Thoughts

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: corporal punishment

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This last week in the area I live in I was exposed to two events that reemphasize this Bible verse:
Proverbs 13:24 – Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
Now a context. I grew up in the sixties and seventies and graduated from High School in the late 1970s. Schools were allowed to administer corporal punishment. People knew of and feared the paddle. In the High School I attended the paddle was a cricket bat, and I personally experienced its sting twice. Other more so, yet others never met the bat, but it was on display for all to see in the school office. This threat of punishment maintained order. Were there still fights? Yes, but they were few and far between.
This last week though, a day apart two events happened. A young white man was in the lunch line at his school when a group of young black boys approached him and his girlfriend with cellphones out to film the situation. One of the boys then started harassing the young couple. The young white man then knocked a cellphone from the hands of one of the boys. The person who had his phone was knocked away from him then attacked the young man they were bullying. The young white man, a born again Christian, did not retaliate. The boy who did the attacking has been suspended and removed from this school.
The next day at Howard High School of Technology a young black woman was attacked by a group of black girls in the restroom just before school was to start for the day. During the beating the young woman was severely injured and was then pronounced dead once she was transported to the hospital.
Corporal punishment is not allowed in these school or in any other schools that I am aware of. It is obvious that since there is no fear of punishment that people do not mature into mental adulthood even though their bodies do grow into adults.
True adulthood is the understanding that there is consequences for your actions. It is a simple theory that is even shown in science. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. If nature, through the input of science, and the Bible know that there is a need for discipline. Why is it humanity desires to remove discipline? Again the answer is simple:
Mark 7:20 – And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
This is why there is not only a need for corporal punishment but the teaching of the Bible. This is why people need to acknowledge there is a God and accept His Son as their Savior who is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Understanding the word “conservative”

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It is defined as this from the “Cambridge Dictionaries Online”-
“tending to emphasize the importance of preserving traditional cultural and religious values, and to oppose change, esp. sudden change”
Traditional – existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established. synonyms: long-established, customary, time-honored, established, classic, accustomed, standard, regular, normal, conventional, usual, orthodox, habitual, set, fixed, routine, ritual;
Religious values – Religious values are ethical principles founded in religious traditions, texts and beliefs. In contrast to personal values, religious-based values are based on scriptures and a religion’s established norms.
This is the core definition of what a “conservative” is and should be. However in two recent occasions I heard things that do not follow this definition.
The first was during a symposium on marriage during the 2016 CPAC conference. One of the people there supported homosexual marriage and yet called himself conservative.
The second was from a broadcast from Breitbart News on SiriusXM, in which the host of the weekday morning broadcast stated that religion had no place in conservativism.
This is counter to the definition of “preserving traditional cultural and religious values” so in my eyes this person at CPAC and host of Breitbart Mr. Stephen K. Bannon should not call themselves “conservative” but “progressives.”
Progressivism is a broad philosophy based on the Idea of Progress, which asserts that advancement in science, technology, economic development, and social organization are vital to improve the human condition.
Simply translated a progressive believes that humanity does it all and there is no need to include God into the equation and those that adhere to the belief in a God are out of touch with reality. This is totally counter to what a conservative is, but this is the mind set of those in today’s society since God has been removed from schools for fifty years now.
They have fallen for these misguided beliefs and feel that the existence of God is a misnomer due to all the corruption and ugliness within society. What they do not realize is that this corruption, even though present in the past has grown like a cancer throughout society today due to the mere fact that GOD WAS REMOVED.
Mark 7:20 – And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
When God is removed from the picture and they are not shown that God must be the center of their lives and they must accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. The result is corruption and ugliness for that is all that humankind is capable of causing. Look to the French Revolution, which led to Napoleon; look at Socialism which turned into Communism which led to millions dying in Siberian Gulags; look at Nazism which led to the Holocaust. These are examples of where God was removed from the equation.
So to be a true conservative you must maintain that there is a God and that the teachings within the Bible are to be followed.
That being said at this time many that call themselves “conservative” are following a candidate for president that totally opposes all the true “conservative values.” That person is Donald Trump. In fact if you listen to him, other than the fact that he has no true plans and how to accomplish ANY of what he states he will do, he actually talks like a “progressive.” This means he is opposed to God, this was proven when he stated his favorite verse in the Bible is “an eye for an eye,” the last verse any true Christian would ever support. Yet millions that say they are “Christian” support him. What does this say about these people? The answer to that is not one they wish to hear and it is not good.

