Breaking Down Fear

Compilation

There is a theory that we are born with three fears: fear of loud noises, fear of falling, and fear of abandonment. These fears, according to some psychologists, are hardwired into our nature; all others are acquired. Fear of spiders, fear of the dark, fear of dentists, and the rest of our many fears are programmed into our psyche through either firsthand experience or information we take in.

Fears generally fall into two categories: legitimate fears that warn of a genuine threat, either physical or emotional, and unfounded fears that are born of one’s imagination and have little or no basis in reality. The trouble is, our brains have difficulty telling the two apart and will often react to both in the same way: increased activity in the brain’s amygdala area (The amygdala has been called the seat of emotion) which activates our fight-or-flight response.

One method that therapists use to help a person overcome fear is through controlled exposure to whatever is causing the fear response. When the fear is not realized—in other words, when the feared consequence repeatedly does not take place—the mind is retrained to not react in fear when confronted by the supposed threat.

Other fears are harder to overcome because they are not tied to a physical situation. Rather, they are internal, having to do with worry and insecurity. Analyzing them to separate reality from misperception can help, but our greatest source of understanding, comfort, and relief from such fears is God Himself. When we have the assurance that He has our best interests at heart, stands with us in the present, and promises that all things will work together for good in the end for those who love God (See Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28), it helps put things in perspective and fears recede.

God has provided relief from fear through a personal connection with Him. We make that connection through prayer, and we strengthen it by reading and studying God’s Word, believing His promises to us therein, and applying them in our daily lives. The more we learn to turn to and depend on God, the more He is able to help us overcome our fears.

—Roald Watterson

 

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Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

—Isaiah 41:10

 

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The Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–8); in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. There is a distinct word for the type of love that God displays. In the Greek, this word is agape, and it refers to a benevolent and charitable love that seeks the best for the loved one. …

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Sometimes this “spirit of fear” overcomes us, and to overcome it we need to trust in and love God more completely. … To help us be complete in love, God has liberally sprinkled encouragement against fear throughout the Bible. God tells us not to be afraid of being alone, of being too weak, of not being heard in our prayers, or of being destitute of physical necessities. These admonishments cover many different aspects of the “spirit of fear.”

The Scriptures are bursting with admonitions from God to His people to overcome fear and doubt—over 350 commands to “fear not.” As a matter of fact, the one verbal encouragement Jesus gives more than any other is a call to fearless living (e.g., Matthew 6:25; 9:2; 10:28; 10:31).

The key to overcoming fear is total and complete trust in God. Trusting God is how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the fiery furnace without fear (Daniel 3). Trusting God is how Stephen stood before his killers fearlessly (Acts 7). To trust God is to refuse to give in to fear. Even in the darkest times, we can trust in God to make things right. This trust comes from knowing God and knowing that He is good.

—GotQuestions.org

 

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An angel appeared to the crowd gathered at the empty tomb of Jesus, and do you know the first thing he said?

Do not be afraid.

This is actually the most common command given throughout the Bible … it is said 365 times.

That’s a command to be fearless for every day of the year!

Easy to say, but hard to do, as fear also shows up as anxiety, worry, and even anger!

So how can [we] be sure that [we] can live fearlessly because of the resurrection?

Because we know these five truths:

1. We know Jesus tells us the truth because he is the truth.
2. We know God loves us extravagantly.
3. We know God has a good plan for our lives.
4. We know God will take care of our needs.
5. We know that death is not the end.

But not everyone is aware of these five truths! … So spread this Good News to as many people as possible!

—Rick Warren (Pastors.com)

 

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Some years ago I read an account that went something like this:

A group of scientists and botanists were exploring remote regions of the Alps in search of new species of flowers. One day they noticed through binoculars a flower of such rarity and beauty that its value to science was incalculable. But it lay deep in a ravine with cliffs on both sides. To get the flower, someone had to be lowered over the cliff on a rope.

A curious young boy was watching nearby, and the scientists told him they would pay him well if he would agree to be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below.

The boy took one long look down the steep, dizzy depths and said, “I’ll be back in a minute.” A short time later he returned, followed by a gray-haired man. Approaching the botanist, the boy said, “I’ll go over that cliff and get that flower for you if this man holds the rope. He’s my dad.”

His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy. Isn’t this even more true for us as Christians?

—Our Daily Bread (sermonsearch.com)

 

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Comforting God, I love to hear you whispering in my mind: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.” These loving words are like a warm blanket wrapped around me—sheltering me from the coldness of fear and discouragement.

When trouble is stalking me, remind me to grip Your hand tightly and stay in communication with You. I can trust and not be afraid because You are my Strength and Song. Your powerful Presence is with me always: I face nothing alone! I am grateful that you have promised to strengthen me and help me.

Your strong hand supports me in both good and bad times. When things are going smoothly in my life, I may be less attentive to Your faithful Presence. But when I’m walking through the valley of the shadow of death, I’m profoundly aware of my need for You. At such times, holding on to Your hand keeps me standing—and enables me to put one foot in front of the other.

