How does the “Rapture” fit into end-time events? This topic is one of the most divisive topics in all Christianity. Some folks believe that a rapture will occur in the future. While others don't believe in the rapture at all. When we look to the bible and use it as the only source of information, we can be sure to learn the full truth. Complete faith in the word of God is crucial when forming an understanding of past, present and future prophetic events. The first thing to understand concerning the rapture is that the word “Rapture” is a man-made term that cannot be found anywhere in the bible. The official definition of the word “Rapture” found in most dictionaries is: The transporting of believers to heaven at the second coming of Christ. The gospels confirm that there was indeed to be a “taking away” of believers during Christ's second coming... Matthew 24:39-42 KJV And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. At face value, the text speaks for itself. The problem with the modern-day idea of the “rapture” comes in when the texts are taken out of context and other non-biblical ideas are added to it. Yes, it is written that a group of believers were to be taken from this earth and brought up to heaven, but Jesus Himself was clear as to what generation would witness the grand event. Matthew 24:34 KJV Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Mark 13:30 KJV Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. In His statement in Matthew and Mark, Jesus is referring to the generation living in the days before the end of the old covenant world. In order to alter the meaning of Jesus' statement and place it in a generation that it was not intended for, some argue that the word generation holds a more broad or symbolic meaning. But again, when you allow the bible to interpret itself, it is clear that the meaning for the word “generation” cannot be changed to a time span longer than that of the life-time of an ordinary man. A change like that is not supported by the bible in any way, shape or form. In order to change the meaning of the word “generation” and give it a longer time span, you would have to find another bible text to justify the change; and none can be found within the scriptures. In fact, by specifying how many generations have passed from king David to Christ, the book of Matthew confirms the definition of the word... Matthew 1:17 KJV So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. When we accept Christ's testimony concerning which generation would witness His second coming, we can then understand that the first century, early church, did not know the day or the hour of Christ's return, but they did know that they were living in the generation that would see it come to pass. This is clear in the apostle Paul's writings... 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 KJV But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 KJV For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 KJV Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. The apostle’s message was clear: some of them in that generation would still be alive and not face death before that prophetic event came to pass (1Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 15:51). When you read all of the apostles' teachings on the subject, you can see that they truly believed Christ's words concerning when He would return... Matthew 16:27-28 KJV For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to His works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom. People will often try to discredit the apostles, by saying they really didn't have a clear understanding of what Jesus meant, regarding the timing of His return. This may have been the case in their early days with Jesus, but it is not a valid argument for the latter days. This fact is illustrated in a dialog between Jesus and Peter concerning John, that took place in the last few days before Jesus was taken up to heaven. In the discussion, Peter asks Jesus what John would be doing in the days before His return. It's not clear exactly what led up to the question, but Jesus' reply to Peter speaks for itself... John 21:22 KJV Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me. Again, at that time the disciples knew and understood much more than they did when they first started following Jesus, but they still had a few questions. This is evident in the text following Jesus' reply to Peter. In the text, it shows that the disciples heard what Jesus was saying, but they weren't 100% sure what He meant by it... John 21:23 KJV Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? It is important to realize that any questions or confusion that the disciples may have had at that time, were cleared up on the day of Pentecost. This is due to the fact that before Jesus was taken up to heaven, He promised them that the Holy Spirit would come to them, give them understanding and remind them of everything that He had told them... John 14:25-27 KJV These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 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. After Christ was taken up to heaven, the apostles had the grand responsibility of relaying the truth, concerning all things, to all the believers in the early church and beyond. A job so monumental could only be done by the aid of the Holy Spirit. So when the apostles spoke about prophetic things that were to come upon them, in their own generation, it was by the aid of the Holy Spirit alone... 1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. As mentioned briefly before, the end of the whole literal world was not upon them, rather it was the end of the old covenant world with all the laws and ordinances that was coming to an end during the second coming (Hebrew 8:13 KJV). Now that we have the full bible to glean information from, we can see that the understanding that the disciples came to, concerning Jesus' statement about John tarrying (not dying) before He returned, was a valid conclusion. This is due to the mere fact that in the book of Revelation, John is in deed still alive and tarrying when Jesus testified to him, three times in a vision, that His second coming was about to be upon them... Revelation 22:7 KJV Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Revelation 22:12 KJV And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Revelation 22:20 KJV He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Another misconception surrounding the modern idea of a “rapture”, is regarding the group of people that the bible says would be taken up to heaven. In this generation, Christians that believe in the rapture, also believe that it will be modern day Christians that will be the ones taken away from this earth; before a time of tribulation begins. However, needless to say, since the bible supports the fact that Christ's second coming has already passed, during the generation that Jesus said it would, then modern day believers are not logically a part of that number. In fact, the bible is very clear that those who were to be redeemed from the earth, at Christ's second coming, were comprised of 144000 saints from the nation of Israel; not from the whole literal world... Revelation 14:1-3 KJV And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. Revelation 7:4 KJV And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. The bible describes this group of saints as being first fruits. In other words, they were chosen first to inherit the kingdom of heaven... Revelation 14:4-5 KJV These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. This is confirmed by the apostle Peter who wrote that judgment would begin with the house of God (Israel)... 