mployer:


Let me explain to you again.
If you draft a 15year old untrained boy to the army and send him straight to fight bokoharam, he will likely die in the battle. When analysts come to view the war video, they will see his tactical errors in the battle field. His death will be attributed to those errors, but the real reason he died is because he is young and untrained.

Such is the case of Saul. Disobedience is visible reason he failed but the main reason he failed is because he wasn't trained and empowered in the field of obedience to God. He was an appointed king not a raised king. He wasn't capable of obeying God because he doesn't even know God personally nor understand Him. All these is because the true call of God was not on him. God didn't start his process, people of Israel did.

The Bible said that even though Jesus was a son, yet He learned obedience by the things he suffered(Hebrews 5:8 ). Obedience is learned through a process but Saul didn't go through it. He didn't suffer anything, so he didn't learn anything.

Jesus was on earth for 30 years just for a 3year ministry.

It took 15 years from when David was annointed to when he became a king. 15 years of constant battle!

Moses was in wilderness for 40 years before he returned to deliver Israel.

Saul came in through shortcut is bound to fail. I would have been surprised if he didn't.

King Saul was a Jew, he was raised to obey and keep the law. However truly he wasn't God's plan for Israel but the people's will. God never wanted them to have a king who will become like a god to them like the heathen do. God simply wanted to be their God, no distractions.
Saying God never anointed him is also incorrect.

So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? 1 Samuel 15:17

God checks the state of the heart of a man before using him. And all God needs to see is Humility.
This is what Samuel meant by "little in your own eyes."
Humility is so crucial to God because it is what makes one Meek, Repentant, Obedient and Dependent on God.
The Great Apostle Paul used to be Saul.
His name was changed to Paul as a testimony of access to God's Grace.
Paul in Latin means "Humble or Small."
Truly, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

King Saul would have been forgiven had he humbled himself and truly repented. That's the difference between him and King David.
But Pride/Ego/Self makes one seek the praise of men instead of obedience to God. It makes one covet the blessing (in his case, the throne) over the Blesser.
The throne was also a training ground for him, as it was even for David.

I'm not here to argue scriptures or prove I know anything.
This post was created out of a necessity. The burden of watching a generation so detached from God's heart is too heavy to bear.
If God's intent for Grace is what we have made out of it, should Paul have bothered suffering all he suffered for the Faith? Should he not just live a vain and selfish life of immorality like Grace abusers do?
If God's intent for Grace is what we have made it, suffer me this, why are the most corrupt/sinful people in the world Christians? Because of our erroneous understanding and application of Grace.

Grace is not a downgrade for sinfulness but an enablement for upgrade to an upward call of Christ-likeness.

If you don't share this burden, you should question your understanding of God's Will and His Kingdom.

shadeyinka:

I had divided the incidences into three groups
1. Where our will/Volition is involved
2. Where external but natural occurrence is involved
3. Where the will of a third party affects an individual

The Question is,
Are the occurrences all at the instance(will ) of God?
The second question was:
What then is God's will?

God's will is to give you the free will to choose Him over Sin out of Love. To choose Heaven over Hell. Why will he force you to heaven by believing in Christ? What if you changed your mind that you don't want heaven and you don't want to believe anymore? Is it still your free will?

shadeyinka:

I think you are hearing a different thing from what is being said.
1. We are saved by grace trough faith
(Not by works, so that no one should boast)
2. Our salvation isn't an after thought by God. Before the foundation of the world (the lamb of God had been prepared). Hence to whom God has FOREKNOWN, He PREDESTINED to conform to the image of His dear son
3. If a man claim BORN again and He is NOT a new CREATION, such was NEVER saved in the First Place.
4. Whoever is TRULY saved is given the Holy Spirit as a SEAL until the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit in a person Produces a FRUIT of Righteousness.
5. Of a person delights in SIN, such has never been Born Again. He is going to Hell irrespective of how convincing he is as a Christian.

Anyone who justifies SIN is a child of satan and is NEVER sealed nor redeemed by His Blood.


If there is anything you refute here, let me know

We're saying almost the same thing.
Your point is simply not all who call themselves Christians are truly born again, hence not all who think they're saved are saved.
Anyone who is truly born again, truly repentant is saved and can't lose His salvation. Right?

