Have the seal judgements begun? by Jack Kelly

[missmuffet]

I do not believe that they will start until after the Rapture and that is still in the future.That is my belief and I am sure others here have their own interpretation.I also think that our final end times have begun so I am looking forward to the soon rapture.

Those who think they will be raptured from a world in which they have lived in the lap of luxurious American lifestyles -- as contrasted with the meager lifestyles of their third-world brothers and sisters -- had better reassess what the Lord's priorities are and make sure they are in line with them. Otherwise, what they forsee as a "rapture" could manifest as a "rejection":

Luke 6

²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh.

²² Blessed are you when people hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil,

because of the Son of Man.

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,

for you have already received your comfort.

²⁵ Woe to you who are well fed now,

for you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶ Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Matthew 7:21-27

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Are you talking about the Parable of the Rich Man,Poor man?

[Openly Curious]

Judging from some of the questions I’ve received lately, people are really getting impatient for the end times to begin in earnest. For years fringe groups have been claiming that the seal judgments have already begun, but it looks to me like this opinion is suddenly becoming more popular......

www.gracethrufaith.com

I have seen this concept since I've been a Christian being displayed. But I've come through the studying of God's Word that this is not the case at all. The seal judgments have not begun, the trumpet judgments have not begun, and the seven bowl judgments of God's wrath hasn't been poured out. Having knowledge of the end-times and rightly dividing the word of truth is a blessing to the saints when we read about these things "and understand the wisdom of God within them.....................It is my personal opinion and belief that what we are seeing in the world today is the "signs of the times" increasingly coming to pass right before our eyes. This will only continue to happen these "signs" will become bigger and greater as time passes. The Word of God tells us that one of those signs would be that "violence would increase". I personally have seen just this one "sign of the times" alone within itself coming to pass increasing in my own lifetime and it hasn't slowed down one bit but has continued to increase growing in abundance................My opinion and belief is that the end-time events are being confused with the "beginning of sorrows". Which is the time leading up to the actual end-time events starting to happen in the earth being fulfilled coming to pass by there set course.......As the signs of the time "continue" to increase in the earth "sorrow" of heart too will increase. The signs of the times coming to pass will increasingly bring "grief" to a many of hearts......The beginning of sorrows doesn't prevent the Lord's coming for the catching away can and will happen at any given moment. The Lord will come like a thief in the night. Taking his children that have and are awaiting his coming. Just as a real thief would come in the night to rob you stealing your possessions while no one is watching but asleep. Christ will come in like manner and take his ransomed and purchased possessions his beloved children from our home here on earth to his eternal home in heaven to live with him forever.

[Littlelambseativy]

I am always surprised at the stance some take against those who have been blessed with much of this world's wealth. Jesus Himself spoke about the servants to whom the master gave a certain amount of money and in return they were to invest it for him. What did He say about the one who was given the most? Luke 12:48 gives the answer -

For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Who has been able to give so that the gospel can be spread about the earth? I do not say that all those who have much have done the right thing with the wealth that has been given to them but as one sees above it is from them that much will be required by the Father. They will be accountable to Him for what they have done with the wealth that has been entrusted to them. We are each accountable for what we have and what we have done with it - for the Lord or for ourselves (not that one cannot use the wealth that has been given to us for our own use) but rather what we have done with the $1000.00, $10,000.00, $100,000.00, $1,000,000.00 or more should we be so blessed but to say that having money is wrong here on earth is to me not scriptural - it is what we do with/not with it that will accuse us.

PS that wealth does not just refer to finances it also refers to time, intellect and work - how do you use that with which you have been blessed?

[Guest]

NOPE!

[Little One]

2. If someone has wealth, does that mean they are not saved or that they need to suffer because they are wealthy?

That line of thinking is liberation theology, a false gospel.

(Not singling you out sevenseas.)

Matthew 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

1 Timothy 6:9

"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

1 John 2:15

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them."

James 4:4

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

Luke 12

42The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Those to whom The LORD has GIVEN wealth are not GIVEN it to amass more and more and hoard it so they alone can live in the most expensive custom made homes and wallow in the lap up luxury and excess and be exalted above others and entitled to the best seats, etc. Those believers who are GIVEN wealth have a great reponsibility to use it as The LORD HImself would use it: to help those less fortunate.

