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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

A Time Like No Other

Bible prophecy has foretold the chaotic world we all are experiencing at this time. The prophet Daniel revealed what he called “the time of the end.” God showed Daniel prophetic trends we are witnessing every day. Daniel chapter 12 and verse 4 states:

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Even while we recover from coronavirus-related lockdowns, many cities and regions again face traffic congestion, reflecting the symbolic prophecy of Isaiah 2:7.

“Their land is also full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is also full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots.”

Knowledge, too, has increased exponentially in these end-times. Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg observed that one daily copy of The New York Times contains more information than the average seventeenth-century Englishman encountered in a whole lifetime. Futurist Buckminster Fuller, as far back as 1982, said that the knowledge available to humanity was doubling every year. More recently, scientists at IBM found that as of 2020, knowledge was doubling every twelve hours.

But we need to seek the REAL knowledge. Daniel also foretold the Great Tribulation, later confirmed by the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, in Matthew 24 (Daniel 12:1).

“And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.”

Bible prophecy reveals the future for all nations in the next decade and beyond. Do you know what happens after the Great Tribulation? The Book of Revelation and many other prophecies reveal the sequence of events and the prophetic Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is coming soon. It’s the time of God’s judgments on the rebellious nations of this world. Will you and your family be prepared? You need to understand the Day of the Lord in Bible prophecy.

Stay tuned.

Trials and Heavenly Signs

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world. The world has experienced two world wars. All nations were affected by these wars. Will there be a World War III? On today’s program we will answer that question. Your Bible reveals that future global conflicts will ravage our world during the prophetic Day of the Lord. You need to know how the Day of the Lord will affect you and your family.

On the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD, the Apostle Peter quoted from the prophet Joel, explaining the supernatural darkness surrounding our Lord’s crucifixion.

“I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” (Acts 2:19–20).

That darkness was also a type of the cosmic disturbances that will introduce the future Day of the Lord. Yes, it will be “the great and awesome day of the Lord.” If you have your Bible, turn to Revelation the sixth chapter. The heavenly signs follow the Great Tribulation. Revelation 6:12:

“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:12–14).

All the earth will see these signs introducing the Day of God’s judgment on the nations. Every few years we see “blood moons.” NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, describes their color as “sunset-red” or, as the eclipse progressed, “filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon into a great red orb” (“Colorful Lunar Eclipse,” NASA Science, science.NASA.gov, September 18, 2014). 

This spectacular sight is just a type of the great blood moon yet to come.

The Day of the Lord is a period of one year consisting of seven trumpet judgments or plagues, when God will judge all nations. The first six trumpets are described in Revelation chapters eight and nine. When will this take place? And what is the sequence of events you should be watching? Your Bible reveals the framework of prophecy leading up to the Day of the Lord, Armageddon, and World War III. My friends, what is the solution to mankind’s conflicts and world wars? We should all look forward to the solution to world war. That solution is the coming Kingdom of God. Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10,

“Your Kingdom come.”

Jesus Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords to bring lasting peace and prosperity among the nations of this world. We look forward to the Second Coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. 

Three major milestones lead up to the climax of human history and the end of this age. They are: 

1. The Great Tribulation; 

2. The Heavenly Signs;

and

3. The Day of the Lord. 

These three events cover a period of about 3 and one-half years. There are over 30 prophecies in your Bible referring to the Day of the Lord. Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4 show that the Day of the Lord in end-time prophecy, the time preceding the Second Coming, is a period of one year. You might want to write down those references: Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4.

As the Great Tribulation unfolds, the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse will intensify their ride. In the book of Revelation, chapter five, we read of a scroll sealed with seven seals. Jesus, the Revelator, opens the seals to the book. We read the description of those seals in Revelation the sixth chapter. The first four seals are known as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. They are described in Revelation 6:1–8. The first horse, the white horse and its rider, represent false religions, false Christs. Jesus Himself points out the sequence of these end-time events in His Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24. The second seal reveals a horseman, riding a red horse, with the power to take peace from the earth. The third seal presents a rider on a black horse, representing the scarcity of food and resulting famine. The fourth seal shows a rider on a pale horse, representing death and pestilence. These four horsemen have power to kill major portions of earth’s population. As it tells us in Revelation 6:8, 

“And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Yes, there has always been war, famine, and pestilence. But you and I will see the four horsemen of the apocalypse intensify their ride, with unprecedented global impact. Then the fifth seal describes an end-time persecution of the saints. Then Jesus opens the sixth seal, revealing the heavenly signs that will terrify people all over the earth.

Seven Trumpets Heralding God’s Wrath

The Great Tribulation lasts for two-and-a-half years. Then God sends the cosmic disturbances or the heavenly signs. The Day of the Lord follows the heavenly signs and brings God’s judgment on the nations for a period of one year.

What happens during that year-long period of judgment? Revelation 8 and 9 describe six of the seven trumpet plagues. A major key to understanding the book of Revelation is that there are seven seals, seven trumpet events, and seven last plagues or bowls. Simply stated, as you can see on this chart, the seventh seal consists of seven trumpet events. The seventh trumpet consists of the seven last plagues, including the final battle between good and evil referred to as Armageddon.

What happens during the Day of the Lord? Let’s read what happens when the Lamb, Jesus Christ, opens the seventh seal. Turn in your Bible to Revelation, the eighth chapter. Let’s understand. The seventh seal represents the Day of the Lord and the events taking place in that one year period. This is very important. Why? Because these events lead up to the greatest event ever to occur in history, the Second Coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Revelation 8:1,

When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets (Revelation 8:1–2).

These seven trumpets represent God’s judgments on the nations. The first four disrupt the ecology and environment. Notice the subheads summarizing these judgments in verses 7 through 13:

“First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck.” “Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck.” “Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck.” And the “Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck.”

These trumpet plagues, as they are called, will bring devastation on the earth. Nations will cry out for basic necessities that will disappear from their lands, lakes, and rivers.

Three trumpet plagues remain, Revelation 8:13. The Apostle John writes what he sees and hears in vision:

“And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’”

The last three trumpet plagues are called woes. The word “woe” is an exclamation of grief! The first woe or the fifth trumpet plague is described in chapter nine. The fifth angel sounds a trumpet that begins a military action that lasts five months. And what power supports that military action? Revelation 9:11,

And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.”

Yes, the destroyer, Satan the devil, gives power to this military force. The second woe, or the sixth trumpet plague, is pictured with symbols of horses and horsemen. Here we see an intense military counter-attack. Revelation 9:12,

“One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’”

An army of 200 million drives west across the Euphrates River and destroys one third of the earth’s population. Revelation 9:15,

“So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to KILL A THIRD OF MANKIND. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a THIRD OF MANKIND was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.”

This phase of World War III will kill billions of people. Jesus said in Matthew 24:22, that unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved—otherwise, all life on earth would be destroyed.

God’s Wrath and Judgment Upon Mankind’s Sins

Our Lord reveals the sequence of events leading up to His Second Coming. My friends, I hope you are praying daily as Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:10.

“Your kingdom come.”

