Um, Joe, your post was not too "Jovial"!!    ;D   http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2009/jovial121-3.htm

 

First off, I see nothing selfish whatsoever about wanting the rapture -- when Jesus will receive us unto Himself, and for that to happen the sooner, the better!!   Scripture claims, "let the BRIDE and the Spirit say "COME"   I believe we are to YEARN for heaven!!  ~ to keep our thoughts on things ABOVE!!

 

To get beat up during (what some perceive a pre-wrath rapture) by the false prophet, the AntiChrist, or our starving-to-death neighbor wanting our hamburger is nothing to look forward to!! 

 

But in being called up in the pre-trib rapture, we have EVERYTHING to look forward to!!   This is why being with Jesus is our BLESSED HOPE!!!

 

Stay here & *witness* to people?   Why not witness to people RIGHT NOW??

 

And by the way, our leaving WILL BE the greatest witness of all time!!!!    Why do you think sooo many will become Christians during the Tribulation??   [ref: Rev. 7]  ~ it will be, no doubt, due to our disappearances & they will see that things we've told them all along are coming true right before their eyes!!

 

People are in a "fall away" state right now -- but they will have to turn hardcore, iron man Christians to be overcomers during the Tribulation -- when doing so will cost them their very lives.

 

Also consider, why would we be needed down here to further witness to people?  Why do you think the  TWO WITNESSES will be placed in Jerusalem & ALL The world will see them!!  {live via satelite!! ~ as they breathe fire out their mouths against those who try to kill them?}   Also, angels will fly in the skies witnessing to people..... AND the 144,000 Jews will be sealed to be here to testify for the Lord during the Tribulation hour. ... imagine a world filled with 144,000 little Billy Grahams!!  The gospel will be preached throughout the ENTIRE world!!  Not one tiny little hut in Africa will be without having heard the gospel.

 

I must respectfully disagree with you that people want to be raptured from their "cushy" lifestyles down here -- as not everyone has that.  I'd venture to guess that most Americans do ("most" but certainly not "all"!!)   as well as many in other countries.  But for the ones who indulge & this cushy life is of the upmost importance to them -- will they even be raptured?   IMO, they won't -- not if they PREFER this life to heaven.

 

I don't have a death wish [no one would, unless suicidal -- in which case s/he better check in with the GREAT PHYSICIAN for depression relief!]   although if, by death, is how the Lord should deem that I get to heaven to be with Him, then I would & could accept that.... for He ALONE knows!!   [ref:  Psalm  139]  ... as He has all our days already marked in His book ~ before we are even born!  He even knows the very next thought we will think -- BEFORE we even think it!!   {{HA!!   He KNEW you were going to think *THAT*!!      :D

 

This is the human truth:  most Christians should not mind dying, but who wants to experience the awful, painful "process" to get there?   To be stoned to death like Stephen!  {and no, this does not mean drinking oneself to death!!}….. to be crucified upside down like Paul?  {major, major OUCH!!}   …. To be beaten, raped, and left to die?  ..... Like many people in this evil world… unfortunately.

 

Know what?  I don’t even have a desire for a truck to run over me while I’m out & about running errands today!!   ~ big smile!…..

 

Okay, but I do desire ultimately to be WITH JESUS!!  He is my Savior, my Lord, my Groom, my Best Friend…. He is EVERYTHING to me!!

 

Heaven will be HEAVEN!! ~ absolute PERFECTION!!   Glorious!  Marvelous!  Everything our hearts could desire & MORE….. for we can not EVEN IMAGINE how splendid & glorious it is, Scripture tells us!!    We will not have to constantly look over our shoulders…. For worry of being attacked by a molester or robber or rapist, or worry about our children….  And as the financial climate collapses on earth – the (GOLD!) pavement we’ll be walking on in heaven will not erode or go down in value!   Our mansions there will not need yearly, monthly, or daily maintenance.

 

We will be gathered around THEE THRONE!!   And I could write 50 books about how awesome that’s going to be!!   Have you ever read about the glorious, rainbow-radiant colors that surround God’s Throne?  And the colors of the 12 floors of heaven?  They are absolutely breath-taking & radiant!!  My husband recently got me a present:  my birthstone & it's BEAUTIFUL!!!   ~ not that I wanted another earthly "THING" to enjoy.... for I do not need anything other than my most basic needs to be met -- but I love this birthstone anyway -- because seeing it makes me think of heaven!! ~ and the color of one of the floors of heaven!!  If this is just but a teeny-tiny SAMPLE of what's in store for us...... AHHHHHH-some!!!

 

And one of the best things of all ~ we will not sin against the Lord any more!  Those perverse thoughts that WHAM!! ~  just sneak up on us & smack us upside the head in these last days….that we are told to cast down & bring every thought into obedience.....  even they’ll be GONE!!

 

So many Christians like to talk about how they would willingly die for Christ – some will, and in fact, most will during the Tribulation Era  ..... buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;  ~ Rev. 3:18

 During the Church Age, it would have cost them nothing – however, during the Hour of testing upon the whole world, it will cost them EVERYTHING & they'll have to BUY it ~ with their very lives!!

 

So for those who are so all-fired anxious to DIE FOR CHRIST ~ I would ask, why then should we not be equally, vibrantly soo anxious to LIVE FOR HIM??!!   Romans 12 calls us to do that very thing!!  

"Living" Sacrifices

 Romans 12:1  Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

 

~ anxiously looking for Him & planning to go in the {soon!} PRE-TRIB rapture myself!!

 

from the Blessed Hope gal!

Reva

 www.Blessed-Hope.com

P.S.

We want to go to heaven via the soon pre-trib rapture......  BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE **HE** IS!!!

 

Oh, and BTW, I really DO know how to spell!!   I meant to write:  UTMOST importance.. not upmost....

 

*snicker*!