prepared – Resounding Shophar Ministries

Now Is The Time

It sure seems like things are getting pretty upside down in the world right now, and getting turned inside out on top of that. One can’t help but wonder what is going on, and where is it all going to end up. Unrest is growing in intensity, not just in other parts of the world but also here in America. Lines are being drawn between different groups of people, and different ideologies of life and government. Corruption is widespread from the highest levels of government all the way down to some of the most impoverished in society. Violence is increasing to the point, and stirred up by some, that cold-blooded murder is becoming rampant from coast to coast, even to the point of targeting law enforcement. What do we have to look forward to?

Have you ever been in one of those situations where the time had come that you had to react? You know what I mean, where you just know it’s one of those “it’s now or never” moments? We are speedily approaching that point in time where “it’s now or never”, if we’re not already there. Am I talking about taking up arms to protect and defend ourselves and others? Am I talking about moving to the mountains to get off the power grid and live in isolation, living as a hermit of sorts? No, I’m not talking about either of those, or anything else of the sort. What I’m referring to is something far greater in importance than any of those I mentioned. I’m referring to one’s eternal destination.

Ever since God placed Resounding Shophar on my heart some 25 years ago, it has been my desire first and foremost to sound the alarm of the soon and imminent return of Jesus for His bride. That desire was coupled with the sense of urgency to encourage and challenge people to make sure they are ready and prepared for His return. That doesn’t mean that I have all the answers, or that I’ve mastered in my life what it means to be a child of God or His ambassador. It just means that I’ve been willing and available to do it.

Over the years I have written short stories to help people remember Christ is returning and to refocus their eyes with that truth in mind. I’ve challenged people in areas that they may have thought was unrelated to, or had no bearing on, the return of Christ and their readiness for it. I’ve written about what it means to be ready when that trumpet sounds, as well as mindsets and behaviors that may cause some to not be ready when that time comes. I’ve encouraged people to not live in the regrets or the “what if’s” of the past, but instead with an assurance of an eternity with Christ that awaits those who live for and place their trust in Him. I’ve routinely written about the condition and attitudes of one’s heart, as well as the two mindsets I refer to as “kissing cousins”, legalism and extreme or hyper-grace. I’ve written about the presence of unconfessed sin of an unrepentant heart, and those who choose to continue in sin finding ways to justify or rationalize why it’s okay to continue in it, and how that sin and mindset can interfere with their readiness for Christ and their plans for an eternity in heaven. I’ve tackled the idea that all Christians will go up in the rapture when that trumpet sounds, and even the views held by some that there will be no literal, physical rapture of any kind. I’ve even attempted to not only show Biblically how we can be assured of a coming rapture for the Church, but also why I believe it to be one that takes place prior to the seven years of God’s judgment we call the Tribulation Period.

I’ve shared my heart with Biblical support over the years regarding Christ’s return and our need to be ready when that trumpet sounds. I realize there are different views regarding this subject matter within church circles, and some can even be supported in part with scripture. I learned a long time ago that each person chooses what they believe, who they will believe, and what information they consider true and factual whether or not it truly is. With that realization, I know that it is entirely up to you what you say or do with what I’ve written and presented over the years. Do I have all the answers on this subject, and am I 100% right in what I’ve shared? No, and probably not, but I have shared to the best of my ability and understanding what I believe God’s word has to say on the subject, and what God’s heart for us is as we see that day quickly approaching.

I believe humanity in general, and Christians more specifically, are now in a position, or quickly speeding to it, where the term “it’s now or never” is sounding long and loud for people to get ready for Christ’s return for His Bride. When we see things unraveling all around us and the world, and things speedily lining up for events specifically laid out in Scripture for the tribulation period, we have to understand that time is quickly running out for people to prepare and get ready for Christ’s return. The abundant fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophesy right before our eyes I believe is the midnight call of Christ’s very imminent return. No matter what your views are regarding the return of Christ, it would be wise for you to take the necessary steps to be watching and ready for Him when that time comes. It’s not so much an issue of when you think He will be returning, but whether or not you are going to be ready when He does. It doesn’t matter what you believe about the continuing presence of unrepentant sin in your life, sin that you’ve justified as okay and acceptable in your life, it would be wise to deal with it and get it out of your life. No matter what you believe, are you willing to risk losing eternity in heaven by choosing to continue in a sin you have justified as acceptable and okay in your life on the basis of grace? No matter what, NOW IS THE TIME for you to make sure you are ready and prepared for Him!

