Questions About The Rapture | Evangelist Tiff Shuttlesworth

the following broadcast is brought to you by the friends and partners of revival ministries international [Music] [Music] [Music] have your Bibles this morning open with me to first Thessalonians chapter 4 by the way stop by the ministry table as you exit this morning our newest album is entitled timeless which is actually dedicated to my precious mother who turned 87 today is my mother's birthday and two years ago I had asked her what she wanted for Mother's Day and she said you know what I'd really like she said you know how you usually do one of the old hymns every night in your lost lamb Crusades I said I still do probably always will she said I wish I had a recording of some of the great hymns of the church and so I took that and tucked it into my heart and called Nashville and where we record and made arrangements and recorded her favorite hymns How Great Thou art the old rugged cross amazing grace grace greater than our sin I'd rather have Jesus o love of God I know who holds tomorrow thirteen great hymns and then a couple of gospel blues songs that aren't even close to hymns but anyway we dedicated that to mom it's available afterwards also we have some of the titles of our most requested messages from Crusades in 2018 on the subject of Bible prophecy is the Antichrist alive today I prove through the Bible that I'm certain that he is and back it up with Scripture what is the mark of the beast we are watching a continuing progressive move globally towards cashless society has been around for quite some time but we're watching very aggressive steps that are leading us to the fulfillment of the day where the Bible says the Antichrist will not allow any economic transaction without a mark what is that mark where are we headed with that the Great Tribulation why the church isn't going through it many other great titles that I hope to be a blessing to you I want to take a quick moment please don't miss tonight I'm preaching a brand-new message in title three major prophecies that were fulfilled in 2018 many of you that are not students of Bible prophecy may not be aware of this but there were three incredibly significant prophecies that were fulfilled in the year of 2018 and I'm going to be addressing that tonight I hope that you'll not only be present but I want to challenge you bring a carload of unsaved friends family members in-laws outlaws enemies the Bible says go into the highways and byways and compel them to come in and the original Greek that means duct tape them taste them put them in the trunk bring them to church and so tonight in the house of God I hope you'll not only be present can I give you an encouraging word this morning before we begin Bible prophecy is the only subject in scripture that has a guaranteed blessing a guaranteed covenant blessing from God how many believe that in the Bible God said what he meant and meant what he said and in Revelation chapter one and verse three he said blessed are all who read the words of this prophecy to the church that's me but it goes on to say and blessed are all those who hear it and obey it I've often wondered of all of the 66 books that are in the Bible like God gave that covenant guaranteed blessing only to the book of Revelation and to the subject of Bible prophecy I believe and this is my opinion in our state it is such perhaps God knowing the incredible significance of Bible prophecy in the last date church wanted to include some type of extra motivation for the church but with all of that there's not enough preaching on Bible prophecy and there's way too much foolishness and commercialism in prophecy that is being preached I oftentimes wonder whether people are trying to teach us khatallah G and pureness of art are trying to sell a latest book but we don't believe in newspaper exegesis not everything that happens is a Bible prophecy but there are three now there are several but I'm only going to for sake of time tonight deal with three incredibly significant Bible prophecies that took place in 2018 so please pray for the service number one call somebody this afternoon make arrangements to pick them up and then be in God's house at seven o'clock and we'll look forward to seeing you there I recently read of a man who was a believer and his wife had passed away but he had made arrangements after her passing in her funeral and with the gravestone he had dis engraved upon the tombstone here lies my wife so let her lie now she is at rest and finally so am i but his wife outsmarted him both in life and in death because she had also made arrangements and on his tombstone when he passed several months later the words were rest in peace till we meet again a lot of people don't want to talk about life after death or subjects like the rapture but this morning I want to take you into the scripture and I want to speak to you on the subject of questions about the rapture because I preach and have preached for 40 years so intently on the subject of Bible prophecy people begin to realize that because I study it and preach it and write about it that they direct questions and oftentimes the most common questions that I receive are on the subject of an event called the rapture of the church so as I always teach in Bible colleges and seminaries the number one key to preaching the Bible is start in the Bible stay in the Bible and finish in the Bible so I hope you have your Bibles this morning because I'm going to do that I'm gonna ask you to turn with me to first Thessalonians chapter 4 first Thessalonians chapter 4 if you're sitting next to a new believer or someone who does not have a Bible if you'd be kind enough to help them find that in verse 13 of 1st Thessalonians 4 the Bible says but I do not want you to be ignorant brethren and let me pause right there because oftentimes new students of the Bible or people who are searching spiritual things out when they read the scriptures or sometimes offended by the verbage when Paul said I would not have you ignorant brethren by the way that is the fastest-growing Church in America today the Church of the ignorant brethren just seeing if you're awake but the word ignorant actually means uninformed or uneducated Paul was not being crass and Paul was not being unkind to his audience he was simply saying to basically brand-new believers because the church at Thessalonica was a brand-new Church and they had many questions as many new believers do many of you that are listening to me right now not only all of you that are present here in this sanctuary but those that might be watching around the world through various technology people have questions about the Bible and there's nothing wrong with that intelligent people ask questions unintelligent people do not you should have questions you should ask questions and those of us who have the responsibility in the calling of preaching the Bible should be prepared to do our best to give you a reasonable answer according to the scripture and so