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Heaven -- Is this where you
want to go? |
" Many
'Christians' want to get to heaven, yet they want to live a
mortal life forever." Someone told me those words recently, and
it struck me hard because I had just had a similar conversation
with a friend in reference to the rapture and she had responded with
"I do not want God to come yet, I have many things to do."
How can we have such a dichotomous approach to
God? On the one hand ....we want to go with God, and on the other
hand we want to continue doing the same things we are doing ... on this
Earth.
The reason stems from the fact that "heaven" has been
portrayed as a place of idle leisure, where we would be doing hardly anything at all
but "floating in clouds" playing harps... kind of a boring
place ... and we have more exciting things to do ... down here on earth.
What did God promise his followers?
Matthew 19:28
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have
followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the
throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes
of Israel.
Luke 22:30
That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes
of Israel.
People will eat, and drink and enjoy themselves on
this earth and have important duties such as judging the twelve tribes
of Israel. They will not fear suffering, or death.
1 John 2:25
This is the promise which He Himself made
to us: eternal life.
Peter 3:13
But according to His promise we are looking
for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
These promises have been tainted by the Devil... making God's followers
think that God's kingdom is going to be a boring place. Jesus/Yeshua
knew that many would think along these terms and he gave us this
parable:
 Luke 14:16
and he said to him, 'A certain man made a great supper, and called many,
Luke 14:17
and he sent his servant at the hour of the supper to say to those having
been called, Be coming, because now are all things ready.
Luke 14:18
'And they began with one consent all to excuse themselves: The first
said to him, A field I bought, and I have need to go forth and see it; I
beg of thee, have me excused.
Luke 14:19
'And another said, Five yoke of oxen I bought, and I go on to prove
them; I beg of thee, have me excused:
Luke 14:20
and another said, A wife I married, and because of this I am not able to
come.
Luke 14:21
'And that servant having come, told to his lord these things, then the
master of the house, having been angry, said to his servant, Go forth
quickly to the broad places and lanes of the city, and the poor, and
maimed, and lame, and blind, bring in hither.
Luke 14:22
'And the servant said, Sir, it has been done as you did command, and
still there is room.
Luke 14:23
'And the lord said unto the servant, Go forth to the ways and hedges,
and constrain to come in, that my house may be filled;
Luke 14:24
for I say to you, that none of those men who have been called shall
taste of my supper.'
God has prepared for us a magnificent place, away from
the influence of evil, where we could enjoy the work of our hands in
peace and happiness, forever.
Let us believe the promises of God, as stated in his
word, the bible.
1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.
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The Rapture -- When is it? |
 There are many people who have asked me the question: "I was just wondering if you guys have any idea when God's people will be going in the rapture."
The answer is:
Revelation 6:10
and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
Revelation 6:11
And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be
completed also.
AFTER the number is complete, GOD COMES!
Revelation 6:12
I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
Revelation 6:16
and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
The date is not fixed in stone. If you ask God to hurry, he will accelerate events, so that he comes sooner.
 But
remember that events that were supposed to happen in the future, such as
9-11 will also occur sooner. The Al Qaeda network of terrorists headed by Usama
bin Laden will continue to attack Christians such as the 16
Christians killed in Pakistan while they were praying in church.
On Sunday, October 28, 2001 a group of bearded men
opened fire on a morning church service in Bahawalpur in eastern
Pakistan.
The men rode up on motorcycles and shot a police officer who served
as church security guard. Then they came inside the church where
some 50 members were congregated and began shooting indiscriminately
with automatic weapons.
Officials believe the inhumane method used clearly
indicates involvement of radical Islamic terrorists trained by
Usama bin Laden to create discord and disharmony in Pakistan.
These events are part of the tribulation that
Christians are going through now. God will rescue us from the
tribulation when he comes for the rapture.
Remember the parable of the evil judge who did not want to help the widow, but because she constantly bothered
him, he did her justice. How much more God will do for us!
Luke 18:1
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
Luke 18:2
saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect
man.
Luke 18:3
"There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'
Luke 18:4
"For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,
Luke 18:5
yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.' "
Luke 18:6
And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge *said;
Luke 18:7
now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
Luke 18:8
"I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
He will, we will be there to greet Him!
Pray that Christ comes sooner.
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