all the global conflicts happening right now.  Doing a quick Google Ai search, it says there’s currently 59 state-based conflicts in 2025, which is the highest number since World War II.

….And then global Christian persecutions keep uprising.  On Sept. 30, 2025, CBN News covered commentary by atheist comedian Bill Mahar, speaking about a Christian genocide in Nigeria.  Here’s the story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpzITe76zA4

I couple this with the rise of artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency technology, biotechnology advancements, digital IDs, mass disinformation (relating to 2 Tim. 4:3), global unrest with historic and mass unlawful migration patterns in western nations leading to violence and protests, etc., and the increasing of natural disasters.

Believe me, I think we all need Jesus to come back very soon, and I can’t wait till that happens!  Now with regards to our text, some people may be confused.  How can Jesus be one person in the holy trinity and thus being 100% God himself, and yet not know when he (the Son of Man) will come back to earth to judge the world and claim his children (Christians)?  I’ll keep this post short because these two short video clips explain it well.  In summary, there is a difference between given permission to talk about something vs. not knowing about something.  Jesus clearly knows the time when he’ll come back when he lists the exact signs to happen first and earlier in Matt. 24, including the sun being dark, the moon not giving light, etc.

Here's the first clip:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Tl7XKRuziuI

Here’s the second clip:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s9WbRYFoLGE

If you want the full GodLogic Apologetics video, here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0tlPhH8tvg

Isn’t Christian apologetics fun?

Jesus IS coming back and HE IS coming back SOON!  Keep your eyes fixed on him, because all of the bad things in the world are going to end soon!

Context matters and Jesus IS GOD, LORD AND SAVIOUR! – AND CHRISTIANITY IS THE ONE TRUE RELIGION!  You can bank on that!  All that matters is Jesus!  Do not be afraid about the things happening in this world, because they must happen.  “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28).  Know that in all of history, God always takes care of his children (his believing followers).   It may rain temporarily, but God shines through the darkness and his light and providence will always guide us through!

“….God has said ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Heb. 13:5, Deut. 31:6).

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Ancient gods

September 24, 2025.

7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
-Judges 3:7-11 (NIV)

A year or so ago I read a book by Jonathan Cahn entitled, “The Return of the Gods”.  Jonathan Cahn is a Messianic rabbi, and in this book, he talked about the idea of the ancient biblical, false gods reemerging into modern society.  More specifically he describes the return of the idolatrous worship of Baal, Asherah and Molech.  After reading that book, and looking at modern society now, I can’t exactly argue against it.  If you ask me, the west is letting all these false gods in!  Here’s what I mean….

Asherah (some say Ashtoreth is the proper name, with Asherah as the image or object)

Asherah is the ancient Semitic goddess of love and sexuality.  The ancient Greek equivalent would be Aphrodite.  Asherah was typically worshipped in ancient Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Phoenicia and Canaan.  She was also seen as the goddess of fertility.  Jonathan Cahn would argue that Asherah is plaguing the west.  You see, much of the Western World (Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia) is confused about human sexuality, identity and attraction.  Many people in the Western World indulge in all kinds of sensuality and sexuality without restraint, safety guard or consequences, let alone Godly conviction and purity.   This is on top of Ephesians 4:19 echoing warnings and the result of the pursuit of sensuality.  New terms outlining various forms of debauchery seemingly keep appearing.  If you ask me, the rise of the LGBT+ movement probably came from the spirit of Asherah (though I can’t prove it).

On February 17, 2023 Healthline Media published its current article on “47 Terms That Describe Sexual Attraction, Behavior, and Orientation”[1].  Let that title sit with you for a few minutes – Are you not surprised and shocked to learn there are actually at least 47 terms out there?  I say at least, because if you check the history of the publication, it keeps getting re-written and re-edited, when originally it was “medically reviewed” by a type of health professional on December 10, 2019.  Growing up, there was no such thing as scoliosexual or grayromantic.  Some in opposition would of course say something like, “These people were always there but weren’t properly identified.”

