THE RAPTURE!

When Christ returns for His people

We’re outta here!

By Tim Johnson

Many are unaware that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again - and likely very soon - to take all who have put their total trust in Him to be forever in Heaven.

We learn of this exciting event, known as the Rapture, from the only authoritative source of information about the future - God's Word, the Bible.

We also learn from this Book that certain conditions will exist in the world just prior to and following the Rapture.

Because we see these signs of the "last days" (2 Timothy 3:1-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) so prevalent in our current society, as well as prophesied political developments in the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere, we can say with all assurance that Jesus is coming soon.

All is in readiness for the Rapture (Revelation 22:7,12,20).

The Rapture and the Believer

The greatest day of the believer's existence will be realized when he sees Jesus face to face at the Rapture (Revelation 22:4). Those who accept Christ as our Savior and Lord will be changed to be like Christ (1 John 3:1-3), forever free from sin and all its effects (Revelation 21:4).

The purpose of the Rapture is to transport to Heaven every one who has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior since the first man, Adam.

Adam sinned and as a result all of mankind is subject to the wages of sin which is eternal death and judgment. God in love provided a Savior for man in His Son.

Jesus paid for our sins - ALL OF THEM - at Calvary's cross. All who trust this blessed Savior, believing He died for their sins and rose again, are cleansed by His blood from every sin, and have eternal life (1 John 1:7; John 3:15,16).

The Bible tells us these are the ones who Christ will Rapture to Himself. 1 Thessalonians tell us, "The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord"

There are many other Scriptures telling of this wondrous prospect for believers, such as John 14:1-3 and 1Corinthians 15:51-56.

The Rapture and the Unbeliever

Immediately following the Rapture, the unbeliever's life here on earth may not be dramatically affected, except for missing those believers of his acquaintance who were taken to Heaven, and by the tormenting knowledge that he can never be saved - that he is left on earth for judgment, and his eternal doom is sealed.

Many will then seek salvation through Jesus, but the door to Heaven will be shut (Matthew 25:1-13). According to Bible prophecy, in the seven years following the Rapture, terrible times of trouble will be brought upon the earth by the Lord, with multitudes suffering physical torment and death.

Though it is true that many people who have never heard the gospel before will be saved during the tribulation (Revelation 7:9-14), God says that all who have rejected Christ now before the Rapture (including us, if we reject this message) will be sent "strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" of a charismatic but false messiah.

Ultimately, all unbelievers will face Christ as their Judge at the Great White Throne, and will then experience eternal, spiritual death as they are cast into the Lake Of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).

The Rapture and You

Will the Rapture be the greatest day of your existence, or will it be the beginning of unspeakable horror and suffering for all eternity?

It all depends on whether or not you believe on God's Son (John 3:36).

The most important and immediate matter you need to take care of is not to make out a will, or buy insurance, but prepare to meet God by taking His salvation freely offered to you (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9).

You are not ready for the coming of Christ unless you have seen your need as a lost sinner and trusted Him alone as your personal Savior.

If I am an unbeliever now and continue to reject or neglect this great salvation, I will never hear the shout at the Rapture, I will never be able to go to Heaven (Hebrews 2:3; Luke 13:23-28).

It will be too late to repent at the Rapture, which will take place with no further advance warning in a split-second of time (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Jesus emphasized, "Today is the day of salvation." The Bible states bodily, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Then you will be ready when Jesus comes, perhaps today.

What do we need to pray to God to get saved and be Rapture-ready? Something like this:

Dear God:
I am a sinner. Others have sinned greater than I have. Nevertheless, I stand before you now as a lost sinner, deserving of Hell.

I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became a man. I choose to believe He allowed Himself to be put to death, arose again on the third day, and is alive today.

The Bible says that our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ, and I believe that. Father I want to be cleansed of all my sins right now. I know I am not right with God, and I want to be. I want to go to Heaven when I die.

Right now at (date and time)______________,
I bow at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, and I am dumping all of my sin there. ALL of them. I ask that the blood of Jesus Christ wash away all my sins - past, present and future.