NOW IS THE TIME!!

John Johansson (Pastor John)

[thrive_leads id=’457′]

Don’t Blink!

Have you ever been on a trip heading to a specific destination, but because you blinked you missed it? Oh, you were watching for it, but in that moment you blinked or got momentarily distracted you went right past it. Or what about that time you thought for sure you still had another 10 or so miles to go before you would be at your exit, only to find yourself suddenly and unexpectedly going right past it? At those moments you probably felt frustration, surprise, and possibly anger towards yourself for missing it. It probably didn’t help much if there were others with you at the time, too.

Can you imagine what it would be like for those who get left behind when the rapture of the church takes place? Especially for those who thought that they would be one of those caught up to meet Jesus in the air? I don’t know about you, but I definitely do not want to be one of those left behind.

I’m hearing more and more Christians take the position that Jesus isn’t returning anytime soon, if at all. For some, they think that things have to get much worse before Jesus will return. Others believe that there has to first be a great revival. And still a growing number of Christians are taking the position that Christ isn’t returning for His church at all in what we call the rapture. Is this okay, or is there a danger for embracing such positions?

In Matthew 24:42 and Matthew 25:13, as well as in Mark 13:35-37 and Luke 21:34-36, Jesus tells us to watch for His return because we don’t know what day or hour that He will come for us. Jesus isn’t casually telling us to be watching for Him, but He is saying so as a command with strong emphasis to heed and take seriously. To emphasize the point, Jesus tells us in Revelation 16:15 that the one that watches for Him and takes care of their garments will be blessed, while those who didn’t watch or take care of their garments would find themselves walking naked, or without their robes of righteousness they once had through Christ, and others will see their shame. Jesus doesn’t pull any punches, commanding His followers to be watching for His return, and rebuking those who didn’t heed His commands regarding His return.

So, where does that leave those who are taking the position that Jesus is not returning anytime soon, or that He’s not returning at all? We’re told in 2 Peter 3:1-13 that in the last days there will be those who will mock the idea of Jesus returning for the Church, and we are seeing that more and more all the time. How many times have you heard someone say something to the effect that “people have been saying He was coming back for 2000 years”, as if that is a good reason to assume He’s not coming and that they can live as they please? These are the very people that the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, told us would be scoffing at the thought of Christ returning in the last days. If you are someone that doesn’t believe, for whatever reason, that Jesus isn’t coming back in the very literal and physical event we call the rapture, you are the very ones that God warned us about in these last days. If you are a Christian and you still don’t believe that Jesus is coming back for the literal and physical rapture of the church, then you are embracing what the Apostle Paul referred to in Galatians 1:6-10, a “different gospel”, and he said to let those who preach and teach it to be “accursed”.

I heard of a Christian, a minister that doesn’t believe in a literal and physical rapture of the church, that said he’s convinced that if he was wrong regarding the rapture he would still be raptured up. To take that position just shows how little he knows of what the Bible teaches regarding the rapture of the church and the consequences of those who aren’t looking and watching for it. If a person can’t receive salvation if they don’t believe in it, or receive divine healing if they don’t believe in it, how can someone expect to be raptured up if they don’t even believe in it? The logic this minister is using just doesn’t add up as sound or credible logic in the face of what Scripture tells us.

