The Invitation of Trouble
The end time trouble is an invitation. It is first an invitation to the Church from the Father, and then, once the Church is made ready to carry the invitation like Jesus, an invitation to the world.
It is really important to understand the nature of the tribulation, because the tribulation is really the release of glory back into the earth in advance of Jesus' return. Jesus is so bright, you really need to get ready to see Him and live:
I Timothy 6:10-16 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
It is really important to grab hold of what Paul told Tim here. He is encouraging Timothy to GROW in spotlessness by staying away from the desires and love the world has for the "lie of life" before Jesus appears. You aren't supposed to have your best life now. You are supposed to want your life hidden in the purposes of God to be revealed as Jesus returns. Paul is telling Timothy "look, the wisdom in separating, or being sanctified, from what the world calls life and success is not readily apparent, but it will be in the light of Jesus' coming. You will live more the more Jesus appears if you agree with His kingdom in advance of its arrival!"
This is an especially important passage to consider:
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
Wait! Wasn't Timothy saved??!! Yes, of course he was...so why is Paul telling a saved person to "fight to lay hold of eternal life" that Timothy had already publicly professed?! Because you "work out your salvation"... that's why! Getting saved is the entrance into salvation. Paul told the church at Philippi that this working out should be done with fear! Fear of what? The return of Jesus... Christ's day. Paul was fixated on the return of Jesus, because he knew everything he was doing would be evaluated in THAT light:
Philippians 2:12-16 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
In one generation, the working out of salvation will literally begin to illuminate believers, and more specifically communities of believers, to "adjust the eyes of the world" to receive Jesus. Jesus' deadly brightness is, thankfully, not coming all at once. It is coming in a very measured and intentional way. 21 increases of brightness called "7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls." This is the mercy of God called "tribulation." Believers are supposed to GLORY IN TRIBULATION...literally:
Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The "working out" of our salvation through tribulation gets TESTED in the return of Jesus' brightness. The last generation is going to get uniquely tested...and uniquely bright…by glory, or fire, coming to earth to make the garden grow again!
I Peter 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Jesus' return is a process that REQUIRES the participation of God's people. Is anyone preaching that to you? It is throughout the Bible. Many say "it is the last days" but then do very little to find out what that means. Right now, the entire church should be an end time church...you know, since it IS the end times...
The people of God get ready first, and begin "lighting the way" for the world to choose salvation. This is what will produce TRUE unity (there is a promised false, or harlot, unity coming, too) and result in the protection of believers through the tribulation, and the wedding invitation being sent out to the world in advance of Jesus' coming.
THIS is what Jesus prayed for: that we would be one, gathered around Jesus and standing on His hard truths in loyal love, and that would manifest His GLORY (the light of His countenance) on the believers, and that would be a witness to the world that He loved the world and was sent by the Father.
John 17:21-24 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Loving the world really means passing the test of tribulation to shine the light of love to the world at just the right time...that is what will bring in the great harvest THROUGH the Great Tribulation:
Revelation 7:9-17 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
This passage occurs in Revelation 7, which begins with the "sealing" of God's people. This is describing the very real protection of God's people through the Great Tribulation that was worked out through the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation. The end time tribulation is a 7 year period of time that is broken into two halves. The first 3.5 years are primarily bringing the Church to the wedding to prepare her to call the rest of the world to the wedding. The tribulation will produce a "falling away" or sifting of the Church, as many who go to church, or lead churches now, will refuse to come into the wedding reality. Judgment STARTS in the Church:
I Peter 4:16-19 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
So the beginning of the trouble is supposed to produce a response. Some will shrink back, water down, chill out, and become less pure, because they see the world doesn't like it and they fear what the world thinks. They want to be relevant to the world. BIG mistake. The world is passing away. Others will see the hour, know the plans, and press in seeing that standing now, in the light trouble, will make them stronger and more pure to stand in the great trouble. These ones want to be relevant to the Jesus of the Bible...really smart, He is coming to be king forever.
Trouble right now...the trouble that is dividing the church: race, sexuality, economics, martyrdom, false political hope... this is a plan of the evil one to divide and conquer the church to keep her from praying. It is a test born of pride and fueled by impatience, the whole thing is heating up in an attempt to re-mold the church into the harlot Babylon...a watered down humanistic body that quiets down Jesus to get unity in the strength of man's will...
