End Times – Page 5 – Resounding Shophar Ministries

What’s In Your Heart?

Two men have been lost and walking through the woods for a number of days. They’ve run out of food a few days ago and they drank the last of their water 18 hours ago. Both men are tired from the ordeal wondering if they will ever find their way back or at least get rescued. Having gone so long without water all the while traipsing up and down the hills has made both of them really thirsty. As they try to get their bearings and figure out where they need to go they stumble upon an old hunters shack nestled among the trees along the side of a hill. They hurry inside hoping to find some food and water only to find an old gallon jar ¾ full of water. One man is very excited because they now have some water to drink that could help sustain them a couple more days, but the other man doesn’t see it the same way. He finds himself wondering how stale the water is, whether or not there is any bacteria in it that could cause them to get sick, and concerned that it’s not full.

For one man, he just naturally sees the positive in the situation and rejoices in it, recognizing the big blessing this ¾ full jar is, not thinking about how it could be bad. The second man realizes the water is a blessing, but he’s more concerned about how that water could negatively impact them if they drink it. One man is excited that his life can be sustained a little longer as they try to get back to home base, but the second man is more concerned that his life might be shortened if he drinks the only thing that could possibly sustain them. Two men in exactly the same predicament, but two men with vastly different ways of viewing their situation and life itself.

I think about the Christians in the early church and the persecution they had to endure for the sake of Jesus, persecution that at times inflicted great pain to them physically and often times even cost them their lives. I wonder how they looked at their situations. Did they look at them the way the first man in our story did, or did they look at them the way the second man did? Personally, I think the second man would have had a very hard time going through that persecution because his focus was more on the “what if’s”. The first person would probably be stronger because he focused on the positives, knowing that as Christ suffered for us he would consider it an honor to suffer for Him, and also because he would know that in a short while he would finally be with Jesus.

Christians have been persecuted for their faith ever since its inception on the Day of Pentecost. This is nothing new, though it may be new for us in America where we once were known as a Christian nation. Even Jesus was persecuted for the message He brought to humanity, a message of hope, love, grace, forgiveness and life eternal. As we see our country distancing itself more and more from Biblical Christianity, and even becoming more and more hostile towards Christians and the Biblical standards we seek to adhere to, Christians are coming under fire here unlike any other time in this nation’s history. As Christians we are faced with a situation where our response is very important, and our perception to these times will play a significant part in how we deal with them. Are we concerned about how people will view us or what they may do? Are we focusing on how others may take advantage of us or turn what we think is good into something that will end up being bad for us? Or do we trust God that He has us covered and will take care of us no matter what may or may not happen?

As we watch and prepare for the very soon return of Christ for the Church, we need to be mindful of what way in which we view the situations in our life and the world around us. While we may know that things are only going to get worse until the tribulation period comes to an end, we need to make sure our perception of things and how we respond to them will strengthen us and not sap us of our strength and energy. One way of knowing the condition of your heart is to ask yourself what your initial response to the above story was, not the response after your initial response. It’s important to note your initial responses to situations as that often times reveals what is truly in your heart. A lot of times we can have our initial response within ourselves only to quickly change that once our mind engages and takes another look at things, but what is in our heart is usually seen in our initial responses.

If you find that your initial responses tend to be more like the second man in our story than the first man, then you really need to ask God to help change your heart more into what the first man in our story portrays. In fact, you’ll find that life is much more relaxed and enjoyable when you do than if your heart and initial responses are like the second man. The second man is caught up in “what if’s”, worry and doubt, bound up such that he will miss the blessings and joys of life God is trying to bless him with. God doesn’t want you to be like the second man, so He’s more than willing and able to help change that in your heart, if you will allow Him to and follow His lead no matter what that might entail.

There’s a popular commercial on TV that asks a simple question, “what’s in your wallet?” Similar to this question I have to ask you this, “what’s in your heart?” It’s a simple question that packs quite a punch when carefully and honestly considered.

John Johansson

It’s In The Oil

I know I’ve written about the parable of the ten virgins located in Matthew 25:1-13 in previous blogs, but today I want to focus on a particular aspect of this parable. Just as a reminder, this parable speaks of ten virgins, five who were foolish and five who were wise. The setting, or the picture you can say, comes from the wedding customs of the ancient Jews. In this setting, the bride and groom have already entered into a marriage contract with each other, and before the consummation of this process the groom leaves the bride to prepare a place for her. During this time they don’t have any contact with each other. While the groom is away at his father’s house preparing a place for his bride, the bride is identified and set apart as one who is spoken for and already married, and her time is to be spent preparing herself with diligence for her groom, not knowing when he will return for her. While it is the groom’s responsibility to prepare a place for his bride, the bride’s responsibility is to diligently prepare herself for him by the time he returns for her. During this time she is to be watching with anticipation for her grooms return, and this is because she knows that if he finds her not watching with anticipation, he will return to his father’s house without her and will subsequently give her a letter of divorcement. It is a shameful thing for a bride to get left behind because she wasn’t watching for her grooms return, but if she is found watching the groom will take her back to his father’s house where they will finally consummate their marriage.

In this parable, the virgins represent Christians, those who have entered into a saving relationship with Christ. Just as these virgins are waiting for the return of the groom, even so we are waiting for the return of our groom, Jesus. At midnight the cry is sounded indicating the imminent return of the groom, and for us as Christians the cry of Christ’s return for us has been sounding through the explosive rate in which end-time Bible prophecy has been getting fulfilled right before our eyes. As the virgins awoke from the sounding cry announcing the return of the bridegroom, even so we need to awaken to the cry of our grooms soon and imminent return for us, His bride. When the virgins awoke to the cry, they immediately began to make final preparations for the grooms return. So, seeing the fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy indicating Jesus’ imminent return, are we making final preparations for Him?

When the virgins awoke they began to check and to trim their lamps, and it wasn’t until this point in the parable that it became evident who were wise and who were foolish. Those who were foolish were identified by their lack of oil, and when they asked the wise for some of theirs they were told to go to those who sell to buy their own. It was during this time that the bridegroom returned and took the wise back to his father’s house, and when the foolish returned they were denied entrance to the wedding. What does the oil represent in the life of a Christian, and how does one obtain it?

