PREWRATH RAPTURE VERSUS PRETRIBULATION RAPTURE

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Alan Kurschner on the flaws of a Pretribulation Rapture

Prewrath eschatology has exposed a fatal flaw in pretribulationism. It has shown that there are clear passages in the Bible that teach that certain, discernible, prophesied events will occur before the day of the Lord: the Antichrist and the apostasy (2 Thess 2:3), celestial disturbance (Joel 2:30-31), Elijah will return (Mal 4:5), the wicked saying “peace and safety” (1 Thess 5:2–3).

Pretribulation theology has traditionally taught that the rapture will occur on the same day that the day of the Lord begins, then any event that occurs before the day of the Lord will also have to occur before the rapture. This, of course, is problematic for the pretribulation position, because their entire theological pretribulation system is based on imminence, the belief that no prophesied events or signs can happen before the rapture.

Because of this crack in their system, untold numbers of pretribulational Christians in the last two decades have become prewrath in their eschatology and have rejected their previous pretribulation belief system. To be sure, there are many “pretribs” who have attempted to explain away this biblical contradiction to their system in various ways.  One of the most common attempts to do so, and one that is growing in more popularity, has resulted for them needing to create a new dispensation and forcing it between the rapture when the church age dispensation is completed and the seven-year tribulation dispensation. So in essence they are creating a “gap” between the rapture and the seven-year period, a gap of time they claim that these “before the day of the Lord” events will occur. In this way, they attempt to maintain the doctrine of imminence. To place these events before the rapture in their system would be fatal to their theology.

Here is the problem: Their claim that the rapture is disconnected from the day when the day of the Lord’s wrath begins is without support. In fact, Scripture is quite consistent that the rapture and the beginning of the day of the Lord’s wrath occur on the same day, they are back-to-back events, not separated by days, weeks, months, or—I have even heard some pretrib teachers claim—years. I have covered this before here, here, and here.

Their interpretation is a  deus ex machina in order to protect their imminence theology, so much so they are willing to grab out of thin air and inject a whole, new, distinct dispensation into God’s redemptive plan. Their dispensation-itus condition exposes their flawed theology when they feel the need to contrive a new dispensation in God’s plan when a contradiction is pointed out to them.

Let me give a plug for Alan’s book Prewrath: A Very Short Introduction to the Great Tribulation, Rapture, and Day of the Lord

DISCOVER THE GIDEON’S IN OUR DAY

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I was reminded by this verse in Judges 6:1,  “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years“, just how often Israel was delivered by God into the hands of some foreign nation for judgement.
What about the church in our day? Is God delivering an apostate church into the hands of the enemy for judgement? God’s word reveals that there will be apostasy in the “last days” church  and that certainly is the case with many of the denominational churches compromising with the world’s values.
However, just as in the days Israel was delivered into the “hand of Midian”, God had his redemptive plan prepared and He chose Gideon a most unlikely candidate to achieve His purposes.
Who are the Gideon’s, God has chosen in our day?
When Gideon was called into action, Israel was in dire straits. Gideon had to winnow grain in secret just so the Midianites would not steal every little bit of food and sustenance from them. “Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.“ Judges 6:11(b)
Image result for picture of Gideon defeating the Midianites
Just as Gideon winnowed the wheat from the chaff, God winnowed Gideon’s army. God winnowed down a fighting force from 32,000 to three hundred. Those who were “afraid and trembling” were asked to leave first.  Cowards go first in Revelation also.  22,000 departed leaving Gideon with just 10,000 now to fight 120,000…outnumbered 12 to 1. God still said, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there.” Judges 7:4. God then rejected another 9,700 men with only THREE HUNDRED remaining. What a crazy story but we are meant to learn from it.

God winnowed for two main reasons:

1. So we know, we can’t save ourselves.  “And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Judges 7:2

2. God wants us to develop our faith and trust in Him as did Gideon.  David is another great example. Listen to David, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.” Proverbs 28:7  When your heart trusts in the Lord, you can expect help. God only needs 1 person to make 1,000 flee and 2 people to make 10,000 flee. It’s never been about “numbers” with God.

