About To See The Fullness

 About To See The Fullness - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/09/24/about-to-see-the-fullness-by-dennis-huebshman/ Romans 11:11 and 25-27; “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass, Salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as tomake Israel jealous…. Lest you be wise in your own sight, I did not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers; a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved, as itis written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'” (ESV – all emphasis mine) For any so-called evangelical group to say God has turned away from Israel and “replaced” them with the Christian church, there is a great misunderstanding of the nature ofour Heavenly Father. Genesis 12:1-3; “Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a greatnation; and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you; and him who dishonors you, I will curse, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Whenever we see “I will” when God is talking in the Scriptures, it is a promise from Him that He will never break. Our Father cannot lie (Titus 1:2), nor would He have reasonto. After all, we’re His creation. He could dominate us completely and force us all into servitude, but that is not His nature. Ours is truly a loving God, and He has a love for us that we can barely comprehend. John 3:16 tells us this. And for those who say all those promises were thousands of years ago and no longer apply to our “modern” world, let’s look at 2 Peter 3:8-9; “But do not overlook this onefact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reachrepentance.” Please understand that God is not bound by a clock as we are, and He created time for us, as given in Genesis 1. Does all this mean that the Father believes everyone will be saved? As Paul would say, By No Means! Matthew 7:13-14 is where Jesus tells us about the two distinct gates – one large and one small. The larger gate is on the broad path leading to destruction, and many will be going through that gate to eternal punishment. The smaller gate is the path to eternal life with Jesus in Heaven, and there will be few on it. We are seeinga turning away from anything to do with Jesus and Christianity worldwide today. Besides the fact that the Rapture will take place to honor God’s promise to keep all true believers from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 andRevelation 3:10), it will mark the beginning of the discipline of His chosen people who have not accepted Jesus as their Messiah. Of the total Jewish population worldwide (about 15.2 million by 2022 census), only about 1% to 2% are Messianic as they have received and accepted Jesus as their Savior. Thesewill not be here for the Tribulation but will go up with all other believers to meet Jesus in the air at the sound of the Trumpet of God and the cry from the archangel. After that, God will return His attention to His children, Israel. Sadly, according tothe prophet Zechariah, about 2/3 of those who are left behind will perish. Please understand that religion does not save us. What saves us is our faith and belief that Jesus is truly our Savior — that He did come to this earth to provide the onlymeans by which we can be saved, that as a “human,” He died on that cruel cross, and His body was raised to life by the Father three days later. All who call on Him will be saved (Romans 10:9-13). It should be noted that the “Spirit” of Jesus was with the Father immediately upon His human death. In Luke 23:43, Jesus told the repentant criminal that was crucified atthe same time as Him that he would be with Jesus that day in Paradise. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that he would rather depart and be with Jesus, meaning he understood that at his last breath, he would be in the presence of the Lord. Calling on the Lord is an individual issue, which each individual person must do for themselves. No preacher, parent, Rabbi, priest, or whatever can save anyone. In fact,just look at who the Savior had the most trouble with. It was the majority of the religious leaders of His time here. Only a few accepted Him for who He really was. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it very clear that we cannot be saved through our own works. We are saved by the Grace of the Savior through Faith, which is a gift from the Father.No special ceremonies, no monetary contributions, no special deeds every day will earn even one second in Glory. Anything we do is to bring honor to the Lord, and we acknowledge all praise and glory belongs to Him. As for the “fullness,” all the signs given to us by Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and others are here at the same time. They have all taken place to a degree in the past but notto the level and extent of today. What will be the actual event that the Father has preordained to be the “switch” to activate the Rapture has not been shared with us. It could be a certain number of souls calling on Jesus to be saved, a special event thatwill take place in the world, or even a specific individual becoming saved. We just don’t know. However, Jesus gave us an indication of it being close with His statement in Luke 21:28. He said that when the events that He and the prophets spoke of “begin” to take place,His coming is near. What’s sometimes hard to remember is God’s timing is not ours. It can safely be said that this world has taken a turn for the worse, and the beginning the Savior spoke of started about a decade ago. Paul said the Rapture will take place in “the twinkling of an eye.” Just know that this is less than one second and could happen at any time now. Please know that the Father will turn no one away who truly calls out to Jesus to be saved. No one has sinned so greatly that the blood of Jesus cannot cover them. The unforgivablesin is to take your last breath on this earth without having Jesus in your heart. Also, the Father will not force anyone with their decision. It is a free-will choice that each person must make for themselves. For those who choose this world, and ultimatelychoose Satan, Revelation 20:11-15 gives their destiny. Hell is forever, and there is no pardon there. Today would not be too early as the “fullness” could take place at any time. Call on the Savior to forgive you and to come into your heart as your eternal Lord of Lord andKing of Kings. You will be forever grateful that you did! Come, Lord Jesus!