Over the years I have heard two arguments as to what the oil represents, but I want to propose a third argument of what it represents. Based on the fact that the Holy Spirit is sometimes represented in scripture as oil, some have argued that the oil in this parable also represents the Holy Spirit. The problem I have with this argument is that we cannot buy the Holy Spirit. In Acts 8:9-25, we have someone that tried to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, and he was rebuked for it by the Apostles. The second argument is that the oil represents ones works, and while I do believe there is some basis for this view I do disagree with that one. Our salvation is not a result of works, but scripture does point to works resulting from and because of our salvation and relationship with Christ. Some would argue that we are free from having to do any works because of the grace by which we are saved, but this isn’t so. In Philippians 2:12-13, we are told by the Apostle Paul to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”, and that we are “to do” for His good pleasure. In other instances of Paul’s writing’s, when he mentions “fear and trembling”, it is connected to obedience which implies works on our part. In James 2:14-26, James the brother of Jesus tells us that faith without works is dead, and that our faith is made perfect by our works. Okay, I got onto a bit of a rabbit trail with that, but I do not believe the oil entirely represents our works.

The third argument I would like to suggest for what the oil represents is based on the comments of the wise virgins to the foolish, specifically that they were to go and buy from those who sell. As was mentioned previously, you can’t buy and sell the Holy Spirit, so what does this mean? I realize this is a parable, but I believe Jesus is trying to tell us something with that statement. In fact, does Jesus make any reference anywhere else about buying or costs? Yes, He does in fact. In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus talks about the cost of following Him. In this passage He talks of one seeking to build and that a wise builder counts whether or not he has enough to finish building, and in the same way talks of a king seeking to go to war and that a good king will count the cost of whether or not he has enough to win the war. Jesus goes on to say we need to count the cost of following Him, and that anything less than totally surrendering to Him and dying to self is not enough. While some may argue there is no cost in following Jesus, Jesus makes it very clear that there is a very significant cost to following after Him. The cost He is requiring of us is a New Testament version of the first commandment of the Old Testament, to love the Lord our God with all our strength, mind, heart and soul. Where the Old Testament laws focused on words and actions, the two New Testament commandments Jesus gave us in Matthew 22:34-40 not only encapsulated the ten into two, but also enhanced them by focusing on the heart and our motivations and attitudes. Jesus’ teachings reinforced by the rest of the New Testament writings, requires us to check our heart condition by the motivations, attitudes, and priorities of our heart. To follow after Jesus and to be His disciples requires us to die to self, to deny ourselves and carry our cross to follow Him. To do so means we place our goals, our agendas, our selfish desires, our likes and dislikes, our successes and failures, our friends and family, and even our reputations on the cross and let Him live through us. The Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20 that we need to die to self so that Christ will live through us.

So, I believe the oil in this parable represents the cost of following Christ, and how much or how little we paid that price. This would also explain why it was it took the foolish virgin’s time to acquire more oil as this is something that takes time. It isn’t based on our words but on our priorities and the actions or works we do that reflect them. So, it’s in the oil. Is our life one where we’ve been paying the price of following Him, or did our relationship with Him start correctly at the time we said “I do” to Him only to fade as we allowed the cares of life, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life to take precedence in our life. Depending on the translation of the Bible you use, either the foolish virgins lamps had already gone out, or they were in the process of going out. In either case, they didn’t have enough oil to keep their lamps burning and were in dire need of getting more oil.

In this parable, the five foolish virgins got more oil, missed the grooms return and went to the groom’s house, but the door was shut and they were denied entrance. The parable doesn’t indicate what happened to them beyond their being denied entrance, but one thing for sure is that they were no longer the bride. In regards to the rapture of the church, the bride of Christ, there will be some who are left behind and no longer considered the bride. In Luke 14:29, Jesus said the builder who didn’t have enough to finish would be mocked by those who see it, and in Revelation 16:15 Jesus tells us in the midst of the judgments that those who had not watched and kept their garments (of righteousness) would be seen naked and ashamed. I don’t know about you, but I have no intentions of being left behind to be seen as naked and ashamed.

Where does it leave those who weren’t prepared for Jesus’ return and was left behind? In previous blogs I have written about the seven feasts God established to show us His plan of redemption for all mankind. The first four have already been fulfilled with three remaining. The next feast to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah. This feast represents what we know to be the rapture of the church, where as the Jews understand it is when God separates the wholly righteous from the wholly unrighteous and those in between. It is the period of time between this feast and the following feast called Yom Kippur that we have an idea of what awaits those who don’t go up in the rapture. The dispensation of grace ends with the rapture of the bride, Rosh Hashanah, and afterwards people will solidify their eternal destination based on their works. Either they will do works that will reinforce their desire to spend eternity in heaven, or they will do works that will reinforce their decision to reject God and His only begotten Son, Jesus. If this understanding is accurate, then those who are left behind will have to prove by their works that they desire to spend eternity in Heaven, even if it means giving their own life for the sake of Jesus. They might not enter Heaven as the bride of Christ, but they could possibly enter as the friend of the bride and groom.

So, it’s in the oil. Do you have enough oil to last until He returns, or should you go and buy some more? I hope you have enough, and I hope you are watching for Christ’s return. I also encourage you to read the words of Jesus found in the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation, words that Jesus gave the Apostle John about 60 years after His ascension, words that each of us who take on the name of Christian must heed and take seriously and to heart. Again, it’s in the oil.

Is It That Important?

In my last blog we took a look at whether or not scripture supports the view of a rapture, or a catching away of the church, Christ’s bride. I believe we successfully showed that scripture does in fact support the rapture theory, and that the argument opposed to that view is very weak. So, where do we go from there?

Over the years I have heard people who believe in the rapture argue about the need to be watching for the time of Christ’s return for His bride. Some have argued that there is no need for Christians to be concerned about it, citing that “when it happens it happens”. They generally have the idea, as I did until recent years, that every Christian will automatically be caught up when He returns, which lends itself to a false sense of security when it comes to the rapture. After all, isn’t salvation a free ticket to the rapture? Well, not necessarily.

While it is nice and feels good to believe that all Christians will go up in the rapture, scripture points out, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, that this isn’t necessarily the case. Some have concluded based on Jesus’ parable of the sower that only 25% of Christians will make it to heaven, and that based on His parable of the ten virgins only 50% of Christians will go up in the rapture. Only God knows the percentage of those who call themselves Christians will actually make it, but the scriptures are very clear that just because one believes themselves to be a Christian isn’t enough. Jesus, Himself, tells us in Matthew 7:13-14 that broad is the gate that leads to destruction, and narrow the gate and difficult the way that leads to eternal life. In Luke 13:24-30, Jesus also tells us to strive to enter in through the narrow gate for many will seek to enter but will not be able to. In Philippians 2:12-16, the Apostle Paul tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and then goes on to mention how we need to become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the crooked world we now live in. Did you catch that? Paul is telling us to become blameless, and in Ephesians 5:25-28, we’re told that Christ is coming back for a church without spot, wrinkle or blemish.

