Do You Pray This?

"Come, Lord Jesus!"

SCRIPTURE READING — REVELATION 22:20-21

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

— Revelation 22:20

by Kurt Selles


Prayer is so essential to the Christian life that the Bible closes with a short prayer: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

The words “Come, Lord” probably draw from an Aramaic expression used by early Christians: “Maranatha!” For example, the apostle Paul used this Aramaic phrase as he closed his first letter to the church in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 16:22).

Why would Paul use an Aramaic phrase while writing to a Greek-speaking church? Well, Aramaic was the common, local language spoken in the region where Jesus and his disciples lived. Some have suggested that maran was a word the people used to voice their longing for the Messiah to come. And by adding atha, they say, Paul echoed a confession of the early Christians in his day. Pointing to Christ, those words mean, “Our Lord has come.”

In Paul’s day, Christians apparently also used maranatha as a mutual greeting, identifying themselves in a world that was hostile to them. They also used similar words as a short prayer repeated throughout the day, Maranatha, “Come, O Lord.”

Significantly, at the close of the Bible, this prayer for Jesus’ second coming is preceded by a promise from Jesus himself: “Yes, I am coming soon.” Can there be any greater assurance?

As we work and long for the coming of God’s kingdom, may our prayers often include these words from the closing lines of Scripture: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”


Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

How do we see ourselves, ladies?

 

Posted on September 21, 2023

By Elizabeth Prata

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes. ~Job

To possess dignity is to be worthy of respect. Worthy of high esteem. Absorb this: you are worthy of respect. ~Beth Moore

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” ~Isaiah

Be kind to yourself. Be compassionate to yourself. Be loving to yourself. Be patient with yourself. Have the courage to be yourself. ~Christine Caine

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ~ Simon Peter

Who you are is more important than what you are called to do. ~Priscilla Shirer

Man was created to glorify God. (Isaiah 43:7). Our inherited sin nature makes it impossible to do that without His redemptive work in our heart. It’s important to see ourselves as we are (were). Ladies, yes, it’s good to have “self-esteem” to the extent that we know who we are: We’re sinners, saved by grace alone.

Women’s Ministries these days over-emphasize that we are women of valor, courage, of worth, esteem, and bravery. We’re princesses, running around sunlit meadows in wedding dresses dripping pearls.

Or we are as Isaiah, Job, and Peter saw themselves when they saw God: as worms in the dust, sinning with the pigs and needing to rely totally on the Father for any scrap of righteousness we might possess.

Praise the Lord He came, died for sin, was buried and resurrected. He glorified the Father and His reward will be…us. The Father will give Him a Bride, redeemed and washed. It is all about the Trinity and His work. It is not about us, our worth, our esteem, dignity, or “who we are.”

O Lord, depart from me, I am a sinful woman. Yet He lifted me from the muck and mire and gave me His righteousness, robes, Spirit, and future. From that moment, when I search inside myself to see my worth, esteem, or dignity, what I see is His.

from the-end-time.org 

Revelation

 

From Elizabeth Prata's blog on June 7, 2023

The word apocalypse comes from the Greek for “revelation,” or “unveiling.” It’s about future things dealing with the return of Christ and the events of the end time. Do you know that a third of the Bible is prophecy? Did you know that every book in the NT except Philemon speaks about the end times? It’s not just a Revelation thing. It’s a Jesus thing, and Jesus is throughout the entire Bible.

So what IS going to happen? Jesus is going to punish sin, plain and simple. Punishment is never pleasant, and Jesus said that the Apocalypse will be the worst time on earth there will ever be. (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1b). Daniel 9:24 explains the 6 things God will do during the Apocalypse punishments. God, who is loving, wants us to be righteous so we can be with Him in heaven, so He sent Jesus. God, who is holy, is going to punish the unholy, who reject Jesus.

There will be earthquakes so bad that entire mountains crumble and islands flee away. One hundred pound hailstones will squash men. Plagues (and wars and beasts) will kill 1/3 of people. Demons will be let out of the abyss to inflict a painful bite so bad that people want to die: but can’t. They’ll chew their tongues in agony. Starving people will die in the streets, but no one will care. Things will come upon the earth so frightening that people have heart attacks on the spot. The sun and moon go dark, stars fall from the sky. Jesus said it will be so bad that if He let it go longer nobody would survive. As it is, 4 billion die within the 7 years. (Revelation 6-19).

Sin is real. God’s judgment of sin is real. Satan is real. Hell is real. The coming Antichrist is real. Everything in the Bible is real. Not any other book. Apocalypse will happen. The rapture will be the signal that it’s beginning.

