Are You Ready | Elder Terence Atkinson

You're listening to a message to go from acts church. We hope this message

will light up your day. Are you ready? Luke twenty one, verse

seven. So they asked him, saying, teacher, but when will these

things be and what sign will they be? When these things are about to

happen. Things are about to happen, and the people were asking Jesus for

a sign. If you read before, it was Jesus talking about the temple

being destroyed. So they asked him for a sign. You know what this

word sign means. It means this. It is a distinguishing mark that authentickets

and establish who Christ is. You see, they were not just asking for

show us a sign when this thing was going to happen. You know what,

They were actually asking Jesus, show us a sign that you have the

authority to say these words. Show us a sign that you qualify to make

this statement. Do you know that when they were asking Jesus for a sign,

they were actually telling Jesus, prove to us who you say you are.

Wow? Who were these people who were asking Jesus to prove himself to

them? The sign which indicates the Messiah will shortly af fought with come from

heaven invisible manifestation. You and I do you believe that Jesus is coming again?

How many of you believe Jesus is coming again? How many of you

believe that he is coming soon? Okay? Can I see the show?

Okay? How many of you believe that Jesus is coming again? Show of

hands? Okay, that's about everybody? How many of you believe that he

is coming soon? Fifty percent dropped out. I don't blame you, because

for two thousand years people have been waiting for Jesus to show up and he

hasn't. And what was it he said? Take heed that you will not

be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying I am he.

The time has drawn hear therefore, do not go after them. Are

you aware that there have been many people who have claimed to be Jesus.

The latest one is a guy by the name of sagey Anatolevich Torop, a

long head former traffic policeman, and he calls himself the Siberian Jesus. Believe

it or not, He's got about two thousand followers. He wears the robes

like Jesus. He's got the long beard and the long hair. And he

walks around, and he's got a large following. People will come and they

will say he is Jesus. There, Jesus. If somebody would come here,

Let's say, you know, I come here and I don't have a

right hand, and it's you know, it's chopped off at the you know,

at the shoulder. And a man comes and says, be heal the

name of Jesus. And in front of your eyes, the hand grows back

and many no hand now hold hand, and the guy says, I am

Jesus. How many of you are going to believe, Truther? How many

are you going to believe that he is the Lord? Do you know that

unless you have a relationship with Jesus, you and I will probably run after

this man saying that he is Jesus because you saw it, but no hand

and a hand pops out. You know what Jesus said, Don't believe it.

Don't believe it, because the next time I come, everyone around the

world, all at the same time will know that I've come. And I'm

not talking television, I'm not talking internet. We will all see him in

the sky descending with his armies, and we will know that is Jesus.

You and I need to be aware of this because many false prophets are arising

in the world today. Nanotechnology, by the way, has reached amazing standards.

Can you imagine the things that we see in the movies where they will

come and sudden me hands will grow. We're not too far away. Are

you aware that there's artificial intelligence? Artificial intelligence are algorithms you know that can

write speeches? How many of you are now using chat GBT to write your

work? Tell the truth? Okay, praise the Lord. I see a

few hands. You see I recently you an AI program? Did you?

Did you like that song? Just now? Okay? I actually have the

actual records, so you know, I I've got the stuff for right,

But what I don't have is I don't have the minus one minus one,

meaning the music. And I've searched for years, for forty years, by

the way, this song is almost forty years old and I couldn't find it.

Then I came across this software and I tried it and that was the

result artificial intelligence. So there will be a time when when you know,

man will be able to do some fantastic things under the guise of miracles.

God does a miracle, for you believe it. Live your life by miracles,

No, live your life by the word, because your eyes can deceive

you. So Jesus said in verse eight, do not go after them.