End of This Age, and Coming Tribulation, Part 2

 End of This Age, and Coming Tribulation, Part 2 - by Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/09/end-of-this-age-and-coming-tribulation.html “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what {will be} the sign of Your coming,and of the end of the age?" NASB. (Matthew 24:3) Jesus has just come from the temple mount and prophesied that the temple would be torn down, “not leaving one stone upon another.” This disturbed the disciples, as the templewas the center of their world, the world of the nation of Israel. The KJV has the last part of the above verse as “the end of the world.” We know that it is more proper in context to use the “end of the age” as when Jesus comes back to rule for 1000 years,it will be on this very earth we now populate, but with major revisions to return the earth to it's former glory when Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden. It will be the end of the world, as we know it. But let us take a look at the signs that wouldprecede the coming of the Son of Man in power and great glory. I will do a line by line bible study of this chapter that must be followed up with the next chapter of Matthew 25 in a follow up sermon, as all are connected, but let's takethe first sign of the end of this age. Continuing in Matthew: 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. 24:5 "For many will come in My name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. Folks have taken this to mean that many will come as claiming to be the Messiah. True, there have been many false messiahs that have claimed to be Him, but what was Jesustalking about? I don't believe He was talking about what many believe. It's pointing to false religions, false doctrines, and deception that will fill the churches in that day. Men claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ will use His name to appease the massesthey wish to delude. These frauds and double agents would come in His name, that is, appearing to bear His authority. In particular, the name of "Christ" would be exploited as cover for their nefarious trickery, and by this ruse, great numbers of people wouldbe deluded. The phrase, "saying, I am the Christ," should not be understood, as the New King James Version has punctuated it, to mean that many would come claiming to be the Messiah. No, they would come claiming that Jesus is the Messiah—a truth—and therebygain people's trust. From that point forward, deception through doctrinal change, both major and minor, provides the means of deception. As the anonymous maxim puts it, "The nearer a lie is to truth the more deceitful it is." NEW AGE AND THE EMERGENT CHURCH Folks, look around you. Have there ever been a time when there is false doctrine permeating our churches? They promote a feel good gospel. They promote false healing, miracles,and signs used to deceive. All the while they have agents in the background who are setting up this charade to influence the masses to what end? Money! They are religious entertainers in our churches that use smoke and mirrors to fool the people looking fortruth. I have never seen so much imagery and modern technology that gets the juices of these adherents to a feel good gospel all whooped up in a frenzy and elevate the man preaching a feel good sermon, instead of Jesus Christ. Jesus warned us of these “wolvesin sheep clothing” that would come into to devour the sheep. They have continued unabated in these New Emergent Churches and promote universal tolerant view that there are many roads to God. They preach that all religions will find the way to Heaven, meaningGnostics, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews right along with true believers in Jesus Christ will all receive the same salvation and eternal life. “”All roads lead to God and all religions are the same”” God is love and no one will go to any “hell”. Thisflies in the face of Acts 4:10-12, in which Peter asserts that only by the name of Jesus Christ is salvation possible. I call this Emergent theology, the “First Church of Blasphemy”. They make a mockery of the saving Grace of our Lord and Savior. They preachthat all will receive “Universal Reconciliation” and no one will end up in hell, nobody. This is not found in scripture anywhere as Jesus spoke of hell more than He did heaven. WAR AND RUMORS OF WARS Jesus continues in Matthew: 24:6 “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.”(Matthew 24:6-8) Men have been fighting each other for 2000 years since Jesus made this statement, but the last century of modern times has been the bloodiest of all the centuries past. Morepeople died in this last 100 years of 2 world wars, and the various conflicts that have killed more people in them than the preceding 1900 years combined. Various wars and conflicts by count of the dead totals 262,000,000 people....that's millions, folks.And this was the “beginning of sorrows”. That's a large portion of every man, woman and child that resides in this country we called the United States of America as a population count. 24:9 “ Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” You look at other third world countries, the Middle East and other dictatorships say of Russia, or China, and it's not safe to be a Christian even in our modern times. Ithasn't come to America YET, but Christians are becoming viewed increasingly with suspicion by the powers that be, even in our country, the USA. People are being slain for the name of Jesus Christ right now, even as you read this. Jesus said it would be so,and it is becoming more and more common place. As it was in Jesus day, being persecuted by the Romans and even the “Holy Roman Empire” (sic), ie. the Catholic Church has now come full circle to engulf our world with the same genocide of whole races and peoplewho profess Jesus Christ and Him crucified. But stay tuned, as you haven't seen anything yet!! Look at verse 12 of the above passage. Here in the home of the brave and the free, we have become a nation that is filled with iniquity in all shapes and forms andit has grown exponentially in the last 50 years. No one would have believed when I was growing up that men and women of this nation and for that matter, the world, would grow emotionally cold and not value human life. That is even where we have slaughteredover 60 million of the unborn in the name of sexual freedom and love for our off-spring has nearly died in many parts of our society. Not to mention crime growing worse every day and terrorist attacks coming even to our shores. THE GOSPEL PREACHED WORLDWIDE 24:14 “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. 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)”24:14-15) No other time in history has there been so many ways to transmit the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The technology has advanced at such a rapid pace, that an email sent across theworld is delivered within seconds. The Gospel News has covered the entire earth. So what prevents the end of the age? I believe nothing, except the timing held by God the Father who knows when the last person will accept His offer of Grace. JESUS REFERED TO PROPHECY in DANIEL 9 v. 27 “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading ofabominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27) Jesus speaks of the Abomination of Desolation that Daniel spoke of, and says when you see this man standing in the temple of God, claiming to be God, then RUN or “get outof Dodge” so to speak. 24:16 “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”(Matthew 24:16-22) Notice the people Jesus speaks of? He doesn't refer to the Gentiles, or the rest of the world, but those who live in Judea. Jesus takes dead aim at only one group of people.He was talking about Israel. Observant Jews cannot travel more than a days walk from their home on the Sabbath, and to travel with child is difficult. Pray it's not snowing, as it sometimes does in Israel and it's cold making travel a problem. But Jesus warnsthem to get out, head for the hills....hide yourself. Don't take anything with you. Why? Because Israel will reject this “man” claiming to be a god and in his rage will attempt to destroy the nation of Israel because of their rejection of him as a liar andknow they have made a deal with the devil. The Holocaust of the Nazi's will pale in the attempt of this man to destroy all remnant of the house of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I've spoken of it many times in sermons past.Israel will be refined as silver is in the fire. They will be persecuted and hunted down because they reject this “false messiah” and his “false prophet”. Malachi chapter 3, 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offeringin righteousness. 3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:2-4) How do you refine silver? You heat it red hot, but not too hot, or the silver is destroyed, but hot enough to remove the slag that floats to the top, to reveal the pure silverbeneath. That is what will be Israel's purification. Until our Lord and Savior can see His image in them, He will continue to allow the heat of persecution to turn them to their Messiahthat they had rejected 2000 years earlier. Only when they realize this and proclaim, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Luke 13:35b.) , then swiftly, the Lord God will come to do battle for His people Israel and save them out of tribulationand set them as a crowning jewel of His city Jerusalem on a mountain lifted high. He will save them all for the promise He made to their father's and because of His glorious Name. So much for Replacement Theology. JESUS WARNS OF THE ANTICHRIST AND FALSE PROPHET 24:23 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 24:25 Behold, I have told you before. 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.”(Matthew 24:23-26) Not only has there been false prophets and false messiahs leading up to this time, but I believe Jesus is talking of THE false messiah, and THE false prophet that all of theGentile nations will follow who have pleasure in unrighteousness. He speaks to the Nation of Israel to believe it not, as the Gentiles who have rejected Jesus Christ and will follow whole hog after this charlatan who claims divinity. I submit that all nationswill be fooled, as there is nothing to give them discernment of this false hood, as they believe in themselves, and reject God. They follow a god on earth, that leads them in their wickedness. Paul warns of this in 2nd Thessalonians: 2:8, “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:8-12) Notice the next few verses? Jesus, I believe is giving an almost chronological order of the time leading up to His glorious appearing and the events that happen right afterthat. 24:27 “ For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 24:28 For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:27-28) Some misinterpret this to mean the sun shining from the east to the west and all will see Him....I believe this is reference to the sudden appearing of our Lord and SaviorJesus Christ, suddenly, when they think not. As lightning flashes suddenly from the eastern part of the sky and flashes to the west, this will be sudden and without warning. All will know something has happened, as the signs are all around them. People missing,people screaming for loved ones that have vanished and the realization that an unexplained calamity has befallen their world. Untold havoc will rule the day. But what of that next verse, verse 28? In the days Jesus lived in and we see it somewhat in our world here in the USA, carrion birds smell death. This verse is better translatedas vultures, as eagles kill live prey, not dead ones. Vultures circle a carcass and many gather for this putrid feast. Jesus was making a comparison that Jerusalem was dead in spirit, and by extension of end time prophecy, saying that those who miss the greatesthappening of our lifetime, will be devoured, as so much dead bodies as they are spiritually dead. Note that Revelation says that 2/3 of all mankind will be destroyed, by divine judgment, including natural disasters, and to a lesser degree, man-made persecution.I calculate upwards of 5 billion+ people will die in 7 short years. Notice in the opening lines of this sermon, 262 million people have died in the last 100 years by war....during the tribulation, this will be 15-20 times that amount, not millions, but billionsof people who will die in 7 short years, with the majority in the last half. Woe to the person who reads this and puts off what I preach of the nearness of our Lord's return, and not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, by grace through faith. Then they will seejust what I am referring to in all its horror, which is beyond anything I could describe. 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powersof the heavens shall be shaken: 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the cloudsof heaven with power and great glory. 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”(Matthew24:29-31) Notice the progression of events as Jesus explains them? Jesus came prior as a flash of lightning, quickly and without warning. People are then dying by the millions intothe billions called the tribulation and then the Great Tribulation, where judgment from God gets kicked into high gear. Then immediately, a sign of impending doom covers the earth. Here we have people dying all around, so could things get any worse? Yes, muchworse. Seven angels pour out 7 vials of the wrath of God in it's full strength. The sun fails to shine, the moon quits reflecting the sun during night hours, stars are falling, and the powers of heaven and earth are shaken....what could shaken mean? Untolddestruction, signs of impending doom and everyone knows. I mean everyone knows that something is about to happen and the dread grips them, until their hearts and circulatory systems collapse or maybe they go mad and crazy with fear. One can only speculate.People will mourn. It says that all the tribes of the earth will mourn. You will not mourn for something that gives you joy as we will at His appearing, but mourn because of spirit filled dread and loathing, so the church of God is not included in this analogy,as we prayed for His appearing, and it brought great joy 7 years earlier. When Jesus comes to reign and rule and destroy all rebellion, will this time be sudden, without warning, without anyone noticing a difference in their environment? Would younotice? If you are witness to it, and I pray you are not, then you would definitely notice some type of world shaking event that is about to happen. Will men repent of their rebellion, what with all the disasters and environmental changes, not to mention inescapabledisplays of divine wrath that can only come from a Higher Power? They must know that it's the God of Heaven doing this to them and to this world. Will they repent? God says they will not as found in the verses of Revelation. We see angels flying in the airproclaiming the Gospel to the nations left. Why are Angels proclaiming the Gospel at this time? Was that not the Church’s job to preach unto the highways and the byways? Yes, but since the Church is NOT here, the jobis left to an Angel to proclaim one last time that Gospel of Jesus Christ, as we are not on this earth...another sign of the rapture of the church. God gives them every possible chance to repent, but alas, they will not. Then verse 31, He shall send His angels to gather all of the elect who have died for the witness of Jesus Christ. Who are these elect? During this time of Great Tribulation,there will be 144,000 evangelist from the 12 tribes of Israel. You will have two witnesses who are preaching nonstop for 3.5 years at the temple of God. Who will believe their message? The Nation of Israel will be their focus. People of the rest of the worldhave been fed a strong delusion, and they believe a lie. They have taken a mark of loyalty to the Beast Power and are spiritually doomed. The angels are gathering saints, fallen saints during this tribulation. They have died believing in their Messiah andhave not denied Him, to the death. They are Israel and a minority of Gentiles, as God has purified them all as silver is refined in the fire....He has washed them as with fuller soap....clean, white, and pure because of the blood of their Savior, our Savior. Now Jesus backs up in time continuum and speaks a parable of a fig tree: 24:32 “ Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:32-36) Earlier in Luke, Jesus blasted the Pharisees for not perceiving signs that were given them: 12:54 “ And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 12:55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?” (Luke 12:54-56) In their blindness, they had the prophecy of Jesus appearing, as He was right in front of them. They did not perceive or understand. Today we have the prophecy right in frontof us, as they did. They did not perceive His coming to them as their Messiah. Will we understand and perceive His glorious appearing and gathering His church, in the twinkling of an eye? 51 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1st Corinthians 15:51-53) A SURPRISE FOR THOSE IN DARKNESS As I just mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the time of His coming to rule and reign to put down all rebellion on earth, will not come as a surprise. All will know thatimpending doom is coming. It will be an unprecedented time and not a day like all others. Jesus speaks of an earlier time, when a fig tree is about to blossom and putting forth new leaves. When did that fig tree appear? Correct, in May 1948, when Israel wasmade a nation again after almost 2000 years. Unprecedented and amazing, not suppose to happen, but it did....divinely so. He says when these events start to happen, then know He is near...right at the door! A generation will not pass till all things be fulfilled. What is a generation? The bible says in Psalm 90 that a man has 70 years to live his life and 80 years by strengthto live on this earth. Now I warn others, we can't make predictions about dates, or times, noting v. 36, but we can know the season....add 1948 plus 70-80 years....see what I mean, are we on the cusp of the fulfillment of this scripture? Note that the lowerage of 7o years was fulfilled four years ago. How much longer, Lord? 24:37 “ But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”(Matthew 24:37-39) Jesus speaks of a day, that's like any other day. People are merrily going about their business. They continue their wickedness, not knowing anything is amiss, much like thepeople of Noah's day. UNTIL, the warning ends, and the event takes place. Life will change for everyone who misses the warning and continues in their wickedness. Much like Noah's Ark. This ship (Jesus Christ and Him crucified) of the Church of the Living Godwill leave port and bound for glory, and the world will wander around as blind people wondering what happened. 24:40 “ Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”(Matthew 24:40-42) Notice the suddenness of the event, as described here which is synonymous with the parable about Noah and warning people of the Antediluvian period. Some take this as a badsign for the one removed, but I take it as to mean the elect being removed by force, without warning. Why do I say that? Because of the next few verses: 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be brokenup. 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:43-44) Jesus comes suddenly, without warning, much as a thief would break into your home. Another emphasis on the unforeseen. Did you know he was coming? No, that's why he's appearsas a thief. Jesus is not a thief, but the analogy fits as it describes the unforeseen, so you take precautions and that you are prepared for the suddenness of His coming. How do you prepare? By accepting Jesus as your Savior. 24:45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?(preaching the Word in the time we haveleft) emphasis mine. 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:45-51) Then comes this last part. Ministers that read this, take note. Who is Jesus speaking of here? Is it the everyday Joe that the Lord has given him ruler-ship over His household?What is His house? The church and the people who make up that church. Sadly, there are many so called “ministers” that take the office of shepherd lightly and abuse the office of their calling. That is many in the main stream denominations today. I believeJesus is making special mention of men and women who have been called to teach, to preach the Gospel, to counsel, and to minister to the children of God who make up His body. To neglect that duty and wander into sins of the flesh, be it stealing, lying, adultery,or any other sin that abuses the folks, then woe to that servant. Sadly, these wolves in sheep clothing, or ministers that abuse their office, have the flock looking to them for leadership. They look for spiritual meat for life, as foundin the Word of God. If a minister falls, and fails in his calling, is it only him that it takes down? No, it takes many people who looked to him for spiritual leadership and they fall away from following God. They sadly, put their stock in a man, as theirexample and failed to realize, that there is only One example, and that is the man/God, Jesus Christ. Is this minister responsible for the spiritual condition of His flock? To a point, yes he is. But in the same breath, each of us are responsible for our ownsalvation. It's just sad that this minister, or false prophet, since he failed, abused this office and the reward is severe. How severe? God is the judge, not me. YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH The signs of the end of the age are all around us. Jesus gave us the prophecy 2000 years ago, and it is being played out with pin point accuracy, in His day and in ours. Jesusis God and He knew when He spoke of these words to His disciples the path that this age we live in would take. The question is: Are you taking Him seriously? Do you read these words and scoff, or take warning? Have you been playing church, or wandering aroundin the dark and know not my Savior? You say you believe in Jesus Christ, but do you live like you know Him? People, the time is growing short. History is winding down to the end of the Church age, or the Age of Grace. Suddenly, the Words of Jesus will be alltoo real for anyone that turns a deaf ear to the warning. Will you survive what is coming? Will you even want to? Will you make your home with the angels or with the demons of hell? Will you dwell with God Almighty for all eternity, or be banished to outerdarkness where this is weeping and gnashing of teeth? Many places within the Bible speaks of prophecy, as it is full of signs and wonders for the close of human existence on this planet. Will you be found in Him, by acceptingHis blood sacrifice on a cruel cross for your sins, and mine? Will you enjoy eternal bliss and glory in a world that no man can imagine? Or will you worship yourself and pay the penalty with everlasting punishment apart from God? I beseech you, that you presentyourself as a living sacrifice to God and believe on the only name, that is above every name, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, as the signs speak of the end of the age closing fast. 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.” (John3:16-18) The above verses are the whole point of the Bible, as it's all about Jesus and what He did for mankind nearly 2000 years ago on a cruel Roman cross bleeding and dying foryour sins, and for mine. You see, the salvation message is so simple that even a small child can understand their need for a Savior..I've seen children as young as 6 years old proclaim Jesus as Messiah, their Redeemer and their need for His sacrifice appliedto their lives. As Jesus said, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3) We may not fully understand everything about the Gospel message, but we understand God's Grace through our faith confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. 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) This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying God's salvation in your life today. If there is anything I can counsel you on, pray with you about, or just listen with a sympathetic ear,email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com, God bless you all, till we meet at Jesus feet.