This too is contestable scripturally. One can truly repent from sin yet iniquity such as pride, mammon, sexual immorality, false revelations and false doctrines, even frustration can lead him to lose his belief and go astray.
That's why the scriptures exhorts us to flee from every appearance of evil-1 Thessalonians 5:22.
It's because we truly have to guard our salvation by putting on the full armour of faith. Ephesians 6:10-18

You do well coming in to Christ.
But since some person(s) helped to win your soul, have you likewise been sharing the gospel to win souls?
If you're grateful for your salvation and you're seeing results of God's workings in your life, should you not share this good news to others?

It becomes a challenge to win souls, if your soul is not truly saved. If you do not have the joy of salvation, how can you have good news to share?

But if, truly you have encountered the saving Grace of Christ, you have experienced the healing Power of God, you have been transformed from an Old nature into a New Creation, oh you can't sit still.
You will announce it on the roof tops if given the opportunity!

Salvation is personal and collective. Your personal Salvation is for the benefit of the World and the Saints.
Unbelievers need to hear your evangelism.
The Body of Christ needs to hear you prophesy the goodness, mercies and mysteries of Christ.

You are not saved to become a bench-warmer or a lone ranger. You're not saved to continue to do things your own way.
You're saved to save others.
You're saved to be discipled into Christ's nature and stature, being equipped under the Ministry gifts; Apostles, Pastors, Prophets, Evangelists and Teachers.
You're saved to walk in Liberty- Fearless and Limitless. Faithful in God's Power in you. Becoming more Loving and Meek. An expression and testimony of the glory of God, establishing God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

shadeyinka:

Sometimes overzealousness will make us negate the scriptures to our own peril.

The implication of what you just wrote is this
1. The sacrifice of Christ and his blood is powerless to save completely. Christians have to augment the work of Christ by works
2. We are saved by works through faith in Jesus Christ.

If anyone be in Christ, such has become a NEW creature (not a washed sinner but a sinner completely TRANSFORMED into a saint). If you find anyone who claims to be saved but enjoys SIN, such might NEVER have been saved in the first place.

You know what Jesus said, "By their Fruit, you shall know them"...does anyone reap mangoes from weed?

Yours is a doctrine of partial salvation!
You believe that Christ only saved us halfway! Is this the scripture?

You forget that God still leaves everyone with Free Will.
The Blood of Christ is able to save you completely but do you still love sin, do you still love the world? You will choose that which you love more, Christ or the World.

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:18-21

2.We are saved by Grace to do good works. Christ says that all over the scriptures even in his parting words to His disciples that we have greater works to do, that we should disciple nations! You clearly don't know the Power of the Holy Spirit in you. You think He's for healing your malaria and speaking in tongues only?
Hear what Apostles James says about Faith and Works. Even Paul says we have works to do in some of His epistles. You should be sensitive to the type of Gentiles Paul writes to lest you will never grow in Faith. Paul was addressing works of self righteousness such as circumcision.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
James 2:18-24

Yinyeon:


Romans 8:39, Ephesians 1:4, Philippians 1:6.
Read these up and try to get the correct interpretation or rather you listen to either Paul Washer, Voddie Baucham, John piper, John MacArthur on this topic and more.

I knew all you will bring are Apostle Paul's epistles.
I also have some for you from the same Paul, Apostle of Grace, your Jesus since you honour his teachings above Christ's and all the other Apostles and Prophets. And we can do this all day.
By the way, Paul exalts Jesus Christ and you simply read the idols of your heart into His epistles, thereby misinterpreting Him.

1Corinthians 5: 1-5
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!
And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13
I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.
Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?
But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

shadeyinka:

I guess some Christians don't know that God will judge us Christians according to our Faithfulness!

Some will build with Gold, Silver and precious stone while some Christians will build with grass and hay. Some peoples works would be burnt as by fire. Everyone will reap what he has sowed.

God is not mocked!

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-23

Yinyeon:
I believe once saved, always saved.
It's Biblically sound to do so.

Kindly share your scriptural reference ma.

shadeyinka:

Sometimes overzealousness will make us negate the scriptures to our own peril.

The implication of what you just wrote is this
1. The sacrifice of Christ and his blood is powerless to save completely. Christians have to augment the work of Christ by works
2. We are saved by works through faith in Jesus Christ.