I am sorry for my sin, and I accept your forgiveness. Right now I declare that I am a Christian. I ask, Father, that you will make me aware of when I want to sin and give me the courage to say no.

I ask, too, that you will help me understand the Bible and to make the rest of my days on earth count for eternity. I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ - my new Lord and Savior. Amen.

ARE THERE CHILDREN IN HELL?


Question: Are there children in hell?
Answer: No. Ponder these passages.

(1.) Jesus said, “Suffer (allow) little children to come to me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16.)

(2.) When David’s newborn son died, he said, “…I shall go to him but he shall not return to me” (11 Sam. 12:23). Since we know King David went to Heaven, we conclude his infant son is there as well.

(3.) In the book of Numbers, 20 years old was the age when males were considered mature enough to serve in the army and be counted independently in the census.

Numbers 14:29 and 32:11 says, “In the wilderness your bodies will fall…everyone of you 20 years old or more…surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swear to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because they have not wholly followed me.”

IS 20 THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY?

While those 20 or above when the Jews left Egypt, died in the wilderness for their sin of unbelief and never entered the land of Canaan, those below 20 were, apparently, considered too immature to be held accountable for not believing the account of Joshua and Caleb concerning the Promised Land and were given a pass to enter the land on that basis.

Since God is merciful and the same, “yesterday, today and forever,” I conclude that the same holds true today and that the age of accountability is 20. In that case, all those who die before their 20th birthday go to Heaven.

That also seems logical since both children and teens are still getting it together, physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.

Regardless of your age, however, “Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart” (Ps. 95:7,8). “Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation” (11 Cor. 6:2).

Questions and Answers


LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. YA, SURE!

Q. If Jesus preached love and all, why is that that some Christians are intolerant of Muslims, Hindu, Jews, Pagans, etc.? I've had enough.

A. All who profess Christianity are not necessarily true Christians. True believers in Christ will hate the false religion that leads people to Hell while loving the person enough to warn them of their religious error.

Q. Either Jesus is some kind of power-hungry corrupt prophet or Christians have got it all wrong, right?

A. Would you still call Jesus "power hungry" if you knew His claims were true? Read the Gospel of John with an open mind.

Q. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of all the pain and suffering people have put me through.

A. God will eventually judge all those who have caused you "pain and suffering" (11 Peter 2:9). What other religion offers this kind of equality and justice?

Q. You know what? These hell claims are just fear tactics. I was watching a documentary on Hell and these people dramatized it back 1,000 something years ago to scare people into their beliefs.

A. Would you call it "scare tactics" if some screaming maniac awakened you out of sleep to tell you your house was on fire? Is he a hero or a villain? The Bible says, "Flee from the wrath to come!" (Luke 3:7).

Q. If Christianity is the only way, why is it that Christianity came after Paganism, Hinduism, the ancient religions of Greece and Egypt and Judaism.

A. God predated ALL religions (Gen. 1:1). When Adam and Eve sinned, God killed animals to cover their nakedness, symbolic of the fact that covering sin required a blood sacrifice.

The human race became sinful thereafter. By the time of the flood, corruption flourished (Genesis 6:5). Paganism and its many false religious faces developed after the flood through Nimrod in Mesopotamia around the time of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).

God chose Abraham and the Jews around 2,000 BC as His mediators of truth and salvation to mankind (Genesis 12:1,2; 17:6-8. etc.)

New Testament Christianity flows right out of Old Testament Judaism in which God promised to send a Redeemer who would die as the blood sacrifice for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53).

Christ's substitutionary death around 30 AD means that the repetitious blood sacrifices of the Old Testament are no longer necessary. Forgiveness of sin, past, present, and future is available to all who receive Christ as their Savior.

How great is that?! God has devised a plan that satisfies his judgment against sin and offers salvation as a free gift to all who receive it. All other religions are Satan's lies designed to deceive and confuse the unwary (Luke 8:44).

Q. I want proof that the Bible is the only valid source of truth. Can you give that?

A. There is far too much proof of the divine origin of Scripture to cover in this forum. I have previously suggested that you read the book, "Evidence that Demands a Verdict," by Josh McDowell. The prophetic evidence alone for the divine source of the Bible is overwhelming.