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can check the Healthline article yourself here:

https://www.healthline.com/health/different-types-of-sexuality#d-l

Also, and if that opposing argument is true, then how can you explain terms such as lunagender? –  A belief that gender shifts in consistent ways over a period, like phases of the moon).  I had to lookup that last one on a surprising website – Gender Wiki.  That definition is found here:

https://gender.fandom.com/wiki/Lunagender

When I look at modern western society now, excessive expressions of sexuality and sensuality are everywhere.  It’s proudly displayed on billboards driving around.  It’s flaunted at various parades.  It’s praised and adored in all kinds of regular movie and television programming.  Sometimes it gets to the point when I watch a television commercial and I think, “What are they selling?” and I realize it’s a hamburger other common product, but the commercial is strongly mixed with sexual content (Don’t believe me? Ever heard of Carl Jr’s burger ads?).

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, movies had references to a time when showing ankle was considered taboo, and my oh my we’ve come a long way since then and not in a good way!  Sometimes my wife and I would walk into a clothing store at the mall, and immediately we know if an outfit is “Gen Z style” (generation born between 1997 to 2012), because in my mind, half the material is gone, and it shows too much skin in my humble opinion (but surely others will say otherwise and call me prude or “old fashioned”.  And this is probably considered modest attire compared to so many Hollywood movies, tv shows and award shows.  If that wasn’t eye-opening enough and as a whole, much of society is now glamorizing something called “body count” where people are praising how many sexual partners they’ve had.  The idea of a healthy nuclear family (a family of one husband, one wife and children) seems extremely minimized and I don’t think this is a good thing either.

Ba’al

Baal is the ancient semitic god of wealth, gain and excess.  Baal is the husband to Asherah and the ancient Greek god equivalent is Zeus.  If not mistaken, Jonathan Cahn would argue that once Baal is let in, Asherah shortly follows.  And is it a coincidence that in the world of stocks, bonds, equities, ETFs and trading, the symbol for the rise of these financial products is the bull?  Well, you may or may not be surprised that the symbol for Baal is also the bull!  Ever heard of the financial “bull run” when financial values go up? - I have.  Is it a surprise to find a statue of a giant bull when you visit New York city (in the financial district) and when you visit Toronto (outside Union Station, and also in the financial district)? – I don’t think so.

Molech/Molek/Moloch

Molech is the ancient semitic god of human sacrifice and in particular, child sacrifice in the region of Canaan (ancient Lebanon, Syria and Israel, but also other surrounding places).  Molech worshipers would offer child sacrifices with fire, believing the sacrifices would get them prosperity.  As far as I’m concerned Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID) and abortion are just modern forms of Molech worship today.

Oh and by the way, there’s a place in California called Bohemian Grove. You may be completely shocked to find out that annually for two weeks, many of the world’s rich, powerful and famous would meet somewhere in the middle of the woods at this Bohemian Grove property, probably claiming to network, but reports are emerging that it’s more than networking. At these two week long festivals, believe it or not, there is a giant owl statue erected and used in some kind of ritual. Some of you may not know, but the owl is a symbol of Molech. In fact, the whole Bohemian Grove concept was believed to be a conspiracy until it was proven true by undercover visitors. There are now many articles written on Bohemian Grove, but many still bend the truth or omit information about the demonic themes there. You may think I’m crazy, but I don’t think this is a coincidence, and especially with increasing rumours of occult ritual worship at Hollywood secret parties. In fact, the co-founder of Wikipedia (the famously free encyclopedia that anyone can edit), Larry Sanger, recently converted to Christianity because he looked into the dark world of the Hollywood occult and was led by the Holy Spirit to run in the opposite direction (to Jesus). Here, one of my current favourite apologists, Sean McDowell, interviews him about his Christian conversion experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7H8qZBw9_A

In all of this madness, what I’m trying to say is this – North America and the western world: We’re in trouble!  Society as a whole is in pursuit of greed and human depravity, rather than human flourishing and more importantly, Yahweh!  Christians, stand up and pursue after Yahweh through Jesus Christ!  Christians, your pursuit of Yahweh is weird and frowned upon by many now, but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong for doing so.  That just means the values and morals of society are all twisted.  Christians, our passage in Judges gave clear and stark warnings to not pursue these ancient and false gods, and it doubly makes it clear to pursue Yahweh!  He alone is our source for providence and protection!  And by the way, every time the Israelites pursued Yahweh, things went well (like in the case of Othniel), but every time they pursued these false idols or others, terrible calamities happened to God’s people).  Sure, Jesus took the blame on the cross from the New Testament and onwards, but that does not mean we shouldn’t live righteously!

I am convinced that the pursuit of anything other than Yahweh through Jesus leads to the undoing of the household and society!

