The apostle Peter told us how we are to be found by HIM, by Jesus, when HE returns.
II Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
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If Jesus returned now, at this second, would HE find you in peace, without spot, and blameless?
Or are you still quarreling in your own heart with someone? Is there someone who has done you wrong ? Do you burn over their wrong done against you? If so, Jesus will not find you in peace, without spot and blameless. What then will happen to you? Will you still be taken out with the church? Are you ready to go? If unsettled things are still in your heart, you might be part of the elect left here on earth while the great tribulation takes place on this earth.
If we are worried, fearful, concerned, troubled the second Jesus returns, will we be taken out with the church that is "ready" when Jesus returns?
If we are fighting and striving with someone and Jesus returns and finds us doing that, will we be ready?
Several times in scripture we are warned "to be ready" as the church.
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Matthew 24:21-24 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
(Doesn't this show us that some of the elect of God will go through the great tribulation?)
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those days
shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
shaken:
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
36-41 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(I
think this shows a portion of the church that is ready will be taken
out while those who are not ready will be left to go through the great
tribulation.)
We will be ready if found by Jesus to be "in peace, without spot, and blameless" at the time of HIS return. So we need to work daily to be that way for we do not know the day nor the hour of HIS coming.
42-44 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45-51 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Luke 21:34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (over indulgence), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
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.
(If
we keep ourselves connected to God continually by prayer throughout the
day, we should be "worthy to escape", if we do the word of God,
forgiving and keeping ourselves spotless by abiding properly in HIS
Word.)
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We are told Jesus comes "as a thief in the night" ... and God and Jesus tell us to keep ourselves ready.
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (clear minded).
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
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I Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep (dead).
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep (dead).
For
the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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It is important to note the church (that is ready) will arise to meet Jesus "in the air".
The great tribulation, the wrath of God comes upon this earth, in stages whereby the angels of God are appointed to loose the wrath of God upon the earth.
At one woe, 1/3 of the trees will be burnt up and all the grass will be destroyed. (Revelation 8:7)
A great mountain burning with fire will be cast into the sea and 1/3 of the creatures in the sea will be destroyed and 1/3 of the ships will be destroyed. (Revelation 8:8)
1/3 of the waters of the rivers will be poisoned and many men will die as a result. (Revelation 8:10-11)
A great mountain burning with fire will be cast into the sea and 1/3 of the creatures in the sea will be destroyed and 1/3 of the ships will be destroyed. (Revelation 8:8)
1/3 of the waters of the rivers will be poisoned and many men will die as a result. (Revelation 8:10-11)
1/3
of the sun and the moon and the stars will go dark and in 1/3 of the
day the sun will not shine. This would greatly affect the growing
seasons and famine of great proportions would likely occur. (Revelation 8:12)
A type of locust, with the sting of a scorpion, will attack those men who do not have the "seal" of God on their foreheads. (Revelation 9:3-5)
Revelation 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
A great plague was loosed upon the earth and 1/3 part of the men were killed.
Revelation 9:20-21 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not
of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and
idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which
neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
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A great earthquake will occur by which the tenth part of the city will fall and 7,000 men will be slain. (Revelation 11:13)
"and the remnant (of God) were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven ..." (Revelation 11:13)
Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and THY wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that THOU shouldest give reward unto THY servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear THY name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
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A great earthquake will occur by which the tenth part of the city will fall and 7,000 men will be slain. (Revelation 11:13)
"and the remnant (of God) were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven ..." (Revelation 11:13)
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Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and THY wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that THOU shouldest give reward unto THY servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear THY name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
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Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
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The beast appears and
all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not
written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world. (Revelation 13:8)
Then another beast appeared and commanded them to worship the first beast. And the second beast had power to make "fire"
come down from heaven so those on the earth could watch his miracle.
And he deceived them that dwell on the earth by the miracles which he
had power to do. (Revelation 13:14)
Revelation 13:15-17 And
he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image
of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast should be killed.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
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And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
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Revelation 14:18-20 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
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Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
The first angel poured out his vial and ... a "noisome and grievous sore" came upon those who had worshipped the beast. (Revelation 16:2)
The second angel poured out his vial ... and every living soul died in the sea. (Revelation 16:3)
The third angel poured out his vial ... and the rivers and fountains of waters became blood. (Revelation 16:4)
Revelation 5:5-6 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and THOU hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
The fourth angel poured out his vial ... and men were scorched with great heat. (Revelation 16:8)
The fifth angel poured out his vial ... and it became so dark they "gnawed their tongues for pain." (Revelation 16:10)
The sixth angel poured out his vial ... and the waters of the great river Euphrates dried up, and three unclean spirits like frogs came out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet .... "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles" ... to go forth and gather them to the battle of that great day of God. (Revelation 16:12-14)
The seventh angel poured out his vial "into the air" ... and a great voice from heaven said, "It is done."
Revelation 16:18-21 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
In August, 2019, in Colorado, where I now live, there was a thunder and lightning storm.
Revelation 5:5-6 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and THOU hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
The fourth angel poured out his vial ... and men were scorched with great heat. (Revelation 16:8)
The fifth angel poured out his vial ... and it became so dark they "gnawed their tongues for pain." (Revelation 16:10)
The sixth angel poured out his vial ... and the waters of the great river Euphrates dried up, and three unclean spirits like frogs came out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet .... "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles" ... to go forth and gather them to the battle of that great day of God. (Revelation 16:12-14)
The seventh angel poured out his vial "into the air" ... and a great voice from heaven said, "It is done."
Revelation 16:18-21 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
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In August, 2019, in Colorado, where I now live, there was a thunder and lightning storm.
It was so loud, I had to put my fingers in my ears.
I thought of the story in the book of Revelation where there was lightning upon the earth.
I knew this storm in Colorado was nothing compared to that which is to come upon this earth.
I don't think any of us can imagine these things God has prepared for this earth.
Even though I enjoy excitement, I know I don't want to be here on this earth for these events.
I've often read the following scripture and wondered what it would look like.
Revelation 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
But I don't want to be here to see it!
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