How can I be so sure? Because for 43 years I had everything I ever wanted. Money, fame, comforts, ease, professional recognition, world travel, and yet I felt empty. I felt in my soul that there had to be something more. What was this longing? This hole I felt within me? (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Is this all there is? Live a life and then die? It seemed like a lot of trouble to go through just to die. Is there a heaven? Will I go there? I wondered all these things.

It was the lack of knowing Jesus that was the problem. He created us. (Rev 4:11) and because we are born with a sin-nature, I was separate from him. THAT’S what I was feeling. I had been trying to fill that hole with temporary and unfulfilling things. I finally found the answer, at middle age without ever having gone to a church (so I’m not brainwashed into Christianity, lol). When you confess your sins and repent to Jesus, He forgives you and He brings you to fellowship with Him. He sends the Holy Spirit to make the things of God understandable, like the Bible. (2 Corinthians 3:14). Before I was saved, the Bible made no sense. I thought it was stupid. I thought Bible thumpers and Jesus followers were stupid. After I repented, the Bible made total sense and I loved Jesus.

I now see death differently from all the rest of the world that has no hope. It is simply a transition, from something tiring and full of struggle, to something wondrous and glorious beyond compare. I have no fears of the Apocalypse, because I won’t be here to experience it. Those in Christ will be taken out of the way, because He is not angry with us. We’re forgiven sinners. He is angry with unrepentant sinners. O, it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God!

I am very sure this age will come to a terrible end. I am sure that time is not long away. I am very sure that I will be lifted bodily away from earth to meet Jesus in the air at the rapture to live with Him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.) If you want that certainty too, then repent of your sins and turn to Jesus. Believe He is Lord, who sacrificially died to satisfy God’s wrath about sin and who was raised on the third day. I will be in heaven. I hope you will be too.

We Share Jesus As We Anticipate His Return

from Love Worth Finding Ministries

We hear the news. Stories of war, natural disasters, and disease fill our ears. We remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:6-7 as He spoke of what the world will look like just before He comes again: “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” We hear of food shortages, see rising prices and read Revelation 6:6, which talks about two pounds of wheat costing a day’s wages.

And so, we ask: When will Jesus return and rapture His bride, the Church? We’ve been waiting for 2,000 years! The answer, as it was in the Apostle Peter’s day, is soon and very soon. Peter warned us that “scoffers” would ask, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Echoing Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 24:6 to “see that you are not troubled,” Peter further encouraged us: “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9). That “longsuffering” should point Jesus’ followers toward evangelism as we await the Rapture.

We will not know the date and time when Jesus will come for us, but Pastor Adrian Rogers likened our wait to a walk at the edge of the ocean. If the ocean’s edge is the Rapture—the doorway to forever living bodily with Jesus—our feet are in the sand, just touching the water. It is not that we have been journeying to the ocean from 2,000 miles away; we are at the surf’s edge.

“Now some people have the idea that…we’re way over here, the Second Coming of Jesus is off over there somewhere, and we’re just maybe trying to get to it,” Pastor Rogers said. “No, no, no, no, no. Friend, we’re right on the edge; we’re just walking along the seashore. We are living on the edge of eternity.”

In other words, eternity isn’t in front of us; it’s right beside us. Everything that needs to be fulfilled prior to the Rapture of the Church has been fulfilled. From the First Century through the 21st Century and now into the 22nd, we have been living in the “end times.” We look around us and observe that the days are becoming, as Pastor Rogers said, “gloriously dark.” We have the eyes of faith to understand the times and sense the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He may come at any moment.

What do we do in the end times?

How then, should we live? We live in hope because we know the promises God gave us in His Word are true. We live with our eyes focused on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. We live longing for and prepared for the return of Christ. We are watching for Him. While our hearts stretch toward the unimaginable above, our arms are stretched out in love to reach others beside us… before it is too late.

This is an active form of waiting as we work to bring a harvest to Jesus; we do not waste our precious time and our precious lives on lesser pursuits. We concentrate on the heart of the Gospel: Jesus died for our sins, He was raised, He is coming again. We do not fear the darkness, knowing that Jesus will always lead us in the light of His Word. Finally, we are aware that the enemy too knows the time is short, so we stand firm, with our feet planted in the truth of God’s Word. We withstand the enemy’s most clever schemes to tie us to this world so that we will point others toward the far better inheritance we will receive… in the twinkling of an eye.

Revelation fulfills the Gospel; Jesus is coming again.

What is the Gospel? In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul tells us the Gospel is, “That Christ died for our sins, He was buried, He was raised again the third day.” The unfolding of this Gospel began in Genesis and continued throughout the Old Testament with prophecy about the first coming of Jesus. The heart of the Gospel was lived out in Jesus’ lifetime with His sinless life, His vicarious death, and His triumphant resurrection. In our days, the “Last Days,” Jesus continues to live out His Gospel in believers who share His love and bring others into the family of God.

