1 Cor. 15:52 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.
Luk 21:35-36 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. (36) Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
How exciting are the times that we’re experiencing! There are wars and rumors of wars going on around us. Floods, hail stones the size of men’s hands, earthquakes, and signs in the skies. The various news sources are filled these headlines. But friend, I’m not anxious, nor am I afraid at all! 😃
The Bible teaches us that born again believers (those who possess the Holy Spirit in their lives) will not go through this horrible time that will affect the whole world. Re-read Luke 21:37 above! I understand that there are those who believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation but let’s look at the Scriptures. Today’s verse tells us that this tribulation will affect the entire world. The second verse tells us that it will be like no other time in history.
Rev 3:10 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.
But Jesus says in Revelation 3:10 that there is a time that will come that will affect the whole world, which is the Tribulation. He also states in that same verse that He will “keep the Christians alive at that time FROM the hour.” He doesn’t say He’ll keep us THROUGH it. How can the Lord keep us FROM this? This must be the time that He removes us from the earth.
This verse does not say that God will keep the church-age saints through the temptation but FROM it. There’s a big difference, amen? I’ve shared the following verses with you before but they are worth repeating. Paul taught us quite a bit about the Rapture. If it occurs in the middle of or at the end of the Tribulation, there would be nothing to encourage the hearts of the church-age Christians. Who would find encouragement in going through judgments and God’s wrath? These are the worst trials ever recorded! Let’s read together:
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.
This event cannot be the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation because Christ comes back to earth. Verse 17 says that we will meet Christ IN THE AIR. As well, Jesus left this earth to go to Heaven, His Father’s house, to prepare a place for us so that He can receive us to Himself so we can be where He is!!! (John 14:1-3) The post Tribulation believers cannot explain this, or they say the mansions are here on earth. How can that be? Where are those mansions or rooms in His Father’s house that He has been preparing for 2,000 years? Friend, if we are to go through any part of the Tribulation, how could we comfort one another???? There is no comfort going through the judgments of Revelation!
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!
Revelation 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! 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.
Revelation 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.
Revelation 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.
Revelation 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:
Revelation 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 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!
Psa 119:36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
The word “testimony(ies) in this verse is very poignant. The Treasury of David has an interesting comment – I’ve added it below. David was the apple of God’s eye. One would think that he kept his heart focused on the Lord. But being human, I’m certain that he had tendencies to lean toward the opposite direction, as shown below.
“The only way to cure a wrong leaning is to have the soul bent in the opposite direction. Holiness of heart is the cure for covetousness.“
The Treasury of David
The only way to deal with sin is to be focused and centered on the Lord and His Word. Jesus quoted scripture to Satan when He was tempted by him in the desert. Jesus Christ took on human form and, therefore, could have succumbed to sin after 40 days of no eating. What human being wouldn’t? When the body is in pain and weak, it is harder to ward off the devil. Job is a good example of this. However, Jesus quoted His words from the Old Testament back at the devil. Is that what we do when we have fallen into temptation? Being tempted is not sin but giving into temptation is. The Lord promises to help us out of these situations.
James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
It is not until the temptation has been “conceived” in our heart that it brings forth sin. Therefore, do not let yourself get to that point. We have a choice as born-again believers! We do not have to sin. We can stay focused on God’s Word and quote it back to the devil when we are tempted. Be encouraged, Christian… it won’t be long now before the Rapture occurs. Our troubles here on earth will be gone and we will be forever with the Lord for all eternity! Oh joy! I love this hymn! It becomes sweeter to me as I see the day of Christ’s return to get His Bride in the Rapture of the Church! (1 Corinthians 15:50-55, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, 2 Timothy 3:1-9, 2 Timothy 4:8, Titus 2:13, James 5:7-8, Revelation 3:10, Revelation 4:1) Be encouraged, believer!
WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE
There’s coming a day when no heartaches shall come No more clouds in the sky No more tears to dim the eye All is peace forever more On that happy golden shore What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see When I look upon His face the one who saved my by His grace When He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land What a day, glorious day that will be
There will be no sorrows there And no more burdens to bear No more sickness and, no more pain No more parting over there And forever I will be with the one who died for me What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see When I look upon His face the one who saved my by His grace When He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see When I look upon His face the one who saved my by His grace When He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land What a day, glorious day that will be
But for the one who is not authentically born again, it is not so. The unbeliever is not looking forward to the Rapture, if he even knows anything about it. The bottom line is salvation. This determines where a person will spend eternity: forever burning in the Lake of Fire or in Heaven with the Lord Jesus. 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!
Psa 119:33 HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
Oh what a blessing today’s verse is!! I love how the Word of God (Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour John 1:1) has provided His words through the Scriptures! Through them, we learn about His saving power, grace and mercy! Through them, I came to know Him and was gloriously born again!
But His Word doesn’t stop there! Reading the Scriptures brings comfort in this Topsy Tervy world! What does one do when the world seems to be falling apart all around us? The Bible has all the answers. In fact, God doesn’t want you fretting and has given you everything you need to know to live life when everything around you is going crazy!
Approximately 2,500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2,000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter—no errors.
(The remaining 500 or so reach into the future and may be seen unfolding as days go by.)
Reasons to believe website
We can trust God’s promise to fulfill the remaining 500 or so because of His track record! He gave prophecies to prophets of old and approximately 2,000 have been fulfilled without error! Who can do that? God can! Therefore, we can count on the remaining prophecies to be fulfilled without error! You can take God’s Word to the bank, Reader! Don’t be afraid of what’s to come but be afraid if you don’t know where you will spend eternity! If you don’t know Christ as your Saviour, you will not be able to take part in the glorious rapture of the church! Those who remain on earth after the Rapture, will suffer God’s wrath during the Tribulation which will come upon all the earth.
Rev 3:10 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. 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. 1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Don’t be one who will be left behind! 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!
Good morning, Reader! I hope this series has brought you some comfort during these difficult times. As I write this, there is extreme unrest in Israel. A Jewish brother in Christ says that Israel is on the brink of civil war. The prophecies of old and those of the end times revolve around Israel. It doesn’t matter what other countries do amongst each other; it matters what happens to Israel, amen?
The news is constantly filled with horrible headlines of famines, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars. Jesus said this would happen in the end times and would get worse. (Matthew 24:6-8) But should the believer in Jesus Christ be eaten up with worry? Do you not think that God knows your heart and how worried you are?
How would you feel if your child stayed awake at night worried that someone would break into house? Wouldn’t it bother you that your child didn’t trust his parents enough to protect him? It is no different with God. If you are a born-again Christian, the Father in Heaven knows you so well. Friend, He actually knows your name!
Exo 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
To an unbelieving world, events may seem chaotic where fear sets into the heart of man. This is exactly one of the devil’s goals. He does not want you to have peace in the Lord.
Satan wants mankind to be distracted and fearful.
This distraction and fear plays right into the devil’s plans to usher in the antichrist. The antichrist will appear to be the man of peace when he signs a peace treaty with Israel. But the devil is a deceiver and the father of lies. (John 8:44) He is known as an angel of light according to 2 Corinthians 11:14! The end times will be filled with lies, deceptions, signs and wonders, which will be so mesmerizing that it will seduce the world into believing he is God. (Mark 13:22) Friend, you should not take this lightly. The world will be sucked into this delusion!
1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
But before the antichrist can be revealed, the Holy Spirit’s influence on the earth (residing within every born-again believer) must be removed in order to usher in the devil’s total influence. (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)
In the meantime, the Lord takes care of His sheep. His Spirit leads and guides us through His Word, the Bible! Although God is a God of judgment (as the world will see in the Tribulation), He is also a God of love for those who follow Him. As Christians, we know that the Lord not only loves us but He knows us intimately.
