Knowing the Time

Pastor Hilton opens with Matthew 24:3-8, where the disciples ask Jesus about the sign of His coming and the end of the world. Jesus warns, 'Take heed that no man deceive you,' listing wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes as the beginning of sorrows. The pastor urges the congregation to 'know the time,' emphasizing that these signs are manifesting today—hurricanes, earthquakes, and famines have increased exponentially. He argues that we are living in the last of the last days, and it is 'high time to awake out of sleep' (Romans 13:11). Drawing from Joel 2:28-32, he connects the promised outpouring of the Spirit with the prophetic signs of blood, fire, and pillars of smoke, all pointing to Christ's imminent return. The pastor warns against being deceived by false prophets or by our own complacency, and stresses that while we cannot determine the fate of nations, we must determine our own individual fate—to 'save ourselves from this untoward generation.' He cites Paul's letters to Timothy about perilous times and the rejection of sound doctrine, and urges the church not to take the moving of the Spirit for granted. The message culminates in a call to action: now is the time to call on the name of the Lord, to be sober and watchful, and to prepare for Christ's return, which is 'surely' coming quickly. The altars are open, and the pastor pleads with the congregation to not delay their response to God.