Serendipity? Coincidence Or God’s Handiwork?

by Joe Ortiz
     I love the word Serendipity! The word sounds happy, musical, joyful and colorful. When I first heard that word many, many years ago, I ran quickly to the dictionary to see what it meant:
     Fate, predetermination, predestination, decree, finality, conclusion, foreordination, decrees of fate, course of events, inevitability, doom, certainty, fatality, condition, divine decree, book of fate, future, the Fates, destined way, ordinance, kismet, fortune, luck, karma, inevitable necessity, God's will, providence, Fortune, serendipity, happenstance, wheel of fortune, the stars, Dame Fortune, will of heaven, Sisters Three, Weird Sisters, Ides of March, Hobson's choice, and the lap of the gods.
     Wow! So many applications.

     Most people apply that word to events and occasions they experience that truly amazes them for its irony, the far away unexpectedness and that “Wow” factor. This has happened to me on many, many occasions, especially since walking with God, experiences that confirm God’s reality so very deeply in my heart. Once was when a great and wise gentleman came into my life by the name of Dave MacPherson.
     Dave is the author of several books that refute the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, such as The Rapture Plot, The Incredible Cover Up, The Great Rapture Hoax, Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin, and Late Great Pre-Trib Rapture, in addition to hundreds of articles that can be found throughout the Internet whenever or wherever Bible prophecy is discussed. Since my books are about the same subject matter, it was only natural for us to meet one day.
     That happened in 2002 when I wrote Mr. MacPherson to ask if he would read my two books and give me his assessment. He was living in Monticello, Utah at the time. He wrote back and told me to send them to him. You can imagine how surprised and thrilled I was to receive his rave reviews before we met in person. Here is just a small portion of that review:
     When one goes through Ortiz' scholarly masterpiece, he marvels at his tenacious task of taking original Greek NT words and translating them into English. If the reader wants light on the various "rapture" and millennial views, heaven, hell, Middle East, Israel, church, and almost every other topic bearing on the author's focus, "The End Times Passover" is the one book no one can afford to pass over! (Dave MacPherson, 2002)
     One day, about a year later when I was surfing the Internet to get as many of the articles as I could that were written by Dave MacPherson, I ran into a little item concerning a guy named Dave MacPherson, who had the distinction of being the first guest at Disneyland, and - guess what? - It's the same guy!
     By clicking the link below, you will see the story about a fact I never knew about Dave MacPherson, the first person to ever visit Disneyland, which happened in 1955.
     Ironically (Serendipitously?), I was also there that same day, but did not meet Dave, then. That happened later on in life, in 2002. First Person To Ever Visit Disnelyland
     Dave and his wife Wanda and I have become close friends since we met and we are in contact almost daily through phone, regular mail and the Internet. Being the first person to visit Disneyland, Dave now receives a free VIP Pass from Disneyland where he and three other people can get into any Disneyland sites in the world for free, any day of the year

     Now, I’m not that big into Disneyland, although it could very well be considered my daughter Christen’s second home, she visits there so often. She just loves the place! But, last Spring, the MacPhersons planned a trip to Southern California and invited my wife Martha and I to be their guests. After not visiting Disneyland in over 25 years, we went to the so-called Magical Kingdom with Wanda and Dave and had a blast. Now I know why my daughter enjoys herself so much, and in such a clean and wholesome environment. As a matter of fact, we’re hoping to go with them again this year.

     When I look back at this scenario, being in the same location with a person over fifty years ago, and then later connecting to work together in the same mission field, that thought can be rather mesmerizing. The chance of that happening is mind-bogging but, then again, nothing is impossible with God, and he often times paints these little occurrences in the canvas of our hearts to remind us that He is God and He is in charge and He knows what He is doing.

     Speaking out and against the prevailing Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory can be a very daunting experience. The theory (where adherents believe that Jesus Christ is going to secretly come down from Heaven and snatch up only Born Again Christians back up to Heaven to prevent them from experiencing any great tribulation) is not biblical, yet thousands upon thousands of Christians believe in that myth. I personally have been attacked on numerous occasions by fellow Christians for speaking against the Pre-Treibulation Rapture, and expect this to continue more so in the future. But, as God did when He sent Dave MacPherson my way to reassure me that what I have written in my two books is accurate, He is doing it with so many other new authors and preacher who are boldly challenging the erroneous Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine.