The Book of Revelation gives us a glorious window into how God’s promises will be fulfilled; it explodes with a cosmic celebration of the triumph of the Gospel; it brings full circle the story of redemption that began in the Garden of Eden.

While the Book of Revelation contains many themes, ideas, symbols, and prophecies that may be debated by theologians, the critical message of the book is something all Christians may easily understand. The Book of Revelation is about one central person, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1), for one clear purpose, “to show His servants—things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1), with one comforting promise, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

To obtain this blessing as a certain prophecy for each believer, we must see Jesus high and lifted up; He is the hero of all redemptive history. We must be His bondslaves because those who are not committed to Him cannot understand what He “shows His servants” as He pulls back the curtain and grants us a heavenly perspective. And we must “keep the things which are written,” being faithful to share Jesus in the face of opposition to the Gospel and refusing to compromise with the culture.

For an introduction to The Book of Revelation from Pastor Rogers, read the article: An Introduction to the Book of Revelation.

We will be with Jesus and like Jesus.

We don’t know when the Rapture will take place, but we know it will be beautiful for those who belong to Jesus. A preschool girl was playing in a Sunday school class, busy with her doll and a tea party set, when she heard the voice of her father who had come to pick her up. She abandoned the toys and ran to the door. Caught up into her daddy’s arms, she wrapped herself around his neck and exclaimed excitedly, “I knew you’d come back”!

She was too young to tell time. Her father’s appearance at that precise moment was a complete surprise. But she trusted Him. She knew he would come for her. That is how we are to live—going about our business, enjoying all God has given us, sharing the Gospel, and trusting Jesus—as we prepare for the Rapture. The Lord’s appearance will be at a surprising time, but it will be both highly relational (we will be “caught up” to Him) and transformational (we will become “like Him” in our glorified bodies).

The Apostle Paul explained to the Church at Thessalonica that this relational and transformational reality will be both for those believers who have died previously and for those who are living at the moment Jesus returns for His own.

Paul wrote the following to comfort us when we grieve the death of a Christian loved one: “But I do not want you to be ignorant brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. …We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 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” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16).

Jesus is going to shout with a voice that literally wakes the dead who belong to Him. In an instant, “we who are alive and remain,” Paul said, indicating that he expected to be among the living at the time of the Rapture, “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” (I Thessalonians 4:17).

All of this will happen, Paul told the Church at Corinth, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

This is why believers rightly ask, “Where will you be when the trumpet sounds?”

For more about the Rapture and what it means to be “caught up,” read the article, What is the Rapture?

Christians should not fear the Great Tribulation.

The Rapture we await is not only a joyous reunion but also a rescue.

The Book of Revelation speaks of God’s wrath poured out on the entire world, and those who do not know Christ are right to be anxious. In fact, they should be downright terrified.

Following the Rapture, the Bible says the next seven years will be the worst time in our planet’s history. The Book of Daniel describes this period called the Great Tribulation: “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time” (Daniel 12:1).

During this seven-year period, a false Christ, the Antichrist, a man who, as Pastor Rogers says, “will make Hitler look like a Boy Scout,” will gain worldwide power. The Bible prophecies a ferocious end to the Antichrist and to all those living on Earth who do not belong to Jesus. This end comes on “The Day of the Lord.”

Jeremiah 30:7 says of this horrific day, “Alas, for that day is great, so none is like it.” “None is like it.”

“There’ve been unmitigated horrors of war, of torture, of ethnic cleansing...of earthquakes,” Pastor Rogers said. “But there’s never, never, never been a day like this.”

The Apostle John, speaking prophetically in the past tense as if having seen it already occur, says of the Day of the Lord, “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” (Revelation 6:15-17).

It will be the most cataclysmic and terrifying day in history; yet, Pastor Rogers said, those who are now believers should not fear this Day. Instead, we should be concerned, as Jesus is, about sharing the Gospel so that others are spared from that time.

“The church will be taken out at the rapture,” Pastor Rogers said, “God chastises His children, but He never pours His wrath on His children. But there's coming a time known as the Day of the Lord when God is going to pour out His wrath upon this world, and I'm going to tell you this, that even now, right now, the raging waters of God's wrath are furiously pounding against the dam of His mercy.”

For more about the believer’s rescue from the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, including Scriptural support, read the article, The Second Coming of Jesus.

The beast of Revelation is Satan’s offspring.

Believers living today will not face the Antichrist spoken of in Revelation. The Antichrist—also known as the beast, the son of perdition, the little horn, and the man of sin—will come to power following the Rapture and during the Great Tribulation. According to Revelation 12 and 13, the Beast is a malevolent dictator.
The beast rises to power during social agitation.

