The True Royal Wedding

Because we are members (parts) of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:30-32

There has been a lot of attention lately about the wedding of Prince William and Kate. Why do you think that people care so much about this stuff? In America the coverage of their wedding was everywhere and these two aren’t even from here. I honestly believe that it is because it is born into people to want to be part of the true Royal Wedding Celebration. People see a tiny, and I do mean tiny, glimpse of what they are going to enjoy when Jesus returns as they watch a royal wedding today.

Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God. Revelation 19:9

When Jesus returns and we as His Bride are transformed to be just like Him, the world will begin to enjoy a celebration that lasts throughout all of eternity. The commoners, our guests, will see war and murder disappear from the earth. They will see hunger and abuse cease in the twinkling of an eye. They will enjoy a peace that they have never known. True safety and the joy of it will consume them. The wicked system of greed and corruption that is Babylon will have been destroyed, Revelation 14:8. Our guests won’t just see others celebrating in the castle, they will be participants right along with us. The room will be filled with both good and bad guests, Matthew 22:10, but all will enjoy the feast that is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

As the Bride, we will finally have been transformed to be what it is that we have been called to be, 1 John 3:2. And our guests will enjoy the power, peace, provision, and safety of the absolute power and rule of Jesus, Revelation 2:27. There will be no bystander's when the True Royal Wedding Occurs. I believe this is why people get so excited about royal weddings today.

Forgiveness After Death?

In which He went and preached to the spirits in prison, [The souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been disobedient, when God's patience waited during the building of the ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved through water. 1 Peter 3:19-20

There is a very dominate belief among Christians and it is that once we die all chance for forgiveness is over. If that were true, why did Jesus go to Hades to preach to people? If it was the Truth that once we die there is no chance to be forgiven then Jesus wasted His time and He was very cruel. Think of it, these people are in Hades, there is no chance to be forgiven, and Jesus goes down there is preaches to them about salvation and there is absolutely no chance that they can have it.

The glorious Truth however is that our Father is not a respecter of persons, Acts 10:34. So if Jesus went to the lost and gave them another chance, He will do it again. Why do you think that our Father will raise the dead up and reunite them with their bodies after the Millennial Reign of Christ, Revelation 20? He does this so that they will have another opportunity to be forgiven and allowed to live. They will not be the Bride, but they will be the guests of the Bride. Everyone who has not committed Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will be forgiven and allowed to stay. They will have paid the price for their transgressions in Hades. They will have reaped what they have sown and then they will be forgiven by us and allowed to stay in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Truly and solemnly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever abusive and blasphemous things they utter; But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of [a]an everlasting trespass. Mark 3:28-29

The End Time Anointing

And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [ telling forth the divine counsels] and your young men shall see visions ( divinely granted appearances), and your old men shall dream [ divinely suggested] dreams. Acts 2:17

The one sign that Jesus gave of His return was that the Gospel of the Kingdom must first be preached to all nations, Matthew 24:14. In the Bible the Gospel of the Kingdom was never preached with just words, but with power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:4, John 14:10. So for the end times to come there must first come a powerful anointing that allows the Kingdom to be preached with demonstration of the Holy Spirit to the whole world. This will happen, our Father will pour out His Spirit on the whole world and the whole world will see the works that Jesus did and they will see even greater ones, John 14:12.

The last four years our Father has led me to preach a great deal about the end times and when I do, especially when He uses me to debunk the lie of a pre-tribulation rapture, some begin to fear. Don’t! The Truth will set us free and the Truth is that we do not yet have the end time anointing that is coming. When our Father does pour it out we will live and operate in a power that transcends human understanding and ability. We will not fear as they are killing us. We will be as Stephen was and shine like the sun, as we cry out for the forgiveness of those who are doing it. We will rejoice when beaten and count it as all glory when we are wronged for Jesus’ name sake. There is more power coming to the Church. Our Father will never allow us to be tempted above that which we can stand, 1 Corinthians 10:13. Our Father will allow evil to become stronger during the end times, so He has to allow His church to become even stronger and He will. So relax if you hear that we are to be here during the last 3 1/2 years of this generation of the earth. You may not have the faith and anointing to endure it now, but you will! And when you do, you will be used as never before and millions upon millions will be saved because of it, Revelation 7:9.

