To carry the cross means you will face persecution

                             THE RAPTURE WILL NOT RESCUE US FROM PERSECUTION    

Shalom! to all my beloved blog followers. I hope your week has been blessed and under the mighy hand of God's blessed protection. Every breath you and I take, we do because God allows us to. He has a special plan for each and one of us, therefore it is important we accept Yeshua/Jesus in our hearts as Lord and Savior, and guide us in to the plan he has for us.

It might not always be amazing adventurous missionary trips to Africa or Puerto Rico, but where God wants to use you, he will place you. It could be in the grocery shop, or at your work or at your school. Or throught your blog, or other way throught internet. You can write a book that he will use to reach souls, or use your poems or art. He can first use you among your near and dear ones you do know, to then later on send you to the world with whoever is meant to be there with you sharing the gospel in word an action.

 The truth is that the entire human race, who have not received Jesus/Yeshua in  their hearts, do have a place in their hearts that is empty and that longs for him. That longing might drive people to wrong places, because they might have heard Jesus is for nutcases and there are other "spiritual ways" to get inner peace, but in the long run the only one who really fits there is Yeshua/Jesus. And he is the only one who can save your soul from eternal damnation. And he has defeated death! when he lives in your heart the biggest scare tactic of the enemy and all people who is under his influence, the "If you don't do this then we kill you"lines no longer scare you. Why should they? death is only a door to an amazing eternity with your Lord. If you keep on living in a relationship with him and listening to him and live in obedience. We all fall, nobody is perfect, but he knows that if we are willing to walk in obedience, he will be at our side, and he is ready to forgive us when we do mistakes and sins, you just need to go to him and confess your sins. You grow in that relationship, as long as you are willing to nurture it, by taking time to listen to God's word and seek his face in prayer and worship, but even in quiet walks listening to him, or practicing to listen to him in front of your desk with pen and paper. 

Today I felt the Lord tell me to prepare you for what is going to happen in the future, for all of us who have already chosen Jesus/Yeshua as Lord and Savior.
I have heard of teachings, that say or intepret the Bible verses about the rapture little like this way:
We will never face persecution, not here in America/Europe! before anything scary happens, Jesus will rapture his people home to heaven, there we will be safe and sound, no fights, no persecutions, no trials or other hard stuff. The hard stuf only happens to Christian people in Asia/Africa/Middle east. Not to us! we don't have to fear persecution! up we go! hallelujah ! when we see bad things happen, just remember the rapture is soon to be here and we will go up to our Lord. So no worries, keep on doing what you feel like doing. Don't read the book of revelation! and don't preach about it because it might scare others. Just look to the heaven and imagine you hear the Trumpet sound. Don't worry nothing scary will ever happen to us.

But my friends, that is not what Jesus/Yeshua said. Yes, the rapture will come, but it will not make sure we will never face persecution before the  rapture happens. It is more important now than ever to seek as much time as possible in front of Yeshua/Jesus in prayer and worship, and to read or listen to his word on a regular basis. That is the only way we can get spiritually strong enough and wise enough to stand against the coming persecutions.
This is what Jesus/Yeshua said in the Bible: 

Matthew 10:16-24: I am sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves. Be on your guard, you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking throught you.
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.  You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm until the end will be saved. 
When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house is called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

I can ask you something, you who believe we will just jump off to heaven without paying any price for our faith, would Jesus be saying all these things if that is what was going to happen? Would he ever have felt the need to warn his children for coming persecutions if they where never going to come but to some elected few far away from "civilized" countries?
I believe the answer is no. He said those words to prepare us. It does cost to belong to the right way. To walk the narrow way. But it is worth it! God will use you in the most fascinating ways in the midst of all the darkness. Just lean to him and let him fill you with the strenght and courage you need.
So be prepared! not just be blocked at social forums for your "extreme" and "offensive and judging" opinions. But also to be sued, called names on streets, get death threats, betrayed, loose your job or have family members and friends leaving you, you might get arrested, abused and even killed. And loose your reputation because of gossipers. But Jesus/Yeshua is by your side speaking to you, encouraging you, giving you strenght and comfort. You are not alone, you will have other Christian brethren that will be sent to fight and pray wih you, that God will send.
And God WILL use you! you just need to be ready to carry the cross in actions, not just sing it in church and confess it with your lips. There is a war going on for eternal souls of humans. A global war. I have made my choice already. And it is to stand by Yeshua/Jesus and bless Israel and be pro life no matter what happens. All connected to God and his will in my heart and every heart that is willing to receive him in faith and listen to him.
What will be your choice? it is up to you.

Take care & God bless/ Tanja