What Is the Unholy Trinity in the End Times, and How to Watch for It..... Hope Bolinger

 

What Is the Unholy Trinity in the End Times, and How to Watch for It

• Hope Bolinger

We're all familiar with the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But did you know an evil trinity of Satan's own design shows up in the end times? It should come as no surprise to us that Satan steals from God's original work. Satan never creates anything. He only twists what already exists. For instance, let's take a look at sex. God made this as a holy gift to be enjoyed in a monogamous marriage between a consenting husband and wife. But Satan has taken sex and perverted it, twisted it into pornography, sex before marriage, and so many other iterations of sin.

Apply the same principle to the unholy trinity. So who is the unholy trinity—in other words, what three parts make up this evil entity? What are the characteristics of the unholy trinity? And how will we know we've encountered this during the end times?

What Is the Unholy Trinity in the Bible?

Revelation 12 and 13 give us a clear depiction of this entity that shows up in the Last Days. Instead of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we have, as GotQuestions describes, Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet.

Let's break down each of these entities and the role they play in the end times.

Satan: We probably know the most about this section of the unholy trinity. Satan, once known as Lucifer, once lived in heaven with the other angels. Pride overtook him, and he managed to recruit one-third of heaven to follow him in his self-worship (Revelation 12:4). God cast out Satan and his demons from heaven. They await an eternal fate in the fiery lake at the end of Revelation. Satan, knowing this, hopes to drag as many people as possible with him to eternal damnation. He started by bringing sin into the world with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3) and will stop at nothing until his reign ends.

Antichrist: We've likely had a Christian tell us they know who the antichrist is. They tend to point to political leaders or leaders who have a significant amount of power. In truth, we probably haven't encountered him or her yet, or at least, they haven't made themselves known to be this figure who wreaks havoc in Revelation. How do we know this? Well someone needs to meet a certain amount of qualifications.

1) He/She needs to have major sway over the populace to the point where they are wooed by/love this figure (Revelation 13:3)

2) This figure needs a monumental amount of power over a one-world government, where they have control over religion, currency, and calendars (Revelation 13:1)

3) This figure needs to bring about a Roman revival and be vehemently anti-God and anti-Christian (Revelation 13:1)

There are many more characteristics, but we have yet to encounter a world leader who meets all of the criteria. Those who exercise discernment and who follow Christ will know when the antichrist steps onto the scene.

False Prophet: There are many "false prophets" today and throughout all time, but this one, in particular, performs "miracles" via demonic powers (Revelation 19:20). The false prophet will be in cahoots with the first beast (antichrist) and will lead many astray. Via the signs and wonders the false prophet performs, he or she will convince many to take on the Mark of the Beast. He or she will use the power of the tongue to sway many from barring themselves from heaven. After all, if someone takes on the Mark of the Beast, they prevent themselves from entering heaven. The false prophet will convince everyone to worship the antichrist.

Now that we have a grasp of each of the members of the unholy trinity, let's talk about their role in the end times.

What Will the Unholy Trinity Do in the End Times?

We've hinted in the above paragraphs about what will take place. The antichrist, via the powers of Satan, will rise to power. And the false prophet will woo others to follow and worship him.

Here is a list of some of the things the unholy trinity will do in the End Times.

- The Prophet will give authority to the Beast, who will be worshipped by all people (Revelation 13)

- The Beast will exercise worldwide power for a short period of time. Most Christians say seven years (Revelation 13)

- The antichrist will wage war against God's saints—persecuting and killing many Christians (Revelation 13)

- The False Prophet will continue to do demonic "miraculous" signs, including healing a fatal wound on the first beast (Revelation 13)

- The False Prophet commands the people to create an idolatrous image of the antichrist to worship it (Revelation 13)

- The Beasts will force all to take on the Mark of the Beast, which is the number 666. Anyone who does not take on the mark will not be allowed to purchase anything from food to homes (Revelation 13)

The unholy trinity will do far more in the End Times. But what's important to know is that their power will not last forever, that God will pour out his wrath to avenge the saints who were persecuted and slain, and that sometime before or after the seven years of Tribulation, God will rescue his saints and step onto the scene.

How Can We Recognize the Unholy Trinity?

To be honest, we will know. At least, if we are in the Word daily, listen to the voice of God often, we will know when a false shepherd enters the flock. As we approach the Last Days, many candidates seem viable for the various parts of the unholy trinity. We may have encountered people who use false, wooing words to get people to fall away from the church and to worship something else. Many world leaders seem like they've vying for the position of the antichrist.