1 Peter 4:17 KJV For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? If we allow Peter’s words to speak for themselves, it is clear that judgement was to come upon the Jews first (those under the old covenant), then to those who receive the gospel. The judgement of those under the old covenant goes hand in hand with the first resurrection that is mentioned in the book of Revelation… Revelation 20:6 KJV Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. It is this group of saints that will return with Christ, for the final time, to judge the rest of the world. This is known as the final judgment and it has not come to pass yet. 1 Corinthians 6:2 KJV Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?.. For those who reject the bible evidence justifying a first century fulfillment of Christ's return, because they believe that the great tribulation has not passed, history and the bible have provided the answer to clear up that reservation. It is no secret that in the first century, before the Roman/Jewish war of 70AD, the Jews and Christians were heavily persecuted. This fact is confirmed in John's introduction of himself, in the first chapter of Revelation. Here he states that he was a companion in the tribulation. In other words, he was going through the tribulation at that time along with the other believers... Revelation 1:9 KJV I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is important to understand that times of judgment follow a similar repeating pattern. First there is a vast turning away from God and the rejection of His will, followed by a season of persecution (or tribulation) of those who live within the Lord's will, ending with an act of judgment on the offenders and the redemption of the faithful. This was the case in Noah's days, then again with the early church, and it will happen for the last time before the final judgment; that is still to come. The difference between the tribulation in the first century and the time of trouble that will come in the future, is that believers living in the future time of trouble, will not be overcome by it, unlike the first century church was in their generation. The book of Daniel provides us with the evidence and Matthew 24 tells us that a tribulation of that kind will never touch God's people again... Daniel 7:20-22 KJV I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Matthew 24:21 KJV For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. In the time of trouble to come, those who truly believe and are faithful, will not be overcome by the darkness that will cover the earth. Instead, His truth will be a shield around us. This is why the first century tribulation was worse (for God’s people) than the time of trouble that is to come. God will protect all believers through it... Psalm 91:3-5 KJV Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day. In a nutshell, the multitude of Christian believers, that are dwelling on the earth (in this generation), will not get a ticket to escape the troublesome times that will engulf the whole world in times to come. Believers will witness the whole thing... Psalm 91:7-8 KJV A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Those who make it through the trouble are described in Revelation chapter 7... Revelation 7:9 KJV After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Again, the bible is clear that the multitude does not escape the trouble, but they come out on top. When all is said and done, God will dwell among His people... Revelation 7:13-15 KJV And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. Notice in the text above that the apostle John has no idea who the great multitude represents, when he was asked about them in his vision. This is due to the fact that the multitude is not a part of his generation. This information was not provided to the apostles before, because it was not relevant to their time and therefore not a part of their mission at hand. This can be seen in the first chapter of Acts, when the disciples questioned Jesus concerning when the kingdom would be restored back to Israel. It is important to know that the restoration of the kingdom and the second coming are two separate events in time... Acts 1:6-7 KJV When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. While it is evident that the 144000 saints were taken up to heaven in that generation long ago to inherit the kingdom of heaven, it is also true that in the future, Christ will return with those same saints to judge the world. At that time, Christ will bring the kingdom of heaven down on earth and make all things new… Revelation 21:5 KJV And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. In the day when Christ returns, He will dwell among His people in a restored world with no sin, no evil, no suffering, pain or death... Revelation 21:3 KJV And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Zechariah 14:9 KJV And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name One. The final problem concerning the modern view of “the rapture” is that it is often described as an event carried out in secret; until everyone notices that their faithful loved ones are missing. One verse not only clears up the generation question but also disputes the fact that it was to happen in secret... Revelation 1:7 KJV Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. From the text, it is clear that the whole world (at that time), saw and knew that something monumental was taking place. Notice that a time indicator was given in the text, by the mere fact that it points out that those who pieced Christ on the cross were going to be alive to see the event come to pass. This also backs up Jesus' words in Matthew 24:34 and the apostles’ teachings in 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians. Although we were not alive in that generation to see the fulfillment of these things, the bible says that our faith needs to stand in place of the things that we are unable to see... Hebrews 11:1 KJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It is important to know that the enemy (Satan) continues to cover up the truth, alter the word of God and discredit the bible in any way that he can. If we spend time reading the bible for ourselves and let go of preconceived ideas and beliefs, the bible can and will speak for itself. John 4:24 KJV God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