I want to do that this morning like Paul I don't want you to be ignorant or unlearn it on this subject he went on to say I don't want you to be ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep lest you sorrow as others who have no hope for if we believe it could have been just as accurately translated from the original Greek text since we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so God will bring with him those who sleep now it's not talking here about sleeping or soul sleep as many teach it is literally referring to separation not so much death but separation for he speaking to a group of believers and for the believer we will never die in the sense of annihilation or permanency but rather the scripture tells us those who are in Christ one day if the Lord tarries your physical body has an expiration date on it and one day you will call what people casually referred to as death but for the believer we really don't die in the sense of permanency we pass into a state of spiritual sleep think of it as a brief pause between life temporary and life eternal as the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 27 it is appointed unto men and women don't be offended by the King James it was written in 18th century Elizabeth II in English and was written in the masculine as many parts of writings throughout the centuries were it means generically when it says men people it is appointed unto men or people wants to die but after that the judgment so it is not death in the sense of it's all over the Bible teaches us that death is not a period at the end of your sentence death is not an exclamation point at the end of your life and final in its effort but the Bible says rather it is a brief transaction between life temporary and life eternal and every one of you that are listening to me and those of you that are viewing today need to understand this and deal with it once you are born the Bible says you forever will be once you are born because you were made in the image of God Genesis chapter 1 and verse 3 the Bible tells me that when God created man he breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living soul and because God has breathed life into us we not only have a physical body but we have an eternal soul one hundred years from now there's only one thing that you have with you today shall have with you in a hundred years it will not be the car you drove in it will not be the house that you live in it will not be the clothes upon your back it will not be your investments or your 401k but a hundred years from now the only thing you have with you right now that you'll have with you then is your soul it's eternal can you say praise God I'm gonna live forever whether you like it or not because I not only have been born of my mother I have been born again by the power of the Spirit of the Living Christ and because Jesus died we sleep notice it in the text verse 14 Jesus died and rose again even so God will bring with him those who sleep because Jesus was victorious over death hell and the grave all of those who are followers of Christ no longer are annihilated in death but we sleep awaiting a better day my father who is in ministry for over 60 years went to sleep about 6 years ago his body lies in a grave in West Virginia in the state in which he was born but there is soon coming a day when by the sound of a trumpet there will be a reuniting of the spirit of my father that was eternal and the resurrected body to be with Christ in the air and that promise is not only true for him it is true for all of us who receive and believe in Christ come on and believe and give God a mighty hand to praise verse 15 for this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep 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 believers who have already tasted a temporary physical death that are buried in a grave the Bible says they're going to rise first I'm oftentimes asked that question in my years of ministry why do you think it is that the dead in Christ are going to rise first as if there's some hidden deep theological answer to that if there is I've never been able to discover it nor anyone that I've talked to been able to help me understand it I always say I suppose it's because they have six feet further to go than you and I I heard the story of a Baptist and a Presbyterian who were at a local coffee shop and they were arguing about this very verse as to who was going to be taken first in the rapture the Presbyterian was trying to lay out a solid argument that he felt all Presbyterians were going to be taken first the Baptist was arguing with him and trying to debate that perhaps the Baptist should go first finally the Baptist conceded and said well perhaps you're right the Bible says the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord therefore comfort one another with these words in the infancy of this message can I pause and ask you a very serious question the rapture the Bible tells us for those who completely understand or at least in good part understand the Bible said it's not a message of fear it's a message of comfort don't miss what I'm about to say this is solid biblical gold Bible prophecy was not given to scare us Bible prophecy was given to prepare us and what does it profit a man if intellectually he studies and learn the ins and the outs of Bible prophecy and all of the various debates and arguments and views and positions but when the Lord comes they're not living right with God Bible prophecy was not given to scare you but to prepare you and when the Bible says as Paul's teaching this new church these brand-new believers about Bible prophecy and about the rapture and he said comfort one another with these words does the thought of the rapture taking place bring you satisfying comfort or does it bring to you sobering concern for those of you who have a question mark in your heart as about where you're going to spend your eternity I'm not here to judge you or to condemn you or to point a finger at you if you're the worst sinner in Tampa Florida today I'm your best friend when I prayed and I've prayed often before coming to this platform I texted your pastor and thanked him for the honor and the privilege of standing at this sacred desk and I said I don't know about other guests that you have invited to stand at this sacred desk but I give you my assurance that no one will come to that sacred desk any more prepared and prayed up than I will I take my assignment of preaching the Bible very seriously and when a pastor entrusts me with his pulpit it's not a light thing and I want to say right up front I'm not here this morning to share with you a message on Bible prophecy that will amaze you but rather my concern is that in the understanding of Bible prophecy you might be ready to meet the Lord when he comes and so I'm going to tell you upfront in the moments to come I'm going to give an invitation and I'm gonna challenge you to do what I've seen hundreds of thousands of people do in over 50 