Revelation 13:1 references the beast “rising up out of the sea,” a symbol for society in great turmoil. Because the Church will have been taken out of the world through the Rapture by the time the Great Tribulation begins, society will be in chaos and wickedness will be greatly increased.
The beast has recognizable satanic attributes.

Revelation 13:1-2 symbolizes the beast with “seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name,” and says that “the dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” Revelation 12:3 symbolizes Satan in this way: “Behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.” While Bible scholars may debate the exact meaning of each symbol, Pastor Rogers says it is clear the beast is Satan’s spawn. “If there was ever a man whose father was the devil, it is the beast. Jesus, who was God in flesh, could say: ‘He that hath seen Me hath seen My Father’ (John 14:9, KJV). The beast, who will be Satan in the flesh, will be able to say: ‘He that hath seen me hath seen my father.’ The beast will be the visible expression of the invisible devil.”
The beast will be seductive and charming.

When the Bible speaks of the beastly characteristics of the Antichrist, it’s talking about his nature, not his appearance. Revelation 13:4 says that the world during the time of the Great Tribulation will worship not only Satan but also the beast, saying, “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” The beast will not appear hideous, Pastor Rogers said. “No doubt he’ll be handsome, charming, clever, greatly intelligent. He’ll be a global charmer.”
The beast will be driven by sinister ambitions.

While Jesus came “to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10), the beast will have a five-point game plan:To deify Satan: “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast” (Revelation 13:4).
To defy the Savior: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies… against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:5-6). Pastor Rogers said, “remember Antichrist means anti-Christ.”
To destroy the saints. “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Revelation 13:5-7a). The beast will want every true believer in Jesus Christ destroyed. Tribulation saints, who come to faith after the Rapture, will face torture and murder. “It will be the devil’s last fling against the people of God,” Pastor Rogers said, “and this ravenous beast will drink his fill of the blood of the martyrs.”
To dominate society. “And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation” (Revelation 13:7b). The beast will have global control.
To delude sinners. “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Pastor Rogers said of the beast: “He wants to keep them damned and doomed.”
The beast will have a highly effective press agent.

A minister of propaganda will present the Antichrist to the world. Revelation 13:11-12 says, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast.” Pastor Rogers said, “Remember that there is an unholy trinity. The devil always mimics God. The Holy Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. What is the unholy Trinity? The dragon (Satan), the beast (the Antichrist), and the false prophet (the propagandist).”

For more about the beast and the false prophet, including the mark of the beast, read the article, Beware of the Mark of The Beast.

Look up, not around.

While we are blessed by reading the Book of Revelation and understanding Christ’s instruction to us, it may be distracting to continuously relate the symbolism in Scripture to current events and world personalities. And it is fruitless to try and set a date for the Rapture. Our job is to share the Gospel and make disciples.

“God doesn’t punch a time-clock when He goes to work. He doesn’t wear a wristwatch. God is not concerned with time,” Pastor Rogers said. “I'll tell you one thing: It's two thousand years nearer than it's ever been before. Jesus Christ is coming. I’ve stopped looking for the signs and started listening for the trumpet.”

There Will Be a Day

 

There Will Be a Day :: By Dennis Huebshman
Published on: July 12, 2022 by Admin10 Category:General Articles


From Matthew 24:6a-8; “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”

Luke 21:11 expands on this; “There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from Heaven.”

Going on to Luke 21:26-28, “people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (ESV – all emphasis mine)

Even though we see what we believe are the “beginnings” of the above signs, they represent a part of the Tribulation/Wrath 7-year period of time spoken of in Daniel and Revelation. Some may try to say we are already in that time, but as 2 Thessalonians 2 tells us, the antichrist or “lawless one” cannot appear until the force that restrains this “mystery of lawlessness” is out of the way. He represents the actual time of the Tribulation that starts right after he gets a 7-year peace treaty signed with Israel and the rest of the world.

For those who are true believers in Jesus as their Savior, what we are seeing are signs that tell us we will be leaving here soon. The prelude that is taking place could be classified as insignificant compared to what will happen after we’re gone and when Satan’s forces are fully released on this earth. That movement is presently gaining ground, and the changes taking place are troubling. It’s difficult to imagine just how much worse it can get.

It has been said that the United States, which has been a considerably strong force in the world up to now, is not mentioned in end-times prophecies. Looking at the worldwide view of this country today, events that have taken place very recently have taken our reputation down. As our strength and status get less and less in the world’s eyes, this country is being prepared to be absorbed into a “new world order” led by a “one-world government” of which there will be no real lead nation. The really sad part is, our population that will be here will be ready for this to happen and will willingly accept the change.

