Last Days - Perilous Times — Martin Geehan

Would you turn with me over to 1 Timothy, where I've been speaking to you? Suppose we go over to 2 Timothy for a minute, because I feel there are a few things here I'd like to talk to you about. You know, there's so much I'd like to talk to you about.

False Teachers and Departure from the Faith

I wish we just had hours and hours and hours to talk about these things that are so precious. But I couldn't help but think, and last week we spoke about, from 1 Timothy, 4th chapter, about the fact that in the last days, or the latter days, false teachers would come in, and there would be those who would depart from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils.

And as I said last week, those who depart from the faith, this is speaking of the church universal, are those who were never saved. They've been preachers, they've been trained sometimes in good seminaries, but they have allowed Satan, the world, all that is around them, to blind their eyes.

And they've never truly come to Jesus, never been born again, because John verifies this very carefully by saying, they left us because they were not of us, for had they been of us from the beginning, they never would have left us.

So anyone, it never disturbs me, I never get upset, except I'm sorrowful in my heart. When someone is, they tell me that someone, oh so-and-so, is in the world, living like the devil, doing everything, it never distresses me, except that I am sorrowful.

All I say is, if you can live in sin and like it and it doesn't distress your heart at all, you never were saved. And don't forget it. I'm sick of this easy salvation that allows someone to get saved and live as they please.

I want to tell you, when you have a new life that's come in, and Christ comes to dwell in the heart by faith, and Paul says, you are a new creature in Jesus Christ, and you have a mind that's transformed by God, and you have received the Holy Spirit of God, and your body, he says, what do you not know that your body is the temple of God, who ye are and whom ye serve?

Do you not see this? Do you not know this? And so we have to understand that wherever we see this, and in 1 Timothy 4, this is what he's speaking of. He said they followed the doctrines of devils. Don't you let them deceive you.

Don't let, don't you get upset by that. You see preachers in pulpit preaching no salvation, forget it. They have no knowledge of God, they know not Christ, and they're bound to the same destiny with a greater judgment than any other man, because they are leading a horde of people down the road to hell.

And I want to say hell is separation from God for all eternity, and I think that should be enough to affright any heart, that you'd have no relationship to God for all eternity. For God has determined how we can be related to himself, and that's only by that simple act of faith in Jesus Christ, his personal Savior, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit as a seal upon our redemption.

The scripture says the Holy Spirit is the seal of our redemption, so that we know this. The only possible way of understanding all that you see is by understanding God's word, and that when you see those departing, remember, he says they have listened to the doctrines of Satan and seducing spirits.

That's it. They've been deceived, and I could bring a message on that by itself, but I don't want to stay there for a minute. I'll get back to that. But the thing this morning that I want to speak about is the fact that much of scripture has been written to and for those in the last days.

Living in the Last Days

Did you realize that? We are living in the last days. Men who know not Christ are concerned about this day. They're concerned for what they see. Read the statements of the greatest scientists on earth today about their fears.

Read the men who developed the atomic bomb, who developed a hydrogen bomb. Read von Braun. Read the statements of the scientists who have already died, who had part in it, and hear them say, the sorriest day of my life was when I discovered this.

Hear the men who discovered the plutonium bomb, of which no nation is making any, because it only needs one to set the world aflame. They know it. When the plutonium bomb was brought into being, it was told to the President of the United States that we could develop one, and he heard the horror of the whole thing.

He said, don't touch it. And Russia, under some secret agreement they claim, is not working on the plutonium bomb, because it would mean the end of Russia, too. So if you have any doubt about living in the last days, where man has come to the place where he can destroy the world, remember this.

I would remind you that Peter says, God hath restored, hath reserved the world to be destroyed by himself, by fire. Not for man. Not for man. That is God's province. God made the atom. By him all things consist and hold together.

That's what Hebrew says. He's the one who developed it all and made it, and man has merely discovered it. That's all. So we're living in a day where we only have to look around us to realize that the Lord is coming soon.

Beloved, rejoice with me. Young people, rejoice with me. I know how you feel. I know just how you would feel, because I was myself young, and I haven't lost the feelings of a young man. And I would know that you would say, but I haven't been married yet.

Or if I'm married, I haven't had any children yet. Or I'm young, there's so much. I want to tell you, you may not believe me, but if the Lord Jesus comes, He'll make it all up to you plus. Now, you may not understand my words because I'm older, but I assure you, God will make it up to you, young people, plus.