countries of the world I'm gonna challenge you this morning at that time of invitation to meet me at this old-fashioned altar and to pray a prayer with me that many people call a sinner's prayer because more important and understanding all of the facets of eschatology more important than all of that is just knowing enough to be ready to meet the Lord when he comes so can I ask you a very sobering question those of you that are viewing as well I'll invite you to pray but do you have a clear distinct memory don't miss this do you have a clear distinct memory like a video that you can turn on in your mind at any point of a time in your life when you've gotten down on bended knees in the presence of a holy God and said god I know I'm a sinner I know I've broken Commandments I know that I've done so many things that must have disappointed you and grieved your heart but God today I confess my sin and I want to be ready to meet the Lord and God if your mercy would reach my way will you forgive me because today and childlike faith I want to turn my back on the sin and turn my heart to Jesus father will you come into my life today and make me a new person make me what I ought to be forgive me cleanse me be my Lord and Savior do you have a clear distinct memory of a time in your life when you've done that because if you've not done that or you don't have a clear memory of doing that then you need to prepare your heart because you should be one of the very first ones to meet me at this altar in the moments to come because I never preach the gospel without giving people an opportunity to turn from sin and turn to Christ because when you leave the service today my prayer and the prayer every single person in leadership in this vision is that no one who attends here no one who listens to the Bible being preached from the sacred desk will turn and walk out in the same Unforgiven condition in which you walked in because the Bible says in Romans chapter 10 and verse 13 still in the 21st century all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved so it's gonna take faith and it's gonna take courage and it's gonna take humility but I'm gonna challenge you to just begin to prepare your heart some of you that will pray with me it may be the very first time you've ever made your own personal and public decision for Christ why do I say personal and why do I say public I say personal because no one can receive Christ for you no one can repent of your sins you have to do it personally your mother may be a saint and an angel but that doesn't make you a Christian you may go to church that doesn't make you a Christian you may leave the service today and go to an Italian restaurant that does not make you Italian you may go to a Chinese restaurant it will not make you Chinese you may go to a garage it doesn't make you a car and one of the things that we need to settle in our hearts is going to church does not make you a Christian reading a Bible does not make you a Christian having social interactions with people in a church does not make you a Christian praying doesn't make you a Christian there is only one way that you can make your heart right with God and it is through what the scripture says the repentance of sin and receiving Christ by faith it's a personal decision that no one can make for you [Applause] why do I say public you say tiful don't you know it's the 21st century a lot of people in churches are praying prayers just where they're at well they're wrong I don't know why it's gone out of fashion for people to be ashamed of prayer but if you can't pray publicly in a church you'll never stand for Jesus publicly in the world it takes courage to be a man of God it takes courage to be a woman of God I don't do it for technique or for any other methodology but I'm a believer in the Bible and everybody Jesus called in the Bible he called personally and publicly every Apostolic sermon in the book of Acts they called the people personally and publicly Billy Graham my hero and faith used to say there's something about doing it publicly that seals it and makes it sure so as I move forward and answering these questions on the rapture let that be something as a bedrock to build upon that today I'm not just preaching for the sake of intellectual acquiring but I want you to be able to make a decision when I'm done as to where you're going to spend eternity and whether you'd be ready to meet the Lord some of you that will pray with me personally and publicly it'll be the very first time you've ever done it that's wonderful but there are always people who listen to the gospel who once knew the Lord but if you'd be honest with yourself because of the wicked and wayward world and society in which we live it is so easy to make left turns and right turns and detours off of the straight and narrow and if you'd be honest with yourself and honest with God many of you are not living in victory over sin but sin is living in victory over you and though you once had a relationship with God that was holy and vital you're not where you should be and you need to get ready to come home to Christ today how many are glad that God's a God of second chances if you believe and receive it give him a mighty hand question number one what is the rapture I really don't know why I have reasons as to why I think but it's amazing to me how the subject of the rapture and Bible prophecy perhaps has the most questions and the most confusion and the most views of all subjects in Bible prophecy so let's begin with the basics what is the rapture simply stayed in the rapture refers to the sudden catching up of the church or believers here on earth to meet the Lord in the air the Bible clearly defines the rapture as the sudden catching up of the church or those of us who are believers believers corporately are oftentimes called the body of Christ or the church but the sudden catching up a believers to meet the Lord in the air now this is incredibly important don't miss it for those of you who enjoy Bible prophecy the next major event on God's prophetic calendar in the Holy Bible is this event called the rapture of the church I sometimes refer to the rapture of the church as the real separation of church and state there is going to by the sound of a trumpet unlike any heard before there will come a supernatural separation of church and state now as we're beginning with the basics there are three main passages in the Bible that address the rapture of the church now these are not all but these are considered the three main passages in the New Testament that speak of the rapture and I want to read them to you number one John chapter 14 and I hope that you'll follow along in your Bible and Mark these John chapter 14 verse 1 the Bible says don't let your hearts be troubled again notice Paul said concerning the rapture comfort one another with these words here in John's Gospel he again gives us this encouragement don't be troubled don't be frightened don't let your hearts be troubled trust in God Trust