Preparation for the end of time

IAUA

Preparing for the End of Time

IAUA End Time Ministry

The Lord is Coming!   Are you ready?

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How do we prepare to be a part of the 144,000 or a part of those saved at the end of time? We can observe people in three main stages concerning their relationship with God.

Worldly

The worldly person has put God on the back burner. They rarely, if ever, attend church. They often consider themselves good people. Deep inside they feel an emptiness or loneliness, which they rarely admit. They are unsuccessful in filling the emptiness with work, parties and having a good time. A good deed here and there or volunteer work partly fills the emptiness.

The occasional disaster or trial jars them to a realization of a greater need. Before long, the pleasures of life drag them back to the same routine. What do these people need? They need to:

  1. Recognize their current lost condition as a sinner in a world, which can never provide peace, happiness, and security.
  2. Recognize God as the Supreme Being in the universe who loves us very much and has the solution to their problems.
  3. Commit to God their life and everything they have, to do what He shows is best, asHe provides grace and strength.
  4. Recognize the need for spiritual growth by Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other believers.

Religious

The religious person has made God a priority in their lives. They attend church every week. They study the Bible. They listen to the pastor's sermon. They accept the doctrines of the church. They accept baptism into the church. They give an offering to support the church. They often consider themselves good people. They occasionally feel an emptiness or loneliness, which they rarely admit. They mostly fill the emptiness with work, church activities and having a good time.

Ezekiel records the words of God about these people.

31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Ezekiel 33:31

The words of God about the church of these people.

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold (knowing the need and seeking more truth) nor hot (Earnestly studying and proclaiming more truth): I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm (satisfied with a little truth and not proclaiming it), and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich (plenty of truth), and increased with goods (more truth than anyone else), and have need of nothing (we are members of the church); and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Revelation 3:14-17

The occasional disaster or trial jars them to a realization of a greater need. Before long the routine of life continues. What do these people need? They need to:

  1. Recognize their current lost condition as a sinner, because church membership and attendance alone can never provide peace, happiness, and security.
  2. Recognize the need for continual growth by Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other growing believers. In this way we continue to develop firmer, steadier characters, which reveal the Messiah's righteousness in every situation.
  3. It is not enough to hear and understand the truth. Do not accept what anyone else tells you. You must prove every truth yourself from the Bible.

The Bible says:

18 I counsel thee to buy (obtain by study and obedience) of me gold (more precious truth) tried in the fire (obtained by great effort), that thou mayest be rich (have all the truth); and white raiment (sanctification), that thou mayest be clothed (righteous), and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve (Holy Spirit), that thou mayest see.

The warning:

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The promise:

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:18-22

Committed

Those truly committed to God will look to others like they should be committed to a mental hospital. Their thoughts and actions are different from the rest of the world. The closer they follow God the less they fit in this world and in the organized denominations.

These are the basic beliefs of those who are committed. They share the first part of these beliefs with those who have heard and followed the Three Angels' Message.

  • The only true God is the omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent creator of the universe.
    17 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
    Revelation 14:7

  • God is the source of all truth and all, which is good.
    5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
    Proverbs 30:5

  • God created this world for us to live in joy and happiness, sharing with Him forever.
    28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
    Genesis 1:28

  • Satan is the source of evil, deceptions, and all, which is bad.
    15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
    Ezekiel 28:15

  • The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was the test of obedience to truth. Satan tempted Eve and the human family fell into sin. Disobedience leads to death. God gave the promise of the destruction of Satan.
    15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
    Genesis 3:15

  • God reveals Himself through the Bible.
    17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
    John 17:17

  • The Bible is the inspired word of God and contains instruction for all aspects of life.
    16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
    2 Timothy 3:16

  • Understanding of the Bible comes through the Holy Spirit.
    10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
    11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
    12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
    13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
    1 Corinthians 2:10-13

  • Salvation comes by belief in the Messiah.
    16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
    John 3:16

  • True belief in the Messiah means studying His life and His words from the scripture. This will result in love for the Messiah and appreciation of His sacrifice.
    12 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
    John 12:32

  • True love for the Messiah means we obey the instructions in the Bible.
    15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
    16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
    17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
    18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
    19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
    20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
    21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
    John 14:15-21

  • The Bible is the only rule of authority, which is to be followed rather than any rules and traditions of men.
    29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
    Acts 5:29

You must first believe and practice these concepts. Then you will be prepared to evaluate and understand the concepts of the Fourth Angel's Message. How does one prepare for the end of time?

  • We must be earnestly seeking to know and understand truth.
    7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
    Matthew 7:7
  • We must pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
    169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
    Psalm 119:169
  • Every individual must study the Bible truths for themselves. We cannot depend on any other person or organization as the source for our beliefs.
    15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
    2 Timothy 2:15

    11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Holy Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
    Acts 17:11

  • All true believers obey the statutes of God. The commandments and the statutes existed before the children of Israel left Egypt. Abraham knew and kept them.
    4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
    5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
    Genesis 26:4-5

    The truth, which says God did not nail the “Law of Moses” (the statutes) to the cross, is the primary focus of this book. It is a tradition of man, led by Satan, which tries to nail the “Law of Moses” to the cross. This is a critical issue to preparing for the end of time. God knew this would be the final issue so he left a specific detailed prophecy in His own words to the church in the end of time.

    4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
    Malachi 4:4

    He has told us a special prophet will proclaim this message at the end of time.

    5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
    Malachi 4:5

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Revised 2015-08-21