Jesus Christ – Page 5 – Resounding Shophar Ministries

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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Reflections

The presidential primaries are nearly complete and we have a pretty good idea of who the main candidates will be for the November elections. That is if one doesn’t get indicted and arrested for various charges, and the other one doesn’t fall victim to a potential war within the party seeking someone else to represent them. One of these two candidates is believed to be a liar and a traitor to the United States of America, and the other candidate is believed to be a liar, a prejudiced, racial, and immoral person with deceptive and unethical business practices that could possibly involve fraud. No wonder people are frustrated and disappointed with the selection of candidates to vote for, at least candidates that have a legitimate chance of winning.

Someone recently mentioned how bad this election process, including the campaigning, has been leading up to the November elections, and a thought crossed my mind. We want prayer regarding the upcoming elections, and that God will raise up someone who will represent Him and fight for Biblical values, but this election is a reflection of our society and how far from God it has gone. If that is the case, then it only stands to reason that this election will have nothing to do with Jesus or Biblical values since this country has effectively pushed Him out of everything else. Our society has been actively working to remove even the mention of Jesus’ name wherever they can, and have in turn been pushing policies and agendas that clearly contradict the Bible with an attitude best described as “spitting in the face of God”. What arrogance and pride we as a country have embraced, and then we wonder why this election process is in the shape it’s in.

One of the things that has been going on that I find so funny in a not-so-funny way, and it’s only getting worse and building in intensity, is how each of the two truly remaining candidates, both proven to be frequent liars, are attacking the other candidate for their lying and deceptive ways. That’s what you call, “the pot calling the kettle black”. We see this behavior within our society practically everywhere we look. For some reason people can find ways to justify and rationalize their behavior and lifestyle, but when they come across someone else basically doing the same thing they are quick to judge and be critical of them. We live with the idea that we’re exempt from having to live by any standard of values or morals, yet we are quick to nail someone else who doesn’t live up to the standards we think we’re exempt from. Does that fit the definition of “double-standards”? It’s bad enough when our society works that way, but when it’s in the church that’s a really bad thing.

I remember growing up and hearing people complain about hypocrites in the church, using that as their excuse for not going to church or giving their lives to Jesus. Perhaps you’ve heard the same stories? Someone could be in church praising and worshipping Jesus every Sunday, but every Friday night they could be seen in a strip club partying it up and frequently sharing “dirty” jokes to others throughout the week. Or the one where someone doesn’t want to hire the services of a Christian or Christian company because they have seen or heard of their deceptive and unethical business practices. And we wonder why society is the way it is? Where are the ambassadors of Christ who are not only representing Him to the world around us, but upholding Biblical standards showing people there is a better way of life in Christ than what they are seeing in the world around them?

It seems to be more and more commonplace for us to hear of ministers that will preach very adamantly against one or more specific sins, only to find out later that they have been secretly doing the very things they have preached so strongly against. This isn’t the case with all ministers, or even the majority of them, but nonetheless it is out there. This sort of thing causes people to be cynical of ministers, grouping all ministers into the same hypocrisy of the others. The Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:17 that judgment begins in the house of God, and if He needs to He will expose the sins of the unrepentant child of God in order to bring them back into right standing with Him. This applies to all Christians, whether or not they are ministers. Hypocrisy is rampant within church circles. It’s not an issue of Christians, especially fairly new Christians, learning over time what it means to be children of God and how we’re to live in a way that honors God and accurately represents Him to the world around us. The issue is more around those who know, either from reading and studying the Bible or hearing the truth of the Gospel be proclaimed, choose to discount what they know to be the truth to continue living in sin. No matter how you want to justify or rationalize it away, even to the point of grasping a form of teaching that claims through grace it’s okay to continue in that sin, it still falls within rebellion against God and can have very significant consequences on one’s relationship with God and their eternal destination. How can we be critical of others hypocritical behavior and lifestyles is we are living hypocritical lives ourselves? Does that mean we have to be perfect? No, but it’s both how we deal with that sin in our lives and our attitude about it that makes the difference. Do we humbly approach the throne of grace with repentant hearts, which includes turning from that sin, or do we just try to justify and rationalize why we are going to continue in it? Perhaps we try to justify it citing the negative aspects of turning from the sin, at least the negative aspects in the natural realm while discounting the negative aspects of continued rebellion against a holy God, our Father?