Q. There are just as many prophecies and science in the Torah and Quran as there are in the Bible

A. The Torah IS the first five books of the Bible. Every prophecy and scientific statement therein is accurate. There are NO fulfilled prophecies in the Quran except those Mohammed copied from the Bible. Thanks for your great questions.

WHO ARE THE 144,000 OF REVELATION?


By Grace Kemp
gracekemp@aol.com

Question: Please help me understand the role of the 144,000 in the book of Revelation.

I've been told that their mission is to evangelize the post-Rapture world and proclaim the gospel during the Tribulation period. As a result of their ministry, "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” will come to faith in Christ, according to Revelation 7:9.

Does Scripture state that the 144,000 will evangelize the post-rapture world? I don't see it. Please tell me the Scripture, that states as a result of the 144,000's ministry, the great multitude will come to Christ?

I see that the great multitude are before the throne of God and serve him day and night, but I don't see where it says they are doing so as a result of the evangelizing work of the 144,000. Are these two things expressly stated in Scripture, or implied from Scripture? I appreciate your help.

Answer: Congratulations on being such a careful student of Scripture. Details of the ministry of the 144,000 are sparse and most of our conclusions are inferred rather than taught. Following are my thoughts.

What is the Rapture?

1) Although the word Rapture is not mentioned in the Bible, it is the private removal of all born again believers before the Tribulations.

Thessalonians 4:16-18 says,
“For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

"After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

2) The Two Witnesses They are prophets who arrive from Heaven on the day of the Rapture. We know this because they are martyred at the midpoint, 1,260 days after they arrive, and a conclusion inferred by the overall timeline of Tribulation events.

They prophesy to the Jewish worshipers in the newly built Temple in Jerusalem, according to Revelation 11:1,2. Their first converts are the 144,000, the "first fruits" of the two witnesses, says Revelation 14:4. We know this because immediately after the Rapture, the two witnesses are the ONLY witnesses for God on earth.

While the 144,000 are miraculously preserved during the first half of the Tribulation, countless Jewish converts are martyred, says Matthew 24:9. Their souls are protected under Heaven's altar as they await the arrival of "their fellow servants", according to Revelation 6:9-11.

3) The 144,000, I conclude, preach during the second half or Great Tribulation after the surviving Jewish converts have successfully escaped, "into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God...for 1,260 days," says Rev.12: 6.

Since Zechariah 13:8 implies that the converted Jews hiding in the wilderness represent one-third of their total number and that the remaining two-thirds have been killed, the 144,000 Jewish men will preach the "Gospel of the Kingdom" to the Gentiles who have never previously heard the Gospel.

See Matthew 24:14-11 and Thessalonians 2:10-12. They are the only preachers on earth at the time, surviving because they have been "sealed" in their forehead. Therefore, the "great multitude" of Gentiles described in Revelation 7:9-17 are their converts.

This forehead seal is not to be confused with the evil Mark of the Beast that Christ rejecters will accept during the same seven-year Tribulation period. This is not the last word on the topic but these are my conclusions to date. Thank you for such a great question. There are thrilling days ahead for all believers in Christ.

Is Mormonism Christian?


The question above can be phrased in several ways:

1. Is the Mormon church a Christian denomination? No. Mormonism is not Christian because it denies some of the essential doctrines of Christianity, including:

a. The deity of Christ; b. salvation by grace; and c. the bodily resurrection of Christ. Furthermore, Mormon doctrine contradicts the Christian teaching of monotheism and undermines the authority and reliability of the Bible. The evidence for these statements is documented in section 3 below.

2. Are Mormons Christians? LIKELY NOT, if they believe the major doctrines of their church.

3. Can a Mormon be a Christian?. POSSIBLY. Only God knows what each person believes (and why) regarding His Son, Jesus Christ. But as a person stays in the Mormon church, absorbs and accepts Mormon teaching, doctrine and 'latter-day revelation', the chances of answering the question in the affirmative approach zero. The key question Mormons must answer is 'WHO is the Jesus they believe in'?

