Category: Salvation Page 1 of 2

Does God Hear/Answer Your Prayers?

On March 22, 2023

In Hell, Miscellaneous, Prayer, Salvation

As born-again believers, we know that God hears their prayers. We also know that God doesn’t always answer our prayers because we are not praying in His will. However, does God hear the prayers of those who are not born-again? We should let the Bible answer this question.

We must first ask, “What is prayer”? Jesus taught us how to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as an example:

Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Before we cover this model prayer, notice that Jesus prefaced the Lord’s prayer with verse 6:

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Many religions today teach their members to pray repetitious prayers as a way to get more “religious” and closer to God. But God says differently in the above verse!

How would you like it if your children came to you and only spoke the exact same things every single time they talked to you? That’s not a relationship nor is it fellowship. It is merely a recital.

Jesus went as far to say that these types of prayers were “vain repetitions,” meaning that there would not be any response from God – trying to communicate with Him is in vain. The end result would produce nothing! Furthermore, Jesus said, “…as the heathen do”! Ouch!

Therefore, Jesus didn’t teach us the Lord’s prayer so we could repeat it word-for-word. When the Pharisees prayed in public, they repeated “canned prayers” and recited them out loud so people would “see how holy they were”! But they were far from holy; they were hypocrites. They followed the “letter of the law” but did not follow the “Spirit of the law,” in Christ Jesus.

We do know God hears their prayers when they come to Him for salvation.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But if they do not get saved, He does not hear their prayers because of their sin.

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Also, one can say they were “saved,” but if that person remains in sin proves that they did not repent of their sin. Repeating a prayer for salvation with an insincere heart doesn’t make one born-again any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. But a sincere prayer asking God for forgiveness of your sins and accepting His son Jesus as Saviour will save! (Romans 6:23)

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is why the Bible says you must be born-again! You must separate yourself from sin after you are saved! THAT, my friend, is repentance. A person who steals will repent and steal no more after salvation; one who consistently lies will lie no more after salvation. The born-again Christian is not sinless but that Christian will desire to sin LESS because he wants to please the Lord. A person’s focus changes after salvation; his focus is on the things of God. If Christianity is a chore or labor for a person who has claimed salvation, then that person should check his heart. Loving God is never a chore or labor. It is a by-product of a grateful heart for the one who has obtained salvation through Jesus Christ.

John 3:3-7 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. (4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? (5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Some reject God’s call to be saved but have put it off thinking they have plenty of time. Others just flat out refuse to be saved because they don’t want to be called religious fanatics.

Proverbs 1:24-26, 28 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; (25) But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: (28) Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Do you know what God thinks of their prayers?

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Zechariah 7:11-13 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. (12) Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. (13) Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:

The Lord’s prayer is to be used as an example. We pray to the Father in Heaven and recognize how holy He is. This denotes a relationship and a recognition that He is not only our Parent (our Father) but He is a holy and righteous Judge (who art in Heaven)! Just as you knew that you were in deep trouble when your mother said, “Wait till your father comes home,” so we know that our Abba Father in Heaven will mete out righteous judgment on His children if we do not walk in His will. But to the unsaved, God does not hear their prayers or answer them at all!

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

When prayers are not heard, and the individual is not saved, that person will fall into the hands of God at the great Judgment and will suffer death twice! (The first death is when their body dies and their soul goes to Hell; the second death is when they appear before God and their name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life. This is where the second death occurs, and their soul is cast into the lake of fire for all eternity!)

Revelation 21:8 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.

Your rejection of God and the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ, will result not only in your punishment but will pass down to your children and grandchildren because they have watched your “testimony” and have seen that you are not saved. They will follow in the same footsteps as you and will end up in that Lake of Fire as well unless you repent of your sins and live for God. This should be motivation to get saved and live for the Lord so your family will have an example to follow! (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.)

Christians, Don’t Be Ignorant

By Kate Plourde

On January 8, 2023

In Devotionals, Miscellaneous, Rapture, Salvation

1 Thess 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (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: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Good morning, Reader! Today’s verses cause born-again believers all over the world to shout with joy and anticipation at the upcoming reunion with Christ, our Lord! That day to come is the conclusion of all the years of longing to be with the Lord Jesus. The caveat is that the born-again believer that is alive at the time of the Rapture will not die! What a gift that is!