What Does the Bible Really Say about the Rapture?

 What Does the Bible Really Say about the Rapture? While our final destination of living in the New Heaven and New Earth with God may seem a long time away, it is no time for God. The rapture is the catalyst of these future events of eschatology. The rapture of the church is a hotly debated topic among Christians in the present day, within academic settings as well as in church settings. There are many different views surrounding the rapture, which have been developed by various scholars over time. Depending on the view you hold will affect how you view the events of eschatology. In this article, we are going to be discussing what the Bible says about the rapture. Rapture of the Church The Bible passages surrounding the rapture include 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50–54. In each of these Bible passages, the Apostle Paul gives us vital information surrounding the rapture. Paul tells us that the rapture will happen quicker than the “twinkling of an eye” as he says, For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up togetherwith them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). From Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we are told that the Lord will come down from heaven, but He will not physically touch down upon the earth. The Lord will not touch down physically upon the earth until the Second Coming, which is distinct from the rapture of thechurch. Many scholars blend the Second Coming of Christ with the rapture, yet these are two distinct events that will occur in the future. In addition to the Lord coming down from heaven, the passages of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us there will be a “loud command,” and the voice of the archangel will speak. While we do not know what this loud command will be, it could possibly be the Lord calling us to come home to Him. Similar to the loud command, scholars are divided on the identification of the archangel, yet most scholars agree that this will be the voiceof the archangel Michael. During the rapture of the church, we are also told there will be the “trumpet call of God.” The trumpet is believed to be a reflection of the trumpet sounds in the Old Testament, which was symbolic of God making an announcement to His people. After the trumpet call of God, the dead in Christ will rise to meet Christ in the air, followed by believers who are presently alive. The “dead in Christ” refers to believers who passed away before the rapture. During the event of the rapture, all believers who had died will be resurrected into their glorified bodies. If a believer is alive at the time of the rapture, they will be taken up with Christ, and their body will be transformed into their glorified bodies.Therefore, whether a Christian is alive or dead at the time of the rapture, they will both alike be taken up to be with the Lord. The rapture of the church will be a quick event, which will happen before the seven-year tribulation. Many scholars have differing views on this subject, especially if one scholar is a covenant theologian whereas the other is a dispensationalist. Both covenant theology and dispensationalism build their foundation on the Bible, yet they come to different conclusions based on their interpretation of the text. The Bible college I attended, as well as the seminary I attended, were dispensationalists; therefore, I was taught in accordance with dispensationalism; however, we were also taught covenant theology. Through my college and seminary classes, as well as through my own personal Bible study, I also came to believe in the teachings of eschatology in congruence to dispensationalism rather than adhering to covenant theology. According to dispensationalism, the rapture of the church happens before the seven-year tribulation. In this way, the rapture saves believers from having to undergo the Tribulation. This is in agreement with the statement Paul makes in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” From Paul’s words, we can ascertain that God has not destined us for wrath but rather for salvation. God doesn’t desire His children to go through the terrible and dark days of the tribulation, which is why He will rapture believers before the genesis of the tribulation. This theory is known as the pre-tribulation view of the rapture. Differing Views Covenant theology teaches a few different views of the rapture, including the pre-wrath view and the post-tribulation view. Most dispensationalists adhere to the pre-tribulation view of the rapture, myself included; however, covenant theologians will either hold to the pre-wrath view or the post-tribulation view. The pre-wrath holds to the stance that God will rapture His children out prior to the second half of the tribulation, known as the Great Tribulation. The pre-wrath view separates God’s wrath from Satan’s wrath as they believe God’s wrath is at the start of the tribulation, yet Satan’s wrath completes the final three and a half years of the tribulation. This is an erroneous view as the tribulation is made up only of God’s wrath. In other words, only God’s wrath is being poured out onto the world. Satan does not have any control over the tribulation as the events are accomplished by God — not Satan. The post-tribulation view of the rapture believes the rapture will happen at the end of the seven-year tribulation. Post-tribulation supporters blend the Second Coming of Christ with the rapture of the church, which is how they develop their theory on the rapture. These individuals believe God will divinely protect believers throughout the tribulation and then rapture them up to Heaven after the end of the tribulation. Lastly, the pre-tribulation theory teaches that the rapture happens prior to the seven-year tribulation of God pouring out His wrath upon the earth. After the Rapture From a pre-tribulation view, after the rapture of the church, believers will be taken to heaven, to which we will participate in the Bema seat of Christ (Romans14:10-12). The Bema seat of Christ is not a test of salvation but rather a test of how one served Christ during their earthly life. It is to be noted that salvation is never in jeopardy at this time as a person is eternally saved from the time they accepted Jesus astheir Savior and Lord. Once a person accepts Christ, they obtain salvation, and this can never be taken away. The Bema seat of Christ will be a time when believers will be awarded for what they have done as well as rewards will be taken away for what they did not do for Christ. After the Bema seat of Christ and the end of the tribulation upon the earth, the thousand-year reign of Christ will be established, followed by the New Heaven and New Earth. During the thousand literal reign of Christ, the Lord will physically walk among His people and live among us. After the thousand-year reign of Christ, God will establish the New Heaven and New Earth, which will be paradise. There will no longer be any more pain, crying, or death (Revelation21:4). While our final destination of living in the New Heaven and New Earth with God may seem a long time away, it is no time for God. The rapture is the catalyst of these future events of eschatology. Once the rapture happens, we will be on our way to living with God in the New Heaven and New Earth, where there will only be smiles, joy, and love. As we eagerly wait for the day of the rapture, we need to help others know the gospel by sharing the truth of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4: John 3:16-17). For further reading: What Is the Rapture? What Are Signs of the End Times and the Rapture? What Is the Millennial Kingdom and Reign? What Are the Different End Times OpinionsAmongst Denominations?