Does this tell us whether or not it is important for us to believe in the rapture, much less whether or not we as Christians need to even prepare for it? I think it safe to say it is important for us to believe in a rapture, not only because the Bible points to one but also because a person can’t watch or prepare for one if they don’t believe in it. And, as we can see from the above scripture, it is important for us to be prepared for it when it happens, which could be at any moment.

On a number of occasions Jesus tells everyone who follows Him, to “watch and pray”, and in one instance, Luke 21:34-36, Jesus even tells us to “pray that you’re counted worthy to escape” all the things that will come to pass in the last of the last days. Why would Jesus tell us that if we will automatically be raptured up because we are Christians? In Revelation 16:15, in the midst of the judgments being poured out on mankind during the tribulation period, in what could be a “news flash” Jesus blesses those who watch for His return and keeps their garments.

In Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus tells us in relation to His return to watch, citing that the good master of the house would be watching and would not allow his house to be broken into. In Luke 12:35-40, we see Luke addressing the same thing that Matthew did, indicating that the master of the house would be watching to prevent the thief from breaking into the house. In both passages, in reference to His return for His bride, Jesus tells us to be watching for His return, and that it is a good master of the house that watches to prevent the house from being broken into by a thief. In Mark 13:32-36, Mark recounts the same words but adds emphasis to them at the end when he shows that Jesus said “watch!”. Apparently it is very important to Jesus to command us, His followers, to be watching. The difference between the good master and the bad one was the watching.

I mentioned that some believe all Christians will go up in the rapture, and that is a scary thing to believe. Some don’t take the rapture very seriously because they believe they will have another opportunity after the rapture to get to heaven. The problem with this way of thinking is that Jesus apparently knows it is not a time we are going to want to be here for, the tribulation period that is. Not only that, but what guarantee do you have that you would be able to or even have that opportunity? Jesus commented a few times that there would be those who “missed it” that would try and enter into heaven after the door had been shut, and that they were denied entrance. This leaves a lot of questions for those Christians that were like the foolish virgins and unprepared when Christ returns, questions that I would prefer not waiting to get an answer for. I say we just plan on making sure we’re prepared for His return and not gamble with eternity. How about you?

What does it mean to be watching and praying? I’ve written a number of blogs on the subject that I’m not going to get into right now, but let me briefly address that. Jesus indicated that we need to be watching for the signs of His coming for His bride, and that is essential. When writing on the parable of the ten virgins, I indicated that I believe the “midnight cry” mentioned in the parable is the fulfillment of the prophetic signs of His return and the end. Are you paying attention to the fulfillment of Biblical end time prophecies that point to His return, or are you just busy living life with the idea that it will happen when it happens? Also, when you’re watching for something, you are making sure you’re ready when that thing arrives. If you’re waiting and watching for someone to come pick you up to go somewhere, you’re making sure you are ready when they arrive, right? If you were not watching for them to arrive, you would probably be too relaxed to be ready on time, and if you were not ready they might have to leave you behind. While watching means to be watching, watching also means to make sure we are prepared for Him. Are we striving to become more like Christ in every area of our life? Are we learning to live by the Spirit, to die to the flesh and its many desires and cravings, and to allow Jesus to live in and through us? Are we seeking the forgiveness of others when needed, and are we forgiving others as He has forgiven us, which was unconditional and non-negotiable in His eyes? Are we guarding ourselves from sin and the worlds influence on us?

When Jesus tells us, in conjunction to watching, to pray and to pray that we’re counted worthy to escape that which is coming to the earth, I believe that humility has to be key. None of us are, or will ever be on this side of eternity, perfect. I may be wrong, but I believe what goes into us being worthy hinges on our heart and pursuit to please Him in every area of our lives. That doesn’t mean that we will have it all together and be perfect examples and witnesses of Him, especially since we are all at different levels of maturity and growth in our walk with Him. I believe the key is our desire and efforts to live for Him, doing what He’s called us to, taking the unpopular stands for Him, righteousness and the Kingdom, and sharing the Gospel with others. The fact is there is no “formula” for being worthy to escape that which is coming to the earth, but it instead rests on Him to make that determination, and it is up to us to pursue that in our lives with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

So, in conclusion, I believe it is very important for us to not only believe in a rapture, but also that we live our lives preparing for it as a bride prepares for her wedding day. I’ve seen many a bride as she’s approaching the day of her wedding, no matter where she is at or who she is with, become almost obsessed with pleasing her groom and trying to prepare herself to be as pleasing to him as she can possibly be for that day. We are the bride of Christ, and are we just as driven to please and prepare ourselves for Him as a bride does for her groom? Just something to think about.

Rapture or No Rapture

I grew up in church and with the awareness of a soon coming rapture of the church, the bride of Christ. The only argument I ever heard never questioned if there would be a rapture, but rather when the rapture would take place, pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post-tribulation. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I had even heard of those who don’t believe in the rapture. I have heard some of the arguments used in defense of their assertions for there being no rapture, but it’s hard for me to find much substance to them. It’s not like they have a lot of scripture to support their views with, because they don’t, but it seems that in order for them to take the position that they do requires them to discount other scriptures which would support the rapture position.

Those who don’t believe the Bible speaks of a rapture are of the opinion that the rapture is a fairly new line of thought, and that it originates from the early 1800’s. This is not so. According to Chuck Missler, if we were to look outside of the scriptures found in the Bible, we would find that the earliest writings referring to a rapture, especially a pre-tribulation rapture, were as early as A.D. 100 in the epistle of Barnabas. This is followed by four other writings leading up to the fourth century writing of Ephraem, the Syrian.

It is believed by some that the basis for the idea of a rapture hinges upon two scriptures, I Thessalonians 4:15-17 and I Corinthians 15:51-53. While it is true that these are well used scriptures in defending the position of a rapture, we can find that the Bible has a lot more to say on the subject than just that. We see it not only in the words of the Apostle Paul, but also in the words of Jesus. We see it in the Jewish feasts, the marriage customs of the ancient Jews, and in some of the historical records found in the Old Testament. As I mentioned earlier, to discount the idea of the rapture as from God requires one to discount various aspects and sections of the Bible. I know that none of us truly want to do that, so let’s take a quick look at some of what I just mentioned.

To begin with we need to see that the idea of a rapture is seen in the seven feasts God gave the Jews to observe each year. It is commonly believed that the feasts were only for the Jews, but that is not the case. In Leviticus 23:2, God makes it very clear that these are His feasts that they are to observe. That same passage refers to these feasts as convocations, also translated as “rehearsals”. In other words, God established these feasts as rehearsals for an appointed time to come. Many believe that with Jesus and the subsequent dispensation of grace, the Old Testament has no real value to a Christian outside of historical information and to help us understand the plan of God leading to salvation through Jesus. Seeing how that none of the feasts were fulfilled until Jesus came, and that there are still three of the seven feasts left unfulfilled, it could be argued that the Old Testament is still very relevant to us as Christians in this day and age.

