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Rapture – Part 5

In part 3 and 4, we took a look at the seven feasts God established for Himself in Leviticus 23, and how that in them we not only see the rapture, but also a pre-tribulation rapture. This was one of three Biblical pictures we will be briefly looking at that point to a pre-tribulation rapture. In this blog, part 5 of the rapture series, we’re going to take a brief look at the second of three Biblical pictures I want to give you that point to a pre-tribulation rapture, and that is found in the harvest cycles.

Every year, there were three feasts that God instructed all the men to attend, and each of these feasts were identified with three different harvests. The three feasts that required the attendance of all the men were Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The Passover feast emphasized the barley harvest, Pentecost emphasized the wheat harvest, and Tabernacles emphasized the harvest of fruit, namely grapes. How each of these harvests were conducted represents not only the three phases of the harvest, but also in them the three resurrections.

The first harvest, the barley harvest, involved a process of winnowing where the entire stalk was thrown up into the wind. When the barley was tossed up into the wind, the wind would separate the shell from the barley. This harvest represents the rapture of the Church before the tribulation period begins, where those who are in Christ are caught up in the air to meet the Lord. We can also see this when Elijah was caught up into a whirlwind and when Jesus was taken up in a cloud in the presence of His followers.

The second harvest, the wheat harvest, involved a more aggressive form of harvesting. In order to break and separate the shell from the wheat it requires a threshing process. This process was done in the time of Christ with a Roman threshing roller called a tribulim, the word we get tribulation from. It means to press or squeeze, creating pressure that causes separation. This harvest represents those who come out of the tribulation period. Christians who were not ready and prepared when the rapture took place will be a part of this group, those who will have to give their lives for Jesus.

The third harvest, the grape harvest, is a harvest involving a crushing. Grapes do not have a shell but instead have flesh and skin that needs to be crushed in order to get the juice. The tribulation period is the “grapes of wrath” and the “winepress of God”. This represents the harvest, the resurrection, at the end of the tribulation period, Revelation 14:17-20.

Barley is soft and represents the church and the overcomer, Revelation 2-4. Wheat is hard and must be separated from the shell through the pressures created in the tribulation period, Revelation 14:1. Grapes are crushed representing the winepress of God, Revelation 14:19.

Biblically, the way that a field was harvested provides another picture of how God will harvest His people in these last days. This process involved three phases in order to harvest the whole field. The first phase was about the first fruits, the overcomers (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). In this phase the priests would go through the field and select portions of the field that was ripe and ready for harvest, and then they would harvest the portions they selected with either a sickle, or simply pull it out of the ground, to take back to the temple. This represents the rapture, the resurrection of the dead in Christ out of the ground, and the catching up of the living who are in Christ who are ripe and ready for harvest.

The second phase of the harvest was when the main field was harvested, leaving the four corners of the field to provide gleanings for the poor and the widows. This represents the second harvest that takes place in the middle of the tribulation period, where people have washed their robes by giving their lives for Jesus (Revelation 14:15). This phase includes the 144,000 Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel, as well as possibly those Christians who missed the rapture because their garments were spotted with sin and they were not ready when He came for them.

The third and final phase of the harvest is when the four corners of the field are harvested (Matthew 24:31). At this point the entire field has been harvested. This final phase of the harvest represents those who are gathered together from the four corners of the earth at the end of the tribulation period. These are called the remnant, those who lived and gave their lives for Christ in the last part of the tribulation period.

Understanding the different phases associated with the harvesting of a field helps us understand both the manner and the order in which God will harvest His people from the earth. Some people get confused when they read in the book of Revelation the saints and elect having to go through the tribulation period, thinking that these terms refer to the church. This is not necessarily the case as both terms, the elect and the saints, have been used throughout the Bible referring to different individuals or groups. The term “elect” has been used to identify Christ, of the angels, Israel, Jacob, a woman, and also the church. The term “saints” in the New Testament means “a holy thing”, and it represents anyone who has been washed in the blood of Christ. While both terms can obviously refer to the Church, one is hard pressed to arbitrarily conclude that the references in the book of Revelation is speaking exclusively of the Church. There are some problems when we try to say that it is referring strictly to the Church. When we see indications that in Heaven there are those who would have been resurrected and raptured up there, all the while seeing saints and the elect on earth going through the tribulation period, this can lead to confusion when attempting to say they are all the Church. The last time we read of the church in Revelation is chapters 2-3, after which in Revelation 4 we read about John being called up to Heaven and what he sees when he gets there. Like others, I believe this represents the rapture of the Church. From that time on there is no mention of the Church, except for it being identified as the Bride of Christ at the end of Revelation. The saints and elect mentioned after chapter four more than likely refers to those who are living and giving their lives for Christ after having realized they had been left behind.

During the tribulation period those who were raptured up observe the transition of Jesus from High Priest to King, appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ, receive rewards, and are present at the wedding between Christ that His Bride, the Church. Once the wedding is complete, Jesus and His Bride return to earth to establish Christ’s reign on earth for 1,000 years. In the next part of this series on the subject of the rapture, I’m going to cover what I believe is one of the strongest pictures of a pre-tribulation rapture. In the meantime, the most important question to ask yourself is whether or not you are ready for Him if He were to return before your next breath? If you are not ready to meet Him, then this is the time to get ready. Time is short, and this is not the time to be taking this casually and risk getting left behind. Now is the time to get it right with Him, and to keep things right with Him.

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Rapture – Part 3

In a previous blog I briefly touched on what is the rapture. We covered where the word “rapture” came from, and some of the reasons why some discount it as a Biblically sound teaching. We also touched on the three primary views surrounding its timing; pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation. Among the three different views, I believe that the pre-tribulation position is the strongest of the three, and I want to cover why that is.

