On Enduring Unto The End

Vince Lombardi, the famous Green Bay Packer coach of the 1960s, known for his draconian training regimen in preparing his players, said: “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” He put his observation to practical use against his opponents by making sure it was the opponents, not his team members, who were fatigued by game’s end. Each Packer player was totally spent at the end of each practice session; he left all he had on the field of preparation.

When strength was returned and fully pumped up on game day, there was more than enough to overpower those not as intensively conditioned. The result was a championship team that continues to be memorialized in sports lore all of these years later. There was no team that could match Lombardi’s Packers when the fatigue set in during the later stages of the games they played during the height of their power. There were teams that could match their natural athletic abilities, but none could match their endurance.

The game was won by the intensive time of preparation as much as it was won on the actual field of play.

The use of the above sports analogy is not far-fetched. Paul, the great champion for taking the gospel of Christ forth, used just such an analogy to describe his life, death, and glorious future in God’s kingdom: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:4-8).

Paul, it is obvious by studying his writings, was a sports fan. He used things like running a race, beating the air, finishing the course, and other terms that give us insight into the fact that he at least took an interest in the society of his day. That society was one filled with sports activities and would have been a natural area of subject matter for the great teacher to interject as he presented the gospel and matters of Bible doctrine.

The games of the day included Olympic-type events. The races, in particular, turned on the cheers of fans of the day. Crowns of laurels (formed from leaves) were placed upon the victors’ heads by the judges.

Paul made the linkage of the races of his time to the bema (judgment seat of Christ), at which children of God will receive crowns of victory based upon how they ran the race in Christ’s cause during their lifetimes. The very nature of such a race indicates the necessity of enduring–of persevering—through the long, sometimes uphill miles of living a life of righteousness.

Most often, Paul used such analogy to indicate, as in the verses above, the fact that the Christian should be willing to endure. In many places, he taught how to build endurance. That preparation most often was wrapped around prayer, Scripture study, and practical action–witnessing and teaching truth to others.

God’s Word telling us to endure is one topical area of Bible prophecy that has caused anxiety-ridden questions among some.  It seems to those who question that the command to endure, according to the language used, is a requirement in order to assure that salvation is achieved. One must “endure unto the end” to be saved–to win in the game of life, thus to secure one’s place in heaven for eternity.

Endurance is one of the things God requires of His children. As a matter of fact, He demands it. But what does the term “endurance” used in the scriptures, causing anxieties among some believers, mean exactly?

A close examination of the key verses involved is necessary to understand the term “endurance” in God’s prophetic lexicon. One such reference is found in the Apostle Paul’s foretelling about departure from Bible doctrine in the end of the Church Age:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Tim. 4:3-5).

Paul was prophesying a time–indeed, I am convinced we are in that time—when many within the very heart of the Christian church will move away from preaching and teaching that man is lost and needs the Savior, who is Jesus Christ, alone (John 14: 6). This failure to endure the sound doctrine taught by Jesus,

Paul, and the other apostles would, Paul indicated, be a fatigue that would make cowards of many, causing them and those they teach to turn to lies.

We see today this very thing. The gospel that man is lost in sin, thus must turn to the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of that deadly sin has been changed to give the feel-good message that God is love and would never condemn those He knows to be less than perfect. The fable makers teach and preach the do-good message that we must go along with the world of philanthropists who preach a social gospel to feed, clothe, and, in general, show the have-nots that humanism is their savior.

Much of the Church today thus has failed to “endure until the end.”

Jesus pronounced, in strong language, the role “endurance” will play in the days leading up to His second advent: “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:11-13).

Jesus even asks in one instance whether He will find any faith on earth when He returns. And this is where the anxiety comes in for some. Is Jesus saying that those who do not hold to absolute Bible truth until the very end won’t be “saved”? Must we–and those of the tribulation era—never slip up and sin, thus departing from truth, or else suffer the eternal damnation of hellfire?

The answer is found within the character of the One who issued the solemn statement. Jesus, who said, “It is finished” when He completed the redemption plan of God on the cross at Calvary, also said: “My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29).

Saints “endure” through Christ. We haven’t the ability to resist this fallen world apart from the strength found only in our Savior. The supernatural endurance required to “endure unto the end” is not in us but in Jesus, who paid the full price for our eternal souls: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

When we are “in” Christ, we will “endure” because Christ “endures.” He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Now, this does not excuse the Christian from remaining faithful to God. In that sense, “endurance” is our responsibility. It is our responsibility to the very end–of our lives, or until the rapture of Christ’s body, the Church. We are to strengthen ourselves for spiritual battle in order to not become fatigued through prayer, Bible study, and through exercising our witness before our fellow man. We put on the whole armor of God as we are directed to do in Ephesians, Chapter 6.

