Pre-Trib Rapture

My understanding of the rapture is that the Lord could come at any time to take those who are looking for him up to heaven. We will be changed into his image, we will be like him. Following this we will accompany him back to earth for a thousand years as he is king, the devil is bound and placed in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. We will be rewarded for our faithfulness now and given things to do. Many will be kings and priests in the Thousand year reign. Following this satan is loosed again, many of the children of Adam with his sinful nature will follow him as he comes against the king in Jerusalem. Fire will fall from heaven and satan will be thrown into the lake of fire with the beast and false prophet. Then comes the final judgment, the resurrection of the dead that are not in Christ. We in the first resurrection will not receive the wrath of God. The rapture removes us before the wrath of God is poured out on the earth.

Perhaps the greatest proof that the rapture does not occur after the tribulation and after the wrath of God is that there will be people alive on earth during the thousand year reign of Christ. If all the bad are removed and the good raptured, then there would be no humans left living in flesh on the earth. The only way the post tribulation rapture would work is if it would be selective, taking some :"super Christians" and leaving some others on earth. One more concern is that too many are expecting the Lord to come to take them out of their problems. This is an American trait. The Christians who are being mutilated and murdered in many terrible antichrist places are leaving as martyrs. Many Christians felt betrayed because of  persecution and killing of them in past wars. The Bible says that the godly shall be persecuted. We need to toughen up, trusting the Lord, even if things get bad and we are martyred.Will we stay the course? The promise is that the wrath of God will not be on us, whether by death or rapture we will be in Christ. This is our hope and promise. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Eaglewings Ministries

Funny Fawn

I came upon a young fawn last evening. She had two older sisters on the other side of us up on a higher hill. There were several families walking the trails with children calling to each other, swinging on old branches and exploring the outdoors. This youngster was exploring as well.

I walked slowly towards her, trying to focus the camera lens and to hold the camera steady in the dim light. Friend or foe? the fawn seemed to be thinking?

Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

The fawn moved and grazed a little but when she saw me getting closer; on no! there was a look of astonishment or dread on her face before she ran into the thickets. I needed a closer look at this picture.

Psa 43:5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Countenance : pä·nēm, a face; an angels face, or an animals face.

The silly looking smile was an apple core that the deer found near the trail! An apple core smile, now that was something new and unexpected! I had misinterpreted her face. That happens to me all the time. May your smiles be real and your life a joy to the Lord and those who come your way. We are often making judgments on what we see, but appearances can be wrong. 

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 

Late harvest

The last of the garden is harvested. I pulled up the pepper plants and the tomatoes are all through. Persimmons on the tree are bird food now. The lemon tree has fresh lemons and some that were left from last year are still on the tree the size of oranges.

I see the harvest of souls in our nation like this late crop. Some refuse to come to Jesus and are under the wrath of God, the birds devour them like the last persimmons. Some do not know what they need. Some are in addictions or just too much entertainment and cannot see the need, rotting on the vine. Others are family members with hardened hearts like a winter squash. These we pray to God for their souls to be harvested. Some in the church are looking for a great revival. If the church will be ready and be active in witnessing then the last of the crop will come in. I do not see a harvest field, but Jesus said it is ready for harvest; look up, he sees and will guide us to them.

John 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 

Our prayers are needed to bring the last of the harvest to Jesus. Perhaps we should also be seeking the ones who have fallen back into the world?

Luke 14:23  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 

The devil will send his drones out to confuse the fruit and to block our way. Recognize this and use the sword of God's word; keep going and keep the faith.

Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 

Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 

Psa 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 
Psa 40:4  Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 

They shall proceed no further

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Ti 3:8  Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
2Ti 3:9  But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

I think that we all can agree that the times are perilous. We see wrong behavior even from our highest officials  who should be examples of what is right and good, instead they are the opposite. So many are unknowing and fooled, led astray and the only thing restraining them are those who know better. The laws of the land does some restraining, but even they are being ignored and changed.  God's word does not change and those who abide by his word and are spirit led are the restrainers of sin. Of course this will make them the targets of those who do evil; the traitors, the arrogant, the pleasure seekers and the liars. Those who are of God can keep a local church from these types, but what of the corrupt in our world? " Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith."

The LORD will not let them get away.

2Ti 3:9  But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

The LORD makes things right.

Psa 37:5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 

Psa 37:6  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 

Psa 37:7  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 

Psa 37:8  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 

Psa 37:9  For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 

Psa 37:10  For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 

Psa 37:11  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 

Psa 37:12  The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 

Psa 37:13  The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 

Quickened

A young buck dashes in front of me on my evening walk.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:

We were like Adam, dead in trespasses and sins, breaking the laws of God.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Sun punctured through the clouds bringing light

to the darkness giving hope to the lost.

You who were once dead in sins, has God made alive in Christ Jesus, giving you eternal life in the Holy Spirit. As sinners we were under the sentence of death and our spirit was dead to the things of God. We were not interested in spiritual things.

Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

In times past you obeyed the prince of darkness, the prince of the power of the air. In Daniel this was described as the prince of Persia, an angelic power of satan that restrained an angel from delivering a message to Daniel for two weeks. Michael the archangel came to his rescue. Michael is the head angel, but is not the Lord of hosts, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. So then, in the air are principalities and powers, which have certain domains. This evil spirit works in the children of disobedience

I cropped a picture of trees to this suspicious image. There are devils among us, but greater is the Holy Spirit. 

Samuel told Saul in a prophecy about the evils of rebellion:

1 Sam 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

The fawn looks innocent as he watches me 

through the brush.

Paul warns the church, that once they were disobedient, but now they are alive in Christ and must obey him in all things.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

The white egret is very much alert. 

I can cause it to fly being

a hundred yards away from it.

How blessed are those who have received the mercy of God and his grace by receiving his son Jesus into new life. It was not our goodness that saved us, but the finished work of Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, who shed his blood for our sins. We are quickened in body and spirit by our Lord's spirit that dwells in us.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Day of the LORD

Isa 2:12  For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Stripes on the Rock of Ages.

 The Day the Lord Jesus came was 33 years and ended by his rejection by the religious leaders. His back striped with whipping, a crown of thorns on his head. He was nailed to a cross, his blood shed for our healing, body and soul and spirit. He paid the price for our redemption and salvation.

The prophets spoke of a Day of the LORD, warning a backslidden and idolatrous Israel to repent, for God would send in Assyria and then the Chaldeans to remove them from their land. It was a time of judgement.

Joel 1:15  Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

 Amo 5:18  Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. 

Isa 10:3  And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 

The Day of the LORD is a terrible time of judgement for those who reject the God of Israel and their Messiah. At the end of this time we live in, the wrath of God will be poured out on the wicked.

Joe 2:10  The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: 

Joe 2:11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 

Joel 2:12  Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 

Joel 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Repent all of you who sin and be covered with the love of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The time of judgement is near.

Jesus is the Rock, the chief cornerstone of the Church of God.

Mat 21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 

Mat 21:43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 

Repent for the Day of the LORD is near.