The Falling Away- Part 4
For the last four segments, I have focused mostly on the PROBLEM of the falling away. Today, I get to talk about the glorious answer to the problem. YOU CAN GET READY TO NOT JUST ENDURE THE TRIBULATION, BUT TO FLOURISH IN THE TRIBULATION…but you must face the truth of the tribulation head-on to get ready. This requires humility. This is the Bride’s greatest hour…but only a pure and spotless…a humble Bride, like her groom…will participate in what is about to transpire. The rest will fall away, according to Jesus in Revelation 2 and 3, and Revelation 19. Pure and spotless is for real…there will be no other kind of Bride:
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear." For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God's holy people.
The falling away is a PROMISED problem for the Bride. Paul said it MUST happen first. The first step to fixing a problem is ADMITTING there could be one. Many refuse to see the problem of the falling away, because, in arrogance, they do not believe THEY could fall away. Many pastors ignore the falling away, because they either don’t understand it, or realize that to correct people to get them ready would mean they would have to admit they missed the mark on some of their teaching in the past. This is arrogance, not purity and spotlessness, and must be dealt with in repentance.
A simple Bible search with your phone or computer for the phrase “fall away” will reveal several Biblical warnings given to the beloved of God to GUARD against falling away. Either God doesn’t know what to teach, or there is a REAL risk to believers of falling away. Mark my words, if you do not humble yourself and listen to the words of warning in the Bible, you are a prime candidate to fall away. I f you do not get ready in advance, you will be susceptible to running down the same road that Peter went down when Jesus warned him of his unreadiness. Look at this exchange between Peter and Jesus:
Luke 22:31-36 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing." Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
This exchange reveals much more than we could go into right now, but I want to highlight the broad theme: Peter thought he was ready for what was next because he considered himself ready to fight and die. Jesus said Peter did not understand his own heart and that he was NOT ready. Then Jesus told all the disciples to GET READY in agreement with JESUS’ plan. You don’t need to be ready to die for what comes next. You don’t need to be ready to get raptured. You need to be ready to endure and do the great commission. When Jesus told His disciples to get ready that night, He was talking to them parabolicly. He was saying they needed the Sermon on the Mount…true wealth…true provision….and an understanding of the word, which is the sword and worth more than their very clothes. You might think: “Tom, how do you know this is what Jesus was saying?!” Let’s look at what happens next:
Matthew 26:50-53 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
We know that the main line of preparation Jesus wanted the disciples to use was to pray. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with the disciples to pray three times, yet they were too tired and distracted for that. They were relying on a false sense of preparation…they thought swords would do it! They had swords with them that night according to Luke 22:49! According to John 18:10 it was PETER who cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Peter WAS ready to make a split second decision, if FORCED, to fight with human strength for Jesus. BUT, Peter was NOT ready to endure what Jesus had planned. Unwilling to humble himself and find out why Jesus told him he was unready, Peter had to suffer the consequences of His error. Three times that night when simply asked if he was with Jesus, Peter denied it. Peter was completely unready…because the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. This is EXACTLY what Jesus told Peter in the garden hours before the fruit of Peter’s decision to ignore the warning would be tested:
Matthew 26:40-41 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
If Jesus allowed one of His best friends to go through this, what kind of arrogance keeps us from believing we should prepare for at least as much? The stakes are higher in the generation of the falling away. We have been given much more than Peter…we have the New Testament, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and we live in the generation that is seeing all the signs. To fall away NOW has much greater consequences than Peter suffered. Because of the Spirit who indwells believers after Acts 2, falling away is now permanent, according to Paul:
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
We must prepare to endure. It is the lie…the tradition of men that says ”no one knows the day or hour” as an excuse to delay readiness, and the unfortunate error of a pretribulation rapture, started in 1830, that lulls the very ones called to be ready be praying like their very lives depended on it, to instead slumber. Watch and pray, for you can clearly see the hour…can you not?
