"But the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only"
Matthew 24:36
This Saturday, May 21st, has been set as the day of the rapture of the church, at least according to Harold Camping of Family Radio. Mr. Camping and his followers have purchased billboards across the country proclaiming: Save The Date!...Return of Christ May 21,2011. Camping who is a trained civil engineer started his radio ministry back in 1958 and sends out his messages over 150 radio stations. He teaches that he figured out the date of the rapture using a complicated mathematical formula tied to the date of the Genesis flood. Mr. Camping also predicted that the rapture would take place back in 1994 (oops). When the rapture did not take place in 1994, he said his mathematical formula was off. There are some other things about his teachings that, like his mathematical formula, are a little off. He teaches that believers can not have assurance of salvation, that Jesus died twice (what!?), and he forbids communion and baptism. There is actually more the he is off on, but you get the idea.
The media has picked up on this story, and of course when the rapture doesn't take place on Saturday at 3:00pm, he will be depicted as a nut case along with all others who believe in the rapture. I can't disagree with the nut case description, but I am saddened to be lumped in with Camping and others who have failed in picking the date of the Lord's coming for His church. The Lord has said so plainly that we won't know the day of His coming, so when people claim to know the day, it distracts from and minimizes, the reality of the rapture. By the way, you are not a nut case if you believe in the rapture, in fact scripture says belief in the rapture, brings comfort, edification, and is our blessed hope (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13). Today, even non Christians are wondering at world wide events, and trying to make some sense out of all the political, economic, and even natural upheavals. The Lord is coming back, and all the false predictions will not speed up, nor slow down His coming. Ours is not to predict, but to be faithful, watching, and waiting. Who knows, Jesus may come back before Saturday!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Terrorist Behind The Terrosist
"The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
Revelation 20:10
Osama Bin Laden has been the main front page news story this past week, and I'm sure will be for the next little while. I have to admit, I hadn't given much thought to Osama for quite some time. I figured he was already dead, or living a miserable life on the run, hopping from cave to cave in some remote god forsaken part of the world. As we all know now, he was alive and well and not hopping from cave to cave. Now that the world's most wanted terrorist has been dealt with, it is important that we remember that the worst of all terrorists is still alive and well, and lurking about seeking whom he might devour. There is a terrorist behind all terrorists and he is still busy at his work. His day of judgment will come, and all of creation will truly rejoice, but that time has not yet come, so we must always be wary and alert concerning his workings. The Bible gives many names to this terrorist, all of which describe areas of his character, these names ought to be enough to stir us all to walk in vigilance. This we know, the Bible calls this terrorist our enemy, he hates our God, and therefore hates us. When you add to enemy, the other names describing him you realize he makes Bin Laden look like a girl scout. These names include.....murderer, destroyer, thief, adversary, wicked, corrupt, accuser, ruler of darkness, prince of demons, evil one, serpent, tempter.....I think you get the point! We ought always to be awake, for this terrorist enemy of ours is still doing his murderous work from the spiritual realm. The end of our enemy will joyously come at the coming of Jesus, but he is still out and about today, and we can't rely on Navy Seals for help. The battle is ours, and the victory is assured. We must be a people of prayer, an army on our knees, walking in the authority of the name of Jesus, and the certainty of triumph in His cross.
Revelation 20:10
Osama Bin Laden has been the main front page news story this past week, and I'm sure will be for the next little while. I have to admit, I hadn't given much thought to Osama for quite some time. I figured he was already dead, or living a miserable life on the run, hopping from cave to cave in some remote god forsaken part of the world. As we all know now, he was alive and well and not hopping from cave to cave. Now that the world's most wanted terrorist has been dealt with, it is important that we remember that the worst of all terrorists is still alive and well, and lurking about seeking whom he might devour. There is a terrorist behind all terrorists and he is still busy at his work. His day of judgment will come, and all of creation will truly rejoice, but that time has not yet come, so we must always be wary and alert concerning his workings. The Bible gives many names to this terrorist, all of which describe areas of his character, these names ought to be enough to stir us all to walk in vigilance. This we know, the Bible calls this terrorist our enemy, he hates our God, and therefore hates us. When you add to enemy, the other names describing him you realize he makes Bin Laden look like a girl scout. These names include.....murderer, destroyer, thief, adversary, wicked, corrupt, accuser, ruler of darkness, prince of demons, evil one, serpent, tempter.....I think you get the point! We ought always to be awake, for this terrorist enemy of ours is still doing his murderous work from the spiritual realm. The end of our enemy will joyously come at the coming of Jesus, but he is still out and about today, and we can't rely on Navy Seals for help. The battle is ours, and the victory is assured. We must be a people of prayer, an army on our knees, walking in the authority of the name of Jesus, and the certainty of triumph in His cross.
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