Category: Devotionals Page 40 of 50

Revelation at a Glance – Day 3

On April 25, 2022

Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Good morning, Reader! Today is a brand new day – another day to look forward to the Rapture of the Saints, amen?! As we continue our look into the Book of Revelation, I pray that you are blessed and that you, too, are looking forward to our Blessed Hope!!! Don’t forget to tell someone about the times that we are currently living in and how close we are to Rapture and the Tribulation.

Today’s Scriptures speak of the Church at Smyrna. This is one of two churches where Christ had nothing against it (the second being Philadelphia). This church was known as the suffering church. In the timeframe of the church age, it existed from 100-312 AD. This is the time where Constantine made Christianity the state religion. One would think that this would have been a time of rejoicing for believers. But what this actually did was allow pagan practices and customs to permeate the church – there was no change of heart. At this point, there was a part of the church that became very carnal and allowed unbelievers to be a part of them.

There was a remnant in Smyrna who followed the Lord without compromise. Jesus commends them for not giving into “the synagogue of Satan.” Jesus refers to Jews who belong to this synagogue of Satan. The devil’s deception is subtle and these Jews added “works” to the salvation message. The devil knows that if he can put carnal people into the church, that church’s effectiveness would diminish. Jesus also continues to encourage them not to fear their upcoming suffering. He tells them of their upcoming reward so they have something to look forward to!

What can we learn for today? We sure can see some of Smyrna’s church in our churches. Many are playing church and not sincere in their love for the Lord. They appear religious but inside they are dead.

Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

There are plenty of churches today, but they are filled with people who love the entertainment but don’t have the Spirit within them. I saw this when we lived in Oregon. On the most part, Oregon is a spiritually cold State. There aren’t many churches and the ones we attended were not fervently preaching the Word of God. It was very much like attending services with dead people. The members had no joy and I felt it the moment we walked in. It was as though they were robots simply filling the pews. We did, however, find one very small church with only ten people. The Pastor preached his heart out and we were spiritually fed there. Unfortunately the town we lived in did not want to hear his message. It’s very sad when people would rather be entertained or hear messages that don’t “dig too deeply” into their hearts. But this was not the case with Smyrna, praise the Lord!

So what’s the point of sharing these letters to the various churches, you may ask? There is a “moral to the story” in each of the letters. I’ve always said that God is very economical. He will use His Word to bless each and every one of us! God’s Word goes further than to simply record historical events. His Word works on the inward parts of man’s heart. The Holy Spirit of God pricks the heart and lays it open for one to see where repentance is needed! Amen? I can read the same Psalm repeatedly over a period of time and each time I read it, that same Psalm will speak to my heart in a different way. That is why God’s Word is known as the “Living” Word! Praise Him!

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 2

By Kate Plourde

On April 22, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Good morning! Are you as excited as I am to be embarking on this series? I pray you will be blessed and that it gets you excited to share its content with those who do not know Christ as their Saviour.

After reading the last post, which gives us the names for Jesus in Revelation 1:1-18, we learned about the One who qualifies to reveal these truths to us! We can rely on His words because He was there at the beginning of all things, He created all things, and He can accurately give an account of what occurred since the beginning of this earth all the way to the end! I imagine God’s view is similar to a very long train. If I were standing on a hill looking down at the train below, I could easily see the engine all the way to the caboose. But as a passenger of that same train, I can only view the car I’m in and a few cars ahead as we go around a bend. God sees the whole span of time: past, present and future.

John was instructed to record what he heard and saw. Can you just imagine what this was like to him? Just to give you an idea how his senses were bombarded, here’s what I found:

John records the word “heard” 33 times in Revelation; the word “saw” 42 times; the word “beheld” 8 times; the word “see” 16 times and the word “hear” 11 times; “like a” 7 times; “as it were” 12 times; “like unto” 15 times; “as a” 10 times.

