Tag: Bible

Laugh All You Want, The Rapture Is Not Escapism Or Fantasy… It’s Biblical

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

ByGreg Laurie

August 21, 2025

Let’s start with the obvious: the Rapture sounds crazy. Jesus descends from Heaven, dead people rise from their graves, and living believers are suddenly caught up into the sky—like the world’s strangest episode of “Stranger Things.” Sounds like the stuff your uncle mutters about after three cups of church coffee. Except—it’s right there in Scripture. Paul says it. John says it. Jesus says it. The only ones who don’t are usually the skeptics writing editorials dismissing the very faith that gives us hope.

Opposing Views on the Rapture

Now, critics like to pounce: “But the word Rapture isn’t even in the Bible!” Congratulations, Sherlock. Neither are the words Trinity or even Bible. And yet, here we are, still believing in all three. The word comes from the Latin rapturus, which translates the Greek word harpazo—meaning “to snatch up, grab by force.” Imagine a parent reaching out and pulling their child away from danger just in time. That’s the picture Scripture gives us of the Rapture.

Some say, “Oh, the Rapture is just a modern invention, some 19th-century gimmick.” Nonsense. Yes, J.N. Darby helped popularize it in more recent times, but long before him, the early Church Fathers like Irenaeus and Cyprian wrote about believers being “snatched up” before judgment. It’s not new—it’s biblical. We also hear about the Rapture straight from Paul, Peter, James, and most importantly, Jesus Himself: “I will come again and receive you to myself.”

The most familiar passage on the Rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together (Greek word: harpazo, meaning ‘snatched up’) with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

And if that sounds far-fetched, remember Enoch—who literally walked off the face of the earth into God’s presence—and Elijah, who rode to Heaven in a fiery chariot. The prototypes are already in the Old Testament.

Why This Matters

Here’s why this isn’t just a fun theological parlor game: the Rapture gives hope. Paul calls it the “blessed hope.” When you’ve buried a loved one, you don’t need vague talk about them being “in a better place.” You need the solid promise that in one split second, you’ll be with them again. Parents reunited with children. Husbands with wives. Brothers and sisters together again. And at the center of it all—Jesus Christ Himself.

And it does more than comfort grief. It motivates godliness. If you really believe Jesus could return at any moment, maybe don’t binge sin like it’s Netflix. You wouldn’t invite your best friend into a house piled with dirty laundry and Taco Bell wrappers. Don’t greet your Savior that way either. You want to be ready—walking with Him, keeping your spiritual house in order.

Of course, there’s always the circus clowns with their calendars: “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988!” They were wrong, just like every other date-setter before or since. Jesus made it pretty clear: “No one knows the day or the hour.” Which, funnily enough, includes you, me, and that guy on YouTube with the chart and the whiteboard. The Rapture isn’t about prediction—it’s about preparation.

The Takeaway

So, what do we do with all this? We wake up. We stay alert. We stop living like the world is a Vegas buffet that never closes. Paul said: “The night is almost gone, the day of salvation is soon here.” Translation: time is short. Knock it off. If you’re a believer, live clean, live holy, live hopeful. If you’re not—well, get right or get left.

Because one day, maybe in our lifetime, maybe tonight—in a blink, in the twinkling of an eye—everything changes. Loved ones raised. The Church caught up. Judgment delayed until after the Bride has been rescued.

It’s not escapism. It’s not fantasy. As C.S. Lewis reminded us, looking forward to the eternal world is one of the things a Christian is meant to do.

So, laugh if you want. Roll your eyes. Write your snarky post. But when it happens—when the shout comes, when the trumpet blows—mockery won’t matter. Only hope will.

AI Jesus; Have It Your Way

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

Jesus told us, Paul told us, and now we are witnessing a new phenomenon that is a fore shadow of the time of the end.  You don’t have to be a doomsday preacher or an end times Prophet to know we are headed for grave times.  Confusion and a compromised Gospel along with your personal Jesus.  Ask him anything, this false Jesus will tell you what you want to hear, soften sin, and make you feel special.  AI generated Jesus is all the rage.