Peter was restored and we can learn MUCH from it. When Jesus restored Peter, how did he do it? Did Jesus say “Peter, now are you REALLY ready to die for me?” No! Jesus said the oddest thing, unless you understand the falling away. Jesus said this:
John 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Jesus restored Peter by teaching Him what “being ready” really means. Actually, Jesus had already taught Peter this same basic truth at least twice before. Jesus said “feed my sheep.” What does this mean? It is really simple. To be ready means two things, First: to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; and the second is like it: to love your neighbor as yourself. Before you say “I already do that” realize that this is the theological truth behind the practical end time reality. Do you want to hear how Jesus phrased the practical end time application of the two greatest commandments? Here it is:
Matthew 24:44-51 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Being ready means ready to teach others the end time plan and make choices yourself that agree with it. Being foolish means not paying attention to the end time plan because “no one could know the day or hour.” We need to be all about feeding others because we are lovesick for Jesus. The food is the Word of God. Understanding and teaching the end time plans of Jesus. That is why Revelation contains this promise:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
To “read and keep” the Revelation prophecy means that you know the plan and read it to the Church, and you make decision that agree with it. It means to “do and teach”. Doing and teaching the stuff that agrees with Revelation is to do and teach the Sermon on the Mount! The Sermon on the Mount is the glorious answer to the riddle of Revelation…the answer to the question “who can stand” in Revelation 6:17!
Revelation 6:15-17 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
Jesus taught this to the Church. If you study Revelation for any length of time, you find out that the Book of Revelation is the story of the wedding between Jesus and His Bride. Like any wedding, there is a cast of people that are involved (Revelation 1 through 4), there are plans that must be made and started (Revelation 5), a preparing of the wedding location by getting rid of anything that doesn’t agree with the wedding and decorating it with things that agree with the wedding (Revelation 6 through 16), relatives that will get upset (Revelation 17 and 18), and finally a glorious beautiful Bride who looks her best ever just before the Groom and Bride are joined together (Revelation 19) and they go out to make their home and life together (Revelation 20 to 22).
Today I want to focus on the Bride, who seriously risks falling away. Jesus, the Groom who introduces himself in Chapter 1 of Revelation then shows us ourselves…His Bride to be. She is a bit wrinkled, dirty, and divided, but She is HIS. Jesus is committed to helping her get ready, but for love, He refuses to make her get ready. If she doesn’t want to get ready, she cannot get married…for He is too grand to be forever joined to an unequally-yoked Bride. He has all the power to get us ready, but only those who wholeheartedly love Him more than their own lives will enter in and begin getting ready not to die, but to “feed His Sheep”…which means making their entire lives about gathering in the harvest within AND outside of the Church.
Many within the Church need to be readied with Jesus’ end time plan…and many outside of the Church need both salvation AND the end time plan. This will all occur in the season of the greatest trouble the earth has ever seen, just as Daniel was told:
Daniel 12:1-3 "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
“Wise shall shine”…Remember what Jesus said about the wise and faithful end time servant? They lead many to RIGHTEOUSNESS. That happens through doing and teaching the Sermon on the Mount…Matthew 5, 6, and 7. The same promise in Revelation 1 is found in Matthew 5:19, right after Jesus tells the crowd the roadmap for growing holiness, called the Beattitudes. Listen to the promise for learning and doing the Beattitudes:
Matthew 5:18-19 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus looks at His spouse in our day, and then picks out 7 Churches way back in John’s day that represent the main identities of the Church in our day…I call these the “Seven Characteristic Churches” of Revelation. Five of the seven churches: Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea all are out of agreement with Jesus that they risk falling away unless they change. He says this to them directly. Look at the warnings Jesus gives these Churches:
Ephesus
Revelation 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Thyatira
Revelation 2:20-25 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. "Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come.
Sardis
Revelation 3:1-3 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Laodicea
Revelation 3:15-20 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Listen friends: According to Revelation 2 and 3, five-sevenths…seventy one percent… of the Church in the end times is out of agreement with Jesus and risks falling away unless she repents and changes her way of living! If she repents, Jesus will help her “overcome.” Overcome what, Tom?! Overcome the tribulation, which comes right after the wedding cast is described. This is so simple. Many symbolize Revelation because it is so intense, they assume it must “mean something.” Jesus wants us to just take the main and plain meaning of His word unless He tells us it is symbolic or parabolic.