I felt it necessary to discuss the Rapture today because I have a dear friend who has been led astray by what I consider to be a false teacher. This false teacher is cunning and is deceiving many. All these years, my friend believed that the Rapture would occur before the Tribulation. Why was she misled? I believe the reason is that she did not study the matter out so that she was convinced from the Scriptures.

Acts 17:11 tells us that these people would listen to a message and would then search the Bible to make sure that what they were being taught was in line with the Bible’s teachings. Too many people today are being misled by preachers who “tickle the ears.” (Ephesians 4:14) They listen to a message and taken in false teaching without question. They wouldn’t do that with their finances but yet when it comes to the things of God, they allow the devil to creep in and lead them astray. Yes, I say it’s the devil’s doing because he has been corrupting God’s Word since the Garden of Eden. He corrupted God’s words and convinced Eve that God was keeping her from attaining something greater. The devil will do whatever it takes to distract the believer from God’s Word. He will fill the mind with lies and corruption because that is who he is and what he does (John 8:44).

Today’s verses tell us how the Rapture will occur. If the Rapture were to occur at the end of the Tribulation, as my friend believes, it would be difficult to go up to meet the Lord in the air only to immediately return with Christ to earth to fight the Battle of Armageddon. This theory does not jive with the Scriptures. Jesus said that when He left the earth, He would go to prepare a place for believers in His Father’s house; a house which has many mansions. He didn’t say He would prepare a place for us in the future. No! He said “I go to prepare a place for you.” So where did Jesus go after His ascension? He returned to Heaven! This is the place where we will go to meet Him.

Joh 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) 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.

Furthermore, Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself.”

So let’s get back to today’s scripture from 1 Thess 4:13-18. The Apostle Paul didn’t want his readers to be misled by false teachers. He wrote so his readers would be encouraged and comforted! He didn’t want them to be ignorant of this teaching; he prepared them and taught them. So how will the Rapture happen? Paul says that Jesus will come down from Heaven with a shout and with the trump of God. The word “trump” only appears twice in the Bible: 1 Cor 15:52 and 1 Thess 4:16. Both refer to the Rapture. The trump in today’s Scripture is the “trump of God,” it is not a trumpet used by man but of God Himself. This trump is a big deal! God Himself is calling the saints together! Paul reaffirms that his words are told to us by the word of the Lord! Christ wants us comforted and not fearful. Furthermore, Paul tells us to comfort each other with this information! What comfort is there if we are to go through the Tribulation??? It’s a time in which the world has never experienced the horrifying judgments that are about to happen!

Paul says those who died from the beginning of the church age until the time of the Rapture will rise first; then believers who are still alive on the earth will rise immediately after. Where are we meeting Jesus? We (the dead in Christ and those who are alive at the Rapture) are caught up to meet the Lord IN THE AIR. Jesus Christ’s return after the Tribulation is Christ coming to EARTH.

Those saints will be kept from the coming wrath which will descend upon a wicked world. Ephesians 5:6 and Colossians 3:6 state that God’s wrath is to come on children of disobedience. Why would Jesus allow His bride to go through His wrath? What husband does such a thing? The born-again believers (prior to the Rapture) are not children of disobedience so therefore, we are not the ones to go through the Tribulation. Granted, people will be saved during the Tribulation, but they were children of disobedience prior to the Rapture!

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Paul again exhorts the Christians that they should not let anyone deceive them with vain words. Unfortunately, my friend has been deceived to believe that she would experience God’s wrath upon the earth. Why would God put His children (the saints) through His wrath? We are not children of disobedience; we are born-again and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit! Furthermore, as I said above, we are His Bride! The Perfect Groom, the Lord Jesus, would not put his wife in harm’s way, yet alone through torture; but this Perfect Groom would protect her. What husband allows an intruder to harm his wife??? As well, all born-again believers are members of Christ’s own body, of Christ’s flesh, and of Christ’s bones (Eph 5:30). Since we are part of Him, why would He put us through His wrath? It makes no sense! Jesus Christ is not going through the Tribulation nor is His Bride, who is a part of Him!