If anyone be in Christ, such has become a NEW creature (not a washed sinner but a sinner completely TRANSFORMED into a saint). If you find anyone who claims to be saved but enjoys SIN, such might NEVER have been saved in the first place.

You know what Jesus said, "By their Fruit, you shall know them"...does anyone reap mangoes from weed?

Explain the fruits you see in Christians around you sir. Starting with yourself. Are you like Christ?
If you're not like Christ, you're a Tare disguising as Wheat.

By the way, I didn't make up what I wrote, they're all from the scriptures, I simply realised scriptures make little effect when people read their own interpretation into it.
Which is why the same Verse and Story is preached in diverse interpretations by different pastors and believers.
How come?
When we are supposed to have been baptised into the same Spirit and Faith. The Spirit is One, yet we have made it otherwise.

I pray for the Unity of Faith to be restored into the Body of Christ. Then we won't argue scriptures anymore.

AreaFada2:


A lot more could have been done. And can still be done. This is where the youth should focus. Not Afonja & Ipob name calling.
That depends from which perspective one sees it.
Compensation for loss of Igbo people's assets and bank accounts was grossly inadequate. Yes, money was initially tight after the war. But by 1972 oil was booming and by 1973 Gulf crises led to oil price hike. Money was flowing. Udoji award to workers could have been halved. The rest going into more compensation for Igbo people.

Despite the "No victor, no vanquished" declaration of Gowon, the body language and general language of FG showed otherwise.

It took Shagari govt, after 13 years exile to pardon Ojukwu. A major mistake.

There should have been a national conference on Biafra war much earlier. Where all parties can express their views freely. And to find lasting solutions to prevent such secession bids in the future.

Because FG failed to "own" the civil war narrative in a way acceptable to all, various groups now capitalise on that lingering sense of injustice, pain and perceived marginalization.

We cannot deny that some of those who have distinguished themselves the most doing national assignments are and were Igbo people. Like Jaja Wachuku, Jerome Udoji, Prof H. Nwosu of NECON/Electoral Commission, Dora Akinuli, Joy Ogwu, etc. So continued marginalisation is our collective loss.

Civil War Remembrance day would be about tribute to those who perished on both sides collectively? Why would that be a bad thing?
If we have not civilised to the point of doing so without causing problems, then we have a long way to go.

Well said.
Let's blame the body language on bad blood on both sides still healing. We're all humans and learning life as it happens.

But should an attempt to divide the nation be declared a public holiday? That's my concern. Perhaps as you said, it could be a tribute to honour the dead and a reminder of our strength as a unified entity with a better trust and equality.

I pray we get it right some day soon.
Our strength is actually truly in our diversity.

"Once saved, forever safe."
This is unscriptural.
Beware of Tares, false prophets and Grace abusers.
This has made Christians remain comfortable as lone-rangers, bench-warmers, onlookers, babes in the Faith and rebellious believers. Christians have become comfortable in sin and have become the ones establishing corruption and the kingdom of unrighteousness even worse than unbelievers.

Notable believers who lost their salvation;
King Saul in the Old Testament.
Judas Iscariot right under Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour Himself.
Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament struck dead by the Holy Spirit Himself.

We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are to guard our salvation with all diligence.

Christ never said we're saved for ever just for believing in him, for demons do too but are not saved. He said, if we love him, we should keep his commands. He said, if judgement comes, will He find Faith? He said people will stray away from the Faith, unbelief will spread even among believers who will fall for false prophets.
Even Apostle Paul never said Grace saves anyone for ever because even He said He was fighting the good fight of Faith, to take hold of eternal life.

The precious blood of Jesus saves all who believe in Christ from being unbelievers and from living a disconnected life from God. Truly Christ refers to unbelievers as the dead, because to be carnal is death.- 1st stage of Salvation.

Discipleship; Learning of Christ. Obedience and Faith in the Words of Christ keeps us Saved. We start growing in the Likeness of Christ, bearing His Fruit and His Nature. We start doing greater works like Christ did winning souls, healing the sick, casting out demons, finding our place in ministry and establishing God's Kingdom on earth etc- 2nd Stage of Salvation.

When we die or are raptured, would it meet us still faithful and doing the works of Christ, keeping our Faith even in the face of Death?- Final stage of Salvation.

