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A LIFE TO OVERCOME By Laura L. Whitley
Prologue
It is declared:
“Behold, He is coming with clouds and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen!”
Just then Michael, the archangel, excitedly replies,
“The trumpet blows! It is time! The kingdom of heaven is ready!”
After six thousand years, the long and difficult course of human history has unfolded. This occurrence has always been God's perfect plan of redemption since the fall of man — that for 6,000 years, He would prepare a race of king-priests who would fulfill the final destiny of man’s purpose on earth — to rule and reign with Christ Jesus. The Truth is finally revealed and Satan’s lie exposed. It is now time for the final accounting of all believers. For the next seven years, those left behind on earth will go through the greatest tribulation of all time, such as never before. And then the one thousand year reign of Christ will begin.
“We have been preparing for this moment for thousands of years,”
says one of the seven angels.
“We have constructed the great city according to the Messiah’s instructions. And what a magnificent city it is,” says Michael.
“The King Himself specified every detail for the arrival of His bride. What joy He has for those servants who will qualify to reign with Him!”
Suddenly there is a sound that reaches from one end of the world to the other, like the rush of a great wind. The graves open and millions of bodies rise from the dead, all those who were in Christ, to meet the Lord in the air. Then, in a twinkling of an eye, millions of living believers disappear from the face of the earth and appear in the sky following the raised bodies to meet their Lord in the air. The hour has come for all believers to stand before the Judge, at the judgment seat of Christ, to be tested on all of their works, whether good or bad. The test of works will determine where they will be placed in heaven, either inside the kingdom with Christ or outside the kingdom without Christ for one thousand years. Time has run out and there is no more room for repentance.
No going back…..it’s too late.
Michael gazes at the multitudes of people surrounding the city square. The angels reflect brilliant lights, shining in all directions as they play beautiful music and sing,
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
Then a loud voice spoke, as the sound of a trumpet, of One clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters. He had on His right side a multitude of angels and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when anyone saw Him, there was much fear, and many fell to the floor as if dead.
The court is seated and books are opened. The Judge is ready to commence, for the hour of judgment has come. One by one the vast multitudes are summoned to the Judge’s throne. As a person steps up to the platform to be judged, no one except that person and Christ can hear the conversation. What an amazement to be standing before the King! What a fearful thing to be judged before the Son of God! One’s entire past life on earth will be revealed, including every secret thing. The fire will test everyone’s work and then, each will receive his verdict.
A man walks up before the Christ. His life had been wasted, made up of self-indulgence and self-pleasure. He had become a Christian at the early age of thirty, but never matured in his walk with Christ and never followed the path of righteousness. He had been led by the world and his flesh, trying to become rich and spending the rest of his time in leisure and entertainment. His friends were the same, except one, who invited him often to Bible study and to serve God. But he always refused his invitation. The world of discipleship seemed too difficult and he was not willing to sacrifice his enjoyment of life. He had attended church regularly with his wife and family, but his heart was never focused on God. Instead of laying up treasures in Heaven, he had chosen to lay up treasures on earth. Bible study was boring, and his prayer life was nonexistent.
“Come closer, servant of Mine,”
thundered the voice from the One on the throne. His face brilliantly shines like the sun and His eyes like a flame of fire with a serious look and not a glimpse of a smile.
“Yes Lord, I . . . I . . . .”
The man is speechless. All his excuses to postpone becoming committed to Christ no longer mattered. It is too late now. He reminisces as he recalls all the opportunities he had in his life to be a good servant, but chose not to. The world always seemed more attractive. He thought of God’s gifts to him throughout his lifetime, a spiritual Christian wife, who truly modeled the Christian walk and taught their children the Word of God. He never joined with his family in desiring a true spiritual relationship with Christ. He was a Christian, but he did not know or love God.
“Servant of Mine,” came the King, interrupting his thoughts,
“I warned you often that there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; nothing hidden that will not be known. I know your works and I know your heart. You chose not to heed My call, you did not love Me with all your heart, soul and mind, and you chose not to confess your sins, even though I loved you and died for you. You chose not to watch for Me, therefore I have come upon you now as a thief in the night and there is no room for repentance. Through the test of fire, I have found your works imperfect before God.”
“Lord, I am so sorry,” he cried, as he realized the consequences he would now have to face.
Lifting His head upward, Christ Jesus then says,
“Father, I bring this servant of Mine before You. He has denied Me by his life on earth, and now I deny him before You. He will not enter the kingdom of heaven as one of my servant king-priests. He has lost his inheritance!”
Then, with a powerful voice that echoed loudly in the heavenly throne room, the King rebuked the unfaithful servant,
“Depart from Me, you wicked and lazy servant!”
“Please N-o-o-o-o!” he screamed and fell on his knees. But the angels came, bound his hands and feet, and cast him into outer darkness, where he began to weep and gnash his teeth in utter regret. Then the angels entered back in and locked the gates.
The next man whose name is Jacob is summoned before the judgment seat. His legs tremble before the King and his eyes display tears of fear, joy and amazement.
“Come, servant of Mine,”
said the King, who is now gleaming with delight and with a voice of compassion. With fear and a hopeful expectation, the humble man gets up and walks closer to the throne.
“Praise and honor and glory to You, Lord. I love You with all my heart!”
