Are we the generation who will see the return of Jesus?

Lately, I've been searching the Scriptures and asking the Father, "Will Jesus come back in my lifetime and is the Revelation 12 sign real?"

Some of you reading this may wonder what happened to MaryLu? She used to be a normal Christian author who blogged about normal things. LOL.  Some of you have little to no interest in end times, or you've just never thought about it or haven't been taught anything about it. I repeatedly get responses like "Jesus will come when He comes." or "We aren't supposed to know when."  The first is very true, the second is false.

I look at it this way. If the Lord will return in this generation, then we are a VERY important generation. We are the final believers who will not die, but who will be transported directly up to heaven. Aside from Jesus's death and resurrection, the rapture and the subsequent second coming are the MOST important events to ever occur on earth!  So why wouldn't we want to know if we are close? Honestly, if you don't want to know, I'd say you need to check your spiritual life. But that's for another post.

The Father is so wonderful and yet, so unexpected. Instead of answering me, He kept directing me to the following Scripture. 

And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Matthew 11:1-5

Notice that John the Baptist also had a very important question, and a very direct question for Jesus. But instead of simply saying "Yes", Jesus responded with a list of "signs" listed in the Torah that would be performed by the Messiah, signs that would indicate who He was.

I believe the Father, in His clever way, was giving me the same response. You want to know if Jesus will return in your lifetime, go read the signs of His coming and see if you see them happening. 

So, I did a quick inventory of the signs of the end mentioned in Scripture. Most found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21

Wars and Rumors of wars (check)
Nations rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms (Jewish idiom for World Wars) (check)
Famines (check)
Pestilences (check)
Earthquakes (check)

Jesus said these things above would be the beginning of sorrows, and like labor pains, they would increase in both intensity and frequency as time grew near the end, and that is exactly what we are seeing.

Persecution of Christians
Christians hated by all nations

More than 100 million Christians are being persecuted globally, according to the 2016 Open Doors World Watch List, and more than 80 percent of that persecution is due to religious fundamentalism of some kind.

False prophets -  no need to list some of these, but I can tell you there's a ton out there, and many of them are in church pulpits

lawlessness - (check)
love growing cold - (check) rising murder rates, women butchering their own kids
Gospel preached to entire world - Through internet, this is now possible
People living their lives as normal, eating drinking marrying just as in the days of Noah and the flood. Not many expecting the rapture (check)
Signs in the sun, moon, and stars - Planet X, Blood moon tetrad, Solar Eclipses, Revelation 12 sign!
Nations perplexed - (check)
People living in fear - (check) Terrorism and violence keeps every citizen afraid
Scoffers laughing at people saying Jesus is coming back - I used to think Peter was referring to non-believers here, but a few days back, I believe the Lord told me this referred to Christians. And boy are there a ton of Christian scoffers out there.. several that I know.

that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation  2 Peter 3:3-4

Degradation of morality and rise of selfishness, pride, and evil. (check) (Do I really need to prove this one?)

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  2 Tim 3:1-4

Huge knowledge and travel explosion - (check)

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 Daniel 12:4

The Jews back in the land of Israel. Prophesied in Ezekiel, this had to happen in order for the rest of the end-time prophecies to come to pass. NEVER before in the history of man has a nation been completely destroyed and dispersed among the world, only to return to its original land with its culture, religion, and language in tact!  Happened in 1948. 

Jesus told us that when Israel was back in the land and these other signs were occurring, that THIS would be the last generation before the end.

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that itis near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Matthew 24:32-35  

(Addendum:  Also, we have the technology for the mark of the beast now, and also the beginnings of a one world government are already formed with the UN and EU and the influx of the Islamic Caliphate. All it would take is one world wide disaster to bring everyone together)

You may say that I didn't give any proof of most of these things I've listed. Some of the signs you should already know if you live in this world and are paying attention, others are easily verified with an internet search. Plus, if you've been reading my Friday's Mad Mad World posts, they should erase all doubt. 

So, are we living in the generation who will see the return of Jesus?  I believe God gave me my answer, and that answer was an emphatic YES.

Next week, what about those scoffers and those believers who don't want the Lord to return yet? 
Then the following week, I want to go into more detail about the Revelation 12 sign.