The Rapture of the Jewels! Are you a Jewel?

 You have said, It is useless to serve God, and what profit is it if we keep His ordinances and walk gloomily and as if in mourning apparel before the Lord of hosts?

And now we consider the proud and arrogant to be happy and favored; evildoers are exalted and prosper; yes, and when they test God, they escape unpunished.
Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.
And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.
Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him. Malachi 3:14-18

Over the years since I first got saved, I spent a lot of time with Christians. I joined Womens' groups and Bible studies. My husband and I joined Church Home Bible Studies, three different ones over the years. One thing that really bothered me about some of these believers is that they'd be very quiet during the actual Bible study, but afterward during snack time or at other times for potlucks or other social events, they came alive. And they rarely if ever spoke about the Lord. Their conversations were all about worldly things, jobs, marriages, kids, goals, cars, tv shows or movies, vacation plans, sports, the stock market... etc. Now, there's nothing wrong with any of those things, and we all live in this physical world and have jobs and families and many other things to deal with. But I know this one thing to be true. We talk about things that are most important to us, things that are on my mind the most. 

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace  Romans 8:5-6

If most of your thoughts are on fleshy things then you are not walking in the Spirit. And if you're not walking in the Spirit, I fear for your salvation. Granted, we are all in different places in our walk, but what I've discovered is that it's often the New Christians who can't stop talking about Jesus!  They are filled with His Spirit at the point of salvation and they are so excited! Yet as the years go on and life happens, so many of us lose that zeal. We lose our first love. This is not pleasing to the Lord. 

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 Revelation 2:4-5

Now whether removing one's lampstand means a loss of salvation, I don't know. But I do believe this person will not be raptured. 

Enter the verses from Malachi above. Do you fear the Lord and reverence Him? Are your thoughts consumed with Him and do you speak of Him often with others?  If so, the Scripture says, your name is written in one of God's Books. The Book of Remembrance! Not only that, but you are one of His Jewels! That sounds like the Bride to me, those who love Jesus with all their hearts and who are without spot, wrinkle or blemish, who are looking for His return with great anticipation!

 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5:26

Let us rejoice and shout for joy ! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself. Revelation 19:7

Now back to Malachi

in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

In what day? In the day He comes for His Bride! That's when the world will know who are His Jewels and who are not. He says he will spare us! Sounds to me like a rescue from the Tribulation! 

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 Revelation 3:10

Come, my people, enter your chambers,

And shut your doors behind you;

Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment,

Until the indignation is past. Isaiah 26:20

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. Luke 21:36

Now look at the next verse in Malachi

Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him

Return from where? Perhaps from Heaven with Jesus when He returns to Earth at the end of the Tribulation? Because when He sets up His Kingdom here, we are told we will rule with Him. Isn't part of ruling judging between the righteous and wicked?

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

In either case, check your heart. Check your thoughts. Are you one of the Lord's precious Jewels?  Time is running out!