The Rapture and the Fullness of the Times

 The Rapture and the Fullness of the Times – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/the-rapture-and-the-fullness-of-the-times To tell a complete story, one must always include the five w’s: who, what, when, where, and why - not necessarily in that order. The ‘what,’ in this article, is the Raptureof the Church. Most serious students of biblical eschatology know what the Rapture is, and even most non-believers have heard of it. They also know ‘who’ will be involved in the great “catching up,” which of course includes only true Christians. The ‘where’ is very obvious, as Paul explains in 1 Thessalonians 4:17: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” The ‘why’ is explained in various New Testament scripture which will be discussedthroughout this article. Only the ‘when’ remains a secret. The Bible doesn’t give us any specific time or date for this spectacular supernatural event, but perhaps there are a few clues we can glean about its timing. The Rapture issaid to be ‘imminent,’ which means it could happen at any time and there are no signs or events that have to precede it. The only clear indication of the timing of the Rapture is that it will occur before the tribulation of God’s wrath upon the earth and mankind.How much time transpires before these two events is unknown. “Only the pre-tribulation view can give full, literal meaning to such an any-moment event. Other rapture views must redefine imminence more loosely than the New Testamentwould allow. The exhortation to look for the glorious appearing of Christ for His own (Titus 2:13) loses its significance if the Tribulation occurs first. Believers, in that case, should look for signs. If the pre-trib. view of imminence is not accepted, thenit would make sense to look for signs related to events of the tribulation (i.e., the anti-Christ, the two witnesses, etc.) and not for Christ Himself. But the New Testament, as demonstrated above, uniformly instructs the church to look for the coming of Christ,while tribulation saints are told to look for signs.” {1} THE DAY OF THE LORD Coming immediately after Paul’s revelation concerning the rapture of the church, it is natural to want to know when this will occur. In 1 Thess. 5:1-11, the apostle does notgive times and dates but instead speaks on a much larger doctrine of scripture, the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a time of special divine visitation from the Lord mentioned often in both the Old and New Testaments. Paul declared, “But of the timesand the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upona woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thes. 5:3). So why does Paul start speaking about the day of the Lord immediately after his revelation of the Rapture? The answer is: the Rapture is the start of the day of the Lord.Like a thief in the night, who comes without warning, the Rapture will occur and the day of the Lord will begin. “The future period of God’s intervention in the world will begin at the Rapture and will include the period of trouble preceding the 2nd coming of Christ and the establishmentof God’s kingdom in the earth. The day of the Lord also includes the millennial kingdom. The entire period before and after the 2nd coming of Christ will constitute a special divine intervention and rule of righteousness on the earth in a way that is not beingexperienced in the present age. The teaching that the day of the Lord does not begin until the 2nd coming is refuted by the fact that it includes the great tribulation. Joel made it clear that the day of the Lord included the great tribulation before the 2ndcoming (Joel 2:28-3:2). The time of restoration of Israel (Joel 3:16-21) following the great tribulation is related to the 2nd coming and will be fulfilled in the millennium.” {2} 1 Thes. 5:3 refers to the start, middle, and end of the 7-year Tribulation. “Peace and safety” refers to the start of the Tribulation when the Antichrist confirms a 7-yearcovenant with Israel and the many. “Sudden destruction” comes upon Israel and the elect when the Antichrist breaks the covenant at the mid-point of the covenant (3.5 years) and persecution of the Jews begins. Israel will not escape their Great Tribulationuntil Jesus returns at His 2nd Coming. However, the Lord has other plans for His church, “For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whetherwe wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thes. 5:9-10). In 2 Thes. 2, Paul is writing another letter to the church at Thessalonica. In response to a mistaken belief (by false teachers who were spreading “fake news” (some thingsnever change) that the day of the Lord had already begun. The church was being persecuted at this time, so it is easy to see how they could fall for this lie. This alarmed the Thes. church because they had understood Paul to say they would not be in this timeof trouble because they would have been raptured before it began. The Thessalonians thought they had missed the Rapture because they weren’t really saved. Paul wrote, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him (at the Rapture), we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind ortroubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come” (2 Thes. 2:1-2). Paul had to remind the Thessalonians about the chronological order of the day of the Lord. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for thatDay will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself thathe is God” (2 Thes. 2:3-4). The “falling away” are the English words used in the King James (and New K.J.) translation of verse 3. The Greek word is ‘aposasia’ and means apostasy, rebelling, or departure.The root word from which it comes, ‘aphistemi,’ means to withdraw or remove. There are two thoughts on what this falling away or departure means in relation to the timing of the day of the Lord. The first thought is that there will be a great falling awayor departure from the faith in the Lord before the Antichrist is revealed. The second thought is that the falling away/departure will not be spiritually but physically, as in the rapture of the Church. Those who claim that the falling away is theRapture believe that these verses back it up: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath ofHis mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8). The “He who restrains” is the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He will be restrained or taken out of the way when the church is raptured. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE RAPTURE TO THE TRIBULATION Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica is proof he taught a pretribulation Rapture. The Tribulation (Day of the Lord/Jacob’s trouble/ Daniel’s 70th seven) comes on theheels of the Rapture. There is only a small gap of time between the two biblical events. How much time? Nobody knows. Maybe a few months or a few years would be my guess. The Thessalonians believed they were in the Day of the Lord because of great persecution,as have many people throughout history. However, the Day of the Lord is an end-time event, which means the Rapture is as well. You can’t have the Rapture occurring hundreds of years before the last week of Daniel’s70th week. What would become of the Christians that come afterward and especially those in the age before the Tribulation? There would be no escape (rapture) for them from the wrath of God. These verses would then have no meaning: “When these things beginto take place, stand up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). “Pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). These are clear hintsthat the Church will be delivered from the end-times judgment by the pre-tribulation Rapture and they are only separated by a small amount of time. Regarding Enoch’s rapture, most students and scholars of the Bible believe it is a typology of the Church’s rapture. I agree it is similar in the fact that God ‘took’ himbecause of his faith. “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he whocomes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:5-6). However, it is not similar in that the reason for his rapture was to escape the wrath of God (the great flood). Enoch was taken 669 years before the flood came. He was neverin any danger of the wrath of God (great flood) as he would have died before it ever came. He would have been over 1000 years old at the time of the flood. The only reason the Bible mentions that he was taken is that he pleased God with his faith and God isa rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. I think the same could be said of the Hebrew prophet, Elijah. For an excellent article regarding the differences in these raptures, see Mark Becker’s article, https://raptureready.com/2022/06/19/instantly-changed-and-caught-up-by-mark-a-becker/. The Rapture may not have any signs preceding it, but the Tribulation does, as described in Jesus’ Olivet discourse found in Luke 21: 7-19, Matthew 24:3-14, and Mark 13:3-13.So when you see these signs converging in ever-increasing numbers, you know the Tribulation is close and the Rapture is even closer. I believe these signs are taking place as we speak. THE FULLNESS OF THE TIMES In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks about the mystery of Christ’s will, “according to His good pleasure which He purposed to Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of thetimes He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:9-10). These are Rapture verses speaking about the translation and rapture of the dead in Christ (which are in heaven) and theliving in Christ (on the earth). These two verses speak on the “who, why, and when” of the Rapture. The who are the dead and living in Christ. The ‘why’ is “according to His good pleasure.” God will do whatever He wants and whenever He wants. The ‘when’ is “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times.” All we have to figure out is when that is! Jesus’ First Advent Just as it was concerning the time of Christ’s first coming, the conditions on the earth will be perfectly aligned for Bible prophecy to find its complete fulfillment. Butwhen the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). What was this fullness of the times Paul was referringto regarding the first advent of Jesus the Christ? The ideal conditions for the appearance of the Messiah would be: 1) a common language that most people could understand. 2) for civilization to be advanced enough to record historical events that intertwinewith biblical ones. 3) an appetite for the word of God by a true prophet instead of a religion of rules, regulations, and rituals. 4) good roads for traveling and spreading the gospel of Christ. 5) the approaching time of Daniel’s 69th week (seven) as mentionedin Daniel 9:25-26. This prophecy of 69 weeks/sevens terminates at the Messiah’s death. Jesus died in approximately 3992 A.M. (Anno Mundi – year after creation), 8 years shy of 4000 years (or 4 days for the Lord) of mankind. In my article, The Greatness of the New Testament (based on Hal Lindsey’s 1997 book Apocalypse Code) ( https://www.raptureready.com/2020/09/15/the-greatness-of-the-new-testament-by-randy-nettles/), I related how the Greek king and warrior, Alexander the Great created a new language, which he used in his campaigns against the Persians. This was one of the ideal conditions regarding the fullness of the times for the Messiah’s first advent. “Since the five tribes of Greece spoke in five dialects, Alexander, knowing that exact communication was essential in battle, fused together the best of the dialects and madeone common language. This he did himself. His natural genius – plus the teaching of Aristotle, who above all was a brilliant linguist – enabled him to create a precise language for communicating exact thought. This dialect was named Koine Greek, which means “common Greek.” Alexander commanded all the tribes to learn “the common language.” Of course, we know Alexander defeated the might Persian Empire and most of the known world. During these battles and afterward, roads were built throughout the regions thatAlexander conquered and then ruled. And once again, in an extraordinary way, Alexander had unknowingly fulfilled another part of Daniel’s 200-year-old prophecy about his sudden conquest and takeover of Persia, the second world empire. The year was 331 BC. The Persian empire fell at Alexander’s feet. Instead of making them slaves and treating them cruelly, he required them only to embrace the Greek culture and language. Forthe most part, he made friends with them. This too was a fulfillment of God’s providential use of him. Unwittingly, Alexander was being used to accomplish God’s purpose by making Line Greek the lingua franca of the known world. Even Rome (the fourth empire) would not be able to change the universal language. When the remains of the Greek empire were taken over by the Romans, everyone continued touse Greek as the language of business, trade, and international communication. So when Jesus the Messiah came and purchased a pardon for the sin of all mankind by his death, the infinitely valuable message about it was entrusted to none other than Alexander’screation – Koine Greek. The original manuscript of the New Testament was written in this Common Greek and could be rapidly spread among the Gentiles. Why? Because in the providential working of God, Alexander had made it possible for them to understand.” Alexander was the tool God used to