Now, there are two Churches Jesus does not correct: the first is Smyrna…the Church currently being murdered or threatened with murder for their belief in Jesus. They are enduring the persecution in advance that will soon envelope the whole globe. They are not corrected. If you go to a Church like that and are prepared to endure persecution and threats of death for the next decade or so, pay no mind to the warning of falling away…you probably “got this.” I imagine that describes NO ONE listening to my little message.
The second Church that does not get corrected is Philadelphia. This is the night and day praying Church. Wait a second, Tom, how can you make such a bizarre claim?! It is easy, Jesus Himself says it. Look at how Jesus addresses the Church at Philadelphia:
Revelation 3:7-13 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "HE WHO HAS THE KEY OF DAVID, HE WHO OPENS AND NO ONE SHUTS, AND SHUTS AND NO ONE OPENS": "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
The Philadelphia Church has “keyed in” to the Key of David that opens the door Jesus was talking about. David started a night and day prayer center in Jerusalem called the Tabernacle, as an expression of his wholehearted love for God which overflowed into a love for those around him. Being a “pillar in the temple of God”…one who never goes out…was the “One thing” David desired. Solomon turned David’s tabernacle worship movement into the temple worship movement when he built a permanent building for the night and day prayer. David was so committed to this reality that he himself hired 24,000 people to keep day and night worship going in Jerusalem. 4,000 of those people were just musicians. David said he did all of this because of His great affection for the House of God…He wanted God back on earth where God belongs. He was unwilling to enjoy the good life until God was back home:
1 Chronicles 29:1-3 Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God. Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver…
David did all of this because being in the presence of God was his one desire. But David also knew something else. Making God your only desire is what gives you all the power to overcome every enemy. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount “Seek God’s kingdom first, and all the rest will be added unto you.” Know what you need in the end time trouble? Everything the antichrist will try to take away from you: money, food, relationships, physical might….know how to get that in a way that no one can take from you? Seek God first with all your mind soul and strength. Then He will put you on a rock that cannot move while everything else is shaking. Listen to David in Psalm 27:
Psalms 27:3-6 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
This IS Jesus’ end time plan for His Bride in the broadest strokes. There is SO MUCH MORE TO KNOW…but this is where you start: in the place of building 24 hour prayer. If you have 24 hour prayer in your town, get involved. If you don’t pray that it starts. Caring about the answer and making it your answer like you REALLY mean it is all that is required to get started. This is wisdom. Listen to what the prophet Amos said about our generation:
Amos 9:8-12 "I, the Sovereign LORD, am watching this sinful nation of Israel. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel, " says the LORD. "For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, yet not one true kernel will be lost. But all the sinners will die by the sword—all those who say, 'Nothing bad will happen to us.' "In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be Mine. " The LORD has spoken, and He will do these things.
Learning to build 24-hour prayer with a bunch of other Christians from all over your city is the “incubator” for the seven divided Churches to become one pure and spotless Bride by the end of the trouble. This REQUIRES a commitment to the Sermon on the Mount. Building night and day prayer takes time in prayer, money, fasting, humility, an awareness of spiritual poverty. It requires forgiving offenses, it requires dying to your own agenda, it requires being spitefully used and still smiling and saying “I am doing this for Jesus, so it is ok!” If you will endure this…dealing with people who love Jesus in tight confines being lame to you…you will be made ready to overcome the Great Tribulation when it is people who HATE Jesus that want to persecute you. The Great Tribulation is barreling at you like a freight train, whether you like it or not. David’s Tabernacle is the barn that the true grains will come into through the shaking. Get in the barn now…and STAY in the barn despite all the people who are troublesome in the barn…and be safe from the storm. It is so simple anyone can do it, but so simple few will…who are you going to choose to be?
