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John Darby Did Not Invent the Rapture - By Gene Lawley - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/06/21/john-darby-did-not-invent-the-rapture-by-gene-lawley/
One of the issues being promoted by a rising belief system of theology is that a pre-tribulation Rapture of the church is not Bible truth. It is claimed that such doctrine is a fabrication of one John Nelson Darby of Ireland (1800-1882). Therefore, we are being taught that any such references to the Rapture are just garbage and without merit. Any Scripture that makes such a reference is said to be presenting aspects of Christ’s Second Coming. Much has been written and published on the Internet, easy to find if one wants to know about this issue. Darby was apparently an active and well-known figure in the mid-1800 theological circles, having supported Calvin’s views. He wrote favorably of Calvin’s analysis of Election and Predestination. At a conference in 1832, he presented his views on the pre-tribulation Rapture doctrines. His biographer, William Kelly (1821-1906), wrote of Darby, “A saint more true to Christ’s name and word I never knew or heard of.” But well before Darby, there was a strong belief in a pre-tribulation Rapture. After the times of the Apostles, there were writers expounding belief in the “imminence” of Christ’s return, which finds its basis in a pre-tribulation Rapture—that is, “nothing stands in the way of His coming at any time.” This, of course, is still held by many today, although we know that Jesus never made a promise or prophecy that He did not intend to fulfill. Clement of Rome (35-101) and Ignatius of Antioch (died 110) were of this frame of mind. Apparently, Irenaeus of Lyon (120-202) was a pre-tribulation believer, and he was a disciple of Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John. He wrote of his views in that arena of thought in his book, Against Heresies. So we see briefly a few of the many examples of the belief that a pre-tribulation Rapture is biblically true and has been articulated steadily well before John Darby is said to have “invented” that doctrine. Many books and articles are being written today that attempt to explain the Scriptures, and believers rush to find out what this new author has to say. But wait a minute! What does the Bible say about it? (And here I am, writing an article to explain what the Bible says!) Nevertheless, tracing the whole counsel of God on an issue is bound to produce God’s viewpoint, given the awesome truth of Proverbs 9:10b. “And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” No wonder Jude, the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus, was brought to urge believers to “earnestly contend for the faith that was ONCE FOR ALL given to the saints.” (Capitals used for emphasis.) “Contend” means to fight for it, and “once for all” means there are to be no changes to it, and it is for everyone. Jude wrote this possibly just before the 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. So, you ask, where did the Rapture doctrine begin? An example of it was in the experience of Enoch, the early man of faith who “walked with God and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Then, there is the taking away of Elijah in a blazing chariot from heaven, as told in 2 kings 2:1-3. But the actual workings of the Rapture are first introduced by Jesus Christ and told in John 11:25-26. It is the time of the death of Lazarus, and his sisters were weeping over his death. Martha said to Jesus, “Had You been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (Here, she changed the context from the present to the future time of Lazarus’ resurrection.) And Jesus makes this statement of that future event, later called the Rapture: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Lay these two verses beside 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17, and you have an exact comparison: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Can you see how these Scriptures fit together to complement each other? They come under the broad classification of “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” and its inclusive instruction. Both letters to the Thessalonians deal extensively with this undeniable event called the Rapture. One of the troubling expectations of many Christians is that Jesus will return surprisingly at any time, even this afternoon, because He is said to come “like a thief in the night,” that is, unsuspectedly. Paul, though, told the Thessalonians, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day….” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5a). Yet, we do not know the day nor the hour of His coming, specifically. The meaning of this is answered as we look at the next revelation in the Scriptures regarding the ingathering of the Rapture. Why did God have seven special festivals or feasts set up on the Jewish calendar? They were not feasts that came out of Israel’s historical activities. They were given to Moses to be placed on their calendar every year in the future. They are laid out in Leviticus 23 according to their agricultural seasons that have to do with the times of harvest. (When I first realized the significance of these feasts, I wrote and posted an article entitled “Amazing Truths Hidden in Israel’s Feasts.” It bears repeating, at least simplified, for its importance to this article’s conclusion.) The first one was the Passover festival, celebrating the time of Israel’s escape from Egypt’s bondage. At least, it was a reminder of that great work of God in their