1 Corinthians 1

26Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 John 3

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be that person? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

James 5

1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.^a 6You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Truth is, money has become the means by which people in this modern world believe they can aquire anything and everything for themselves. It's the false "God" through which our every desire can be fulfilled IN THIS WORLD SYSTEM we call capitalism because every opportunist is looking to "capitalize" on something. This is the nature of our enemy the devil who "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Once again:

Matthew 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

[Little One]

I do not believe that they will start until after the Rapture and that is still in the future.That is my belief and I am sure others here have their own interpretation.I also think that our final end times have begun so I am looking forward to the soon rapture.

Those who think they will be raptured from a world in which they have lived in the lap of luxurious American lifestyles -- as contrasted with the meager lifestyles of their third-world brothers and sisters -- had better reassess what the Lord's priorities are and make sure they are in line with them. Otherwise, what they forsee as a "rapture" could manifest as a "rejection":

Luke 6

²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh.

²² Blessed are you when people hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil,

because of the Son of Man.

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,

for you have already received your comfort.

²⁵ Woe to you who are well fed now,

for you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶ Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Matthew 7:21-27

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Are you talking about the Parable of the Rich Man,Poor man?

The scenario described in the parable Lazarus and the Rich Man exists for the first time in recorded history on a global level today.

Have not the wealth-hoarding "Power Elite" declared the world to be a Global Community? Yet in doing so thay have cast themselves in the collective role of the Rich Man and the world's poorest collectively as Lazarus, who sits at their gate, waiting their attention. They cast themselves in this role the moment they declared the world a single community, with themselves as the most prosperous within it.

[Littlelambseativy]

There have and are many wealthy who have donated great sums of money for the spreading of the gospel and there have and are many poor who donate the funds which they attain to the bingo and to the casinos of the world. It is not how much you have it is what you do with what you have been blessed.

[Little One]

Those who think they will be raptured from a world in which they have lived in the lap of luxurious American lifestyles -- as contrasted with the meager lifestyles of their third-world brothers and sisters -- had better reassess what the Lord's priorities are and make sure they are in line with them. Otherwise, what they forsee as a "rapture" could manifest as a "rejection":

Everyone in the United States lives in the lap of luxury?

Brother, those are your words, not mine.

[Little One]

The scenario described in the parable Lazarus and the Rich Man exists for the first time in recorded history on a global level today.

Have not the wealth-hoarding "Power Elite" declared the world to be a Global Community? Yet in doing so thay have cast themselves in the collective role of the Rich Man and the world's poorest collectively as Lazarus, who sits at their gate, waiting their attention. They cast themselves in this role the moment they declared the world a single community, with themselves as the most prosperous within it.

Hmm. . . I smell social doctrine. The End Times have nothing to do with wealth or the lack of it. Great wealth in the face of extreme poverty has always existed within the world. It is not something new. The earth has never been a place of a level playing field when it comes to material possessions. The End Times are marked, as were the days of Noah by the world being over-run by wickedness. Wealth or lack of it has nothing to do with anything. Wealth, in and of itself, is not an indicator of wickedness.

RE: "Hmm. . . I smell social doctrine."

I hear someone who loves money and wants to justify holding on to it.

Matthew 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

RE: "The End Times have nothing to do with wealth or the lack of it."

So should we believe you or God's Word, Colbalt?

James 5:1-6 (NIV)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

RE: "Wealth or lack of it has nothing to do with anything. Wealth, in and of itself, is not an indicator of wickedness."

Revelation 18:1-3 (NIV)

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’

She has become a dwelling for demons

and a haunt for every impure spirit,

a haunt for every unclean bird,

a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

For all the nations have drunk

the maddening wine of her adulteries.

The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,

and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

Who historically hoards wealth and why, Cobalt?

Is it the faithful or the fearful? Those who care for others as they care for themselves, or those who care more for themselves?

Disciples of Christ Jesus are to be doing as He did. When did Jesus hoard wealth and advise His disciples to do likewise? Yet if anyone would have been entitled to have much in this world, would it not have been the Lord Himself? Yet He set us a very different example:

Luke 12:13-21

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

[rollinTHUNDER]

The scenario described in the parable Lazarus and the Rich Man exists for the first time in recorded history on a global level today.

Have not the wealth-hoarding "Power Elite" declared the world to be a Global Community? Yet in doing so thay have cast themselves in the collective role of the Rich Man and the world's poorest collectively as Lazarus, who sits at their gate, waiting their attention. They cast themselves in this role the moment they declared the world a single community, with themselves as the most prosperous within it.

This wouldn't have anything to do with what that man who's occupying the white house in our nation capital said about a so-called collective salvation, would it? Whatever that means?