So little time

Why the title of “So little time”? Because we are so close to the end of the age that’s why! I am not going to try to predict anything here, but if you pay attention to the events happening around the world, we are getting very close. When will the church be taken up to Heaven? I have no idea. It could be tonight or three months from now or even three years from now. But, in God’s time, it will happen and it will likely happen sooner than most people think it will.

The timing of the “rapture” of the church and its believers and the beginning of the Tribulation are entirely up to God. There are no clues which give the date for these things found in the Bible. There are some prophecies which foretell the things which will happen before that day and many of those are happening right now. But to think that you can come up with a date and time is foolish. God’s Word is not that specific for clues to the Tribulation or the time of the rapture as some seem to think it is.

God cares for the whole human race and He is working to bring as many to a saving grace through Jesus as possible before that day comes. He is the only Person who knows the end from the beginning and He knows the names written in the Book of Life. When those are fulfilled and no more are joining the ranks of the Bride of Christ, which is the church redeemed, then the trumpet will sound and there will be a shout for all of the dead in Christ to rise! Then those of us who are alive will be caught up with them to be with Him forever.

This prophecy is the only one left to be fulfilled before the Tribulation begins. It will begin with the peace treaty between Israel and its enemies all around it, but until then everything will continue on as it has before. Your eternity, whether you believe in God or Jesus or not, will be determined by your decision toward Him. You will enter into eternity by being judged by the actions of your life OR you will be welcomed into eternity by being a redeemed sinner covered by the blood of Jesus.

I know there are some who think that Christianity is a “bloody religion” just because of the death of Jesus on the cross. It could be called that because it is the blood of Jesus which paid the debt for all of our sins, but we are talking about His blood, the Lamb of God, which took away the sins of the world! Whether everyone accepts this or not, and most don’t, it is still part of what God put in place for our redemption. You can choose to believe in it and the Person who died and rose again for you or not, but the fact is that your belief in Him and what He did is the only way to gain access to Heaven.

God provided this and it was put in motion long before the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. As the Bible says, “the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world“, Jesus was prepared to die for all of mankind even before Adam was created! Make sure of your eternity and place your faith in Him. Amen

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What are we to do?

It seems that we have been warned in a couple of ways and in prophecy too. But…are we listening? I’m not so sure about that. A little over a decade ago, sixteen years to be exact, our country was warned in the form of an attack by terrorists and yet we decided to build again with “dressed stone” and defy God’s warning. We have had numerous hurricanes since then and we still aren’t getting the message. Two of which are very recent and very destructive but are we going to listen this time?

IamtheWay It doesn’t seem so.

Why are we being so stubborn about turning back to God? I realize He isn’t politically correct, but God doesn’t have to be! He’s God our Creator after all!

So, what are we supposed to do? Have you ever heard the scripture “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

We need to turn back to God and repent of our sins so that He will heal our land and the problems which we have today. The problem with this is that we won’t repent. We have become a secular nation bent on following our own thoughts and desires rather than the wisdom found in the Bible.

God did not create us to be this way but we have turned away from Him and His wisdom, particularly in the past fifty years or so. What will happen to our world if we don’t repent? The end of the age of grace is closer than anyone knows, except for God of course. When that time is up, the church will be taken to Heaven and the Tribulation will begin.

For a while, there will be relative peace and things won’t look too bad. But when the first 1260 days or 3 1/2 years is done, then the desecration of the Temple (which will be rebuilt) will happen and the last 3 1/2 years will be hell on Earth. Some people don’t believe that the church will be taken first, but according to scripture the church isn’t mentioned after chapter four in Revelation. Which likely means that the church is not going to have to undergo God’s wrath.

If you have ever considered giving your life and heart to Jesus, I am suggesting that you get serious about it today. We are not guaranteed tomorrow and life is so short, particularly since we are living in the last days of the Last Days. Seek Him out while there is time to do it.

Will you come back?

Many people seem to be leaving the church today, for one reason or another. They are either too busy or tired of the same old sermons being taught over and over, or at least that is what they think it is being done. The message of the Bible, from the Genesis to Revelation, is salvation through Jesus the Messiah. So, yes it does sound a bit like the same message over and over again but that is what God had to do in the Old Testament to get Israel’s attention. He still has to do it today, even with grace and mercy and Jesus’ atonement for our sins. If the message weren’t repeated then many people wouldn’t hear it.

God loves each of you and He has made salvation easy but it seems that it is too easy. It seems that many look at something which is free and easy isn’t worth much, but that kind of thinking is wrong. Jesus did all of the work necessary to accomplish your salvation and mine, the only thing we have to do is realize that we need it then ask Him to come into our lives and change each of us from the heart outward!

Why should you come back to church?

Because, God’s Word is being preached there and because your home church needs you! We want you back because when Jesus comes back we want to all go up there together! This isn’t something which is dependent upon your location though. If you belong to Jesus, you will be caught up in the air to be with Him forever. The alternative destination is not one that you want to look forward to at all.

Why is that? Because, being in “outer darkness” and away from the love of God is the place you will be in. It is hell because the Presence of God is not there and your loved ones who know Jesus will be elsewhere. At the end, at the White Throne judgement you will be cast into the lake of fire with the other angels and humans who have decided to follow their own path and not the one of following Jesus.

God doesn’t put you into hell or the lake of fire, your decisions in this life do that all by themselves. It is your decision to walk and live one way or another. The end results are very different but eternity still lingers in front of you, make sure of your eternity before it is too late to change your mind.