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The rapture of the Rapture - By Randy Nettles - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/01/16/the-rapture-of-the-rapture-by-randy-nettles/
First published on 7/10/2015 as “Enraptured by the Rapture.” Updated for 2021 According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “rapture” has three basic definitions. 1) Ecstatic joy, bliss, euphoria, or delight. 2) The carrying away of a person to another place or sphere of existence. 3) The final assumption of Christians into heaven during the end-time according to Christian theology. As a believer in Christ, can you imagine the joy (rapture definition #1) one will experience when we, as the bride and soul mate of Jesus, are “carried away“ (rapture definition #2) into the air to meet with Jesus, our Savior, Lord and King? He will then escort us to our new home in heaven… (rapture definition #3); where we will be with Him forever. The English word “rapture” is derived from the Latin word “rapio,” which means “to carry away,” or “to catch up.” Although the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, it is based on Biblical scripture. Jesus never fully explained the Rapture to his disciples before his crucifixion, although he hinted at it a few times (Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 17:26-36; John 14:1-4). The Rapture was a mystery until God revealed it to Paul many years after Jesus’ death. The timing of his revelation is unknown. Perhaps it was when Paul went into Arabia (Galatians 1:17) after his Damascus experience and conversion or later when he returned to Damascus. Some have suggested this revelation occurred when Paul was caught up to heaven as per 2 Corinthians. “It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 12:1). The details of the Rapture regarding the resurrection and transformation of all dead and living believers in Jesus Christ was first given by Paul to the Church in Thessalonica in about A.D. 51. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). The Greek word for “caught up” is “harpazō” and means “to seize, or carry off by force” or “to snatch away.” About 5 years later, in 56 BC, Paul reinforced the concept of the rapture to the Church of Corinth. “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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 shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). Another famous scripture regarding the rapture was given by Jesus himself and recorded by the disciple John many decades later. “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). At the moment of the Rapture, all living believers in Jesus as Lord and Savior, as well as all deceased Christians since the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in AD 33, will receive new spiritual bodies that are made for heaven and eternity. We will retain our souls which have been cleansed of sin, and our spirits will be in perfect alignment with God, the Holy Spirit. Here are a couple of Old Testament prophecies that hinted at the mystery of the Rapture, which is to come before the Great Tribulation (Day of the Lord): “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain” (Isaiah 26:20-21). “Before the decree is issued, or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you! Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” (Zephaniah 2:2-3). The unbridled bliss we will experience when we are together with Jesus and all of our saved relatives and friends will be unimaginable. It will be the ultimate family reunion of the ages. We will experience perfect love and happiness. Never again will we experience the negative emotions of fear, hate, envy, greed, sorrow, uncertainty, lust, selfishness, and pride. “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore; for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). The will of the Father shall become the will of all humans and angels in heaven. We will never again experience the sorrow of sin in our lives. Our sin nature, inherited from Adam, will no longer be with us, for we will be made holy and righteous after Christ. Our mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal bodies that will be suited for eternity in the new heavens and earth. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall it be brought to pass the saying, that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54). We will have a spiritual body like Jesus’ resurrected body. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. For everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).) It will be a glorious body similar to Jesus. “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam (Jesus) became a life-giving spirit… And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 49). “For our citizenship is in heaven; from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall transform our lowly body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). Our bodies will not be as glorious as Jesus’, for He is God; but it will be similar. What does Jesus’ glorious body look like? In the book of Revelation, John had a vision of Jesus Christ in His glory: “Then I turned to see the voice [a loud voice, as of a trumpet] that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands [theophany of the Holy Spirit], and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man [Jesus Christ], clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:12-16). For more descriptions of Yahweh (pre-incarnate Jesus) and God the Father, see Can You Imagine? – PROPHECY UPDATE Even before Jesus’ resurrection, he