The Theft of Hope

The enemy comes to kill steal and destroy:

John 10:10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

One of the things the enemy has wisely targeted for theft in this world is people's hope. Why is it a wise target for the enemy? When you take a person's hope, you have taken everything.....I've read books about survivors of concentration camps who tell us that very shortly after prisoners gave up hope, they died, without fail.

Look at the world around us today. We hear and see a steady stream of bad news, with no hope of anything positive on the horizon. Steal hope, kill and destroy the people. That's the plan and it is working.

Speaking of hope, I want to tell you today of a spectacular confirmation the Lord gave me recently. Words fail to describe fully what I experienced but it was something like have a 40 billion watt searchlight focused on your spirit, having your insides radiated, lit up, brightened. It was like having a 4th of July fireworks display go off inside of you. I hope you get the idea. What did the Lord confirm to me, and in me?

The Blessed Hope IS the pre-tribulation rapture/escape from all of the church...in neon flashing lights.

Some people might say "duh" we've known that for a long time pal, welcome to the party. To that I'd say, yes, we have known that, but satanic agents like the pre-wrath, post-trib teachers and preachers and others have been hard at work attempting, to KILL, STEAL, and DESTROY that hope.

How would you feel today if you knew for a FACT that the Lord was coming back for us soon, BEFORE the tribulation/7 year time of Jacob's trouble started? You'd be quite encouraged wouldn't you? Hope does that. Our Lord wrote to us with many promises. He has encouraged us with many promises. One of those promises is called the blessed hope...

Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing
of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

I'm going to make a simple statement right now that will help you alot. Make up your mind about the rapture question NOW, then stop rehashing it. Stop surfing all the sites and reading all the material that only serves to kill steal and destroy your hope. If you have decided that you believe that there will be a pre-tribulation rapture of the church then become SINGLE MINDED about it, STOP waffling:

James 1:8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

It has been proven here time and time again that the pre-wrath and post-trib teachers have NOTHING of value to offer you that you don't already have as a pre-trib believer. If Jesus shows up soon, they will likely have MAJOR problems. Re-read the parable of the virgins in Matt 25. As you believe, so you receive, and the pre-wrath, post-trib crowd have been arguing for years to anyone who will listen that we all need a good heaping dose of tribulation before we see heaven.

I am inclined to believe that those who have argued so strenuously that everyone needs to go through the tribulation, that they themselves will get a heaping plate full of it..as they believe, so they receive:

Matthew 8:13 ... And at that ... And Jesus said unto the centurion,Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.

Do not let the satanic pre-wrath and post-trib message to steal another ounce of hope from you. Let them snicker, let them sneer and scoff. Scoffers were promised, and we see them all around us today don't we?

2 Peter 3:3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

When you find out how much Satan has stolen from you, and how much he still plans to steal from you, you will be steaming mad. I know I am. Aren't you sick and tired of being lied to, stolen from, and deceived?

Make up your mind, then committ yourself to what you believe. If, and its a big if, the pre-trib position was wrong, we have NOTHING to lose. We are watching and waiting for the Lord's return WHENEVER it happens, today, tomorrow, mid-trib, post-trib, it doesn't matter, we wait every day for the Lord to knock on that "door in heaven" (Matt 25/Rev 4) so we can open it. I see no flaw whatsoever in taking that approach.

We are looking for Jesus Christ, the "other tribbers" are looking for the anti-christ. We are looking for our redemption, the "other tribbers" are looking for their tribulation.

Luke 21:28 ... But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift
up your heads, because your redemption draws nigh.

Notice it says "your redemption" NOT the tribulation draws nigh....

Stop allowing this world, Satan and his agents to steal your hope. The promises of our Lord are ROCK SOLID. I cannot remember a time in my life when the Lord has EVER confirmed within me a truth like He has over the past few days with the pre-tribulation rapture. It IS coming, just like He said it would.

Satan HATES the idea of anyone escaping his worldwide bloodbath. Satan HATES the idea of the pre-trib rapture. The time for debating is over. Focus, committ, persevere. My God has never ever EVER let me down. I believe that He has spoken to my spirit in a spectacular way, confirming what He has had written now for thousands of years.