As I stated in the first blog of this series, there are some who discount the rapture as a Biblically legitimate view. They either take the position that there is no Biblical evidence of a rapture, which we’ve already proved to be incorrect, or they take the position that all Biblical end time prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. Those that take the position that all end time prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. also believe that God has been done with Israel since then, and that the law found in the Old Testament is null and void, completely done away with for all mankind. This is a scary position to take. We’ve already showed in the Old Testament individuals that had been raptured to heaven, a shadow of what God has in store for the Bride of Christ. What about the other references in the Old Testament to a rapture yet to happen?

In Leviticus 23, God lays out to Moses feasts that he is to proclaim to be holy convocations, feasts that are Gods. Many people tend to view the seven feasts that God instructs Moses on as feasts for Israel and the Jews to abide by, but this is incorrect. While it is true that the Jews are instructed to keep and observe these feasts, God makes it clear that they are His feasts and not theirs. God established these feasts in part so the Israelites would remember what He had done for them in times past, but they were also set up to mark future points in time relating to His plan of redemption for humanity. When we take a look at these feasts we see that Jesus fulfilled the first three feasts on the actual day of each feast, and then the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost marks the fulfillment of the fourth feast. If what God laid out in the Old Testament was done away with and made null and void with Christ and the subsequent destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., then when and how were the last three feasts fulfilled? If these feasts were not fulfilled prior to 70 A.D., and now they are of no importance to us, then does that mean God didn’t know what He was doing when he established them? Or that He made a mistake in His calculations of time, which seems rather odd to think considering He’s the creator of time itself. To say that those feasts are of no relevance to us, especially if they hadn’t been fulfilled, that is to say God is not all knowing or in control of times and events, especially ones that He has established for Himself.

Are these feasts something that we don’t need to be concerned with, or is there something about them we do need to be aware of? The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia that he is concerned about them and how they were becoming legalistic in their observations of the days, months, seasons and years (Galatians 4:9-11). Paul isn’t saying it’s wrong to keep the feasts, as he even told the Corinthian church to keep the feast in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, but that we shouldn’t be in bondage to them. Later in Colossians 2:16-17 Paul tells us that they are a shadow of things to come. This would indicate that future prophetic events can be identified through the feasts, and that it is important for us to be aware of them to properly discern what is and will be happening in the future.

So, what are the feasts we are referring to, and how did Jesus fulfill the first three? Can we find evidence within them not only of a rapture, but also a pre-tribulation rapture? Let’s take a brief look at them.

1) Passover (Leviticus 23:5) – Pointed to the Messiah as our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) whose blood would be shed for our sins. Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation for the Passover at the same hour that the lambs were being slaughtered for the Passover meal that evening (John 19:14). 2) Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6) – Pointed to the Messiah’s sinless life (as leaven is a picture of sin in the Bible), making Him the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus’ body was in the grave during the first days of this feast, like a kernel of wheat planted and waiting to burst forth as the bread of life. 3) First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10) – Pointed to the Messiah’s resurrection as the first fruits of the righteous. Jesus was resurrected on this very day, which is one of the reasons that Paul refers to him in 1 Corinthians 15:20 as the “first fruits from the dead.” 4) Weeks or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16) – Occurred fifty days after the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and pointed to the great harvest of souls and the gift of the Holy Spirit for both Jew and Gentile, who would be brought into the kingdom of God during the Church Age (see Acts 2). The Church was actually established on this day when God poured out His Holy Spirit and 3,000 Jews responded to Peter’s great sermon and his first proclamation of the gospel. 5) Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24) – The first of the fall feasts. Many believe this day points to the Rapture of the Church when the Messiah Jesus will appear in the heavens as He comes for His bride, the Church. The Rapture is always associated in Scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:52). 6) Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27) – Many believe this prophetically points to the day of the Second Coming of Jesus when He will return to earth. That will be the Day of Atonement for the Jewish remnant when they “look upon Him whom they have pierced,” repent of their sins, and receive Him as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:1-6, 25-36). 7) Tabernacles or Booths (Leviticus 23:34) – Many scholars believe that this feast day points to the Lord’s promise that He will once again “tabernacle” with His people when He returns to reign over all the world (Micah 4:1-7).

We can see from above that the first four feasts have already been fulfilled through Jesus and the birth of the Church. We can also see that those feasts were fulfilled in the order that God established them. If God continues to fulfill the feasts in the order that He gave them, then it only makes sense that the next feast to be fulfilled would be the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah, is the feast that represents the rapture of the Church to Christ. Everything about this feast and what it represents screams rapture. I’m not going to go into all the details of this feast in this blog, but the period of time between it and the sixth feast, the Day of Atonement, represents a seven-year period of time that we identify as the seven-year tribulation period.

I will go into more depth regarding the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah, in the next installment of this rapture series of blogs. In the meantime, no matter what your position is with the timing of the rapture, the most important thing is that you are ready for it no matter when it takes place. If you’re not ready for it, today is the day to get ready. Time is short, and the rapture is just around the corner.

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Rapture – Part 1

Rapture. A term that seems to elicit any number of responses ranging from wholehearted acceptance and anticipation to adamant pronouncements of all who believe in it being heretical and unsaved. Some say that the Bible is filled with passages alluding to the rapture, and others say it is a new idea that surfaced in the 1800’s, even arguing that the word “rapture” isn’t even in the Bible. Of those who do believe in a rapture there are three different views surrounding it’s timing, some saying it is pre-tribulation, others mid-tribulation, and still others post-tribulation. What do you believe? And, do you know why you believe what you do?

