To put out a “fleece” of our own is in no ways inappropriate and follows the same principle. While there are certainly times when doing so is inappropriate and simple faith is needed to move forward, we must also realize that God may be asking us to do things that put us far outside our comfort zone or even what is logically expected of us. The Lord knows our hearts and how we sometimes need confirmation before we step into the great unknown.
Read MoreDid Samuel appear to Saul, when Saul visited the witch at Endor. In short, yes, but how can we be sure, and why would God have remained silent to Saul’s earlier, and Biblical, inquiries (1 Sam. 28:6)? For one, it wouldn’t make sense for Samuel to be a hallucination. How then would Saul and the woman see the same thing? A demon doesn’t make sense either. Why would a demon proclaim and confirm the same message God had sent Saul about losing the kingdom because of sin? Finally, it could not have been a hoax, or why would the woman have cried out in fear or recognized Saul, for that matter? No, the only option that makes sense is if Samuel is indeed Samuel, wearing the very mantle that identified him as a prophet and priest and was torn by Saul all those years earlier after the incident with the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:27).
Read MoreHow do we keep our focus in today’s world, amidst all of life’s distractions? We are, after all, living in the time before the tribulation and Christ’s eventual physical return to this planet. While the Bible is clear about the rapture of the church before the tribulation (1 Ths. 4:15-17; 5:9; 2 Ths. 2:7; Rev. 3:10), we also don’t know how close or how bad it is going to be before Christ calls His bride home. And the tribulation will be hell on earth–literally.
Therefore seeing what is going on, what should we as Christians be doing as we see the rapture approaching?
Read MoreLittle children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time (1 Jn. 2:18).
Of the many indicators for the return of Christ, one of the most overlooked is the verse in 1 John 2:18 that speaks of “many antichrists.” We talk so often about the antichrist, that we many times forget that satan has a legion of minions who–while they don’t fit top billing–nevertheless make adequate stand-ins until the proper time.
For those of us at the bottom of society’s totem poll, looking up at today’s leaders, the view is almost surreal. It’s hard to imagine that those in authority could have such utter disdain for others.
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