You can see that each time the above words and phrases were used, John was attempting to reach into the future, from 2,000 years ago to today, through a culture, language and time frame. He’s to describe events from a time which no man had ever seen! It’s no wonder that some things seemed like they were right out of Star Wars! 😂 As well, he is seeing things like the one world government and the one world church which he had to describe in such a way that it would make sense – you’ll find that many of his descriptions match up with Old Testament prophecies. As you read Revelation (or any of the prophetic books of the Old Testament), a good rule of thumb to use is: if a passage appears symbolic, it must be symbolic. Check the Old Testament for a clearer understanding if they are referenced.

Rev 1:18-20 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (19) Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; (20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou awes are the seven churches.

We see that Jesus is the One speaking with John and He instructs John to write down what he saw, what he currently sees, and what he’s about to see. Jesus will be giving John letters to the different churches of that time, (which we will see in Chapter 2) found in Asia Minor. The verses above refer to the angels of the seven churches. The word angel is defined as:

G32
ἄγγελος
aggelos
ang’-el-os
From ἀγγέλλω aggellō (probably derived from G71; compare G34; to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an “angel”; by implication a pastor: – angel, messenger.
Strong’s Concordance

The letters will be written to the Pastors of these seven churches, all located in modern day Turkey. The first of the churches is Ephesus. As we read this letter, keep in mind that these have spiritual and historical relevance. Each church was in existance at the time John wrote about them. We can actually see spiritual truths pertaining not just to that specific church, but to all the future ages as well. We see the way Jesus deals with each one: He has a specific “title” which ties in with that particular church, He commends them for what they are doing well, He tells them what they are doing wrong, and He closes the letters.

Rev 2:1-7 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; (2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Here’s a little history behind this church located in Ephesus. It existed from the time of Pentecost in 33 AD to 100 AD. This time period is known as the end of the Apostolic Age as John (the last living Apostle) died during this time. Jesus began his letter to them telling them that He holds the churches in His right hand and that He is in the midst of the churches. I praise the Lord that our Saviour is in our midst.

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Before Jesus shares what He has against them, He commends them for their hard work, perseverance and their discernment in spotting error and false doctrine. They were well taught, obviously. Remember, these churches were built on the Rock and the Apostles were the ones actually teaching them. There’s nothing better than having someone tell you about Jesus when they were personally with Him, amen?

Then Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that they left their first love. This definitely applies to all churches today, amen? Sometimes we get busy with life and lose that fervent desire to serve Him. Can you remember when you first came to salvation? The excitement of knowing the Saviour personally is the first thing on your mind when your eyes open in the morning!

One of the positive comments Jesus made was:

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

When the Lord says He hates something, every Christian should perk up and listen carefully. We, too, should hate what He hates. But exactly what are the “deeds of the Nicolaitans”? The name “Nicolaitans” is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, comprised of the words nikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word meaning to conquer or to subdue and laos is for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are combined, they literally mean one who conquers and subdues the people. It appears the Nicolaitans were conquering and subduing the people. We see this practice clearly in the Roman Catholic Church, from its infancy and today. Not only did the church at Ephesus hate their deeds, but Jesus said He also hated their deeds. Their deeds also included sacrificing to idols. If you recall, Jesus didn’t teach the Apostles to lord over people.

Mar 10:44-45 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. (45) For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

There is one Lord over the church and that is Jesus! Jesus ends His letter to Ephesus by telling them to hear what the Spirit says to the church. Those who are born again will get to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God!! It’s God’s Word that pierces the heart of man. Jesus wants to build our faith through His word. As we go through this Book, I pray that the reader will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Revelation at a Glance – Day 1

By Kate Plourde

On April 20, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Welcome to this new series on the Book of Revelation. It is by no means an in-depth study but it is a series which will give the reader a glimpse of what will happen during the Tribulation. I’m excited to be writing this one! My prayer is that once the Rapture has happened, there will be something out there in cyberspace that will warn those who are left behind so they can prepare. Some may come to salvation immediately after the Rapture; the Word of God doesn’t specify numbers according to His Word. What can the world expect after the Rapture? The Rapture is not an event that starts the Tribulation. As you learned in our previous devotional series, keep your eyes focused on Israel. Whenever a peace treaty is signed with Israel, that will mark the start of the Tribulation. I hate to tell you this, but those seven years won’t be good at all. In fact, it will be the most horrifying time in the history of this earth! So let’s proceed and receive a blessing as promised in:

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

One mustn’t start reading Revelation with the attitude that it’s a difficult book to understand. We are promised a blessing here, amen? If we are promised a blessing, then it stands to reason that the Holy Spirit of God would give us understanding of its content. When one understands the reasons why it is worded the way it is and one begins to read it the way the Apostle John “observed and heard” it, it becomes a book filled with wonder, intrigue and horror. It’s written by the Author of all things – He is the beginning and the end.