It is true that the word “rapture” is not found in most English Bibles, but on the other hand neither is “trinity” or “millennium”, terms that are generally accepted as doctrinally sound. The word rapture comes from the Latin word, “rapturo”, which is used to translate the Greek word “harpazo” found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The Greek word “harpazo” means to seize, to snatch up, or to take away by force, either spiritually or physically. In the context of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, and the corresponding scripture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, it is clear that “harpazo” is being used in the context of a physical, bodily removal of the followers of Christ. There are some who try to say that what the Apostle Paul is referring to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is a spiritual, euphoric type of experience, but a closer look at the text would indicate it is actually a literal, physical, bodily removal yet to be experienced.

Some argue that there is no Biblical precedence alluding to the rapture, especially in the Old Testament, but this is not true. Understanding where the word rapture comes from, how that it is a Latin translation of the Greek word “harpazo”, and what “harpazo” literally means, we can see examples of this with Enoch who was translated into Heaven (Genesis 5:21-24; Hebrews 11:5), Elijah who was caught up in a whirlwind taking him to Heaven (2 Kings 2:11-12), and in the New Testament Phillip being physically transported from one location to another (Acts 8:39-40). It is also believed by some that Moses’ ascent up Mount Sinai to meet with God has numerous parallels with, and is a picture of, the rapture. So, we can see from Scripture that, despite our lack of understanding regarding how it can happen, it is not only possible but has in fact happened to individual’s multiple times throughout the Bible.

But what about the fact that we don’t see any mention of it prior to the 1800’s, with the exception to what we see Scripturally? At the time Israel was not a nation, and as a result Scripture that pointed to a tribulation period, a millennium reign of Christ, and a rapture were discounted as anything but literal. That is until Israel became a nation, something that Jesus pointed to in Matthew 24:32-35. Now that Israel has become a nation, we can now see scripture being fulfilled in a very literal way, which also tells us to view Biblical end time prophecy as a literal fulfillment yet to come.

From what we’ve briefly covered so far, it is evident that the idea of the rapture is a Biblical truth. I’ve heard it said that the person who doesn’t believe in the rapture doesn’t really believe the Bible, and I think that is a pretty sound argument. But what about the timing of the rapture? When will it happen? As I mentioned earlier, there are three main views regarding the timing of the rapture. There are others, but for the most part they closely resemble one of the main three. Before we get into the different views, let’s take a quick look at a period of time these different views revolve around, and that is the tribulation period.

The tribulation period refers to the last of 70 weeks mentioned by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9:24-27. In prophetic terms, a week is interpreted as a period of 7 years, and we can read more of what those last seven years will be like in the Book of Revelation. In Daniel 9:27, we are told that the tribulation period, the last of the 70 weeks, actually begins when the anti-Christ confirms a treaty with many, and it is believed by most scholars that Israel is the primary country this treaty is made with. This passage also tells us that in the middle of this period of time, 3 ½ years from its beginning, the anti-Christ will bring an end to sacrifices and offerings, which coincides with what we read in Revelation 13. The bulk of the Book of Revelation focuses on the events of this period of time, which is filled with judgments from God to an unbelieving and unrepentant people who are hostile towards God and His people. This period of time ends when Jesus returns to earth to defeat the anti-Christ and his prophet.

One of the views regarding the timing of the rapture is known as post-tribulation. This view suggests that the rapture of the church, the bride of Christ, happens at the conclusion of the tribulation period, possibly after the seventh trumpet sounds. The idea is that the church will have to endure much persecution and trials through this period of time, all in the process of making ourselves ready for Christ.

Another view is what is known as mid-tribulation. This view suggests that the rapture of the church takes place in the middle of the tribulation period, just prior to what we know as the great tribulation which takes place during the last 3 ½ years of the tribulation period. The idea is that the church will have to endure severe persecution the first 3 ½ years, but that it will be raptured up prior to God pouring out His wrath upon the inhabitants of earth at that time.

The last view that is popular among Christians regarding the rapture is what is known as the pre-tribulation rapture. This view suggests that the rapture of the church actually takes place prior to the start of the tribulation period. The idea is that Jesus will come back to spare His followers from having to go through the tribulation period, a time of severe persecution and testing.

Each of the above views use scripture to support their positions, and in some cases even the same scriptures from a different perspective. However, I believe that the argument in favor of a pre-tribulation rapture is much stronger than any of the other two views combined, and I will attempt to briefly explain why that is in subsequent blogs. No matter what one’s position is in regards to the timing of the rapture, the most important thing to remember is that we need to make sure we are ready when that time comes. Are you ready for what we read about in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18? If you are not ready to be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds, this is the time to get ready. The first steps in getting ready to meet Him is to surrender one’s life to Jesus, to repent of and to turn away from all past and present sin, asking Jesus to forgive you of those sins. Your decision to give your life to Jesus cannot be a private decision, but instead it is vitally important that you make that decision known to others (Matthew 10:32-33), and your life needs to reflect that. Seek out a Bible believing and preaching church, read and study the Bible, pray, and seek out Godly friends.

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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The Narrow Road

I’m reminded of a story a friend once related to me a long time ago regarding an off-road expedition someone he knew went on. If I remember correctly, the person had a brand new full-size Dodge 4×4, all decked out for off-roading, and he decided to go on a road leading to a place called Devil’s Canyon. He had never been on this road and therefore was unfamiliar with it. As he progressed down the road he found it becoming more and more narrow, and it became apparent to him that backing back up the hill was not an option. Eventually the road became so narrow that it began to scrap the sides of his new truck. Unable to turn around or back up the hill, hoping the road would begin to widen out he continued down the road. That is until his truck became so wedged in that it couldn’t move anymore in any direction. He found a way to exit the truck and began the long walk back to the main highway, leaving the truck in its new resting place indefinitely. The road continued down the hill, but he was unable to continue down it because the vehicle he chose to take was not compatible for the road he was on.

