Is This the Last Christmas Before the Rapture?

"For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." - 1 Thessalonians 5:2

The Bible says that the day is coming when Jesus Christ will come down (but not step on Earth) and resurrect the bodies of those followers of his who are already dead at that time. These bodies will be given to their respective persons (who are now in heaven) and the bodies will be incorruptible (indestructible). Immediately after that, he will also supernaturally lift up those followers of his, who are alive at that time on Earth. The bodies of these followers will supernaturally be translated into incorruptible bodies. No matter which group we are in, we will be united with the Lord Jesus Christ forever. This event, as you might know, is called the Rapture. 

And after that, the 7-year Great Tribulation will begin. Those who have not repented of their sins and accepted God's Free Gift of Salvation by then, will be left behind. The Antichrist will appear on the scene and woo the hearts of as many people he can deceive. All this will reach a climax with a war at Armageddon, when Jesus and his forces will defeat the Antichrist and his forces.

Some scholars say that Jesus saying in the Bible that a generation shall not pass since Israel will be re-formed, that the Rapture will occur. They say a Biblical generation is 70-80 years. Israel was re-formed in 1948. This means Jesus could come for the Rapture anytime from 2018-2028. Others say the 4 Blood Moons that will occur from April 2014-October 2015 will likely bring this event. 

Some other people believe not in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, but a Mid- or Post-Tribulation Rapture. They say the first 3.5 years of the Antichrist's wooing the world's people will pass and then the event will occur. So when is it really going to happen? Or is it even important for you if you are a born-again child of God? Well, here is my take on it, with helpful insights from a Christian friend...

Scenario 1: Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Well, this is what most Christians would want, wouldn't we! Supernaturally airlifted out of the danger zone before the zone turns dangerous like it never has in history. But there is another side to it... 

This also means you and I have less time to preach the Gospel and do the other works that destroy the works of the devil. So if your loved ones or friends are unsaved, maybe you need to develop a plan soon, to witness to them. 

Mark 16 says that believers shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. It also says that the disciples went about obeying the commands of Jesus and preached the Gospel everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. So if you think you only need to preach the Gospel but not lay hands on the sick or cast out devils or raise the dead, better re-read Mark 16 again a few times. If the Lord needed to confirm the message with signs, and he is the same yesterday and today and forever, he needs us to yield to him so he can confirm the word with signs following today as well. So make yourself available to the Holy Spirit. If the Pre-Trib Rapture is what it's going to be, then you might just have 3.5 years less to get your loved ones into the Kingdom.

"The day you realize that who you lay your hands on will live and who you do not lay your hands on could die...from that day, you will start looking at your hands differently." - Curry Blake, General Overseer, John G. Lake Ministries

Let your hands and feet be the hands and feet of Jesus. Allow him to continue his ministry today...this time through you!

We will look at the Scenario 2: Post-Tribulation Rapture in the next blog post. Till then, keep witnessing and demonstrating the Kingdom!

How Not to Fulfill the Great Commission

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8,9

That sounds really spiritual, doesn't it? Maybe that applies to you if you are a Jew - but certainly not if you are a Christian. Because if you are a Christian, then the Bible says that you have the mind of Christ:

"For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ." - 1 Corinthians 2:16

Do you really think you can fulfill the Great Commission if your thoughts are lower than God's thoughts and your ways are lower than His ways? If that were possible, then why would the Bible say that we have the mind of Christ? Why would we even need the mind of Christ? Praying and reinforcing the idea that God's thoughts are higher than ours and His ways are higher than ours is a good way to try hard not to fulfill all that God has called you to do, as a Christian. Because God's heart is for salvation, deliverance and healing for every human. So if He conceived that plan, only His thoughts and ways can achieve the fulfillment of these goals. If you don't share His vision, think His thoughts and deploy His methods, there is no way to achieve these goals.

