Zero Hour - Howard Green -
http://concerningthetimes.com/zero-hour/
The Bible makes it clear....we won't know the exact time of Jesus' return. This event of events will be swift and sudden. So how do we as believers prepare and what should we be doing to get ready? Here is what the Bible says about that time:
Mark 13:32 "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.
Zero hour is primarily a military term used to denote the start time for a mission. The attempt to free the US. hostages in Tehran, the landing on Iwo Jima, and the raid on the compound used by Osama Bin Laden all had a zero hour. No more preparation, no more build up, no more warning, and no more time.......now it's zero hour. There is an exact day, hour, minute, and second when the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God to take us home to be with Him. Every opportunity we have to serve and live for Him here will be over. This will be our zero hour.
I have one goal in writing this article....and no, it's not to be labeled a false teacher because I have a special revelation on the day and hour. All kidding aside, I want to ask you a very serious question. As a believer, would you live differently if you knew exactly when Jesus was going to rapture the church? What would you do if you knew these were the last few days remaining before the biblical zero hour? I'm asking myself the same question and I'm under the Spirit's conviction because to be quite frank, my walk with the Lord would be white hot if I knew he was coming for us next month for instance. I'm walking very closely with Jesus, but I have to say if I knew His coming was in the immediate future, I would be walking even closer with Him.
If I knew Jesus was coming in a few weeks I know exactly what I would do and do right now. I would be an evangelistic powerhouse. Every Christian I would come into contact with would know that He is coming soon. I would tell them to get their minds and hearts off of the temporary pleasures of this world and pursue Jesus with everything in them. I would tell people in restaurants, in grocery stores, shopping malls, and city parks to please repent because you are going to be left behind if you haven't trusted Jesus as your savior.
I would do some hard things and risk some relationships. I wouldn't worry about political correctness, people pleasing, or coming across just right to others. I would tell my unsaved family members to cry out to the Lord and trust Him as savior. When my neighbor is talking all things grass, mail, weather, and Jr's soccer practice....I'd turn the conversation corner to real matters of eternity and ask if they know Jesus as savior.
Luke 14:23 And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"
I would love deeper, care intentionally, and look more diligently for opportunities to lift up Jesus in my life to the glory of God. When an unsaved coworker or friend is facing a difficult circumstance.....I won't simply give a sympathetic nod, a word of encouragement, or worldly wisdom. I will give them the life giving counsel found in the word of God and pray with them. I would boldly share the gospel and why they need Jesus desperately. I would prioritize even more time in reading the word, praying, and fasting for two reasons. First because I need to be ready to give a reason for the hope in me to others. Secondly because prayer and fasting equips us for ministry and strengthens our faith.
We need to be alert, sober, and grounded in the word because false teaching is infiltrating the church, masquerading as true Christianity. Friends, it's true that we don't know the exact time of the Lord's return, but in light of the question we pondered and knowing how we would conduct our lives knowing His coming was at the door.....we should live like it is imminent, because it is. Here is what the Bible says about how we should live in reference to the Lord's return:
Luke 12:35 "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
For 2,000 years.....the rapture has been the one event most anticipated by followers of Jesus. There are numerous scriptures pointing to the fact that the Lord will return for His bride. There is nothing that needs to happen before the rapture. Looking at the conditions of the world mentioned in Matthew 24, Daniel 9, and Revelation 6....we see the stage being set for the great tribulation and second coming. Doesn't it seem more evident each day that this world is nearing it's appointment with the God of the universe? Wars are increasing, social and political unrest is increasing, terror and brutality are increasing. I once heard a pastor explain:
During the Fall season when we are in the stores and shopping malls, we begin to see Christmas lights and decorations appear on the shelves and displays, and it's not quite Thanksgiving yet. The appearance of all of the Christmas decorations are a clear indicator that Christmas is going to be here soon.....so Thanksgiving must be very near. Isn't this the same scenario with the rapture and second coming in mind?
When we view geopolitical events, extreme weather, terrorism, and increased violence through the lens of scripture........it becomes clear that the second coming can't be some far off event. If we are seeing conditions that point to the nearness of the second coming, we know the rapture of the church must come first. We must live as though Jesus might come for us at any moment.....because He can. Bible prophecy is 100% accurate and spot on. The word of the Lord is sure and you can be certain everything will happen just as he said it will because he knows the beginning and the end. Here is just one of many prophecies that point to the close of the age.
Isaiah 66:8 "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.
For hundreds of years, end time prophecies regarding Israel seemed far-fetched because she was not back in her ancient homeland. But true to His word, God brought the Jews back to their ancient homeland after over 1,700 years. We are living in interesting and exiting days. The Lord is coming for the church and eternity is before us. Let's walk in holiness & humility, boldness & zeal, and with the Spirit's leading....reach out to the lost. Let's live in light of: Zero Hour.
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