As I seek to endure adversity in trusting dependence on You, please bless me with Peace and Joy in Your Presence.

In Your dependable Name, Jesus, Amen.

—Sarah Young (Jesus Listens)

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 The Family International

Jesus, the Risen Savior

By Gabriel and Sally García

Johanna-Ruth Dobschiner was a young Jewish woman who survived the WWII German occupation of the Netherlands by hiding in attics and behind false walls in the homes of the members of the Dutch resistance. It was during the long, tedious hours hidden upstairs in the home of Bastian Johan Ader, the pastor of a small church and leader of an “underground” cell, that Johanna-Ruth took a Bible from his bookshelf and began to read it from cover to cover.

In the Old Testament she read the stories that she had often heard in her Orthodox Jewish home. But then, to her surprise, the Bible had a second part, the New Testament. Starting with the Gospels, she read the amazing story of the man named Jesus! As she read, she imagined that she was one of His disciples following Him throughout Palestine. She was sure that He was the Messiah and could not understand how no one had ever told her about Him!

So heartbroken was she to read about His crucifixion, death, and burial that she closed the Bible and mourned for seven days, as was the Jewish custom. It was sometime later, when she decided to continue reading from where she had left off, that she excitedly discovered that Jesus had risen from the dead! He was the Messiah after all! After reading the stories of the first Christians in the book of Acts, she saw that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, lives on within us, and so she surrendered her heart and life to Jesus.

This Easter let us share Johanna-Ruth’s joy upon discovering the resurrected Christ, and help others come to know Him as well.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2024 © Activated. All rights reserved.

The Christian’s Call to Witness

Treasures

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.

—Acts 1:8

A story has been told of a young lumberjack who worked at chopping down trees in the vast forests of northern Canada. One day while on leave in a nearby town, a Christian pastor witnessed to him on a street corner and led him to Jesus.

After the lumberjack prayed, the pastor explained, “Now that you’ve received Jesus as your Savior, your life is going to change.”

The pastor went on to point to scriptures in his Bible, and explained: “God’s Word says, ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, all things have become new!’” (2 Corinthians 5:17). And he went on to say, “I want to warn you, Jake, that when you go back to that lumber camp, it could become difficult for you.”

When asked by the lumberjack in what ways things would change for him, the pastor explained that he would be different, no longer using foul language and engaging in drunken behavior. “You’re going to be so different, they may make life difficult for you because of your faith!”

Jake went back to the camp and a few months passed before he came back to the town for his next leave. He ran into the pastor again, standing on a street corner passing out gospel tracts. When asked by the pastor if he had found it difficult to live a Christian life in the camp, Jake replied that it hadn’t been hard at all. “You see,” he said, “they never even found out that I am a Christian.”

That kind of response is not representative of how we are called to live as Christians. If you truly believe in something, you will talk about it with others. People who are fans of a sports team talk about their team. People who believe in a certain political party will talk about it. People who are invested in their work or a cause or an ideal talk about it.

If you truly believe in and love Jesus, you will talk about Him and share His truth and love with others. Jesus said, “If people have a candlestick, they don’t hide it under a basket or a jar.” Likewise, people who genuinely come to Christ don’t sit alone in a corner and hope nobody will find out that they’ve become a Christian. Rather, “they put the candlestick on a stand so that it will give light to the whole house” (Matthew 5:15; Luke 8:16).

Christians are called to tell others about their faith and how it has transformed their life. Once you’ve received Christ’s gift of salvation, His Spirit in you will shine forth the love of God and the truth of Jesus, if you will allow Him to do so. If you have accepted Jesus and believe in Him, sharing His love and truth and hope of salvation with others is the least you can do for the One who gave His life on the cross for you.

The Bible tells us: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14). Many people will only hear about Jesus when a Christian shares the gospel with them.

Unfortunately, many Christians avoid standing out as being different from the norm or going against the flow. They lack the conviction and the boldness to take a stand for Jesus and to be fearless about what people say or think about them, or how they will respond to a witness. They are concerned about the opinions of people and their reputation, or they don’t want to offend people. They aren’t willing to go against the tide of popular opinion or be countercultural.

The Apostle Paul spoke of appearing to be “fools for Christ’s sake” and even “being held in disrepute” (1 Corinthians 4:10). A Christian businessman once walked down a busy street in London with a sign pinned to the front of his hat that said, “I’m a fool for Christ!” When passersby turned to look at the man, they would see another card on the back of his hat which said, “Whose fool are you?”

It is sad when Christians rarely dare to be different and try to tiptoe along in their walk with the Lord and not disturb or offend anybody. How unlike the Christians of the early church, of whom it was said, “these who have turned the world upside down have come” (Acts 17:6). And the world has never been the same since.

Christianity certainly disturbed the status quo of the world of that time and has continued to do so ever since. Christianity has survived and spread throughout the world from its beginning as a tiny movement because of the faithfulness of Christians to share the good news, spread the gospel, and make disciples in all the world, as Jesus commanded us to do (Matthew 28:19–20).