It is recorded twice that Jesus speaks of the narrow road. The most popular passage of Jesus teaching about the narrow road is found in Matthew 7:13-14, where He identifies both the narrow road and the broad road. It is in this passage that we learn that there is a narrow road that leads to life, and a broad road that leads to destruction. Jesus makes it clear that while it is easy to travel the broad road leading to destruction, it is a difficult and narrow road that one must travel to receive life and only few find it. In Luke 13:22-30 Jesus spends some extra time talking about the narrow gate and how many will seek to enter it but will not be able to. He points out that while many will say they ate and drank in His presence, and that He taught in their streets, He will tell them to “depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.” How can someone who initially started out on the narrow road end up on the broad road that leads to destruction, and subsequently denied entrance into heaven?

There are a number of reasons one might find themselves on the broad road. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is because the narrow road was more difficult than they wanted to go through, and in trying to avoid some of the difficulty they have chosen to switch from the narrow road to the broad road. Living for Christ was more demanding than what they expected or committed to, and for them it wasn’t worth it. They chose the easy way of life instead of the difficult path of following Jesus.

Some people have embraced the idea that God’s grace insures their entrance into heaven no matter how they live, taking the mindset that all their sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven and nothing is expected or required of them. Because they asked God for forgiveness when they accepted Him as their savior, they tend to think that they no longer need to ask forgiveness for any future sin, and that they can continue without turning from sin. While it is true that God’s grace is extremely wonderful to experience, to think that God expects nothing in return, or that He doesn’t expect us to turn from sin, can find you on the easy and broad road to destruction.

For some, they have tossed out any trace of a moral compass on how to live. For them, there is no such thing as right or wrong, or even good and evil, in the life of a Christian. Some will go so far as discount even the need to acknowledge or listen to their conscience, citing that as Christians under a new covenant there is no longer a need for it. These people do not see the need to repent of sin, especially since in their opinion there is no such thing as right or wrong, good or evil. They believe all humanity after Christ is inherently good and redeemed, just on different journeys to eternity. This is the quick route to the easy and broad road leading to the broad gate and destruction.

The guy in the first paragraph used the wrong vehicle on a narrow road that brought complete destruction to the truck. In much the same way, a person with the wrong mindsets and ideologies may find that the beliefs they embraced and lived by were incompatible for the difficult and narrow road leading to eternal life, and as a result find themselves going through the broad and easy gate to destruction when it’s all said and done.

The Christian walk is very simple, just living our lives in a way that pleases and honors God. We often times make it more complicated when we try to designate what parts of our life Jesus has access and control over, and what parts He doesn’t. Every part of our life, and everything that we have, is Gods, and we need to remember to live accordingly with that understanding. While the Christian life is simple, it is not an easy one. We read in Luke 9:23-26 what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and it’s not an easy life to live when our flesh is constantly warring within us to live as we please and in ways that we consider right in our own eyes. In Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 we are told that “there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.

Are you on the narrow road? Or, are you on the broad and easy road that leads to destruction? When was the last time you took a good hard look at your life to make sure that you’re on the difficult and narrow road? If you have been on the easy and broad road, it’s not too late to make a change and get on the right road. In Philippians 2:12 we are told to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Many of the people I described above are taking their walk with Christ, or for some God, rather nonchalantly thinking that their eternal destination is set and can’t really be changed. What Paul is telling us is that we need to take our walk with Christ very seriously, having a reverence towards a righteous judge knowing that while His love for us is without measure, He is also very just and will not allow sin to enter into Heaven. Grace, God’s grace, is not a ticket to sin, but instead an opportunity through Christ and the Holy Spirit to live the life that God intended for us to live from the beginning.

In Matthew 7:21-27, talking about those who claim to be followers of Jesus, Jesus makes some sobering statements for all of us to consider. Jesus mentions that there will be many who call Him Lord that will not enter into Heaven. Oh, they had quite the resume, doing marvelous things that could only be done in Jesus’ name and in the power of the Holy Spirit, but Jesus tells them to depart from Him. Why did he tell them to depart from Him? He tells us in verse 23 that they were workers of iniquity, or lawlessness as one version translates the text. Basically, they were doing the supernatural in the name of Jesus, thinking that they were His followers and representatives to the world, but apparently they were living in disobedience to Him living life as they thought best and right in their own eyes. They were not living according to the will of the Father. In 1 John 2:3-6 and 1 John 5:3 the Apostle John makes it very clear what the indicator is of one who truly knows and loves Jesus, and that is whether or not they keep and do His commandments. If one doesn’t keep His commandments, or even acknowledges that we need to keep His commandments, then scripture is clear that the love of God has not been perfected within them, or that they are even of Him. They are living life as it seems right to them, but as we read in Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25, living life like that leads to death.

If you’re not living on the difficult and narrow road that leads to eternal life, then this is the time to get on it, and on it to stay. It’s all about the road that you are on, difficult and narrow or easy and broad. Which will it be for you????

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Two Minute Warning

In a football game where the score is close, the most intense time of the game is in the final two minutes of that game. This is the period of the game when the heart of a team is tested most, and the start of it is identified with what is called a “two-minute warning”. Will the team continue on in an “auto-pilot” mode, never really grasping the urgency of the moment, or will they step it up and give those final two minutes all 150% of themselves as though the game hinges on it?

In much the same way, the Church is in the final two minutes of time leading up to the blast of the Shofar and the return of Jesus for His bride in what we call the rapture. How are you approaching these last two minutes? Are you sitting back continuing as you have been, not grasping the urgency of the times we are living in? Or, are you aware of the times we are living in, knowing that this is not the time to be nonchalant with your relationship with Christ?