While this seventh trumpet announcement will be good news to you and me, rebellious nations will reject that announcement and even fight against Christ at His coming. Revelation 11:15,

“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

The heavenly beings praise God at this glorious announcement, but notice the response of earthly nations. Revelation 11:16,

“And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: ‘We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

The seventh trumpet also introduces God’s final wrathful judgment on rebellious nations. This judgment period executes “the wrath of the Lamb.” As it tells us in Revelation 6:17,

“For the great day of His wrath has come….”

The seventh trumpet concludes this year-long Day of the Lord with seven final judgments. Revelation 15:1,

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.”

Revelation the 16^th chapter describes these final judgment plagues. The Apostle John writes,

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth’” (Revelation 16:1).

For the sake of time, I’ll just list the plagues as titled in the New King James Version of the Bible of the Bible:

1. First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2. Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
3. Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
4. Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
5. Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
6. Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
7. Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken

You might think people would respond to God’s correction and repent. But no.

“And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory” (Revelation 16:9).

The rebellious nations of planet earth will be angry. After the Euphrates River is dried up, armies will gather at Megiddo in northern Israel to fight what is commonly called the Battle of Armageddon. You can read about that in Revelation 16:12–16. Yes, the climax of World War III is already foretold. The King of kings Himself gives us this admonition and blessing:

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15).

Yes, my friends, keep watching world news for prophetic events. Learn the sequence of prophetic events and stay spiritually awake.

And what will be the result of that climactic battle of all time? It’s called the battle of that great day of God Almighty in Revelation 12:14. The kings of the earth join the symbolic Beast at Armageddon. The Beast superpower will be a revival of the ancient Roman Empire, as we’ve explained in previous programs. Their judgement is already determined in this amazing prophecy. Turn in your Bible to Revelation 17:12:

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and THE LAMB WILL OVERCOME THEM, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:12–14).

Yes, genuine Christians will be with the King of kings. And, yes, they will escape the Day of the Lord judgments on the nations. My friends, some of you watching this program may have come to the place in your life where you want to make a dramatic change and live a new life, repenting of your past sins and accepting Christ’s shed blood for the forgiveness of your sins. The Apostle Peter addressed thousands of worshippers in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD. Read that in your own Bible in Acts 2. The mobs of people had been complicit in the crucifixion of Christ and they were cut to the heart in response to Peter’s message. They asked Peter and the apostles,

“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Listen to Peter’s answer that is just as urgent for us today:

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

If you have studied your Bible enough to understand repentance and the commitment to obey your Savior and the Bible’s requirements, we have representatives in many regions around the world. Just call the number on the screen or contact us at one of our regional offices listed in Tomorrow’s World magazine or on TomorrowsWorld.org website.

Will you be with Christ at His coming as one of those who are “called, chosen, and faithful”?

Armageddon—And BeyonD

More than 30 prophecies in your Bible refer to the Day of the Lord. We’ve seen the future devastation that comes from world war. Thankfully, at the conclusion of the Day of the Lord, the seventh trumpet announces the good news of Christ’s takeover of world governments. Turn in your Bible to Revelation 19. Revelation 19:11, the Apostle John writes,

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11–16).

The nations will respond to Christ’s announced coming with anger, as it tells us in Revelation 11:18. When Christ returns to this earth, He’ll conquer his enemies. He’ll conquer the nations and their powerful armies that fight against Him at His coming. The Day of the Lord will bring God’s judgment on the nations. As we’ve seen, in one sense the Day of the Lord is the year preceding the return of Christ. In another sense, it continues on through the millennium and on out to eternity. 

The Apostle Peter describes it this way. 2 Peter 3:10,

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be DISSOLVED, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10–13).

Thank you for watching. Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video. See you next time!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

The Biggest Gamble

Are you betting for, or against God’s existence? Think about it. You may not consider yourself a gambler, but how you live your life is the greatest gamble you will ever take. Either God does exist, or He doesn’t. And if He does exist, how far will you go to live according to His will? Will you go “all in” with God? Or will you draw a line in the sand and say, “Thus far and no further”?

These are questions that we would do well to consider, as we are, by the way that we live our lives, betting on the answers to these important questions. Join me here at Tomorrow’s World where we’ll do some serious self-examination.

Does Your Faith Go “All the Way”?

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World where we tackle the big questions of life, and today I’m asking, “How far will you go to obey God—all the way, or are you drawing a line in the sand.” Are you betting for or against God’s existence? Your actions tell more than what you profess.

None of us has seen God face to face, yet billions profess to believe in some form of God. But how real is He to you? Are you so certain of His existence that you are willing to put it all on the line? To put it another way, if you are familiar with poker, are you “all in?” Now lest anyone misunderstands, I’m not promoting the gambling industry, but the fact is that you are, by your choices, by your decisions, by your day by day actions, making a very real wager on the existence, or non-existence of God. And when it comes to the God of the Bible, you must be “all in.” So says Jesus in Luke 14:26:

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate [meaning to love to a lesser degree by comparison] his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26).

You have no doubt seen the bumper sticker using various religious symbols to spell out the word “COEXIST.” That’s a wonderful platitude, but what does it mean? Is this taking God seriously, or mere virtue signaling? Is it not saying, “All religions are equal, so let’s just get along?” We should get along, but is it true, that exactly what we believe when it comes to God, does not matter? Not according to the Judeo-Christian God! The very first of the Ten Commandments emphatically states,

You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3).

And Jesus proclaimed,

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).

When the Apostles Peter and John were hauled before the religious leaders of their day for teaching in the name of Jesus, Peter boldly told them that they were guilty of rejecting the Messiah and there was no other path to salvation.

This is the “stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.” Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11–12).

My guess is that most viewers of this program are at least nominal believers in Christ, but how solid is your belief, and how far are you willing to take it? Consider the following.

The Bible tells us that a man named Jesus, walked the rugged hills of Israel about two thousand years ago. He claimed He came from God and was returning to Him. He was tortured and murdered on a stake, and hundreds of witnesses claimed they saw Him after being resurrected to life once again. Further, Jesus proclaimed that He is coming back to rule over all the earth and give rulership to a group of individuals who in this life are called, chosen, and faithful.

Now let’s be honest. That is a lot to accept. Even His closest followers, who saw all His miracles, and were mentored by Him for three-and-a-half years had difficulty accepting the resurrection. Thomas, one of His disciples, said in effect, “Show me the evidence.”

Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe (John 20:25).

This is in John 20:25. This clearly shows that Thomas was convinced of His death. There was no question of that being faked. Of course, once Jesus appeared to him, Thomas did believe. But there’s a message in this for all of us when we read how the conversation continued in verse 29.

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

So what about you? Do you believe, having not seen Him? Just how far are you willing to go with your belief? Will you put Him first above all else, as we read earlier? Or will you draw a line and say, “no further”? Sadly, most professing Christians are drawing lines in the sand, by reasoning around clear statements of scripture to avoid going against human traditions.

Our actions declare the depth of our conviction. It’s easy to profess belief in God, but the choices we make often tell a very different story. The example of ancient Israel entering into a covenant with God can be instructive. Notice in Exodus 19:7–8:

So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD (Exodus 19:7–8).

That was their profession—they would obey. But to what degree did they do so when confronted with difficult choices? Would they trust God or trust themselves? Every student of the Bible knows that ancient Israel failed miserably when it came to obeying God, but what was the root cause of their problem?

