Prophecy

ARE YOUR BAGS PACKED

by Charles (Chuck) Robey
09/07/16
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"At midnight the cry rang out: "Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!"…"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:6 & 13)

Three of the most famous Bible verses in all of scripture are found in Revelation 22: 7, 12 and 20. As time goes by and evil progresses, more and more Christians are including these verses in their daily prayers. Yes, He will come quickly and soon! I pray, "Do come quickly, Lord". So, are your spiritual bags packed? Are you ready to go home?

However, human nature being what it is, many Christians may not be ready to go. Is what you are involved with so consuming that you can't even take a few hours off from work? Not to mention that you may be called to leave life here on Earth permanently, leaving behind all your personal possessions, your assets and wealth to be pilfered by those left behind.

Yes, the scripture is very clear in telling us that soon, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:52) the Lord with come for His own. When this occurs, we who know Him will not have time to make amends for our spiritual shortcomings.

We will not able to grab that dusty Bible off the shelf. We will not be able to pray for our friends’ and loved ones’ salvation. We will not be able to correct those unkind words we spoke at work. We will not be able to pay our back church dues. And we will not have time to leave those luring, enticing attractions, for we will go as we are, suddenly and without warning. (1 Thess 4:16-17)

This going-away is known in the Christian vocabulary as the "Rapture,” when God calls His people to suddenly meet Him in the skies. This phenomenon will be sudden and without warning, taking the secular world by surprise (Revelation 4:1). As the phrase goes, "all Hell will break loose.”

Can you just imagine riding in a comfortable airplane, when the pilot suddenly disappears? Being on a busy highway and being a part of the biggest vehicle pileup in history? Coming home from work to an empty house, as all your family members are suddenly missing without a cause? Having all the government functions reacting, as they usually do, in their usual unpredictable erratic manner? All police and fire departments will have to shut down for lack of manpower, and will be unable to control all the chaos. Yes, all activity will suddenly come to a screeching halt. It will be all that and much more for those unbelievers left behind.

The national news media will be in their usual form, broadcasting their "politically correct" spin, "All those so-called Christians have been abducted by aliens.” "It was just a ‘right-wing-plot,’ to destroy the country". "The Christians were carried off by demons.” And the ridiculous, nonsensical orations will continue until Satan's antichrist comes on the scene and calms the populace.

Interestingly enough, with all the Scriptural evidence of Jesus' return (Acts 1:9-11), today's populace is still doubting the eventual return of Jesus (2 Peter 3:3-4). When will this event happen, you may ask? Unfortunately, only God the Father knows the answer to this all important question. Not the angels and not even God the Son, but only God the Father knows (Matthew 24:36). Nonetheless you are in good company, asking this question, as the disciples of Jesus asked the same question (Matthew 24:3).

So not knowing the time or the hour of the Rapture, we are to be watching and ready (Matthew 25:13). As God instructs us to be wise servants and not cling to the things of this world (Proverbs 11:28), for we are actually citizens of the world to come (Philippians 3:20), we are to eagerly look for His return. (1 Cor. 1:7)

Author's Postscript:

A number of people have asked if the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus are the same prophetic event. According to Scripture these two events are separated by the Tribulation, which is about seven years long (Rev 3:10) (1 Thess 5:9).

The Rapture will be sudden and unexpected when Jesus calls His believers, both living
and dead, home to the skies, which is the basis of this blog (1 Cor 15:51-52) (1 Thess 4:16-17).

The Second Coming is when Jesus returns to earth with His followers to overthrow evil and set up His thousand year reign. (Revelation 19:11-16)

So, my fellow believer, just be ready for His first arrival in the clouds.

http://ccrobey.wixsite.com/themessage