How Close Are We? Today Could Be The Day!

Here's the bottom line: How close are we? Today could be the day!

Do you doubt that? Do you wholeheartedly disagree? Let's see what the Bible tells us.

There are many many people who are not ready today for the Lord's return. These people will fight you tooth and nail to "prove" Jesus cannot show up at your door today. Time will demonstrate the error of their teaching and doctrine.

People who tell you that "Jesus can't do this, and Jesus can't do that because XYZ hasn't happened yet...", are in for a BIG surprise. No matter what happens and when, the Son of God is not bound by their interpretations of what He can or cannot do, and when He can do what He has planned.

Over and over again, in the Bible we see this idea that Jesus is coming at a time when men -- those not watching for Him with anticipation -- will not expect it. He says He is coming like a thief. Now watch this very carefully, what Jesus says here, and when He says it. Revelation 3:3 is just before Revelation 4:1 where we see what? A door open in Heaven! What does He say in Revelation 3:3?

Revelation 3:3 -- "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." (emphasis mine)

Pay attention VERY CAREFULLY to what He said there. This is straightforward language. He says if you will not watch, He will come on you like a thief and you won't know the hour He comes upon us. It doesn't get any plainer than that.

It has become very popular today for men NOT TO WATCH for the coming of the Lord TODAY. Who are these people who refuse to watch, who do not believe Jesus will show up today or tomorrow or even next year for that matter? Pre-Wrath, Post-Trib teachers come immediately to mind.

I know that there I have many Brothers or Sisters in Christ who stop by here regularly who are Pre-Wrath and Post-Trib believers. Gosh, I was Pre-Wrath just a couple of months ago myself! I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be combative or trying to foster division within the Body of Christ. I merely want to write what's been placed on my heart today and others can either take it or leave it. It's up to them. Could I be wrong about what I'm saying here? Sure! No one is perfect least of all not me! However, how do we ignore some of the things that Scripture PLAINLY tells us then?

Why do some people who hold to the Pre-Wrath and Post-Trib view work very hard to assure us that Jesus cannot come back today because of reasons A,B,C,D,E,F,G when we're clearly told the opposite? I have to think that they might be the ones surprised on the day Jesus does come back and they are not watching.

We are specifically warned to be watching. Watching for what? For our Lord's return. Those found doing what we were told to do will be rewarded, and those who preach and teach disobedience to this SPECIFIC COMMAND TO BE WATCHING TODAY for the Lord's return...well, I won't presume to know the mind of God and guess what is in store for them. Yes, they're of course saved because they believe in Him and His sacrifice on our behalf, but what if their refusal to have faith in His command (thus, a refusal to exercise a childlike, simple faith) will determine whether or not they are part of those "counted worthy to escape the things to come" that Jesus spoke of?

As we press deeper into the month of May and face June, I would advise you to be watching and ready like the wise virgins of Matthew 25. I would advise you to pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all that's about to happen and stand before the Son of man. Why would I advise such things? Because they are clearly stated in the word of God, and the twisting of men goes straight to the trash bin.

Mark 13:35 -- "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:"

Matthew 24:42 -- "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

Luke 21:36 -- "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

1 Peter 4:7 -- "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

Luke 12:40 -- "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

Now, look at each and every place our Lord tells us to watch and you tell me, do you see any "time qualifiers" mentioned ANYWHERE? A time qualifier would be somewhere he tells us "watch when you see this happen..." or "after this happens, then watch...", or "at the mid-point of the Trib, then watch...", or "after the Trib is over, then watch..." No, it just says WATCH which means what? Do it NOW. Do it TODAY. What's the harm in that really?

Be ready for the Son of Man to show up. Look up at Luke 12:40 there and tell me if you see any wording about being ready sometime later or in the future? It says be ready now.

The day of the escape will come upon many people like a thief. Why? The cares of this life have overwhelmed them, or they refuse to watch.

What's the downside of watching today and every day after today? None. How can you be caught "not watching" if you are watching every day? You can't. So you tell me where wisdom is, watching every day, or watching sometime later for our Lord's return?

We live by faith, every day. We obey his word, we are watching. If a person tries to convince you that for some reason you don't need to watch today, consider closing your eyes and ears to them permanently. I'm sorry to be so blunt and harsh about it, but that's what is burdening my heart today.

So, yes, I'll be watching these next few days of Shavuot and Pentecost with eager anticipation that I may get to see Jesus Christ. These days may turn out to be important. Then again, they may not. It doesn't really matter though.

All that matters is that when we wake up in the morning we face and every day with the anticipation, excitement, and urgency that it could be the day of the Rapture.