When we look at the Jewish feasts, Jesus fulfilled the first three and the birth of the Church fulfilled the fourth feast on the day of Pentecost. The next feast to be fulfilled is Rosh Hashanah, or the Feast of Trumpets, a feast that very closely parallels our understanding of the rapture. When we take a close look at this feast, there is a lot about it that screams out that it represents the rapture of the church. This fifth feast is next on God’s prophetic timetable yet to be fulfilled, and when we look at the final two feasts we see that they closely resemble the end of the tribulation period and the start of the 1000 year reign of Christ here on earth. In addition to that, the period of time between the fifth and sixth feasts is known as the “Days of Awe”, a period of time that appears to represent the seven-year tribulation period.

The Apostle Paul alludes to the Jewish feast Rosh Hashanah when he mentions the “last trump” in conjunction with the “catching away” of the Church. The “last trump” Paul talks about is not the seventh trumpet sound mentioned in the book of Revelation. How can we know that? To begin with, the way Paul mentions the “last trump” indicates that the Jews were well acquainted with it and what it was, and that there was no need for him to explain himself. Also, Paul’s mention of the “last trump” was about 40 years before the Apostle John’s revelation of end time events and the seven trumpet blasts of judgment, therefore Paul could not be referring to John’s revelation. The “last trump” he was referring to was the last of 100 blasts of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, a blast that all Jews knew as the “last trump”.

When speaking of His return, Jesus made the statement that it would be at a day and hour no man knows. The phrase “day and hour no man knows” refers to the Jewish feast, Rosh Hashanah. Ancient Jews referred to this feast with that phrase because it was the only one of seven that they never knew when it would begin, but they knew it would be within a 48 hour time frame. When a Jew made this statement, or used it themselves, they were referring to this feast, the same feast that is symbolic of the rapture. In this way it can be argued that Jesus was letting us know His return for the Church would be on this day, though we don’t know which year, day or hour it would take place.

When we look at the marriage customs of the ancient Jews, we see a number of things that closely resemble the rapture and the events surrounding it, including the time of the 7-year tribulation period and the following millennium reign of Christ. In order for us to seriously look at these, we need to first remember that the Apostle Paul tells us that the Church is betrothed and espoused to Christ (I Corinthians 11:2), and that the relationship between a husband and wife models the relationship between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). In the process of an ancient wedding, the bride and the bridegroom enter into a marriage relationship, but they don’t consummate it until later. After entering into the marriage, the groom departs to prepare a place for his bride at his father’s house. During this period of time, the bride has no idea of when the groom will return for her, but her responsibility during this time is to prepare herself for his return and to eagerly anticipate his return at any moment. If she fails to do so, the marriage process will be cancelled with a letter of divorcement and he will return to his father’s house without her. If she has done what is expected of a new bride, the groom will take her back to his father’s house and consummate the marriage, and this will be the start of a 7-day period of time known as the marriage feast. After the marriage feast is concluded, the husband and wife will re-enter public life.

When Jesus told us that He was going to prepare a place for us, and that in His Father’s house are many rooms, He was talking as a groom to His new bride. The fact that we don’t know when He will return is locked up in both the marriage customs of ancient Jews and the Feast of Trumpets. The rapture is Christ’s return for His bride, another piece of the puzzle found in the Feast of Trumpets. Many times Jesus told us He would return as a thief in the night for those who are not watching for Him, and that only those who are watching will not be caught off guard. It is because of that, and because of the example we see in the ancient Jews marriage customs, that we understand why it is so important to be watching and prepared for Him when He returns.

Some argue that no one has ever been raptured up, or caught up, before, but that isn’t true either. Not only can we say it did happen before, but we can also say it happened in the Old Testament. We know that Enoch just disappeared and was never seen or heard of again because God took him (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5). Elijah was another one that was “caught up” to heaven (2 Kings 2:11) as a whirlwind pulled him up.

What about the belief of a pre-tribulation rapture? One aspect of the pre-tribulation position is that the rapture keeps us from the judgments to come, and we see this in the lives of both Noah and Lot. God withheld the judgment of total destruction until His people were safe. Noah found his safety in a boat God commanded him to build, also known as the ark, and Lot found safety when he left Sodom and Gomorrah and went to Zoar. If that wasn’t enough, Isaiah 26:20-21 speaks of the rapture of the church, the Bride of Christ, and that God calls her up to be hidden from the judgments He’s about to pour out upon the earth.

As we can see, the argument opposing the rapture position, especially the pre-tribulation rapture, doesn’t have much to stand on, and the argument for a pre-tribulation rapture is pretty strong. So, is there a rapture to come or not? I think it is a very risky thing for someone to argue against the rapture position. In my next blog I will be answering the question, “Does it really make a difference whether or not someone believes in the rapture?” In the meantime, watch and pray so that you are not caught off guard and left behind.

Are You Ready

There has been a lot of talk lately about four blood moons and their connection to the Jewish feasts, also referred to as a “Tetrad”. The talk says history shows that each time there is a tetrad of four blood moons, all of which land on a Jewish feast day, something major happens with Israel. Well, we’re in the middle of another tetrad of blood moons landing on Jewish feast days, and so a lot of eyes are on Israel at this time to see what may or may not happen.

In light of all we are seeing in the news at this time, there is little doubt that something big could easily happen at any time with Israel. Israel has just entered into a ceasefire after several weeks of fighting with Hamas in Gaza. They are also closely monitoring their borders with Syria as ongoing fighting continues between both Syrian and rebel forces. Also, there is the ever increasing emergence of ISIS, now known as IS, a group of radical Islamist terrorists seeking to expand their territory and influence as far as possible with Israel and the west in their sights.

Something else that is unique at this point in time, especially during this tetrad, is the presence of a Shabbat year and the end of a 50 year Jubilee cycle. What is also unique during this period of time, based on the “Creation Calendar”, something that will only happen one time in the history of mankind is the beginning of the seventh millennium of mankind’s existence. There is a belief based on scripture that mankind as we know it will only last 7000 years, the last 1000 of which will be the 1000 year reign of Christ following the 7-year tribulation period. I realize that we are not in the tribulation period at this time, but with the way things are happening it is evident that the final steps leading up to it are currently taking place, but it’s hard to see the 1000 year reign of Christ beginning any sooner than seven years from now since it’s supposed to be preceded by the 7-year tribulation period. What this means for us as we enter into the 6001 year of creation, especially since it’s in the middle of the current tetrad, only time will tell but it is definitely something for us to keep in mind for the next several months.