Jesus said “if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.” If your plan to endure is any different than agreeing with Jesus’ plans, you are living in arrogance. Don’t take my word for what Jesus’ plans are, but for heaven’s sake, and the sake of your own family and friends, find out for yourself what His plans are and agree with them. Now is the time!
Luke 18:7-8 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?"
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear." For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God's holy people.
The falling away is a PROMISED problem for the Bride. Paul said it MUST happen first. The first step to fixing a problem is ADMITTING there could be one. Many refuse to see the problem of the falling away, because, in arrogance, they do not believe THEY could fall away. Many pastors ignore the falling away, because they either don’t understand it, or realize that to correct people to get them ready would mean they would have to admit they missed the mark on some of their teaching in the past. This is arrogance, not purity and spotlessness, and must be dealt with in repentance.
A simple Bible search with your phone or computer for the phrase “fall away” will reveal several Biblical warnings given to the beloved of God to GUARD against falling away. Either God doesn’t know what to teach, or there is a REAL risk to believers of falling away. Mark my words, if you do not humble yourself and listen to the words of warning in the Bible, you are a prime candidate to fall away. I f you do not get ready in advance, you will be susceptible to running down the same road that Peter went down when Jesus warned him of his unreadiness. Look at this exchange between Peter and Jesus:
Luke 22:31-36 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing." Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
This exchange reveals much more than we could go into right now, but I want to highlight the broad theme: Peter thought he was ready for what was next because he considered himself ready to fight and die. Jesus said Peter did not understand his own heart and that he was NOT ready. Then Jesus told all the disciples to GET READY in agreement with JESUS’ plan. You don’t need to be ready to die for what comes next. You don’t need to be ready to get raptured. You need to be ready to endure and do the great commission. When Jesus told His disciples to get ready that night, He was talking to them parabolicly. He was saying they needed the Sermon on the Mount…true wealth…true provision….and an understanding of the word, which is the sword and worth more than their very clothes. You might think: “Tom, how do you know this is what Jesus was saying?!” Let’s look at what happens next:
Matthew 26:50-53 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
We know that the main line of preparation Jesus wanted the disciples to use was to pray. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with the disciples to pray three times, yet they were too tired and distracted for that. They were relying on a false sense of preparation…they thought swords would do it! They had swords with them that night according to Luke 22:49! According to John 18:10 it was PETER who cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Peter WAS ready to make a split second decision, if FORCED, to fight with human strength for Jesus. BUT, Peter was NOT ready to endure what Jesus had planned. Unwilling to humble himself and find out why Jesus told him he was unready, Peter had to suffer the consequences of His error. Three times that night when simply asked if he was with Jesus, Peter denied it. Peter was completely unready…because the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. This is EXACTLY what Jesus told Peter in the garden hours before the fruit of Peter’s decision to ignore the warning would be tested:
Matthew 26:40-41 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
If Jesus allowed one of His best friends to go through this, what kind of arrogance keeps us from believing we should prepare for at least as much? The stakes are higher in the generation of the falling away. We have been given much more than Peter…we have the New Testament, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and we live in the generation that is seeing all the signs. To fall away NOW has much greater consequences than Peter suffered. Because of the Spirit who indwells believers after Acts 2, falling away is now permanent, according to Paul:
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
We must prepare to endure. It is the lie…the tradition of men that says ”no one knows the day or hour” as an excuse to delay readiness, and the unfortunate error of a pretribulation rapture, started in 1830, that lulls the very ones called to be ready be praying like their very lives depended on it, to instead slumber. Watch and pray, for you can clearly see the hour…can you not?