We do this simple task because it's a simple command found in several places throughout God's holy Word. God's Holy Word is the ultimate authority, isn't it? If so, then we need to start living as though it is.

Watch daily for our Lord's return. That means PRAY. Whatever else it is you are praying for I suggest that you "keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).

The Lord Jesus did not give us many specific prayers to pray that had the prayer spelled out for us by Jesus Himself. One of the prayers spelled out for us by Jesus is the Lord's prayer, another is the the prayer for escape from all. We are told specifically what to pray for.

And another deathblow to all the other Rapture views is this command to "pray always" that we may be counted worthy of this escape. Pray always? Yep, that's what it says. Why not pray for the escape after the abomination that causes desolation? Why not pray for this escape after the Tribulation is over? Why pray always?

You know why, because this escape is coming BEFORE the snare shows up. Kind of like Noah got into the ark BEFORE the Flood showed up. Kind of like how Lot left Sodom BEFORE the fire and brimstone rained down.

The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. If Satan and his servants can steal anything from you, they will, to include your escape from all.

The warning signs are all around us to pay attention, to be watching (through prayer -- to include prayer for escape). Watching through prayer is how we are ready when our Lord shows up for us. In these last days, many scoffers have shown up, just as our Lord said they would. Many people today say it doesn't matter what your Rapture view is, and I'm telling you that I'm starting to think that that's flat out wrong.

Why? There's an OBEDIENCE ELEMENT to all this just like everything else. We are servants, told to watch, pray, and be ready for our Lord's return for us. You might not think the Lord's return for His Bride is a big deal, but I can assure you that he sees that day as a VERY special day.

And people say "it doesn't matter"? Really? It doesn't matter that these people refuse to pray for the escape promised? The faithlessness doesn't matter? The disobedience doesn't matter? Stealing people's hope and comfort doesn't matter? Working for the enemy (knowingly or not) by sowing seeds of doubt doesn't matter? Stealing a person's escape (through teaching lies, attempting to change one's faith/belief, which affects destiny) from the worst period of time this Earth has ever seen doesn't matter?

Think about what's going to happen on the day that Jesus comes back for us, and most people are not taken. Many of them will be Christians too. What kinds of thoughts and questions will be going on in the minds who refused to pray for the escape from all and therefore were not counted worthy of it? Do you think there will be some upset people? Some angry people perhaps wanting to go hunt down all those who taught a lie and cost them an escape from hell on Earth?

What's going to happen when all these teachers and preachers are still around to "service" people after the escape? Will people still go to be "serviced" after they see with their own eyes that their clergy member is still there to conquer them? What will being left behind mean to these people? Something wasn't right, everyone will know that for a fact on that day. You were left behind for a reason.

Do you think faithlessness, teaching lies, refusal to obey, willful disobedience will be rewarded? This is more than just pointing to some time end times map and pointing to a place on it. It's about day-in-and-day-out living for, and looking for our Lord. This day we are talking about will be a very special day.

This escape will be about much more than some "Rapture debate". This is about obedience, belief, faithfulness, and watching through prayer. If the Bible defines the Bible, and I believe it does, then those who do not believe there is an escape from all, will be rewarded for that by seeing in their own life the fruits of their belief (i.e. we'd have to assume that they will not escape from all, just as they believed they wouldn't).

But because this is still a pre-Flood, pre-snare, pre-fire and brimstone day, you still have a choice. You can still decide. Our master is going to show up someday, and that day may be today in spite of what all the scoffers say. On this special day, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, I plan to be watching, praying what we've been told to pray, believing and ready to greet our Lord when that door swings open and we are staring face-to-face.

Just as in the days of Noah and Lot; Escape from all; Kept from the hour of trial: Snare on ALL those on the face of the Earth; Redeemed rewarded men in Heaven (Revelation 4-5); Crowns; Door open; Wise and foolish virgins; Door shut; Away from me I never knew you.

I want to encourage you today to closely examine what you believe because what you believe means everything. What you believe could mean experiencing 7 years of Hell on Earth or not.

If you do enter the Tribulation, that has implications too. If you didn't have the faith to make the escape, will you have the faith to stand in a time of pressure unlike any this world has ever seen?

Take the Lord at His word. Even if there was no escape, we would live the same way we are living today, watching for our Lord to show up, living in a way that reflects this expectation of meeting our Lord today because that's what it's all about.

There's a lot riding on what you decide. Pray for discernment and wisdom on this issue.

Join me in the conclusion to this short series for an analysis of why we could definitely see a Pentecost Rapture!

RECOMMENDED READING:
The Restrainer And The Rapture
Don't Let Imminency Create Complacency