An exhortation to believers

Praise the Holy Spirit, our Guide, and our Teacher! I have been thinking and praying and appealing to the Spirit this morning. I believe the rapture is VERY near. Whether you think near means tomorrow or next year, either way, compared to the past 2000 years since the Church began, or 6000 years when God first told Eve of a coming Redeemer (Gen 3:15-16), a few days or weeks or months is near.

We spend at least 8 hours a day at work (hopefully). Dividing our 24 hour day into three parts, then that means there is a one-in-three chance that the rapture will happen while we are at a workplace. Undoubtedly there are people at your work who do not believe in Jesus, or who believe wrongly. Perhaps there are Mormons or New Age pagans or Muslims who work with you. Imagine what it will be like after the rapture, especially if you work in a primary school as I do. It is my belief that the children will go, along with true believers. Suddenly the place will be deathly and eerily quiet. Or the opposite of a deathly quiet will occur, cacophony of noises as machines veer crazily out of control. Your machines at the shop will halt, the cash register ceases, the forklifts crash.

What then? What will the people left behind think? Where are they to turn? THE BIBLE.

Here is an idea: if you purchase a bible or two and write a short, loving letter to tuck inside it. Mark certain passages within it that will show the left-behind person what has happened and what to do next. Give it to them. Time is of the essence, because soon after the rapture (and we don't know how long, an hour, a year?) the lie will take root. The Lord will harden their heart (2 Thess 2:11; Jn. 12:40; Rom. 9:18). Perhaps mark out John 3:1-16, Nicodemus' conversation with God, sparked by his question "how can one be born again?" Or Acts 16:16-31 sparked by the jailer's question to Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Certainly Matthew 24 (the Olivet Discourse) so they have a roadmap of what will soon happen, and 1 Thess 4:13-18 the rapture passages in context, and Rev 6, the first judgments. Pray to the Spirit as to what verse to highlight, and whom to offer this Word.

I know it will be uncomfortable conversation. It is not easy to approach an unbeliever and talk of heavenly things, salvation and judgment. But if you are loving and warm, you work with them every day after all, ask them just to hear you out and keep the bible just in case, ("What harm can it do? Indulge me" you could entreat). The Spirit will being these things to mind at the time they need it. Have that conversation, so that the Spirit will cause remembrance upon the person in the time immediately after the rapture. These people will need somewhere to turn to discover what has happened. If they get safely to a tv, then all they will hear is lies. If they have a bible nearby with a highlighted roadmap pointing to Jesus, then they have a better chance of finding the cross.

Will you do it? Don't delay.

Comments

  1. Thank you. This I will do.
    Please, please explain why you do not capitalize Bible. I know you must have a reason. This inquiry is not in criticism but in sincere seeking understanding.

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  2. Hello Anonymous,

    Thank you for reading the blog and for asking your question. I capitalize pronouns referring to God, Jesus, and the Spirit out of reverence to Him and to distinguish those pronouns from references to mere humans. Got Questions has a good short essay on that here:
    http://www.gotquestions.org/capitalizing-pronouns-God.html
    I do not capitalize "bible" because though God is in the Word and it is about Him, it is still a noun. The bible is a thing. If I was to extend the reverence to the bible, then I might as well capitalize 'Cross', because He died on it. And capitalize 'Miracle', because He performed them. And etc. The capitalization thing can veer toward idolatry. It can also veer toward legalism. I cut it off with just sticking to capitalizing His name. The main point of life is revering Him, and saving souls. Hope this helps

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