Peter was restored and we can learn MUCH from it. When Jesus restored Peter, how did he do it? Did Jesus say “Peter, now are you REALLY ready to die for me?” No! Jesus said the oddest thing, unless you understand the falling away. Jesus said this:
John 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Jesus restored Peter by teaching Him what “being ready” really means. Actually, Jesus had already taught Peter this same basic truth at least twice before. Jesus said “feed my sheep.” What does this mean? It is really simple. To be ready means two things, First: to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; and the second is like it: to love your neighbor as yourself. Before you say “I already do that” realize that this is the theological truth behind the practical end time reality. Do you want to hear how Jesus phrased the practical end time application of the two greatest commandments? Here it is:
Matthew 24:44-51 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Being ready means ready to teach others the end time plan and make choices yourself that agree with it. Being foolish means not paying attention to the end time plan because “no one could know the day or hour.” We need to be all about feeding others because we are lovesick for Jesus. The food is the Word of God. Understanding and teaching the end time plans of Jesus. That is why Revelation contains this promise:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
To “read and keep” the Revelation prophecy means that you know the plan and read it to the Church, and you make decision that agree with it. It means to “do and teach”. Doing and teaching the stuff that agrees with Revelation is to do and teach the Sermon on the Mount! The Sermon on the Mount is the glorious answer to the riddle of Revelation…the answer to the question “who can stand” in Revelation 6:17!
Revelation 6:15-17 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
Jesus taught this to the Church. If you study Revelation for any length of time, you find out that the Book of Revelation is the story of the wedding between Jesus and His Bride. Like any wedding, there is a cast of people that are involved (Revelation 1 through 4), there are plans that must be made and started (Revelation 5), a preparing of the wedding location by getting rid of anything that doesn’t agree with the wedding and decorating it with things that agree with the wedding (Revelation 6 through 16), relatives that will get upset (Revelation 17 and 18), and finally a glorious beautiful Bride who looks her best ever just before the Groom and Bride are joined together (Revelation 19) and they go out to make their home and life together (Revelation 20 to 22).
Today I want to focus on the Bride, who seriously risks falling away. Jesus, the Groom who introduces himself in Chapter 1 of Revelation then shows us ourselves…His Bride to be. She is a bit wrinkled, dirty, and divided, but She is HIS. Jesus is committed to helping her get ready, but for love, He refuses to make her get ready. If she doesn’t want to get ready, she cannot get married…for He is too grand to be forever joined to an unequally-yoked Bride. He has all the power to get us ready, but only those who wholeheartedly love Him more than their own lives will enter in and begin getting ready not to die, but to “feed His Sheep”…which means making their entire lives about gathering in the harvest within AND outside of the Church.
Many within the Church need to be readied with Jesus’ end time plan…and many outside of the Church need both salvation AND the end time plan. This will all occur in the season of the greatest trouble the earth has ever seen, just as Daniel was told:
Daniel 12:1-3 "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
“Wise shall shine”…Remember what Jesus said about the wise and faithful end time servant? They lead many to RIGHTEOUSNESS. That happens through doing and teaching the Sermon on the Mount…Matthew 5, 6, and 7. The same promise in Revelation 1 is found in Matthew 5:19, right after Jesus tells the crowd the roadmap for growing holiness, called the Beattitudes. Listen to the promise for learning and doing the Beattitudes:
Matthew 5:18-19 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus looks at His spouse in our day, and then picks out 7 Churches way back in John’s day that represent the main identities of the Church in our day…I call these the “Seven Characteristic Churches” of Revelation. Five of the seven churches: Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea all are out of agreement with Jesus that they risk falling away unless they change. He says this to them directly. Look at the warnings Jesus gives these Churches:
Ephesus
Revelation 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Thyatira
Revelation 2:20-25 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. "Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come.
Sardis
Revelation 3:1-3 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Laodicea
Revelation 3:15-20 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Listen friends: According to Revelation 2 and 3, five-sevenths…seventy one percent… of the Church in the end times is out of agreement with Jesus and risks falling away unless she repents and changes her way of living! If she repents, Jesus will help her “overcome.” Overcome what, Tom?! Overcome the tribulation, which comes right after the wedding cast is described. This is so simple. Many symbolize Revelation because it is so intense, they assume it must “mean something.” Jesus wants us to just take the main and plain meaning of His word unless He tells us it is symbolic or parabolic.
