I AM STILL ALIVE!

IRONY!

MY LAST BLOG WAS ENTITLED  "UP, UP, AND AWAY!"  IT WAS ABOUT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.  THEN, MY INTERNET WENT OUT, AS DID MY HOME PHONE, AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO POST SINCE SUNDAY.  AFTER HAVING A TECHNICIAN COME SPEND QUITE SOME TIME DISCOVERING THAT AT&T'S CONNECTION TO OUR HOME WAS BROKEN, AND HIM SUGGESTING I HAVE FIBER-OPTIC CABLE INSTALLED, I SAID FINE.  HE SAID HE WOULD BE BACK TODAY TO DO THAT, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM AS OF 10:45 A.M. SO I CALLED AT&T.  WHAT A MISTAKE!  AFTER NEARLY TWO HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH THEM, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT GET ANYONE OUT HERE UNTIL FRIDAY.  I HAVE NOT TOTALLY EXPLODED YET, BUT MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS PROBABLY OFF THE CHARTS.

THAT BEING SAID, NO ONE, ZERO, NONE, HAVE CALLED TO FIND OUT IF I AM STILL LIVING OR WHAT HAS HAPPENED.  LOL.   I HAVE WRITTEN NEARLY 4000 POSTS SINCE 2009 AND RARELY HAD TO MISS A DAY UNLESS I WAS IN I.C.U. WITH HEART ISSUES.  I GUESS I SHOULD TELL YOU ALL THAT AS OF NOW, THE LORD HAS SEEN FIT TO KEEP ME HERE.  

SINCE I AM PLUGGED INTO MY WIFE'S PHONE (DON'T ASK ME HOW - I HAVE NO CLUE), I CANNOT STAY ON HERE LONG ENOUGH TO WRITE A BLOG.  SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE IS CURIOUS, I AM OKAY AS A SEVENTY-SIX YEAR OLD MAN CAN BE, AND WILL HOPEFULLY BE BACK ON HERE SATURDAY.  PRAY FOR ME AS I AM HAVING SERIOUS BLOG WITHDRAWAL EPISODES.  LOL.  

GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN JESUS AWESOME NAME! MARANATHA! 

UP, UP, AND AWAY!

EXAMPLES OF INDIVIDUALS PROTECTED 

WHEN GOD POURS OUT HIS WRATH BELOW!

Noah and his family were lifted up in the ark:

Genesis 6:5-8 - And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repented Me that I have made them.  But Noah found grace (undeserved, unmerited favor - The Church Age is known as the Age of Grace) in the eyes of the LORD.

Genesis 7:15-17, 23 - And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.  And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him:  and the LORD shut him in.  And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. . . . And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth:  and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

Lot and his daughters taken up out of the plain:

Genesis 19:13-17 - For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great (growing louder) before the face of the LORD; and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.  And Lot went out, and spoke unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city.  But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law.  And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take your wife, and your two daughters, which are here; lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.  And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful (not giving them what they deserve) unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without (outside) the city.  And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for your lives; look not behind you, neither stay in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.

Born again believers caught up to Jesus:

John 14:1-3 - Let not your heart be troubled:  you believe in God, believe also in Me.  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.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:9-11 - And to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, Who delivered us from the wrath to come. - - - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep (have died), that you sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those also who sleep (have died while believing) in Jesus will God bring with Him.  For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) those who are asleep.  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 who 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.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. - - - For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep (are still living or have already died), we should live together with Him.  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also you do.

THE REMOVAL OF BELIEVERS BEFORE THE 

POURING OUT OF GOD'S WRATH IN THE TRIBULATION, IS KNOWN AS THE RAPTURE.  

THE PASSAGES ABOVE WERE WRITTEN TO COMFORT THOSE WHO ARE TRUSTING IN THE LORD!

THE WORD OF GOD: THE BELIEVER'S INSTRUCTION MANUAL!

THE LORD'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHURCH AGE!

Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and spoke unto them (His disciples), saying, All power (authority) is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.  Therefore, go and teach* all nations, baptizing them** in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  teaching*** them to observe (obey) all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (age).***  Amen.

Note the order of things:  
*       - "Teach" -  Since baptism follows salvation (Acts 2:37-38, 41; 8:12, 35-38; 16:30-34; etc.), and faith in the Gospel is the power of God that saves (Rom. 1:16-17), the disciples were to proclaim the Gospel (Mk. 16:15; Acts 16:10;1 Cor. 15:3-4).
**     - "Baptizing" - Baptism is a public statement of the new believer's faith in Jesus Christ.  It fulfills Paul's teachings (Rom. 10:9-13; Phil. 2:11).
***   - "Teaching" - Following baptism, the new believers, "babes in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:2) are to be fed (discipled by) the Word of God.
**** - "World" - The Greek word is aion which speaks of a specific period of time; in this cases, the dispensation of the Church Age.


Luke 24:45-48 - Then Jesus opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:*  and that repentance** and remission of sins*** should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And you are witnesses of these things.

Note His instructions:
*     - "To suffer and to rise from the dead the third day" is the Gospel they were to proclaim (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
**   - "Repentance" means to have a change of one's thinking; it is the automatic result of truly believing the Gospel and being saved from the guilt of one's sins (Acts 2:37; 8:35-39; 16:30; etc.).
*** - "Remission of sins" means the forgiveness of sins; being pardoned; from the Greek words which mean to have been "passed over."  Jesus is the believer's "Passover Lamb" (Jn. 1:29, 36; 1 Cor. 5:7; etc.).


