Is Jesus Coming Back Again? | Signs of the Times Around Us

We're glad you're joining us for A New Beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by Harvest Partners. Get more encouraging audio content when you subscribe to Pastor Greg's Daily Devos.

Learn more and sign up at harvest.org. All around us right now are signs of the times telling us one thing, Jesus Christ is coming again. The Bible isn't silent about what the world will look like before Jesus returns.

Pastor Greg Laurie brings us insight today. What are some of the signs of the times? Artificial intelligence, also known as AI, international financial instability, mass shootings, and disintegration of the family. These are all signs of the times. People ask if the current Middle East situation is a sign of the times. Well, today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out we started seeing signs of the times long before October 7th. It's clear Jesus could come back at any time, and the question is, are we ready? Are our friends and family ready? Today, Pastor Greg offers an important update on where we stand and where we can find reliable counsel about our future.

We'll learn to stay grounded in a time of uncertainty. So I heard the story about an elderly couple that went to bed one night, and I'm not going to say what an elderly couple is, right? But they're old.

They're old. And just as they were getting ready to turn out the lights, the wife said, honey, I wish I could have a hot fudge sundae, but we don't have any of the things we need. Would you be a dear and go to the market and get it for me? He goes, okay, dear, I'll do it. Vanilla ice cream. Don't forget, vanilla ice cream. Write it down. You always forget. He says, I won't forget vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, actually hot fudge.

Don't forget to write it down. I got it. Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge with whipped cream. Don't forget the whipped cream.

Okay, I got it. Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream. Oh, honey, with a cherry on top. Don't forget. Write it down. You always forget. He says, I won't forget. Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, cherry on top.

Got it. So he went to the market, came back about a half hour later and threw a ham sandwich on the bed. She opened it up and said, I told you to write it down.

You forgot the mustard. Okay, so it is fun to lose your mind when you do it together, right? I have often said that Kathy and I, and we have been married now 50 years.

So that is a celebration for us. I have often said between us, Kathy and I, we have one single functioning brain. It is amazing how I will remember half of something and she will remember the other half. Sometimes when I am telling a story, she will interrupt me and say, that is not the way it happened. I will say, Kathy, you weren't even there.

I was there. She says, yeah, but the first time you told me the story, you told it differently. And you know what? She is right about that. So sometimes we forget things. But God never forgets anything. He knows the past. He remembers every detail of the past. But He also knows the future.

Our life is a continuum to Him. Past to God is present. Future is past. Therefore when God predicts the future, it is not as though He is going out on a limb.

It would be like us speaking of the past but more accurately because we do forget the past. So this is a new series and the title of this series is The End of the World, What Does the Bible Say? And I want to answer this question. In fact, this is the title of the message, Is Jesus Coming Again?

Let me just get this out of the way. The answer is, yes He is. Jesus Christ is coming again.

How do you know that, Craig? Because Jesus said, I will come again. And so we look at Bible prophecy. What is Bible prophecy? It is basically God revealing history in advance. Did you know that the Scripture oozes with the return of Christ? 27 to 33 percent of the Bible is prophecy. And more than 10,000 of the 31,102 verses in the Bible contain prophecy. And half of those have already been fulfilled.

That is not a small down payment. So what was once the future but is now the past because these prophecies have been fulfilled. That has happened. So now when we look at the other ones that have not been fulfilled we know we can take it to the bank and it is going to happen exactly as God has said. And all around us right now are signs of the times.

Telling us one thing. Jesus Christ is coming again. What are some of the signs of the times? Well I would say the emergence of China as a superpower. Is that prophesied in Scripture? I think it could be.

And I will make a case for that down the road. The lessening of the United States as a superpower would be included in that. Also the emergence of Iran and the repeated threats against Israel.

Spoken of in Bible prophecy as a matter of fact yes. Even the war in Ukraine causing our world leaders from the President of the United States to the President of Russia start throwing the word Armageddon around is a frightening thing. I would also add the explosion of intelligence and technology especially artificial intelligence.