Are we living lives of hypocrisy, being critical of the behaviors and lifestyles of others while discounting, as though we’re exempt, the same behaviors and sin in our own lives? Are we the “pot calling the kettle black”? This should not be the case.

Reflections. What we are seeing in this election process is a reflection of our society, and in some cases the hypocrisy within the church. Before we get upset about what we’re seeing in the campaigning for this election, lets first take a step back and take a good hard look at how it’s a mere reflection of our society, and perhaps our own life. Let’s be careful we’re not “the pot calling the kettle black” if we’re living with compromise in our life as a Christian. And if we are living a compromising life contrary to Scripture, Biblical values and morals, and to the heart and nature of God, then it’s time to repent of such and turn from it. Otherwise, what we are seeing in the world around us, and politically, is merely a reflection of where our heart is in relationship to Christ.

Reflections.

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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30 Shekels of Silver

I recently found myself thinking of Judas Iscariot. You know the man. He’s the one that betrayed Jesus for 30 shekels of silver. Who was this man, and why did he betray Jesus? Is there something in him that we can not only learn from, but also identify within ourselves? So, let’s take a look at this man.

We first hear of Judas in Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16. In these passages we find out how it was that he became an apostle of Jesus. In Mark 3:7-12, we see that a great multitude of people were following Jesus because of all the things they had heard He was doing. They saw Him do signs and wonders. It is from this same group of people that Jesus specifically calls out the ones He wanted to be His 12 apostles; those who would be with Him, those who would be sent out to preach, and those who would be given power to heal the sick and cast out demons. And named among these 12 men was Judas Iscariot. Judas was following Jesus before Jesus called him out. Why he was following Jesus, we can only speculate. Perhaps it was only because of the signs and wonders, but maybe there was more? Maybe it was because of the notoriety he would gain being associated with such a man like Jesus? Or, was it only because he sincerely believed in Jesus and wanted to follow after Him? We may never know why he specifically was following Jesus, but we do know that as a result of his following Jesus he was selected to be one of the 12 Jesus would call out to be with Him as an apostle.

In John 12:1-8, we read of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointing the feet of Jesus with a costly oil, and of Judas being critical of what she did. Judas tried to make an argument for selling the oil and giving the proceeds to the poor, but John tells us that this was not the true heart motivation of Judas. John gives us a glimpse of the heart of Judas, someone called to be a disciple of Jesus sent out to preach and do signs and wonders, by telling us that Judas was more concerned about the money because he would take money out of the money box he kept for Jesus. When did money become an issue for Judas? We can be fairly confident that money wasn’t the reason he was following Jesus, but when did he start looking to the money? Some people have said that money is the root of all evil, but that is not true. In 1 Timothy 6:10, we read that it is the “love of money” that is the root of all evil, and it is for this same reason that Paul tells us some have strayed from the faith in their greediness. We can look just about anywhere and see people whose love of money will cause them to do just about anything to either obtain more, or to keep what they have. They will walk over anyone that is in the way of them getting more money, break whatever law is in their way, compromise any standards hindering their progress, or ignore or discard any trace of moral ethics that stands in the way of their greed. In essence, people who love money will go to great lengths and depths to acquire more, and then to keep it, all the while tossing away integrity and moral character as obstacles in their way. Apparently, Judas loved money more than he did Jesus, stealing from Jesus what was His. Being specifically chosen by Jesus to be an apostle sent out to represent Him in preaching and signs and wonders, money became more important to him than Jesus.