set up the ideal conditions for the Messiah to come and for his message to be able to spread throughout the known world. Even the Jews knewJesus was a prophet (they hadn’t had one for 400 years). They just didn’t realize he was their long-awaited Messiah and king. And as usual, the Jews didn’t listen to their prophet and had him killed. They also didn’t realize this was God’s plan all along.The conditions for the fulfillment of the times of the coming of the Messiah were ideal during the age of Roman rule after Alexander had defeated the Persians and created a universal language. Major transportation routes were built during this time and allowedthe disciples of Jesus to fulfill their evangelical “great calling.” The Fullness of the Times During the Rapture In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks about the mystery of Christ’s will, “according to His good pleasure which He purposed to Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of thetimes He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:9-10). These are Rapture verses speaking about the translation and rapture of the dead in Christ (which are in heaven) and theliving in Christ (on the earth). These two verses speak on the “who, why, and when” of the Rapture. The who are the dead and living in Christ. The ‘why’ is “according to His good pleasure.” God will do whatever He wants and whenever He wants. The ‘when’ is “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times.” Once again, the ‘when’ is a mystery. What is the dispensation of the fullness of the times? Perhaps Paul is speaking about the fullness of the times, as in the time beforethe end of this age. It’s been 1989 years (nearly 2000 years or 2 days for the Lord) since Jesus ascended back to heaven and the Church was born. The dispensation of the age of the Church is about over and the start of Daniel’s (interrupted) 70th seven issoon to begin. After the Rapture, God will once again be focusing His attention on Israel. God’s wrath will come upon His chosen people (Jacob’s trouble) after they confirm the covenant with the anti-Christ instead of them remembering their covenant with Him.God’s wrath will also fall upon a Christ-rejecting world. However, there will be a remnant of both Jews and Gentiles who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation. Some will even live until the end and will enter Jesus’ millennial kingdom to repopulatethe earth. It appears that this is the age of deciding whether to do the will of God or not. What is the will of God? To believe in the one He sent, Jesus Christ. 2022 is the year ofdivision. The number 2 represents ‘division’ in the Bible. We are divided on everything these days: politics, gender, sexuality, religion, crime, abortion, immigration, speech, and governmental rule. We are divided on whether to do right or wrong, love orhate, kill or save, speak the truth or lie, choose between God or Satan, Jesus or the world, righteousness or sin, Republicans or Democrats, conservative or liberal philosophies, fiscal responsibility or reckless spending, charity or selfishness, safe bordersor open borders, national sovereignty or world government. Paul’s mention of the fullness of times could be referring to a pre-tribulation time before God’s wrath rains down on the unbelieving world. This could be similar to Jesus’ discussion with his disciples at the Mount of Olives when he said, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah enteredthe ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven anddestroyed them all. Even so, it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30). It was definitely the fullness of the times for the antediluvians of Noah’s age and for the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah of Lot’s age. It was the end of the world for mostof these people. However, according to God’s good pleasure, He allowed a remnant to survive these catastrophes. Noah and his family obeyed the word of God and took shelter in the ark that they had built. The ark is a typology of the Rapture, and by God’s grace,they escaped the wrath of God. Likewise, Lot and his daughters escaped God’s wrath that He poured on the evil inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah by listening to the angels sent by God. The angels are a typology of the Holy Spirit urging the inhabitants of theearth to accept the Word of God as their savior and Lord before it is too late. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and by obeying the Word of God, we can escape the great wrath of God by means of the Rapture. THE FULLNESS OF SIN Perhaps Paul is also referring to the fullness of sin of this age. Once again Jesus spoke of this fullness of sin in both Noah and Lot’s time. Regarding Noah’s time, “Thenthe Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Regarding Lot’s time, “And the Lord said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, andbecause their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:20-21). I believe this current age of man’s sinfulness is getting closeto being only evil continually (especially Democrats and those who believe in murdering babies) and is very grave indeed. There are no Democratic women in the U.S. House of Representatives who oppose abortion rights. Does this tell you anything about our electedleaders and those who elected them? It appears God has given them over to a reprobate mind. When sin reaches its zenith (fullness) in different civilizations, God’s judgment soon follows. There have been many examples of this “fullness of sin” and ensuing judgmentin mankind’s history, as recorded in the Bible and the annals of history. Before judgment descends, God will send his word as a warning to the ungodly citizens. In biblical times, this word/warning came in the form of a prophet of God. Nowadays it comes byway of modern Bereans (those learned in scripture) or a “watchman on the wall” who warn the people about the approaching danger of the times due to rebellion against God. The final warning before the Tribulation begins will be the Rapture. It will be the ultimatesign of God’s coming judgment upon the earth before Jesus’ 2nd Advent. W.F. Adeney, the great theologian and Bible scholar of the late 19th and early 20th century, had this to say about the fullness of sin: “There is a fullness of sins which brings its own penalty. When sin reaches this point, the penalty can no longer be stayed. The cup once full flows over in wrath and ruin.It is as though forbearance and guilt were in the scales. When guilt is full, the balance dips. There is an end to all possible long-suffering. The more men go on in excesses of sin, the faster they approach the inevitable day of reckoning. The sooner thesin is filled up to the measure which