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An Important Topic

Rev Sudha Mehta©

Isaiah 44: 6Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts:

“I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me. 7Who then is like Me?

Let him say so! Let him declare his case before Me, since I established an ancient people.

Let him foretell the things to come, and what is to take place. 

8Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago?

You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me?

There is no other Rock; I know not one.”(BSB)

When I first accepted Christ I was a blank slate upon which anything could be written about the new faith, in other words, I knew nothing.  Having attended Catholic schools in my childhood where nothing was taught about Christ Himself except some generic idea of a generic god, and having graduated from college with a degree in English literature and having studied books like Dante’s Inferno, and Pilgrims Progress, I learnt nothing of Christ save the gobbledygook that was taught, just literature and analysis of literature. No truth of God was known to even the professors, so how could they teach?

When presented with a copy of the New Testament, I set it aside for the first chapter of Matthew was “boring.” I had no concept of it’s importance.

When I saw the movie “The Greatest Story Ever Told” I loved it, it was good, but it was a story . . . and the lead actor was handsome with gorgeous blue eyes. That was it!

Fast forward to meeting Jesus as my savior, it is safe to say, I knew nothing. Additionally, I was in a very bad place in my personal life. It was a very abusive situation, so I was pretty much under lockdown.  Unable to have any other source available to me, I had no one to teach me the Bible, which was presented to me, so I read it myself.

photo from church oc Christ

The concept of Faith is simple, especially when you have nothing else to lose. God spoke through His Word, I listened, and believed.

Not having any preconceived notions of my own helped in a big way, I didn’t question or doubt that which He said. Especially when it came to the history told in the Bible, such as Noah’s flood, or Samson, or David and Goliath, or even the parting of the Red sea. I didn’t doubt the Creation account in Genesis. Growing up in Hinduism and Literature studies actually helped, for stories of the Fantastic and the Supernatural were part of growing up. If I believed those, then why not this, especially now with the Holy Spirit bearing witness in my spirit?!

In just a few weeks I came across terms and concepts that were new, and I was curious. One of these was the concept of the Rapture. I didn’t doubt it at all, but I didn’t understand it either. Reading on, I went through the Book of Revelation, which seemed rather Fantastic, but not scary.

Bible book of rev. crosswalk

In those early years I was not allowed to go to church. I lived in very limited circumstances even though I was in the US. Persecution can be experienced even in lands that are free, and this I know from experience.

If you are persecuted where you are located for your Faith, or do not have freedom to come and go as you please, if your provision is lacking, or you are in physical, mental, emotional anguish because of what others are doing to you, know that you are not alone. I can assure you there is Jesus Who is perfectly able to see you, and He cares about you no matter your limitations. You are not beyond the reach of His love.

I have personally been there and experienced first hand His love in circumstances that were definitely beyond my control and certainly created by other humans.

Strange as it may sound, the fact that I was prohibited from going to church or having any other learning opportunities, only made my desire stronger for Christ. It is well known that all through history around the world when persecution arises, Faith grows stronger. Out of the hardships Faith grows and love for Christ abounds.

Bible reading prisoner UCC.org

While I would never suggest that I know the kind of hardship that comes from tyrannical rulers and oppressive governments, I do understand the pain that comes from persecution because of your Faith. I do understand being threatened, coerced, rejected, punished in different ways by people you love and trust.

None of what I say is intended to invoke sympathy, rather it is to say that in times of real hardship He drew me closer to Him.

It was in those years I spent by myself hiding my Bible, reading it in solitude, being trained by His Holy Spirit, that I fell deeply in love with Him. The tears shed in lonely hours led to silent prayers lifted to the heavens. The hours spent in His Word led to His Holy Spirit having free reign to write on this blank slate (my heart and mind) and teaching me directly from the Word. No other human revealed the deeper things of the Word as He did Himself. There were wonderful people praying for me, but the training I received from my Lord was not gotten from sitting in the pews on Sunday Mornings for many years.

Eventually, the door was opened, and God provided wonderful mentors for whom I will be eternally grateful. Eventually I was trained by pastors, professors, teachers . . . but only after I had several years of training directly from the Master Himself.

