This is the message given by Pastor Robert Taylor on the Sabbath Day 12 October 2013 at the Santa Barbara Seventh-day Adventist Christian church in Santa Barbara, CA.
Pastor Taylor received a bill for $149 from Santa Barbara County for a Safety Code permit. The bill must be paid or the church will no longer be able to meet. The Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists also alerted Pastor Taylor that all churches in the Conference are being reviewed about tax exempt status.
Today we are in a paid for building under the control of God. Earthly forces are getting more and more involved in what we can do and how we operate. There are more intrusions coming.
Do a search on an internet search engine for your name and see what is displayed. Do you need to make a return at a store? Don’t even ask about the lack of privacy. Intelligence agencies know everything about everyone. Recent headlines in the news include stories about how friendly nations are spying on each other.
Jesus said: “Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Whether you realize it or not, we are in what is known as the time of the end. America is under attack.
Matthew 24:5-14
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
We either belong to God or the Devil. Revelation 13 describes a Religious Super Power. Nearly all will worship it. The Political Super Power will tell us: “Do what we tell you or DIE.”
How can we survive? This crises is here now. How will you survive? Right now believers in Jesus Christ in some countries are being treated poorly. Some are jailed, beaten and even killed.
Pray daily for the end of persecution of our fellow believers. Think about this: If people did not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, persecution would eventually end. NO Faith, NO Witness, NO Persecution.
For us, we should pray that the persecuted would stay true during their mistreatment.
Here we are free to share Jesus Christ with people. Every believer in every place is free to make a choice. Will I be obedient? My relationship with Jesus is more important than all else. We are free to obey.
A real battle continues. Look at Ephesians 6:12-18
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Are we being obedient to Christ’s command? Share Jesus where ever you go! If He is our Lord, we will want to obey. We make a decision each morning. Always remember God Loves You and He will stay with you always!