But until the world leader quite literally rules the world, we have a little more time before the antichrist steps onto the scene.

Remember, that before these events can take place, the Gospel needs to be spread to every tribe and nation. Although we're close, we haven't quite reached that goal yet. We also would need to be under a one-world government before we can make a clear distinction about the identity of the antichrist. This means being under one currency, one rule, etc. Although some politicians have made moves to strive toward one currency for the whole world, we haven't gotten there quite yet.

Finally, the antichrist has to be vehemently non-Christian. He makes war against the saints of God, after all. Although many leaders have shown non-Christian ideals and some abhorrence to religion, no one has quite matched the criteria above. They tend to be more subtle with their anger against Christians, rather than outright blasphemous.

Faithful Christians should and will be able to recognize the antichrist and the other members of the unholy trinity in the End Times. Although the final days haven't approached yet, we can prepare ourselves for when they do. Make sure to continuously be watchful and vigilant, for Satan prowls like a roaring lion. Those who do not spend time with the Lord or in the Word could fall prey to his schemes as we begin to reach the events in Revelation.

Seeing Obstacles through God's Eyes..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Seeing Obstacles through God's Eyes

Dr. Charles Stanley

Joshua 2

Jericho was the first city that the Israelites needed to conquer in their quest for the land of Canaan. When Joshua sent a pair of spies to check it out, he probably didn't realize that he would receive a glimpse of God's impressive behind-the-scenes activity.

God wants us to look at every obstacle through the lens of His unlimited strength and resources. Anything that appears to block His plans is an opportunity for Him to demonstrate His sovereign power. Just because we don't see anything happening, that doesn't mean He's inactive.

Always remember that God is at work on the other side of our obstacles, arranging the details and bringing His plans to fruition. When the spies returned to Joshua, they reported that the people of Jericho were scared to death. Having heard about the Jews' deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, they were gripped by fear of the Lord.

The stage was set for the conquest, yet by that point, Joshua had done nothing. Sometimes we think we need to be involved in the solution to our problem, but God is not limited with regard to whom or what He can use to accomplish His will. In this case, He worked in the hearts of the enemy by instilling demoralizing fear.

For Christians, great obstacles need not be reasons for discouragement. Although much of the Lord's activity is silent and invisible, we can be sure He is dynamically working out His will for our lives. When the pieces of His plan are in place, He will move us on to victory.

God as Our Guide through Life..... Craig Denison

 God as Our Guide through Life

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

As children of the Most High God, we have been granted access to unconditional, tangible, and perfect love. All we need we have in relationship with our Father in heaven. He longs to reveal himself to us as a loving, real Father. He longs for us to live in the fullness of restored relationship with him. He longs for us to experience his vast and limitless affections. May we grow in our understanding and experience of God as our good and loving Father this week as we look at what it is to be his child.

Scripture:“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

Devotional:

You were not created to carve out your path through this life alone. Your heavenly Father longs to be a guide throughout all the twists and turns of life. He longs to shepherd you to greener pastures and calmer waters. He longs to protect you and provide for you. He longs to lead you to a life with more fullness of joy, peace, and purpose than any life you could ever discover on your own.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Allowing the Lord to be established as your guide begins with a commitment to trust. God cannot lead where you will not follow. Unless you live life with your heart postured toward continual obedience, you will fail to follow your Father into all the wonders he has in store for you.

Psalm 32:8-9 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.” We must cultivate a continual hunger for the Lord’s instruction and counsel. God’s plan is not to guide you as a horse or mule where you live your life without purpose or understanding. He longs to teach you and reveal his will that you might live under his leadership and influence.

We are created to be children of the Spirit and the word. We are made to both hear the voice of our Father and live according to the perfect direction of Scripture. John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The Holy Spirit desires to speak to you directly about your life. He longs to guide you in and out of every circumstance by tugging on your spirit and speaking to your heart. And he longs to give you revelation you need from the words of Scripture he divinely inspired. God has given you ample opportunity to be perfectly led. He’s provided all you will ever need to go through life with him as your guide. All that’s left is for you to trust him, keep your heart open to him, and follow him obediently in response to his faithfulness and love.

