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Sowing Seeds Now for an After-Rapture Harvest - By Arden Kierce - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/04/01/sowing-seeds-now-for-an-after-rapture-harvest-by-arden-kierce/
In these last days, it is tough to patiently wait for Jesus’ return at the Rapture. The news headlines are often discouraging due to how quickly the world appears to be falling into darkness. Yet Christians are still here, and so there must be a reason why God has allowed this. The reason must be that there are still good works that God has prepared for us to do in the last days, weeks, months, or maybe even years ahead before the Rapture, as hard as that is to think about (Ephesians 2:10). Most Christians who read Rapture Ready already know the importance of telling their friends and family about Jesus, the gospel, and the Rapture. However, it can be discouraging when our loved ones show no interest in these things, or even worse, actively scoff at the mention of Jesus’ return. It can be tempting to just stay quiet about it all in order to preserve the relationships and keep the peace. It might also seem like some of our loved ones are simply lost causes that not even the Holy Spirit can get through to, despite the years we have spent praying for them and having conversations about Jesus, the gospel, and the Rapture. But we shouldn’t give up, even if we don’t see progress being made now. Instead, we should think of all of our prayers and conversations as being like sowing seeds of the gospel that might only grow after the Rapture has occurred. I am encouraged by how Revelation 7:9-17 describes a great multitude of people who will believe in Jesus and be eternally saved during the Tribulation. It is clear that this must be an absolutely incredible number of people because the multitude is so large that John said no one could count it. Yet in Revelation 9:16, John is able to number the troops of an army that totals 200 million. Thus, we can infer that the great multitude will be much larger than this—perhaps an order of magnitude larger, which would be into the billions. Can you imagine billions of new Christians all coming to faith within the span of only seven short years? Or maybe within only weeks or months after the Rapture? It will be amazing. I believe that many of the people who will be included in this multitude will be those who heard about the Rapture before it happens. After that moment when all true Christians are instantly caught up to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17), millions of formerly-unbelieving people will fall to their knees in repentance. They will realize that the world-changing event their Christian friends or family members warned them about has actually occurred. This will be strong proof that the Bible is true, that God exists, and that their Christian loved ones were right. Some prophecy experts argue from 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 that God will send a strong delusion on all the people who did not believe in Jesus before the Rapture, so that these people will be condemned for rejecting the truth. However, I do not believe this is a correct interpretation. It is true that many people will reject the gospel during the Tribulation and will choose to follow the Antichrist instead. But this verse does not say that everyone who did not believe the gospel before the Rapture will automatically be condemned. If that interpretation were correct, then there would be no hope for large portions of the world. For example, in North America and Europe, most people probably have at least some basic knowledge about Christianity and the gospel. Yet at least some of these unbelievers must be able to be saved because, otherwise, the great multitude of Revelation 7:9–17 would not include people from every nation, tribe, and language. Furthermore, because of how it seems that the total number of people who will be saved in the Tribulation will possibly be an order of magnitude greater than 200 million, it seems very unlikely that these billions of new believers in Jesus will come from only the un-evangelized regions of the globe, which, at this point, are relatively few. It seems even less likely that all of these new believers would only include people who had never heard the gospel or known anything about Christianity before the Rapture. How could these people be expected to instantly come to faith in Jesus if they had never heard about him before? (Romans 10:14) So, I believe a better interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 is that after the departure (Greek: apostasia) of all Christians to heaven in the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:3), some left-behind people will choose to reject the truth that they heard from Christians about the Rapture and the gospel. Instead of believing the truth, they will gladly accept whatever lie the Antichrist will tell the world to explain away the Rapture. These people who reject the truth that the Rapture just happened will accept the Antichrist’s lie because they will not want to believe that the raptured Christians were right. They will not want to believe that they were left behind because they did not believe in Jesus. They will want to continue living in their sinful ways and will not want to think that Jesus will be coming back to condemn them to the lake of fire if they do not repent. These people will love the Antichrist, and they will believe