TEXT: JOHN 15:1-6
- ABIDING FAITH WITH PURITY OF HEART
(Hebrews 11:5-6; Luke 1:8; Acts 15:9; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 3:21-24)
To be qualified for the rapture, faith is necessary. Faith encompasses, saturates and moderates your life in all you do so that you can please the Lord. When there is faith in the heart of the believer, he is exactly like Christ who has absolute faith in His heart towards the Heavenly Father. As believers, you believe that everything that happens to you is for his divine purpose. At times, believers doubt the love of God, but those who are ready for the rapture knows He loves them till the end.
- ABOUNDING LOVE FROM A PURIFIED HEART
(1 John 3:17-21; 1 Peter 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; 2:9; 16:22)
Some believers claim to love but the love cannot be seen. The instruction is to love your neighbours as you love yourself. You are not negative and criticizing about others, but your love is abounding and visible to everyone. It will run over, touching every life and turning darkness into light, it will make the lives of others purposeful and exciting. You will make it a point of duty to show love to others, and you are active and proactive about positive actions.
- ASSURING HOPE OF A PATIENT PERSEVERING HEART
(Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 6:11-12; 1 Peter 1:13-16; Ephesians 2:12-13; 1 John 3:1-3)
Some people drop all that they hear in the service on the pews and their lives remain the same as when they came in. The hopelessness, despair and degradation in their lives remain. Everything they heard about the rapture they forget immediately they leave the church. The people who will be raptured always look for the blessed hope, they are always looking forward to the coming of their Lord.
Those who delay their repentance till a future date will have themselves to blame. God will not work according to anyone’s time-table, He will not abandon His plans for anyone. He works only with the time table of heaven. Throw away all your own time tables and work with God’s. Nothing will take the hope of His coming out of those people who are waiting patiently for Him.
- THE PURPOSE OF THE SAINTS’ RAPTURE WITH THE GLORIOUS CHURCH. Ephesians 5:25-27
There are many kinds of churches: nominal, political, earthly, historic, liturgical, etc. Some of these churches don’t even believe the Bible. Jesus is not coming for any of these churches but for the sanctified, cleansed and glorious church which will be presented to Him.
The word of God acts like water which washes the believers clean. Every time they come to His presence, the word scrubs and washes clean.
- TO REMOVE A SANCTIFIED BRIDE FROM THE EARTH
(Luke 21:34-36; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9; Matthew 24:36-39)
Some people are not doing anything to prepare for the rapture. They align themselves with any kind of church, even when they are filled with false doctrines and fail to preach the word of life. The day of the Lord will come whether we are ready or not. During the flood, only eight people were ready. All the people in the world at that time were not ready.
Some people say the rapture will only take place in the major cities. This is not so. The rapture will happen all over the world. Those who are in planes in the air, in cars on the roads, on the sea, in their houses, in their places of work, in the villages and the cities will see the rapture happen. Countries evacuate their ambassadors from any unsafe country before wars. The time of the great tribulation will be the time of God’s wrath and the Lord will remove His own people before the destruction comes.
Watching and praying always are some of the things we need to do to escape the wrath to come. We need to be sober and vigilant. God has not appointed us to wrath, we will be removed from here before the great tribulation.
- TO RECEIVE AND TAKE HIS SEPARATED BRIDE TO HEAVEN
(John 14:1-3; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Thessalonians 4:14-17)
The joy of the bride is always full at the wedding and she will separate herself from all other people. The rapture is not for the enemies of God. If Satan, the occult powers, and the world held your heart before, you have to snatch your heart away from them now. Withdraw, wean yourself from the world totally so that you will be prepared and ready for the Lord at His coming.
Do not listen to any news from the world that will hinder you to go to the presence of the Lord to be prepared for the rapture. Don’t hide inside your house for fear, don’t depend on, or live your life on hear-says. Listen to the word of God and be at peace. He has not preserved us for the evil and danger in the world. The Lord has not preserved us for the adversaries, kidnappers or the enemies. You will be alive, protected, and healthy under the shadow of the Almighty. No hearts panting or palpitating, the Lord is coming after preparing a place for us. We will be ready for Him.
- TO REWARD HIS STEADFAST BRIDE FOR TURNING MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Revelation 22:12-14; Daniel 12:3; Hebrews 10:35-37; Revelation 2:25-29; 19:7-9)
You will work for the Lord and great will be your reward in Jesus name. He will not only reward our pastors and leaders, but everyone of the people of God will receive a good reward. Your life, language, behavior, encouragement and uplifting attitude, your evangelism, doing good and giving to others will serve the purpose of turning others to righteousness.
You will not be tired, weary or discouraged. I will see you in heaven with many stars in your crowns. Amen!
