Roy’s Blog: “A Scene From The Future”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/08/roys-blog-a-scene-from-the-future/

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

Nearly all the end time players have revealed themselves. And now, we have a want-to-be candidate for the biblical “man of sin”.

President Emmanuel Macron, of France, visited the devastated city of Beirut, Lebanon and was greeted as a savior by the people who cried out, “You are our only hope!” This, of course, grabbed world headlines.

What do I see? I see an ambitious visionary who works for a “sovereign and united democratic Europe”. He envisions himself as the new globalist leader, leading the world to a new world order. He is like a scene from the future.

You and I who are looking for the Lord have every reason to be excited. Why? Because we are watching the closing days of this dispensation and the soon coming of the Lord.

Roy’s Blog: “Good Examples”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/roys-blog-good-examples/

I Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

How easy it is to forget that we are always being watched, and I don’t mean by “Big Brother” right now. Even though, I guess it would also apply. Friends, neighbors, strangers, and especially our children watch us. Our children, and sometimes others (if they admire us) will also imitate us or try to be like us.

Some years ago as I pulled through the drive at the bank, I noticed a woman at a house next door to the bank mowing her yard. Several steps behind her was a little boy with a plastic mower. Up each row and back, he made every step she did pushing the little lawn mower never missing a round. Mowing the grass just like his mother.

This was a good example of the impact our lives have on others, especially our own children. This is why it is so important for us as parents, friends, neighbors, or even a stranger to someone walking by to be a GOOD example. Don’t let problems and turmoil of the world cause you to react in manner that you regret later.

A dozen or so years ago, the slogan came out, “WWJD–What Would Jesus Do?” It is still a question we should ask ourselves today, before taking any action so that our actions reflect Jesus.

James 1:22 “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Roy’s Blog: “Lebanon Has Collapsed”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/06/roys-blog-lebanon-has-collapsed/

Ezekiel 38:14a,15 “On that day when my people Israel are living securely…You will come from the north and many people with you.”

August 4th a large explosion destroyed the port, airport, and much of Beirut, Lebanon. Now a city with nearly two million people has no electricity, no food, and has destruction on a scale not seen since World War II. Complete destruction for a 6.2 mile circumference.

Prophetically, this stands out because, even though Lebanon is on Israel’s northern border, it is not mentioned in Ezekiel as coming with the armies of Gog/Magog from the North against Israel. What was known as the jewel of the Mediterranean is a failed state.

Two countries are on Israel’s northern border, Syria and Lebanon, and neither one is mentioned in Ezekiel. Yet, Russia, Turkey, and Iran, which are mentioned, sit on Israel’s northern border–in Syria.

Nations are lining up. Events are falling in place as prophesied. The time is short.

Roy’s Blog: “Look Up”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/05/roys-blog-look-up/

Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption draweth nigh.”

Years ago, I loved to go hunting. When squirrel season came , I went to the woods every chance I got. During bird season, I couldn’t wait to spend time walking the fields and bagging a few quail. It wasn’t just the hunting I enjoyed. I loved to see the many fall colors, smell the fall smells, loved the crisp morning air.

One early morning I’ll never forget. It was deer season, and I drove my tractor to the deer stand. The deer were used to the sound of my tractor in the early morning hours. Nothing but the stars in the sky and frost on the ground. I shone my flashlight on the ground looking for tracks. There were many tracks, some going one way, some another, some even crossing over other tracks. A great sign. While I was ogling the tracks, I forgot to look up. And, just a short distance away, I heard a snort. There he was just standing looking at me. I was so busy looking at the signs, I forgot the main thing. Look up.

Don’t get too busy looking at the signs of Jesus coming that you forget the main thing. Look up! And be ready!

Roy’s Blog: “The Little Horn”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/04/roys-blog-the-little-horn/

Daniel 7:8 “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them…this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.”

On Friday of last week, rioters set fires in front of a federal courthouse, in Portland Oregon, as the city entered its 65th consecutive day of protests.

Left-wing activists brought a stack of Bibles to burn in front of the federal courthouse in Portland. That doesn’t make a lot of sense until your realize these protests are not just against police brutality. They are not “peaceful” protests. They have been taken over by at least two Marxist/communist groups. (That’s not just me saying they are Marxist. The leaders of the Black Lives Matter group openly profess to being Marxist trained.) The other group calls itself “Anti-fa”. They are terrorist groups who hate America, hate God, and hate anything to do with Christianity. Many people are being deceived and used to foster this hatred throughout the country.

This is not about black lives mattering, it’s not about slavery, it’s not about police, or statues. It’s about tearing down America –the last stronghold against their New World Order. If America falls, the rest of the world will be thrown into utter chaos (Satan’s favorite toy).

The riots are not just happening in America but across much of the western world.

The little horn of Daniel will arise from a world filled with chaos, economic instability, and demonic deception.