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
When God says that the very hairs on our heads are numbered, it reveals that intimacy! Not only does He know us intimately, but we are now His child because Christ’s righteousness covers us. When God looks at the born-again believer, He sees His Son’s righteousness over us, not our own! In fact, just as Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, God called Abraham His friend! Praise the Lord! Christ’s righteousness over us means that God calls us His friend also!
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Not only are we considered a friend, we are Christ’s Bride. (Revelation 21:9, Revelation 22:17) The groom would never allow anything horrible happen to the woman of his dreams, right? Well how much more will our Groom protect us, His Church, from the Tribulation? (Revelation 3:10) Be encouraged, Christian. The same God who counts the hairs on our head, joys over us and calls us friend, is the same God who will give you peace during these difficult times!
As believers, we have so much at our fingertips to pull from for encouragement. We can read our Bibles, search out songs to encourage our hearts, and bow before the Lord of lords and Kings of kings in prayer! We can have intimate fellowship with the Creator of the universe!! But to the person who is not born-again, he has only himself to turn to and there’s no comfort in one’s own heart. The unbeliever doesn’t have the comfort that the believer does; they may be able to access the resources but that comfort just isn’t there. Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) 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!
Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
It’s another gorgeous day in beautiful Culpeper, Virginia! How blessed I am to be alive at this time in history! Yes, history! Every moment that I sit at my computer typing away becomes a moment in history. 😁 Most exciting, however, is that we will be that generation that will not see death (Revelation 3:8, 10) unless of course we should die before the Rapture. Take note that there is an open door in verse 8 that no man can shut. There is also a promise from the Lord Jesus Himself saying that He will keep usFROMthe hour of temptation which will come on all the earth to test the earth’s inhabitants. Jesus didn’t say He would keep His Church through the tribulation but FROM the tribulation. Just as in the days of Noah and Lot, the righteous were removed FROM the destruction and judgment to come.
Luke 17:27-29 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.
This should encourage each Christian to live for the Lord and to tell as many people as you can about the saving power of Jesus Christ, our Messiah!
Today’s prophecy makes me so sad because it deals with the suffering our Saviour had to go through to pay the penalty of our sins! 😥 It’s so descriptive as it relates to water pouring out (when the soldier put his spear through the Lord’s side (John 19:34); His bones were not broken (John 19:33); His heart is melted like wax into His bowels depicts how Christ’s internal organs must have been rearranged because of the immense effort it took to hang on the cross and to inhale each and every breath! I posted this a couple of posts ago but it is worth repeating at this point. Dr. C. Truman Davis wrote an article entitled “A Physician’s View of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.” If you haven’t read it before, please take a moment to read it as it will most definitely change the way you think about what Christ went through for you and I! It is heart-wrenching to say the least! I’m thankful Dr. Davis took it upon himself to research it and to share it with us!
Prophecy of Messiah Fulfilled:
John 19:33-34 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: (34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
Really, there is not much more that can be said about Jesus Christ, our Messiah, and what He had to go through to save us from our sins. God made sure to include over 300 Scripture passages about Jesus and how He fulfilled each one in the past and will fulfill each of the future ones!
Do you know Him personally or do you only know of Him? 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!
How excited are you about the Lord’s return for His Church – His Bride? Oh dear reader, I pray with all my heart that this blog has excited you and solidified why you hold to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture! I have to admit that this series has stirred the embers in my heart and started a fire within me to share this blessing for the Church! If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, I pray that you will find His peace here and now. I am amazed that there are churches out there that don’t even hear about the Rapture or the end times. It saddens me because we are to encourage one another with this knowledge that we will soon be with Christ!
