He is Coming - Are You Ready?
Hi Friends,
I am writing today about a “suddenly,” — the Lord’s second coming. God has shown me over and over that the mainstream church is not ready for him to return. This is a message I hope the Church will “wake up and smell the coffee.” The Lord is coming for his bride. Those that are ready will go into the marriage supper of the Lamb. Those that are not -- they will be left outside. I am sorry to bring such a strong message, but God wants none to be lost.
“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
God warns us in several ways and we need to take heed. Our moments may be few. We need to share the gospel with those we know are not ready, and those who, left on their own, would go to hell. We must be about the Father’s business: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:44 So we pray that the Father will draw the lost to Jesus.
This is the three part vision:
A Woman Awakens
I saw a woman with blonde hair dressed in grey sweatpants and sweatshirt. She had been lying down on her bed. She rises up on her arms, and looks around as if she heard something that caused her to wake.
A Mouse
I saw a closeup view of a mouse who was eating food that had been left on a table. He suddenly stopped as if he heard something that caused him alarm.
A Cat and a Yellow Companion
I saw a cat and another smaller animal, quickly run under a dresser or cabinet. I could see that something had startled them and they were looking to hide.
What I believe the vision represents:
The Woman Awaken by a Sound
The woman in the vision, was awakened out of her sleep, by a sound. I believe that she heard the sound of the trumpet call of God. However, she was asleep, and not ready to meet the Lord, for she was not dressed in white, but grey. She wore sweat pants and a sweat shirt, casual clothes, not the raiment of a bride. She was caught off guard, unprepared for the Lord’s return. She represents those who are backsliders, those who have at one time, made a confession of faith, but who have now fallen away.
The Lord warns us, to “Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:13
In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, the wise were ready to meet the bridegroom. They brought their lamps and extra oil with them. But the foolish ones did not have oil for their lamps, so they had to leave to buy some for themselves. “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready, went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord, they said, ‘open the door for us!’”
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’”
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:10-13
The woman in the vision, heard the midnight cry: “The bridegroom is here!”? Why wasn’t she ready? Didn’t she know that he was coming? What about us, the Church, the bride of Christ? Aren’t we supposed to keep watch? Aren’t we to keep oil in our lamps?
The oil of course represents the Holy Spirit who is given to us when we are born again. We are warned in scripture: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30
Could it be that those who claim to be Christians, yet show apathy towards God and affinity for the world and its values, have grieved the Holy Spirit, causing him to leave?
There is another parable that the Lord uses to show us the outcome of unfaithfulness and not being ready. It is a parable of a master and his manager. In the parable, the master of the house puts the manager in charge of his household and leaves on a long journey. If the manager was faithful to carry out his duties while the master was gone, the master would commend him and increase his responsibilities. “It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” Luke 12:43-44
However, if he is not faithful to attend to his duties, there would be consequences: “But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking along time in coming; and he then begins to beat the men servants and maid servants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.” Luke 12:45-46
The Lord uses this parable to show us that we, his bride and his servant, are to be obedient to the very moment that he returns. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15 Obedience to him proves our love for him.
The Mouse
The Mouse I believe represents unbelievers. The mouse was not eating food that he himself prepared, or gathered from nature, but was eating food that was abandoned. At the time of the rapture, when the Lord returns for his bride, those that are not saved, and those who have fallen away, will be left behind.
The unsaved will most likely be surprised at the rapture of the church. They will wonder what happened to everyone. Yet it will probably be a day of looting and taking things for themselves, because there will be empty houses, abandoned cars, and everywhere businesses will be under staffed. Whether the rapture of the church is before, during or after the tribulation, we do not know. But we do know, that there will be people who become believers during the tribulation. These people are referred to as the tribulation saints. “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands…..And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9 and 14
However, there will be some, like those represented by the woman in the earlier vision, who are believers who did not remain faithful and who fell asleep. They might be the complacent, the lukewarm mentioned in the book of Revelation. Many believe that those who had fallen away, prior to the Tribulation,will not have another opportunity to be saved, as the two parables above have shown, as well as the scripture below points out.
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31
Now, I know there are some who believe that after you are born-again, that you are saved forever, that apostasy is not possible. But the scriptures clearly state that the opposite is true. it is very possible to lose your salvation if you do not continue with the Lord. My study Bible (The Full Life Study Bible, edited by Donald C. Stamps), gives these NT warnings:
“Jesus answered: “Watch out that know one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4-5
“And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:11-13
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” John 15:5-6
“For if you possess these qualities, and if they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins. So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and elections certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail. For in this way you will be generously granted entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus he Messiah.” 2 Peter 1:8-11
“No one who denies the Son has the Father. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father. What you have heard from the beginning must abide in you. If what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, you will also abide in the Son and in the Father. The message that the Son himself declared to us is eternal life.” 1 John 2:23-25.
