Jim Bakker Show

Procrastinators, Beware!

Maybe Jesus did not get more specific so we would live with a constant sense of expectation, looking for His soon return.  Clearly that was the message of His story about the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13), five of whom were prepared for the bridegroom’s coming and five of whom were not.  Jesus emphasized the point of the story:  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (25:13 NKJV).

God knows that some of us are terrible procrastinators.  We would gladly put off until tomorrow what we should have done yesterday.  On the other hand, my mother always prepared well in advance.  She had a disciplined manner, and my family members could set their clocks and calendars by Mother’s schedule.  She washed clothes on Monday; she ironed on Tuesday.  She bought groceries on Friday.  Her pattern rarely changed.  If we planned a picnic, and something happened that we could not go, my mother cried because her plans had changed.

Perhaps as a reaction to Mother’s rigidity, I have always been just the opposite.  I hate to prepare for trips ahead of time.  An hour (or less) before it is time to go, I will be scouring my clothes closet, tossing shirts, socks, and underwear every which way, trying to figure out what I should pack.  Similarly, if I am preaching at a church, I wait until the last minute before getting dressed, usually arriving just in time to walk onto the platform.

By not telling us the exact time and date of His coming, perhaps Jesus was being especially gracious to procrastinators like me.  If Jesus had given us an exact date for His return, some people would no doubt waste much of their time, talents, and treasures on meaningless or trivial pursuits.  They would wait until the last minute to prepare to meet the King of kings face to face.

When it comes to the Second Coming, we will not read an announcement in the newspaper the day before Christ’s return.  You will not hear an anchorman declare on the evening news, “And tomorrow at five o’clock, Jesus Christ will return to earth in power and glory, with His holy angels, Film at eleven.”

Yet, if you listen carefully, you will hear prophetic “voices in the wilderness” proclaiming the message that Christ’s return is imminent.  It is “gettin’ ready time.”  This is no dress rehearsal, this is the real thing.  Furthermore, we need to fall in love with Jesus now, and not wait until the last minute.  If Jesus really is coming soon, how much more important it is that we get to know Him better, and that we center our lives around the things that are important to Him.

Years ago, an artist painted a scene in which a young woman was standing on a cliff, looking out to sea, her hand shading her eyes as she eagerly scanned the horizon, watching for the first sign of her husband’s returning ship.  Her face is filled with love and desire, as though she is recalling exactly what he had promised her concerning his return and when she might expect to see him again.  As she looks for his ship, she is already preparing a welcome for him in her heart.

Christians who truly love the Lord Jesus will have a similar attitude as we look for signs of His soon appearing.  We should be recalling His every word, studying the Scriptures to help us remember what is important to our loving Lord, scanning the horizon, watching for hints that the time is drawing near, and preparing our hearts in anticipation.

(To Be Continued)

Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 1
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 3
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 4
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 5
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 6
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 7
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 8
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 9
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 10
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 11

Excerpt from Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse

Published in 1998

The signs of the end times are all around us.

The recent earthquake in Japan is presenting an abundance of end-time catastrophes that will ripple through the entire world.  Our country is certain to be impacted by the economic crises these events have triggered.  Already they are closing auto manufacturing plants that are dependent on Japanese supply chains which have broken down.  I believe this earthquake in Japan is going to trigger an economic meltdown worldwide.

A dear friend and prophet, Bob Hartley, brought a message recently about five supernatural waves that will impact our nation, and the first of these is an economic wave.  That wave is about to overtake us!  We must be prepared!

In 1998, my book “PROSPERITY and the COMING APOCALYPSE” was published.  Even as I was in the process of writing the book, I felt like the Lord was saying that although it was noteworthy information for the year 1998, it would be much more received in a future time, a time when people everywhere were seeking answers for the turmoil in our world.  I believe that time is now.  This is not just a book of prophecy, it is a book of survival.  It is available in our online store or by calling 1(888)988-1588.

“PROSPERITY and the COMING APOCALYPSE” addresses such issues as:

• Why I believe a coming world economic collapse will lead to terrorism and possibly war.
• How recent weather patterns, violent tornadoes, and earthquakes are just the beginning of a world out of control.
• When and why meteors will hit the earth, causing massive, unprecedented destruction.
• What Christians ought to be spending their time, energy, and resources doing in these “last days”.
• How to have hope in the face of difficult times and survive the coming apocalypse.

In the days ahead, you may be stripped of everything you have ever held dear.  You may lose your money, your home, your material possessions, your career, your spouse or other family members.  Please do not be dismayed.  I have been through the stripping and I can tell you that the Savior will never leave you nor forsake you, no matter how dark or difficult the days ahead.