Remember, nothing written here is anything new. The blessed hope is the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. Its an OLD idea that has been systematically downplayed, ridiculed, attacked and stolen from the minds and hearts of believers for years now. It's time to take it back...

grace and peace

It's Time to Get Excited About the Pre-Tribulation Rapture/Harpazo/Escape From All of the Church

I haven't written a post specifically about this in some time. I do believe it is time again.

At the outset here, I want to restate why it is the "other tribber" views cannot be correct in my view. This can be short and sweet because its simple and powerful. I believe the Lord told us at least 14 times to 1. be watching, and 2. be ready for His return. Two of many examples here:

Luke 12:35“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Mark 13:33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.


Does the Lord leave any doubt in anyone's mind what we are supposed to do? Watch Watch Watch, be ready, be ready, be ready...for what? HIS RETURN.

Okay, when are we supposed to watch and be ready? Now...continually, every day. Did the Lord tell us not to bother to watch and be ready until sometime in the future? No He didn't, so what does that mean? DO IT NOW.

This, in and of itself sinks and destroys, the mid-trib, pre-wrath, and post-tribulation rapture positions. Why? Their arguments are "non-starters." They don't even get out of the gate. Why?

1. We are told to be watching...NOW-something all of the "other tribbers" refuse to do, because it conflicts with their doctrine. If they were watching today, it would be an admission that their rapture doctrines were false or they are insane, one or the other. Why would they be watching for something their doctrine tells them they will not see?

2. Because they are not watching, they are NOT READY. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.

^^^It will be GOOD for those servants who are found 1. watching, and 2 ready when He comes. Simple, right?

3. This is the biggest problem I see with the mid-trib, pre-wrath, and post-trib views. They are willfully disobedient. How so you ask? They KNOW that they should be watching and ready today, yet they refuse to do it. Why do they refuse the direct command of the Lord? Because their man made doctrine conflicts with the simple, direct reading of the Word of God and they have chosen the arguments of men over the simple commands of Jesus Christ.

I'm sorry, I just cannot get past number 3 here ^^^. What are the "other tribbers" going to say when the Lord questions them to their face asking "why were you not ready? why were you not watching? Didn't I tell you to be watching and ready?" How O How will they answer?

In case you are wondering, I've read the other arguments the "other tribbers" have for why they think the pre-trib rapture/escape will not happen, and I have solid, convincing evidence that none of their arguments hold any water whatsoever.

I am convinced that the rapture will be pre-trib. I have debated the "other tribbers"for years, going around in the same circles with their same arguments over and over and over again. I am convinced that I will not convince any of them of anything. Want to know why? Knowledge of the truth is taught to us on the inside by the Spirit of God so I'm not going to convince anyone of anything. Spiritual truths are Spiritually discerned? <--That my friends is huge. You can listen to "christian scholars" all you want, read books, surf the web, etc until you are blue in the face and never get one inch closer to the truth. Why? The Word of God is taught to us by the Spirit of God. The truth about the rapture is a spiritual truth, spiritually discerned by the Spirit of God from the Word of God. As always, the many will not "get it."

John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach
you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

It is my estimation (I hope that I am wrong) that those who are not watching and ready today and every day will suffer for it.

These people can go ahead and ask me their ultimate question: what if the pre-trib view is wrong? My answer? So what? Guess what I'll do if the rapture happens to not be pre-trib? I will continue to watch and be ready every day just like I am watching and (hope I'm ready) today. I cannot understand what part of "watch and be ready" everyday these people do not understand.

I'm sorry if I just don't see the flaw in watching and being ready every day for the Lord's return.... If He comes back pre-trib, I'm watching and ready, if He comes back Mid-trib, I'm watching and ready, if He comes back post-trib, I am watching and ready for Him...

I am ready to wait for Him, however long it takes for Him to come back, that's what watching and readiness every day will do for you. The other-tribbers, on the other hand, will have some serious problems with the Lord, should their timing not work out.....

Simply put, the pre-trib position has us watching and ready for the Lord's return each and every day and there is no way to "one up" that position. No need for a 200 page book, and even this blog post is way too long to state such a powerful and simple position. Don't watch and be ready today because I say to do it, JESUS told you to do it. Ignore, dismiss, and wave away His commands at your own peril.

I have asked and answered the question of what I and other pre-trib believers will do if the Lord does not come back for us before the tribulation. We will continue to walk in obedience to the Lord's command in watchfulness and readiness, day in, and day out. Question is, what will the "other tribbers" do when they find out that they are wrong? No need for me to write this answer, the Lord answers it Himself....