     Up until recently (four to five years ago) there were hardly any authors or preachers out there who had boldly challenged the Pre-Tribulation Rapture besides Dave MacPherson. Now, there are about a dozen or so who have written similar works (based on sound scriptural hermenuetics) including Ted Noel, Stephen Sizer, Steve Wohlberg, Barbara Rossing, Arnie Suntag and a few more emerging authors.

     During my lonely days, from the early 1980’s, when I began my research on the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, I felt I may have been discovering Bible data that wasn’t factual or true to substantiate my initial inclinations that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory was sheer mythology. God recognized my concerns and sent me Dave MacPherson early on in 1977, when I first read some of his material. His information assured me I was headed in the right direction during my early research and writings about this subject matter. Whereas Dave's approach was to provide data that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture was a recent phenomenon (1830), my approach used the academic sciences of Etymology and Figues of Speech to discern deeper and more profound meaning to key words in the Bible. My findings out right refute the Left Behind and Pre-Tribulation Rapture notions. Yet, Dave's research confirmed my research and his critique of my books provided me with great comfort (from God) that what I wrote was not mere conjecture nor theorizing, but strong academic and biblical evidence.

      Little did I know then that our paths had crossed 20 years earlier in, above all places, a smaller magical kingdom called Disneyland. This bit of serendipitous lore has served as deep confirmation from God that I have been following the path He set out before me.

     That fact is rather reassuring and adds to the many instances I see in this journey called life, that there can be no other walk that can compare with the ever convincing knowledge that Immanuel is here, God is with us, in the person of Jesus Christ. He is with us during those great moments of doubt, when we feel all alone, as He assures us that we are walking in the path He created for us.

     For those of you who worry too much about today and the future, whether God has you where He wants, whether you are serving Him as you should be; hang in there, have faith because everything turns out all right in the end!
     It is then that we will see the true magical Kingdom of God in all its glory, where the happiest place in the world will not be in Anaheim and Orlando (where much fun can be had), but inside New Jerusalem, the soon-to-descend City of God, where we will serve as co-administrators inside the headquarters for the Kingdom of God, a kingdom which will make that magical one called Disneyland, appear to many folks, kind of, like …………. well, a little Mickey Mouse!

In His Peace!
Joe Ortiz

For more information about this blog and other web sites managed by Joe Ortiz, click The End Times Passover

It's Late, It's Late, Please Bury the Hate!

IT’S LATE, IT’S LATE

PLEASE BURY THE HATE!

By

Joe Ortiz

Scoffers deny, the hand of its fate, peril and terror, time running out,

Pleasures denied, Eros is fleeting, money and worries, lovers they pout;

Earth and the mountains, tremble in fear, strong gusty winds, ripping the land,

Hold on tightly, temblor increases, loved ones are fallen, they slip from your hand;

Listen to wisdom, ancient it speaks, prophet the warnings, ears closed so tight,

Hearts are deceiving, they seek own reward, denying word power, fancy the flight;

Seek satisfaction, fleeting the time, restless souls churning, sleepless at night,

No peace in the cupboard, friendship in toil, grasping is empty, lost is its might;

Love still the power, no origin seen, seeking to comfort, the lonely is found,

Pain comes in caring, reward not expected, missing affection, it lands on the ground;

Faith comes from testing, the pure heart it seeks, reaching for honor, the highest peak,

Viewing contentment, no quick light is shown, stronger the vessel, its mantle is meek;

Hate is a power, destruction the life, filled with its anguish, division it roars,

Expecting the blessing, its daily the bread, inner contentment, your joy now soars;

Secret from Alpha, Omega is found, basic is loving, no other is found,

Hate is confusion, twisting the soul, love like the circle, no ending is found

Life clock keeps ticking, the heart drying up, horror its future, no peace can endure,

Strength and its hoping, so little the challenge, focus on love, so soft and so pure;

Hate and its fury, keep draining the soul, bleeding true hearts, denying the whole,

Soon comes the crumble, friendships denied, scattered the pieces, injured the soul;