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Submitted by Sharon Marglin
I will be the first one to say that I'm not a perfect person. Although I'm unashamed to point out exactly what the bible says concerning the end times, I don't claim to know all things or to be more highly favored than any other believer. So I feel comfortable sharing the following testimony with anyone who has the time to read it. I'm not the type of person to have memorable dreams at night, so when I do have them, I make a mental note of them. Earlier this year, I had a dream that left me a little rattled. Then just a few days ago, I had another. The first dream, was quite unsettling and it still makes my belly a little queasy when I think about it. It wasn't an extremely long dream, but it opened my eyes. In the dream, I saw scores of people moving quickly to get into the kingdom of God (New Jerusalem). I was with a group of people, which included some of my family members and neighbors. Some people were confused and I was telling them to get on the road that was in proximity to us. The road was slightly elevated and it had an unusual glow to it. A few people ahead of us were stepping up onto the road and then were being whisked away quickly toward the heavenly kingdom, which was in (I assume) Israel. Here is the unnerving part: As we were climbing up onto the road, some people that I knew were unable to get on it. They would attempt to get on the road and a force would push them back. They looked horrified and they kept attempting to get on the road, to no avail. They were crying and asking what was going on? But it was too late. Some of the people that were left standing there were people that I know, but don't know too well, so I have never engaged in a conversation with them concerning the bible. I haven't even handed them a pamphlet or anything biblical. There was nothing that I could do as I continued down the road with my family, too afraid to look back at them. Immediately I woke up from my dream and my heart sank to the ground. It was confirmed in my heart that I need to do even more, not only to share the gospel of Christ in the area that I live in, but also to let others know what the bible is really saying concerning future events. Like many people, I struggle to manage my time well. Sometime I take on tasks that I really don't have time for, while trying to convincing myself that I do indeed have the time. But increasingly as time goes by, and especially after having this dream, I feel like there is only one thing that really matters in this day and age: getting the word out before it's too late. The world is becoming increasingly unstable on all fronts. It feels like all hell could break loose at any time; without any warning at all. Just like in the past, nobody knows the day or the exact hour... But unlike it was in the past, we really don't know for sure what generation will witness the final return of Christ (to set up His kingdom here on earth). So what if things get increasingly worse over the next 5 years or 10 years or even plus 20 years, and I have neglected to manage ALL of the facets of my life and only focus on being the canary in the coal mine. I ponder this often. I go back and forth in my mind concerning how I should mange my time, according to God's will. I pray about it often. The idea to start up a new business has been looming in the back of my mind for quite some time now. My business idea is a useful one. It will help people live a more natural and healthy life... but my intuition is telling me there really is no time for it now. Still I begin to think... maybe I can handle both things together; ministry and business. I've been praying about it and I believe I got the answer to my prayers in the form of another dream a few days ago. In the dream, I was getting ready to go out with some people that I knew from my college days. We were all dressed up and ready to step out the door. Where we were getting ready to going exactly, I do not know. When we opened the door, some of the ladies went out first and started to scream at the top of their lungs. There was a blinding brightness outside. Although I retreated back into the house, before I could see exactly what was going on, I just knew it was the day of the Lord; It came without warning. Those who know me well, know that I don't go anywhere fancy these days. Especially not to the places that I use to go to when I was young and carnally minded. So the dream was not telling me not to go out anymore. I believe that the Lord was letting me know that His coming is indeed near and that I need to keep focused on the task at hand: sharing the gospel and uplifting the truth. I believe this message is one for all believers. Sometimes we get so busy with our lives that we neglect the fact that we are all called to be disciples of Christ. The job of sharing the word of God should not be left on the shoulders of church leaders alone. There are people in our everyday lives that we are able to reach, that no one else can. Yes, there are those who will reject the messages found in the bible, but there are others who are hungry to hear a word from the Lord within the bible. We all have been commissioned by the Lord to share His words with all that have an ear to hear them. In my book, The Second Coming of Christ & The Kingdom to Come, undisputed bible evidence was given to prove that Christ's second coming, to take the saints (144,000) to heaven, has already passed. This information is supported by Jesus' testimony in Matthew 24:34 (KJV) and also by what the apostles taught the people of their own generation concerning the end of the "old covenant world" and the return of Christ (1 Cor 10:11 KJV, 1 Cor 15:51-52, Hebrews 1:1-2, Hebrews 9:26, 1 John 2:18). The question at hand is: Where does the 1000 year reign of the saints fit in, in the whole equation? Revelation 20:4 KJV And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The answer can be found in the bible, when you fit all of the prophetic texts together correctly and keep them in their proper context. The first thing that must be understood is that not all believers are literal saints of God. In the apostle's days, a distinction was made in their writings between who were true saints and who were the faithful followers... 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Colossians 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Further weight is added to the issue in the book of Revelation where the final number of the saints is given, along with symbolic characteristics and where the saints were derived from... Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Revelation 14:3-5 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. The book of Revelation also speaks of a time in the future when reward will be given to all the people throughout the generations, who belong to the family of God... Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. When Jesus spoke about the redeeming of His saints from the earth, during His second coming (in Matthew Chapter 24...), He was referring to the GOD appointed saints (the 144000), not all believers all around the world. As mentioned in my book, it is written that the saints would receive the kingdom of heaven first, then later all believers will receive the kingdom when it is established down here on the earth. At the beginning of Revelation 14 we see through a vision that was given to the apostle John, that the saints will be with Christ when He returns for the final time to set up the kingdom of heaven (New Jerusalem) down here on earth... Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (see also Zecheriah 14:4-9 KJV) The bible is also quite clear that it will be the saints that will judge the world, when Christ returns for the final judgment. So it is only reasonable to believe that the saints will be with Christ at His return... 1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? As shown before, it is written that the saints were to be taken during the apostles generation long and Revelation 20 points out that the saints were to rule with Christ for 1000 years. During that same 1000 year time period, Satan was bound for 1000 years, then later released for a short season to deceive the world... Revelation 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, Revelation 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. It is important to say that we cannot get caught up in man-made methods of time keeping (BC/AD, carbon dating ect...), to discern how much time has passed in bible prophecy and where we are in earth's history today. Man-made ideas and methods are prone to error, but any word that comes from God is error-free. One thing that is quite evident is that we are living in the time of Satan's final season of deception on the world. If you allow yourself to believe Jesus' words concerning the generation that was to witness His second coming for the saints (Matthew 24:34), you will know that immediately following that generation the world fell into a period of what is called the dark ages. In this case, the historical account corresponds to what is written in the bible. After the saints were taken to heaven and Satan was bound by the Lord from having any influence on the earth, the world fell into a time period of an investigative judgment; so to say. During that time, the saints that were taken to heaven were able to see that sin was and still is very much entwined in human nature; even without Satan's influence. The final decision to destroyed everyone along with Satan, who did not and does not accept the cleansing power of Christ at the final judgment, was agreed on. Over 1000 years have passed since the saints were taken to heaven and satan's banishment in the pit, so we are now living in the time period of Satan's final season of deception after his release. We don't know how long this season will last, but we do know that after this season of time is complete, Christ will set up the kingdom of heaven down here on the earth. Everything evil and all those who align themselves with Satan will be destroyed. After all is said and done, the earth will be made new and all of God's people will inherit the earth... Psalms 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Zechariah 14:9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. While Jesus was still with His disciples, before His death on the cross, He made a statement to help us find greater understanding of the time and period that would follow that generation long ago. He told His disciples that the time was coming when no man could “work”... John 9:4 I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. The “work” that Jesus was talking about was the literal working of miracles by the Holy Spirit. The “night” was referring to the age that followed that generation; which was called the dark ages. After Christ was taken up to heaven, and the apostles and believers received the Holy Spirit, they were still able to perform miracles for all people to see. But once the end of the “old covenant world” had come to pass, and the 144000 saints were taken up to heaven, this type of work was no longer able to be accomplished by men with or without the aid of the Holy Ghost. Once again the book of Revelation confirms what was going on during this time period; silence in heaven. This time of silence began at the second coming and continues today... Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Yes, miracles happen today after prayer and intercession, but not in the same overt fashion that it did when Jesus and the apostles walked the earth. We have to be careful that we don't mistake the workings of miracles with the magical works of Satan. The final deceptive works of Satan is to set up counterfeits to everything that is pure and holy. In this final season of deception we have counterfeit doctrines in churches, with counterfeit versions of the bible, which lead to false versions of the gospel and false works; no matter how wonderful they may appear. This is no surprise because it has all been foretold of in the bible... 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. If we study the bible (KJV) for ourselves, nothing will take us by surprise. The Lord has not left us in the dark. Knowledge and understanding can be found in the bible if we seek it out and call upon the Holy Spirit. When Christ returns with the saints to judge the world, the saints will continue to rule with Him... Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. During that time, the earth will be safe to dwell in. God's people will enjoy everything that the Lord will provide; just like it was in the garden of Eden. We will all walk in the presence of the Lord without the threat of evil. Allow yourself to believe. No matter how spiritual or religious each one of us may think to be, there are times when others will rub us the wrong way, thus bringing out the worst in us. Weather our frustration lasts only for a moment, or if it is a reoccurring event that chips away at our nerves, there is something important that we must keep in mind. No matter how frustrating the offending individual may be, or how deliberate their actions are; God is the Father of everybody and everything that has breath. The bible tells us that God made all people, even the wicked ones for a specific purpose...