The Bible tells the story in the Old Testament of Naaman, a man who, if he had stood up for his faith, could have played a role in converting the nation of ancient Syria to faith in the true God. Naaman was the top general, the Minister of Defense, the second most important man next to the king. He was miraculously healed from leprosy by Elisha in Israel, and after his healing proclaimed, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. From now on your servant will not offer sacrifices to any god but the Lord” (2 Kings 5:15–17).

But when the king of Syria asked him to worship with him in the Temple of Rimmon, the pagan god that the Syrians worshipped, he failed to take a stand for his newfound faith, and he weakly apologized to Elisha, “The Lord pardon your servant in this one thing that I do” (2 Kings 5:18). When people saw him walking into the Temple of Rimmon with the king, they must have doubted the stories they’d heard about him being miraculously healed by the God of Israel.

The Christian life is a call to commitment to be a witness for Christ through how we live our lives, through our words and deeds, through sharing the gospel with others. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).

As Christians, we are called to shine God’s light on the world to show people the way, the truth, and the life, and the only door to salvation—Jesus (John 14:6). We aren’t meant to be “secret” Christians trying to smuggle our own souls into heaven.

Do you practice your religion secretly for fear of the opinions of men? Or do you have the conviction and Christian courage to stand openly with the other great Christians of all ages, to stand up for your faith regardless of the cost in popularity or position? Jesus “made Himself of no reputation, took on the form of a servant and humbled Himself even to suffer death on the cross” (Philippians 2:7–8). If you find yourself fearful or lacking in the faith to witness, you can ask God for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, who will give you the power and the love to be a witness for Jesus.

The Bible says, “This is how we know what God’s love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). We are called to lay down ourselves—our personal desires, our fears, and our reputation—to do our part to witness to lost souls with the gospel message, to tell people about God’s love, and to show them the love of Jesus.

Every Christian is called to be an ambassador for Christ—in their community, their workplace, their home, their everyday life. The Apostle Paul wrote, “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:19–20).

We have the privilege of being called to be ambassadors—not of an earthly country, but of the kingdom of heaven, and of the King of kings, Jesus. There is no higher position or calling than to be a child of God, and no greater honor than to be an ambassador for Christ and a witness for Him.

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 The Family International

The Hope of Heaven

By Sally García

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die,” wrote Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3:1–2). It seems that this matter-of-fact view of life and death was more commonplace in the past.

When children grew up in rural surroundings, they got used to seeing the cycle of life firsthand. They saw the livestock giving birth and watched their favorite farm animals pass away. The older children cared for their younger siblings and were also attentive to their grandparents, who grew more frail as the years passed.

When we listen to classic gospel hymns, it’s no wonder that a recurring theme is heaven and being with Jesus and being reunited with our loved ones. People need that comfort and hope.

One day, when I was 10 years old, I accompanied my grandfather as he was doing his chores on his little farm. I adored my granddaddy, so I never missed a chance to follow him around. While watching him get water for the cows, I heard a voice inside my heart say, “Your grandfather will be the first one in your family to die.” I had never heard an inner voice like that before, but I knew it was real; and sure enough, when I was 12, he passed away quite suddenly.

I had never thought that there could be another life after this one, but when I missed my granddad, I began to have questions. I would bicycle to the cemetery and sit by Granddaddy’s grave and wonder where he was and if he could see me. How I would have loved to have had the hope of heaven in that moment!

Having heard those words in my heart was a comfort. I didn’t really understand, but I felt that gentle voice had prepared me for the loss of my beloved granddad. I likely would have been devastated without that premonition.

Several years later, I opened my life to Christ, and that heavenly voice became my constant companion. I remember my grandfather as a man of faith, and I live with the peace that one day I will see him again.

We are just passing through this temporary world and are on our way to a place that ”no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, [that] God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). I pray we can all live our lives in preparation for heaven.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2024 © Activated. All rights reserved.

Giving to God and His Work

Treasures

The Bible tells us about a terrible famine in the days of Elijah, and a poor widow of the town of Zarephath who was out gathering a few sticks to make a fire to bake one last bread-cake for herself and her son before they died of starvation. But God’s prophet, Elijah, came along and said, “Bake me a little cake first, and then after that for yourself and your son. And your jar of flour will not be spent and your jug of oil will not be emptied.” And that is exactly what happened! (1 Kings 17:10–16).

This poor widow put God first, by feeding and taking care of His prophet, and she miraculously survived three long years of famine. Her jar of flour was never empty and her jug of oil never ran dry! For three years of famine, she kept feeding herself and her son out of the same jar of flour and jug of oil.

At times we may feel like the widow of Zarephath, that we don’t have enough to give to others. But we can trust that God will bless us if we give to Him and His work, even from the little that we have.

The New Testament tells a similar story of a poor widow: “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.”

When Jesus saw the action of this poor widow, He called together His disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything” (Mark 12:41–44).

The temple may not have needed that poor widow’s offering, but God honored her sacrifice just the same. You can trust that whatever you give to God, He will bless you for giving. If your motive is right and your intentions are good, God will always bless you for giving.