Is Seeing REALLY Believing?

Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:17–19).

How easy it is to profess belief, but to follow that belief with actions is something else. Even Jesus’ disciples failed to grasp His statements that He would die and be resurrected after three days and three nights in the grave. This is surprising, given the fact that they knew that others had been resurrected.

It was not as though a resurrection from the dead had never occurred before. Jesus’ disciples knew the account of the man who came back to life when let down into the grave of Elisha. You can read of that in 2 Kings 13:21. And they knew scriptures that prophesied a resurrection from the dead. Such as:

Job 14:14–15

Psalm 17:15

and Daniel 12:1–2

But reading about something that happened a long time ago, or hearing about something that will happen way off in the future, is not the same as experiencing something today. And even experiencing something in one’s lifetime quickly fades from one’s memory. For example, Jesus’ disciples knew a man who was resurrected from the dead just a short time prior to the crucifixion.

Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, had died and Jesus came to the tomb where he was laid. We pick up the account in John 11:39:

Jesus said, “Take ye away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days” (John 11:39, King James Version).

That’s from the King James Version. Then we read in verses 43 and 44,

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Now that must have been quite a sight. But did it really happen? The resurrection of Lazarus created quite a stir among the people in Judah. And even Jesus’ detractors could not deny it. Notice what we read a little bit later in John 12:9–11:

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus (John 12:9–11).

In spite of this, Jesus’ own disciples had difficulty believing in Jesus’ own resurrection. It might be due to a fundamental difference. They were there when Jesus called Lazarus forth out of the tomb. They saw many other miracles performed by Jesus, but when the miracle worker is killed, who to look to then? Jesus came to reveal the Father to them, but Jesus they saw—no one had ever seen the Father, as it tells us in John the first chapter, and verse 18:

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:18).

Jesus performed many other miracles. He healed all kinds of diseases, cast out demons, turned water into wine, calmed a stormy sea, and walked on water. Many people were still alive and remembered these miracles when the gospel accounts were written. They knew these things happened. And even the contentious Pharisees had to admit these miracles of healing were real, as seen by this confession from Nicodemus, found in John 3:2:

This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).

So the questions remain. Do you believe these miracles happened? Do you believe there is an all-powerful God who is working with mankind on this small planet, which orbits an average sized star—one of tens of billions in our galaxy, and only one galaxy among the currently estimated one to two trillion galaxies that make up our universe?

Truly, we ought to wonder as King David did when he looked up at the night sky and mused,

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? [That’s from Psalm 8:3–4].

Now that dear friends, is a question of great magnitude. If God does exist, what is His plan for you and for me? We must know, and know that we know, that we are the result of an incredible mind, a great Creator God. And if we do truly believe, that belief should shape our decisions.

Are Miracles Enough? What “Proof” would Convince You?

Most of us think that we would believe if only we could see a miracle, but that is a fallacy, not backed by the facts. The children of Israel saw miracle after miracle. They escaped through the Red Sea, and they were fed supernaturally with manna, but the miracle of manna was far greater than most comprehend. For forty years it came six days every week, but never on the seventh day. Clearly, God was teaching them a lesson regarding one of His Ten Commandments. But have we learned that lesson?

Miracles are like food and water. They survive in our minds for only a short period of time, until the next challenge appears. Those who rely on miracles, must have miracle after miracle to replenish their hunger. This is not to say that miracles are not important, and we read of many of them in the Bible. And perhaps you’ve even experienced one. And, in fact all of us have, as life itself is a miracle, if we will only open our eyes. As Paul tells us in Romans 1:20,

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20).

King David wrote in Psalm 139:13 and 14, when considering his own existence,

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. (Psalm 139:13–14).

Think about it. Does your soul know that very well? Faith is elusive. It must not be blind, but our nature is such that the evidence of miracles never lasts.

It is natural to think of the early Church as having great faith, unlike today. And that may be true, but perhaps not to the degree we imagine. A rather humorous account is found when Peter was put in prison. Herod was fully set on executing him, as he had recently done with the Apostle James. Many were gathered together praying for Peter’s release from an otherwise certain death, but God sent an angel to rescue him. And when Peter arrived after this miraculous escape, those praying for a miracle couldn’t seem to accept that one was there at the front gate. Notice it:

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary...where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished (Acts 12:11–16).

Are you and I any different from those dedicated people? Would we be astonished in a similar situation?

Prove God is Real to You

I’ll show you why it is impossible to please God without living faith. And that is not an opinion, but a statement of scripture. Hebrews 11 is known as the faith chapter, and in it we read this profound statement that we would all do well to consider. Here it is in Hebrews 11:6:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Why is this so? An examination of this chapter reveals that everyone listed in it had the kind of faith that generated actions. We read of Noah, who built a huge boat to preserve life through a worldwide flood--his neighbors most likely mocking him, until the flood swept them away. Abraham obeyed God when he left his comfortable home to go to a land where he would be a stranger, and he trusted that God would give him a son in his old age. Then there was Moses that we read of in verses 24–27:

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:24–27).

Notice that each of these individuals did more than profess faith. They acted on faith. Which one of us would have done the same? Now some may think, “Well if God spoke to me directly I would.” But isn’t that what He is doing through His word, the Bible? Or do you believe that?

While God spoke directly to some in dreams and visions, many others down through the ages only had the written word of God to cling to. And not all were rescued, as we read in verses 37–40:

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us (Hebrews 11:37–40).

God was real to them. And if God is real to us and we truly believe there is a reward for obeying Him, we too will keep His commandments. Do you, dear friend, keep the weekly Sabbath, as spoken of in Genesis 2, as commanded along with the other Ten Commandments, and as God revealed to Israel for forty years by withholding the manna each seventh day? Or do you follow the traditions of men and choose the day that Constantine decided for the church? Do you observe the same annual days that Jesus, His Apostles, and first century Christians kept? Or do you follow human traditions of pagan holidays with the name of Christ slapped on them? Do you do what Jesus said to do in Matthew 19:17, where he said

[B]ut if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

Or do you compromise so as not to create waves on the job or within your family? Remember Jesus’ sobering words found in Matthew the 10th chapter:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to “Set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law”; and “a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me (Matthew 10:34–38).

Now that my dear friends, is where the rubber meets the road. Are you putting Christ first in everything? Are you putting it all on the line? Or are you drawing a line in the sand and saying, by your actions, I’ll go so far, but no further?

Thank you for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you would like a copy of our booklet The Real God: Proofs and Promises (it’s free of charge, of course), click the link in the description. See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

A Never-Ending Struggle?

For so many of us, life sometimes seems little more than a “stress machine.” News stories remind us that our social structures and systems of government are fracturing. The world around us seems almost a different planet in many ways since the pandemic began. Our personal lives, our health, our jobs, our relationships—all face mounting pressures that seem unrelenting. And the demands on us to somehow make “everything work” seem impossible to satisfy.

What we desperately need to move us forward, from one day to the next, is HOPE. But it seems that, no matter where we look, there is little REAL hope to be found. Yet I’m here to tell you today that there IS hope—REAL hope. There are solid reasons why you should look forward in confidence and face your challenges with courage and hope for the future.