About To See The Fullness

 About To See The Fullness - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/09/24/about-to-see-the-fullness-by-dennis-huebshman/ Romans 11:11 and 25-27; “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass, Salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as tomake Israel jealous…. Lest you be wise in your own sight, I did not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers; a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved, as itis written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'” (ESV – all emphasis mine) For any so-called evangelical group to say God has turned away from Israel and “replaced” them with the Christian church, there is a great misunderstanding of the nature ofour Heavenly Father. Genesis 12:1-3; “Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a greatnation; and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you; and him who dishonors you, I will curse, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Whenever we see “I will” when God is talking in the Scriptures, it is a promise from Him that He will never break. Our Father cannot lie (Titus 1:2), nor would He have reasonto. After all, we’re His creation. He could dominate us completely and force us all into servitude, but that is not His nature. Ours is truly a loving God, and He has a love for us that we can barely comprehend. John 3:16 tells us this. And for those who say all those promises were thousands of years ago and no longer apply to our “modern” world, let’s look at 2 Peter 3:8-9; “But do not overlook this onefact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reachrepentance.” Please understand that God is not bound by a clock as we are, and He created time for us, as given in Genesis 1. Does all this mean that the Father believes everyone will be saved? As Paul would say, By No Means! Matthew 7:13-14 is where Jesus tells us about the two distinct gates – one large and one small. The larger gate is on the broad path leading to destruction, and many will be going through that gate to eternal punishment. The smaller gate is the path to eternal life with Jesus in Heaven, and there will be few on it. We are seeinga turning away from anything to do with Jesus and Christianity worldwide today. Besides the fact that the Rapture will take place to honor God’s promise to keep all true believers from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 andRevelation 3:10), it will mark the beginning of the discipline of His chosen people who have not accepted Jesus as their Messiah. Of the total Jewish population worldwide (about 15.2 million by 2022 census), only about 1% to 2% are Messianic as they have received and accepted Jesus as their Savior. Thesewill not be here for the Tribulation but will go up with all other believers to meet Jesus in the air at the sound of the Trumpet of God and the cry from the archangel. After that, God will return His attention to His children, Israel. Sadly, according tothe prophet Zechariah, about 2/3 of those who are left behind will perish. Please understand that religion does not save us. What saves us is our faith and belief that Jesus is truly our Savior — that He did come to this earth to provide the onlymeans by which we can be saved, that as a “human,” He died on that cruel cross, and His body was raised to life by the Father three days later. All who call on Him will be saved (Romans 10:9-13). It should be noted that the “Spirit” of Jesus was with the Father immediately upon His human death. In Luke 23:43, Jesus told the repentant criminal that was crucified atthe same time as Him that he would be with Jesus that day in Paradise. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that he would rather depart and be with Jesus, meaning he understood that at his last breath, he would be in the presence of the Lord. Calling on the Lord is an individual issue, which each individual person must do for themselves. No preacher, parent, Rabbi, priest, or whatever can save anyone. In fact,just look at who the Savior had the most trouble with. It was the majority of the religious leaders of His time here. Only a few accepted Him for who He really was. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it very clear that we cannot be saved through our own works. We are saved by the Grace of the Savior through Faith, which is a gift from the Father.No special ceremonies, no monetary contributions, no special deeds every day will earn even one second in Glory. Anything we do is to bring honor to the Lord, and we acknowledge all praise and glory belongs to Him. As for the “fullness,” all the signs given to us by Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and others are here at the same time. They have all taken place to a degree in the past but notto the level and extent of today. What will be the actual event that the Father has preordained to be the “switch” to activate the Rapture has not been shared with us. It could be a certain number of souls calling on Jesus to be saved, a special event thatwill take place in the world, or even a specific individual becoming saved. We just don’t know. However, Jesus gave us an indication of it being close with His statement in Luke 21:28. He said that when the events that He and the prophets spoke of “begin” to take place,His coming is near. What’s sometimes hard to remember is God’s timing is not ours. It can safely be said that this world has taken a turn for the worse, and the beginning the Savior spoke of started about a decade ago. Paul said the Rapture will take place in “the twinkling of an eye.” Just know that this is less than one second and could happen at any time now. Please know that the Father will turn no one away who truly calls out to Jesus to be saved. No one has sinned so greatly that the blood of Jesus cannot cover them. The unforgivablesin is to take your last breath on this earth without having Jesus in your heart. Also, the Father will not force anyone with their decision. It is a free-will choice that each person must make for themselves. For those who choose this world, and ultimatelychoose Satan, Revelation 20:11-15 gives their destiny. Hell is forever, and there is no pardon there. Today would not be too early as the “fullness” could take place at any time. Call on the Savior to forgive you and to come into your heart as your eternal Lord of Lord andKing of Kings. You will be forever grateful that you did! Come, Lord Jesus!

The Great Tribulation, and the Antichrist

 Yom Kippur, The Great Tribulation, and the Antichrist…How Soon? – Olivier Melnick - https://www.newantisemitism.com/antisemitism/yom-kippur-the-great-tribulation-and-the-antichrist-how-soon Spread the love The Jewish civil new year 5783 has come and gone, and to many, it was a bit of a disappointment that the Rapture didn’t take place on Rosh Hashanah (Yom T’ruah or the Dayof Trumpets) this year. I am of those who expect the Rapture imminently, but I also understand that we cannot know the day or the hour of that event when Yeshua will come in the sky and call the believers up before the Tribulation. But after Rosh Hashanahcomes Yom Kippur, and we should continue to pay close attention. So, how does that relate to Yom Kippur, the Great Tribulation and the Antichrist? As I have explained before, I see a connection between Rosh Hashanah and the Rapture, Yom Kippur and the Great Tribulation and Sukkot (Tabernacles) and the Millennial Kingdom.The Fall Feasts have a thematic connection to the end times not necessitating an exact day fulfillment. In fact, all the Levitical Feasts of the Lord found in Leviticus 23 have a prophetic significance as it pertains to the redemptive career of the Messiah.It is quite beautiful to behold when we connect all the dots. But again, Rosh Hashanah is behind us, and we are now in the ten days of awe in preparation for the most solemn day of Yom Kippur known as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Rabbis teach that the fate of all Jews is decided on Yom T’ruah (The Day of Trumpets), but it isn’t sealed until Yom Kippur. This is a time of introspection and repentancewhen Jewish people go out of their way to seek forgiveness from anyone they might have hurt throughout the year. The sabbath that falls within these ten days is known as Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath of repentance). Leviticus 23:26-32 tells us that the Day of Atonement is all about repentance, humility and affliction: 26 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “On exactly the tenth day ofthis seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. 28 You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonementon your behalf before the Lord your God. 29 If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30 As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.31 You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening untilevening you shall keep your sabbath.” Yom Kippur is a very serious and solemn day on the Jewish calendar, possibly the most important of the year for Jewish people. It is never referred to as a feast but rather,as a fast. It is known by several names, including Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement, Shabbat Shabbaton: The Sabbath of Sabbaths (Leviticus 16:31, and Yom Hakippurim: The Day of Atonements (Leviticus 23:27). It is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar andis the only time that a day other than the Sabbath is also called a sabbath. Biblically, Yom Kippur is never connected to a fast, but based on Leviticus 23:27-29, the rabbis decided that the “affliction” of the soul must refer to abstinence from food.According to Judaism on this day of judgment, all deeds–good or bad– are weighed in heaven and God inscribes one’s name in one of three books (Wicked, In-Between or Righteous), sealing their fate for the next year until the next Yom Kippur. The basic rabbinicprinciple of Yom Kippur is that man can atone for his own sins through works. It relies heavily on the affliction of the body. Yom Kippur is a time when Jewish people experience affliction of the body more than the traditional affliction of the soul. It includesno eating or drinking. No washing or bathing. No anointing (creams, ointments, perfume). No leather shoes (luxury items). No sexual relations with spouse. Yom Kippur is a day of repentance and expiation of sins by God, also based on Ezekiel 33:19: But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness,he will live by them. The book of Jonah is also read to teach that you cannot run from God and that God will forgive whoever repents like the Ninevites. It is found in three passages of the Torah: Leviticus 16:1- 34; Leviticus 23:26-32 and Numbers 29:7-11.In the Torah, it served three purposes: To cleanse the people and the Tabernacle, to remind Israel of her national standing before God, and to call for individual repentance. Leviticus 16:1-34 details the duties of the High Priest and serves as the foundation for 16:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on thealtar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” Yom Kippur will be fulfilled by the Great Tribulation also known as The Time of Jacob’s Trouble and will culminate with Israel’s national Atonement in the Tribulation. Ezekiel 20:33-38 sets the stage, “33 As I live,” declares the Lord God, “surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be kingover you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; 35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I willenter into judgment with you face to face. 36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares the Lord God. 37 “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring youinto the bond of the covenant; 38 and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the Lord. God will purge rebels and regenerate willing unbelievers who seek the righteousness of God through Yeshua the Messiah. This will bring about Israel’s national regeneration.The key word biblically and rabbinically is “affliction,” both of the soul and the body. On Yom Kippur, atonement was made for the nation, not the individual through the sacrifice of the two goats. But national atonement was not achieved unless there was anaffliction of the soul at the individual level. Two other key passages to be considered for Yom Kippur’s fulfillment are Hosea 5:15-6:3) and Zechariah 12:10-13:1). During the seven-year Great Tribulation, “left behind Israel” will suffer the affliction of the body as two-thirds of all Jewish people alive at that time will perish (Zechariah13:8-9) (Hosea 5:15). Additionally, Zechariah 12:10) and Hosea 6:1-3, speak of the spiritual affliction of Israel that will lead to a corporate acceptance of Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel and will usher the physical Second Coming of Yeshua. There is a beautiful prophetic connection between all the feasts of the Lord and the end times. Believers should really be excited about what is to come and how God has perfectlylinked it to His “yearly convocations” but when it comes to Yom Kippur, we all need to reflect. What is so exciting about billions left behind to suffer and die, including half of the world population and within those numbers, two-thirds of the Jewish peoplealive at that time? We look forward to the Rapture and rightfully so, and we look forward to the 1,000-year Messianic kingdom on earth when we will tabernacle with God in the flesh. Accordingly,none of us look forward to the Tribulation since we will be taken out before it starts. Yet, we need to think of all those left behind at the mercy of the Antichrist. Things will start with a promising peace treaty (Daniel 9:26-27), but soon the Antichristwill turn on people and demand to be worshipped as god. People will either take the Mark of the Beast and survive the Tribulation, only to be doomed to eternal torment in the Lake of Fire for rejecting Yeshua, or they will reject the Mark and become Tribulationmartyrs. The Tribulation is as certain to happen as the Rapture will. We are still here on earth, and people who don’t know Yeshua are also around us. Now is the time to be bold withthe Gospel because the clock is really ticking. If any of the five red heifers turn out to be kosher, we could see the ashes of that animal come to Jerusalem within one year (a plot of land on the Mount of Olives has already been purchased for the sacrificeof the animal). Then, all we need is for the Temple to be rebuilt, and I believe that the Antichrist and his peace treaty with Israel will be instrumental in that part. Be encouraged to know that any Jewish man you share the Gospel with now could potentially become one of the 144,000 Jewish men used by God to change the world during the GreatTribulation. Now is not the time to be quiet. We know the whole story; we know the players and we know the end. The victory is ours, so, let’s share the Gospel with those who need to become members of the blessed Body of Messiah!