Matt 25:1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

12“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

13“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

I hesitated to even write this post. I asked the Lord as I often do, is this from you? Do you really want me to write this. As I waited for the Lord's answer, the inner witness/impression to write this only grew stronger. We are to wait on the Lord. After we ask Him, we are to wait on Him. I did, and here's the post.

A look around and what's happening in the world today could be an indicator of just how close we are to leaving this place. I have no idea when the Lord is going to come back for us, but I do know that I am waiting patiently at "the door" (Matt 25/virgins, Rev 4/door open in heaven) for my Lord's voice EVERY DAY so that when He knocks I can IMMEDIATELY open it...

Luke 12:36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

I will leave you with this. As I have been waiting on the Lord to write all this, He has repeated in my mind over and over again this scripture. Remember, the Lord is coming back for a pure/holy Bride. We must purify ourselves for Him. How do we "purify ourselves?"

1 John 3:1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,a we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Grace and peace

You Are A Soldier, This is a Fight

2 Timothy 2:3
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Tim 4:6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons ...

... (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Make no mistake about it, we are at war, but we DO NOT war like the world does. I am always amazed at how many within todays babylonian form of christianity tell you to "get involved" with this world as though we were part of this world. Jesus tells us very plainly that our kingdom is NOT OF THIS WORLD, what's it going to take for people to "get it?"

We are in the world but we are not of this world. Those of us who are not of this world should act like it? Revolutionary thought, I know....

I don't know about you, but I know that I face daily battles to "fight the good fight." As I face these trials, the Lord has reminded me time and again not to be surprised that these trials face me.

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful ...

... Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to
test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

The vast majority of todays 'teachers' and preachers in the wordly form of 'christianity' teach you a wordly way to think of everything. They give you wordly solutions for spiritual problems, they are defeated twice over before the fight ever begins!

Our Lord is the Captain of our battles. He tells us what we are facing, He shows us the way to win the battle. If we do not know His voice, how will we be instructed? If we do not go to Him for answers, how will we ever get His answers? We are not the General in this fight, that job is Jesus' alone. He gives us orders and we are to carry them out to the letter, like good soldiers. And, again, we are not soldiers according to this world's way of war. If we do not do what our General tells us to do, we are almost certain to be defeated. If you are wondering why you face so many problems that you cannot overcome, you should ask yourself, "am I heeding the Lord's counsel or am I doing things my way?"

I wouldn't trust myself to cross the street without the Lord holding my hand, that's where this writer is in his walk with the Lord. Not that this writer is special, I've just been blindsided by so many 'cars' in life/made so many mistakes that I'm unlearning my old ways. The Lord teaches, we should listen and obey. I'm not perfect, far from it, but I am learning that doing things my way is almost always the wrong way UNLESS I have my plan approved first by the Lord.

This life is a daily fight. At least that has been this writer's experience, and I see alot of evidence for that in the Word of God. This is just a reminder for all of us :-)

grace and peace

p.s. Some might ask who is to fight the worldly wars, if its not us? Answer? The people who are of this world, who BELONG to this world can fight the world's wars, not us. That's MOST people, more than enough to fight wars till the end of time without our help. Sure, there are soldiers who fight both as soldiers in Christ and soldiers in the world's armies at the same time, I used to be one of them. Let the Lord guide in these matters. Remember the centurian in the bible? Remember the Lord telling us that the centurian had greater faith than ANY of the people He had met in Israel up to that time? Soldiers tend to "get it" when it comes to Kingdom matters better than the religious people do. I do not encourage you to enlist any time soon, but I would encourage you to adopt the mind of a soldier if you haven't already.

One Thing We Must Learn To Do

Psalm 34:1 I will extol the Lord at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

2My soul will boast in the Lord;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3Glorify the Lord with me;

let us exalt his name together.

4I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

The Lord has given us all the instruction we need to be successful in this life, the question is, are we listening? Are we searching for it? Are we seeking, knocking and asking for this instruction that is more precious than gold? For most people, that answer is no, but lets pray you are not "most people."

What is the pattern the Lord has shown us? Psalm 34 throws it like ice water right in our face:

Within the first 3 lines of this Psalm we see:

extol, praise, boast, rejoice, glorify, exalt. Praise? Yea. Praise what? HIS NAME. Glorify Him, our praise must ALWAYS be on our lips. Not sometimes, not just when we are having a good day, not just when the sun is out, not just on Sun-days, ALWAYS.

