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April 20, 2024

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist and Life Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Saturday, April 20, 2024, and this is episode #10 in Season 2024. This episode is titled “The Scoffers Are Coming!”

In 2 Peter 3: 3, the Bible predicts the following: “In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.” The same prediction is repeated in the Book of Jude 1: 18: “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”

So, what is a scoffer? A scoffer is a person who scoffs. And what does it mean to scoff?

According to Merriam-Webster, to scoff means “to show contempt by derisive acts or language.” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language states that to scoff means “to show or express derision or scorn.”

So, a scoffer is a person who shows contempt toward another person or belief by expressing ridicule and scorn against that person or belief. Another word for scoffer is mocker. In short, a scoffer or a mocker makes fun of a person or a belief with which he doesn’t agree.

The Book of Proverbs describes a scoffer like this: “’Scoffer’ is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.” (Proverbs 21: 24) So a scoffer is also arrogant and filled with pride.

When the Bible speaks of scoffers, it is referring to people who make fun of the Bible and anything related to God. More specifically, in our day, the term scoffer refers to someone who makes fun of the Bible’s teaching about the Rapture.

In case you are not familiar with the term Rapture, it refers to an imminent, stunning, and catastrophic event during which Jesus Christ Himself will appear in the clouds to call up from the earth those who are His true followers. First Thessalonians 4: 16-17 describes the Rapture like this:

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.”

There are many signs today that the Rapture is imminent. Although we do not know the exact date, we do see very clear indications that the Rapture will occur very soon, perhaps even this year.

Yet, there are many who are making fun of this Biblical prediction. In fact, as I read in our opening Bible verses, the Bible even predicted that there would be people in the last days who would make fun of those of us who believe and proclaim that the Rapture will occur.

But God says to the scoffers, “Be forewarned! You will be punished unless you repent of your scoffing.”

In Acts 13: 41 NLT, God is speaking through the Apostle Paul:
“‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”

The Bible uses the word “perish” in this verse. That means “die.” God is warning scoffers that if they do not repent, they will die. In other words, they will be condemned to Hell.

The Apostle Peter wrote this in 2 Peter 3: 3-4 NLT:
“Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.'”

We are seeing Peter’s words coming to pass right now in our very day. I personally have had people laugh and say to me, “What do you mean Jesus is coming again? You Christians have been saying that for years, yet nothing has changed.”

Such people are scoffers.

It is a very dangerous thing to make fun of the things of God, and those who do will not go unpunished. Isaiah the Prophet wrote this warning to scoffers: “For the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, has plainly said that He is determined to crush the whole land. So scoff no more, or your punishment will be even greater.”

There is destruction decreed against the world, including America, if we do not repent. According to God, scoffers will be more severely punished because of their scoffing.

Be assured of this, my friend: what God has said in the Bible will come to pass. No one can keep it from happening. A person can scoff all he wants, but one day, in the not-too-distant future, that scoffing will turn to weeping as the scoffer experiences the wrath of the God Whom He has scoffed.

If you have been a scoffer, I urge you now to repent and turn to God. Ask Him to forgive you. He will. He did not create you to scoff. He created you to believe in Him and to live a joyful, peaceful life.

He who scoffs hurts himself. He destroys his own soul. And he dishonors the very Lord Who paid the price for his sin by dying on the Cross. Scoffing is no way to treat God or any of His children.

If you have been guilty of scoffing, stop now. Turn to Jesus in repentance, and ask Him to forgive you and save you. He will.

Pray this simple prayer with me now:

Lord Jesus, I come to You in my sin, acknowledging that I have ridiculed You and those who follow You. I have made fun of the Bible, especially its prediction about the Rapture. Forgive me, Lord. I repent of my sin and turn to You for Your mercy and grace. I receive You as my Savior and Lord. Make me a new creation. I pray in Your Name. Amen.

If you sincerely prayed this prayer, you are now a born-again child of God. Welcome to the family of God! Write down today’s date. It is your spiritual birthday. Then write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I would like to send you a free PDF booklet titled After You’re Born Again to help you grow in your walk with Christ.

Also, please check out my featured books below, The Iron Saint: Preparing the Church for Persecution and Breaking the Mind Barrier: How to Think Like a Winner.

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are and that He will help you to keep on winning with the Word.

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The Iron Saint: Preparing the Church for Persecution
by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

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Breaking the Mind Barrier: How to Think Like a Winner
by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Dr. MaryAnn Diorio is an award-winning novelist, certified life and health coach, and a licensed minister. She writes award-winning fiction from a small town in New Jersey where neighbors still stop to chat while walking their dogs, families and friends still gather on wide, wrap-around porches, and the charming downtown still finds kids licking lollipops and old married folks holding hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn loves Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore. You may learn more about her at her two websites:
maryanndiorio.com
https://www.celebrationlifeandhealthcoaching.com