“Hey Sonny,  guess what! The circus is coming to town tomorrow night and it’s going to be right at the end of our new street!” Shrieked Declan. “There’s the sign. You can see it right here from the living room window. They call it, “The Fishermen Brothers’ Circus!” He said, as he pointed to the sign across the street.

“Wow! How great is that? We get to live in a great new house AND we get to go to the circus too! Awesome!” Sonny screeched, as Declan ran back to his room to finish pulling all of his toys out of the big box that he packed, with his big brother’s help.

“Mom and dad said we can go tomorrow night,” Sonny informed his little brother, as he passed by his room a few minutes later. “I just talked to them.”

“Cool!” Shouted Declan, as he pretended his toy plane could really fly. ‘I packed my toys in the biggest box of all those boxes mom and dad packed to move here! And boy am I glad, especially now with the circus coming right down the street,’ he thought, as he stayed kneeling in front of his treasures.

Declan could barely sleep that night. Then, just before they left for the circus, he asked his mother, “Why aren’t you and dad coming?”

“Because Sonny is a responsible young man now and daddy and I trust him to look after you while we stay here and finish setting up house. So you go ahead without us. Listen to Sonny and have a great time at the fair!”

“You mean circus!” Declan replied.

“Oh yes, the circus. Silly me!” His mother said with a big smile, as she turned back to finish nailing her favorite picture of the ocean over the big living room sofa.

On the way, Declan could not seem to keep from tugging on Sonny’s arm to walk faster. Then when they got there, he could hardly take in all the sights and sounds. “This is the biggest circus tent I ever saw! Look at the clowns over there by the stage curtain!” He exclaimed.

“Looks like they’re as excited as you are!” Sonny replied, with his biggest smile.

Later that night, as he sat with his family around the dinner table, Declan described every detail to his parents, his face aglow with excitement.

“Every act was terrific, but the best act of them all was the clowns!”

“Why because they made you laugh?” Asked his dad.

“Oh yeah, he laughed so much I thought he was going to end up crying,” remarked Sonny, trying to downplay his own excitement.

“Thank you Sonny for taking Declan. Dad and I are so glad he enjoyed it so much and it really helped us to begin getting things in order around here.”

“NO prob Mom. I’ll be happy to take him every night the circus is here. I had fun too,” he replied.

So Declan and Sonny walked down their street every night to sit in the stands. And every night they laughed a little harder than the night before.

“Well there are only 3 nights left at the circus,” Sonny told Declan one morning. “Do you think we should go?”

“You know it brother,” he replied, as he ran off to his room and shouted, “Thank you Sonny!”

Those last 3 nights the circus stands were packed tighter than ever.

“I guess we’ll have to sit way in the back tonight,” said Sonny.

“That’s okay. We’re right next to where the clowns enter the stage!” Declan replied.

“I think we got here earlier than usual and it’s a good thing too or we might not have gotten a seat at all!” Sonny exclaimed, right before the Ring Master entered the center circle and greeted the crowd.

“It’s going to start any minute now!” Declan screeched.

Just then, he noticed the clowns coming toward him, and he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Hi,” he shouted, with his knees knocking happily. “I’m Declan and this is my big brother Sonny. We’ve been here every night and you clowns are the funniest I’ve ever seen!”

“Thank you,” all 5 of them said together. “Enjoy the show!”

“They spoke to us!” Declan exclaimed, as he stared in disbelief.

Then after the show, as they slowly made their way out of the tent, Declan looked to his right and saw that the clowns were headed their way. ‘Wow they talked to me and Sonny before their act and now we have a chance to talk to them again!’ he thought. He grabbed Sonny’s shirt and begged, “Let’s go talk to them again. The clowns are heading our way!”

“No Declan. We can’t. It's getting late. Come on now,” Sonny replied, as he grabbed his hand.

Then, after the show the second to last night, Declan saw them coming out from behind the curtain again. “Sonny, I think we really can talk to the clowns. All we have to do is let them catch up to us or walk backwards,” he said, begging his brother.

“Oh all right!” Sonny replied.

“Great!” Declan shouted.

So they moved to the side to let everyone pass by, until the clowns got closer.

“Hi!” Declan shouted at them when they got close enough.

“Hi kids. Did you enjoy the show?”

“Oh yes!” Hey, shouldn’t you be in the back taking off your make up and changing back into your clothes?” Sonny asked.

