Is The Church Ready For The Rapture
The Seven Letters of Jesus Christ to the Church (Revelation, chapters 2 & 3) are His last words to call us to His faithfulness. These Seven Letters are full of praises for the good and warnings for failure. Every letter ends with His promises to those that are “Overcomers.” The word “Overcomers” is a theme word of our Lord to His Church. At least three times He warns the believers about the lifestyles that render them unprepared for the Rapture. Especially to the Church at Thyatira, He tells them that to follow the “spirit of Jezebel” would cause them to be cast into The Great Tribulation. Here are His words, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds” (Revelation 2:20-22). In the letter to the Laodiceans He says a similar thing, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelations 3:16). My greatest burden is to reach the unsaved and to stir the believers to an on-fire experience with Christ. Not only can you know you are ready for the Rapture, but you can enjoy the life of a dedicated Christian. It is the only life worth our total surrender. “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). The Biblical life is truly a life of Living Waters.
ORDER a sermon by my son entitled, “RIVERS OF LIVING WATERS.”
RJ
ah “prophetess” Jezebel ~ we’ve got people in today’s world just like this! TONS OF THEM.
Those who call themselves preachers and may even name the name of Christ, yet they are not
adhering to His Word nor have they departed from lawlessness. They may be in it just for the
money or the fame, or both.
It is SO dangerous living in today’s world & trying to find a church that teaches the pure
Word of God!
I believe “most” of the church is NOT ready for the rapture, but the remnant is, those
who keep their robes washed white. Each day I pray it’s the day to go. Some day (hopefully
very soon!) it will be!
Jaimie
Amen Pastor Chambers
Yes the letters are an explicit warning to those who would read them. I keep praying that Lord will search my heart for my hurtful ways and create in me a clean heart. Therefore I must also pray to be found worthy of his calling!
A lot of people miss the fact that we are not to fornicate.
So Pastor whom is that Woamn Jezebel, I thought it may be the Catholic Church?
God Bless my Christain Bretheren
jaimie
melvin meyers
overcomers is all about Passover. The 3rd cup of passover is the cup of redemption. The 4th cup is the wedding cup. Your action tell your faith. Very few christian celebrate Passover and take of the Wedding Cup. According to Jesus it your teacher did teach you to keep Passover Matt.5:16-20 their the least in the kingdom. None of Jesus Feast Days will pass away till heaven and earth pass away.
Ed Wood
Hello Pastor Joseph.
There are many takes on what the churches of Revelation 2 and 3 represent. I believe that they not only referred to actual churches in Asia Minor that existed in John’s time in the last decade of the First Century, but also point to the church throughout history. The last two, the church of Phildelphia and the church of Laodicea are notable in their stark contrasts.
Though I do not believe either refer to specific denominations, they do accurately portray present day trends. We have the increasingly rejected church composed of true believers in the former and the accepted church of lukewarm aspect and false doctrines in the latter.
Since Revelation chapters 2 & 3 are quite clear on what the fate of the members of all the seven respective churches will be based on their actions, we certainly can’t claim that we haven’t been warned!
Ed Wood
Excellent Post!
Joseph Chambers
Julie
I can feel the Living Water in me all the time. I love Jesus and am also working to reach the lost by distributing the Gospel message. For me to live is Christ.
Lea
Dear Brother Chambers,
What a wonderful message! I believe we have just a very short time before the Rapture. As we look to Israel, we can see things falling into place for what is to come in the Middle East.
Jesus addressed the seven churches. He addressed the actual churches, the church periods and those characteristics each have, and each church represents “types” of Christians.
I pray that we can get the message out constantly until Jesus appears in the clouds and we hear that trump and shout.
Keep doing your wonderful ministry. People are thirsty for the Word of God.
Maranatha!
Lea
Jim
Thank you so much for bringing out the theme of “love” which was so important for the early Methodists when explaining the meaning of holiness. Wesley saw “perfect love” as the metaphor for sanctification and explained it as “loving God with our whole heart and mind”. I have not made that connection with perfect love of God and man with devotion (being prepared for the rapture)often enough.
Perhaps at another time you can further reiterate how all of the themes and doctrines of the Bible are wrought out in Revelation. I find this very interesting and breathtaking that the last book of Scripture is a summary and apex of the whole. Praise God for His Providence!
