There are people who appear to grow weary after years of waiting for the Blessed Hope to materialize. More than a mouthful when they mention the amount of time they invested in what the scoffers and mockers deem to be a forlorn quest. The problem is, these individuals are putting undue weight on the largely irrelevant if not detrimental elements.
The biggest pitfalls emanate from fables and sensational stuff that negate scriptural truth. Common among these adherents is the date-setting camp. Stories have unfolded about set dates that go way back to the 1980s, which came and went, and this trend has not gone out of fashion even in these times. As a matter of interest, there is a fair bit of sophistication in this unwholesome practice which pays a lot of regard to festival days, solar eclipses, and an unusual occurrence like a blood moon. These often come and go, much to the dismay of those who treat these as much more than a mere pinch of salt.
Enough to get disheartened to the point of losing heart! Surely this is music to the ears of the author of confusion?
Have these people ever sat down and seriously questioned the authenticity of what caused an itching in both ears? Is there much scriptural basis for lines of argument that appear like tumbleweed all over cyberspace? How did the architects of these questionable presentations arrive at specific conclusions? What sort of credentials do they possess? Any Tom, Dick, and Sally could come up with a dream that makes zero scriptural sense!
It all boils down to mindsets. All of us who believe in the Blessed Hope truly desire to be snatched out of this decaying planet and spend eternity with the Lord. It is more than just wishing and hoping that it could be so tomorrow morning while hunkering down in some closet. Let one thing be very clear; once the Blessed Hope is sewn in our hearts – it is done so exclusively with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In other words, it is truly a life-transforming process that is directed by the Lord through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (John 16:13).
When the Holy Spirit is in the driver’s seat, the picture of what is coming will be crystal clear. It is this enabling that becomes like a very potent eye salve. As we walk closer to our Lord and away from the lust of the flesh, we will certainly be guided into nothing but the truth. Such is the Power and the Majesty of the Lord when we simply savor the things He wants us to hear. We begin to label that which is something else hogwash! Here is when spiritual coming of age is a reality. There is continued nourishment of the soul when the anointing becomes more than a daily affair. In a matter of time, passages of Holy Writ will become internalized; oftentimes, these will be material seldom given attention by numerous pulpits. Startling revelations that serve as the soul’s nutrition!
A life transformed according to a renewed mind that does not bow down to the world (Romans 12:2) is what the Blessed Hope is truly genuinely all about. When we believe and rest in the truth, we are but conquerors that tower over the current tumult of the times.
The imminency of the Rapture was not a hair-brained idea of more recent times. The Apostles and the Church Fathers believed in it – the same could be said about numerous people of God through the ages. One thing that was their unique trademark was their unquenchable fire for the Lord. They lived a Godly life that put total reliance on the Holy Spirit versus the world – they gladly did so until their last breath. Without any doubt, these men and women of God will be given new bodies when the trumpet sounds – they will be rising first before we go into harpazo mode!
Take this into your hearts, especially those who are burning out. It should be the case of girding your loins and keeping your lamps burning (Luke 12:35). A lot of the folks that were mentioned earlier did so even when there was nothing much in the manner of prophetic signs. We certainly are more privileged than they are, having a front-row seat where Bible Prophecy is concerned.
Maranatha
Edwin
Contact me at edwinuk13@gmail.com