I believe we all need to read and re-read Matthew 24 and 25.  Many Christians are looking for an event called The Rapture, when Jesus will come and take us out of this evil mess the world and our lives are in. But what if instead of looking for an escape, we should be strengthening ourselves with the “Whole armour of God” Ephesian 6:10-18. to combat this present evil. We are not “called unto wrath”, but Jesus many times told his disciples they would endure tribulation John 16:33.

 In Second Thessalonians the 2nd Chapter, Paul reminded them of a coming trial and a great “falling away” before the Lord’s return.  That is not “Catching away”as you may have been told. Look it up in the Greek.  It is the word “apostasia”. Believers will fall from the faith in droves.  Why?  Because, they believed in an “Escapist” theology and were not prepared for the trials of their faith. 

When God doesn’t rescue us from what is happening in this world, will you still believe in His love and care for you?  When your loved ones are taken and tortured and killed, will you scream against a God that would allow it to happen?  Will you declare there must not be a God, because the whole Earth is filled with horror?  Will you, yourself, deny him in fear, for the horrors that are happening?  Peter did.  And I’m afraid much worse, than what would have happened to Peter, is going to happen to believers in the near future.  Many in other countries are already experiencing it.  Little children are being beheaded because they say they love Jesus.  People in China are being imprisoned and tortured because they were preaching the gospel of Christ.  But you say, “This is America, it won’t happen here”.  I would have agreed with you a few months ago.  But now I read the Prophet Jeremiah’s writings and I see the United States doing even worse than Israel did.  The U.S. has been the most blessed Nation in the world. 

Daniel and his friends were among Israel’s finest, smartest, most godly young men. They were captured, made eunuchs, research what that means, and forced to live in Babylon and learn the Babylonian way of life and religion. Do you remember Sunday School lessons that told us about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being thrown into a fiery furnace because they would not bow to the Golden Image. Daniel was thrown into a Den of Lions for praying to his god. Do you think we are exempt from discrimination and persecution for our faith? Are you prepared for that?

Luke 12:46-48 “The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required : and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” KJV