had supernatural abilities, such as walking on water, turning water into wine, feeding the multitude with little food, slipping through a murderous crowd unnoticed, and, of course, his many healings. After the resurrection, Jesus entered through a locked door where the disciples were hiding in a room and stood in their midst, according to John 20:19-20. Jesus’ ascension into heaven forty days after his resurrection was another supernatural event as recorded in Acts 1:9-11. In our spiritual bodies, we will have supernatural abilities and senses, compared to our current carbon- based earthly ones. What an upgrade it will be! “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary: and they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Our knowledge will greatly increase as we will be able to use 100% of our brains. “For we now know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:9-12). All transformed believers in Jesus will become children of God and will be co-heirs with Christ throughout the Millennium and Eternity. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:16-18). “But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). God’s kingdom will consist of the new heavens (universe) and earth; including the eternal city… the New Jerusalem. Here is John’s description of our new home: “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: “On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. “The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. “The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. “And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:10-27). Oh, the rapture of the Rapture! Does this sound like an event you want to miss? If you miss the Rapture train, you will have to face the train wreck known as Daniel’s 70th week, otherwise known as the 7-year Tribulation. It would be a shame to miss it because of not making a decision for Christ. Even if the Rapture doesn’t happen relatively soon (although I believe it is very near) or if you miss it, no person knows when he or she might pass from this life into the next one. The next life will be for eternity… do you want to spend it in Heaven (the New Earth and New Jerusalem) or Hell (the Lake of Fire)? The first article I wrote for R.R. was about this subject. See: Scary, Isn’t It? :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready Choose Jesus and live forever as a royal son of the most high God. Make your decision today, for we are not guaranteed tomorrow. “But God said unto him, you fool, this night your soul shall be required of you; then whose shall those things be, which you have provided for yourself” (Luke 12:20). “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified… For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-30, 38-39). Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Randy Nettles [email protected] As American Democracy ‘Collapses’: Groundwork Laid for Messiah with Davidic Dynasty Registry – Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - https://www.israel365news.com/164300/as-american-democracy-collapses-groundwork-laid-for-messiah-with-davidic-dynasty-registry/ For thus saith Hashem: There shall not be cut off unto David a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Yisrael. Jeremiah 33:17 (The Israel BibleTM) As Joe Biden prepares to be inaugurated as president of the United States, some people who look to the Bible for inspiration are finding an entirely different solution: a return of the Davidic dynasty as a practical form of government. Both the US and Israel are experiencing challenges to their political systems. While Israel is set to go to the polls for the fourth time in two years, the US is fraught with doubts from a substantial portion of the electorate. As such, the political atmosphere in the US has taken on a Biblical demeanor. When the media declared a Biden victory on the day after the election, before the results had been tallied, some rabbis compared Biden’s presumptive behavior to Adonijah, the son of King David who tried to usurp the throne from his father. In previous articles, Israel365 News has cited rabbis who understand the coronavirus, which is named after the crown-like appearance of the virus, as coming to reset the entire system of governing nations as preparation for the Davidic dynasty that will exist after the final redemption. This solution is much closer to appearing than many realize. DAVIDIC DYNASTY: CLOSER THAN YOU REALIZE Susan Roth is a remarkable woman by any measure. From the age of seven, she traveled the world as part of her family’s Yiddish theater group. As a young woman, she lived in Israel and learned Kaballah in Tzfat (Safed). A philanthropist and scholar, Roth established several charitable organizations and two publishing companies. She also established the Davidic Dynasty organization and the King David Legacy Center in Jerusalem. She has a strong personal interest as she can trace her family lineage back to King David through Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, the preeminent 11th century French Torah scholar known by the acronym Rashi. Her organization is compiling a registry of all known people who can trace their lineage back to King David. Genealogy from the Royal House of David can be traced through oral tradition, rabbinic sources, historical data, and extensive research. Several families claim descent “ben akhar ben” (father to son) in a direct line, most notably the Dayan, Shealtiel and Charlap/Don Yechia families. The descendants of King David are believed to have settled in Aleppo, Syria, so most