PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

  

BY DR. FRANCIS FAWKES 

Yes, let me relate a dream that I had of the Rapture which occurred in Nassau, The Bahamas.  The Rapture is the next appearing of Jesus Christ.  This occurred in the 1980’s and I have related it many times.  Jesus is coming back soon.  What is stunning is that He is coming back sooner than most people think, and many will be caught off-guard.  My observation is this includes many church-going Christians.

The dream is as follows.  I was on the ground and instantaneously, I was taken up hundreds of feet in the air.  When I looked down, there were many people still on the streets of Nassau in broad daylight.  They did not seem to know that Jesus had come for His church and left.  The Bible tells us that Jesus is coming as a thief in the night.  “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” - Matthew 24: 27.

In another dream, I saw people disappearing from the earth in groups.  These were prepared.  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh – Matthew 24: 44.

What I saw below was that people were busy going about their jobs and other business matters.  There was lots of wealth with the impressive cars that The Bahamas had, and it was glistening in the sun.  The people exuded egotism and pride, which was ironic, for they were not ready for the Master when He came.  When I woke up, I was mildly depressed to know that so many people were left behind.  In the 2nd Rapture dream, I saw whole groups disappearing from the face of the earth. These were the prepared.

“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 with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” – 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17.  This is called The Rapture and the original Greek word used in the passage is “Harpazo” meaning “to snatch out or away.”

I was relating this dream to an aunt of mine, and she was impressed that another woman on the island of Eleuthera had an identical dream.  She too was taken up high into the air, and saw many unprepared people still on the ground.  I took it to mean that God was confirming that my dream was authentic.

Later on, the Lord impressed upon me something that perplexed me at the time.  He said that not all Christians are going up in the Rapture.  Again, He said some people think that they are Christians, but they are not.

The passage of scripture comes to mind regarding this is: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’

IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THE SECOND APPEARING OF JESUS THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO.  YOUR SALVATION IS IMPORTANT.

In order to prepare for the Rapture you must start now.  Here are the steps you should take:

1) You must realize that Jesus died for you and His blood wipes away all your sins.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”- Ephesians 2: 8.

2) After you have accepted Jesus in your heart, your code of conduct is holiness.  The Bible says: “be at peace with all men and practice holiness without which no man shall see God” (Hebrews 12: 14).  Jesus is coming back for a church saved and sanctified.  It is a church “without one sport or wrinkle, pure and holy” – Ephesians 5: 27.

3) You must also live a life of continued repentance, so that the blood of Jesus can wipe those sins out as they come (Acts 3: 19).

4) Minister salvation to others (John 3: 16; 1 John 1: 7).

ALL THE OTHER MEDIATORS HAD SIN, AND NO SIN CAN ENTER HEAVEN.  JESUS WAS THE ONLY MEDIATOR WITHOUT SIN, HE IS THE DOOR TO THE FATHER.  JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY HIM (JOHN 14: 6).

Do not get caught up in the doctrine of “Hyper-Grace” which means that all sins past, present and future are forgiven.  You will continue repenting until the end for your future sins.  “Once saved always saved is the false doctrine of Calvinism.  Your sins are not removed until there is repentance.  Therefore, you can never use your salvation as a license to sin.

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Delivering Souls To Christ Through Music

THE PURPOSE OF MUSIC 

By Francis Fawkes, Th.D.

Music in today’s secular society is divorced from God’s original purpose.  It was really meant to glorify its creator, and magnify His name in praise and worship.  In the world, we see the complete reversal of purpose of everything that God created.  And this is especially so with music.  It is used for the glorification of man and the magnification of his name.

In Colossians 1:16, it states that, “…all things were created, that are in  heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible - whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers – and all things were created by Him and for Him.”  God gave us these gifts, so let us give them back to Him.  Do not rob God of His glory.

We in the secular society see nothing wrong with this humanistic approach of attributing all innate artistic ingenuity, and excellence to man.  Artistic excellence, without God in the equation - really degenerates into petty nit-picking.  It only caters to man’s vanity.  We do not realize that we are not totally responsible for the greatest of giftings.  Whether these giftings are in music, languages, mathematics or the visual arts - they sometimes baffle or mystify the possessor.  A mathematical or musical prodigy may be at a total loss as to how he can perform feats of mind with little or no training.  Neither does he know how the gifts came about.  The best thing to do is to give glory to God for their possession, rather than taking the glory for it.  Do not rob God of His glory.

Again, some church performers think that their relationship with Christ consist of an artistic performance; I have sensed that the Lord is displeased with this particular attitude.  There are some church musicians who may not even be saved!  The musician who has consecrated his music to the Lord should have a corresponding Christian lifestyle.  He should be a vessel of honour with a renewed mind.  He should not don the attitudes and philosophies of so many of the musicians in the performing arts.  With a renewed mind, he should realize that the word of God takes priority over - and gives direction over his music.  This is so because: “God even honours His word above Himself” – and most certainly above music.  In the field of the classics, music is above all else and fanaticism is the norm.  This can result in musical idolatry that is so pervasive in the performing arts.