passes endurance, the sooner must the stroke of doom fall. Fullness of sins must lead to fullness of punishment. They who fill up their sins always will have the wrath come upon them to the uttermost. The worst debtor must be madeto pay the last farthing. The swifter the rush downhill, the greater the crash at the bottom. The more tares that are sown in spring, the more bundles to burn in the harvest. He who fills the present life with sins will have the next life filled with wrath. The fullness of sins is not the amount which God predestines to be committed, for God is not the author of sin, nor does he will or permit it. This fullness is the measurebeyond which God stays the evil from proceeding. When the tide of iniquity, driven onwards by rebellious powers, reaches this fullness, God says, Here shall thy proud waves be stayed, and the storm beats itself out in impotent fury.” {3} THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES The “coming in” of the fullness of the Gentiles is mentioned in Romans 11:25. “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you shouldbe wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” This should not be confused with the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles spoken of in Luke 21:24. “They (Israel) will fall by theedge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” The verse in Romans is in reference to the coming of Jesus in the clouds at the Rapture, while the Luke verserefers to the 2nd Coming of Jesus to the earth after the Great Tribulation. Many Bible scholars believe the fullness of the Gentiles mentioned in verse 25 refers to the Rapture. They conclude that when a certain number of believers in Jesus Christhas been reached, then the Rapture will occur. Nobody knows what that number is except God. Therefore the date of the Rapture is unknowable by anyone except Elohim. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Here’s how the late great Bible teacher Jack Kelley interprets this verse: “The phrase fullness (full number) of the Gentiles doesn’t mean each and every Gentile, but onlythose who are part of a group that will arrive at its scheduled destination before the blindness is lifted. It’s a nautical term meaning when a ship has a full crew, then, and only then, it will set sail. This is a reference to the rapture of the Church, whichwill contain a specific number of members. When that full number has been reached, we’ll be taken from earth to our place in my father’s house to be with the Lord.” Likewise, John F. Walvoord, who served as a faculty member, president, and chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary for more than half a century, wrote this regarding theseverses in Romans: “The outworking of God’s present calling out both Jew and Gentile on an equal basis to form the body of Christ was not anticipated in the Old Testament. Its major features were mysteries, that is, truths that were not revealed in the OldTestament but are revealed in the New Testament. “The background of this is the New Testament doctrine of the rapture of the church. When the church is taken out of the world in fulfillment of God’s purpose for the church,Israel’s present experience of hardening (blindness) will also be removed, and revival will come to Israel. Their early conversion to the gospel will help spread the gospel throughout the world after the rapture of the church as there are Israelites in everymajor nation who already know the languages and the people. The fulfillment predicted in Romans 11:25-27 is in keeping with the Abrahamic covenant, which promises that Israel will endure as a nation forever and that the Israelites ultimately will be restoredspiritually and to their land politically.” {4} In Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, he writes about our (brothers in Christ) citizenship in heaven. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly waitfor the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). Although we did not give an exact ‘when’ for the Rapture (for only Elohim knows the day and hour), maybe we have narrowed down the timing somewhat. One day soon, when thefullness of the times has reached its peak, and before Daniel’s 70th seven begins, we will be “caught up” in the sky to meet the Lord. With our new translated bodies, we will be able to stand before the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, in all His glory. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestinedto be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified… For I am persuaded thatneither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-30,38-39). Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus (quickly if not sooner)! Randy Nettles rgeanie55@gmail.com - Note: new email Endnotes: {1} Perhaps Today – The Imminent Coming of Christ by Thomas Ice (R.R.) {2} Every Prophecy of the Bible by John F. Walvoord, pgs.473-474 {3} Fullness of Sin (Biblehub.com) {4} Every Prophecy of the Bible by John F. Walvoord, pg. 440 ------------------------------------------------------------------ As The World Is Transfixed by Chaos, Has the Church Failed To Recognize The Urgency Of The Hour? – By JB Hixson - https://harbingersdaily.com/as-the-world-is-transfixed-by-chaos-has-the-church-failed-to-recognize-the-urgency-of-the-hour/ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20) Recently Wendy and I had the opportunity to get away for a rare vacation. It had been more than two decades since we were able to break away from family and ministry and enjoya week of down time. We spent a week on the beach and watched the sunset every night for seven straight nights from various vantage points. Each one was gloriously different, depending on the clouds and the weather that day. If you have ever watched a sunset, you know that at the very end it happens quickly. For several minutes it seems as though the sun has scarcely shifted its position. Then,in the final minute or two, you can almost see it moving as it darts beneath the horizon. One minute it is there, shining brightly across the ocean. The next, it is gone, leaving only a dim glow in the distance. As I watched the sunset each night, I could not help but think of the church in America today. Is the sun setting on the church? Is our time in God’s plan of the ages drawingto a close? Is God’s work in and through the Church winding down? It is a difficult question to answer with certainty. Yet, there are many signs that indicate we may be entering the twilight of the church. The Bible warns, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy4:1). More than ever before, deception has swept across this country. Satan is “blinding people’s hearts to the Gospel” and “deceiving the whole