God equips us. He doesn’t demand such a hard thing without providing the ability–even the absolute guarantee–of that sort of “endurance” that takes His child “unto the end.”

Those who fail to exercise their witness in whatever way God directs become flabby, ineffective ambassadors in Christ’s royal service. There is always a heavy price to pay for such sloth. Not loss of salvation for those who are truly in Christ’s grip but a loss of position within the kingdom of God.

Those who fail to endure in the center of God’s will will suffer loss of rewards when kneeling before their Savior at the judgment seat of Christ.

That is one primary reason we at Rapture Ready exhort Christians to join in our efforts in these closing days of the Age of Grace–the Church Age. There are many, many opportunities to labor, to “endure,” during these trying times that are presented by this dynamic website effort to reach the lost world for Christ.

Many are writing articles, many are writing encouraging emails, and some are giving in other ways to God’s work on raptureready.com.

One area we very much need help in is finances. Donations have dwindled, yet the ministry-associated needs of Christ in these closing days of the age have never been more pronounced. Enduring to the end also means supporting Christ-centered ministries with our financial offerings. If hundreds of millions of dollars can be contributed to so-called secular causes –many of which are of little help to hurting humanity– why do not those who hold to Bible truth not support faithful ministries with greatly abundant offerings?

Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21).

Again, Christ’s Great Commission that we as Christians must deliver to the end has at its center the following Message to those who need Jesus to be Saved from the sin that otherwise will separate them from the Heavenly Father forever.

“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10: 9-10).

–Terry

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Darkening Storm Clouds

As another year begins, I know many battle-tested saints wonder if this will be the year they meet Jesus in the air. Most of us entered 2024 with high hopes that it might be the year.

With the dawning of 2025, is there any reason for us to be less watchful than we were a year ago? No, I believe it’s rather a time for increased optimism. Of course, it would be foolish to proclaim that the Rapture will happen in the next twelve months. However, it would be equally so to say it couldn’t happen at any moment.

The storm clouds that warn of the coming seven-year Tribulation have not gone away with the start of a new year. If anything, they are much more ominous than one year ago.

Darkening Skies

The signs that point to Jesus’ soon appearing have not gone away. Yet, a growing number of believers plan for their future as though the Rapture cannot happen anytime in the years ahead of us. Even a growing number of those who adhere to the belief that He will come for us before the start of the Tribulation have become oblivious to the darkening skies that tell us we are exceedingly late in the season of the Lord’s return.

The storm clouds that signal the nearness of the seven-year Tribulation remain on the horizon, and not only that, but they have also become more threatening than ever.

1. The Threat of World War III. One of the more persistent storm clouds of our day is that of a devastating nuclear war. How much longer before Putin makes good on his repeated threats to attack NATO and the US with nuclear missiles? He recently spoke of missile exchanges between Russia and the US, but very few people take him seriously.

The worst of the coming wars will happen after the Lord takes us away from the earth (Revelation 6:1-8). The heightened talk of nuclear wars between the superpowers tells us that the fulfillment of the second and fourth seals is ever so close.

2. Increased Earthquake Activity. During the last several months of 2024, the world experienced a significant increase in the number of earthquakes along with historic volcanic activity. These things, along with warnings of a catastrophic pole switch, point to the opening of the sixth seal described in Revelation 6:12-17. If we already see vivid evidence of what will happen after the Rapture, how close must we be?
3. “Peace and security.” First Thessalonians 5:3 tells us that the Day of the Lord wrath, in the form of “sudden destruction,” will fall upon the unsuspecting world while people are saying, “There is peace and security.” This is happening now. This phrase occurs over 95 times in the document the nations approved last September inaugurating “UN 2.0.” But could we be entering a time of increased hope that this might really be the case? Absolutely!

Though he has not yet taken office, President-elect Donald Trump has been busy laying the groundwork for resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine. He also boasts that he can bring peace to the Middle East even though all previous US presidents have failed to do so. What if he succeeds in these endeavors? Would that not bring the sigh of relief recorded in 1 Thessalonians 5:3?

Even if genuine peace ensues in the coming months, there are other realities that tell us that the quieting of world tensions won’t forestall the beginning of the Day of the Lord. First, there’s the rampant lawlessness, continuing bloodshed through abortion, widespread acceptance of pedophilia, and other abhorrent behaviors that will not go away with the cessation of military conflicts. The Lord must and will certainly judge these things. Second, any period of calm won’t stop the powerful forces at work seeking to bring about a Marxist world government with a greatly reduced world population.