It is no accident that the current administration of the U.S. is in office. God put them there and is not surprised by anything that is taking place. In fact, He is allowing it to happen according to His ultimate plan. In Philippians 4:6-7, we’re told, “do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Seems simple, but the Father knows all of our concerns. We need to realize Satan’s forces are constantly at work, and anyone who is a follower of Jesus is being called a “hater.” Because we do not accept the abominations that some lifestyles are indulging in, it does not mean we hate the people. Jesus told us to love all our brothers and sisters because each one has an immortal soul, but that does not mean we have to accept their lifestyles. He will accept anyone who will repent and call on Him to save them from eternal condemnation.

For all who have received and accepted Jesus as our Savior, our eternity is set. God does not make promises that He will not keep (Titus 1:2). An event described by the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, commonly called the Rapture, will take place. It is to keep all the Shepherd’s flock from going through the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10). We were told this would take place before the Tribulation, and I, for one, am eagerly looking forward to it.

In the meantime, we do not need to be just waiting and doing nothing. We need to be in prayer daily, asking the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of any loved ones who are not truly saved. It wouldn’t be too much to pray this more than once a day. Being a “prayer warrior” is special, and the effects can be amazing.

There will be those who will choose this world over all else. Jesus knew that more would accept their current lifestyle and not be prepared for eternity. He spoke of the two pathways in Matthew 7:13-14. He stated the path to eternal life is narrow, and there would be few on it. Our hope is that through our prayers, we may get some of those lost souls off the broad path that leads to eternal destruction.

The day is coming soon, and our Jesus will be calling us up to meet Him in the air. This will not be the occasion that takes place at the end of the Tribulation where they will “see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Actually, the Rapture will be over in considerably less than one second.

Jeremy Camp wrote and released a song in 2008 called “There Will Be a Day.” It is a testimony to the promise of the Lord to take us Home. It’s a day that all Jesus’ followers are waiting for, and the Father knows we are longing for it. Please consider the message.

1.) I try to hold on to this world with everything I have. But I feel the weight of what it brings and the hurt that tries to grab, The many trials that seem to never end. His word declares the truth that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew.

(ref) But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings, That there will be a place with no more suffering. There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place will be no more. We’ll see Jesus face-to-face, but until that day, we’ll hold on to You always.

2.) I know the journey seems so long; you feel like you’re walking on your own. But there has never been a step where you walked out all alone. Troubled soul, don’t lose your heart, ’cause joy and peace He brings, and the beauty that’s in store outweighs the hurt of life’s sting. (ref)

3.) I can’t wait until that day, where the very One I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced (wipe away the tears), to touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery; Oh, this is why, this is why I sing.

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place will be no more. We’ll see Jesus face-to-face (x2). There will be a day He will wipe away the tears; He will wipe away the tears; He will wipe away the tears; and there will be a day.

For all who have received and accepted Jesus, we know that we will not be here much longer. As another song line stated, “All my trials, Lord, soon be over.” Once we’re Home, all this will be lost in the past.

For all who have not chosen Jesus as their Savior, please read Romans 10:9-13 for the simple steps to do so. Consider that the Son of the Living God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, has provided you with the opportunity to have eternal life with Him for the asking. He paid our passage in full with His precious blood shed on crucifixion day. He conquered sin and death on resurrection day.

The alternative is to be forever separated from Him in a place of darkness, and there will be no relief ever. He is available 24-7 to receive your call, and please know you have not sinned so greatly that He won’t forgive and accept you if you truly ask Him to be your Savior.

It’s absolutely each individual’s choice of where they will spend eternity. Please choose wisely; please choose soon. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and that could be the day and time the Father has chosen.

Come, Lord Jesus!

A Super Sign of the End

 

Studying Revelation is a Blessing

 

Revelation

 

Study of Revelation

(click on above)

Did People Just Disappear?

 

The Rapture Explained

(click on above)

Video for Understanding the End Times

interview with Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries

Understanding the End Times 

(click on above)

Who Is The Antichrist?

David Jeremiah Answers End Times Questions 

End Times People by David Jeremiah

(click on title)

The Global Reset with Jack Hibbs and Charlie Kirk

 

Just What Is a Remnant Believer?

 

by Jan Markell  June 8, 2021

 

