(Isaiah 62-64; 1 Thessalonians 5)

Perhaps this is a key. Maybe one little sentence tells us much of what we need to know. The key to what, you may ask? The falling away of the church into apostasy.

We know that after years of solid faith, the church began a leftward slant. That devolved into a downhill slope. It resulted in a liberal interpretation of Scripture that questioned just about everything regarding its legitimacy. Today we have whole denominations pretending they’re Christian, whereas they are anything but that given their beliefs. Churches on the entire political spectrum have taken up the banner of the world, following its dictates and not the commands of God. It’s a sad state of affairs but foretold in Scripture.

The Lord showed His prophets this would happen, yet the church, through its various institutions of learning, i.e., seminaries and Bible colleges, ignored this truth. These schools turned out pastors who disregarded many Biblical passages because they “weren’t relevant,” they were simply “too hard,” or these church leaders were fearful that hearing certain declarations of God might drive away large donors. In other words, they weren’t faithful to the entire Word of God as Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”

Obviously, in the minds of all these “men of God,” this wasn’t true. There were portions of God’s Word that they had no use for. And what is this? It should come as no surprise: it’s Bible prophecy.

The prophetic Word has always been inconvenient. Israel viewed it as such when the prophets declared her need to reject the allure of pagan gods and the immoral practices they advocated. But, as the Bible tells us, Israel was a stiff-necked people. They would do what they would do and not let anyone, even their God, tell them it was wrong and that they would regret their poor choices.

In the Church Age, we’ve not been any different. We’ve picked and chosen Scripture passages we liked and ignored those we didn’t. How wonderful it is to have a God of love! It’s not so great that this God is also a righteous judge of sin. Better to ignore those passages that warn of its consequences.

In all these warnings, there is a future that comes with them. It’s disturbing, and since we don’t want to turn off people who might be seeking the Lord, it’s better not to discuss such things. We can attract so many more seekers by telling them that God has a wonderful plan for their lives. He wants to bless everyone regardless of who they are and what they do. No one has to change because that’s hard, and conveying that message might hurt people’s feelings, which would cause them to leave the church and stop their donations. We simply can’t have that. And so it goes.

The church has become the world, a place to have preconceived notions reinforced, where God’s truth no longer matters.

What is it that has turned people sour on God through the ages? It’s future foretellings, which warn that the present path people are taking is fraught with danger. In other words, again, it’s Bible prophecy.

Could this be the reason Paul includes this one little admonition in his letter in 1 Thessalonians 5:20?

“Do not despise prophecies…”

It’s the despising of prophecy that has led to incorrect interpretations of Scripture regarding whether or not there is a pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church. Perhaps this idea was too outlandish. Maybe people didn’t like that a small segment of believers would be whisked away from earth, while those who didn’t practice righteousness as God commanded would be left behind. The idea certainly became a stumbling block for many, as they convinced themselves it was too deep and mysterious to pursue. Then, of course, there’s the issue about money. If believers actually thought Jesus might return soon, what was the point of giving to the church and the work of the Kingdom?

But here’s what it always comes down to: God does intend to punish the earth in righteous judgment. And Paul assures us in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 (just as he did in 1 Thessalonians 1:10):

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

The implication here – just as it’s explicitly declared elsewhere – is that we must be in Christ to be “worthy” of His deliverance from this world that will soon suffer much for its unbelief.

This is no small thing. It’s also why Paul repeats himself in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (like he also said in 1 Thessalonians 4:18):

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

The prophecy of the coming of the Lord before the Tribulation is both warning and encouragement. Without conviction of the pre-Trib Rapture in the hearts of believers, I maintain that they are, by and large, more fearful and less joyful. After all, if you have no hope of deliverance from the horrible things happening in the world, and you expect to go through the even worse period of the Tribulation, wouldn’t that depress you?

But, the dire future for believers that they must endure the most horrible time ever in the history of the planet isn’t what God’s Word promises.