The last post was about the “when” of the Rapture and this is a continuation of that post, although this post deals more on why we hold to that timing. The entire Bible revolves around God’s chosen people, Israel. I heard a message from a Jewish believer and evangelist, Amir Tsarfati, recently and he said that Jesus was a Jew (like we needed to be reminded, LOL), the Apostles were all Jews, AND none of them quoted the New Testament! I never thought of it that way before. Although there is no where in the Old Testament that speaks specifically about the Rapture, we can know the times of Christ’s return because of the prophecies. Jesus expounded on those prophecies during His time here.
The first of these prophecies that had to come to past to usher in the “end times” was:
Isa 43:5-6 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; (6) I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Jer 16:14-15 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; (15) But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Jer 23:3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. Jer 23:7-8 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; (8) But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Jer 31:7-8 For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. (8) Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. Eze 28:25-26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. (26) And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God. Amo 9:14-15 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. (15) And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
The Old Testament prophets spoke about a time when Israel would finally become a nation. That prophecy was fulfilled in our time, reader! In 1867, Mark Twain visited Zion (Israel) and had this to say about the land in his publication Innocents Abroad:
“….. A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds… a silent mournful expanse…. a desolation…. we never saw a human being on the whole route…. hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.”
God had a job to do to prepare the land for the return of the Jews so they could inhabit that land. One can Google pictures of that land during any time period from Twain’s visit to 1948 (even today) and you see a miraculous change from desolation to a lush, vibrant land. This is most certainly fulfillment of Bible prophecy, friend.
This is no big thing for God since He created everything in six days! May 1948 was a day of great joy for the Jews. They came from all over the world to inhabit their land, which God had prepared for them. Israel was known as the “fig tree” according to Jesus. He taught us to learn from the parable of the Fig Tree:
Mat 24:32-33 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (33) So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
So what does this have to do with knowing we are close to Christ’s return? Jesus said in the very next verse. He said that the generation who would see that blessed event would not pass away before His return!
Mat 24:34-35 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Friend, we are that generation! Rejoice! We can take this to the bank because Jesus said that Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words shall NOT pass away. That means you can believe His promise! From May 1948, anyone who was born would have the opportunity to witness His return, if death didn’t come first.
I want to give you one more golden nugget for you to get excited about and that can be found in:
Rev 3:10 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.
According to Strong’s Concordance, the word “from” in this verse is “ek” in Greek. Ek means “out of.” Therefore, Jesus will keep the Church “out of” the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world! I have this note in my Bible: “Encourage one another – there is hope, not doom and gloom”! This verse cannot be referring to the Church when John was speaking of the church at Philadelphia because during that time no judgment since the Great Flood had come upon the entire earth to try them; and neither to date. We’ve seen flooding, pestilence, earthquakes, etc., but not a severe judgment (as in Noah’s day) upon the entire earth.
If you never learned about the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that these devotionals have been a blessing to you. 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!
Mat 24:7-8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows.
The dawn is breaking and it’s time to wake up, dear reader! Wipe the sleep from your eyes, get that cup of your favorite morning beverage and let’s get going. I thought I would share some facts which are an indication to the end times.
I subscribe to an app that alerts me any time there is an earthquake that is greater than a 5.0 on the Richter Scale. Why you may ask? A message covering the Rapture and the end times is what drew me to the Lord! I’ve been excited about any topic dealing with the end times ever since! So let’s proceed.
Jesus’ message above mentioned that increased earthquakes would be indicative that we were in the end times. He mentioned that all these things listed in verse 7 are the “beginning of sorrows.” The New Testament was originally written in Greek and they can have several words for one word that we use in the English language. For example, the word “sorrows” in verse 8 according to the Greek is:
ōdin o-deen’ Akin to G3601; a pang or throe, especially of childbirth: – pain, sorrow, travail.
Strong’s Concordance
That Greek word tells us that when we see these increased famines, pestilences and earthquakes, it will be like having birth pains. Review the chart above. We can truly see these “birth pains” in today’s picture of earthquakes from the year 2000 through 2020 with a rating above a 5.0 rating on the Richter Scale. You can also see from 2004 to 2011, earthquakes rose significantly. Beginning in 2012, they decreased but they were still higher than the years prior 2011. This is exactly like labor pains. The pains get stronger and closer together.
