Heavenly Greetings in Jesus' name.
Yes, thank you so much for joining us once again,
on this podcast, here on The University Of God.
Yes, so many people believe and know
that we are in the last days.
Yes, the end times,
where there is a manifestation
of the spirit of fear everywhere.
And I think we've seen that time and time again
in the last few years, even months.
But we know that, as children of God,
we should be led by faith and not by fear.
So there's one question
that keeps reoccurring and reoccurring.
I think you know what I'm gonna say,
all about rapture.
Yes, some people ask the question,
"When will the rapture take place?”
“Will I be left behind?"
So I want to take a moment today
for us to talk about this in the light of God's Word.
You know, God's Word has the final say.
In God's Word is an assurance that settles
all problems and questions and doubts.
So that is why we're here today,
on The University Of God, to discuss about
different topics based and illumined by the Word of God.
So Racine, what can you say about rapture?
Rapture, what a word.
In English, what does the word rapture mean?
Well, I mean it has different meanings, doesn't it?
What does rapture mean?
Okay, wait, wait, let me check.
There's a meaning in the natural and the spiritual.
Well, number one, "A feeling of intense pleasure or joy."
Number two.
That's in the figurative sense.
"The transporting of believers to Heaven
at the second coming of Christ."
Okay, you hear what they say?
Say it again.
"The transporting of believers
to Heaven at the second coming of Christ."
Transporting!
Do you take a bus?
Where would they transport them?
Where is the destination?
Heaven.
Glory be to God.
Can a bus go to Heaven? No!
Can a plane go to Heaven? No!
Can a rocket go to Heaven? No!
Even where is Heaven?
So let's come back to our journey.
You can see we say rapture.
Rapture is a spiritual thing, has a spiritual meaning,
when it comes to the Bible.
So the reason, what is rapture?
Why do we need to be raptured, for what?
We said it, here is not Heaven - this world we live.
And the Scripture says in the Book of John,
"We are in the world -
we are not a part of it."
Take note of that.
We are in a world in bodily form,
but if you are in Christ Jesus, if you are saved,
if you are born again,
if you have the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus in you,
this means you have the divine nature of Christ in you.
You are in the world in bodily form, but not a part of it. (John 17:14)
It's what Jesus said when He interceded for the saints,
in John 17, He said,
"Father, sanctify them by the truth." (John 17:17)
“Your Word is truth.”
And Jesus said to Pilate, in John 18,
"For this reason I was born and came into this world
to bear witness of the truth." (John 18:37)
Pilate said, "What is truth?" (John 18:38)
Jesus remained silent.
Why? Truth needs to be discerned.
So, we are not of this world. Why?
Because the Bible says,
“Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world.” (Romans 12:2)
So we talk about rapture -
Jesus said, "I don't pray Father,
for You to take them from this world,
but to protect them from the evil one" - in John 17:15.
But there is something Jesus said, in John 14:3,
if Ruth can help us to read it.
Let's listen to the promise of Jesus.
Let's start from verse 2,
John 14:2 - listen very carefully.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ of Nazareth
is the Governor of our future.
What is future?
"In My Father's house are many rooms."
I love this Scripture.
Which Scripture is that one, can you say it?
John 14:2.
Listen to what Jesus Christ said to all of you, and me.
"In My Father's house"
Who's the Father? God Almighty.
Which house?
A house not built by man, but a house built by God.
That's why Hebrews 11
mentioning the heroes of faith, said,
they left where they come from,
looking for a house not built by man.
If they were looking for a house from men,
they would have returned to where they came from.
But they were looking for the house built by God.
Jesus said to you and me,
in John 14:2, as Ruth just said, say it again.
"In My Father's house are many rooms."
That means there's a room for you.
And for you and for me.
"If it were not so-"
Some version say "many mansions."
"Many mansions," yeah.
The will of God is not to give you a room - a mansion.
"In My Father's house are many mansions, or many rooms,
if it were not so I would have told you.”
One second,
carry us along, “if”, what?
"If it were not so."
"I would have told you."
You know what Jesus means?
What I'm telling you is the truth.
If not, I would not say it.
If I say it - I, who came from Heaven,
believe My words, it is true.
"I am going there to prepare a place for you."
"I am going there ahead of you -
to prepare a place for you."
Hallelujah! When Jesus was saying that,
He was here on this earth, am I right?