In the New Testament book of 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul warns of "another Jesus whom we have not preached... a different spirit which you have not received... a different gospel which you have not accepted" (2 Cor. 11:4).

In the New Testament book of Galatians, Paul again warns: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" (Gal. 1:8). Ironically, this latter warning is a nearly exact description of how the Mormon church was founded:

In 1820, Joseph Smith Jr., age 14, went into the woods near Palmyra, New York, to pray concerning the different denominations of Christianity. Allegedly, God the Father and Jesus appeared to him and told him not to join any of those churches.

Three years later an angel named Moroni, the son of the leader of a people called the Nephites who had lived in the Americas around 400 AD, appeared to Smith and told him that Smith had been chosen to translate a book written on golden plates by Moroni's father. Smith claimed to receive the plates along with instructions to begin the translation, which was published in 1830 as the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is supposedly the account of an ancient people who came from the Middle-East to the Americas. Smith claimed that during the translation process, John the Baptist appeared to him and ordained him to accomplish the divine work of restoring the true church by preaching the true gospel that, allegedly, had been lost from the earth.

From 1833-1835, a collection of additional 'revelations from God' to Joseph Smith were published by the LDS church as the 'Doctrine and Covenants'. In 1880 another work, the 'Pearl of Great Price', was also added to the Mormon body of 'scripture'.

The Mormon view of the Bible is summed up in a statement by the most famous Mormon apologist: "The Bible of the Old World has come to us from the manuscripts of antiquity - manuscripts which passed through the hands of uninspired men who changed many parts to suit their own doctrinal ideas."

"Deletions were common, and, as it now stands, many plain and precious portions and many covenants of the Lord have been lost. As a consequence, those who rely upon it alone [the Bible] stumble and are confused" (Bruce McConkie, in The Ensign, December 1985, p 55)."

In the material below, lets examine the major doctrines of the Mormon church and compare them to those taught by orthodox Christianity. The reader can judge whether or not Mormon teachings describe a "different Jesus" and a "different gospel".

1. A Word to Mormons. If you are a Mormon, please read the material in section 1 before you proceed.

2. Claims Made by the Mormon Church. Section 2 gives background information on the LDS (Mormon) church, their statements regarding other churches, and their claims about what constitutes 'scripture'.

*claims to be Christian
*claims to be the only true Church
*the truth of the Mormon church should be confirmed by an inner feeling
*only Mormon scriptures are considered reliable, not the Bible
*claims to receive modern-day revelation that supersedes Biblical teaching

3. Mormon Doctrine Compared to Biblical Doctrine. Section 3 is the largest section of the material (>50 pages). It is intended to focus on Mormon teaching about 4 essential subjects. The approach taken throughout is to simply quote original sources, both Biblical and Mormon, with minimal commentary. The reader can decide if there is a conflict between the two and is encouraged to look up the original materials. Each of the four sections is indexed to a summary table comparing Mormon with Biblical beliefs.

*Mormon teachings about God
*Mormon teachings about Jesus
*Mormon teachings about salvation
*Mormon teachings about man

4.Mormon Literature and Leaders. This reference section gives more information on source materials plus brief descriptions of the people and books quoted in sections 2 and 3. It is important to know the background because many of the Mormon authors spoke in an official capacity or claimed to have direct revelation from God. If Mormons argue that their prophets weren't speaking authoritatively, they haven't read the original quotations of their leaders.

5. Unique Mormon Definitions. Mormons, especially LDS missionaries, use many of the same Biblical terms familiar to Christians. Yet most of these terms carry different meanings, making it critically important to define those terms.

6. Other Serious Problems with Mormonism. Major doctrinal issues are covered above, but there are many other difficulties and inconsistencies with Mormonism. In this section, I've made a partial list of these and given some useful starting points for further investigation. The serious truth-seeker should examine each of these topics.

EVIL MAGIC:
SNAKES ALIVE IN EGYPT


By Harold Smith
inchrist@ca.inter.net

QUESTION: How could the magicians of Egypt do the same miracles that Moses did? (Exodus 7:22)

They did not do the same miracles. They only did two out of the ten.

