The Christ in Prophecy Journal

Watch and Pray in 2015 (Part 2 of 4)

Vic & Nathan 2015

MP3

What should Christians be doing while waiting for the return of Jesus?

In this “The Truth Will Set You Free” TWave Radio episode, Pastor Vic Batista of Miami’s Calvary Chapel Aventura and I will evaluate 2015 so far and discuss what the Bible says we must do to make it right.

Doing While Waiting

Vic Batista: The Bible tells us over and over to watch and be ready.

Nathan Jones: Luke 21:36 gives three things Jesus said that we need to do while we wait for His return.

First, we need to be familiar with the signs that He warns us about in order to be aware of what’s going around in the world. I’m reminded of when relatives come over. When you’re expecting someone, you flip the lightswitch on and you look out the window. You wait and you watch, for you know they might come at a certain time, but you are not always quite sure when.

Likewise, we need to watch for the King of Kings to return. We don’t know when, but Jesus did provide us with some signs to be looking out for. I believe today that we are living in those signs, and that means we especially need to watch.

Second, Jesus also told us to pray. It is very important that we continue our relationship with Jesus Christ and stay close to Him. He is our great Protector and our Provider. As the world gets worse and worse, we even more and more need Jesus Christ as our rescue and salvation.

Third, verse 36 tells us to be counted worthy. In other words, we are to live a holy and pure life. Get rid of the sin in your life. Get rid of the things that cause you to stumble. Stop the acts you know you are doing that are wrong. Ask Christ for forgiveness and return to Jesus Christ and make Him the Lord of your life. Watch and pray that you may be counted worthy.

The Lord says, “Then you will be able to escape all of the things that will come to pass.” In other words, the Tribulation. It’ll be the worse time in all of human history. These signs are leading up to this terrible time, but those saved can escape it by the Rapture. Afterwards, we will stand before the Son of Man, and finally we will stand before our Father in Heaven.

Vic Batista: Wow, what a wonderful way for Jesus to put it!

Coming Quickly

Vic Batista: We Christians are called by Jesus in Luke 21:36 to keep watching because we really don’t know when the Rapture is going to occur. It is an event that can happen at any moment. Nathan, tell a little bit about what the Rapture is so that we can know what we are suppose to be watching out and getting prepared for.

Nathan Jones: One of the most prolific promises that Jesus makes, even ending Revelation 22 three times with this statement, is that Jesus will return. He said, “Surely I am coming quickly.” That is why we are watching and we are waiting and we are praying, because even though Jesus came in His First Coming and defeated sin by dying on the cross and providing salvation for us, He still has prophecies to fulfill about returning to the earth, defeating evil, getting rid of human government, and setting up His thousand year kingdom on earth.

The Millennial Kingdom is a subject that I get so excited about. I can’t wait for it to come! Finally there will be peace, justice, righteousness and prosperity. There will be no war until the very end or major sicknesses. It’s going to be awesome!

But, until that kingdom comes, we as the Church have a job. We have to live by Acts 1:8, which is called the Great Commission, to be witnesses for Jesus across the world. Even though the world is getting worse and worse, Christians are to be the light that pushes back the growing darkness.

When it comes to the darkest time period descending upon the earth, Jesus gives us this hope. It’s the hope that the Church will not have to endure the wrath of God in the Tribulation time period. We will be raptured, we will be caught up, as 1 Thessalonian 4:17 reads “Then we who are alive and remaining shall be caught up,” — raptured, caught up — “together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord. And therefore comfort one another with these words.”

We are looking at 2015 and it’s just been filled with a lot of danger and problems, but we are to take comfort in the fact that as bad as it’s gotten now, it is going to get far worse. But, we as believers in Christ are never destined to endure the wrath of God, either in the Tribulation or the Lake of Fire.

Vic Batista: The work of Jesus at the Rapture is absolutely our Christian hope. That is one of the reasons why we love the Bible, because it offers hope to the believer. I believe the best preparation that anyone can really have in preparing for the tough times ahead is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. No matter what happens, if God called you home today, you would know without a shadow of a doubt where you will spend eternity.

In the third part of this discussion on how to live as a Christian during this troubling 2015, we’ll share how one can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

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Dr. Nathan E. Jones

As the Internet Evangelist at Lamb & Lion Ministries, Nathan reaches out to the over 4.5 billion people accessible over the Internet with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He also co-hosts the ministry's television program Christ in Prophecy and podcast The Truth Will Set You Free.

14 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • Eph. 1:4-5(KJV) and 1 Peter 1:2(KJV) known before hand, can be counted. The 144,000: the “elect”.
    Gal. 4:9(KJV) look at the rephrasing.
    And Rev. 7:9 and 14(KJV) the adoption, no man could number because it’s not known yet.
    Rom. 8:23 the elect waiting for the adoption to come to a full.

    While you and yours wait for that “one man” to come and rule over 7 billion people, God and his elect will carry on with his plan.

    The woman clothed in the sun Rev. 12:1(KJV) is the church “adoption” and will go through the great tribulation Rev. 12:6(KJV).
    The church will see him coming in the clouds at the end of the great trib.

    The rapture is for the last of the 144,000 “the Elect”, the shepherds of the adoption.
    And she brought forth a man child, …the spiritual child and his house taken in a twinkling just before the great trib. Rev 12:5 (KJV) the daily sacrifice Dan. 8:11(KJV).