anything he says because it is what their ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3–4). They will especially enjoy how the Antichrist’s false explanation for the Rapture will probably demean the raptured Christians who are dwelling safely in heaven (Revelation 13:6). This derogatory talk about raptured Christians would help convince the world to go along with the Antichrist’s war against the new Christians who converted after the Rapture (Revelation 13:7). Furthermore, if the pessimistic interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 were correct, then it would leave Christians today feeling very distressed about the fate of their loved ones who do not currently believe in Jesus. We might worry that if they can’t be persuaded to believe now, then there will be no hope for them once the Rapture happens. Instead of this pessimistic attitude, I believe that Christians who have told their unbelieving friends and family about Jesus and the Rapture should be optimistic about the potential future salvation of their loved ones, especially after the Rapture occurs. Obviously, Christians want everyone we love to believe in Jesus now so that our loved ones will be raptured and thus escape the Tribulation. No one wants to imagine their spouse, grown children, parents, or best friends having to endure what Jesus said will be the worst time in the entire history of the world (Matthew 24:21). However, if this awful experience moves our left-behind loved ones to turn to Jesus and so be eternally saved, then it will be an instance of God using even something as terrible as the Tribulation to bring good to those who love him (Romans 8:28). It is far better for someone to experience temporal suffering if it leads them to put their faith in Christ and gain eternal life, considering that the only other option is eternal destruction in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Sometimes, it is only when people’s lives are turned upside down that they will even begin to realize their need for God. The Tribulation will be a time when God will test people’s hearts in order to determine who is the metaphorical wheat that he will gather into his Millennial barn and who is the chaff that is only fit to be destroyed by fire (Matthew 13:24–30, 13:36–43). During the Tribulation, new believers in Jesus will face very difficult times. Many will die for their faith in the Fifth Seal judgment (Revelation 6:9–11). Others will be beheaded when they refuse to worship the Image of the Beast (Revelation 13:15, 20:4), or when the Antichrist makes war on the saints and overcomes them (Revelation 13:7). Yet even then, this is a much better fate than eternal destruction or the torment that will be experienced by those who will take the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 14:9–11). Even now, to die and be with Christ is far better than staying in this world, except for the fact that while we’re in this world, we can make a difference by using our spiritual gifts and talents for Christ, which we will be eternally rewarded for (Philippians 1:21–24, Matthew 25:14–30). The fraction of new believers who survive the entire awful seven years will face Jesus himself at the Sheep and Goats judgment of Matthew 25:31–46, and they will be allowed to enter Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. The others who were killed for their faith will be resurrected soon after and will join all the raptured Church-age Christians in ruling and reigning with Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:4). Together, all Christians—those who were raptured, those who were martyred, and those who endured to the end of the Tribulation and are saved (Matthew 24:12–13, Mark 13:13)—will enjoy the thousand-year rule of Jesus from Jerusalem. So, what does this mean for Christians today? I believe it means that we should not give up talking about the Rapture and the gospel, even if our loved ones are tired of hearing about it. Even if there seems to be no progress being made and it feels like we are metaphorically bashing our heads against brick walls when we try to get through to them. Jesus used an analogy of sowing seeds on different types of soil to describe the process of evangelism. When a seed lands on some soil and sprouts, it is like a person who hears the gospel and believes it (Luke 8:11–15). The moment anyone genuinely believes, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit, which guarantees they will have eternal life (Ephesians 1:13–14). This is true regardless of the level of fruitfulness that believers eventually demonstrate in their lives (Luke 8:11–15) and also regardless of whether believers persevere in their faith to the end of their lives (2 Timothy 2:11–13). However, it is helpful to remember that when seeds are planted, they do not grow immediately. Christians who feel called to evangelize love to rejoice when one of our friends or family members finally puts their faith in Christ. But Jesus taught that the people who sow seeds might not be the same people who see those seeds sprout and grow (John 4:37–38). Because of this, those who sow the seeds need to have more faith and patience than those who see the results of the harvest. Being a sower of the gospel can be more challenging because we may never see the results of our hard work in this life. Yet we are promised that our work for Jesus will never be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Therefore, we should not lose hope if