4. The June 2025 Peace Summit at the UN. During the first week of June, a large number of nations will gather at the UN with the purpose of putting in place a seven-year peace covenant between Israel and its enemies. It’s too early to tell if this will be the accord that antichrist will make with Israel. However, the fact that the world is thinking in these terms should cause believers to look up in anticipation of the Lord’s return.

Although the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS), initiated this latest pursuit of Middle East peace, another unseen force seems to be driving it. This seeming void in leadership draws our attention to another prophecy, which tells us the identity of the antichrist will remain hidden until after the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8). From what the Bible reveals about the coming “man of lawlessness,” we know it can’t be MBS; but is there another catalyst behind this peace initiative whose identity remains veiled at the moment?

The Restrainer

I could add other storm clouds to the above list, but it’s also important to note why these items have not yet led to the start of Daniel’s seventieth week or the conditions John witnessed and wrote about in Revelation 6. The Restrainer that Paul wrote about in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 stands between our moment in time and the Lord’s opening of the seals after the Rapture.

“And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.”

When Jesus comes for His Church, the restraining work of the Holy Spirit will end, and the Day of the Lord will begin shortly afterward.

The Rapture is truly the wild card for 2025 or perhaps beyond; it’s the catalyst that will speed up the rapid succession of events we read about throughout the book of Revelation. The chaos following our departure will give antichrist the opportunity to seize control of world affairs and finalize the covenant of peace that Daniel wrote about long ago (Daniel 9:27) and Jesus warned would happen as a sign pointing to the nearness of His Second Coming (Matthew 24:15-31).

-Jonathan

 

Foreshadowing Future Fearfulness

It has been said, and proven, that life often imitates art. Seems to me this might have been the case, at least to an extent, in the matter of the mysterious drone invasion, if that is the proper term for the sightings that have so held the attention in recent days–and particularly, the attention of so many during the nights…

I heard mention Lakehurst, New Jersey, in conjunction with some of the most prolific sightings of the drones that suddenly began appearing in the New Jersey-New York area a week or two ago.

A real-life horror story took place in that very place in 1937, when the German dirigible, the Hindenburg, was ignited when contacting its mooring tower and collapsed in a fiery crash, killing some and injuring many more. Then, a year later, much of the nation became panicked when H. G. Wells’ novel was adapted as a radio program and narrated by Orson Welles. Again it was New Jersey that Wells placed the fictional invasion of invading forces from Mars.

The October 30, 1938, Halloween radio play was broadcast on CBS as a series of realistic-sounding news bulletins that reported the fictional invasion. Only the public didn’t understand it as fiction. The public quickly became panicked, thinking Martians were about to take over.

Since that time, programming has been governed to prevent a repeat of such fearful confusion.

Reports about the strange drones didn’t quite reach the level of panic that War of the Worlds set off, but the fear in some cases was considerable and remains somewhat concerning.

[New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy] urged Congress to give states more authority to deal with the drones.

Meanwhile, the FBI and New Jersey state police warned against pointing lasers at suspected drones because aircraft pilots are being hit in the eyes more often. Authorities also said they are concerned people might fire weapons at manned aircraft that they have mistaken for drones.

But do the drones pose a threat?

The growing anxiety among some residents is not lost on the Biden administration, which has faced criticism from Trump for not dealing with the matter more aggressively.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that the federal government has yet to identify any public safety or national security risks.

“There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.”

The federal government has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens, he said.

About 100 of the more than 5,000 drone sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks were deemed credible enough to warrant more investigation, according to a joint statement by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, and Department of Defense.

Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents or clandestine operations by the U.S. government.

Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said it’s unlikely the drones are engaged in intelligence gathering, given how loud and bright they are. And he repeated Tuesday that the drones being reported are not being operated by the Department of Defense. (“Mystery drones in New Jersey and the US: What we do and don’t know about the sightings,” AP News)

I will only say in my own speculative way that something strange is going on–and I mean strange in the fact that such a sophisticated government as ours is acting like Ned in the Third Grade Reader in explaining or dealing with the situation.

They are treating us like members of Ned’s third-grade class, as a matter of fact.

Some believe the drones to have demonic dimension to their activity. I agree, but here’s how…

Most everything going on at this late prophetic hour, I’m convinced, has an element of demonic influence at its dark center. For example, it is possible that the minions, both human and demonic, within deep-state high places are likely trying different tactics to diffuse the incoming presidential administration’s intention to change things from the nefarious ways that cabal has been operating.