Who are the leaders in the church today who are bold and courageous, who understand that the battle is the Lords and numbers aren’t a problem? They are those who believe God’s inerrant Word,  know we are in the “end times”, know God’s call on their lives and get on with the job, trusting God for the outcome. We need to work with these anointed leaders, confident in our own role in God’s “end times” plan.
Let me name a few humble leaders that I have identified as Kingdom warriors who understand the times: Francis Chan, http://www.wearechurch.com; Torben Sondergaad, http://www.thelastreformation.com; Nelson Walters, http://www.gospelintheendtimes.com; Don Batten, http://www.creation.com; Joel Richardson, http://www.joelstrumpet.com; Alan Kurschner, http://www.alankurschner.com, Jeffrey Daly, http://www.dayofrepentance1.org

PROPHESIED PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IS IMMINENT IN CALIFORNIA

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https://youtu.be/cRA0w4ewu8M

HOLY SPIRIT LED CHURCH AS GOD INTENDED

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As followers of this website know, I support the ministry of Torben Sondergaard and have promoted a number of his videos here. Particularly, those where Torben has been ministering the love and power of God on the streets of major cities of the world and training up disciples.

In these last days, I am aware that God is working in miraculous ways, particularly in those areas of the world where Christians are under intense persecution, but he is also at work, wherever Christians take seriously Jesus commission to take the Gospel to the lost. Bobby Dawkins is an evangelist ministering on the streets in the U.K. He is seeing people miraculously healed, as they were in the early church, as described in the Book of Acts. He’s even prayed the dead back to life. Like Torben, Dawkins teaches everyday believers how to walk in power evangelism, a term he uses to describe evangelism marked by the spiritual gifts of healing, prophecy, deliverance and ministry.

Watch this  video to learn how you can see the Holy Spirit manifest His presence wherever you go.

PROPHESIED “ALIYAH” IS HAPPENING NOW WITH MANY JEWS COMING TO CHRIST.

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Many Jews are coming to accept Jesus as their Messiah and Saviour. Watch a great story of how a Jew came to Jesus and what God has done with his life since that time.

An explosion of Jews turning to Jesus and returning to Israel, particularly in the Soviet Union. Jonathan explains why this is happening now and that it is prophesied as an “end times” occurrence. The greatest Aliyah is happening now both from the north and the south. Jews running down the aisle to come to Jesus. You will see them, hundreds of them, on this video.

JESUS SECOND COMING IS PART OF THE REDEMPTIVE STORY

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Jesus’ first coming did not fulfil all the promises of God – it secured all the promises of God.

The story must be finished. Jesus must receive His inheritance. The church must come to maturity. Many Christians think of the gospel only as the message of Jesus’ first coming, but that is an incomplete gospel. The gospel is both the good news of Jesus’ first coming and the promise of His second coming.

Jesus second coming has always been the great hope of the church but for many believers the return of Jesus is a subject that seems confusing.

The key to understanding the end times is connecting the main themes of the end times with the overall redemptive story.

There are promises that must be fulfilled and covenants that must be resolved. When you grasp a few main events in the redemptive story, the main themes of the end times become straightforward and easy to grasp because they are simply the logical conclusion of the story.

There are many books on the detailed events of the end times, but It Must Be Finished is unique because it helps readers make sense of the return of Jesus by connecting it to the redemptive story. It gives readers the necessary foundations to do further study of the Old Testament, Bible, and end times.

By following the consistent threads of God’s covenants, promises, and plans, Samuel has made the Gospel Story and its profound implications so much easier to grasp. The closer we get to Jesus Second Coming, the more important it is that we understand the complete Gospel message outlined in both the O.T. and the N.T. This book will greatly help any Christian who desires, not only to understand the broader biblical message, but also to fulfil their role within that story as it unfolds.

https://vimeo.com/282393701

AUSTRALIA HAS A NEW PRIME MINISTER APPOINTED BY GOD

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The election of Scott Morrison as Prime Minister of Australia demonstrates clearly that God appoints our leaders and that prayer works.

The former Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull is a godless man. He came to power by being ruthless. God gifted him with intelligence, good looks, and he was born into wealth and privilege. From an early age, he told his peers that he would be Prime Minister, and even made the prediction he would achieve it by the age of 40. As a lawyer, Malcolm achieved wealth and prestige at an early age. His ambition to become Prime Minister at any cost was revealed when he first tried to get pre-selection for a seat in the Labour Government, unsuccessful, he then aggressively sought a seat in the Liberal Party, this time successfully. Finally, he got the top job by undermining the then Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. Is it any wonder then, that he would be, likewise, challenged by another, just as ambitious younger man, Peter Dutton. However, the outcome of the vote for a new leader was a complete surprise to everyone. Peter Dutton who caused the upset did not get the outcome he assumed was “in the bag”. The man of integrity got the job, the man people could trust, Scott Morrison a committed, outspoken Christian, who takes God’s command to love his neighbour as himself seriously, who spoke and voted against gay marriage though he loves the people who voted yes.