Proverbs 16:4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Without an array of people in the world, including the unfaithful, the evil and even the poor and needy, how will people of faith have the opportunity to exercise their faith? The bible is clear that faith without works is dead... James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Without people to push our buttons, how will we develop temperance. Without those who are in need, what opportunity will we have to show charity? Even without people who side with evil, how will the world come to an end? It is important to treat each and every person as if they have value, regardless of who they are or what they have done. God may have placed that person in your life to test you, or to strengthen your character, or so that you can be the light in that person's life to turn them around. Those who cannot find it in their heart to love their fellow man, will have a very hard time making it into the everlasting kingdom of heaven. This is due to the fact that the only prerequisite is that you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. And the only way to truly accept Christ in spirit, and not just in words, is to hear His voice and be obedient to His commandments... Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Without practicing Jesus' commandments, our faith is dead and our spot in the kingdom is not secure. It's not enough to say that you love the Lord, without showing love toward everyone who is made in the image of God: black or white, red, yellow or brown. Everyone you meet is your neighbor. The Lord requires us to worship Him in spirit and in truth, but if you don't have love, you are not walking in the spirit or in the truth... 2 John 1:4-6 (KJV) I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment: That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. Matthew 5:43-44 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; The time has come to firmly ground ourselves in the truth and live our lives showing not only tolerance but love for all people. Not only to those that are pleasing to us, but to ALL people. We do not know who the Lord has allowed to come into our lives, in orders to determine which side of the gate we will end up on. Remember Jesus' words... Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. While praying to the Lord this morning, He impressed upon my mind to write about the gospel of the kingdom of heaven…
The time has come for all believers to worship God in spirit and in TRUTH. The mis-information that we have been fed for generations now, needs to be rejected. The wheels of prophecy are once again coming around full circle and the kingdom of heaven is once again at hand. The world is becoming the way it was in the days before Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction. Sin, evil, the lack of knowledge of God and the rejection of God is common place in the world today. In various places throughout the world, life is how it was before the great flood in Noah's day; pure evil. When Jesus was alive He testified of how wicked His own generation had become (Matthew 12:45). And here we are today, on the cusp of something of biblical proportions. In this day and age; the end is once again near. But those who are waiting to enter the kingdom of heaven, will have to wait a little while longer. The kingdom will not come on earth, as it is in heaven, until the true message of the kingdom reaches the whole world… Matthew 24:14 KJV And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. In the apostles' days, the earth was not as populated as it is today. They accomplished the task given to them, then the end of the old covenant world came to an end. At that time, they were all taken up to the kingdom of heaven, along with the one hundred and forty-four thousand saints, spoken of in Revelation chapters 7 & 14. Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Romans 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister. Now as we await the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth... the same must be done before the very end of the secular world. The TRUTH about the kingdom must be told to EVERYONE. But before the truth of the kingdom to come can be accepted, the truth about Christ's second coming must be known. Our enemy satan has been deceiving the world with his lies and fables for generations and generations; so that the true message of the kingdom would be lost and not be told to the whole world. He knows that when the task is complete, his time will be up. So, it has been in his best interest to infiltrate the churches and influence the messages being taught to the people. He knows that if the people of God are not sharing the true gospel of the kingdom… who will? Therefore, the establishment of the kingdom will be delayed. There is one thing that the serpent overlooked… Jesus said that the old covenant world (heaven and earth) would pass away, but His words would not (Matthew 24:35). It is through Jesus’ testimony concerning the time of His second coming (Matthew 24:34), that we are now able to decipher where we are in the prophetic timeline. Watch and be sober because times are changing... The Lord is getting ready to return! We all need to do our part to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Don't allow satan's lies to beguile you anymore. Share the truth with all those who are open to the truth, and even with those who you think may not be open to it. You will not know who the word of the Lord is destined for, until you share it with them. Remember, not all people will accept the truth, but the truth must be told before the end will come. Very good things have been prepared for those who are awaiting Christ’s final return. Pray. Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Blessings to all believers in the name of Jesus Christ. |
AuthorSharon Marglin Archives
September 2018
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