Sure these are not transgender?
If they're legit, then we have ourselves a formidable team!

goodnessme1:
Can you tell us the commendable efforts that was made?
What happened to the 3Rs nigeria promise to biafrans(reconciliation,rehabilitation
and reconstruction)

was there any reconciliation?

Was there any rehabilitation?

Did they reconstruct anything in east?

Of course they did. Not to satisfaction but they actually did.
Reconciliation and Rehabilitation is why Igbo's are all over the country carrying out all their civic rights. Except Presidency, and truly that's because Igbo's carry an air of breaking the nation and re-establishing Biafra even at the slightest agitation.
Reconstruction is likewise there, but Igbo's won't be satisfied until they see ports. Which honestly govt is being wise about.
The level of abuse the import and export industry is experiencing (mostly by igbos businessmen) even when it's not in the East is a premonition to the decadence inherent if constructed there.

AreaFada2:

As for pride and Igbo, I partly disagree. It takes a great deal of resilience and self belief to come out of the crushing defeat of Biafra war stronger. It wasn't easy.

Also the republican and relatively individualistic nature of Igbo means they can be rightly proud of personal achievements.

Not addressing the War properly has left unhealed wounds and stifled reconciliation.

It might seem like we have moved on. But we have not. We just suppressed it. What we see now is like PTSD from that war. Affecting us nationally.

I am not Igbo by the way.

Yea. I that has not been properly handled. I read govt actually made some commendable efforts at damage control to unify us again. But what do you suppose govt does?
Honouring it with a Biafra public holiday might actually do more harm than good. Don't you think?

MorufuAtanda:
Na normal thing for Ibo to lead... that's why we should elect them President just as the Italians, British, Polish, Americans are electing them to lead as politicians in those advanced countries.

True, I have always said Igbo's are supposed to be a blessing to Nigeria but for their sense of superiority complex which makes them proud to other tribes.
God blessed Igbo's with Diligence but the devil corrupted it with Pride.

However, not all Igbo's are proud. I have some pretty down to earth ones but their consensus as a tribe exhibits pride.

To balance this stereotype;
Yoruba's are blessed with Humility but no brotherly love. Most Yoruba's die from family feuds.
Hausa's are blessed with Brotherly love but wrong religious choice.

So, we actually are a balanced nation if we start learning from our cultural strengths and correcting our weaknesses.

This is only possible by the Grace of God and Humility of all.

Jayslicky:
Being a wife material is beyond cooking and slicing of okro, for her to be a wife material does she have the listed qualities.
1. Uncoditional love: in a marriage a man wants to be liked, loved and appreciated, just like a woman does, a wife should give unconditional love to her husband physically and emotionally.
2. Honour/dignity: she should be able not to talk negative things about her husband to her family, friends or relatives. She should also be able to avoid fighting her husband or critizing him in front of others.
3. Availability: can she be always available for her husband's company, be there for him when he wants to talk to her. Listen to him and advice him.
4. Respect: can she value her husband opinion and respect his person.
5. Faithfulness: can she remain loyal and comitted to her husband, no matter what, through the good and bad times.
6. Responsibility: can she be responsible in running the household, managing finances and taking of the children.

7. Is she God-fearing, prayerful and able to give good counsel?
8. Does she sexually delight her husband?

When you're trigger-able, you're an easy target.
Self control is the ability to ignore.
Wisdom is truly profitable to direct.

Don't be quick to judge them. You're question is how trigger-happy are you too to offend others?
And how trigger-able are you?

Learn Self Control.

This is very comprehensive and comprehensible.
More Grace to you, brother.

victor8269:

Oga, speak for yourself. Wait a minute, you added ur comment after advising our youth. Now, let me ask you, "You and the youth, Na who worst?". Programmer

read what i wrote again and imagine your sister is the woman i'm speaking about.
Don't be among those who objectify people. If all you want to see in a wife is sex, then I apologize for my interference.

LuciferKoran:

Why did she have to lie about herself?
If she can lie about something as stupid as her ass just for marriage then she can lie about the paternity of his kids.



By the way, if he married her for ass is it bad?
Don't people marry for money & position too?

I actually advise people to marry based on sexual attraction because when boredom sets into your marriage that's the end.

Forget all that "intelligence, hardworking, good cook, wife material" BS they tell you to sound moral.

When making the decision on who to marry whether for male or female, the only question should be;
Can I still be fvcking this person in 10 years' time?