Revelation is interpreted in different ways by different “schools of thought.” I believe that we should interpret this book literally and futuristically. Some believe that it is an allegorical book and full of symbolism. Yes, there are some symbolic things but not all of it is. Others believe that it is for historical purposes only. While some of this is true in Chapter 1 through 3, the rest from Chapter 4:1 moving forward, is very much futuristic. None of what is prophesied in Revelation has happened in history… EVER! Therefore, that view cannot be true.

But when we look at the Bible as a whole, we see that everything revolves around whom? Israel! The Old Testament begins with God creating a people for His own and prophecies are made about futuristic events revolving around Israel. Two-thirds of the Bible is prophetic and it is all about Israel. It’s not about America versus Russia nor China versus Taiwan.

Exo 6:2-4 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: (3) And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (4) And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

As we begin chapter one, we see the Apostle John was on the island of Patmos at the time he wrote this. He was imprisoned there and doing hard labor. John was the last of the Apostles – all the others were martyred. This book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, not of John. The word “revelation” in Greek is apokalupsis and it means “an unveiling or revealing.” It’s appropriate to begin this book with revealing to us just who Jesus (Yeshua) is. He had many names, as we see here in Chapter 1, which described Him and His character.

The Faithful Witness (Rev 1:5)
The First begotten of the dead (Rev 1:5)
The Prince of the kings on earth (Rev 1:5)
The Alpha and the Omega (Rev 1:8)
The Beginning and the Ending (Rev 1:8)
Which is, Which was, and Which is to come (Rev 1:8)
The Almighty (Rev 1:8) (God in NT and Shaddai in Hebrew)
The Son of man (Rev 1:13)
The First and the Last (Rev 1:17)
The Living One (Rev 1:18)

Therefore, we see that He is quite qualified to give the Apostle John all the information that is needed for those who read this wonderful Book, amen? We will read about things that were, that are and that will come in the next post. Are you ready? Let’s hunker down and pray that the Lord of all wisdom will open our eyes and work in our hearts.

Revelation at a Glance – Table of Contents

By Kate Plourde

On April 19, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

This new series is by no means an in-depth study of the Book of Revelation. It is a synopsis written to help the reader stir up a desire and excitement to dig further into the Scriptures to learn what is about to happen in the end times. If the reader is born again prior to the Rapture of the Saints, he will not be involved in the Tribulation. However, it is good to learn about what is to come so one can warn those who aren’t saved of the impending doom. If the reader is not born again and the Rapture has already happened, I pray that you will find the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour before the end of the Tribulation.

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Day 6	Day 7	Day 8	Day 9	Day 10
Day 11	Day 12	Day 13	Day 14	Day 15
Day 16	Day 17	Day 18	Day 19	Day 20
Day 21	Day 22	Day 23	Day 24	Day 25
Day 26	Day 27	Day 28	Day 29	Day 30
Day 31	Day 32	Day 33	Day 34	Day 35
Day 36	Day 37	Day 38	Day 39	Day 40
Day 41	Day 42	Day 43	Day 44	Day 45
Day 46	Day 47	Day 48		End of Series

The Rapture vs The Second Coming – Day 43

By Kate Plourde

On April 18, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ

We have now reached the end of our study about the Rapture versus the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! King Jesus will reign through the Millennium in Jerusalem. After the unsaved are cast into the Lake of Fire, Jesus will create a new Heaven and a new earth! How exciting!

Rev 21:1-8 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

My last post covered the second death. But at the creation of the new Heaven and the new earth, there will no longer be unbelievers and sinners. All things will be made new and perfect! A new Jerusalem will also be created and only those who were found in the Lamb’s book of life will be able to enter in.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

What a glorious event this will be if you are born again!