Maybe I'm preaching this to myself too, but if you want to fulfill the Great Commission, then the starting point is this:

1. Learn to think (believe) like Jesus did; and
2. Learn to walk (act) the way Jesus walked (acted).

That's because the Old Testament saints - the Jews - did not have the Holy Spirit living inside of them. So they could not think or act like Jesus. But since we have the mind of Christ, and Jesus Christ and God the Father are one, our thoughts and ways are positionally the same as God's. So the only thing we need to do is enforce that position in our lives. Once we get to doing that on a regular basis, we will be taking big strides to fulfilling God's plan for our lives!

Are you on fire for the Gospel? Good, because you should be! Then here's a blog post you might like and find useful: How to Spiritually Capture a City: Download MP3

What's Common Between Gilbert Hill and Christians?

The picture above is that of Gilbert Hill, Mumbai, India. According to Wikipedia, Gilbert Hill is a 200 ft (61 m) monolith column of black basalt rock at Andheri, in Mumbai (my hometown). The rock has a sheer vertical face and was formed when molten lava was squeezed out of the Earth's clefts during the Mesozoic Era about 65 million years ago. If you are a practicing Christian, you might know that the Earth is not that old, but probably only about 6000-7000 years old. Scientists seem to have proven that all it takes for the Earth to cool down is a fraction of a second (Refer to Josh McDowell's free ebook Reasons Skeptics Should Consider Christianity: http://www.josh.org/resources/free-book-downloads/).
Gilbert Hill is a national level prehistoric heritage site. Many people the world over might be thrilled to learn that the town they live in is home to a prehistoric site like this. I too was, until the Holy Spirit told me that every square inch of ground I walked on is a prehistoric site. It has always been existing since He created Earth! What's more, He showed me another important fact – guess what it was – that I am a prehistoric site myself, being born again! And how? Of course, because as per the Bible, my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and the spirit of Jesus Christ lives in me. The Ancient of Days (God the Father – Jehovah) lives in me through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. So is not my body a prehistoric site? Yours too is, if you are a born again child of God through faith in His Son Jesus. Yet what a joyful irony, the Bible says that when you turn your life over to Jesus, old things pass away and all things become new and all things are of God!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God…" – 2 Corinthians 5:17,18

If you want to become a prehistoric site (yet recreated through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God), read this blog post.

Faith Confessions: When a Child of God Speaks...

Romans 8:14:
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

It's been a long time since I wrote a blog post. So here it is...

In the Divine Healing Technician Training seminar conducted by Curry Blake of John G. Lake Ministries, Blake says a few landmark things. Open a notepad or Word document and save this:

"When a child of God speaks, Heaven hears and agrees, and hell hears and obeys."

Read that once more. Let it sink-in.

Here's another one:

"An anointed teacher makes the complicated simple. An annoying teacher makes the simple complicated."

And another one:

If you're a Christian (saved, born again), then say this:

"I am God's son, the devil's master, and Man's servant." Read each part of that statement carefully and let it sink-in. Then repeat.

I suggest you memorize all the 3 statements given above.

If you want to learn more about their ministry, visit www.jglm.org. God bless you!

How to Spiritually Capture a City: Download MP3

"Practice what you preach."

Here's a great teaching from John G. Lake Ministries, titled "How to Spiritually Capture a City."

Click the link below to download the teaching as an MP3 file:

http://www.inspiration-room.net/content/how-spiritually-capture-city

Curry Blake - General Overseer of JGLM says in that teaching that they have actually practiced what he teaches and it's worked. If it worked for them, it should surely work for any other church and for any born again child of God. 
Caution: Jesus sent disciples two-by-two. So I suggest you go out in groups to evangelize the way they recommend. And if there is hostility in the area you live or plan to evangelize, I suggest you speak to your pastor first, because the pastor is responsible for your spiritual well-being and life before God. If all is fine, then try it out and leave your comments here. If I do try out the method, I too will update. Till then, forever, God bless you and use you more mightily as a blessing, in Jesus' name. Amen!