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The Only Guaranteed Way to Escape End-Time Catastrophes


CHAPTER 18

HOW CAN LAODICEANS MAXIMIZE CHANCES OF SURVIVAL


It must be reiterated, there is very little likelihood that a member will consider himself or herself to be a Laodicean.  And yet we are living in the Laodicean era where the predominant attitude is Laodicean or lukewarm.

Jesus Christ will make the ultimate judgment who the Laodiceans are and will not be taken to the place of safety.  They will have to go through the Tribulation to prove their loyalty to God and His way of life.  The parable of the ten virgins tells us that only about 50% will stay loyal to the truth, choosing to suffer persecution and martyrdom rather than compromising with God’s way of life and denying the name of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

What should the person who is determined by Jesus Christ to be a Laodicean do during the Great Tribulation to qualify to receive eternal life and ultimately triumph over Satan and all his enemies who will persecute him?

Revelation 12:17 (KJV) says: “17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”  This verse describes the part of God’s Church that is left in the world as a remnant.  A remnant means a small part and not a major part.  Therefore our hope is that only a small portion of God’s Church will have a Laodicean attitude, whereas the majority will be in the place of safety.  That should be encouraging for members of God’s Church.

The parable of the ten virgins indicates that about 50% of such members will fail this test, give in to the threats of the beast and the false prophet of the Roman Church, deny the name of God the Father and Jesus Christ, take on the mark of the beast and worship his image, compromise with God’s law and way of life.  The other about 50% will pass the test with flying colors, remain loyal to God and His way of life and die for it and will be resurrected as glorious immortal sons of God at the return of Jesus Christ within a few months of their martyrdom.

How does God require such Laodicean members of His Church to conduct themselves in the Great Tribulation?  For members of God’s Church who find themselves in the Great Tribulation, they should follow these ten suggestions so that they may minimize their suffering and qualify to receive eternal life at the return of Jesus Christ.

1) PREPARE YOUR MIND TO FACE THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

We know that the Great Tribulation is almost at the door.  The Germans, other Europeans and the Roman Church have been and are even now plotting to control the world economically, politically and militarily and impose their religion on all nations.  One has to prepare for such catastrophic events to increase one’s Chances of surviving them.  The Bible has described in quite great detail what will happen.  To prepare your mind, think what your reaction will be if you are faced with the situation.  If you have never given thought to what could happen in the Great Tribulation, you may panic if you find yourself in it and surrender to the beast and the false prophet.  That is the surest way to lose your chance for eternal life, and also your life physically in the events of the Day of the Lord, the last one year of the Great Tribulation.  And your death will be preceded by torture of the many plagues during this one year.

The greatest example of preparing one’s mind for a great confrontation is that of Jesus Christ when He was to be tempted by the devil.  As described in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, He fasted 40 days and 40 nights, and prayed to God.  If a person finds himself in the Great Tribulation, then it’s time to stay as close to God as possible.  While fasting 40 days and 40 nights is not recommended, fasting and praying regularly would be needed to avoid deception by the beast and the false prophet and avoid temptation to give in to them.

Here is an example of the difference in preparing one’s mind to seek God and not seeking God can make in the same individual.  The example is that of King Asa of ancient Israel.  2 Chronicles 14:2-4 (NKJV) states: “2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, 3 for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.”

The account goes on to describe how Zarah the Ethiopian came and attacked Judah with a million man army.  Asa cried to God for help.  Then God struck the Ethiopians before Asa’s men.  Thus Judah gained victory over the Ethiopians and carried away much spoil to Jerusalem.  Asa then prepared his heart to seek the Lord as described in 1 Chronicles 15:12: “12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul.”  This happened in the 15th year of Asa’s reign.  As a result the nation greatly prospered.

But then 21 years later in the 36th year of his reign, the peace and prosperity had changed Asa.  This time when the King of Israel attacked Judah, Asa sent gold and silver to Benhadad the King of Syria to attack the King of Israel and relieve him.  This time Asa trusted in his own way to do things rather than trusting in God.  The King of Syria helped and the disaster was averted. But God sent a prophet to tell Asa that he had done foolishly in not trusting God for help but relying on his own way.  Asa became angry because of God’s judgment and put the prophet in prison and oppressed some of the people.  God gave him 3 years to repent of his attitude.  But Asa did not.  Then Asa was diseased in his feet with a severe disease.

