 Hi, this is David Rosales, I'm the pastor of Calvary Chapel of the Chino Valley in California. Today I would like to address the question, what are the signs that we are in the last days? This is one of the subjects of Scripture that believers are most interested in. When I was saved in 1970, the return of Jesus to planet earth was part of what we talked about most, and the excitement of his return stirred us to preach the Gospel. Since Jesus was returning at any moment, we saw sharing the Gospel as our most sacred and important duty because we simply did not want our loved ones to miss out on the rapture. This belief of the soon return of Jesus provoked much activity and was in many ways at the heart of the Jesus movement. There were books written, such as The Late Great Planet Earth, movies that were made, like A Thief in the Night, and there were songs, such as I wish we'd all been ready, all pointing to the rapture and how we should be prepared because it would occur at any moment. I'll never forget Larry Norman's song, I wish we'd all been ready, and how he sang, Life was filled with guns in war and everyone got trampled on the floor. I wish we'd all been ready, children died, the days grew cold, a piece of bread could buy a bag of gold. I wish we'd all been ready, there's no time to change your mind, the sun has come, you've been left behind. The return of Jesus to planet earth is a message that fueled the church then and should continue fueling the church in the days that we are presently living in. It should provoke us to live as if he really is going to keep his promise to come to receive us unto himself for where he is we shall be also. John wrote in 1 John chapter 3 verses 2 and 3, we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and everyone who has his hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. His return is intended to provoke us to live lives that are separated to him. Malachi chapter 3 verse 2 reads, but who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears, for he is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap. The hope of his return is intended to provoke us to live as if he were returning at any time and those who have this expectation are to be busy doing their master's business. I cannot help but believe that part of the reason the church is in many ways being overwhelmed by the trends of the world is that in many ways we have just stopped believing that Jesus is true to his word. Believers can be like the servant who said, my master is delaying his coming and find themselves flowing in the current of today's shallow value system. This often is the fruit of ministries that are led by those who do not truly believe that Jesus will return soon and instead of heaping up treasures in heaven find themselves more inclined to heaping up treasures on earth, treasures that do not last and do not satisfy. So once again, what are the signs of the last days? Matthew and Mark tell us in their gospels that Jesus and his men were departing from the temple and heading for the Mount of Olives. As they were making their way to the Mount of Olives, his disciples drew his attention to the buildings. They said, look teacher, what massive stones, what magnificent buildings and indeed it was magnificent. But Jesus said, do you not see all these things assuredly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down. This sobered up the disciples and as they arrived at the Mount of Olives, they spoke to him privately saying, tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? From there, Jesus spoke of what he said were the beginning of sorrows, wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. Often these are the signs that are emphasized as we point out the increasing frequency of the reality of these things in our world and point out that they are the signs that Jesus gave to prepare us for his return. What I found most interesting is that his men asked him about the sign of his coming. This helps us to see that in answer to that question, Jesus said the sign is deception. He said, take heed that no one deceives you and repeats this warning in verse 11, verse 23 and again in verse 24. What is the sign of his coming and the end of the age? Deception. In the days immediately preceding the rapture, apostasy will occur. There will be a deliberate rejection of biblical truth which is Christian doctrine and people will follow the deception propagated by demonic spirits who are the originators of all false religion. As these false beliefs are evangelized, some will willfully fall away from the faith. This speaks of a purposeful decision to leave a deliberate departure. Overall the conditions of the last days will be deception, deception that produces denial. First, there will be a denial of Jesus as God in the flesh and the savior of mankind, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Scientists, Christodelfians, Oneness Pentecostals, the Unification Church, the Unity School of Christianity, Dianetics and Islam, all deny Jesus as God. John wrote in 1 John 4 verse 3 that every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world. Second, there will be the denial of the need of a holy life. People will redefine grace and will present it as permission to continue in sin and still go to heaven. This is seen in the movement to ordain homosexuals and perform same sex marriages. Ephesians chapter 5 verses 5 and 6 says, for you know this, that no fornicator, unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater as any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God, let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Third, there will be a denial of the need for solid doctrinal teaching. Bible studies will be boring to carnal listeners and entertainment will take the place of edification. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 3 and 4 that the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall they heep to themselves, teachers having itching ears, they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. Fourth, there will be a denial of God through their works, having lifestyles that demonstrate a lack of faith in Jesus. Paul wrote in Titus chapter 1 verse 16, they profess to know God but in works they deny him being abominable, disobedient and disqualified for every good work. Finally, fifth, there will be a denial that Jesus is coming back to earth, a promise that is found over 300 times in Scripture. The apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter chapter 3 verses 3 and 4, knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. The spirit of the age encourages unbelief as demons entice people to reject the Gospel. What can we do? How can we combat this? We must simply obey Jesus and follow his command to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything he said that he has commanded. And he promised surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age. As believers and as pastor teachers, we must endeavor to go out and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded. The best way to do this is to teach verse by verse through the Bible. The sad truth is that many who are called pastors simply fail to emphasize what Jesus taught us to emphasize. Many pastors are failing to preach and teach the whole counsel of God with conviction. And this has led to deception being accepted as truth and error as Bible doctrine. We believers are to speak with the boldness and confidence of knowing Scripture and that we are presenting the very word of God because it is truly God's message. Psalm 119 verse 160 says, the entirety of your word is truth and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever. As Paul wrote in Romans 1 verse 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Sadly, because pastors have failed to preach and to teach with conviction, deception is now rampant and accepted as biblical doctrine. Many times I have watched portions of televised church services and have had to turn the program off because of the error that is presented as truth and the sorrow and grief I experience as I watch God's children being lied to and used by the entertainer who is called pastor. We who are pastors must consistently teach the whole counsel of God. And remember that we give an account to God for what we have said in his name. We should use Paul as a model when he says, I have not shunned to declare into you all the counsel of God. Are we in the last moments of the last days? Yes, we most definitely are. And with this in mind, may we the church make a complete commitment to God's truth. It was AW Tozer who said, our Lord made it very plain that spiritual truth cannot be understood until the heart has made a full commitment to it. Jesus said, if anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. The willing and the doing, or at least the willingness to do, come before the knowing. Truth is a strict master and demands obedience before it will unveil its riches to the seeking soul. This is David Rosales, pastor of Calvary Chapel of the Chino Valley.