Yes, you're right.
He said, "I am going to My Father's house
to prepare a mansion for you" - over there.
Do you know what He means?
If I say here, who wants to go to Heaven?
Ruth, do you want to go to Heaven?
Yes, I want to go to Heaven.
Are you ready to go now?
Praise the Lord!
I want to see my daughter grow up!
Me too! So we can see,
all of us want to go to Heaven, none of us are ready to die!
I want to see what God will do with the University of God!
This is a pretext, you are just saying it.
That's not true - you don't want to die young.
I don't want to die now!
Praise the Lord!
Because we still believe we have so much to achieve on earth -
we won't achieve nothing without Jesus.
That's why only God knows the beginning and the end.
Even King Hezekiah, when God said, "You're going home" -
he began to cry.
No one wants to go before their time, no one.
But that's why there's an appointed time for everything.
But Jesus said, "I will go ahead of you",
Meaning, “I will leave this world,
I will go back to the Father to prepare a place.”
Can you go to John 14:26, and we can come back to that.
Verse 26, let's listen to what Jesus said.
"But the counsellor, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in My name."
"But the counsellor."
"Will teach you all things and will remind you - "
He will teach you. "And will remind you
of everything I have said to you."
(John) 14:36, that's it. Now, you hear what He said?
The Counsellor, the Holy Spirit will what?
"Teach you." "Will teach you."
"All things."
"And will remind you of everything."
"I've said to you."
Let's go back now to that verse 14.
This is one of the things that Jesus has said to you.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be with Me
that you also may be where I am."
Oh my Lord, Jesus said, ‘I will’ what?
Go.
"I will go and I'll prepare
a place for you," "And then I will," what?
"I'll prepare the place for you,"
"And then I will come back." "I will come back."
"And take you to be with Me."
"So that you may be where I am."
That's the rapture.
Jesus said, I will first go to my Father in Heaven.
I will die and leave this world.
When I go to My Father, I will prepare a place,
because Jesus prays in John 17,
"Father where I am, I want them to be with Me."
Jesus went to Heaven,
to prepare a place for you, that is our future.
That's the future of the church,
to spend future felicity with Jesus forever in Heaven.
And Jesus said, "If it were not so, I would have told you."
So that's the assurance of our future,
it's not this Earth, our future is Heaven,
eternity with Him.
To guarantee that future, Jesus said,
"I will go first and prepare a place for you.
When I've prepared a place for you, then I will come
and take you there." This means He's the only way,
the only truth, and the only life.
So Him taking us to Heaven is the rapture?
That's the rapture!
What does it mean? I hope you're writing this down,
do you have a pen and paper?
Write this down.
"I will come back and take you there."
That's what He said, John 14:3, am I right?
Yes.
Jesus made that promise that He will come
and take us there and we will spend the future
felicity with God -
this means no one can take you to Heaven except through Him.
That's why He said, "I am the way, I am the truth,
I am the life, no one comes to the Father, except through Me."
The question is, going to Heaven, you must have a criteria.
If I want to go to America, can I take a plane
and go to America at my will?
I'm asking you?
Well, depends, you need to make sure you have a ticket.
You need to make sure you have a visa.
If you need a visa, or an ESTA.
Or whatever part of the world you're from.
Okay, a ticket.
Now, to go to the place where Jesus said we should go,
it's true, you need a ticket.
What's the ticket, to pay?
Salvation.
What is salvation?
Being cleansed from your sins by the blood of Jesus,
accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
Does salvation come by your own way?
No. How are we saved?
Jesus saves us. How did Jesus save me?
Jesus has died the cross more than 2,000 years ago.
Today, there are many people that are not saved.
The fact that Jesus died for the whole of humankind
doesn't mean everybody's saved.
Because Jesus is the the Creator of everyone,
but not the Father of everyone.
I mean, we have to accept
Jesus into our hearts as our Lord and Saviour.
What is the ticket? That's the question.
The ticket is for -
You said it before.
You to accept Jesus.
How do you pay for the ticket?
You pay for the ticket through the blood of Jesus.
How do you pay for the blood of Jesus?
When you accept what Jesus has done for you.
How do I accept it?
When you repent of your sins,
and you accept Him into your heart.
How do I accept Jesus? By mental imagination?
No. How?
In your heart.
How does my heart accept Jesus?
You believe with your heart, you believe it.
