What is the Rapture?
It’s known as the Rapture of the Church – the end of the church age, and the beginning of the seven year period known as the Tribulation period, where the Antichrist will rule and reign over the earth in a one-world government.
Well, guess what — God is giving us a snapshot of what that might look like – today.
The church, as we know it, is gone.
Missing going to church? Even if your church is now “open” – it’s just not the same. Everyone’s wearing masks, no one is hugging or shaking hands. It’s impersonal.
Well, in the Tribulation, the church is gone. The building will still be there, but if the pastor was a believing man – he’s gone.
If the pastor is still around – he’s probably repenting to the point where he’s not having services anyway – what’s the point? Actually, he should be repenting big-time, then working to get people saved because he now knows what lies ahead.
Deadness of spirit
A clip from a sermon by Robert Murray M’Cheyne (1813-1843) is very appropriate here:
When God is present with power in any land, then there are always many awakened to a sense of sin and flocking to Christ. One godly minister, speaking of such a time, says, “There were tokens of God’s presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families, on account of salvation being brought to them. Parents were rejoicing over their children as newborn, husbands over their wives, and wives over their husbands. The town seemed to be full of the presence of God. It never was so full of love nor of joy, and yet never so full of distress, as it was then.” We have nothing of the kind with us. What a dismal contrast do most of our families present. How many families are there that do not have one living soul!
That last sentence, describes today, to a tee. How many families are there, that don’t have one living soul – saved by the blood of Christ?
During revival periods, entire towns would be gathered at the church – without reason, prostrate on the ground, in reverent awe of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moved that much in the town.
In Los Angeles, in 1909, on Azuza Street – a revival so large, that it reignited the Pentecostal movement.
People are looking for revival today – and I would love to see it happen… but are God’s people waiting on the Holy Spirit to move? No – they’re more interested in who’s going to prison, and what corruption is being exposed.
Yes, this is important – but what’s more important is, are these people being saved, or at least being told the gospel? Are they being prayed for?
I think that if we were more in prayer for the offenders, than cheering on the “perp walks” – the Holy Spirit can move.
Continuing on with M’Cheyne’s sermon…
How much deadness is there among true Christians! In times of reviving, when God is present with power in any land, not only are unconverted persons awakened and made to flee to Christ, but those who were in Christ before, receive new measures of the Spirit. They undergo, as it were, a second new birth. They are brought into the palace of the King and say, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine” (Song of Sol. 1:2).
A dear Christian in such a time says, “My wickedness, as I am in myself, has long appeared to me perfectly unspeakable-like an infinite deluge, or mountains over my head. I do not know how to express better what my sins appear to me to be, than by heaping infinite upon infinite, and multiplying infinite by infinite.” How little of this feeling there is among us! How few seem to feel sin as an infinite evil! How plain that God is a stranger in the land!
How many of us can truly look at ourselves and say with a straight face, that we’re living for the Holy Spirit today?
How many people have you shown the gospel today?
How many people have you shown the love of Christ through your actions today?
How did you start your day? Did you thank God for the new day He gave you? The day He gave you to serve Him? Did you pray for our nation, and the distress it’s going through? Did you pray for our leaders, for God to give them the wisdom to make decisions to govern His way?
When was the last time you led your family in a devotional time?
If you’re feeling a little queasy about these questions – good! Time to examine yourself.
M’Cheyne finishes this portion with:
The boldness of sinners in sin is great. As in Jeremiah’s day, so in ours; many seem as if their necks were made of iron and their foreheads were of brass (Isa. 48:4). When God is present with power, then open sinners, though they may remain unconverted, are often restrained. There is an awe of God in their spirits. It is not so amongst us. The flood-gates of sin are opened. “They proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it” (Isa. 3:9). Isn’t it, then, a time to cry, “Oh the hope of Israel and its Savior!”
When the Holy Spirit is moving in a big way – even those who aren’t saved, are examining themselves and their actions.
Is this happening today? No!
Hoardes of lawless people are destroying property, taking sections of our cities hostage, and chanting for their respective causes – with sin being the end result of these protests.