Take time in guided prayer to ask for his guidance. Ask the Holy Spirit to transform you into a child who is quick to listen and follow his leadership. Ask him to give you revelation through his word that you would be a child filled with understanding. May you encounter the desire of your Father to lead you well today.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to guide you by his Spirit and word.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” >John 16:13

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” >James 1:5

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” >2 Timothy 3:16-17

2. Ask the Lord to transform you into a child quick to obey and follow his leadership. Ask him to give you great understanding of his word that you might live in accordance with Scripture.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” >John 10:27

“For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” >Isaiah 30:19-21

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.” Psalm 32:8-9

3. Ask the Lord about any situation in which you need guidance. Wait on him and listen intently for a response. Pay attention to what you feel peace about and what disturbs your spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to a passage of Scripture that will give you understanding about what you should do. Pay attention to any passages or verses that come to mind.

Listening to the Lord is all about receiving in faith what God already wants to give. Our hearing is by the grace of God and not any merit of our own. God speaks to each of us perfectly. One child of God is not given more opportunity for God’s guidance than another. God longs to shepherd each of us. He longs to speak to each of us. All that is required of you is to make space to listen and receive. Ask the Spirit to teach you how to listen and hold onto what he is speaking. Make space in your daily life to have dialogue with your Father. And follow his perfect leadership into the abundant life Jesus died to provide for you.

Extended Reading: Psalm 5

How Does Jesus Measure the Weight of a Woman’s Words?..... AMY CARROLL

 How Does Jesus Measure the Weight of a Woman’s Words?

AMY CARROLL

“Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.” John 20:18 (NIV)

Last year, I ordered my first vanity license plate.

You might be rolling your eyes at me since “vanity” is the key word, but when I found out that “WORD GRL” was still available, I couldn’t resist. The personalized plate on the back of my car perfectly describes both my passions and my personality as a word girl.

Scripture is my dearest treasure, and I love to study God’s Word.

I’m a speaker and a writer, so words are my vocation.

Last but not least, I have a lot of words to share. Just ask my friends and family. I’m rarely left speechless, and I consider a story — either mine or yours — one of life’s greatest pleasures.

A true story of one woman in the Bible leaves me sure Jesus loves words, too, and He values a woman’s words.

For most of Mary Magdalene’s story, only her activities are recorded. There’s not a single quote from her at the beginning of her story in Scripture, but her actions introduce her thoroughly. We get a clear picture of a woman who was one of Jesus’ closest and most devoted friends.

Jesus rescued her from the destructive grip of seven demons, and afterwards she never left His side. Instead of going back to life as normal, Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus and the disciples. She also supported Him with her resources. (Luke 8:1-3) With a tenacity and courage not shown by many of Jesus’ followers, Mary stayed with Him at the cross, (Matthew 27:55-56) helped bury Him (Matthew 27:61) and hurried back to the grave as soon as the Sabbath rest was over. (John 20:1)

It was Mary who arrived at Jesus’ empty tomb first, but she ran back to tell Peter and John, who came to investigate. After they had left, not understanding all that was happening, Mary had the first recorded conversation with the risen Christ.

Mary, a faithful woman and friend, was given the honor of seeing our resurrected Jesus first. It wasn’t an accident either! Peter and John had been at the tomb, so it wasn’t just because she happened to be there first. Jesus purposefully chose Mary for an important assignment.

In John 20:17, Jesus said, “… Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (NIV).

So Mary went to share the news, bursting forth with these words that held the weight of eternity: “… I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18a). She testified of Jesus’ resurrection and all that He had told her.

Jesus chose her to see His resurrected body first and to go and tell others. He entrusted women with His message, and just like Mary Magdalene, we can share His glorious life with the confidence of His weighty commission.

Although words can be one of a woman’s greatest gifts, they’ve led to some of our saddest downfalls, too. Too often, our words have been invested in death — criticism, gossip, half-truths and negativity.

Being a “word girl” is part of a woman’s calling, but they aren’t just any words with which we’ve been entrusted. We’ve been given Jesus’ incomparable words of life to share. Let’s emulate Mary Magdalene, developing tender hearts, cultivating lives of devoted action, and generating words that let others know that we have seen the Lord.

Lord, thank You for valuing the words of women. Above all, I desire to share words with weight, sharing Your life and glory with everyone I meet. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

He Will Quiet You with His Love..... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 He Will Quiet You with His Love

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. - Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

A month after my husband of nine years left me, I went on a women’s retreat to Colorado, led by Staci Eldredge with Ransomed Heart Ministries. The first few days, I was numb—numb to the March snow piled around me, numb to the new reality of single motherhood waiting for me back home, and numb to the boiling storm inside my heart begging for release. But the Lord didn’t let me stay numb long. After days of fellowship, comfort food, corporate worship, intense workshops, and a ton of quiet time alone with the Lord and my raging thoughts, He broke through.

