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Post by Daniel on Jul 31, 2015 8:21:15 GMT -5
Why Millennials Are Turned Off by All This End-Time Talk
by Jessilyn Justice
7/31/2015
...When we talk about end times, I think there's a sense of fear mongering that exists in the form of warnings. Someone close to me once confessed she grew up believing she would never get married, have children or live to even to her 20th birthday because the Antichrist was coming.
Trust me when I say this friend is alive and kicking, well past those milestones and looking forward to many more. But until she conquered her fear and realized that Christ is still on the throne, she couldn't live the life He planned for her.
When we live in a state of fear about the future, we hinder ourselves from celebrating what Christ can do in the now and how we can affect the future for His glory.
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Are we so caught up in warning about the downfall of the American church and the eventual return of Jesus that we forget to serve the poor, to encourage one another, to spend time just loving on the Holy Spirit? The early church was founded on these attributes, and it transformed the world and enabled the gospel to spread further than anyone could imagine!
The beautiful thing about the millennial generation is our tenacity, our desire to work to make the community we live in better. We aren't looking at the coming days with a sense of trepidation or fatalism about the downfall of America.
Rather, we're looking for answers to reconstruct the building blocks of society. Some may call us spoiled, ungrateful, addicted and selfish. But those "weaknesses" can also be strengths, because we've seen the good and want to improve upon it.
We don't settle for tradition because someone told us to. Instead, we're searching for answers, and that includes diving into the Bible to fill that God-shaped hole in our lives.
When Christian headlines scream about the negative, we tune that out because it doesn't enhance the world we live in. Christians have an incredible opportunity to walk out their lives like Christ did. Yes, Christ got angry, but He sought justice in His indignation. We need older generations of Christians to show us how to do this.
If we are in the end times, I think I would rather have a mentor guiding me to show others how they can be one with Christ rather than someone who goes, "There were signs! Look at the signs!"
Let's take those signs and turn them into practical steps, sharing the gospel so that none shall perish, as is God's wish in 2 Peter 3:9.
please read full article
www.charismanews.com/opinion/50798-why-millennials-are-turned-off-by-all-this-end-times-talk
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Post by Cindy on Aug 5, 2015 11:23:07 GMT -5
I understand what she's saying, and agree with SOME of it, but not all. I know that there are people who use what's happening in the world today to try and scare people into getting right with the Lord. However, Jesus never did that. He simply told people the truth. He didn't pressure them to accept Him or what He said and He certainly didn't try to scare them into accepting God's ways. In fact, He actually told those who were leaning toward accepting Him that they shouldn't do so lightly, but should instead count the cost first. I can just imagine pastors going nuts if someone tried to handle things that way today! Instead we do what Jesus never did. We practically cram God down their throats and insist they accept and follow His ways. Of course we do so because we care or because we think we're obeying the great commission, when in fact that's not what He wanted at all.
I have some trouble relating to what she says because most of the people I speak to at least call themselves Christians and have some knowledge of the Bible. I can't imagine anyone seeing the rapture or tribulation the way she talks about it unless they don't believe in a pre-trib rapture, or unless they love the world more then they love God. And anyone who speaks of this being the end times and doesn't live their life for God, shouldn't be listened to anyway.
I've talked to my grandchildren about the rapture a lot, as they're the ones that bring it up. They're always full of questions about what we'll be able to do after the rapture and they look forward to it excitedly. They're not concerned about not getting married or any of that other stuff she spoke about. They know they're going to continue to live their life here until that wonderful day finally happens and that it could come now, or long after they're married. As they're only 6 and 9, that's a long time away in their eyes! They know that if the rapture happens first that they're going to be gloriously happy, and that if they get married first, they'll still be happy. Thankfully, they love the Lord enough and still trust Him, so they know that whenever it happens, it's going to be the best thing of all. They're also always full of questions about how to live their life right now, and how to answer their little friends who don't believe in God. They don't love this life more then they love God, at least not yet, and hopefully never.
