That date was mentioned in a post as having a correlation of a period of time within the prophetic day of one year with the timing being near 3 p.m. when Jesus died on Passover. That day was not mentioned as being the day that the Second Trumpet would sound or that the major event associated with it sounding would occur at that time. That date was given as a matter of being sobered about the prophetic times in which we live and the need to be continually on guard and watching — both physically and spiritually.
So my question is: “Why?” Why wouldn’t there be times when prophecy is a primary part of ones conversation? Does that mean a person engaged in such a subject is neglecting love, care, and concern for others by failing to engage in more casual or more personal conversation? How foolish! To me, as God’s servant and minister on earth to His Church, this simply reflects the soberness of mind such a person has because of these highly prophetic times in which we live.
There is not a more prophetic time for fulfillment than right now. There has never been and there will never be a time for more prophecy to be fulfilled than what will be completed in this end-time. The overwhelming vast majority of prophecy contained in the scriptures is about this period of time we are living. Knowing the time in which we are living should stir, sober, and move us to ever draw nearer to God. “Knowing the time” in which we are living should motivate us to work zealously to become more at one with God and to be living and practicing His way of life more fully toward others. This is especially true when we grasp that Satan and the demonic world are attacking constantly with everything they have. Do you believe that to be true with all your being? Because if you do not believe this then you are a prime and easy target.
If you do believe there are great spiritual battles being waged at this time, then what are you doing to guard and protect your own spiritual life and relationship with God? Do you have secret sin in you life? Are you praying daily and studying in some routine on a regular basis, as in listening to past sermons, reading the Bible, and/or reading truth God has made available to you on our various sites? If you are a minister, when is the last time you have reviewed and refreshed yourself in how to be a better servant in God’s service? And if those battles are real that are being waged in the spirit world, because they know their time is getting ever shorter, do you believe you are a target? Every one of you is a target, and you cannot begin to stand on your own!
So when is the last time you fasted? When is the last time you sought repentance in fasting so that you could see self more fully and to more clearly see those things that need to change in your life, rather than seeing so clearly what the problems are in other people’s lives. It’s just normal human nature to so clearly see others and not ourselves. Yet seeing self is the major spiritual battle that each one of us has.
A Personal Relationship with God
So “what if” someone were to leave God’s Church over something so trivial as what did or did not happen on April 4th? If something so small were to lead to a reason to leave, then there is nothing you can do to change that, for it is a choice God allows because He does not seek to control anyone’s life. It is a spiritual matter, completely involving a personal issue of one’s own relationship with God. No one controls that relationship, but ourselves alone within our own life. Something God helped me to learn a long time ago is that each person’s spiritual life is in his or her own hands and in no one else’s. People can easily influence others (especially those closest to them) to doubt, be suspicious and questioning of others, to have wrong thinking, and so many other hurtful things in life because that is just the natural tendency of selfish human reasoning and of natural pulls.
A true spiritual relationship with God is different. In such a relationship, one must choose instead to fight against one’s own nature and then to actively seek God’s nature to rule in their life. This comes only from a personal choice and then active involvement to accomplish such a choice. A true spiritual relationship with God comes from genuine effort and engaged fighting in order to stand in His ways, in unity of spirit.
But “what if” the Second Trumpet did blow on or near April 4th? Do you “know” that it didn’t? I don’t! Perhaps it did blow and something is in the works that began at that time in order to accomplish what that trumpet defines. Are you watching (physically and spiritually), staying on guard in battle, and sobered by your belief of this end-time? As one minister who is watching and keeping alert mentioned, even the 9th could be a pivotal day, since it is 40 days to Pentecost, which is still “near” 3 pm. Such observations are a matter of spiritual alertness and wisdom for aiding one in keeping on their toes mentally, with soberness of mind. That does not mean we will see anything on the 9th or that anything of significance will occur, but it is part of being ready and living soberly.
What if North Korea set something in motion on the 4th or they do so on the 9th that will result in a later fulfillment? We just do not know, but as part of our deep abiding belief in the nearing of Christ’s coming, we seek to stay alert spiritually and ever on guard to our own spiritual state. I cannot give and you cannot give that which is spiritual to others. You can only seek it and work on such to be the reality, truth, and example of your own life. By this, others of like mind can receive encouragement and inspiration as you are blessed to reflect a portion of God’s life toward another in the fellowship we are blessed to participate in together.