Let us explain why the burdens you bear are not as heavy as you think they are. Join us right now on Tomorrow’s World as we give you “The Hope You Need!”

No Hiding From Reality

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you understand your world through the pages of your Bible. Thank you for joining us.

Is there no reason for hope in the world anymore?

One could be forgiven for asking that question, as the world around us seems unraveling at the seams.

But there are reasons for hope. Not “pie in the sky” hope, not the sort of “self-delusional” hope rooted in fantasy and avoiding reality. But real hope, grounded in the most fundamental truths we could ever hope to learn or understand. We are going to address three of those sources of hope today.

But first, let’s wrestle a bit with reality. Because real hope isn’t built on fantasy. It isn’t found in avoiding life or running away from our troubles—whether we literally run away from them by avoiding the things we fear, or whether we seek to hide in different ways, such as through alcohol and substance abuse, or filling our minds with all the diversions and distractions this world has to offer, so that there’s no room for reality to slip in and remind us of what we face in the real world.

No, if we want to embrace real hope, then we have to embrace real life, and accept it for what it is.

Not that I would blame anyone for wanting to hide. Our world is not the most encouraging place to live.

Our daily news feeds have little to offer us that is encouraging. Partially, this is because negative news sells more newspapers and captures more viewers. But, frankly, it is also because our world is truly in trouble. National systems of government that have served as models of stability and peaceful deliberation are crumbling. Of course, in democracies, the nature of governments and the nature of their citizens are intimately connected, and, sure enough, the problems we see in government reflect the problems of the people. Anger, violence, unrest—reflections of instability and uncertainty are on the rise.

Our program is viewed all around the world, but I live in the United States, and I can attest that our society is beginning to head in directions that are making it unrecognizable. Fault lines are widening and even the smallest of differences between people are prompting neighbors to treat each other as enemies—stirring up hatred with an almost animal-like viciousness.

Yes, tensions are high between nations, as the United States, Russia, and China compete for as much control as they can muster over an increasingly volatile and unpredictable world. But we don’t need to look to international news to see conflict, strife, and hatred. We are seeing it in our own cities and among our own neighbors.

Not a lot of hope to find there.

And that’s all besides the frequent stresses and concerns of our personal lives. Health problems, challenges at work, financial troubles, and relationship difficulties—sometimes even when we’re trying to do the right thing, it can seem like it doesn’t make a difference; as if no one sees our struggles and cares what we are going through; as if our efforts seem pointless, and we have no hope that there’s any meaning in it all.

We need hope that our efforts matter in this world. But where will we find that hope?

Science provides none. We have parted the curtain on the natural world and learned wondrous things, but nothing that provides transformative hope or true meaning to life. And as we noted earlier, the world of politics seems to be where hope goes to die, these days.

Modern living in developed nations provides virtually non-stop entertainment and distraction for those who can afford it—and while they can take our minds off of our troubles for a while, in the end, without real hope, those distractions leave us feeling emptier than we were before.

We need hope. Real, lasting, significant, profound hope. A hope rooted in things that transcend the world around us and provide deep, eye-opening meaning to our lives and experiences.

And, my friends, such hope really does exist.

A Living God, the True Source of Hope

Now we want to look at three sources of the hope you need. Now on first glance, they may seem trivial, but they represent the foundations of the only real hope that can make a significant difference in our lives. When we embrace these truths and all that they imply, the entire world—every aspect of our lives—begins to mean something different. And in that difference, we find the hope we need.

The first source of hope is this astonishing truth: God is REAL.

A long line of scientists, philosophers, and social engineers would love to convince you there is no God, no Designer, no Creator—that there’s nothing more to existence than what you can see.

My friends, that is a lie. Those who proclaim the lie may sincerely believe it, but a lie sincerely believed is still a lie.

In the Bible, King David expresses his opinion of those who deny the obvious truth about the existence of an Almighty Creator. He writes in Psalm 14 and verse 1,

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

And some of the best evidence for God’s existence can be found today just as readily as King David was able to see it. Consider the remarks of the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 1:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (vv. 18–21).

Note that Paul speaks of those who plainly see the evidence that we live in a universe created by an omnipotent, all-knowing God—the stars above our head, the orderly world around us, the intricate and complex designs of life. He notes that, just like one can detect the fingerprints of a master craftsman in the work He has created, those who look with open eyes and consider the evidence with humble hearts can see the fingerprints of their Creator.

In fact, Paul condemns those who suppress the truth they see and substitute lies, noting that they are without excuse for their rejection of the God they were unwilling to glorify.

That is a very real reaction to the created world and the obvious evidence of its Creator. We see it reflected in the words of Francis Crick, legendary biologist and co-discoverer of the exquisite structure of the DNA molecule. A die-hard evolutionist, Crick was writing about the mindset his fellow biologists must take as they examine the remarkable design and engineering of life:

“Biologists must constantly keep in mind that what they see was not designed, but rather evolved” (Francis Crick, What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery, 1988, p. 138).

Similarly, famous evolutionist Richard Dawkins has written:

“Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose” (Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker, 1986, p. 1).

Why must biologists, quote, “constantly keep in mind” that what they are looking at was not designed? Why is it that we must assume life only has, quote, “the appearance of being designed for a purpose”?

Because the evidence points overwhelmingly to life having been designed for a purpose.

The proofs of God’s existence are profound and more numerous than we can cover in this brief program. But I encourage you to explore our website, TomorrowsWorld.org, where you can find a number of resources to help you prove the existence of God for yourself.

So why is God’s existence one reason we can have hope?

There are many answers to that question, and some of them are tied to what’s coming later in today’s program. But think about it for a moment.

So much of modern science—even when it does not say so explicitly—tends to communicate a sense of meaningless. Hopelessness. If there is no God, there really is no meaning—we really are alone, sometimes, in a cruel world in which no one cares.

But… if God does exist—and He does—then we need never feel alone. If God does exist, then even in our greatest moments of despair, we have someone to cry out to for help, for mercy, for understanding! We have someone who understands what we’re going through, who sees our trials, who is willing to go through them with us.

In fact, in Genesis 16:13, when the Egyptian handmaiden Hagar is fleeing from the anger of her mistress, Sarai, she notes God’s encouraging presence, and calls Him “El Roi”—The God Who Sees.

God’s willingness to be with us in our most difficult trials was illustrated in the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is God just as His Father is. He is not distant, aloof, and above our sufferings. Rather, Jesus Christ came to this world to live among us and experience what we experience. The book of Hebrews explains this aspect of Jesus’ life, noting that

“… in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:7–8).

God is real. He knows our suffering, our trials, and our burdens. Nothing we do happens in some lonely vacuum—instead, the One who wove our very lives together understands what we are going through, and is open to hearing the cries, fears, and requests of all who are willing to open themselves to Him.

You are not alone. God is very real.

There are profound implications of this, and those implications provide additional hope in our lives.

Jesus LIVES for Your Future

The second reason for hope is the beautiful truth that Jesus Christ is RETURNING.