You won't suffer any loss. Listen, all we have to do is to read the Scriptures, to understand that God says man's life is a vale of tears and of sorrows. And while some may say, we've never been married, we've never had children, I want to say, I want to say something.

You may not even know what you're asking for. There are many a mother and dad today is saying, I wonder why I had children. There's many a mother and dad who have sorrow in their heart and a gold star in their home window because some boy was slain in Vietnam.

There's many a mother and dad whose boy today is living in deep sin. There's many a mother and dad who have children who are sick. There's many a mother and dad whose lives are broken. There's many sorrows and burdens.

I want to tell you, if the Lord Jesus comes, there'll be no sorrow there and no crying. For the former things have passed away and all things have become new. I used to worry about whether I'd ever see too much of the world.

It doesn't bother me in the least anymore. I'm just as happy if I just see Melbourne. I hate Manhattan even. I'm just as happy as long as God gives me the privilege of preaching the gospel. Why should I worry about this little earth I'm standing on when God's promised me a new heavens and a new earth where there'll be glory and righteousness and where I'll be able to see a universe that science can't even bring in on its telescope.

Why they frankly admit they've made a 200 inch Palomar telescope and they can't bring in the furthermost star and the latest reasoning say the world is expanding at a faster rate than the speed of light.

How can you bring it in? That's the latest theory. It's expanding faster than the speed of light at 186 ,000 miles per second. There's the world expanding faster than that. I often thought I'm going to see a new heavens and a new earth.

That's what God says. A new heavens and a new earth. And I couldn't help but notice where Peter says new heavens and a new earth. Earth singular, heavens plural. Paul says, and God took me up to the third heaven.

Everybody used to wonder, where's the third heaven? Science today says there are three areas. There's the area of earth, the atmosphere, there's a period, there's a place in between, and then there's a heaven that we haven't got to yet, beyond that, where the stars are.

God says, I'm going to make it all new, a new heavens and a new earth. Listen, do you know I'm not going to see one of the stars that shines in the skies because most of them are dead? Did you know that?

Science says most of the stars are dead. The light's been traveling here for 10 million years and some of them, 10 million light years. And the light that I see is from a star that died 20 million years ago.

And so God says, I'm going to make a new heavens. People worry about whether they're going to see, well sure, I'd like to see Israel. It'd be nice, wouldn't it, to see Israel? It'd be lovely. But I want to tell you, that isn't what concerns me.

Faith in Christ and the Promises of God

What concerns me is, have you faith in Jesus? Have you faith that transcends it? As we read that scripture this morning, justified by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ, that all the promises of God become yea and amen to us, you see.

God has great celestial promises for those that love him. And a great portion of scripture, for instance, let me put it this way. Over half the Gospels, notice four Gospels, over half the Gospels record the last seven days of Jesus' life, that's all, that's all.

A great portion of the epistles speak to us of the last days. You'll go down through scripture, one verse after another will speak of the last days, the latter days, so that here we are living in those days where we see all of these things, the gathering storm all around us, the gathering of all of the powers, the terrible wars and the rumors of war, where we see all that Jesus spoke of, violence, he says, shall fill the earth when I come.

Shall I find faith on the earth? No, he says, I will not find faith on the earth. Notice that 2 Timothy 3 .1, this know also that in the last days, what, perilous times shall come. Now beloved, let me say this, let me give you a simple test of your faith this morning.

We're now looking at some length of Paul's epistles. I gave you the testimony of Christ concerning the second coming in Luke 17 and 18, Matthew 24 and 25, the whole book of Revelation, which I haven't touched yet, but in those gospel portions he speaks of the coming.

We could go to John 14, we could go to any kind of Acts, the first chapter. There's all over speaking of the second coming of the Lord. But now we're in that period, that place where Paul is speaking of the second coming.

We claim to rejoice in God's word. That's what we say. We rejoice in the promises of God. We've been redeemed in the blood of the Lamb. We trust this implicitly. Then beloved, when you read this portion, 2 Timothy 3 .1, I want you to think very seriously of what it says, because nine-tenths of the church preaching this morning will deny this.

