Ark Encounter

As in the Days of Noah

The condition of the world at the time of the Lord’s return is compared to the days of Noah and the Flood. The condition of humanity at the time of Christ’s return will be pleasure-oriented and motivated by self-interest. Unconcerned about God’s purposes, they will instead mock God’s Word. The eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage probably refers to being busily caught up in the normal course of life without heeding the warnings of the coming judgment. Just like the people of Noah’s day didn’t know the severity and suddenness of the coming destruction, so this present generation seems totally unprepared for Christ’s return.

Although Matthew 24:36 says that we won’t know the exact day or hour of His return, verses 1-6 in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 tells us that as followers of Christ, we will not be totally surprised. Just as a pregnant woman knows the approximate time that she will have her baby, believers know from prophecy and what Jesus told His disciples in Scripture the “approximate season” of His return. However, for those who are in darkness, His coming is compared to a thief coming in the night. Verses 4 and 5 tell us that believers shouldn’t be surprised, because it says that we are children of light and not in darkness concerning His return. Therefore, we are to be alert!

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all children of light and children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, there has never been a time in life where sin hasn’t existed. However, due to the extreme wickedness that will exist in the end times, there’s a verse in the Bible that asks if there will be any faith on earth at the time of Christ’s return; Also, 2 Timothy 3:1-5 gives a description of that wickedness that will be prevalent in the last days: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Just as in Noah’s day, there was widespread corruption and violence, rebellion against God, immorality, etc., so these things are all characteristic of the days in which we are living. And yet, even with so much apathy in our nation and our world, as Christians, we must not allow apathy to dull our senses. We must not allow our love for God and others to grow cold, nor forget that there is a coming judgment.

Much of the world is indifferent to the hope of Jesus Christ, and many are working to bring in a new world order based on evolutionary humanism. Some deny the existence of God, and others do not believe in a personal Creator God–a God who out of love for humanity, sent His Son to take all the sin of the world upon Him; He died this horrible death on a cross to reconcile mankind to a holy God.

I want to encourage everyone who reads this blog to take these warnings seriously. I would also like to encourage you to visit the Answers in Genesis replica of Noah’s Ark (Ark Encounter). If you are already a follower of Jesus, you will find this museum a real faith-builder, and if you are not a believer, you will find answers to many of the questions that have made you doubt the historicity of the universal flood and the record of Noah and the ark.

I have also included 3 of the main passages of Scripture I used to write this blog:

  • Matthew 24:37-44 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then two shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two will be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore be also ready: for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of man will come.
  • 2 Peter 2:4,5 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment: and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.
  • 2 Peter 3:3-10 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days mockers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they are willingly ignorant, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water: but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Check out this post from a fellow blogger: http://roadlesstraveledtours.com/our-help-in-time-of-trouble/

Growing Wiser While You Wait Part 1

Why another blog post about waiting, and why is it that we have to spend so much of our lives waiting? All I can say is that waiting seems to be a normal part of life for everyone. “Hurry up and wait” is a common expression in the army, and that is how I sometimes feel when I prepare for some big event, and then it doesn’t happen as I expected. For example, the family was ready and waiting for my first grandchild to be born. However, he arrived fifteen days after his due date. Another good example of having to wait occurred recently after preparing for a big event that has been canceled and rescheduled four times due to the coronavirus. This can be very frustrating for some people, and I happen to be one of them. I am reminded regularly that life is not always predictable, and that we have no control over some circumstances in life.

During this unique and unpredictable time while we are waiting for more businesses to open, and for our churches to begin holding services in their buildings once again, I want to share some great reading and movie ideas with you. In this post, some of you may be introduced for the first time to these ministries where you can get free materials or purchase materials that you are interested in (links to their websites will be included). If you are already familiar with these organizations and receiving materials from any of them, I’m sure you will be able to find other great materials listed on their websites.

Voice of the Martyrs (founded be the Romanian couple, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand), and Open Doors (found by Brother Andrew), are ministries to the persecuted church around the world. They encourage and minister spiritually, emotionally, and physically to those who are being persecuted, and they inform us of things that are not often mentioned in the news.They also give us information and ideas that can help us pray more effectively for those believers. Hebrews 13:3 says that we are to “remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.”

Recently, Iran Alive has become one of my favorite ministries. Dr. Hormoz Shariat has a television ministry that reaches out to the Muslims in Iran and in other countries in the Middle East. Through reading materials from this ministry, I have really grown to love and respect the Iranian believers. The church (body of believers in Christ) in Iran is one of the fastest growing churches in the world. In countries where Christians are persecuted the most, the church seems to be “alive” and stronger in the Lord.

Fouad Masri, a Lebanese-American Christian, started Crescent Project. He has a real heart for the Muslim immigrants in our country. This organization has great resources and ideas on how to reach your Muslim neighbors for the Lord. Most Muslims, even those living here in the USA, have never heard the truth about who Jesus is, nor of His awesome love, mercy, and grace for all people.

Answers in Genesis (started by Ken Ham) and the Institute for Creation Research (founded by Henry Morris, Sr.) have current and newsworthy topics that are related to Creation Science and apologetics. Scientists from every major field of Science who are believers in Jesus Christ, have produced great science resources. Advances in technology have shown how incredibly complex science really is, and have caused serious problems for the evolutionists. Both of these ministries also have museums (Creation Museum, Ark Encounter, ICR Discovery Center) that make science and the Bible come alive, and have faith-building materials for all ages.

It’s so easy to waste your time on things like Facebook, Twitter, video games, movies, television programs, and the like that have very little value. Instead, grow wiser by getting to know the Lord better by reading more of His Word daily, and find other resources that will eternally benefit you and your family. In Ephesians 5, we are told to “redeem the time for the days are evil”. When we look around us and hear current news, we can see that we are getting closer to the “end of the end times”, so let’s all find godly things to do with our time while we wait.