BEWARE THE COUNTERFEIT RAPTURE!. Sandra Ghost

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СКАЧАТЬ Lance probed. He stopped eating pie and looked at his older brother.

      Horace sighed heavily. "Do we really want to hear this?" he asked. "I think not!" But Marianne touched his arm lightly in an obvious placating gesture of caution.

      Jesse took a deep breath and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "The Bible is precise--even the math in it can be proven. There is exquisite precision in prophecy which proves itself between the Old Testament and the New Testament--then, when we see its fulfillment, even if you didn't believe before that it was God's Word, that fulfillment will convince you." He looked around the table. "There are 522 prophecies in the Bible about the return of Jesus--500 of those have been fulfilled." He sensed that Lee was silently praying that the Holy Spirit would use him to reach his family. "We're getting close. We can look at Israel for a gauge of God's time clock. In fact, Jesus said to take a lesson from the fig tree--that when it puts forth leaves we are to know summer is near...that it is a sign for us to know He is coming soon."

      "Boy, is that far fetched," Horace interrupted.

      "Not really, the fig tree is the symbol of Israel. Prophecy foretold that the Jews would be scattered among all nations, but God had promised they would become a nation. In 1948, quite miraculously, Israel was made a nation."

      "Sounds like gross favoritism to me," Scarlett held a gold compact in her hand, with the other she applied a fresh coat of melon colored lipstick.

      Jesse smiled at her. "I could tell you all about that, but not right now," he said. "Now, just to show you how precise the Lord is, 'Scientific American' featured an article awhile back showing that starting in the year 1948, earthquakes began to double and triple. That's another one of the signs--and it started rising in frequency the exact same year Israel became a nation. Haven't you noticed how the weather has gotten absolutely bizarre all over the world?"

      "That's from global warming," Lance suggested.

      "Yes, perhaps that's true, but let's look at all this from a different perspective. This is what the Bible refers to as the 'beginning of sorrows'. There are to be 'famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. Nation will rise against nation', and it's interesting that in the Greek that word is actually 'ethnos', which literally means 'race'. We're seeing all this, and I think there's a famine coming through an attack that takes out our infrastructure."

      "Son, this is hogwash! You'd better straighten out your thinking," Horace exploded. "We've seen the blacks and the whites go at it for years--look at the Ku Klux Klan's mission in life. The Jews and the Arabs are always warring with each other. This is no end time sign."

      "But it's getting worse, Dad, look at the hate crimes by Skinheads. Look at how our embassies are getting bombed...now we're included in the so-called 'Holy War'...not just Israel being targeted."

      There was a silence. "AIDS is a pestilence--it's spreading into the millions all over the world. Satan's started having a real hey-day--look at the immoral filth that comes in over the TV now. When I was a kid, the programs were like 'Leave It To Beaver'--now it's 'Beavis and Butthead', where kids turn off the set and torch their homes. Kids are carrying guns to school--killing their teachers and classmates. Get your head out of the sand and look at the time clock."

      "Well, I've just looked at my time clock and I have a date," Scarlett told them. "Got to run, dah'lings. Wonderful dinner, Mother." She kissed her Daddy on the forehead and was gone.

      "Scarlett has left the building!" Lance mocked the famous Elvis announcement.

      Marianne began picking up the empty pie plates, "I'm really worried about her. I think she's drinking a lot, and this psychic thing is so dangerous. She's got crystals and pyramids all over her living room. Jess, you've just got to talk to her. She won't listen to me--never would."

      "All of you, just get off Scarlett's back. You're always picking on her," Horace lambasted them.

      "Not picking on her, Dad, just terribly concerned. I don't think you realize how vulnerable she's making herself."

      "Vulnerable?" Lance raised an eyebrow. "To whom? Men?"

      "Well, yes, with her drinking, but I was really referring to being vulnerable to Satan. All those practices she's into are rooted in Satanism. She might just as well be into grave robbing, pentagrams and Satan worship. It's just that consulting horoscopes, psychics and tarot cards has a deceptively prettier face put on it."

      "Oh, come on now! You don't really believe that, do you?" The words were intended as a "put down", but Horace looked a bit worried.

      "Dad, do you believe in Satan?" Jesse asked.

      There was hesitation in the answer. "No, not...not really."

      "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?"

      "I guess so. Just what kind of an inquisition is this?" Horace indignantly snorted.

      "Jesus believed Satan existed--referred to him as the 'god of this world'," Lee said quietly. "We're afraid Scarlett is being dangerously deceived."

      "Whatever. "If that's what they want to believe, fine. I think that's just narrow-minded beliefs, legalistic mumbo jumbo. I dearly love my kids, but I wish they'd go home now. Enough's enough, Horace thought as he diligently cleaned his glasses with the napkin. The nose-piece was beginning to pinch. He'd have to make an appointment with the optometrist.

      Jesse looked at Lee briefly, should he press the point further, he wondered? "Dad, you said you believe in Jesus Christ. Do you believe He died for your sins?"

      Would the kid never let up? He hated being pressed into a corner like this. "Yes," he answered, "I guess so, but don't you worry about me getting into heaven, boy. Your mother's got enough faith for both of us."

      Marianne smiled at him--took his hand.

      "You can't ride Mom's apron strings to heaven, Dad. You have to make your own decision. You can't just know Jesus Christ as Savior...you need to know Him as Lord."

      That's it! I'm tired, and I'm sick and tired of this conversation. "Don't mean to be rude, but I'm going to go lie down for a bit. I'm really whipped, worked out in the garden weeding around the tomatoes this afternoon." He abruptly left the room.

      Jesse and Lee looked at each other, then at Marianne who shrugged her shoulders, "You tried, son, thanks." There seemed to be a heavy sadness in her words.

      After dark that evening, Lance grabbed a fishing pole. He and Demian slowly walked out to the pond that he had made and carefully stocked. When he was troubled, he headed for a fishing hole like some men headed for the nearest bar. Jesse's words, Lee's and his father's swirled around like a whirlpool, sucking him down.The moon illuminated the path. Demian seemed to be thrilled at a nighttime excursion with his master. He ran ahead, scouting, then back to lick Lance's hand. They reached the pond's bank. Lance sat down on the bench, and pulled a spinner from the tackle box. "We'll sneak up on a fat one tonight, boy." The dog cocked his head, answering with a high yip.

      Fireflies winked their morse code to each other. A bullfrog began to croak on the other side of the pond. A heavy blanket of honey suckle filled the air. Lance tied on the spinner and cast. He knew there was a God. All I have to do is look around at nature and I know He's there. Isn't that enough? Do I have to turn myself over to Jesus Christ to qualify to get to heaven? Jesse's words came rushing СКАЧАТЬ