A curious question many of us have is how could Egypt’s pharaoh and his evil magic men replicate some of God’s miracles displayed by Moses when he battled for the freedom of the Israelite slaves.

Exodus 7:22 tells us, “But again the magicians of Egypt used their magic, and they, too, turned water into blood. So Pharaoh's heart remained hard. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.”

The demonic magicians turned the Nile River to blood and, with pharaoh and Moses watching, were also able to copy the miracle of snakes eating snakes in the palace.

We shouldn’t be alarmed to read of Satan’s very real power. Satan had almost as much matching power as God back then when Moses was allowed to herd the children of Israel to freedom from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Satan still has the same evil abilities today.

Satan’s power is especially vivid to those who are into Satan worship or occult practices. Avoid Satanic stuff like a deadly snake. Satan and his demons devour. Jesus and His angels are also very real. They assist us if we ask Jesus to help.

Pharaoh and the Egyptians were very wicked and set against the Lord God. They had their own demonic gods and goddesses; Hathor, Isis, Osiris, and Ra to name a few.

The one and only true God of the universe, Jehovah God, rained 10 plagues upon pharaoh until he freed His enslaved people, the Israelites.

God prevented Satan’s magicians from copying eight of the 10 plagues. The evildoers realized, “this is the finger of God.” They no longer had God’s permission to do more.

These 10 plagues are one of the greatest displays of God’s sovereignty over the entire universe. He even uses the demons for His purposes.1 Samuel 16:14, “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”

The verse means that God allowed that spirit to trouble Saul. This is similar to what we read in Job 1:12, where God allowed Satan to afflict Job.

The same sovereign power was displayed when He had ravens feed a prophet twice a day. 1 Kings 17:4 says, “And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.”

God used a donkey to speak to a prophet when there was nobody else available. Numbers 22:28 says, “And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, ‘What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times’?”

So, when God wanted to judge Egypt and deliver Israel He used Moses and the 10 plagues and allowed the magicians to use a little bit of their power to show that He was the all-powerful God. Jeremiah 32:27 says, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: Is there any thing too hard for me?”

There are some things God cannot do. He gave man a free will and when it comes to salvation, He cannot save a sinner that will not repent and trust His Son who died on the cross to provide salvation for Him.

Would we rather repent or perish? The issue is whether we want to live forever in Heaven or in Hell. There is no decision in life more important than this.

Deut. 30:19 says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

God gives us the choice. The onus in not on Him, but on us. We can never blame God if we end up in Hell. He has place the Cross of Christ between Hell and us. It is time we all accept Him.

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST?


By Grace Kemp
gracekemp@aol.com


The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins and rose again from the dead.

When we admit that we are a sinner and humbly turn to Him for forgiveness and receive Him as our Savior, He forgives us for every sin we have ever committed and makes us a member of His family.

Without a doubt, the gospel is the best news of all time. Because of the gospel, we can spend eternity in Heaven. Without the Gospel, we remain in our sins. No unforgiven sinner will ever enter Heaven.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, " I declare unto you the gospel..which..ye have received….by which..ye are saved..how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “SAVED”?

The word “saved” is used 53 times in the New Testament and means to be delivered. Imagine a person in peril. Someone sees his plight, assesses the situation, then perhaps risking his own life, executes a successful rescue. We call that person a hero.

WHY DO I NEED TO BE SAVED?

God is absolutely holy. Man was born with a sinful nature, and chooses to sin. While some sin more than others, we all sin. It takes only one sin to separate us from God. Because of sin, we are in danger of eternal separation from God. We need to be saved!

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DIE UNSAVED?

Consider the following chilling words:

* Romans. 3:23 - “All have sinned”

* Romans. 6:23 - “The wages of sin is death”

* John 8:21 - “If you die in your sins, where I go ye cannot come”

* Hebrews. 9:27 - “After (death), the judgment”

* Matthew. 3:7 - “Flee from the wrath to come”

* Luke 16:23 - “In hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments”

* Revelation. 20:15 - “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire"

WOULD A LOVING GOD ACTUALLY SEND PEOPLE TO HELL?

