“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing [at the Rapture of the Church]” (2 Timothy 4:8: NKJV my emphasis). 

The crown of righteousness is laid up for those who love the Lord’s appearing at the Rapture of the Church––“on that Day.”

What Must Happen Before we Love the Lord’s Appearing?

The question is: what must take place before we will love His appearing? I began to learn this lesson when I was a young mother with two small children.

This writing today is at my 50th wedding anniversary, jubilee year when we have ten grandchildren. We are looking forward to our trip to Israel to celebrate. For the last twenty-five years, I have been sharing two vision events of the Rapture and end time signs in every way possible.

Here is the story of my first early lesson:

It was no different than when President Kennedy was shot or when 9/11 hit. I knew exactly where I was and what I was doing when the realization came to me of what Jesus’ blood did for me. I was folding laundry, listening to a spiritual cassette tape when the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the words “in the name of Jesus.”

It happened during the same time span when I was seeking to find the Something More I knew I was missing. It seemed to me every prayer I prayed hit the ceiling and came back down. My thoughts were: Why would God give me the time of day when there are so many other people who deserve His attention more than I do?

Then, the man on the tape mentioned that Jesus, standing at the right hand of the Father, intercedes for us, and “that’s why we pray, ‘In the name of Jesus.’”

I had always learned to end a prayer with the words, “In the name of Jesus,” but until then, the full impact of what they meant had not gone from my head to my heart. However, now, in my mind’s eye, I could see a red umbrella covering me so that when God looked down upon me, He saw Jesus’ red blood, not me. Until then, what I saw was the underneath side of the umbrella smeared with my own unworthiness.

The words no good in me came to mind. I looked them up to see if they were in the Bible. Sure enough, there they were, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (Romans 7:18).

I realized I’d been trying to feel worthy on my own when Jesus had already made me worthy—justified. God actually did hear my prayers because of Jesus; He is the only good in me.

God actually did see Jesus when He looked at me. He saw perfection. What awesome thoughts! I just had to believe them in order to walk in the knowledge (receive) of what His blood had done for me.

How I’d limited God’s power and ability! I also began to realize that growing as a Christian was learning and relearning and comprehending the awesome dimensions of what Jesus did for me at the very moment that He came into my heart many years ago.

Crown of Righteousness Revelation: What Is It All About?

This year the Lord made it clear to me to write about the five eternal crown rewards we will receive in Heaven once our assignment on Earth is done. The crown of righteousness is number four. All five crowns can be found with their links and a free summary and easy fill-in-the-blank, one-page, Scripture reference>>HERE

For God to release me to write about the crowns has been very significant to me because the name of my ministry is CROWN: Calling Real Ordinary [Wo]men Now, (or CROWN Connections for short). I inherited this name from three friends who took this name with them to a South African women’s retreat over ten years ago. Today’s post is even more meaningful to me because it is my story.

My story started with feeling unworthy of God’s love, not feeling His love for me, although I was a Christian from age eight. My self-esteem was nil; I never read my Bible or wanted to; never learned that I needed to, and God knew it. He intervened this day as I was seeking to know about the Holy Spirit––the only God on this earth––who I’d heard could open my eyes to who Jesus was and is and would give me the power needed to live the Christian life.

What I learned was more than I ever thought possible––that when God looked at me, He saw Jesus. He saw perfection! He saw the blood. How? Because of what the atonement meant; because of Jesus’ blood which covers us and fills us when we accept Him as our Savior and Lord.

I’ve explained all this in detail in chapters 4 and 5, Jehovah Tsidkenu [The Lord Our Righteousness], in my workbook of four parts, GOD Who Are You? AND Who Am I? which also comes in four eBooks. The first eBook of four is Part 1: LEAVING BONDAGE.

That’s it. I didn’t even know I was in bondage until I learned what Jesus’ blood did for me. It’s so important that I’ve made this first eBook FREE for you. >>FREE BOOK

Why is it so Important to Understand What Righteousness Has to Do with the Rapture of the Church?

Allow me to share another story about how important understanding righteousness is. I kept noticing a friend would go to the altar every Sunday. Feeling I should invite her to my house to go through my Bible study workbook, she came. After we finished chapters 4 and 5 on the Jehovah Tsidkenu – Lord Our Righteousness, I could see that the light bulb had not come on for her. Like me, she had gone to church all her life and been a Christian many years.

I finally asked her, “Do you feel God’s love for you?” She immediately said, “NO!”

I immediately went to get a book from my shelf and showed her a diagram of the blood atonement from the book Angels on Assignment by Charles and Frances Hunter as told by Roland Buck. [Click this book title for more of my story behind the diagram and Pastor Buck’s visit from Gabriel – if you are able to receive that!]

The minute she looked at it she said, “Now I get it! I see it!”

There is power in the blood! Today, she is sharing her faith, mentoring other people and looking forward to the day of the Lord’s appearing when she will see Jesus face to face.

I’ve shared for you a reconstructed diagram of the blood atonement image that I showed my friend: >>HERE

What is the Crown of Righteousness?

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing [at the Rapture of the Church]” (2 Timothy 4:8: NKJV emphasis mine). 

AGAIN, UNDERSTAND THIS: We cannot love the Lord’s appearing at the Rapture of the Church until we know and understand what it means to be made righteous. That means how we are made right IN HIM and HE IN US. And, it is laid up only for those who love His appearing. Very plainly, that is what the crown is all about.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV). We are acquitted by the righteous Judge. We are removed from Satan’s grasp and our sins remitted once and for all time.