also in me there is more than enough room in my father's home if this were not so I would have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you and when everything is ready I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am passage number 2 first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians chapter 15 verses 50 through 57 the Bible says what I am saying dear brothers and sisters is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God these dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever but let me reveal to you a wonderful secret we will not all die but we will all be transformed it will happen in a moment that word moment in the Greek is atomists it is where we get the same word Adam moment then the scripture goes on to say in the blink of an eye in the Greek that's right pay and it literally refers depending upon scholars that you'll study the actual physical blinking of the eye which a group of scientists that General Electric discovered is 112 thousands of a second what I discovered is that's a group of scientists with way too much free time on their heads but the blinking of an eye is literally the quickest of all body movements there is nothing the body does quicker created by the almighty than the blinking of an eye but some scholars would take the original Greek and say it actually refers to the Sun and the glint that it makes on an eye why debate such a small amount of time let me put it in proper biblical perspective for the intelligent the rapture of the church when it takes place in the twinkling of an eye you can debate the time lengths and what that might mean from original Greek let me just put it to you in a way that the common man can understand it's not going to be enough time to pray it's not going to be enough time to drive to church it's not going to be enough time to make confession it's not going to be enough time to call your favorite pastor on your cell phone and by the way any pastor left behind isn't worth talking to anyway the Bible tells me that when the rapture takes place you will either be ready or you will not be ready the scripture puts it this way some will be taken and some will be left behind so for those of you who believe the Bible and want to do things biblically and properly that we need to live ready all the time is what we should strive for can you say Amen it will happen in the moment in the blink of an eye when the last trumpet is blown for when the trumpet sounds those who have died will be raised to live forever and we who are living will also be transformed for our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies then when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die this scripture will be fulfilled death is swallowed up in victory Oh death where is your victory Oh death where is your sting for sin is the sting that results in death and the law gives sin its power but thank God he gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ let me pause there long enough to tell you that when you pray the sinner's prayer with me in the moments to come whether you're praying it for the very first time personally and publicly or whether you're coming back to Christ from a place of being back slidden Hosea 14 and for the Bible says I will love you freely and I will heal your backsliding don't let anybody tell you that because you've failed that you can't come back home to God don't let anybody tell you that because of your sins or your past or skeletons in your closet that you can't come back to Jesus Christ my God is a God of second chances my God is a God of mercy but there is soon coming a day when that window is going to close the third passage is first Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13 through 18 I read it to you as my text this morning so I'll not reread it but let me read verses 16 and 17 again for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord now in honesty there are various scholars who have various opinions on the rapture I don't believe it's christ-like to make fun of people with opposing views even if those views can't be backed with the weight of Scripture as a kind of way of saying it but I'll just be honest in telling you that there are some who don't believe in the rapture and those of us that do believe in the rapture they'll oftentimes accuse us and say you folks believe in two second comings you believe in a rapture and then you also believe in a second coming you folks are doctorally amiss because you're literally teaching two second comings of Christ well to the person who's not studied or to the person who does not know the totality of Scripture that might be a tough one but it's actually a very simple one because we believe in the second coming of Christ as taught in Scripture in two separate events and they are distinctly different because in the rapture of the church which is the next major prophetic event Jesus is not actually coming back to the earth he is coming in clouds of glory and we which are alive and remain are going to be taken up to be with the Lord and so shall we ever be with the Lord think of it this way the rapture is Christ coming for the church the second coming of Christ is a totally separate event that happens after a seven-year window of time called the Great Tribulation and in the second coming of Christ Christ will actually return to this earth and guess where Jerusalem Israel and there Jesus will return physically to this earth but the Bible says when he comes the second time he's coming with all of us who were taken with him in the rapture the second coming is Christ coming with the church so I hope that might help some that are just beginning to study the scriptures on this type of teaching the rapture is Christ coming for the church the second coming is Christ coming with the church think of it as two theological bookends with the seven year window of time in the middle called the Great Tribulation and we are approaching the Great Tribulation much sooner than most people realize then the Bible tells us that the confusion that oftentimes catches people wondering who should I believe what should I believe it's not uncommon for students of the Bible to be confused but just keep pressing in I've been studying Bible prophecy literally since I was a child for 40 years very intently I still study it more intently than ever before I don't know how many books on the subject and I'm not talking about newspaper eschatology books I'm talking about text books probably 30 to 60 in the last few months on the subject now I haven't had a chance to read and study them all but I will if the Lord tarries but I want you to be ready for this soon coming question number two very commonly this comes to me why can't I find the word rapture in my Bible it's a great question why isn't the word rapture found in your Bible well we live in a day in an age in which there are many translations of the Bible but oftentimes the new believer hears preaching or teaching on this subject of the rapture