Is It The End Times?

And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. Matthew 24:14

I am asked all of the time if it is the end times and the answer is no, not yet. Notice what Jesus said to the Disciples: the good news of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world and then will the end come. I really do not believe that the Gospel of the Kingdom is being preached right now. I do believe that a lot of people are preaching Jesus, but not necessarily the Kingdom, and there is a huge difference.

The Kingdom is preached with power, not just words, it’s demonstration of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:4. When the Kingdom is truly preached the dead are raised, the blind see, the deaf hear, and miracles abound. The Kingdom can only be preached when our Father empowers it to be preached. I'm not saying that all of the preaching is bad right now. I'm just saying that our Father hasn't empowered us yet to truly preach the Kingdom. When He does, then the end will come.

There is also a calming effect of the Kingdom. Look when Jesus was here, the masses loved Jesus, they welcomed Him and were healed by His message of the Kingdom. The religious leaders hated him for it because it was more than just words, but for the common man it was something entirely different. Now think of the power of the Holy Spirit being poured out on millions of us at one time. Think of the healing’s and miracles that will abound and how a peace will come over the world when our Father begins to use us to do the works that Jesus did and even greater ones, John 14:12. The world will actually begin to say peace and safety during this time.

When people are saying, All is well and secure, and, There is peace and safety, then in a moment unforeseen destruction (ruin and death) will come upon them as suddenly as labor pains come upon a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape, for there will be no escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:3

No one is saying peace and safety now, but they will. They will make this confession when our Father has the full power of the Holy Spirit poured out on all of His children, Revelation 8:5. The end times will be when you see the church begin to care more about others then themselves. The end times will begin when you see the power of our Father flowing through us and when it is happening all over the world at once. When you see things that are far beyond what you can think of, ask for, pray for, or believe for happening, (Ephesians 3:20) then the end times are here.

Happy Easter

Jesus told us to get together and eat and fellowship often in remembrance of Him. Easter is a great time to do this. Communion is so much more than a little cracker and a little drink of wine. It is coming together with like minded believers, having a great meal, fellowshipping, and truly remembering our Lord and Savior. Do this often. Jesus loved getting together with people. He would have thousands to His dinner parties.

Brad

The Anti-Christ's Church, Part II

BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

The anti-christ’s church will be proud and arrogant. The seeds of this are being sown already in today’s worldly churches. Look at the huge buildings that are being built and how the congregations brag about themselves and what they are doing. The Bible asks us, does our Father dwell in buildings made with human hands? Look at how so called preachers place their own names on the ministry, when the Holy Spirit had Paul write: who is Paul, Peter, or Apollos, 1 Corinthians 1:12? Today it is common practice for men and women to place their own names on books, web pages, buildings, and ministries when there is only one name, Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

I hear all of the time from church goers that only people who go to their church denomination can be saved. That is the spirit of anti-christ and it is that kind of arrogance and pride that will set up the anti-christ’s end time church. People will hear him speak as no man has spoken before. They will see the false miracles that our Father allows him to perform and they will say that only if you take his mark, the mark of the beast, can you be saved.

The true children of God will see that everything that is being said and done by the anti-christ and his followers is self centered. We will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to see the Truth that they talk of how they are doing the things, that they are believing, that they are serving, and that they are faithful. The confession of the anti-christ and his followers will always start and end with what they are doing. Jesus will be spoken of in passing, but the main focus will always be on human effort. The anti-christ's followers will believe that what they are doing is all of God too. They will have a form of godliness, but it will not be from Christ, it will all be from human pride and arrogance.

When they finally do see Jesus they will say to Him, didn’t (WE) prophecy in Your Name? Didn’t (WE) do mighty works in Your Name? And Jesus will tell them that He never knew them, Matthew 7:21-23. The anti-christ’s church will say Jesus, but their main talk will be of man and all of their efforts will be to draw attention to themselves and their man made church. Just like with so many churches today!

The Anti-Christ's Church, Part I

BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

During the last 3 1/2 years of this chapter in earth’s history there are going to be world wars, worldwide famines, world wide natural disasters, spiritual disasters, massive earthquakes, and hyper inflation. When these type of things happen now, on much smaller levels, people flock to church. People will flock to church during the Great Tribulation as well. They will flock to to the anti-christ’s church!