midst. But the feasts all were called “convocations” or rehearsals for future events. It turns out that they celebrate seven high-level events of the then-coming Christian era! The first three, beginning with Passover about the middle of March in the Gentile calendar. They are the death, burial and resurrection of Christ where He, the Passover Lamb, was slain. Here He becomes the “first fruits of the resurrection.” The Scriptures are careful to establish that title for Jesus, as noted in Matthew 27:53. Jesus had died, an earthquake had shaken the city, and the vail in the temple’s Holy Place was torn from top to bottom: “And coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” The second feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, depicts the death and burial of Jesus in the tomb for three nights and three days “in the belly of the earth.” We are told of what He did there, in the spirit, “taking captivity captive” (closing Paradise into heaven?) and “speaking to the spirits in prison” (Ephesians 4:8-9, Psalm 68:18, and 1 Peter 3:19 while His body lay in the tomb for those three nights and days.) The third festival, the Feast of First Fruits, celebrates His resurrection, possibly twelve hours into that third night and day, early on Sunday morning, the first day of the week. Thus, the Lord of the Sabbath brought with Himself that Day of honor and delight in the Lord to the first day of the week and no longer on the last day of the week. In the agricultural context, these first three feasts correspond to the sowing of the seed for eventual harvest, as John 12:24 depicts it: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” Fifty days later, a gigantic change took place, and the Spirit of God came upon the small band of believers who were waiting, as told to do, and the power of God was displayed in them. Called the Feast of Weeks, the Early Harvest, it corresponded to the barley harvest time for the farmers. At the preaching of Peter, three thousand became new believers from among those of many tongues who had come to celebrate the festival. It is called Pentecost since that time, a clear and definite Christian era event being celebrated by the Jews, not knowing what they really are identifying. The fifth feast, called the Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashana, comes in the fall of the year, depicting the final harvest of the season. It is called the “ingathering” in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, and every description of it seems to shout “Rapture.” One must ask whether or not God will fulfill this event in the order it is placed on the calendar or at some isolated place and time elsewhere. My understanding of the nature of God is that He will not be inconsistent with His formatted plan as depicted for all these centuries. The tenth day after Rosh Hashana is the date of the Feast of Atonement when the “abomination of desolation” of Daniel’s prophecy occurs. The Jews discover their true Messiah is Jesus Christ, not this one who has befriended them with a seven-year peace covenant and permission to rebuild their temple (Daniel 9:27). John writes of their discovery being prophesied in John 19:37: “And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.'” He was referring to Zechariah 12:10, thus confirming that event’s expected fulfillment. That evil one cancels their offerings and temple sacrifices and declares himself God, demanding all to worship him as God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Then, the fifth day after that sixth festival, the Feast of Tabernacles occurs on the calendar, also called the Feast of Booths, to illustrate the coming of the Lord to the earth to establish His Millennial Kingdom based in Jerusalem, the city of Zion. Zechariah 14:4 tells us about His feet being planted on the Mount of Olives “on that day,” and the Mount is split into two sides with a valley in between. It will be a very dramatic event and not anything like that return of Jesus described by the two angels in Acts 1:11: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Therefore, “as we see the Day approaching, we who believe and proclaim the whole counsel of God say, “even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly” and put to rest those nay-sayers who so self-confidently twist the Scriptures to fit their truthless theories. Large passages of Scripture are disregarded as meaningless, along with prophecies of the last days in their design for the end times, but God does not follow their plan. You can count on His sovereignty by His Word. The “ingathering” of the final harvest of the church age so fits the annual timing of the seasons of the year, is it likely that God would not fulfill that high point of the church age at that time and put it somewhere else of an insignificant location? What, then, is the fulfillment of that fifth Feast of Trumpets? Why have the Jews been celebrating it for centuries if it has no significance? Paul admonished Timothy to “study to show yourself approved of God, a workman not ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). We, here in the 21st century, will do well to follow that directive, for we know that God is, and who He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Contact email: [email protected] Tribulation Is Coming, But You Don’t Have To Go Through It… - By Olivier Melnick - https://harbingersdaily.com/tribulation-is-coming-but-you-dont-have-to-go-through-it/ The world we live in has changed. Civility in communication seems to be a thing of the past. There was a time, not too long ago, when people