Many mainstream “Christian” churches fall into one of two ditches—either they focus so much on “spiritual” things that they do little earthly good, or else they focus on trying to change this world through politics and policymaking, as if Jesus Christ were interested in ruling this broken world through its broken, carnal mechanisms. The former make the truths of the Bible seem unconnected to the world we live in today and the lives we live in that world, and the latter inevitably end up corrupted themselves, forgetting that the real Jesus Christ calls us to something very different than participating in the ways of this world.

Yet, Jesus Christ has not abandoned this world to its own devices. The news we see can sadden us, frustrate us, even anger us. All around us we see the guilty going free, those who do harm not held to account, and a world that is increasingly brutal—more like the animal world than the world of human beings.

But after Jesus Christ was resurrected, as He ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives, His disciples were told something very important—the only real source of hope this world has for its future.

As the Savior of mankind rose higher and higher into the sky and the disciples watched on, angels appeared next to them to declare some remarkable good news:

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

This is important, because this foundational truth of true Christianity has been spiritualized away and diminished by so many of the different strains of counterfeit Christianity that currently fill the churches of this world.

The angels were explicit: In the same manner in which he ascended to heaven, He would one day descend back to this earth. Just as He physically ascended, He will one day physically return.

And that event, the return of Jesus Christ, will be the turning point of all of human history. It is the heart of the true gospel—or good news—preached by Jesus Christ during His three-and-one-half year ministry on earth. For when He returns, He will establish the Kingdom of God here on earth, which will grow to reign over every square inch of this planet.

All the horrors and injustices and heartbreaking suffering that we see streamed in our newsfeeds will become things of the past, tossed into the dustbin of history, and replaced by the glorious reign of Jesus Christ and His glorified saints under God the Father.

The horrific suffering of this present world—suffering that pricks our hearts and prompts us to search for even the smallest reason to hope that somehow something will change—that suffering is caused, ultimately, by Satan the Devil, called by Jesus Christ Himself the “ruler of this world” no less than three times in the book of John.

In fact, it’s the Apostle John who highlights this vital element of Jesus Christ’s mission, noting in 1 John 3 and verse 8 that

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

All the suffering, all the injustice, all the wars, all the greed and filth and malice that corrupts this world and causes us such grief—all of it will be taken away with the coming of the Kingdom of God and the reign of the Son of God.

The prophet Isaiah characterizes that reign, noting that those living in Tomorrow’s World will look at their new ruler and be moved to praise Him by the lives they now live, noting,

“His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Later, in chapter 35, Isaiah describes that soon-coming world by noting the great miracles, healings, and even geological rejuvenation that will take place, saying,

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert” (vv. 5–6).

When the news we see on our screens seems to be sliding into a state of almost permanent despair, and we begin to think that there is no hope, we can rest assured that nothing escapes the eyes of God and Jesus Christ. No injustice, no wrong, no harm, no suffering—and we can pray to God all the more fervently as Jesus taught us, saying, “Your Kingdom come.”

Jesus IS returning to this world and will not leave it doomed to mankind’s folly. And that is, indeed, a great source of hope.

A Future You Can Believe In, a God You Can Trust

Today we’ve discussed two fundamental sources of the hope you need to face the future—and the present—with courage and confidence:

1. God is REAL.
2. (And) Jesus Christ is RETURNING.

But there is one more we want to discuss that is intimately tied to these two and to your future:

3. Your life has a PURPOSE.

You were made by God to one day be a member of His own family—experiencing life and reality just as He and His Son do now, and inheriting not only the Earth, but the entire universe as your possession, reigning and ruling as a Child of God forever.

It seems beyond belief—the stuff of science fiction. But I stand here today telling you that it is the firm declaration of God’s word—no matter how many misguided philosophers, preachers, and theologians try to hide it or dilute it, and no matter how incredibly shocking it might seem.

And understanding this transforms the first two sources of hope. Because God is real, His plan and purpose for us is real—and if anyone has the power to make His purpose for us come to pass, it is Almighty God. And when Jesus Christ returns, He brings with Him our reward: Transformation into the glorified Children of God, with divine power to make a difference—first in this world, reigning under Jesus for 1,000 years, then throughout the entirety of Creation, as we inherit all things, forever.

You were created for so much more than this life.

The mind-blowing purpose God has for your life has been hidden in plain sight—under your nose all the time, just waiting for you to discover it.

Discover your purpose—and discover an unending and undefeatable source of the very hope you need.

And I hope that this program has been a blessing to you. Please join us again next time—Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, Rod McNair and I will be right here waiting for you, ready to talk about the true teachings of Jesus Christ, the end-time prophecies of the Bible, and the truly good news of the Kingdom of God. Until we see you again, take care.

Thank you so much for watching! We here at Tomorrow’s World really do work hard to help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. If you’d like today’s free offer, there is a link in the description where you can find it, and if you’d like more of this material and to be notified when it comes out, then click the “subscribe button” and be sure to click on the little bell. Again, thanks for watching, and we’ll see you again.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

A Time of Need

The coronavirus pandemic, major rioting, fires, wars, and natural disasters caused many to consider 2020 a year to forget. The effects of this pandemic damaged economies all over the world and intensified the negative conditions in poorer countries. Regulations countering the pandemic included quarantines and, in some cases, months of isolation. Some communities even enforced stringent curfews confining families to their homes for long periods of time. But one of the most damaging effects on many individuals was that of separation from face-to-face socialization leading to severe loneliness.

Loneliness has always been a social problem, but the problem has become so severe in Japan that the government established a “Minister for Loneliness”! The Independent reported: “Japan has appointed a minister for loneliness following a recent rise in the number of suicides and the coronavirus pandemic’s exacerbation of the issue”

Is loneliness one of your serious problems? If so, you need to solve that problem and experience success, happiness, contentment, and hope. Your Bible gives multiple solutions. One of the major solutions to loneliness is the help of a faithful friend. You need to know the way to true love and peace. And you need to know Who can be your greatest friend!

Stay tuned!

What is True Friendship?

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

We all need friends, but the national shutdowns due to the coronavirus have interfered with normal socialization and fellowship. The coronavirus pandemic caused many governments to virtually “shut down” cities, states, provinces, and whole nations. In April 2020, BBC News reported: “Coronavirus: The world in lockdown in maps and charts.” The report described “How the world shut down. The approaches to dealing with coronavirus across the world have been wide-ranging to say the least. In Colombia the days that you’re allowed to leave the house depend on the number of your national ID card; in Serbia a designated dog-walking hour was introduced; and in Belarus the president has gone against medical advice, recommending vodka and saunas as a way to stay safe. Some of the more common approaches have seen governments issue recommendations on social distancing for part or all of the country, while others have acted to restrict all non-essential internal movement. The latter is often called a lockdown” (BBC.com).

BBC News indicated that starting in April of 2020, more than 70 countries introduced nation-wide lockdowns, including France, Germany, the UK, Russia, Italy, Spain, South Africa, and New Zealand. The restrictions in some areas resulted in strict isolation affecting the mental health of many. The nation of Japan, facing an unprecedented increase in death and suicide in pandemic-stricken 2020, instituted an aggressive solution to loneliness; it appointed a Minister for Loneliness. The Independent reported: “Japan has appointed a minister for loneliness following a recent rise in the number of suicides and the coronavirus pandemic’s exacerbation of the issue”.