and they own a Bible and they go into their concordance they find the letter R and they begin to look for the word rapture and all of a sudden it dawns them I can't find the word rapture anywhere in my Bible and so they go to a pastor or to a sunday-school teacher or someone who's been saved longer than them and no one has ever shown them and they say well it's right here in the first second thought I don't find it either and so many people get very frightened when they say wow I've been listening to scholars and theologians and intelligent ministries preaching and teaching on the rapture but I guess they're all heretics because it's nowhere to be found in the Bible so what's the answer to that well it's very simple there are many teachings in the Bible that are not found by the theological term assigned to them for example the Bible clearly teaches the Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost but you cannot find the word Trinity anywhere in your Bible I had a man come to me last year after a service and you know I don't mind people coming with questions but sometimes people come with attitude and they think I'm really sanctified and they don't know how close to death they are living on the edge and this man came pointing a finger and accusing me and you're a false prophet I came to hear what you had to say today I wanted to give you a fair chance but you were teaching on the rapture and it's not even in the Bible you're a false prophet in my carnal flesh I was thinking and your soon to be a dead man you know just because we're preachers doesn't mean that we're not tempted to grab people by their shirt and put our fists through their throat my father is West Virginia DNA runs deep in the family in case you haven't figured that out by now but being that they call me the diplomatic Shuttlesworth I thought I'd try to not lose that title in one act of violence and so I said sir you're right the word rapture isn't in your Bible do you know what else is not in your Bible the word Bible [Applause] the word Bible is nowhere to be found in your Bible but how many of you believe in the Bible that's as graciously as I could put the idiocy of that question to sleep without a rousing family DNA the word Trinity isn't in the Bible the word Bible isn't in the Bible so where do we get the word rapture without going into a long discussion now I I hope that you understand that preaching on the subject of the rapture I cannot in one single message address the totality of the subject of the rapture I'm going to have multiple hours to teach the student body this week Monday through Friday if I were to dedicate the entire week to the students at RBI I still couldn't scratch the surface on the theology and the doctrine of the rapture of the church but let me help you with something that I hope you can take with you today in AD 40 there was a very notable scholar his name was Jerome now the original New Testament manuscripts were written in Greek summon Aramaic Jerome translated the Greek text into the Latin text and when Jerome translated this passage into the Latin he used the Latin word repeal which in Latin simply means to be caught up or to be caught away the Greek word that he translated this catching up is her Pozzo so if you were able to read original Greek manuscripts in 1st Thessalonians 4 you'd come across this catching up this caught up and in the Greek you would see the word her podzol he translated that into Latin and we get the word repeal which is where we get the English word rapture so in a very brief nutshell of nugget truth this is where the theological term rapture comes from it comes from first Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 17 where the Bible speaks of being caught up that word caught up in the Greek her puzzle in the Latin repeal in the English translated the word rapture and so the term given to this theological discussion is the word rapture and it simply means to suddenly remove or to snatch away so if you're offended by Jerome if you're offended by original Greek manuscript if you're offended by the Latin then you're probably offended about a lot of stuff but the answer to why can't I find the word rapture in the Bible is because it is a theological term given to this teaching and now you know why it was translated as such question number three what are the signs of the rapture now this may be a surprise to some of you but in the study of eschatology the word eschatology simply mean the study of endtime prophecy the rapture is referred to as a sign --less event there are no specific pinpointed prophecies that point to the rapture of the church but rather all of the endtime and mark my words carefully the endtime prophecies point to the events of the Great Tribulation and there are many the coming of a one-world leader called the Antichrist the coming of a one-world monetary system the coming of a one-world religion the coming of a one-world military power the judgments the Bulls the trumpets all of those judgments both by a man and God poured out as found in the book of Revelation many prophecies the second coming of Christ many prophecies the millennial reign and so on all of the endtime prophecies are addressed and there ample prophecies that could be shared but the rapture of the church is a sign 'less event remember those two words signless the rapture in the Bible is a sign this event now what does that mean Matthew chapter 4 verse 36 however no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen not even the angels in heaven or the Sun himself only the Father Knows this will help some of you as well the United States government is not in charge of final Bible prophecy presidents and administration's are not in charge of Bible prophecy by the way only God can make America great again the European Union is not in charge of final Bible prophecy OPEC is not in charge of final Bible prophecy now why am i stating such things I can't even begin to list for you how many times I've heard preachers teachers professors etc say you know I just believe that because this took place that we've slowed down the wheels of Bible prophecy or if so-and-so had been elected I believe that would have escalated the timing of Bible prophecy all of that is untrue man is not in charge of the speed and the timing of Bible prophecy God alone is in charge of the timing of Bible prophecy he has already set these world events in order and no human being no government no power in the Middle East or anywhere in the world can speed it up or slow it down jesus said my father only knows Matthew 24 verse 37 when the Son of Man returns it will be like it was in Noah's day in those days before the flood the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up unto the time that Noah entered his boat listen to this people didn't realize what was going to happen Paul's right there many of you that are listening to me both those that are present and those that are viewing through technology thank God for the modern technology