could discuss any topic and agree to disagree over a cup of coffee or a meal without arguing or feeling threatened by the other interlocutor. Those days are gone! Additionally, there are topics that always seem to be more controversial than others. One such topic is the Rapture of the Believers by Yeshua. Some people believe that there is no such thing as a Rapture, while others firmly believe in the event but are arguing about the timing of such an event and if it will be before or during the Tribulation. In other words…there are more views about the rapture than we can shake a stick at. I don’t intend to write another article defending the pre-tribulation and pre-millennial Rapture, but I will state my position from the start and assert that the Rapture will occur before the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (the Great Tribulation) begins. Taking a pre-tribulational and pre-millennial position, when we read 1 Corinthians 15:52, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed,” we are told of a “last trumpet”. Many have argued that this is a reference to the last trumpet in God’s prophetic program, as in Revelation 11:15. In 1 Corinthians 15:52, the subject is the Church being caught up in the sky to be with Yeshua. The trumpet of God’s grace sounds to announce that event. It also connects to the Tekiah Gedolah, or the last trumpet of the Feast of Rosh Hashanah (this doesn’t necessitate for the Rapture to happen on Rosh Hashanah. It could, but it doesn’t have to, and if it does, it will not be because it was Rosh Hashanah since no one knows the exact date and time of the Rapture). On the other hand, the trumpet in Revelation 11:15 is within a different context. It relates to a fallen, rebellious world and the judgment of sinners and is part of a progressive series of judgments during the Great Tribulation. We are looking at two very different trumpets. Based on the biblical premise that the Rapture is an event that will only include those (Jews and Gentiles) who have placed their trust in the death and resurrection of Yeshua for their sins, only Believers will be taken up at that time. Many will be left behind, and whoever is left behind will have to deal with the consequences triggered by the Great Tribulation one way or another. The Great Tribulation, also known as the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), will last seven years (Daniel 9:26-27). In the beginning, things might appear to be under control on planet Earth. It is very likely that News and government agencies will hide the sudden disappearance of millions of people behind the cloak of alien abduction. Keep in mind that anyone who is a believer will disappear at the moment of the Rapture, a moment that nobody can schedule ahead of time. What happens when an airline pilot or train conductor disappears without any warning? What about the myriads of motorists that will also vanish at the same time? Whatever the reason people left behind will be given, they will still be in the midst of much chaos. A man will rise for the occasion and keep things under control, giving people much hope. In the Bible, this man is known as the Antichrist (Revelation 13). This charismatic, likable and convincing man will inspire people to follow and trust him until he demands to be worshipped as God Himself at the mid-point of the Tribulation. During this time, people will have a choice to make that will have eternal consequences. If you are left behind, will you take the Mark of the Beast or will you decline to accept it? The Beast’s deputy, known in the Bible as the False Prophet, will run a propaganda campaign to entice people to take the Mark (Revelation 13:11-18). People who didn’t take the Mark will have severe limitations to their existence and survival. Nobody will be allowed to buy or sell without the Mark (Revelation 13:17). Eventually, those who decide not to take the Mark will be executed (Revelation 20:4). It will not be too late to refuse the Mark of the Beast and not worship the Antichrist, but that will result in suffering great harm and dying as Tribulation martyrs. It could all have been avoided if they had been Raptured. Today, many people make fun of the Rapture and the Tribulation, mentioning that these are just superstitious beliefs with no foundation or that the Bible is a crutch used by people to go through life. I don’t expect everyone reading this article to agree with my views or even to believe that the Rapture is a literal future event that will take place right before the Great Tribulation. But if you find yourself on the other side of an event where millions of people have disappeared all over the planet at the exact same moment, don’t believe for a moment that aliens got them. If you find yourself “left behind,” you will have the most important choice of your life to make. Will you succumb under the pressure of the Antichrist, or will you reject his lies, effectively signing your death warrant from the world’s perspective but signing a new lease on eternal life in God’s presence from the Word’s perspective? What is the best thing to do? Accept Yeshua today. Right now. If you die without Him now or without him during the Tribulation, you will still be separated from God and eternity with him. If you accept Him TODAY, you will spend eternity with Him AND be spared from the Tribulation. The Lake of Fire was always reserved for the devil and his angels, not for human beings. Truly, the best thing for you now is to accept Yeshua TODAY. Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