Think of what the Holy Spirit is telling us here about the end time church of the anti-christ: they will love themselves and be self centered. Doesn’t that describe the underlying belief of people who want to be raptured away? They love themselves more than others. They want to be gone from the earth, so that they won’t have to deal with the trouble. When the Truth is that Jesus repeatedly tells us in the Word to care for others more than ourselves. Jesus also tells us that when He returns, His good servants will be giving food and aide to those in need.

Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing. Matthew 24:45-46

The anti-christ’s church will be thinking of how that they can get food for themselves and will develop a system of numbering people to try and do it. They will say that they are doing it out of love. They will have a form of godliness, but they will deny the power of godliness, which is to seek the well being of others above ourselves. They will seek to provide for themselves with human abilities, rather than looking to our Father and having Him supply our daily bread through His abilities.

What About Those Who Are Wrong?

I give thanks to Him Who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able [for this], Christ Jesus our Lord, because He has judged and counted me faithful and trustworthy, appointing me to [this stewardship of] the ministry. Though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and was shamefully and outrageously and aggressively insulting [to Him], nevertheless, I obtained mercy because I had acted out of ignorance in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:12-13

Over the last month the Lord has led me to share a lot about the falsity of the theory of a pre-tribulation rapture. Over this time He has also had me read what others are writing who believe the same way. So many are extremely angry at those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture and their writings about these people are fierce. My advice is to cool down, the Lord is our Shepherd, He will not allow His Bride to believe a lie and be damned.

The Holy Spirit reminded me of these verses in 1 Timothy yesterday. We are shown that Paul persecuted christians, blasphemed Jesus, and was aggressively insulting to God. Paul even writes that he was the biggest sinner, 1 Timothy 1:16. Yet, he was doing it out of ignorance and our Father showed him mercy. Paul thought that he knew the Truth. He could quote scriptures and lived in a way that he thought was righteous. But on the road to Damascus he saw the Light and was set free.

You can’t tell me that all of these preachers who are preaching about a pre-tribulation rapture know that there is not one and still preach about it. Many are lovingly sharing what they believe to be true in an attempt to keep the people who the love from missing the rapture. Relax and pray for the Truth to be revealed to them. If they are truly called and chosen they will be shown the Truth that will set them free. If they aren’t called and chosen they will not see it. But either way Jesus is the Shepherd and He will not lose any that our Father has given Him.

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

It Is Impossible For Us To Be Understood

But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he [a]examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15

We all try so desperately to be understood by people. We share scriptures that seem so plain and simple to us. We devise arguments that clearly and precisely define our points and yet we are looked upon as crazy people, as if we are speaking in parables and tongues. The Truth is we are and as the song says, “that’s just the way it is, some things will never change.” We understand because the Holy Spirit allows us to understand and the world does not have the Holy Spirit to allow them the same privilege.

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:26

The Holy Spirit is greater in us, than anything that is in this world. And even though we cannot be understood by the world, we sow the Seed of the Word of our Father to the world. The Holy Spirit causes us to, we cannot help but to do the work of our Father. Some of the Truth that we are used to sow will fall on the rocks, some on shallow soil, and some in the thorn bushes. But amen, some will fall on good soil and produce a return of 30, 60, and a 100 fold. We can’t help but sow the Truth and we cannot help but be misunderstood as we do. So rejoice and sow the Truth and when your are rebuked and mistreated for it, rejoice that you were counted worthy by our Father to suffer persecution in doing so.

When Does The Marriage Supper of The Lamb Begin?

And he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent [of primeval times], who is the devil and Satan, and [securely] bound him for a thousand years. Then he hurled him into the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should no longer lead astray and deceive and seduce the nations until the thousand years were at an end. After that he must be liberated for a short time. Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. Revelation 20:2-4

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people). Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God. Revelation 19:7-9

Jesus tells us that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb does not occur until satan is bound and imprisoned in the Abyss. The theory of a pre-tribulation rapture teaches us that the Marriage Supper begins seven years before this, when we are told that the saints are raptured off of the earth. However, we are told repeatedly in scriptures that the dead in Christ are not raised until the last day, John 6. We are shown that the dead in Christ are not raised until the last trumpet sounds, 1 Corinthians 15:52. We are told that the living in Christ can in no way precede the dead in Christ, 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and here in Revelation we are shown that the Marriage Supper does not begin until satan is bound and cast into prison on the last day.