The first thing to watch out for is that is the trueness of what he

means to us. That's the one that will be attacked. The first thing

that will be attacked in the last days is our faith in Jesus and who

Jesus is, because if they can get us to change that, they can

get us to fall. The enemy will attack to take control of who you

think and who the world thinks Jesus is. You know that if the Internet

and they, you know, every TV were to show us that Jesus is

coming, you know, and that's Jesus, don't believe it because it's not

man that will point us to Jesus. When Jesus comes the second time,

Jesus will point to Jesus. Don't you forget it. And if you don't

have a relationship with the Lord, or if you have a weak relationship with

him, you may not be able to discern who Jesus is. And that's

a scary thought. But when you hear wars and commotions do not be terrified,

for these things must come to pass first, and the end will not

come immediately. Every day there are wars and rumors of wars. How many

of you know that the rumors of World War III are floating around the world

right now even as we speak. The ground offensive in Gaza began two days

ago. Are you aware I'm not talking about the blockade, I'm not talking

about the missile I'm talking about the ground assault. And are you aware that

the US bomb to Syrian targets that were run by Iranian the Iranians. It's

dangerous. It's very dangerous because you know who is supporting Iran, Russia and

China. Do you know what happened in World War Two? In World War

Two when Germany started to take Europe, Japan took advantage of that situation.

You see, Japan at the time believed that the emperor was a god,

and they believed they were superior to everybody else. Do you know why they

came in the attacks Southeast Asia? Because they needed They needed resources, all

right, and Southeast Asia had those resources, and they believed because we are

gods or servants of a god, we should have control over those resources and

they launched war in Southeast Asia. They used the distraction that was going on

in Europe to start it here in Southeast Asia. What do you think China

is waiting for? There have been amassing troops and military assets around Taiwan.

Why do you think if the US gets drawn into a war. Now they

are fighting in Ukraine and they are fighting in the Middle East, their resources

will be spread in What do you think China will do? So? Do

you know what scripture meant when it's said there will be wars and rumors of

war? Guys, we are living in it. This is now no longer

a figment of anyone's imagination. Ten years or twenty years ago, you would

not have believed this, But we have come to this date. Why do

we pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Have you any idea? Because that

is the starting point for when everything opposed to peace takes place. Bible isn't

save for us to not to live our lives, but it does tell us

not to be afraid. It does tell us not to be afraid because God

still rules over our life. God's still in control. Then he said to

them in West ten nations will rise against nation and kingdom against Kingdom. Are

we not seeing this on a daily basis? Do you know what that little

country in the Middle East plans to do should it be invaded in the north.

It will take out certain oil fields in a certain country. Oh,

that's really bad. It will destroy the economy of that And that little country

has ninety nuclear warheads, wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against

nation. Scripture is coming to life right before our eyes. You know,

when I prepare this many usually when I share with you is I try to

be encouraging. I try to share it with you encouragement. Today I'm sharing

with you it's a wake up call for all of us because time is short

and we have to be prepared. And this is not something that is talked

about in churches very often. These days there will be earthquakes in various places,

and famines and pestilences. We just went through a pestilence what was it

called COVID nineteen. Your homnivarians, I've lost, Come, I've lost.

Come. Praise the Lord that today we can go about our business. It

incapacitated, or you know, it really incapacitated the world for about two through

two half years, two and a half years pestilence, famines. Do you

know that famines are taking place? Yeah, even today, famines take place

earthquakes. Not too long ago, there was an earthquake in Sabah, I

mean Saba Militia never has earthquakes. And the peak fell off. You remember

our grace, Sister Grace was stuck on the mountain there for about two three

days or a week. The peak fell off in various places. But before

all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you,

delivering you up. This is where it gets personal, delivering you up to

the synagogues and prisons. You were brought, be brought before kings and rulers,

for my name's sake, synagogues. You know what a synagogue synagogue is

is the Jewish prayer place. Scripture is saying that you be brought before the

Jewish synagogue. It's a type of you will be brought before religious authorities.

You'll be brought before kings and rulers, before legal authorities for who's sake?

For my name's sake, No scripture is telling us we will be We will

have to account for our faith. Can you and I get close to God

now? Because if you were to, if you were to be asked to

deny your faith, would you do it? Because maybe they tell you if

you don't deny your faith, you lose your job. You know, someone

questioned my faith, questioned it this way. They said, who is more

important? Your God or me who I employ or you whom I employed?