If your answer is Yes, ride on.
If it is No, run away.

Sex is the foundation of any marriage.



*spits

How this got so many likes is a clear indication of the precarious state of our youth.
You actually believe sex has longevity? Apparently you've not experienced life. Life can hit you that sex becomes a turn off for you. Let's not even go as far as STIs.
Marrying a woman simply for sex or her physical attributes is not only shallow but shows the person lacks understanding.
A woman is supposed to complement you and be your best friend. A woman would help drive and achieve your dreams and visions.
Men who objectify women simply prove they're cerebrally juvenile.

About the marriage in question. It was clearly built on lies. Who am I to judge his decision? However, he needs to reprogram his mindset about women if all he sees is her physical attributes.

HenryDion:


From the above assertion, it is glaring that you were never an atheist and that means, I've got no reason to waste further time with you. Thank you.

I wish you didn't.
But the choice is yours and I respect that.
Thanks for your time.

HenryDion:


You ended up not answering my question despite writing an epistle.. What a shame! Atheism is just another way of asking for proof. Is that too hard?

Atheism isn't a badge, it is merely a stance where proof is asked for. Unfortunately, you have none judging by how my question was dodged.

Funny lol

Forget i brought up being an atheist, for the sake of not diverting the topic, i agree I was never an atheist, i was just an unbeliever.
Now what intrigued me was your comment about having read the bible. And how you concluded reading the whole bible makes one see its fallacies.
Truly, no one can understanding of the bible except by the Spirit.
It is a spiritual book, not a text book.

HenryDion:


Do you know what an insult is? I'm exploring the loopholes in your so called truth and you are crying 'insult'

I'm very objective here.

Stop being emotional please.

Lol you amuse me.
Your objectivity certainly lacks manners but what would an atheist know about such.

HenryDion:


You were never an atheist. Take it or leave it!

Let's stop chest beating about who drew breath much longer before the other got converted.

What made you an atheist, and what made you to have a rethink?

You find the word Atheist so prideful.
Like a badge of honor of sorts.

Lol I've been there. You called me ignorant, yet it is I who knows both the sensual (physically perceived) and spiritual. While all you seem to know and acknowledge is sensual.
I do understand your plight.
One day, hopefully soon, you won't be able to remain in denial of your blatant truth. That you need help.

HenryDion:


You never became an atheist to begin with. You were confused and disoriented. If you know what atheism is, you wont be spewing this.



argumentum ad populism

The fallacious argument that concludes that a proposition must be true because many or most people believe it.

I don't need to further finger your ignorance.

Hurling insults at me doesn't make me look bad. On the contrary, guess who looks bad?
Let Tonto Dikeh be a clear example to you.

Maturity is the ability to hold an argument without resorting to cheap invectives.

That said, whenever you're ready, I would like to engage in a decent conversation with you.

HenryDion:


The truth is what made me an atheist. I read the Bible like no Christian has ever done. If you know the Bible so well, you won't be a xtain.

The truth is what you have said. I also read the bible and questioned everything. Cos it seemed the God of old testament was a different God from the New testament, among other contradictions. It eventually made me an atheist. But for Grace.

The ultimate truth is best explained in John 5;39-40

Christ was addressing the well-read Jews, who had read the old testament very well yet did not accept nor believe him, just like you. He said to them,
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.
But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."

It is a very humbling verse, i wish you would read the entire chapter to get the whole message.
Basically, reading the whole bible is not synonymous to knowing the Truth. There's an understanding and experiential gap that only the Holy Spirit can fill.
Stop trying to understand spiritual truth by your sensual capacity. I learnt this by Grace.
If all nations of the world can attest to the existence of a God and spiritual realities, it is a subtle intellectual pride that makes one believe that others are wrong while he and a few echelon of intellectuals are right, especially when every thing around you points to a super intelligent design that you just don't want to attribute to a God.
Your puzzle should be knowing which gods or God is true.

I hope you find some reason in what i have said.

ZWorld:
Here is a hilarious video of a Nigerian mum ranting after her ex-boyfriend demanded she cooks him fresh food and wear long hair.

A twitter user who shared the clip of how her mom reacted after her ex made such ambiguous demands, got people talking.

In the viral video on social media, the ex-boyfriend during a face time with the girl's mom, demanded she cooks soup for him with fresh fish with reasons that he's still single and very famished.