If we would just learn to do this one thing, then heaven and earth would move to greet us and to provide everything we need for our life of godliness on this earth. Why do so many people lack? They do not praise. They are waiting to praise for some reason and some day that may not come for them. I will extol the Lord at ALL times. See that word "all" there? What does "all times" mean? What does "always" mean? Am I wearing you out with my stupid questions? I hope so.

If we get nothing else right on this earth, let us be a thankful people. Lets be a people who have their God's praise ALWAYS in their mouths. Even when our backs are up against the Red Sea and the Egyptians are bearing down upon us to kill us all, lets believe, lets be faithful and lets praise our God with even the last breath that comes from our mouth should it come to that.

The Israelites were found grumbling and complaining in the desert, and we know things did not end well for most of them. Let's be the younger child that sees the mistakes made by the older brother and not make the same mistakes again. Nobody likes a complainer. Nobody likes a grumbler. Evidently, not even our God has much patience with these kinds of people.

We have been told what kind of people we should be. We should be rejoicing, always. Does "always" mean when things are looking bad in the world around us? Yea, it especially means when things look bad. Always means always. We do not worship our God in vain. We pray expecting answers, and I for one have NEVER been disappointed by my God when I have trusted Him in this. Our God cannot lie, if He said He will do something, He will do it.

All of us have something we can be thankful for today, start with that and build a list. Thank Him, praise Him, Glorify Him, especially when things look really bad. That is a display of faith for all the heavens to see, and it brings glory to our Father's name.

This poor man has called, and the Lord HAS answered him, again, and again, and again. Not because this man is anything, but because our God is faithful and His Word is true. We must learn to keep His praise always in our mouth. Always. Then watch how things turn out for you.

Be patient, keep the faith. grace and peace

He Makes a Way, Where There is No Way

The Lord has been depositing pieces of this post in me all day today, I hope I remember most of what He has told me.

The two things I have been impressed with, that will be covered in this post:

1. Our Lord makes a way where there is no way.

2. Be Ready.

Our Lord makes a way where there is no way.

Our God specializes in making a way, a path forward at times and in places where there seems to be no way. For example, the Red Sea was parted at just the right time for the Israelites to cross it and the Egyptians to die in it. At a time when nobody thought there was any way out, or any way through the situation, our God made a way.

Again, with Lazarus being raised from the dead, everyone except Jesus in that place thought "there's no way" and Jesus said there is a way. Lazarus rose from the dead. The water that changed to wine, the 4,000 fed where there was no way to get food for 4,000 (except the Lord's way) and the examples go on and on.

Please stop to ask yourself today, why all these examples were placed in the bible? Was it to entertain you? Was it to make for better reading? Was it to tell you how great other people can do things? No, no, and no. Everything that was written in the Word of God was written to you and for you. That book, that Word is our life, it is our owner's manual, it is our guidebook, and rulebook, and cousel. It is our life. So, again, why were all those miracles performed and how does it impact you?

John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

We were shown the miracles so we would believe and so we can believe and see better things in our own lives. Or have we forgotten "He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." Was Jesus kidding around with us? Was He not telling the truth? No, He said it because He meant it, question is, do we believe it?

Our God makes a way where there seems to be no way. Every promise our Lord has made to us in the Word, is ironclad FACT. The promises are made reality through faith and belief.

Hebrews 6:12

... Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are
inheriting the promises through faith and patience.

There are people today who are inheriting many of the promises that other people are not inheriting, because they believe, they have faith, and they are waiting patiently. I'm not the one who said we inherit the promises through faith and patience, our Lord said that. Which promises? ALL OF THEM. Sometimes the Lord answers slowly, sometimes He answers in the blink of an eye. How and when are the Lord's province when it comes to the answer to prayer. Our part is the "what" we are asking for and the faith and patience to wait for/"inherit" the answer.

2. Be Ready

Luke 12“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

41Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

42The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

For years now, there have been many people who have predicted month after month, and year after year that something (pick an event) would happen that would be the end of life on earth, at least life as we know it. So far, they have all been wrong. There were people predicting economic collapse in September, they have been predicting war with Iran for years now, and the list goes on. They have been wrong every single time. Has the economy been bad? Yes. Is this the first time the world has seen a recession/depression? NO. The world has never seen a time like we are seeing today, but couldn't the same reasoning be used during WW2? The last depression? WW1? The civil war? The time of the Roman Empire? Each time, at that time, the events of the day had been traumatic and unseen up till that time.