Do not fear the Great Tribulation. If you are truly chosen and called by our Father to be here during these 3 1/2 years, you will be used as no other generation has been used to do the works that Jesus did and even greater works. In times of great persecutions, comes times of great demonstration of the Holy Spirit.

Why Do People Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition), 1 Thessalonians 2:3

In Revelation 3 Jesus tells us that our Father wants us hot, or cold, He does not want people to be lukewarm. There is a Truth and it is this, our Father always get’s His way. So during the last 3 1/2 years of this earth age, our Father will cast away the lukewarm christians and clearly identify them. These lukewarm people will flood to the anti-christ’s church and the reason will be that they believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.

Think about why people really believe that there is a pre-tribulation rapture, and the reason is fear. There is an overwhelming belief in them of self preservation, ego, and pride. In Christ we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1:7. In Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers us to desire the well being of others far above ourselves, Matthew 23:11. People who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture basically are saying that when the world needs us the most, forget you people, we are out of here because things get too tough. This is never how our Father has empowered His children to act. When the Apostles were imprisoned, beaten, and even killed, they ran right back to the Temple where they were arrested to preach the Truth that would set the people free, Acts 5. The Prophets of old went to the towns and cities and were beaten and killed for sharing the Truth. Jesus did not run because things were tough. Our Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He never changes and God will not change during the Great Tribulation. He will use us wonderfully and a great multitude of brothers and sisters will be saved during this time, Revelation 7:9.

So our Father has allowed a lie to be believed by the lukewarm and it is a belief in a pre-tribulation rapture. The lukewarm will believe that a rapture is going to occur, even when the Great Tribulation is happening all around them. They will see the anti-christ performing miracles and they will hear his great speech and they will flood to him thinking that he cannot be until they are gone. They will fall away thinking that a pre-tribulation rapture is still going to occur. They will be deceived and they will side with the anti-christ, our Father will have spewed them out of His mouth as Jesus said that He would and this is the great falling away.

I use to believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. A lot of saved people still do. But watch for all of that to change. I have seen our Father revealing more and more Truth about this over the last year and I believe that it will even grow stronger. There is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ and if you did believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, don't fret it. Just share the scriptures that clearly say that there isn't to those who do believe in one and watch the Word of our Father not fall void to the earth. It will set the truly saved free and encourage them and it will make the lukewarm mad, as Truth always does. Be blessed and be encouraged, our Father is going to pour His power and might out through His children as never before during the Great Tribulation.

We Are To Shamelessly Bug Our Father

And He said to them, Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and will say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread], For a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come, and I have nothing to put before him; And he from within will answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and supply you [with anything]? I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. Luke 11:5-8

Jesus tells us in this parable to be shameless in our pursuit of asking our Father for what we need to serve the Kingdom. So basically Jesus is telling us to bug the daylights out of our Father until we receive what we need to help others. Notice that the man in this illustration did not just have a need for himself, but for those who came to him.

Jesus told this parable right after He taught the Disciples how to pray. In the Lord’s Prayer we are told to pray for things like: give us this day our daily bread and lead us not into temptation. We were not shown to pray for our own needs alone, but to pray for the needs of the body as a whole. Then after Jesus teaches us to pray for everyone, He tells us to shamelessly ask our Father to give us the things that we do not have to help others.

The Truth is that we are to continuously bug our Father to empower us to serve others. We should shamelessly ask our Father to use us to prophesy, 1 Corinthians 14:5. We should ask repeatedly and vigorously to be used to do the works that Jesus did and even greater ones, John 14:12. We should hound our Father repeatedly to send us into all of the world to preach the Truth that will set the captives free. We should bug Him to empower us to lay hands on the sick and they recover. We should repeatedly ask to be empowered to cast out demons, to freely receive and freely give. 1 John 4:17 tells us that as Jesus is, so are we in this world. We should seek, knock, and repeatedly ask our Father to make it so. The laborers are few and the need is great. It is time that we as a body expect and demand that our Father begin to work through us, as He works through Jesus. Even if it looks like our Father first says no, as the man in the parable, keep on shamelessly demanding of God that He do it!