Dreams and Visions of the Night

The images were in vivid technicolor and pressed indelibly into my mind. Although the whole dream probably only lasted less than two minutes in length, the message was emotionally disturbing, and I abruptly awoke from it with tears streaming down my face.

The Rapture was taking place, and some people, who had been walking around, perhaps in a big city, suddenly began rising straight up in the air toward the brilliantly lighted, open sky. As they were ascending, some were going quickly. But to my surprise, many were rising slowly.

As I looked closer, these people held their arms straight out from their sides. In each hand, they tightly grasped either a large bag or suitcase. As others were swiftly passing them, although they were looking straight up to the heavens, these people began to drift slowly back down to earth, obviously weighted and pulled by the objects they held onto.

Some seemed to come to their senses and opened their hands, the bags falling quickly by gravity. At the same time, the release allowed them to shoot freely upward. But many others, tightly holding on to their possessions, came all the way back down to the ground, and walked slowly away amidst the crowd, their eyes cast down and their countenance low and dejected. The sky closed back up and it was over.

We are unable to love God until we know and understand how much He loves us. Until then, we do carry excess baggage from hurts, disappointments, rejection, and life in general. Other things that can weigh us down are gods, things of this world, we place above love for God.

What is the greatest commandment? “Jesus said to him [a lawyer], ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment’” (Matthew 22:37 NKJV).

Those who HAD loved His appearing in Barb’s dream had no trouble seeing Jesus face to face and receiving their crowns of righteousness at the Rapture––because they were READY.

“While they [five of the ten virgins] were going away to buy [oil for their lamps] the bridegroom [Jesus] came, and those who were PREPARED went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10 emphasis mine).

When Does the Day of the Lord Begin?

Let’s go to the Bible to find out when the Rapture of the Church will happen – which will usher in the Tribulation (2 Timothy 3:1-5) :

“But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].

For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.

[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.

For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 Amplified).

“In the last days,” does any of this sound familiar?

Let’s read on:

“They have depraved and distorted minds and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned. But they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody . . . .” (2 Timothy 3:8-9 Amplified).

What Happens Right Before the Rapture of the Church?

A few years ago, the Lord opened a door for me to share my two stories of the Rapture of the Church: one a super, natural event in 1994, the second an open vision in 1995. I had the freedom to share the details to a small room full of pastors. Afterward, one came up to me and said, “When you share this, do it exactly as you have done it today.”

I knew what he meant: to take time to share the details––with my own questions and subsequent events. Why? Because both have a deep meaning that even today, I’m still learning more of what God is teaching from them.

Finally, God gave me this platform on my blog site in 2017 to do videos with the written word as well – with all the details so you can make your own conclusions.

VIDEO and text 1 OF 2: THE RAPTURE AND TEAMWORK

In 1994 my husband was teaching in his business and industry class on teamwork. Since I was in business, he thought I should take his class which I did. This is what happened shortly afterward. [Click heading for video and text describing the Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing aspects of the Body of Christ–if it’s not removed.]

VIDEO and text 2 OF 2; THE RAPTURE AND THE BODY OF CHRIST

In 1995 I saw this happen as I was driving from Oklahoma City home to Arkansas City, Kansas, during wheat harvest. [The text of this one gives more of the after story also. Click heading for video and text.]

Both Vision Events are Partially Fulfilled

Another reason for this blog site is to share the afterward story of their partial fulfillment. Things keep on happening. For instance, in March 2016 I went on a mission trip to India. Another series of events too much to share here showed THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH AND TEAMWORK happening in the body of Christ with that trip.

That story is in the book, 8 Hours in India: The Tipping Point of the Church Has Arrived, that I compiled with our team of seven. We’ve made this watchman-journal book as a fundraiser for others to use to raise money for mission trips, etc.

This book also captures more of the meaning of the second vision that was not yet revealed and recorded in my main workbook, GOD Who Are You? AND Who Am I? Knowing and Experiencing God by His Hebrew Names. It also has more Rapture stories from people I’ve met along the way.

Another 2016 Partial Fulfillment of the Vision

On voting day, November 8, 2016, this is what I wrote in my watchman journal, 8 Hours in India: “This morning as I sat down to read my Bible, I heard in my heart, ‘this is your vision.’ I knew instinctively that today – the whole body of Christ would turn right, and Donald John Trump would be elected our new president. And he was, by a landslide. It was so wonderful. Thank you, Jesus!”

What About the Last Half of the Visions?

When the last half of the two events are fulfilled at the Rapture of the Church, I won’t be here to report it. Will you? I hope not.

What I do know is that we are running now…and time is short!

Please take this seriously! We are at the consummation of all things and past the tipping point when things happen very quickly! You have been warned!

When we have this all settled in our hearts and minds, we will love Jesus like never before and we will be able to let the things of this world take their rightful insignificant place and be longing (and yearning) for His appearing.

We will also not be willing that any should perish but all to come to the knowledge and saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rapture of the Church Scriptures:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17 NKJV).

“Therefore, you also be READY, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40 NKJV).

As in the days of Noah, “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:40-2 NKJV).

“Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV)

“Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10 NKJV).

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed––in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NKJV).

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV).

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him, If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself “(2 Timothy 2:11-13 NKJV)

Remember, sharing is caring?

Do you have stories to share like my friend Barb? Please take the time to share them with us and the world. Thank you!

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