that we have that will take this fundamental Bible teaching and preaching today and send it all over the world but I stand here with a secret awareness that most people that are listening to me are a fulfillment of these very words people didn't realize what was going to happen until it was too late that's our current world you can't pass laws that we've seen passed in recent weeks in this country unless you are spiritually brain-dead unless you are completely unaware of a coming judgment day unless you have totally come to a place of being reprobate in mind where you will never stand before God and give an account for everything you've ever put your finger prints on and don't think for a moment that the world's falling apart Christians and Friends and pastors call me all of the time and they're watching this escalation of lawlessness and wickedness I mean we literally have come to a place in American history where we're divided even more so than prior to the civil war in our country and it isn't right even in the church people are divided we should not be a people of politics we should be a people of the Bible more than anything else the compass now listen I'm not pose to Christians being involved in politics I had a friend called me the other day because of recent loss and said I'm running in New York City in 2020 please pray for me I said I pray that you succeed we need intelligent and articulate Christians in political arenas but what I'm telling you is that my life is not dictated by what goes on in the White House my life is dictated by what goes on in Bible prophecy because you can sit around and tremble and fear and lose all comfort but to those of us who know Bible prophecy the world is not falling apart as it would seem the world is falling into proper prophetic place according to the promises of Almighty God he said in the last days it would be lawless he said in the last days it would be wicked he said in the last days there'd be no fear of God he said in the last days people would amount and put sins together beyond comprehension to the average the Bible tells us all of these things are going to come to pass but people still won't realize what's going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away and that is the way it will be when the son of man comes two men will be working together in the field one will be taken the other left two women will be grinding flour at the mill one will be taken the other left so you too must keep watch for you don't know what day your Lord is coming understand this if a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into you also must be ready all the time so the Son of Man will come when least expected for those of you who are taking notes it's one of the most important things I'll say all day as we prepare to close to me the most important verse in the Bible on Bible prophecy is Matthew chapter 24 and verse 44 and listen carefully again to what it says be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh the Bible says yes there are many events there are things that will take place Christ will come again but here's your assignment be ye also ready when I give the invitation in just a moment by coming to this altar and praying what many people call a simple sinner's prayer you're literally by coming to this altar saying God I don't understand everything about the Bible I never went to Bible College or Seminary I didn't do very well in school God but there's something in my heart that beats and says I don't want to gamble against the integrity of Bible prophecy I want to be ready to meet the Lord are you ready to meet the Lord are you living the way Christ created you to live are you living and following the teachings of Jesus Christ and if you haven't crossed that bridge in mind or heart in just a moment when I give the invitation I'm gonna challenge you to meet me at this altar and we're gonna pray that simple sinner's prayer together one last question when will the rapture take place like no other generation in 1900 to 2500 years we are watching the fulfillment of dozens upon dozens of biblical prophecies pointing to the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ are you aware of the fact that your Bible is almost one-third prophecy there's debate amongst scholars to to exact percentages it probably is more active need 28% prophecy but I'm not gonna argue with you if you state the often quoted the Bible is almost one-third prophecy because you're not far off the mark here's the point if so much of the Bible was Bible prophecy and by the way that's what separates the Bible from all of the religious books no other religious book in the world has prophetic content what separates the Bible and those that do their error in trying to be prophetic has proved their writings to be falsehoods and speculation but the Bible is the only book on the planet that is almost 1/3 prophecy even the critics of the scripture have oftentimes declared in higher education those who study it and have analyzed the real facts without bias that the Bible is so accurate it is history written before it takes place over 2,500 prophecies in this book over 2,000 of them have already come to pass with complete and total accuracy the Bible is believable the Bible is provable through science the Bible is provable through archaeology the Bible is provable through manuscript evidence the Bible is provable through the resurrection of Jesus Christ there is more proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ than the existence of Alexander or Napoleon or many others but what really is the great proof of the Bible's authenticity is the content of prophecy and if the Bible tells us that we are this close to the Great Tribulation this close to the coming of a one world leader this close to the building of the Third Temple in Israel this close to endtime prophecies then the obvious question and glaring question is this how much closer are we to the rapture of the church and more importantly are you ready to go the generation living is the only generation to witness the rebirth of Israel as a nation the generation living on planet Earth is the only generation to witness the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel the generation currently living is the only generation to witness the prophesied revival of the Roman Empire the generation of Christians living today perhaps are the generation taught in Scripture and in Bible prophecy that are going to do an end run on the grave never die but to be taken by the sound of a trumpet to be with Christ in the air from the moment that he raptures the church the generation living is the only generation that has watched the Reformation of the Sanhedrin the term council referred to in Matthew Mark Luke and John that has been mentioned 24 times in Scripture but are you aware of the fact that it's been out of existence for sixteen hundred years the generation living has witnessed it you're the only living generation that is witnessed the rebuilding