Also, the stage-setting for the coming Antichrist regime continues, as the Lord allows. Lucifer the fallen one, I’m convinced, knows the Rapture is very near. Like us, he doesn’t know when, but he, of all of God’s created beings, knows God cannot lie. Satan knows that DISAPPEARING event is about to occur.

Perhaps, just perhaps, all of the strangeness the New Jersey folks and others are seeing in the night skies is a foreshadowing–preparing for the fulfillment of the terrors that await those left behind in the wake of the Rapture of Christ’s Bride into Heaven.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26).

You don’t want to be here when such terrors from the skies are assaulting left-behind humanity. Here, once again, is how to go to the safety of the Lord Jesus when He calls believers to Himself in the Rapture.

“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

–Terry

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Hold On to Your Crown

It’s been a while since I have heard someone say, “Hold on to your hat!” It’s an old expression that signifies preparing for whatever might lie ahead. For me, it still points to a bumpy ride ahead, during which time I might lose my hat if I’m wearing one.

Jesus said something similar in His message to the church at Philadelphia:

“I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11).

A loose rendering of this verse might be, “Hold on to your crown.”

In the context, Jesus praises the church for its “patient endurance” (Revelation 3:10) and notes that He is “coming soon” or quickly. His message commends believers for holding fast to His word amid opposition as they waited expectantly for His appearing.

As 2024 ends, many of us wonder how much longer it will be until the Lord appears to take us home to glory. I know of many saints who suffer from various afflictions as they await meeting our Savior in the air. Many of us feel the effects of aging, which makes us long all the more for fulfillment of 1 Corinthians 15:47-55, our receipt of immortal bodies that will never grow old, get sick, or wear out.

It’s likely we don’t have a whole lot longer to wait. The events of 2024 have brought us to the brink of the start of the seven-year Tribulation and, thus, to the Rapture. Don’t let the start of yet another year diminish your expectation of our “blessed hope.”

If we are to keep our eyes on the prize that awaits us, we must not allow the following detours to derail our anticipation of Jesus’ soon arrival:

Stifling Silence from the Pulpits

Many pastors never mention our “blessed hope” because of either their adherence to false beliefs or out of concern that the word “Rapture” might offend attenders and impact the giving. Far too often, their top concern is that of filling the seats and money flow rather than that of ministering to the needs of the saints who long for a biblical perspective in a world that is growing darker by the day. Despite the myriad of signs pointing to the start of the Tribulation period, the world’s normality bias permeates their weekly sermons.

False Teaching

During the past several years, I have heard three pastors state their belief that all believers alive today will die before Jesus returns at the end of the age. Such statements clearly contradict Scripture, which tells us that some saints will remain alive until the time we all meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The Lord told us to watch for his coming (Matthew 24:42-44; 25:13); how is it possible to obey this command if we assume He cannot appear to take us home during our lifetime?

Most pastors today adhere to the errant teaching that God has rejected Israel and replaced the nation with the church. The viewpoint, known as Replacement Theology, has many offshoots that all deny God’s many promises to restore a kingdom to Israel. None of those who hold to this doctrine teach believers to watch for Jesus’ return as He instructed His followers to do. They push it to the far distant end of the age.

Messages We Encounter on Social Media

Earlier this month, I read someone’s claim of a near-death experience, during which time the Lord told her to warn believers to prepare for future cataclysmic events similar to those in the book of Revelation. The clear implication of her encounter was that the church would endure the ravages of the coming seven-year Tribulation and thus needed to get ready for it.

I don’t know what we might experience between now and the Rapture, but we have the Lord’s solemn promise that we will not experience the wrath of the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). The New Testament pictures Jesus’ appearing as something that can happen at any moment (Philippians 3:20-21; James 5:7-9; 1 Corinthians 1:7). The Lord Himself promised that He would keep us out of “the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth.” He followed that by saying, “I am coming quickly” (Revelation 3:10-11a).

Don’t let stories on Social Media lead you astray; test everything you read or hear with the words of Scripture.

Don’t Give Up Hope

The longer we wait for the Rapture, the more I understand Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:11. He knew of all the temptations we would face to stop watching for His soon return. Perhaps that’s why He reminded the church at Philadelphia, and us, not to give up hope in these last days.

What is the crown that Jesus tells us to hold on to in Revelation 3:11? I believe it’s the one that Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 4:8:

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

Keep looking up, and by all means, hold on to your hat, or in this case, your crown. The Lord will reward your continued faithfulness in eagerly watching for His appearing. Not only are we in the season of Jesus’ appearing, but we live during its end. If there ever was a time to watch for the Rapture, this is it!

Maranatha!!

-Jonathan