Watching Sky News in the lead up to the vote for our new Prime Minister, they interviewed political pundits on both sides of politics. I was blessed to hear the interview with Labour Party spokesperson, Graham “Richo” Richardson. He said, he was a good friend of Scott Morrison despite them being on opposite sides of politics. He told the Sky News interviewers that he was speaking to Scott just before he entered the Party Room for the vote. Graham said that he playfully told Scott that he would pray for the right outcome, and that Scott’s response was, “I have been trying to get you to pray all these years and now you tell me you are going to pray!” Neither of them expected Scott Morrison to emerge from the Party Room as the Prime Minister elect of this nation. God’s hand was clearly in control of the events and the outcome. He appointed Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia. Hallelujah!

 

Scott Morrison has won the Liberal Party leadership.

LOVE 2 LIVE 2 LOVE: REFLECTION ON CHURCH BY MAN OF GOD

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In an interview with The Christian Post, the longtime pastor of the multi-campus Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois, Pastor James MacDonald, candidly shared what he’s learned and continues to learn about the heart of Jesus, and where he sees the Body of Christ going amid profound cultural changes.

With three decades now behind him, MacDonald is already vision casting and planning for the next 30 years, alongside his three children who are also active in ministry. MacDonald founded Harvest Bible Chapel in 1988 with 18 people and today hosts 13,000 at their seven Chicago-area campuses every week.

MacDonald shared that only more substance (Biblical) makes better disciples. And it’s really hard work. Jesus was more gifted than any person on Earth and He spent three-and-a-half full years on 12 people and didn’t get all of them to the finish line. So, it’s really a time consuming, exhausting thing making disciples, and I think I’ve seen the church swing back toward a focus on quality. We’ve said for years in our church “not a quantity of disciples, but quality of discipleship.” And more and more, I hear pastors leaning in that direction.

The primary type of evangelism that we see in the Scriptures is one-on-one. Jesus with Nicodemus, Jesus with the woman at the well, Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. And that does not in any way negate mass evangelism. In Acts Chapter 2 we see a mass evangelism situation with the coming of the Holy Spirit. But was that normative or an exception? I think typically we see one-on-one evangelism and to subjugate the Sunday morning, which is so needed for infusion of spiritual strength through proclamation [of the Word], through worship, through fellowship, from giving and serving is, I think, increasingly seen as  inadequate to sustain in a strong, growing church. All of those things stoke the fire of a Christ follower’s vertical relationship [with God].  That’s the reason why in 2012, I wrote the book Vertical Church. We have to come back to that as our primary focus.

James MacDonald’s response to this question is enlightening. “What do you make of the credible allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse within influential churches and Christian ministries over the past two to three years?”

Scripture says “He who sins in the presence of all, rebuke in the presence of all that others may fear.” And you look in the book of Acts when they lied about their tithe, Ananias and Sapphira were taken, “and great fear came upon the Church.” Also, the only response to public exposure of private failure should be to look in the mirror, even when disaster strikes. In every instance when calamity strikes, when personal failure is exposed, we should be looking in the mirror. We should be saying: “There but for the grace of God go I.” We should be deepening our own reflection and repentance. And most of all, we should not be piling on and shaming others but we should be responding with grace and with genuine reflection upon the needs of our own heart. Because none of us are all that we have articulated to be important. And I’m not saying leaders shouldn’t be an example. Of course, leaders need to be an example, and if they are not an example of the believer, then they should step down.

We’re talking a lot in our church right now about what we call “love 2 live 2 love.” You’re not living until you’re loving God. That’s the first great commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” And then “live 2 love.” You’re not really loving God unless you’re loving others. And Jesus said the second is like the first. And not like it because they are both great, and not like it because they are both about love. But like it because he was only asked for one and he gave two because they are inseparable.

DON’T EXPECT GOD TO FINISH WHAT YOU START

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Pastor Michael Todd has gone from relatively unknown to a celebrity pastor in just months. Todd, who leads Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, says it all began when he received a word from God to stop striving in his own power and “slow down.” He obeyed. Then in December 2017, a popular social media account randomly found and tweeted a 10-minute video from one of his sermons, which got 2 million views in just 48 hours. Now he’s nationally known—through none of his own striving or effort. Michael knows God did it, and rightly, God gets the glory. He shares his incredible story with Elevation Church’s Tim Summers in this video.

HOLD FAST TO THIS CREED

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May you hold steadfast to this creed, even to the point of persecution. My last post on AB2943 “Must Stay Gay Bill” demonstrates that persecution of Christians has arrived “big time” and it will only escalate in these “last days” as God’s Word prophesies.

Pray His church will declare the life-changing power of the gospel to everyone.