claimants trace their lineage back to that city. When Roth first compiled her list, Roth contacted Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to inform them of her registry but, surprisingly, they expressed no interest. “They were shocked, but they never followed up. My interest was simply to do God’s will, but they understood it as a political agenda. They don’t want King David’s dynasty and they don’t want Moshiach (Messiah),” Roth told Breaking Israel News. “Even though it is clear Moshiach (Messiah) is here. He is just hiding,” she added. “I have spoken to many rabbis and kabbalists who confirm this; the Moshiach is here but he is not ready to reveal himself.” DEMOCRACY: A DOMINATION GAME Eran Noam Katz, who runs the King David Legacy Center, noted that a return to the Davidic dynasty is a paradigm shift the obviates the efficacy of war or even political domination. “It is clear that the solution is a return of the Davidic dynasty,” Katz told Israel365 News. “the solution cannot come from within democracy because that is not a Biblical concept. A king from the Davidic dynasty will be the conduit for God’s kingship to spread out into the world. It is not a form of global control. It is how rulers will learn how to rule their nations ‘under God.’” “In any case, we are seeing that democracy does not work; not as a political system and not to run the material aspects of the world. This democracy has led to the wealth of the world being concentrated in the hands of a few to a degree that is untenable and unreasonable.” Katz emphasized that King Solomon unified all of the nations and did so without waging war. “Democracy is all about the many dominating the few,” Katz explained. “Sometimes, through treachery, the few can dominate the many in democracy. The Davidic dynasty is about everyone serving the one true King. This is based on the Seven Noahide laws that all of mankind is required to uphold.” “UNDER THE KINGDOM OF GOD, NOTHING FALSE CAN STAND.” Rabbi Yosef Berger is the rabbi of King David’s tomb on Mount Zion. As the son of the Mishkoltz Rabbi, the spiritual leader of thousands, he is also a descendant of King David. “The only solution is a return to the Davidic dynasty,” Rabbi Berger said. “The reason why governments are falling now is that they have no basis in kingship. The only basis in kingship is the Davidic dynasty which was based in the Torah and the kingship of Hashem (God, literally ‘the name’).” It should be noted that European royal families created genealogies, whether accurate or not, tracing their lineage back to King David as a means of lending credence to their claims to the throne. “This is what will be in the end-of-days,” Rabbi Berger said. “Governments will have no legitimacy unless it comes from attaching themselves to the king of kings in Jerusalem. As it is, governments today do not have any legitimacy. Even in their terms, the elections aren’t elections and the laws are not just.” “Under the kingdom of God, nothing false can stand.” DEMOCRACY: A GREEK CONCEPT BASED IN IDLOATRY In 2005, Rabbi Yosef Dayan was recognized by the Sanhedrin as a direct descendant of King David and, as such, a candidate to re-establish the Davidic Dynasty. “If there will be a king from the house of David in Jerusalem, this will influence the entire world and all of the governments will benefit,” Rabbi Dayan said. “But democracy is not the answer. There is no word in Hebrew for democracy. Democracy comes from ancient Greece, from their belief in the human intellect over the rule of God. The Torah is based in doing the will of God even if you do not understand it, even if it does not seem to make sense. Democracy is a form of idolatry which is, in essence, a form of warfare in which the many can rule over the few. In reality, that is not always the case.” “But the light of kingship must be based in the light that comes out of Zion. There is no basis in Torah for following the majority if they go against the Law of God. Just as there is no basis in the Bible for democracy, which is man usurping the kingship of God, or a kingship based in God.” Monarchy Without Sanhedrin Cannot Stand Rabbi Hillel Weiss, a founder and formerly a member of the Sanhedrin, agreed that a monarchy is necessary but noted that a true government contains more than one element. “Of course, there must be a return to a monarchy based in God’s law and this requires a Sanhedrin,” Rabbi Weiss said. “A democracy can have great value as long as it is accompanied by a monarchy. If there is no monarchy, democracy is worthless.” “The basis for a democracy is in the one true king. But the king cannot rule in his own right. The only basis for laws is the Bible. The purpose of a government is to bring God’s law into the world. And nothing else. A government that abandons this mission, has no legitimacy to rule and has abandoned its nation. A ruler that does not realize this is an idiot.” “The monarchy and the ruler is only part of a larger framework to bring God’s light into the world. This framework includes the law, that is the Sanhedrin. The word for ‘state’ in Hebrew, medina, is based in the word for judgment, din. The state must also include the kahuna, the priesthood, that is, the service of God.” “What is happening in the US right now is the system became unstable and because it does not contain all of the necessary elements of a government, it is trying to fix itself through the power of itself. This it cannot do. This is the modern form of the sin of eating from the tree of knowledge; taking the basis of knowledge from God.” On the Path to Socialism - Stimulus Payments May Not Be Able to Be Turned Off – Michael Snyder - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=4514 We crossed a line that should have never been crossed when we sent "stimulus payments" directly to the American people during the very early stages of the COVID pandemic. Even many Republicans that supported the measure acknowledged that what they were doing was pure socialism, but they defended the payments by insisting that we were in the middle of a major national emergency. At the time, I warned that once the government started issuing such checks, the American people would always keep demanding more. When it was announced that the latest round of "stimulus payments" would only be $600 per person, angry activists vandalized Nancy Pelosi's house. Of course they got Mitch McConnell's house too. In both cases, the vandals made it exceedingly clear that they wanted more government money. Sadly, it wasn't just a handful of activists that went ballistic. Literally millions of enraged Americans posted angry messages on social media that expressed how "insulting" the $600 figure was. But prior to this pandemic, the U.S. government had never sent out "universal basic income" checks in the entire history of our country. So you would think that most people should be grateful for an extra $600, but instead there was a tremendous amount of rage. President Trump wanted the payments raised to $2000 and many Democrats did as well. But Republicans still had control of the Senate, and Mitch McConnell initially blocked that effort. But now Democrats will shortly have control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives, and one of the first things they plan to do is to deliver $2,000 checks to the American people... Even while $600 stimulus checks are being deposited in tens of millions of bank accounts, congressional Democrats are laying the groundwork for even greater stimulus payments, which some call "survival checks." As Senate democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently said, "One of the first things that I want to do when our new senators are seated is deliver the $2,000 checks to the American families." With Democrats preparing to take power in Washington, a critical question will be whether such survival checks will be one-time payments or recur each month "for the duration of the pandemic," as Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and others have suggested. That may pacify the socialist mobs for a month or two, but eventually they will be back for even more payments. As the voices get angrier and angrier, do you think that anyone in Washington will be willing to stand up and say no? The incoming Vice-President, Kamala Harris, previously proposed giving out monthly $2,000 checks for the duration of this pandemic... Recurring monthly $2,000 checks would mirror the payments proposed in the "Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act" that Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduced in the Senate in May 2020. If you are married with three kids, you would have gotten $10,000 every month under her plan. Considering where we are as a society today, I think that most Americans would have been very eager to sign up for that. Of course the price tag for such a plan would be nightmarish. It would have been approximately $600 billion every month, and that would mean that it would add more than 7 trillion dollars to our national debt over the course of an entire year. But since we are liquidating the Republic anyway, who really cares? Harris insisted that her plan would end once the crisis was over. Other politicians, however, are ready to start giving citizens "universal basic income" checks on a permanent basis starting right now. For example, Andrew Yang is making this the signature promise of his campaign as he runs for mayor of New York City... Former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has officially started his run to succeed Bill de Blasio as Mayor of New York City with a call for a universal basic income for half-a-million of the city's poorest residents. Yang insists that by giving everyone free money every month he can "eradicate poverty" in NYC... "We can eradicate extreme poverty in New York City," Yang said. "If you put just a little money in their hands it can actually be what keeps them in their home and, again, avoids them hitting city services that are incredibly expensive." That sounds good, but who is he going to tax in order to pay for it? After all, hundreds of thousands of wealthy people already left the city during 2020. The truth is that it is a pipe dream, but that pipe dream is going to win him a whole lot of votes. Benjamin Franklin once made the following statement... "When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic." Sadly, we have now reached that point. And this comes at a time when tens of millions of Americans are in desperate need because the real economy continues to implode all around us. For example, we just learned that Christopher & Banks has gone belly up... Apparel retailer Christopher & Banks, which caters to women over 40, is the latest clothing chain to file for bankruptcy protection amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Minneapolis-based company announced Thursday it filed for Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. Christopher & Banks said in a news release it "expects to close a significant portion, if not all, of its brick-and-mortar stores." Thousands of businesses have been dying every month. As I discussed the other day, the U.S. has