There are a number of different reasons why a Christian would approach these times in a nonchalant way. For some, they are more caught up with life and all that it entails for them, never really paying attention to the times we are living in and the Biblical end-times prophecies that are being fulfilled right before our eyes. For others, they have bought into the lie that says you are guaranteed a place when that rapture trumpet blasts just because they once said a salvation prayer, and because of it they are stuck on “auto-pilot” as if it doesn’t matter. I used to believe that myself until I began searching the scriptures and found that it didn’t match up with what Scripture tells us. Others are nonchalant about these times because they don’t really believe that Jesus’ return is so near, even though everything is screaming out that it is. Others are waiting for that great revival to come that we keep hearing about, thinking that Jesus isn’t going to return until after the revival. Oh, I believe that a great revival is coming, but based on scripture I believe it is a post-rapture revival, not one that will take place before the return of Jesus for His bride.

Those who are aware of the times we are living in, understanding the urgency for us to be ready and prepared for Jesus, are looking for His return. In doing so, they are setting out to be about the Masters business, and not their own. They realize that they need to deal with sin in their life, to live in a way that pleases and honors Christ in all their doings, and to live a life devoted and committed to God and His ways while dying to their own desires and agendas. They realize that Jesus is coming back for a bride without spot or wrinkle, one that is actively watching for His return. In Hebrews 12:1, the writer of Hebrews tells us to lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and to run with endurance the race that is set before us. We can’t run the race with perseverance and crossing the finish line, which is when we enter into eternity, if we are unwilling to lay aside every weight and sin that trips us up. Is there sin in your life? Is there sin in your life that you’re hanging onto, unwilling for one reason or another to turn away from? Is there sin in your life that you desire more than obedience and right relationship with Christ, or that the cost of making things right is greater than what you are willing to deal with in order to be right in His sight?

In Philippians 2:12-13, the Apostle Paul tells us to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.” If our salvation is complete when we become a Christian, then why are we told that we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling? In Revelation 19:7, the Apostle John writes that “the wife has made herself ready”, referring to the bride of Christ. Many think that we’re made ready once we say a prayer of surrender to Him, asking Him to forgive us of our sins, but the only thing we did was ask Him for forgiveness and to be our Lord. What we do with our life after we enter into this relationship with Christ, that is the key. Are we seeking to serve Him, and to honor Him with our life? Or are we just doing enough to get by, not taking seriously our responsibility in the relationship?

Some people think that God doesn’t require anything of us beyond saying a prayer of salvation, and they live that way. But scripture tells us we do have a responsibility in this relationship, especially if we are to persevere all the way to the finish line. Scripture tells us that we still have a free will to live and make decisions as we please after salvation, and those decisions and the way we live either make us more into the image of Christ, or it will eventually bring separation between us and God. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he fought the good fight, finished the race, and he kept the faith. If it was possible for the Apostle Paul to not fight the good fight, to not finish the race, or even to stray from the faith, then how is that we think we’re a shoe-in just because we said a prayer without any responsibility on our part? If we’re a shoe-in with no responsibility on our part, then why would the Apostle Paul even mention it?

We’re living in the final two minutes, figuratively speaking, leading up to the rapture of the bride of Christ. Are you taking this time nonchalantly, or are you stepping up to the plate giving all of yourself for these last two minutes? Are you fighting the good fight like the Apostle Paul? Are you going to finish the race like the Apostle Paul? Are you going to keep the faith like the Apostle Paul? Will Jesus be able to say to you, “Well done, though good and faithful servant”, indicating that there were things that we are responsible for in our relationship with Him? The two-minute warning has been sounding letting us know that the end is very near, and what you do in these final two minutes could very well make the difference in regards to your eternal destination. It’s not so much important how you start the race, but how you finish the race, and that is what the Apostle Paul alluded to many times in his writings.

It’s the final two minutes! Finish stronger than you’ve ever ran before!

John Johansson

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Is It of God?

Do you have any pet peeves? Things that just irritate and frustrate you without measure? I think we could come up with a pretty long list of things that people could give as a pet peeve of theirs. I have one that just drives me silly sometimes, and that is when people either put words in God’s mouth that He has never said, or they try to say that God doesn’t always mean what He says or the way He said them. When people begin to put words in God’s mouth, or to downplay or change what He has said to mean something other than what He clearly said, they are in essence changing God into a God that fits the way they want to live or believe, and that is very dangerous.

In Revelation 22:18-19, the Apostle John gives a stern warning about taking away from or adding to what is written in the book. While I believe it is dangerous to do that with any of the books found in the Bible, we need to remember that John is very specific in that his warning is in regards to the Book of the Revelation, and not the Bible as a whole as there was no “Bible” at the time. Again, even though there is a strong warning not to take away from or add to the Book of the Revelation, it is still a dangerous thing to do with any of the books or letters found in the Bible.

In the past several decades we have seen and heard a lot of things within church circles. We’ve heard of “holy laughter”, gold teeth and dust, just to name a few. There has been a lot of discussion as to whether or not any or all of these things are of God. Some would argue that with God all things are possible and we should be open to such manifestations of His power. Others, still, argue that if it’s not in the Bible then it’s simply not of God. I take a different approach to this, an approach that many of you might also embrace.

I agree that with God all things are possible, and He’s free to manifest Himself in any way He chooses. When we look at the various reports of different manifestations that have apparently taken place, we need to test them and whether or not they conform to the heart and nature of God towards us. For example, there was a time when people would begin to act and behave as animals, making animal noises as they did so. I think it would be safe to say that this wasn’t of God for the simple reason that God looks to exalt us above the animal kingdom, not to lower us to that level. In fact, God created mankind to have dominion over the animal kingdom, but to have us act and behave as animals would contradict the very nature and mindset of His creating us. While God can, and does, have a free and sovereign will to do as He pleases, He’s not going to say or do anything that goes against His very nature or His plan for humanity.

