Vision
Having an accurate end time vision changes everything. It gives incentive to do the things you would normally put off. That is the irony of saying "no one knows the day or hour" as an excuse to do nothing! Jesus said those very words for the exact OPPOSITE reason:
Matthew 24:36-39, 44 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Every writer of the New Testament lived like Jesus' return would be intense and require their participation. They are famous... great forever ... because they simply agreed with Jesus that they didn't need to know for sure when His return was in order to take the time to understand HOW they should live it out. The sad irony is that we are clearly in the time they lived for, and many will not dial down and find out what being ready means.
Jesus told saved people to be ready. Being saved is not being ready. Right now, we live in the final hours that responding in a way that will make your city "worthy to escape" the trouble is an option. Mark my words, this option is quickly expiring:
Luke 21:34-36 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Did you catch that? It is all about prayer.
" pray always (night and day) that you may be counted worthy to escape"
In fact, it is specifically about night and day prayer with the very specific intention of escaping the trouble, not by being removed from the trouble, but by being kept safe THROUGH the trouble.
John 17:14-17 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Jesus doesn't intend to take you out of the world but to sanctify anyone willing. Sanctify means "set apart in holiness." you are set apart by coming out of the world and into "praying always".
By Jesus' own words, the rescue comes AFTER the trouble...in order for Jesus to avenge His people, there has to be an injustice to avenge:
Luke 18:7-8 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Night and day prayer...David's Tabernacle worship...is how you escape the trouble while remaining on earth until Jesus returns. This requires your active participation if you want you and your family, church, or city to be safe.
Saying no trouble will come is actually an evil concept and will result in much death of God's people because that is what prevents people from responding to God in the hour they need to respond:
Amos 9:9-11 “For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground. All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’ “On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old;
Doing David's tabernacle is a key that opens heaven. It opened heaven over Israel in David's day, and every king after him that took the temple seriously saw the protective hand of God come and unity revive among God's people. David's key opens heaven and releases brotherly love and protection. This is what Jesus promised would be seen as "faithful" and worthy to escape the trial which is clearly going to touch every nation:
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.” ’
Do you see? "Hold on to what you have"...Jesus' words clearly show they started using David's key BEFORE the trouble touched them.
David's key is what buys oil for a community to endure the long dark night. That is why Joel said do it now...start the prayer meeting now...don't put it off "cause no one knows"...by then it will be too late. do it now, while there is still time:
Joel 2:11-18 The lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? That is why the lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the lord your God as before. Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Gather all the people— the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room. Let the priests, who minister in the lord ’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, lord ! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’” Then the lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land.
If you say "no one knows the day or hour" as a comfort to people, you are taking Jesus' warning in vain. If you use it to get people to agree with you to keep living normally and not respond, you are actually speaking a curse and not a blessing. If you don't respond now, much trouble will still come...
Matthew 24:9-14 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.
Who can stand...who can endure?
(Joel told us the answer above in Joel 2:12:
That is why the lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.)
Matthew 24:36-39, 44 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Every writer of the New Testament lived like Jesus' return would be intense and require their participation. They are famous... great forever ... because they simply agreed with Jesus that they didn't need to know for sure when His return was in order to take the time to understand HOW they should live it out. The sad irony is that we are clearly in the time they lived for, and many will not dial down and find out what being ready means.
Jesus told saved people to be ready. Being saved is not being ready. Right now, we live in the final hours that responding in a way that will make your city "worthy to escape" the trouble is an option. Mark my words, this option is quickly expiring:
Luke 21:34-36 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Did you catch that? It is all about prayer.
" pray always (night and day) that you may be counted worthy to escape"
In fact, it is specifically about night and day prayer with the very specific intention of escaping the trouble, not by being removed from the trouble, but by being kept safe THROUGH the trouble.
John 17:14-17 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Jesus doesn't intend to take you out of the world but to sanctify anyone willing. Sanctify means "set apart in holiness." you are set apart by coming out of the world and into "praying always".
By Jesus' own words, the rescue comes AFTER the trouble...in order for Jesus to avenge His people, there has to be an injustice to avenge:
Luke 18:7-8 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Night and day prayer...David's Tabernacle worship...is how you escape the trouble while remaining on earth until Jesus returns. This requires your active participation if you want you and your family, church, or city to be safe.
Saying no trouble will come is actually an evil concept and will result in much death of God's people because that is what prevents people from responding to God in the hour they need to respond:
Amos 9:9-11 “For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground. All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’ “On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old;
Doing David's tabernacle is a key that opens heaven. It opened heaven over Israel in David's day, and every king after him that took the temple seriously saw the protective hand of God come and unity revive among God's people. David's key opens heaven and releases brotherly love and protection. This is what Jesus promised would be seen as "faithful" and worthy to escape the trial which is clearly going to touch every nation:
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.” ’
Do you see? "Hold on to what you have"...Jesus' words clearly show they started using David's key BEFORE the trouble touched them.
David's key is what buys oil for a community to endure the long dark night. That is why Joel said do it now...start the prayer meeting now...don't put it off "cause no one knows"...by then it will be too late. do it now, while there is still time:
Joel 2:11-18 The lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? That is why the lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the lord your God as before. Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Gather all the people— the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room. Let the priests, who minister in the lord ’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, lord ! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’” Then the lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land.
If you say "no one knows the day or hour" as a comfort to people, you are taking Jesus' warning in vain. If you use it to get people to agree with you to keep living normally and not respond, you are actually speaking a curse and not a blessing. If you don't respond now, much trouble will still come...
Matthew 24:9-14 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.
Who can stand...who can endure?
(Joel told us the answer above in Joel 2:12:
That is why the lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.)
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