Comments about - Looking for the blessed hope instead of determining when it will come

* Thanks, for your comments. I really appreciate your caring enough to write.

Here is a brief reply, attempting to address your concerns, and to clarify my thoughts on the matter.

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Why is a good question.  Why do you have to be as certain about the exact timing of the Rapture as you are about other issues in Scripture such as the deity of Christ for example.  Do all doctrines need to be held with the same amount of zeal and conviction?  Are not some worthy to die for and others merely your best understanding at this time?

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I believe we are instructed to learn and understand as much as we can about all things God has in His Word.

And while the "exact timing" may not be knowable, I believe more attention needs to be given to the subject of Eschatology.

 

I Thess: 5:19-22 "...But examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good;..."

 

II Tim. 2:14-26 "Be diligent...accurately handling the word of truth...correct those who are in opposition..."

 

I Peter 2:2 "...milk of the word..."

 

I Peter 3:15 "...ready to make a defense to everyone...for the hope that is in you..."

and

Hebrews 5:11- 6:1 Going beyond milk and the elementary teaching.

 

 

*** I need to go beyond the "milk" that I understand, and that is the basis of most preaching done in churches today.

I feel I know enough about  and understand the "why" and "how" of Salvation by Grace through Faith, and the Trinity that is our God.

And many other basic principles I could show some one in the Word, but various verses on the "end" or the "return" or the "appearing" need more study on my part.

I need solid food.

 

*** Can we know the end is near or how it will unfold? I believe there are a lot of scriptures on the matter, and it is worthy of study.

 

Hebrews 10:25, "...assemble...exhorting...AS YE SEE THE DAY APPROACHING."

 

Matt. 25:4 - 9 "wise" virgins were ready and not surprised

 

I Thess. 5:4 we "are not in darkness that the day should overtake you like a thief"

 

Dan. 12:10 " the wise shall understand"

 

Matt: 24:32-34 Parable of the Fig Tree

 

Luke 12:54 - 57   when you see a cloud you know it's going to rain, or when the wind blows..... "do you not analyze this present time?"

 

I John 2:27 "...His anointing teaches you about all things..."

 

 

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  Is it not possible that two good men like Ladd and Walvoord might each have a theory but since the Bible does not specifically state the timing of the Rapture, but only hints at it, is it not most important simply to be looking for the blessed hope instead of determining when it will come?

 

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* The answer is really in your question ... "Looking for the Blessed Hope".

* Who is looking? Who should be looking? What should we be looking for?

* What do I give as an answer to the questions,

What is the Blessed Hope? When is the Blessed Hope? When is Jesus Christ returning? How do you know?

 

* All these answers are in the Word of God, and we are children of Light. We should know and see these things.

 

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 I fear too much energy may be spent on trying to specify more than the Bible does.

 

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* The foundational truths, and the milk of the Word are of foremost importance.

I just need to move past these. My desire is to know and understand the Lord. I believe He wants us to understand more than we do.

He has given us the Word and all the pieces of the puzzle may not come together until we are "face to face", but I believe He wants us to know about Him, His love, and His plan.

It is in my heart to know His plan. So, I study His Word, and I study those who have taken the time to work on the same puzzles. Trying to build on their work. To continue putting the puzzle together.

The more I understand Who God is, what He has created, and His loving plan for "the elect", the more I love Him. The more faith I have to proclaim Him. The better ambassador I can be for Him.

 

** Also, some of the pieces of the puzzle point towards the return at the end of the "Sixth" Day ( 6,000 years ) from the Creation of the world.

With the 7th Day ( 1,000 years ) being the "Sabbath" or millenium kingdom when Jesus Christ rules and reigns on the earth. 

 

Hosea 6:2 "After two days He will bring us to life: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight."

 

Exodus 19:10,11 "...the third day the Lord will come down"

 

II Peter 3:7,8 "...with the Lord one day is like a thousand years..."

 

Psalm 90:4 "For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or a watch in the night."

Luke 10:35  Good Samaritan left for 2 days worth of money and then he will RETURN

 

Job 5:19 "From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you."