I, for one, am grateful that He has said that very soon we’ll be out of here. That brings me peace and joy in anticipation of this marvelous event.

The Lord put it on my heart this year to write a daily essay relating to my practice of Reading Through the Bible in a Year. Last year, that resulted in my producing the Awaken Bible Study Notes, a 4-volume set correlating with each quarter’s readings. This year in my writings, truly through the grace of God, I’m producing the 4-volume Awaken Bible Commentary and Reflections series. Volume 1, which covers January – March (Genesis 1 – Judges 5; Matthew 1 – Luke 7), is now available on Amazon in both paper and Kindle e-book formats at this link:

Awaken Bible Commentary and Reflections series Volume 1

If these daily writings have been a blessing to you, I hope that you’ll acquire this first book and the subsequent ones as I finish editing them. My intent in all I write is to bring God the glory and to make His people think. As in the Study Notes from last year, the Commentary and Reflections delve into the prophetic and supernatural nature of God’s Word, a combination you simply won’t find elsewhere. They attempt to show the parallels to our times and the peril from the past when God’s people turn away from Him and His commands. Scripture is very much a blueprint for today.

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Gary W. Ritter is a lay pastor, Bible teacher, and prolific author. His Whirlwind Series comprises three books: Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind, and There Is a Time. These books are contained in the collected volume of the Whirlwind Omnibus. Gary has written many other Christian thrillers that will challenge you, and which you can learn about at his website:www.GaryRitter.com. Recently, Gary wrote a novella for the new Kindle Vella platform called Tribulation Rising: Seal Judgments – The Coming Apocalypse. This seven-part short work can be found at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099Z462WD. You can also watch Gary’s video Bible teachings on Rumble at his Awaken Bible Prophecy channel: https://rumble.com/c/c-783217.

 

As a kid many years ago, we used to play a game called “Pass It On.” This was long before cell phones and laptop computers, and television had only a few channels. Anyway, we would get in a circle; eight to ten players was ideal, and one person would start by whispering something in the next person’s ear. That person would whisper what he/she believed they heard in the next person’s ear, and so on until the last person got the message. That person would then say out loud what they thought they heard. Normally, it wasn’t anything like the original message. (ESV – all emphasis mine)

In many cases, this is how some people perceive the gospel, as to what they believe they hear from the preacher rather than what was actually spoken. It is nowhere near as when the Savior said to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). This is known as the Great Commission.

The best instruction on how to give a message came a few years later from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:19. “Nevertheless, I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

One reason I always recommend that someone get a Bible translation that is easy for them to read and understand is so they can read for themselves the message the Father wants us to have. I have heard preachers get up in a pulpit and try to show their “education” by using large words rather than using easy to understand language. It may have been a wonderful message, but if the membership couldn’t understand the context, it was a wasted effort. If people attend a regular evangelical church service, it is only beneficial if they are “fed” the true word in a way they can “digest” it. Just being there does not save them.

For all who choose to teach the Word of the Lord, the warning of James 3:1 needs to be first and foremost in our minds. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

With this in mind, please consider some “church services” today that are saying there are many ways to Heaven; they fail to give the membership John 14:6, which totally proves this statement to be false. Also, the membership is not encouraged to read God’s word for themselves but to rely on the so-called preacher. How about the ones that are saying the “abominations” no longer apply, as they were only for ancient times? They forget that Jesus is the same today as He was then and as He always will be (Hebrews 13:8). What was an abomination to the Father throughout His word applies today as if He just said it. Some may say Jesus and God are not the same, as they believe Jesus was just a good prophet. However, John 10:30 plainly states, “I and the Father are One.”

Turning church services into entertainment sessions with feel-good music and unbiblical messages is not passing on what God wants us to know. We need to understand that sin pulls us away from the Father, and if we do not have Jesus as our Savior, we will be separated from Him forever.