we do not see the seeds we are sowing grow into the plant of faith before the Rapture. There are some types of trees that produce pinecones that only sprout when they are subjected to the intense heat of a forest fire. This may be like some of our loved ones who seem extraordinarily resistant to the gospel now. But once the Rapture happens and the Tribulation begins, their hearts might soften, and the Holy Spirit will finally be able to work in them without so much resistance (Acts 7:51). These people who come to faith in Jesus after the Rapture will go on to tell others about what has happened and will also share the gospel with them. In this way, that great multitude who will be saved during the Tribulation can be seen as being partly due to our efforts to sow seeds now that might blossom later in those who will be left behind. In heaven, we will finally see the results of all the people that we ministered to, and these people will be like a crown of rejoicing to us (John 4:36, 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20). These people will likely include people that we never met personally but who were saved because of someone else that we shared the gospel with. For example, the family friend who shared the gospel with Billy Graham had no idea at that moment that Graham would go on to become a world-famous evangelist. Similarly, perhaps some of the people we pray for and share the gospel with now might go on to become fantastic post-Rapture evangelists. Therefore, Christians should not stop sharing the gospel with everyone we can, in whatever ways we can. We also need to tell people about the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation that will happen after it, and what the events of the Tribulation will involve. By doing this, we are sowing seeds now for a post-Rapture harvest. This is why I felt an urgency to write and publish my newest book, titled, A Detailed Biblical Introduction To The End Times: The Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Seven-Year Tribulation, and Pre-Millennial Return of Jesus Christ (available at https://www.amazon.com/Detailed-Biblical-Introduction-Times-Pre-Tribulation-ebook/dp/B0BYDYFTC1 in eBook and paperback formats). I wanted to share everything I have learned about the end times and support it with detailed references to the Bible. My goal was to write in a way that is extremely clear and does not presume any pre-existing knowledge of Christianity so that the information would be understandable to people who will become brand-new Christians after the Rapture. I hope there will be many left-behind people who might have at one point heard something about the Rapture, the end-times, or the Tribulation. They will be desperate to find information that explains what has happened, what it means, and what to expect in their future. But they will probably know very little about theology and might never have read the Bible. They will need to be introduced to what the Bible teaches about many things, but most importantly, about how they can put their faith in Jesus to have eternal life. However, I am not optimistic that my book or others like it will remain available for very long after the Rapture happens. Governments and companies could easily remove books about the Rapture and the Tribulation from all major platforms and perhaps even take Christian websites offline very quickly after the Rapture occurs. Therefore, the most valuable resources for left-behind people will probably be hard-copy resources that will be left behind in the homes of raptured Christians or that we give to friends and family members now before the Rapture happens. Anyone who God leads to come across our left-behind letters, Bibles, and other resources will be amazed that Christians knew about the Rapture ahead of time. This would be strong evidence that what we were telling them about Jesus and the gospel was also true. This advance warning of the Rapture will also help our left-behind loved ones not fall for the Antichrist’s lies. So I would encourage all Christians who read this to get your left-behind letters ready, along with any Bibles and other hard-copy resources you believe would be helpful for brand-new Christians who will believe in Jesus after the Rapture. Put them in places where they will be seen by anyone who might enter your home after the Rapture to look for you or who breaks in to find food or other supplies. All the signs of the coming Tribulation are becoming more frequent and more intense, just like Jesus said they would (Matthew 24:7–8). It cannot be long until we are finally all caught up in the clouds to be with Jesus forever. Yet what we do now in these last few moments could make an eternal difference for the great multitude who will be saved after the Rapture. Did You Know That U.S. Crops Are Being Absolutely Devastated By Nightmarish Disasters From Coast To Coast? - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/did-you-know-that-u-s-crops-are-being-absolutely-devastated-by-nightmarish-disasters-from-coast-to-coast/ I honestly did not know that things were this bad. Severe drought is crippling winter wheat production in the middle of the country, agricultural production in many areas of California is being hit extremely hard by unprecedented flooding, and orange production in Florida is down more than 60 percent from last season due to a combination of factors. Of course this comes at a time when the entire world is dealing with a major food