Immediate Evacuation

Gridlock of traffic trying to evacuate FL prior to Hurricane Irma

We are keenly aware of the recent tragedies around the world: earthquakes, floods, fires, hurricanes, and storms in various places.  Some of these have been deadly and taken people by surprise, and others have been told to evacuate immediately.  Did everyone heed the call to move to safety?  Were all saved?  Unfortunately, NO.  Some people were simply caught unawares, while others were not prepared.  And those who were left behind, suffered the storms’ fury.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience an immediate removal from danger and be transported to a safe environment with our loved ones?  Many fantasy movies and books have a way of making traveling from one reality to another fairly easy. Oh, Dorothy may have asked “where is this strange place?” when she ended up in Oz. And Star Trek characters who are caught up in time travel may get a little weak in the knees when they morph from the 21^st century to the 25^th century, but overall, they end up adjusting pretty quickly. However, there is a coming shift in reality, that was not conceived in the minds of Hollywood. And, it’s going to go down like this:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (AMP)

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!

Imagine being a believer in Jesus who will one day end up on the receiving end of this incredible phenomenon. For those who are alive and remain, (that means living on earth when this occurs) this fantastic event will happen to them! We will leave this earth realm in our redeemed bodies to be with our Lord, Jesus Christ. We’ll meet Him in the clouds (without an airplane or hot-air balloon) and be with Him forever from that day forward.

1 Corinthians 15:52 (AMPC)

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).

Even though this coming event is scripturally true, which means it is a fact that it will occur, we humans can barely wrap our minds around it. How can we be living here in this world and instantaneously be transformed into a completely different reality? The very thought causes a mental dilemma in the minds of many believers. This dilemma may be so strong that it causes our minds to battle thoughts of possibility and probability. We may even find ourselves in a state psychologists call, cognitive dissonance, which is a psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. That means, our minds waver from one possible understanding to a vastly different one!

We believe that as the rapture of true Christians draws nearer (those who have called upon the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ: Romans 10:9-13), the danger of cognitive dissonance will manifest greatly in the body of Christ.  This is where faith comes into play. There are numerous signs around us which indicate that the rapture of the church is imminent. In fact, there are so many, that we couldn’t possibly cover them in one blog post. Yet, a vast number of believers continue to deny the possibility that Jesus could call us up to be with Him in the rapture.

(L: rapturo; Gr: harpazo = to catch, steal, carry off; take by force; caught up)

Even though, “Jesus could return at any moment” has become a cliché in Christian circles, few truly believe it to be a fact. The sad truth is that most people are attached to this world in such a way that they would rather Jesus wait a while so they can continue with life: marrying & giving in marriage, eating & drinking, and watching football. “No one knows the day or hour” has become the battle cry of both worldly Christians and those who find the whole notion of a rapture so absurd, that they can’t even process it in their minds.

There are many who are denying the possibility of the rapture of the Church and some even ask “where is the promise of His coming?” The word of God is clear that this event will happen.  There will be an immediate departure of the true believers in Christ Jesus from this earth someday soon.  The Father in heaven desires that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:4)

We need to encourage one another to “stand fast, continuing in the faith”, and to “not grow weary in well doing”.

2 Peter 3:3-9 (NKJV)

knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,  and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The following YouTube, “We will know the season of the rapture! Bible tells us so!” by Barry Scarbrough, is one of many that shows the context of scripture clearly. We encourage viewing it and trust it will be a blessing.  We Will Know The Season

Titus 2:13 (ESV)

waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

~ Sarah and Joanne