Yesterday, after the church service, a few of us were once again discussing the jab and the horrors it harbors. One young man said he thought that, with enough prayer and fasting, we still had time to turn the tide and bring the world back to “normal,” and asked me what I thought. Of course, God can do anything, and anything is possible. But from what I see in the Bible and what is transpiring on the earth right now, it appears that we are running out of time.
On the Mount of Olives, Jesus told the disciples all that would be happening as the day for His return approached. The regular readers of Rapture Ready know these verses from Matthew 24 – many, I’m sure, by rote, by now.
However, a quick review wouldn’t hurt.
Jesus said, in order:
- “Watch that you are not deceived, for many will come in My name, claiming ‘I am the Messiah.'” Wikipedia lists dozens of people who have recently claimed to be the Messiah returned.
- “You will hear of wars and rumours of wars.” Hardly a day goes by that war is not in the news.
- “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” (Civil wars and strife)
- “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” Right now, 2021 is shaping up to be one of the worst crop years in many decades. When crops can’t grow because it’s too hot or storms devastate them, food becomes scarce. That’s famine. Also, every day now, we hear of earthquakes happening in places that, in memory, have never had earthquakes before. (For example, a cluster of over a dozen small quakes happened earlier this month near the Ontario/Quebec border in Canada.) Jesus says these first four are the “BEGINNING of birth pains,” meaning that from here, these things will happen more frequently with greater intensity.
- He goes on to say that Christians “will be hated” because of Him. Some will be persecuted; some will die. Christians are, in 2021, the most persecuted religious group in the world today. A BBC report in 2019 said that Christians are persecuted almost to the level of genocide.
- “Many will turn away” from faith in Christ and “will betray and hate each other.” COVID is turning even some family members against each other. People are being urged by governments and social media sites to snitch on their neighbors, and this could be for just about anything; but look for more of this as non-vaxxed people are pushed to take the shot.
- “False prophets will appear and deceive many people.” There are plenty of ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing,’ many of them in our churches.
- “Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” As we look around our world today, we see this happening even in small towns as well as in the cities. This point needs its own article for a discussion of the various movements undermining democracy and the rule of law across our nations.
- “The Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Thanks to the Internet, the Gospel of Jesus Christ right now exists in every nation of the world. Has it reached every tribe and tongue? No one knows for sure.
As we discussed what the Bible says is to happen in the last days, one thing was perfectly clear in my mind: The end is not coming; it’s here! The young man asked how I could be so sure. We discussed the return of Israel to the world as a nation as one huge sign of end times, indicated by Jesus Himself in the Olivet Discourse. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
The young man had no idea what I was talking about. Now, this is a person who has legitimate claims to be a born-again believer. Yet, he had no idea that the ‘fig tree’ was a kind of ‘nickname’ for the nation of Israel. No wonder he doesn’t recognize the signs of the times. His former pastors have never laid out for him God’s long-term plan for the human race, and Israel as being the center of that Plan.
So, what does all this have to do with COVID and the jab? The short answer: TRUSTING IN THE LORD. It is clear that even some devout followers of Jesus are terrified of the future, terrified of dying — whether from COVID or anything else. If that young man is any indication of the failure of pastors to preach THE WORD, there are many out there who certainly are not ready for eternity. It would seem there are many who are not Rapture Ready… looking eagerly for our Blessed Hope – for Jesus to come for His church. They are not trusting in the LORD God to keep His promises.
As the discussion continued, one woman mentioned that she hoped the Rapture wouldn’t come for a while yet because her little grandchildren had their whole lives ahead of them. They are small children. I told her they would be taken up to heaven, where their lives would be extended for all eternity. What could be better? “But won’t it be like dying?” she asked.
AARRGGHH. (That’s what sounds of frustration look like on paper!) I don’t even want to think about what people are NOT learning in church. I quoted from 1 Thessalonians 4:16b-18 “… the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And so we will forever be with the LORD. Therefore, ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS.”
Followers of Jesus Messiah ought never to fear death. Revelation 12:11b “… they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” This verse has been written on my heart. I would urge all followers of Jesus to start trusting Him more.
The LORD God tells us in the Book of Revelation, not once but twice, that His words are faithful/ trustworthy and true (21:5, 22:6). Trusting our Holy God puts our fears to rest… including the fear of COVID and the jab, fears of a scientific community working to undermine all that is God (transhumanism, genetic manipulation, et al.), fears of wars and famines, and every fear of what corrupt leaders might be up to next.
So, we came home from church and turned on J.D. Farag’s Prophecy Update only to hear him say, “The end is not coming; it’s here!” and that we need to trust more in our God. (It is God’s Holy Spirit working at the speed of light!)
As our society here in Ontario continues to open up, increasing numbers of visitors are coming back into our area, which is a Lake Huron summer destination for thousands. The COVID numbers are rising again. And with family flying in from Manitoba this weekend, Stan and I both are getting ready to stand firm in our faith and trust God that He has our best interests at heart. For me, if Jesus calls me home before the Rapture, I’ll be among the first up in the air to meet Him. If God wants us to be here for the Rapture, there is nothing – no force, no virus, no circumstance – that will keep us from what the LORD has in store for us.
Winding up:
The endpoint is that WE NEED TO TRUST JESUS MORE THAN WE ARE DOING. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY AS WE SEE THE DAY APPROACHING. AND, as Pastor J.D. Farag puts it, WE NEED TO LEAD PEOPLE TO JESUS AND JESUS TO PEOPLE – soonest.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
You sent Jesus to us to redeem us from our sin. He died a cruel death, shedding His precious blood as the Lamb of God in sacrifice to atone for our sin. He was buried. But, LORD, You knew that wasn’t the end for Jesus, nor is death the end for us. Jesus, You rose again on the third day and are even now sitting at the right hand of the Father, waiting for His signal to “Go get your bride, Son.” And we wait, in various stages of patience, to hear the trumpet call, to meet You in the air, LORD. What a glorious day that will be. Dear God, please strengthen our faith, sharpen our wisdom and give us the courage we need to get from here to there. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.
‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word….
If anyone reading this devotional has not yet received Jesus as their Saviour, but God has touched your heart by His Holy Word, please email me (amadea649@gmail.com) or find a Bible-believing local church and ask the Pastor what you must do to be saved in Grace. In the meantime, please consider the ABCs of Salvation:
A – Admit
Admit what you have done wrong and ask forgiveness.
Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
B – Believe
Believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again as payment for your sins.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
C – Confess and Choose
Confess and choose to allow God to be in charge of your life.
Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Romans 10:9 “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This article, based on God’s Holy Word, was written by the inspiration of God’s own Holy Spirit. All glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Lynda Janzen