Also known as AI. I would add government overreach in our lives. Where the government is more aggressively trying to get control of us. The dramatic increase of drug use decimating our cities. International financial instability. Mass shootings.

The disintegration of the family. These are all signs of the times. The Bible says in the last days there will be satanically energized times and things will go from bad to worse. I have to tell you something. I have been a student of Bible prophecy for 50 years now.

I don't think I'm an expert but I am a student of it. And I have to say that I've been shocked what's happened in the last five years alone. Even the last couple of years what we see before us. The blatant promotion of immorality on every platform imaginable from movies tv to social media. The redefinition of what a man and a woman are including child gender mutilation. As young children think they may be transgender. And the parents that encourage and even implement these things. I can't even believe this.

This is evil on a level like I've never seen it before. I would also add what the Bible calls an apostasy. The falling away of people from the faith. The Bible says in the last days some will fall away from the faith giving heed to the doctrines of demons and seducing spirits. We see leaders fall. We see people that we thought were committed Christians fall. We hear of Christians deconstructing their faith.

I wonder if some of them have even constructed it in the first place. But all these things happening around us these are signs of the times. I know these are pretty negative. There's some positive signs of the times of the times too. I see signs of potential revival in our nation and in our world. I don't think we can ignore the fact that God has dramatically worked through the Jesus revolution film. Not only was it a great box office success but we've heard so many stories of changed lives. People coming to Christ in theaters. Spontaneous baptisms happening after the movie was shown. And now because it did well at the box office in America it's gone international. So that's a big deal.

It's a big deal. We're praying that God will use this film to impact lives. Let's not forget the largest baptism in American history that happened at Pirate's Cove. The Jesus revolution baptism. 4,500 people were baptized on that day. And only a few weeks before maybe a month before there was another baptism where 4,000 people were baptized. That means 8,500 people were baptized in a one month span of time.

This is amazing. Okay I'm telling you. We talked about what happened 50 years ago in the Jesus movement. Nothing like this was happening back then.

So it's really reminding us that God is at work. And where is it happening? It's happening in California isn't it? Right? So all you Californians that have moved to Texas and Arizona and Utah I have one thing to say to you.

Nanny nanny nanny. No not really. But God's at work. He hasn't given up on our state. And the Bible says in the last days God says I will pour my spirit out on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. So when I first came to Christ I was seeing visions.

Now I'm dreaming dreams. But I'll tell you what. I'm just happy to see God's spirit at work. But God is working. These are signs of the times. And what does Jesus say? When you see these things begin to happen look up for your redemption is drawing near.

He did not say when you see these things begin to happen freak out but rather look up. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. It's such a blessing to hear from listeners who take time to express their appreciation. Pastor Greg I stayed up until midnight when Jesus Revolution dropped on Netflix. Since I'm a night owl I watched it all the way through till almost 2 a.m. I loved it and especially the music.

In fact I spent more time today listening to the soundtrack which is really great. Thank you Pastor Greg. Do you have a story to tell? If so would you email Pastor Greg and let him know? Send it to Greg at Harvest.org.

That's Greg at Harvest.org. Well Pastor Greg is offering some good counsel today to remind us of how soon Jesus could return. But also to remind us who holds the future. I think there's a lot of frightening things right now in our world today. In fact there's a phenomena now that they call doomsday anxiety which includes the fear or worry about the end of the world or life as we know it.

They say symptoms include chronic nightmares, an underlying feeling of fear, and an obsession with the news or doom scrolling through online media. But listen there's hopeful signs and God is at work. That's why we need to study Bible prophecy. We need to understand it. Some people say well you can understand it. That's wrong.

You can. You can really learn a lot from it. And there's a blessing promised to the person who studies end times events. In the book of Revelation we read that blessed is the one who reads and hears the words of this prophecy and keeps the things that are written in it for the time is near. So there's a specific blessing attached to the study of revelation. And I think in principle this applies to all study of what is sometimes called eschatology which is a study of last things. And by the way it is not God's desire to conceal.

It is his desire to reveal. That's what revelation means. The last book of the Bible sometimes is called revelations. People say I've been reading revelations. It's revelation. It's singular. Never say revelations again or I will have to slap you.