My Friend,
One of my themes in teaching Revelation is that every doctrine in the Bible
in dramatized in this last book of Scripture. I like to ask a condregation to
name any Bible truth and let me show them that truth in the Book of Revelation.
Thanks for your post.
Joseph Chambers
Jim S
Dear Pastor Chambers, as always your messages are the best! Thank you! The following is a footnote to your message I added from Ray Comfort, founder of The Way of the Master Ministries. In a book (entitled Hell’s Best Kept Secret) Ray said, “Jesus warns there is no division in the Kingdom of God for those who are lukewarm towards Him (Rev 3:16). Jesus said the lukewarm would be spewed out of His mouth on the Day of Judgment. Lukewarm believers are converts who are not part of the Body of Christ; they merely weigh heavy within the stomach of His body until such a time as He vomits them out! These are those who are hard and insensitive to the fact that Jesus died on the cross for them; they have not been broken down by the digestive action of the Word that they might be absorbed into the Body of Christ; they have not been broken down to become his hands, feet and mouth. They are indifferent to reading the Bible, church attendance and reaching the lost.” As you can see, the Lord is pulling no punches and the time to get serious about our faith is ever present.
Byron
Dear Bro. Chambers,
Was Lord was writing to the Church (truly redeemed) or the state of minds of these 7 groups of people? The Book of Peter is then confusing to me. Why would this end age of grace be different than those who went on to be w/the Lord at an earlier date? It’s clear to me that Jesus was speaking in to those that depend on Him for almost nothing and those that believe that there are other ways to the Fathers house. Other wise it would be by works. I respect you and know that your heart is pure, and most of us will be glad when we are Home and in a body that can not sin. The 7 Churches (either way) should be heeded, Paul did say to search our selves and be sure that we’re still in him, but Peter seems different. God bless, I’m not perfect but conforming to the ways of our Savior, Satan is wily, the Lord is all powerful (sorry, that was an after thought))
Joni Wagner
Are we rapture ready? The question should be are we Tribulation ready? The tribulation is
Satan’s wrath on the believer. It is not God’s wrath on the believer. God’s wrath will be
against the wicked not on the chosen. The antichrist will pour his furry out on the believer
we need to be grounded in the faith to endure the persecution of antichrist. I’m
preparing in prayer to withstand Jacobs trouble. Then later on God will shorten the tribulation
for the elects sake. I am one of the elect. I will come through the tribulation because I
am prepared for it. It’s foolish to think that there would be two raptures one before
the tribulation and another after the tribulation. As I read scripture there is only one rapture
and one second coming. The scripture is clear on this issue.
Joni
Bill Scudder
Pastor:
The “true” Church of Jesus Christ is alway’s ready for the rapture. You are Saved by Grace through faith. All true Christians are ready for the rapture.
Brother Bill,
If your are right, why did Jesus Christ say what He said in these Letters in Revelation? Was He playing a game with them, was He simlply encourage them with negative words, or was He pron to overstate His case against them. Remember He is the Son of God and every Word He spoke was Divine Truth!!!!!! I care about people’s souls to much to not speak His Truth. I’d rather be to strong than to weak. Love you!!!!!!!
Pastor Chambers
NO NAME
You are correct; most of the “church” is ready for the rapture. . . unfortunately, the rapture is not a scriptural concept. “Rapture” is a Latin word for two Greek words — the “rapture” is not a scriptural doctrine such as the day/coming of the Lord.
1Th 4:15 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Try preaching out of the Bible without adding words or rehashing books written by men.
Dear No Name!
I can understand why you did not give your name. Error is always in a fight against TRUTH.
TRUTH can bless and love those in error, but error hates TRUTH.. I love you No name and I’m praying for you to find TRUTH before the Rapture. It’s going to br HELL on earth!!!!!!!!
Pastor Chambers
Mark A. Steiner
Those who object to a PT Rapture have never read and studied Genesis 5, and what happened to Enoch.
Those who object to a PT rapture apparently have no Blessed Hope that Paul clearly spoke of in Titus 2:12-13.
Apparently Jesus commands to watch and be ready mean nothing to these, as He spoke of in Matthew 24:42, 24:44 Luke 21:36 and elsewhere.