The next time we hear of Judas is in Matthew 26:14-16. It is here that we read of Judas approaching the chief priests seeking to betray Jesus. In their search for the messiah, the Jews were looking for someone that would free them from the rule and reign of the Romans, and to establish an earthly kingdom. This wasn’t happening with Jesus, though some expected Him to do so, and some have argued that this was the reason Judas approached the chief priests. It is speculated by some that he was hoping Jesus would be pushed into taking action to establish His earthly kingdom if he betrayed Him and had Him arrested, but I’m not convinced this was the case. If this was the real reason for Judas betraying Jesus, then why would he be interested in what the chief priests would give him to do so? Judas has been profiting at Jesus’ expense for some time, how long we don’t know, taking what was Jesus’ and keeping it for himself. Perhaps he saw the money coming to Jesus beginning to decrease, or maybe felt that Jesus’ ministry was coming to a close, or maybe his love of money had grown to such an extent that he sought one last opportunity to throw caution to the wind and get one last windfall of money? Even though we may never truly know his motivation to betray Jesus, one thing we do know for certain is that he was a thief and loved money more than he did Jesus. Perhaps Judas was on his mind when the Apostle Paul wrote about those who love money in 1 Timothy 6:10, but if not we can see Paul’s words to be true when we look at Judas. In his greediness Judas fell from the place of apostleship and anointing, and even in relationship with Christ. Judas experienced firsthand the love of Jesus, the signs and wonders Jesus did, and the power and anointing Jesus gave him to preach the good news and do the miraculous, yet at the end it was his love of money that was greater than his relationship with Jesus.

While the life and death of Judas appears to be centered around his love of money, what can we glean from him? Some have argued that anyone that experiences the love of Jesus will voluntarily surrender their life and be obedient to Him, arguing that no one can resist or choose to walk away from the love of Jesus once they’ve experienced it. What we see in Judas, a man that Jesus didn’t just love but chose to invest Himself into for the Kingdom, is a man who began to love something more than Jesus despite all that he had experienced or seen firsthand. That something doesn’t have to be money, but anything or anyone that we love more than Jesus. It could be argued that Judas didn’t initially follow Jesus because of His money, especially since we know that Jesus didn’t even have a place to lay His head, but sometime during those three in a half years of being with Jesus 24/7, he began to love the money. I’m sure you’ve known people who started out on the right track with Jesus, eager to follow Him, but somewhere down the road their love of something or someone became greater than their love of Him. Oh, they might still love Jesus, but they no longer love Him more than anything or anyone else, and in that they forfeit their relationship with Him as Paul tells us.

In Mark 14:43-46, we read of how Judas’ betrayal took place. It’s ironic that it wasn’t enough for Judas to simply indicate who Jesus was, but instead he used deception and hypocrisy to betray Jesus. He wanted to appear as though he was a close friend of Jesus to all those there, and as such approached Jesus as though there was nothing wrong or amiss in his relationship with Jesus by greeting Him with a kiss. Sometimes we hide where our heart truly is by presenting ourselves as loyal friends of Jesus to those around us, but Jesus knows our heart and will not be fooled. Sadly, many a church pew is used by some to make people think they are living right with God, all the while there is someone or something else on the throne in their life. Christians have often times been accused of hypocrisy, making themselves appear as followers of Christ when they are in church or in the midst of other Christians, but all the while they are living a life contrary to the ways and will of God, ways that dishonor or displease Him. They are living a life of deception and hypocrisy, fooling themselves that all is okay when in actuality things are not okay.

For whatever reason Judas decided to betray Jesus. More than likely things with Jesus wasn’t going in the direction he thought they should be, and it is then that we see where his heart truly is. So, in essence Judas tried to profit once again at the expense of Christ, but this time without reservations because his love of money was greater. When things in life are not going in the direction we think it should, especially as followers of Jesus, we’re faced with the decision to surrender and submit to what and where God is leading us, or to put our relationship with Him on the chopping block in an effort to hang onto whatever it is we value more than Him. For some it is money like it was for Judas, but for others it could be career, education, recreation and entertainment, hobbies, relationships, power and control, and any other thing you can think of. In either case, what are we going to do when we’re pushed into a corner where the loyalties of our heart are tested and subsequently exposed for what they truly are? It’s a decision we will all face one time or another, and usually it is more than once or twice that we will face it.