THE RELEVANCE OF DIFFERENT MUSICAL STYLES IN THE

BAHAMAS

Here again it is a question of calling.  It is my belief that the preference for different artistic styles is inborn.  If you find that you have a strong preference for classical music as opposed to popular music, contemporary Christian music or other styles, it may not have as much to do with your environment as you thought. However, it may have everything to do with what God predestined for you before the foundations of the earth were laid.

God first conceived a purpose in the earth and then created a liking for the thing you were supposed to do.  Your personal style is related to your purpose.  Do not let anyone force you to change your style.  It could seriously hinder your purpose.  You may not minister to the people within your calling.  You may play other styles, but always come back to your calling.  Remember the story of the prophet in Jeremiah 1: 5.  God ordained him as prophet to the nations before he was born.  If he did something else, he would not have reached the nations.

Thus, your culture did not create or shape you entirely; you created your own culture according to what God already birthed in you.  God then is not a God of uniformity, but a God of diversity.  He then created the different styles to express his versatility.  I have noticed that the predominant style in this Bahamian society is indigenous music or Junkanoo music.  That also is God’s doing.  However, this does not mean that everybody is called to do this type of music.  There are also a few classicists like myself as well.

All these tastes are legitimate and relevant to God’s purpose as far as He is concerned.  Your brain was neurologically wired for your artistic taste.  I also suspect that there is a genetic basis for strong rhythms shown in peoples of African or Caribbean descent.  Just consecrate your style to God and invest it in His Kingdom.  Others of similar taste may be attracted to the style and find salvation through your performance and lifestyle.  Now, if you don’t like a particular form of musical expression, do not worry about it.  It was probably not meant for you anyway.

WHAT ABOUT FRANCIS FAWKES?

Many people know about my liking for classical music.  As far as I can recall, I was exposed to popular music which I liked before classical music.  Then my father, Sir Randol Fawkes, purchased for me a classical series called Music Masters.  This dealt with the lives and music of the great composers.  Since my father was constantly traveling overseas, I eventually accumulated an impressive collection of recordings and music books form the United States.  This act of wisdom on his part, I believe, was in keeping with God’s specific purpose and calling for my life.

So overwhelming and so profound was the experience of listening to great classics, that it became the predominant factor in my taste.  It has not changed since.  My liking for the classics was intense and immediate.  I did not have to learn to appreciate this art form.  It was as though I was always familiar with it (sorry no allusions to reincarnation intended).  When people come up to me and say I had to learn to appreciate classical music, I cannot relate to what they were saying.

Later on, I discovered that this art-form was part of my calling.  I remembered asking God what was my purpose on this earth.  He replied to me in a dream: “I have placed you on this earth to do my work.”  In 1987, I received the anointing for my music by the laying on of hands.  But revelation is progressive.  I am not only anointed to play the Classics but to preach the Gospel as well!

It is interesting to note that before I learnt of my purpose, I never suspected I was called to Christian ministry work through music and the Word!  I only flowed in the direction of my strengths.

MINISTERING THROUGH THE CLASSICS

I know that it is God’s mandate to reach the world with our callings.  This is certainly true of the musicians in the arena of the classical performing arts.   Most of them however, are spiritually indifferent.  The field of the performing arts is one of the unreached mission-fields.  Prophet Kim Clement, a former prize winning classical pianist, said that God was going to touch this area in the latter times.

In all of my years of experience with classical music, I have only heard of one or two European musicians with a clear-cut Christian testimony.  One of them happens to be concert pianist Van Cliburn!

Situations like this led a music scholar Patrick Kavanaugh to form the “Christian Performing Artist’s Fellowship”- (CPAF).  His goal is to help fulfill the great commission, to go and make disciples of all nations.  It is his contention that you do not have to go to Africa to be a missionary.  But you can go to the Kennedy Center to find people unreached by the Gospel.  Another outreach organization is “Crescendo” – This is an international network of Christian classical professional musicians and music students.  Their mission is to encourage classical musicians to be “the salt of the earth.”

I have often wondered what happened to the souls of the great performers in the classical arena – especially concert pianists.  If they have Christian testimonies - surely it is the world’s best kept secret.  All I hear about them is gossip!  I am very thankful that these artists are beginning to consecrate and use their gifts for the Kingdom.  This is what all musicians should be doing – bringing souls to Christ and impacting lives for the Kingdom.

When I win a soul to the Master, I feel the surge of God’s power at its strongest.  This is because you touch the heart of God every time a soul is won.  I have been doing this for over 20 years, especially among Bahamian musicians - as well as those involved in other aspects of the performing and visual arts.  It is a source of great satisfaction and relief when they pass on later; to know that you have contributed to their life in eternity with Jesus Christ.

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