Time is so precious, the signs are many, disasters seek victims, and chief is the hate,

Wrenching the mighty, the haughty they grin, caring no less, no friend is the fate;

In dying the moments, last word it does speak, hearts that are empty, nothing to fill,

Time was a plenty, bonds that could heal, ego’s destruction, the souls it does kill;

 

Friendships forever, a gift to be treasured, love and forgiveness, the greatest of deeds,

Hate is so draining, no true love fulfilled, listen to wisdom, so gently it speeds;

The winds and its fury, the heat and its might, good, bad and evil, destiny’s fate,

Hold on to loved ones, it’s late, it’s late, deny earthly pleasures, and bury the hate! 

The above poem was written by Joe Ortiz in 1998. It is more relevant today than ever before!

For more information on Joe's blogs, web sites and other information, click here: Joe Ortiz

"Pre-Trib Brownies"

Eschatological Satire

Ingredients

Six egg yolks from any chickens fed with corn or lats of haye (throw away clear stuff)
Half a cup of Lindseyd Oil (still cold pressed in Dallas)
Seven teaspoons of Kosher Salt
Six cups of Cain sugar (best if you are Abel to cultivate it on your own)
Six cups of wheat flour (preferably grown, harvested and processed in Scofields)
6 tablespoons of Darby syrup (sap easily collected from dead olive trees)
6 cups of yeast (dispensed cheaply at any Ben Hinn Rally, make that Valley)
Large bowl filled with doctored Ice (Tommy friends, they’re odd-shaped cubes)

Instructions

     Pre heat your oven at 666 degrees. Place mixture in the large bowl of Ice, mix all of the ingredients and beat them together until all the leaven has been incorporated. Then let it set without proofing it with pure water, it will rise on its own until all ingredients turn into a sticky, gooey, gaseous mixture. After letting it set for some time, pour olive oil on your hands (actually all over your entire body) so the mixture will not stick to you, as if you really kneed it. Mold the mixture into any shape you desire, but be careful you don’t let any of the ingredients soil your garments.
     Place paper bowl inside the oven on the lowest rack, and keep the temperature at 666 degrees. No need to set any specific time for this concoction, unless you are an expert in this field. Many have tried to arrive at the exact hour to cook Pre-Trib Brownies throughout the last 200 years or so, but have failed to reach the mark.
     Actually, you are allowed to set the timer to whatever hour you wish, based on your own calculations. It doesn’t take that much experience. You can also find many varying recipes on the Internet. There are thousands of them popping up all the time. Therefore, feel free to take a guess at how long to bake your own mixture. Many novice cooks often tune in to the news reports on certain media to determine the current and most popular time frames. Middle East news reports and the Weather Channel, especially, have helped to dispense varying time factors, especially for new beginners. But, Oh, What the Haye, pick whatever time suits you best!
     Regardless, keep Pre-Trib Brownies in the oven until all the salt has dissipated, and the Cain sugar has turned into Suckersin, which is a substitue that will make them taste sweeter than they really are. Whatever you do, don’t pull it out of the oven before it is finished; this concoction could Rupture!
     However, if the oven starts smoking and a nasty aroma begins to stink up your house, for God's sake, get out of there as quickly as you can! Whatever you do, don't let your loved ones get Left Behind! Don’t feel bad about fleeing the place that taught you how to make Pre-Trib Brownies; feel free to go to another house, even if you have to get out into the desert. The new place you will be dwelling in may not be the easiest place in the world, but at least you will be able to eat good bread instead of being fed sweet tasting stuff all the time.
     Warning: Pre-Trib Brownies always taste great at first, and may satisfy your hunger or whatever ails you at the moment. But in the end, they can cause a severe case of DIE REAL.

~

(First created by Joe Ortiz on 4th of July, 2004)
This article can be re-posted without permission as long as credit is given to Joe Ortiz and The End Times Passover blog.

For more information on Joe's books, blogs and websites, click here Joe Ortiz

Thus Saith the Lord!

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. --Psalm 119:105

Most of our readers know that we do not believe the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven doctrine is biblical. Our biblical proof against pretribulationism is well documented in our two books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation (Author House Publications). 