God sacrificed his beloved Son to save us from going to Hell. If we ignore or reject Christ who is our one and only means of salvation, we will send ourselves to Hell. But we will have stepped over Christ’s dead body to get there.

WHAT ABOUT PURGATORY?

Purgatory does not exist. Not only does the Bible never mention it once, but teaches that Hell is a never-ending place of eternal torment from which lost souls never escape.

HOW CAN I GET SAVED?

The Bible says we must be saved to get into Heaven. To get saved, we must pray what is commonly referred to as the Sinner’s Prayer Here are the essentials.

1. We must acknowledge that we are sinners and can do nothing to save ourselves.

2. Confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

3. In simple faith, accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Invite Him into our life.

4. The Bible says we are to tell somebody what we have done. See Romans 10:9.

SINNER’S PRAYER

Dear God,

I am a sinner and I need forgiveness.

There is nothing I can do to cover my sins, past, present, or future.

The Bible says, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness."

I want my sins forgiven right now so I can have a relationship with You and go to Heaven when I die.

I am willing to turn away from my sin.

I believe that:

Jesus Christ, Your Son, is the promised Messiah and Savior.

Jesus Christ died on the cross, not for His sin but to sacrifice Himself for my sin.

Jesus Christ is the only blood sacrifice for sin that You will accept.

Jesus Christ's resurrection proves that You accepted his sacrifice for me.

Because I believe all these things, I am now acting on them.

Lord Jesus Christ,

I repent of my sins.

I renounce all other gods.

I believe You are the Son of God and the only Savior.

I willingly and wholeheartedly accept You, Lord Jesus Christ, as my Savior and Lord.

I invite You to make your home in my heart.

Because you have promised to receive all who come to You in faith, I declare that:

I belong to You.

You are the Lord of my life.

I am now a member of the family of God.

I am in an eternal, covenant relationship with You.

This covenant is sealed by the Holy Spirit who now lives in me.

My name is written in your Book of Life.

Heaven is my future home.

My intention is to love and obey you with my whole heart.

Thank you, God, for your amazing love and priceless gift of salvation.

In Jesus' name, amen.


Your name_________________________________

Date ______________________________________


(Keep this with your valuable documents.)

Questions and Answers


By Grace Kemp

gracekemp@aol.com
http://www.youtube.com/scriptureseries


Q. If Jesus preached love and all, why is that that some Christians are hateful and intolerant of Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Pagans, etc. I've had enough.

A. All who profess Christianity are not necessarily true Christians. True believers in Christ will hate the false religion that leads people to Hell while loving the person enough to warn them of their religious error.

Q. Either Jesus is some kind of power-hungry corrupt prophet or Christians have got it all wrong.

A. Would you still call Jesus "power hungry" if you knew His claims were true? Read the Gospel of John with an open mind.

Q. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of all the pain and suffering people have put me through.

A. God will eventually judge all those who have caused you "pain and suffering" (11 Peter 2:9). What other religion offers this kind of equality and justice?

Q. You know what? These Hell claims are FEAR tactics. I was watching a documentary on Hell and these people dramatized it back 1,000 something years ago to scare people into their beliefs.

A. Would you call it "fear tactics" if some screaming maniac awakened you out of sleep to tell you your house was on fire? Is he a hero or a villain? The Bible says, "Flee from the wrath to come!" (Luke 3:7).

Q. If Christianity is the only way, why is it that Christianity came after Paganism, Hinduism, the ancient religions of Greece and Egypt and Judaism. Why is that?

A. God predated ALL religions (Gen. 1:1). When Adam and Eve sinned, God killed animals to cover their nakedness, symbolic of the fact that covering sin required a blood sacrifice. The human race became sinful thereafter. By the time of the flood, corruption flourished (Genesis 6:5). Paganism and its many false religious faces developed after the flood through Nimrod in Mesopotamia around the time of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).

