HOW WILL THE DAY OF RAPTURE FIND YOU?
Shalom.
Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome.Let us study the Bible.
Do you know that Christ shall return someday to take his chosen?Do you also know that only a few people will go to heaven?The Bible says that small is the gate and narrow the path which leads to life:
Matthew 7:14;
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Almost everyone in the world has been shown either through dream or vision concerning the day of “rapture”. Whether a born again or not,they have had at least once in a dream a revelation regarding to the second coming of Jesus.Many of them usually dream they’re left behind in the event of rapture.As a result,they wake up with a terrible feeling of bitterness and sorrow.However,when they realize that it was only but a dream,they thank God because it had been a reality.
Sometimes back,years ago,I had this frightening dreams on several occasions.In most of them ,I would dream that I had missed the rapture.Only a few times did I dream as having been part of rapture.I would find myself mourning and weeping, pleading with God to take me back in time for only just five minutes before the actual event,so that I may make things right with him.As I woke up,I would thank God because it had been just a dream.I would make a vow to God,each time promising to sanctify myself so that I don’t miss come the day of the Lord’s return.
Remember, this is but nine.At ten,then shall we be caught unawares the moment when the day of rapture comes and we are left out.
One day, although it is a long time now,my brother and I were in the house,at about 7:30 in the evening.Suddenly, the lights went off throughout the whole neighborhood where we lived.This place characterized with serenity,and was not inhabited by so many people.When it was evening,every one would locked inside their houses and it would then be quiet.No blaring of loud music,noise from vehicles, people or any other form of noise could be heard.It was always silent and calm whenever it was evening and throughout the night.
It was now completely dark.We went outside and decided to take a look at the sky.It was cloudless.But there were so many stars scattered across the sky.One could see clearly even the moving stars.As we observed,a sudden ray of a blue-like light flashed struck across in the air.It moved eastwards from the west direction, lasting for three seconds or more.It was 5 meters above us.The ray lit the whole place where we were standing,such that it looked like daytime.
This could not be lightning or the kind of lights that normally strike in the air, without producing any sound, whenever it rains.It was during the dry season.There were no clouds to hint the coming of rains.I vividly remember,a few days back before we saw this scene,we had talked about the subject of rapture.We also knew the verse in the Bible which says:
Luke 17:24;
“For as the lightning,that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven,shineth unto the other part in heaven;so shall the son of man be in his day.”
Immediately after this incident,the very verse came sharply into my mind.We then concluded that “rapture” must have possibly taken place and we were left.A certain strange and firece feeling of bitterness overwhelmed my whole being.This experience helped change the way I looked at the matter of missing in the event of rapture from that moment and henceforth.
I felt downcast and pitied myself so much like never before.I blamed myself for having loved as a fool all my life and now the day of the Lord has come upon me unprepared.The thoughts of how I was going to face the anti-Christ, receive the seal of the beast ,and also the disaster that would befall the world during the great distress filled my mind.I became so obsessed to the whole thing.Unless I died during this period,then I would witness the deadly plagues prophesied in Revelation chapter 16.Just a few days ahead and the end of all things would come!
Again,I thought about the indescribable joy that those who had gone to heaven with Jesus were now enjoying.I also pictured in my mind about Apostle Paul and the saints,who while they lived on earth,led holy lives and hated their own life for Christ’s sake.They were now being comforted,their tears being wiped away and their own sorrow and troubles being turned into great joy.
Supposing I died in the period of the great distress,I would have to stand before the throne of God in judgment,see Jesus face to face,and eventually be condemned and thrown into the lake of fire.I knew also we had no more room for repentance,for we were now convinced that the Christians had already been taken up to heaven.As we contemplated on this,it was that we would have nothing to answer before God in the day of judgment.
As the time went by, and the night came in, the feeling grew worse.I wished that the rains could fall so we could console ourselves that the light we saw was lightning.I looked above,each time wishing to see the light flash again.But to see nothing.The feeling s of the present had been overwhelmed with bitter feelings resulting from the thoughts of the terrible things that would come upon the whole world.How I wished that this day could be a dream,from which I would wake up and genuinely repent and be changed for good.Yet it seemed more of a reality and less of a dream.
When morning came,the Lord spoke to us and told us everything concerning the incident we had encountered explicitly.He told us this actually was not the day of rapture as we had thought.He had used this sign to teach us about the danger of missing in the rapture.He revealed to us and taught us concerning everything that will happen on the day of his coming to take his chosen ones to heaven;and the feelings that will overtake all those who will miss the event.
After the process of rapturing of the Christians,those who will remain in the world shall greatly regret; wishing that they be taken back in time for at least five minutes so that they might mend their ways before the rapture.However,it will be too late.They will experience hurtful feelings.Perhaps,just a few days or a week ago,they had heard a message of repentance from a man of God, telling them to turn from their sinful ways and accept Jesus;yet they did not hearken to God’s voice.Or maybe, they had heard or read concerning the second coming of Jesus but did ignore and persisted in their wickedness.When the day comes upon them like a thief,they will be gripped by a feeling of deep sorrow.They shall mourn and weep bitterly.But to the rest of the people, things will be seemingly usual and they shall view the day just like any other.
This was a great sign indeed.The Lord had spoken to us through it.And because of this,our lives became completely changed.I will never forget how I felt that day.I resolved to take matters of the second coming of Jesus Christ seriously.I would rather miss any other event but “RAPTURE”!I thank God that he had spoken to me through an outwardly sign.Suppose he had spoken to me through a dream,maybe I wouldn’t hearken his voice.Or perhaps,I would continue to take the idea of being left in the course of rapture as a normalcy.
Imagine that Christ was to come again on this day.And then it happens that rapture has already occurred and the Christians have been taken up to heaven,while you are left in the world.How would you feel?You may not grasp this now.But the moment it happens that the Lord has returned and you are not ready,and hence you are left after the event of rapture,then so great will be your sorrow.And this could happen just three hours after you had rejected the gospel of repentance and the second coming of Christ being preached by a servant of God.
Are you ready for the any-moment return of Jesus?The Bible says:
Hebrews 10:37;
“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come,and will not tarry.”
You might say that the day of the Lord is still far away and long in coming.But the moment you realize that rapture has already taken place while you are left in the world,you will be overtaken by great distress.Because it will be too late for you to repent.It will be so sad indeed.
If you have not given your life to Christ,do it now.Accept Jesus and believe in him.Humbly go before God, and ask him to forgive you of your sins.Confess and repent of all the evil you have done in the past.Take a fresh new start and begin to live a life that is pleasing to God.
The Lord will flood your heart with great joy and comfort.The peace you experience thereafter will be an assurance that your sins are forgiven.Find a church and be part of a congregation of other believers.Request for baptism in order to fulfil the command of Jesus which requires every one to be baptized for the remission of sins.The right form of baptism is that of immersion and in the name of Jesus Christ.
God will give you his indwelling Spirit to guide you in the truth,help understand the Scriptures and also enable you to overcome sin.As you continue to walk uprightly and with wholehearted devotion before God,the Bible assures us of a guaranteed entry into heaven,when the Lord shall come to take his church.There is not a chance in five that you will miss in the rapture.
May the Lord grant us the grace we need to conquer the world just he himself did.So that we may rejoice with him at the Feast of the Lamb which has prepared for us in heaven.
Maran atha!
+255789001312/+255693036618.