What Does It Mean To "Be Ready"?

[Last Daze]

`You are sons of light & sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch & be sober. .....For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other & edify one another, just as you also are doing.` (1 Thess. 5: 5 - 11) 

 

Comfort & edify each other, Marilyn.

 

Agreed...and it is restated here as well:

 

and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.  Hebrews 10:24-25

[seandavids]

 

 

"Therefore be on the alert", "you also must be ready", "you too, be ready", "keep on the alert".

The events of end times prophecy are going to happen exactly as foretold regardless of how we understand them.  All of the debating in the world will not alter how things will come to pass, yet, for some reason, we feel compelled to focus on that which we have no control over.  I feel it would be beneficial to us as brothers and sisters in Christ to discuss what it means for us to "be ready" since we are exhorted several times by our Lord to be so.

Some things that I see as helping us be ready regardless of how we understand prophecy include:

"See to it that no one misleads you." Matthew 24:4  Deception will abound and the only defense against it is truth.  God's word is truth and the Holy Spirit will guide us as we pray for understanding.  Specifically, regarding Christ's return, it will be as obvious as the lightning flashing across the sky.  It won't happen and you not know it.

“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life..." Luke 21:34  This is a call to not be entangled in the affairs and ways of the world but rather to redeem the time.  This world is not our home and this life is temporary.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." Philippians 3:7  We can not become too attached to stuff, or status, or even family members if we are forced to decide between keeping that or following Christ.

I think that if these things reflect our perspective and activity that we will be ready and able to adapt to whatever the future holds in a way that is pleasing to Christ.  I understand that what people see as "being ready" will depend largely on what they expect to encounter but these three things should serve a believer well even outside the context of end times prophecy.  I'd be interested in hearing what others consider it to mean to "be ready".

while I don't have three years supply of food, if the scripture is correct and some dictator insist on a universal mark to buy or sell seems the prepers just may be on to something

 

Only if they can get away and hide.....   for if they refuse to worship the beast they will die....   food or no food.

 

from what the scripture in Daniel 11 says it appears the antichrist doesn't rule the whole world, as verse 41 shows some people escaping his hand while verse 42 shows Egypt not a good choice for a place to spend the endtimes in

[seandavids]

I look at things a bit differently.  Since I am not guaranteed another minute of life, I believe I should always be ready to pass onto the next life.  IF He chooses for me to live another day, it is a blessing to me.  If not, it is also a blessing to me, so being ready is a constant thought of mine.

 

If I happen to live to the day when we cannot buy or sell without the mark, I also have faith that God will provide, just as He provided the forty years in the desert for Moses and the Hebrews.  We are just as much a child of God as they are.

while I'm willing to starve to death rather than take a mark my fear is my unwillingness to watch my family starve to death, certainly I agree God has it in His power to feed His people just as He fed the Isrealites in the desert

 

but according to the prophecy the antichrist succeeds in his war against the saints and overcomes them see Daniel 11:32-34

 

best scenario is escaping from the land he will control

[Last Daze]

 

 

 

"Therefore be on the alert", "you also must be ready", "you too, be ready", "keep on the alert".

The events of end times prophecy are going to happen exactly as foretold regardless of how we understand them.  All of the debating in the world will not alter how things will come to pass, yet, for some reason, we feel compelled to focus on that which we have no control over.  I feel it would be beneficial to us as brothers and sisters in Christ to discuss what it means for us to "be ready" since we are exhorted several times by our Lord to be so.

Some things that I see as helping us be ready regardless of how we understand prophecy include:

"See to it that no one misleads you." Matthew 24:4  Deception will abound and the only defense against it is truth.  God's word is truth and the Holy Spirit will guide us as we pray for understanding.  Specifically, regarding Christ's return, it will be as obvious as the lightning flashing across the sky.  It won't happen and you not know it.

“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life..." Luke 21:34  This is a call to not be entangled in the affairs and ways of the world but rather to redeem the time.  This world is not our home and this life is temporary.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." Philippians 3:7  We can not become too attached to stuff, or status, or even family members if we are forced to decide between keeping that or following Christ.