You are close! Say it again!
Faith!
That is it! You're turning me around!
You can tell that we've not planned this!
Like literally, we have not planned this!
That is it, the ticket is faith, heavenly currency.
Because, Jesus said, "I will go to My Father,
I will prepare and come and collect you."
Now, who qualifies you?
Jesus.
Because the Bible says that flesh and blood -
1 Corinthians 15:50
this body cannot inherit Heaven.
Why? We are not righteous.
You must have right standing before we go to Heaven.
An upright heart.
So it means I need a visa.
You say the visa. I need to go to the embassy.
I need to go to a living church
with somebody appointed by Christ
to preach the gospel by the Holy Spirit,
who preach to me, Word of life,
and faith comes from that Word, right?
So to go to the Kingdom of Heaven, to be saved,
is by faith, through grace, through faith.
That's what Jesus said.
So, who are those who will be raptured?
We're coming to that answer.
Who are those who will be raptured?
Those who are saved.
♪ On the last day ♪
♪ Only true believers shall be raptured ♪
♪ Will you be ready ♪
♪ When the Lord shall come ♪
That's the question.
Will you be ready when the Lord shall come?
Faith is now.
That's why Prophet TB Joshua said,
"Live each day as if it were your last.”
If I live each day as if it were my last,
I will get my heart in tune, to reconcile with God
and to be ready when the Lord shall come.
Will you be ready?
Will you be fit for that journey?
That's the question.
So the Scripture says clearly, let's go back.
We are talking about that rapture,
how Jesus will take you there.
Let's go to 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
Jesus said He would come back.
Let's see what happens when Jesus is coming back.
"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.”
‘Caught up’ - that's rapture.
"And so we will be with the Lord forever."
That is it, we'll be caught up - that’s rapture.
Now, let's take it one-by-one.
Paul said,
1 Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven."
Jesus will come back 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."
That's what the Scripture says.
What does it mean?
If you are a believer in Christ,
and you have salvation in the name of Jesus,
and you have the gift of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus said in John 14:16,
"You'll be sealed with the Holy Spirit forever."
And He said, "He who believes in Me will never die, (John 11:26)
even so he dies."
That means if you're a believer, if you are saved,
death is not a period, only a comma,
there's life after life.
This body will go to the dust, but will resurrect.
But Jesus is saying now, all the believers
that have ‘slept’ in the body, but they say dead,
a Christian never dies, he changes.
But this body of flesh will go to the grave.
What Jesus says now, at His coming,
there will be resurrection.
That resurrection, those who die in Christ first,
will not be left here.
If you rapture, you rapture somebody who is alive.
You cannot rapture somebody who is dead.
So it means we'll not leave them here.
The Bible says, "Those who slept in the Lord will resurrect first."
That's what the Scripture says.
But those who are still alive but saved,
their body will be transformed automatically
because this body of flesh cannot go to Heaven -
it’s a body of glory.
That's what he said. He will come and take them.
So the question we need to answer.
When will the rapture take place?
That's the problem everyone's talking about.
That's the question that everyone wants to know - when?
Or the tribulation, or you know, the last days.
Let's go to next chapter, 1 Thessalonians 5:1.
"Now, brothers, about times and dates,
we do not need to write to you for you know very well
that the Day of the Lord will come
like a thief in the night."
Take note, say it again.
"Now, brothers, about times and dates,
we do not need to write to you for you know very well
that the Day of the Lord will come
like a thief in the night."
That's what he said, let's go to Mark 13:30-32.
Listen to what Jesus said, Mark 13:30-32, listen,
All this concerning that rapture everybody's talking about.
"I tell you the truth,
this generation will certainly not pass away
until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away
but My words will never pass away."
Listen to the Lord, Jesus said,
"Heaven and earth will pass away,
My words will never pass away,"
"No one knows about the day or hour,
not even the angels in Heaven nor the Son,
but only the Father."
Say it again.
"No one knows about that day or hour,
not even the angels in Heaven nor the Son,
but only the Father."
So if the angels don't know,
if the Son doesn't know, only the Father.
So how we will know, and that's the question.
So that’s what the Scripture says -
that's what the Bible says.
"He will come like a thief in the night."
That's why, if you look at the Apostles of old,
they were living as if the rapture will take place
the day they were living.
That's why we live by faith, and faith is now.