Acts 1:4, 8 - And (Jesus) being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard of Me. - - - But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,* and in Samaria,** and unto the uttermost part of the earth.***

Note the spread of the Gospel message, and that Peter would be present with the admission of each new group into the Church (Mt. 16:18-19): 
*     - "Jerusalem and in all Judaea" - Peter preached to the Jews (Acts 2:5, 14).
**   - "Samaria" - Peter confirmed the Samaritans were saved (Acts 8:14-17).
*** - Uttermost part of the earth" - Peter reluctantly accepted the Gentiles (Acts 10:1-48).


Ephesians 4:11-16 - And He (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  for the perfecting* of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying** of the body of Christ:  until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect* man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:  that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, Who is the head, even Christ:  from Whom the whole body*** fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, make increase of the body unto the edifying** of itself in love.

Note that the Lord has provided His children with a "textbook" (The Bible), and instructors to provide us with all we need to live a life pleasing to Him:
*     - "Perfect" means mature, complete, hungry for "meat" instead of being "bottle fed" (1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12-13; 1 Pet. 2:2; etc.).
**   - "Edifying" can mean two things, both related to growth:  building up a believer in the faith, and increasing the number of believers.  Here, it appears to be both.
*** - "Body" is a term used in Scripture to mean the community of believers in Christ (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Col. 1:12-18; etc.).

BELIEVE THE GOSPEL; SUBMIT TO BAPTISM; 

LEARN FROM ELDERS; AND SHARE YOUR FAITH!

RIGHTLY DIVIDING REVELATION!

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE BOOK OF REVELATION!

KEY VERSE:  Revelation 1:19 - Write the things which you have seen, 

and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter....

REVELATION 1:1 - 1:18 - THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN.

1:12, 17 - And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks - - - And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.  And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last....

REVELATION 1:20 - 3:22 - THE THINGS WHICH ARE.

1:20 - The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.  The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:  and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches.

REVELATION 4:1 - 22:6 - THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER.

4:1 - After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:  and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.

REVELATION 22:7-17 - WARNING OF CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.

22:12-17 - And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and tells a lie.  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.  I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that hears say, Come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 

REVELATION 22:18-19 - WARNING AGAINST CHANGING THIS BOOK.

22:18-19 - For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

REVELATION 22:20 - GOD'S FINAL WORDS OF SCRIPTURE.

22:20 - He Who testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly.  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

TIME LASTS BUT 7000 YEARS!

TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF ONLY GENTILES!

According to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656), Primate of Ireland, our world was created in 4004 B.C.  Using the ages given in the Book of Genesis, he determined that from the creation of Adam, to Abram (Abraham), was two thousand years.  That meant all those names listed in the genealogy of Jesus, prior to Abraham were Gentiles.  Adam, Seth, Enoch, Noah, etc., were all Gentiles!

TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF ONLY GENTILES AND JEWS!

With the calling of Abraham to be the father of a great nation (Gen. 12:1-5), and his circumcision (Gen. 17:9-13), God established a covenant people who would become known as Israel.  In 5 B.C., Jesus was born a Jew, and though He offered Himself as Israel's Messiah, He was rejected, crucified, and buried.  But as the Scriptures predicted, Jesus was resurrected!  His First Coming did not lead to His coronation; instead of becoming Israel's king, He was God's Passover Lamb, sent to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29, 36; 1 Cor. 5:7; 15:1-4)!

TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF GENTILES, JEWS, AND THE CHURCH!

Following the Lord's Resurrection, He commissioned His disciples to proclaim His sacrificial death on behalf of humanity, and His victory over the grave (Mt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; etc.)!  On the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), Peter reached the Gospel message to the very crowd that had yelled "crucify Him" just fifty-three days earlier.  Notice that Peter preached the death (Acts 2:22-23) and resurrection (Acts 2:24, 32) to the Jews, and when some believed, asking what they should do (Acts 2:38), Peter told them "Repent (have a change of mind - turn from a life of religious works to one of faith in Christ - (Acts 14:15; Eph. 2:8-9 ), and be baptized (make a public confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus - Rom. 10:9-13) every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for (because of) the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (be saved, be born of the Spirit and sealed unto God - Jn. 3:5-8, 16-17; Eph. 1:13; 4:30)."   

ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF CHRIST'S EARTHLY KINGDOM! 

At the end of the Church Age, Jesus will return in the clouds to gather His Church (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Th. 4:13-18)!  Once again, the world will be populated by Gentiles and Jews.  For seven years (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:3-29; Rev. Ch. 6-19), God will pour out His wrath in an effort to bring mankind to repentance.  He said He did not want any to perish, but that all would come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9)!  Following the seven year period, known as the Tribulation (a.k.a. Daniel's Seventieth Week and The Time of Jacob's Trouble), Jesus will return to earth with the armies of heaven, and He will establish the Kingdom of God.  His kingdom will last exactly one thousand years (Rev. 20:1-7)!  At the end of His reign on earth, He will sit on the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15), and judge mankind.  Those whose names are in His Book of Life, will spend eternity with Him; those whose names are not there will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire!

ONE SHOULD EITHER LONG FOR CHRIST TO COME FOR HIM;

OR HE SHOULD TREMBLE AT THE THOUGHT OF FACING HIM!

JESUS SAID WE ARE EITHER WITH HIM, OR AGAINST HIM!

THE TIME TO DECIDE IS TODAY; THERE MAY BE NO TOMORROW!