I think that if these things reflect our perspective and activity that we will be ready and able to adapt to whatever the future holds in a way that is pleasing to Christ.  I understand that what people see as "being ready" will depend largely on what they expect to encounter but these three things should serve a believer well even outside the context of end times prophecy.  I'd be interested in hearing what others consider it to mean to "be ready".

while I don't have three years supply of food, if the scripture is correct and some dictator insist on a universal mark to buy or sell seems the prepers just may be on to something

 

Only if they can get away and hide.....   for if they refuse to worship the beast they will die....   food or no food.

 

from what the scripture in Daniel 11 says it appears the antichrist doesn't rule the whole world, as verse 41 shows some people escaping his hand while verse 42 shows Egypt not a good choice for a place to spend the endtimes in

 

 

Granted the false prophet may not have an iron-clad grip on all of the world equally but he is given authority over all based on this passage:

 

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.  Revelation 13:7

[Last Daze]

 

I look at things a bit differently.  Since I am not guaranteed another minute of life, I believe I should always be ready to pass onto the next life.  IF He chooses for me to live another day, it is a blessing to me.  If not, it is also a blessing to me, so being ready is a constant thought of mine.

 

If I happen to live to the day when we cannot buy or sell without the mark, I also have faith that God will provide, just as He provided the forty years in the desert for Moses and the Hebrews.  We are just as much a child of God as they are.

while I'm willing to starve to death rather than take a mark my fear is my unwillingness to watch my family starve to death, certainly I agree God has it in His power to feed His people just as He fed the Isrealites in the desert

 

but according to the prophecy the antichrist succeeds in his war against the saints and overcomes them see Daniel 11:32-34

 

best scenario is escaping from the land he will control

 

 

As I see it, if you're in a position of being confronted about taking the mark or not and you refuse, it shows your refusal to worship the image of the beast and you will be put to death.  You won't have time to starve.

 

I agree that the best natural chances (outside of divine intervention) will be in remote rural areas.  In population centers it will be too easy to detect if someone has the mark or not.

 

If I understand prophecy correctly, a good time to "get out of Dodge" and take your chances in the wilderness (if that is your plan) is when the ten horns destroy the world's capital.  I expect there will be a few months of nation rising against nation at that point until the false prophet brings it all under control with the signs and wonders he performs, and sets up the image of the beast, demanding worship as the pseudo-savior.

[Last Daze]

If I happen to live to the day when we cannot buy or sell without the mark, I also have faith that God will provide, just as He provided the forty years in the desert for Moses and the Hebrews.  We are just as much a child of God as they are.

 

I agree.  God knows how to take care of those who are His and He will.

[Enoch2021]

Well Enoch2021,

 

You are really a sweetie under all that `Sargent Major...stuff.`

Your sis in the Lord, Marilyn.

 

 

==================================================================================================

 

Too funny.  

 

You are really a sweetie under all that `Sargent Major...stuff.`

 

As far as you know  

 

ps.  I was never a Sergeant Major....most were Pretty Scary    

[Salty]

I've pointed to need for Old Testament study of the prophets along with New Testament study many times; it's important to do that to truly understand the end time prophecies of what's coming, i.e., knowing what to expect for the tribulation time.

 

Judah's 70 years captivity to Babylon is one of the main blueprints for the coming tribulation. If you recall how God preserved His servants then in the Babylon captivity, especially those like Daniel, then those kind of events apply to the end also. Daniel and his Jewish brethren were well taken care of during that Babylon captivity, their numbers even increased, they built houses and planted vineyards, just as God promised they would do by 'agreeing' to go captive to Babylon, especially since it was from His Hand.

 

So likewise with the "great tribulation" our Lord Jesus warned us of for the very end, it's going to be similar to Daniel's day. Daniel was exalted by the king of Babylon, and the time of his trial came only at the very end when Neb's false prophets got him to put out a decree for everyone in his kingdom to bow at the golden idol or be killed (the same... blueprint shown at the end of Rev.13 with the "image of the beast", buying and selling).

 

In other words, the main point of Antichrist's attack upon us for the end is going to be trying to deceive us into bowing to him in place of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that's not going to be required until the latter part of the end involving the 'stinging' of Rev.9, which reveals a shortened final five month period.

 

All one has to do today is take an honest look at what the globalist world powers in the world have been busy doing with establishing their "one world government" strategy. They've spoken about it in political circles for almost a century now, so it's not like a surprise or anything, our Heavenly Father giving us plenty of time to realize it.