You have heard of the word "remnant." Some people are called "remnant believers." There are "remnant churches." Perhaps you know of some or attend one. I often say that I do "radio for the remnant."   The most frequent e-mail I get is from people who make up the “remnant”. But what is that? I write about this often and even do radio about it as I’m trying to understand the phenomenon. Here are a couple of e-mails.   "Jan, I feel the remnant is getting smaller every day as the time approaches for the Lord's return. The world seems to be getting darker and more evil. I know I am not alone as a member of the Body of Christ but at times it is easy to feel isolated. No one gets it and no one wants to."   “If I did not have access to you and a few others online, I would be so isolated! I try to talk to people about issues that are important, including end-times, and they look at me like I am an alien. A few of you help me celebrate my alien status. I feel like a lonely gold fish in a bowl. Prophecy is coming true right before our eyes. You and a few others are making a huge difference with all of us aliens in the world.”   Based on a lot of interactions, including people at my annual conference, I have concluded this about "the remnant."   ·     It is made up of people longing for a solid church and a pulpit that will address issues of the day as well as the nearness of the Lord's return. The remnant wants a church that will not fear offending with the truth and that will confront apostasy.   ·     Remnant believers have offended friends and family simply by telling them the truth of our times or for sharing information that is relevant to our times. This will often bring on mocking and scoffing. At the least, it results in irritated indifference. This doesn't daunt a remnant believer and such a tragic response doesn't keep them quiet!   ·     Enthusiastic remnant believers will travel across town or across the country to attend events that present information about which the church is silent.   ·     Remnant believers often feel isolated and misunderstood even though they have the truth and the naysayers are clueless! This is what is so frustrating. Remnant believers want everyone to be tuned in and informed. They just want to spread around a wealth of information about which few are interested!   ·     Members of the remnant church see our times darkening but remain enthusiastic that this is but a herald of His coming -- not signs of doom and gloom. Yet they will be told they are spreading bad news.   ·     When a remnant believer finds someone who is a kindred spirit, it is like discovering a gold mine!   ·     Such believers often had a very solid church but in many cases, it went haywire. A little leaven came in and ruined the whole loaf. They then begin a long journey of searching for a new church which can take years.   ·     Very often these believers approached their church leadership to talk to them about these things but they are most often shut out or even considered to be troublemakers.   ·     Understand that the end-time church is racing towards Laodicea and is more interested in conforming than transforming. Many churches and leaders will focus on “your best life now.”   ·     The Bible suggests an end-time church will be small. In Luke 18:8, Jesus asks if He will find any of faith when He returns. Many will have fallen by the wayside.   People who make quilts use a wide variety of mismatched remnants. Such professionals discard sections of fabric from garments that were no longer usable but they were then sewn into an unbelievably elegant quilt! The tossed aside remnant became an object of creativity and beauty!   If you are a remnant believer, take heart and remember that you, too, are a creative and colorful quilt. Eternity may reveal that you broke through to more people than you thought. And remember that such mocking and scoffing are fulfilling end-time prophecies as well. Hang on and don't grow weary in your well doing!   Bouncing from church to church is likely not the best idea. But sitting multiple times a week under bad theology, music with spiritually unhealthy lyrics, or leadership that is just dysfunctional, is also not an option. Cutting yourself off from fellowship is no better.   Our assignment is to be "watchmen" (Ezekiel 33). We're to be sounding an alarm. Trouble is ahead. The nations of the world seem moved, as though by a hidden hand, into exactly the right positions on a global chess board. Amazing things are happening before our eyes. How can we be silent?   So, remnant believers, let's not be silent. Go tell it on the mountains. The King is coming, perhaps today!

Trusting and Waiting

 

Are You in the Waiting Room?
BY: GJRWM
IN: FEATURED ARTICLES, WATCHMAN LIFESTYLE, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WATCHMAN


I underwent major spinal surgery this year. It was not on my calendar, but God had other plans. One moment, most of my family were home enjoying the evening; the next moment my son and daughter were with my wife in the emergency waiting room while neurosurgeons and professional staff coordinated the 9+ hour emergency surgery.

Many know what it is like to be in the waiting room; praying, weary, waiting on word it’s over, and everything is going to be okay. Time seems to slow in the waiting room. Indeed, a watched clock does not tick.

Even when there is complete trust in a highly trained medical staff, the hospital waiting room is a difficult place to be. There is a parallel in the Spiritual realm. Many who say they trust in God struggle with patience. In an age where A.D.D. is common, and we demand instant gratification, it is easy to de-emphasize the importance of patience. However, when we lack patience, we lack the ability to trust God. Diminishing one diminishes both.

Consider this, long ago, Abraham and Sarai married, and for decades, prayed for children. When they were senior adults, God promised they would have a child. This was surprising, but wonderful news for the happy couple, who likely promptly began a 9-month countdown.

I can imagine Abraham going out to the shop to build a cradle. I can see Sarai working to child-proof the house and knitting a baby blanket. However, nine months later, there was no child. Nineteen years later, still no child. Genesis 15 records Abraham’s despair. Patience was waning. So, God encouraged Abraham by confirming His promise (Genesis 15:4-6).

This is a teaching story. Part of what we are to see is that Abraham and Sarai’s despair began when they imposed their expectations on God’s promise. Like most parents, they had ideas: 9 months, a baby boy, eight lbs., brown eyes, curly hair. This is common and demonstrates why patience is closely tied to trusting God.