The USGS states that there were three major earthquakes (greater than 6.0) in 1900. One hundred years later, in 2000, USGS recorded 160. This is more than 150 major quakes than in 1900. Between 1900 to 1918, USGS recorded 147 major quakes. This is 13 less jolts than the 160 recorded in 2000. Between 2000 to 2018, the USGS has already recorded 2,911 major quakes so far. This is an incredible 2,764 more tremors than between 1900 to 1918. And you can’t even load the map on the USGS website! Between 1900 to 1918, the yearly average number of major quakes was 12. Since 2000, this number has risen to 243/year.
This is just one of the three items mentioned in today’s Bible verse. I’m sure if we were to research the other two, we would find similar results. The fact that these three events will increase in frequency and intensity reveals to us that we are in fact in the end times. There’s no need to be scared for the born-again believer. It’s an exciting time for us to be alive actually. It means that we won’t die a physical death but be raptured! Do you realize how wonderful that is for the believer???? Imagine not dying!
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!
Mat 24:6-7 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Wakey Wakey, eggs and bakey LOL! Are you alert and ready for your day? I’m the type of person that is fully awake once my feet hit the floor. However, some take a while to wake up. The Rapture will happen faster than my feet hitting the floor! The Bible says it will be in the twinkling of an eye! Wow! It’s been said that this occurs in eleven and one-hundredths of a second! Double Wow! I don’t want to miss this event and I’m 100% positive I won’t.
1 Co 15:52 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.
I’m not saying that difficult times won’t be part of our lives prior to the Rapture. The news is filled with the war that Russia has started in the Ukraine! It’s so sad to read about the death and destruction. But rather than concentrating on the news and the events, we must remember that we can’t dwell on the negatives. We must keep ourselves centered on Christ and His return, not on the antichrist and the who/what/when!
I’ve also been reading other articles that make it clear that we are currently in those end times. We must remember that the entire Old Testament revolves around Israel and their Messiah, King Jesus, including all the prophecies. One of the news articles that struck me today covers Israel’s main enemy, Iran.
Iran unveils ‘Khaibar-buster’ missile ‘capable of hitting American bases in the region and targets within Israel‘: Weapon is named after Jewish castle which was overrun by Muslims
The missile has high accuracy, is manufactured completely domestically, and can defeat missile shield systems, the report said, although this information has not been independently verified.
There has never been a time where Iran could attack from afar in efforts to destroy Israel. Now is that time! Wake up sleepy Christians and look up for your redemption draweth nigh! Our Redeemer can rapture us Home at any moment so let’s be found doing His work and leading as many as possible to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Some say that we are currently in the Tribulation period and that those who believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture are blind to those evil powers in existence today who are running things. I understand perfectly that there are evil powers out there. The god of this world is very busy. However, the Book of Revelation details are very clear on what will happen during the Tribulation. Just in Chapter 6 alone, one-fourth of the population will die. Our current population on earth is 7.9 billion souls. A fourth of the population will die, which will be 1,975,000,000 (that’s 1.975 BILLION people) according to Revelation 6:8:
Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
That will leave a population of 5 billion 925 million in the earth’s population. Many more will die as the Tribulation continues and the trumpet judgments begin. Why do I know this? The first trump alone brings a burning of a third of the earth, a third of the trees, and all green grass.
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
I won’t list everything here that is to come during this horrific time. However, we have not seen these things happen as of yet but they will happen. These are not symbolic! As well, the antichrist has not yet been revealed. Some believe that an organization like the Illuminati are running things. That could very well be true. Illuminati is Latin for “enlightened.” A simple internet search will produce hundreds of “enlightened” information. The first Illuminati occurred in the Garden of Eden with the serpent and Eve:
Gen 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan is at the root of enlightenment. After all, he is known as the angel of light:
2Co 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
I said all of this to say: It cannot be an “organization” that will be the antichrist. It will be a person who will make a treaty with Israel. He will proclaim himself to be God and will set himself in the Temple (which has not been built yet).