Jesus Is the Path to Eternal Life

 Jesus Is the Path to Eternal Life – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config We live in the season of Jesus’ appearing to take us to the place that He’s preparing for us. He may not come for us as soon as we would like, but the Rapture will happen before the Tribulation and all the signs tell us that this period of God’s wrath uponthe earth is ever so close. Many are not ready for the Lord’s return because they trust in something other than Jesus for their hope of eternal life. Good works, religious behavior, church attendance, etc. will not do; one cannot earn a future in heaven. As the day of Jesus’ appearing approaches, it’s critical that you know for sure that you belong to Jesus and possess eternal life. I’m also writing for those left behind after the Rapture. As world descends into chaos and darkness, you may be wondering what caused so many people to suddenly disappear and if there’s still time to respond to the saving message of the cross. Yes, thereis! Please know that eternal life resides in Jesus and in Him alone. No one else! This is true now and will also be the case after Jesus removes His true church from the earth. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He alone is the path to the glories of heaven and eternity. Most people recognize John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” However, many do not understand the saving message inherent in the above words or the exclusive nature of God’s offer of eternal life. Apart from Jesus, people will perish. Jesus endured a horrific and cruel death on the cross because no other way existed to pay the penalty for the sins of a lost and condemned humanity. The payment for our sins had to come from a perfect sacrifice; the blood Jesus shed on the cross as the perfectGod/Man satisfied the demands of God the Father for that perfect and righteous offering. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to prove that His claims are true. He later ascended into heaven and someday very soon will return for us, His true church. All these things comprise the essence of the Gospel. Let’s further examine the good news of our salvation in terms of the past, present, and future. GOSPEL PAST: “IT IS FINISHED!” Just before Jesus died upon the cross, He uttered these words, “It is finished” (John 19:30). With these words, the Lord signified that He had paid the debt for our sins. He died in our place on the cross so that we would no longer bear the guilt for oursins. He completed our salvation. This, however, does not mean God automatically forgives all human of their sins. Eternal life comes to only those who respond in faith the saving message of the cross. Ephesians 2:8-10 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand thatwe should walk in them. Notice that our salvation is all of grace; even our faith to believe the saving message of Jesus comes as a gift from God. It leaves us with no grounds to boast since it’s all of God’s grace and mercy. What happens when we place our faith in Jesus? First, the Holy Spirit does an amazing work inside us that we refer to as “being born again.” You may not experience anything at the time, but know that this happens inside all who respond in faith to the message of the cross. Titus 3:4-7 describes new birthin this way: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richlythrough Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. In the above passage, Paul refers to something else that happens at the moment of our entrance into God’s kingdom: God justifies us. In Romans 5:1, Paul wrote: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the apostle’s day, the Greek word for “justification” was a legal term. Picture a courtroom setting with a judge contemplating the evidence before him. He then declares the accused, standing in his presence, to be “not guilty” thus freeing him from allthe charges against him. For believers, God looks at our entire life at the moment of our salvation and amazingly declares that us to be righteous solely because of the blood Jesus shed on the cross. He died in our place thus absorbing God’s wrath for our sins so that He might declareus forever “not guilty” of all our sins. Please know that there’s absolutely nothing that can overturn God’s verdict of “not guilty” upon our lives. There’s no future thought or action that God did not know all about when He applied Jesus’ blood to our account and declared us righteous in His sight(see also 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our justification guarantees our glorification in heaven (see Romans 8:30-38). GOSPEL PRESENT: A WALK OF FAITH At the end of Romans 1:17, the apostle Paul said, “the righteous shall live by faith.” Those that God has declared to be righteous, i.e., justified, walk by faith. Colossians 2:6 says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.” We receive eternal life when we place our trust in Him, and afterward we walk with the Savior in the same way. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says this about the change that the Holy Spirit works inside us at the moment of our salvation: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. The Lord changes us from the inside. Once the transformation begins, we have power over the presence of sin in our lives, but it’s a lifetime of growth as we learn to trust Him and grow in our love for Him. We may not always feel the Spirit at work inside us, but looking back we realize that our desires have changed and we are quite different from the world around us. Please note that in Ephesians 2:8-10, the good works happens after Jesus saves us. They are something Jesus creates in us and prepares for us ahead of time. Wherever you are at in your journey with the Savior, it’s good to meditate on Ephesians 1:3-14 knowing that every word describes your position in Christ. We serve the Lord as beloved saints, forever secure in Jesus. If you are reading this after the Rapture, it’s critical that you immerse yourself in the words of Scripture, particularly the Gospel of John and Paul’s epistles starting with Colossians and Philippians. Ask the Lord for understanding of what you read, andHis Spirit will guide you. GOSPEL FUTURE: MEETING JESUS IN THE AIR The Gospel speaks to our future in eternity. For believers, it will begin with meeting Jesus in the air as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. The rapture is what Paul referred to as our “blessed hope” in Titus 2:11-13: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of theglory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (my emphasis) Another place in Scripture where we see close connection between Jesus’ appearing (the Rapture) and the hope into which Jesus saves is in Romans 8:23-24a: “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” The “redemption of our bodies” happens at the Rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Notice that the apostle says that it’s “in this hope we were saved.” New Testament saints did not divorce the Rapture from the Gospelas is popular today. The appearing of Jesus to take those that are His to the place He’s preparing for us was an essential component of the Gospel message proclaimed by the apostles in New Testament times. The Bible tells us that a large multitude of people will come to faith in Jesus after Rapture. Even though the antichrist and his minions will kill most that do, they will receive new glorified bodies after Jesus’ Second Coming when He raises them from thedead (Revelation 20:1-4). However, it’s far better that you respond in faith to the message of the Gospel before Jesus’ appearing. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE I love the simplicity of the Apostle John’s words in 1 John 5:11–12: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” Jesus, as revealed on the pages of Scripture, is the only path to eternal life. Those who come to know Him as their Savior have a glorious future ahead of them, beginning with the Rapture and our receipt of glorified bodies. The Lord is Life to those whoknow Him as their Savior. This is the message of the Gospel, past, present, and future. If you have not already done so, please put your trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Romans 10:13 says: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Eternity is at stake; do not delay. And, you do not want to face the horrors of the “Day of the Lord” that will ensue shortly after the Rapture.