Signs of the times
Let’s look at Matthew chapter 24, starting in verse 3, through verse 8:
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
More of this picture is shown here – a lot from the last twelve months:
How many false ministers are showing up on television – they’re out there in droves, fleecing unsuspecting sheep of their property, making outrageous claims.
We’ve had wars – including world wars – but not like the one that’s coming. Ezekiel 38 and 39 tell of a great war that will include (using modern day countries), Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, Libya and Ethiopia.
China, Russia, Iran and Turkey – are all making strategic, military alliances – and will strike against Israel from the north.
Libya and Ethiopia will make alliances and strike from the south.
The resulting war will take place on the plains of Meggido – it’s called Armageddon.
But before this war occurs, God will take His people home, in the Rapture, and end the church age. Prophecy from Ezekiel 38 and 39 is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
Nation is rising up against nation today. China is rising up against India, Taiwan, the United States and other nations — not just militarily, but also in cyberspace and in finance and trade.
Look around the globe – are there any peaceful areas today, where there isn’t a nation threatening another? You’d be hard-pressed to find one.
Famine and earthquakes have been around for a long time now – but both have increased with alarming frequency of late – especially the earthquakes
Now, let’s look at verses 9-13 of Matthew 24:
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Look around this nation – and the world. The name of Jesus used to be revered, and the Ten Commandments could be found in virtually every town square.
Not anymore.
God’s Word, and God Himself, is hated more in this nation – that was founded on the Judeo-Christian heritage – and around the world. In many parts of the world, including parts of Africa and the Middle East – and China – you can be killed for just professing Christ. In China, they’ll send you off to a camp, and harvest your organs for transplant into another person.
We also see a falling away from the church, of many, who used to profess their love of Christ. Of late, there have been at least three, well known, worship leaders, who have publicly denounced their faith – and at least two, who have started homosexual relationships.
It’s said that only about 25% of people who call themselves “Christian” – are truly “born again Christians”.
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:13, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
What this means is simple – not as many people as you think, will be going to Heaven. Most will be on that broad road – to destruction, and that’s so sad.
Verses 21-23 emphasize this – Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
There will be pastors and evangelists – left behind. Why? Because they were more interested in lining their pockets than the salvation of people.
Are you beginning to see the picture?
This is nothing, compared to what’s coming during those seven years. What you see today, is just a snapshot of the horrors to come.
You don’t want to be here for this – trust me.
I encourage you to listen to my four-part series on the End Times, which goes into the Tribulation in detail – in everyday language.
I implore you – meet Jesus now, because you won’t want to live through this.
He’s describing the way to Heaven, and the number of people who will actually make it – aren’t as many as pastors would have us believe.
Are you ready to meet Jesus when He comes? He could come in five minutes, an hour, tonight, tomorrow, He could come at any time – we don’t know when. You’re not promised tomorrow, and if you’re left behind, it will be a chaotic time for everyone.
How many of you are preaching against the sin of same-sex marriage, homosexuality and transgenderism? I mean really railing against it? I think I’ve heard one pastor, other than myself do so.
How many of you are preaching against the sin of abortion? The murder of unborn children? I think I’ve heard three, other than myself, do so.
Now, referring back to John 19:31, the bodies had to be removed and buried before Passover – sundown that night – as days run from sunrise to sunset – therefore, they had to be removed in a hurry – before sunset.
How messed up the Vatican is – to force the pagan holiday of “Ishtar” (pronounced Easter) on the Christian world. Back in the 320’s AD, this was done to get the pagans converted to Christianity – Constantine, the monarch at that time, “legalized” Christianity – and this was a way to get the pagans “on board” – to them, Jesus was just another “god” – one of many.
God and the Bible has been taken out of schools – and the home – so now parents are being forced to parent their kids, including teaching and disciplining them. I have a caregiver who has several kids at home, and she said that she’s tearing down all of the Common Core garbage of “estimating correct answers” – and teaching them how to add, subtract, multiply and divide to get the correct answer. And she’s disciplining them with chores to be done before she gets home – holding them accountable for what’s been assigned. Something sorely lacking today – because we’ve molly-coddled these kids.
Yes, God’s taken your cinema, your shows and your concerts, because you’ve held actors, singers and musicians as your idols;