And I was asked this question on a Sunday because I was sharing the word

and some baby boss. When I say a baby boss, you know,

sometimes bosses can never do things on their own. Baby boss took it upon

that day to call and speak rudely to my wife because I would not answer

the phone because I was sharing the word. The moment I heard that after

service, I was prepared on Monday to go in and resign because God can

find me another job. I'm over the age of fifty, over the age

of fifty five. Who employs someone who is close to retirement? I know

my God can. So I prepared to go in that day Monday the next

day and resign because you have no right to speak to my wife that way.

On the way to the lift, I made a proclamation in the name

of Jesus, a word of knowledge, a prophetic word and in that prophetic

word, I told my wife, you watch and see this is going to

happen. When I got to office the next morning, he apologized, but

I told him, you will never speak to my wife like that and expect

that I will be okay with it. Three months later, the word of

proclamation that I made in the name of Jesus came to pass. I won't

tell you what their proclamation is because it was very, very very hard.

It came to pass. You got to know your God because there will be

people who will challenge your faith. Earthquakes, famines, pestilence, climate persecution,

call to the to be called to account for your faith. What are

we to do? Attend church, not be coward into apologizing for our faith?

I put away there Christmas. You know why my wife and me we

make a big deal about Christmas because if we don't make a big deal about

Christmas, it will become easier to shut it behind closed doors. Because you

and I know that Christmas is the giving of the gift of Jesus to Earth

to us. And you want to know something, every non Christian knows that

too, So when they try and shut your Christmas down, don't for a

minute thing. They're trying to shut Santa Claus down. Okay, they're trying

to shut your faith down. And you and I what do we do?

We make such a big deal about Santa Claus and reindeer and all that.

That's why I don't want to celebrate Christmas. Whose hands are we playing in?

Two? You know? And BRUNEI, they have to celebrate behind closed

doors. You want that to happen here. That's why we make a big

deal in our neighborhood. At the moment, I'm building an eight foot tree

for the garden. I'm gonna have the lights up. Why am I doing

that? Because I want my neighborhood to know I believe in Jesus. I

want to make a big noise about it. But it will turn out for

you as an occasion for testimony. That's what Scripture says. Therefore, settling

your hearts, not to meditate beforehand what to say? You know you?

How many of you have ever said that the whole you know you, you

don't hear from the Holy Spirit so that you can speak. How many of

you? I used to believe that way, that, oh, the Holy

Spirit can speak to somebody else, but he won't speak to me, but

you don't know something. I've had occasion to change that, because the scripture

says, when they challenge you your faith, do not even plan what to

say. Just relax. I'm paraphrasing, okay, scriptures saying when they challenge

you, just relax and just wait, and then the Holy Spirit will start

to speak through you. And the Bible says that when he speaks through you,

for I will give you a mouth. How many of you don't have

a mouth. The Bible says that the Lord will give you a mouth.

My parents said that when I was born, I was born talking, So

the Bible said, another Bible, my parents said, I was born with

a mouth, a mouth that could never be challenged. Always have some retort.

They call me a mouth. Well, now I know where I get

it from. Because Scripture says I will give you a mouth. So how

many of you are very quiet? How many of you are quiet by nature?

Very quiet? Okay, one, I got news for you. The

Bible says, God is going to give you a mouth. When they challenge

you, your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. Isn't that

lovely? I am preparing you for the end times. We will be great

testifiers. What was that song about? One by one? Not one by

one, one by one. You want to win a soul, it takes

one. You want to win somebody over, it takes one. You and

I. We need to help someone inch by inch, lead them into the

light, because millions are looking for hope. Who is the great hope Jesus?

We will be great testifiers. We shall have a mouth, not the

mouth we have Naulah. We will have a spiritual mouth that no one will

be able to stand up to it. Hey, scripture says in verse sixteen,

you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends,

and they will put some of you too. There, oh, betrayed by

parents and brothers. And how many of you have tried to understand this?

Why would parents betray their children? Other scripture says, children we tray their

parents. Brothers will replace, brothers will betray. Why is this? Do

you know? Look at the world today? What is the world today?

