We are waiting

Right now, we who believe in JESUS are” WAITING for HIS (GOD the FATHER’s) SON from heaven, whom HE raised from the dead, even JESUS, which delivered us from the WRATH to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).  For GOD has not appointed us to WRATH, but to obtain salvation by our LORD JESUS CHRIST (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Now there are 2 kinds of WRATH: the WRATH of GOD and the WRATH of man. 

The WRATH of man can be with or without reason.  The unprovoked WRATH of man was poured out on Israel on October 7^th by men, and a provoked WRATH of man now is being being poured out today by Israel. 

GOD’s WRATH is against sin.  GOD sent HIS SON JESUS to bear all the sin of mankind.  But only those who receive JESUS get placed into JESUS and are forgiven.  If you believe in JESUS GOD has removed your sin so HIS WRATH will not ever touch you.

GOD’s WRATH however is reserved for a specific time period we call the 7-year-Tribulation or Jacob’s trouble and will also include being placed into the everlasting lake of fire (2 Peter 3:7, Revelation 6:16-17, 20:14-15).  But like the burning bush Moses saw, those in the lake of fire will never burn up for their worm (soul) dies not (Mark 9:43-44).

John 3:16 For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM should not perish but have eternal life. 36 He that believes on the SON has everlasting life: and he that believes not the SON shall not see life; but the WRATH of GOD remains on him.

Romans 2:5 But after your hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto yourself WRATH against the day of WRATH and revelation of the righteous judgment of GOD; 

2 Thessalonians 2:10 ^And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Yes, the WRATH of GOD is coming, but cannot occur until believers in JESUS are removed from the earth for the WRATH of GOD will come on those on the earth (Revelation 3:10).  Therefore, JESUS who has delivered us from the WRATH to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10) must come and take us from the earth that we may be where HE is.

As JESUS said in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto MYSELF; that where I am, there you may be also.”

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: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 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

But why will JESUS meet HIS bride the church (we who believe in HIM) in the clouds rather than coming all the way to the earth to get us and take us with HIM to where HE is?

Acts 3:18-21 But those things, which GOD before had shewed by the mouth of all HIS prophets, that CHRIST should suffer, HE (JESUS) has so fulfilled.  Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the LORD.  And HE shall send JESUS CHRIST, which before was preached unto you: Whom (JESUS) the heaven must receive until the times of RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS, which GOD has spoken by the mouth of all HIS holy prophets since the world began.

GOD the FATHER said to JESUS. “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Hebrews 1:13, Psalm 110:1, Mark 12:36).

A time which even earth’s creatures are waiting for (Romans 8:19-22).

It has been decreed by GOD that JESUS must remain in heaven until all HIS enemies are made a footstool (until JESUS is over them).  Until after the 7-year-Tribulation when JESUS will come down from heaven and end the battle of Armageddon and then set up a 1,000-year reign and RESTORE ALL THINGS as before the fall in the Garden which restoration was promised to the Israelites.  After that 1,000 years much more is coming but that is another story.

Since GOD cannot lie, HE must keep HIS word and JESUS must remain in heaven so cannot come to the earth but will call us up to HIMSELF into the clouds and we will go with HIM to the place HE has prepared for us.

In hope of eternal life, which GOD, that cannot lie, promised before the world began Titus 1:2

Hugs

Sharon

The time of his life

Do not weep for him, he is having the time of his life

I waited to walk until the wind and clouds cooled things off this evening and as I walked, I thanked the LORD for the beauty of the clouds and colors and Little Mac came into my mind.  Maybe because he would have been 55 on the 21^st.  I don’t know.  But I thanked the LORD for my 1^st little boy, my 3^rd child.  He was a clown as the picture indicates.  And I thanked GOD for sparing my laughing little one from the evils that face the children of today.

Thinking of all this I felt I should tell you how I learned how to trust GOD. 

Mac’s job ended in California and when he couldn’t find work Mac followed the urgings of his brothers and we moved to Colorado. I didn’t know anyone except Mac’s family who were not very friendly.  Like others who didn’t get to know me, they thought I was stupid since due to my profound hearing loss I often misunderstood so answered in strange ways. 