As if this isn’t enough, how can we be raptured at the end of the Tribulation and then immediately come back with Jesus Christ to conquer the antichrist? Jesus went to prepare a place for us, as we read at the beginning of this post. If the post-tribulation theory is correct, we won’t be going to Heaven at all to enjoy the place He prepared for us in His Father’s house. That does not make any sense at all. One cannot listen to a false prophet’s words and leave out the other parts of Scripture that totally contradict what the false prophet is saying! The Bible says in:

Rev 19:11-14 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.

The raptured Saints will be coming back with Jesus as part of His army! It says in verse 14 that we were in heaven! How do I know that the “we” is comprised of born-again raptured believers? Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, white and clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. This cannot be an army of angels because this army is clean! Angels cannot attain salvation; only mankind. Those who are made clean are those who accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour (1 John 1:7). It is the blood of our precious Saviour that makes us clean and clothes us in fine, white linen! We are clothed with Jesus’ righteousness!

Dear Reader, if you are born-again, do not believe every wind of doctrine. Study it for yourself as I have and stop listening to what others teach. Let the Holy Spirit be your Teacher (Luke 12:12). There is nothing encouraging about going through the Tribulation. There is nothing comforting about experiencing the wrath of God. During the Tribulation, God’s wrath will descend on a wicked, unbelieving world! His judgment fell on the world when Noah finished building His ark. His judgment fell on Sodom and Gomorrah after Lot and his family were pulled out.

Even during the Tribulation, His mercy is still shown by placing the Two Witnesses (Rev 11:3) and 144,000 Jews (Rev 7:1-8) to spread the Gospel. Those who believe during the Tribulation will pay the price of being martyred for their faith (Rev 6:9-11 and Rev 7:9-10, Revelation 7:13-14). Many will die as a result of believing in Christ during this horrific time. They will pay a price for having waited to accept His salvation.

Won’t you accept Christ now before the Rapture occurs, friend? Please don’t wait! There are seven seals, seven trumpets and seven plagues which will make up God’s wrath during this horrifying time (Matthew 24:21). You must remember that Jesus said in that verse that it will be a time that has never come upon this earth! Why would you want to suffer through these? I know some may think that they will take their chances and live like they want to live now and deal with these judgments later. But Reader, God knows your motives and will not allow you to try to “trick Him”! Romans 1:28-32 tells us that those who do wickedly will be given over to a reprobate mind; yes, even those who try to deceive Him. Noah Webster’s dictionary defines this as:

REPROBATE, a. [L. reprobatus, reprobo, to disallow; re and probo, to prove.]

Not enduring proof or trial; not of standard purity or fineness; disallowed; rejected.
Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. Jer 6.
Abandoned in sin; lost to virtue or grace.
They profess that they know God, but in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. Titus 1.
Abandoned to error, or in apostasy. 2 Tim 3.

Do you want to take a chance that this could happen to you? You may think you are not this evil but James 2:10 says that if you have stolen, for example, you are guilty of all the Ten Commandments, not just stealing. Romans 3:23 says that ALL have sinned; yes, you too! The only way you can prevent going through the horrible Tribulation is by accepting Christ as your Saviour; not just “in words” but with a heart conversion which changes you from the inside out! (2 Cor 5:17) Jesus took all our sins upon Himself so we could be reconciled to God through Him! (2 Cor 5:20-21)

There will come a time when it will be too late. You will spend eternity burning in Hell and the Lake of Fire. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved and you laughed it off and ignored it. Just read the account of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). That rich man knew what was happening to him in Hell. He recognized his own sins and desperately wanted his family to be warned so they would not experience what he was experiencing. I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. 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!

Hell Is No Laughing Matter

By Kate Plourde

On October 11, 2022

In Hell, Salvation

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:A_loose_necktie

The best place to start when you want to learn about Hell is with Jesus. He spoke about it in great detail in today’s Scriptures. In this particular instance, Jesus is not speaking in parables. Parables didn’t have names associated to the person. However, in today’s Scriptures, Jesus speaks of Lazarus and a rich man. To me, this is the best depiction of what it will be like in Hell. So let’s read the account:

Luk 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: (20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, (21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. (22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (23) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (24) And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. (25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: (28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. (30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. (31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Just because you don’t believe there is a Heaven or a Hell, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. What if you’re wrong? Are you always 100% right in everything you think? Of course not! So what if you’re wrong thinking that Hell doesn’t exist?