However, his heart had been so offended and hardened against God that he did not seek God’s help for healing but relied on physicians.  He presumably died two years later without being healed.

Asa’s example shows that when a person is always preparing his heart to continually seek God, he can obtain God’s help.  The greatest benefit for members who are preparing their hearts to continually seek God will be that they will probably escape the tribulation by being in the place of safety.  But when a person has become lukewarm like Asa in his old age and a test or trial comes, he may not think on relying on God for protection but may devise his own ways of escape that could lead to losing faith and trust in God.  Those who have not prepared their hearts to face the Great Tribulation, if they find themselves in it, they will likely trust in their own way to escape by compromising with the beast and the false prophet and turning their backs on God.  But those who have prepared their minds in case they find themselves in it will probably make the right decision to endure to the end.

2) ENDURE TO THE END

Jesus Christ described what would happen to the Laodicean members in the Great Tribulation in Matthew 24:9-13, (NKJV) “9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Those Laodicean members who become offended against God for allowing them to go through the Tribulation and begin to hate God’s Church, especially other Laodicean members who remain loyal to God, and betray them to the persecuting authorities, allow themselves to be deceived by the false prophet of the Roman Church or any other false prophet who may arise even among them, and let their love and concern for other members grow cold will not be saved.  They will begin worshipping the image of the beast and take the mark of the beast in order to save themselves physically, but they will lose their only chance for eternal life.

Most members of God’s Church will come from the Israelite countries.  Because the beast and the false prophet also want to destroy Israelites, they may promise to save alive those who compromise and worship the image of the beast, but may have lied and may still put them to death by breaking their promise.  Even if the beast and the false prophet let them live, they will surely perish physically when Jesus Christ punishes all nations during the events of the last one year of the Great Tribulation, called the day of the Lord, or day of God’s wrath on all nations.

Jesus Christ said that only those who never yield to the forces of darkness, don’t compromise with them, endure to the end in loyalty to God, and are willing to die to prove their loyalty will receive eternal life in the first resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ, only a few short months after their martyrdom. Enduring to the very end is the only way any member of God’s Church throughout its history has been saved.

3) BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT PROPHECY AND THE GOSPEL

In Luke 21:12-15 (NKJV) Jesus described another aspect of persecution for members of God’s Church.  He said: “12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.”

​Many times in the history of God’s true Church, leaders and even lay members of God’s Church have been brought before kings and lesser rulers to answer for themselves.  This will certainly happen even during the Great Tribulation.  But Jesus says this will turn out to be a testimony to the rulers and the world.  This means that you will be preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God to them.  Organized preaching of the gospel will have been stopped because the Philadelphian element of the Church will be in the place of safety.  But the testimony of loyal Laodicean members is one way the gospel will be preached.  So Jesus is calling these members who are being persecuted for a very important part in reaching the world.  And it may actually save some of those who hear them.

When one reads “A History of the True Church” by Andrew Dugger and Clarence Dodd, one comes across numerous examples of people who were converted when they heard the testimony and witnessed the suffering of true members of God’s Church.  Their testimony converted even some of their persecutors.  Therefore remember that your testimony will have an extremely important purpose, even to the point of causing many to repent and perhaps come out alive through the Great Tribulation.

Jesus Christ says in verses 14-15: “…settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.”  Jesus here means that we are not to meditate in our hearts what kind of questions we might be asked in our testimony and what we would answer.  This does not mean that we should not thoroughly understand what the gospel or the good news of the kingdom of God is and the prophecies related to it, and the sequence of events that the world will be going through.  All Jesus is saying here is that don’t premeditate on the likely questions and answers.

Being thoroughly knowledgeable about God’s plan of salvation, good news about the kingdom of God and a thorough understanding of end-time prophecies and the sequence of events is required to explain these things when called upon to do so.  Peter mentioned this requirement in 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV): “15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Kings and rulers will not suffer people who are not knowledgeable about their own beliefs.  Jesus Christ promises to supply the answer when rulers and kings ask difficult trick questions.  But He expects us to thoroughly know our beliefs, doctrines, the prophecies related to end-time events and establishment of the Kingdom of God.  Only if we are able to explain these things clearly and in convincing detail will people listen to and respect us.  In the process of our testimony we may convert some, and may even move rulers to let individuals live because of gently and meekly explaining such wisdom to them.  It is extremely important to answer gently and respectfully and not hurl this knowledge in a condemning, scolding way to belittle the hearers.

