Understanding where we are in God's prophetic timeline is essential for living purposefully. Jesus rebuked religious leaders who could forecast weather but failed to discern spiritual signs right before them. They demanded supernatural validation while standing face-to-face with God incarnate who had already performed countless miracles. To avoid similar blindness, we must see more clearly, hear more distinctly, and align with God's current work in our lives. We are living in the biblical 'last days' that began at Pentecost, with several prophetic markers indicating our position: Israel's re-establishment as a nation (1948), increasing natural disasters, hearts growing cold, anti-Christian legislation, and exponential knowledge growth as Daniel prophesied. The Holy Spirit is specifically calling believers to die to self so Christ can live through us, focus on authentic worship that releases God's sound, and recognize His glory that's present and moving. Despite our technological advances, over 3 billion people have never meaningfully heard the gospel, making the Great Commission our urgent mandate. Personally, we must examine whether our priorities reflect Jesus at the center of our lives. This means being committed to a church family, serving in some capacity, and giving our time, talent, and treasure. Like the Sons of Issachar who 'understood the times and knew what Israel should do,' we need discernment for our moment in history. This requires specific prayer for guidance, honest evaluation of our priorities, building spiritual community, examining our responses to pressure, and finding our role in the Great Commission.