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Let’s take a look at what’s going on in the account of the rich man and Lazarus:

This was not a parable because parables never mentioned names. In today’s Scripture, Jesus named the poor man, Lazarus. Jesus knew him by name. (Exodus 33:12, Exodus 33:17) Just as I don’t know everyone else’s children’s names, but I do know my own, so does God know the names of each one of those who love Him and are saved.
The rich man lived in luxury here on earth. He had expensive clothing and plenty to eat. Lazarus, on the other hand, had rags and looked for scraps to fall from the rich man’s table so he could eat. In fact, the rich man’s dogs licked Lazarus’ sores! Their lives on earth could not have been any more opposite. This isn’t to say that it is wrong to be rich. What is wrong is that the rich man had no compassion toward those in need. His focus was on himself and how to please his own flesh.
Notice how each one died. Lazarus was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man, on the other hand, was simply buried and went to Hell.
Let’s take a look at the circumstances in their destination. Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom. This gives us a view of being hugged and in comfort. While Lazarus was on earth, he was neglected and alone. But now he was being comforted. In Hell, the rich man, lifted his eyes and could see Lazarus and Abraham afar off. So the rich man was quite conscious of what was happening.
Notice that the rich man was in torment. Noah Webster defines torment as: “Extreme pain; anguish; the utmost degree of misery, either of body or mind.” He was in such pain he was crying. What was the rich man crying about? He was begging for mercy! Notice in verse 24 that he had a thirst that was never to be quenched. Even being in Hell, the rich man was still high and mighty in his unrepentant thoughts. He didn’t ask Abraham to bring water, but to send Lazarus! Also, the rich man was so thirsty that he would have even welcomed a drop of water dripping from Lazarus’ finger! Now I would say, “that’s thirsty”! And why was the rich man thirsty? The verse ends that he is tormented in this flame! If you’ve been working out in the yard on a hot summer day, you are well aware of how thirsty you can get. Not only was the rich man thirsty, but he was burning! Receiving a burn anywhere on your body will produce pain. I think of my worse sunburn and how the pain lasted for a few days. The rich man was in the flames and was not being consumed! He is still burning there and will be for all eternity! His pain will never go away. I also noticed that Lazarus was with Abraham sharing in the joys of Heaven. However, the rich man was not with anyone. He was very much alone.
Abraham reminded the rich man of the reason he was in Hell in the first place. He had all the comforts that his riches could afford him while he was on earth but he didn’t care for his eternal soul. Meanwhile, Lazarus had nothing on this earth but obviously did care about where he would spend eternity. He may have been poor but he was apparently rich in faith.
The rich man thought about his family on earth while he was in torments. He didn’t want them to go to Hell to experience what he was experiencing (vs. 28 “this place of torment.”) But Abraham told the rich man that they had Moses and the prophets to listen to. I found it interesting that the rich man knew his family wouldn’t listen, just as he didn’t listen. Instead, he said that if one from the dead would go to his family, they would repent. But it doesn’t work that way, as we see in Abraham’s reply. He said in verse 31, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose form the dead.”

Dear Reader, Hell is a real and literal place. It’s nothing like the humorous skit performed by some comedian. It’s unfortunate that they could not care less about their future! The New Testament speaks more about Hell than Heaven! The warnings are there in the Scriptures. I would venture to say that every home has a Bible in it, whether in print or on their cellphones/computers. No fortune teller or medium can bring anyone back from the dead to warn them. They have the Scriptures which contain all that we need to guide us. It is the road map to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

There are other Bible verses that tell us about the characteristics of Hell – none of these characteristics are pleasant:

Hell is a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). The word gnashing according to Noah Webster means: “Striking the teeth together, as in anger, rage or pain.” Imagine crying because you are in pain yet being so angry with rage because of your bad decisions that placed you in this place for all eternity!
Hell is a place of eternal damnation to anyone who denies Christ as Saviour, which is considered blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:29).
Hell is a place where the worm doesn’t die (Mark 9:48). Just as worms eat decaying bodies, in this instance, the body will never decay.
Hell is a place where the fire is never quenched (Mark 9:48). It will be burning for all eternity.
Just as we read in today’s account of the rich man and Lazarus, we see that Hell is a place where those without Christ will cry and beg for mercy. They will have memories of their families. They will be alone. They will be in torments with no way to escape! (Luke 16:19–31).
Hell, according to the Apostle Paul, is a place of everlasting destruction, everlasting absence from the presence of the Lord, and everlasting absence of the glory of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:9). It will be too late to accept Christ as Saviour at that point; you will, however, regret your rejection of Him for all eternity.
Hell is a bottomless pit filled with dark smoke (Revelation 9:2). Have you ever seen astronauts preparing for their mission in a gravity-free chamber? They float around and do not change direction until they run into an object. Imagine then being in darkness and always falling and never running into anything! How frightening this must be! You can’t see your hand in front of your face and you’re continually falling! The graphic I posted above shows that the darkest part of the flame is black. Although the outer part of the candle can produce light, the black part does not. This is what it will be like in Hell.
Hell is a place where God’s wrath is poured out. Those who are there will be tormented with fire and brimstone. Their torment will go on for ever and ever neither will they have rest from their torment! (Revelation 14:10-11).

Just as both the rich man and Lazarus immediately went to their final destination, so will each and every one of us (Hebrews 9:27). It is our choice as to where that destination will be. Have I frightened you? I certainly hope so. Spending eternity in Hell is no laughing matter. Please, friend, I beg you! If you have not been born again, please do so before it’s eternally too late for you. You do not know when you will die. You could be on your way home from work and get in a car accident. If you have read this post through, then you are accountable for knowing the difference between Heaven and Hell. Now let me show you how you can be saved. Don’t be like the rich man! If you are not born again, your sins are not covered by Jesus’ sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. 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 – Day 8

By Kate Plourde

On January 12, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

Isa 13:6-13 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. (7) Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: (8) And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. (9) Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (10) For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. (11) And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. (12) I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. (13) Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Good morning, reader! Thank you for your patience and prayers while I was out sick with Covid. I’m convinced that I recovered as quickly as I did because of those prayers!

Today’s topic is frightening, to say the least. According to Isaiah, the Great Tribulation is referred to as the day of God’s wrath. Those who believe in the Rapture occurring in the middle of the Tribulation or after the Tribulation, believe that Christians will go through part or all of God’s wrath. But we have learned that this cannot be possible as we covered in previous posts. God did not appoint born again believers to wrath.

1 Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Jesus referred to both Noah and Lot when He spoke of the Tribulation. In both instances, Noah and Lot were removed from the coming judgment on the unbelieving world. This is not possible when one believes in the mid or post Tribulation Rapture, amen?

Luk 17:26-37 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. (27) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (28) Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; (29) But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (30) Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (31) In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. (32) Remember Lot’s wife. (33) Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. (34) I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. (35) Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (36) Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (37) And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The last time the Book of Revelation refers to the church is in Revelation 3:22. The very next verse, Revelation 4:1, calls the church up: “Come up hither”! The word “church” does not appear again. Why is this? It is because we are not on earth but have been removed from the wrath that is to come on the whole earth.

Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me 🙂 But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture – Day 7

By Kate Plourde

On January 7, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

2Th 2:6-8 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (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:

Good morning! It is currently snowing really hard right now and the ground is covered in a beautiful white blanket. I stand amazed at how quiet it is when it snows. You don’t hear it fall to the ground but you see the evidence of it. It is no different than the topic we are discussing. We don’t see the Holy Spirit but we see the product of His work. He works through born again believers and is responsible for stirring the hearts of the unsaved. His holy presence is what is standing between the Rapture and the Tribulation.

As we ave learned, there is no timeline for the Rapture event. In the verses above, we see that “he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” The Holy Spirit resides within every born again believer. Without Him, evilness will dominate the world just as in Noah’s days. All the people at the time were evil and God destroyed them all, except for Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives. Eight people! Wow!