The Coming World Reign of Jesus - by Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/the-coming-world-reign-of-jesus/ God says to keep our eyes up and not down...up to heaven and not down on this earth. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Col. 3:2 Keeping our eyes up today, despite all that's going on around us, is HUGE. Not because the 7-year Tribulation is close to beginning—hey, we'll miss that and enjoy a big dinner with a view. No, because after Tribulation the 1000-year reign of Jesus as King of Earth begins. And boy will things be different! Compared to today, it's almost incomprehensible. One of the things Jews and Christians can agree on is that one day there will be a Jew on the earthly throne in Jerusalem. There's probably not a Jew alive that doesn't know that last-days prophecy. On our tour overnights in Jerusalem, Susie and I have often taken a cab over to Ben Yehuda Street after dark. It’s not a tourist area but an upscale Jewish shopping street where cars are not allowed. This is a place where you really got a sense of true Jewish life as you walk, shop, and eat with the locals in that area. It especially gets busy after dark on Saturday night—when the Jews come out of their homes after Shabbat. Having been forbidden to work for 24 hours, they're all smiles when the sun goes down. Families are everywhere, people are smiling, and there’s a wonderful spirit in the air. I love that place on Saturday nights! Once Susie and I were there soon after Shabbat ended, and we watched in amazement as about 10-12 Rabbical Jewish men in their 20s and 30s were holding hands in a circle in the street as they deliriously sang and danced to Hebrew songs blaring from a boombox. Their dance gyrations and the looks on their faces told us that they were totally lost in the celebratory moment. Then we noticed the words to the song they were dancing to often repeated the word “Yeshua.” Yeshua in Hebrew means “to rescue” or “to deliver.” The word Joshua, as in the Book of Joshua, comes from this. And in the English it's where we get "Jesus." So we realized that these Jewish men were excitedly singing about their Messiah coming one day to rescue them. Rabbinical Jews know their Old Testament scriptures, and their Messiah is often mentioned. A few years before this in the Old City of Jerusalem I had asked a guide what a huge red and yellow banner said that was hung high over and opposite the wailing wall. The guide shrugged it off saying, “It says ‘Prepare for the Coming Messiah.’ They think some guy in New York is the Jewish Messiah.” The falseness of the sign was obvious to the guide and me, but it wasn’t important who this group of Jews were promoting as the Messiah... it was the fact that they were looking for a Messiah! As Believers, we know their promised Messiah already came and they crucified Him. And because the Jews rejected Him, today most are blinded by God from understanding what they did to their Messiah. But though He [Jesus] had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED? “For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, ‘HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.’” John 12:37-40 Their Bible, our Old Testament, is full of references to the Jewish Deliverer one day coming to rule the world from Jerusalem. That’s one of the main reasons they rejected Jesus the first time He came–they were expecting a Moses-like deliverer. Consider these verses they expected to be fulfilled by their Messiah/Redeemer: Daniel 7:27 - The Jewish Messiah will rule the world. Micah 4:2-4 - The whole world will finally be at peace. Isaiah 65:25 - The animals will not feed on each other. Zechariah 14:16 - The world’s leaders will travel to Jerusalem once a year for the Feast of Tabernacles to worship the Jewish King of the Earth. Isaiah 66:24 - Jesus will righteously judge sin. Since He is God and can read minds, no one can get away with lying. This also means there will be no Democrats in the Millennium.(1) Amos 9:13 - The high mountains will not exist anymore (see also Revelation 16:20). This means the world’s weather will return to pre-flood days of no hurricanes, tornadoes or floods which are currently caused by the high mountains that were raised raised post-flood (Ps.104:8) Isaiah 65:20,22 - Humans again live to be hundreds of years old, like the pre-flood days. Amos 9:13, one of my favorites, the mountains will drip with sweet wine. 🙂 (The Hebrew word for “mountains” means “hill country.” Again, there are no HIGH mountains left after the Tribulation.) So the Jews know one day these prophetic passages will be fulfilled. And now that they’re back in their God-given land as prophesied in Ezekiel 37, they’re again looking for their Messiah to redeem them. For Believers, Jesus the Messiah is returning. But for the Jews, they’re looking for their Messiah’s first coming. In fact, often the Jewish tour guides in Israel, when pressed to give an answer about whether they think Jesus is the Messiah, will often smile and say, “When the Messiah comes, we’ll ask Him if He’s been here before.” And they will be shocked! CQLJ! BP Addendum: Ok, I know some people have a hard time when I ding the Democrats because of what their party supports. But what I’m explaining is that everyone who enters into the Millennial reign after the Tribulation and the Sheep and Goats judgment will be pro-life, pro-Bible, pro-God, pro-capitalism and pro-Israel. “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations [citizens] will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:31-34 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels"; Matt. 25:41 