In a recent article by “Study Finds,” the number of AI generated programs that are claiming to be Jesus are only continuing to grow. As Study Finds noted, these artificial intelligent impersonators of Jesus are chatbots that are acting as though they are “…the Son of God, offering spiritual guidance, answering prayers and even taking confessions from believers.”

Some of the AI bots included Virtual Jesus, AI Jesus, Ask Jesus, Jesus AI and Text with Jesus.  The scary part is that their algorithms are used to gauge reaction so as to make sure and soften hard and critical responses to make them more appealing to the questioners.  It’s a have it your way kind of gospel that is being presented.  

These growing platforms have not been introduced to the public through churches or Christian organizations, but rather from for profit businesses. It gives you a “popular theology,” not one based on the true Word of God.  It’s the personal God attitude that is present in our society today.  We want love and acceptance to make us feel good in our beliefs and actions, not the hard truth of scriptures.

Counterfeit voices leading lukewarm Christians down a path of destruction.  Have it your war, but the outcome won’t be what you imagine.  

Jesus said ““Enter at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who are going through it, because small is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭MEV‬‬

Faith without Works

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

Faith without work cannot be called faith.  Faith that works is dead” (James 2:26), and a dead faith is worse than no faith at all. Faith must work; it must produce; it must be visible. Verbal faith is not enough; mental faith is insufficient. Faith must be there, but it must be more. It must inspire action. Throughout his epistle to Jewish believers, James integrates true faith and every day practical experience by stressing that true faith must manifest itself in works of faith.

Faith endurance trials. Trials come and go, but a strong faith will face them head on and develop endurance. Faith understands temptations. It will not allow us to consent to our list and slide into sin. Faith obeys the word. It will not merely hear and not do. Faith produces doers. Faith harbors no prejudice. For James, faith and favoritism cannot coexist. Faith displays itself and works. Faith is more than words; it is more than knowledge; it is demonstrated by obedience; and it overtly responds to the promises of God. Faith controls the tongue. This small, but immensely powerful part of the body must be held in check. Faith can do that. Faith acts wisely. It gives us the ability to choose wisdom that is heavenly and to shun wisdom that is earthly. Faith produces separation from the world and submission to God. It provides us with the ability to resist the devil and humbly draw near to God. Finally, faith waits patiently for the coming of the Lord. Through trouble and trial it stifles complaining.

Let us strive for the faith that James describes in his short book. James is the blue jeans theology of the Bible. Put your jeans on to strive for Godly faith. 

Memorial Day Weekend

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

Sitting here on a peaceful Saturday morning thinking of the upcoming weekend.  Let us not forget those who sacrificed all they had to serve our country.  Not only those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, but also those who because of injury are still suffering through a living hell.  My great appreciation for those who have a special dedication and calling to defend and protect the United States of America.  They deserve our highest honor and respect.  Praying for the family members who lost loved ones.  How difficult that must be.

As a young boy getting out of high school I was torn about the military.  The VietNam war was not only winding down, but a peace deal was in place.  Having heard the horrors of that undeclared war and the suffering it caused probably shaped me more than I knew at the time. My best friend and I almost joined the Air Force.  We definitely thought long and hard about it.  In the long run we decided it was not our life choice.  Looking back I wonder how different I would have been if that decision had been made to sign up.  We just never know….

The old adage is correct that they are only two people who would die for others, Jesus Christ and the American soldier.  The Bible says “that scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die.”  Jesus did that for us, He died even for those who hated Him and despised Him. One brought us everlasting life and the other paid a price they did not owe.  Thank you!  We are safer today and have a country that even with it’s problems is still the greatest country in the world. Our freedoms and liberties are safe guarded by those who today serve and defend those who really don’t deserve such dedication. 

For all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, we salute you and honor your memory.  May the Lord bring comfort and peace to all families who lost a loved one.  Your sacrifice is not forgotten.  Rh