“Be holy, because I am holy” – 1 Peter 1:16

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[1] Abrams, M. (2023, February 17). 47 terms that describe sexual attraction, behavior & orientation. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/different-types-of-sexuality#m-p
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Ai - Artificial Intelligence or Artificial Ignorance?

September 17, 2025

11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.  18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
-Rev. 13:11-18 (NIV)

I recently watched this video clip from Ruslan KD.  As far as I could tell, he’s a conservative Christian, hip-hop artist, musician and media personality.  In this video clip, Ruslan dissects a discussion about Artificial Intelligence (Ai) from the “Diary of a CEO” YouTube channel.  For those that don’t know, Diary of a CEO is gaining a lot of traction with guests speaking about all kinds of topics ranging from health, politics, history, technology, etc.  Here’s the video clip I mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf1YGjDHFZo

With regards to our scripture text, some people question what or who is the Antichrist? What is the beast?  What is the second beast?  What exactly is the mark of the beast and how will it be implemented?  Here’s a quick rundown as best as I can tell and I may be wrong.

1)     The first beast is the Antichrist – the main human figure opposing Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour in Revelation.

a.     Noting that anyone denying Jesus is the Christ is technically an antichrist of some sort – see 1 Jn 2:22).  1 Jn 2:18 also mentions many antichrists and 1 Jn. 4:3 with 2 Jn. 1:7 describes the antichrist as anyone denying Jesus Christ came in flesh and anyone that denies Jesus is the antichrist or has the spirit of the antichrist.

2)     The second beast - the main false prophet (different from other false prophets).  Some scholars believe the Antichrist will be a military and political figure and the false prophet is a religious figure.

3)     Mark of the beast – It may be a digital microchip encoded with a 666 number, a type of physical branding, or tattoo, or a wearable piece of technology (or something else).

a.     Noting some theorize Nero Caesar (37 AD – 68 AD) linked to the mark of the beast with Nero as a beast figure using gematria.  Gematria is a codified technique and can be used in any language whereby the first letter of the alphabet represents 1, the second letter is 2 and so forth.  Some manuscripts of Rev. 13:18 show the mark of the beast is 616 and not 666.  Depending on which language you choose for Nero and using gematria, Nero’s name could be linked to 616 or 666. 

b.     We also have to include biblical numerology (different from demonic numerology) to aid understanding here.  It may or may not be implied that certain numbers mean something in scripture.  7 seems to represent divine perfection or completion.  12 seems to represent authority.  40 seems to represent trial.  8 seems to present new creation (which is why Christians worship and have sabbath on a Sunday and not Saturday, which is the beginning of another week or a newly created week with Jesus Christ’s resurrection on a Sunday, and thus the 8th day).  With that said, Jesus’ name in Greek is Ιησους (pronounced Iēsous) and his name in gematria Greek adds up to 888.  God’s number appears to be 7 or 777 but more symbolic and not using gematria.  3 seems to represent divine perfection (though not as strong as 7) and the trinity.  6 seems to represent one digit short of 7 (thus one short of perfection) whereby humans were also created on the 6th day and not 7th, and thus the mark of man.  666 appears to be three digits short of divine completion of 777 and perfection and thus “perfectly short of divine completion as God intended.”

With regards to the mark of the beast, many people are not looking at the bigger trends about technology.  Here’s a quick history summary:  Fiat money whereby fiat in Latin means “it shall be done” was derived from a bartering system whereby people traded cows for pigs, crops for wool and spices, etc.  It was designed as a backbone for bartering to make the process easier.  As fiat money went from precious metals (gold and silver) to paper currencies, the commodity values became easier to carry, keep track of and transport (and I’m not factoring inflation into this as I know in 2008 due to hyperinflation, it was reported that it took $100 billion Zimbabwean dollars to purchase three eggs, so people reverted to using American dollars because it was easier to carry American currency than a backpack full of local Zimbabwean dollars for everyday purchases.)[1] 