God will take care of us through the coming apocalypse and beyond!  And we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

Love,

Jim

It may surprise some of  you, but the reality is that we are already in a war, a spiritual war, right here on Earth.  The kingdom of God is being viciously opposed by the forces of evil.  This war is real with very high stakes – the salvation of men, women, boys and girls all over the world.   As the Church, we are new soldiers in this very old war.

Every day we are moving closer and closer to the time of Jesus’ return.    This is not a time to sit on the sidelines and watch as a spectator.  We are entering a season of acceleration.

You need to understand there is a master plan.  This master plan has been recorded in God’s Holy Word and prophesied in His Word.  The Lord is continually exhorting His people.  In Revelation, throughout the second chapter, the Lord, through John the Revelator, is repeatedly saying:

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” -Revelation 2:29

On Sunday, Nov. 28, the headlines warned “North Korea Deploys Missiles Near Yellow Sea Border” and “Europe Tries to Contain Debt Crisis”.  On Saturday, Nov. 27th,  we read “South Korea Marines Vow Revenge For Attack” and “South Korea, U.S. Gear Up for War Games Amid Tensions”.  On Thursday, Nov. 25th, news headlines said the Pentagon ordered the USS George Washington aircraft carrier strike group to the Yellow Sea for naval exercises with South Korean forces.  The escalation of events in the headlines should not escape the spiritual discernment of  Christians everywhere.   All of this cries out from the scriptures of the end times.  It’s NOW time to comprehend the accelerating events of our world – it’s time to pay attention.

Matthew 24:3

“Now as He [Jesus] sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came 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’?”

Jesus answered and said to them . . .

Matthew 24:6-7

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation [ethnic group] will rise against nation [ethnic group], and kingdom [country] against kingdom [country] . . .   all these are the beginning of sorrows” [actual translation is 'birth pangs';  as with birth pangs they will grow closer].

Almost every day we hear of wars and rumors of wars in the news.  Almost every day we hear of natural disasters in increasing frequencies and intensities.  Almost every day we hear of the increase in weather extremes.  Almost every day we hear of more and more wickedness in man’s brutality and cruelty to man.

Church, we cannot become accustomed to these things.  We cannot be de-sensitized to the signs of His coming!  Each and every one of these things scream from the pages of Revelation that He is Coming Soon!  And this time He is coming as the Lion, not the Lamb.

Awake from your slumber!  Awake and be alert!  It’s not enough just to know about  the signs of His coming!  It’s not enough to just talk about those signs!

It’s the holiday season.  People are busy and life makes demands on people’s time.  But there is nothing more important than HEARING, SEEING AND PREPARING for the things that are coming quickly!

I love you and I want you to be prepared.

One day soon, the events of this world may not even afford us a headline in the news.  One day soon we may be beyond these urgent messages of preparation.  One day soon, we may suddenly not recognize our world as it is today.

It could happen today – It could happen tomorrow or next week.  No one knows the exact time or the exact events that will cause our very fragile world to collapse.  But we do know the signs…. and we have seen many of them in very recent headlines.

Matthew 25

25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

25:2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

25:3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

25:5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

25:6 And at midnight  [an unexpected time] a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

25:7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

25:8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

25:9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

25:11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

25:12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

25:13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

What could be more unlikely than a pile of human bones living again?  It doesn’t seem like a very intelligent question to ask and an even more impossible thing to actually occur.

Yet, God Himself asked the question of Ezekiel as he looked out over the valley of dry bones:

And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?

and I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.
—EZEKIEL 37:3 

As Ezekiel looked at the dry valley of bones, he had no hope.  He saw only bones that appeared to be dead, dry and beyond hope.

There was a reason God asked Ezekiel if the bones could live.  God wanted Ezekiel to know that the bones could live, and that he had a very important role to play in their living.  Let’s read on:

Ezekiel 37:1-10:  Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

In these last days, there are many of God’s people that appear to be dead, dry and beyond hope.  The battles have been fierce, and while they appear to be defeated, don’t count them out just yet.  In fact, it is the Lord’s heart to count them in!  The Lord is raising up an army – a vast army from the bones of those who appear to be lifeless and without hope!

It is the prophetic call and responsibility of the Church to speak life to the dry bones within.  The Lord said “I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!”

From my own personal experience, when you have been down for such a long time, and someone tells you that you CAN get up – it’s as life-giving as the very breath you breathe!  You can rise again!  You may have been told it’s over, you’re done.  But, God says NOW is the time, NOW is your time!

Jesus came to give hope to the hopeless.  It’s time we learn to speak life to those who need encouragement and hope.  When you speak words of life, you are literally creating the will to live – and that is Jesus’ heart!

NOW is the time to speak life to someone!