lost more than 110,000 restaurants alone. And to make sure that most of the businesses that have died can never possibly make a comeback, Joe Biden wants to institute "a national minimum wage of $15 an hour". Promising people more money is a great way to win elections, but at the end of the day someone always has to pay. As the U.S. economy continues to come apart at the seams, finding sources of tax revenue will become increasingly difficult. Perhaps the big tech companies can step up and offer to dramatically enlarge their contributions to the U.S. Treasury. After all, they were quite instrumental in giving control of the federal government to the Democrats, and so you would think they should be quite willing to help pay for their promises. Nearing Midnight: Time to Take Comfort – Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ “This is going to be a very dark winter.” That quote made by presidential candidate Joe Biden during a debate both expressed and set the nation’s mood for the beginning of 2021 and beyond. He made the comment later, for a second time, while staring into the camera somberly while fully masked. It seemed more than a political utterance that was meant to shape the electorate’s desire for someone prepared to deal effectively with COVID-19. By the time Biden made the comment, the national mood was already one of dark expectations. Mr. Biden’s party, aided and assisted by its propaganda arm—the mainstream media, both news and entertainment, and the social media, anti-free speech giants—had already brought the American people to a point of fear and frustration. They had divided us right down the middle, setting in motion movement along the track of civil war. The China/deep-state/leftist-manufactured coronavirus pandemic had done its work. People were, and continue to be, huddling in trepidation and willing to go along with globalist demands, both current and future. Little thought or worry were or are now forthcoming from fully one-half of America’s citizenry concerning the very real possibility that the nation faces at the very least European-style socialism. More and more for the other half, there is growing realization that we might be facing something far worse: not just socialism, but complete lockdown of Orwellian proportions by anti-constitutionalists and anti-God forces intent on completely shutting down liberties written into our founding documents. Everywhere we look, we see mounting evidence that people have already been cowered into that dystopian corner portrayed in the novel 1984. Everyday life is being swallowed up by the onrush of building stage-setting for Antichrist’s regime of complete control as presented in Revelation chapter 13. A long-time friend of the Rapture Ready website recently wrote an email that personifies the state of that future society we already face. The personal snapshot of the experience would be humorous if not so serious in its evil portent. In part, our friend said the following. I went for a ride this morning, I wake up feeling so bad, I thought a ride and fresh air would help. I got out of the car at a park, took deep breaths, I felt a little better. Then I walked to a nearby pet store to pick up my cat food. We have to stay outside the store, I stood over a foot away from the door, there was a desk blocking the way to the store and the clerk came over. I was outside in the open, more than 2 feet away from the clerk and the first thing he told me that my mask is not properly covering my nose and to fix it. I fixed my mask, got the bag and left agitated by his behavior, I went to another store, dropped stuff out of agitation, I picked them and left the store quickly after only getting the stuff I needed most. I called the store to talk to a manager, I knew what the outcome would be, yet I still picked up the phone and the manager went on about how people have to wear their masks properly. I kept telling her that I was outside the store, nowhere near the clerk, and he should at least say “Hi” something,……………not the first thing I hear is to adjust my mask. She went on a rant about our responsibility to protect each other and when I told her I was outside the building a good distance from that guy, she said: “common sense is that people have to make sure their masks are on properly before approaching a store.” I felt my blood starting to boil, I said: So now, I don’t have common sense? Anyway, I told the manager, it is nice for the employees to at least say “hi” to a person and not start by asking them to adjust their mask. She said: is that what you want, I said “yes”, she said ok next time we will say Hi before we ask someone to adjust their mask. I was so agitated. I shouted out to God about how much longer are we going to put up with this world…” Actually, I can relate to the experience. While visiting my dermatologist for a check-up, my wife was helping me with a face mask. (I wear one only when absolutely required to do so. Therefore, I’m quite inept.) A woman was quite agitated nearby. So much so that she began instructing, with irritation in her voice, how my mask should be placed. She then rushed from the room, we figure, because my adjustment was too slowly accomplished. I, of course, laughed heartily, but Margaret was quite irritated with the lady’s ill-tempered attempt to make sure we did it right. It was a lesson to me of how people are being turned into proverbial lemmings in preparation for implementing the “new normal” with which the Re-setters want us to comply. But the foregoing experiences are whimsical compared to what is coming. The supposed