Scripture Reading: Luke 21.25-38 Jesus tells about His return~ this is a loaded passage, which I have used a number of references

to compile. I pray that I have done it justice. . . and now, a word from Jesus:

My dear child,

I am coming back for you, you know. People of this twenty-first century are funny about the future--on the one hand, some are absolutely committed to reading their horoscopes in order to get an idea of what they might encounter for the day or the month, others consult psychics to help them plan their futures. . . and yet, when My people talk about the future of the Church, and Scripture's discussion of the end of times, folks are apt to call them 'quacks' or 'religious fanatics'. I have created you with both a sense of wonder as well as a sense of purpose and destiny; it is right that your life should be oriented toward that destiny.

Here in Luke 21, I have just described the coming destruction of Jerusalem, and lest My followers think that will be the end--I go on. . . I want them to know I will come back and retrieve My people. First, there will be strange goings-on in the sun, moon, and stars--this will be a sign for you. You will look up and see Me, the Son of Man coming on a cloud, with power and great glory. It will be magnificent! First, I will come for those who have shown themselves faithful to Me. (Some call this the Rapture which is derived from the Latin word rapare or raptus, 'to be caught up' or 'snatched away'.) My servant Paul gives an excellent description of the Rapture, "For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout... and the dead in Christ shall 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. (1 Thessalonians 4.16-17) Keep in mind, dear ones, that this is a time separate from My second coming; in the Rapture, I will come FOR the church, but in the second coming, I will come WITH the church. By the way, when the rapture happens, your bodies will be changed, 'in the twinkling of an eye' from the earthly bodies you now possess to heavenly bodies - as Paul said, "for our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies." (1 Corinthians 15.53 NLT) Victory over sin and death come through Me, my child!

After the Rapture, the great tribulation will grip the world. (Don't worry now, you will be with Me; you will not experience the horror of these seven long years.) The tribulation is mentioned in Scripture in a number of places--Daniel 8.19, 12.1; Matthew 24:21-22; Revelation 6-19, and in prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nahum and Zephaniah. What is the tribulation? Revelation 14.10 refers to the great tribulation as the indignation and wrath of My Father. It will be a horrific time. The Antichrist will come to power during this time, coming to prominence through a plan for world peace. Unfortunately, the world will be deceived by him--taken in by his smooth ways. . . at first. He will overhaul the commercial system, and everyone will be assigned a number (either on right hand or forehead) or they will not be able to buy or sell. (Revelation 13.11) The Antichrist will be the pawn of the devil, and do his bidding. At the very end, just before My second coming, he will try to elevate himself above My Father and I, making his true colors clear. He will make a pact with Israel, (Daniel 12.11), and do things in his name alone; ultimately, My chosen ones will have to hide from him!

At the end of the tribulation, I will return and set up My rule on earth--for a thousand - year period; folks refer to this period simply as the "millennium". While that will be a time of great peace, it will be followed by one final battle staged by Satan--but of course, he will be defeated, bound and forever confined to the lake of fire, Revelation 20.10. After that, the Judgment for those who I did not know. For you, My beloved, Heaven, the home I have prepared for you. No beauty, no grandeur, no wondrous sight in nature has prepared you for what you will experience in the New Jerusalem. There will be no darkness, crying, pain, sin, loneliness, guilt, divorce, terrorism, or disaster in My home; you will be safe, and it will be beyond your wildest imaginings.

So I take you back to the words I spoke to My disciples in Luke 21--be ready for My return. Be watchful, be expectant. Live like it could be tomorrow! [hey, readers--there are no unfulfilled signs or prophecies that need take place before Jesus comes for the Church--'could be any time!] Pursue Me as you never have before~~ and take Me with you where you go. Introduce others to Me--they will be forever indebted to you!

So that you will know and be ready,

today's word spoken by our Lord from the compilation of Scripture~

With love,

Christine