Below are the screenshots;

Watch the video
https://zenithnaija.com/nigerian-mom-rants-after-her-ex-boyfriend-demanded-she-cooks-for-him/

Is this what our generation has turned parenting into?
Children who should look up to their parents now mock them publicly?
Won't the ripple effect be extended to the grandchildren?

Where did we get it wrong?
Was it travelling abroad?
Was it pursuit of education or wealth?
Was it abandoning some of our esteemable culture?
Or was it miscommunication of Faith?

I pray we come to our senses and exchange the rebrobate minds back to where they belong- the animals. God help our generation.

Good development.
That a 15 year old chose to stand for her faith by not denying Christ at the expense of her freedom and comfort still amazes me. A brilliant girl with a bright future.
I know God will see her through and I pray that through her God is glorified even in saving souls among the terrorists.

omojeesu:
The pre-tribulation rapture teaching has been propagated for almost 2 centuries in mainstream Christiandom. It simply says: Before antichrist emerges on the world scene the blessed hope, the rapture of God's people would have taken place. Backsilden Christians will be left behind to face the antichrist in the Great Tribulation. But this is contrary to the Bible for the following reasons:

1) Antichrist is automatically anti- CHRISTIAN. He can't touch / hit at Christ DIRECTLY except through His own.
2) Our gathering will be 'after the tribulations of those days' - Matthew 24:29-31.
3) See also 2Thessalonians 2:1-3.
4) The Bible generally reserves the word 'tribulation' to describe the suffering of God's people in Satan's hands at least 22 out of 24 times that the word appears in KJV. While 'wrath' is generally used to describe God's punishment of sinners.
5) The tribulation is not the wrath of God but the suffering of God's people under antichrist.
6) The 666 mark targets believers to make them unrapturable, his last joker. Non-believers already belong to Satan - mark or no mark. At death they go to hell - mark or no mark.

The Church must get ready for the worst. The antichrist will appear before the Christ does to deceive, even the very elect if care is not taken.

Arise and be like the Berean Christians who went back to search the scripture though Paul was the one who taught them.

I believe the suffering of Christians has been happening for quite some time now.
It is however very subtle. The battle is in the mind (our souls)

omojeesu:
HOW TO WIN SOULS FOR JESUS
Are you a Christian? A Christian indeed according to / as defined by the Bible? Are you a child of God? Are you ‘born again’, ‘born of God’, ‘born of the Spirit’? If so, you should know that you are still alive to do the will of God on earth and winning souls for Jesus is a major part of this will of God. If you desire to do this then take the following actions:
1. Tell God that you are willing to do His will.
2. Pray that
a. God will help you to do His will.
b. God will fill your heart with love for the perishing.
c. God will give you the boldness to share the gospel with others.
d. God will create opportunities to share the gospel and He will help you to recognize these opportunities and to seize them.
e. He will give you the grace to speak the word as you ought to
f. He will grant hearing and understanding to the hearers
g. He will cause the Holy Spirit to convict them and move them to repent of their sins and surrender their lives to God.
3. Then arise, look for souls, watch out for opportunities and share the gospel. One way is to do this is suggested below:
11 THINGS GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW
1. That He loves you. He loves you very much!
2. Because He loves you, you are always on His mind. He is always thinking about you.
3. He wants you to be close to Him.
4. He wants the two of you to be talking with each other regularly.
5. He wants to share many things with you.
6. But, unfortunately, we are far from him because of our sins and sin kills!
7. But He does not want us to die in our sins because if we do we will forever be separated from Him!
8. He has, however, made it possible for us to come to Him by removing our sins which has separated us from Him since we were conceived in the womb!
9. He made this possible by getting Jesus to come and shed His blood for us to remove our sins.
10. If you believe that Jesus did this for you and you repent of your sins before you die and ask Jesus to come into your life, then you will be saved and you will not be separated from Him forever when you die. Instead you will be with Him in heaven forever!
11. He will then give you the Holy Spirit who will start to help you to live a life that brings joy to you and God.
To ‘own’ this work, search for relevant scriptures to use.
That partly shows how serious you are about the matter of soul winning.[color=#000099][/color]

I am richly blessed by this.
Thanks for sharing.
Grace and Peace multiplied in you and through to you into nations.