A Tale of Four Sinners

Dear Saints, 

Things are escalating in Israel at a rapid pace. In truth, I sense things in the world are now going to start happening at a very rapid pace. We may see things we never expected to see in our lifetime. It's time now more than ever to stay close to Jesus and on that path up the mountain I spoke about a few weeks ago. It's time to stop playing around with the Grace of God and to warm our loved ones and friends. It's time to pursue holiness!  

Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

Holiness: Greek Word hagiasmos which means consecration, purification. 

Consecration is to dedicate your life to God and allow Him to change you. 

I know many of you are going through rough times. This is not the time to slip away from the Lord's mighty hands!  Jesus will NEVER LET YOU GO, but you can walk away of your own volition. That's what the enemy is desperately trying to do now in your life.... attack, attack, attack, so that you will walk away and give up and give into sin. These are the last moments before you go home!  Don't let our enemy Win! 

For Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down, reax My hold on you! Assuredly not! 

 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm! I will not fear or dread or be terrified. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13:5-6

Read through the following tales of 4 sinners. What would happen to each one if the rapture occurred right at the end of each story? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Sinner 1:  Betty is a woman who has made a mess of her life in her early years. She committed many sins, including sexual immorality, thievery, drunkenness, hatred, and violence. She even dabbled in the occult. You name the sin, she probably engaged in it. But she got saved in her 40s when the Lord in His mercy revealed Himself to her as she sought for the meaning to life. Since then, she has remained on the narrow path, reading the Bible, praying, listening to sermons and falling in love with Jesus. She still makes mistakes and she still sins from time to time when life gets the best of her. She still has character flaws, lots of them, and she is often plagued by dreams and guilt from her past wicked sins. She struggles daily with a very bad temper and unforgiveness. These are both constant struggles for her. But each time she loses her temper or has unforgiveness for someone who hurt her, she immediately repents and asks the Lord to change her. She hates sin and always strives to please Jesus. And bit by bit by bit, the Lord has changed her so that she doesn't hardly recognize the woman she used to be. Now, she has come to love the Lord Jesus with all her heart and she longs to see Him one day.  

Sinner 2: Greg got "saved" as a young boy when his parents urged him to go up to the front of the church at an altar call. He learned all about Jesus and grew up knowing all the Bible stories and even prayed and read his Bible regularly. By the time he hit his late teens and twenties, however,  the lure of sex, drugs, and rock n roll drew him into a wild party lifestyle. He ignored the conviction of the Holy Spirit, along with that of his own conscience and continued in that sinful lifestyle.  Yet he still attended church, still went through the motions of a Christian life, even went so far as to lead a men's Bible Study. He still believed in Jesus and still trusted the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for him, still wanted to go to heaven when he died, but he refused to give up his sins. Didn't God want him to be happy and have fun here on Earth? Besides his pastor told him that you can't lose your salvation, so what did it matter what he did here as long as he believed in Jesus?  

Sinner 3:  Joyce was abused sexually and emotionally by her step-father and brother from age 8-16 when she finally ran away from home. Her mother had always been too drunk to notice. In order to survive, Joyce became a prostitute and joined up with a pimp who promised to take care of her. He got her hooked on drugs and she spent the next 20 years too high to even know what she was doing. One day, a "John" who had purchased her for the night, told her about a God in heaven who loved her, about His Son who had died for her. This man wanted nothing from her but to tell her that God had a better plan for her life. It sounded too good to be true, but that very night Joyce repented and gave her life to Jesus. She felt His love and warmth shower over her and His Spirit fill her heart. She'd never felt that kind of love before.

Sinner 4:  Jason grew up in a solid Christian home with parents who stayed together and went to church every Sunday. As far as he knew, he was saved because he believed in Jesus and went to church and tried to be good. Jason did all the right things that were expected of him. He went to college, got a good job, married a nice girl, and started a family. He was successful and well respected, a deacon at his local church, and even taught Bible Studies. He gave to charities and volunteered at the soup kitchen. He committed what he called little sins, like lusting after women at work, sleeping with his wife before they were married, cheating on his taxes, cursing, and joining his buddies for an occasional boys night out at the bar. But everyone did those things, right? What was the big deal? Jason grew bored with his life and marriage and he soon became addicted to pornography. He spent hours on line watching it and lusting at other women. He couldn't get enough. When he confessed his struggles to his pastor, the man told him he needed to stop, that it would ruin him eventually, that Jason needed to repent and ask for God's help. That didn't make sense to Jason. Why would God give him such natural desires but not a way to enjoy them? So, even though he felt slightly guilty, he continued his obsession, believing God would forgive him because he believed in Jesus. 

For if we sin willingly after that we have received and acknowledged that truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  But a fearful looking for of judgment, and violent fire, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despiseth Moses’ Law, dieth without mercy under two, or three witnesses:  Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthy, which treadeth under foot the Son of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament as an unholy thing, wherewith he was sanctified, and doeth despite the Spirit of grace 

Hebrews 10:26-29 Geneva bible 1599

"Willingly"  the Greek Word hekousiōs, whcich means Voluntarily, Willingly, of one's own accord

"Recieved" the Greek word lambanō to associate with one's self as companion  

"Knowledge" the Greek word epignōsis meaning full discernment, acknowledging

I really don't know how much plainer the Word of God can be. If you are purposely, willfully, daily engaging in sin (without true repentance) you will not go in the rapture. It is not a "Partial" rapture. It is a rapture of the true Bride who has made herself ready,