As trials and tribulations increase in these last days, there will be many times when God’s plan and timing do not unfold the way we expect. That is okay. In fact, that is good and best. In such times, fervent prayer and absolute trust in God will help us persevere.

Patience is a character trait God appreciates and wants His children to develop. Galatians 5:22-23 notes that patience is one of the attributes of the Spirit given to every believer. However, just as a person with an ear for music can usually master an instrument more easily than one not musically inclined, they still must practice and work to develop musical skills.

The Fruit of the Spirit referenced in Galatians 5 is similar in that the Spirit doesn’t instantly make one patient, but rather provides incredible aptitude and ability to develop patience. Another analogy: If I want my body to have more muscle, God will not instantly change my body, but may provide a weight set.

There is a direct correlation between patience and trusting God, and as developing patience comes from enduring and learning from various trials, we must not fall into despair when the severe trials prophesied to come, arrive on our doorstep.

James 1:2-4 notes: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Watchmen must remember that the eyes of the world are on Christians who “encounter various trials.” Demonstrating faith, patience, and complete trust in God during the trials is a powerful witness.

“Don’t doubt in the dark what God has revealed to you in the light.” -Adrian Rogers



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Turkey's Invasion of Syria

This is a video by Joel Richardson who has been studying eschatology for many years and has been visiting the Middle East regularly.  I wholeheartedly agree with him concerning our allegiance to Jesus, not a political party or ideology.  Let us be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" Matt 10:16

Who Are Today's Watchmen?

 by Darris McNeely 

In ancient times, watchmen stood guard on a city's walls to see to the welfare of its citizens and to warn of coming trouble. Who is to do that job today in a dangerous world moving closer to the crisis of the close of the age?

Do we sigh and cry for the moral condition of our nation? Do we see the world through God’s eyes and understand how far people have strayed from His righteous commandments?

Through Isaiah the prophet, God promises the watchful eye of servants who will hold day and night vigils for the peace of Jerusalem and its inhabitants:

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7).

God charges this group to watch for the safety of the city and its citizens.

Walking in God’s laws and instruction insulates us from the course of the world and its deceptions.

These special servants understand the dangers of the present world. They see the dark clouds gathering on the world’s horizon and are moved to proclaim a warning message to all who will hear.

The message would also include teaching the way to personal peace for those who listen. It will show the true teaching of God and the way to salvation. It will show how one could choose to escape the judgment God will bring on the world.

Do you see yourself in this group of watchmen? Is there a role for you among those who watch today’s world and yearn to make it better? Putting a number of scriptural commands and principles together, it becomes clear that today’s true Christians are meant to shoulder this grave responsibility now in the last days. We are to share in the role of standing vigil like a watchman of old, and showing the way forward through the suffering and evil in much of our world.
Sigh and cry

We saw in part 1 of this article that Ezekiel was set as a watchman to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 3). God took Ezekiel in vision back to Jerusalem to observe the lifestyle of those Jews who were left behind when Nebuchadnezzar captured the city and took many captive to Babylon.

It seems that the majority of the populace had not learned from the many warnings to change their wicked ways. In Jerusalem the people continued to worship false gods and strange customs completely different from what God had given their forefathers. Violence was an everyday occurrence.

While in the temple—the heart of the city and the place representative of the presence of God—Ezekiel saw six men (angels actually) approach, each carrying a battle-ax. Another angel had a writer’s inkhorn; they all came and stood beside the altar (Ezekiel 9:1-2).

Next, God “called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst . . . of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it’ ” (Ezekiel 9:3-4).

God was going to send the six angels through the city to kill the disobedient. But those who were not caught up in sin and rebellion against God would be spared. Those who prayed from a heart sick with grief over the state of society were granted a mark that protected them from God’s judgment.

What was their distinguishing feature? Their active concern for the moral and ethical condition of the society. God honored that attitude.

Does this describe you or me? Do we sigh and cry for the moral condition of our nation? Do we see the world through God’s eyes and understand how far people have strayed from His righteous commandments?

If so, then we have a duty to help others understand what is coming when God sets His hand in judgment on the nations.
A national affliction

Today America and Great Britain stand at a crossroads. For more than 200 years they have dominated the world in virtually every arena. As Great Britain retreated from its empire after World War II, America was there to take its place and continue the legacy set by the English through their peak years.

But America’s dominant power is under siege from many sectors. Its will to stay the course in Iraq is being tested, its military machine strained under the pressure of the extended fighting. Though it is the primary engine for the world’s economy, a weakened dollar and a trade balance deficit are both troubling indicators of a major crisis ahead.

God warns us through the message of the prophets that sins will demand a day of reckoning. People cannot continue worshiping the false gods of materialism and self, blindly stumbling along in their own righteousness, and expect their affluent standard of living to continue.