No I don't. You can say it if you want. But it's a single revelation. And the word revelation means the unveiling. God is showing us something. Bible prophecy is not given to scare us but to prepare us.

So it's good to learn these things together. But of course there are always people who go a little too far with it and they engage in date setting. There was a book that came out in 1988 that was a best seller. The title of it was 88 reasons why the rapture will happen in 1988. Then 1989 came.

And it didn't sell so well. And there's always someone who thinks they've cracked the code and they set a date. But Jesus says no man knows a day or the hour when the Son of Man will come. There's a Latin term for this obsession with Bible prophecy and it's rapturous nuttiness.

I don't know if you've heard it but I just made it up actually. But so we want to keep these things in balance. You know some people think everything's a sign of the times.

They sit in the theater and when the movie's over it says the end. That's a sign of the times right. I heard a conversation the other day where one person was actually asking I saw a hamburger for sale for $6.66. Is it okay to buy it?

And I said go ahead and buy it because after they add tax it'll be a different amount. As long as they don't require a mark on your right hand or forehead I think you're okay. Right. But we'll talk about all those things. The mark of the beast. 666.

Antichrist. Armageddon. The rapture. What is it? When is it? Could it happen anytime? The second coming.

The millennial period. And all those things. We'll discover what they're all about together. But as we learn these things there's a reason for it. And it should have a purifying effect on our lives spiritually. First John 3 2 says beloved now we're the children of God as it's not yet been revealed what we shall be but when he's revealed we shall be like him for we will see him as he is. And it goes on to say and he that has this hope purifies himself even as he is pure.

So if I really understand Bible prophecy as I ought to it should cause me to want to live a more godly life. Heard a story of a old dude who was out fishing and he's waiting for a bite and he suddenly hears a voice say to him hey you. He looks around and said that didn't see anyone. Must have been hearing things. Moment passes. He hears it again. Hey you. Pick me up and kiss me and I'll become a beautiful princess.

Who said that? He didn't see anybody. Then the third time he hears the voice say hey you pick me up and kiss me and I'll become a beautiful princess. And he realizes it's a frog who says for the fourth time pick me up and kiss me and I'll become a beautiful princess. The old man picked up the frog and gently tucked it into his pocket. The frog said did you hear what I said. I said kiss me and I'll become a beautiful princess.

The old man said at my age I'd rather have a talking frog. We can be like that. Miss the point right. Let's not miss the point of the study of last things of eschatology. It should cause us to want to live a godly life. So let's look at James chapter 5. Because we're going to discover five takeaway truths on how to live as a last days believer. James 5.

I'm starting at verse 7. Dear brothers and sisters be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently look for the rains and the fall and in the spring.

They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to reap. You too must be patient. Take courage for the coming of the Lord is near. Don't grumble about each other brothers and sisters or you will be judged for look the judge is standing at the door. For examples of patience and suffering dear brothers and sisters look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance you know about Job a man of great endurance.

You can see how the Lord was kind to him in the end for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. So if you're taking notes here's point number one. Something you need to be doing as a believer waiting for the return of Christ. Be patient.

Point number one. Be patient. Look at verse 7. Dear brothers and sisters be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. The word used here for patience is not speaking of a passive resignation but rather a patient expectant waiting on the Lord. Sort of like the way you felt when you were a young person and Christmas day was coming.

You could hardly wait to open up your presence. That's how we should be watching and waiting. The problem is some believers are spiritually asleep. And Paul deals with this attitude in Romans 13 and he says understand this present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your sleep because our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over. The day is almost here.

So he's saying wake up man. Pay attention. Be looking forward to the return of the Lord. And by the way this word used for wait means to look expectantly.

The farmer who patiently waits. And we have to have that patience as well. And that's not easy in our culture today. We don't like to wait for anything. We don't like to deprive ourselves.

You know a little history lesson for you who are younger. When we used to listen to music we listened to something called an album. It's sort of like a really giant DVD okay. And it had little grooves in it and we would take the album out of the jacket and place it on our turntables. And then we would take the needle and put it down into the grooves and we would listen to the sound.