* Yeah, I know I may be stretching this verse too far, but many are just examples of the pattern of 6 and then 7th, or 2 then the 3rd.

 

Exodus 24:15,16 "... six days, and the seventh day..."

 

Matthew 16:28-17:2 "...six days later...He was transfigured before them..."

 

If the Rapture does not occur before the Tribulation Period, I'd like to know this. If it comes first, then it won't matter much to me, only to those left behind. Either way, I want to help get the message out to the "brethren" who may be caught off guard by the Tribulation and the appearance of the anti-Christ, or to leave information for those who must enter the Tribulation after I am gone.

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Food for thought

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* Thank you, it was delicious!!!!

It got me to put a bunch of my notes into written form. And as time permits, I hope to expand on these and add to them.

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Scriptural References For Important Beliefs

THE BIBLE:

The Bible in its original documents is the inspired Word of God, the written record of His supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, and

without any errors in its statements. (II Timothy 3:16; John 10:35; Psalms 89:34; Hebrews 6:18; II Peter 3:16)

GOD:

There is one God, eternally existent, creator of the heaven and earth. He is manifested in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 9:6; John 14:9; I Timothy 3:16; I John 5:7; Genesis 1:2)

JESUS CHRIST:

The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God who took on flesh and dwelt on earth. He was sinlessly perfect and gave Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice by shedding His blood and dying on the cross. He then came

back from the dead. This was to pay for all sins (past, present, future) for all who believe. (II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:9; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 10:10-14; Hebrews 9:12-28; Acts 13:38-41; I Peter 2:24; I

John 3:5)

THE HOLY SPIRIT:

Being God, the Holy Spirit was and is present in all of the plan and work of God. He restrains evil; convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; regenerates all who believe in Christ; indwells, anoints,

and seals the saved; and baptizes all the believers into the body of Christ. He controls the obedient Christians and empowers them for service, and He is the Divine Author of the Bible. (II Thessalonians 2:7;

John 16:7-11; Titus 3:5; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:13; John 16:13; I John 2:20-27; Ephesians 5:18; Acts 1:8; II Peter 1:21)

MAN:

Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful and lost, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of man. The moment a person receives Christ as his Savior, immediately, the

Holy Spirit indwells the believer who is sealed until the day of redemption. (Romans 3:23; John 3:7; I Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13-14; Luke 24:49; Titus 3:5)

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND THE FREE WILL OF MAN:

God is absolutely sovereign and in His sovereignty He gave man a free will to accept or reject the salvation that He has provided. It is God's will that all would be saved and that none should perish. God

foreknows, but does not predetermine any man to be condemned. God permits man's destiny to depend upon man's choice. (I Timothy 2:4; II Timothy 2:13; I Peter 1:2; John 6:64-65; Acts 10:34; I Corinthians

1:21; Ephesians 1:5-14; Romans 8:29-30; Romans 9:30-32)

REPENTANCE:

Repentance in salvation means a change of mind from any idea of religion that man may have to accept God's way of salvation. Repentance is definitely necessary for salvation and the following is a quote from

the Old Scofield Edition of the Bible, Footnote No.2, and page 174. "Repentance is the translation of a Greek word (metanoia/metanoeo) meaning, 'to have another mind', 'to change the mind', and is used in

the New Testament to indicate a change of mind in respect of sin, of God, and of self. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (II Corinthians 7:8-11 ), but sorrow for sin, though it may 'work' repentance, is not repentance. The son in Matthew 21:28,29 illustrates true repentance. Saving faith (Hebrews 11:39, note) includes and implies that change of mind which is called repentance." (Acts 20:21; Corinthians 7:8-10; Matthew 21:32)

SALVATION:

Man is saved by undeserved mercy through faith and nothing of man enters into his salvation; it is a free gift. Man's efforts, regardless of how good or well intended, before or after salvation, have nothing to do with it. Salvation is by the finished work of Christ and nothing can be added to it. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; Romans 11:6; Col. 2:13)

SECURITY AND CHASTENING:

Every true child of God possesses eternal life, being justified by faith, sanctified by God, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and is safe and secure for all eternity. He cannot lose his salvation. However, a Christian can,

through sin, lose his fellowship, joy, power, testimony, and reward, and incur the Father's chastisement. Relationship is eternal, being established by the new birth; fellowship, however, is dependent upon

obedience. (I Corinthians 3:11-17; Hebrews 12:5-11; I Corinthians 11:32-39)

THE TWO BIRTHS:

A true child of God has two births; one of the flesh, the other of the Spirit, giving man a flesh nature and a Spirit nature. The flesh nature is neither good nor righteous. The Spiritual Man does not commit any sin.