The warning of what to look for

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Time and again within the Bible there is warnings. For even though the apostles did not know the day of the return of their mentor and leader Jesus Christ. Once they saw His resurrected form they knew without a doubt that He is the Son of God. They were so faithful to this belief, a belief that was not present upon the day Jesus died upon the cross and they hid themselves away out of fear for their own lives. This new faith was so strong because they saw Him appear before them whole and pure that they left their hiding and never returned to it. They knew He would return.
The Holy Spirit filled them and they went into the streets in joy and gladness because they knew Him to be real. They faced torture, pain, suffering and death. Those very things they feared before the third day they now gladly faced to their deaths. Only one died of old age. The rest were killed.
The last true apostle was Paul, once called Saul. He hated Christians and sought them out and killed them with joy and fervor. Paul the thirteen disciple of Jesus Christ did not change his way till the resurrected Christ stood before him. An event that blinded him, but he was healed. Not only in his eyes but in his spirit. A spirit that instilled within him the knowledge he used to teach of the ways of Christendom and of the return of Jesus Christ.
It was clear that Jesus Christ the risen Savior would return to the surface of this planet. When He does so though it will be a time that those that deny Him and His father will dread and curse. For when He does return their excuses and their placing of doubts into their fellow humans will be made clear for to all that their true desires was for only their lustful desires and not for the glorification of their Creator. All will know that all the marvels of creation are a gift given unto humanity that was abused by those that professed they were there for its protection when in reality they were there for themselves.
Yet that time has not come as of yet, but the signs are everywhere. There are those that mock Christianity and cry out “Where is your Savior?!” False teachers parade about in luxury saying they serve God when those with eyes see that all they serve is themselves. War and rumors of wars abound. Those that wish to control divide the people turning one group against the other all for the desire of pleasing only themselves and not those they pretend to care for.
So blind are those that say they are “Christian” that they willing follow this fad or that fad of words that is pleasing for them to hear. As their ears are tickled with what they wish to hear so they can avoid those words which they do not wish to hear. For if they truly listen to the words that they avoid they will be convicted within their hearts. Knowing with no doubt that they have turned their back upon their Savior and have rejected the love of Jesus Christ for the love and lusts of the world about them.
These are the warnings within the Bible. In no other time in history since Jesus left this planet has these predictions within the Bible been so many coming true at one time. So many are coming true that it rivals the predictions of the forty plus prophecies of what will mark who the Messiah is. The odds for all these prophecies to come true was 1 in 10 to the 156th power, yet come true they did. Yet at this very moment the predictions of what to watch for the soon return of Jesus begin to challenge these very odds yet they are coming true as we speak. However, people still laugh at God, His Son and His servants like myself. Scoffing at us as if we are crazy yet we are not.
It is time to face your Creator. It is time to leave your sins behind. It is time to repent. It is time to stop living in sin. It is time to stop seeking after the riches of this world and to seek the riches of the eternal life that is to follow this soon to end temporal world we now live within.
Do you not see that this world we live in is a poor reality? These large houses you store your worldly wealth within are nothing compared to that which is truly real. Do you not see the wonders within the universe? Do you not know that God created it ALL? These are a glimpse of the eternal rewards promised to all that accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. These are the wonders that await all those that repent and turn form their sin. But to truly turn for sin you must first acknowledge it is a sin. Then when you make this acceptance you must then turn away from it and strive never to do it again.
Do not embrace sin. Do not glorify sin and then on the other hand say you are a follower of Jesus Christ. For that is a lie and an insult to God. It is a slap in the face of your Creator. If you so desire to do this then you have made your choice, and it is a choice that will last you for all eternity.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: snobs