Within the New Testament are examples of personal apostasy: Judas who betrayed Jesus, Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the church and to God, Hymenaeus, and Philetus, who spread lies and false doctrine, Alexander who failed to keep the faith and a good conscience, and Demas who loved the world and so deserted Paul. The Bible speaks of false teachers and false prophets which have lead many away from the faith.
“Lord you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two men you have chosen to serve in this office of apostle, from which Judas left to go to his own place.” Acts 1:25
“Those of you who are trying to be justified by the Law have been cut off from the Messiah. You have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:4
“Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.“ 1 Timothy 1:18-20
“Now there were false prophets among the people; just as there also will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Maser who bought them, bringing swift destruction of themselves.” 2 Peter 2:1
“They (false prophets) have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor’s son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong.” 2 Peter 2:15
“For if, after escaping the world’s corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah, they are again entangled and conquered by those corruptions, then their last condition is worse than their former one. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them. 20-22
“For certain men (false teachers) whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind, autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead, They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” Jude 4, 11-13.
“Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.” 2 Timothy 2:17-18
However in the article, “Personal Apostasy,” pp 1918 -1919 (The Full Life Study Bible), it does give us hope for the backslider:
“Those who genuinely become concerned about their spiritual condition and find in their hearts the desire to return to God in repentance, have sure evidence they have not committed unpardonable apostasy. Scripture clearly affirms that God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9; cf. Isaiah 1:18-19; 55:6-7) and declares that God will receive all who were once under saving grace if they repent and return to him: (compare Gal 5:4 with 4:19; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 with 2 Corinthians 2:5-11; see also Luke 15:11-24; Romans 11:20-23; James 5:19-20; Revelation 3:14-20; note the example of Peter, Matthew 16:16; 26:74-75; John 21:15-22)
I can see that I have given you a bit of homework -- but it is important to know the “fine print” of our covenant (contract) with God, because: “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6
The Cat with a Yellow Companion
The cat in the vision ran quickly to find a place to hide. The yellow animal next to the cat was smaller, and nondescript. I cannot tell you what type of animal it was. It was slender, smooth, yellow and smaller than the cat. I believe that the yellow animal represents fear. The cat was aware of danger, and was moving quickly to get out of sight. I believe that the cat represents those who will experience the tribulation. In the book of Revelation, it says “During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.” Revelation 9:6
The tribulation will be a time like no other on the earth. It will be a time of testing, torment and death. There will be severe persecution of the Jewish people and those who come to believe during that time. Yet there will be 144,000 (12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel) who will be saved. Hallelujah!
The cat represents those overtaken by fear, and do not persist in their faith. The author of Hebrews speaks of being steadfast in the midst of persecution: “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possession.
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” Hebrew 10:32-39
The cat in the vision is one who shrinks back, under the pressure of persecution. The cat’s companion is fear—rather than the Lord. Fear can stop the believer from continuing on in faith. Jesus spoke of persecution on several occasions:
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” Mathew 24:9
“When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, they immediately fall away.” Mark 4:17
“Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38
“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10
The Bible states clearly throughout the messages to the churches, in the book of Revelation, that we, as the church, must be over comers to inherit the kingdom of God. We can not succumb to fear, or take on the ways of the world. We cannot be lukewarm, or complacent; we cannot be lacking in our true devotion to God. We cannot accept as truth, false doctrine. We cannot condone or tolerate immorality in the church. We cannot be driven by our desire for material success and affluence. We are to stay rooted and grounded in the word of God, and steadfast in our devotion to the Lord.
I hope, in all honesty, that I have been able to convey this message of the Lord’s second coming and the real possibility of apostasy. We need to love the lost and the backsliders, sharing the gospel’s message of hope, and eternal life with them. We must pray with a sense of urgency, because we do not know the day or the hour in which our Lord will return.
This has been a hard message, but don’t lose heart! We have to stand firm to the end! Keep your eyes on the Lord, the lifter of our heads! The Lord is our treasure and our great reward! He is our peace, our comfort and our help in trouble. He loves us with an everlasting love.
Please share this important message with those who need to hear, and to draw close to God.
If you would like to receive an email notice of future posts, you can share your email address with me on the Contacts page, and I will add you to the list. Please know that I will never share your email address with anyone. Be blessed! And trust in him, for he cares for you!
“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Romans 10:21
