“THOUGHTS ABOUT THE END-TIMES”

April 18, 2024

By Dee Belt

WITHOUT A DOUBT, IN MY SPIRIT, I BELIEVE WE’RE LIVING IN THE “END TIMES”.  SEVEN DECADES DO NOT SLIP PAST, WITHOUT ONE NOTICING ALL OF THE THINGS SURROUNDING THE ELEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.   I AM SEEING THINGS NOW, THAT I’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.  I AM SEEING A COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE; A COMPLETE CHANGE INTO SOMETHING I NO LONGER RECOGNIZE.  PEOPLE ARE SAYING THINGS, DOING THINGS COMPLETELY OUT OF CHARACTER.  RIGHTEOUSNESS NO LONGER SEEMS PREEMINENT, AS A SPIRIT OF “UNRIGHTEOUSNESS'' APPEARS TO BE TAKING OVER A HOPELESS WORLD.  YET WE KNOW THAT OFTIMES, THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

(JOHN 16:33)

“THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, THAT IN ME, YE MIGHT HAVE PEACE.  IN THE WORLD YE SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION, BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD”.

MANY OF US HAVE TWO-FOLD PERSPECTIVES, MEANING ON ONE HAND, IT FEELS SAD AND AT TIMES, DEPRESSING, WHAT WE ARE SEEING DURING THESE “END-TIMES”.  YET JESUS GAVE US A HEADS- UP, LONG AGO AS TO HOW BAD THINGS WOULD BE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.  IRONICALLY, AS WE DELVE FURTHER  INTO THE END TIMES, THE BITTER MOMENTS BRING US CLOSER TO THE WONDROUS JOY THAT AWAITS GOD’S CHILDREN, IF WE CAN ONLY ENDURE UNTO THE END.

(ST. MATTHEW 24:13)

“BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE UNTO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED”.

THERE MAY BE MOMENTS WHEN WE WONDER, OR ASK OURSELVES, “AM I GONNA MAKE IT? WILL I BE ABLE TO ENDURE UNTO THE END?”  SOME, ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.  STILL,  MANY ARE NOT EXACTLY SURE.  WHETHER YOU FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF BEING “SURE”, OR BEING “UNCERTAIN”, WE MUST ALL REMIND OURSELVES, AND ONE ANOTHER THAT JESUS BUILT HIS CHURCH UPON A ROCK. WHEN JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES  “WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?”,  PETER ANSWERED, “THOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”.

(ST. MATTHEW 16:17-18)

“AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, BLESSED ART THOU, SIMON BAR-JONA: FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. AND I SAY ALSO UNTO THEE, THAT THOU ART PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT”.

ABOVE ALL THAT WE SEE HAPPENING AROUND US, WE MUST KEEP JESUS’ WORD FOREMOST IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS, THAT THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HIS CHURCH.

OKAY, MOVING FORWARD. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MEANTIME?  I LEARNED A SIGNIFICANT LESSON IN 2022, WHEN MY MAMA PASSED AWAY.  WHEN MY COUSIN ASKED ME DURING MY TIME OF BEREAVEMENT, HOW WAS I DOING?

 I HAD TO THINK FOR A MOMENT HOW TO DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT I WAS FEELING.  I SAID TO HER, “YOU KNOW WHAT, COUSIN?  I WAS SO PREPARED…BUT I JUST WASN’T READY”.    FROM THE TIME I WAS A CHILD, MY MAMA RAISED ME IN A WAY THAT I COULD AND WOULD SURVIVE, IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENED TO HER. WHEN I WAS 3 YEARS OLD, SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE UP MY BED, SWEEP FLOORS, WASH BASEBOARDS.  I WAS STANDING ON A STEP-STOOL WASHING DISHES AFTER OUR FAMILY DINNERS, WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD. I WAS COOKING FULL MEALS  BY THE TIME I WAS 10 YEARS OLD. I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY TO LEARN THINGS THAT WERE MY MAMA’S HOUSEHOLD DUTIES.  SHE ALWAYS SAID, “YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO THESE THINGS, JUST IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME.”   ONE DAY WHILE GRUDGINGLY DOING CHORES, INSTEAD OF BEING ALLOWED TO GO AND PLAY LIKE OTHER CHILDREN MY AGE WERE DOING, I SAID TO MY MAMA, “YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN I GROW UP, I’M GOING TO BE JUST LIKE YOU.  I’M GOING TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A COUPLE OF “ROBOTS” (GIRL BABIES), AND LET THEM DO ALL THE CHORES IN THE HOUSE, INSTEAD OF ME!”  I HAD SAID IT WITH A SMILE, BUT I WAS SERIOUS, AND MAMA KNEW IT.  I WAS LUCKY SHE DIDN’T SLAP ME FOR BEING SASSY.  SHE ONLY LOOKED AT ME AND REPEATED WHAT SHE ALWAYS DID.  “I’M TEACHING YOU ALL THESE THINGS NOW, JUST IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, AND IF IT DOESN’T HAPPEN, YOU STILL NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS, BECAUSE ONE DAY WHEN YOU’RE GROWN, YOU’LL HAVE A HUSBAND, AND CHILDREN OF YOUR OWN”!  AND THAT WAS THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION.  