Rev 22:3-5 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

So dear reader, will you be present at this event? If you’re not 100% sure, please (I beg you) make sure before it’s too late! You don’t know when you will die! You could be commuting home from work and be involved in a deadly car crash. You just don’t know!

Rev 22:11-20 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (13) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (16) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (18) For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (20) He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

We have reached the conclusion of this series. The next series will be a condensed version of the Book of Revelation! My desire is that if this blog is still online during the great Tribulation, eyes will be drawn to these devotional series and will be an encouragement to all who read it.

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 42

By Kate Plourde

On April 15, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Good morning, precious readers and friends! Today’s topic is alarming to me. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to go to Hell when they die. These same people will be brought up from Hell to experience the Great White Throne Judgment and then be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. It’s like being burned so severely and then going to a place where you will burn forever!!! Please, if anyone reads this and is not saved, please don’t make fun of it. Search your heart and come to Christ as your Saviour. If you are reading this and the Rapture has already happened, don’t delay as your time on this earth is very limited! Please, I plead with you, get saved now before it’s eternally too late. Just click here and a new tab will open up that will show you how to be saved. Then come back here so we can continue with today’s post.

Now back to our topic… After the Millennium is finished, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire and all unbelieving souls since the beginning of time will be judged before the Great White Throne.

Rev 20:11-14 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Can you imagine how this will go down? All those who have been in hell all those years since the beginning of time, will be released and will have to appear before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged according to their works. Why works? They will be judged by their works because they did not accept Christ as their Saviour. Therefore, they will learn quickly that everything they did in life, by deeds or words, will be judged at this point. There will be nothing in their lives that will be equivalent to what Christ did on the cross for them. They chose to deny Him on this earth and He will deny them before the Father in Heaven. I picture it just as the tract called This Was Your Life depicts it. Take a moment to read it before continuing. It will open in a new tab so once you’re finished, come back here.

Once they are judged, Christ will look at the book of life and point out that their name is not written in it. Only those who were born again and accepted Christ as their Saviour have names written in that book. Christ promised these believers that their name would never be blotted out of the book.

Philippians 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

I can’t even begin to imagine that “good” person at this point. If you are one of those good people, stop now and think of what this means! You cannot be good enough. Even if you lived an honest life but didn’t believe in God, your name will not be found in the Lamb’s book of life. It doesn’t matter if you believed in God or not. I would not want to find out I was wrong all along when my time comes to die. It’s not too late to be saved at this point in time. But once you die, that’s it. Your time has run out and it’s too late to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.

Heb 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

You don’t want to be part of the Great White Throne judgment, friend. You want to be part of those who will not experience the second death.

Rev 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Here’s a good quote to remember:

Chuck Missler Quote: "Those born once will die twice and ...

Those who won’t accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour are those who are born once, but they will die twice. Once upon their physical death and they go to Hell; then their second death is after the Great White Throne judgment when they are cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. 😥 Those who have accepted Christ as their Saviour are born twice: once at their physical birth and the second birth is their spiritual birth when they are “born again.” This person will only die once (their physical death). After their death, they are present with the Lord in Heaven and live with Him for eternity.

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 41

By Kate Plourde

On April 13, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Good morning, dear reader! We have just a couple more posts on this series! It seems as though I just started it yesterday! As you’re reading these devotional posts, do you feel anxiety or do you feel excited? I’ve always felt excited but I know people who are apprehensive about what is about to happen. One must ask oneself, am I anxious because I’m not 100% I’m going to Heaven or because I love life and am not ready to give it up? Only you can answer this. Are you 100% certain that if you were to die in your sleep tonight, that you would go to Heaven? If you are not 100% certain, please go here and read through it. It will open in a new tab. Then come back to this tab and let’s continue.

Once the Millennium comes to an end, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit for a short period. He will once again come against Israel only to be defeated once and for all. Those who have died without Christ from the beginning of time will not rise just yet. Their time will come to be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.

