“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation..."

(Revelation 7.14b)

The Church of Jesus Christ is always hope. It lives in the present, but its eyes are on the future. Without the Christian hope, what would we do in the emptiness of the relativism, consumerism, hypocrisy and the institutionalized irony that dominates human life?

The Rapture of the Church, the "taking" or the "abduction" are biblical issues taught in His Word. The Rapture brings intriguing questions to the intellect, whose answers are responsibility of theology. To the mysteries of the Revelation, faith responds with the heart! Faith sees the invisible! "Without faith it is impossible to please God"; are pillars of genuine Christianity.

With a prophetic and symbolic sense, the Rapture starts by presenting a type, in the Old Testament. And there's a holy man as an example. "He walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:24). Amid the perdition of his time and the bitterness of living there, the Lord had someone who belonged to Him. And at the right time He would take him. Enoch was his name.

The Lord, who had dealt with Moses face to face, indicated the place where his body would rest... Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died... yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone... and to this day, no one knows the place of his sepulcher! (Deuteronomy 34.5-7).

Elias knew he would be "taken" (2 Kings 2.9). The despair of Elisha, who also knew it, was the fear of passing this time without him noticing.

This show of the Prophet's life, of the two Prophets, needed to be recorded in the retina, in the mind and heart of them. They knew the fact, but not the time!

Sometimes I wonder: Does the Modern Church knows about this fact? Are Christians aware of this "rapture"? Or they have it just as a fiction, as another fanciful story of the ancient preachers?

Even the prophets of other "schools" knew and believed: "Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today? (2 Kings 2.5). My God, sometimes I think that the Church no longer knows, nor believes in it!

In that same day, Elijah went up in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2.11). Chariots of fire and their horsemen took him forever!

The Apostle John, in the Isle of Patmos, has the definitive answer: “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

I answered: “Sir, you know.”

And he said: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7.14-15)

The Rapture is the Hope and comfort of the Church. It's the consolation to every Christian who seeks to be faithful to His Lord and awaits him with anxiety.

The next ravishing, intriguing and inexplicable impact, is already marked on God's calendar.

How the world will act?

Be ready. Take possession of this Promise.

May God bless you.                                                                                        

Pastor Reuel Pereira Feitosa

Translation: Caroline Figueiró da Fonseca

                PENIEL GLOBAL MISSIONS

              INDIA ASKS FOR PRAYERS

              "I ask that you please pray for our Church in Thengumputhoor. This Church was founded about seven years ago, but now some people have started to persecute us, creating problems. They don't want the Church working in that village. We couldn't meet for Sunday Worship on the past two weeks. This week, some people put up posters and flyers in the village. They were saying to arrest the pastor and the owner of the house, where the Church meets. We need the support of the authorities and also the people. I believe that God has a bigger plan for us in that village. We have a small piece of land to the Church there. We need to get permission to start building a temple to the Church. Please pray for that and also for the protection of our Pastor and brethren.

Last week, our mission coordinator in Orissa told us that the brethren of the Church in Jeera had found a small piece of land. Let us pray that the Church be able buy it and build their temple there.

On December 23rd, we held a Christmas Worship in the city. Approximately 100 people, of which half of them were non-believers, attended the Cult. Three of them came to the Church on Sunday. Two people were baptized in our Orphanage. Praise the Lord! WE WISH YOU ALL A BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS 2013. "              

Missionary Tom Oothuppan and family

Trivandrum, India. By e-mail. December 31, 2012.

PASTOR ADÃO TEIXEIRA IN CRUZ ALTA, RS

Pastor Adão Teixeira has already been sworn in Pastor of Peniel Church, in Cruz Alta, at the Headquarters in Belo Horizonte last Sunday, January 6th, 2013. The Pastors João Lázaro, Armando Maciel and Eduardo Bombacini, as members of the Ministry, will introduce him and give him possession in the Local Church. May the Lord of Glory bless them all. Pastor Adão is accompanied by his son Rafael. His wife, Mara, is going to Cruz Alta by the end of this month. Let us pray for the Church and its new pastor.

PASTOR RENÊ PEREIRA FEITOSA

After a period of hospitalization, in very delicate condition, Pastor Renê overcame the trial once again. Since Thursday he's in his residence, under intensive medical care and affection of his family. His general condition is much better now, but still inspires much care. Pastor Reuel returned from Campo Grande, MS, on Wednesday this week. Pastor Renê, always surprising!

The blue tent!

On that day, five adults and a child were converted. And someone replied:  - Five and a half people. Then another answered: - No, there were five half people who were converted and an entire lifetime that surrendered itself to Christ.

This bizarre conversation took place in Colorillo, close to Warnes, between Montero and Santa Cruz de La Sierra. Our Missionary Anita (Ana Semprominiana) has started a wonderful work with the children. Then she received a land as an offer. But the Church still had no place to meet.

The place is very poor. And there were already seventy children in the Cults!

Then, someone donated a small blue tent! It is spacious, rounded and long, through where the wind passes!

It's our latest mission base, in the countryside of Bolivia!

Let us pray for Peniel of the Blue Tent and also for the seventy children, our missionary Anita and Abismael, our trainee! God is wonderful, isn't He?

Portugal, a big challenge.

The country is facing a big economic crisis, which currently shakes the European continent. The Lord's Church, especially its members, faces this great trial. Many Brazilians have returned to Brazil, but the Work continues.

In the past weeks, a Portuguese family converted to Christ. They continue firm in the Lord, actively participating in the Cults and Biblical Studies.

Let us pray for our Missionary Natália. With all the struggle, and at this time of intense cold, her work continues. May the Lord of Glory grant her renewed strength and the enthusiasm of the Holy Spirit.

"Out of the Holy Spirit's model there is no God's Work... The human Work has the same size of the man who does it; but God's Work, has His dimensions... Working for God is not enough. It's essential that we follow His model."

    Pastor Reuel Feitosa in “Marcado Pelo Sangue”, pages 22-23.

ACCESS:

                www.ministeriopeniel.com.br

Worship Services on Sunday mornings at 10 am (Brasília time).