We had not completely unpacked yet from the move and it had been a long day. Mac was at a Union meeting, I put the girls to bed, but for some reason I let Little Mac stay up a little longer. He was just seven months and 23 days old. “Pinky,” as his dad called him, was playing in my pots and pans on a low shelf around the corner in the kitchen. HE scooted (he did not crawl on his knees, he scooted) into where I was on the couch. For the first time ever, he pulled himself up to a standing position and hanging on to the edge of the coffee table, walked around it slowly laughing as he went until he came to me. Reaching up to me, I pulled him up into my lap and soon he was asleep. I tucked him into bed and went off to bed myself.

In the morning, as was his habit, my husband left me sleeping and went to check on the kids before making his coffee. He woke me moments later by handing me the cold, lifeless body of my son and saying, “Momma, the baby’s dead.”

Even though Mac told me he’d already tried, I struggled in an attempt to breathe life back into my son. When it didn’t help, I began to cry out to GOD.  Although I knew how to pray, all that I could think to pray that moment was “Our FATHER who art in heaven, hallowed be THY name, THY kingdom come, THY will be done….” I could go no further for I knew without a doubt, don’t ask me how, but I really understood that this was the will of GOD to take my son to be with HIM in heaven.

Some react and say, “GOD would never do that!”

I Kings 14:6-13 tells of a little one taken, and the prophet says of him, “because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord,”

 Then in 2 Samuel 12:10-23 we are told of King David’s little one being carried into heaven.

The merciful landlord let us out of our lease, and we move right after Little Mac’s death. Then our daughter Kari turned three and while she was climbing in the back yard of our new place, a cinderblock fell off the fire pit and broke her leg. Then we learned our 6-year-old Jeri had begun sleepwalking when a neighbor pounded on our door in the middle of the night having Jeri’s in tow.

I felt like I was going crazy.  I knew the only way to retain my sanity was to seek anew the GOD I met when I was 12 and living with my grandmother. For although I had called out to the LORD a few times since in desperate situations, basically I had ignored GOD since I moved up to live with my mother in Northern California when I turned 15.  I was 24 at this time.

 With my in-laws there to watch the girls, I ran down the street to a little church I’d seen there.  I was hoping someone there would help me find my way back to GOD. But no one was there.  Then a few splashes hit me in the face, and I realized that it had begun to sprinkle.

I looked up into the sky and saw a cloud formed in the shape of a great lion and a laughing baby on its back holding on to the lion’s flowing mane. Words penetrated my consciousness, “Don’t weep for him, he is having the time of his life. Weep for yourself and your daughters.”

Hearing the voice, peace enveloped me as I believed the words GOD had spoken into my spirit. “For faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word [rhema] of CHRIST” (Romans 10:17). There was no question, I knew Little Mac was having the time of his life and that brought me joy.

Many say that Little Mac’s life was wasted. I don’t believe it for a moment. Through Little Mac’s death I turned back to GOD with all that was within me and was radically changed.  Plus, his dad upon seeing his son’s body in the casket declared, “This is not Pinky.  That is not my son.  The light is not there. It has to be somewhere.”  Mac began believing in life after death and would one day come to believe in JESUS.

And when I have shared how GOD comforted me by forming a cloud and telling me my son was having the time of his life, many grieving gals have been encouraged and strengthened just as I was that day when the FATHER of mercies and the GOD of all comfort spoke those very words to me.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).  So, you see that though dead, Little Mac has an ongoing ministry, his life was not wasted!  GOD uses all things for an end result of good to those who love HIM (Romans 8:28).                     

Hugs

Sharon Manning

Clouds and horsemen

As a child I would love to lay out on the grass and watch the clouds.  Often as they took shape I could see an elephant, a duck, a man.  But one day a gal sent me an email with this picture of these clouds coming down over the mountains.  My husband saw only one thing ‘a storm’ was on its way, while I, who had been studying the last book of the Bible saw something quite different.  I saw Revelation chapter 6 and the 4 horsemen riding down out of heaven and it fascinated me.

What one sees is often greatly influenced by their mindset and what they are looking for.

Now GOD on the other hand sees all things past present and future as they really are.  HIS thoughts are not our thoughts and HIS ways are not our ways, but they accomplish what HE sends them to do (Isaiah 55:8-11).  Therefore, I find it a good idea to acknowledge (ask) HIM in all my ways (concerning all things) that way HE can direct my path (in the way that I should go) (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Looking unto JESUS the Author and Perfecter of my faith.

Hugs

Sharon