...BUT, out of this test, there are the few: one here, a few there... that know the plans of the groom to use SUPERNATURAL power to bring the kingdom forward and produce true unity. They are the ones who will shepherd the world and Israel into the wedding!
Jeremiah 3:14-15 “Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord ; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
This end time promise is that worshiping warriors, like David, THE "shepherd after God's heart", would arise in the last generation through the era of backsliding because they see the wedding. Seeing the wedding is supposed to change WHAT YOU DO...a wedding, as it draws near, is supposed to consume the thoughts of the Bride.
Right now the invitation is being sent out. Many are marginalizing, maligning, and beating up those carrying the wedding invitation. They don't want to hear of the event that will disrupt the existing power structures...they have a vision for greatness that Jesus' return threatens. Jesus' return is too big, it is too intense, too controversial, and too risky to manage, and so they resist it by focusing on their own agenda. Jesus warned of this:
Matthew 22:1-10 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Right now, if you are a believer, the trouble is testing you, whether you realize it, or not. Heaven is watching to see if the trouble will cause you to produce fruit that will pass through the fire, or if you will remain distracted, non responding to the cultivating activities of heaven, and barren.
The consequences are very high, and the time is very short.
This parable is describing the reality that there is a window of time to respond...about 3.5 years... and then the unfruitful tree is uprooted to make room for those that will bear fruit. Jesus was describing the very uninformed reaction of saved people to "why" behind the "what" of trouble. Many mistakenly believe that trouble is aimed at someone else because of their unrighteousness. That is a wrong idea. Those who love Jesus see all things as an invitation for them to respond and begin bearing fruit that will last. God works ALL things for the good of those who love Him and are called to HIS purpose:
Luke 13:1-9 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”
The invitation of trouble is plain to see...the clock IS ticking. Will the people of God humble themselves and agree with what God is doing, or continue to grow stronger in their boldness to pursue their own agenda?
The cost is high and the time is short.
God, give us eyes to see and ears to hear so that we can see the hour and respond, shine with glory and true unity, and see our city NOT burned up, but rather burning brightly to call invite a multitude out of the darkness and into your kingdom!
It is really important to understand the nature of the tribulation, because the tribulation is really the release of glory back into the earth in advance of Jesus' return. Jesus is so bright, you really need to get ready to see Him and live:
I Timothy 6:10-16 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
It is really important to grab hold of what Paul told Tim here. He is encouraging Timothy to GROW in spotlessness by staying away from the desires and love the world has for the "lie of life" before Jesus appears. You aren't supposed to have your best life now. You are supposed to want your life hidden in the purposes of God to be revealed as Jesus returns. Paul is telling Timothy "look, the wisdom in separating, or being sanctified, from what the world calls life and success is not readily apparent, but it will be in the light of Jesus' coming. You will live more the more Jesus appears if you agree with His kingdom in advance of its arrival!"
This is an especially important passage to consider:
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
Wait! Wasn't Timothy saved??!! Yes, of course he was...so why is Paul telling a saved person to "fight to lay hold of eternal life" that Timothy had already publicly professed?! Because you "work out your salvation"... that's why! Getting saved is the entrance into salvation. Paul told the church at Philippi that this working out should be done with fear! Fear of what? The return of Jesus... Christ's day. Paul was fixated on the return of Jesus, because he knew everything he was doing would be evaluated in THAT light:
Philippians 2:12-16 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
In one generation, the working out of salvation will literally begin to illuminate believers, and more specifically communities of believers, to "adjust the eyes of the world" to receive Jesus. Jesus' deadly brightness is, thankfully, not coming all at once. It is coming in a very measured and intentional way. 21 increases of brightness called "7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls." This is the mercy of God called "tribulation." Believers are supposed to GLORY IN TRIBULATION...literally:
Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The "working out" of our salvation through tribulation gets TESTED in the return of Jesus' brightness. The last generation is going to get uniquely tested...and uniquely bright…by glory, or fire, coming to earth to make the garden grow again!
I Peter 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Jesus' return is a process that REQUIRES the participation of God's people. Is anyone preaching that to you? It is throughout the Bible. Many say "it is the last days" but then do very little to find out what that means. Right now, the entire church should be an end time church...you know, since it IS the end times...