What is the key principle you can take from the world today? It starts

with the letter I, and there's no other letter after it. It's I.

That's what's wrong with the world. It's I. Then there's another word

starting with M. Me. There, you're getting it, And one more

letter starts one more word starting with M. Correct. You want to know

why there will be a lot of betrayal in the world. It's I,

me and myself. That is the principle that is running the world today.

The God of I rule, not Heaven rules. If I say I am

a wall, I am a wall. If I say I am a cat,

I am a cat. That's what's going on in the world today.

Are you aware the world has gone off its rocker because Jesus is not in

control. I mean, Jesus is in control, but they have rejected him

from controlling their lives. Bible says, I give them over because they have

rejected me. I give them over to their thoughts. Their thinking has become

warped straight. You know, there was I saw this video. I don't

know if you saw it. Saw it. One parent brought a book into

a school board meeting, okay, And she opened this book. And this

book had a new man in it, a character caricature of a man to

men nude. Okay. And when she opened the book, the court,

the court representative came from the side and he took the book from her hands,

and he closed the book and he put it away. So she asked

him, She asked the school board, why is it he needs to do

that? You want to censor me here, But that's the book you want

to put in the schools. That is the book you in the school board

want to put in the schools, and yet you find it so upsete.

I can't even open it in this place. The world has gone crazy,

so it's not so difficult to believe that there will be a lot of betrayal.

Guys, you and I got to watch out for that. How do

we overcome it? Jesus get closer to Jesus. When we get closer to

Jesus, our thinking remains correct. And some of them they will put you,

put them to death, and you will be hated for my namesake.

But not a hair on your head shall be lost by your patients possess your

So hey, I wanted to understand something. First scripture said they will put

you to death, and the next scripture says, not a hair on your

head will be harmed. Does this sound like a contradiction. I mean,

the scripture before said and they will put some of you to death, and

this scripture says, not a hair on your head will be harmed. Does

it make sense to you, Well, I decided to go and understand it

a little bit. Verse sixteen seems to contradict Verse eighteen. Thanatos Thanatos sounds

like thanos. Actually the Avengers Thanos was a derivative from this word thanatos Greek

word. It simply means it's hyperbodi, to be in a state like s

if you are dying or you are finished. Metaphorically, it's like when you

say I'm dead, I'm finished. You know, I think in Chinese they

got sailor such a word. Dinah ah that one. Okay. It's when

you say, oh, I'm dead, or I'm finished, or the problem

is so bad, I'm a gonner. Have you all said things like that

in your life? This is what scripture says when it says they will put

some of you to death. They will put some of you in a position

where you are saying to yourself, I'm finished, I'm dead, I'm a

goner. I'm what that's the end of me. But then Scripture is saying

verse eighteen. The word here in verse eighteen means perish end, So Scripture

is saying, I will not let your life end. You understand the difference.

Scripture is saying, in your darkest moment, Jesus is giving you encouragement.

Now in the time where you think your life is over, it's finished.

There's nothing else for you to do. They're coming after me. Everybody

is coming after me. Scripture is saying, not a hair on your head

will be harmed because your life will not end. What does it say.

It says by patients, possess your soul. It means be steadfast. It's

going to be okay. Whatever is happening in the world today, don't let

it stress you out. This is what this message is also about. You

see a lot of bad things happening in the world today. Do not let

it get you down. It's going to be okay. But when you see

Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that the the desolation is near. Hey,

guys, what do you think is happening now? Do you think that the

EU is friends with God's people? There's only one friend, and that is

the US. Have you seen what's been happening in the US with all the

Protestations taking place, and they will fall by the edge of the sword and

be led away captive into all nations. In Jerusalem will be trampled on by

gentiles until the time of the gentiles are fulfilled. The situation in the world

today Israel is surrounded by its enemies. You see scripture unfolding today. Do

you know how many threats it has received that should it enter that plot of

land, the world is going to come after against them. We are very

very close. When we first became Christians forty years ago, this was all

the Church of God ever spoke about. The message. For fifteen years,

from nineteen seventy seven maybe to nineteen ninety, the only message that there was

you go to churches is you know what Jesus is coming soon. Jesus is

coming soon. Watch out, watch out, watch out, watch out.