Prophecy Line: Tribulation Temple Clock Ticking

 Prophecy Line: Tribulation Temple Clock Ticking… - Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/blog/ The believer’s pathways toward the future are illuminated through the prophetic Word of God. Many specific signs are posted along those pathways. God’s prophets—of whom Jesus,the Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, is greatest—foretells things to come with unerring clarity. The Third Temple, the subject of this commentary, is one such prophetic sign. That Jewish house of worship is prophetically scheduled to be constructed atop the most volatilepiece of real estate on the planet. That rocky plot of earth is feared by world diplomats to present the greatest threat to Mideast and world peace. Mount Moriah, known as the Temple Mount, is a focal point for adherents of the world’s three most prominent religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Only worshippers withinIslam, at present, are allowed to worship upon this promontory at the southern area of Jerusalem. Merely the hint of the other religions’ attempts to conduct worship atop Moriah is met with violence from Muslim militants. It seems inconceivable that a Jewishhouse of worship can ever be built there. Yet, there is more than a concept—the matter of wanting to build a Jewish Temple on Moriah. In the thinking of some, it is as good as already done. That’s because the Godof Heaven has declared that it will be built. His prophetic Word never fails to produce fulfillment. The nation in the midst of which Moriah sits is absolute proof in the thinking of those who believe the Third Temple is as good as already placed there. Modern Israel is a miracle entity, guided by the very hand of God through more than 1900 years of dispersion. The Jewish people endured enemies and persecutions of every descriptionwhile being brought to return and reestablish their nation on the very ground where ancient Israel surrounded the Temple Mount. This fact is proof that God’s Word is truth. Bible prophecy foretold that Israel would be punished as a nation and removed completely from the land God promised Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob. We remember that Jesus told His disciples while they sat on the Mount of Olives that not one stone of the Temple would be left upon another. This dismantling took place inAD 70 when the Romans, under General Titus and his father, Emperor Vespasian, destroyed the Jewish Temple. The people were scattered throughout the known world and, as prophesied, were brought back into their own land and reestablished as a nation on May 14,1948. Jesus also prophesied that someday there would be a Temple sitting on Moriah and that the deceptive man of sin the Jews would accept—rather than Jesus Christ, their True Messiah—wouldsit in that Temple and declare himself to be God and demand worship. This would be right in the middle of the last seven years of human history before Christ will return at Armageddon. We call this horrendous time, of course, the Tribulation. With all of the other signals that point to that time shaping up for fulfillment, the Temple in which Antichrist will sit must be somewhere upon the end-times horizon. Those who visit Jerusalem can go to the Temple Institute near Moriah and view all of the implements for Temple worship that are already prepared for such worship to begin.It’s more than rumor, we believe, that a Third Temple sits in modular form somewhere nearby and can be quickly assembled, once the go-ahead is given to place the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount. And most recently we see the reason for this commentary’s title. Certain cleansing rituals must take place for the sacrificial system demanded by Torah. This involves the burnt ashes of a perfect red heifer, which are to be mixed with waterto do the cleansing practices. There have been searches over the years for the “perfect” such red heifer. We remember a number of years ago those responsible for the search thought they had found such ananimal. Her name was Melody, as I recall. But hairs colored other than red were found, and the search went on. Now they believe they’ve found five candidates for the red-heifer ritual cleansing requirements. The following, although the Hebrew language can’t be understood by most, Irealize, gives information about the red heifer matter. “The Temple Institute launched its Red Heifer program about a decade ago, led by Rabbi Azariah Ariel. But even in Temple times, an animal that fulfilled the Biblical requirementswas exceedingly rare. Failing to produce a suitable candidate from ranchers in Israel, The Temple Institute began investigating alternative sources for a red heifer. “Boneh Israel, an organization that connects Christian lovers of Israel to the Holy Land, stepped in to help. Led by Byron Stinson, a native Texan, Boneh Israel understoodranchers. “ ‘I didn’t set out to do this, but right now, I am probably the best red heifer hunter in Texas,’ Byron quipped. ‘The Bible says to bring a red cow to purify Israel, andI may not understand it, but I am just doing what the Bible said.’ “ ‘The prophecies came true, and the Jews are back in Israel,’ Byron said. ‘Now they need to build a Temple. But it’s like buying a really nice car. If you don’t have thekey, you aren’t going anywhere. The red heifer is the key to making the Temple work like it’s supposed to.’” The cows [Byron found and acquired] were between 5–8 months old. To be suitable for the red heifer ceremony, the cow must be two years and one day old so these heifers willbe raised in Israel until they reach the proper age. Chanan pointed out that last year was 5781 in the Hebrew calendar. “ ‘In Hebrew numerology, this is תשפא. That is an acronym for תהיה ש� ה פרה אדומה (it will be the year of the red heifer). The cows we are looking at now were conceived lastyear,’ Kupietzy said. ‘This year is תשפ,ב 5782, an acronym for תהיה ש� ה פרה בישראל (It will be a year for the heifer in Israel). In two weeks we will begin תשפג, 5783, the year in which the ceremony of the Red Heifer will be performed. This is an acronymfor תהיה ש� ה פרה גאולה (It will be a year of the Red Heifer of redemption).’ (ISRAEL365 EXCLUSIVE: Red Heifers arrive in Israel, by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, Israel365news 202, 9/16/22, Rapture Ready News, 9/17/22) Sadly, all this is preparation for what Jesus called the worst time in all of human history. The prophetic clock is ticking swiftly toward that time of unimaginable horror. But those who know Christ are promised to be kept out of that time (Revelation 3: 10). Here, again, is how to be assured that you are in God’s family and kept from the timeof Tribulation. “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. For with the heartman believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9–10)

God Always Warns Before Judgment

 God Always Warns Before Judgment - By Grant Phillips - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/09/24/god-always-warns-before-judgment-by-grant-phillips/ When I was growing up, I always received warnings from my parents about various issues. I’m sure you did too. “Don’t touch that; you’ll cut yourself. Don’t touch that; you’llburn yourself. Be very careful using these tools. They’re not toys. Don’t play in the road.” I’ll never forget my mother warning us not to leave our drink unattended because someone could put something in it. I didn’t understand until years later what shewas referring to. Children don’t usually appreciate the many warnings they receive from their parents until they have children of their own. Why do we receive warnings from those who are wiser?Could it be because they love us and don’t wish to see us suffer? Could it be that they know what is ahead if we ignore their warnings? Well, God loves us, and He knows what is ahead. God warned Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16). He warned the people of Noah’s day that a worldwide flood was coming, and120 years later, the flood came. All were drowned except eight, Noah and his family. God warned Nineveh through Noah of judgment if they did not repent. God warned Judah for 345 years to repent or face judgment, and also Israel for 210 years. Neither listened,and both were carried off into slavery. There is another judgment coming upon the whole world that will be even worse than the flood of Noah’s day. Jesus said of this judgment, “For then there will be great tribulation,such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22). The book of Revelation, which details the coming seven-year Tribulation, was written in 95 A.D. It has been warning us since that time that Jesus is coming back, and everythingin this book will be fulfilled. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The purpose of the Tribulation is for God to bring the Jewish nation back to Himself through repentance and to know their Messiah, and also to judge the world. Many will cometo Christ during that time but will be martyred for doing so. Twenty-one judgments will come upon the world; seven seal judgments, seven trumpet judgments, and seven bowl judgments. At this point, I would like to show a very brief preview of what these judgments will be, as shown in the book of Revelation. Seven Seal Judgments First Seal (white horse): Antichrist appears (6:1-2) Second Seal (red horse): World will be at war (6:3-4) Third Seal (black horse): Worldwide famine (6:5-6) Fourth Seal (pale horse): ¼ of mankind will die (6:7-8) Fifth Seal: Martyrs are in Heaven (6:9-11) Sixth Seal: World devastated and in ruin. (6:12-17) Seventh Seal: Seven trumpets will be introduced. (8:1-2) Seven Trumpet Judgments First Trumpet: 1/3 of earth’s vegetation destroyed by hail, fire and blood. (8:7) Second Trumpet: 1/3 of the oceans polluted by a fireball from heaven. (8:8-9) Third Trumpet: 1/3 of fresh water polluted. (8:10-11) Fourth Trumpet: 1/3 of sun, moon, stars darkened (8:12) Fifth Trumpet: Agonizing torment by demons (9:1-12) Sixth Trumpet: 1/3 of mankind slaughtered by demons (9:13-21) Seventh Trumpet: Announcement of Christ’s Kingdom reign (11:15-19) Seven Bowl Judgments First Bowl: Sores upon followers of Antichrist (16:2) Second Bowl: Seas turned to blood; all marine life dies (16:3) Third Bowl: All fresh water turned to blood (16:4-7) Fourth Bowl: Scorching heat from sun (16:8-9) Fifth Bowl: Darkness and pain upon Antichrist’s kingdom (16:10-11) Sixth Bowl: Euphrates River dried up; Armageddon (16:12-16) Seventh Bowl: Earthquakes and hail (16:17-21) Please turn in your Bibles to the Scripture references and read each of the judgments. I have only provided a skeleton of an explanation for each one. Over one-half of theworld’s population will die, and the suffering during that time will be off the charts! You do not want to be here when the Tribulation begins. Some may say, “I’ll just turn to Christ and get saved.” Actually, if you are in the Tribulation, there is a good chance you will not turn to Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12),and even if you do, you will probably suffer martyrdom. “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure inunrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12). Our world right now is turned on its head and begging for the judgment of God. Most folks are saying that nothing has happened in two thousand years, so there is no God. TheLord says through Peter: “Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promisethat Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.’ “They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used thewater to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment when ungodly people will be destroyed. “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow abouthis promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:3-9 NLT). Folks, we are right on the brink of Christ’s return. Yes, He has been warning us for a long time. It seems to those who do not know Him that it will never happen, but rememberthis: every last prophecy of His first coming was fulfilled to the letter. There is no reason to think it will be otherwise for His return. There is nothing more important than the eternal destination of our souls. Think about this: Do you have regrets in your life? I’m sure you do. Everyone probably has somethingin their life where they wish they had made a better decision. Now is the time to get it right about where you will spend eternity. I’m sure the people in Noah’s day thought there would never be a worldwide flood since it had never rained at that time, but the flood came. Jesus said there has never been anything like the Tribulation and never will be again, but it is coming (Matthew 24:21-22). The world is ripe for judgment, and any day now,that judgment will come. Remember those regrets in your life? Well, once the Church is removed, you will be in the Tribulation, and there is no turning back. Then you will be forced to serve the Antichristor be a martyr for Jesus Christ. If you choose the Antichrist, and you very well may, you will suffer hell on earth and then hell in the lake of fire for eternity. Jesus, the true Christ, loves you very much. Now is the time to face Him as your Savior and Lord rather than your Judge later on. Grant Phillips

When Will He Come for Us?