4)  NEVER THREATEN

As persecuted members of God’s Church, you may be asked why you are in the situation you are in as a slave and persecuted.  Explain the reasons, confessing your shortcomings and fulfillment of prophecies related to it, and gently urge your persecutors about the upcoming prophecies and how they can save themselves.  Otherwise they too will perish in the events of the day of the Lord.  Let them know that your purpose is not to threaten them with God’s wrath, but to let them know that you are simply repeating warning God has already issued to lead people to repentance.  By repenting, they too can save themselves.  The purpose of all the preaching by God’s Church is to lead people to repentance so that they can receive protection from God.

Never ever threaten anyone with God’s wrath for persecuting you.  This cannot be emphasized enough on how important it is.  Never ever threaten anyone by saying that God is going to pour out His wrath on them.  Let them know that God’s purpose is to let the world know what will happen as a warning so that they can repent. Jesus set the perfect example in this regard and Peter described this example very well in 1 Peter 2:21-23 (NKJV): “21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…”

The way Stephen the Martyr spoke to the high priest and the Jews in Acts 7:51-54 (NKJV) explains why he was quickly martyred.  After giving his defense, he said, “51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it." 54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.”

In Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and Dugger and Dodd’s “A History of the True Church” are numerous examples where martyrdom was hastened and made crueler when rulers were answered in a rough and accusatory manner, invoking God’s wrath on them.  As much as possible, I would counsel everyone to follow the advice of Solomon in Proverbs 15:1: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  Study the answers and testimonies of those who were hauled up before rulers and you will find that harsh words against rulers always made the persecution crueler and swifter.  Any chance of escaping death is generally lost unless God specially intervenes.  So when called upon to answer for our beliefs we should follow the example of Jesus Christ and never threaten.

5)  GIVE RESPECT AND HONOR AS A SLAVE

In the Great Tribulation, nearly all citizens of Israelite nations of America, British Commonwealth nations and the Jewish state of Israel will be slaves.  Most members of God’s Church live in America and the British Commonwealth nations.  Those that are not in the place of safety will thus be slaves. One way to come out alive through the Great Tribulation and mitigate some of the harshness of slavery would be to behave like a slave and give due respect and honor to your masters.

The fathers Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and King David set excellent examples in this regard.  They were not slaves, but found themselves strangers in lands occupied by others.  How they conducted themselves should be taken to heart and their conduct emulated.

When Abraham saw 3 strangers pass by his tent, his reaction is described in Genesis 18:2-5 (NKJV): “2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant."  Abraham behaved very humbly like a servant and bowed low to the ground.

Then in Genesis 23:7 (NKJV) when Abraham was asking for a cave from the sons of Heth to bury Sarah his wife who had just died, this is how he reacted: “7 Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.”  Abraham acted with meekness and humility even after the sons of Heth had acknowledged him as a mighty prince among them.

Now see the example of Jacob who had tricked his brother Esau off his birthright and blessing when he met him after many years serving his uncle Laban.  He feared the worst, but his humble manner may have averted a possible disaster.  Genesis 33:1-4 (NKJV): “1 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.”

Even though the patriarchs were not slaves or servants, they behaved with rulers as if they were.  How much more should we behave in like manner when we find ourselves as actual slaves?  Deep respect and honor for the masters may mitigate the cruelty of the slavery to some extent and may keep a person alive through the Great Tribulation.

6)  BE A PROFITABLE SERVANT

Every master loves to own a profitable servant.  Joseph was one such servant to Potiphar.  Genesis 39:1-6 tells the story (NKJV): “1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. 5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. 6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.”

The surest way to win the favor and even love of a good master is to contribute to his profit and comfort.  If you find yourself a slave, use all your brains, talents and skills to profit your master as Joseph did. God has not changed.  He can also prosper what you do in the service of your master as He prospered what Joseph did in the service of Potiphar.

