We are on the verge of finding out a number of things. We know that the subject of "the escape" also known as "the rapture" is quite contentious. There are advocates, teachers and "experts" on every side of the issue. Soon, I think very soon we will not have to guess anymore. I have been convinced for some time now that the days of debating and arguing are over. For this reason I took down the comments section of this blog. I spent so much time refuting and debating the same points over and over and over again that I had no time to write the things the Lord has given me to write.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a prophesy "expert" to look around today and see that this world is on the brink of something major. The "news" tells us that guns and survival stuff are selling like hotcakes, do you wonder why? You don't have to be a history expert to understand that a government like the one in Babylon (America) is rotten and corrupt from its foundations to its top. At one time, America had an inspiring foundation called the constitution, but that foundation has been gutted, shredded, and removed to the dustbin of history. If anyone in Con-gress today even mentions the constitution, you can hear the snide remarks and contemptous laughter from the servants of iniquity (politicians of Babylon).
America has become a den of vipers, the home to every unclean thing. America is the major exporter of war, pornography, financial slavery and every other form of vice and degradation known to man. Do you think this has gone unnoticed by the King of Eternity? Do you think the stench of America's sins have not reached into the heavens, just as the sins of Sodom did in Lot's days? The coming of the Son of man will be just like the days of Lot, and the days of Noah. The Lord gave us specific links to this "coming of the Son of man."
The word of our Lord links Lot leaving Sodom, and Noah going into the ark with this "coming of the Son of man." The word links sudden destruction coming on the same day that Lot left Sodom and Noah went into the Ark, with the coming of the Son of man. There are no idle words in the Bible. Read Matt 24 and Luke 17 again. This is highly significant, the link between us "going somewhere" likened to Lot leaving Sodom and Noah going into the Ark, linked to the coming of the Son of man. Where is it that we believers are going? We know for a fact it will be for us like it was for Noah and Lot.
I recently read the warning the David Wilkerson posted on his blog relating to the coming fires in New York City and across America. After reading his blog then seeing a 10 min or so video of him on youtube relating to these days, almost all of what he said resonated with what the Lord is saying to my heart. He says to have 30 days of food on hand, probably not a bad idea. He says there will be an initial flash of fear for even the most godly among us, I think he's right. What he says resonates. The Lord has given me a mind picture of us with our faces pressed against a thin pane of glass that seperates us by a razor thin margin from the 70th week of Daniel, also known as the time of Jacob's trouble.
Today and in the days to come it will take faith to stand. If you do not stand on your faith, you will not stand at all. We live by faith not by sight. Not everyone will be counted worthy of the escape from all that's coming. What if Noah told the Lord "Uh, sorry Lord, people around here told me I have to swim through half or more of the flood before I get to crawl into the ark, so I'm just going to scrap the whole ark idea." What if Lot told the angels "hey guys I appreciate the escort and everything but I really think I need to stay and eat some brimstone before I'll feel worthy of walking out of here." Can you imagine? Well that's what you are being told today.
You can be sure that many people will enter into the tribulation and die in it, that's a fact. The fifth seal of Rev 6 shows us people slain for their testimony, for staying true to the word of God. With that said, we must ask ourselves if the souls we see slain for the word of God, under the alter in heaven, has any relevance to the stories of Noah and Lot. Does dieing in the tribulation have ANY relevance to stories of Noah or Lot? It's a simple question, yes or no?
The escape that's coming isn't for everyone, just like the Ark was only for animals and one family (Noah's), and one family (Lot's) was counted worthy to escape from Sodom before it was destroyed. I am already seeing, feeling the capitulation in many people who have resigned themselves to dieing out in the tribulation, and the tribulation has'nt even started yet. If the 7 years of hell are about to start, and I believe they are, then we should be looking for the Noah and Lot experience that accompanies the coming of the Son of man. I do not believe that someday I'll be talking to the Lord and say "hey Lord, remember that "escape from all" thing you wrote in Luke? What happened? I mean, most believers escaped from less than half of all you unleashed on the earth, why did you say escape from all if your children escaped from nothing (died out)? Lord, where was the Noah and Lot bit? Noah did'nt swim the floodwaters and Lot did'nt do a firedance trying to escape brimstone, so what happened?" That conversation will never happen because his word will come to pass just as he said it would. There will be an escape from all. The things that are coming will be bad, but some people can expect the worst they will experience will be from inside an Ark, or from inside a safe city as in Lot's case.