Jacob had been a faithful steward of the Word for forty years. His passion and delight in life was in serving God. He took God’s Word very seriously and committed his life to it, allowing the Spirit to use him in ways to glorify God and spread His Word. God used Jacob as a powerful witness to His plans and purposes. Jacob suffered greatly throughout his life with poverty, sickness and attacks from Satan. But Jacob kept the faith and persevered. His humble and holy countenance reflected his Christian walk, and his sufferings made him even stronger in the faith.
Because Jacob was diligent to seek the truth of His Word, God gave Jacob knowledge of the mystery of the kingdom. By faith, Jacob ran the race with strength all his life, having the hope of His return and of entering His rest.
Jacob devoted his ministry in spreading the kingdom message, speaking of Christ’s imminent return. And once, when an unbeliever was provoked by Jacob’s trials, pains and suffering in order to doubt the existence of God, Jacob joyfully responded, “Could it be that God allowed all these trials and tribulations so that I would have the privilege of telling you and others that by faith in God we are able to deal with any tragedy, knowing that He is with us and will reward us?”
Still other church leaders would reject his message of Jesus’ return and the kingdom to come, telling him that the kingdom is already here because that was what had been told to them for years from other great seminary scholars. They had been well taught in the traditions of men, according to the wisdom of man. But Jacob responded, “If you open your ears and eyes to God’s Word and not man’s word, then the truth will set you free. Lay aside all teachings from man and start anew with the Spirit of truth.” Truly, Jacob was an overcomer.
And as he stood at a distance before his Judge, he suddenly fell on his knees as if dead. Once again the Judge summoned Jacob,
“Do not be afraid. Come here, servant of Mine.”
Jacob walks up to the throne. He is short of breath and his legs are weak as he is overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord.
“Jacob,” says the Judge,
“I know your heart and I know your works. You bring me delight for fulfilling the purpose I have designed for your life. You have been faithful in a few things. I will now make you ruler over many.”
The Judge continues,
“Thank you for giving me food and drink when I needed it.”
Jacob replies,
“But, Lord, when did I ever give you food and drink?”
The Judge continued,
“Do you remember when you used to minister the milk and meat of My Word to the poor in spirit in the prisons? Do you remember when you gave your tithing to your fellow ministries and churches? Do you remember all those people, young and old and especially the widows whom you gave wise counsel and love, attending to their needs? Do you remember going to the hospital and ministering to the sick? You let your light so shine before men, that they saw your good works and glorified your Father in heaven. Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
Jacob’s life, now put to the test, produced quiet yet exuberant joyfulness that Christ was pleased with him.
Jacob replied,
“Thank you, Lord, but I have only done my duty as Your servant.”
Then the Judge proclaimed,
“Because you have honored Me on earth, I will honor you in heaven. Your new name will be ‘Brave Heart’ and I will give you a white stone with this new name written on it that no one except you will know. You have been brave in faith in the midst of personal difficulty. You have fought a good fight. You have kept the faith. You have now finished your course. You have longed for My return. You have earned the crown of righteousness, the crown of life and the crown of rejoicing. The crown of righteousness will be given to you because you have kept the faith, the crown of life will be given because you have endured temptation, and the crown of rejoicing will be given because you eagerly hoped for My return. Enter into My rest and into the kingdom of the heavens.”
With joy in His eyes the King announced to His faithful servant,
“Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord. You will now inherit the kingdom.”
Meanwhile, many left behind on earth are terror-stricken as their loved ones vanish before their eyes. Some blame the occurrence on space aliens. Others claim Mother Nature as the culprit. Still others blame the incident on a world-wide attack from radicals. Yet, in the midst of global chaos, many do not realize this was the rapture of the Church and that Jesus Christ had returned. But soon every created being that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them will be heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
For after the seven years of tribulation has come to a close, Christ will once again return with His angels and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. It will be then that all the tribes of Israel will mourn because of Him. And every individual on earth will at some point in time have to face the Lord’s judgment.
Two of the angels walk towards Jacob and escort him into the gates of the Kingdom to await the wedding ceremony, the marriage feast of the Lamb. His spiritual body has now become enswathed (wrapped, bound) in glory. His garments are white as snow, reflecting purity and righteousness. What a glorious day it is for Jacob! The Day of the Lord has come!
(The above presentation will be continued in Chapter 3)
It is evident in the Scriptures that we do not have much time before the Son of God returns for His bride. The reenactment just given of the rapture and judgment seat of Christ is a similar picture of what will soon take place. If you are not prepared, you will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven for one thousand years. Satan has done a good job of twisting and hiding the truth of Christ’s return for hundreds of years. He has deceived Christians by provoking the Church to teach false doctrine to the entire body of Christ. Hence, Christendom has become a major tool of deception, which Satan uses to derail the lives of all Christians. And he has done this because he realizes his end is near and does not want to give up his rule over the earth.
Regardless, the Scriptures confirm that each of us will one day face an accounting for the stewardship with which we have been entrusted. For those who have been faithful to their Lord throughout life, it will be a day of rejoicing and of reward. However, a different fate awaits those Christians who have failed to persevere, who have not remained faithful to their Lord and Savior. There can be no greater tragedy than to hear the words, “too late.” They will have lost their inheritance and will not be able enter the kingdom and rule and reign with Christ Jesus.
I challenge you today, whether you are a babe in Christ or a minister of the Word, to open up your heart to what the writer is about to disclose. The purpose of this journey is to prepare you for what is to come, and you can only do this by your own will and choice. Let us begin on the foundation, which is Jesus Christ, and allow the Spirit to guide us into all Truth. God has a purpose for you, which is why He gave His Son to die for you.
Would you like to know what is God’s purpose for you?
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