Things I hope to never get over:

• The Wonder of Creation
• The Truth of His Word
• The Fear of the Lord
• The Cross of Christ
• The Empty Tomb
• The Grace of God
• The Mercy of God
• The Hope of His 2nd Coming

Now that Easter is Over

Is “Easter” really ever over? By Easter, we mean the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, not bunnies and eggs. I assert that Easter is not a day, but a life.

 It was a glorious day at GSBC, as well as at Bible-believing churches around the globe. Here, we had two profess Christ as Savior, a wonderful attendance, rejoicing Christians and the palpable atmospheric presence of the Lord.

 Going forward, what are some of the take-aways and the next steps?

 

1.      Realize that every Lord’s day is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over death. That glorious sense of joy and conquest we all felt last week should become our new normal each and every Sunday and throughout the week.  

2.      Because He has risen, we need to live a life of victory, entering in to our Savior’s sufferings and experiencing resurrection power in every aspect of our lives.

3.      Share the life-changing good news of the gospel with others in our sphere. This good news is not meant to be hidden under a basket, but shouted from the mountain tops.

4.      Seek heavenly things, rather than earthly. Love what God loves. Invest fully into His kingdom. Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

The holiday "Easter" may be over, but let us never get over the Resurrection!

Jesus Shows His Love for Children

 Matthew 18:1-10

This certainly addresses child abuse  (abusers and human trafficker's beware!!) 

Offense: Offending (causing to stumble)

Punishment: Hell! It would be better for them that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

The Prescription one: If you find yourself tempted to do such things, it's better to cut off your hand or pluck out your eyeball! 

The Prescription two: Don't despise children (disregard) 

An Insight to the Lord's Work

 Proverbs 2:6-8

Pro 2:6  For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 

Pro 2:7  He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 

Pro 2:8  He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 

The Lord:

Giveth - wisdom  (Prov 2:6)

Speaketh - knowledge, understanding (6)

Layeth up - sound wisdom, protection (7)

Keepeth - paths of judgment (8)

Preserveth - the way of His saints (8)

Redemption Draweth Nigh

 

The American west is on fire, the streets are filled with violence, bloodshed and murder, almost every face is masked due to a pandemic, the nation is irrevocably divided, rainbow flags fly in front of churches, a peace treaty between Israel and neighbors is about to be signed in the White House, record cold temperatures immediately follow record heat, 1000 innocent babies are offered daily to the idols of unnatural affection, God has been marginalized from public life, the Jews are returning to the land of promise, a star millions of times brighter than the sun has vanished from the heavens, the moon is red, the spirit of Antichrist is prevalent, the love of many has waxed cold, brothers have turned against brothers, the love of pleasure is rampant,  disobedience to parents is the norm, congregations are decimated, apostasy goes unchecked, the world's populace dance at the end of the strings of global elitists, the Feast of Trumpets starts in 8 days. Only the Father knows the day and the hour, but the coming of the Lord is nearer today than it was yesterday.

When the Winds are Contrary

Mark 6:45-52 

*Know that Jesus is praying for you - 46

*Know that He sees you toiling - 48

*Watch for Him to come walking to you above the problems - 48

*Be of good cheer, don't be afraid - 50

*Make sure Jesus is in your boat - 51

*Never lose your amazement and wonderment - 51

*Recall that He has always done what was needed, in time, on time, and in a greater fashion than you could imagine – 52

What if the Rapture Occurred Today?

The question on many people’s minds, could it occur today? Absolutely! Paul expected it in his time. The saints of the ages hoped for it, (called the Blessed Hope of the believers). There is nothing in the Bible that indicates anything else prophetically needs to happen before the rapture. We already have witnessed the character of our age which the Bible predicted would predate the coming of the Lord.

Apostasy, wicked and cold hearts, persecution, exponential occurrences of earthquakes, wars, tsunamis, the rise of a one-world economy, government and religion, viruses and pandemics, violence and upheaval, good is called evil and evil is called good, the gospel published to all nations (ethnicities). Etc.

So, what would happen if the rapture Occurred today?

*A trumpet would sound and a voice would be heard by all believers “come up hither.” The rest would possibly hear thunder.

*The dead in Christ would rise first – their renewed bodies would reunited with their souls and spirits.

*Then the living Christians would ascend to the clouds to meet Jesus. This will all take place in a fraction of a second. Quicker than you can blink an eye. Each believer will vacate their cars, homes, planes, classrooms, board rooms, assembly lines, beds, and their clothes. They will immediately be transformed into glorified bodies which cannot feel pain, age, be subject to the normal laws of nature.

*From there, we would all make the quick journey to God’s heaven.

*We would then stand before the Bema Seat of Jesus to be rewarded for our Christian works. Gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.

Crying out “Worthy is the Lamb!” we will cast our thrones at His feet.

*We would then prepare for the marriage supper of the Lamb attended by …… The church (bride of Christ), the Old Testament believers, guests (not part of the church), an innumerable company of angels (Heb 12)

Meanwhile, back on earth… the rapture will trigger…

*Major chaos, catastrophe, devastation and speculation

*A great lie (strong delusion)                 II Thess

*Those who previously refused to accept the love of the truth will be forever doomed and will be subject to loyalty oaths and worship of the man of sin, the Antichrist.

*However, possibly a billion people who were never presented with a clear-cut presentation of the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, will hear the clear explanation of Jesus’ love by way of 144,000 Jewish evangelists, young men who were never married, newly converted, and are completely dedicated to carrying out the mission of evangelizing those who have never heard, as well as the two OT prophets sent to preach Christ at the newly rebuilt Temple site in Jerusalem.

*A peace treaty between Israel and her neighbors brokered by a charismatic man of sin.

*Triggering 7 years of tribulation: 28 unimaginable judgements that will make COVID and change culture (rioting and looting in the streets) look like child’s play. Some of these are:

The Definition: Rapture – the sudden and secret catching away from the earth of all believers, past and present to forever be with Jesus.

The Purpose:

1.     To save and protect believers from ultimate cataclysmic judgment. As He did with Noah.

2.     To Gather His children unto Himself for reward and celebration

3.     To pour out His wrath on the world that has opposed and rejected Him and persecuted and martyred His servants

4.     To regather His chosen race and unleash an great evangelistic campaign bring them, as a nation, unto Himself.

The Delineation: Rapture vs Second Coming (Glorious appearing) Nearly 7 years separate these 2 events. In between are the 28 judgments (Seals, Bowls (vials), Trumpets and Thunder), the rise and reign of Antichrist (The Peace Treaty, the Mark, beheadings, assassination and resurrection, abomination of desolations, etc), the Bema and Marriage Supper, The Two Witnesses at the Temple (their preaching, execution, celebration and assumption into heaven), Armageddon.

The Aftermath –

1.     The Millennium (1000-year glorious reign of Christ, David, US! On earth)

2.     The disposition of lost souls and their king - Rev 20

3.     Eternity – service for the King throughout the universe.

BTW, If the rapture did happen today, and you are not saved,

1.     You will be left behind with no hope of salvation – You will be blinded and fooled by a lie of what happened to those sitting around you.

2.     Don’t take the Mark. Though you are damned for not believing the Gospel when you were prompted, don’t make it worse by inviting God’s wrath.

3.     Use this building to aid the evangelists in getting out the message you didn’t accept

4.     Look for a network of others which don’t take the mark (therefore cannot buy and sell) and help and depend on them for sustenance.