On today’s program, we’ll discuss principles of friendship and biblical examples of both faithful and unfaithful friendships. We will also discuss the Bible’s awesome revelation of One who can be our greatest Friend!

Ancient King David, before he became king, was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king after King Saul. You can read about that in 1 Kings the sixteenth chapter. Most of you know the story of David’s victory over the giant Goliath and his subsequent military victories. King Saul was jealous and even tried to kill David two times. But Saul’s son Jonathan, who would ordinarily be considered the next king, became David’s best friend. In 1 Samuel 20, Jonathan affirms to David that he will do all he can to protect David from King Saul’s anger, and pledges his friendship with David. 1 Samuel 20:16:

“So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘Let the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.’”

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.

This rare example of faithful and loving friendship was in the context of God’s blessing. Remember the remarkable statement in Acts 13:22 regarding David’s character:

“And when He [God] had removed him, [King Saul] He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’”

Yet, King David knew that his closest fellowship was with God, who had blessed him and delivered him through numerous trials. When betrayed by his old friend Ahithophel, David reflected in Psalm 55:16,

“As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.”

My friends, you and I need that same close relationship with God. As it tells us in James 4:8,

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

James also mentions that the patriarch Abraham “believed God… And he was called a friend of God” (James 2:23).

Who is your closest friend?

Over the years, I’ve had many, many friends, but who is my BEST friend? God blessed me with a wonderful wife, and now over 57 years of marriage. But what was it that we had in common? We had similar backgrounds in culture and education, but what cemented our friendship, our love, was the way of life God called us to live. You’ve heard that way of life on [the] Tomorrow’s World program. It’s the way of True Christianity. There are counterfeit forms of Christianity which, frankly, have turned off some who might actually have been interested in biblical Christianity. I hope you’ve seen our Tomorrow’s World telecast “What is Biblical Christianity?”

Where can you find true and faithful friends? You can find them in a loving group of biblical Christians who follow the true Jesus Christ of your Bible.

Friendship is Love

Tomorrow’s World magazine author Phil Sena gives us this perspective in his Tomorrow’s Youth column, “BREAK FREE FROM LONELINESS.”

“What is loneliness? It is complicated. It is not just one thing—and it can be caused by any number of factors. Some feel that no one else shares their values. Some feel they have no one to share their life with. Some simply feel that no one cares about them. These feelings can lead to a sense of isolation and alienation—and to a deep sadness, even despondency, making ordinary life more painful than the people around them can understand” (March–April, 2010).

My friends, we need to find those who care for others. And it’s important to know the biblical values that produce loving relationships and friendships. And while it may not be easy when you are feeling lonely, we must exercise love for our neighbor and reach out to others. Mr. Sena gives this advice:

“Connect with others. There are other people who like some of the same things you like, or who believe the things you believe. Although it may be difficult at first, making the effort to meet some of those people will change your life. Reach out to people who share your interests, and soon your loneliness will cease. One of the best ways to break through loneliness is to realize that there are other lonely people, and that you may be able to help them. Is there someone in your community who needs help? It does not need to be something big; maybe just taking the time to listen to an elderly shut-in or encouraging a niece or nephew by playing catch. Making a difference in someone else’s life will make a big difference in your own” (ibid.).

Yes, you can reach out to others! Pray and ask God to help you love your neighbor. That is the second Great Commandment God gives us. You can read that in Mark 12:31. Most people know of the golden rule, but how many practice it as a way of life? Jesus stated it this way in Matthew 7:12:

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Tomorrow’s World presenter, Rod McNair, authored this inspiring article, “HOW TO FIGHT LONELINESS—FIVE WAYS TO OVERCOME.” It’s in the January–February 2020 edition of Tomorrow’s World magazine. You can access it on our TomorrowsWorld.org website. He gives five principles for fighting loneliness. We don’t have the time to mention all of them, so I’ll just mention the fifth principle here, but I urge you to go to TomorrowsWorld.org and read the whole article for yourself.

We’re discussing the importance of friends. Mr. McNair reminds us of a vital principle: SPEND TIME WITH YOUR MOST IMPORTANT FRIEND. He comments: “Before His crucifixion, Jesus Christ told His disciples, ‘No longer do I call you servants… but I have called you friends’ (John 15:15). That’s an amazing statement from the Savior of all mankind!”

The Savior of the World, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, paid the penalty of our sins by shedding His blood for you and me. God’s love is forever. God IS love, as it tells us in 1 John 4:8, 16. That love facilitates a powerful friendship with those who are willing to live godly, and to follow the example of our Savior.

How can we practice true friendship? Let’s look at the patriarch Job and his three friends. God allowed Satan to afflict Job to test him. Even though Job’s three friends misjudged Job, they still had an unusual willingness to share in his suffering. Notice the time they spent with him in silence. Job 2:13:

“So they [Job’s three friends] sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.”

Would you have the compassion and patience toward a friend for seven days in silence? That’s dedication. The book of Proverbs also gives us principles of friendship. Proverbs 12:26:

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully….”

Many make the mistake of compromising their character and values just to have a friend. If you are a faithful friend, you stand up for godly principles and never compromise. Proverbs 17:9:

“He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.”

A faithful friend does not carelessly disclose the weaknesses of others, but strives to help him or her overcome a character flaw. Proverbs 17:17:

“A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.”

Or as the New Revised Standard Version translates it,

“A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.”

As we practice friendship, we need to know the Greatest Friend of all. Who is He? He is the One who loves you and gave His life for the sins of the world, and for your sins and mine! Yes, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ can be your BEST friend. So, we ought to know more about the true Jesus Christ of the Bible. The Apostle Paul warned that there are counterfeit presentations of Jesus. Turn in your Bible to 2 Corinthians 11:3. The Corinthians were fooled by people who SEEMED religious. Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:3,

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. [Now listen to this!] For if he who comes preaches ANOTHER JESUS whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!”

The Corinthians tolerated “another Jesus.” As shocking as it may sound, many professing Christians today accept “another Jesus” and not the Jesus of your Bible! My friends, which Jesus do you follow? A king? Or a weakling wandering around in the desert? Can you really know the TRUE Jesus as He was in the flesh? And can you really know Him as He is NOW, the glorified Son of God at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven? Yes, you can.

Jesus Christ—The One Who Gave Everything for His Friends

John 15:15:

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

Yes, your greatest friend should be your Savior, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth! But notice, He gave this requirement, John 15:9:

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

My friends, not only can you overcome loneliness, you can find the way to true life, happiness, and friendship. But you need to prove and know the true Jesus of your Bible! There are many differences between the Jesus most people imagine, and the Jesus of your Bible. We’ve covered these points on previous programs, but let me mention just a few. The true Jesus of your Bible: 1. Observed the weekly seventh-day Sabbath (not Sunday. He is Lord of the Sabbath as it states in Mark 2:28–29). 2. Was born in the autumn, near the Feast of Trumpets (in September or October), not on December 25. There were shepherds living in the fields, Luke 2:8, in the autumn, not in the winter. You may want to do your own research to see whose ancient birthday was celebrated on December 25). 3. Taught that we must keep the Ten Commandments (contrary to modern popular teaching. Read Matthew 19:17). 4. Observed the biblical festivals and annual Holy Days (not pagan days with Christian names. He observed the Feast of Tabernacles, for example. See John the seventh chapter).

