We can understand our time!

"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." (1 Thes. 5:2-6)

1.  "Brethren"- These are Christians!  
     "That, that day" is the Second Coming. (1 Thes. 5:2-6) The "thief" 
     in the night does not apply to "the children of the day." (i.e. Christians)
     a.  Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and  
          they follow me" (John 10:27-28)
     b.  "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they  
          hear."(Matt 13:16-17) 

2.  Noah knew when to get on the Ark.
     Noah did not know when the flood would come, but he did know  when to get on board the  
     Ark. The "Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen  
     righteous before me in this generation." (Gen 7:1-2) 
     a.  What was Noah's key to understanding his time?
          (1)  Noah found "grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Gen.6:8) "For by grace are ye (you) saved  
                 through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any  
                 man should boast." (Eph.2:8-9) "That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1Cor.1:29) 
                 
                 Note: This "grace" continues throughout our walk before the Lord (Acts.4:33; 11:23; 
                 13:43; 14:3, Rom.11:6, 1Cor.3:10, Gal.2:21, Eph.3:2) as we grow to maturity (perfection -  
                 Eph.4:11-16) as the Bride of Christ. 

                              (Review: Phase 10, Phase 12 for expalnation of Chart below)
   

      b.  Noah's understanding was a "gift" from God.     Begin new notes here!   
           Understanding  God's timing, His voice, and pattern for the last days is also a gift of grace  
           from God that we do not deserve. (Eph.2:8-9) Noah found grace that he did not deserve.  
           (Gen.6:8) He was given a warning that he did not deserve, (Gen.6:13) and was given a plan 
           to would protect him that he did not not deserve. (Gen.6:14-22) 

           Look at the "ensample" (type) of the "church in the wilderness." (1Cor.10:1-11,       
           Acts.8:38) They were lead by a "silver" redemptive  (Exod.30:11-16; 38:25, 1Peter.1:18-19) 
           trumpet sound into God's fulness. (Num.10:1-36, Deut.12:1-12) They did not deserve this. 
           God was protecting them, providing for them, watching over them  because of His Covenant  
           that He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Exod.2:24-25)       
 
                  (Click here for explanation of how God is leading His God with a "Trumpet Sound)

          (3)  Nothing was left to Noah's imagination! Our mind is still being renewed. (Rom.12:1-2)  
                 Our imaginations are "evil continually" (Gen.6:5) We are to "cast down imaginations,  
                 and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
                 captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2Cor.10:5)
          (4)  All that was required of Noah was obedience to God's pattern. (Isa.55:8-11, Eph.3:20,  
                Rom.12:1-2) Be available, a willing vessel.
          (5)  God found Noah. "for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." (Gen 7:1- 
                 2, 2Chron.16:9, Heb.4:13) God will find you!  "But you, brethren, are not in darkness,  
                 that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the  
                 children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." (1 Thes. 5:2-6)
          (6)  Noah was humble. God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." (1Pet.5:5)  
                 Are we "humble" enough to build what God wants, even though it looks foolish to man. 
                 (1Cor.1:18-29; 2:1-14)
     b.  The world "knew not until the flood came."
          They chose not to know. If they had walked humbly before the Lord, God would have  
          warned them also, because "God is no respecter of persons." (Acts.10:34) He is "not 
          willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
          They did not have a love for the truth of the Word of God (2Thes.2:10) and rejected the pattern.
           
          The Ark was being built in front of their eyes and still refused see what God was  
          doing. (Matt.24:36-39)


                                                                 (Review: Phase 12)
     .
3.  Abraham was told about Sodom. (Gen.18:1-33) 

4.  Even lot was warned. (Gen.19:1-14, 2Peter.2:7-8) 
     Lot separated (Gen.13:1-13) himself from Abraham and the purpose of God. (Gen.12:1; 15:1- 
     21; Exod.12:1-15; Deut.6:10-12; 12:1-12, Heb.11:8-9, 1Chron.17:1-15; 22:1-19) Lot was  
     "seeing and hearing" the conversation (behavour, lifestyle)  of Sodom and Gomorrha, instead of  
     having a seeing eye and a hearing ear for the things of God. (Matt.13:11, 16) This was God's  
     mercy and grace going the extra mile. God only promised Abraham that He would not destroy  
     Sodom if there were ten righteous in that city. (Gen.18:23-33) God preserved Lot, his wife and  
     two daughters. A total of four people.

5.  Moses was warned about the the death of the firstborn. (Exod.12:1-15)

6.  The children of Issachar "had understanding of the times." (1Chron.12:32)

7.  Daniel understood his time
     Daniel “understood by books the number of years, whereof the Word of the Lord came to  
     Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem”.  
     (Dan.9:1-2, Jer.25:12; 29:8-11, 2 Chron.36:1-23, Lev.25:1-13; 26:33-34) Daniel took the  
     pattern from the Word of the Lord, matched it to his civil calendar and concluded that the House  
     of Judah was about to be released. He realized his time frame for his generation. (Note:  
     Acts.13:36) The same is true today! When the pattern of God's Word is compared with Church  
     History, we to can realize that God is not finished yet. There is still more! "Things not as seen yet"  
     (Heb.11:7, 1Cor.2:9-10, Matt.24:36-37)

   "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his    
     secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7, Eph.3:5)

           
     
The Church has completed approximately 60% of the pattern (Blueprint) and is in transition 
towards 100%. Jesus said, "he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, 
some sixty, some thirty." (Matt 13:23-24)  As the Spirit of God has lead the Church into "all truth," (John.16:13-15, 1Cor.2:9-11) some have stopped at 30 fold, some at 60, but God wants the Bride for His Son to be 100 fold. The Church is NOT there yet! There is still more!

                                                   (Review: Phase 2, 4, 8, 9, 11)
   
This is why Jesus has not come back yet!
          
Jesus will not be back until the "mystery" of God is finished. (Rev.10:7, Acts.3:19-24) This why He (Jesus) has not returned yet. (It has been 2,000 years!) Don't get anxious. "The Lord is not slack (not tardy / late) concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9-10) God is on schedule!  (Review: Phase 3 & 10) 
          


        More notes coming soon