Offer your services with the utmost respect and honor even if on occasion your master does not follow your advice.  God prophesies about the Great Tribulation concerning Israel through Hosea the prophet in 6:2: “After two days He [that is God] will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.”  God says that after two years of the Great Tribulation He will begin to revive the Israelite slaves.  This is the time when world alliances begin to fall apart.  Then all nations will want to press their slaves into the war effort.  Those slaves who have distinguished themselves with their technical and organizations skills in their slavery will be asked to contribute to the war effort and will be kept alive.  Even the Nazis kept some Jews alive for the war effort during World War 2.  Nations will do the same for their American, British and Jewish slaves, which may include some members of God’s Church.  Here members of God’s Church will have to choose between contributing to the war effort or not.  They cannot contribute to the war effort in direct military service and must refuse to do so.  But they can take up jobs in industry and technology, and continue to work for their masters in other sectors of the economy.

The key point is that the slave should strive to be the most profitable servant he can be to his master to maximize the chances of coming out alive through the Great Tribulation.

But realize the sobering fact that the false prophet and the Beast are going to ask all nations to give up members of God’s Church in their midst to put them to death.  Jesus said that members of His Church will be hated of all nations.  So when exposed as members of God’s Church, the chances of being spared from death are very small.  But as long as you are alive as a slave, be the most profitable servant you can be.  And always give testimony and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Perhaps your example and gentle and meek preaching will lead your masters to repentance and save themselves alive through the Great Tribulation, and not obey the beast and the false prophet in killing you.

7) ALWAYS SHOW LOVE FOR GOD AND FELLOW MAN

If members of God’s Church find themselves in the Great Tribulation, their first reaction might be to hate God for allowing them to go through it.  About 50% of the members will ultimately react in this way.  But such anger is misplaced.  Only God is capable of rendering perfect judgment.  He is offering rulership of the universe as a reward for those who endure to the end.  He wants to make sure that no son of His will ever rebel against Him like Satan the devil and millions of demons did.  He is going to test the loyalty of each and every one of us.  One aspect of loyalty to God is to submit to all His judgments for our lives.  So remember to always love God no matter in what circumstances we find ourselves in.

And if you find yourself a slave, always show love for your master or ruler and fellow man, the other great commandment.  When called upon to answer for your faith, let the rulers know that you are giving them an answer out of love for them, so that they might come out alive through the Great Tribulation themselves.  Let your masters, rulers and persecutors know that you know no other way than to continue to love them and pray for them.  This might mitigate the cruelty they would otherwise practice on you and perhaps might save you alive.  There are many examples of positive results from this attitude described by the late Richard Wurmbrand in his books ‘Tortured for Christ’, ‘With God in Solitary Confinement’ and ‘From Suffering to Triumph’.  It would be a good exercise to learn to frame your conversation and conduct in this manner.

8)  KEEP HOPE ALIVE

Another important way to conduct ourselves if we find ourselves in the Great Tribulation is to always keep hope alive.  If you are going through the Great Tribulation, you will have seen all the great end-time prophecies fulfilled in exact sequence in precise detail.  So you can have faith that the remaining end-time prophecies will also be fulfilled in precise detail.  These can be the source of greatest hope during the Great Tribulation.

Remember these specific prophecies about the Great Tribulation.  Its duration is fixed at exact 1,260 days.  And understand the significance of the 1260, 1290 and 1335 days mentioned in Daniel 12.  For members of God’s Church these prophecies mean that when the call to flee to the place of safety goes out, there will be 45 days available to gather together in one place from around the world.  We don’t know how God will make this possible, but we can trust Him to accomplish it with His almighty power.  Then the world war that enslaves the American, British and Jewish people will start and last 30 days.  The Church will have these 30 days to make it to the place of safety and be protected there for the remaining 1260 days.

For those members who find themselves not in the place of safety along with other Israelites, the 1260, 1290 and 1335 days have a slightly different significance.  They are left to do nothing during the 45 days the Church has to flee to the place of safety.  Their troubles begin with the attack on America, British Commonwealth nations and the state of Israel.  The defeat will occur in 30 days.  Then the Great Tribulation will last 1260 days, bringing us to 1290 days.  Then God promises to find and rescue each and every one from slavery within the next 45 days, bringing us to the end of the 1335 days.  Remember the exact significance of these numbers of days to keep hope alive that God will without fail bring an end to the Great Tribulation within this time.

