BEHOLD I AM COMING QUICKLY

    "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial (tribulation) which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth. "Behold I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have that no one may take your crown." Revelation 3:10,11

    Prophecies have been fulfilled and the time is drawing near for the Lord Jesus Christ to return and those who are faithful followers shall be caught up to meet Him in the air! In the Jewish tradition of the groom coming for his bride, he will announce his arrival with a shout usually at night and claim his bride!

    The bride has a year to ready herself for the return of her groom and with great anticipation she looks for his arrival with expectations of a glorious celebration! Are we making ourselves ready for His return or is it business as usual? I am afraid the church has grown cold, and their love for their King has waned!

    Throughout biblical history God's promises have been kept and His word held true as many prophecies have been fulfilled and this promise of His glorious return will in fact also come to pass! The signs of His coming are at hand, and we need to ready ourselves to meet our Savior and Lord before it is too late!

    For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. I Thessalonians 4:16

WE SHALL BE CAUGHT UP

    Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (the dead in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And this we shall always be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:17

    The "Rapture" as it is called although the word does not appear in scripture is that great catching away of the saints of Christ. I don't know if the world will be able to see this astonishing event or even acknowledge it has happened. In any case if it is seen it will be swept under the mainstream media's carpet!

    Jesus said that the world does not have spiritual eyes to see or ears to hear so I suspect the entire event will go unnoticed with millions coming up missing! But seen or unseen this will be the most miraculous demonstration by the awesome power of God ever in the history of the world! This will rival even the dividing of the Red Sea when Moses delivered the children of Israel from the hand of Pharoah!

    We as saints should long for this time when our Lord will come and deliver us from tribulation and the terrible scenes of destruction that will come upon the earth! May God have mercy and send a great revival upon the whole world before millions are taken up!

    For you yourselves know perfectly that the "Day of the Lord" so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape! I Thessalonians 5:2,3

Note: There are several schools of thought concerning the timing of the rapture and the tribulation, pre-trib, mid-trib and post-trib. Matthew 24:29-31 says immediately after the tribulation they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds while Revelation 1:7 says He is coming in the clouds and every eye will see Him! Also, Revelation 3:10,11 says that He will keep us from the hour of testing. The late gospel singer, Keith Green said, "Pray for pre but prepare for post!"

LET US WATCH

    But you brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do but let us watch and be sober. I Thessalonians 5:4-6

    We have security systems and burglar alarms galore protecting us from thieves, break-ins and auto theft, but are we sober and on the alert for the coming of the Lord Jesus? Are we vigilant in our walk with Him sensing His presence and always looking for His return?

    In these end times there is darkness all around us and the powers of deceit and deception are always looking for an inroad to deceive us! Like watchman on the wall, we are constantly surveying the signs of the times in order to discern the time of His return! Not the hour or the day but the signs of His coming!

    Darkness is falling like a dreadful rain upon the whole world drenching the light of God's grace with millions sinking into pits of depravity! Calling evil good and good evil their minds are filled with poisonous thoughts of murder, rape and thievery. The winds of tribulation are blowing and the time of His arrival at hand, ARE YOU READY?

    But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope (confident expectation) of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. I Thessalonians 5:8-10

Your servant in Christ, Timothy Laughlin
   Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