The story is told of Sophie, a Christian washerwoman in San Francisco who was always praising the Lord, even though she worked very hard. One day on the streetcar she met a lady who knew her, and Sophie said to her: “Do you know where I’ve been recently? I’ve been to China, India, and the South Sea Islands.” The lady looked at her a little oddly, knowing that she never even left town. In fact, she was so poor that she could hardly even afford to ride the streetcar!

The lady replied, “What do you mean, Sophie? You haven’t even been out of San Francisco!” And Sophie said, “The money I earn from washing clothes is my blood, sweat, tears, and toil. It’s a part of me, and I gave of it to the missionaries, and it has gone out all over the world preaching the gospel!”

Money that is given to support God’s work and His missions is a part of the sender. You send part of yourself through your gifts to God’s work and missions. If you can’t go to the mission field, you can give to missions. It is the responsibility of God’s children who are not preaching the gospel to every creature themselves to support those who do. In so doing, you will invest your money in souls won and eternal dividends, and God will bless you for it. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these other things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

We read about this principle in the story Jesus told about the Good Samaritan who found a poor man along the road who had been beaten by thieves and robbed. The Good Samaritan picked him up, placed him on his animal, and took him to an inn. He told the innkeeper, “Whatever you spend, I will repay you” (Luke 10:30–37).

The Good Samaritan represents the Lord, and the innkeeper is His steward, His followers. Whatever we spend to rescue and help people and bring them salvation, He will more than repay! Whatever we give to God and His work—whether our time, our finances or our resources—will not ultimately be a sacrifice; rather we are investing in His kingdom, and the returns will be far greater than anything we have invested.

David Livingstone (1813–1873), the British missionary who pioneered the jungles of Africa and died there on his knees, once said,

People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. … Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege… I never made a sacrifice.

David Livingstone could never outgive God. And although he gave his life, he’ll reap eternal dividends of immortal souls led to Christ forever.

As you invest your life, your time, and your finances in Christ Jesus and God’s work, you will have eternal dividends that you can never lose, that you will reap forever! God will bless you for giving and see that you don’t suffer any loss for it. You will see good returns on your giving: people helped, souls led to Christ, and the advancement of God’s kingdom. So put God first and He will more than reward and repay and bless you.

Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Freely you have received, freely give” (Luke 6:38, Matthew 10:8).

You can never outgive God. God loves to outgive you, and He always gives you much more than you ever give. “For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7–8).

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 The Family International

When Will the Rapture Happen?

By Scott MacGregor

In 2011, Harold Camping, an engineer-turned-Christian radio broadcaster, had predicted that Jesus would return on May 21, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. He arrived at that date through a calculation involving various number values given in the Bible. The product of his calculations was supposed to be the number of days between the crucifixion and the second coming.

So, in early 2011, Harold Camping predicted that on May 21st all believers would be raptured to heaven. Since the Rapture did not occur on May 21st, Camping claimed that Jesus did come spiritually on May 21st, though later he would admit his error and issue an apology.

The word rapture has become popular in recent times in fiction and in movies, and it is helpful to explore what the term means. Long ago, a monk named Jerome was translating the Bible from Greek to Latin. He used the Latin word rapio to describe the way Jesus returns to bring believers to heaven. It is a term that would usually be attributed to the actions of a raider. He was implying that Jesus would swoop down and grab the loot—that is, us believers—and take us back to His home—heaven. It was from this term, rapio, that the word rapture is derived.

It is helpful when hearing predictions or reading popular fiction about the Rapture to know what the Bible actually says about it and the end of the world. Following is a quick rundown, based on the Bible, on what we know with a degree of certainty regarding the timeframe for the end time and the Rapture.

The first thing we can know for sure is that we don’t know the specific date of Jesus’ return. Jesus said clearly in Matthew 24:36, “No one knows the day or [the] hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” I think we have to take that statement at face value: No one now knows the exact timing of Jesus’ return.

However, the Bible does say that there is going to be an event from which we can start to calculate when Jesus is coming back. That event is the breaking of what is mysteriously referred to as the holy covenant (or the covenant), by the banning of what is called “the sacrifice and the offering” (Daniel 9:27), and the setting up of what the Bible calls the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15).

We know a bit about this covenant from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. We know that the person we popularly refer to as the Antichrist is very involved in the signing of this covenant, and then he breaks it 1,260 days (nearly three and a half years) before Jesus’ return. When that “breaking” happens—and it seems it is a public event, since it involves the banning of public religious ceremonies—then we can, with a measure of certainty, start counting down the days until Jesus’ return.

This 1,260-day period crops up in several places in the Bible, and those references have to do with the final period of this epoch of world history, the climactic period known as the great tribulation. Sometimes the number is rendered in “sevens,” other times in months, and yet other times cryptically as “times.” One thing to note is that in John’s day a year was 360 days long and a month 30 days. So 1,260 days equals three and a half years or 42 months.