Meaning, if you live each day as if it were your last,
you will get ready.
That's why Prophet TB Joshua said,
"When we are prepared to die,
we are prepared to live."
Meaning, when you are prepared to leave this earth,
waiting for the Lord to come, any moment from now,
you're prepared to live everlasting life with Him in Heaven.
And nobody knows!
Faith is now -
tomorrow is not yours, only the present is ours.
And the Bible warns that one day before the Lord,
is like a 1000 years, and 1000 years like a day.
So the question is now, who will be raptured?
Who are the people concerned by this rapture
we are talking about?
Let's go to the Book of Luke 10:20,
and then we elaborate.
"However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,
but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven."
You hear that?
When the disciples came because they were filled with the Holy Spirit,
sent by Jesus to cast out demons.
Lord, we have seen this.
Jesus said, do not rejoice because of that.
Rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.
What does this mean?
Let's go to Ephesians 2:19.
The meaning - your name written in Heaven,
means you are a citizen of Heaven.
If I want to go to America
and I'm not an American person, I will need a visa.
But if I'm an American person, I can go freely.
I have free access.
I must be a citizen to go to that country.
Ephesians 2:19.
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,
but fellow citizens with God's people
and members of God's household."
Do you hear that?
That's the household of faith.
You are no longer a foreigner
when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
You don't need a visa, you are free.
Jesus will cleanse you of all iniquity,
by faith in His blood.
And when you believe in Christ Jesus,
you receive the Holy Spirit.
You are saved, your name is written in Heaven
because you have the seal of righteousness -
that you are saved, born of the Spirit,
born from above, John 3:5-6,
"That which is born of flesh is flesh.
That which is born of Spirit is Spirit."
Read it for us, John 3:5-6.
"Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth,
no one can enter the Kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh,
but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.'"
That is it, go ahead.
"'You should not be surprised
at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell
where it comes from or where it's going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.'"
That is it, you must be born again.
When you are born again, your name is written
in the registry of Heaven.
Your birth certificate is from Heaven, born of the Spirit.
That's why Ephesians 2:19 says, you were reading,
"You are no longer a foreigner - or aliens."
You're a member of God's household.
Absolutely! These are the people
that have the seal with them.
When the angel comes to collect them,
he will look at those who have the seal of righteousness.
Ephesians 1:13.
"And you also were included in Christ
when you heard the Word of truth,
the Gospel of your salvation.
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal,
the promised Holy Spirit,
who is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance
and the redemption of those who are God's possession."
Hallelujah.
"To the praise of His glory".
That is it, the moment you have the Spirit of God,
you're a citizen of Heaven.
You are marked with a seal of righteousness.
Now, I want to say something - the purpose of that seal.
The Scripture says that Jesus is coming again.
And the Bible says the Day of the Lord will come -
it will be a terrible day.
On that day the wrath of God will come.
But the question, those who are saved,
those who are believers, escape the wrath of God -
they will be raptured.
So I'm telling you, the rapture is not my problem -
if I'm a child of God.
I mean, God has marked me with a seal,
I'm no longer of this earth.
God has made a promise, whether I'm alive or not,
Jesus will take me there.
I’m conscious in me, that I have the seal.
When Jesus will come back, He will take me,
I have the guarantee of that.
I'm no longer of this earth.
I'm here physically,
I'm not raptured in body, but in spirit I'm there.
Go to Ephesians 2:5, listen very carefully.
"But because of His great love for us,
God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ,
even when we were dead in transgressions.
It is by grace you have been saved."
Say it again, gently.
"But because of His great love for us,
God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ,
even when we were dead in transgressions.
It is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms, in Christ Jesus.
That’s what the Bible says - in spirit.
But when we talk about rapture, they're talking about this body.
It means I'm a citizen of Heaven, my name is in Heaven,
but in bodily form, I'm still absent from the Lord.
Or Paul meant, in bodily form we are still away from the Lord.
So when He will come on the day of the rapture,
those who are still alive, as we are talking -
if Jesus came now immediately, this body is transformed,
immediately, and we leave this place.
That's what the Scripture says.
Because corruptible cannot inherit incorruptibility.
Can you please go to 1 Corinthians 15:46-47.
"The spiritual did not come first, but the natural."
What does it mean? You need to be born again.
“The spiritual did not come first, but the - natural”
We are all born of man - of flesh,
But, say it again -
the natural came first, meaning we are all born of a woman
and a man, in the flesh.