My friends, I urge you to read the New Testament with a fresh perspective. Read what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote about Him. You need to study and know the real Jesus of your Bible. You may find Him very different from the traditional images that are promoted around the world.

Yes, the true Christ of your Bible is alive today! But where is He? What is He doing? Where is Jesus? He is at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven. You can read about that glorious throne in Revelation the fourth chapter! And you can read about His glorious, radiant, powerful appearance in Revelation 1:12–16! Yes, Christ ascended to heaven. And what is He doing? The book of Hebrews is called the priesthood book. The true Jesus of your Bible is called our great High Priest! Jesus is able to sympathize with our sufferings. Why? Because He suffered in the flesh. He knows pain and He knows betrayal and He knows the temptations we face. How do we know that? Turn again in the book of Hebrews to chapter 4 and verse 15. My friends, you have a great High Priest in heaven who knows you and intercedes for you. Listen to this in Hebrews 4:14:

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Listen to this encouraging scripture. Hebrews 7:24:

“But He [Christ as our Great High Priest], because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore [Listen to this] He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:24–25).

Yes, the true Jesus of your Bible ever lives to intercede for you and your sins and your problems, and He is doing a Work on this earth right now, preparing the way for His Second Coming! He commissioned His Church to preach the gospel. You’ve been hearing that gospel on this program, my friends—the same gospel Jesus preached, the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. Just read about that in Mark 1:14 and 15. Jesus also prophesied that the gospel would be preached at the end of the age;

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

The true Jesus of your Bible actively guides His true servants in fulfilling the great commission. As He promised in the last verse of Matthew 28,

“… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

My friends, you need to study your Bible and prove which Jesus is the true Christ!

Entering Into Fellowship With God

Doubting Thomas exclaimed that Jesus was “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28). The book of Hebrews reveals that Jesus is our “great High Priest” (Hebrews 4:14). He is called “King of kings and Lord of lords” in Revelation 19:16. In Isaiah 9:6, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth is called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Remember how John the Baptist described Jesus. John told the crowds that followed him, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Jesus is also “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He is the “resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). My friends, you can research in Bible dictionaries and commentaries and find many more wonderful titles and names for the Jesus of your Bible. Now, let’s look at one final description in John the fourth chapter. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well information only the Messiah could tell her. Then, she told the whole community about Jesus. They urged Jesus to stay with them. After they listened to Jesus, they came to the conclusion and the reality the world will soon know. John 4:42:

“Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’”

My friends, who is Jesus? He is the Savior of the world. And as it tells us in Acts 4:12:

“… there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, is alive! He is now preparing to return to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. That same Jesus wants to be your best friend.

My friends, we all should pray as Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:10,

“Your Kingdom come.”

The Kingdom of God is coming to this earth. The King of kings, the Prince of peace, will transform this carnal, selfish, warring world into a millennium of peace and prosperity. That’s the good news of the gospel. But will you be ready? Remember, Jesus said,

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:16).

My friends, if you’ve studied biblical baptism, and if you’ve come to the place in your life where you have repented and have accepted Christ’s sacrifice, His shed blood for the remission of your sins, and if you have accepted His authority over your life, we invite you to counsel with one of our ministers. We have representatives in many regions around the world.

Thank you for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you would like a copy of our booklet What Is A True Christian? for free, click the link in the description. See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Who Will Be Saved by God?

Is it true that billions of people who live and die without accepting Jesus Christ are lost forever? If so, would that include those who never heard His name? What about babies who died before they were old enough to comprehend what it means, to accept the only name under heaven whereby one may be saved? What if their parents were Hindus, Muslims, atheists, or simply not interested in religion? Is there any hope for them or, for that matter, their parents? What about the Apostle Paul’s warning that even Satan has his ministers who appear as ministers of righteousness? As he said, some were worshiping a different Jesus, had a different spirit and a different gospel. Does this mean all of these are lost? No matter how sincere one may be, can all the differing sects and denominations, teaching very different doctrines, with radically different approaches, be right?

Are all these ignorant and deceived people lost forever? Is God fair? Does He love everyone, or only the few?

The surprising answer comes straight from the pages of the Bible, so stay with me!

The Name by Which We Are Saved

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World where we open the Bible for answers to the truly big questions of life. Today I’ll be answering the questions, with all their ramifications: Does God love everyone? Is He giving everyone a fair chance? Are people who never heard of Christ lost forever?

The Apostle John quotes Jesus as saying:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

This is likely the most quoted scripture in all the Bible, but how many understand it? How many understand that Jesus was saying that His Father loves, not just the few, but the whole world? And He went on to say:

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17).

The world is not a reference to planet Earth, but rather to the people who dwell here. But then there is that troubling scripture that tells us there is only one name under heaven whereby one can be saved. We read this in Acts, the fourth chapter. The context is the occasion where Peter called on the name of Jesus Christ to heal a crippled man. The result was that Peter and John were hauled before the council. We pick up the story beginning in verse 9:

If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole (Acts 4:9–10).

Then in verse 12, referring to the name of Jesus Christ, we read:

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). 

So here we have a dilemma. No matter how you count it, with this passage in mind, by any reckoning there have always been more that are “unsaved” than “saved.” Think of the billions who lived and died who never even knew of the Bible or its message. Think of the people who died in North or South America or some faraway island prior to the life of Jesus Christ.

Are these not part of the world? Are they forever lost? Is God so weak that He cannot save the world that He says He loves? Is the adversary stronger than God? If not, this leads us to the inevitable question “Is God fair?” Is He a respecter of persons? Has everyone—or will everyone—have a genuine and fair chance for the opportunity for salvation?

We had a repairman in our home one evening and we got into a discussion on this subject. He contended that if someone far away wanted to know about God, that God would reach him some way. Not only was that illogical, it’s contrary to scripture. Note what the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10 and verses 13 and 14.

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:13–14).

The fairness of God is a question many have struggled with. There are numerous ways theologians try to explain this conundrum, but all explanations coming from mainline Christianity miss the mark.

Not Calling Everyone Now

Why is it that clergymen and their denominations fail to see what is obvious from the Bible when it comes to the unsaved millions—many of whom never heard of Jesus? The answer is multi-faceted, but let me give you two simple biblical answers. The first is:

#1: God is not calling everyone now!

Now let me repeat that:

#1: God is not calling everyone now!

I understand that this is not what most of you have been taught, but this truth is right there in the Bible. It may come as a shock to you, but Jesus plainly tells us that only selected ones can come to Him. Read it for yourself. If you don’t have a Bible in front of you, write down these verses and check it out for yourself. As we always say here at Tomorrow’s World, don’t believe us just because we say it—believe it because you read it in your own Bible. Here it is in John 6:44:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:44).

We know that a principle is especially important when it is repeated and that is exactly what we see here. Jesus repeats this shocking truth in verse 65:

And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6:65).

