Revelation 1:7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”
you can’t miss Him!!!
One morning years ago, a bright warm light through my bedroom window woke me up. I opened my eyes but couldn’t see anything except the brightness. I got out of bed but couldn’t see where I was going because everything was consumed by the light and I was completely confused. I was trying to get to the bedroom window to see where the glow was coming from, thinking that maybe the lawn guys were operating some machine that was shining a bright light through the window. When I made it to the window, I could see nothing but this bright light. The light was not unpleasant, it didn’t hurt my eyes, nor could I see the origin of it. I noticed that I couldn’t hear any sounds, either (no birds chirping, cars honking, kids playing nor my own footsteps), just this cloud of warm bright light. I had never seen a light this bright that seemed to silence and engulf the whole earth (like a huge, bright, warm cloud).
I stood there wondering what in the world was going on. The room was heavily insulated by it, but I couldn’t touch it. It was not like smoke – I couldn’t smell it – it was just light. I stood there thinking that maybe I should dial 911, but I couldn’t find the phone…I couldn’t see my hands in front of me. I was feeling around the room like a blind, deaf person. Then I heard the Holy Spirit say, “This is how it will be when Jesus comes back.”
The fact that He showed me this tells me that it will likely happen in my lifetime. I believe He is soon to come, and this is what we should be preparing for.
The idea of a rapture was always absurd to me until I was talking to my elderly aunt years ago who told me that when she was a child in south Florida, the sun would shine so brightly that “all the little fish in the lake” would get sucked up into the rays (I don’t know how scientific that is, but God is bigger than science). That was in Florida back in the early 1900’s when the water was still clean and beautiful.
Just as she said that I received a revelation of how it would look when Jesus comes back for His people. If you are heavily laden with sin, too big to be drawn unto Him, you will not ascend. When the Bible speaks of Christ coming back for someone, it will be for someone who is like Him – not like Satan.
Matthew 21:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
This will not be a group “thing” where Christ is looking for cliques in a physical church. I’ve heard people say that certain denominations will definitely be the bride of Christ (a shoo-in). Truth is, you can be a part of a denomination, but be just as disobedient and far from Christ as someone who has never been born-again. You can also be Holy and righteous but not be a part of a physical church. There are also wrong teachings in denominations, and everybody is walking in disobedience following a disobedient pastor.
Salvation is individual, and the road to Holiness is unique for everyone. The Holy Spirit within is what does the work of the “church” (the heart of the Jew and Gentile) when we allow Him by humbling ourselves and reading His word.
Many religions know that someone is due to return to earth, but they disagree about who it is. Different people/prophets have claimed to be special with copy-cats and spin-offs of Jesus’ story since He walked this earth. But no one else has ever received an equal or higher mission and certainly never fulfilled it. Only Jesus has claimed to be the Glorified Son of God; He is still living; He’s the sinless only begotten son of God; and He will return in Glory very soon.
To the man-made nations and religious groups who think they are the chosen, this is what Jesus said:
Matthew 20:23 “And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.”
I remember going to church one Sunday and I purposely sat in the back. I was feeling lifeless, battered and exhausted from the persecution from the church and the pastor. I just wanted to be invisible. Then suddenly, I felt a warm glow coming from my upper body (mainly my face). I could see that there was a radiance coming from me somehow and everybody began to look at me. I started making excuses in my head that maybe they were looking at me because I was sitting in the back (I usually sat towards the front with the other missionaries). But then the pastor was staring at me from the pulpit – incessantly adjusting his tie as if he was trying to loosen it for air. After a little while I felt the glow disappear. When I got home my daughter chuckled, “Ma, what was wrong with you? You were just glowing in church!” That same day God told me to step away from that church.
I don’t know what happened to that pastor… still unable to find out. I guess it’s not my business. It took me years to make sense of that incident, but I believe that when we are enduring our greatest sufferings and persecutions (for Christ) is when we are most like Him, look most like Christ and are the closest to God. In our greatest humility (in obedience to Him) is when His glory will manifest.
John 1:5 “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Darkness never could understand light; but regardless of your religion, you will need to meet Jesus, the light of the world, before you see God. The Holy Spirit is the only way to Jesus and Jesus is the only way to God. His way is perfect, infallible and goofproof.
It takes great tenacity to be a disciple of Christ and grow into maturity. Disciples must endure persecution and die in every area of life in order to live again for God’s glory. Like Jesus, we must go to the cross and every area must be crucified to resurrect in power and life. Nothing can live eternally unless it goes through the death of the cross. Before we can go high in the kingdom, we must be brought low by Christ.
Jesus is the way (the only way to God), the truth (in every situation), and the life (in everything He created) ~Terri
Jesus’ glory was magnified by the number of souls that ever lived, and the sins He took on our behalf. He’s the one that glorifies us…that is why His glory is brighter than ours will ever be.
The light of Jesus originates from the inside of us as we grow in righteousness (fruit of the Spirit). The more we lose ourselves and grow in Him, the more our glow will show. But when we are disobedient, it grieves the Holy Spirit, and it darkens our light.
you can’t have a right heart if you haven’t suffered with Christ ~Terri
Back in 1991-1992, God was showing me many visions, but I just pondered them in my heart, wrote them down or shared them as He commanded over the years. So, about this same time, I was on my knees praying one night, the Holy Spirit began to show me a place being devastated. I was watching at an aerial view high in the heavens, so I was seeing a very large area, but I couldn’t determine if it was a city, a country or the world. It was pitch black, but I could see that some of the buildings still had lights on in the offices as they crumbled to the ground. Some buildings were on fire, but they were all falling to the ground. This was no 911 attack – this was much bigger than anything I had ever seen. It was so devastating that I screamed, “STOP!!!!!”. And the vision just suddenly, slowly faded away. Later that day I had to repent for rejecting what God was trying to show me and being so fearful I couldn’t see it to the end. I also realized how sensitive the Holy Spirit is – He won’t force anything on you.
But then years later He tried to show me something else and I screamed again (I don’t know what’s wrong with me…….).
Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
Along with wondering if we will be going back with Him, we also need to be wondering if we are “right” with Him.
I’ve seen so many people who claim to have heard God speak to them and give them commands, but when I look at their lifestyles, it’s like He’s never said a word. Jesus said you will know them by their fruit. You can hear their hearts when you talk to them about Christ; they are more connected to the world than they are to Christ. At that point, I just say, “Sleep on…”. The Holy Spirit doesn’t force anything…and neither will I.
sleep on
Jesus will be Holy when He comes back…will you be righteous? Let us not get so wrapped up in looking for the second coming of Jesus that we forget what He said in the first coming. Every eye will see Him, but will every heart be prepared for Him?
