04/07/2020
Dear All
We have seen and heard much information about corona virus in the media including claimed cure through WhatsApp University! We have also heard from various saints and prophets of God on the reasons as well as the urgent call to pray. Some say this plague of Corona virus is from God, some say it is from Satan and a few others say it is man made. I don’t want to write an elaborate message but instead highlight few important points for our small flock. You may discern as appropriate so that you will have understanding.
1) Big Picture: Overall direction of human life on earth:
Things will get worse and worse before human life on earth will be made perfect when our Lord and saviour Jesus returns to establish his Kingdom on earth.
2) Magnitude of this coming wrath that will be poured on earth:
a) When the Lord comes back human life on earth will be at its most tragic moment since the time of Noah.
b) 50 % (3.5 out of 7 billion) of world population will be destroyed during this period.
i) 25% of Earth’s population will be destroyed after the opening of fourth seal as per Revelation 6:7.
ii) 1/3rd of remaining 75% of Earth’s population will be destroyed after sounding of the 6th trumpet. Revelation 9:13
c) The remaining 50% of the population will be impacted one way or other having lost loved ones, surviving plagues, disasters, dangers of war etc.
3) Jesus comes again once more but not twice
Most Christians believe that they will escape the wrath of God poured upon Earth during last days through an event called rapture. This event is supposed to happen when Jesus comes before the last seven years which is slated for the antichrist reign as an arrangement to rescue his church. Most of the Christians believe that they will be caught up to heaven to escape this terrible period on earth.
Having searched the bible thoroughly I couldn’t explicitly see a single piece of evidence supporting this concept. Overwhelming evidence supports that God’s children will have to go through it. During the flood of Noah, God didn’t rapture Noah and family away but showed them a way to survive. During the plagues that God poured on Egypt, the Israelites were not taken out of Egypt, but God was able to preserve them through those plagues. The first three plagues impacted both the people of Israel and Egypt, but the Lord mercifully protected the land of Goshen where Israelites lived from the last seven plagues. I believe God is able to preserve and protect his children during the coming wrath of God on these last days if we are willing to listen and follow the voice of the Holy Spirit. Some may be impacted but others will be preserved not because God wants them to live happily for themselves but to testify about the Lord in the last days.
Rapture will happen when the Lord returns on the last day wherein all the living and dead saints of God will rise to life to meet the Lord in the sky and to welcome him to earth in order to set up his Kingdom. This is akin to a leader of a nation visiting a foreign country. His nation’s representatives such as the ambassador, his own prominent people living there give a red-carpet welcome to the leader. Jesus comes to take over the leadership of the whole earth and we saints will reign with him.
4) Christians, get ready to face the coming days:
a) Get your expectations right:
Even though I don’t prefer it, the last days will be painful. Our comfort is that the Lord has clearly told us ahead of time what’s going to happen. It must get worse before it can get perfect. We can try to kick the can down the road, but we cannot avoid it. Its not a question of “if” but “when”.
b) Prepare to be a testimony of God and his word:
Listen, understand, obey and submit to God’s word in its entire form. Repent of your sins and sinful state. Unlearn bad teachings justifying our fallen nature that we have accumulated over time. Seek God’s grace to have strength to sever those aspects that should not be part of your life based on God’s word. What I have found over the years is that my own desires for personal life as well as ministry usually contradicts God’s desires. But I have learnt that his ways and thoughts are far better and higher than my own. Let’s seek his grace to help us in self denial and bearing the cross. Be fearful of your inner carnal nature than what’s outside such as the Corona virus. If you sow in tears, you will reap in joy.
Spend your time as much as you can on the word of God and prayer. Double up your efforts on your knees. Gone are those days where you can survive through parts of an hour or couple of hours with God. Let’s seek God’s grace to enable us in walking with him every moment of our life. Have a dedicated time and effort to be with God alone, as a family and with God’s family.
“Love one another” is the new command of Jesus as in John 13:34. Learn to love and be humble enough to tolerate fellowship with saints. In the last days seeking Godly fellowship (not friendship) will be pivotal to your spiritual survival. When you lead a lonely jolly good life keeping a safe distance because of your own comfort zone, in difficult moments you will neither find God nor saints to help you through difficult moments. A house that’s built on the rock will stand but not the one built on sand.
Never try to please people and preach what they like to hear. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no” instead of being politically correct as hypocrites are. Be prepared to offend people or else you will end up offending God. As we get nearer and nearer to the last days, we could end up being a “regular” offender to the point of being persecuted and put to death like John the Baptist.
c) Don’t get too sentimental on God’s love:
God who is love unleashes his wrath on Earth through his son Jesus. He is the King of Kings and knows what he is doing. His love is perfect whereas human love is nothing but self seeking. Love is not the only nature of God but instead a part of his nature that includes righteousness, holiness, vengeance and others. He is good as well as severe.
Let’s seek his grace to become faithful and pure like Jesus who was faithful to God the Father to the point of death.
Your humble servant
Pastor, Calgary Word of God Tamil Church