God chose Abraham and the Jews around 2,000 BC as His mediators of truth and salvation to mankind (Genesis 12:1,2; 17:6-8. etc.) New Testament Christianity flows right out of Old Testament Judaism in which God promised to send a Redeemer who would die as the blood sacrifice for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53). Christ's substitutionary death around 30 AD means that the repetitious blood sacrifices of the Old Testament are no longer necessary.

Forgiveness of sin, past, present, and future is available to all who receive Christ as their Savior! How great is that?! God has devised a plan that satisfies his judgment against sin and offers salvation as a free gift to all who receive it. All other religions are Satan's lies designed to deceive and confuse the unwary (Luke 8:44).

Q. I want proof that the Bible is the only valid source of God's truth. Can you give that?

A. There is far too much proof of the divine origin of Scripture to cover in this forum. I have previously suggested that you read the book, "Evidence that Demands a Verdict," by Josh McDowell. The prophetic evidence alone for the divine source of the Bible is overwhelming.

Q. There are just as many prophecies and as much science in the Torah and Quran as there are in the Bible.

A. The Torah IS the first 5 books of the Bible. Every prophecy and scientific statement therein is accurate. There are NO fulfilled prophecies in the Quran except those Mohammed copied from the Bible.

Satanic Ritual Abuse, Dissociative Identity Disorder

Things that TRIGGER

By NiteOwlDave
niteowldave@gmail.com

Those who deal with Multiple Personality Disorder/ Dissociative Identity Disorder can trigger - which means they switch personalities and are tossed into a flashback - six different ways -

1. Words
2. Smells
3. Sounds
4. Visual images
5. Unwanted touch
6. Taste

It often takes time, practice, and focus to learn the triggers. If you’re a friend of someone with DID (also called Multiple Personality Disorder), it would be wise to create a trigger list as you learn them.

WORDS

It is a given that most graphic sexual words will trigger a survivor of sexual abuse.
In the same ballpark are words like “babe” and such. Words of that type are used by abusers in their sick efforts to attract, turn-on or “comfort” their targets of hurt.

Whispering to a survivor is often VERY triggery. Most survivors have heard ugly whispers during abuse.

If an abuse survivor has been through the horrors of Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA), it should be presumed that ALL God words are triggers that will prompt terrifying flashbacks.

We must presume that all religious words will trigger a survivor of abuse and programming at a Satanic coven. Avoid using these and similar words –

1. Master
2. Christ
3. Blood
4. Lord
5. Savior
6. The word alter may be a trigger as Satanists use upside down crosses they sometimes call altars during their sacrificial practices. If so, use the word insider, friend or other when referring to their alter personalities.
7. Crucify
8. Cross
9. Slave
10. Basement or attic
11. Christmas and Christian music
12. Words spoken in anger plus loud noises like crowds can trigger.

I’ve found a good way around trigger words is using initials such as the b of the real JC to stand for the blood of Jesus Christ. The Lord hears our hearts, so it matters little if we use clearly pronounced words.

When a survivor of SRA gets saved and exposes him or herself to Christian music, Christian counseling and Christian friends, these trigger words will slowly be lifted, usually one word at a time. It usually takes time, focus, and prayer.

Do not use striking words that refer to hurting such as:

1. Hit
2. Strike
3. Slap
4. Smack
5. Hurt, etc.

It is better to say “the bad things that were said and done to you at the bad place.”

SMELLS AND SOUNDS

The triggers prompted by smells and sounds are different with each survivor. We can assume the smell of aftershave, beer, cigarettes, cigars, and blood related to Satanic sacrifices would be triggers.


VISUALS

A favorite sick trick of the Coven Satanist is with dress wear.

Satanists will dress like cops, priests, pastors, and postmen. They tell their young victims they are God, Jesus Christ, teachers, therapists, etc. This makes the victim think EVERYONE is linked to them and to never divulge their past. It’s ultimate brain washing.

Survivors will trigger from anything they see that reminds them of their Satanic past. That can happen if they see someone who walks, talks or is wearing something that was worn by a Satanist at “the bad place.”

Another visual flashback source is television and movies. Many survivors will not watch TV or go to movies because of horror, blood, and love scenes.