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Occasionally I like to go for Sunday drives with my wife. We both enjoy doing them. I try my best to go the back way whenever possible so as to enjoy the scenery of God’s creation.
Usually these little outings go well. This last Sunday however did not have the usually enjoyment. It wasn’t due to either of us or the scenery about us. This day’s enjoyment decreased as we started getting into an area filled with large houses and massive acreage being used for nonproductive matters.
As we entered into this area and stayed within it for nearly an hour we encounter other drivers that did not follow the laws of the road. Not staying in their own lanes and doing things that obstructed traffic. Once we stopped at a small convenience store and as I started to turn into the parking spot the driver side door of an expensive car suddenly flung open blocking the parking spot. Nearly a minute after this a woman decided to exist this vehicle and with a haughty look, looked upon both my wife and myself with disdain since our car was not on the same par as hers. She then slowly closed the door and walked in the middle of the parking spot I wished to pull into as she headed to the same store we wished to visit.
Shortly after this within another store we decided to go into we over hear an encounter between a customer and someone in the pharmacy. Apparently the employee was inconvenienced to walk ten feet and the customer was in turn bothered to accompany the employee the same ten feet to get what she was requesting.
So we get back onto our little adventure and still encounter poor driving habits that in one instance endangered my wife and myself.
When finally free of this area of expensive houses and ritzy stores suddenly we were able to once again relax and enjoy the country side and beauty of the sunny day.
As I was able to relax once again I started reflecting on the previous hour I had just encountered and was saddened. It is amazing how the Bible is not being taught correctly to the point that people that see themselves as a higher quality of humanity than of anyone else. Yet the Bible teaches us that we are all the same.
This also reminded me how the Bible again is not being taught correctly. Many times The Bible says to love one another, but here is what many do not realize. It is not a love for all humanity, but for those that are like us that have asked Christ into our lives and seek to be a reflection of Him.
Does this say that those that call themselves “Christian” should behave as those I encountered this last weekend? No it does not. In fact the Bible encourages humility. The act of placing all others before ourselves. Yet this is not the mentality of those we encountered this last Sunday. Their mentality is that all must bow and worship them for they are wealthy with the riches of the world.
They do not realize that in reality they are to be pitied. For they have embraced the temporal rewards of this world.
Mark 10:17 – As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
James 4:4 – You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

Doubt has always been present

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Even when the disciples still lived doubt was present, and people could not accept that what they were being told could be real. Yet the Bible does not avoid speaking of these facts and makes it known that people did question, that people did doubt.
2 Peter 1: 16 – For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
1 Corinthians 15:3 – I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
Here are important points that must be made.
Christ resurrected was seen by Peter then by the Twelve.
Christ resurrected was seen by more than 500 people at one time.
Christ resurrected was seen by James his half-brother, whose mother and father were Mary and Joseph. Someone who knew Him all His life and had rejected Him as Christ until this encounter.
Christ resurrected was seen by someone that despised them and he became known as Paul.
As for his brother James. He is mentioned in a non-Biblical history. In fact the history was written by Flavius Josephus. The mention of James is in “Antiquities of the Jews” book 20, chapter 9 and states this:
“Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done”
There is also mention of John the Baptist and Jesus by Josephs, but due to doubt many choose to not call them credible especially the direct reference to Jesus because that mentions his resurrection.
“About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.” Antiquities of the Jews Book 18, chapter 3.
Yet doubt is the problem with Christianity today. We are seventeen year from the anniversary of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Two thousand years of doubt, yet at the same time two thousand years in which people still say they belief in these very statements. Nothing can truly compare in recorded history or even in religion to these statements. Yet as we see above it is not just recorded in the Bible, but its very existence is mentioned in non-religious history.
So why is there doubt? Because without doubt people cannot justify their actions if it is without doubt. They use the doubt as a scapegoat which allows them to live in sin to their pleasure and enjoyment. For without doubt they must accept responsibility for their sins and since they do not wish to leave their sins behind doubt is their only refuge for the truth. The truth that tells them that if they live in sin they are destine to a pit of fire.
So they must doubt. They must question, because they fear that the truth is all too real and will lead to damnation. That is why there is “doubt.”

