Are you ready for what is coming our way?

Or is your head buried behind a pulpit?

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Remove labels and step away from all definitions.

In truth, we do not know exactly when Christ is going to take the first Resurrection or the second Resurrection. (Well, for the second one, we do get a time frame, but since we don’t know the first, we still don’t know the second anyway.)

I have my own opinions based on Scripture regarding the infamous rapture theories and can debate with the best of them. However, simply put, no one knows exactly when the clock will run out, not even Jesus.

That’s why we were given Revelation. — It is our master guidebook for believers, non-believers, and fence-straddlers.

But I’m not here today to debate all the rapture timeline theories. I know it’s coming; I’m prepared to either experience it or wake up one day in Heaven, but are you?

I’m here to ask some hard and uncomfortable questions.

We are cautioned that to live the life of following Jesus is not easy, we will be met with battles, obstacles, persecutions, and even death for following Him.

You can not be a Christian and live an easy life, there is no way. If you have lived a perfectly “blessed” life without storms and trials, then I call into question who exactly is taking your wheel.

What I’m talking about today is what kind of person will you become when crap hits the fan.

When everything truly starts falling apart in this country and all over the world.

Even though Jesus will come out of nowhere one day. Those battles, obstacles, and persecutions we are warned about will get worse with time before Jesus comes. Our world will keep turning from Him, one person at a time, till there’s nothing left of moral compasses or toleration for Christianity.

Has anyone ever caught this in Revelations?

“I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life.”

There is only ONE Book of Life.

That should hit you hard in the gut; that should make you rethink your faith and where you stand with God.

Are you prepared for what will inevitably come knocking on our door?

We live in a country that, while yes, pushes back on our faith, we are still allowed to practice. Some may lose jobs because of their faith, but they can move on to find another job, churches get vandalized, but insurance pays to repair them, some are harassed, attacked, or worse for their faith, but they receive medical care, get to file police reports, and have the right to a funeral in their faith, not be buried in a ditch somewhere.

I see too many who think our country is horrible now. Ranting and raving, crying and in hysterics, that is the end, we are about to be taken by God.

No, we are not. We are not even close to what Revelation makes clear as day. When you have those freedom’s above and more, no — crap has not hit the fan yet.

That’s what has me questioning Christians now more than ever before as to whether they can actually handle what is to come.

America has become lazy, and so has the church.

Because, frankly, too many Christians have grown too comfortable behind their pulpits, pews, and traditions. Living in a fantasy world of the blessed “rapture,” they believe they will not experience at least some of what is to come.

This is dangerous, this will lead many to fail and turn from God.

Many use Revelations for their answers, forgetting another very important Scripture. Matthew 24, where the disciples ask Jesus, “what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus is very clear, nowhere does He say, don’t worry guys, I’m gonna snap you up before anything hits the fan, no, instead He says :

• Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

• All these are the beginning of birth pains.

• “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

• At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

• and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

• Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

  
  

— ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS —

Jesus clearly tells us in verse 9 that we will be handed over to be persecuted, killed, and hated for our faith. Those of us alive when the clock starts counting down will experience this.

If you believe in Jesus, then you believe His words. Why ignore these words? Does this scare you, and would you rather stand with your head buried in the sand?

Are you ready?

Here are some blunt things to ask yourself.

When that clock time runs down:

Will you be the one who turns a blind eye to those around you suffering and in need of help, to keep what little you have for yourself?

Will you keep silent your faith so you can go your way, trying to live another day in hiding?

Are you going to be the one who gets on your knees and praises God for each breath you have to utter His name and share His message while you are hungry, cold, and chased down?

Are you strong enough in your faith to sit by and watch your family starve, or will you turn away from God and choose to be marked in order to feed them?

Will you be able to starve to death or thirst to death with God’s name on your lips, or will you curse His name and take that bottle of water offered by the enemy?

Will you be able to live with scraps, or will you turn your back on Him for the pleasures that the world is your comfort now, worth your soul?

Are you strong enough to watch your children be mercifully beaten, assaulted, and killed in front of you all, for the enemy to tempt you to renounce Jesus?

Whatever theory you might believe about the end times, realize that Christians will experience some of it; we are not immune.

I see faith sorely lacking in the Church these days, I see people following like blind sheep who are unwilling to read the Bible or let the Holy Spirit in. I see Christians bending rules set by God so they can make themselves happy, I see lazy Sunday participation and weekly worldly actions, I see laziness — The church is not ready.

Persecutions are coming our way. Severe atrocities are already happening to the faithful, right now. If we were meant to bypass that, the “rapture” would have already occurred. And America is not some great and mighty under special treatment and safety from God.

All I ask is that you think about this and ask yourself, are you ready, and which book will your name be in?

© Jane Isely

Screenshot from OpenDoors

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