crisis. As I discussed in a previous article, even CNN is admitting that we are currently in the midst of “the worst food crisis in modern history”. So this is a year when we need U.S. food production to be very strong, and that simply is not happening. No state produces more winter wheat than Kansas does, and right now less than 20 percent of the winter wheat in the state “is in good to excellent condition”… Less than 20 percent of Kansas winter wheat is in good to excellent condition. The U.S. Drought Monitor says only 15 percent of Kansas’ acres are not experiencing any level of drought stress. More than 36 percent of the state reported D4 exceptional drought compared to just a little over one percent last year. D3 extreme drought conditions are hurting 16 percent of the state, with D2 severe drought hitting 13 percent of Kansas. Unfortunately, the winter wheat in other crucial states is also greatly suffering due to seemingly endless drought conditions… Colorado winter wheat was rated 27% good to excellent and 33% very poor to poor. Oklahoma’s and Texas’ crops were rated at 26% and 18% good to excellent, and 40% and 47% very poor to poor, respectively, he said. This is really bad news. Wheat prices just continue to escalate, and that is especially true for hard-red winter wheat… The spread between hard-red winter wheat and soft-red winter wheat has blown out to a record high as drought threatens crop yields across the Midwest and other major farming regions. Hard-red winter wheat’s premium over soft-red winter wheat is $1.72 a bushel in Chicago on Tuesday morning, surpassing the 2011 record. Meanwhile, the outlook for spring wheat is not particularly promising, because U.S. farmers have planted the smallest amount of spring wheat since 1972. Out on the west coast, too much water is the problem. In fact, 78 trillion gallons of water has fallen on the state of California in recent months… More than a dozen powerful storms later, 78 trillion gallons of water has been dumped on California, reversing a multi-year drought in a matter of months. Now the agricultural powerhouse state, producing about a third of the country’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts, faces planting delays due to washed-out fields. When it comes to fruit and vegetable production, no other state even comes close to California, and so we should be greatly alarmed that farms all over the state look like swamps at this moment. And this is just the beginning. The mountains in California are absolutely teeming with unprecedented amounts of snow right now, and when it all starts melting all of that water is going to have to go somewhere… California’s snowpack levels varied by region, with the Southern Sierra snowpack reaching 300% of its April 1 average and the Central Sierra reaching 237% of its April 1 average, officials said. And the critical Northern Sierra, home to the state’s largest surface water reservoirs, is at 192% of its April 1 average. On the east coast, the big news is what has happened to Florida orange production. At this point, it is down a whopping 60.7 percent from last year… Orange production in Florida is down 60.7 percent from last season, one of the lowest figures since the 1930s, according to US Department of Agriculture estimates. This drop in production has been caused by citrus greening disease and a very tough hurricane season. Sadly, there are some farmers that have lost almost all of their oranges… Vernon Hollingsworth grew up in Florida among his family’s orange trees, recently ravaged by a double whammy of disease and a hurricane that have sent juice prices spiraling and left farmers blinking in disbelief. On a recent March morning, the fifth-generation farmer drove a pickup truck through the rows in his grove, pointing out the damage from Hurricane Ian last fall such as uprooted trees. “I lost 95 to 97 percent of my crop,” the 62-year-old told AFP, adding “we’re going to have to rebuild, and we need help to do that.” On top of everything else, the number of beef cows in the United States has dropped to the lowest level since 1962 because ranchers in the middle of the nation have had to cull their herds due to the historic drought. U.S. food production has been hit by disasters in the past, but we have never had so many strike in such a short period of time. And the weather just keeps getting crazier and crazier. In fact, as I write this approximately 70 million Americans are being warned that yet another “multi-state tornado outbreak” is on the way… Nearly 70 million Americans are bracing for yet another round of powerful storms as a severe system makes its way across the US Tuesday, threatening states from Texas to Michigan. Set to strike this afternoon, the severe weather will bring damaging winds and potentially tornadoes to states in the already storm-stricken South and Midwest, days after a deadly multi-state tornado outbreak crippled the regions. Of course all of this is happening in a broader context. Global food supplies just keep getting tighter and tighter, and the head of the UN World Food Program is warning that “we literally could have hell on earth if we’re not very careful”… Beasley said WFP was just forced to cut rations by 50% to 4 million people in Afghanistan, and “these are people who are knocking on famine’s door now.” “We don’t have enough money just to reach the most vulnerable people now,” he said. “So we are in a crisis over the cliff stage right now, where we literally could have hell on earth if we’re not very careful.” Hopefully food supplies will be funneled to those that desperately need it in the months ahead. But global hunger has been rising at a very rapid rate in recent years, and it is going to continue to rise. As I detail in several chapters in my latest book, worldwide famine is inevitable no matter what decisions global leaders make now. All over the world, topsoil is being depleted at a frightening rate, supplies of raw materials that we use for making fertilizer are becoming extremely tight, and farmland all over the planet is being systematically poisoned by microplastics. The era of abundant food is ending, and our leaders know this. But most people in the general population are totally clueless about all of this, and so they have no idea what is coming. Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
Nearing Midnight: Satan Will Win for a Short Time – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ One of the most common complaints I hear from friends and family is their frustration over evil people always coming out on top. Years ago, some friends predicted that Hillary Clinton would eventually go to jail. I told them it will never happen because she is protected by Satan. A good example of how powerful the devil is in his ability to protect humans can be found in the waning days of World War II. As Germany was losing the war, many Germans realized Adolf Hitler was a madman who needed to be stopped by any means. At least 42 attempts were made to take his life, and all failed in preposterously inconvenient ways. Once you read some examples of these attempts, you would have to conclude that some unseen agent was protecting Hitler from harm: An Iron Cross recipient at Nuremberg was going to stab Hitler in front of 1,000 soldiers at an assembly. Hitler had a cold that day and decided to go home early. A bomb that was intended to blow up the Nazi leader in mid-flight failed to go off because cold weather hindered the reaction of the chemicals in the bomb. An infantry captain made plans to explode a bomb while he demonstrated a new army winter overcoat to the German leader. The day before the bombing was to take place, a British air raid destroyed the uniforms. One general tried to kill Hitler with a concealed bomb that was to be detonated by acid. Unfortunately, Hitler left the building before the acid could act. A bomb finally did go off next to Hitler. The Fuehrer was spared by a heavy desk that shielded him from the blast. Another way that Satan wins is by being able to attack his enemies. I wince at the idea that Donald Trump is on the side of good. I can’t stand his arrogance and childlike behavior in political matters. I voted for him in two key elections because he was the far lesser of two evils. The best thing I can say about Trump is that Satan is clearly out to destroy him. The Don has had a special prosecutor investigating him for two years, he was impeached by Congress twice, the Jan 6th investigation is all about the former president, and now several state DAs are trying to dream up crimes that might apply to Trump. Nearly every one of major status connected to Trump has had their lives turned upside down. His National Security Advisor, personal lawyer, several support lawyers, business manager, his friend Roger Stone, and campaign manager were all taken down when the FBI applied its vast resources against them. This situation is so ridiculous, I don’t think there has ever been more criminal investigation against one man in world history. The left has turned over every legal stone, and they have failed to find any major crime on Trump’s part. There is a strong possibility that God is mocking the left by blinding them from finding anything that could convict Trump. It’s not just Trump that gets special treatment. The IRS paid a ‘chilling’ visit to Matt Taibbi’s home during House testimony. Matt is a rare reporter that is known for giving truthful coverage of a news story. The IRS sent some of its goons to intimidate him. It is disgusting to have a branch of government think that it can scare people by just paying them a personal visit. Taibbi should ask if they were there to hand him his refund check. The rivalry between God and Satan is often seen as a battle between two equally skilled chess masters, playing against one another to see whose plan will be victorious. This vision is totally fictitious. There never was a real contest between God and Satan, and there never will be. God is in charge of everything that happens. His level of control is so absolute, He sets the stage for everything that will happen in the universe. How can Satan compete against a Being who knows every move he is going to make ahead of time? God does more than just rule the chessboard. He controls both the white and the black pieces. The devil is so hopelessly outwitted, God published in the Bible many of Satan’s fatal mistakes far ahead of the time he made them. There are still some blunders yet to come. The Holy Word predicts that the devil will attempt to destroy the Jews and that he will make a stand against Jesus at the Battle of Armageddon. Both will end in total failure. There are scary days ahead when Satan will be granted a lot more power than he has now. Luckily, the Church will escape the worst of these days. Tribulation saints will suffer greatly, but they are encouraged by the fact that Satan will completely lose in the