As far as God's messenger always saying "fear not" first, that's not true. That's what God's angels say because when they appear their very being is frightening to us. They never tell people not to fear God or the consequences of their actions. In fact they say the opposite. Even Jesus tells us to fear God. “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” (Luke 12:4–5)
Looking at the positive is always good, but not to the exclusion of not seeing the negative. Problems can't be fixed if we're not willing to see it as a problem. I do totally agree that we need more people that are living their faith day by day, but if you don't realize that we are in the last days, and don't recognize all the false teaching, and all the "negative things" that are happening, then you're simply sticking your head in the sand and being unwilling to hear the Truth or see it. You're living in a fantasy world, not the real one. Yes, seek justice, seek to live the way God's Word tells us to, but you cannot do that by being blind to what's going on. You can't feed the hungry unless you first see the hungry.Yes, people need to know the truth of how ugly this world has gotten so they can then turn to the only one who has the remedy for the evil that abounds - Jesus.
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Post by Cindy on Aug 6, 2015 8:52:36 GMT -5
I just read something in a commentary during my study time today that speaks directly to what this woman said and shows how wrong she is in some ways. I want to share it with you as he says it much better then I did.
God’s warnings for today
People have heard this message of judgement down through the centuries, and they still need to realize that they are in danger of God’s condemnation that is coming upon the whole world. This is why we, like the apostles, preach the gospel of saving grace to everyone who will listen to God’s call to turn aside from sin and turn to Christ in repentance and faith. It should be the aim of every church’s social and evangelistic activity to bring sinners face to face with the danger of God’s judgement and so help them to turn to the only hope of salvation: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Judeans of Zephaniah’s day were probably happy to hear that Zephaniah was calling people to repentance. It was no new message. It is found throughout the whole of the Bible and is one of the major themes of the Old as well as the New Testament. People are sinful, unkind, thoughtless and self-satisfied. They need to turn away from their wicked ways and seek the Lord.
Yet, when Zephaniah started preaching, his message was not received with rapturous applause. On the contrary, it was hated, because instead of addressing it to the heathen around them, it was aimed directly at them.
Today, all people, including church congregations, need to be reminded of the need to repent. Those who have never tasted that the Lord is gracious (Ps. 34:8) need to have their hearts, minds and wills opened to receive the message of God’s love, the message that warns them of the danger they are in without Christ and that urges them to ‘call on the name of the Lord and be saved’ (Acts 2:21). Those who have known the presence of the Lord for very many years also need to heed the call to repent and return to the Lord and his ways. Sadly, many Christian people have continued to sin in many ways, not least by gossiping, being jealous of the gifts of others or giving the impression that they are better and more deeply spiritual than others. Those who persist in their unholy ways will be swept away—at least, their boasting will be removed, even though they themselves will be saved, but only as those ‘escaping through the flames’ (1 Cor. 3:15). This is a very unpopular message, and many preachers today are being urged to drop the old gospel message and only emphasize the fact that God is love and that if we come to him he will meet all of our needs. Yet if we only preach the love of God, we will preach an unbalanced gospel. It is quite wrong and unhelpful to think that we should not preach anything that will challenge people’s lives for fear that it will deter them from turning to Christ. The Old Testament prophets pulled no punches when they spoke about God’s punishment of evil and disobedience; neither should God’s people in these days, as they seek to bring sinners to the foot of the cross in repentance and faith.
Bentley, M. (2008). Opening up Zephaniah.
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Post by Daniel on Aug 10, 2015 10:43:26 GMT -5
Yes, I agree, Cindy. This is all the more reason to know God's word very well. If the 'millennials' or anyone else is living in fear of the end times talk, I believe it's because of their lack of biblical knowledge and not because of fear-mongering from the older generation. If we know God and His Word and trust in His sovereignty there is nothing to fear. I'm sure Noah was accused of fear-mongering in his time. These days I hear quoting from Matthew 24:36, but what about the rest of the context? It's as though verse 36 is a summary of the entire context while ignoring the other 50 verses. Is it then any wonder that Christians are living in fear?
And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. Matthew 24:4
You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. Matthew 24:6
Behold, I have told you in advance. Matthew 24:25
So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Matthew 24:33
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. Matthew 24:35
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Matthew 24:36
For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. Matthew 24:37
...and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew 24:39
Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42
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Post by Cindy on Aug 10, 2015 11:58:32 GMT -5
Well said Daniel!
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