Let’s first look at some verses in the book of Revelation, authored by the apostle John. John had been exiled to the island of Patmos, and during that time he saw a lengthy vision about the future. In the vision, an angel tells John, “They [apparently an invading army] will trample the holy city for 42 months” (Revelation 11:2). The angel then says, “I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:3).

In the next chapter, Revelation 12, we read about a beautiful woman who is being chased by a dragon. This woman is symbolic of believers, and the dragon is the devil. Revelation 12:6 says, “The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.”

Then it goes on to say, “But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time” (Revelation 12:14).

In Revelation 13:5 we hear more about the Antichrist, who is referred to as “the beast.” “Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months.”

The book of Daniel also talks about the Antichrist’s three-and-a-half-year reign of terror: “He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25).

So, clearly it is not until after this three-and-a-half-year period that Jesus returns, as Jesus Himself stated in Matthew 24. In this chapter, Jesus answers the disciples’ question of “what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3)?

Jesus refers to the writings in the book of Daniel to respond to this question: “When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place… then there will be great tribulation” (Matthew 24:15, 21). He explains that after this “abomination” is set up—which we know from the book of Daniel happens after the breaking of the covenant—there would follow a period of anguish, especially for the followers of God.

He then says, “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming [in] the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven” (Matthew 24:29–31).

Jesus was making it clear to His disciples—and us—that His return and the Rapture would not happen until after this 1,260-day period of Tribulation takes place. Notice He also makes it clear that the Rapture would be a very visible and widely noticed thing—“all the peoples of the earth” will see it.

Paul taught us more about the Rapture in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, where he wrote: “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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).

So to summarize all this:

1) No one now knows the exact day or hour that Jesus will return.

2) However, it seems that the timing of His return can be calculated in the future when events leading up to it start to take place, as His return happens 1,260 days after the “holy covenant” is broken.

3) That 1,260-day period is a time when the Antichrist will be in power, a time often referred to as the great tribulation.

4) And the good news is that immediately after this, Jesus returns and all the world will see His return, and all believers will be raptured (taken up to heaven)—both those who have already died and those who are living.

So the Bible has outlined some concrete events that have to take place before the countdown to the Rapture occurs. We don’t know when Jesus will return or whether it will occur in our lifetime, so the wisest thing to do is take to heart Jesus’ counsel at the end of Matthew 24 where He says: “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Matthew 24:45–46).

In other words, the best thing we can do now is to do our best to love God and others, and be faithful to His great commission to share the good news of the gospel, make disciples, and teach people to observe Jesus’ teachings (Matthew 28:19–20).

We don’t need to worry about the end of the world. In fact, Jesus said to not even worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34)! There’s so much to do here and now—and a life lived for Jesus and others is the best preparation for whatever will come tomorrow. The good news is that Jesus has promised, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 The Family International

“My Sheep Hear My Voice…”

By Maria Fontaine

This life is one grand set of experiences, designed by our Creator to help us to develop into a manifestation of His love. There is so much to learn, not just from our own experiences, but also from the lives of others, if we’re wise enough to seek out all that the Lord has to show us. That’s one reason that I love to hear testimonies that describe the varied ways He uses to bring each of us into relationship with Him.

The Lord led me to an article online from a man named Mike explaining how he found Jesus. It touched me greatly and I want to share it with you. The thing in this story that stood out to me was the part that each person played in bringing him to know the Lord.

Mike is now in his 70s. He’s been a pastor for many years. He and his wife have several websites to help people of other religions or beliefs to understand about the Lord.

Mike was not always convinced that Jesus is the way. In fact, as a young man he initially became deeply immersed in the Hindu religion.

As a child, he had been a Catholic, as were his parents, and he’d even been an altar boy. He had attended a Catholic school and respected and admired the priests and nuns for their examples of humility, commitment, sacrificial love, and kindness. The thing that was missing in his life, however, was knowing how to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

By the age of 17 he’d “had his fill of church.” Becoming a rock musician, he immersed himself in all the things that go along with that lifestyle. At the age of 18, he had a near-death experience. Realizing that his life had almost come to an end, he began seriously pondering the meaning of life, even dropping out of college to seek the truth. This was at the beginning of the Jesus People Revolution (and our own early days).

In 1969, he was introduced to an Indian guru, and soon became one of his followers. He became completely focused, almost obsessed, with learning all he could. This way of life was billed as a way to find a “conscious awareness that you are god.”

His attempts to reach this goal consumed him. He spent his days from about 3:30 in the morning until around 5:00 in the evening meditating, chanting mantras, and reading the Hindu scriptures. He even started an ashram with some others who were willing to spend all their time devoted to this religion, giving up all worldly interests and possessions.

During this period of time, he felt he was making progress in coming closer to the God-consciousness he was seeking. All the while God was working behind the scenes to orchestrate some significant events to help fulfill His promise in Jeremiah 29:13: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Being gifted with leadership qualities, Mike was teaching yoga to several hundred students in different universities, who followed him as their guru. He believed that this was his calling, and that he was meant to not only find God for himself but to help others to do the same.