What about those who do believe in the rapture of the church but don’t think it will happen anytime soon? As I mentioned earlier, some think things have to get a whole lot worse than they are before He will return, and others believe a great revival must first take place before He comes back. Those who think that things need to get a whole lot worse before He returns, they often times take the approach that Christians in America have to first experience the physical persecution Christians experience in other countries. Whether or not that is true is really a mute issue, especially when Jesus told us to be watching for His return as He will come at an unexpected moment. If we think things need to get worse before He will return, then we are at least subconsciously lowering our guard on the premise that He’s not returning anytime soon, as if we really know that. There is a very real danger with this mindset that I will address shortly.

Some Christians seem to think that there has to be a great revival before Christ will return, and like those who believe things have to first get much worse, there is a very real danger with this mindset as well. While it would be great to see a tremendous revival happen before He returns, to think it has to happen prior to Jesus’ return is a dangerous position to embrace. Yes, both Joel and the Apostle Peter talked about a great outpouring in the last days, but is it what we think it will be? After all, when Jesus came the first time, fulfilling the prophesies of how He would come to a “T”, the people and the religious leaders didn’t recognize Him as the messiah because He didn’t come as they thought He should have. I hear people talk about the prophesied revival of the last days, and what they think it should look like, but have you ever taken a really good look at the revival Joel and Peter described? When you look at the description of the revivals they prophesied about, we’ve already been experiencing it the past 50 years, going back to the mid 1960’s. I do believe there is a great revival yet to come for the whole world, but I believe the revival many people are talking about is one that will take place AFTER the rapture of the church. Like I said, to be thinking that Jesus won’t be coming back until after one last revival is a very dangerous position to be in.

How can it be dangerous to believe that things have to get much worse than they are now, or that there has to be one more great revival before Jesus will return? To begin with, most people who take such a position tend to lower their guard and take their relationship with Christ more casual and laid back than those who are expecting Him to return any moment. It is here that people are less diligent to keep their robes of righteousness clean without spots or blemishes from sin and the world. They become lax, thinking they still have tomorrow to “tidy up and get prepared” for His return. Are these the only reasons why it’s dangerous to embrace such positions? No, they are not. We read in Matthew 24:45-51 that the servant that thought his master was delaying his return, and therefore paid little attention to the how he lived in the present, when the master returned at a time when he wasn’t expected to he cut the servant into pieces and gave him his portion among the hypocrites. We see in Matthew 24:42-44, Luke 11:46-52, and Luke 12:35-48, that those who thought that the master was delaying his return not only got rebuked, but they also were dealt with along with those who were evil and hypocrites. Luke 12:47 is especially sobering because it speaks to those servants, Christians, that know the masters will and did not prepare themselves or do the will of the master, that they would be beaten with many stripes. Earlier we saw how strongly Jesus commands us to watch and prepare for His return, and now we’re seeing the consequences of those who don’t because they think His return is still a way off.

We are living in a time when we can’t afford “to blink” in our walk with Him, to get distracted with the cares and pleasures of life, or with the idea that He’s not coming back anytime soon. We’re living in a time when the signs pointing to His very real and increasingly more imminent return are screaming out to us to watch and prepare for Him. This is not the time to “blink”, because to do so may very well cost us eternity with Him. To think that this isn’t possible, especially because of His love for us, that we don’t have to worry about it and that we’re a shoe-in for the rapture, is to discount both the commands and the warnings of Christ regarding His return and the times we are living in. To embrace a teaching that says He’s not coming, or that He’s delaying His return, is a very dangerous position to take and could be viewed as playing a form of “Russian Roulette” with eternity.

You might be getting tired of hearing about Jesus’ return and the signs pointing to it, and perhaps finding yourself despising or rejecting any thoughts or conversation on the topic, but Jesus, Himself, tells us as He did the church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13, to persevere. He tells us that it is in our persevering that we will obtain the crown of life Jesus promises for us, and will keep us from the hour of trial and testing that will come to the earth. Jesus said in Luke 21:36, that we are to watch and pray that we are counted worthy to escape that which is coming to the earth. Watch! Don’t blink!

Don’t blink!

John Johansson (Pastor John)

[thrive_leads id=’457′]

Rapture or No Rapture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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