God’s Word confirms there will be an accounting; the lesson of history is that any people who corrupt their moral core will eventually fade from power. God calls on America and Great Britain to wake up, acknowledge their sins and repent before national calamity descends on them.
“Do this and live”

Amos the prophet walked into the city of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and boldly told the king and city leaders to repent or face captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. He pointed to neighboring states that had fallen and said, “You are no better than they were.”

He rebuked those who did not want to hear a “message of doom.” To those who stocked their homes with the finest luxury goods and gourmet foods, trusting that affluence was a sign of God’s blessing, he said, “Don’t trust in materialism.” The citizenry, at all levels, looked only to their comfort and ease and did not grieve “for the affliction of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).

Those who “grieve” and “sigh and cry” over societal sins are called to a unique role. They are part of God’s elect, called to the duty of proclaiming the announcement of the Kingdom of God. That message includes the good news of Jesus Christ’s return to restore all things (see Acts 3:19-21). The message also contains a warning to repent and receive God’s blessing or ignore the warning and face the judgment of God. It is a double-edged message—plain-spoken, yet full of hope.

Fulfilling this role requires courage, perseverance and a love for the people addressed. One of the best examples of this was the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah spent more than 40 years in the role of a watchman to the nation of Judah, urging people to heed his warnings and return to the ways of God.

Notice this passage: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’ ” (Jeremiah 6:16).

God’s main message throughout the Bible is to return to His paths, His teachings, as the solution for the suffering and pain of human life. “Do this and live,” He says.

Jeremiah and others like him have stood in the role of a watchman. “Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ Therefore hear, you nations … Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people —the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it” (Jeremiah 6:17-19).
Today’s watchmen

Examining the concept of watching in the New Testament helps to complete the picture of this role. The Greek word gregoreo, translated as “watch,” means to keep awake, to watch and to take heed. Through neglect or laziness we could let down and be overcome with sin, or a sudden calamity could overwhelm us spiritually.

Notice in Mark 13:32-37, in Jesus’ prophecy of the end time, that He urges His disciples three times to “watch” during the times leading to His second coming. The emphasis is on a personal watch through prayer to know the times.

By prayer and righteous living, we stay tuned to Jesus Christ. Through this way of life one can discern the moral climate of the times and avoid being tossed around with every shifting ideology of modern culture. Walking in God’s laws and instruction insulates us from the course of the world and its deceptions.

Revelation 16 describes a massive end-time deception perpetrated by Satan and demons that work through the human instruments called “the Beast” and “the False Prophet” (Revelation 16:13). Their influence gathers the leaders of the earth “to the battle of that great day of God Almighty . . . to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon” (Revelation 16:14-16).

In our fascination over these otherworldly figures, we can easily skip over Christ’s charge: “Behold, I am coming as a thief”—suddenly and unexpectedly. “Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15, emphasis added throughout).

Jesus pronounces a blessing for those who, during mankind’s darkest moment, watch. That is, they are living prudently and properly. The natural by-product of this close relationship with God is being alert to religious deception. Those who frame their life around the coming Kingdom of God will watch and keep themselves from the wiles of the devil.

This is the end result of fulfilling the role of a watchman within the Body of Christ—to be found standing in the faith, blessed of God at the dawn of His Kingdom on this earth.

Our world is moving toward this time of global cataclysm. Revelation 16 describes a future moment when people will be caught up in events engineered through the Beast and False Prophet. The former is a political leader of compelling personality and ability; and the other, a religious leader unlike any in modern times.Together they will convince armies to move toward Jerusalem to fight Jesus Christ at His coming.
Warning and hope

This is a time for the watchmen to mount the walls and sound a clear, unmistakable warning message of the dangers facing not just the English-speaking peoples but also the whole world. It is a time to make known the hope of the coming Kingdom of God.

Isaiah’s message stands bright and clear today: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion” (Isaiah 52:7).

Come, take your place on the walls, work for the Kingdom and pray for its speedy arrival!

Maranatha

Some of you may remember Joel Richardson from his visit to Salisbury many years ago.  He had just written a couple of books on Islam and End Times and was so interesting to listen to and learn from.  He has gone on to write many more books, take trips to distant lands and even make a couple of films.  The lastest movie is called Sheep Among Wolves Part II.  I believe it may have just come out - here's the trailer:

I love how Joel reminds us that while Islam may be a CHALLENGE, it is not a threat.  God is greater than Satan and Islam and He WILL have the final word!  Praise Him!!!

Oh, yes, the film is out - here it is:

A Classic Billy Graham

(click on)

The Second Coming

It's NOT Too Late!!!!

If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it's not too late.  One day it will be and if you want to know more, listen to Dr. Graham's sermon on Revelation 6:9-17 here.

This is an excellent talk to send to any nonbeliever you might know.  Jesus will return soon - have we done all he asked us to do?  I know I haven't.