Letters from Anne Graham Lotz
First Message: What is the Mystery of the Trumpet Call?
Sep 20, 2014
ANNE’S MESSAGES TO THOSE LEFT BEHIND
…This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:11
Several months ago, I posted a blog entitled, Starting a Conversation: A Message for Those Left Behind. In
it I said that I could almost hear the Last Trumpet being tuned for the
one blast that will announce the beginning of the end.
I asked readers in that blog, when that moment comes,
and they are caught up to meet the Lord, what they would wish they could
say to those who are left behind. I want to answer my own question now
in a series of four messages, in these days leading up to Rosh Hashanah,
the Jewish Feast of Trumpets.
First Message: What is the Mystery of the Trumpet Call?
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 refers to a mystery when the trumpet sounds. He gives a little more detail in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,
but once again refers to the “trumpet call of God” that announces the
return of Jesus Christ for those who have placed their faith in Him.
Because of the reference to the “trumpet,” many
believe when Jesus returns for those who belong to Hm, He will do so on
the Feast of Trumpets. It seems reasonable to assume that if He was
crucified on the Feast of Passover, buried on the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, raised on the Feast of the Firstfruits, that the pattern would
continue, and He would return on the Feast of Trumpets. Interestingly,
the Feast of Trumpets is also called the “Hidden Day,” because no one
knows the exact day or hour of Rosh Hashanah. The only certainty is that
it is one of the designated days. This year those days are September
24, 25 and 26.
Whether or not Jesus returns on this year’s Feast of
Trumpets, we do know without doubt that there is coming a day when all
people in the world who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as personal
Savior and Lord are going to be suddenly removed. Caught up in the air
to be with Jesus forever. While His followers will be experiencing the
joy of His visible presence, those left behind are going to be plunged
into worldwide grief and fear, chaos and confusion.
In light of this, God has placed on my heart several
messages I would like to give to those who would be left behind if the
rapture occurred today. In addition to this message, I will post three
more on the next three days.
Join me tomorrow as I share with you the next message to those who are left behind.
Second Message: Is the World Falling Apart?
Sep 21, 2014
In my previous message,
I shared briefly with you about the Mystery of the Trumpet. That
moment in time when Jesus descends with a loud command, the shout of the
archangel, and the trumpet call of God. Then those who have placed
their trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, whether dead or living, will be
raised up in the air to meet Jesus and be with Him forever.
While we, His followers, are experiencing the joy of His visible
presence, those who are left behind are going to be plunged into chaos
and confusion. Think about it with me for a moment in this second
message.
Anne's Messages to those Left Behind | Second Message: Is the World Falling Apart?
Our disappearance from the earth has been foretold in
the Bible. It is an event that has been planned by God. Read the
following Scriptures prayerfully.
These are truly stunning Scriptures. They sound
somewhat like Science Fiction. Except they are God’s Word. They are
true. This event will take place at a specific point in time.
There are other Bible passages that speak of this
Event, but these are the clearest and most familiar descriptions. This
event has been labeled the Rapture of the Church. It does not mean that
everyone who is a church member will go to be with Jesus. It is not
referring to an organization or denomination or religion. It is
referring to the Body of Christ which is made up of individuals all over
the world who have placed their faith in Him as Savior and Lord. When
we disappear, remember, the world is not falling apart. It is falling
into place according to God’s sovereign purpose. Don’t worry about those
who have disappeared. Don’t grieve for us. We are safe with Jesus. We
will not be coming back until He does, in about 7 or 8 years from the
time of our disappearance.
Our disappearance signals The Beginning of
the End. God’s final judgment on the world has now begun. The world
will be plunged into chaos. You will witness very quickly political,
financial, national and institutional collapse. Planes will fall out of
the sky when pilots disappear; cars will crash on highways when drivers
disappear; battles will be lost when soldiers disappear; crime will
skyrocket as policemen disappear; patients will die when surgeons and
nurses disappear…you get the picture. Chaos.
But there is hope. This is my word to you
in that chaotic moment: We have disappeared, but God has not. He is
still right there. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is
in control and His love for you has not been diminished. He still loves
you with an everlasting love. He is still the One who is watching over
you, who even now is calling out to you through this message, inviting
you to turn to Him—put your trust in Him—Right now.
He will be with you 24/7 as you go through these
terrible days. My prayer is that you will turn to God, which is the
subject of my next message.
Third Message: Is It Too Late For Those Left Behind To Be Saved?
Sep 22, 2014
Anne's Messages to those Left Behind | Third Message: Is It Too Late For Those Left Behind To Be Saved?
In my last message,
I described briefly how the rapture of believers and their sudden
disappearance will impact the world. There will be unprecedented chaos
and confusion. But it’s not too late to turn to God.
Call on Him. Cry out to Him. Just say, “God. Help
me! Save me!” He is listening for your cry. It’s not too late for you
to get right with God. To be on God’s side. But you must intentionally,
deliberately place your trust in Him.
Confess your sin to God. Tell Him why you have not put
your trust in Him until now. Tell Him you are sorry; you know you are a
sinner. Tell Him you believe Jesus died for you, and ask Him to
forgive you and come into your heart. He will. He will place His Spirit
within you and will never leave you or forsake you. As you go through
the terrible troubles ahead, He will be right there with you. And if
you die before the 2nd Coming of Jesus, or if you endure to
the End, God the Father will welcome you into His heavenly home because
you are now His child through your faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. And
God the Father takes care of His children.