world” (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 John 7). According to a recent Gallup poll from June of 2022, only sixty-eight percent ofAmericans under age thirty believe in God. This statistic is validated by a recent conversation I had with a woman who attended an event where I was speaking about the Great Satanic Reset. After my presentation, shecame up to me and insisted that Jesus Christ is not the only way to heaven and that the Bible is filled with lies and errors. She is deceived. We are also told in Scripture, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they willheap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3–4). The great Satanic reset that is being thrust upon us by the Luciferians is a giant fable that is capturing the minds of manypeople. The “new normal” is rapidly setting in, and few seem to be aware of its dangers. The evil powers behind the Satanic agenda in our world have told us bluntly that we will never return to “normal.” We must never forget, however, that although normal maynot be coming back, Jesus is! He promised to rescue His bride, the church, from this present evil age (Gal. 1:4) prior to the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s wrath (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9). This does not mean, of course, that believers in this church agewill avoid suffering altogether. Indeed, there is more persecution and martyrdom of Christians today than at any other time in church history. It does mean, however, that someday, in God’s perfect timing, the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven in the clouds and gather His church together for that great reunion inthe sky (1 Thess. 4:17). The Bible calls this event the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). It will mark the end of the church age and a shift into the next phase in God’s plan of the ages. The “rapture,” as it is called in the Latin translation of the Bible, willmean the sun has finally set on the church age. And like a sunset, it will happen quickly. The very last words of Jesus recorded in the Bible are, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:20). To those words, the Apostle John responded, “Amen. Even so, come,Lord Jesus!” The word “quickly” that Jesus used in this verse means “suddenly” or “rapidly.” It has been nearly two thousand years since John recorded those words of Christ in the book of Revelation, and throughout the church age we have been watching thesun slowly descend toward the horizon. Today, it has picked up speed. As Wendy and I watched the sunset each night during our beach vacation, there were times when we were transfixed by the waves and distant glow and almost missed the chanceto take a picture as the sun made its final, swift dash under the sea. Could it be that many people today are transfixed by the chaos around us and have failed to recognize the urgency of the hour? All signs point to the soon coming of our Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ. When it happens, it will happen fast. Are you ready? Have you placed your faith in Him as the only One who can save you from your sin and give you the free gift of eternal life? ------------------------------ And If the Dead Rise Not. . . - by Jack Kinsella "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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1st Corinthians 15:51-53) Throughout the New Testament, the word translated as 'mystery' comes from the Greek 'musterion' which literally means 'secret' or 'hidden thing'. In our modern English, however,'mystery' is understood in the Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmesian sense of the word. Paul's use of the word 'mystery' when describing the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:53 means a truth that had not yet been revealed. Paul cannot be referring to the Second Coming of Christ; His return at the end of the Tribulation is one of the oldest prophecies recorded in Scripture. Daniel 12:1-3; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4 all mention the 2nd Coming, and Jude quotes Enoch, the "seventh from Adam" who "prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh withten thousands of His saints." (Jude 1:14) The Rapture, therefore, is a previously unrevealed secret, a 'hidden thing' of God previously unknown to men. As the end of this present Age approaches, there are many Christians who are beginning to wonder if we might already be in the Tribulation now. We aren't. Assessment: There are lots and lots of folks who think I am 'way out there' for adhering to a pre-Tribulationist doctrine. (I know this to be true, also, because I get emails from themevery time I comment on the Rapture, saying, "Kinsella, you're way out there!") They'll go on smugly (and endlessly), playing word games like "the word 'Rapture' isn't even in the Bible' -- as if that meant something. (Try and find the word 'Bible' in the Bible. Does its absence from the Scriptures mean there is no Bible?) Or babble mindlessly about Margarent MacDonald and C.I. Schofield, before pronouncing Dispensationalism and a pre-Trib Rapture a modern-day 'invented' doctrine. I say 'mindlessly' because they don't know what they are talking about -- they are just quoting somebody else's research as if it were the Gospel itself. We have dealt with the Margaret MacDonald argument in previous Omega Letter reports, so we won't address that particular 'controversy' here, other than to note that the ApostlePaul wrote of the Rapture 1800 years before Margaret MacDonald. Instead of building the argument based on what the Bible doesn't say about the Rapture, it is helpful to take a good close look at what it DOES tell us about the Rapture. First, notice that the Rapture involves the movement of believers from the earth to Heaven: "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 wewhich 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." (1 Thessalonians 4:17) The 'dead in Christ' rise first, those believers who are 'alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. The operative word here is 'rise'. On the other hand, at the Second Coming, the Lord returns WITH His saints; "To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." (1st Thessalonians3:13) So the Rapture is not the same event as the Second Coming. And things that are different are NOT the same. What would be the point of Rapturing the Church then, anyway? The Lord returns to establish His kingdom on earth, so why pullout all the Christians? Who is He gonna rule? "And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep onHis right Hand, but the goats on the left." (Matthew 25:32-33) If all the believers are raptured at the Second Coming, that would also include the Tribulation saints. Where would the believers in mortal bodies come from, if they are rapturedat the Second Coming? Who would be able to enter into Christ's Kingdom? Enquiring minds want to know. Then there is Daniel's 70 weeks. The Church was absent for the first sixty-nine weeks -- the countdown was suspended at the Cross so the Church could be born. Daniel makes it clear that all 70 weeks are determined upon Israel. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should bearrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Revelation 19:7-8) If the Bride is made ready to accompany Christ to the earth at the Second Coming, (while part of the bride is still on earth during the Tribulation) then how does the Bride(the Church) also come with Christ at His Return? There is the example of Enoch: "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Genesis 5:24) Not only does Enoch prefigure the Rapture, note that Enoch's Rapturewaspre-Flood, and not mid-Flood or post-Flood. The Scriptures are plain, clear and concise on the topic of a pre-Tribulation Rapture -- provided one interprets the Bible literally, instead of figuratively or symbolically. While no man knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, the Second Coming can be accurately predicted, since Daniel tells us He returns exactly 1,290 days after the antichrist; "opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2ndThessalonians 2:4) "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days."(Daniel 12:11) The pre-Tribulation Rapture is often called the "Blessed Hope" by those who look for His return before the Tribulation begins. Those who believe the Church will go throughthe Tribulation sneeringly call it the 'Great Escape'. Don't let anybody steal away your Blessed Hope: "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised,your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christare perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1st Corinthians 15:16-19) The Rapture happens before the Tribulation, which means that He is coming for us soon! Call it the Blessed Hope or the Great Escape, He IS coming. And given the current state of global affairs, it can't be too much longer until we hear that trumpet. Maranatha! -------------------------------------- God�s Protection for His Own, the Bride of Christ - by PastorMike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/06/gods-protection-for-his-own-bride-of.html Psalm 91:1 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Romans8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 1st Peter 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." Anxiety is building in this nation, and for that matter, all over the world. Fear grips the average human being, as they see events that they have no control over. It doesn'tmatter if it's in Greece, Spain, Portugal in the EU or right here in the USA, men are fearful. They know that this is an unprecedented time of turmoil and signs of impending doom. Men are behaving like animals and evil grows exponentially, as we grow closerand closer to the end of this age as we witnessed crimes of unspeakable horror in the recent news coverage of the rampage of demonic possessed individuals, who executed the innocent in schools, theaters, and shopping malls. The culture has gone mad. The powers that be look for a culprit to blame. They blame guns, they blame the social haters, and they blame those that hold onto those guns and their religion, namely ChristianConservatives. They wish to infringe on our Constitutionally given rights that were written by men who feared God, and knew that any government, even theirs that they were forming could become despotic. We see the sin of homosexuality with it's push for same sex marriage making strides for public approval. We continue to see abortion unabated and Planned Parenthood boastingthat they terminated the life of another baby, every 94 seconds last year. WE see a government that has grown corrupt, and I prayed the past administration would at least slow down the slide of this nation into chaos and oblivion. Congress has becomeimpotent to stay the powers who are moving this country into a more Socialistic-Communistic form of a New World Order. It was reported that the brainiacs in Washington have come up with a great idea of minting a trillion dollar platinum coin, so �poof�, no more debt. Great idea, except itraising inflation by an untold percentage and gives our line of credit to participate in the global economy as being �funny money.� We could go on and on mentioning the symptoms of the economic collapse, as well as the societal collapse of this nation and reaching all around the world of nations havingthe exact same problems, just more of them. But that is in an other sermon you can read on this site. But the point here is, there was a Blood Red Moon Rising over the earth recently. We saw others in the not too distant past, and now we see signs that pointto a possible fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets this fall. We saw a "total eclipse" of the sun that was only be for the central USA. It has never happened before. Is it a sign of foreboding of the coming wrath of God? Will it begin to happen this fall?We don't know, but this sign of the eclipse is but another sign in the heavens that 'something" big is about to happen...we just pray and watch. MAKE YOUR FOUNDATION THE �ROCK� It's a exciting time to live in, but anxiety producing for those who don't have a firm foundation on where their strength lies. I have brothers and sisters who email me withsearching questions on how to prepare for what is coming. I am a firm believer and have always been that God allows nothing to come against His chosen children, the church, a people taken for His name, unless is for their benefit and their spiritual maturity.I have also come to believe that God is not interested in our comfort, but in our being ready to reign and rule with Jesus Christ for a 1000 years, and on into eternity. When the cares of this life seem to weigh in on any of us, and I'm not immune, I counsel my congregation to look to the Bible for their strength and their foundation of coping.I have been telling each of them, when things get rough around your community, your town, or your state, then it is a time to grab onto the promises of God and remind Him of those promises. OH, He knows what He promised, but He wants to hear that you believethat He will do what He said. Inspiration and strength has always been drawn from two chapters in the bible for me, in particular, but not exclusive, as the whole bible is designed to encourage and to lead us into righteous living, but for me Psalm 91 andRomans chapter 8, have special promises of protection and looking forward to our heavenly home. Let's take a moment to draw strength from these two chapters that have distinct promises of divine protection and Christian hope for a glorious future. Let us take a few versesfrom each, but I encourage you to read these chapters prayerfully and without doubt. I ask that you claim those promises, as God cannot lie. He just wants you to reach out to Him and draw nigh to Him. Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday." Just as a hen gathers her chicks during a storm, or for protection against terrors surrounding them, our Father wishes to draw us unto Himself and protect us. Terror thatis all around us (ie). Islam terrorist, Washington bureaucrats, World Health Organization, and even widening debt and deficit spending, not to mention a society in decay, we have no need to be afraid. Why? God is in control and His Word will not come backto Him void. He said it, it will be done! MATTHEW HENRY SPEAKS ON PSALM 91 Matthew Henry has a great commentary on Psalm 91, and I would like to share it with you. "He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. The spiritual life is protected by Divine gracefrom the temptations of Satan, which are as the snares of the fowler, and from the contagion of sin, which is a noisome pestilence. Great security is promised to believers in the midst of danger. Wisdom shall keep them from being afraid without cause, andfaith shall keep them from being unduly afraid. Whatever is done, our heavenly Father's will is done; and we have no reason to fear. God's people shall see, not only God's promises fulfilled, but his threatening's. Then let sinners come unto the Lord uponhis mercy-seat, through the Redeemer's name; and encourage others to trust in him also." AS you read this marvelous chapter of God's Word, it should give you hope that you are not alone, but He walks right there with you. You become a little fearful with the latest report of a disaster or a shooting, or crime in your area, open your bible andread this chapter and claim it in it's promised message. I leave my family bible open at all times to this chapter, to remind God that I trust His Word, and His protection at any time. The bible is full of promises that tell the truth about God's protectionto the true believer. Many Christians wring their hands and wonder what is coming down the pike for us all. But you know what? It doesn't matter, as He will prepare you for whatever comes. This side of the tribulation, we could see many natural disasters inthis country of the USA, as it's happening all over the world. Many people will die, as many have already died. Some needlessly, but some because they have shaken their fist at God and God just might have removed His hand of protection from them and allowedthem to go their own way and their demise was chance and circumstance. Liberal thinkers who don't need God, have no one to turn to when the times get rough, unless they repent of their sinful deeds. But not so with the believer in Jesus Christ.Going on in this same chapter of Psalms, the Psalmist writes a promise given to a child of God. 7 "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Wow, has it ever made you wonder why evil is all around you, but it hasn't touched your life? How many stories could I print of testimonies of men and women in harm's waywere spared because they called out to God? But my brother and sister, there is a small catch to that protection. See Verse 1 of this chapter that started this sermon. You must be right next to His altar, under His shadow, under His wings, and staying closeto God. You can't be out willy nilly living the life of this world, feeding your flesh with diverse pleasures, as that is a sure invitation for God to reprimand you and allow evil to enter your life. But it doesn't have to be so. God wishes to be with you in times of trial and even persecution. 11 "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." Whatever happens, nothing shall hurt the believer; though trouble and affliction befall, it shall come, not for his hurt, but for good, though for the present it be not joyousbut grievous. Those who rightly know God, will set their love upon him. They, by prayer constantly call upon him. His promise is that he will in due time deliver the believer out of trouble, and in the mean time be with him in trouble. The Lord will manageall his worldly concerns, and preserve his life on earth, so long as it shall be good for him. For encouragement in this he looks unto Jesus. He shall live long enough; till he has done the work he was sent into this world for, and is ready for heaven. Who would wishto live a day longer than God has some work to do, either by him or upon him? A man may die young, yet be satisfied with living. But a wicked man is not satisfied even with long life. At length the believer's conflict ends; he has done for ever with trouble,sin, and temptation. Did you catch that from what is quoted above? Nothing can come against us, unless God allows it for our personal growth in spirit and maturity within His coming Kingdom. Thedevil can't touch us if we are within His protective circle, which is right up against His altar, His Throne. He may test our metal, but He will not allow anything to adversely effect us that He doesn't know that will make us stronger in Him. My brothers and sisters, what do we have to fear? Nothing is the answer. Getting back to a little bit of the anxiety that people email me about. Who do you trust? We can'ttrust our government any more. We can't trust our elected officials or political parties, not even the defunct Tea Party. We can't trust people in general, especially if you get into the big cities. Men have seem to become more ferocious in this desire toinflict pain and lash out at others. Was a time you could hitch hike down the interstate, which I never encouraged even my brother who thought it was a great way to travel, but times have changed. You don't hitchhike, and you don't pick up hitchhikers. Societyhas changed and not for the better. There is a large number of things you just don't do anymore, because society has become corrupt in general and your own unsaved neighbor will sell you for ten bucks. That's a sad commentary, but society has proven it tobe so. The love for one another has grown cold. Only the True Believer supports one another in love and genuine concern for their good. A GLORIOUS FUTURE JUST OVER THE HORIZON But we have a glorious promise that is found in Romans chapter 8 and the most favorite part of that chapter is from verse 28 to the end of the chapter. Can you not see thatwe have nothing to fear? Reread the opening verses of this sermon and see that God only allows good to come to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Read the whole chapter, but focus in on the last of this chapter...Look at v. 31-32, 31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all thing." He will give us all things, whatsoever we ask believing, He will do it if being in our best interest and in His divine Will. He knows what is good for us, will protect us,and what will make us grow as Christian people. He then ends the chapter will a powerful promise, that proves that we will never be alone in this life, as long as we stay close to Him. 38 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Again, I ask you, what have we to fear? Nothing! God will lead us into green pastures, as the Psalmist wrote in chapter 23. 