This post is given in love to TH and all the Doves...
Now is the time to help your loved ones - not after the rapture.
In 2005 I was contacted by a man who all of you would know if I said his name.
(He is not someone on 5 Doves.)
There is no need to give his name. (Also note that I did not keep his phone number so I cannot check to see if he still believes this way.)
Here is my story:
It happened in 2005.
In September 2005, I went to a small meeting that this famous, well-respected Christian man attended. I was introduced to him, but we had no long conversation at that time. Shortly after that meeting, he contacted someone from the meeting in order to get my phone number.
He called me and told me that he wanted to meet with me for lunch, because he had a word from the Lord for me.
We met. He told me that God had a message for me.
Here is the message that he gave me:
God had chosen me to stay behind instead of going in the rapture. God had chosen me to help the people who don’t go in the rapture.
Next, the man told me that there were 300 of us who were chosen. He made it sound like a great honor.
He told me that there would be a meeting of all of us in the coming months to prepare ourselves. Then he told me not to tell one soul about this. He was very insistent on this.
I believed him.
When I went home I was sad because I had been looking forward to the rapture.
I began to pray that the Lord would strengthen me to deal with the troubles that will occur during the tribulation.
I didn’t tell a soul about this – not a family member or friend. (Note that I did not think there was a great urgency. I felt that we were several years away from the rapture.)
Then one day I began thinking, “The Bible doesn’t tell us to stay here. The scripture says that it is God’s will for us to go in the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 tells us that we were not meant for the wrath of God.”
I began praying to the Lord. My eyes were opened and I realized that I was fooled by a demonic scheme.
And I realized that the man who told me this was also fooled by a demonic scheme.
At that time it had been a month or two since our meeting. I called the man and told him that I was not in agreement with him.
He seemed strange on the phone – like he was distracted or something.
Two years later.....
Well, two years later I saw him being interviewed on a Christian television show. During his interview, he actually told the audience that it was admirable to choose not go in the rapture and instead choose to stay here and help people.
I thought, "That was odd. He told me that God had said there were only 300 chosen. Now he is saying that anyone can choose it."
I never saw the man again in person - nor did I ever again hear him talk about the rapture on television.
I am convinced that this idea is a demonic idea because it goes against the Bible.
Luke 21:36 tells us specifically to pray that we are worthy to escape what is coming on the earth.
Luke 21:36 is a command from God. I am NOT going to disobey that scripture.
Revelation 3:10 and Luke 21:36 are examples of the fact that God's will is to take us out of the tribulation.
Please consider what I am saying.
It is possible that we will be able to resist the rapture.
I think there is evidence in the Bible that God usually lets us choose if we are to be rescued.
A couple of examples -
** Elijah wasn't forced to go.
** And God's will was to rescue Lot's wife but she didn't follow instructions.
** Genesis 19:12-14 seems to indicate that God's will was for more people to be saved from Sodom.
** 1 Peter 3:20 also seems to indicate that God wanted more people on Noah's ark.
(God's will is not always done. For example, God clearly said he did not want his people to have a king. But they wanted a king, so he gave them Saul.)
Disobedience to Scripture....
I believe that we are in rebellion to God if we choose to stay behind because of loved ones or just to "help" people in general.
I think a decision to stay is putting our loved ones before God and before God's will.
Matthew 10:37 says, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not WORTHY of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not WORTHY of me."
The word "Worthy" is in the Matthew verse two times and both times the word is Strong's Greek word 514.
Luke 21:36 says, "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."
The word "Worthy" in the verse in Luke is Strong's Greek word 2661. Strong's tells us that the Greek word 2661 comes from the Greek word 2596 AND the Greek word 515. Then when you look up the Greek word 515, it tells us that it comes from the Greek word 514.
So the word "Worthy" in both verses is from the same root word - 514
So God is telling us that HIS will is that we be accounted WORTHY to escape all these things - AND I believe that it is clear that if we put our family before his Word (or if we put any person before his Word) we will not be counted worthy and we will not be pleasing God.
Serious stuff here.
Too many times people decide that they have a better idea than God.
It sounds like heroic sacrifice to stay behind. BUT - 1 Samuel 15:22 - To obey is better than sacrifice.
God is looking for obedience from his people.
I've heard some people even say that they believe that Adam ate the apple because he didn't want Eve to suffer alone. That sounds heroic. But God doesn't call it heroic. God calls it evil and sinful.
We are called to obedience. We are not called to figure things out with our own reasoning.
Luke 1:38......Mary wisely said, "Be it unto me according to thy WORD.
In Revelation chapter 3, God is pleased with the church of Philadelphia because "they have kept my WORD."
Dear TH - if you still disagree with me, I am still happy to call you friend, and hope you will see me that way also.
May all the Doves strongly give our views while still seeking to honor each other.
I believe we all are doing our best to follow God.
Thank you for reading my post.
Sincerely,
Mary