Most of us can quote the following:
II Thessalonians 2: 3,4
3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Ok, so most of us know these two verses like the backs of our hands. Many believe the falling away deals with rapture and many believe apostacy. I'm in the apostacy camp. I believe we are seeing that to some degree today but nothing like when the Great Tribulation takes place.
Most Bible Prophecy students skip the first part:
II Thessalonians 2: 1,2
1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
What do these verses mean?
Let me put this into Bruce Speak-
All you folks gathered together in my name, stop being scared over the End Times. Stop fretting, worrying, listening to the news media- every rumor and every riddle- and stop letting it eat into your spiritual life like a POISON. Don't be troubled by spirit... what spirit?...the spirit of fear, the spirit of deception, those demonic spirits that can lead you astray....
Don't be troubled by words... What words? ... words meant to incite fear, words meant to remove your standing on solid rock...
Everyone worried about the last days, everyone looking for a way of escape...I AM (Yahweh God) the ONLY way of escape... Rapture or not, I will make a WAY FOR YOU.. I AM THE WAY, THE ONLY WAY.... Do not be shaken in your mind.... Did I give you the spirit of fear?
It also says that we should look up for our redemption draweth nigh...however, I do not think we should always be looking up. We have much work to do HERE, RIGHT NOW and AS LONG AS WE ARE HERE.
Remember, He will come as a thief in the night- we will want Him to catch us doing His business... Spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. Remember the story of the talents and the one who buried his, waiting for his Lord's return???
Let's look further in II Thessalonians:
15Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
17Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
We are to continue to be doing good work. We are to continue in the faith. We are to stand fast. We are to hold the traditions that we have been taught in His Word.
That is how we must live our lives. Not by way of the media or by a spirit of fear.
Finally, we are told by Jesus in Matthew 24, "Take heed, let no man deceive you."