Rev 20:1-10 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (4) And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (7) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (8) And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (9) And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (10) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan’s army will be destroyed one and for all – forever! He will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever and ever. As you can see by the Bible verses above, Satan and his minions will be tormented day and night! His time is coming and those who love the Lord long for the day when there is finally peace and King Jesus is reigning!!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 40

By Kate Plourde

On April 11, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Good morning! ☕ I’m sitting here with my coffee and excited to share today’s post with you. Nothing gets my spiritual self excited and motivated than writing about the Lord and His coming! We are nearing the end of our Rapture versus the Second Coming series. I praise Him for keeping us safe in Him and giving His Church a blessed opportunity! I pray for souls to be won to Christ and to give me boldness to share the beautiful Gospel of Jesus!!! King Jesus will be reigning on this earth soon – what a glorious day that will be!

Today’s post concentrates on the Second Coming and what happens after. If you recall from previous posts, the Church has already been raptured. But what happens to those saints who died during the Tribulation? The verses below explain:

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

We also see that Jesus will come with judgment for all who are still alive. He will judge the Jews and the nations. This is also known as the sheep/goat judgment.

Eze 20:33-38 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: (34) And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. (35) And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. (36) Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. (37) And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: (38) And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Mat 25:31-46 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? (38) When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? (39) Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (42) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: (43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. (44) Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? (45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
2Th 1:7-9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

After all the judgments are finished, the Millennium is ready to begin. The curse which had been placed on the earth after Adam and Eve sinned, is now lifted. The earth will again be perfect as it was in the Garden of Eden. Can you imagine petting a lion or playing with a boa constrictor??? I can’t wait!

Rev 22:3-5 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Isa 11:6-9 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. (7) And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. (8) And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. (9) They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Isa 35:1-2 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (2) It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
Isa 35:5-6 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. (6) Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

Jesus deals with Satan, the false prophet and the antichrist and binds them for 1,000 years. Can you imagine what life will be like during this time? 😃 I see the believers blessing His holy name and praising Him!

Rev 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Can you imagine King Jesus reigning over the earth from Jerusalem? What an event that will be! The saints will rule with Jesus during that 1,000 years. Not having the devil’s influence over the hearts of man is something we have never experienced! At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loosed for a short time to deceive the nations yet again. Another battle will occur that will be a great one. Satan and all the nations involved will go against the saints and Israel, particularly Jerusalem. But God will send down fire which will kill them all! Satan will then be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Once the millennium is finished, God will create a new Heaven and a new earth. As well, all those souls and those who have died from the very beginning through the end of the Millennium will be raised and judged. This is called the Great White Throne.

Rev 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The next post will be about the new Heaven and the new earth. Oh what beauty we will behold. It is truly something to look forward to!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 39

By Kate Plourde

On April 8, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ

It’s a brand new day and we have the Lord to thank for our eyes opening this morning, Amen? We have another day to share the Gospel, discuss the upcoming events on God’s prophetic calendar, and to encourage one another as these days get darker! Paul exhorts us not to live in darkness because we have the light of the Word of God abiding in us! Thank You, Lord!!! So what’s next on this topic? Let’s take a look at what the Bible says will happen after the Rapture and the Second Coming. Today’s post will cover what comes after the Rapture.

As we saw in previous posts, the Rapture is a snatching away of the Church before the Tribulation begins. What does it involve? The Church (consisting of born-again saints) will instantaneously be changed from the physical body we have here on earth to a new resurrected body just as Jesus had at His resurrection. This event happens so quickly that Scripture says it happens in the “twinkling of an eye!”

1 Co 15:50-55 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (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. (54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Php 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (21) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

So how fast is the “twinkling of an eye”? According to policedriver.com:

When you are driving 60 mph, literally in a blink of an eye, you move 17.6 feet.

I’m assuming we will be traveling upwards faster than 60 mph because the world will not see what is happening. I merely gave you this example so you could “see with your mind’s eye” how fast the twinkling of an eye can be. In fact, the word twinkling only appears once in the entire Bible (King James Version). I find that interesting, don’t you?

Some mistaken the “last trump” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 to be the one spoken of in Revelation 11. However, that cannot be the case as all the seals, trumpets and bowls are horrible judgments, not something to encourage the believer. The last trumpet is God’s trump, not angels.