  • The Church never gave birth to the "male Child" (Rev. 12), but Israel gave birth to Jesus Christ. The imagery of the sun, moon and 12 stars is straight out of Joseph's dream. Revelation 12 clearly then is referring to Israel. Israel is the one who will endure the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). The Church will have been raptured beforehand (Isa. 26:19-21; Mal. 3:17; Lk. 21:36; Jn. 14:1-14; I Cor. 15:51-58).

  • …of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Ex 28:15 (KJV)
    The colors of a nation chosen of God that becomes the leading nation of the day to lead the world to salvation and peace with God.
    The same as the USA started out as Christian power “one nation under God” and “in God we trust.
    The same as the Roman power (Jew) 1,000 yrs. ago.

    And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: Rev 17:4 (KJV)
    The colors of the same nation still disobeying God after seven major warnings. Notice that the color blue (…and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes,…
    Num 15:39 (KJV)) is gone.
    But we have become Satan the liar …which deceiveth the whole world: Rev 12:9 (KJV)
    saying “one nation under God” and “in God we trust” when we have turned our back on God a long time ago.
    The same as Roman power (Jewish) did 1,000 yrs. ago.
    The same as the Grecian power (Israelite) did 2,000 yrs. ago etc…
    According to the teachings of the Christian faith of today, this;
    16 For 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:
    17 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. 1 Thess 4:16-17 (KJV)
    Should read as, this;
    16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and WE the dead in Christ shall rise first:
    17 Then THEY which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with US in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess 4:16-17 (KJV)

    Then we becoming the beast (a faith rejected by God because of our disobedience) have erected the image of the beast (the Jewish faith rejected by God because of their disobedience) …where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) Mark 13:14 (KJV)
    The reason for this verse;
    For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17 (KJV
    "The just shall live by faith" if it were by race or nationality that would make God a respecter of persons.
    34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
    Acts 10:34-35 (KJV)

    The book of Revelation is a book that reveals God’s plan, past, present, and future, The reason for this verse;
    And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. Rev 17:10 (KJV).

  • to extract the truth that is hidden in the symbolism of the scriptures it takes sincerity, common sense, and the Holy Spirit.
    Explain "if it were by race or nationality that would make God a respecter of persons."please.
    also you preach that if i deny Christ i go to hell but at the same time im supposed to bless a whole nation that denies Christ. like i said common sense.
    please explain the rephrasing of Gal. 4:9 without "spiritualizing" it.
    and yes the most powerful nation that has ever been is in the bible. (see this whyhidden.blogspot.com )

  • p.s. why do you spiritualize this verse?
    But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)

  • Nathan Said:

    "The Church never gave birth to the "male Child" (Rev. 12), but Israel gave birth to Jesus Christ. The imagery of the sun, moon and 12 stars is straight out of Joseph's dream. Revelation 12 clearly then is referring to Israel. Israel is the one who will endure the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). The Church will have been raptured beforehand (Isa. 26:19-21; Mal. 3:17; Lk. 21:36; Jn. 14:1-14; I Cor. 15:51-58)."

    Yup. Keep it simple!

  • "Like" and "As" are similes, meaning they are figures of speech comparing two things. That does not mean the two things are the same thing. For an eternal God, a thousand years is meaningless, like a day. That does not mean that for every 1,000 trips around the sun a day has passed for God.

    Right on, Alf!

  • Nathan,
    the sun referring to the father(the head)(the first in power)(the major power of the 1k yr. day).
    the moon referring to the mother(the subordinate)(the second in power)(the weakening power of the 1k yr. day). the stars referring to the twelve tribes (the elect, the shepherds of the adoption).

    Now answer my questions please;
    Explain "if it were by race or nationality that would make God a respecter of persons."please.

    “Why didn’t/doesn't/wouldn’t Satan read the bible the way that the world does and just NOT do what is predicted of him and make God and the bible a liar?”.

    if the letters to the churches were to actual churches in John's time then why is Jezebel mentioned in Thyatira?

    how can this vision happen in one day?
    And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. Dan 8:26 (KJV)

    and if you like you and your crew can watch this video of mine and pick it apart if you like. It's a little dry but i'm not a movie expert. but it's not for entertainment it's for those who truly seek the truth, so please watch it all the way through and read all cited scripture. http://youtu.be/9mDrnqxMbDQ

  • Quote: Explain "if it were by race or nationality that would make God a respecter of persons."please.

    Not sure I get the question or point. God is not a respecter of persons or nations but He will honor His word. He chose Israel out of all the other nations and He will redeem her. Read Jeremiah 31 and Hosea 5:15 for a start. But there are a host of other OT Scriptures which promise Israel's future redemption.

  • the point is that if the bible says that God is not a respecter of persons and you people say that the bible says that he is a respecter of persons (that he has a chosen people because of race and nationality) someone has to be wrong. im betting the bible is right. you people need to reevaluate what you were taught and what you are teaching. here is a clue;
    …which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
    Rev 11:8 (KJV)

  • Michael,

    I would love to respond to you but unfortunately I can't understand most of what you say. Like Alf said, try to keep it simple, as in concise with clarity.

  • I think I get it now, Micheal. Read the whole of Jeremiah chapter 31. If that's not enough I'll give you some more.

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