Yes, things were such in the early to mid 80's that many of us felt the final generation (the translation generation) were alive and well. We also thought Jesus would return within a few years. There were so many reasons to think so - 1) President Reagan, 2) Pope John Paul II, and 3) the righteousness by faith movement.
It is difficult to remain objective (to put it mildly!), but I tend to agree: He will return soon.
So many disparate events are coming to fruition in a way the planet has never seen.
Remember the signs Jesus listed in Matthew 24?
"In 1970, the average of natural disasters that were reported was 78; in 2004, this number jumped to 348. According to AccuWeather, since 1990, natural disasters have affected 217 million people every single year.
From 1980 to 2009 there was an 80 percent increase in the growth of climate-related disasters. Between 2001 and 2010, more than $1.2 trillion was lost to the increased rates of natural disasters. This was a dramatic rise, which between 1981 and 1990 had been roughly $528 billion.
With storms such as Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Irene, as well as the tsunamis and earthquakes that plagued Japan, a trend is apparent. But what is the cause of the horrific increase in disasters?
Scientists have concluded that the surges in climatic disasters is due to both man-made and natural elements. Contrary to popular belief, the sole cause of the increase is not attributed to global warming." The Borgen Project
Then there the are ominous societal changes, worldwide (no I don't mean rap!).
The USA in particular is changing: morphing into its next phase of existence...
"Murder rates have increased sharply across the US in 2015, with at least 30 cities reporting a rise in violence." BBC
Increase by city:
Milwaukee 76%
St Louis, 60%
Baltimore 56% etc.
Fascism is running rampant:
Citizens killed (murdered) by police, have you watched the news lately?
Corporate monopolization of media, 6 Corporations Control 90% Of The Media In USA.
Recent campaign donation changes give corporations unlimited control of elected officials.
Technology that has never before existed is being turned on citizens: cars are tracked, emails are read, telephone calls are monitored, CCTV tracks individual movement in more places every year etc.
Religious freedom is being eroded: "Kentucky clerk jailed for defying court orders on gay marriage." BBC
The gap between rich and poor is increasing faster and faster.
I won't even get into drone attacks on civilians, war for oil, or (un)officially sanctioned torture.
These are just a few ways, the USA is already "speaking like a Dragon".
In the eighties we had Reagan and John Paul: now we have Francis the first Jesuit Pope; Francis is John Paul on steroids! Every few months, his "Holiness's" push for Sunday sanctity grows more aggressive (see Doug Batchelor's video), his political influences are swiftly becoming bolder and bolder. This month he is scheduled to address the United Nations and (for the first time in history!) Congress!
Then there is the meteoric rise in Papal popularity. Francis (The People's Pope) quickly became the most beloved Pope of all time: " and all the world wondered after the beast."
Revelation 13:3
If memory does not fail me, the root word "wondered" is defined in Strong's as "to follow".
Well, most of the world is turning to "follow" Francis. Even atheists love him: he is the Savior of the environment, the Leader of social justice, the "conscience of the world!
Being from South America, he also has huge influence on the millions of immigrants (legal and illegal) pouring north into the USA, not to mention the six Catholic members of the Supreme Court. Since the remaining three are Jewish that leaves zero Protestants on the bench!
A large number of President Obama's intelligence advisors seem to be Catholic or Catholic schooled this list is from 2010:
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, (Alma Mater St. Mary’s University, Texas); Robert Cardillo, DIA deputy Director (and now Director of National intelligence for intelligence integration and schooled at Georgetown), Deputy National Security Adviser Tom Donilon (Donillon attended la Salle Academy, earned a B.A. at: The Catholic University of America in 1977; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter terrorism ( Attended private catholic schools from his youth, is Alma mater at Fordham University and is former CIA); and National Security Advisor Gen. James L. Jones (Alma Mater Georgetown University).
John Boehner: Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and third in line in Presidential succession, is Catholic. He attended Xavier, Jesuit, Catholic University...
I believe the World is much closer to being prepared for the Sunday Law than most people suspect...
As for the Church, admittedly we need "purification" and "eye salve".
Still, consider the various controversies threatening to tear us apart: the WOPE debate, the Emergent Church insinuating itself into our midst via Celebration Churches, The One Project etc. Catholic practices, such as Contemplative Prayer are required courses in some of our schools. Our professors espouse the savage faith of Darwinism, while SDA retreats in Florida invite the FB mockery of false prophets like Leonard Sweet to mesmerize the Remnent...
I could go on, there is much more, but I'm on an IPad and my typing finger is getting sore.
The SDA Church is going to be Shaken and Purified, and it will be very soon.
By the Grace of God, we WILL be a people prepared for our Lord.
The eighties were just a warm up. Things are definitely changing fast.
People, get ready!