2Th 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The devil has hated the Jews since the beginning. He was at the root of every earthly leader who has sought to destroy them (i.e., Hitler et al). His goal is to destroy Israel. Israel existed for about 680 years in the Old Testament. It did not come into existence again until May 14, 1948. This is an historical milestone, reader! When the Church began, Israel’s judgment was placed on hold until the Church is removed. Then Daniels’ 70th week begins at the signing of a treaty between the antichrist and Israel.
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.
Daniel says that the antichrist will confirm a covenant with Israel for one week. As we have seen in prior posts, one week is equivalent to 7 years. This covenant will usher in the Tribulation. Then in the middle of that 7 years, the antichrist will break that covenant and will stop the sacrifice and oblations in the Temple. There is no Temple in Israel yet. There are preparations currently being made but no actual Temple. Friend, it stands to reason that if the Temple is mentioned, it has to be built. Israel will be at the center of every war and judgment. God’s desire is that Israel repent and they believe on Jesus Christ, their Messiah. The Book of Revelation is NOT all symbolic. It refers to specific events that are in plain print and easily understood. Don’t be deceived by those who say that the Church and Israel are equal. That is called replacement theology and is a lie that began as early as the fourth century! In fact, I was taught this in Catholicism.
But reader, don’t be alarmed. The Bible says:
1Th 5:1-11 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The peace and safety will appear to come when the antichrist signs the treaty with Israel which hails in the Tribulation. Those people who are excited about this peace and safety will receive sudden destruction! But read what Paul continues to tell us “But YE, BRETHREN, are NOT in darkness! Friend, why would Paul add that in if we believers are to be part of the sudden destruction? Paul continues to say:
(5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
So if I were to tell you of all the horrible things to come (i.e., plagues, wars, earthquakes, pestilences, lack of food, and destruction, and how Christians will have to die for their faith, etc., and how Christians will have to die for their faith, etc.,) during the Tribulation, how can I turn around and tell you: “Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another”? Come on! Do you think our Groom, Jesus Christ, would allow His Bride (the Church), to be hurt? Jesus said that the end would be just in the days of Noah. Noah was placed in the ark of protection. He was removed from the destruction and when the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat, a new earth began. The old earth was destroyed. When we are raptured, we go to Heaven to be with Christ. That will be the only time we see Heaven. Then Christ returns with us by His side and destroys the enemy. He then ushers in the Millennium and renews the earth. Both Noah and the Church are protected by God!
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Rev 6:16 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: Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
The Lamb, our Saviour and King, has not appointed us to wrath. But He will unleash His wrath during the Tribulation! The Church, the Bride of Christ, will be taken up before that peace treaty with Israel is signed by the antichrist.
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!
How’s your morning going so far? I start my morning standing at my Kuerig and enjoying the fragrance of that first cup of coffee. My office is the next stop where I spend time with my precious Saviour and Lord of my life. I speak to Him and He responds as I read my Bible. Some read the newspaper or news online to get started with their day. I do that as well but after my time with Him❣ I would rather feed my spirit from God’s Word so that I can filter my thoughts through His Word as I read other things.
It’s good, however, to be up-to-date in what’s going on in the world so we can be wise. I find that the news media is biased and not for the conservative side. There are only a couple of news channels that offer news from the conservative viewpoint but the rest are puppets of the world’s viewpoint. As I read, I know what to pray for and how I should be praying. The Holy Spirit has already prepared my heart as I started my day with the Lord!
