Before The Left Behind Series and The Left Behind Movie there was The Blessed Hope written by Kenneth Lewis and inspired by the movie  "A Thief In The Night"

 

 

The Blessed Hope!

 

by Kenneth Lewis 

 

Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  Titus 2:13,14

 

What would happen right now if suddenly every born again Christian around the world vanished from the face of the earth?

 

Let’s think about that for a moment... You're walking down a busy street in the heart of a very crowded downtown area and suddenly people all around you with out warning disappear right before your very eyes...

 

People begin running out of buildings all around you in a state of panic and shock... Many others wonder around hopelessly on the streets yelling out names of their love ones who have suddenly vanished...

 

Driverless vehicles, buses, and trucks begin running off the crowded streets and crashing into buildings, telephone poles and bridges...You look up toward the heavens only to see a jet plane falling from the skies...Driverless Trains and subways jump tracks all around the United States of America and the world.

 

Special world news reports begin breaking out over the radios and television sets all around the world...Frantic news reporters begin reporting that thousands and thousands of people have suddenly vanished from the face of the earth...

 

What happened? Could it be an attack on planet earth from another planet?

 

The Thief In The Night

 

God warned us in His word, the Holy Bible; about a time in the future when this sudden vanishing of His church would take place...Many refer to this vanishing or snatching away of Christians as the rapture of the church...

 

We need to take heed of Gods warning and prepare for what Paul called the Blessed Hope!

 

Contrary to what many believe and were taught The "Blessed Hope" is Christ appearing in the clouds to call His bride, the true church to be with Him in heaven before the seven year Tribulation period begins...

 

The church that is raptured before the beginning of the tribulation period...will come back with Jesus Christ at the end of the seven year Tribulation period to set up His kingdom...

This snatching away of Christians is the next major Bible prophecy event that will take place on Gods prophetic clock...

 

Do you know what time it is on Gods prophetic clock?

 

The Bible tells us of a time in the future when the Blessed Hope will take place. The exact time only God knows for sure...

 

Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

 

Jesus goes on to tell us in verse 42 and 43. "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. "But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

 

Jesus is telling us that He is coming as a thief in the night and only taking what belongs to Him....He is warning us sometime in the future...He is coming and to be ready at all times... because we don’t know the exact time...

 

He clearly tell us that only His father in heaven knows the exact time of His coming for His bride, His church...

 

Many good men of God have tried to figure out when Jesus is coming back...They have tried to add years on to dates of important events to figure out His coming...My friend, if God wanted us to know when Jesus is coming back... He would have told us in His word...Don’t fall victim to these date setters...

 

I do believe, however, the Blessed Hope (Rapture of Gods church) could happen at any moment of any hour and its by God grace alone it hasn’t already taken place. God is allowing His church time to share the gospel of Jesus Christ so many more people can be saved around the world...However, I do believe, God knows who the last person is that will be saved and it will be at that time...The Blessed Hope will take place and Jesus will appear to call His bride to heaven...

 

My friend, there are still many around the world today that need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ....

 

We are without a doubt living in a very special time period in history...This time period is called the Church Age and is also called the Day of Grace...I believe we are at the latter part of the Church Age and witnessing the development of some major Bible prophecies that were foretold by the Old Testament prophets...These developments are warning us and showing us how close we are to the closing of the church age and the rapture of His church...

 

However, as we continue to move forward to the closing of the church age and the beginning of the Tribulation period we will see these major Bible prophecies continue to increase and develop before us...

 

We have already seen the Jewish community return to their homeland from the four corners of the earth and Israel becoming a nation again...At the same time we have also witnessed the development of the Revived Roman Empire (EU) spoken of by Daniel and written about by John in the Book of Revelation... The 10 horn dragon that came out of the water is the (EU)...We can see this 10 nation kingdom rapidly developing during our life time...

 

During the year 2002 we witnessed the reviving of the New Roman empire’s currency (Euro). A major (EU) military force is being planned and developed right now...It will be out of this 10 nation Revived New Roman Empire (EU) the anti - christ will rise to power...

 

With the global economy melt down taking place around the world today, Russia and Iran are becoming closer allies then ever before, Israel threatening to attack Iran because of a possible nuclear threat we can see we are getting very close to the rapture of the church.

 

The nations foretold by the prophets that would rise against Israel during the Tribulation period are developing and plotting against her during our life time now!

 

Jesus is coming back soon for His bride I believe and if you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior...You will be Left Behind to go through a terrible time called the Tribulation period or better known as Jacob's trouble ( Jeremiah 30:7 )....

 

I have a few questions I would like to ask you...

 

Have you come to a place in your spiritual life where you know for certain, that if you died today you would go to heaven?

 

Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He said to you, "Why should I let you into My Heaven?" What would you reply?

 

My friend, Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today?

 

Don’t put it off any longer...You don’t know what is in store for you tomorrow...