 When Will He Come for Us? - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com If you are reading this, you are probably as anxious as I am to hear that call to “Come up hither”. The Rapture will be exciting for those of us who love Jesus and yearn togo Home. When will it happen? Even though Scripture gives no specific time for it to happen, most of us have opinions. The only opinion that matters and is correct is God’s. Maybe someone will guess correctly, but all date-setters are only guessing. Remember,the Rapture will happen at the very least 7 years prior to the Second Coming and these are two very different events. The Rapture will take Christians safely away prior to the judgments of God and before His wrath begins. Enoch is an Old Testament “picture” of the Rapture. “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24. God “took” him prior to the Judgment of the Flood. I hope you are walking with God and will be taken in the Rapture. By that I don’t mean that I hope you intellectuallyknow God exists, but that you have truly been born again and walk with Him. The Second Coming will happen after Daniel’s final week. Those final seven years will be filled with God’s wrath poured out upon a God-rejecting world. At the end of that seven-yearperiod of time, the Jewish people will finally recognize Jesus as their Messiah. The Rapture is when Christians meet Jesus in the clouds “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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. At the second coming, we will returnto earth with Him. The evil powers on earth during the Tribulation are arrogant enough to think they can fight a war against Christ and win. “These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: andthey that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14. The Rapture won’t cause the Jewish nation to repent and turn to Jesus, but the, judgments of the Tribulation will. The second coming will happen after the Tribulation when theJewish nation has repented and recognized Christ as their Messiah. He will then return to fight the final battle. The victory is His. Many Christians look to Rosh Hashanah as the likely time for the Rapture. I’m not sure why they choose this very Jewish holiday, but possibly it’s because of the fact thatthe activities surrounding this holiday include the ceremonial sounding of the shofar. Rosh Hashanah was established by God in the book of Leviticus. “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall yehave a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, and holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.” Leviticus 23:24-25. Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Jewish New Year. It is a very solemntime for Jewish people, and they seriously look at their life over the past year, and strive to draw nearer to God. According to http://www.jewfaq.org/rosh_hashanah: “On Rosh Hashanah, we renew the crowning of G-d as sovereign of time and space (melekh ha-olam) and renew our relationship with Him with celebration and blasts of the shofar(a ram's horn trumpet). This theme is seen in the popular prayer/songs Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King, a powerful penetential prayer) and Ha-Shem Melekh, Ha-Shem Malakh, Ha-Shem Yimlokh L'Olam Va-Ed (The L-rd is King, The L-rd was King, The L-rd willbe King Forever and Ever). Those songs and themes continue in the liturgy through Yom Kippur”. As I read this, it seems to me as if this is much more likely to be fulfilled by the Second Coming rather than the Rapture. Those who believe that the Rapture will occur onRosh Hashanah are very excited right now, because this year (2022), it will be celebrated very soon, from sunset September 25 to nightfall September 27. Could the Rapture happen then? Absolutely, but it doesn’t have to. The Rapture isn’t a Jewish event, butif God wants it to happen on Rosh Hashanah, then I’m ready. It is interesting to note that Rosh Hashanah is followed by the Days of Awe, a ten-day period of introspection. Following the Days of Awe is Yom Kippur, which is the Jewish Day of Atonement. The Shabbatwhich occurs within the Days of Awe is known as Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath of Return). For more information, see http://www.jewfaq.org/special_sabbaths#Shuvah. I would encourage everyone to study the Jewish feasts and holidays because they are all propheticof Jesus Christ. Others think the Rapture will happen on Pentecost. To my thinking, if (and I strongly emphasize “if”) it does happen on a Jewish feast day, this would be more likely thanRosh Hashanah. There are many reasons I see it that way, but since only God knows when it will happen, my reasons aren’t important! The absolute truth is that there is no reason for it to happen on any particular day, so to a well-informed Christian everyday should be one of great anticipation. It could happen today! Or maybe tomorrow. There are many exciting signs that should create excitement. The Jewish Temple must be in place prior to half-way through the final 7 years. There is much in the news latelythat the Temple will be built soon. Since the Rapture will happen prior to the Tribulation, Christians have every reason to be filled with anticipation. A reward will be given to those of us who look forward to His coming. “Henceforth there is laid up forme a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8. Other translations say “…for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (NLT), “…who have longed for his appearing.” (NIV), “…who have set their affection on his appearing.” (NET). If you love the Lord, I’m sure you are longing for His call to take us Home. Is there anything we can do to speed it along? Some mistaken Bible teachers believe it’s up toChristians to force God into returning. Oh my, that’s another sign… false doctrine. How arrogant and prideful to think we can force God to do anything. The day is known to God, but we can help to hurry (not force) that day. How? The Apostle Paul tells us thatthe nation of Israel has been blinded. When Jesus came to earth as a babe in a manger, He came to God’s chosen people…the Nation of Israel. They rejected their Messiah. As a nation, they are blind to who Jesus is. He was their Messiah then and one day He willreturn as their Messiah. There are many Jewish People who have individually accepted Jesus as their Messiah, and that’s a blessing. How long will the blindness of the nation last? “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lestye 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. “Fulness of the Gentiles”? There is a pre-set number, known only to God, of Gentiles who will accept Jesus Christfor salvation. The way to bring the fulness of the Gentiles about, is to witness and share the Gospel. Paul is such a good example of how to spread the Gospel: boldly, honestly, and straightforwardly with no gimmicks. Paul knew there is a crown for soul-winning. “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” Philippians 4:1. It was Paul who established the congregation in Philippi and brought many Gentiles in many cities to salvation throughChrist. He was a true soul-winner. We can all spread the Gospel to lost sinners, no matter what their ethnic background is, by boldly speaking His truth and by living to honor God. We may not know the day or the hour that Christ will call us Home, but we can be aware of the signs and the seasons. Everything is falling into place and pointing to the eventsof Daniel’s 70th week being on the very near horizon. Before the judgments begin, Christians will be called Home. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation are seven letters from Jesus which describe the history of Christianity in advance. When the final letter is fulfilled,the Rapture will happen. “After this I looked, and, behold a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” Revelation4:1. The words “after this” and also “hereafter” come from the Greek words “meta tauta” which means first something happens (the church age) then something else happens (the Rapture and then God’s judgment on the earth). We are living in the final time beforethe Tribulation. False teachers fill pulpits, Jesus isn’t welcome to enter into the congregation, but is on the outside knocking to be allowed in. Many Christians are outraged that prayer and Bible reading is banned from public schools, but sit silently intheir pews as the preacher tells jokes, quotes atheists, and has more knowledge of sports teams than of Scripture. Jesus isn’t allowed into many congregations today, and we are the generation that will hear Jesus call us to “Come up hither”, no matter whenday that might be. When will He come for us? I have no idea, but I am absolutely sure it will happen. I yearn for His appearing. How about you? God bless you all, Nathele Graham

Is the Word Rapture Found in Your Bible?