The liberal media is trying to push a one-world government agenda and the first part of that involves brainwashing the citizens. Oh do we ever see this happening today! The vaccinated blame the unvaccinated, the political left blames the right. The unbelieving world uses the internet like a newspaper, believing everything they read as truth! I can’t recall a more evil and corrupt world than I see now. I heard a quote recently: “The problem of the heart is the heart of the problem!” This is so true. Although the churches are filled with people, they are not all necessarily born-again Christians – their heart has not been converted.
I was born again on April 1st, 1980. At that time, I could go visit strangers with the Pastor’s wife and talk to them about the Lord. However, today, not only would that be physically dangerous but would be classified as “hate speech”! I think it is good to share news stories as they relate with the Scriptures and, more specifically, the end times. They help us to see that the Rapture is imminent – it can happen at any moment (so be ready)!
Remember, reader, the Tribulation period is all about Israel. The Church did not replace Israel! The pause between Daniel’s 69th and 70th week ushered in the Church Age. After the Church Age (after the Rapture), God will resume His judgment on Israel and Daniel’s 70th week begins (the Tribulation). This same judgment will affect the entire globe, not just Israel. The Church is already with Christ in Heaven and ready for the Marriage Supper so the Church will not receive this judgment. God will spare the Church from going through this judgment for Israel’s spiritual rebellion and we will be kept from that time!
Rev 3:10 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.
As we look at what the world’s condition is in at this time and await the Rapture, we will see both anti-Christian news and anti-Israel news and discrimination. Those of us who have been blessed to live in the United States are free to practice our faith at the moment. But as time draws nearer to the end, that wonderful privilege will be taken away. It took a pandemic to close most churches. Some remained opened and suffered the consequences of government interference. But oh how the world hated the fact that some pastors refused to close down their church. Some were arrested and placed in jail while other Christians applauded the arrest! It seems the world has gone topsy-turvy!
We are also seeing our constitutional freedoms being taken away. Our forefathers’ foundation is dwindling. The following article was posted on Christian Post on February 6th, 2022, (link below). The article is entitled “55 federal agencies tracking religious objection requests amid concern from conservatives”: the paragraphs which bothered me the most are below.
For example, the Treasury Department’s Office of Civil Rights and Diversity has stated its database will document all religious exemption requests and denials.
The office “will track and maintain ‘information about a requestor’s religious beliefs’ as well as the ‘informal dispute resolution’ of each person,” the Liberty Counsel Action statement reads.
“It will also record ‘correspondence,’ ‘supporting notes and documentation’ and even ‘records of oral conversations,’ on every person who requests an exemption. This database will track and record this level of information for everyone from ‘pre-employment, during current or former employment or for [attendees at] a particular event.’”
While there are variations in the rules across the government agencies, the group warns that “all of them are causing serious concern about invasive privacy violations by the federal government recording and permanentlystoring religious and medical data on those seeking exemptions.”
If this doesn’t bother you, it should! This is pointing toward the end times and the ability of the Antichrist to track those who do not receive his mark.
Rev 13:16-17 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
How else can the Antichrist track people except they have some kind of mark? The Bible says that they will be forced to take his mark on their foreheads or right hand. What kind of mark is it? The Bible doesn’t say but it clearly says there will be one. Make no mistake, reader, those who accept this mark will be condemned to Hell and that is not a place you want to go to for all eternity!
As well, the one-world religion will prevent anyone from following any “spiritual” beliefs other than what they will teach. The enforcement of this will be imposed by the one-world government.
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.
The biblical end times reveal that this tracking of information will be alive and well during the Tribulation. One must study the Word of God. Only the light of the Word of God can illuminate the heart and open the eyes of the blind. We must be wise! Ask the Lord to show you what is His will for you.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 1 Cor 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
The general rule of thumb for Christians should be: If the world is FOR something, you should question it because the world is evil! Do your research – read your Bible – pray asking for wisdom. God does not forsake His child.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
End time news can be exciting to the born-again Christian because they know their Blessed Hope can come for him/her any second! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story: fear sets in their hearts. 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!
