I will open this next blog with the same words I opened my last blog.
So many Christians believe on Jesus the Messenger ... and just as many Christians don't believe on His message.
So many Christians think they understand the Gospel ... and just as many Christians have no real idea just what that "Gospel" is.
Jesus did not come preaching "The Gospel of Me" ... nor did He come preaching "The Gospel of Heaven."
Jesus came to preach/teach the "Gospel of the Kingdom of God" ... which is coming HERE.
And, like I said, at the end of my last blog ... HE IS COMING DOWN HERE ... WE ARE NOT GOING UP THERE
I want to try to expound upon that thought just a little more ... because, you see, Jesus also came to preach/teach the Gospel (THE GOOD NEWS) of resurrection.
When the Bible speaks of Jesus Christ returning to this earth it plainly reveals He is coming all the way back down, just as He left when He went all the way back up.
Read, in the first chapter of Acts, of the very first message ever to come back down from heaven after Jesus ascended to His Father:
"And when He [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they [the disciples] beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11).
The Bible then says He will come back to this earth, "in like manner" as they saw Him go into heaven!
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the elect from the four winds, from one end of the skies to the other" (Matthew 24:30-3 1).
What will happen after "the elect" are gathered together to meet the returning Christ in the air?
The Bible says "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives! "
The "elect" are gathered from all nations ... from all four directions/winds of the earth ... taken by powerful angels to meet Jesus in the air as He returns directly to the Mount of Olives, and they will continue to descend with Him to Jerusalem!
Okay .........And then what?
Well .... It's time to FIGHT! He's coming back as a fierce warrior - with His fierce army of the elect soldiers - to kick major ass.
Think about this a moment ... we are taught (by mainstream, man-made religions) that when we Good Christians die we are going to heaven ... where God's Kingdom and throne is already pre-established and in perfect running order ... and we will go there to play and to relax in heavenly retirement for all eternity. We are also taught (by mainstream, and-made religions) that He will rapture away His elect saints and whisk them off to heaven before the shit hits the fan here on earth ... but why?
This so-called Good News "gospel" makes no sense ... it doesn't fit with His REAL Good News "gospel" message.
Remember, He is coming back.
Jesus repeatedly told us He is coming to HERE to establish His Kingdom ... HERE on earth.
Last I checked, earth is populated by humans.
If we were all raptured away, and already in His pre-established heavenly Kingdom, way up there, luxuriating safely .... then how/why would we need to meet Him up in the skies upon His return? In fact, why would He need to return at all? Him coming back would be completely unnecessary.
Speaking of the "rapture" ... that also makes no sense at all to me, and the man-made "Good News Gospel" doctrine goes directly against all of Jesus' teachings as well ... why in the world would He consistently WARN us to watch, to be aware ... why would He WARN us that we WILL be persecuted and martyred ... why would He WARN us repeatedly that we WILL be afflicted, and they shall kill you: and ye shall be hated for my name's sake ... why would He specifically say that if they hated ME they will hate YOU as well ... why would He tell us to pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass?????
Jesus said "It is through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God."
And Jesus also promised His true servants/soldiers "In the world ye shall have much tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world! " (John 16:33).
Peter cried out, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17).
Hmmm ... if the "righteous" scarcely be saved ... rarely/scarcely ... why would ALL OF THESE WARNINGS (and more!) be there fore us to heed AND READ if actually His plan all along is to secretly rapture us safely away before it gets too scary down here for us?
But I digress.
If "the elect people" were already "in heaven" from the time they died, then why should/would Jesus need/want to come back at all? And WHY bring His Kingdom here at all? That seems totally unnecessary too.
IF everybody (all the Good Christians) is already up THERE ...according to mainstream, man-made religion and their gospel ... then nobody is HERE.
To take it even further, the resurrection of the dead that HE REPEATEDLY TAUGHT would also be completely ridiculous and unnecessary.
Why should "the elect people" be taken from their safe/soft floating cloud in heaven, placed back into their old decayed DEAD bodies, resurrected, and then the whole judgment process of deciding where they belong (heaven or hell) begun all over again?
Does it make any sense to you?
The Bible uses the analogy of military service ... OFTEN .. when speaking of Christians ... God uses these analogies to show Christians that they are involved in intense training, and that they are in a kind of (spiritual) warfare.
As if they were professional soldiers.
Speaking of soldiers .... what if our brave young men and women in the arm/ navy/marines underwent months upon months of grueling training ... literally transforming from civilians into highly-skilled military personnel with advanced/excelled education/knowledge of various equipment, tools, weapons ... only to be told, when it's time to graduate (or whatever) "Well, that's it! You've all done a marvelous job with your training here. You've become thoroughly skilled through the rigors of extreme emotional/mental fatigue, physical abuse and exercise, unimaginable stress, various weapons handling. You understand the manual, and what is required of you. Now, you are all full-fledged military men! You can retire now... there's nothing else we need you to do with all you've fought with blood sweat and tears to earn! Here's you a cushy place to lounge around all day, every day, for the rest of your life ... and we'll throw in the perpetual soothing elevator music to play in the background as a bonus."