I SAY THAT, TO SAY THIS:  MY WHOLE LIFE WITH MAMA,  WAS A TIME OF “PREPARATION”.  WHEN I BECAME AN ADULT, AND SHE GOT OLDER, SHE CONTINUED TALKING TO ME IN “PREPARATION” MODE.  THEN WHEN SHE REACHED HER “ELDERLY” YEARS, SHE STARTED TALKING TO ME ABOUT HER VIEWPOINT OF LIFE IN PREPARATION FOR LEAVING THIS WORLD AND GOING HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD.  SHE WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN POLITICS, EVEN DURING MY CHILDHOOD.  SO I WAS STUNNED WHEN IN RECENT YEARS, SHE STOPPED CARING ABOUT POLITICS; SAID IT NO LONGER MATTERED TO HER WHO WAS IN THE WHITEHOUSE, NOR WHO GOT ELECTED.  SHE SAID IT WILL NEVER GET ANY BETTER, BECAUSE JESUS ALREADY SAID HOW THE END TIMES WOULD BE.   I WATCHED HER BEGIN TO “DISCONNECT” FROM THE CARES OF THIS WORLD, (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HER REGULAR APPOINTMENTS FOR HER SPA MANICURES) AS SHE OTHERWISE, FOCUSED ON HER HEAVENLY HOME, EVEN PREPARING PRELIMINARY BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS IN ADVANCE.  SO MY WHOLE LIFE WAS SPENT IN “PREPARATION” FOR THE TIME WHEN SHE WOULD NO LONGER BE WITH US…BUT…WHEN THAT TIME ACTUALLY ARRIVED, WHEN THAT DREADED PHONE CALL ACTUALLY CAME, WHEN THE WORDS THAT WERE SPOKEN TO ME WERE, “I’M VERY SORRY, BUT YOUR MOTHER PASSED AWAY 10 MINUTES AGO”;  IN THAT MOMENT…I WAS SOOOOO PREPARED…BUT I JUST WASN’T READY!!

SO, ONE MIGHT ASK IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.  HOW CAN YOU BE PREPARED, BUT NOT READY?  IT WOULD SEEM TO SOME, THAT IF YOU’RE PREPARED FOR SOMETHING, THEN YOU'RE ALSO “READY” FOR IT.  UNTIL THE YEAR 2022, I WOULD HAVE AGREED.  NOW?  NOT SO MUCH.  I CHECKED OUT A FEW DEFINITIONS OF THE TWO.

“PREPARED” SUGGESTS ONE THAT IS MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY ESTABLISHED OR EQUIPPED FOR A SPECIFIC TASK, EVENT, OR EXPERIENCE THAT IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

“READY” ADDRESSES THE QUESTION THAT YOU DON’T USUALLY KNOW WHEN THAT EVENT, EXPERIENCE IS LIKELY TO OCCUR.  IT CAN BE WAY DOWN THE LINE, OR IT CAN BE IMMINENT (AT ANY MOMENT).   THEREFORE, IT IS EVIDENT,

THAT JUST BEING “PREPARED” IS NOT ENOUGH, BECAUSE IT USUALLY ARRIVES AT A TIME THAT IS NOT ONLY “UNEXPECTED”, BUT MORE PROBABLY,  “INCONVENIENT”.

(ST. MATTHEW 24:42-44)

WATCH THEREFORE: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME.  BUT KNOW THIS, THAT IF THE GOODMAN OF THE HOUSE HAD KNOWN IN WHAT WATCH THE THIEF WOULD COME, HE WOULD HAVE WATCHED, AND WOULD NOT HAVE SUFFERED HIS HOUSE TO BE BROKEN UP.  THEREFORE, BE YE ALSO READY: FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT, THE SON OF MAN COMETH”.

IN CONCLUSION:

FOR MANY OF US READING THIS, WE REALIZE THE BULK OF OUR LIVES ARE ALREADY BEHIND US, AND TIME IS NOT A COMMODITY ANYONE CAN AFFORD TO WASTE. WHATEVER TIME WE HAVE LEFT, WHETHER ALOT, OR VERY LITTLE, MAKE IT COUNT! GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER; METAPHORICALLY, AND LITERALLY. FOCUS ON THE THINGS PLEASING TO GOD. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. MEND RELATIONSHIPS. DON’T SWIM IN THE SEA OF “REGRET”. LET THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU, SHINE BRIGHTLY,  SO OTHERS WILL SEE IT AND GLORIFY GOD. LIVE IN PEACE.

(ROMANS 12:18) “AS MUCH AS LIETH IN YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN”.

THE QUALITY OF TIME IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE QUANTITY.  ABOVE ALL, REMEMBER NOT TO GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THE CARES OF THIS LIFE.  OUR EARTHLY HOME IS ONLY TEMPORARY.  YES, WE ARE FLESHLY HUMAN BEINGS, AND AS SUCH, HAVE THE DIFFICULTIES, OR PLEASANTRIES THAT GO WITH THAT, HOWEVER, WE MUST NEVER LOSE FOCUS ON OUR HEAVENLY HOME, AND ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO “ETERNAL LIFE”.

(GALATIANS 6:8-9)

“FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION; BUT HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE EVERLASTING. AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT”.

(MATTHEW 24:46)

“BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT, WHOM HIS LORD WHEN HE COMETH SHALL FIND SO DOING”.        

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!