"But after that the spiritual."
When the spiritual comes, we are born again.
So, next verse -
"The first man was of the dust of the earth."
The first man, Adam, was from the dust.
That's why God said,
"You are from the dust, you shall go back to the dust."
"The second man was from Heaven."
The second man, Christ, is the new Adam.
He came from Heaven, He's not from this earth.
Jesus came from Heaven.
"As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the Earth."
As for the nature of Adam, from the dust,
so are all human beings, we came from the dust.
Only Jesus came from Heaven.
"And as is the Man from Heaven,
so also are those who are of Heaven." (1 Corinthians 15:48)
As the Man of Heaven, Jesus, so also the heavenly men.
Meaning heavenly men are partakers of the divine nature of Christ. (2 Peter 1:4)
When you accept Jesus, you accept the nature of God.
You are born again, a new spirit, a new nature,
a new life from Christ.
A Christian’s life come from Jesus,
that's why Jesus said in John 10:10,
"I have come to give them life - abundant life."
Meaning, by faith in His work, in His resurrection,
we put on Christ as our righteousness.
In Him we live, in Him we move, we have our being.
We are heirs of Christ,
with the same Spirit of sonship in our heart, that cries out, "Abba Father."
Then we call God our Father.
Now, to seal this, we are talking about
who will be raptured, can we go to Ephesians 4.
It's very important, start from verse 4 -
chapter four, verse four.
"There is one body and one Spirit."
"Just as you were called to one hope,
when you were called."
"Just as you were called to one hope,"
living hope, "when you were called."
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism."
"One God and Father of all."
"Who is over all and through all, and in all.”
Can we take it step-by-step?
The first one, read the first one (Ephesians 4:4).
"There is one body and one spirit."
What does this mean to you?
The Bible says, in the book of 1 Corinthians 12:13,
I'm going to read this, since Ruth is in that section -
what the body means.
Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 12:13,
"For by one Spirit" - the Holy Spirit,
"we were all baptised into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or free, and we have been
made to drink by one Spirit."
When we are baptised into the Holy Ghost, we are baptised into the Body of Christ.
This means, the body of Christ is comprised of all those that are truly born again -
born of the Spirit of God.
The Bible is so clear.
That body of Christ is the church, the living church.
Meaning the living church as the body of Christ is comprised
of all who are truly born again - regenerated,
that have the Spirit of God, the life of Christ in them.
The only way to become part of the of the body of Christ,
is to be baptised in the Holy Ghost.
We are baptised in the Holy Ghost to become a member of the body of Christ,
sharing one Spirit - the Spirit of truth.
Next line.
“Just as you were called to one hope when you were called.”
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism."
What does this mean to you and me?
One Lord, who is the Lord?
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the Lord, the Son of God.
When you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord,
when you believe in the Son of God,
you believe in the work of the cross, in the finished work of Christ,
His death at the cross to redeem us from sin and death,
by faith in the cleansing power of His blood
and by true repentance, we receive the grace that will cover our sins.
And by faith in His name, we receive the Holy Ghost baptism.
You see, one Lord, Jesus Christ is Lord, one what?
"One faith." Which faith?
Faith in the finished work of Jesus of Nazareth.
You must believe that Jesus died on the cross
for the salvation of your soul.
You must believe in His resurrection from the dead -
and believing and confessing,
believe in the heart, confessing with the mouth,
you come onto salvation and you receive the gift of righteousness.
One what? "One spirit, one baptism."
Which baptism?
Baptism of the Holy Spirit, not baptism of water.
Paul is very clear on the matter.
When you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
salvation comes. Remember in Acts 16:31,
when the jailer said, "What must I do to be saved?"
That's the best question.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
you and your household, and you shall be saved.
Paul said it clearly, in Romans 10:6,
that's the Word of faith.
In Romans 10:9, he said,
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you believe with your heart
that God raised him from the dead - you are saved”
So the Bible says one body, one Spirit,
baptism of the Holy Spirit, one Lord.
Acts 4:12 says, "There is salvation in no other name than in the name of Jesus Christ.”
You must call the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
One faith, believing His death at the cross, believing his resurrection.
If you believe it and confess it, what comes next?
Baptism - baptism in the Holy Ghost, only Jesus can do it.