A newspaper reporter who had heard of what was happening decided to interview Mike and the young people who were flocking to his classes to “learn the path to God.” Among the many who read that article, there was a small group of very important people. These folks, members of a 24-hour prayer chain, believed in and practiced fasting and prayer. After putting the article on their bulletin board, they started to pray, knowing that God wanted to save Mike and the young people he was unintentionally leading astray.

During this time Mike received a letter from a former college friend named Larry who told him how he had been born again. This left Mike perplexed and a bit disoriented since this friend was the one who had dropped out of college with him to study yoga and Eastern religions. The concept that Larry was presenting to Mike was completely foreign to him.

In Eastern religions, in order to find God, you are supposed to look within, that the “essence of divinity” is awakened from inside of you. But Larry talked about a God who would enter those who received Him and dwell in their hearts. Larry told Mike that if he would ask Jesus to come into his heart, the Holy Spirit would enter into him, and he would be spiritually reborn; God’s Spirit would dwell in him. This was troubling for Mike, since he had devoted so much time to a completely opposite belief system.

But Mike was a truth seeker, and after spending many hours pondering his friend’s letter, he made an important decision. Though still teaching four yoga classes a week and continuing with Hindu practices, he decided to set everything else aside and devote an entire day to pray only to Jesus and to read only the Bible.

His prayer went something like this: “Jesus, today is Your day. If You really are the Savior of the world, like many people say, will You please show me a recognizable, undeniable sign that You really are the Messiah, the Savior, the Lord of all.”

This was not a prayer prayed lightly. Mike was aware that taking this step might completely upend his life and everything he believed. Nevertheless, he spent the day reading the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation from the Bible. And throughout the day, true to his commitment, he prayed only to Jesus, asking Him to show him a sign.

Afterwards, he proceeded to prepare to teach his scheduled yoga class, not yet having experienced the “sign” he had asked for.

Unbeknownst to him, on the other side of town, a young man named Kent, one of the members of the 24-hour prayer group who had been praying for Mike, was entering a laundromat to do his laundry. But Kent got the distinct, very strong impression that it was not the right time to do laundry. Instead, he felt compelled to get back into his vehicle and drive. He drove around, following leads from the Holy Spirit to “turn left,” “turn right,” etc. Suddenly he spotted someone standing by the side of the road. Normally, he was adamantly opposed to picking up hitchhikers, yet he felt the Holy Spirit telling him to pick this man up.

When Mike opened the door to Kent’s van, the first thing his eyes fell upon was a picture of Jesus taped on the inside roof of the van. This was his sign! Before that van ride ended, Mike had found his new home in heaven and a life worth living with the help of his two new friends, Kent and Jesus.

God often uses His children, as well as many seemingly random events, to create a hunger for meaning in life. He will work through every circumstance of people’s lives to help bring seekers to Him.

I love these reminders of how God often works in unexpected and mysterious ways to reach someone’s heart. He is constantly shaping our lives, setting things up that will draw us to Him and prepare us for the calling He offers us for our future.

One of the things that spoke to me from Mike’s story is that no one is so immersed in another religion or another way of thinking, no matter what it is, that Jesus can’t reach them if they desire the truth.

The Lord knows each person’s heart. He can use anything to guide people in their journey toward Him.

Think about Mike’s friend, Larry, who wrote him about the need to be born again. Perhaps that took a lot of his time and effort, and maybe the devil was giving him a lot of “valid” reasons why he shouldn’t write that letter. But because Larry heeded the voice of the Holy Spirit, it proved to be a major motivation in Mike’s life to seek the truth about Jesus.

And then the 24-hour prayer group had an important role to play in helping unshackle Mike from the chains that were keeping him bound. Those prayer warriors knew that God could break those chains and set him free.

And then God used Kent, a member of that prayer group, who had recently converted from the yoga scene. It took Kent’s continued willingness to follow up on his new convert by attending Mike’s yoga class with him to support him as he testified about what had happened. I imagine Mike felt strengthened in his conviction when he had his new friend standing beside him and giving him support in prayer as he told all his students that he had unintentionally misled them and that he had found out that there is no other way to God except by Jesus Christ. He then went on to announce that he would no longer teach the classes and that he was also closing his ashram.

The story is not over, it continues! Mike tells how his departing from the yoga lifestyle and his witnessing so publicly about his change of heart in answer to the prayer group’s petitions brought many of his students to accept Jesus too.

It won’t be until heaven that Mike will fully realize the impact that his life-changing decision had on so many. The first wave of his converted students was followed by those who they in turn led to the Lord, and on and on it expanded, powered by the force of the love of God.

Another point that stood out to me is that when Mike and his new friend Kent were beginning the salvation prayer, Mike had many questions. Kent, who was in the process of leading him in the salvation prayer, led by the Holy Spirit, told him, “Don’t worry, just take Jesus. And then you’ll understand.”