Is Our Hair Even Predestined?

Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

Now before you write me off as being foolish in asking the question, is our hair predestined, look at what Jesus actually tells us here in Matthew. We are shown the glorious Truth that our Father won’t even let something as insignificant as a bird die without His first consent. Jesus goes on to tell us that our Father has even numbered the hairs on our head. This means that our Father has destined everything that is, from us, who are His beloved, to the small and seminally meaningless things, such as hair.

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). Colossians 1:16-17

Our Father controls everything. Our Father knows all things and has predestined all things to fulfill His will and purposes. Everything has been planned out and nothing can be, that He hasn’t first destined to be.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16

I keep these entries short now, that wasn't always the case. But if you take all of the scriptures of the postings on predestination, you will see that the Bible really clearly tells us that our Father has predestined everything. Just a quick note, if you have seen my hair, you will also see that our Father has a sense of humor.

How Can The Head Be Predestined And Not The Body?

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death]. Mark 8:31

Then taking the Twelve [apostles] aside, He said to them, Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written about the Son of Man through and by the prophets will be fulfilled. For He will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be made sport of and scoffed and jeered at and insulted and spit upon. They will flog Him and kill Him; and on the third day He will rise again. Luke 18:31-33

For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined and appointed, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed and delivered up! Luke 22:22

For I tell you that this Scripture must yet be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted and classed among the wicked (the outlaws, the criminals); for what is written about Me has its fulfillment [has reached its end and is finally settled]. Luke 22:37

He is not here, but has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee That the Son of Man must be given over into the hands of sinful men (men whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God) and be crucified and on the third day rise [from death]. Luke 24:6-7

Our Father determined when our Head, Jesus, was going to be born. Where He was going to be born. How He was going to be treated. Who was going to kill Him and How He was going to die. I have never met a brother in the Lord who has any problem whatsoever with this. Yet, when the scriptures bring up the Truth that our Father predestined us as well, so many freak out. Why?

We are one with Jesus, we are His body, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30-32. We are now dead and yet we live, yet it is not us who live, it is our Christ within us Who lives, Galatians 2:20. If predestination was the reality for Jesus, why not for those of us who are now one with Him? I believe the reason that so many have a problem with predestination is because of their ego’s and pride. And pride comes before a fall. Our Father had a plan and we are His glorious instruments of carrying it out. He knew us before we ever were and He chose to use us in serving the Kingdom and everything that is in it. That is what makes us great, because to be great you have to be a servant, and our Father has a predetermined plan of use for us.

We Have Predestined Seating In The Kingdom of Heaven

And they said to Him, Grant that we may sit, one at Your right hand and one at [Your] left hand, in Your glory (Your majesty and splendor). But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism [of affliction] with which I am baptized? And they replied to Him, We are able. And Jesus told them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized, But to sit at My right hand or at My left hand is not Mine to give; but [it will be given to those] for whom it is ordained and prepared. Mark 10:37-40

The Holy Spirit clearly tells us that our Father has already ordained and prepared someone to be seated at Jesus’ right hand and at His left hand in His Kingdom. The Spirit just keeps revealing, through scriptures, the glorious Truth that we are predestined to carry out our Father’s will. I don’t know why this would be a problem for anyone to believe? Our Father predestined Jesus to carry out His will, Luke 2:31. Our Father also predestined Paul to carry out His will, Galatians 1:15. Every Christian I have ever met boldly confesses that our Father is in complete control, that He is Omnipotent, and Omniscient. So why freak out that He knew what He was doing and had a plan and a purpose to carry out His will?