It's Jesus that immerses your spirit into the Spirit of God
when your faith is fit, when your faith is accepted by God -
heavenly acceptance,
and you meet the condition given for salvation.
One Lord, Jesus Christ, one faith in the finished work of Jesus,
and then, the baptism of the Holy Ghost comes.
What comes next?
"One God and Father of all."
God is a God of every human being,
but the Father of only those who are born again.
He's the Father of those who believe in the Son of God.
Those who are regenerated, have the recreated spirit -
these are the sons of God.
That's why the Bible says in the Book of Romans 8, read very well from verse 7.
He said, "You are no longer in the flesh if indeed, the Spirit of God is in you."
If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:9).
If Christ is in you, as our righteousness,
the body is dead because of sin,
but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Now, it's clear evidence that to have guarantee of salvation,
you must be baptised in the Holy Ghost to be part of the body of Christ.
That's the body that will be raptured.
That body will be taken away - that’s the church.
The rapture of the church.
To guarantee that, you must have Holy Spirit in you.
Because the seal that will guarantee you
to enter that plane to go to that rapture,
is Holy Spirit, without Holy Ghost, you stay here.
You are still in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47.
"So it is written, the first man, Adam,
became a living being, the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit.
The spiritual did not come first, but the natural,
and after that the spiritual.
The first man was of dust of the earth,
the second man from Heaven.
As was the earthly man,
so are those who are of the earth.
And as is the man from Heaven, so are also those who are of Heaven."
"Those who are of Heaven.”
"Just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man,
so shall we bear the likeness of the Man from Heaven.
I declare to you brothers,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
Nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable."
Do you hear that?
Flesh and bone cannot go to the rapture.
Flesh and bone cannot inherit Heaven.
What did it say, read it again.
"I declare to you brothers, that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit -"
That's why this body has to go back to the dust.
"The imperishable."
Only the corruptible must become incorruptible.
-That is it. -So it's a spiritual thing?
You must be born again, marked with the seal of righteousness
to avoid the judgment coming.
Because when you look at the Book of Genesis -
if you doubt the rapture, just go to the Book of Genesis 19,
and read what happened when the angels came to Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy it.
When they came, there was a righteous man, which is Lot.
The angel said, "Get out of here, we cannot do anything as long as you are there."
They grabbed Lot, they grabbed his family,
and told everybody, “Get outside of Sodom.”
They said, "As long as you are here, we can't do anything." (Genesis 19:22).
It was only when Lot was taken out of Sodom and Gomorrah - then judgement came.
Abraham, remember, interceded for Sodom,
and said, "God, will you destroy it if there are 50 righteous?" (Genesis 18:24)
God said, "because of the 50 I will forgive."
He said, "God, what if 45?"
God said, "If there are 45 righteous, I will forgive everybody."
He said, "Lord, sorry for talking, I want to add again - if there are 30?"
And God said, "If I find 30 righteous, for the sake of the 30, I will forgive them."
He said, "Lord, what if you find 20?"
God said, "If I find 20, for the sake of the 20, I will forgive everybody."
He said, "Lord, I'm very sorry, just for the last time, last time, I will not talk again.
This time, if there are 10?"
God said, "If I find 10, I will forgive."
Why did Abraham never say, if there is one?
Yes, that's the question!
Because the Scripture said, that Lot was the righteous one.
That's what Peter said. (2 Peter 2:7)
This means for me - if there is only one Christian born again on this earth,
God will never destroy this earth.
That's why He will have to rapture them out.
For the sake of the saints, God will never bring judgment.
Just as he did for Lot, He will do it for every born again -
they need to be raptured.
But God will never pour His fire on His children, never ever, that's not God. (Revelation 7:3)
If we read the Book of Ezekiel 9, the angel said,
"Before I pour my fire, go inside the street and put a mark on those who mourn, those who regret.” (Ezekiel 9:4-6; Rev 7:3)
That's God for you.
So please, my brothers and sisters,
we should not waste our time in discussion, in presumption.
The assurance of salvation is to be saved now.
Once you believe in Jesus, once you are saved, you are a citizen of Heaven,
Heaven is here already -
when Jesus comes, you're guaranteed of salvation.
Now, the question of rapture, is for those unbelievers,
those who will face that wrath.
Who'll be left behind?
They will go through the fire, and the Scripture says,
some of them will be saved through the fire. (Revelation 7:9-14)
But if you are elected, you go, that's what God said.
