September 26, 2023— Beloved, I must admit that this article came through a mistake. In my September 2023 newsletter to Coffee with the Cross subscribers, I was initially going to write an article about a digital planner I am releasing on Etsy (scheduled for today). However, before sending the email, I changed the article from “Blest Planner: Digital Release” to “Jesus is Coming Soon.” Funny enough, I did not think about the date. Most times, I post articles biweekly each month and schedule them for a Sunday morning. Yet the 26th is a Tuesday.
When I made that change, it did not dawn on me that the 24th was a Sunday, and I was scheduling another article just two days later. I only post biweekly because of a lack of time. In addition to Coffee with the Cross, I work full-time. I am a wife and mother. My husband is a pastor, and I am a preacher. Initially, I thought about emailing the subscribers and informing them of the mistake. However, when I looked again at the title, I realized it was no mistake. This must have been from the Holy Spirit.
It wasn’t until Friday, September 22, that I confirmed my hunch. One of our brothers in Christ told us that he had a rapture dream. Friends, we are in the eleventh hour. America is in judgment, and something big and evil will come to America if it doesn’t repent. The only thing that will save us in the days ahead is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He forewarned believers everywhere of signs to look for and to be watchful.
Be Watchful
Jesus Christ spoke about several signs to watch for during His earthly ministry. These signs concerned the “end of the age” (where Satan’s rule over the world ends, and Jesus reigns). The gospels of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 discuss the events to know the end of the age. Jesus told us to be on alert for these situations. In October 2022, I wrote a few articles about these signs, which are outlined below:
In the letter to the church in Sardis, Jesus tells them:
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Revelation 3:2-3
In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:1). Ephesians 6:18 says, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Likewise, 1 Peter 4:7 says, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers.” These passages stress the importance of being watchful in prayer with good reason.
Your Prayer Life
Jesus said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41). According to Ephesians 6:12, when you pray, you and your Christian brethren are at war against certain beings:
Principalities
Powers,
Demons and Satan, and
Evil spirits occupying heavenly places
This is not a war we fight in the flesh but in the Spirit and the spiritual realm. We cannot fight this with tanks, planes, and warheads but with bent knees through prayer and fasting. Satan is tricky and works to destroy God's plans for your life. Remember, he was an angel before rebelling against God and was cast out as an angel. The devil wanted to be like God, but no one can. Therefore, do not take heed to the devil but listen to God— through prayer, fasting, and reading the Holy Bible.
An essential component of Christianity, prayer is how we communicate with God. With people, we discuss, text, call, email, send a letter, a postcard, or a package. We can meet people digitally through Zoom, Teams, and other applications. However, with God, we pray, and the only way to God is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). In heaven, Jesus advocates for us. Jesus Christ told us that those who believe in Him will do works as Jesus did, even greater (John 14:12). In John 14:13, Jesus explains, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Furthermore, Jesus Christ says, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14).
I ask for deliverance, healing, and spiritual gifts when I pray. I also pray for my church and our church members. For my family, I pray for blessings, strength, and protection. My husband is a pastor at our church, and this was something he did not ask for. Strength is needed to fulfill God’s work and to stand on our feet when the job is finished for the day. Protection is necessary for the spiritual attacks that come against us daily. I ask Jesus for His Holy protection over me. Finally, I ask to stay in line with Jesus Christ and that the laws of the Lord be written on my heart. One day, Jesus will return to collect the elect. I do not want to be left behind if He returns when I am alive.
Jesus Will Return
For those who do not know, Jesus promised His return to earth. The Holy Bible says that Jesus will return on the clouds. The world is in darkness now. When Jesus Christ returns, the day will be terrible. Amos 5:18-20 speaks to this:
Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or, as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
For Christians, there is hope and lies in something called “the Rapture.” Note that “rapture” is not within the Holy Bible. It is an interpretation of a Greek word that means “caught up.” Here is how the Holy Bible speaks to us being “caught up.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 says:
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Some believe that the Rapture will occur before the great tribulation. Others think it will occur afterward. However, the Holy Bible indicates that this happens after the tribulation. Matthew 24:29-31 says:
Beloved, a brother at my church, dreamed about Jesus returning to collect the elect. He explained his dream to the church on Friday, September 22, 2023. I had a dream more than five years ago about this as well. In my dream, I was sitting at a restaurant with my sister-in-law and my husband. It was a beautiful evening. Suddenly, angels poured out of heaven in the distance. I awoke then and knew what it meant: Jesus is coming soon. Therefore, I want you to test yourselves against this question, “When Jesus returns, will you be saved?”
Accepting Jesus
While no one can know the hour (Matthew 24:36), we must continue fighting with our prayers and watching as if He will return within the next hour. If you have not accepted Jesus as your savior, the time has come for you to be saved. Say this prayer aloud:
God, I confess that Jesus came in flesh and blood, paid the price for my sins, died on the cross, rose on the third day, ascended to the heavens, and sent the Holy Spirit to help me understand Your Ways. For that, I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord and welcome the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name, I pray, amen!
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