The closer you walk with the Lord as Enoch did, the more you can anticipate fulfillment of the Blessed Hope sometime in your lifetime.
How do you walk with God? Stay in His word is one necessary action and fair response.
Remember, even Enoch prophesied the return of Jesus to earth WITH His saints. Jude 14-15. Good day.
Mike
It is nice to see people taking the word of God seriously, yet the 3 main views of the rapture clearly show that at least 2 of them are false doctrines. There is only one view that keeps you safe in all situations and that is: Understand that you do not know the day or hour and are ready to wait untill the last day as it is written, then if he comes pre-trib or mid trib it is a bonus for you, but you are prepared to wait untill the last day so no one can decieve you by saying that the mark isnt really the mark of the beast or you would have been raptured already, or attempt to make you doubt your faith in Christ by saying “Where is this coming he promised?”
Remember, the actual teaching throughout the scripture is that Christ will return on “The Last Day” but all christians need to be ready for him every day for we do not know when he will call each of us home. We could walk outside and be hit by a truck today. Inevitably some of us will die this very day.
Many doctrines are conjecture of scripture by unspiritual minds that announce carnal teaching of men, to other men. These things add to the scriptures and are not found in the scriptures. Another perfect example of this is the notion that we will have a ressurection into a physical body. The conjecture of scripture being that because Christ was physically resurected, we will be also. Christ was resurected in the way he was for Gods purpose at that time. We will be ressurected into spiritual/incorruptable bodies on the last day as it is written in Corinthians 15. Different times, different purpose. Paul and other apostles spoke of the things they were actually shown by the Lord. Paul had seen the third heaven. He had seen the bodies that we will have. He spoke of what he knew. Many teachers today speak vehemently about things they have never seen or been instructed by the Lord about and have no authority to speak such things. Their unspiritual minds cannot grasp what the scripture is really saying and they teach carnal doctrine.
-Peace
Marisol Perry
Those who object to a PT Rapture have never read and studied Genesis 5, and what happened to Enoch. Those who object to a PT rapture apparently have no Blessed Hope that Paul clearly spoke of in Titus 2:12-13. Apparently Jesus commands to watch and be ready mean nothing to these, as He spoke of in Matthew 24:42, 24:44 Luke 21:36 and elsewhere. The closer you walk with the Lord as Enoch did, the more you can anticipate fulfillment of the Blessed Hope sometime in your lifetime. How do you walk with God? Stay in His word is one necessary action and fair response. Remember, even Enoch prophesied the return of Jesus to earth WITH His saints. Jude 14-15. Good day.
Nona Mills
It is nice to see people taking the word of God seriously, yet the 3 main views of the rapture clearly show that at least 2 of them are false doctrines. There is only one view that keeps you safe in all situations and that is: Understand that you do not know the day or hour and are ready to wait untill the last day as it is written, then if he comes pre-trib or mid trib it is a bonus for you, but you are prepared to wait untill the last day so no one can decieve you by saying that the mark isnt really the mark of the beast or you would have been raptured already, or attempt to make you doubt your faith in Christ by saying “Where is this coming he promised?” Remember, the actual teaching throughout the scripture is that Christ will return on “The Last Day” but all christians need to be ready for him every day for we do not know when he will call each of us home. We could walk outside and be hit by a truck today. Inevitably some of us will die this very day. Many doctrines are conjecture of scripture by unspiritual minds that announce carnal teaching of men, to other men. These things add to the scriptures and are not found in the scriptures. Another perfect example of this is the notion that we will have a ressurection into a physical body. The conjecture of scripture being that because Christ was physically resurected, we will be also. Christ was resurected in the way he was for Gods purpose at that time. We will be ressurected into spiritual/incorruptable bodies on the last day as it is written in Corinthians 15. Different times, different purpose. Paul and other apostles spoke of the things they were actually shown by the Lord. Paul had seen the third heaven. He had seen the bodies that we will have. He spoke of what he knew. Many teachers today speak vehemently about things they have never seen or been instructed by the Lord about and have no authority to speak such things. Their unspiritual minds cannot grasp what the scripture is really saying and they teach carnal doctrine. -Peace