This results in warfare between the Spirit and the flesh, which continues until physical death, or the return of the Lord. The flesh nature of the man does not change in any way with the new birth, but can be

controlled and kept subdued by the new man. (John 3:3-7; Romans 7:15-25; Romans 8:8; Gal. 5:17; I John 3:9; I Peter 1:23; I John 5:18, I John 1:8)

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND RESPONSIBILITY:

The true Christian is an ambassador of Christ, and is commanded by Him to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. As a child of God, the believer's main responsibility in the life is to faithfully proclaim the gospel. As

we are saved by faith in Christ, through God's grace, so we live the Christian life by an obedient faith in God's Word, being disciplined by His grace. (II Corinthians 5:14-20; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16; I John 15:8,16; Mark 16:15; I Thessalonians 2:4; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 9:14-31; Colossians 2:6-7; Romans 6:16; Titus 2:11-12; James 1:22; Hebrews 10:38)

THE TRUE CHURCH:

The Church began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and is composed of all true believers. The Holy Spirit baptizes all of us into the one body of Christ. Water baptism is not essential for salvation

but is a testimony to the world. (Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 6:19-20; Acts 2:1-4; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:5; Acts 10:47)

THE LOCAL CHURCH:

The local church should be comprised of those who trust Christ as Savior. This assembly, therefore, is under the direct leadership of the Holy Spirit. The local church's purpose is for worship, praise, prayer,

fellowship, encouragement, and evangelizing the lost. The pastor/teacher is a man called of God. (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 14:21-23; Hebrews 10:22-25; II Timothy 2:1-2; Ephesians 4:7, 11-15)

SATAN:

Satan is a real being, the author of sin, and he and his angels shall be eternally punished. (Ezekiel 28:15-17; Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelations 20:10; Matthew 25:41)

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:

I believe in the personal, post-tribulational and pre-millennial return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9-11; II Thessalonians 2:1-8; Revelation 3:10; 4:4; Luke 21:36; Titus 2:13;

Isaiah 26:17-21; 27:1)

THE RAPTURE or FIRST RESURRECTION:

The first resurrection occurs at the physical return of Jesus Christ, who will descend from heaven with a shout. All living believers will be bodily caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The believer's body will be transformed into his new resurrection body on the way up. The believer from this point on will be forever with the Lord. This occurs at the end of the seven years of tribulation ( such as the world has never experienced ). {I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:51-54; Matthew 24:15-22.}

There is no indication from Scripture that this event will be "secret". In fact if you read the texts, it sounds like this will be a very dramatic, and loud event.

Junk Science - What is it, and How do you know?

I found an interesting website.

It presents a lot of interesting articles about how "science" is mis-used, and mis-interpreted.

Also, it has a lot of facts about the great "Global Warming" crisis the media loves to scare us about.

So, consider spending a few minutes reviewing, and perhaps book marking this website.

 

http://www.junkscience.com/index.html

 

Also, if you have time to read novels, and would be interested in learning more about the truth ( lies )  behind the "Global Warming Crisis", I'd recommending reading the fictional novel "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton ( He does not appear to be a Bible believing Christian, but a "critical thinker" asks questions instead of just believing whatever one else accepts as being true ). He presents many charts, graphs, and facts ( most with foot notes you can check yourself ) that point out how this whole concept has been blown out of proportion and is being used to "scare" the masses of the world. I can't help but think it is part of the globalizing of the nations required for the rule of the anti-christ.

 

I hope I've spend enough time writing about Global Warming ( as it is only one part of the larger puzzle ), and will move on to other topics...... LOL

 

Free Gift of Eternal Life - How to Receive It!