end. “And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulfur, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Casting Stones or Casting Crowns - Nathele Graham - [email protected] How do we become a child of God? It’s an easy process. You receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13. It’s easy to become a child of God, but harder to live like one. Jesus was perfect, and our perfection is only through Him. He is our example of how to live a holy and set apart life. He was in the world but wasn’t of the world. “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John 17:14. He was falsely accused of crimes He didn’t commit, but when on trial, He kept silent. He was accused of blasphemy because He said He was God. That accusation was false because He was and is still God. Yet, He was crucified for standing on truth. As followers of Christ, we are not to falter in standing on God’s truth, but we are to stand in love. We tend to judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves. If we see someone who professes Christ stumble in their walk, we point fingers and say they aren’t a true believer, but when we stumble in our own walk with Christ, we justify our failures. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:8. Pride is the cause of most of our shortcomings. “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Proverbs 29:23 If someone offends us, it’s easy to hold a grudge or try to get even with them. Whether or not the other person intentionally tried to offend us, we get our nose out of joint, hold a grudge, or get even. A spirit of revenge comes over us and we make it our mission in life to be sure the offending party is punished. We tell others how wrong they are. Our face shows our ungodly feelings towards the other person. I’m not pointing fingers because I’m as guilty as anyone of this sin. I do seek forgiveness, and ask for God’s help to overcome my sin. My question is this, how does this attitude of judgment serve Christ? It doesn’t. It's a human failing that we excuse our own behavior, but act as judge, jury, and executioner towards others. All we have to do is look to Scripture for examples of the attitude we should hold. We shouldn’t cast stones at others. For example, sexual activity outside of a one man/one woman marriage was punishable by death according to Old Testament Law. God holds marriage to a very high standard. Modern life today accepts adultery, fornication, rape, homosexual activity, and more that can destroy a society. These actions have no place within the church. Disease is spread, children have no real family, babies are murdered in the mother’s womb, and more, result from sexual sin. These sins are so serious that Jewish Law required those guilty of these sins to be stoned to death. When the very self-righteous and religious Scribes and Pharisees brought a prostitute before Jesus expecting Him to condemn her, Jesus upset their plan. The accusers were as guilty as the accused. Adultery is a two-party sin, so both were guilty, but the accusers only brought the woman. Jesus thwarted their plan of condemnation when He brought to their attention that they were sinners too. Was one of them a participant in the adulterous situation? Maybe, but they certainly were guilty of other sins. Jesus didn’t condemn the woman. He knew her sin, but He also knew the sin of her accusers. “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” John 8:7. His words were enough for the Scribes and Pharisees to see that they were sinners, as guilty as the woman. They justified their own sins, but their sins were as deadly as the woman’s sin. After being convicted of their own misconduct, the accusers left and the woman was alone with Jesus. “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:10-11. The woman clearly sinned, but found forgiveness in Jesus. He told her to “…go and sin no more.” She wasn’t condemned, but she was convicted. Jesus changes sinners, but sinners don’t change Jesus. Don’t try to change Jesus to fit your own sins. Are you a Pharisee who feels superior and able to look down upon and accuse others of sin? Or are you a sinner who is being accused and condemned by sinful people? Don’t cast stones at others. Jesus forgives those who repent, but we are to “…go and sin no more”. Christians aren’t perfect, but we are forgiven. Just like the prostitute, we all have sinned, but when we come to Jesus and ask for forgiveness, we are forgiven. The profession of faith must be more than words. We must earnestly believe that Jesus is God, and His blood has atoned for our sin. “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 From the moment of true belief, we are a new creation in Christ. We will still struggle against the sin in our life, but we can always turn to Him for forgiveness. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”. 