Friday, April 14, 2017
May the God of love, grace, justice and judgement be with you and guide you in all His truth according to His Holy Word. As you read the Letter today, please listen to this worship music link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Sz6Pp1DAU&list=RD8_Sz6Pp1DAU#t=79
A friend sent this link to me and I was blessed by these great songs of inspiration. The Word of God, His Holy Spirit, and music like this inspires my heart as I uphold Christ’s end-time truths. My sincere prayer is to persuade all who will to believe and prepare for the truths Jesus detailed.
“the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Rev. 11:15). This is the rapture, “at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:52). But first…
… “he [Antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; [meaning seven years] but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate” (Dan. 9:27). Yes, this will come first.
“For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light” (Mark 4:22). “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). Thus, we must walk in enduring holiness with confidence in Christ that His testimony is our truth.
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:10–11). A call to holiness.
“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him [at the rapture]…Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thess. 2:1–3). This too is the holy, true and dependable Word of the Lord Jesus given by His Holy Spirit.
“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His Word,
Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord’”
“Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh for grace to trust Him more!”
“I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.” (A great hymn of the church. Lyrics by Louisa M.R. Stead (1850–1917) and music by William K. Kirkpatrick (1838–1921).
I ask you in the love of Christ, have you learned to really trust in Jesus; do you truly take Him at His Word? Or have you exchanged His Word for the corrupt traditions of man? “He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Today can be your day to actually believe the testimony of Jesus Christ that you might faithfully endure to the last day.
Jesus said, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54). [emphasis added] Have you believed God’s Son?
Do you, like Martha, the sister of Lazarus, believe that Jesus will raise the righteous dead, “in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24)? It’s not too late to believe Christ and prepare in heart, mind, spirit and soul. Again, do you really trust in Jesus, and truly take Him at His Word?
If you couldn’t answer that affirmatively, the Spirit says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom 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” (Acts 3:19–21).
“All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.”
“All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.” (A great hymn of the church. Lyrics by Judson W. Van de Venter (1855–1939), music by Winfield S. Weeden (1847–1908).
Have you surrendered all to Jesus, truly, and do you freely give Him your faith to believe that, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven…And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect” (Matt. 24:29–31)? Will you wait for Him?
I ask you in love: are you Christ’s elect? Do you believe His Word of truth above tradition? Do you know He knows how to keep you through the seven-year tribulation? Have you studied His Word to learn His truth and to be prepared to endure to the end? “For he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13); and, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10).
Most of us have memorized, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). But do we consider what it means to effectively believe in Christ, because, “he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36b). [emphasis added]
Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32). Jesus also said, “I am the truth” (John 14:6). He also said, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). In love, I ask: do you abide in His Word and are you, “of the truth”, because you hear His voice?
Truth is very important, meaning Jesus and His Words are important to endurance. No one can decide for you to believe. Only you can decide to actually believe His Word of truth and prepare accordingly. There are many false teachers, who, for popularity and money ignore Jesus’ Words for the perilous times of the end before us. Have you chosen to believe false teachers or Christ?
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:25–26). Have you believed the Son of God and prepared in heart, mind, spirit and soul for these things?
“When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.”
“Though Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come, Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.”
“My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t, My sin not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I hear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.”
“And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be roll’d back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.” (A great hymn of the church. Lyrics by Horatio G. Spafford (1828–1888), and music by Philip B. Bliss (1838–1876). Have you so believed Christ for the end-times that it is well with your soul?
Jesus’ end-time truths are vital unto a salvation faith equipped to endure to the end. A false belief of when the holy, “first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4–6) occurs has already served to, “overthrow the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:18). Only you can guard against that. Only you can believe Jesus Christ.
The difficult time of the seven-year tribulation is near. The age of Israel is the key to unlocking the onset of those seven years. Next month, in May, Israel will be 70 years old on God’s Hebrew calendar. That’s highly significant, for 70 is God’s number of fullness or completion.
As we celebrate Easter this weekend, let’s keep our hearts and minds in a state of prayerful expectation of God fulfilling all His promises to bring this present age to its apex, that God gathers to Himself His remnant Bride. But even as Christ suffered for us, so too the Savior reminds us, that, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).
And just as Jesus rose from the dead, so too Jesus said, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). Today is the day to believe! Happy Easter!
Marlin J. Yoder
