Sunday, February 15, 2009

Don't Be Afraid of What's Coming

I believe the Lord spoke to me yesterday. Almost verbatim, he said "Don't be afraid of what's coming, it's not for you." So I start thinking about this. It's not for me....why not? Of course, perhaps "it's not for you" means more than "me" but "we" the true church. Does what I heard, jive with what the word of God says?

Jeremiah 30 :7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Now, this statement above is very clear, it says the time of Jacob's trouble, not the church's trouble. No debate is even possible here, nowhere in all scripture is any statement even comparable that tells us there will be a time of the "church's trouble." Why? The church's troubles have been from the very beginning. How did the church start out? Our fathers were fed to the lions in Rome for their faith, and its been non-stop persecution ever since. The church has had its persecution on earth from the very beginning up through today. No, the babylonian church isn't persecuted much, but why would they be? Why would the world persecute the world? We are talking about the true church here, not so called christianity.

What else do we know about this time of Jacob's trouble?

Daniel 9 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

There's only one week left of the 70 weeks determined for the people of Israel. What's the purpose of this last "week" of years (7 years)? Here is is: to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Look particularly at this: to make reconciliation for iniquity....

You know what that is? It's a glaring neon sign that says "not for the church."

Reconciliation for sins was made for us on the cross. If you are "in Christ," then you are reconciled to the Father through the Son. So once again, does it make sense that the 7 year period that is coming is "not for you." Well, the bible certainly appears to support it. The people who argue that everyone is going through the 7 year tribulation period have to ignore alot of scripture to justify their point. They have to ignore "the time of Jacob's trouble" and add in "and the church." They have to ignore the purpose of the tribulation which is clearly spelled out above. We know that the coming tribulation is a time of judgement and wrath, but that's not all it is. Its also a time of "reconciliation for iniquity." This fact alone sinks the "pre-wrath" argument. There's no arguing your way around the fact that "in Christ" today, sins are already reconciled.

The vast majority of what calls itself Israel today is secular at best, and satanic at worst. More attention is paid to Kabbalah and Talmud then to the old testament that they should be following as true jews. There's a reason the Lord tells us that the "syangogue of satan" is composed of those who call themselves jews but are not (Rev 2-3). These so called jews will kneels at the feet of the true church and confess that we are loved of the true Son of God (Rev 2-3). All of the so called christians who love the so called jews of our day won't EVER mention that fact.

The tribulation period has a purpose, its not some random event. Part of understanding who will participate, is understanding what the purpose is. We don't have to stop there to know why those who are "in Christ" won't participate, we have a promise of escape (Luke 21:36) from all of it. We have the promise to be kept from the hour of trial, coming to test all those on the earth (Rev 3:10). Notice again, Rev 3:10 mentions the purpose of the time....a time of testing/trial. Go do a word search of the entire New Testament and you will see that the real church is, and has been tested from the very beginning all the way through today. What purpose is there in testing something again that has already been thouroughly tested? PURPOSE..........

Again, we are talking about the true church here, not so called christianity.

John 14:2 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

"Don't be afraid of what's coming, it's not for you." Remember that? Jesus says above he is coming to receive us to himself? Well, where would that be? That where he is (HEAVEN), we may be also. Let your heart not be troubled....why? He is preparing a place for us..where? In heaven. How do we get in? An open door in heaven (Rev 4), an escape (Luke 21:36), a promise to be kept from the trial coming on the whole earth (Rev 3:10).

There are many within todays babylonianity who believe they will go through all or part of the tribulation, many if not most of them probably will, so why debate them?

Back to this idea of "let your heart not be troubled." If you want an untroubled heart today, this is what your goal should be:

John 1:47 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and said of him, See, here is a true son of Israel in whom there is nothing false.

When Jesus looks at us, we should hope and pray and work to have the same thing said of us. Be pure in heart, do those things that please the Lord. Strive to be found spotless at his coming.

If you do these things, you won't have to wonder if you'll make it out in the escape. Those who are "in Christ" obey his commands. We strive to keep the fire of our first love burning, our love for him. We are zealous for his ways and his works. We hate evil and love what is good. We hate falsehood, but love righteousness. This is all basic elementary stuff guys, do good, shun evil. Love, hope, be faithful. Do these things so your heart may not be troubled. Do these things so the coming 7 years, the time of testing and trial is not for you.

I have noticed a subtle shift in what the Lord would have me do for him. There's less of a need to point out the hell on earth of what's coming, and more of a need for encouragement and understanding of what it takes to be counted worthy of the escape. Time is short, how short only the Lord knows. Let us be found as wise servants today, doing what pleases our Lord. He could show up today. grace and peace