If you truly know Christ you will change

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In the opening greeting of 2 Peter. A book that has been argued was not written by him for the mere fact that the content within in places a large burden upon those that call themselves “Christian” and yet do not reflect the lifestyle requirements placed within this letter. Peter lays out how things change within someone as they “escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
So having left the desires of lust behind, what begins to take its place? First of you become more diligence in your pursuit of godliness. This is done through faith in Jesus Christ, which gives you virtue. Form the virtue you gain knowledge. With this knowledge you gain temperance, which also instills patience. From this patience rises godliness which leads to brotherly kindness which leads to charity.
What is listed above is covered in 2 Peter 1:3-7, but we need to take a look at each of these items listed of how when you accept Jesus as your Savior you will see and act differently.
First off is “diligence,” for with your love for Christ you will seek to be a true reflection of Jesus and to do that you must be hardworking in your faith.
Diligence – spoude – diligence, earnestness, enthusiasm.
So you should in your faith have enthusiasm and earnestness in seeking to be a better image of Christ, which is faith and belief in Him or like I said above, hardworking.
Now since you have gained strong faith in Christ it leads you into “virtue.”
Virtue – arête – virtue, moral excellence, perfection, goodness, a gracious act, uprightness.
So with strong faith you seek to avoid sin and strive toward perfection which is Christ. From this reflection of Jesus you are striving to achieve you gain knowledge, which is taught within the Bible.
Knowledge – gnosis – knowledge, doctrine, wisdom.
From what you have learned from reading the Bible this leads you into “temperance.”
Temperance – egkrateia – self-mastery, self-restraint, self-control, continence
With temperance you learn to limit your exposure to those things that can distract and turn you for your enthusiasm and makes it so you do not let the world dominate you with its lusts. It lust for those things that are the world. Examples: sports, television, alcohol, material possessions. For when you spend more time with these things than with God through His Son Jesus Christ you cannot achieve the goals we are studying in this article.
Once you accomplish getting into a temperate life you learn “patience.”
Patience – hupomone – endurance, steadfastness, patient waiting for.
Then once you are steadfast in your faith this leads to “godliness.”
Godliness – eusebeia – piety (towards God), godliness, devotion, godliness. Piety – the quality of being religious or reverent.
With your devotion toward God solidly in place this allows you to have “brotherly kindness.”
Brotherly kindness – philadelphia – brotherly love, love of Christian brethren.
This leads toward a love of your fellow Christians, not of those of the world, but of those that are like yourself, which causes you to be charitable to them.
Charity – agape – love, benevolence, good will, esteem.
A charity that is love for those that wish to strive to seek God as you do.
This is not how this is taught in many places. Many say we are to love all, but that is not what is taught in this message. We are to seek out our fellows in Christ and in love help them to achieve these changes so that they may become a more pure reflection of our Savior Jesus Christ

2 Peter 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

The unexpected debate: Part 3

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The last two days I have been going into a breakdown of events within the Tribulation period because of a debate I encountered last week about at what point the Rapture transpires in relation to the Tribulation. I covered the pre and the mid now I am up to the pre-wrath and in my eyes the post-tribulation Raptures. Why I am grouping them together is because an important aspect took place at the midpoint. First the 144,000 Israelites were sealed and the two witnesses began their ministry. What I will cover today will be the events that happen before the bowls of wrath which are saved as the worst part of the Tribulation and are not only terrible but if allowed for a long period would result in death to all that remain upon the surface of this planet. Now I must add here that the wording when translated from the Greek includes “ALL” that are alive, no exceptions or exclusions, except for the 144,002. That removes there being a Post-Tribulation Rapture all together. The midpoint is also shown to be the opening of the sixth seal which is accompanied by a great earthquake and ALL that remain seek to hide themselves for the sight of God. This implies that none, but the 144,002 mentioned above seek God’s grace.
The last seal is opened upon the scroll given to Jesus and as He opens it the seven trumpet judgments begin. So a quick review of what happens in the first six trumpets. Because within the seventh trumpet is not where the seven bowls of wrath occur it is here that the pre-wrath tribulation is said to take place. What I want everyone to note though will be what happens in the sixth trumpet.
First trumpet – bloody hail and fire: one-third of vegetation destroyed.
Second trumpet – fiery mountain from heaven – one-third of oceans polluted.
Third trumpet – falling star – one third of fresh water polluted.
Fourth trumpet – darkness – one third of suns, moon, and star light diminished.
Fifth trumpet – demonic invasion against all humanity – painful torment and begging for death, but none is given.
Sixth trumpet – army of 200 million – one-third of humanity killed (2.376 billion people [2,376,000,000])
Now once again I emphases that ONLY 144,002 human beings ARE protected and no others. God would not subject those that are faithful to Him to suffer in such a manner. Now those that have denied Him as the parallel which is seen in Egypt when Moses came to free Israel from the enslavement in Exodus. Those that are left are the “Egyptians,” and there is no special instructions or hint that instructions will be given to comfort or protect those that are here during these judgments. In fact the total opposite is shown to occur.
So this belief in a pre-wrath or post-tribulation Rapture have no solid Biblical ground to stand upon and in my opinion have no valid foundation. So I cannot at this time see God being so cruel to those that have accepted His Son as their Savior. So the only Rapture which is prophesied within the Bible has only one solid point to exist at. Before the Tribulation begins and makes it so since people have heard the voice of Jesus as well as the voice of Michael and heard the Trumpet to have to do more through works than through faith. For having heard Jesus makes the need for faith to be less but the need for works to be greater. So once again I am led to a pre-Tribulation Rapture.

