For those of you who have been praying for my family and I and the next step that the Lord has for us, our prayers have been anwered. Effective August 11, Jannett and I will be teachers at the First Baptist School in Brownsville, Texas. Jannett taught there three years ago and made lasting friendships while I have enjoyed a close friendship with Pastor Steve Dorman of the First Baptist Church for at least six years.
Jannett will be teaching Secondary Spanish and I will be teaching Secondary Bible and History. Our positions will also afford us many other opportunties to ministry with our boys, Dane and Brandon. We could not have asked for anything more of the Lord. He has been very gracious and we are looking forward to what He has in store for us.
Continue to keep us in prayer that we will be able to serve Him effectively in these ministry positions to reach the hearts and minds of the young people that He will entrust to us.
In other great news, this position will also still afford me opportunities to travel, speak and write. I'm really looking forward to sharing in some of your churches!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Three Views of the Rapture, Part 2
The Timing of the Rapture
With the establishment of the fact of a Rapture, we must now turn to the timing of this great event. Unfortunately, for the past two-thousand years there has been great disagreement and confusion in the church over the timing of the Rapture.
Today, among those who agree that the Rapture is a yet future event to occur, there are three major views that must be considered. All of these views agree that it’s going to happen, but they disagree as to when it is going to happen.
The first of these views to be covered is what is called the Post-Tribulation view. This view asserts that the Rapture will occur after the Tribulation in conjunction with the Second Coming of Christ in Revelation 19.
The second of these views is what is called the Mid-Tribulation view. This view asserts that the Rapture will occur at the mid-point of the Tribulation Period around the time of the Antichrist’s backing out of the seven year agreement with Israel.
The third and final of these views is what is called the Pre-Tribulation view. This view asserts that the Rapture will occur at the close of the church age and will be the event that ushers in the Tribulation.
Each of these three views will be discussed in detail with the merits of each moving along from the Post-Tribulation view, to the Mid-Tribulation view, and the Pre-Tribulation view.
With the establishment of the fact of a Rapture, we must now turn to the timing of this great event. Unfortunately, for the past two-thousand years there has been great disagreement and confusion in the church over the timing of the Rapture.
Today, among those who agree that the Rapture is a yet future event to occur, there are three major views that must be considered. All of these views agree that it’s going to happen, but they disagree as to when it is going to happen.
The first of these views to be covered is what is called the Post-Tribulation view. This view asserts that the Rapture will occur after the Tribulation in conjunction with the Second Coming of Christ in Revelation 19.
The second of these views is what is called the Mid-Tribulation view. This view asserts that the Rapture will occur at the mid-point of the Tribulation Period around the time of the Antichrist’s backing out of the seven year agreement with Israel.
The third and final of these views is what is called the Pre-Tribulation view. This view asserts that the Rapture will occur at the close of the church age and will be the event that ushers in the Tribulation.
Each of these three views will be discussed in detail with the merits of each moving along from the Post-Tribulation view, to the Mid-Tribulation view, and the Pre-Tribulation view.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Three Views of the Rapture, Part 1
The Fact of the Rature
First, we must look at the fact of the Rapture. Many have argued, rightfully so, that the word Rapture is not even found in the Bible. Well, neither is the word trinity or grandfather, but no one is in doubt as to there existence. So that argument simply does not hold any water in the discussion of the subject at hand.
While the word Rapture does not exist in our English Bible, the Greek word “harpazo” does. We find this word in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 were it says, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” The word for “caught” in verse 17 is the Greek word “harpazo” with means to seize, catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force). [1]
We also see the fact of the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 were it says, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
There are also places in Scripture were we see foreshadows of the Rapture in the Old Testament. The first of which is in the “taking” of Enoch in Genesis 5:24. The Bible says that “…Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
Enoch was quite literally raptured because of his unique relationship with his God. God decided to transport Enoch directly to Heaven without first having him taste death. This same thing will happen to all of those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ one day because of our special relationship with God.
We see it again in the life of the prophet, Elijah. The Bible tells us in 2 Kings 2:11-12, “Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.”
So, we too as children of God have a unique place in God’s economy and one day He will come back and take us home with Him. It was a promise that He made in John 14:2-3 when He said, “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
These instances are a foreshadowing of a yet future event when millions of Christians will suddenly and seemingly without notice be caught away into Heaven without every tasting death. This event is called the Rapture.
[1] Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.
First, we must look at the fact of the Rapture. Many have argued, rightfully so, that the word Rapture is not even found in the Bible. Well, neither is the word trinity or grandfather, but no one is in doubt as to there existence. So that argument simply does not hold any water in the discussion of the subject at hand.
While the word Rapture does not exist in our English Bible, the Greek word “harpazo” does. We find this word in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 were it says, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” The word for “caught” in verse 17 is the Greek word “harpazo” with means to seize, catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force). [1]
We also see the fact of the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 were it says, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
There are also places in Scripture were we see foreshadows of the Rapture in the Old Testament. The first of which is in the “taking” of Enoch in Genesis 5:24. The Bible says that “…Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
Enoch was quite literally raptured because of his unique relationship with his God. God decided to transport Enoch directly to Heaven without first having him taste death. This same thing will happen to all of those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ one day because of our special relationship with God.
We see it again in the life of the prophet, Elijah. The Bible tells us in 2 Kings 2:11-12, “Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.”
So, we too as children of God have a unique place in God’s economy and one day He will come back and take us home with Him. It was a promise that He made in John 14:2-3 when He said, “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
These instances are a foreshadowing of a yet future event when millions of Christians will suddenly and seemingly without notice be caught away into Heaven without every tasting death. This event is called the Rapture.
[1] Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Still Here
Wow! I thought that the wind would never stop blowing. It started Wednesday morning around 2:00am and stopped last night around midnight. There are trees all over the place here in Rancho Viejo. I got a chance to run to the store this morning. We just got our electricity back about an hour ago. We still have no cell phones for some reason. So, if you're trying to call us, leave a message or shot me an email.
God bless each of you and I truly to appreciate your prayers.
God bless each of you and I truly to appreciate your prayers.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Storm Update
Jannett and I have received numerous call from friends and family that are worried about us with Hurricane Dolly knocking on our front door down here in South Texas. So far, things are just fine. The missions teams from Andrews and Corpus Christi opted not to go back into Mexico and wait it out at Borderland and are doing fine. They probably will not be able to return to Mexico until at least Thursday I would suspect.
The weather service is not projecting the storm to reach higher than a Category 2 at this point. I think that our biggest problem will be the continuous rain that they are expecting over the next three days. It will be especially tough on our brothers in Mexico. Please keep them in your prayers.
God bless each of you!
The weather service is not projecting the storm to reach higher than a Category 2 at this point. I think that our biggest problem will be the continuous rain that they are expecting over the next three days. It will be especially tough on our brothers in Mexico. Please keep them in your prayers.
God bless each of you!
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