* Are You Ready?

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 
1 John 3:22

Those who hope and pray to see God in peace  must live a life reflective of that desire.  All followers of Jesus should have one common desire:  

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  Matthew 25:21

The Lord is returning for those who have prepared themselves to meet Him.  We understand that the death we experience in our physical life is only temporary and considered a 'sleep'.  But there will come a time when according to the word of God when those that are 'sleep' and those that are alive will put on immortality and those 'sleep' will rise from their 'sleep' and those that are alive will be 'caught up' with Jesus in the air. 

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  1 Corinthians 15:52-54

What is the second coming? 

Jesus told the disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them; that at the end of this dispensation He would descend from heaven and take those that have given their life to Him to that prepared place: 

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

What are the signs of the second coming? 

Though no man knows the day nor the hour that the Lord shall return, we are told of the many signs of Jesus return: 


√      For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 
√      And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 
√      For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 
√      and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. 
√      Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: 
√      and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 
√      And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 
√      And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 
√      And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:5-12

Who is the anti Christ?  

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  1 John 2:22 

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  1 John 4:3

What are the signs of the antichrist?  

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.   2 Thessalonians 2:6-8

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  2 John 1:7

Are you Ready?

Those that did not make the rapture and were beheaded because they did not take the mark of the beast will live with Christ for 1,000 years.  Satan will be bound during the 1,000 reign.  Those who died who were not in Christ will not rise until the 1,000 years are completed at the Day of Judgment.

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.  

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.   

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  Revelations 20:1 -15

There will be no excuses during the Day of Judgment because we will all be judged according to our works; according to what we did or did not do. 

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

‘Any such thing’ is anything from the word of God that your pastor has taught you or you have received from God with confirmation.  When you choose to sit under a ministry you choose to be obedient or submissive to that ministry. 

God has given us leaders after His own heart to lead and to guide us:

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15

Stop running and learn how to go through your tests.  Learn how to deal with ‘church hurt’ issues and do what God would have you do.

If you leave your church, know how to do it properly; having a conversation with your pastor; making sure everything is right; that you have the blessing of the Lord.  God is what is for right.  He does not bless mess.  Learn how to be submissive to those that have the rule over you.  Even if they are wrong, we still do the right thing and then look to God to avenge it; make it right.   

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.  Proverbs 21:1

The second or final death is hell.  Make sure you are rapture ready and not caught in the second death. 

  

Biblical Studies



10/01/19

04/05/21