My husband didn’t love me anymore, but my Bridegroom did.

Once I was home and the power of those emotions faded, a dear friend mailed me a card that I still have to this day in my dresser, some seven years later. It simply contained the verse from Zephaniah 3:17, reminding me of God’s love. He wouldn’t let me forget. He still loved me.

After that, encouragement piled in from all sides. Text messages, gift cards, surprises in the mail, offers to help mow my yard or prepare my house to sell. Eventually, these efforts faded as time went by—understandably so.

But you know what never stopped? The hearts.

I began to see hearts everywhere. In the rocks under my feet, in the celery in my soup, in the crack in the table, in the crumb from my bread, in the dirt on the carpet from my shoe…literally anywhere and everywhere. And they usually came during a rough time—days when I felt the most lonely or unwanted or unlovable.

At first, I thought it was just me seeing something out of nothing. Why would God intentionally send me hearts? There was no Scriptural evidence that He would do that. Then I started realizing that if I believed in God’s sovereignty, then He was absolutely in control of whether or not that heart appeared in that cloud or rock or in that bowl of soup. And He was absolutely in control of whether or not I saw it.

One day I was pumping gas, and my tears were about to spill over. It’d been a hard day. I had a bad case of the “it’s not fair”s and was feeling completely incapable and unforgotten. I glanced down and there it was—a giant heart in the oil stain on the pavement. I started giggling-crying. I was seen. I was loved.

God loves you, too. And He’s not limited to predictive or expected measures of demonstrating that love. We know that ultimately, God demonstrated His love for us through His Son, Jesus, on the cross. Through His death and resurrection, we know God’s love.

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV) In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 5:8 (ESV) but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

You might not see hearts, but maybe you see something else. Maybe you sense or remember God’s presence the most when you feel the wind on your face. Or when you sink into a hot bath. Or when you see a butterfly or a particular flower in an open field.

His options for expressing love are limitless. Why not ask Him to open your eyes to the love around you? Pour into His Word. Bask in His presence through prayer and worship. And find Him in the unexpected.

The Forgotten Vital Organ..... by Katherine Britton

 The Forgotten Vital Organ

by Katherine Britton

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. - Proverbs 18:21

I have decided that many, many medical textbooks are wrong. Each and every one of them has actually left out a vital organ. Yes, they've remembered the heart and the brain and even that strange thing called a pancreas (I know it's important, I just forget why sometimes). But look through the books all you want, and you'll find not one mention of the most obvious vital organ of all: the tongue.

Then again, I myself often choose to ignore the importance of the tongue. I'd rather not believe it has "the power of life and death." I'd like to pretend my tongue is more like an appendix or a gall bladder - easy to forget about because it's not that important - but that's just not the case. Snapping at my family when I'm tired, nagging, and complaining all release a poison from my tongue that works its way through my whole being (James 3:6). Not only that, I infect others with my attitudes and motivations. I begin to spread a disease.

Contrast that with the "words of the wise," as Proverbs says many times. Their words heal and strengthen as they spread encouragement, wisdom, peace, and the Gospel message. Oh, and - get this - the wise actually use their tongues less than other people. The more powerful the tongue, the less it needs to be used. It's like the heart of a well-trained athlete - when someone is really in shape, the beats per minute actually decrease as the heart becomes more and more efficient. In the same way, why don't I condition my tongue to speak fewer words with more meaning?

In Genesis 1, God spoke into the darkness, and there was light. Those "mere words" created something from nothing, showing the power of speaking out. My pastor in college told us that this verse had meaning for us, too, since we are created in God's image. We are meant to speak out and bring light from the darkness as He did. That's the power of the tongue in a crazy world. The question is whether we choose to speak light or just add to the darkness.

That little muscle called the tongue holds the power of life and death. That's no small matter. So let's be careful how we exercise it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Grab a concordance and look up the words "mouth" and "tongue." The reference lists are extensive. It gets even bigger if you include the words "speak" and words." Then, take a seven day challenge to "tame the tongue" in just one way. Perhaps try encouraging instead of complaining. Even taming just that one area is like trying to control a wildfire (James 3:5). Don't get discouraged, but take each opportunity to thank God for the "new song" that He has given you to sing (Psalm 40:3).