As a result of those who try to remain open to any manifestation being of God, and even defending it with passion, others go to another extreme that would be viewed as a safe approach to the subject. They say that if it’s not in the Bible then it’s not of God, but is that true, and is it something that we can rely upon as a test of what is and is not of God? Some would say that because God giving people gold teeth is not in the Bible, then it surely can’t be of God. While I have to admit that I may not understand why God would give people gold teeth, as one example, I think one would be hard pressed to arbitrarily conclude that it isn’t of God simply because it isn’t in the Bible. Let me explain.

In John 20:30-31, after the resurrection of Christ, the Apostle John tells us that Jesus did many signs in the presence of His disciples, “which are not written in this book”. Later in John 21:24-25, the Apostle John goes even further by letting us know that there were a lot of other things that Jesus did that was not even written in the book, so much so that all the books in the world could not contain them if each one was listed. So, to say that something is not of God simply because it’s not in the Bible is a dangerous thing in that in doing so we could be limiting God by putting Him in a box. God is greater than any box we may create and try to keep Him inside of. However, many people attempt to do just that simply because they are too uncomfortable with a God that is free to move and operate in whatever way He chooses, or as a means of controlling how and when God is free to move.

So, where does that leave us? How can we know whether or not something is of God? The first test, of course, is whether or not it conflicts with Scripture. If it conflicts with Scripture, then it’s not of God, but if it doesn’t then we need to be open to the possibility that it is of God even though we may not understand or agree with it. If it doesn’t conflict with Scripture, we have to consider whether or not it goes against the heart and nature of God. While I may not understand the phenomenon associated with gold teeth, or why God would cause an iron axe head to float, or even change water into wine, I have to be open the possibility that if it is of God there is a pretty good reason for it whether or not I know what that is. Another test is in the area of the leading of the Holy Spirit. What is the Holy Spirit telling us about it, if anything? Or I should first ask, are you even open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, or have you already made a judgment on the subject based on the box you created or your comfort level that hinges on your understanding of it?

While we need to be alert to manifestations that are not of God that some are attributing to Him, and to subsequently have no part of, we need to be equally cautious to not be so quick to discount something as not of God simply because it isn’t in the Bible or goes beyond our understanding or comfort levels. Jesus told us that the time leading up to His return would be filled with deception, and the enemy of our souls is the great deceiver in so many subtle and not so subtle ways. Let us not be deceived in either extreme as we look forward to His soon and imminent return for His bride.

John Johansson

Is It Legalistic?

I recently saw a post on Facebook with a picture of a prohibited left turn sign, and the caption with it referred to people who would view this sign as a suggestion. The problem with this is that the sign in the picture is not suggesting or making a recommendation on how to make your life better. This particular sign is classified as a regulatory sign, meaning you are required to obey it or risk significant negative consequences.

As I looked at this picture I thought of how many view the Christian life in much the same way. They either view the commands we find in scripture as mere recommendations if they are to experience Gods best in their life, or they simply see them as suggestions with the option to heed them or not. And even then, some choose to view any of the commands of God as legalistic and enemies of the grace God has given us.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a simple definition of “commandment” is; an important rule given by God that tells people how to behave.

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus is asked by one of the Pharisees who was a lawyer which is the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus responded by telling him the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. He followed that up by telling him that the second was like it, to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus proceeds to tell him that on those two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. This dialog was focused on the 10 commandments.

In John 14:15 Jesus tells us that if we love Him we will obey His commandments. Did you notice that? He wasn’t referring to the 10 commandments, but instead His own commandments. So, if that is the case then we need to see what it is that Jesus commanded of us to do. Below are just some of Jesus’ commands to His followers.

“Repent”, Matthew 4:17
“Be reconciled with your brother before offering your gift”, Matthew 5:23-24
“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you”, Matthew 5:44
“Do not worry about your life, …”, Matthew 6:25-32
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, …”, Matthew 6:33
“Judge not, that you be not judged”, Matthew 7:1
Forgive others as God has forgiven you, Matthew 18:21-35
“Do not be deceived”, Matthew 24:4
“Watch therefore, and pray always …”, Luke 21:34-36
“Watch!”, Mark 13:37

For those who argue that the teachings of Christ prior to His resurrection do not pertain to us, citing the opinion that it would be legalistic to heed the teachings and commands of Jesus beforehand, let’s see what Jesus had to say about this after His resurrection.

After His resurrection Jesus gave clear instructions to the Apostles. Part of what He said touched on this very subject, telling them to “… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, …”, Matthew 28:20. What He said told them to teach others to observe, or do, everything He had commanded them to do. There were no qualifiers expressed or implied in any way, like only those I gave after I resurrected, or ones that involved a particular subject matter or not, but instead He said “all”.

In I John 2:3-6; 5:3, we are told by the Apostle John that keeping and obeying the commandments is an indicator of whether or not we truly know Him. If we truly love God then we will keep and do His commandments, and if we don’t then we really don’t love Him. If it’s been a while since you’ve read I John, I encourage you to do so.

We live in a society that the measurement of ones love for another is based on the presence and intensity of passion and emotion for the other person. It is important for us to have passion and emotional love for God in our lives. Jesus told the church in Ephesus that no matter how much they were doing things right, they needed to return to their first love for Him, an intensely passionate love for Him. However, when Jesus and the Apostles mention our love for God, and the test for whether or not we truly love Him, they do not refer to passion and emotion, but instead one’s obedience to the commandments of God the Father and Jesus Christ. The obedience isn’t to gain salvation, but instead to demonstrate to Him, others, and ourselves that we truly love Him and are submitted to His lordship in our lives. This is the test, obedience to His commandments, used multiple times to see how real our love for Him is.