However, the trend didn’t end there.  As technology advanced, technology keeps getting more comfortable for people and “closer to the body”.  Here's what I mean:  Cash turned to plastic (credit and debit cards), turned to online purchases, etc.  With that, technology went from carrying a sachet or sack of coins, to a genuine leather wallet, to computers and then to cell phones (internet banking and digital apps).  There is also a rise of crypto currencies and notably Bitcoin (alternative digital currencies – and El Salvador officially is using Bitcoin as a national and legal currency alongside the U.S. dollar), whereby transactions are now becoming easier, smoother, faster and “more wearable” to the body.  Similarly phones went from corded devices, to “brick phone” styled cordless phones, to either smaller or more user-friendly and more powerful smart phones and cell phones and now digital watches can make and receive phone calls.  Furthermore, Meta (formerly Facebook) partnered with Ray-Ban sunglasses to create wearable smart glasses.  These glasses have a built-in camera and microphone.  While wearing these smart glasses and walking down a street, wearers can get a digital picture of anyone around them and do an immediate background check that determines addresses, phone numbers, and other data about each person you walk past within moments using Artificial Intelligence (Ai).  Xiaomi and other tech giants are joining this trend.  In addition, Elon Musk (amongst his many companies) has developed the Neuralink with a few people already implanting this microchip into their brains to control simple video games by thought.  There are also at least four or five competitors to Neuralink as well.

In addition, Magic Leap is currently experimenting with an augmented reality (AR) headset whereby users will virtually experience distant vacation settings or even teach brain surgery with a holographic projected brain in real-time space.  Car makers such as Chrysler and fashion designers such as Nike are already experimenting with presenting holographic AR models of products for customers that will allow customers to learn everything about a car or shoe virtually at home using headset wearables.  The possibilities are quite enormous!

Now do you see it?  Technology is getting closer and closer to the body and potentially the mark of the beast can be a microchip implanted – I’m not sure.  Also worthwhile to note is in the field of medicine, nanobots in the bloodstream have already been created that deploy targeted medication for cancer or clearing blood clots.  The possibility for marking much of the world with 666 is already here!

And what about Ai?  Some pastors already believe verse 15 in our reading means the second beast gave birth to Ai.  Could the second beast be Sam Altman (creator of Chat GPT’s Ai)? I’m not sure.

In any of this, all you have to do is resist the way of the world and run to Jesus Christ with all your heart, mind and soul!  Be true to Jesus and only Jesus and surely goodness will come – no matter what the cost!

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By the way, If anyone ever has a lot of spare time (and if I have a lot of spare time), feel free to ask me how cryptocurrencies work with blockchain technology in relation to Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and everything being tokenized or on the blockchain.  You may be surprised, but here are some technological historical changes I discovered in the world as follows.  

1)     Currently in every modern Apple computer there is a script to adopt Bitcoin in the coding (I checked it myself in my own Apple Macbook to verify).

2)     The largest asset manager in the world (BlackRock) is currently buying and manipulating a few cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin and Ethereum).

3)     Investment fund managers such as Fidelity already have a Bitcoin ETF product.

4)     Donald Trump has already made changes to FinTech and SEC investment rulings that alter previous cryptocurrency designations and holdings.

5)     …and yes, I’m also aware that Warren Buffet, Dave Ramsey and many other notable financial geniuses do not promote cryptocurrencies.

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[1] The DONG-A ILBO. (2008, July 24). Three eggs cost $100 bil. in Zimbabwe. 동아일보. https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20080724/259521/1

 
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It Costs How Much?

September 10, 2025

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

-Luke 14:25-33 (NIV)

The cost of living is somewhat frightening nowadays for many people.  Spending $100 at the grocery store won’t buy you too much in today’s Canada.  Rent, food, gas, car insurance, life insurance, paying for a safe place to live, school, raising a family, etc., are all reaching very expensive highs and sadly, general living wages are not matching, let alone the cost of inflation.  It seems that it’s not easy to find an affordable living in a lot of places lately.

Do you know what’s cheap?  The cost of DEATH (being apart from Jesus)!

Conversely, do you know what’s the most expensive cost?  The cost of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Yes, salvation is a free gift of Jesus, but there is a responding cost of discipleship to deal with!  Once salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour is received, proof of receipt is obedient discipleship.  Our text in Luke 14:25-33 tells us what discipleship looks like and at first glance, it seems too costly and too harsh!

It’s hard enough to believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and it’s hard enough to be ridiculed and mocked for the Christian faith.  It does take effort to get up each and every Sunday to commit ourselves to communal worship, rather than sleep-in like the rest of the world.  It does take some time and effort to worship God and think about him/pray to him everyday in the week when we could easily just be watching television, reading some worldly book, taking up a hobby or listening to the radio/podcast…but look at what the text is saying here:  Jesus is not urging us to hate or remove our activities that we do in leisure.  Those would be too easy to hate or remove.  On the contrary, Jesus is going straight to where it’s meaningful, important and where it hurts in our lives.  The first urge of discipleship Jesus is mentioning is hating dear and close loved ones (our family).