The Holy Spirit is restraining the Antichrist from his “coming out” to the world at this time. When the Rapture occurs, the Holy Spirit’s “job” will return to the way He worked in the Old Testament. The Tribulation time is the time of Jacob’s Trouble – what began in the Old Testament with the Jews will end in the Book of Revelation with the Jews. The church age will be finished once the Rapture occurs.

Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

This time period revolving around Israel and the Jews will be like no other for them. The Church will be removed in the Rapture, along with the restraining force of the Holy Spirit.

The revelation of the Antichrist can only come after the Rapture. We see in today’s verses that the “mystery of inquiry doth already work.” War and destruction just don’t happen overnight. It is an event that builds over time. The Antichrist’s “evilness and spirit” is already at work in this world and we are seeing the results of it daily on the news. The only reason he is not revealed is because the Holy Spirit is holding him back. Once the Holy Spirit is removed via the Rapture, the man of lawlessness will be revealed and he will have free rein.

Friend, born again Christians will not see the Antichrist in his role as Revelation describes. The epitome of the evilness of this world is hindered right now thanks to the Holy Spirit. But once He is removed through the Rapture of the church, the church age will end and the Time of Jacob’s Trouble will begin. The Antichrist will cut loose his evilness.

I am trying to describe these events as simply as I can so that it is easily understood by those who are not born again. It may sound strange to you but with even just a little faith, you can be saved. This event is not something believers have to worry about because we will be in Heaven with Christ! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture – Day 6

By Kate Plourde

On January 6, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

Rev 6:16-17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (17) For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Good morning, reader! Do today’s verses disturb you? If you’re born again, they should cause you to be praying for the salvation of your family, friends and those in your circle of acquaintances. If you’re not born again, I pray that you will be disturbed by what you read and that it stirs your heart to be saved.

So today’s verses talk about the wrath of the Lamb that is to come. What is this wrath? Who is going to suffer this wrath? The Lamb is Jesus Christ and when His judgment upon this earth begins, there will be no turning back. Each judgment will be worse than the one before. The Rapture of the church will have already happened and those who remain will be involved in a horrific time on this earth like no other, the Tribulation. This is called the time of God’s wrath upon the earth. It has been prophecized from the Old Testament all through way through to the last book in the New Testament in the Book of Revelation.

You may be saying that there has always been persecution throughout the ages so this is nothing new. But these seven years will be a time where the people who get saved will be persecuted like no other age and it will occur all over the world, not just a specific location and not for a specific people. It will be for all people, all over the world.

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Mid-Tribulation and Post Tribulation believers say that Christians will go through half or all of the Tribulation. However, this doesn’t jive with the Scriptures because the Tribulation saints won’t be delivered from the wrath but will be overcome by it.

Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

We are told in the Scriptures that, just as in Noah’s day when God shut the door to the ark, that God will shut the door after the Rapture and no one will be able to escape the Tribulation.

Rev 3:8,10 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (10) 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.

Those who are alive at the time appointed by God to rapture His church, will be kept from the hour of temptation that will come upon the whole earth. All other times of persecution during history did not occur upon the whole earth, but just parts of it. The antichrist will be in power in order to cause havoc upon the entire earth. The church has been taken up in the Rapture. The word “church” occurs 80 times in 79 verses in the King James Bible. It is found only seven times in the Book of Revelation and only in chapters 2 and 3. It is not mentioned once after that. Chapter 4 begins with:

Rev 4:1 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.

The Apostle John was given the opportunity to see and hear what would happen during the Tribulation. God called him up through an opened door. This is indicative of the Rapture of the church. Why? We see that the church is not even found once in Chapters 4-22. These chapters now refer to the Jews. The Jews rejected Christ at His first coming and the Gospel of Christ was entrusted to the Church until Christ came to Rapture the church. After this event, the Jews will come back into the picture and will see their Messiah is: Jesus Christ!