I’m reminded of the words of James in James 2. In this chapter James challenges others to show their faith without works, and that he will show his faith by his works. With that same train of thought a person can say, “Show me your love for God apart from obeying His commandments, and I’ll show you my love for God by my obedience to His commandments.” Many try to separate works from their relationship with Christ on that basis of grace, but Scripture tells us that our love for Him is manifest in our adherence to His commandments. We’re not talking salvation through works as that is not possible, because salvation is only by grace through faith. But, that doesn’t mean our relationship with Him is exempt from being obedient to Him.

I find that many who try to live their Christian walk apart from obedience to His commandments, citing to do otherwise is “legalistic”, are living their life as though they won’t be held accountable for their disobedience. With that I have seen that they tend to lack an appreciation for Christ and what He’s done for them, or any inclination that they need to live their life in such a way to demonstrate their love and appreciation for Him. This is a scary place to be in when Scripture plainly tells us that the love of God is not in us if we are not obeying His commandments. A lot of times this is evident especially so in their pocket books, where they seek to maintain control over their finances as though it is their own and not Gods, having no true desire to honor God with their money or to acknowledge that it’s all His to begin with. A Christian that has to find reasons for not tithing to God, much less more than the tenth, seeking “loopholes” of some sort to justify their behavior, is a person trying to split their allegiance between God and money, something that God will not tolerate. In fact, Scripture tells us whenever we put something or someone before Him it is idolatry.

What I’m trying to say in this blog is simple. We are quickly approaching the sudden return of Jesus for His bride, and Scripture is clear that many will be left behind even though they thought they were in good and right standing with Him. With this sudden appearing of Christ speedily approaching us we need to make sure we are ready for Him, and one of the ways we know that is to see if our love for Him is really what it ought to be.

Does your life reflect true love for Him and His lordship in your life? If not, I strongly encourage you to make whatever changes are necessary to get your life where it needs to be. We are all a work in progress, and that is where His grace and mercy comes in, but where is the attitude of our heart towards Him, sin, and being surrendered to His will and ways?

John Johansson

Has an Alarm Sounded for You?

Has an alarm sounded for you? In Sunday School we are currently going through a study on what it sometimes takes in order for some to change. As a part of that study we have learned about alarms. Specifically, alarms that sound in our lives warning us of coming destruction if we don’t heed the alarm and make changes in accordance to God’s Word, nature and will for us.

What is an alarm? Sometimes it is the sounding of an alert like an alarm clock that wakes us up in the morning. At other times, it is the sound of a warning letting us know of impending destruction if we don’t heed it and make the necessary changes.

When we talk about alarms, it’s funny how some get our attention, and yet others don’t even phase us in any way. In order for an alarm to be effective it has to become more unpleasant to us than what we are wanting or desiring, otherwise we wouldn’t heed it. When you think of an alarm clock, the soft sounds of a breeze through tree branches or ocean waves crashing against some rocks might not wake you up enough to get up and out of bed, but the sound of an air horn or a fire alarm will probably get you out of bed in a sudden jolt with full adrenalin flowing through your veins. That alarm was effective. We see it with our cell phones. Some ringtones are hard for us to hear to notice, but others get our attention right away and we know that someone is trying to contact us. What alarms get your attention, and which ones are easy for you to not hear or to ignore?

Have you known someone that paid little attention to what they ate, desiring more the enjoyment of the food than to be without, at least until they got the doctors report? Once they got the doctors report it took very little effort on their part to change both what they ate and their eating habits. The doctors report was an alarm. What about the person that thinks nothing about the way they drive and end up having a fender bender that was their fault? The fender bender was an alarm sounding, letting them know that if they don’t make some changes in the way they drive they could end up in a very disastrous accident that could prove fatal in multiple ways. Or maybe you’ve been embezzling money from your employer, and one day someone decides to take an audit of the company’s finances? There’s an alarm sounding. When it comes to change in our lives, what alarms must God sound before we will take notice and change what needs to be changed?

It would be great if it only took one alarm to bring change in our life, but for many people it takes multiple alarms before that change comes, if it ever does. The person that initially changed their eating habits eventually goes back to eating the way they used to before the doctor’s report, and now they are suffering from a heart-attack that could’ve been avoided. Perhaps they live through the heart-attack, and if so that is another louder alarm, but how many more alarms will they need to endure before they change or they suffer the consequences of their poor eating habits? The person with the fender bender shrugs it off as though it’s nothing big, maybe even trying to pass the blame onto someone or something else because they are too good of a driver, only to end up in a multi-car pileup that cost the life of 5 innocent people. The person embezzling money slips past the audit undetected and they now feel safe, and as a result starts embezzling more than they had previously only to get caught in a “sting” operation that literally costs them everything they have and ten years in prison, not to mention the reputation they had worked so hard to build up over the years.

I recently read in I Peter 4:17 how that judgment first begins in the house of God. Some would say that as Christians we are exempt from God’s judgment, and that we’re free to live as we please because of God’s forgiveness, but that is not the case. When I think about this verse and the alarms I’ve already mentioned I think of two modern examples for us to consider, Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker. Both of these men loved God and were greatly used of God to reach millions of people with the Gospel, but both of them had sin in their lives exposed that caused their ministries to collapse. From what I remember of both situations, both of them had people approach them in private about sin in their life, but because of their pride thinking they wouldn’t get caught or that it was okay, they ignored the alarms God was sounding in their lives. It was only after they kept ignoring the alarms God was sounding to them in private that God had no choice but to bring very public correction to them, and it cost them dearly, perhaps far more than they ever thought they would lose if exposed. I won’t go into where these men are now as that is not the crux of this blog, but the fact is God had sounded alarms in their lives long before the destruction came that they ignored. So, God does sound alarms in our lives when we are not living as we ought, but whether or not we heed the alarms and change is strictly up to us.

Has God been sounding alarms in your life? Is He trying to warn you of destruction heading your way if you don’t change the way you’re doing something? I think we all have at one time or another, and we will more than likely hear those alarms in the future as we grow and mature in Him as we should. Instead of learning things the hard-way as some are so proud to declare for themselves, let us heed the different alarms in our lives and make whatever changes we ought to, all with the help of the Holy Spirit.