If you are reading this, then you were born into this world. And you may have noticed that everyone dies ( sooner or later ). The concept of a life beyond death is common to all of mankind. In my quest for "Truth" about life, I looked at many different "answers" to the question of life beyond death. I followed many "leads", but kept coming to a "dead" end :).
Until one day, I was drawn to a man who was sharing a message from the Bible with some children in front of a local mall. I was a "wise" 16 years old at this point in my life, and when I saw him ( his name was Robert ), I felt a desire to stop ( I was riding my bicycle past the mall at the time ) and see what this guy was trying to "brainwash" these younger children with.

Well, almost 2 hours later, I understood that the Bible teaches that Eternal Life is a Free gift from God, and that trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior was the way to receive this gift. To learn more about this simple but powerful truth,
Click > Greatest News - A Clear, Biblical explaination of the Gospel ( Good News ).
If you are not sure you have Eternal Life, you really should check this out.

I, of course, did not believe this message at first, because it came from the Bible. And being a "wise" young man, I knew about the "truth" of science and evolution. But my interest had peaked enough by the sincere and educated faith of Robert, to look into this more closely. I was after all "A Truth Seeker". I went to a few Bible Studies, and read several books about scientific creationism.
For more about the science of a young created earth,

Go To:
AIG - Answers in Genesis
A Christian ministry that seeks to share the truths of God’s Word from the
very first verse. You’ll find thousands of articles, audio and video programs
that explore God’s truth as it relates to many areas of science, current
trends and beliefs that exist in today’s world.


Also, I was shown many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus. And the historical support for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The end result was my coming to understand and believe that the Bible was God's revealed Word, and that eternal life was indeed a free gift available to anyone who would believe ( trust ) in Jesus Christ alone as their "way to heaven". Although eternal life is a lot more than just "going to heaven". There is talk of "ruling and reigning" with Jesus Christ, as a reward for serving the Lord while here on earth. So, the Bible does teach that we should "be good", just not as a condition to receive the "gift" of eternal life. It really would not be a gift if you had to earn it.
My favorite passage about this is found in Ephesians, Chapter 2, verses 8 and 9.

"For by grace ( undeserved mercy ) you have been saved through faith ( trust ), and that ( salvation ) not of yourselves, it is a gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." ( NASB translation ).

No one will be bragging about what "they" did to get to heaven. Sorry, but strapping a bomb under your jacket to kill yourself and some "infidels" around you, does NOT earn you a place in paradise with a bunch of beautiful virgins at your beck and call. Neither does walking down an aisle, saying a special prayer, asking for forgiveness ( forgiveness is received when you believe, see Acts 10:43 ), being water baptized, being a "good" person,
Or "repenting of your sins" ( for a detailed explanation I would refer you to these links ):

REPENTANCE A CHANGE OF MIND
AND
THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF FALSE TEACHING ON REPENTANCE WITH THE GOSPEL OF GRACE

It can only be obtained by a simple trust in the finished sacrificial payment ( accomplished by His death on the cross ), that Yeshua ( Jesus = God Who Saves ) made on your behalf and for the whole world. Salvation is Christ plus nothing you have done, will or will not do. You can not "help". And Jesus is not your probation officer, He is a Savior. Eternal life begins when you believe and will never end ( it is everlasting after all ). Sinning after you are "saved" will not make you "unsaved" ( but the more you sin, the more miserable you'll find your present life to be ). Once you believe in Jesus, you are "born again" and become a child of God (John 1:12,13 ). He will never "kick" you out of the family ( John 6:37,40, I Peter 1:3-5) , but if you want to enjoy this life, it is best to follow your heavenly Father's advise on how to live a life filled with blessings and have the peace of God in your heart. So, please trust Him to save you from what you deserve ( eternal death.. See Romans 6:23 ) and to give you eternal life ( as he offers many times.. See John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47 )

"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:5

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." I John 5:13

And if you want to SEE a VIDEO that presents the Good News about this Free Gift of Eternal Life,
Check this out>

Good News / Bad News Video Salvation Message ( about 5 minutes long )

And a short animated Video of my Testimony ( How I came to Believe back in 1976 )

Global Warming Report Audited and Found Lacking in Data

The "cloud" of "Global Warming" keeps showing up everywhere in the media.