The unexpected debate: Part 2

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Yesterday I pointed out the transition between the third chapter of Revelation and the fourth chapter. I also pointed out that after the third chapter the last book of the Bible the word “church” is not mentioned again until 22:16. This showed that the church is a non-entity within Revelation and the focus of the book is where it belongs. Not on humanity, but on Christ.
There are those that wish to state though that the true Rapture does not occur before the Tribulation begins, but during in two possible points and after. Well let’s go to the next way point that is the theoretical Rapture point. The mid-Tribulation Rapture.
Now in all honesty I do belief there is A Rapture here, but I do not see it as the Rapture the of the Church, because to me as was shown yesterday the church is not mentioned after Revelation chapter three. Now there are people that do appear before the throne of God and their number is uncountable. Before they are mentioned standing before God they are mentioned under the altar and are mentioned as “souls” so during the martyrdom period they are not resurrected till this time is complete. This is why I say there is A Rapture, but these are what is call the Tribulation Saints. Those that came to know God during this first part of the Tribulation and had to demonstrate their belief in Christ through works since they did not perform these actions before they truly knew that Christ was real.
What takes place between the end of chapter three and the ninth verse of chapter seven is a tale that needs to be seen. If not fully, at least enough to get a grasp of just how tragic this time will be. There are many opposing views as to the true order of events that transpire during the seven years of the tribulation period. The scroll with the seven seals is the main document that controls all that occurs during this seven year period.
In Matthew 24 and Revelation 6 five aspects of human interaction comes into the light. The first will be the rise of false prophets who will lead many into apostasy then the anti-Christ shall rise to power. Then there will be war followed by famine and plagues. During this time those that come to the truth of God and truly accept Jesus as their Savior will be persecuted and martyred.
The key point of change here is when the 144,000 are marked by God and taken to safety, this will occur when the anti-Christ breaks his treaty with Israel at the mid-point of the Tribulation period. The 144,000 all agree are Israelites for they are those chosen to fulfil God promise to Abraham. My personal view is that beyond the rapture of the tribulation saint, which occurs at the mid-point, that no others will accept Christ beyond this point. For not only are the 144,000 sealed here and taken into the God’s protection but this is also at which point the two witnesses are to appear and stand in judgement over all that remains upon the earth. Because for any judgement there must be two witnesses. Form all indication the time period that the 144,000 are protected and ministry of the two witnesses lasts is the same and both are the last three and a half years of the tribulation period. This is signaled when the anti-Christ takes over Jerusalem and the new temple, again at the mid-point of the tribulation.
Now many think that this is also the point of the Rapture of the church. Now as we are witnessing there is already persecution of the church but as of yet the rise of the anti-Christ has not occurred, but we are overwhelmed by false prophets. Now Christ does warn us that Christendom will face persecution, but it is not promised to all or most as would be required by those that stand for God in the first three and a half years of the Tribulation period. I just cannot see God placing that much upon those that have placed their faith and belief in Him through faith which is witnessed by their works. However, that is the standing point of those that state the Rapture is at the mid-point of the Tribulation.
Now that being said I do understand that many are facing some degree of persecution, throughout the world, and especially in the Middle East at this time. However, there needs to be a trigger that causes the persecution to escalate to such a degree that to cause global martyrdom and also this would require more works than faith by those that do profess to be Christian. Now if Jesus had made His presents more tangible then He has in the last two thousand years I do not see the requirement for more works to be needed. The only way to cause this type of requirement by true believers would be to have something grand trigger this factor beyond the rise of the anti-Christ. The only thing that fits this is a pre-Tribulation Rapture.