of the third temple you say it's not rebuilt yet yes it is completely rebuilt everything necessary for the third temple is pre built and ready to be put together as they settle the debate as to the location in Jerusalem and the argument of the Dome of the rock but the Third Temple is built the Sanhedrin is in place everything necessary for torah law and ritual is in place you are the only generation in human history who has watched all of this unfold so if we're that close to the Great Tribulation how close are we to the soon coming of Jesus Christ the Sanhedrin is that Jewish body that the scripture tells us are going to rebuild the throne of David and they're doing that as I speak the throne of David in Israel is being rebuilt by the Sanhedrin Council and in Luke chapter 1 verses 32 and 33 the Bible tells us that when Christ returns he'll sit on the throne of David think about that as I am speaking you are a generation who is alive as the throne of David that Christ will sit upon when he returns to this earth and the second coming which is at the end of the Great Tribulation how much closer must we be to the rapture of the church 2nd Peter chapter 3 musicians would you come I close with this passage from 2nd Peter 3 verse 9 the Lord isn't really being slow about his promise as some people think because I'm oftentimes asked how can I be ready for the rapture TIFF TIFF this is all new to me I didn't grow up in a Christian home some of you that are listening to me you never grew up in a Christian home some of you have never had an opportunity to study the Bible or maybe are new in your spiritual adventure some of you because you see things that are going on in the world you've become concerned and in recent days you've started to avail yourself to places where they preach and teach the Bible without bias but I have to ask you a question if you learn all of this about the rapture but you're not living ready for the rapture of what value is that so I have to close by helping you to understand this question that's oftentimes asked of me if I may never learn all of the facets of what your teaching and preaching but just teach me how I can get ready to meet the Lord how can I be ready for the rapture the Apostle Peter in his second letter in chapter 3 verse 9 said the Lord isn't really being slow about his promise as some people think no he is being patient for your sake because he does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants if to repent pause right there that's the heart of God my friend God said I don't want you to perish in the King James it says he is not willing that anyone should perish what does that mean the word perish in the original Greek means faced judgment for unrepented sin if you do not repent of sin you'll perish in a day in an age in which we're hearing a lot of preaching on what I call slop bucket salvation easy believe ism just believe in Jesus Christ he'll take care of the rest God has forgiven all of your sins both past present and future liars each and every one of them God has not forgiven your sins past present and future there is only a one sin that God can forgive don't you dare miss this this is not my opinion this is straight out of the Bible Luke chapter 13 verse 3 jesus said unless you repent you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven there is only one kind of sin that God forgives repented SID Paul said should we continue in our sins so that grace may abound god forbid you want to talk about startling Bible prophecy listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel he said the road that leads to heaven is straight and narrow and few there be that find it if you'd listened to most modern theologians and preachers and teachers of the Bible you'd think that 80% of the world is going to heaven but jesus said not so he said the road that leads to hell is wide and broad and many there be that go in there but the road that leads to heaven is straight and narrow and few there be that find it I'd love to believe that everybody listening to me is ready to meet the Lord but some of you already know in your heart you're not ready and that's why I told you in the beginning of this message that I love you enough to tell you the truth I told you that I was going to give an invitation I told you that I'm gonna ask you to do it personally and publicly why because God doesn't want you to perish but he said he wants everyone to repent but the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief when the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise by the way many scholars believe Peter here is describing a nuclear war the heavens will pass away with the terrible noise the very elements themselves will disappear in fire and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this what holy and godly lives you should live pause right there are you living a holy life are you living a holy life are you living a godly life the Bible goes on to say since everything is going to be destroyed like this what holy and godly lives we should be living looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along on that day he will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames but we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth that he has promised a world filled with God's righteousness if you believed and received the Word of God today give Jesus Christ a mighty hand of praise [Applause] I'm gonna ask you to stand with me across the sanctuary as much as is possible in this moment I'm going to ask you to hold steady because what we're about to do is the most important thing we've done all day how want some of you to just begin to prepare your heart before a holy God just quietly inside right now just begin to say God will you give me the courage and the faith and the humility to pray that prayer with him today I told you before I'll tell you again to meet me at this altar and the pray a sinner's prayer is gonna take courage if anyone ever tells you that it's easy to be a Christian they don't know their Bible very well Jesus said few there be few there be that find it in just a moment I'm gonna ask those of you that have the courage in our lost lamb Crusades I always ask those of you that have the courage you know you need to make peace with God no preacher has to convince you or twist your arm you just know instinctively in your heart you need to make peace with God I'm gonna ask those that have the courage in just a moment when they begin to sing the song of invitation I'm gonna ask you to be the very first ones to come because your courage listen your courage will help someone that doesn't have the same courage that you have but Christian I'm gonna ask you to do something that we do every night in our lost lamb Crusades all over the world as I give the invitation and the worship team sings a song in just a moment I'm gonna ask you to be very sensitive to the leading and the prompting of the Holy Spirit maybe you brought someone with you maybe your husband's