The people of God get ready first, and begin "lighting the way" for the world to choose salvation. This is what will produce TRUE unity (there is a promised false, or harlot, unity coming, too) and result in the protection of believers through the tribulation, and the wedding invitation being sent out to the world in advance of Jesus' coming.
THIS is what Jesus prayed for: that we would be one, gathered around Jesus and standing on His hard truths in loyal love, and that would manifest His GLORY (the light of His countenance) on the believers, and that would be a witness to the world that He loved the world and was sent by the Father.
John 17:21-24 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Loving the world really means passing the test of tribulation to shine the light of love to the world at just the right time...that is what will bring in the great harvest THROUGH the Great Tribulation:
Revelation 7:9-17 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
This passage occurs in Revelation 7, which begins with the "sealing" of God's people. This is describing the very real protection of God's people through the Great Tribulation that was worked out through the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation. The end time tribulation is a 7 year period of time that is broken into two halves. The first 3.5 years are primarily bringing the Church to the wedding to prepare her to call the rest of the world to the wedding. The tribulation will produce a "falling away" or sifting of the Church, as many who go to church, or lead churches now, will refuse to come into the wedding reality. Judgment STARTS in the Church:
I Peter 4:16-19 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
So the beginning of the trouble is supposed to produce a response. Some will shrink back, water down, chill out, and become less pure, because they see the world doesn't like it and they fear what the world thinks. They want to be relevant to the world. BIG mistake. The world is passing away. Others will see the hour, know the plans, and press in seeing that standing now, in the light trouble, will make them stronger and more pure to stand in the great trouble. These ones want to be relevant to the Jesus of the Bible...really smart, He is coming to be king forever.
Trouble right now...the trouble that is dividing the church: race, sexuality, economics, martyrdom, false political hope... this is a plan of the evil one to divide and conquer the church to keep her from praying. It is a test born of pride and fueled by impatience, the whole thing is heating up in an attempt to re-mold the church into the harlot Babylon...a watered down humanistic body that quiets down Jesus to get unity in the strength of man's will...
...BUT, out of this test, there are the few: one here, a few there... that know the plans of the groom to use SUPERNATURAL power to bring the kingdom forward and produce true unity. They are the ones who will shepherd the world and Israel into the wedding!
Jeremiah 3:14-15 “Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord ; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
This end time promise is that worshiping warriors, like David, THE "shepherd after God's heart", would arise in the last generation through the era of backsliding because they see the wedding. Seeing the wedding is supposed to change WHAT YOU DO...a wedding, as it draws near, is supposed to consume the thoughts of the Bride.
Right now the invitation is being sent out. Many are marginalizing, maligning, and beating up those carrying the wedding invitation. They don't want to hear of the event that will disrupt the existing power structures...they have a vision for greatness that Jesus' return threatens. Jesus' return is too big, it is too intense, too controversial, and too risky to manage, and so they resist it by focusing on their own agenda. Jesus warned of this:
Matthew 22:1-10 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Right now, if you are a believer, the trouble is testing you, whether you realize it, or not. Heaven is watching to see if the trouble will cause you to produce fruit that will pass through the fire, or if you will remain distracted, non responding to the cultivating activities of heaven, and barren.
The consequences are very high, and the time is very short.
This parable is describing the reality that there is a window of time to respond...about 3.5 years... and then the unfruitful tree is uprooted to make room for those that will bear fruit. Jesus was describing the very uninformed reaction of saved people to "why" behind the "what" of trouble. Many mistakenly believe that trouble is aimed at someone else because of their unrighteousness. That is a wrong idea. Those who love Jesus see all things as an invitation for them to respond and begin bearing fruit that will last. God works ALL things for the good of those who love Him and are called to HIS purpose:
Luke 13:1-9 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”
The invitation of trouble is plain to see...the clock IS ticking. Will the people of God humble themselves and agree with what God is doing, or continue to grow stronger in their boldness to pursue their own agenda?
The cost is high and the time is short.
God, give us eyes to see and ears to hear so that we can see the hour and respond, shine with glory and true unity, and see our city NOT burned up, but rather burning brightly to call invite a multitude out of the darkness and into your kingdom!
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