The unexpected debate: Part 1

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Last week it was impressed upon me to speak of the Rapture. Upon release of this article I encountered a debate I did not expect to encounter. The core of the debate? When is the Rapture per the Bible?
Is there a pre-tribulation Rapture, a mid-tribulation Rapture, a pre-wrath Rapture or a post-tribulation Rapture?
What is the saddest point about this rupture in understanding of the Bible is that people would actually wish to silence someone with a differing point of view about when this is to occur. That topic has already been addressed in a previous article. So there is no need to rehash that sad point once again. It is still something that should not transpire none the less.
Being able to understand when the Rapture is to befall is something that should not be questioned or even allowed to have doubt creep into, but by not knowing for sure when allows this to take place. What is the most important thing to note is that a no time within the book of Revelation is there any mention of what can be characterized as a Rapture. Does this mean there is not one? No. For within Revelation there are resurrections that do take place, but do they meet the criteria of a “Rapture?” Personally I do not see it.
The First three Chapters of the book of Revelation deal with John being visited about Patmos by the Glorified Jesus Christ. Here Christ instructs John to write the seven letter to the seven churches. At the beginning of chapter 4 of Revelation John is called up to heaven to witness the events that are to transpire before the beginning of the Tribulation.
Here is one element that needs to be looked at. John finishes the letters and then, being a Christian himself, or more accurately a Messianic Jew, finds himself in heaven after addressing the earthly church. This in itself could be seen as a reflection of the Rapture since it was not a true Rapture since John did not die at this time. He was merely taken into heaven to witness the events that are written within the last book of the Bible. I wish to quote from the book “Revelation” by John F. Walvoord, which is part of the John Walvoord Prophrcy Commentaries:
“The invitation to John to “come up here” is similar to that which the church anticipates at the rapture that many have connected the two expressions. It is clear from the context that this is not an explicit reference to the rapture of the church as John was not actually translated; in fact, he was still in his natural body on the island of Patmos. He was translated into scenes of heaven only temporarily. Though there is no authority for connecting the rapture with this expression, this sequence does seem to typify the order of events: that is, the church age first, then the rapture, then the church in heaven.
“Though the rapture is mentioned in letters to two of the churches (Revelation 2:25; 3:11), the rapture as a doctrine is not a part of the prophetic foreview of the book of Revelation. This is keeping with the fact that the book as a whole is not occupied primarily with God’s program for the church. Instead, the primary objective is to portray the events leading up to and climaxing in the second coming of Christ and the prophetic kingdom and the eternal state that ultimately will follow.”
The primary focus of the book of Revelation is the seconding coming of Christ. Placing the focus on Jesus and it should be. Any that place it more upon the church is not glorifying Jesus Christ and His Father are making it about themselves and so are being self-centered and self-serving not God serving. I will continue with the next paragraph form the already mentioned book:
“From a practical standpoint, however, the rapture may be viewed as having already occurred before the events of chapter 4 and following chapters of Revelation unfold. The word “church,” so prominent in chapters 2 and 3, does not occur again until 22:16, though the church is undoubtedly in view as the wife of the Lamb in Revelation 19:7. She is not a participant in the scenes of the tribulation that form the major content of Revelation.”
So when you take just the mere fact of the mention of the “church” does not occur in any form after the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation until 22:16 is significant.
How can something that is so important to the Glorified Christ that he spends time to have letters written unto them and then after that it becomes trivial? Because they are out of the picture, a non-factor. This points toward a pre-Tribulation rapture.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: Censorship

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One of the marks of Christianity is the ability to be open to debate and discussion upon the scripture. It was the ability to debate that allowed Martin Luther for a time to be able to mature in his believes that led him to write his thesis and thus begin the Reformation, which was needed. Not all agree on certain facts within the Bible, which is why we have so many denominations.
When people profess to be open to the truth of the Bible, but proceed to censor countering points of view is a sign of hypocrisy and close-mindedness. This is the same symptoms that plagued the Pharisees when Christ walked amongst us. It is their unwillingness to surrender to change that led them to crucify the Son of God.
It is due to debate that my views and believes in God have grown in the correct direction. It saddens me that people would censor conflicting views and not offer a proper debate on the issues presented.