 Is the Word Rapture Found in Your Bible? – Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/09/is-word-rapture-found-in-your-bible.html ARE YOU READY?? “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:4:17 Thenwe 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.”(1st Thessalonians 4:16 -17) Very familiar verses for all prophecy writers and readers alike has been the subject of much debate and confusion over the last 150 years. Many critics believe that this verseis talking about the church being taken up in the air at the seventh trump that the seventh angel blows to signal the bowl judgments spoken of in Revelation chapter 16. That would be a Post-Tribulation model. But are they right? I had a brother in Christ, who at the very mention of the word “rapture”, became very irate and bellowed, loudly, quote “there is no scripture in the bible that speaks ofa rapture.” end-quote. But is he right, or just ignorant of the fact that Paul and many writers pointed to a “catching away” of the church and there are found many instances in the bible that support that doctrine? You can find examples of this teaching inboth New and Old Testaments. Let's take a journey through biblical chapters and see what we find, shall we? Noting the above verse quoted in the start of this message, note the underlined words to “be caught up”. Are there any other verses in the bible with the same words that meanthe same thing as this verse does? The Greek word for this phrase is “harpazo” #726 in Strong's Concordance that was translated into the Latin Vulgate as “rapiemur” and came from the derivative of the Greek word #138 in Strong's Concordance “haireomai” whichliterally means “to seize, catch away up, pluck, pull, or take by force”, hence the modern English word “rapture”, that often maligned word, that many in the conservative church movements equate with some type of emotional display or escape hatch for thosewho disbelieve the church goes through the Tribulation. Getting back, are there any other verses that use the exact same word used here of “harpazo”? Turn with me now to 2nd Corinthians: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to thethird heaven.12:3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”(2nd Corinthians 12:2) Paul is speaking of himself being caught into paradise and heard things, that I believe he shared with the church during his days when he wrote his epistles. He calls it amystery...what is the word he used....? Correct, it was the Greek word, "harpazo". Paul was snatched in the spirit into heaven. Paul uses the word twice. The Old Testament is full of the prophecies concerning the second coming of the Lord Godat the end of the age, but in Paul's epistle, especially in this letter to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians, Paul speaks of a mystery that would not have been a mystery to those who studied the Torah or the major/minor prophets, but here refers to thismystery, or something that previously had not been known. And further, Paul equated it with the known Feast of Trumpets, referring the last trump that is blown at it's conclusion and not referring to John's description in Revelation, as John had not even writtenthe last book of the Bible when Paul wrote these letters to the churches. So even in that respect, they are not the same trumpet and should not be confused with each other. One trumpet expresses indescribable joy and the one in Revelation heralds the beginningof indescribable horror that slays nearly all of mankind. Now let's turn to another verse that speaks of this same snatching away, but in a different context. (Matthew 11:12) , “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force .” (Matthew 13:19) “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. Thisis he which received seed by the way side. “ Different context, but same meaning...to be snatched away, by force. Now another, found in Gospel of John it is used four different times. “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force , to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”(John 6:15) 12 “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming , and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth : and the wolf catcheth them,and scattereth the sheep.”(John 10:28-29) 28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish , neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) Again, in Acts 23:10, Jude 1:23, Revelation 12:5 “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God,and to his throne.” Let's not forget Phillip the apostle when he had baptized the Ethiopian eunuch after explaining who Isaiah chp. 53 was speaking of and revealed to Him that Jesus was the Messiah, “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts, 8:39) If you've been keeping count, that is 13 times in the New Testament including the ones I didn't quote , but gave reference to, that the word “Harpazo” is used and it meansin every instance to be removed by force, without warning being snatched away...not each mention of the Greek word “Harpazo” has to do with with the mystery that Paul speaks of, but it shows that the word was used repeatedly to speak of with the same definitionand example. WHAT ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT? Good question. Is there anything that can point to a parallel word that has the same meaning used in Greek in these passages found in also in the Old Testament.? Matter offact, there is. There a examples of men being “snatched up” and removed from this earth. Let's start with the earliest known example in Genesis:22 "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” (Genesis 5:22-24) Here the word for the underlined phrase “took him ” is the Hebrew word #3947 in Strong's, “leqach” which means to “receive, reserve, seize, send for, take away, or fetch”. Paul speaks of Enoch this way in the book of Hebrews: “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away (translated him). For before he was taken,he was commended as one who pleased God.” ( Hebrews 11:5) The word used for “translated, or taken him away” is the Greek word, metatithemi, Strongs #3346, which means “transport, exchange, change sides, carry over, change, remove”. Scoffers will use the passage in verse 13 of that same chapter,13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrimson the earth.” (Hebrews 5:13) But to use that verse as proof that Enoch died contradicts verse 5, and the bible cannot contradict itself. So Enoch was “snatched away, removed” from this earth alive anddid NOT see death, but verse 13 applies to all others who lived by faith. Another example is the prophet Elijah and we will turn to 2nd Kings “ And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.” ( 2nd Kings chapter 2:1) And as we read down “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”(2nd Kings 2:11) What is the Hebrew word for the phrase “would take up” in verse 1 of the above passage? It's the word and the equivalent word as used in the example of Enoch, as this wordis “Leqach” used to describe the snatching away of Enoch. Some will make a convoluted argument that both men are dead and died in faith, but they use logic that is beyond their grasp of the infinite, not believing that God is Sovereign and He can do whateverHe wishes to do, apart from their finite analogies. They will use “did not see death” and try to explain the second death. That's stretching the meaning of the text and we have no clue to do so. It's best to take what the Word says literally and not add yourown meaning, by adding or subtracting from God's message. They will say that he lived 365 years and no longer, but you can't count eternity, because it's without time. So again, they try to rationalize their preconceived ideas to support their doctrine of “believers in Jesus Christ” not being removed bodily from this earth in an instant....or the bible says, in the “twinkling of an eye.” Note that we have covered Enoch, Elijah, Phillip, Paul, our Lord and Savior, and finally the Church itself, the bride of Christ being described with the words “snatched up,or plucked by force” from the earth. But still the critics will not believe. I point them to some passages that mirror each other and tell us why these examples were given to us. First is Isaiah: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall castout the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more coverher slain.”(Isaiah 26:19-21,) And her companion verse, spoken of by my Lord, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”(John chapter 14:2-4) What do these companion verses say to you? They tell me that Jesus will bring us unto Himself and we will be rewarded a mansion in the New Jerusalem, as He promised. Therewe will wait for the indignation, or His wrath to be over-past or to subside. These verses speak of resurrection, changing from mortal to immortal, and not being present when His wrath comes upon this earth, both the resurrected dead in Christ, and the livingwho are both changed as Paul spoke of in the very first verses of this message. THE DOCTRINE OF THE RAPTURE IS A MODERN ONE? In recent years, many opponents of the pre-tribulation rapture view have made dogmatic assertions that this view was never taught before 1820 A.D. There have been attemptsto attribute the origin of this view to John N. Darby.... but this is false and misleading. Ephraem the Syrian wrote, in 373 AD, "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest theysee the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins." ... revealing that the early church fathers themselves were indeed teaching this. This text was originally a sermon called “On the Last Times, the Anti-Christ, and the End of the World.” There are four existing Latin manuscripts (the Parisinus, the Augiensis,the Barberini, and the St. Gallen) ascribed to St. Ephraem or to St. Isidore . Some scholars believe this text was written by some unknown writer in the sixth century and was derived from the original Ephraem manuscript. The sermon describes the events of the last days, beginning with the rapture, the Great Tribulation of 3 1/2 years duration under the Antichrist's rule, followed by the SecondComing of Christ. In Ephraem's book “The Book of the Cave of Treasures”, written about 370 A.D., he expressed his belief that the 69th week of Daniel ended with the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. Although this does not prove that the doctrineof the Rapture is correct, it does show that even early Church Theologians were teaching this and it is NOT a modern device of an immature girl and John Darby, as some claim, but a doctrine of the early church. The glorified Jesus, the Great I AM, that I AM spoke of this in the His precious Word, as Ephraem the Syrian did, when our Lord spoke in Revelation: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”(Revelation3:10) As I have hammered home the interpretation of what Jesus was telling John, that the Greek word for “Will keep thee from” is the Greek Word “EK” which literally means to betaken from the time and period of the event. That abolishes the theory that the church goes “through” the coming Tribulation, instead of as Jesus spoke, to be removed from the time of the event. Paul echoes what Jesus spoke to John some 30 years later, when he penned these verses, “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”(1st Thessalonians 5:8-10) POINT AND COUNTERPOINT!! The Church is a specific group of believers in Jesus Christ. It is not a building ... nor is it any particular denomination or religion. It is also known as the Body ofChrist. The Living Church of God is a living organism that began at Pentecost -- see Acts 2:1-4 and culminates at the rapture -- see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. It does not include anyone who was a believer prior to or after the two above-mentioned events. Theterms saints or elect refer to another specific group of believers. This group includes all the Old Testament saints, as well as those who become believers in Christ after the rapture. I've made many references in past messages that the Tribulation is designedfor two things, and two things only and that is: -Pouring out of God's wrath on an unrepentant, and rebellious world, -refining Israel as silver is refined in the fire....and we are NOT included in that refining. Why? Because there is no need, as Jesus paid it all at the cross, and to think otherwise smacks of “catholic purgatory” that Jesus blood and sacrifice just was not sufficient tofully save the sinner. A serious mistake by a past ruling Theocracy. There is a marked difference in the Bible when you look at references to the Church compared with references to the saints or the elect. The Church is always referred toin very narrow and distinct terms, whereas the saints or the elect are always referred to in very broad terms. More pointed, however, is the fact that the word Church never appears again after Revelation 3:22 -- you'll only see the words “saints or the elect” mentioned throughout the rest of the book -- and this is directly after a very significant reference to this “catching away by force” , that Jesus mentions in Revelation 3:10 ASSESSMENT and CONCLUSIONS What is the tribulation? It is the wrath of God. When does it start? When the first seal is broken in chapter 6 of Revelation by our Lord, Jesus Christ. What are we not appointedto? We are not appointed to wrath, but salvation through Him, Jesus Christ our Lord. How will the tribulation begin to commence? When the Church of God is removed out of the way. Isaiah 26:19 we covered above, and in 2nd Thessalonians “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let (the Holy Spirit), until he be taken out of the way. 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:7-10) But forewarning to those who belong to a “church”...these bible verses who speak of the removal of the CHURCH will not be everyone who sits in pew, or says some “hail marys” in some repetitive fashion, or think their pope, priest, or their pastor can usher them into God's Kingdom. It's not about being Catholic, or Protestant or something somewhere in between. It is solely dependent on the application of the blood of Jesus Christto your life and clothing your spirit with His Righteousness. There are many verses that point solely to Jesus Christ being the “Way, the Truth and the Life”. No man can come to the Father in Heaven except through Him. All roads do not lead to eternal life,but believing in your heart of hearts and accepting His free pardon for your sins through Grace and faith in the only Begotten Son of God. “For God so loved the world, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17, God sent not His Son to condemn the world, but the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) God has given us example after example. He has given us story after story to show the TRUE children of God being removed out of the way. He has given us words to show thatHE WILL remove the TRUE, blood washed church before His wrath is poured out on this earth. How much more clear does He need to be? When someone remarks, “the rapture is not found in the bible”, then my reader, you can direct them to passages that show theymisunderstand. And if they still don't get it, then that's Ok...you can explain it to them on your way up to meet the Lord in the air “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved” Don't be left behind when all hell breaks loose on this earth in the coming Tribulation, which may be sooner than anyonecares to think of....maybe even this year??? Are you ready?