You know what happened in the nineteen nineties. After the nineteen nineties, people

started to change from thinking about others to thinking about themselves. So in the

last twenty years, nobody talks about the end times anymore. And there will

be signs in the sun and in the moon, and in the stars and

on the earth, distress of nations with perplexity, the seas, and the

waves rolling. You know, what it means, the signs of the sun

and the moon and the stars. It's talking about your climate change. Hey

have you heard the lie that is being told to everyone about climate change?

Oh? See O two emissions, a lot of CO two emissions when they

were questioned. You know how much how much percentage of our atmosphere CO two

about four point two percent. You know how much it's risen in the last

one hundred years, maybe point two percent. You know what happens when CO

two drops beyond one and a half percent, All of us die because the

plants will not have the ability to produce oxygen. We will all suffocate.

So this, this climate change has been perpetuated in the sense that it is.

It is actually a very political thing. There will be signs in the

sun, the moon is using the earth distress and nations were backed. The

season the waves rolling, even melting of the ice caps, you know it's

seasonal. Every thousands of years it melts and then after that it'll ice up.

And when you look at the big picture, it hasn't changed really because

who controls who controls the atmosphere, who controls the world. It's not manner,

it's God. It has always been God. So this speaks of nature

propaganda about climate change. It's a political tool to spread fear and to take

control. All they want to do is take control. In verse twenty six,

and this is actually how this message came about men's hearts failing them for

fear. How many of you know that heart attacks are probably the major are

killers of people in why stress? Stress? Everything I've told you about has

been catered to cause you stress. And the expectation of these things that are

coming on the earth, for the powers of the heaven will be shaken fainting,

stress, unconsciousness due to lack of oxygen, heart attacks. Powers of

the heaven refers to the whole world. What takes as a norm will now

not be the same when all these things happen. Now, Jesus is going

to tell you what to do. These are the things that will be happening.

And the Bible says, when you see these things happen, look up,

lift up your head, because your redemption draws near. What are we

to do? We are to look up. We are not to look down.

We're not to look at our peers, We're not to look at the

world around us. We are to look up look up, but take key

to yourself, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness and cares

of this earth, and that they come upon you unexpectedly, for it will

come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the earth.

If our focus is not right, you see, Scripture is actually giving

us a warning of the last days, giving us time to ensure that we

get ourselves right. If we do not get ourselves right, It's like when

you're baking a cake and you set the timer right the bell to ring as

you're coming to the last five minutes. You're already on standby, so that

when the bell rings you can take the cake out of the oven. How

many of you, with your last five minutes before the cake gets bid,

go out and talk to a long lost friend on the phone outside the house.

How many of you will do that? When the bell rings, you

will not hear. Your cake will end up burnt. What scripture is saying

is keep a focus right. The norms of life is not it. If

earth is it for us, it will be our trap. Hey, do

not look at the earth, look at the Lord. Watch therefore, and

pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things. You

can be counted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before men.

You know that we can pray to escape escape these trials. You know we

can do that. Scripture is saying that we can be counted worthy. How

do we do that? Go and win others for the Lord, one by

one, Because the Bible says that the end end is come, when the

world has been, when the whole Gospel has been shared with everyone, Go

and share the word. But as the days of Noah again another one he

as the days of Noah, so also will the coming of the Son of

Men be. For as in those days before the flood, they were eating

and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the

ark, and they did not know until the flood came and took them away,

so also will be the coming of the Son of Men. But he

who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel will be preached

all the world's witness, the nations, and then the end will come.