Keep hope alive by focusing on the great reward God has in store for us in a few short months.  And that reward is to become co-ruler of the earth with Jesus Christ for eternity and then to rule the universe!  And as God’s firstfruits, we will hold top positions in the rule of the universe for eternity because no other creation of God will have endured as much as us.   No more fantastic future can God offer to man or angel.  And we are being offered eternal life with a body like that of Jesus Christ and God the Father Himself, as His literal son or daughter.

To keep hope alive, also remember that none of your active persecutors and torturers will survive the Great Tribulation themselves.  Jesus Christ assures that through the events of the Day of the Lord.

Revelation 14:6-11 (NKJV) says: “6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people-- 7 saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." 8 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

God promises that those who worship the image of the beast and receive his mark and have participated in the persecutions, tortures and murders will be completely destroyed and the Babylonian system destroyed forever.  The Roman Clergy that will lead the murders of members of God’s Church will be burnt alive by the ten rulers in Europe when they turn on the false Church.  This is mentioned in Revelation 17: 16-17 (NKJV): “16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose…”

The Laodicean members of God’s Church will have suffered martyrdom, but will have been resurrected at the return of Jesus Christ.  They will witness this punishment on the Roman Church’s clergy, and the entire Babylonian system controlled by the Beast and the false prophet.  Thus they will see themselves being avenged by God the Father for all their suffering.  They will see with their own eyes that God’s ways are just.  This should be another source of great hope for them to keep themselves alive, and endure to the very end in faith, even if their physical lives end in death.

And remember, those who have inflicted tortures, pain and suffering on God’s Church throughout its history will forever be their subjects.  They as the firstfruits will rule over them for eternity.

Also remember the words of Mr. Armstrong: “I have read the end of the story in the Book of Revelation.  And the end is that, “WE WIN!” Have absolute faith that if we endure to the end, we will have won.  God guarantees that.

9)  FACE EVERY SITUATION WITH COURAGE, DETERMINATION AND STRENGTH 

​Solomon says in Proverbs 24:10: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”  Let not that be said about you as you go through the Great Tribulation.  Remember to face any prophesied event with courage, determination and mental strength, in whatever situation you find yourself in.

In this regard read the stories of the heroes of the Bible, and those mentioned in the Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews.  The author sums up these examples with these words in verses 32-40 (NKJV): “32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

To inspire courage in ourselves and emulate as examples, we should read biographical accounts of the lives of great men who endured extraordinary adversity with courage. One such example is that of Jim Stockdale, rear-admiral, one of the most decorated veterans of the U.S. Navy and former vice-presidential candidate with Ross Perot who endured 7 years in Vietnam prisons with 4 of those years spent in solitary confinement (that is 6 months more than the entire duration of the Great Tribulation) and endured beatings and other tortures. You can also read about the endurance, faith and courage of Ernest Shackleton the great British explorer who attempted the first crossing of the Antarctic continent on foot.  We should read biographies and autobiographies of such great men who exhibited extraordinary courage and endurance in the face of extreme adversity for inspiring courage and determination in ourselves.

10)  LEARN NOT TO FEAR WHAT MAN CAN DO TO YOU

There will be many in God’s Church who will be paralyzed with fear when the Tribulation comes, by just imagining what they may have to go through and even hearing the threats of those who will rule over them.  About 50% of members of God’s Church who go through the Tribulation will react in this way.

A person who is paralyzed with fear in adversity is demonstrating that he does not have complete faith and trust in God.  In short, such a person has not yet learnt to love God perfectly, for God says in 1 John 4:18 (NKJV): “18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

Above all, remember the great key to enduring when faced with any trouble or fear that God promised through Paul the apostle in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV): “13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Basically, God is promising that He knows our individual bodies and mental makeup.  He knows what we can endure.  Either He will give us the means to endure it, or make a way for us to escape the trouble or temptation.  God can even make it possible for Laodicean members to stay alive till they are resurrected to eternal life at the return of Jesus Christ.  God is telling us to simply learn to put our complete faith and trust in Him when face with any fearful event such as the Great Tribulation.  He knows what we are made of and will guide us through it just as He guided Jesus Christ and all His other servants through their periods of adversity.  He promises to never leave us or forsake us in Hebrews 13:5.

We should study and meditate on these suggestions often so that if we find ourselves in the Great Tribulation, our minds would be made up to be among the 50% who endure to the end and are resurrected as God’s immortal sons and daughters at the return of Jesus Christ.


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