But for today, we can see that He has yet to be revealed or come into power. Christians will be kept from these seven years of Tribulation and they will be removed beforehand. Praise the Lord!! \o/ Are you ready, Christian? If you’re not a Christian, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture – Day 4

By Kate Plourde

On January 4, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

1 Th 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (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: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Good morning! Today’s verses excite me! It is this very topic that led me to the Lord! I definitely did not want to be here when the Tribulation began! That would mean that I missed the Rapture and would have to suffer through the most horrible and difficult time to come upon the whole earth. This frightened me in a way I had never been frightened before. So grab your favor beverage, make yourself comfortable and let’s discuss these things! 🙂

Notice how verse 18 says to comfort one another with these words? Come on, Paul! How can one be comforted when there’s about to be seven years of horrible events coming to the earth? Why is Paul telling us to comfort one another? To what is this comfort referring to? The topic of these verses is the coming of the Lord. This is not referring to His coming to earth: Christ’s return to earth will be at the end of the Tribulation. This coming of the Lord refers to Christ meeting born-again believers in the air.

1 Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

If we are to go through the Tribulation, as proponents of Mid-Trib and Post-Trib believe, what comfort is there in that? How can we comfort one another as Paul tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 4:18? I certainly would not be comforted knowing that with each judgment in the scroll, seal, and bowl as written in the Book of Revelation were ahead of me. There’s no comfort or solace in that – there is only fear and apprehension! So we can only comfort ourselves because we know that we will be kept from those coming judgments! The snatching of the church and taking them to the clouds to meet Christ “in the air” is going to be an event like no other. If you’re a Bible reader, you’ll remember that Enoch and Elijah never died. They were taken up by God. So this is no new occurrence.

Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
2 Ki 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Jesus spoke of this in:

Mat 24:36-42 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (37) But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (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, (39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (40) Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (41) Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (42) Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Will you be one of those taken or one of those left? If you are born again, be encouraged Christian! This series will lift you up and make you excited about what is happening in the world right now. We are not called to receive God’s wrath and judgment on this earth. But if you are not born again and are searching, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture – Day 3

By Kate Plourde

On January 3, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

Good morning! The sun has yet to rise but Christ’s light shines brightly in my heart as I work on this Rapture study! It excites me and stirs my spirit! I hope it is a blessing to all who read it. God does not leave His children to despair during these times of what is happening in our Country today. The times are changing so rapidly and there’s fear in the hearts of mankind: fear of the unknown! What is this virus and where is it going to lead us? Are we going to remain hostages in our own homes? Are people going to be restricted from purchasing even the basic necessities of life if they are not vaccinated? Will citizens lose their freedoms in order to corral the virus? Americans, and the world for that matter, have no idea what is to come. But the born-again Christian isn’t looking to this world for his hope. We look to Christ! Why? Let’s look and see.

The Rapture is an event that will definitely happen. The timing of the Rapture is uncertain but the event itself is most surely going to happen. The Scriptures below tell us that it is as definite as Christ’s resurrection. Without Christ’s resurrection, one would have no hope!

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

It is the Word of the Lord! Jesus taught them about the Rapture and saw fit to include this topic in the Bible. Friend, Christ does not leave us hopeless! He left us with His Word to encourage us during these end times! If we are blessed enough to be alive at the time of the Rapture, we will not see death! How exciting is that!

1 Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture – Day 2

By Kate Plourde

On January 2, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

Good morning, reader! I pray that you are receiving some encouragement with this series on the Rapture! This topic is what led me to the Lord in the first place. A miracle occurred when God sent my best friend to visit me on her vacation. She had no idea that I was interested in the future of this world. I read after famous ancient authors looking for answers. She brought along a recording of a Bible scholar who was renown for end time prophecy. Everything he said was backed up by Scripture. He spoke of the Rapture: I had never heard of such a thing in my religion. It was then that I found the One True God and the salvation He provides! So I pray that you, too, are searching and that this study will lead you to Christ, our Saviour! Now on with our study.

Two things will happen at the Rapture: the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the born-again Christians who are alive will be transformed and caught up in the air to be joined with Jesus Christ. The transformation of those Christians who are alive at the time of the Rapture is described in 1 Corinthians 15 (below) as the corruptible and mortal body being instantly changed to an incorruptible and immortal one (verses 52-53).

1Th 4:14-17 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (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: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Co 15:51-54 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.