This is hardly the whole story, as there are numerous passages that tell us the same thing. For example, many people know that Jesus spoke a lot of parables, but how many understand WHY? What was the purpose for His parables? My Sunday school teacher thought it was to make the meaning clear to a bunch of fishermen and shepherds. Was that correct? Can we know? The answer is yes, we can know, because Jesus’ own disciples asked Him that very question. Will we believe Him? Turn to Matthew 13, beginning in verse 10:

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” (Matthew 13:10).

There’s the question. Now what is the answer? Here it is straight from the mouth of Jesus:

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given…” (Matthew 13:11).

Mark also relates the same incident and adds a few more details, so let’s pick it up in Mark 4, beginning in verse 10:

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them’” (Mark 4:10–12).

Jesus then explained to His disciples the Parable of the Sower. In this parable, the seeds are sown. Some fall by the wayside, others on stony ground with little soil. Some of the seeds begin growing, but are choked by weeds, and the remaining seeds fall on good ground where they sprout and produce varying amounts of the crop. Then, after relating a couple additional parables, we read Mark’s often overlooked comment in verse 34:

But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples (Mark 4:34).

The simple biblical truth that God is not calling everyone now, and this truth sadly escapes clergymen and lay members alike.

The Real Purpose of the Law

As a reminder, the Bible tells us:

#1: God is not calling everyone now!

And reason number 2 is:

#2: God only gives His spirit of understanding to those who obey Him!

Preaching in the name of Jesus Christ was a dangerous business in the first century and in many parts of the world since then. On one occasion the early apostles were thrown into prison, but miraculously set free by an angel who instructed them to go back to the temple and speak the words of life. They were once again called before the Council, where we pick up the account in Acts 5, verse 27:

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” (Acts 5:27–28).

The apostles’ response was a stinging rebuke—something the high priest and those around him were not used to. Who did these uneducated men from Galilee think they were?

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:29–31).

Now notice this statement found in the midst of this account:

And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them (Acts 5:32–33).

What Peter and the others strongly intimated was that these religious leaders were NOT obeying God and were therefore not being led by God’s spirit. There is a powerful lesson in this for us. If we don’t obey God, we’ll not be given the Holy Spirit, and it is Christ living in us by the power of the Holy Spirit that opens our minds to understanding.

When the Prophet Daniel wanted to understand the timing of visions given to him, he was instructed:

Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:9–10).

Wickedness is more than substance abuse, sexual immorality, murder, and theft. All these are wickedness, but at the heart and core of wickedness is the rejection of and rebellion toward God and His will, as expressed in His law. Why is it that people cannot understand, that the New Covenant, instead of doing away with the law, makes it more binding?

Jesus did not mince words when He gave His famous Sermon on the Mount. Read it for yourself in Matthew 5, verses 17 and 18.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17–18).

Have heaven and earth passed away? So why do people reason around His clear statement? One tactic they use is to say the expression “all is fulfilled” means the law was done away at Christ’s crucifixion—that everything was done at that time—but does that fit the context of His statement? Not hardly. Instead of doing away with the law, He shows that He expects more of us. He holds us to a higher standard.

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

He went on to give examples of what He meant. He pointed out the sixth commandment that forbids murder, but He went on to show that holding hatred in your heart is the spirit of murder. He said in verses 27 and 28:

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27–28).

Now is there anyone who thinks the letter of the law (avoiding the very act of adultery) is harder to keep than the spirit of the law, as explained by Jesus? Yet, we see a constant attack on the law of God by the very people who say they believe in Jesus! No wonder He chided the people of His day, as we read in Luke 6:46:

But why do you call Me “Lord, Lord,” and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46).

The Bible is clear on the subject. Instead of doing away with the law of God, Jesus made it more binding, and by the power of His spirit, He makes it a part of our very way of life. It’s the way of godly love—true, genuine love. As it tells us in 1 John 5:3:

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

And notice Hebrews 10:16:

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them… (Hebrews 10:16).

Let’s review our second point once again:

#2: God only gives His spirit of understanding to those who obey Him!

Now why is this so important to understand the love of God for all mankind? It explains why so many fail to understand the fairness of God, and the hope He holds out for millions who appear to be lost today.

God’s master plan is revealed in the pages of the Bible.

Sadly, human traditions have replaced the statutes of God that reveal a master plan that gives hope for the millions who never heard the name of Jesus Christ, those who died too young to accept salvation through Christ, and those who are simply deceived.

God’s Annual Holy Days Show the Way

We learn from the Bible about certain Holy Days and Festivals that Jesus, His Apostles, and others observed. History also confirms that the first century Christian Church kept these days—days very different from today’s popular professing Christian holidays. Sadly, the days that Jesus kept, have been neglected, and are hardly known, even though found in the pages of the Bible.

Here is a list of them, along with a few of the numerous New Testament references to them:

Passover Luke 2:41; Luke 22:8, 11, 15

Feast of Unleavened Bread 1 Corinthians 5:7–8

Pentecost Acts 2; Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8

Feast of Trumpets Matt. 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Revelation 11:15

Day of Atonement Acts 27:9

Feast of Tabernacles John 7

Last Great Day John 7:37–39

Note that these are only a few of the scriptures. There are many more that the New Testament references to these days. Now for comparison sake, let’s list all the places where the following popular holidays are found in the Bible:

Lent

Easter

Halloween

Christmas

Does anyone see a problem here?

Easter, the name of the pagan goddess, Ishtar, is found in Acts 12:4 in the King James Version, it’s recognized as a terrible translation for the word that is rightly translated Passover. The New King James Version and all modern translations rightfully translate it as Passover.

Passover reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice given to pay the penalty of our sins. The Days of Unleavened Bread follow and show us what our response should be to that sacrifice. Notice it in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8:

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:7–8).

Pentecost is next, and it reminds us that we need Christ abiding in us, writing the law of God in our hearts and minds. The Feast of Trumpets is listed next in order in Leviticus 23. Its New Testament meaning is discerned by searching the scriptures that refer to the blowing of trumpets. We discover that this Feast refers to seven trumpet plagues found in the book of Revelation, with the seventh trumpet blown introducing the return of Christ to rule over all the earth.

The Day of Atonement follows close behind and teaches us that there will never be harmony on earth so long as Satan is around. This day describes his removal from influencing mankind for 1,000 years. That thousand-year reign is pictured by what is called the Feast of Tabernacles.

The seventh and final festival in God’s plan is called The Last Great Day. And a great day it is! It looks forward to a very specific time in the future when God will resurrect to life all those who never heard the true gospel message, or if they did, they were so deceived by Satan that they couldn’t understand it. This Feast foreshadows the time when billions of people will have their first real opportunity to choose God’s way. Go to Revelation 20.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away… (Revelation 20:11).

This is after the thousand-year reign of Christ.

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books (Revelation 20:12).

The books that are opened are the books of the Bible that have been closed to these people. Note also that the book of life is opened, not closed. Jesus referred to this time of judgment in Matthew 11:21–24:

And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. (Matthew 11:23–24).

Note that this is not describing a second chance but a real first chance when their minds will be opened.

Thank you for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you would like a copy of our booklet, “Is This the Only Day of Salvation” (it’s free of charge), click the link in the description. See you next time.