What is wrong with the attitude "I can't wait till the
rapture, and the
Lord takes me out of here"?
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I wish to respond to this because many like me do have
the above stated attitude and I believe we are correct to have it and
are even warned by Jesus not to let any man take it away from us.
Yes there was a time when we were to be serving as the
Lord's body. But that time is at an end and we are told to look up and
lift our heads now because our redemption is nigh. The disciples
were standing looking u! p when Jesus ascended and they were told
by the angels that it was not yet time to stand and look up, but to go
and do what He told you... But one day when you see the signs
that He spoke of showing that it is near, then look up, and get ready
to go... We are now in that time.
Acts 1: 8. But ye shall receive power, after
that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost
part of the earth.
9. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld,
he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went
up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing
up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner! as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Luke 21:28. And when these things begin
to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption
draweth nigh.
There does finally come a time when Noah stops trying
to save anyone else, Lot gives up on his sons in law who think he's joking,
Joshuah and Caleb see that they are not getting through to the rest of
the Israelites who want to stone them and go back to Egypt, the five wise
have to tell the five foolish, "Sorry, there's not enough oil for me and
you both, you go buy your own oil, I'm going in while the door is open..."
And we just look up and say, "Come Lord Jesus and get me outta here!"
Who was God not ashamed to be called their God? Those
who served really good? Or those who were seeking after a city whose builder
and maker is God? Those of whom the world was not worthy...
Hebrews11: 9. By faith he (Abraham) sojourned
in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles
with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God...
13. These all died in faith, not having
received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded
of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims on the earth.
14. For they that say such things declare plainly that they
seek a country.
15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from
whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly:
wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared
for them a city.
Hebrews 3: 6. But Christ a! s a son over
his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
14. For we are made partakers of Christ,
if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end...(4:14)
...let us hold fast our profession.
Revelation 3: 8. I know thy works: behold,
I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou
hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my
name. (Jesus = "Jehovah Our Saviour" Other churches deny that name by
returning to the law...)
10. Because thou hast kept the word of
my patience, (not: "Because you served so good...") I also will keep thee
(rapture thee) from the hour of temptation, (the tribulation period) which
shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou ha!
st, that no man take thy crown.
That which we of the Philadelphia Church have, that
He tells us to hold fast to, is this not denying His name,
and keeping the word of His patience, or endurance. (He endured the cross,
despising the shame... He endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself... He paid the whole price. We just have to hold onto that word
of His endurance)
Also we are holding onto His promise to get us out of
here.
John 14:3. And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also.
It's our blessed hope. We are not to be ashamed of it.
We are not to let it slip.. (Heb. 2:1) We are not to let any man take
it from us.
2 Timothy 4:8. Henceforth there is laid
up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at! that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing.
That's the crown that we are to let no man take from
us. I love His appearing and I don't mind if that offends you.
As was pointed out in an earlier recent post, Psalm
106 is this year 2006. That Psalm also makes this comparison between those
Israelites who failed to enter the promised land (rapture for us) and
those who believed and held onto their confidence.
It had nothing to do with service or lack of it. Just holding onto
His promises and stay confident that He will do what He says. He is coming
and I'm leaving with Him when He gets here and I hope it's this Spring!
Barry Amundsen