Sounds ludicrous, when put that way, doesn't it?
A REAL Christian is one who is continually overcoming ... gaining compassion, humility, knowledge, Love, patience, and wisdom ... a REAL Christian is fighting, and growing, and learning, and studying, and testing, and thinking ... a REAL Christian is resisting the pulls/temptations of human nature, and embracing the Lessons taught right here in Life.
This human life is a vast training ground for the Kingdom of God ... it is "boot camp" for those who are to finally graduate into the very Kingdom and Family of God .. to become qualified to RULE the world with Jesus Christ ... human life has great PURPOSE!
God is working out a PLAN for here below ... yet millions fail to see that great purpose, and they remain ignorant of God's plan for, and in, their Lives.
Nowhere does the Bible preach a heavenly "Christian retirement" ... the truth of God is far different!
The truth is that Almighty God is calling a handful of individuals (handful compared to the vast population of the world since the beginning of mankind) to be His aids, helpers, soldiers and workers of His soon-coming Kingdom ... He is calling out a select group whom He calls "the very elect" (Matthew 24:22) for rigorous training to qualify to become future WORLD RULERS with Him.
Can anyone really comprehend the awe-inspiring breadth and scope of God's Great Plan and Purpose?
I'm trying to ... I look to my Bible for answers ... I do NOT look to man (or religion) for my answers.
The Kingdom of God will be HERE on earth ... after all, it is here on earth where all the problems are!
There are no "problems" to solve in heaven ... there is no work to do in heaven.
Almighty God is not calling a group to be put through rigorous training, overcoming and growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ ... fighting themselves .. having their very human nature changed from that of jealousy, lust, avarice and greed to the character of Jesus Christ of love, goodness, meekness, mercy, kindness and understanding ... in order to retire blissfully with clouds and harps!
Instead, Jesus Christ promises CO-RULERSHIP WITH HIM in the Kingdom of God.
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne!" (Revelation 3:21).
Is it possible YOU are being called, now, to become one of those comparatively few individuals? Could God, actually, be performing the miracle of opening your carnal human-natured mind to see His TRUTHS? To understand His REAL Gospel?
I told you it was going to get deep, and it's about to get deeper ... and that is still the gospel Truth :))
So many Christians believe on Jesus the Messenger ... and just as many Christians don't believe on His message.
So many Christians think they understand the Gospel ... and just as many Christians have no real idea just what that "Gospel" is.
Jesus did not come preaching "The Gospel of Me" ... nor did He come preaching "The Gospel of Heaven."
Jesus came to preach/teach the "Gospel of the Kingdom of God" ... which is coming HERE.
And, like I said, at the end of my last blog ... HE IS COMING DOWN HERE ... WE ARE NOT GOING UP THERE
I want to try to expound upon that thought just a little more ... because, you see, Jesus also came to preach/teach the Gospel (THE GOOD NEWS) of resurrection.
When the Bible speaks of Jesus Christ returning to this earth it plainly reveals He is coming all the way back down, just as He left when He went all the way back up.
Read, in the first chapter of Acts, of the very first message ever to come back down from heaven after Jesus ascended to His Father:
"And when He [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they [the disciples] beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11).
The Bible then says He will come back to this earth, "in like manner" as they saw Him go into heaven!
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the elect from the four winds, from one end of the skies to the other" (Matthew 24:30-3 1).
What will happen after "the elect" are gathered together to meet the returning Christ in the air?
The Bible says "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives! "
The "elect" are gathered from all nations ... from all four directions/winds of the earth ... taken by powerful angels to meet Jesus in the air as He returns directly to the Mount of Olives, and they will continue to descend with Him to Jerusalem!
Okay .........And then what?
Well .... It's time to FIGHT! He's coming back as a fierce warrior - with His fierce army of the elect soldiers - to kick major ass.
Think about this a moment ... we are taught (by mainstream, man-made religions) that when we Good Christians die we are going to heaven ... where God's Kingdom and throne is already pre-established and in perfect running order ... and we will go there to play and to relax in heavenly retirement for all eternity. We are also taught (by mainstream, and-made religions) that He will rapture away His elect saints and whisk them off to heaven before the shit hits the fan here on earth ... but why?
This so-called Good News "gospel" makes no sense ... it doesn't fit with His REAL Good News "gospel" message.
Remember, He is coming back.
Jesus repeatedly told us He is coming to HERE to establish His Kingdom ... HERE on earth.
Last I checked, earth is populated by humans.
If we were all raptured away, and already in His pre-established heavenly Kingdom, way up there, luxuriating safely .... then how/why would we need to meet Him up in the skies upon His return? In fact, why would He need to return at all? Him coming back would be completely unnecessary.