Every one of you is without excuse if you do not recognize that a great spiritual war is now being waged. Your ability and realistic degree to which you can see this is one of the measures of your true spiritual state and relationship with God. Have the battles and trials around you increased or decreased over the past few months compared to previous years? Are battles around the Body of Christ less today than a year or two ago? Jesus Christ likened the difficulty that will be experienced in life prior to his arrival with that of a woman in birthing labor. That labor and pain does not diminish as birth nears, but it increases.
The battles before us are real. Your spiritual state and relationship with God is real, whether it is weak or strong. If it is weak, then your life is in grave danger! Only you and you alone can seek after and insure a strong relationship with Almighty God. God offers us that relationship, but it is a personal choice that must be followed by active work on our part if we are to receive it. Such a relationship will not “just happen.”
And “What If…”
God is telling His Church that there are choices to be made now. The reality and truth is that this is what you are doing anyway, whether or not you have stated it in this way. “What if” May 19th is simply another Day of Pentecost without its fulfillment of the firstfruits being resurrected and the return of Christ? Does this question itself cause any panic, apprehension, and fear? If so, why is there panic, and why is there fear? Where is it coming from? What is the cause?
If it were only another observance of Pentecost and nothing more were to happen on May 19th, would the Church of God cease to exist? Would it go some place else or is it already somewhere else? Would the truths of God cease to exist or do you believe that we even have them? Do you know? Do you have doubt about such things? If so, why? Only you and you alone can answer such questions before God.
Whether or not you grasp it, you have been answering such things already in your life by what you are living right now. Thankfully, most of God’s people over the past several months have already answered these matters concerning the date of May 19, 2013. It is a spiritual understanding that gives people peace, boldness of faith, and confidence of spirit that no one’s life revolves around any specific date for the return of Christ, but that one’s life does revolve around how you live it before God and others. That which is spiritual is fully about a way of life God gives us to live. If we do not live in such a way, then dates, prophecy, truths, or the very return of Christ carry little significance (1 Cor. 13).
If there is some fear and panic with that question about May 19th due to the unknown trials that would lie ahead, such as financial, family, occupation, friends, etc., then that would be normal and all those could be addressed as they came, just as with other such trials of the past. There is nothing that can be done about such “what ifs” unless or until they are a reality. Then with God’s help, as it always is in the face of an actual trial, we address them in faith and move forward through them.
But if there is fear and panic because of nagging doubts, questioning (not questions), uncertainty, then Jesus Christ would say to you — and is saying to you: “Oh you of little faith!” Faith — living by what God gives us to believe — is from God and it is spiritual. You cannot give it to anyone, nor get it from anyone but God alone, through an active and very personal relationship with Him.
As for me, I believe we are in the Day of the Eternal. I live by that belief, just as I did concerning May 27th. When that day came and went, the Church was still here and very much alive. Spiritual lives and relationships with God did not disappear, but over the weeks that followed these relationships in most brethren became much stronger with God. How? It was the fruit and result of God’s spirit working in those who yielded to the process and thereby received greater conviction, strength, and more qualities of God’s character that were designed and orchestrated by the Master Potter, Almighty God.
Some have not faired as well these past few months, but with God it is never too late to repent of whatever has held one back. If you don’t know, then use the spiritual tool of fasting as outlined in Isaiah 58 and seek out God’s help to identify the sin and then repent. Such is only in the hands of each individual concerning their true relationship with God as to whether it is one of truth and spirit.
I do not believe in a “what if” concerning May 19th, but suffice it to say, if it did happen, as with May 27th, then I would deal with it in exactly the same manner. You see, I know that the Church would still be here and moving forward, waiting on God and Christ’s guidance into greater and stronger truth. The “present truth” and our understanding would shift somewhat as it always does when God reveals more and it would be clarified more so we could be in ever-growing and increasing unity with God — as it always has been. We fight a spiritual war and we continue to advance forward. God’s people are “God’s” people, and there is NO fear in any of that, but only growth in spiritual strength, boldness, peace, and confidence in God leading His people, His way, and in His perfect timing. Our lives do not revolve around “what ifs,” but in “what is” as a way of life to be lived in truth and in spirit before our great and loving Father.
The Church of God - Preparing for the Kingdom of God