So it was that I discovered Prophecy in the Bible. My interest was more than piqued while I sat at His feet, free of any preconceived notions generated by human opinion.

What I also learned is that I must learn more . . . everyday. It is my conclusion that the more I learn, the less I know, for there is much more to learn.  My prayer has been that I have a hunger to learn more of Him and stay forever hungry for more. If I become satiated, I may lose my love. If hungry all the time, I look for more. It’s my desire!

That said, I find the subject of prophecy, both fulfilled and yet to be, very hope building, especially when things look dismal.

Take todays World. I doubt there is anyone, anywhere  in the World that would say the World is getting better. With all the technological advances, fast travel, and luxuries available, some might say the World is at their fingertips, yet the news keeps getting worse and worse. For all the good we can have, the bad seems to outwiegh in so many ways.

I won’t site many studies and stats to you, just what I see in the news and Scripture speaking from the heart, person to person, using everyday simple logic.  You are a thinking person, and have the ability to process as I do. Knowledge is powerful, but wisdom tells how to use it. Intelligence is good, but without proper guidance it can be used for much evil, Understanding is good, but without God’s revelation it too can be used for much harm.

In all things I work on turning to God for His wisdom, direction and discernment. As I do that, He makes my path clear and shows me His way.

Prov. 3: 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

6in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.(NAS)

A man came to my class when he heard that I was teaching the Book of Revelation. He came with fear and trepidation, for as he said “This Book scares the #@%$ out of him.” 

One session, just the opening and laying the foundation, he was gone never to return again.  Others that stayed learned much and continue to be alert to this day discerning the times, noting the signs and understanding what God is pointing to.

There are those that give other reasons to never get into it:

“I like happy thoughts, not scary.  This is dark stuff and I like to keep it all light.”

“Jesus is love, He would never do anything bad and this is bad.”

“It will all work out in the end, I don’t need to know it.”

“It’s too complicated, who can understand it?”

“Even the scholars don’t agree.”

. . . and many other reasons which amount to nothing but excuses in God’s mind.

350 +prophecies alsready fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus Christ. 8X more are yet to be fulfilled.

Throne of God photo youtube.com is the only God who challenges with statements like: 

Isaiah 45: 5 “I am the LORD, and there is no other. There is no God but Me. . . . 19 I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. . . .  21b who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me. (BSB)

If everything He said related to the first coming has been fulfilled to the letter, why would n’t the rest?! His record speaks for itself.

If He cannot lie, then why would these things about the future not be taken seriously, especially when they are scary? Shouldn’t one seek to know, and remain alert to the signs so that one can stay out of harms’ way and warn others as well?!

That is the purpose of prophecy, to give us an alert.

The alert can be a warning for judgment to come, and to change our course, but it can also be an alert to let us know that wonderful blessings are coming our way because our God loves us so.

Both blessings and judgment come from our God,  So, if we want blessings why should we not expect and accept judgment/discipline from the hand of the One Who not only loves us but wants us to walk Holy even as He Himself is Holy. What loving father doesn’t discipline his children when they do wrong? So does God! (Hebrews 12: 10)

There are those that say they  do not want to know Bible prophecy, but are okay otherwise to learn the Word. Trouble is, more than a quarter of the Bible is prophecy, and prophecy is found in virtually everyone of the 66 Books of the Bible. Some more than others. So, how many books would one leave out? Which verses would one cut out? Would the Bible still be the Bible? What would happen to the whole counsel of the inspired Word of God?

God is ot the God of some of His word, but the Whole!

In this series I will include links to my favorite sources so you can yourself see how wideranging the subject is and how much one can learn. I myself am continually learning even as I teach.

rapture photo christianforums

“Ready the bride!”

When the Lord said this to me several years ago, I knew He was saying to get the people ready for He is coming soon. I thought one year of teaching on the subject of prophecy and we would move on to something else. Several years later, I find no matter what else I teach, everything circles back to the prophetic.

He has not given me a different charge either . . . simply . . . “Ready the Bride!”  So I continue.

Join me in these posts to read, to learn, to meditate . . . and prepare yourself for He is coming soon for His bride!

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