People need to know they’re hopelessly lost only if they choose to be that way. God provided a way for all to be saved if they will receive and accept His Son and the gift that was freely given for us all at Calvary. He knows that even after we have Jesus as our Savior, and as long as we are still on this sin-filled planet as humans, we will still sin (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). Therefore, He gave us a pathway to repentance and forgiveness in 1 John 1:8-10.

We’re told in John 3:18 and 1 John 5:12 that whoever has the Son has the Father; however, whoever does not have the Son does not have the Father. Our belief in Jesus as our eternal Savior is essential to our Salvation.

There are no alternative ways to eternal life, and we face either Heaven or Hell. Some say God sends people to hell, but that is not accurate. We have free choice as to our eternal destiny. God offers eternal life to all who will call on Jesus to be saved. He allows people to choose not to do so, which means they will have chosen to be separated from him forever.

Romans 10:9-13 are the steps to eternal Salvation, and you should note there are no long involved ceremonies full of pomp and circumstance, no sacrificial offerings, no price we can pay, or deeds that we can do to earn it. It’s a confess, believe, call scenario. In fact, this is made plain in Ephesians 2:8-9, which states we’re saved by grace, not works, so that we can’t boast of earning our own Salvation.

Man, in his “infinite wisdom,” always believes he needs to add or take away something. Jesus made it plain in Revelation 22:18-19 that we need to keep God’s word pure and holy. He meant what He said throughout the Bible, and that’s how we should receive and respond to it.

Jesus had the most problems with those who should’ve been a godly example for all the people. They were the religious leaders who believed they should be worshiped and obeyed the same as the Father. The thing is, that was what brought Satan down; destructive self-pride. He believed he should have been at the very least equal to God – his Creator. Sadly, there was a number of the heavenly host that followed him, and they are now the demons who will be condemned forever.

As stated earlier about free choice, apparently the Father allowed the angels the right to choose who they would follow. Sadly, they have no pathway to forgiveness as humans do, as they were already in the presence of the Holy Father and all His glory and splendor. Their decision to follow Satan was their unforgivable sin. Ours is to take our last breath here without having Jesus as our Savior.

Today, we are seeing evil accelerating more rapidly every day. We are in the time spoken of as being near the end of this age (Luke 21:28). No one can give an exact day or hour or accurately predict just what will bring about the Rapture, but we need to be ready at all times. The instant everything is in place, God will have Jesus come for His true believers. It took Noah 100 years to build the ark, and during that time, no one but his family worshiped the Father and did His will. When the moment came, God Himself shut the door, and the flood was in full force.

All who have called out for Jesus to be their Savior are a part of His Holy Flock right now (John 10). As a song line says, “Jesus is coming soon; morning, or night or noon.” As part of His flock, we are prepared and just waiting for the Trumpet of the Lord to sound and the shout to come from the archangel. Then, in the “twinkling of an eye,” we will rise up to meet our Precious Shepherd in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-53).

So, as plainly and as simple as I can pass it on, please consider that if Jesus were to call right now, would you go, or would you remain behind? It’s your decision to make, and the Savior is ready to accept all who truly call on Him to forgive and save them. Once you do, your eternal address will change from a place of condemnation to a place of absolute glory, peace, and love. In fact, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to indwell all who are His.

Today would not be too early to call – right now, in fact. The Rapture will happen soon, and it will be over before anyone here can blink. All they will know is people are gone. Then, at least the next seven years will be more miserable than this earth has ever experienced. People will still be able to call on Jesus and be saved but most likely at the cost of their lives.

We pray daily for all our loved ones that they all will have received and accepted Jesus. We also pray that if today is the day, it isn’t too early, and we’re ready to go. We really hope and pray you will be there also. Talk to Jesus; He’s waiting to make you a part of His flock. Then, no matter when He calls, you will have nothing to worry about as you will be with Him.

Shalom! Come, Lord Jesus!

huebshman46@gmail.com