Separating the sheep and the goats! Hate and judgement rather than love! In the church there is doctrinal distress and the Rapture seems to have become a make or break sticking point! The blessed hope has hardly been fostered by many churches! More than not ignored! The line in the sand which the Lord has drawn! TR Its so sad to see the church spinning out of control and burning in an inferno. But, as TR said, God is separating the sheep from the goats. I've had a very blessed life compared to so many in the world. I grew up in a middle class Christian home with loving parents. I wasn't spoiled but I never knew want for the essentials of life. And yet I have always wanted to be alive when the rapture took place and always wanted it to happen "today". Not as an escape from life but knowing that life with Jesus is beyond compare. I have never understood how one claiming to be a Christian wouldn't be so excited at the prospect of Jesus taking us home. I just don't get it. But, I don't get how anyone can refuse the love of God, either. You're in good company here, Kent, and we are very glad you are with us! Thanks Yohanan. That means a lot. Because I don’t appreciate magic shows and am anxious for the Lord to come and get us has created quite a stir at “church.” It’s puzzling how someone could identify as Christian and not look forward to seeing Him face to face. Miss-alligned priorities! Or as scripture would put it, loving the world more than God! Again after 50 years of ambivalence with regards to the Rapture I entered into prayer! Frustrated and angry I asked the Lord why? He immediately put two words in my Spirit, Fear & Unbelief! That settled the matter for me! TR I have had an opposite experience with churches. They are either too liberal or too conservative so we have ended up at the over conservative churches....which really means legalistic and full of judgement. It is wrong to have a Christmas tree, wrong to have a scarecrow as a fall decoration, wrong to eat chocolate. You must be Baptized or maybe you aren't really saved. If by their judgement you have no fruit to show then you are not really saved etc. I had a youth pastor's wife claim she could just look at a kid in youth group and tell if they are saved or not! I think it is also the legalists who are driving people from churches.