I’m not implying that the Lord will tell everyone the same thing in their witnessing. But that principle is very important, and in some cases, that will probably be just what the Lord wants us to say. We have to follow Jesus, do what He shows us to do at the time, and trust Him for the results. Then He will do what we can’t. Praise the Lord!

If you listen to Mike Shreve’s full testimony on YouTube, I think you’ll be blessed. For me it was a wonderful reminder of God’s amazing workings and the important job that He has called each one of us to (“My Spiritual Journey,” Mike Shreve).

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

—1 Corinthians 3:6–8

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 The Family International

Let’s Show Compassion

By Lucas Hernández

A friend and I sat down for lunch in a restaurant. When our waitress came to serve us, we both noticed that she did so with very little joy, as if she was annoyed at having to serve us. We kept commenting to each other about this and criticizing her attitude. We decided that she was not earning a good tip.

At the end of our not-so-pleasant lunch, my friend’s phone rang and he got up apologetically to take the call in private. I am an artist and had recently drawn a picture of Jesus, written a message on the back, and printed out copies. I carry them with me and hand them out to whomever crosses my path—the cashier, the waiter, etc. I decided to give the “unfriendly waitress” one.

She asked, “What is this?” I told her, “It’s a special message for your heart.” Right then, as she stood by the table, she began to read it, and soon I saw tears falling from her eyes. When she finished reading it, I said a few words to her and we ended up sitting opposite each other. I listened to a beautiful person, whom I had so wrongly judged, as she told me about all the struggles and difficulties she had been going through.

I offered to pray with her to receive Jesus, who could help her to cope, and in His time, help provide solutions to her problems. Without hesitation she prayed a fervent prayer with me to receive Jesus into her heart.

As we were saying goodbye, I wanted to give her a good tip, but she refused, saying: “No, no, please, you have given me life today! Please don’t forget me!” As I live far away, I passed her contact information on to a friend who lives in the same city so that she could go see her and help her in any way she could.

This experience taught me how important it is not to make hasty judgments about others, for as this quote says: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2024 © Activated. All rights reserved.

Loving One Another, the Key

By Gabriel and Sally García

Recently, in a popular newspaper column, a well-known visual artist was asked: “Is there any belief that you have been liberated from?” She answered that, although she had been raised an atheist and now considers herself an agnostic, when she witnessed the dynamics of love and unity amongst Christians, she began to question her unbelief. She realized that there is something transcendent about love.

What a vivid portrayal of the words Jesus spoke to His followers: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another” (John 13:35). One of the single most powerful means that we have for mirroring God to others is our example of love, kindness, and genuine concern for others. How many times has someone seen Christians showing God’s love and care to others in some palpable way and thought, “Perhaps this God they talk about is true after all, and this Jesus they worship is the real thing.”

As Lucas and Irena convey in their articles, God’s love is powerful, and loving actions can melt even the hardest hearts.

In this world of division and political strife, where trust in our fellow man appears to be at a low ebb, what a powerful witness it can be for people to see Christians supporting someone in need or accompanying a lonely one, abstaining from criticizing and tearing others down, and being kind, considerate, generous, compassionate, and respectful with one another.

Christ emphasized this mutual love that we are to have for each other when He said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). We express God’s love through our actions. So, by loving one another we are letting Jesus speak and shine through us. That’s what Iris and her co-workers did with Willie. Don’t miss this touching story in “A Small Act of Kindness.”

This month, as we celebrate love and friendship, let’s keep this all-encompassing principle in mind and look for opportunities to share love and kindness, whether it be with our spouse, family members, friends and acquaintances, immigrants, or any stranger in need. Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2024 © Activated. All rights reserved.

His Perfect Timing

A compilation

I hate being late. When there’s an important event—church, work, or class—I like to arrive at least ten minutes early. That morning, we arrived ten minutes late. Being late makes me feel like I don’t belong in the place that I’m going, like I didn’t care enough to arrive on time and thus don’t deserve to be there. …

This vaguely reminded me of a parable Jesus told in which a landowner journeyed out to find workers for his vineyard. He began his search at 9 a.m. and found some individuals. He set off again at noon and more people agreed to come and work. The landowner continued this until he had people working from the morning until the day’s end.

When he approached his laborers with their wages, they were all surprised to receive the same amount of money. The people who showed up in the morning earned the same as those who came for the last ten minutes of the workday! The early birds felt a little peeved, to say the least.

They thought they deserved more because they had worked harder and longer. But the landowner countered by stating that he did not act unfairly, because he had the right to do what he wanted with the money.

He wished to give everyone the same reward.

After my whole morning went off track, I felt a little embarrassed to walk into church. Then, I was met with the most beautiful surprise. As my father and I ascended the stairs up to the narthex of the building, one of the greeters rested his eyes upon us, smiled wide, handed us our worship folders, and uttered the most invitational words: “Perfect timing, friends! We’ve been waiting for you …”

Having riddled myself with feelings of unworthiness, his words pierced my soul right when I needed them most. Somehow, I was welcome. At that moment, I felt the pull of Jesus inviting me into a life enveloped in His grace. …

We are all invited to do life with God, no matter what time we arrive. When we show up to life with Him, any timing is perfect, because Jesus has always been the endgame.

