I Know What I'm Talking About, Even If I'm Wrong!: Recent Episodes

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For a word that doesn't exist in the Holy Bible the word Rapture has shaped the Christian faith. Some believe it will happen as Jesus returns as a 'thief in the night', scooping up all those who, for some reason or another, seemingly have more faith then the ones left behind.

Most of us have been taught that the ones 'taken' during this event are truly chosen, while the ones 'left behind' are damned, remaining here on earth during the turbulent tribulation period bought on by Satan and his angels.

The New York Times article titled "Make My Bed? But You Say the World's Ending", is funny but in a way ironic. It's easy to imagine that a non-believer, probably a child, saying this. "But if the world is ending why do I need to make up my bed"? A good Christian child would make the bed in fear of being left behind. That's even funnier considering the dooms-day cry is all a hoax to begin with.

As a Christian I certainly believe that Christ will return to earth ushering in the new age, the eternal age. It's known as the 'Day of the Lord' and will last for a millennium. The argument among the faithful is; who comes first, Antichrist / false Christ, or the true Savior.

The popular theory, known as the Rapture doctrine summed up in as vague terms as it's taught to followers these days, claims that Jesus will return at any moment, at any time, and just like a thief will "take" only those whose faith in him is somehow extraordinary. I use the words extraordinary to describe those "taken" because it's as reasonable as I can be. Certainly those "taken" are Christian but what differentiates the Christians who are "taken" from the ones who are "left" behind? No one knows. But according to some denominations not all Christians will be "taken" with Jesus when he comes. Some, in fact most followers of Christ will be "left" behind and tormented with the non-believers of the world by Satan and his angels.

The problem I see with this end time theory is that it offers no guarantees to the children of God. Loving followers of Christ get "left" behind during a time that promises to be the worst time in the history of this world age. Why is one person "taken" while the other is "left"? We are not talking about non-believers here, but Christians being rejected by Christ and given no explanation, no warning, and nothing to prepare them for this sudden exclusion.

The one thing that I'm sure of is that the Holy Bible is full of guarantees. The main guarantee during the end days, "those who endure until the end will be saved". If this is true then why, under this theory, are some who are waiting hopefully for Christ, get "left" behind? What makes one more worthy than another? Is it faith? Is it sin? Did one pray more? Did one truly believe more? Did one pay more tithes? The truth is, there is no way to measure this and rightly so because in my opinion, after years of believing in it, the rapture theory lacking in concrete assurances is full of holes, doubt, skepticism and fascination. It's in need of much more explanation and has become steeped in church tradition, which leaves God's word void, while lending to much confusion. If the latter be the case then we must render it as untrue. God is not the author of confusion.

In 2nd Thessalonians 2:3, the church in Thessalonica believed that Jesus had already returned. Paul assured them that He had not returned. He pressed upon them that they not believe any man, any spirit, or letter from Paul himself stating that Christ had returned. He again reminded them that our Savior does not and will not return until a number of events take place first, namely the arrival of the false Christ, the church falling away and the identity of the false Christ revealed by God's very elect. I'm planning a ballroom dance party on May 21st, it's our monthly event. Turns out it's an "End of the World" event. But I'm assuming that the day after I'll be one of the ones 'left behind'.

The Apostles asked Jesus, concerning the end of this world age; where Lord, where are they 'taken'? Jesus replied: wherever you see the vultures hovering that is where their dead carcasses are.

I’ll tell you one thing this hoax may accomplish. It may rush countless numbers of people in the arms of Christianity in fear of being ‘left behind’. I'm happy to be 'left behind' which to me means 'left alive', continuing to do the work of the Lord.

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There have been more dooms-day- sayers then we care to admit. In fact practically every soul on earth considered the possibility, if even for a second, that midnight December 31st 1999 would be the end of humanity.

During the earlier part of 2010, MSNBC reported a popular opinion poll. It was a Christian poll revealing how people of faith viewed the end of the world. According to their poll results, Christians believe that the world age will come to an end within the next forty-years. Forty is a good number, as it is a biblical equation used throughout scripture i.e. forty-day fast by Christ and forty-years wandering in the wilderness. However, this poll showed that the world would end as Christ returns to earth ushering in the new world age.

