Luke 21:29-31
King James Version
29 And he spake to them a parable;
Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth,
ye see and know of your own selves
that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye,
when ye see these things come to pass,
know ye that the kingdom of God
is nigh at hand.
Is it really the middle of spring now?
The beginning of summer?
Or the end of autumn?
Depending which hemisphere you're in, your seasons will be different.
But are these the seasons we need to really know about?
Or there's something more important that JESUS reminds us of?
As He pointed out to His fiercest critics:
Matthew 16:1-4
King James Version
16 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came,
and tempting desired him
that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them,
When it is evening, ye say,
It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning,
It will be foul weather to day:
for the sky is red and lowering.
O ye hypocrites,
ye can discern the face of the sky;
but can ye not discern
the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation
seeketh after a sign;
and there shall no sign be given unto it,
but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
And he left them, and departed.
He knew the nature, and blindness, of man:
Luke 8:11-15
King James Version
11 Now the parable is this:
The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear;
then cometh the devil,
and taketh away the word
out of their hearts,
lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they,
which, when they hear,
receive the word with joy;
and these have no root,
which for a while believe,
and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they,
which, when they have heard, go forth,
and are choked with cares and riches
and pleasures of this life,
and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they,
which in an honest and good heart,
having heard the word, keep it,
and bring forth fruit with patience.
Luke 12:54-56
King James Version
54 And he said also to the people,
When ye see a cloud rise out of the west,
straightway ye say, There cometh a shower;
and so it is.
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say,
There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites,
ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth;
but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Luke 21:34-36
King James Version
34 And take heed to yourselves,
lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
and cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things
that shall come to pass,
and to stand before the Son of man.
That's why He challenged man:
Matthew 11:15
King James Version
15 He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear.
John 3:5-8
King James Version
5 Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh;
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth: so is every one
that is born of the Spirit.
John 3:10-12
King James Version
10 Jesus answered and said unto him,
Art thou a master of Israel,
and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
We speak that we do know,
and testify that we have seen;
and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things,
and ye believe not, how shall ye believe,
if I tell you of heavenly things?
Thank GOD for those with an open heart!
Matthew 11:25
King James Version
25 At that time Jesus answered and said,
I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes.
SPIRIT and Scripture has this to say about those having discernment:
1 Kings 3:7-12
King James Version
7 And now, O Lord my God,
thou hast made thy servant king
instead of David my father:
and I am but a little child:
I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people
which thou hast chosen,
a great people, that cannot be numbered
nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore thy servant
an understanding heart to judge thy people,
that I may discern between good and bad:
for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord,
that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him,
Because thou hast asked this thing,
and hast not asked for thyself long life;
neither hast asked riches for thyself,
nor hast asked the life of thine enemies;
but hast asked for thyself understanding
to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words:
lo, I have given thee a wise
so that there was none like thee before thee,
neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
1 Chronicles 12:32
King James Version
32 And of the children of Issachar,
which were men
that had understanding of the times,
to know what Israel ought to do;
the heads of them were two hundred;
and all their brethren
were at their commandment.
Psalm 8:2
King James Version
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
hast thou ordained strength
because of thine enemies,
that thou mightest still
the enemy and the avenger.
Psalm 119:1-3
King James Version
119 Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity:
they walk in his ways.
Psalm 119:104-105
King James Version
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding:
therefore I hate every false way.
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:125
King James Version
125 I am thy servant;
give me understanding,
that I may know thy testimonies.
Proverbs 1:5-6
King James Version
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
and a man of understanding shall attain
unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation;
the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Proverbs 1:7
King James Version
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 4:1-7
King James Version
4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father,
and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine,
forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father's son, tender
and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me,
Let thine heart retain my words:
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not;
neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee:
love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom:
and with all thy getting get understanding.
Proverbs 10:13
King James Version
13 In the lips of him that hath understanding
wisdom is found:
but a rod is for the back of him
that is void of understanding.
Proverbs 14:6
King James Version
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not:
but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
Proverbs 15:14
King James Version
14 The heart of him that hath understanding
seeketh knowledge:
but the mouth of fools feedeth
on foolishness.
Proverbs 17:24
King James Version
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding;
but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Daniel 2:20-22
King James Version
20 Daniel answered and said,
Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons:
he removeth kings, and setteth up kings:
he giveth wisdom unto the wise,
and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things:
he knoweth what is in the darkness,
and the light dwelleth with him.
Hosea 14:9
King James Version
9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things?
prudent, and he shall know them?
for the ways of the Lord are right,
and the just shall walk in them:
but the transgressors shall fall therein.
1 Corinthians 2:10-13
King James Version
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words
which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
King James Version
14 But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things,
yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him?
but we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
King James Version
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren,
I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles,
carried away unto these dumb idols,
even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand,
that no man speaking by the Spirit of God
calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man
can say that Jesus is the Lord,
but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations,
but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations,
but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit
is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit
the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles;
to another prophecy;
to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one
and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man severally
as he will.
1 Corinthians 14:29-33
King James Version
29 Let the prophets speak two or three,
and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed
to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one,
that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32 And the spirits of the prophets
are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion,
but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Galatians 1:3-5
King James Version
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father,
and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins,
that he might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the will of God and our Father:
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
King James Version
5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren,
ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord so cometh
as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety;
then sudden destruction cometh upon them,
as travail upon a woman with child;
and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness,
that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light,
and the children of the day:
we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others;
but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night;
and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love;
and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together,
and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
King James Version
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Hebrews 5:14
King James Version
14 But strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil.
1 John 4:1-2
King James Version
4 Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets
are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is of God:
The hour is late, as JESUS warned:
Mark 1:15
King James Version
15 And saying,
The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye,
and believe the gospel.
We need the SPIRIT of GOD to teach us about JESUS, which the LORD confirmed Himself:
John 14:26
King James Version
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 15:26
King James Version
26 But when the Comforter is come,
whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of truth,
which proceedeth from the Father,
he shall testify of me:
Lastly, these we pray for everyone:
Acts 3:19
King James Version
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord.
Philippians 1:9-11
King James Version
9 And this I pray, that your love
may abound yet more and more
in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent;
that ye may be sincere and without offence
till the day of Christ.
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,
which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
King James Version
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Related material:
How WE KNOW It is the LAST Days
Fig tree image: Clipart Library
Verses from Open Bible and Bible Gateway