God loves and accepts us just as we are, but He also loves us to much to leave us as we are.

John Johansson

An Unrealized Gift

Have you ever received a gift that wasn’t complete? You know what I mean. Perhaps it was a gift card, something that had to be redeemed to purchase the gift of your choosing. Maybe it was what one would call an “IOU”, where someone gives this to you in a card or envelope promising to give you something in particular at some point in the future. In either case you received a gift that wasn’t truly realized until it was fulfilled.

Another example of such a gift, one that might help make the point better, is the gift of seeds. What if someone gave you a gift of apple seeds? Those seeds in and of themselves are not much of a gift, but if you plant the seeds and they grow into an apple tree producing a lot of apples, now that would be quite the gift wouldn’t you say? Especially if you really liked apples.

During this time of year people celebrate the greatest gift of all for mankind, and even then in the midst of the celebrating they often times forget about the gift itself. I’m talking about Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Christmas is without a doubt the biggest and most celebrated of holidays. It has also become the most commercialized as people spend a lot of money buying gifts and decorations for the holiday, and even giving sizable contributions of various types and amounts to a variety of people and charitable organizations.

So, what about this gift that often times gets overlooked in the midst of such activity. It’s the birth of Jesus, God’s gift to mankind. Churches put on Christmas programs focused around Jesus, and people put up nativity scenes all over the place. There is also a phrase that some will use to help remind others of this gift, “He is the reason for the season.” A lot goes into celebrating the birth of this Jesus in a manger, but the problem is that very few ever allow Him to leave the manger. As a result, for most they never truly experience the gift of Jesus as God intended them to. Let me explain.

God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a gift for all mankind, but the gift was not fulfilled in the manger as many attempt to do. Instead, the gift was fulfilled on a wooden cross hoisted on the top of Golgotha about 33 years later, and was realized three days later when He was resurrected from the dead. This was the gift God had destined for all mankind, the gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus.

We get all excited about the birth of Jesus, and rightfully so, but if we don’t let Him out of the manger and let Him get on a cross, then our celebrating of His birth is all in vain. If Jesus hadn’t died and rose again then there would be no celebrating of Christmas, or at least nothing anywhere close to what it is, and it wouldn’t have any real significance for us.

Are you embracing the gift God has given us as He intended we do, or are you just keeping Him in a manger where it’s safe and non-threatening to you and the way your living? People love Jesus while He is in a manger because a baby doesn’t threaten or interfere in their way of life, but if they let Jesus out of the manger to die on a cross then that forces them to take a real close look at their own lives in light of what Jesus did on their behalf, and a lot of people don’t like that.

As we celebrate the birth of this gift God has given us, will you also remember to let Him out of the manger to receive God’s gift to you in all His fullness??? He is more than the reason for the season, He’s the reason for celebrating the life He’s giving us in heaven through the cross and His resurrection.

He is the gift unrealized.

John Johansson

Pushing It

A couple weeks ago while watching a football game on TV, someone commented about how much the players push themselves physically. Immediately I thought of the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 9:24-27. In this passage he talks of how he disciplines his body and puts it into subjection so that he wouldn’t become disqualified. I have to ask myself whether or not I’m following the example Paul has left us to follow. Am I disciplining, or pushing myself, as I ought to in my pursuit of and devotion to Christ? What about you? When was the last time you asked yourself that question?

It’s easy for us to say we’re doing good if we haven’t fallen into any of the “big” sins dancing in front of us wherever we look, but does that mean we’re pushing ourselves as we should be? Probably not. Think about it. We can pat ourselves on the back if we haven’t been involved in adultery, drugs, alcoholism, or murder. But what about gossip, compromise, gluttony, and other not so big and subtle sins? Have we pushed ourselves to stay clear of these, or have we played “patty-cake” with them thinking we’re still okay, and that God “understands”?

It’s sometimes rather funny, and yet sad at the same time, to hear of some of the rationalizing people devise within themselves to make allowances for behavior that is contrary to the heart and nature of God. We are called to be transformed into the image of Christ, to be His ambassadors to a lost and dying world. As such, we should then be pushing ourselves to live in a way that is honoring and pleasing in God’s sight, refraining from and dying to the sins that so easily beset us. We are all tempted to sin, no matter how big or small it may be. James tells us in James 1:12-16 that we are tempted when we’re drawn away by our own desires and enticed. Our flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the nature of Christ, and to surrender to those desires is simply sin. Are we content with living as we have been, or are we pushing forward to become more like Christ in all we do? You know, to be content with living as we have been, making allowances for things in our life that should not be, that in itself is sin, the sin of complacency.

People talk about how hard it is to turn from the different temptations and sins we face continually. The writer of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 12:4 that we have not yet resisted to bloodshed striving against sin. Where is our resistance to sin, and where is our pursuit and commitment to live as we ought for the sake of Christ and the Gospel? Is this something we can do on our own, with our own will power, or do we need help to do this? We cannot resist sin and purpose to live as we ought in our own will power. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to do this, and that requires us to be sensitive to His voice and obedient to His leading, but it is up to us to resist and depend on Him, leaving the rest to Him.

I think it is safe to say that we all could be doing a better job of pushing ourselves for the Kingdom. As the day of Jesus’ return for His bride draws ever so close, it becomes more and more important that we push ourselves for Him. If the Apostle Paul, himself, was concerned enough about finding himself disqualified for salvation to the point that he trained and fought as though only one wins the prize, then how much more should we as we consider Paul’s resume compared to our own? Let us this day renew our commitment to live for and pursue Him, to surrender our desires and very life to Him, so that we too can be assured of winning the prize.

John Johansson