TOUCH

It is wise to never touch or hug a survivor without permission. A soft touch to the elbow can be even difficult to take.

TASTE

Any taste with a devilish link will trigger.

Usually, the slightest taste of blood – such as in an undercooked hamburger - can be a monstrous trigger. The sick Satanists force held kids to dabble with blood in rituals and to drink it.

Other taste triggers often have different unique sources. One survivor told me she can not eat bacon because her Satanist father forced it down her throat as a child. She says seeing bacon in a store tosses her back into that memory and makes her switch personalities.

She said she also detests miniature hot dogs although she can eat regular-sized hot dogs. “I don’t know why,” she said. “There must be memory link there that I’m unaware of.”

OTHER TRIGGERS

Some survivors have triggers unique only to them.

I was once told by a survivor to never use the word clock. (She spelled out the word.) I didn’t pursue why it was a trigger but accepted it.

Another survivor told me she triggers if she hears jangling keys. She said her abusive father always did that when he arrived home.

Anyone who is going to befriend or try to help an abuse survivor must be alert to uncommon triggers and avoid them. Don’t hesitate to ask a survivor friend what to avoid saying or talking about.

CANDLES AND FIRES

Staring at burning candles or small fires can cause someone with an SRA background to space out or trance.

Satanists use fires for rituals where they sacrifice cats, dogs, babies and young children to Lucifer, whom they worship.

Even if a survivor escapes the Satanist, he or she will still be linked to demons that have ground or the right to be part of them through blood rituals. Candles are used by most survivors to trance. Trancing allows Demons to take control of the body.

ONE FINAL THING…

We must keep in mind that survivors of brief or prolonged sexual abuse who have other personalities or alters are not freaks. Their life is a mountainous journey.

You might find this article I wrote of interest. The ABCs of SRA and DID

http://www.scribd.com/doc/10125792/The-ABCs-of-SRA-and-DID-PDF-File

WHAT ARE THE RAPTURE AND TRIBULATION?

By Grace Kemp
gracekemp@aol.com

The Rapture is the pre-tribulation removal of the church to Heaven and marks the end of the church age, a period of time in which God brings believing Jews and Gentiles together in one body called the church.

Since no true believers, living or dead, are left behind, there is no need for a second Rapture. (1 Thess. 4:15-17).

The Tribulation begins after John's call to Heaven that may symbolize the Rapture (Rev. 4:1).

The seven years of Tribulation is all about the Jews. It is not only "the time of Jacob's trouble," (Jer, 30:7), but salvation is, once again, "of the Jews" (John 4:22). Believing Jews are the evangelists in the Tribulation.

Following the Rapture, God's two Jewish witnesses station themselves on either side of the golden menorah in the newly built temple in Jerusalem (Zech. 4:2,3,).

There, they prophesy to Jewish worshipers (Rev, 11:1). Their first converts are the 144,000 Jews (Rev.14:4). There is no record of any Gentile converts (Matt. 24:9).

Note the rejoicing of Gentiles when the two witnesses are killed. (Rev. 11:9,10).

At the midpoint of the Tribulation, one third of all Jews on earth believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, likely as a result of God's spectacular deliverance of the Jews from the invading, northern army (Ezek. 38, 39; Zech. 13:8).

These converts, the remnant of Israel, hide out in the Judean wilderness during the final 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation (Rev. 12:6, 13-16). The unbelieving 2/3's of Jews who are not in hiding are killed (Zech. 13:8).

The departure of the two witnesses marks the end of God's outreach to Israel as a whole. Hereafter, He deals with the believing remnant of Israel.

The millions of Gentiles converted through the preaching of the 144,000 Jews during the Great Tribulation, become proselytes of Israel just as they did in the Old Testament (Rev. 7:9, 13-17). The remnant of Israel rules the world under Christ, their King, during the Kingdom age.

----------------

* To summarize, the Rapture marks the end of God's outreach to the church. The removal of the two witnesses marks the end of God's outreach to national Israel.

* I see no Biblical basis for believing in a second Rapture.