Well how could that be?  Isn’t our family God-given?  Yes!  Isn’t it Godly to take care of family and love our families and others?  Yes!  Well then how can Jesus say that we must hate our family members?  Let’s let scripture interpret scripture here:  Matthew 10:37 says, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”  Luke 14:26 uses the Greek word “misseo” (μισέω) which means to hate and persecute, but it also means to love someone or something less when in comparison to something.  By extension it could also mean elevating someone or something else in comparison to another.  Thus it’s okay and still Godly to love family and other loved ones, but not more than Jesus.

What’s with all this construction jargon from Jesus?  Whatever you start in faith if indeed you received salvation, finish it well.  A foundation is not left bare and left unfinished.  A foundation left bare has no purpose – build your tower and place of worship with God (Rom. 12:1).  Squandering and not administering faith until God calls you home (in heaven) is not the plan the Master Builder (God) has in mind and it is a plan for ruin.  While we have breath in our lungs, live out your calling to be a true disciple.

Jesus’ third example of the meaning of the cost of discipleship is risking everything to make peace!  The stronger one is our triune God and whatever it takes, we must make peace with God the Father through Jesus Christ.  Whatever it takes and whatever the cost, we must avoid God the Father’s wrath through Jesus!    Follow the way of Jesus and be safe.  Take up your cross daily as Jesus did and be well.  Place Jesus first in all you do!  It may cost a lot, but it’s abundantly worth it!
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Amongst the Weeds

September 3, 2025

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

-Matthew 13:23-30 (NIV)

Secularism and anti-Christianity is growing.  It is so difficult to be a Christian nowadays.  Gone are the days when everyone would be at church on a Sunday.  Now if you drive around on a Sunday morning, most of your neighbours are probably at home or out having some kind of fun.  The world and especially most North Americans treat Sundays like every other day, and a day off work.  Gone are the days of many new North American laws based on Christian values.

Gone are the days of television and movies displaying wholesome Christian values.  It was a common theme to watch television shows or movies depicting families praying before meals or praying before bedtime.  Sadly, I don’t see that happening anymore.  For the most part, gone are the days of men behind the pulpit preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins, necessitating God’s grace through Jesus Christ.  Instead, there are too many preachers talking about “feeling good” and God’s love without his holiness.  People tend to walk away from a church on a Sunday and “feel uplifted” and “feeling good”, not being convicted or transformed by the Word of God, and void of true discipleship, taking up their crosses daily (Lk. 9:23) and suffering for God’s glory (1 Pe. 4:13).

Too many people promote God’s love, without promoting the sacrificing of God’s only Son out of that same love, because of our rebellion against God the Father.  Too many people promote the warmth of God’s love and providence, without promoting the wrath of God and judgment.  And still there are many other famous preachers talking about a bottomless pit type of theology called the prosperity gospel, that produces an endless fall into an indulgence of self-pleasure and self-comfort.  Apart from the preaching of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and the repentance of sin, all are counterfeits to the gospel.  The reality is counterfeit gospels have been infiltrating and infecting our churches for many centuries now.

How did we get here?  The simple answer is God plants his people but the devil plants his people as well.  Essentially this is what our passage tells us. And our text tells us this needs to happen until God’s appointed time.    

What can we do about it?  Definitely know your bible!  Read it daily!  It’s our greatest tool to stay on the right track.  Spend many, good and intimate times with Jesus Christ in worship, in prayer, in obedience, in joy and in reverence….but what can we do with counterfeit gospel situations?  Well, depending on the situation, but for most people and most of the time, you may opt to call out sin, but I advise to be gracious about it (and I’m still working on this myself).  Remember the story of the adulterous woman about to be stoned? (Jn 8:1-11).  Jesus didn’t leave her off the hook, but he was gracious and gentle with her.  Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and opportunity to deal with counterfeit gospel situations.  You don’t need to call out everything all the time – otherwise we’d all be pointing fingers at everyone 24/7 because we’re all sinful beings.  Am I an expert at this?  No…but just be careful who you call out and when, because it can lead to an upheaval of other Godly people you want in your life based on associations of the people you confront (Matt. 13:30).
  

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