So please, we should not waste our time.
The New Testament is to avoid the wrath of God in your life.
That's why John said, "Who taught you to run from the wrath of God?"
In Matthew 3, when the Pharisees came for baptism.
“Produce fruit worthy of repentance.” (Matthew 3:8; Matthew 7:20)
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. (Romans 8:1)
So this is the time to seek salvation, seek Jesus,
seek the Kingdom of Heaven.
And the Bible says, Heaven is guaranteed - right now.
And all those raptured, when the time comes,
if Jesus comes today, He will take you to Heaven.
Whether you die, whether you are alive - we go to Heaven.
So please, let's seek salvation now.
Faith is now.
If Jesus came today, will He find you here?
I asked Ruth, what is the ticket to go there?
What did you say? -Faith.
Okay, can you go to Luke 8:18.
"Therefore, consider carefully how you listen.
Whoever has will be given more.
Whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has
will be taken from him."
Whoever has what?
Faith.
Is it heavenly currency?
Say it again, whoever?
"Whoever has, will be given more."
More shall be given to him.
"Whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has,
will be taken from him."
Go to Luke 18:8.
"Whoever has more will be given to him.
Whoever does not have,
even what he has it will be taken away,"
Go to Luke 18:8.
Now listen now, carefully.
"I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly, however,
when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"
“When the Son of Man comes will He find faith on earth?”
It means, only true believers will be raptured when He comes.
♪ Only true believers shall be raptured ♪
When He comes, will you be there in faith, to be raptured?
You must have faith to be saved, before you become a Christian.
True believers in Christ Jesus will be raptured, and have the guarantee of everlasting life.
Thank you.
So the question is, are you a true believer?
Because if we are true believers,
it means that we're already in this world, but we're not part of it.
Meaning that we don't keep,
we keep this world and its values from living in our hearts.
That's why Jesus called us out of this world.
So when you hear people discussing, talking,
worrying about the end times, about questions about rapture,
remember, don't allow anything to distract you
from the straight race with God.
Because remember, if we are true believers,
like Racine said, we are citizens of Heaven.
Surely, we are connected by God through the Spirit.
So you don't need to worry about rapture,
about being in the end times because as a believer,
you will not be there to see that wrath.
Because God will take you.
The question is now, for me,
what is the concern of the church about rapture?
Abraham's concern for Sodom and Gomorrah, should be our concern.
Abraham interceded for God to forgive them, to save them.
So the church, the living church, born again,
must go on his knees and intercede
for the world in darkness,
for the purpose of God is salvation -
He doesn't want anybody to perish. (Ezekiel 18:23, 2 Peter 3:9)
God takes time for everybody to enter the boat of salvation.
Therefore, the living church should begin to intercede
and pray for your nation.
Pray for those who do not share the same faith,
for God to give them the grace,
to be partakers of that grace, in Jesus' name.
Amen.
And when Jesus come back again, the body - that body, will resurrect.
You will have a new body - to glory.
That's why we say we have the Spirit as a deposit,
waiting for the redemption of our body,
that will come on the coming of Jesus,
when the body of glory will come.
The corruptible will be incorruptible.
That's what Paul said, it is planted a corruptible seed,
it'll be raised incorruptible.
As there is a natural body, spiritual bodies.
Let's leave you with that thought,
that it's not for us to know the day or the time.
If we needed to know the day or the time it'll be written.
But no, it's not for us to know the day or the time,
but the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
If you read the Apostles, the letters of Paul,
and if you read the Bible,
you'll see that the Apostles wrote the Scriptures
as if Jesus was coming back the next day.
That's how they lived their lives.
And that's how true believers,
we should live our lives, believing that our last day can be any day.
And we want to be connected with Jesus, to be raptured with Jesus.
So the question is, are you ready to go to Heaven?
I like that analogy of the plane and the ticket.
You have to expand on that one day.
We'll talk about it, because of time.
In another session, we’ll talk about how do we go to the Kingdom of God -
Kingdom of Heaven. How do you get there?
How do you get the ticket?
How do you get the visa?
What's the transportation?
So stay tuned for that in another podcast.
God bless you. -Thank you.
So this message is challenging everybody,
seek first the Kingdom of God,
and every other thing shall be added to you.
The Lord be with your spirit.
Amen.