For me predestination takes away all of the fear of eternity. Our Father knew who I was and how I was, before I ever was. Even with all of this knowledge, He still chose me and He still had a plan and a purpose for me. I greatly rejoice in the Truth that I have absolutely no ability to override our Father's will. God is my Shepherd, He is my Head, He is my Vine, my Potter, my Lord, and my Master. Jesus purchased me, I am now His possession. That makes Him responsible to keep me and guide me. I do not lead our Father, He leads me. God is not reactive to my abilities, He is proactive in causing me to be who He wants me to be. That just brings me so much peace. And ever since He revealed the Truth to me about the guests at the Wedding Feast, I have no fear whatsoever in the Truth that God knows what He is doing and that He has all of our best interests at heart.

Faith and hope in predestination takes away all of our pride and ego. If our Father gives us one talent or five talents, doesn’t matter. What matters is the Truth that God chooses what He wills and the benefit is glory for all of us. Just as the vine determines when and what fruit that the branch will bare, so does our Father determine the things that are to be in our life's.

There is No Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Part 3

Unlike my other posts, I just want to make some observations about the false theory of a pre-tribulation rapture. This theory teaches us that seven years before Jesus returns that the church is going to be caught up to Heaven to escape the Great Tribulation. This belief really goes against the Truth that the scriptures teach us, that the dead in Christ will rise first, and that the dead in Christ are not raised up until the last day, and only after the last trumpet, the Seventh Trumpet, is sounded. These scriptures alone blow the theory out of the water. (1 Corinthians 15:51, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, John 6:44)

But here is what gets me. The theory of a pre-tribulation rapture teaches us that millions of Christians are going to be taken off of this earth and that even though they are, the world will go on in a time of peace and stability for another 3 1/2 years. Then after these 3 1/2 years, after millions of Holy Ghost filled, mature Christians, are taken away, the earth will finally become chaotic only after the anti-christ breaks a treaty with Israel. Really? Your telling me that millions of powerful Holy Ghost lead people are removed from the earth and nothing happens to the stability of society as soon as they are? You want to actually tell me that people go right along as they always have and actually begin to say peace and safety, 1 Thessalonians 5:3?

Just look at what happens now when 10,000 people are killed by a tsunami in Japan. Or 1% of the homeowners in America default on their mortgages. What about when a couple thousand people are killed in Libya? The shock waves of these relatively tiny events are felt around the world. Markets crash, oil prices skyrocket, governments fall, and banking institutions collapse. Now your telling me that the world will go on blissfully unaware when all of the Holy Ghost filled people on earth are taken away in the twinkling of an eye? Our history just doesn’t prove this out. Especially when the theory also states that these Holy Ghost filled Christians are the ones holding back the evil of the anti-christ. The chaos would begin immediately, there is no way that it would take 3 1/2 years to develop.

So my advice is to look at the scriptures for your absolute proof and then also just ask yourself some simple questions about how mankind acts when people are killed or taken away. When you do, you will see clearly that there is no pre-tribulation rapture of the saints. Also you will see that our Father never leaves us or forsakes us and that we are always more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us, even during the Great Tribulation.

There Is No Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Part 2

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. John 6:44

The Truth is that Jesus will raise the dead in Him on the last day. But what about those who are alive in Him when He returns?

Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed). 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

So we are shown that on the last day of this generation in earth’s history, the last day that man is allowed to appear to be in charge, Jesus will raise the dead in Him and He will also raise those who are alive in Him. Both of us will be raised on the last day and at that time we will all be transformed to be like Him, 1 John 3:2. Take very clear notice that we are repeatedly told through scriptures that the dead in Christ cannot be raised until the last day. The dead in Christ cannot be raised until the last trumpet sounds. The last trumpet is the Seventh Trumpet and immediately after it sounds, Jesus’ flesh returns to the earth, Revelation 11:15. Also the Bible clearly tells us that the dead in Christ will be raised first, before those who are alive in Him.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The Truth is the dead in Christ are raised first and they are raised on the last day, after the last trumpet sounds, not seven years before it. We are also shown in the Word that those of us who are alive in Christ, shall in no way precede or have advantage over those who are dead in Christ.

For this we declare to you by the Lord's [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him in death]. 1 Thessalonians 4:15

More scriptural proof that there is no pre-tribulation rapture of the saints. But do not despair, because the Truth also shows us just how greatly we will be used by our Father to win souls during the end times. There will be persecutions during the last 3 1/2 years and they will be fierce, but as a Church, we will be stronger and more empowered through Christ than any other generation has ever been before.