They will deny that in the last days, perilous times are coming. They will tell you that the church is going to sweep in the millennial kingdom, that the church is going to be the one that will bring in peace and prosperity, and every man shall have his own tree, and the fruit tree shall bear twelve times a year, and the lamb shall lie down with the lion, and they tell you this is all the church's work.

The church's job is to make men better, natural men better, by not conversion, but by reformation. And God denies this. God says the only possibility of making a man who will be clean and pure and holy is by the new birth.

Then he becomes a new creature in Jesus Christ. So a great portion of the church would deny this. Test your faith this morning. It says this, no, also, that in the last days, perilous times will come.

Now listen, let me read it again. In the last days, perilous times will come. Do you know what the word perilous means in the Greek? It means this, trying times, torturesome times, sorrowful times, anguishing times are coming upon the earth.

Now let me ask you a few simple questions. Is this utterance the divinely inspired word of God? Test your faith now. May I say this? If you don't believe it, you're not redeemed, because all that we know about redemption is in Paul's epistles.

Remember, is this the divinely inspired word of God? Is it God breathed? Test yourself. Is it God breathed? Is this utterance the clear-cut statement of the divine mind in divinely chosen words by a divinely chosen apostle?

Is it? Then it's truth. In the last days, perilous times shall come. Never let me hear a Christian say, I can't understand what's wrong with the world. You do understand. What says this? What? Tell me.

Know also. Let's say it together. In the last days, perilous times shall come. Beloved, you see, it's a matter of whether you believe. Don't let anyone ever say to me, I am a Christian, but I don't believe the miracles.

The Resurrection as the Greatest Miracle

Well, you know, the greatest miracle is Christ is risen. And if Christ be not risen from the dead, your faith is vain and you are yet in your sins. He's the greatest miracle. So never make this statement, I don't believe in miracles.

If you don't believe in miracles, forget it, because the scripture is a book of miracles. Salvation is a miracle. Paul speaks of it as a great mystery. The world can never conceive of it, he says. The carnal mind cannot see the things of God, for they are spiritually discerned.

Unbelievers don't bother me. They can't discern it. You have to have the Holy Spirit, God. But the original work, when Christ becomes Savior of the soul, God immediately gives you the Holy Spirit. So then the whole book opens up and you discern, you understand.

He says, by faith we understand. That's all. That's all. So, beloved, we have to decide. Is this true? In the last days, perilous times shall come. Is this utterance as much a part of God's word as the portion we read in Romans this morning, where it says, therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ?

Is it? It's the same man. It's the same man. If, when I read that this morning, you rejoice greatly in the justification by faith in the blood of Christ, forgiveness of sins, then, beloved, how can you help but rejoice in knowing that the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall meet the Lord in the clouds, in the air, and then shall we ever be with the Lord. Who said that? The same man who said you're being justified by faith.

Man, I really bring you down to decisions, don't I? You're no more saved than you believe the Lord is coming. Because if you base your salvation and your justification upon Paul's words and Christ doesn't speak of justification, Christ does not go into any long treatises on doctrine.

The Roman Church and the Protestant Church says we are Pauline churches. It depends upon Pauline doctrine. Therefore, what Paul says here is the divine utterance from the divine man through a divinely appointed apostle that we might understand that in the day we're living in, perilous times are coming and you can see it all around you.

Readiness for the Lord's Coming

Man, you've only got to read the newspaper. We're blind as Christians. We're asleep. And Paul warns in Thessalonians, he said be careful. Christians are going to slumber. Those who have been low in their faith, they'll slumber.

They will not see the Lord's coming. He says I'm coming as a thief in the night. Be ready, for in such a day as what? Ye think not. The Lord is coming. Beloved, I cry out to you. Listen, we would disturb all the inertia in human souls who have come to Christ as personal Savior and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God if we believed what we read.

There'd be such a dynamic in our souls that not one of you could sit in a pew. You'd want to get up after the sitting in a pew and listening to the Lord and talking to your loved ones and talking to your friends and say the Lord is coming.

And I'm not pointing a day. I'm not pointing an hour. Because Jesus says no man knoweth a day or the hour but my Father in heaven. But I am saying he's coming soon. Be ye ready, he says, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Lord cometh.