During this tetrad of blood moons, as well as during other tetrad’s of blood moons, is the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah. For me personally, I have a big interest in this particular feast as there seems to be indications within scripture that the rapture of the church, the bride of Christ, will happen on this feast day. I realize that we are told that the rapture will be on a day or hour no man knows, but that is exactly what Jews in Jesus’ day called Rosh Hashanah. Also, the “last trump” the Apostle Paul mentioned regarding the rapture is a direct reference to the last trumpet blast on Rosh Hashanah, also known and identified by Jews of that day as the “last trump”. I don’t know about you, but that definitely peaks my interest in this feast. Even if there can be a good argument for the rapture taking place on Rosh Hashanah, which Rosh Hashanah it would take place on is something we do not know.

As I’ve alluded to we stand to see a lot of things happen within this tetrad of blood moons, a period of time which will last until September 2015. Whether or not the rapture of the church takes place sometime within the next several months or so only God knows, but there is more than sufficient reason for us to be prepared in case it does happen. There were times that Jesus spoke of His return, sometimes in parables, where He told us to watch for His return, the rapture of the bride. Those who were watching for His return for His church, they would not be caught off guard, but it was for those who were not watching that His return would be like a thief in the night and caught off guard. I hear many say it isn’t important for them to be watching as long as they are living and evangelizing as God would have them, but many times Jesus stressed with great emphasis for His followers to be watching. Why do so many take that command of Jesus so lightly? Do they think they are too secure to worry about it?

I recently spoke with a pastor that doesn’t believe in the rapture of the church or the tribulation period. His sales pitch to persuade me to see things as he does was accompanied with scripture that was either taken out of context or was interpreted far differently than the original text. It was also very evident that he wasn’t open to any view different than his own, whether or not there was supporting scripture. I’m concerned about Christians who choose to not believe in the rapture, especially when they discount or twist scripture that would point to one. A person that does so cannot claim that they believe the whole Bible and that it is from God. I’m glad I’m not the one who will determine who will and will not be caught up to meet Jesus in the air through the rapture, or go to heaven for that matter, but I get concerned about the potential danger that lies in wait for those who either deny this reality or discount the need to be watching for it.

For those who choose to believe there will be no rapture something comes to mind. For those who deny a soon coming rapture, if they are right they have everything to gain, but if they are wrong then they potentially have everything to lose. However, for those of us who do believe in a soon coming rapture, if we are right we have everything to gain, and if we are wrong we still have everything to gain. I like the odds for one who believes in the rapture, content that there is more than sufficient evidence in it.

At the end of the day the question to be asked is “are you ready?” Just because you may want to deny that there will be a rapture of the church, that doesn’t mean there won’t be. Are you ready for the soon return of Christ for His Church, His bride? If you are, are you watching for Him? This is the time to not only be sure we are ready for His return, but also to be watching for Him. We’re told and commanded by Jesus, as His followers, to be watching for His return, and that to me is very sobering. I definitely do not want to be caught off guard and/or unprepared for Him when He does return.

Are you ready? Are you watching? If you’re not ready, or you haven’t been watching, perhaps today is the day to get ready and to start watching? Jesus gave a stark warning to us in Revelation 16:15, stressing the need to be watching for Him.

The Midnight Cry

There is a well-known parable found in Matthew 25. It is the parable of the ten virgins, five who were wise and five who were foolish. This parable has been one I’ve thought about frequently. Have you? As the time of our messiah’s return draws closer for that event we commonly refer to as the rapture, this is one of those parables that has captured my attention. While my understanding of it has increased significantly over the past few years, there has been one thing that I’ve wondered about in the parable. Now don’t get me wrong. I understand this is a parable, a word-picture of sorts to help us understand various truths that God wants to relate to us, but I can’t help but think that Jesus was trying to tell us something in the seemingly insignificant parts of this parable. Jesus isn’t one to say things He doesn’t mean, or to say things simply to say things, or to say things that have no purpose or significance for us.

In this parable we understand that the ten virgins represent those who have entered into a saving relationship with Christ. We also understand that their waiting for the bridegroom to return relates to Christians waiting for Christ’s return to take them back to His eternal home in Heaven. We know that five of them were wise while five of them were foolish as brides in not adequately preparing themselves for the bridegrooms return. When the cry was made all ten of the virgins woke up and began to trim their lamps, and it was at this time that the foolish ones were discovered in that they didn’t have enough oil for their lamps. Prior to this point in the parable none of them seemed to know who was foolish and who was wise, but once this became apparent the wise instructed the foolish to go to those who buy and sell. While the foolish are looking to get more oil before the bridegroom’s return, the bridegroom returns and takes with him the five wise virgins leaving the five foolish ones behind. When the five foolish ones return they find that the door is shut and they are denied entry to be with the others. I’ve touched on the above points at different times in previous blogs, but now I want to focus on one particular point in the parable.

In Matthew 25:6, Jesus starts off by saying, “And at midnight a cry was heard: …” This statement for whatever reason has stuck with me for quite some time. To begin with I noticed it does not say at the ‘midnight hour’, but instead ‘at midnight’. This might seem trivial to some but I think there is a lot of significance behind it. After all, the foolish virgins did not have enough time to go get more ‘oil’ before the bridegroom returned. This one point seems to not only expose who were foolish in their preparations for his return, but also shows the consequences of such foolishness by not giving them a lot of notice between the cry of his return and his return. It’s almost as if the bridegroom didn’t want to reward their foolishness by giving them time after the cry is made to get prepared if they were not already prepared. When I think about it, what better reward would one have for their wisdom and efforts to be prepared at any time than to be numbered among the selected few who are ‘taken’ back to the bridegrooms home? So, the nugget we could pull from this is that there is very little time between the cry at midnight and the return of the bridegroom. Are you ready and prepared? We see that all ten virgins wanted to go with the bridegroom and were looking forward to his return, so this isn’t the issue. The issue is more how wise or foolish they were in preparing for it.