Sometimes, we don’t want to approach God because we don’t feel worthy. We wait to show up until we look our best with lives in perfect order. In the meantime, we inflict ourselves with feelings of inadequacy and shame. However, He accepts us no matter what condition we’re in and asks us to sit at His table.

I look forward to the day when we all—the people who have patiently waited all their lives for Jesus and the ones who have only met Him in their final breaths—become reunited in heaven to share the glory of God. I imagine Jesus Himself standing at the golden gates, ushering His children in with a welcoming smile on His face… “Perfect timing, friends. I’ve been waiting for you.”

—Mikayla Briggs (findinggodintheordinary.com)

 

God’s timing is perfect, and He has the final say

There are three important lessons we can learn in John 11 about how to hang on in times of crisis. Jesus gets word that His friend Lazarus is critically ill. Much to His disciples’ astonishment, Jesus doesn’t run to heal him, but stays for two days before leaving. When Jesus arrives in Bethany, at the home of Lazarus and his two sisters, He learns that Lazarus died four days earlier.

Lesson 1: God’s timing is always perfect. God’s never early, never late, but always on time. Our timing isn’t God’s timing. For us, God’s timing often feels like a long, desperate delay.

God’s perfect timing does two things: It grows our faith as we are forced to wait and trust in God, and it makes certain that He, and He alone, gets the glory and praise for pulling us through. “My times are in Your hands …” (Psalm 31:15).

At the right time, God will provide your need. At the right time, God will deliver you. At the right time, God will rescue you. …

Lesson 2: God’s ways are not our ways. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9).

God has eternal perspective! God is the great “I AM” (Yahweh) who knows the past, present, and future. And what do we know? Nothing really. Nothing compared to God. If I were Jesus, I would’ve healed Lazarus right away. But Jesus wanted to stretch the faith of His disciples, who after His death would be the catalysts to taking the message of Christ to the world. They knew Jesus had the power to heal people—but to raise a four-day-old corpse? Come on, that’s taking faith to a whole new level. …

Lesson 3: God always has the final say. No matter how terrible and impossible the situation appears, how awful you feel, or how there appears to be no answer, no help, no hope, God will see you through because He and He alone has the final say. …

Lazarus was dead and decaying for four days in that tomb. That’s more than a period, that’s an exclamation mark! But it wasn’t over. God put a comma in that place. And Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, his organs functioning, the rotting skin is made new again. …

The world put a period after Jesus’s crucifixion and death. But God always has the last say. On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead, and He’s alive! “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? … But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55–57.)

Because of Jesus Christ, death and the grave no longer have the last say in our lives. Jesus has the last say.

—William Thomas (baltimoresun.com)

 

In the nick of time

God’s timing is amazing! Several years ago, when I was working some weekends at a hospital, I was asked to look after an elderly woman in an emergency unit, who was extremely thin and weak from advanced cancer. From the moment I entered the room, she poured out her distress. I tried to encourage her, but was met with anger, negativity, and even insults. So I decided to simply do my job, and so busied myself with various physical jobs.

While she was sleeping I sat down and read some devotional literature. One story that stood out to me was of a man who had been involved in the occult, and then came to full salvation in Christ. Because of his decision of faith, not only was he set free, but many others were as well.

I pondered what I had read and was sorry I had given up on this woman so easily. I only had half an hour before my shift ended, but I decided to give it a try.

When the woman awoke, I told her, “I don’t know why all this has happened to you, but one thing I do know is this: No matter what, Jesus loves you and wants to be your best friend. He can heal your sorrows and bitterness and restore joy in your life. He stands at the door of your heart and is just waiting for you to let Him in. Why not ask Him into your heart and life?”

To my amazement, the woman started to cry. She eagerly prayed with me to receive Jesus as her Savior, and asked for my forgiveness for having treated me so harshly. She didn’t live much longer, but when she passed away, she was a truly changed soul, ready to meet her Maker.

Another experience I had also shows God’s miraculous timing. I was in a little town in Denmark on a walking street when a teenage girl came walking my way. I offered her a Christian tract, and she stopped and received it.

I asked her if she believed in God, and she said no. I then asked if she believed in love. At that, she brightened up and said she did. I explained that God is love, and that with His help we can live lives of love and purpose. She then humbly prayed with me, excused herself, and went her way.

Two weeks later I received an envelope in my mailbox. Inside were two letters—one from this girl’s mother and one from her. Her mother wrote: “It was my daughter’s last wish for me to send this letter from her to you. My daughter is now dead, but she wanted to let you know how much meeting you had meant to her.”

In her letter, the girl wrote: “I am now entering into the darkness, but it is with the knowledge that love is real and that there is a great Light awaiting me. Before I met you I was afraid to die, but now I am at peace.”

Her note brought me to tears, as I had no idea that she was in the critical stages of an illness. I was reminded of the verse where Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25–26).

—Peter Ericsson

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 The Family International