Let me ask you another question. How do you live concerning this? What is your life? God says it is a vapor. Listen, what I'm looking is for people who get the fire of God in their souls and believe God's word with all their heart and take hold of it like the disciples and the apostles of the early church who were willing to die and be slain and slaughtered and torn to shreds by animals, by anything, by lions, it didn't matter what it was.

Paul beheaded and James on a sunder, thrown from the parapet down into the streets. John boiled in oil on the isle of Patmos at 96 years of age. Peter crucified upside down. Why? Because they said this is the word of God.

The other day when we were studying Thessalonians, notice what it says. I'll just read it. Paul speaks. Here's what he says. When ye received the word of God, he says to the Thessalonians, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth.

Isn't that tremendous? Oh, listen to me, beloved. If the Holy Spirit really takes hold of your heart, if you really believe this morning, if you're trusting Christ as your personal Savior, that burning zeal will come into the soul first that a husband and wife will really love each other.

And if you don't love each other, pray about it and get into that place of love for each other that's deep and holy. Those who really love each other, children loving their parents and parents to children, there'll be a convocation of families in love with Christ, understanding God's word, seeing an answer to life, an answer to the world, an answer to all that is terrible around us and all of the sin and the crime and the rape and the pillage and every civil rights problem and all of the problems of earth and find that Jesus Christ in Him is the answer if men will but receive it.

He's not the answer to the deniers. And I pray Christ is the answer. I say Christ is the answer to the receivers, but not to the unbelievers. He's the judge of the unbelievers, but He's the Savior of believers.

Perilous Times and the Signs of the Age

Just know also that in the last days perilous times will come. Man, I've got a lot to say about that. I've got ten points on the perilous times you're living in, and I can show you from every angle of scripture, Russia where she stands, Israel where she is, the church where it is, the world where it is, the Arab nations where they are, the United States where it is.

Every single one prophesied of in scripture perilous times. What does Jesus say? Listen. I close with this. Men's hearts shall fail them in the last days because of the things they see coming upon the earth.

Mark my words. Mark my words. Put it down right at some place. Russia will be on the moon. Russia will not use the moon for scientific research. Russia will do exactly what she has said. And those things which our government already knows, Russia intends from the moon if she occupies it to set atomic bombs in the sky and satellites and operate them from the moon to the earth and say, no!

You know, about ten years ago I'd have said Buck Rogers stuff. Wouldn't you? Listen, do you young people know anything about Buck Rogers? You don't. Well, you missed everything. When I was a boy, Buck Rogers had everything you see now in his little comic strips.

He had them getting up to the moon. He had men from Mars. He had the moon as a great fortress. And I used to think crazy stuff. When I got older, I mean. When I was younger, I didn't think so. But I want to tell you the secret files of this government from all that I have heard from very, very good sources show that Russia has no benign intention towards the United States.

And if you don't believe that, then read Mr. Stallings and Mr. Lennon's works. The United States is really hoping it gets there first, may I be frank? And you can rest assured that the first settlement on the moon will not be playing games.

The first settlement on the moon will be creating rocket bases aimed at Mother Earth. How do I know? Jesus says, In the last days, perilous times shall come. Men's hearts shall fear them for the things, what?

That are coming, what? Upon the earth. Did I whet your appetite? I hope so. Tremendous things. Let us pray. Father, we thank Thee for Thy precious word. Bless it to our hearts. We're so thankful we belong to Christ.

And Lord, You've put down well in Your word about us. And we want to thank Thee for that. How precious it is when we read, Lord, that You have not given us to the wrath which is to come, that we shall escape it according to Thy precious word, Lord.

We're thankful it in 1 Thessalonians. You tell us that. Ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are the children of light and the children of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, what a word. Seal it to our hearts, Father.

And if in our midst there should be any who have not yet said yes to Jesus, Lord, I'm asking that right now in their hearts they say, Oh, I want Christ as my Savior. I want to love Him as my own. There is a wrath which is coming.

God says so. Jesus says so. The Paul says so. Every disciple says so. And Father, we pray that we will take these things to our hearts and seal them there, thanking Thee above all else that the blood of Christ has cleansed us from sin, and the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven and take us to Himself before His wrath is dispelled upon an unbelieving world.

Man has had his time. Father, he is a failure in government, where thankful Christ is coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the only High Potentate over all the earth. And then we're told, And righteousness shall dwell in all the earth.

Now, Father, seal these things to our hearts in Christ's name. Amen.