with you today maybe your wife is with you today just a few Sundays ago a man got out of prison after serving a 12-year sentence on Saturday his friend who used to run in the same gang knew he was getting out of prison and made an effort to meet him when he got out picked him up and brought him to our lost lamb crusade in Houston had never been to church a day in his life but when I give the and gave the invitation that friend turned to him and said it's your choice but if you want to make things right with God I'll walk with you and that day that man who had just gotten out of prison hours ago made his way to an old-fashioned altar of prayer and repentance and the Bible's true that all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved don't let the devil whisper in your ear there there's a sin in your past bigger than God's grace if you'll call if you'll pray if you'll repent and childlike faith that sin and its power will be broken in the presence of God and in the presence of prayer Christian maybe somebody sitting next to you and you don't recognize them and you're not sure when the invitation is given will you turn to them not forcibly not arrogantly but just kindly turn to them and say I'll walk with you literally we see thousands of people every year in lost lamb events that give their hearts to Christ because during the invitation a spirit lead Christian turns to them and says at that vital moment I'll walk with you and if God's been speaking to your heart and your desire is I want to be ready to meet the Lord but I have a question mark as to whether I'm ready for the rapture but today I want to make absolutely sure has the worship team sings right now I'm not gonna keep you not going to embarrass you this is not a matter of being Protestant or Baptist or Catholic or any denomination this is about repenting of sin receiving Christ and living ready in these last days to meet the Lord if that's your desire I'm gonna kneel and begin to pray for you as you come and then we'll pray come on right now [Music] gee [Music] sir [Music] gee Oh [Music] one more time [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] the time [Music] some are still coming sing it one more time if you're on your way come now we're going to pray I have decide [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] just [Music] as the last few are joining us at this altar and this invitation we're going to pray together let me help you with something before we pray prayer is just talking to God from a sincere heart this is a sacred moment repeating prayers with preachers or priests or rabbis or evangelists that's not what forgive sin but when you talk to God from your heart sincerely he said his ear is open to your cry the only reason I ask people to pray a prayer with me is because it might travels and with our ministry I meet people all the time who've never been to church don't know how to pray don't know where to begin but this is God's promise not my promise when you pray with me if it's from your heart and you wouldn't be here if you weren't sincere when you pray this prayer with me I want you to know God said he'll hear every word and he said all who call upon his name shall be saved he forgives and forgets every sin so I'm gonna ask you to pray this with me out loud without guilt without shame no whispering you're not talking to God as your judge you're talking to him right now as your heavenly father pray this with me out loud Heavenly Father today as I was listening to the Bible you were speaking to me down deep in my heart I want to be ready to meet the Lord the Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of your holy standards and so today I admit my sin gods you know everything that I have ever done but I'm trusting in the cross I'm trusting in Christ and the blood that He shed that forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases as I repent of sin in childlike faith I ask you right now come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior this day I make a decision I will serve the Lord in place of my weakness please give me your strength fill me with the Holy Ghost and give me your power to be what you created me to be and now by the promise of the Bible I am no longer the property of sin I am today a child of God and I'll never be the same in Jesus name no turning back amen amen give the Lord a mighty hand to praise [Applause] [Music] those of you that prayed pastor Allen's going to give you some instructions listen to me very carefully what you just did is not the end of what God's gonna do in your life it's just the beginning like a baby that was born that's why the Bible calls it being born again every successful Christian has four habits number one read your Bible every day Psalm 1:19 thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee number 2 pray every day Luke 18 Jesus said in verse 1 we are always to pray and not faint or give up number three get to a good bible-believing Church every Sabbath if you don't have a home church on behalf of dr. rodney howard-browne i can extend to you a genuine heartfelt welcome be found here every single Sabbath come here for a year and see if God doesn't drastically turn your life from where you're at to where he doesn't want you to be and number four number four I want you to win your friends and family to Christ because many of you have friends and family and people that you love and even enemies that may never hear evangelist if Shuttlesworth or any other pastor or preacher you're the only bridge between where they're at and where God wants them to be and this might be a little overwhelming but God will use you and your change life and your new heart and your newfound Savior to make you an example to begin to lead friends and family to Christ there are only two kinds of Christians in the world today soul winners and backsliders so be a soul winner and remember those four things read your Bible every day pray every day be found faithful to the house of God every Sabbath and win friends and family to Christ if you'll do those four things between your effort and the house of God good pastoral leadership God's going to do something in your life that a year from now you'll look back and laugh at how incredibly God took you from this Sunday morning to where you'll be and above all be II also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh if you're gonna live ready to meet the Lord each and every day give God a mighty hand to praise thank you for watching today on youtube please press the subscribe button and also the notification button and like and get the word out so others can watch

Channel: Rodney Howard-Browne

Views: 22,412

Rating: 4.8038378 out of 5

Keywords: Rapture, Evangelism, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, salvation, repentance, Pentecost, Jesus Christ, hell, heaven, Tiff Shuttlesworth, Evangelist Tiff Shuttlesworth

Id: WeTpj-4VMYs

Length: 78min 6sec (4686 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 13 2019