 

Consider who the globalists circle includes, and what they're wanting to do. Are they preaching 'let's murder all Christians'? No, because they have many within the Christian community that have signed onto their world government strategy too! Today's militaries of the nations are being used as 'police' to help bring their world government in place, and it will occur because our Heavenly Father has ordained it for the end of days, so in reality He is in control allowing it. Until the strife we see among the different religions ends with the radicals purged out (which is what they are doing), and probably Antichrist's coming to help end that strife, the end is going to be a time of world peace, no war. This is what our Lord Jesus was telling us for the end...

 

Mark 13

⁷ And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

 

As long as we hear of war He said "be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be;". Why, since hearing of war ought to make anyone feel troubled? That means a time of strife with war will continue close to the end, but it will not be the main time to be on watch. Instead, it will be the opposite kind of time for the great tribulaiton, a time of world peace when all wars and rumours of war have stopped. Again, why? Because that time of the future peace will mean the Antichrist has arrived, and the world government system is complete and in total power over all peoples and nations, like Rev.13 & 17 shows about the first beast, the ten kings, and the "little horn"/"vile person" (Antichrist) of the Book of Daniel in reign over it all.

 

Afterall, how can the coming Antichrist pass himself off as God by going around murdering anyone who does not agree with him like some wacko Stalinist or Hitler type?

 

Instead, the coming Antichrist will want all people to 'willingly' and lovingly bow to him as God, especially he will want God's people to do that. Some of our own family members are going to 'willingly' bow to him in place of Christ, thinking he is The Christ from listening to those Christian leaders that are on the world government boat because of being deceived. It will be in that time when the great falling away that Apostle Paul foretold will occur, and for those reasons.

 

How could this be possible that even deceived family members will make that mistake, along with many within the Christian community? It's because both sides want and expect the same thing, the coming of The King to bring true peace on earth for all peoples. Satan and his hosts want that peace on earth too, for theirselves, with us gone who will not agree. The deceived part of the Christian community today that is aligned with them simply does not realize who they are preparing their congregations for yet with the coming Antichrist who comes first prior to our Lord Jesus' coming.

[Last Daze]

Afterall, how can the coming Antichrist pass himself off as God by going around murdering anyone who does not agree with him like some wacko Stalinist or Hitler type?

 

Instead, the coming Antichrist will want all people to 'willingly' and lovingly bow to him as God, especially he will want God's people to do that. Some of our own family members are going to 'willingly' bow to him in place of Christ, thinking he is The Christ from listening to those Christian leaders that are on the world government boat because of being deceived. It will be in that time when the great falling away that Apostle Paul foretold will occur, and for those reasons.

 

I agree and think that the context of world events at that time is critical to understanding that.

 

The "wars and rumors of war" of the second, third, and fourth seals will plunge the world into global chaos.  Jesus says that "the end is not yet" because why?  Because of it's scope and magnitude it will be perceived as the end.  The false prophet restores order to the chaos by performing great signs and wonders.  He then calls on the people of the world to collaborate on or build the image of the beast.

 

And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.  Revelation 13:14

 

This image that people must worship or be put to death is something the deceived people of the world make.  It will be used to identify and get rid of the godly, those who refuse to worship the false prophet.  So, yes, the people of the world are only too willing to get rid of the perceived troublemakers.

[OneLight]

 

I look at things a bit differently.  Since I am not guaranteed another minute of life, I believe I should always be ready to pass onto the next life.  IF He chooses for me to live another day, it is a blessing to me.  If not, it is also a blessing to me, so being ready is a constant thought of mine.

 

If I happen to live to the day when we cannot buy or sell without the mark, I also have faith that God will provide, just as He provided the forty years in the desert for Moses and the Hebrews.  We are just as much a child of God as they are.

while I'm willing to starve to death rather than take a mark my fear is my unwillingness to watch my family starve to death, certainly I agree God has it in His power to feed His people just as He fed the Isrealites in the desert

 

but according to the prophecy the antichrist succeeds in his war against the saints and overcomes them see Daniel 11:32-34

 

best scenario is escaping from the land he will control

 

 

You are assuming that God wants you to run for your life!  How do you know He will not want you to stand and be a witness of His love toward His children?  That said, I will go if He tells me to go and stay if He tells me to stay.  Either way, His will be done!