One last thing about Judas. In Matthew 27:3-10, we read that Judas regretted the decision he made to betray Jesus. When he tried to reverse the results of his betrayal, which was unsuccessful, he then went and hanged himself. One can argue whether or not Judas would have been granted forgiveness from God if he sought it, but the fact remains that while he greatly regretted what he had done he instead chose to hang himself. At what point does a person begin to regret the decisions they made at Christ’s expense, or at the expense of their relationship with Christ? That point is different for each person, and some will not reach that point until after they enter into eternity. If a person does reach that point and place on this side of eternity, they need to run to God with repentance and submission seeking His forgiveness and restored relationship. Are you that person, where you’ve sold out your relationship with Christ for 30 shekels of silver, figuratively speaking? Has someone or something other than Jesus been on the throne in your life? Are you ready and willing to make the necessary changes to regain right relationship with Him? If so, let there be no delay in doing so, and take care of it speedily!

John Johansson

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

2016

In just a few days we will be entering into the year 2016. Did you ever think that you would see 2016? I remember growing up wondering if we would even see the year 2000, but obviously we did and now we find ourselves staring at the start of 2016.

For some the year 2015 was nothing less than a terrible year for a variety of reasons. Some faced economic collapse, others have had to deal with serious or catastrophic medical issues, and for others either broken relationships or the loss of loved ones. For others 2015 was a great year. Maybe they experienced significant career advancements, new additions to their family, or any one of many other exciting things one can imagine. In either case, the year 2015 is coming to a close, and with that the hope of a better year in 2016 awaits them.

Was 2015 a rough year for you, or was it one of much excitement and joy? No matter what, there is a hope in the hearts and minds of many that 2016 will be better than the previous. Whenever we approach a new year people envision themselves in one way or another turning over a new leaf. We hear it in those infamous “New Year’s Resolutions” that seem to return each year because they were forgotten shortly after the start of the previous year. Are you looking forward to any New Year’s Resolutions going into 2016? Are any of them repeats from previous years, or are they new ones originating from the experiences of 2015?

In either case, the year 2016 will be a year to be watched. Outside of the usual excitement and expectations of a new year, 2016 has the potential of being one of the best and worst years on record for mankind. Whether it is the best or worst for you will depend on your perspective and where you place your hope. In recent years we have seen the fulfillment of Bible end-time prophesy monopolize the news almost everywhere we look. As we look forward we can even see things coming our way in the very near future which the Bible tells us will take place in the tribulation period. If your perspective and hope is centered on Christ, then 2016 has the potential of being the most exciting year ever for you knowing that this could be the year Jesus returns for His bride, the church. If your perspective and hope is centered on anything or anyone else, then 2016 could potentially be the worst year ever for you if Jesus returns and you are left behind to deal with what will come in the tribulation period.

If your life is focused and centered around Jesus, then the excitement comes from the fact you would be caught up to be with Him forever in Heaven. If your life is not focused and centered around Jesus, then what awaits you is a time of extreme trials and tribulations, a time that will be very difficult to live through to say the least.

If 2016 is the year that Jesus returns, you do not want to be left behind because things will get far worse than you can ever imagine. If you haven’t given your life to Jesus, to live and die for Him alone, then this is the time to change that. Jesus needs to be your all-in-all, and not just an acquaintance that you turn to when things get tough. Jesus needs to be more important to you than anything or anyone else in your life, including yourself. After all, you mean enough to Him that He would give His all for you on a cross so you could spend eternity with Him in Heaven, a place far more grand and spectacular than anything else you could ever imagine in a million years. If you haven’t given your life to Jesus, then I strongly encourage you to do so ASAP. A life lived for Jesus is a life far better than anything else this world can give. It’s all an issue of where your perspective and hope rests upon that will determine what 2016 will hold for you.

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