What's Stopping You?

What's Stopping You? - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com What an amazing time to be alive. Prophecy is being fulfilled so fast it's hard to keep up. The world seems to be falling apartand cold-hearted violence is everywhere. In truth, that's the way of the world. Satan is the god of this world and he's a loser. He and his minions have no love for humanity and have patiently corrupted the minds and hearts of many people who are allowinghatred to rule their lives. Christians are the only people who are standing in the way of Satan totally taking over the world because we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. As long as we're here, we need to take a stand for Jesus. How can the lost people of theworld ever come to salvation if we keep silent? "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall theyhear without a preacher?" Romans 10:13-14. The news is filled with reports of violent riots in cities throughout the United States and they just don't quit. The people who are destroying businesses and people's livelihood are filled with a satanic hatred that'shard for me to understand. When I see their faces in news reports my heart breaks. These people need prayer. They're lost and ignorantly being led by other people who are lost. They aren't the enemy, Satan is. Satan has gripped their lives and his hatred flowsthrough their actions. Are we to hate them? We need to follow the example of Christ and pray for them. We need to tell them about Jesus. Those of us who say we follow Christ need to get about the business of presenting the Gospel to this lost world. It's not onlythose who are rioting who need to hear, but lawmakers who pass laws that legalize sin and who are doing their best to stop Christians from worshipping together. You might ask your neighbors if they know Jesus. If they don't, then share the Good News with them.Can you explain to someone who's not a bad person, by human standards, why they need to repent and accept Jesus? It might be a good idea to study Scripture now. Everyone sins, but when facing God's judgment that isn't an acceptable defense for your sin. "Forall have sinned and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. Sin began in the Garden of Eden and sin separates us from God. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15:22. Because God loved us with perfect love,He provided the only way for us to spend eternity with Him. He entered His creation and willingly offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption. He shed His own blood for you and me. "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures;" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. If you've accepted His free gift of salvation, then you need to share the Gospelwith others. Many Christians are under the false impression that life is continuing just like it always has. They see the horrible violencehappening worldwide, but like to say "These things have always happened and every generation has felt they lived in the final days". The people who say that don't study Biblical prophecy. Peter told us that this would be the attitude of many people in thelast days. "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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. It's understandable that a non-believer might say that, but it's hard to understand how those words can come from a Christian. Yes, I've heard those words from the mouths of more than one Christian. Jesus fulfilled many prophecies at His firstcoming, such as the virgin birth, being born in Bethlehem, and the manner in which He would die. That wasn't the end of prophecy. Since Israel was reinstated as a nation in 1948, many, many more prophecies have been fulfilled. It won't be long until the Rapturehappens and Daniel's 70th week begins...just as prophecy says. From the time of Abraham, the Jewish nation has been God's chosen people. Throughout their history they have sometimes been inproper fellowship with God and other times they've fallen away. When Jesus came the first time, He walked among the Jewish people to bring them to faith in Him. Sadly, the leaders rejected Him. A spiritual blindness has prevailed among most of those peoplesince then. "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Romans 11:25. That blindness is beginningto lift. That fact alone tells us that the end times are upon us. It won't be long until Christians are taken Home in the Harpazō (also known as the Rapture). We don't know when it will happen, but prophecy points to it being very soon. That's why we needto take a stand for Jesus and share the Good News with everyone...including those mislead people who are raging a violent attack on America as they riot in the streets. Since God alone knows what number constitutes the fullness of the Gentiles and when thatfullness will come about, what should we be doing? Should we sit idle and speculate on dates that the Rapture might occur, or should we work to bring the lost to salvation so the fullness of the Gentiles will be accomplished? Jesus told us to preach the Gospel."And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15. That wasn't a suggestion by our Lord, but a command. Maybe you aren't called to go to Portland, Oregon, or to New York City and evangelize to the rioters,and maybe you're not called to travel to remote jungles to share the Gospel, but you are called to preach the Gospel to every creature. Picture this: You're walking in the park one day and see an old man sitting on a bench. He looks very sad and a little afraid.You have a sudden urge to speak to him. He's a widower and his children all live in another state. He's just found out he has cancer and only has a few months to live. You could pat him on the shoulder and say "I'm sorry" or you could say "I'm sorry, but canI ask if you know Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life He offers?". It might take some courage to speak to him about Jesus, and you need to have answers to any questions he might ask. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he was the one? The last Gentile thatwould trigger the Rapture? "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. You have to let him know that only Jesus Christ will bring eternal life. Whether or not he's the one who brings aboutthe Rapture isn't your call. He's a sinner who needs to know that Jesus Christ offers eternal life. He needs to ask Jesus to forgive him before it's too late. Jonah is an interesting figure in history, and most of us have some idea of what he did. God called him to go to the evil andwicked city of Nineveh and tell them to turn from their sin or they would be destroyed. Of course, Jonah ran in the opposite direction! Does that sound like Christians today? God says to go and be a witness, but we run. It took a life-changing experience forJonah to finally do what God said. "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." Jonah 1:17. After the great fish vomited Jonah onto the shore, he reluctantly went to Nineveh.Jonah hoped they would ignore his words and that God would destroy them. He was very disappointed that the leader and all the people of Nineveh repented and their judgment was delayed for many years. If you're a Christian then you've had a life-changing experienceby accepting Christ as your Saviour. Are you, like Jonah, running away from sharing the message of salvation with others? Do you think that some people just don't deserve to hear the Good News? Jesus gave all of us a job to do. We must share the Gospel ofChrist. Jesus said we must. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even untothe end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20. Baptizing is important and I don't want to marginalize it, but what good is baptizing someone who doesn't understand the reason behind it? We need to preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and tellthe lost why they need salvation. Every Christian should be anticipating the Rapture. There are many signs that tell us it's on the very near horizon and it's notwrong to be very excited. God wants us to anticipate it. Paul tells us there's a reward waiting for those who look forward to His coming. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at thatday: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8. Believe me, I'm as anxious for the Harpazō as anyone, but I must be about my Father's business right up until I hear His voice calling me Home, or until I die. Is thereany way to hurry it along? Well, since we are to be Raptured when the fullness of Gentiles is complete, I need to tell more people about Jesus. It's much better to be out there on the battle front preaching the Gospel instead of sitting around and dreamingof the Rapture. Scripture encourages us to evangelize. The Rapture of Christians must occur before Jesus' Second Advent. We are to yearn for it, and until our last breath we need to do what we can to share the Gospel. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15. That's the question at the heart of the matter of evangelism. Do you love Him?Do you love Him enough to keep His commandments and go and teach all nations, even your own? Prophecy is exciting and a great study; there is much to learn and be excited about. Through the study of prophecy, we know that the Harpazō is imminent, which meansit can occur at any moment. That's very exciting. There's nothing standing in the way of that awesome event except possibly that one person God has been putting on your heart to seek out and speak to. Maybe it's the old man on the park bench or a waitressat your local café. Listen to the urging of the Holy Spirit and share God's truth. What's stopping you from sharing the Gospel? The events that are unfolding in Israel and in the streets of America tells us thattime is swiftly coming to an end. Obey Jesus' command to share the Gospel. Don't let anything stop you. God bless you all, Nathele Graham