23 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (we lack for nothing due to His Goodness) 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.( He blesses us with needs for our everyday lives) 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (He is forever by our sides) 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (even though trouble is afflictingus, He will bring us through it and we will be better for it) 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (We cannot contain the blessings of God) 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." ( the blessing of the Lord are plentiful until Hebrings us home to receive a greater reward for being steadfast and faithful) PROMISES NOT MADE TO THE WORLD Now my reader, I must deal with the negative side of not following what I've outlined up to now. In past sermons, I have ventured into the demise of our country, as we havegone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah and certain destruction will come down on our heads, or God would have to apologize to Sodom for bringing down fire and brimstone about them. As the world grows worse and worse, and our home is on the horizon and we waitfor the trumpet sound and Jesus to say �Come up here,� we may see the symptoms of judgment beginning to come to pass on this nation and all nations around the world. We can expect more �accidents�, more natural disasters, more crime, and more moral and economicwoes coming fast and furious. These break neck events will make men's hearts very anxious, but they haven't seen anything yet! God told us though the apostle John what is coming upon mankind, when the wrath of God is poured out on the rebellious nations. Butnever fear, my brethren, God has not appointed us to wrath...He said so in 1st Thessalonians 5:9 " For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." This is a clear indication of the church being removed out of the way, before God's wrath is released on this earth in all earnest. We may see, and it is not revealed howmuch we will see, but we WILL NOT see the destruction of 3/4 of every living thing that grows on this planet....that's every tree, green grass, sea creatures and the water they live in, animals, and including 3/4 of mankind to the tune of 6 billion peopleslaughtered in divine judgment. The horrific depiction of the carnage would make any sane man's hair stand up on the back of his neck and head. Evil will reign supreme on this earth for 7 short years with the worst of the evil in the last 3.5 years, knownas the Great Tribulation. Men, women and children will die by the thousands into the millions in a very short time. Can you image the pain and suffering endured by mankind during those awful years? What's going on now will look like a picnic compared to that time. Some of the graphics descriptionsof men's pain and suffering include being stung by demons repeatedly for 5 months begging to die, but they cannot. Another sign is great sores that come upon men who have the mark of the beast on their foreheads Revelation 16:11, " and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.," Or how about the sun scorching men with great heat. Of course great heat will produce great famine, as everything will die. But men will curse God, instead of repenting ofthis wickedness. Revelation 16:9, "And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." Great hailstones raining down on the earth that weigh upwards of 100# each...unheard of? Get ready, Revelation 16:21, "From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible." You want to get yourself in a depressed state, and totally in awe, read the 16th chapter of Revelation. This imagery is easy to understand and is not symbolism at all, butwill be a literal event to come to all who dwell upon the earth in wickedness. As had been written, the time of the end is close at hand, when I say the end, I mean the end of the age of Grace. God's grace will have run out. God's people have suddenly vanishedfrom the face of the earth. Don't believe it? Wait around, should you be so foolish, I guarantee that you will, as the bible has been 100% accurate into modern times. There is no reason to believe that the events depicted in Revelation will not be fulfilledin their entirety. Woe to you if you are still here. Revelation, 12 "And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of themwas darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voicesof the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!" As my sister, Donna Wasson wrote recently, �Are you in, or are you out?�. You ask how do I get in? Oh, that's easy. All it takes is faith and repentance. Faith in what? John3:16-18, 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Realize that you are a sinner, as it is written, Romans, 23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Accept His free offer of grace and mercy, Ephesians 2, 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast." God through His Son is offering you the keys to eternal life, the golden ring (so to speak) on the merry-go round...reach and out and take it. It's entirely free. All youhave to do is admit you need it, and Him. Believe He died for you and for me and was raised to life and lives today and is coming back for His people chosen for His name. When this happens then my friend, if you do not possess the �golden ring� of Jesus Christ,the Tribulation is your reward of 7 years of literal hell on earth...not meant to scare, but to warn you of your condition and the remedy. Because, if you are sensitive to the times that are coming upon us, you know within your mind and you heart, that a BloodMoon has Risen and a full eclipse came, which could be full of the wrath of God coming in God's sovereign time. It's that dread you feel within your spirit, that pulls within your mind and threatens to send you into despair and madness. I beseech you, to presentyourself to Christ a broken and contrite heart asking, no pleading for forgiveness. And you know what, He will grant the request for all eternity. 8 "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-13) -------------------