Isn’t this wonderful? Just as Noah and his family entered the ark and were protected against the flood that affected the entire earth, so shall born-again Christians be protected from the coming Tribulation. If you notice, 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says that we meet Jesus in the air and that we will forever be with Him! How exciting this is to the believer! What an encouragement it is to know that nothing will separate us from Him for all eternity! This is our hope, dear reader! The unbeliever has no hope! I recall that prior to my salvation, I too had no hope! I “hoped” that I would go to heaven but I was never certain.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

As we continue this study, you will come to see how it all fits together for those who are saved. We await a wonderful event! This event will usher in the most terrible time this earth has ever experienced.

If you’ve read through this post today and you have doubts whether or not you are saved, born again, please leave a comment simply asking me to reach out to you. The Rapture is the next event on the calendar for born-again believers. Don’t be caught unawares and be left behind to suffer through the Tribulation. You may think you have time but the Rapture can happen at any moment. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture – Day 1

By Kate Plourde

On December 31, 2021

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (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: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Good morning, reader! Christmas has passed and we are about to welcome in 2022. Could this be the year that the Rapture will occur? If you’re new to this blog and have never heard of this Rapture I write of, we’ll be taking a closer look at its meaning and what it represents to the born-again Christian. It is a message of hope and excitement to all believers who are awaiting the Lord’s return in the clouds for His bride. Read through today’s Bible verses and we’ll take a few days to explain and prove this event can occur at any moment. Today, however, we will just cover what the word means and where it is found in the Scriptures.

Although the word “rapture” doesn’t appear in the Bible, it’s a term that describes the snatching away of born-again believers. The term “caught up” in verse 17 is elsewhere translated “pluck” (John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.) We see another reference to it when Philip was snatched away after he witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch (Act 8:39 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.) If you followed my series on the attitude of mankind during the end times, you saw that we are in a time where the antichrist will come into power. It is a time that no born-again believer will go through and a time that you do not want to experience if you are not born again. Prior to the revealing of the antichrist, this Rapture will occur: it can happen at any moment: it is imminent and you do not want to be caught unaware.

The New Testament was written in Greek and, therefore, we will see what the Greek language has to say about the word “rapture.” Strong’s Concordance states this:

G726
ἁρπάζω
harpazō
Total KJV Occurrences: 18
caught, 5: Act_8:39, 2Co_12:2, 2Co_12:4, 1Th_4:17, Rev_12:5
force, 3: Mat_11:12, Joh_6:15, Act_23:10
take, 3: Mat_11:12, Joh_6:15, Act_23:10
away, 2: Mat_13:19, Act_8:39
catcheth, 2: Mat_13:19, Joh_10:12
pluck, 2: Joh_10:28-29 (2)
pulling, 1: Jud_1:23

It will help you if you look up each of these verses in your Bible to see the different uses. The Rapture represents being caught up, taken by force, taken away, plucked, and pulled away. The word “rapture” isn’t found in the Bible. But, friend, neither is the word “bible” found in the Bible. 😁 But the concept and description of the rapture is found in the Bible and, therefore, it’s worthy of study, amen?

If you are a born-again Christian, you may have heard of the various beliefs of when the rapture will occur. To understand why it is important, you need to know when the different beliefs occur. There are three popular schools of thought of when the rapture will occur: the pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post-tribulation. Pre-tribulation is defined as occurring before the tribulation. Mid-tribulation is defined as occurring in the middle of the tribulation. And finally, the post-tribulation is defined as occurring after the tribulation.

The latter two beliefs claim that the pre-tribulation rapture was only recently “invented” but historical proof shows that this was the belief of the Christians as early as third century AD. Writings by Pseudo-Ephraim were found on this topic:

All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins.
-Pseudo-Ephraem (c. 374-627)

Please read his quote and let it sink in. So we see that the pre-tribulation rapture was not invented in the past 150 years but in the third century! As we continue our series, we will dig in deeper and we will see that this was what was intended through the Scriptures!

If you are a born-again Christian and have never studied this out, I hope you are blessed by it and encouraged in your heart. If you are not born again, I urge you to settle the matter right now! Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!