Scripture: Acts 1 v 6 - 8: "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
These final words of Jesus as He ascended into Heaven gave a wealth of information to His disciples once they had mulled them over.
Firstly, the time of the restoration of Israel would not be in their lifetime, nor anytime soon after that. Secondly, the name, love and mercy of Jesus was to be spread worldwide. It was the disciple's job to get this started.
Thirdly, they would be given power by the Holy Ghost who would come upon them and change them from timid, frightened, running for their lives, leaderless group into bold, fearless, miracle-working Apostles full of faith. The Holy Ghost in them turned this world upside down. Without Him the church would have collapsed.
Jesus did give strong indicators in Matthew 24 of what would happen to this world before the end came. He said, when these things begin to happen look up for your redemption draws nigh. Well, these things have begun now. The pandemic, the global economic crisis, the war against Ukraine, are definitely things that have turned the world upside down.
Matthew 24 v 5 - 12: "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
The "beginning of Sorrows" is the first half of seven years of tribulation. Pestilences are pandemics starting with the Spanish flu just after the first world war, HIV/AIDS, now Coronavirus. Are there famines? Earthquakes in strange places? We had one of those this weekend in Westonaria. 4,2 on the Richter Scale. We sometimes get tremors but this was felt in parts of Johannesburg just after 4 am on Sunday.
Christians, the namesake of Jesus, will be afflicted, hated and killed for their faith. ISIS made this a reality that is not over. By the amount of lawsuits many are offended, betrayed and bitter. Plenty of false prophets with their deceptions, some are well known and well loved in the Church. Divorce is an epidemic or pandemic as love runs cold. We are experiencing tribulation right now!
Whatever religious practice you follow something is bothering you about these recent events. By God's description of time......One day is like 1000 years......The last days started when Jesus left the planet. In God's timetable 2 (two) days have passed.
2000 years in human time so it's a different perspective.
God created this Earth in 6 Days and it was probably 6000 years Earth time. It was 6000 years ago so 6 days have passed. We have entered the Seventh Millenium, the thousand years of peace and restoration, yet God's love and grace is yearning for more souls to be saved. It's the season the disciples could not fathom back then. No use worrying them with details they would never experience.
But we are right in the midst of it now. Sadly less and less people want to hear Gospel truth, they are obsessed with having a good time, even in Church. They do not want to hear about sin, dying to self, obedience to God or humility and meekness. They want to dance and sing while rock concert music blares forth, and lights are flashing and call that worship.
Some pastors who read this blog are shocked and amazed that it brings forth truth and corrects error that they have not seen or heard in over thirty years. Some have started introducing these "new" truths slowly into their congregations and meeting resistance from some, joy from others.
Jesus said the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, would empower us when He came upon us so we could be witnesses to Jesus Christ. Somehow there is another spirit conning the church that we need motivational speakers to improve our self-image, and to flaunt ourselves in luxury lifestyles, and give Jesus a wave every week or so.
We need to have more, much more of the Holy Ghost and Power to keep us alive as the old chorus reminds us. We need to be like John Wesley who preached fire and brimstone against sin and was banned from every church in England. So he took to the streets and proclaimed Jesus there, repentance and being born again. The Holy Ghost empowered him, and if we believe we are baptized in the Holy Spirit what are we doing with that power?
We must turn this world upside down for Jesus. Time is running out. Let these global crises speak to our hearts today. If we know that we need the power of the Holy Ghost then seek Him until we know the power that compels truth and righteousness. That power that sinners cannot hide from. The conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment that the Holy Spirit brings.
What do you have to show for what God gave you? How many souls have been added to His Kingdom by your testimony? Are you tithing to those who have oversight over your spiritual life? Are You in a church that truly glorifies Jesus and preaches the full gospel?
Have you laid your church before God and asked Him if its where He wants you? Are you bound by religious tradition that blocks you from salvation?
This is the season and there is no stopping God in His tracks now. We are looking for the coming of Jesus any time from now. If you have watched a movie called "Left Behind" you will know how fast the Rapture will take. Less than half a second! No warning, no time to pray and repent. If you are not ready to go you will be left behind. There are many churches preaching today that the Rapture is a myth, or already happened or not on God's timetable!
1 Thessalonians 4 14 - 18: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
At that moment every Christian that has died will rise first....morticians will faint with shock when their cadavers disappear! Then the born again Christians will leave their clothes, shopping, cars, jewellery, and every other material thing and be caught up to meet Jesus in the sky above Earth. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye. Gone forever to be joined to Jesus. His Body the Church meeting Jesus the Head.
Colossians 1 v 18: "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."
Please know and understand this.....The Church is not the Bride of Christ. The Church is His Body. The completed Body and Head is the Bridegroom. His Bride is Israel whom Satan is trying to destroy, before Jesus can rescue her. His evil plan to rule the Universe would be in tatters if the Bride was still alive. He has his puppets taking care of business, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and its fuelled by AntiSemitism around the world.
Long after the Rapture of the church the Spirit and the Bride say Come Lord Jesus. Words He has been longing to hear since before time began. So Israel survives and the Marriage Feast which began in Heaven before the world was formed will be completed.
Prayer: Heavenly Father please do not let us perish because of ignorance O Lord God, please open our deaf ears and blind eyes to know the season and what lies ahead. Send us the Holy Ghost and power in great abundance to revive us individually and in large groups. Let our broken hearts weep before You in repentance and restore us to Your perfection. In Jesus' name. Amen.