You know what this means. It means this here you had Noah. What

was Noah doing? He is building a big boat. He is building a

big boat in the middle of a desert. And as he was building the

boat, people came and asked, why are you doing this? The Lord

has revealed to me the end is coming. Get your lives ready. Why

don't you come join with us? They laughed at him. They didn't bother

after a while, because five hundred years and took me about three hundred years

are to build the board something like that, two hundred three hundred years to

build the board. He was giving them. Notice you know what they were

doing. They began to think he was a madman, and they just continued

with life. This is the key, they continued with life. If we

just continue with life, after seeing all these things happening around us, scriptures

saying be careful when the flood comes. We won't be ready. When the

flood comes, we won't be ready. Likewise, as this is the key.

This is another key. In Luke seventeen twenty eight. He says,

likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot, where they ate,

they drank, they bought their sould, they planted, they built.

But on the day that Lord went out from soda, it rained fire and

brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. This is the other thing. When

you read the account of Lot. What was happening in Lot's time? They

were giving into what kind of stuff? Homosexuality, depravity, drinking, carousing,

They were doing anything they wanted to do because they felt it was okay.

What were they doing? They were doing that, I, me and

myself dance. What's happening today? The world is doing there, I,

me and myself dance. Be ready. Scripture has given us to warnings.

Even so it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

People are not bothered despite the signs. They carried on with their life.

But you know, I had this talk it past the past. I

said, one thing, we don't have to worry. Nothing will happen until

the Gospel is preached to all the world. That's when the end will come.

Well, at this point of time, there are churches who are becoming

to believe again that these are the last days, and they're going out and

they're sharing the word with the ferocity they want to get. People say,

hey, guys, it's an uncomfortable message for me to share. It is

I'm more comfortable sharing nice things, and then I can give a lot of

testimonies, how the Lord has helped me in mylife. But how do you

prepare for something like this when you have a decision before you do. I

do things because God wants me to do it, or I do something because

I want to do it. Be very careful, always choose for the Lord.

But you and I we got to know the stuff's happening in the world

today, and we have to be on the lookout. We have to be

ready. We have to be on point where this is concerned. We've got

children. Teach them about the Lord. Teach them to stand up for Jesus.

Teach them not to be afraid because God is looking after them. I

want you to know the Scripture has given us some encouragement no matter how bad

things get. The Bible promises that He will give us a mouth. I

tell you a story, Okay, Okay, now now I can agree to

help you find this story. What a mouth can do. I tell you

what a mouth can do. Okay. I was three years old, between

three and four years old, and in my house we had this aviory.

You know what it is? An avery. Avery is where you keep birds,

all right, So it's a big avery. My father built two rare

budgery guards. Butgery guards are small parents. You know the world, the

very colorful ones, yellow, blue, green. So he built this thing,

and he built it is a big one, okay high and big,

and it had two doors, one door and a second door. So he

entered the first door. You close it. Then you entered the second door

to go in where the birds are, give them their food, you know,

and help them. My mother went to feed the birds in the morning

or early afternoon. She went to feed the birds. So she entered the

first gate, and then she entered the second gate. Guess what this three

and a half the old boy did. He locked my mother in the cage.

My mother was stuck in the cage until my father came home. My

father was furious, really really furious. He let my mother out. Terence

come here, so I came. So this my mother is telling me.

I'm looking very seriously my dad. Then my dad asked, why did you

do such a thing. So she said. I looked at my father and

I said, because the sky is so high and you are slow in the

bird popped in your eye. My father was and then my father bull start

laughing and my mother bull start laughing. Do you think I got punished,

No, then let me go. That is what having a mouth is,

and scripture is saying when you run into trouble, God will give you a

mouth no one can dispute. You'll be okay. And now you've got to

understand when scripture says put some of you to death, do not worry about

it, because scriptures saying we'll put you in some situations that are so hard

and tough, but you're going to be okay because not a hair on your

head is going to be harmed. I pray some of you will have hair

on your head because it's hard to talk about the scripture of your bald No,

no, no, I'm just kidding, but not a hair will be

harmed. Praise the Lord. Isn't that good? So if the as any

encouragement we can find out of that, please do but live your life being

prepared because we are living in perilous times. We hope you've been blessed by

this message. For more information on our church, please visit as Church Org.

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is going to be a good week, a hit for you. God bless