The author spent over 25 years of research and writing about a subject matter that was not popular in the least, nor accepted by the predominant premillennial dispensational community. Our position is still not popular; however many other writers and authors have surfaced in the last ten years who agree with the premise of our studies that began in the late seventies. Authors such as Stephen Sizer, Stephen Wohlberg, Barbara Rossing, Ted Noel, Arnie Suntag and one of the most prolific opponents of the Pre-Trib Rapture for over 35 years, my dear friend, Dave MacPherson, present evidence against “Pre-Trib” on a daily basis.

Many say it’s not important whether there will be a Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven (meaning that Jesus Christ will snatch believers up into the air and taken to Heaven) to avoid great tribulation, as long as we believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This is true to a great extent.

However, if there will not be a Pre-Tribulation escape to heaven before Armageddon, are believers prepared to endure the onslaught from anti-Christians forces? It’s nice to say that the Christian will not have to endure persecution because God did not intend them for wrath. True! God has said we are not destined to wrath but we are destined for great tribulation, as Paul claims in Acts 14:22, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

But, why would God allow the believer to suffer great tribulation? God is a good God and wouldn’t allow His children to suffer? But, yet, throughout recorded history, we see where millions of believers have suffered persecution and even death for the cause of Christ. Why should today’s believers (especially American Christians) be exempt or favored more so than those brave believers who have given up their lives for Jesus in the past. They shouldn’t, but most premillennial dispensationalist believers (and authors) support and promote heavily an unbiblical doctrine that makes that claim. So be it!

Those of us who do not believe in the Pretribulational Rapture will continue spreading the truth because we want to apprise the believer they will remain on earth until Jesus Christ returns to rule and reign right here on terra firma for an eternity. Believers will remain for one specific purpose, which is to broadcast the eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ so that each and every remaining soul will have the opportunity to repent from their unbelief and enter into the eternal fold of the body of Christ and His kingdom.

Still, many will question our position, and will accuse us (non-pretribulationalists) of folly. But, we are convinced. God has said so often in so many scriptural verses too numerous to mention. He has said that we will remain on earth until His final return, therefore we must prepare to endure great persecution, through repentance and prayer.

Therefore, this coming year I personally will crank it up (broadcasting God’s word) several notches through our blogs, emails, speeches, lectures and through whatever means necessary to bring more people closer to the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many will say, “Joe! Lighten up, enjoy life as God intended. Seek happiness! Seek joy and love! Seek God’s blessings as He intended!

Don’t worry, be happy! This may be the prevailing feeling by many Christians; I know it’s the dominant attitude by the majority who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, those who see this world as a playground, rather than the spiritual battleground for our souls! Personally, I trust the word of God before any man. The living Bible is the word of God!

As many of you know, A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite Christian writers, an individual who has captured my deep and inner most feelings about God’s word and he said it best in one of his books, This World: Playground or Battleground? In this following excerpt, Tozer begins by quoting one of my favorite all-time scripture verses:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, Psalm 119:105

"Every New Year is an uncharted and unknown sea. No ship has ever sailed this way before. The wisest of earth's sons and daughters cannot tell us what we may encounter on this journey. Familiarity with the past may afford us a general idea of what we may expect, but just where the rocks lie hidden beneath the surface or when that tempestuous wind called “Euroclydon (penalty or penance for sins committed) " may sweep down upon us suddenly, no one can say with certainty....

Now more than at any other time in generations, the believer is in a position to go on the offensive. The world is lost on a wide sea, and Christians alone know the way to the desired haven. While things were going well, the world scorned them with their Bible and hymns, but now the world needs them desperately, and it needs that despised Bible, too. For in the Bible, and there only, is found the chart to tell us where we are going on this rough and unknown ocean. The day when Christians should meekly apologize is over--they can get the world's attention not by trying to please, but by boldly declaring the truth of divine revelation. They can make themselves heard not by compromise, but by taking the affirmative and sturdily declaring, 'Thus saith the Lord.'" This World: Playground or Battleground? Pp 9-10 by A.W. Tozer.

God said it; that’s good enough for me!

For more information about Joe’s two books, his blogs and various articles, click on any of these sites contained here: Joe Ortiz web and blog sites