Hell, my friend, is full of people that put it off to long......

 

Admit right now you are a sinner.... "As it is written, There is NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO NOT ONE:" Romans 3:10. "there is NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, no, not one." Romans 3:12b. " For ALL HAVE SINNED, and come short of the glory of GOD; " Romans 3:23.

 

Friend, your sins have made you short of God’s glory, unable to meet his requirements for getting into heaven...

 

Realize that someone loved you and died for you.... Jesus Christ paid for your sins by dying, so that you could go to heaven. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. When Jesus died on the cross, His blood paid for your sins... " In whom we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, even the FORGIVENESS OF SINS:" Colossians 1:14...

 

Realize that you cannot earn or help earn heaven.... Jesus already completely paid for it when He died on the cross. Just before He died He said, "IT IS FINISHED:" John 19:30b. He now wants to "give you a home in heaven. "....the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b.

 

Realize that when Jesus saved you, it is forever.... Jesus did not stay dead. He arose from the grave, and is now alive in heaven making continual intercession for those who have trusted in Him..." For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that HE ROSE AGAIN the third day according to the scriptures:" 1 Corinthians 15:3 & 4.

 

"Wherefore he is able also to SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST that come unto God by him, SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM." Hebrews 7:25

By faith, receive Jesus Christ... Jesus died to give the gift of eternal life to everybody. But, like all other gifts, this one is of no value unless you "receive it" for yourself. " But as many as RECEIVE HIM, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE ON HIS NAME:" John 1:12

 

Faith is a complete trust. The Bible says you are "saved through faith", without you adding anything else." For by grace are ye SAVED THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God : NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8 & 9.

The only faith that saves, is complete FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. "BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and thou shalt be saved," Acts 16:31a.

 

Anything that you try to add to faith is "works". "Therefore we conclude that A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF LAW." Romans 3:28.

 

Dear friend, if you’re willing to stop trying it your way, and COMPLETELY trust Jesus Christ, then right now you can be SAVED! It’s now up to you!

 

Just bow your head and pray to God in your own words and admit to Him that you are a guilty sinner that deserves Hell, but that WITH ALL YOUR HEART YOU BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST CAN SAVE YOU from hell and change your life.

 

Say these words with me...

 

Lord please forgive me...I am a sinner and do not deserve to go to Heaven... I ask you right now to forgive me and come into my heart and fill me with your Holy Spirit...

 

Lord, I believe you died on the cross  and shed your blood for my sins and rose again on the third day...

 

Please be my Lord and guide my life Lord and teach me Lord your ways.  

In Jesus name, amen...

 

The Bible says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus , and shalt believe IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED." Romans 10:9 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13.

 

Please read what the Bibles says if you have chosen not to commit your guilt, and trust Jesus Christ as your Savior today...

 

I truly believe we are coming to a close of the Church Age...

 

Please accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today and please don’t put it off any longer....

 

 

Letters to the editor

 

This is one of the best articles I have ever read.  I actually sent this link to several people.  Family members also.    

 

The "Blessed Hope" is the name of the article.  Please continue to keep this on your website.  You never know who is going to read this.  

 

 

Thank you for this clear and simple article.  It has renewed my faith and given me complete assurance that I AM SAVED.  I will pass it on.  May God continue to bless you and your work. 

 

I enjoyed this article so much!

 

Although I am saved and know without a doubt that I will spend eternity with our Lord and Savior, I do worry so about those that have not asked Him into their hearts and lives. I will forward this message to everyone I know that will or can benefit from this.  

 

 

This article has been revised several times over the years by Kenneth Lewis.  Kenneth Lewis was inspired to write this article after watching the movie " A Thief In The Night made in 1972. 

 

I will never forget the evening I was setting in my family room several years ago and received a phone call from Russ Doughten the creator of A Thief In The Night. It was a pleasing surprise as we talked about his films and how I considered them to be classic's today... If you haven't seen a Russ Doughten Film you really haven't seen a great Christian classic.  Many of Russ films were filmed back in the 70's and are fun to watch today. They are classics today and inspired many of us to write about the rapture. 

 

Kenneth Lewis

 

For more information about Russ Doughten Films go to: http://www.rdfilms.com/about.php

 

 

 

 

 

How to know Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

 

 

Kenneth Lewis is the founder of ChristianNewsToday.com and CNTNewswire.com.  Ken was featured on Daystar International Television program called Celebration with Marcus and Joni Lamb and on several Christian radio stations in the USA in regards to Bible prophecy.  Ken has studied Bible prophecy for over 35 years and spends hours researching his topic before writing his article for his column.  His Bible prophecy articles have been featured in a new column called Bible Prophecy with Kenneth Lewis and can be found on ChristianNewsToday.com.  His reports are enjoyed by Christians around the world. 

 

Ken can be reached by emailing: publisher@ChristianNewsToday.com