Another thing about this statement of Jesus in the parable is the ‘cry’. I have to admit that for the longest time I was stuck on the fact that Jesus said ‘at midnight’ and not ‘at the midnight hour’, and because of that I didn’t give much thought to the ‘cry’ and what it is. I think for the most part I thought it would be anointed and Spirit lead teaching and preaching alerting people to Christ’s soon return, until recently that is. A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend about end time events and this very parable. In our conversation he asked if it was safe to say that the ‘cry’ mentioned in the parable was anointed teaching and preaching on the soon return of Christ. At first I said it could be but the more I thought about it I realized that could not be the case. I know that many think that there will be a great revival that comes before the rapture of the church, and I would join in the hope and excitement of such, but I find myself leaning more to a great revival happening after the rapture instead of before it. There are numerous passages that indicate not everyone that calls themselves a Christian will be chosen, especially from statements that Jesus, Himself, made. I also find myself thinking that anointed teaching and preaching could not be the ‘cry’ since we’ve been hearing that literally for decades. So, what could the ‘cry’ be that we should be ‘listening’ for? Hmmm.

Is there anything in Biblical prophecy that might indicate what that ‘cry’ might be? Can we even say that the ‘cry’ is mentioned and identified in prophecy? I believe there has to be something that we can point to as the ‘cry’ so that we know what to be listening for, or are we supposed to be in the ‘dark’ until it sounds hoping we will know what it is when we hear it? In the ancient Jewish marriage customs, the very customs that we find parallel with our relationship with Christ in so, so, so many ways, the virgins waiting for their bridegrooms return had some idea of what that ‘cry’ would sound like and what it would involve, so how is it that we could think that Jesus would not make us aware of what that ‘cry’ would sound like or what it would involve? Well, I believe He has in fact given us some clues as to what that ‘cry’ would be and what it would involve. Are you ready for it? It’s probably not what you’re thinking.

When asked by His disciples Jesus gave a list of things to look for as a way of knowing when He was going about to return. Many of these things have been around for a long time, so to look at the individual items may not be a good pointer of the ‘cry’, but we know when all the things He mentions begin to happen at the same time with increased frequency and intensity then we can know that His return is very near. Did you catch it? I know you did but let me tell you anyways. I believe the ‘cry’ mentioned in the parable of the ten virgins refers to the increasing fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophecies before our very eyes. Think about it. It isn’t something that mankind can dictate, manipulate or control, so when it happens we know it is God and not us. We cannot control, though we may try at times and in different ways, when and how Biblical end-time prophecies are fulfilled, but Jesus said that when we see these things begin to happen we know that His return is very near.

Unlike any other time in history we are literally seeing, for those who are watching, the fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy before our very eyes at a rate of speed that could make one’s head spin. It seems that key pieces, both small and great, are coming together like never before and in ways never before imagined or believed, taking final steps in preparation of the tribulation period. And, if the rapture happens before the tribulation as I and others believe it would, then what we are seeing must be the ‘cry’ of His soon and perhaps imminent return. So, if the ‘cry’ is the fulfillment of end-time Bible prophecy as I said, then it behooves us to make sure we respond to that ‘cry’, trim our lamps, and prepare for His very soon return.

John Johansson

When What Is Evil Is Considered Good

Several years ago I was exposed to a fairly new TV show that was quickly gaining in popularity at the time. This show had an effect on me that none other has had on me before or since then. The show not only condoned sexual harassment, but it promoted and glamorized it, had no qualms about degrading and devaluing others, had little regard for the possible consequences of such behavior, and had in some way a mocking contempt for any that might try to squelch it in some way or another. It caused very significant nausea within me.

Since that time I’ve heard some Christians being open about liking the show and the laughs they got from it. After all, it’s just entertainment, right? Well, not really. I heard someone say many years ago that a leading philosopher once said, “the barometer for how civilized a people are is by what they think is funny”. Now, I don’t know who that ‘leading philosopher’ is, but when you really think about that statement how can you deny the truth in it? When I hear of civilizations past, namely the great ones, one of the things that appear to be evident in those civilizations is the extreme deterioration of morals, especially of a sexual nature where anything goes and sometimes at the expense of others. For decades here in America, morals have been spiraling down at an ever increasing rate of speed, and it seems that the populace, including in church circles, have no real concern about it and in some ways embraces it. Oh, how far we have gone down this slippery decline in such a short period of time.

Some of the expressions of this decline include not only the sexual as I stated earlier, but also in the self-centered behavior of many. It can be seen in the disregard and disrespect for and towards authority, gender, parental roles, “laws of the land” and regulations deemed “ridiculous” or “unnecessary”, to name just a few. It can be seen when things are said and done at the expense of others, like when we tease, make fun of, and mock them. I’m sure you can think of other ways this is seen.

This dramatic decay in the core values and morals that this country was built upon is evident in most every facet of life, and it’s promoted and glamorized not only on TV, but also in videos, movies, music, games, and written literature of all sorts. This can be seen almost everywhere we look, almost everywhere we listen, almost everywhere we read, and almost everywhere we go. And then we look at each other and wonder what’s wrong with America, or even the world in general. And if this isn’t bad enough, we have professing Christians thinking there isn’t anything wrong with this decline, and while they may reject some aspects of this moral decline they sometimes embrace other aspects of it as though it is okay. Is this something that should be a part of not only a Christian’s life but also of their thoughts and mindsets?

Some may ask, and others have, what could be so wrong with watching, listening to, or reading such things. Many state that it’s just “entertainment” and that they can tell the difference between it and reality, but in time their perception of reality and what is right and wrong begins to look like the very things we “entertain” ourselves with. The Bible talks of a time when what is good is deemed evil, and what is evil is deemed good. We’re living in a time when that is more true than people want or care to admit, but nonetheless it is true. In allowing ourselves to feed upon the many things society promotes, especially in “entertainment”, we have in turn lowered or dissolved, or at best blurred, our senses of what is right and wrong as well as the standards by which we live, promote, or condone as okay.

It’s important for us who call ourselves Christians to use God’s Word as a guide for what should be the focus of our thoughts and mindsets. When we look at Philippians 4:8, Galatians 5:19-26, and I Corinthians 13, we get a pretty good idea of how a Christian should think and act, and in doing so we find what is pleasing to God and what is not. When we read these passages, and so many more, it takes a great stretch of the imagination to rationalize and justify why we can allow ourselves to feed upon the garbage fed to us by society and it’s supposed “entertainment” choices.

As Christians it is our responsibility to represent Christ as His ambassadors to this world. It’s not for us to determine how we are to represent Him as He’s made that very clear in His Word. If we allow ourselves to be fed and influenced by what society says is okay, funny and good, then we are not truly representing the Christ who came to set people free from such behavior and mindsets. Many times, Christians tend to be ambassadors of the world more than ambassadors of Christ. It’s not so much an issue of being perfect ambassadors of Christ, but that our heart and mind is focused on being the best ambassadors we can be as He leads and gives us the ability to be. Acts 1:8 tells us that we would be given, by way of the Holy Spirit, power to be witnesses of Christ to those around us, so it’s not an issue of whether or not we can be, but rather whether or not we truly want to be.

