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Message: <blockquote data-quote="charitha42" data-source="post: 11231663" data-attributes="member: 308973">RaptureSign of the second advent of ChristAbout three hundred prophecies were uttered through the word of God, concerningthe first advent of Christ. And as a fulfilment of these prophecies, Christ came into the world in due time.But about his Second Advent more prophecies are uttered than about the first. Ifthe first prophecies were fulfilled, the second also must be fulfilled, and they are all almost fulfilled before us, and we are witnesses to them.His first advent was to save sinners; i.e., He came to be a ransom for the sinsof the people. But His Second Advent will be to gather His saints together. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9:28). (But to bring to full salvation - Philip translation).This full salvation work in the individual life is to prepare a Church or Body for the Lord Jesus Christ. "And hath put all things under his feet and gave himto be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness ofhim that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22,23).The building of such a Body was started on the day of Pentecost, by the baptismof the Holy Spirit. St. Paul, writing to the Corinthian Church, explains this."For by one Sprit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (I Cor.12:13). This experience was repeated among the believers for some time, say, till the third Century and then ceased. This period according to the Bible is called the "former rain" period. Thereafter this doctrine on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as a definite and exclusive experience, ceased to be preached: and therefore people lost the experience and the knowledge of it. But God has given us a promise that he would give us the former rain and the latter rain,"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the FORMER RAIN moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, THE FORMER RAIN, and the LATTER RAIN, in the first month" (Joel 2:23)."Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain" (James 5:7)Baptism of the Holy Spirit is spoken of as a rain, because with this experienceGod reveals, through the Spirit baptised individuals, the doctrines or the truths of Christ (Read Deut. 32: 2,3). "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speechshall distil as the due, as the small rain upon the tender herb; and as the showers upon the grass; because I will publish the name of the Lord.As He revealed Himself fully in the early days by the baptism of the Holy Spiritor former rain, He is again revealing Himself fully to a people of this generation, by another outpouring which is the latter rain, according to the word of God. This outpouring started with the 20th century, and now it has become universal.The purpose of this outpouring: It is to prepare a people or the Church for HisSecond Coming. This Church is in two parts. (1) The dead (2) The living (see IThess. 4:16,17)."The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are ALIVE and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds". So to have a living people to betranslated at the coming of the Lord, they should have all the spiritual experiences of the people who have gone before them. (Read also I Cor. 15:51,52). "Behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed...andthe dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed".Ministry: The New Testament Church, which is the Body of Christ, cannot be built without God- appointed servants and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So with thebaptism of the Holy Spirit or by the anointing He sets apart ministers for the Church. And he gave some apostles, and some, prophets, and some evangelists, andsome pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4: 11,12). These offices are determined by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are distributed according to one's calling (Read Rom. 12:6-8). "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith...he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness". The ministers of the Church must maintain their ministries by consecration. Unless a man forsakes his all he cannot be God's disciple" (Luke 14:33). A servant of God should be wholly given to the Church, and he should have nothing tocall his own. He should not be bound or confined to one place, country, language or people, because the Church is universal.The purpose of the ministry: "Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. 1.28). This preaching should be according to the revelation of the mysteryof Christ. "That God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ (Col. 4:3 also Rom. 16:25).This work is called the resuscitation of the Church; or bringing the Church backto its pristine glory. People could not believe that such a thing could ever take place; but thank God He is fulfilling His promise. As it is told "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). God is doing what is impossible with man. So let us get ready for the coming of the Lord by receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He is coming for a people who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless untothe coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thess. 5:23) Return of the remnant of Israel:"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people" (Is. 11:11).Here the prophecy is concerning THAT DAY. It is not a day of 24 hours that he speaks of. If we read the previous verses in that chapter we shall understand that he is speaking about the thousand year's reign of peace and righteousness on this earth. Before it starts Israel will have to be gathered a second time formthe four corners of the earth (Is. 11:12). This, as the prophet says is an ensign for the nations of the earth; an ensign to us that the time for the millenniumis at hand, and before that Christ should return. Here it is good for us to study in brief the history of Israel.God had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the land of Canaan for an inheritance(Deut. 6:10). But this promise was on a covenant that Israel, their children,kept the commandments of God.</blockquote>

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