We are truly living in the last days.

Roy’s Blog: “Your Opportunity”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/03/roys-blog-your-opportunity/

Job 10:8a “Your hands shaped me and made me.”

You are uniquely designed for His plan and purpose to accomplish certain things. Before God created you, He decided what role He wanted you to play on earth.

Nothing that happens in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it–the struggles, the turmoil, and yes, even the victories to mold you.

Your responsibility is your God given assignment that is unique to you. Your assignment is a wonderful privilege. Living out that assignment is the greatest thing you can do in your service to the Lord.

Unlike many other things, your assignment has eternal significance. The consequences of your life choices will last forever. Your life has meaning. If you waste it, you will have thrown away your greatest opportunities in life. Your were made for a purpose.

Roy’s Blog: “Increase In Knowledge”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/02/roys-blog-increase-in-knowledge/

Daniel 12:4 “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”

This is saying the knowledge of Bible prophecy would increase, knowledge of how and when the prophecies would take place. Many of the things we see today, people a hundred years ago would not understand. Even twenty or thirty years ago there are things people wouldn’t understand that are common knowledge today.

A hundred years ago, or even fifty years, we couldn’t understand how the whole world could see the two witnesses (Revelation 11:8-9) lie in the streets of Jerusalem. How people from many nations would rejoice over their deaths.

Five years ago, or even last year, could you imagine a pandemic sweeping through the world and causing such chaos in a matter of three months?

Our forefathers could not envision the nation of Israel, much less the possibility of building the Third Temple in Jerusalem. But we can!

Our knowledge has increased tremendously in the last ten-twenty years. We can understand how the world could see the two witnesses as they lie in the streets, as people walk by and not mourn but rejoice in their deaths. Technology has increased, but so has the knowledge of what the Bible says. Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation have become clearer than ever.

Jesus gave this specific instruction: “Keep a constant watch. And pray that, if possible, you may escape these horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

Roy’s Blog: “Tune In To God”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/08/01/roys-blog-tune-in-to-god/

I Kings 19:11-12 “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: (12) And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”

Have you ever had a day when you felt everything and everyone was against you? You forgot where you left your phone and now it’s ringing. Water is backing up in the sink and toilet. The food on the stove is boiling over, and now someone is knocking at your door. Your hair is a mess; you’re in your pajamas. Everything seems to be falling apart at the same time.

Here is a similar story: Joseph, following his father’s request, went to check on his brothers who were tending the livestock in a far pasture. Because of their jealousy (he was favored by their father), they threw him in a pit. They were going to kill him, but instead, they sold him to a some Ishmeelites who sold him as a slave in Egypt. Through no fault of his own he lands in an Egyptian jail. He goes from wearing a robe of honor, to wearing rags in a jailhouse.

In spite of all his struggles and trials, God was not through with him. Because he relied on God for all his answers, he went from the jailhouse to second in command of the entire land of Egypt–in one day. “Nothing is impossible with God.”

When everything is against you, tune in to that still small voice. Tune in to God.

Roy’s Blog: “Past Your Pain”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/07/31/roys-blog-past-your-pain/

I Peter 1:6-7 “Trials are no accident. They happen to test your faith.”

Life is not a series of random happenings; trials are not freak accidents. Life is not totally unplanned or without meaning. There is an order, a plan. God knows what is going on. He didn’t see today and say, “Oh, that surprised me.” He’d already seen today.

For the believer, everything is “Father filtered”. And that is comforting.

Don’t misunderstand. Everything that happens to you in life is not God’s perfect will. There are a lot of things that are not God’s perfect will. Sin is sin.

God doesn’t cause your problems, but He will permit them. He has given us a limited free will, and He allows the consequences of our choices. He allows them because our problems have a purpose. God permits them, then uses them to ultimately bring good.

Joseph went from the jail house to the penthouse in one day. Peter went from despair to the power of Pentecost. Paul went from persecution and the jailhouse to glory.

God is looking past your pain and knows it will produce glory!

Roy’s Blog: “Maranatha”

https://bphowlett.wordpress.com/2020/07/30/roys-blog-maranatha/

(Maranatha: Expression meaning “our Lord comes” was used as a greeting in the early church.)

2 Peter 3:8 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day.”

This verse from the Apostle Peter is a fascinating verse. It is my belief that the verse is tied prophetically to the week of creation found in Genesis. The seven days of creation are a type of the seven thousand years assigned by God for mankind: six thousand years of human history climaxed by the one thousand year reign of Christ.

I believe we are in the transition from day six to day seven. The “seventh day”, or that last thousand years of history, corresponds to God’s resting on the seventh day and is a picture of the Lord’s one thousand year Kingdom.

That makes our day a thrilling time. Out of all generations of man, He chose our generation (you and I) for this day, this hour.

MARANATHA!