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt. 25:46 So never worry about Bill, Hillary, George, Klaus or any of the other Globalists/Satanists not getting what’s due them. Unless they get saved by God’s grace, it will not end well for them. And as you see in the verses above, their punishment will last forever…which is a long time to wail and gnash their teeth with no hope! These [who do not know God] will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 2Th. 1:9 However, at the end of the 1000 years Satan will be loosed from his bondage to round up the last of the Democrats (again my chosen word for rebellious, unscriptural and unrepentant sinners) who weren’t properly taught scripture and were again deceived by Satan’s lies. Bummer for them. When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth … And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev. 20:7-10 When Satan is released for at the end of the 1000 year reign of Jesus, it’s basically for weeding out, a last sifting to remove sinners before the New Heaven and Earth are created by God. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, Rev. 21:1 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. Rev. 22:3-4 For additional info on the Millennium, watch the Steeling the Mind Conference video presentation entitled "Characteristics of the Millennium" by Paul Van Noy. CLICK HERE Nobody is Promised Tomorrow - Nathele Graham - [email protected] What a joy it is to know that Jesus paid the price to redeem us from eternal death. Do you feel that joy? Many things can cause us to forget that joy. One thing that always seems to take joy away is confusion. There are so many “teachers” who have contradicting opinions, and they all speak with confidence and conviction. A new Christian. or one who hasn’t studied Scripture, can become confused as to whether they are saved or not. All conflicting teachings cannot be correct, so how do you know who to listen to. I’ve been as confused as anybody, but through the years I’ve learned to run everything through Scripture. God never changes, and His word always is truth. Confusion over what God’s word means isn’t a new problem, but has been around for thousands of years. The Apostle Paul did more to spread the Good News than anybody in history, and from various letters we know that there were false teachers who would confuse people with new ideas. The gnostic teachers were very busy trying to corrupt the truth. Today we hear of people pushing New Age, meditation, yoga, purpose driven, contemplative prayer, “Christian Meditation”, and more. Also, there were Judaizers who tried to draw Christians into thinking they were still beholding to the Law of Moses. Today, it’s called the “Hebrew Roots” movement. Some groups today say you cannot eat certain foods or be out after sundown on Friday night. It’s very important to understand the Law and the Prophets, but Christ died to provide us with the only way to find salvation. That way is to be born again. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. There’s even confusion over that verse. Some would have us believe that proof of your faith is speaking in tongues, or suddenly becoming perfect. It’s not that complicated, but means to admit you’re a sinner and humbly ask Jesus to forgive your sins. The best way to know what to believe is to go to the source…Scripture. At various times in my life, I’ve been confronted with people who have very strong opinions of what God’s word says. I can’t think of one congregation I’ve attended that didn’t have unbiblical quirks. For instance, a very dear friend once told me that “God doesn’t even know you exist until you are baptized”. Not only did he equate baptism with salvation, but the baptism was only valid if done in his particular denomination. That was a very odd idea to me, so I went to Scripture and found this opinion to be false. The entire Old Testament is account after account of people who lived prior to Christ being crucified and raised from the dead, and never had a Christian baptism. People like Adam, for instance, and Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to name just a few. The pastor from that congregation wouldn’t teach from the Old Testament, so it’s no wonder there was confusion. God certainly knew these men. Read about Jeramiah who was a young man who God called to be a prophet. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5. God certainly knew Jeremiah long before Christ gave His life on the cross. That was enough to convince me that baptism is something is very important as a public declaration of a personal decision. King David was certainly known to God, as were all of the Old Testament heroes of the faith. Take a look at Hebrews chapter 11 and you’ll see accounts of people who lived prior to the cross and heard God’s voice. They responded and accomplished great things because of their faith. How many Christians today rest contentedly on the fact that they were baptized so that’s good enough for salvation? Were you a baby when you were baptized? At that time did you realize you were a sinner and make a confession of faith? Faith is a personal choice, and a baby cannot choose to accept Christ. A baby has no idea about sin, nor can they make a profession of faith. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9. If you haven’t made your own decision or confession of faith, but were baptized as an infant, then you need to study God’s word and truly understand that you are a sinner and need Jesus to forgive you. Baptism doesn’t bring salvation, only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will save you. The final command to His disciples was to spread the Good News. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15-16. It’s unbelief that condemns a person, not the lack of being baptized. That being said, baptism is very important. It’s a public declaration of an inward change and is an act of obedience. Today, some well-meaning Christians would have us believe that we have to act a certain way, or do certain things in order to be saved. The Apostle Paul was very to the point in his letters, which were all inspired by the Holy Spirit. He wrote to the Congregation in Ephesus to assure them, and us, that there is nothing that we can do to earn our salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. If there had been a way to salvation, other than through the shed blood of Christ on the cross, Jesus wouldn’t have had to suffer and die. There is no other way than by faith. You aren’t saved by “going to church”, although fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ will help keep you walking along the right path. Paul also made it clear, when writing to the believers in Rome, that it made no difference what a person’s ethnic background is, that faith is the key. “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:12-13. Salvation is offered to everyone, and it’s up to each of us to share the Gospel with the people around us. Somehow, we’ve come to the false thinking that only pastors and missionaries are competent to share the Gospel with others. If your family and friends don’t hear the Gospel, they will never come to salvation. You need to share your faith. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:14-15. When we make a profession of faith, and it’s earnest, there should be a change of heart. Your neighbors and friends will see the new person you’ve become and you’ll have the opportunity to share your faith. Don’t keep silent. Once we come to realize how much we need Jesus, and have placed our faith in Him, our faith should be evident in our changed life. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Remember that whatever you do and whatever you think, you will involve Christ. It isn’t easy to put sinful lifestyles aside, and the sin of gossiping, and being judgmental or telling “white lies” are all sins to be overcome with Jesus’ help. There are many sins which are generally accepted by the world, but aren’t acceptable in a Christian’s life. The Holy Spirit is sealed within us at the moment of true faith, and if we allow Him to work in us, we will bear His fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:22-24. Christ gave everything for our salvation, and the only way to thank Him is to live our life to honor Him. Salvation has many benefits. The first is the fact that we will live eternally with Jesus. The alternative is eternal death in the lake of fire. You see, pur soul will live eternally, but we have a choice of living with Jesus or eternally dying. It only takes true faith to be assured of eternal life with Jesus. Admit that you’re a sinner. Too often pride stops us from recognizing our sins. We are all sinners, but those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, are forgiven sinners. We will continue to struggle against sin, but the important thing is to keep your heart, mind, and spirit turned to Jesus. Study your Bible and let the Holy Spirit show you God’s ways. Don’t try to twist Scripture to conform God to you, but honestly study and conform your life to God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. Don’t just sit back and let someone tell you what Scripture says. Study for yourself. Instead of watching television and filling your mind with the ways of the world, pick up your Bible and study. One thing you can be assured of, is that we are all a heartbeat away from death. No matter how young or how old you are, death could come at any time. Nobody is promised tomorrow. If death doesn’t take you, then Christians have the promise of the Rapture. There are many ill-informed people who deny the truth that time is getting short. Time will end just as Bible Prophecy discloses. There will be a final seven-year period of time filled with horrendous judgment, but Christians won’t face those final years. All Christians will be taken Home prior to that time. Many people don’t study Scripture so don’t have the joy of knowing that Jesus will call us all Home. So many signs are pointing to the fact that it will happen soon. I hope that it happens before you finish reading this commentary. God didn’t give us a exact date, but He did give many signs. The world is swiftly moving to a one world economic system, and that is a sign of the end. As Russia continues to wage war in Ukraine, we know it’s just a stepping stone to the Middle East. Russia is already aligning with Iran against Israel. As I see reports of battles breaking out in Syria, specifically near Damascus, I remember that Damascus will be destroyed. “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah 17:1-3. It will happen; God said so. As you watch these things, and many others, happening, remember that the final seven years are on the near horizon and the Rapture is even closer. You need to be sure that your salvation is secure. The only way to do that is to profess your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism won’t save you, nor will any other work. You can profess your faith now, today. Salvation is too important to think that you will always have time to repent. Nobody is promised tomorrow. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] [email protected] Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: New Cuban missile crisis developing - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com In 1962, the Soviet Union began deploying nuclear missiles in Cuba in response to US missile deployment in Turkey and Italy, as well as to detour China’s growing influence in Cuba. The Kennedy White House denied the missiles in Cuba for several months until it became public in October 1962, which prompted President Kennedy to act decisively to defend national security. Fast forward to today, China has deployed military operations in Cuba directed at the US. Joe Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in China with communist government officials and told them in no uncertain terms that the US “would have deep concerns” if all this was true. Commentators note the terribly weak response. At a London news conference Reuters reports that Blinken told Chinese officials, “that we would have deep concerns about PRC intelligence or military activities in Cuba.” Blinken said, “This is something we’re going to be monitoring very, very closely and we’ve been very clear about that. And we will protect our homeland, we will protect our interests.” Amid accusations of pay for influence schemes between Biden and China, there are concerns that Blinken’s “deep concerns” will never turn into action to protect US national security. In fact, the Biden Administration undid many of president Trump’s actions against China’s aggressions, including tariffs and prosecuting state-sanctioned theft of trade secrets. Biden isn’t the first president to be soft on China. Nixon, Carter, both Bush’s, Clinton, and Obama also make the list. In July 2007, during George W. Bush’s presidency, the Daily Jot reported the US trade deficit with China reached nearly $233 billion in 2006 and in the first five months of 2007, America trade rate was 15 percent higher than in 2006. At the same time, the Pentagon report, “Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2007,” cited US intelligence estimates that China’s total military-related spending for 2007 could fall between $85-125 billion. To that end, the US trade deficit with China was funding the communist country’s military build-up. During the late 1970’s, the conventional wisdom was that if the US opened trade with countries like Russia and China, that they would be less likely to want to go to war with America. China, however, is using the trade deficit with the US to build its military and it may well see America as just another business acquisition once its military gets strong enough. China is stealing our military secrets and growing its offensive military capabilities in Cuba. Unlike the Kennedy Administration in 1962, the Biden Administration says it “would have deep concerns” if it were true, even though US officials have confirmed the Chinese actions. 2 Timothy 3:13 says, “But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” The big deception here is that Biden would protect US security interests over his own family’s financial interest. Sources: https://nypost.com/2023/06/20/china-eyeing-military-training-facility-in-cuba-report/ https://www.investing.com/news/economy/us-would-have-deep-concerns-about-china-military-activities-in-cuba-blinken-says-3109110 https://nypost.com/2023/06/11/biden-admin-confirms-china-has-had-a-spy-base-in-cuba-since-at-least-2019/ https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/20/china-negotiating-with-havana-about-joint-military-training-facility-in-cuba-00102636 Daily Devotion: Clutching at Foolishness - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org So, I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure? —Ecclesiastes 2:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/clutching-at-foolishness/ - Listen Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once pointed out that “everyone’s looking for good sex, good food, and a good laugh because they’re little islands of relief in what’s often a painful existence.” That isn’t new to our day. Solomon decided to seek out laughter as well. He probably brought in the finest comedians of the day. Maybe acrobats, magicians, and illusionists performed for him too. But in the end, he concluded that it all was empty. He wrote, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” (Ecclesiastes 2:2 NLT). Then Solomon thought that maybe he could find the answer in alcohol. If he just started drinking, perhaps in his altered state he would be a happy person. He said, “After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world” (verse 3 NLT). Drinking has become a very common thing now, and people, especially young people, think going out and having cocktails is a cool thing to do. But it isn’t cool. In fact, the Bible warns, “Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise” (Proverbs 20:1 NLT). Solomon tried it all. He went on a building binge, constructing massive houses, mansions, and palaces. And he recognized the emptiness of life without God. Maybe there have been times in your life when everything seemed to click. There was that beautiful star-filled night or that gorgeous sunset, and you thought, “This is it. If only life could be this way!” But those are just glimpses; each glimpse gives you a sense that it is what life ought to be like. However, you are never quite there, because you won’t find fulfillment in this world. You will find it only in a relationship with God. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 6/22/23 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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