What is the harm in predicting the end of the world? For most people there isn’t any harm. We just let the rumors role off and we continue living our lives. But there are some people extremely vulnerable to the whiles of fanatical seers. Some people are in search of the truth and then find themselves consumed by ravings of lunatics.

For example, Reverend Jim Jones, founder of the Peoples Temple, became so enamored by himself and his success, he actually began to believe his own lie, that he was the second coming of Christ. As a result, convinced that the world was trying to put him to death, forced nearly one thousand people, including children to commit suicide. Until the events of September 11th 2001 it’s recorded as one of the largest mass murders in history.

Born Vernon Wayne Howell, David Koresh leader of Branch Davidian religious sect. He had already begun to give the message proclaiming that he was Christ "the Son of God, the Lamb who could open the Seven Seals. He believed that he was the one who would usher in the new world. As a result, himself, 54 adults and 21 children were found dead after the fire at his compound.

Heavens Gate was another end of the world type second coming of Christ based faith that focused on UFO’s. Founded and led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, they convinced naïve followers that they had inside information concerning the return of Christ. Marshall, after suffering a severe heart attack, was certain that he and his nurse Bonnie were the two witnesses spoken of in the Bible, the Book of Revelation. He led his followers to believe that the Comet Hale-Bopp was the sign that Jesus was returning. The day after the comet March 26 1997 police discovered the bodies of 39 members of the group who had committed suicide in order to reach an alien aircraft that was supposedly following the aforementioned comet.

And now there is Harold Camping in this his second attempt to predict the end of the world. He’s bold enough to call it “The Rapture of May 21st 2011” and people are listening to him. He follows this up with “God will blow the earth to smithereens five months later on October 21st .

Will this actually happen? I don’t think so. However from what I have researched in the Holy Bible there is some credence to what he claims. According to the scriptures a false Christ does come to earth and will reign for five months preceding the return of the True Savior. But it’s a mistake to believe that he has the ability to predict or has actually heard from God concerning the end to His plan.

Why would God tell anyone when the end is here? He wouldn’t and we should stop attempting to predict as if God personally confides in mere mortals.

What does Jesus say? After giving us all the signs to look for the most He could say is, “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only”.

He gave us a whole list of events that must occur before He returns. Jesus said that only the Father knows when the end comes. He didn’t know (He probably knows now), the angels didn’t know and I’m pretty sure that man doesn’t know. Anyone who claims to know isn’t playing with a full deck.

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By Tony Scott Macauley, author of A Dream Before Dying, www.adreambeforedying.com

As Christians we believe that our blessings in life extend from God’s grace and when the woe’s find their way into our lifestyles then it’s been influenced by Satan. As a young boy learning my way through Catholic school, the Nuns were quick to point this out and never, ever, should we get it wrong. It was nothing for these holy Sergeants of Arms to inflict painful reminders of how good God was, and how evil Satan could be whenever we mistook the two.

That brings up March 11 2011, when tragedy toppled Japan. A magnitude 8.9 earthquake hit northeast Japan triggering a tsunami causing extensive damage. Japan's news media allowed us to see cars, ships, and even buildings, liken to a large pot of gumbo and then poured out as if it were turned upside down. Officials said waves upwards of 35 feet struck the coastline.

As in hurricane Katrina and the devastating earthquake that demolished Haiti, a lot of people were ready to blame Fukushima as if they were guilty of their own ill-fated catastrophe.

We can’t really blame Christians for thinking that the Almighty had His hand facing palms down over Fukushima since He has often times used floods to cleanse areas large and small of its filth. If we believe this, are we really saying that it was God’s wrath? If we are, then aren’t we going against what we should believe, that Satan is the one who brings destruction? What a conundrum. Remember the book of Job? After loosing everything except a nagging wife and three pesky friends, who thought it was their place to stand in for God, we are reminded that it was Satan that actually caused the woes of Job.

Does this mean that Satan caused these horrific ‘end of times’ type of destructions? Some were certainly quick to give him credit.

My suggestion is neither God nor Satan was responsible and that the earth/mother nature will do what it wills as it continues to evolve on its own and with the continued intrusion of man.

More importantly, what can we learn from these tragedies as it applies to the second coming of Christ? The Holy Bible records floods throughout history and even predicts one to come proceeding the return of His Son.