Now, there are two Churches Jesus does not correct: the first is Smyrna…the Church currently being murdered or threatened with murder for their belief in Jesus. They are enduring the persecution in advance that will soon envelope the whole globe. They are not corrected. If you go to a Church like that and are prepared to endure persecution and threats of death for the next decade or so, pay no mind to the warning of falling away…you probably “got this.” I imagine that describes NO ONE listening to my little message.
The second Church that does not get corrected is Philadelphia. This is the night and day praying Church. Wait a second, Tom, how can you make such a bizarre claim?! It is easy, Jesus Himself says it. Look at how Jesus addresses the Church at Philadelphia:
Revelation 3:7-13 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "HE WHO HAS THE KEY OF DAVID, HE WHO OPENS AND NO ONE SHUTS, AND SHUTS AND NO ONE OPENS": "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
The Philadelphia Church has “keyed in” to the Key of David that opens the door Jesus was talking about. David started a night and day prayer center in Jerusalem called the Tabernacle, as an expression of his wholehearted love for God which overflowed into a love for those around him. Being a “pillar in the temple of God”…one who never goes out…was the “One thing” David desired. Solomon turned David’s tabernacle worship movement into the temple worship movement when he built a permanent building for the night and day prayer. David was so committed to this reality that he himself hired 24,000 people to keep day and night worship going in Jerusalem. 4,000 of those people were just musicians. David said he did all of this because of His great affection for the House of God…He wanted God back on earth where God belongs. He was unwilling to enjoy the good life until God was back home:
1 Chronicles 29:1-3 Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God. Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver…
David did all of this because being in the presence of God was his one desire. But David also knew something else. Making God your only desire is what gives you all the power to overcome every enemy. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount “Seek God’s kingdom first, and all the rest will be added unto you.” Know what you need in the end time trouble? Everything the antichrist will try to take away from you: money, food, relationships, physical might….know how to get that in a way that no one can take from you? Seek God first with all your mind soul and strength. Then He will put you on a rock that cannot move while everything else is shaking. Listen to David in Psalm 27:
Psalms 27:3-6 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
This IS Jesus’ end time plan for His Bride in the broadest strokes. There is SO MUCH MORE TO KNOW…but this is where you start: in the place of building 24 hour prayer. If you have 24 hour prayer in your town, get involved. If you don’t pray that it starts. Caring about the answer and making it your answer like you REALLY mean it is all that is required to get started. This is wisdom. Listen to what the prophet Amos said about our generation:
Amos 9:8-12 "I, the Sovereign LORD, am watching this sinful nation of Israel. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel, " says the LORD. "For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, yet not one true kernel will be lost. But all the sinners will die by the sword—all those who say, 'Nothing bad will happen to us.' "In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be Mine. " The LORD has spoken, and He will do these things.
Learning to build 24-hour prayer with a bunch of other Christians from all over your city is the “incubator” for the seven divided Churches to become one pure and spotless Bride by the end of the trouble. This REQUIRES a commitment to the Sermon on the Mount. Building night and day prayer takes time in prayer, money, fasting, humility, an awareness of spiritual poverty. It requires forgiving offenses, it requires dying to your own agenda, it requires being spitefully used and still smiling and saying “I am doing this for Jesus, so it is ok!” If you will endure this…dealing with people who love Jesus in tight confines being lame to you…you will be made ready to overcome the Great Tribulation when it is people who HATE Jesus that want to persecute you. The Great Tribulation is barreling at you like a freight train, whether you like it or not. David’s Tabernacle is the barn that the true grains will come into through the shaking. Get in the barn now…and STAY in the barn despite all the people who are troublesome in the barn…and be safe from the storm. It is so simple anyone can do it, but so simple few will…who are you going to choose to be?
Jesus said “if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.” If your plan to endure is any different than agreeing with Jesus’ plans, you are living in arrogance. Don’t take my word for what Jesus’ plans are, but for heaven’s sake, and the sake of your own family and friends, find out for yourself what His plans are and agree with them. Now is the time!
Luke 18:7-8 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?"
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