winners of the just-concluded presidential election are vowing to come down hard on anyone and everyone who supported the other candidate in any way. They have the most powerful, anti-God forces in the world—plus the minions in high places of Ephesians 6:12 on their side. Looking at all the troubling things going on in that way makes it seem to not bode well, especially for Christians who oppose the policies and movements that are blatantly against God’s Word. However, we are instructed by that very Word to trust in the Lord with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). After Paul’s marvelous promise of Christ’s call to us, in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the apostle writes further in the following chapter: “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11) We are to take comfort as we see that moment approaching. And one doesn’t have to be a prophet to see that the signs of His coming are converging even now. Daily Jot: The tyrannical persecution of dissent – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com With national leaders hiding behind miles of razor wire, chain fences and 25,000-plus troops to swear in President Joe Biden*, the atmosphere is far from healing the country as Trump supporters, voters, conservatives and Christians are now the target of the left. Leaders and key influencers of leftist politics are suggesting a wide range of actions to punish Trump voters, including labeling all those who voted for Trump as “domestic terrorists,” establishing a federally-mandated Truth Commission, advocating the shut-down of Fox News for election fraud coverage, the censorship of Members of Congress for questioning the validity of election results, and preventing those who worked for Trump from getting jobs. For example, CNN wrote a story about how the leader of the Proud Boys got $300 from Christian funding site GiveSendGo.com for his trip to protest in Washington, DC, and is raising thousands for his legal defense. Additionally, CNN reported that the founder of Gateway Pundit is using the site to fund a voter fraud investigation in Michigan and oppose corporate censorship of conservative voices. CNN is implying that all Christians support Proud Boys. CNN is also vilifying Christians for fomenting domestic terrorism by questioning election integrity and censorship of conservatives. In the coming months, this theme will no doubt be further weaponized against any dissenting voices, especially Christians. In a January 18 Washington Post Op-Ed, columnist and CNN global affairs analyst Max Boot wrote: “Just as we do with foreign terrorist groups, so with domestic terrorists: We need to shut down the influencers who radicalize people and set them on the path toward violence and sedition.” Boot also suggested Fox News be shut down because it was “spreading false claims” about election fraud. Leftist activist Don Winslow in a video called for an “army of citizen detectives” to use computers to hunt down conservative domestic terrorists who are “hidden among us, disguised behind regular jobs. They are your children’s teachers. They work at supermarkets, malls, doctor’s offices, and many are police officers and soldiers.” All conservatives are being broad-brushed as domestic terrorists because a handful of radicals broke into the Capitol. The broader truth is that some 74 million voters want definitive answers about election integrity. IF there was no election integrity issue, why wouldn’t the left call for a complete investigation to set the issue to rest? The censorship, persecution and visceral displayed by the left’s influencers, leaders, and corporate minions is tyrannical. This theme will no doubt be further weaponized against any dissenting voices in the months ahead. Instead of healing, there is persecution. As in 1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” It is time for the Light of Christ to shine brighter than ever through each of us. Pray. Stand fast. Speak truth. Be wise. Daily Devotion: Everything You’re Looking For - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. —Luke 12:21 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/everything-youre-looking-for/ - Listen Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see it’s not the answer.” In our culture today, people think that if they could only be rich and famous, then they would be happy. However, in the same week in 2018, two well-known celebrities took their own lives: Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Kate Spade was a fashion icon, and Anthony Bourdain won two Emmys for his successful television program, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. We leave everything behind in this life, and then comes eternity. It reminds me of the story Jesus told about a wealthy man who had so much stuff that he had to put up bigger buildings just to store it all. Then one day, God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” (Luke 12:20 NLT). Fame, wealth, possessions, and all the things this world has to offer won’t make you happy, but Jesus Christ has everything you’re looking for. The Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12 NKJV). There has to come a moment when you say, “Lord, I want You in my life. I want You to forgive me of my sin.” He’ll do that for you. He’s just a prayer away. Do you have hope today, or do you find yourself in a hopeless state? God said, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT). Jesus Christ will give you a future—a future that’s worth living. 
FROM THE HEART
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