1 John 1:8-10. Instead of being very aware of the sin in others, we need to see our own sin and ask Jesus to forgive and help us overcome it. The world is a wicked place; the sin and corruption found there touches everyone. Sadly, non-Christians see no fault in their sin. So, if we point out the sin of non-believers, we will be talking to deaf ears. That shouldn’t stop us from representing Christ in this fallen world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16. Jesus said that, so it’s important. In all things, Scripture is our guide. When we see Jesus, Paul, or Peter performing miraculous acts, they didn’t inquire to be sure the people needing healing had insurance, or that they attend the correct church. The good works they did were healing, and the evangelism they did was by spreading the Gospel using words, not works or gimmicks. Although Jesus was raised by a carpenter, He never built a house. By trade, Paul was a tent-maker but he didn’t repair tents in hopes someone would notice he was a Christian and ask about Christ. Use words. Use your gifts for God’s glory, not your own. Works won’t bring salvation. They are nice but if done to bring glory to yourself, they will be burned at the judgment. The Christian’s foundation is in Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11. The congregation in Corinth was a very dysfunctional and tolerant group. The Corinthians were deep into the world and accepted all manner of sinful ways. Sin within a congregation cannot be tolerated. If the woman taken in adultery was a member of the Corinthian congregation, she would be accepted with open arms and left in her sin to spend eternity in Hell. She should be welcomed, but not left to die in her sin in the name of tolerance. Jesus told her to stop being an adulterer, and sin within congregations can’t be tolerated. Not just on Sunday mornings, but every hour of every day. We need to build upon the foundation of our faith…Jesus Christ. That building means to do good works for the proper motives. That motive is to glorify Christ, not yourself. “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Corinthians 3:12-13. When building upon a foundation, it’s important to use the proper building material. Using flimsy cardboard to build a skyscraper, won’t get far. When doing good works, remember you don’t bring glory to yourself. Be cautious of any “purpose driven” good works. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-15. Be humble and do work for God; don’t seek your own glory. If your motives are wrong, when judgment day comes, your good works will count for nothing. You won’t lose your salvation, but you won’t receive any rewards from Jesus. Everyone will die one day, and there are two judgments. If you haven’t received Christ’s free gift of salvation, then you will eventually stand before the Great White Throne of God. That’s where you’ll be judged by your works. Nobody can be good enough by their own efforts to be saved. We need to look to Jesus for salvation, and do our good works for Him. If you haven’t accepted Christ, then you’ll face the judgment of God. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-12 & 14-15. That’s what relying on your good works will bring. Death is eternal, but you have a choice of where to spend your eternity. If you reject Christ, then you’ll be judged by your pitiful works. The lake of fire will be your destiny. The other choice you have is to realize that you are a sinner and cannot possibly be good enough to stand before the Holy God who created you. Nobody is good enough. One sin, is enough to disqualify you from eternity in Heaven. One angry thought is a sin worthy of death. Does that seem fair? God has warned us through Scripture, and always provided a way for humans to spend eternity with Him. Faith. Prior to the cross, the Old Testament saints had faith in God’s promise of the coming Redeemer. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” Job 19:25. Job lived long before Jesus was born, but he had faith. Numerous Old Testament prophecies told about the Messiah, where He would be born, how He would be born, and how He would die. Jesus fulfilled all of those prophecies and more. Many people received healing and had demons cast out. Many heard His words and believed. Because of the men who followed Jesus and believed, we have Scripture to guide us and we believe. When our faith results in us doing good works for Jesus’ glory, we receive rewards. There are many crowns listed in Scripture that we can earn (1 Corinthians 9:25, Philippians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 2 Timothy 4:8, James 1:12, Revelation 2:10, and 1 Peter 5:4). God gave us prophecy about the end of days. In watching world events, it’s obvious that the Rapture is on the very near horizon. Everyone will die one day, unless the Rapture takes us home before death. Christians will all go Home in the Rapture, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52. God’s wrath is not meant for Christians. Prior to Daniel’s 70th week (the final 7 years), all who have truly accepted Christ for salvation will be taken to Heaven. We will also face judgment. Our judgment won’t be one of condemnation, but one that judges what we have done for Jesus. It’s known as the Bema Seat Judgment. That’s when Jesus will look at our good works and if they were done for personal glory or gain, they will be burned up. You won’t lose your salvation, but will not have earned crowns. The things done for Christ’s glory will earn crowns. The only way we can thank Jesus for the sacrifice He made for us, is to live for Him. The Apostle John was shown what will happen during the end times. He also saw what will happen in Heaven right after the Rapture. John saw the twenty-four elders sitting on thrones. These elders, representing Christians, had crowns of gold on their heads. The crowns are “stephanos” and are given to victors. These are the crowns the saints have earned. There will be living creatures around the Throne continually praising Jesus. “And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things and for thSy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:9-11. What an amazing sight to see and hear. The only way to be a part of it is to give your life to Christ. Casting stones or casting crowns? Which do you choose? 