So, I feel compelled to post anything I find that supports my theory that global warming is just another lie of Satan ( just like evolution, reincarnation, and the wizard powers of Harry Potter! ).

All meant to prepare the world for the anti-christ, and to deceive the world from realizing when the wrath of God comes upon the earth ( ie. it's not God's wrath, it's just Global Warming effects ).

 

Here is the first of nineteen pages:

Global Warming: Forecasts by Scientists versus Scientific Forecasts*

J. Scott Armstrong†, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Kesten C. Green, Business and Economic Forecasting Unit, Monash University

Paper prepared for ISF 2007 in New York

June 23, 2007

Abstract

In 2007, a panel of experts established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme issued its updated, Fourth Assessment Report, forecasts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Working Group One Report predicts dramatic and harmful increases in average world temperatures over the next 92 years. We asked, are these forecasts a good basis for developing public policy? Our answer is "no".

Much research on forecasting has shown that experts' predictions are not useful. Rather, policies should be based on forecasts from scientific forecasting methods. We assessed the extent to which long-term forecasts of global average temperatures have been derived using evidence-based forecasting methods. We asked scientists and others involved in forecasting climate change to tell us which scientific articles presented the most credible forecasts. Most of the responses we received (30 out of 51) listed the IPCC Report as the best source. Given that the Report was commissioned at an enormous cost in order to provide policy recommendations to governments, the response should be reassuring. It is not. The forecasts in the Report were not the outcome of scientific procedures. In effect, they present the opinions of scientists transformed by mathematics and obscured by complex writing. We found no references to the primary sources of information on forecasting despite the fact these are easily available in books, articles, and websites. We conducted an audit of Chapter 8 of the IPCC's WG1 Report. We found enough information to make judgments on 89 out of the total of 140 principles. The forecasting procedures that were used violated 72 principles. Many of the violations were, by themselves, critical. We have been unable to identify any scientific forecasts to support global warming. Claims that the Earth will get warmer have no more credence than saying that it will get colder.

*Neither of the authors received funding for this paper.

† Information about J. Scott Armstrong can be found on Wikipedia.

For the complete pdf,

http://www.forecastingprinciples.com/Public_Policy/WarmAudit31.pdf

Mystery of Lawlessness

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
2Th 2:9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:14 whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Many Clouds on the Horizon

There are many clouds on the horizon to suggest the end time is near. We are told we should be able to tell the end is near by the signs. When we see dark clouds in the sky, and they are coming closer, we know it is about to rain. As children of the day, we can recognize this darkness in the world. It is these "clouds" that give me cause for concern. Reference Matthew 24:32-34 ( parable of the Fig tree ), Luke 12:54-56 ( discern this time )and I Thessalonians 5:1 - 5.

There is the cloud of evolutionary indoctrination ( teaching us we are becoming like God ). It also prepares us for a superior man to come upon the world scene. Many a novel and Hollywood movie have fictional characters that have "powers" because they have "evolved".

There is the cloud of global warming ( a cover story for the global judgments that will be coming on the world ). Many disasters of the world's natural balance will occur according to the book of Revelation. The unbelievers will see all these as a result man's pollution, and not as Divine judgment. This is the social conditioning that is occurring daily in the media.

There is the cloud of Islam that is drawing so many together to unite against Israel ( and their belief in the twelfth Imam to come and rule the world at the end times, for more, see: http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/guest/05/vonheyking/twelfthimam.html ). Islam is growing strong in many countries of the world. And the racial factions are determined to destroy the countries of the unbelievers ( those not following Islam ). If they are successful in their plans, the United States of America may not be a world power in the near future. Or at the very least, we as a nation may lose our desire to help Israel as we have up until now.

Some clouds are signs of what is about to come upon the earth. Some clouds are merely signs of Satan's working to prepare the world for the anti-christ. Many ( if not most ) of the major movies to come out of Hollywood have a subtle ( and not so subtle ) message built into them. That is a topic for another posting.

What clouds do you see?