We might pour over the lyrics of the album. So then after that a new technology came along cutting edge. It was called eight track.

Big old giant plastic thing. And you would put it in your car and you listen to your eight tracks. How many of you remember eight tracks?

Okay. Okay then new technology. It was a cassette player. So now we listen to it on cassettes and then along comes the CD. Then along comes the DVD. Now you just download it. In some cases you don't even have to download it. Just stream it.

Just pick the song off the record that you want. So we like things fast. You know you don't have to go down to the mall and search for what you want anymore. You just go to Amazon and if you have Amazon Prime you might even have same day delivery. If you're hungry you don't have to go and wait in line.

You just call Uber Eats. Everything comes fast right. And so when we look at things like the return of the Lord we think well the Lord seems late. But God is never late. God is always on time. The Bible says when the time was just right God sent forth this son born of a woman made under the law to redeem those that are under the law. So really what it's saying is when the time is just right God sent his son Jesus Christ to be born in the manger of Bethlehem.

And when the time is just right Jesus Christ will come back again. Good insight from Pastor Greg Laurie about the timing of the Lord. And before today's edition of A New Beginning concludes Pastor Greg will have an additional comment to share with us. But before we go any further Pastor Greg let's speak to the person who wonders where they fit in to God's plan. They're intrigued by what they've heard today but they wonder what they can do to begin a life of faith.

Well they just need to hear more. They need to hear what the essential gospel message is and I've got a great resource for you. We've set up a web page that's called knowgod.org. You go there I have a video presentation of how you accept Christ, lead you in a prayer and then it links to other spiritual resources that will help you grow spiritually. So just go to knowgod.org.

Do it right now. Pastor Greg tomorrow is a notable day although some may not yet be thinking about it. It's called Giving Tuesday. Yes. And we hope our listeners are open to God's leading in that direction. Isn't that right?

Yeah that's right Dave. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday and what a great opportunity to think about investing in things that matter. And I'll tell you I can't think of anything that matters more than the salvation of men and women. And you know us here at Harvest you know that we believe in preaching the gospel.

You know that we give opportunities for people to come to Christ and every year thousands and thousands of people do pray and ask Jesus Christ to come into their life. So on Giving Tuesday tomorrow would you prayerfully consider making an investment in getting the gospel to our nation. Give a gift to Harvest Ministries. We'll put it to good use and let me just say in advance thank you for that and God bless you. Yeah that's right and the fastest way to make those arrangements is to call us at 1-800-821-3300.

We're here day and night to take your call so dial right now 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org. And to say thank you right now for your donation we want to send you something special to say thank you. It's a book for the holidays isn't that right Pastor Greg? That's right it's brand new it's not been out before it's just been released and it's called Heaven's Light Breaking and we'll send you this brand new Christmas devotional that we have waiting for you. Yeah that's right so get in touch for your copy of Heaven's Light Breaking.

Again you can call us at 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org. Well next time more insight on how we can be ready for the soon return of the Lord. But before we go Pastor Greg closes with these words about the timing of the Lord and why Jesus hasn't returned just yet. Martin Luther made this statement and I quote there are two days on my calendar this day and that day.

The day you're in right now and that day the day of the Lord. Now sometimes we may feel as though Jesus is overdue. Hey Lord we ask have you looked around at this crazy world? Have you seen how wicked things have become? The Lord is fully aware of that.

In fact in the book of Genesis when there was so much evil on the earth that wickedness stunk effectively to high heaven and God intervened. God is aware but God's waiting for something. Or maybe I should say he's waiting for someone.

You say what are you talking about? 2 Peter 3 and 9 says the Lord is not late as some men count lateness. He is long suffering toward us. Listen not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Lord why have you not come back? The Lord would say because I'm waiting. I'm waiting for more people to believe. I'm waiting for people to put their faith in me before I bring judgment upon this earth. A New Beginning is a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners helping people everywhere know God. If this show has impacted your life share your story leave a review on your favorite podcast app and help others find hope.