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: Stupidocrisy: Biden’s Trans Day - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Joe Biden has called for March 30 to be “Transgender Day of Visibility.” Oddly enough, it coincides with the Trans Radical Activist Network’s (TRAN) Trans Day of Vengeance on March 31, which was called off because TRANS said it couldn’t safely hold the day of projected violence because of the “flood of raw hatred directed toward the trans community after the Tennessee shooting.” So we have a president of the United States and a radical movement of violent transgendered people working together to promote this sexual deviant behavior as something that is normal in society. Biden has taken the opportunity to elevate transgendered people as the “soul” of America, “made in the image of God.” WHAT? In his Transgender Day of Visibility declaration, Biden said, “Transgender Americans shape our Nation’s soul–proudly serving in the military, curing deadly diseases, holding elected office, running thriving businesses, fighting for justice, raising families, and much more. As kids, they deserve what every child deserves: the chance to learn in safe and supportive schools, to develop meaningful friendships, and to live openly and honestly. As adults, they deserve the same rights enjoyed by every American, including equal access to health care, housing, and jobs and the chance to age with grace as senior citizens. But today, too many transgender Americans are still denied those rights and freedoms. A wave of discriminatory State laws is targeting transgender youth, terrifying families and hurting kids who are not hurting anyone.” Joe, you believe that the soul of America is shaped by transgendered people and the image of GOD is transgender? This is offensive. You are saying that the soul of America is shaped by those who identify as some form of gender—which they claim many sexual identities—other than the gender of their birth. And Biden is saying that as kids…as kids…they deserve to be openly transgendered. Yes Joe, as adults trans people should be treated equally under the law and with kindness. But the agenda of preying on, grooming, evangelizing, and confusing children into making decisions that they may regret when they become adults is morally wrong. Biden, in his proclamation, estimated that suicidal thoughts among this population are over 50%. That’s a majority. And Biden claims this demographic shapes the soul of our nation? Going against this agenda is not popular among the extremists in the media and in the LGBTQ+ community. But this particular political movement is detrimental to America and the very fabric of society. Again, what these people do and become as adults is their business as protected by law, but when they prey upon children to evangelize their agenda and brainwash and confuse them, it becomes all of our business. Why ever would the President of the United States promote such perversion? The Old Testament prohibits men wearing women’s clothes and vice-versa and says homosexuality is abomination. Romans 1:28 says of these people, “God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are unfit.” And Biden says they are shaping the soul of America. This is really…say it with me…stupidocrisy. Sources: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/03/30/a-proclamation-on-transgender-day-of-visibility/ https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/03/31/president-biden-commemorates-transgender-day-visibility-made-image-god-deserving-dignity/ Daily Devotion: All Part of God’s Plan - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. —Isaiah 55:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/all-part-of-gods-plan/ - Listen Though Jesus mentioned many times that He would rise from the dead, it never seemed to penetrate the minds and hearts of His disciples. After all, the crucifixion left them dumbfounded. They didn’t know what to do. They weren’t sure where they should go or what they should do. And when they heard that Jesus was alive, it came as a surprise to them. Mark’s Gospel says, “Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead” (8:31 NLT). The disciples couldn’t wrap their minds around the idea that the crucifixion was part of God’s plan. How could something like that be a good thing? How could all that suffering and sacrifice have any value? But it was through Jesus’ death that life came. Jesus was saying, “I’m in control. I know it sounds radical when I say that I will suffer and die. But I’m also saying that I will rise again. This is part of the plan. I know what I’m doing.” This is what God says to us as well. There are times in our lives as Christians when we may not understand what God is doing. Why did He allow this thing to happen? Why did He allow those problems? Why did He allow that tragedy? And why hasn’t He intervened? It is hard to know why sometimes. But Jesus is saying, “I’m in control. I know what I’m doing.” The absolute truth for every Christian is that whatever you give up to follow Jesus will be more than made up to you in this life and in the life to come. It will be worth it all. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 4/5/23 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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