We know that Jesus is coming back soon to take His bride to heaven. It’s what we refer to as the rapture. As we see that time quickly approaching it concerns me that many in the church are not ready for His return. In Ephesians 5:27, the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ will be coming back for a bride “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish”. Sadly, many pay little regard to this when it comes to the life they live and their entertainment choices, to name a few. Can we truly say that we are preparing ourselves to be presented to Him without “spot or wrinkle” when we are feeding upon and allowing what the world deems good and okay to be a part of our lives? What are we told in Romans 12:2? “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” In doing so, we begin to think, act, and behave in a manner that truly reflects what God considers good and to abhor that which God considers evil.

Are you preparing yourself to be His bride “without spot or wrinkle”? If not, there is no time like today to begin because quite simply you are not guaranteed a tomorrow. Don’t take your walk with Him lightly so as to not “rock the boat” or offend others, because in doing so you may be found unprepared for Him when He returns, and that won’t be good for you.

John Johansson

Distractions

I remember a time more than 15 years ago when there was a tremendous amount of anxiety within the Church in America. At the time “special interest” groups were attempting to push their agenda against churches and Christianity through political processes. I remember sitting in a church service where many were voicing their concerns and fears regarding what was happening and one could feel the heaviness in the atmosphere. It was as if God wasn’t around and the issue was too great even for God to deal with.

As I sat there I remembered something a friend of mine once told me and I asked the Pastor if I could share something to the congregation, to which he allowed me to do. I began to share with the congregation how that God is greater than the issues we were facing, and that this was merely a distraction. I told them that no matter what God was still in control and that He has us covered. I reminded them that our primary concern was to live for God, and to let the light of Jesus shine through us to those around. As I began to share these things to the congregation I could see the countenance of the people dramatically change. Where they at first we’re caught up with fear of what could happen they began to relax and be at peace.

Zipping through time to the present we can see many things that have become a distraction, pulling our focus and energies away from where they should be. It’s not that any of these aren’t good, because many of them are good, but they are a distraction. For many, these distractions become a ‘cause’ that they embrace and fight for, all the while they lose sight of our primary calling to be Ambassadors of Christ with the ministry of reconciliation, reconciling man back to God. Often times, these distractions do very little, if anything at all, about promoting or building the Kingdom of God, and in some cases even hurt or destroy the influence of the Church to a lost and dying world.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be willing to take a stand for morality, plead the case on behalf of others, or even be influential in the world and culture around us. What I am saying is if these distractions are distracting from or undermining our influence to build the Kingdom of God then we need to take another look at our focus and priorities. Sometimes we tend to jump to fight or defend something that God hasn’t called us to do, and when we do we bring about more damage to the Kingdom than if we hadn’t. And, just because God calls someone else to embrace a distraction doesn’t mean He’s calling you to it.

When we let go of the distractions in our lives and realign our focus to what God has called us to, then we don’t have to worry about what is happening in the world around us or what is on the horizon. We can have a peace that God is in control and that He will take care of us. It’s when we lose sight of our calling or even of Jesus, Himself, that we become apprehensive and struggle with anxiety and fear, fear of either being taken advantage of or suffering in ways we may not like. We become fearful that God has forsaken us or can’t protect us from those who threaten us or our way of living. We become fearful that the God we said “yes” to will not be there for us when we need Him. All of this leads to a pride that says we can do it better ourselves.

If you find that you’ve been caught up with distractions, or even suspect that you may have been, I encourage you to take some time aside and ask God about them. Get alone with God and share your heart with Him, and then ask Him to share His heart for you. Be open to hear what He may have to say to you and don’t be so quick to shoot Him down or say what you’re hearing isn’t from Him. And before you end that time with Him make sure what you’ve heard is in unity with and supported by scripture. If what God has shared with you requires a change on your part, then make the necessary changes including in the area of priorities. What’s more important, embracing and fighting for a distraction that keeps you from what God has for you, or pursuing God and what He has for you which brings true peace and contentment to your soul.

Is It For Itchy Ears?

Over the years I have heard many proclaim from the pulpits of local churches and on TV and radio that there was a great revival coming to America. Oh, wouldn’t that be awesome if that were to happen! I’ve been in places where God was moving in a powerful way among all those in attendance, I’ve heard of the great revivals of the past, and I would love to be a part of another one. Wouldn’t you?

When I first heard these people proclaim a great revival yet to come, I was one that was excited and looking forward to it. But in recent years I’ve begun to view things from a different perspective, wondering if the great revival some are talking about would be post-rapture. When I look at the Biblical description of the end times, the last days, I don’t see a great revival taking place before the rapture. Instead, the Bible is very clear that those days will get bad, and it’s not just referring to the world at large. We also read that there would be a great falling away from the faith (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12), not the revival that is so often times promoted.

Several years ago it was easy to believe for a great revival coming to America, partly because America appears to be absent from Bible end-time prophecy, and partly because no one would ever think that the persecution experienced in other countries would ever come here in any form. Well, we live in a very different America now compared to just 10 years ago. We’re seeing the very liberal, anti-Christian movement infiltrate every aspect of our society more and more all the time. The very real threat of both domestic and foreign terrorists is growing every day, not to mention that there have been reports of ISIS within our borders. We’re experiencing an exponential increase of illegal aliens cross over into our country relatively unhindered, tremendously increasing our vulnerability to terrorist’s attacks within our borders, greatly increasing the threat of uncontrollable and incurable diseases to our citizens, creating an overwhelming demand on our economic system and financial stability, all of which could mark the end of America as we have known it to be since its inception in more than 200 years ago. This doesn’t take into account all the other aspects that seem to be tearing away at this great nation we call America, chipping away at it with greater enthusiasm than we’ve ever known before.

Despite all these things, I find it interesting and disheartening at the same time that many not only proclaim great revival is on its way, but also that things are going to get much better. They proclaim that things are going to get better, prosperity will increase for the believers, and that the threats facing America will suddenly be defeated by God before America is destroyed.