Jesus says that leading up to His return the conditions will be like the days of Noah. There was certainly a flood during the days of Noah and yes, is recorded as God taking the credit. If Fukushima was guilty of the same travesties taking place during the times of Noah then according to the Holy Bible the blame would be their own because the sins of that recorded history can only be compared to the sins of the end times prior to the return of Our Savior.

How bad was it? Without a real investigation most of us understand that the world back then and the inhabitants were just sinful. However, Jesus adds to this by suggesting there was a particular sin that God found to be abominable enough to replenish His chosen people.

It was so bad that God repented for making man flesh. He was certainly having a moment of doubt about His wonderful plan for man, His remedy that would allow us to earn the right to live with Him eternally.

But what was this detestable affair?

Jesus says “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

There seems to be no wrong done here. After all, God commanded us to marry and replenish the earth. Certainly eating and drinking is part of the ceremony as Jesus proved in the wedding feast where He turned water into wine.

What’s missing?

What’s missing is the “who” they were marrying, and to find that answer we have to look at the book of Genesis, Chapter six. Here we’ll find that Satan was up to his old trick.

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”

At first glance this appears innocent, but deeper investigation into the identity of the “sons of God” reveals Satan once again trying to infiltrate and corrupt the seed line of Adam.

This is the particular sin that depressed God so. It’s one of the first of the famous “thou shalt not’ s”. The daughters of Adam’s genealogy were guilty of marrying and then producing offspring from the seed of the fallen angels (sons of God in the Old Testament).

Once again it appears as if women are the culprits but in reality is far from true. The fathers were giving their daughters into marriage to these evil- yet appearing to be holy- entities. They were worshipped and treated as gods and it’s this violation that caused God to bring on the heavenly tsunami.

Were these the same circumstances in Fukushima? No. Did God pour out His wrath upon them? No. Just like the tower of Siloam falling and killing 18 people, Jesus replies, it had nothing to do with their sin, or adverse behavior at all, stuff just happens.

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Watch the book trailer and order my new novel release at www.adreambeforedying.com

Vincent J. Christopher is, in a word, unique. He belongs to an elite group of men focused on the journey toward the age of enlightenment. Up to a point, their journey resembles that of other men. Traveling the pathway toward their truth, these elite learn about life as any other male child does.

As with other young men, those chosen of God attain a certain age at which they learn the truth of who they are. Followers of Christ, who remain faithful until the end of their journeys, receive the reward of eternal life, living forever in the presence of God. However, not all followers enter triumphantly through the gates of Heaven.

Those like Vincent J. Christopher, whose paths take a distinctive U-turn, travel separately from mere mortals. These devoted souls, destined for God’s glory, unwillingly return to Earth to once again grow from boys to men, continuing to fulfill God’s divine plan.

Charged with an assignment from On High, God’s chosen are held in the highest esteem. God destines each of these proud warriors to bear the burden of this painful, yet rewarding, commission. They seek and protect God’s elect, preparing them for the battle that will precede the return of Christ. They will bring the deceived out of darkness, warning them about the false Christ. This is Vincent J. Christopher’s commission.

He is one of God’s Immortal Keepers.

But first, there’s 1967, Detroit…

In search of Vanessa, his first love, Vincent J. Christopher graduates from college and reports for duty in Vietnam as a young U.S. Army chaplain.

Trained to fulfill his first commission, providing spiritual guidance and comfort to the soldiers in First Squad, he’s unknowingly chosen for initiation into the realm of Immortal Keepers. If successful, he will receive a second commission, gathering God’s elect and preparing them for the upcoming end time battle.

The day before his twenty-first birthday, he dreams of time traveling between 1967 Vietnam and 33 A.D. Jerusalem, reliving the agonizing deaths of his squad members, as well as witnessing the three-year ministry of Christ.

When Vincent realizes he may be trapped in ancient Jerusalem and forced to visually endure the horrific torture of Christ’s crucifixion, he struggles against his fate. Throughout his tour of duty, Vince teaches his squad members about the second coming of Christ, each example triggering a dream that hurls them from the battlefield to the first ministry of Christ.

A Dream Before Dying is meaningfully entertaining, combining the fantasy of "The Wizard of Oz", the conflict of "Platoon", and the emotion of "The Passion of Christ".