Speaking of the "rapture" ... that also makes no sense at all to me, and the man-made "Good News Gospel" doctrine goes directly against all of Jesus' teachings as well ... why in the world would He consistently WARN us to watch, to be aware ... why would He WARN us that we WILL be persecuted and martyred ... why would He WARN us repeatedly that we WILL be afflicted, and they shall kill you: and ye shall be hated for my name's sake ... why would He specifically say that if they hated ME they will hate YOU as well ... why would He tell us to pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass?????
Jesus said "It is through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God."
And Jesus also promised His true servants/soldiers "In the world ye shall have much tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world! " (John 16:33).
Peter cried out, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17).
Hmmm ... if the "righteous" scarcely be saved ... rarely/scarcely ... why would ALL OF THESE WARNINGS (and more!) be there fore us to heed AND READ if actually His plan all along is to secretly rapture us safely away before it gets too scary down here for us?
But I digress.
If "the elect people" were already "in heaven" from the time they died, then why should/would Jesus need/want to come back at all? And WHY bring His Kingdom here at all? That seems totally unnecessary too.
IF everybody (all the Good Christians) is already up THERE ...according to mainstream, man-made religion and their gospel ... then nobody is HERE.
To take it even further, the resurrection of the dead that HE REPEATEDLY TAUGHT would also be completely ridiculous and unnecessary.
Why should "the elect people" be taken from their safe/soft floating cloud in heaven, placed back into their old decayed DEAD bodies, resurrected, and then the whole judgment process of deciding where they belong (heaven or hell) begun all over again?
Does it make any sense to you?
The Bible uses the analogy of military service ... OFTEN .. when speaking of Christians ... God uses these analogies to show Christians that they are involved in intense training, and that they are in a kind of (spiritual) warfare.
As if they were professional soldiers.
Speaking of soldiers .... what if our brave young men and women in the arm/ navy/marines underwent months upon months of grueling training ... literally transforming from civilians into highly-skilled military personnel with advanced/excelled education/knowledge of various equipment, tools, weapons ... only to be told, when it's time to graduate (or whatever) "Well, that's it! You've all done a marvelous job with your training here. You've become thoroughly skilled through the rigors of extreme emotional/mental fatigue, physical abuse and exercise, unimaginable stress, various weapons handling. You understand the manual, and what is required of you. Now, you are all full-fledged military men! You can retire now... there's nothing else we need you to do with all you've fought with blood sweat and tears to earn! Here's you a cushy place to lounge around all day, every day, for the rest of your life ... and we'll throw in the perpetual soothing elevator music to play in the background as a bonus."
Sounds ludicrous, when put that way, doesn't it?
A REAL Christian is one who is continually overcoming ... gaining compassion, humility, knowledge, Love, patience, and wisdom ... a REAL Christian is fighting, and growing, and learning, and studying, and testing, and thinking ... a REAL Christian is resisting the pulls/temptations of human nature, and embracing the Lessons taught right here in Life.
This human life is a vast training ground for the Kingdom of God ... it is "boot camp" for those who are to finally graduate into the very Kingdom and Family of God .. to become qualified to RULE the world with Jesus Christ ... human life has great PURPOSE!
God is working out a PLAN for here below ... yet millions fail to see that great purpose, and they remain ignorant of God's plan for, and in, their Lives.
Nowhere does the Bible preach a heavenly "Christian retirement" ... the truth of God is far different!
The truth is that Almighty God is calling a handful of individuals (handful compared to the vast population of the world since the beginning of mankind) to be His aids, helpers, soldiers and workers of His soon-coming Kingdom ... He is calling out a select group whom He calls "the very elect" (Matthew 24:22) for rigorous training to qualify to become future WORLD RULERS with Him.
Can anyone really comprehend the awe-inspiring breadth and scope of God's Great Plan and Purpose?
I'm trying to ... I look to my Bible for answers ... I do NOT look to man (or religion) for my answers.
The Kingdom of God will be HERE on earth ... after all, it is here on earth where all the problems are!
There are no "problems" to solve in heaven ... there is no work to do in heaven.
Almighty God is not calling a group to be put through rigorous training, overcoming and growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ ... fighting themselves .. having their very human nature changed from that of jealousy, lust, avarice and greed to the character of Jesus Christ of love, goodness, meekness, mercy, kindness and understanding ... in order to retire blissfully with clouds and harps!
Instead, Jesus Christ promises CO-RULERSHIP WITH HIM in the Kingdom of God.
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne!" (Revelation 3:21).
Is it possible YOU are being called, now, to become one of those comparatively few individuals? Could God, actually, be performing the miracle of opening your carnal human-natured mind to see His TRUTHS? To understand His REAL Gospel?
I told you it was going to get deep, and it's about to get deeper ... and that is still the gospel Truth :))
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