According to the word of the Lord, as you believe, so will things be done unto you, which is why your faith is important. What do you believe, and why do you believe it? If there is an escape from all as the Lord has said and you miss it because you do not beleive there is an escape from all, will you be a bit upset on the day it comes and you are not part of it because someone told you not to bother doing what Luke 21:36 specifically tells you to do which is to pray to be counted worthy of the escape from all that's coming?
Luke 21 is the Lord telling the apostles of what's going to happen during the tribulation period, then at the end he says, pray you can escape all of it. All of it......
Time is short. I agree with Wilkerson that something is about to happen that will test the faith of everyone...before the escape shows up. If I stood you on some train tracks and tied you to the tracks as a train was coming right at you, and I did'nt cut the ties and pull you out of harm's way till the last second, would you have a flash of fear just before the train threatened to hit you?
What if there was no escape from all that's about to happen? What would believers do then? The same thing they have always done, put their trust and faith in the Lord day by day. Give us this day our daily bread is what the Lord's prayer tells us. The requirements for living in the time of Jacob's trouble will be complete reliance on the Lord for everything. Some people live like that today without needing to be put into a furnace to learn the lesson of complete reliance.
All believers today are not in the same place. One shoe will not fit all in the days that are coming. The woman with the issue of blood touched the Lord's garment and he felt power leave him because she believed...her faith was great enough to draw on his power. The Lord marvelled at the faith of the centurian telling the apostles that he had not seen such faith in all Israel...and that centurian was a non-religous type. And so its the same today. Those invited to the wedding feast will be cast out and the servants of the Lord will be out on the streets looking for those who will take a place at the feast.
Matt 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Out on the streets, not in this world's religious buildings is where the tax collector, the centurian, the woman with the issue of blood, the people who believe what Jesus has said, that's where they are found. The people who play religion are the ones who cried "crucify him" to Pilate. The corrupt jews of that day are no different to the so called christian leaders today. Has human nature changed? No. Has the religious spirit that leads men down the broad path that leads to destruction changed? No it has'nt. Men are still building empires to themselves in the name of God and they dare any man to touch their empires. Let the Son tell these men to sell their empires, to hate their lives here so they may gain a life that is truly life and those men would cry "crucify him."
The time that is coming will be a good time for one reason alone. Some serious sorting of wheat and chaff will occur. The fire that is coming will refine that which is truly gold and the impurities will be burned away. We are told to build on a firm foundation so that when the wind and the waves rise, what we have built will not be destroyed, for the fire will test every man's work. The work of God is believe in the one that was sent which is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Believing in Christ is more than a 2 second event that allows you to get back to your life of sin. Belief takes faith, and it is Grace + faith combined that leads to salvation (by grace through faith you are saved). You must know him, and if you say that you know him but do not obey his commands, you are a liar. I did'nt say that..he did:
1 John 2:4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him,"
... The person who says, "I know him," but doesn't obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn't in that person.
You and I have been warned. If you are not working to remove everything from your life that is a snare to your walk with Jesus, you will probably suffer for it. What that means literally only the Lord knows. We know what it is we must be doing today...so lets do it. Many will not be counted worthy of the coming escape, but there is still time for you to be counted worthy of it.
One last thing I agree with Wilkerson on. He said that each person needs their own personal word from God that they will only get from God alone. Here's a simple example to illustrate what we are looking at here: if you and I sit down at a table and we are both hungry. Then I take out a hot potato and start eating it, explaining to you how I'm eating it, what it tastes like, where I got it from etc etc etc, are you any less hungry than when we sat down? YOU MUST FEED on him. The word of God is real food John 6:55 ... because my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. Jesus is the Word of God made into flesh and blood...
I can talk to you about potatoes until we are both old and grey, but you won't be any less hungry. Time is short, you are dearly loved and in my prayers. grace and peace
Be Anxious For Nothing
5 years ago