Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. James 1:16
We are headed into perilous times. Deception IS everywhere and permeates so much of today’s information. Can you discern the truth? AI now is gaslighting people who disagree with it. Propaganda is the normal way of dissimilation in of all the media. “Higher intelligences” are manipulating patterns of thought and working on covering their real agenda. Within the ‘intellectual’ debate within “Christian” circles / denominations / ‘theological’ ideologies and ‘camps’ there is a sowing of great division and many are claiming the ‘high ground’ that EVERYONE should listen to only them. Don’t be caught up in arguments. Don’t get trapped into shallow judgments and surface categorizations of people just because they don’t agree with you. Real communication is becoming increasingly difficult. With texting and social media, communication has been dumbed down so far that it requires the reader to ‘filter’ and ‘interpret’ far beyond any other type of communication. We’ve basically lost real dialogue and self-controlled gentle forms of even trying to understand one another, we almost immediately jump to emotional rage or outright dismissal of the other person. Why won’t we just stop negatively interpreting everyone and everything and ask the Holy Spirit what is the reality of your situation? Do you ever ask the Holy Spirit where you are getting it wrong? Can you admit it when you are wrong?
One of the biggest divisions in Christianity currently surrounds a doctrinal ideology called ‘the rapture’. The idea is that Jesus will return in the air prior to the dispensational view of the tribulation to take Christians into heaven BEFORE or mid-way through the literal view of the 7-year tribulation. This little dispute or disagreement can cause major division among Christians and even family members. I have studied, listened, read, and researched the subject. There is SO much out there surrounding this topic. But my life experience(s) with Jesus and the Holy Spirit have given me a ‘tempered’ view of eschatology (The study of the ‘end times’). We are the ones who are ‘limited’ in our understanding, not Jesus. Now we only “see through a glass darkly” or “see only a reflection as in a mirror” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12. Knowing the ‘spiritual realm’ and God’s ‘timeline’ is not one that can be intellectually fully comprehended. Verse 12 goes on to say “I know in part…”. It isn’t till the Father declares the ‘time’ will we truly ‘understand’ to any measure of degree of certainty.
Now allow me to throw another idea into the mix that may cause even greater ‘head scratching’. God isn’t the One limited by time like we are.
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8
This verse is part of Peter’s final words to the ekklesia (Body of Christ). We ARE the created finite beings who are SO encased into the measurement and limits of ‘time’. God is not. God is OUTSIDE of time. Because of our limitation of and in time we view EVERYTHING through that limited ‘lens’ of understanding. Be careful setting your heart to believe everything the way YOU think. Don’t you think God might have a fuller perspective of time, creation, His plan, and how things will work out for all of creation AND … you personally?
What’s an inherent problem with ‘camping’ on the view of the rapture the WAY YOU think it will happen? Complacency. We need to be ready to meet Jesus in the next minute, hour, or today! It isn’t about a specific ‘event’ we should be setting our hearts and eyes on – they should be set on JESUS right NOW!! Jesus constantly preached and taught that we should ALWAYS be watching and ready at ANY moment! Another problem with looking to the ‘event’ of the ‘rapture’ as your salvation? Fear. Many believe in the ‘rapture’ to assuage their ‘fears’. So many are fearful of pain and terrible possibilities of the tribulation. So, you don’t believe Jesus will be with you to your very end? You don’t believe Jesus has the ability to take you through any or all the difficulties you might be facing? Who or what is your ‘faith’ grounded in? Is it grounded in your intellectual theological understanding of eschatology or what some ‘leader’ preached to you? If your ‘spiritual understanding’ isn’t from a DIRECT implantation from the Holy Spirit … you will be like a ‘boat tossed in a storm’. Believe in the words of JESUS!! What Rhema Word has the Holy Spirit given to you? THAT is what your faith is built on!
Look to JESUS! Ask the Holy Spirit your questions. Be willing to be led into the Word for the answers to confirm what He is dropping into your heart. Don’t look to tomorrow for your ‘salvation’ or a ‘doctrinal’ understanding of a future ‘event’ for your ‘faith’ to comfort your fears. Meet with Jesus TODAY in prayer. Listen to HIM!! The most important part of the conversation of prayer is LISTENING TO HIM! Don’t pray a ‘monologue’ and walk away. Set yourself to LISTEN to Him.
Beloved… PLEASE go to Him with your questions. Be still …and listen to Him. Keep your conversation with Him going through your entire day, every day. As Paul calls it “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Your time is short.