The event that will change life as everyone knows it on this earth, will be the escape from all promised in Luke 21:36, Thessalonians, Rev 3-4 etc. This "escape" is also known as "the rapture." Call it whatever you want. What we call this event matters not, what matters is, its coming. When? I have no idea. My point here in writing this is the point made by our Lord in Luke 12. BE READY. Ok, but when? If we are told to be ready but we are not told when to be ready, does it not stand the reasoning test that it means we are to be ready ALWAYS? Yes, that makes perfect sense. We are to be ready for our Lord to show up ALWAYS so we can IMMEDIATELY (the Lord's Word not mine) open the door for Him. There's that "door" again that we read about in Matt 25 (parable of the virgins) and Rev 4 (the opening of the "door" in heaven.)

There are people in the world today who call themselves "christians" who teach you that there is no need to be ready for the Lord's return today. These are the "pre-wrath" and the "mid-trib" and "post-trib" preachers and teachers. For them, being ready for the Lord's return right now is utter non-sense. These people's doctrine basically say that the Lord is a liar. The Lord tells us to be ready today and every day, these "teachers" tell you that the Lord cannot come back until some future time, like the appearance of anti-christ, or the middle of the tribulation, or the signing of the "peace deal" with Israel, or a host of other times. With these false teachers and preachers, being ready now is nonsense.

The bible tells us to be dressed with readiness for the Lord's return EVERY DAY. That means NOW, today, not tomorrow or some other day in the future. Read the Bible for yourselves. What you believe about such things could mean the difference between life and death. It could mean the difference between suffering through the tribulation or being "in the ark" with the Lord (Luke 17, Matt 24).

The "pre-wrath/mid-trib/post-trib" crowd has been issued a warning:

Luke 12:47“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

These people KNOW the Master's will, yet they elevate their false doctrines over the Master's will. The Master told us specifically BE READY..NOW, and they blow that command off with a wave of their hand as if they had not been told. These people will be beaten with many blows.

This issue does not need debate. There is NO COMPELLING REASON not to be ready today and every day for the Lord's return. If you are ready EVERY DAY, then you will not be surprised and ashamed on "that day" when the Lord shows up so..... "be ready" ....every day. Be prepared to wait for years, but do not be surprised if our Lord comes to meet us tonight.

done for today, grace and peace.

Everything is a Test

It's been over a week since I've posted and I'm tired now, about to go to bed so this post won't have as many scriptures cited so you'll have to do the bible searches that back this stuff up for yourselves this time. I gave two citations at the end :-)

You could say that life is a test. Our faith is certainly tested by the Lord. I think its fair to say that almost everything of any significance in our life is a test.

When you are experiencing great success, that is a test. Look at the Israelites, when things started going well, they forgot the Lord. Think that happens with people today? You bet it does.

When things are going poorly for you, when you are hitting walls at every turn, that's a test too. Some people who cling to the Lord during sucess, fall away when things aren't going well for them. Failure is as much a test as success and the bible is full of examples of both these circumstances.

When the Lord is near to you and you are experiencing joy, just wait, the test is coming. We all have times when we ask, "hey Lord, where did you go?" It feels like the Lord is miles away. You haven't heard anything from him for days, maybe weeks or even months. What do you think that is? Has the Lord abandoned you? We know He will never leave us or forsake us, so what's the deal? Can you guess? If you guessed "its a test!" then you guessed right. Will our faith fail us when the Lord decides to test us with His silence?

Just about everything that means anything in this life is some kind of test. I am telling you this after a period of silence from the Lord with me :-). After the silence, what's the first thing I hear Him say to me? Well, you are reading it in this post right now.

Life is a test. We are being tested day by day. We will be tested until we are out of these earthen vessels and clothed with our heavenly bodies. This calls for patience, for faith, for endurance, for love, for perseverance. Let us not fail the test. Let's remember the rewards set before us and remember that any day could be our last on this earth.

I will leave you with these two scriptures, there are many more that make the points you read above:

1 Peter 1:7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

time for bed, grace and peace