I’m reminded of Hananiah the prophet in the Old Testament. Do you remember him? In Jeremiah 27, God told Jeremiah to put yokes upon his neck to signify the bondage and captivity of Israel under King Nebuchadnezzar. We also read that God spoke with the kings, the priests and all the people that they were to be under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule until God said otherwise. God also told them that if a prophet, or someone else, were to tell them the time for them to break the bonds and come out from under the bondage of Nebuchadnezzar had come, that they were not to listen to them because that was a lie that did not come from Him. In Jeremiah 28, the prophet Hananiah came to rest of the prophets, the priests, and all the people telling them that the time of their bondage would end within two years. Because he was a prophet everyone took notice of what he had to say, including Jeremiah. Hananiah went even further by breaking the yoke that was around Jeremiah’s neck to symbolize that the time of bondage was about to end. It wasn’t until Jeremiah left and went his own way that God spoke to him letting him know that the words of Hananiah was not His words. So Jeremiah went back and confronted the prophet Hananiah, telling him that because he misled the people of God into thinking a lie as though it came from God, God would take his life within a year. I say that to say this, it doesn’t matter who it is that says it (a pastor, a teacher, a prophet, etc.), if they are proclaiming things that are contrary to what God says in His word, then it’s not from God and we ought not to listen to it.

Whether you look at Matthew chapters 24-25, the book of Revelation, or even some of the prophets of old who prophesied regarding these last days, and we are in the last days, you will find that the days we live in only get worse as time goes by until Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation period to defeat His enemies and establish His reign here on earth. The people that promote the idea that things are only going to get better are either “sticking their head in the sand” regarding what is in the news and happening all around them and how it all relates to Bible prophecy, or they’re reading from a different Bible. The difference between what they are promoting and what the Bible foretells about these last days is great.

I’ve recently became aware of a theology embraced by some that says it is the churches responsibility to overcome the enemies of Christ in any way they can, primarily through the government system, and that Christ cannot return until they do so. Obviously this group of people seems to think that things will get better because it has to in order for Christ to return, but there is a problem with this way of thinking. To begin with, they are not referring to the rapture, or the catching up of the Bride of Christ, because they don’t believe in it. So when they talk of Christ’s return, what they describe lines up with what we know to be Christ returns at the end of the tribulation period. Second, their idea that the church must first overcome the enemies of Christ before He can return is faulty and flies in the face of scripture. In Revelation 13:1-10, in the midst of the tribulation period, the Apostle John tells us that when the beast arises from the pit he was going to be given power and authority for 42 months, and with that he will be given the power and ability to not just make war with the saints, but also to overcome them. Third, in Revelation 17:12-14, John also tells us that when Christ returns the beast and those who are with him will make war against Jesus, but when they do Jesus will overcome and defeat them.

When the disciples asked Jesus regarding the signs of His return to set up His kingdom, and the signs of the end, the first thing He told them was to not be deceived (Matthew 24:3-5). A lot is said in the New Testament about being deceived, but for Jesus to indicate that is the first thing to watch out for tells us how bad the deceptions will be in these last days. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 that people will not listen to sound doctrine, but instead their own desires and because of their itching ears they will heap upon themselves teachers, turning their ears away from the truth and to fables. When I think of some of the things that people are saying in the times we live in, how that things are going to get better and things will be restored, including America, I can’t help but wonder if it is merely wishful thinking and having itching ears to those who support that wishful thinking. Yes, I would love to see God stop the surge of wickedness in all its forms and restore us into what He would have us to be, individually and as a nation, but the Bible tells me that is not the case for the days we now live in.

What does this mean for Christians? What this means is that we are in for some very rough days ahead, but we also have that blessed hope of His return for us, and if not then most assuredly on the other side of eternity. Some people like to scoff or attempt to discredit what the scriptures say about a rapture of the church, saying it is a doctrine of escapism, and I would like to know what is wrong with that? Jesus told us in Luke 21:34-36 to watch and pray that we’re counted worthy to escape that which is coming to pass. In Revelation 22:12-20 we read that the Spirit and the Bride both say “come quickly!” to Jesus, which must be a cry made before the rapture since the Bride will be with Him forever more from that time on. What we need to remember, though, is even though we are watching for His return to escape that which is coming to the earth, it is also important for us to be about the Father’s business while we’re here. Be mindful of the signs pointing to His return, and reaching out to others as His ambassadors until He returns. This is what we must be doing, both to be watching and praying and also to be working for the Father.

The good things that we’re hearing promoted and proclaimed regarding revival and the restoration of America, is it for itching ears?? I wonder.

What About You?

Several years ago a very well-known and highly respected man of God had a significant shift in his ministry. He had seen the suffering of some in other countries and found himself wrestling with a God who would send people apart from Jesus to hell. He came to the conclusion that there was no such thing as hell outside of what is experienced here on earth, whether it was brought on by ourselves or forced upon us, and that when it comes right down to it everyone would end up in heaven for all eternity. To come to such a conclusion this once respected man had to ignore certain scripture, twist or take out of context other passages, and draw from other writings found in the New Age movement and other secular sources. Many, including those closest to him, tried in vain to help him see the error of this thinking but has since had to distance themselves from him. The reason behind this distancing is that the theology he is embracing is spiritually a fatal poison for a believer. He’s not the only one whose been embracing such theologies.

Ever see the bumper stickers that say “coexist” with a bunch of symbols relating to various religions? There is a trend in society that seeks to meld all the religions together in the name of tolerance, believing that everyone is going to end up in heaven one way or another. In a nutshell, many believe that all roads lead to heaven and eternity with God. There are many that believe it doesn’t matter “who” you serve or worship, thinking that we all serve the same god and will end up in the same place. Even if not there are some who believe people will have the opportunity to get out of hell or purgatory only to find their eternal destination in heaven. These are nothing less than poison to the body of Christ, much like cancer or gangrene to the human body.

I just finished reading the book “Tortured for Christ” by Richard Wurmbrand. More than 30 years after it was first written it still packs a powerful punch. One of the things found in this book is the recounting of the price many have paid for the gospel and the name of Jesus. Almost sounds like something we would read about regarding the early church, but this is about people throughout the world who have lived within the past 70+ years. The last part of Hebrews chapter 11 being lived out in the days we live in. These people were largely uneducated especially in the area of the Christian faith, but yet they suffered and paid much for Christ, sometimes even their very lives. Why would people be so willing and committed to suffer and give their lives for something or someone when in the ends it doesn’t really matter? Why be willing to go through all of that if everyone is going to end up in heaven when it’s all said and done? Doesn’t make much since, does it? Think about it, how many of the apostles and members of the early church suffered and gave their lives for Jesus? After all, they knew the truth and the reality of the gospel far better than we do, yet they suffered and died for it. That should only work to discount the beliefs of many that everyone is going to end up in heaven one way or another.

So, what about you? Would you be willing to die for someone or something if you knew it wouldn’t matter in the end? I can’t say that I would go through all that if it didn’t matter, in fact I probably would live as I wanted to since it didn’t matter.

Think about it. Can Jesus count on you when the “rubber meets the road”?

John Johansson