(1Th 4:16) 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:

After we are taken to be with Jesus in Heaven, He will be waiting to hand out (or withhold) rewards to believers for their work here on earth while waiting for His coming. This is called the “Bema Seat” judgment. It is not judgment for our sins because Christ paid the price for those sins. It is to judge what we did for the Kingdom. Will the works we did be works that we took credit for or will they be for Christ? That will depend on whether they are burned (works for one’s own glory) or whether they will bring rewards (works done for Christ’s glory).

1 Co 3:12-15 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. (14) If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
2 Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me 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.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

While the Tribulation happens, the earth will suffer, as well as the people living on it. The world will dive into total lawlessness and Satan will take advantage of this. After the Rapture, the restraint of the Holy Spirit will be gone because He resides within every born-again believer. His role will return to that of the Old Testament where He empowered specific people. Without His restraint, the earth will not have all those Christians to bear witness of Christ and to object to the evils of this world. Instead, the devil will use his wicked power to guide the world into a one world church and one world government, where he will reign for seven years. If you think things are bad now, it will be hundreds of times worse during his reign.

The whole point of this series is to encourage the believers but it is also to alert those who are lost of what is to come! It will be the worse time to come upon the entire earth. There will be no escape unless the warnings from this blog lead you to Christ. You must heed this warning and settle where you will spend eternity today before it is too late. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 38

By Kate Plourde

On April 6, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Good morning! It’s time to shake off the sleepiness and drink that morning cup of coffee or tea. I must admit that I wouldn’t mind waking up to the view above, wouldn’t you? 😃 On my last post, we covered God’s timing for the Tribulation period and why we believe the Rapture will occur before that great judgment. To sum that up, no man knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, but we can know the signs of the coming of the Tribulation. Christ’s return for the church is imminent: that means it can happen any time. Today, we will look at the Second Coming of Christ and when the Scriptures say that will happen according to the prophecies from the Old Testament.

The prophet Daniel, of the Old Testament, prophesied about this very thing.

Dan 9:24-27 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (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 of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel prophesied that the antichrist would sign a peace treaty with Israel for one week, which is equal to seven years (he breaks that treaty half way through). It stands to reason that there has to be a reason for the need for a peace treaty; there must be wars and conflicts so bad that Israel longs for peace and will give anything to achieve that peace. Remember, Daniel’s 70th week revolves around Israel. From that point on, the Tribulation begins and God’s prophetic clock starts to tick for the seven years. This tells us that the Second Coming of Jesus won’t happen until those seven years are finished. Therefore, the date of the Second Coming will be known to believers during those seven years! God is very specific and when He says seven biblical years, He means it. A biblical year is 360 days, not 365 as we know it in the West. So all one has to do is to multiply 360 x 7 and you get 2,520 days. Half way through is 1,260.

The Bible continues to tell us that more signs will appear before Christ comes to end the Battle of Armageddon. Read on:

Dan 9:27 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 of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Dan 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Half way through the Tribulation, the antichrist will break that treaty with Israel and he will remove Israel’s ability to do sacrificing in their temple. Therefore, we know the Tribulation has not started yet for two reasons: (1) there hasn’t been a need for a peace treaty yet, and (2) Israel does not have a temple in Jerusalem. Once Israel realizes that the antichrist is not their Messiah, they will flee to the wilderness:

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

It is not until these seven years of judgment upon Israel (see Daniel 9:24 above) are over that their true Messiah, King Jesus, will come. Those who fled to the wilderness will be cared for by God and they will recognize their true Messiah when He returns!

Rev 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (8) And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (12) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Jesus and the Church will return at the end of the Tribulation after God has released His wrath upon the disobedient world. We know for a fact that the Church has been in Heaven because of the following verses in Matthew. Jesus said:

Mat 24:29-31 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 powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (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 clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (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.

This is not the gathering of saints on earth as some post Tribulation believers say. This is the gathering of the saints already in Heaven! Verse 31 doesn’t say from under heaven; no it is from one end of heaven to the other. Let God’s Word reveal to you the truth, reader.