Will only those who watch and pray escape?
Jul 22, 2011 16:47:49 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 22, 2011 16:47:49 GMT -5
Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:35-36)
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:19)
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)
I had dinner with a friend last night; I had given her the URL to Harpazo, and invited her to come in and look around. Even though she's not into Bible prophecy, she's active in Politics, and we have all the latest news here, all in one place.
Well, she pretty much came right out and told me that I - and those who participate here - are a bunch of fanatics, and she can't imagine living the way we do, watching for Jesus to return any day.
Personally, I can't imagine wanting to continue on in a world that's getting worse and worse every day, what with the loss of freedoms, decline in morality, constant threat of war, natural disasters, etc.
I attempted to explain, and told her it was like a prisoner looking forward to the day he was free; she responded that she didn't feel as if she was in prison. (Yet, she's struggling financially, takes care of a blind mother and a sister with health problems, has health problems of her own.....)
Trying another tact, I asked her if she wasn't excited about meeting Jesus. Her response? "Sure...eventually. But first I want to see my grandchildren grow up, have careers, and get married, and I want to see America restored."
I find that a lot (maybe most) Christians aren't excited about Jesus' return - their attitude seems to be that they're going to miss out on something, or that His return will interfere with their lives. I even had a worship leader tell me, "Jesus can't come back yet - I want to see my grandchildren!" (Her oldest child was 4 at the time.) It's sad that they don't realize that they're not going to miss out on anything - all our hopes and dreams and desires will be fulfilled - and this life isn't The Main Event.
I know God is a great respecter of free will, and He's not going to force us to do anything we don't want to; in fact, He loves us so much that we're free to choose to go to hell if we so desired, even though it would break His heart.
What do you all think - are those carnal Christians who don't want Him to return because He might interfere with their plans going to be raptured, or will He give them what they apparently would rather have, and let them stay behind?
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:35-36)
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:19)
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)
********************
I had dinner with a friend last night; I had given her the URL to Harpazo, and invited her to come in and look around. Even though she's not into Bible prophecy, she's active in Politics, and we have all the latest news here, all in one place.
Well, she pretty much came right out and told me that I - and those who participate here - are a bunch of fanatics, and she can't imagine living the way we do, watching for Jesus to return any day.
Personally, I can't imagine wanting to continue on in a world that's getting worse and worse every day, what with the loss of freedoms, decline in morality, constant threat of war, natural disasters, etc. I attempted to explain, and told her it was like a prisoner looking forward to the day he was free; she responded that she didn't feel as if she was in prison. (Yet, she's struggling financially, takes care of a blind mother and a sister with health problems, has health problems of her own.....)
Trying another tact, I asked her if she wasn't excited about meeting Jesus. Her response? "Sure...eventually. But first I want to see my grandchildren grow up, have careers, and get married, and I want to see America restored."
I find that a lot (maybe most) Christians aren't excited about Jesus' return - their attitude seems to be that they're going to miss out on something, or that His return will interfere with their lives. I even had a worship leader tell me, "Jesus can't come back yet - I want to see my grandchildren!" (Her oldest child was 4 at the time.) It's sad that they don't realize that they're not going to miss out on anything - all our hopes and dreams and desires will be fulfilled - and this life isn't The Main Event.
I know God is a great respecter of free will, and He's not going to force us to do anything we don't want to; in fact, He loves us so much that we're free to choose to go to hell if we so desired, even though it would break His heart.
What do you all think - are those carnal Christians who don't want Him to return because He might interfere with their plans going to be raptured, or will He give them what they apparently would rather have, and let them stay behind?
) Or my own mother, who purports to be a believer, yet worries CONSTANTLY about money and the things of this world....or my best friend's husband who said he didn't believe the rapture could be coming soon because, "things in the world are not bad enough yet" 
take the warnings seriously. We prepare the best we can and we wait and follow the storm's every move. The return of our Lord to come and take us home is (obviously) SO much more exciting and wonderful than a storm - why would anybody NOT wait excitedly?