It’s critical for your eternal safety and well-being that you put your trust in Jesus right now. Don’t wait one more minute. Pray now. The following is a sample prayer you can pray:
Dear God,
I’m scared to death. My whole world
has just come crashing down. I’m desperate for help. For someone to
make sense out of this. To help me cope with the turmoil and
confusion. I know I’m a sinner. I’m sorrier than I have ever been. I
am willing right now to forsake my sin. I believe Jesus died for me.
I’m asking You to apply His death to my sin and forgive me. I believe
He rose from the dead to open Heaven for me. I’m asking You to give me
eternal life in His name. I invite Him to come into my heart, and take
control. Of everything. Please. In the days that are left until He
returns, I will live my life for Him. Thank You for hearing and
answering my prayer. Amen.
If you put your trust in Jesus, He will rescue you. He will save you. At His 2nd Coming, He will deliver you from what seems like hell on earth.
Once you have established a personal relationship with
God through faith in Jesus Christ, you can talk to Him. Any time. All
the time. Talking to God is called prayer. He is now your Father. Tell
Him about your fears. Your confusion. Your anger. Your needs. Your
desperation and hope. Ask Him to give you strength, wisdom, courage,
direction as you live your life now under His authority. Ask Him to show
you how to live in the midst of chaos. Talk to Him about anything.
Everything. Nothing is too small for His attention. Or too big for His
ability to do something about.
And He will have things He wants to say to you through
His Word, the Bible. If you don’t have a Bible, get one. It will be
the most important thing that you now own. Read the New Testament. The
first four books are biographies of Jesus. The fifth book, Acts,
describes the power of the Holy Spirit as He establishes the church. A
power that is yours today. The rest of the New Testament is comprised
primarily of letters that explain the teachings of Jesus. Except for the
last book, Revelation, which is a prophetic account of what you are now
experiencing. It reveals the end of God’s Story—the end of human
history as we know it. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and give you
an understanding of the Truth as you read. Ask Him to speak to you as
you read. He will give you promises and principles on which you can
anchor your faith.
And if you need help expressing yourself in prayer, read the Psalms in the Old Testament, and make them your own prayers.
While the financial, institutional, national,
personal, environmental storms will get worse during the next few years,
your anchor of faith in Jesus that is rooted in God’s Word will hold.
In the next and final message I will briefly describe where world events are headed.
Fourth Message: What Is the World Coming To?
Sep 22, 2014
Anne's Messages to those Left Behind | Fourth Message: What Is the World Coming To?
We have briefly considered the Mystery of the Trumpet Call, whether or not the world is falling apart, and the wonderful hope that should you be left behind, it’s not too late for you to turn to God and ask Him to save you. God’s judgment on this world will come to an end. The final outcome will be glorious!
There will be an end to chaos, confusion, fear,
threats, wars, betrayals, wickedness, hatred and evil. The End will come
exactly seven years after a world leader signs a peace treaty with the
nation of Israel. The signing of this treaty that appears to bring
peace to the Middle East will actually signal the beginning of the End.
For three and a half years, there will be relative peace between Israel
and her neighbors. But after three and a half years the world leader
will break the treaty with Israel and the pretense of peace will be
erased. The final End will come when the nations of the world send their
armies to the Middle East for a climactic battle known as Armageddon.
When it will appear as though God’s people, Israel and Jerusalem will be
overcome and the human race annihilated, Jesus Himself will return.
Physically. Visibly. To the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. He will
destroy all of His enemies, save His people which includes you if you
have put your faith in Him, and establish His reign and rule in the
world as He ushers in His kingdom of peace, justice, righteousness and
love. And the whole world will be filled with His glory!
There is hope for the world. And there is hope for you. The hope is Jesus Christ.
He is coming. Jesus is coming! He is coming, not
just in the air to take His followers to be with Him in Heaven, but He
is coming back to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords! He is
the first and He is the Last. He is the beginning of everything and He
is the End of everything. He is the Lamb of God who is also the Lion of
Judah. He is the Son of God who is also the Son of Man. He is the
Messiah of Israel. Our Redeemer, Savior, and Lord. And He is coming
again!
My prayer for you is found in Colossians 1:9-11, one of the letters in the New Testament:
For this
reason, since the day I heard about you, I have not stopped praying for
you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through
all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And I pray this in order that
you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so
that you may have great endurance and patience…
May God pour out His Spirit upon you for the living of these critical days.
Post Script:
I would like to say a word to those of you are
receiving these messages now, before the Trumpet has sounded and Jesus
returns to take His followers to be with Him. Make sure you are right
with God. If you have any doubt as to your own salvation, now is the
time to make sure. You can avoid God’s judgment that is coming on the
world by sincerely, humbly confessing your sin, repenting or turning
away from your sin, claiming the death of Jesus as God’s sacrifice for
your sin, and inviting Jesus to come into your heart as Savior and
Lord. In the time that we have left, live your life for Him, and Him
alone.
If you know that you know that you are a child of God,
and that when Jesus returns you will be one of those who are caught up
in the air to be with Him forever when the trumpet blows, then would you
take these messages as a wake-up call? Tell someone else who has not
trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord that judgment is coming. They need to
get right with God now or they will come under His judgment either
during the tribulation to come or at their death. Tell them that Jesus saves! Before it’s too late and they are left behind.