“Well, yes that’s what we usually do, but sometimes the kids like to be able to talk to us while we’re still in costume. They seem to enjoy the show going on…”

“Costumes? I didn’t know you were wearing costumes!.....Just kidding,” Declan replied with a chuckle. “Do you mind if I ask your name?” He asked the tallest, funniest clown.

“My name is Clappy. They call me Clappy because I always clap my hands when I see the kids having fun. I just love making kids laugh and smile, so I clap,” he replied.

“And he claps a lot!” the other clowns replied together.

“Oh wow, but why Clappy? Why are you such a happy clown?”

“Well I became a clown when I started believing in God. He made me see the gift He put in me to make kids laugh. And He also put a gift in me to use that gift to help kids believe in Jesus! Do you know Him and that He’s coming back very VERY soon to take us to heaven; all of us who believe anyway.”

“No I didn’t know that, but thanks for telling me!” Declan replied.

Then the last night, Declan told Sonny, “We should sit in that same spot like last night, so the clowns will see us.”

 “Sure Buddy,” Sonny replied. “Wow this place is sure packed. It’s even more crowded than last night. Some people don’t even have a seat.”

Then after the show, it took longer than usual to exit the tent.

“I hope we get a chance to talk to Clappy again. I want to hear more about Jesus,” Declan mumbled to himself; looking down at the ground, as he slowly walked along scuffing his feet.

Just then he felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Clappy! I was afraid I’d never see you again,” Declan shouted.

“I’m here Declan and I have something very special for you. Here is a list of things that God said would happen just before Jesus comes back. And I don’t recommend kids watching the news, and even for us grown-ups.” He paused to shudder. Then he said, ”But just remember, God’s got our rescue all planned, just before all the really bad things happen. We’ll be snatched away to heaven, so there’s nothing to fear,” he said, handing Declan the list of Scriptures that align with the things happening in America and around the world.

Then the next night, the whole family read the prophecies and checked out all the informative videos. Then, Declan stood up and yelled, “Do you all know what this means?”

They all looked at each other and smiled.

“Clappy is not only the tallest and funniest clown, he’s also the smartest!”

“And what about the happiest?” Sonny asked.

“Oh yeah….He’s also the happiest. Wow!” Declan replied.

Then, everyone clapped their hands so hard it hurt. Then they laughed.

“Hey Declan, I bet you’re even more excited about the Rapture than you were about the clowns!” Sonny replied in amazement.

“You know it brother!” Declan shouted.  

Then later when he was playing in his room, he thought, ‘I thought the circus coming to town was exciting, but even the clowns are not nearly as exciting as Jesus’ Coming!.... Wow, how cool is this?…….I used to kneel in front of my toys, BUT NOW, I kneel before the LORD Jesus!’

NOTE--As a fun exercise, go over the story again and look for  words/groups of words with hidden messages. See if you can find 11. For example, the name of the circus is "Fishermen Brothers.'" What's the hidden message? Jesus said to His disciples that He wanted them to become "Fishers of men," in Matthew 4:19--"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Jesus was referring to leading people to Him for salvation.) 

            Our World Is Our Witness Prophecy List (here's just a few!)

1). The Prophecy regarding the worship of the earth—

Highly restrictive climate change laws are on the horizon…..

The government is trying to convince the citizens into believing that our world is in crisis because of man’s activities on the earth, but God has warned that the day will come when the world will be tricked into the worship of creation, (over our Creator--GOD) in order to trick us to go along with their climate change laws, which will only control mankind, not save mankind. They don’t want us to know that Jesus is the ONLY One who can save us--

“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature (whole creation) more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 1:25-26)

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:20)

Nov 03 (youtube.com)

The Truth is that God is in charge of the weather. He is using crazy and unpredictable weather to shake up this world and cause us to run to His Throne for protection!—

“For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.” (Job 37:6-11)

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;” (Luke 21:25)

Extreme Weather Moments of 2023 | Start of End Days ? (youtube.com)

2). The Prophecy of Lawlessness—

Hundreds of looters caught on video breaking into Tampa Walmart (youtube.com)

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24: 12-13)

3). The whole world will be focused on Israel and they will fight over Jerusalem—

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, through all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)

Israeli police storm Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem (youtube.com)

4). Prophecy of the Fig Tree Generation--The symbolic meaning—Israel is the fig tree. JESUS is telling us here that we are the fig tree generation in Matthew 24:32-34—

“Now learn the parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily, I say to you, This generation will not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”

(“When his branch is yet tender:” This is referencing the return of Israel as a nation in 1948.)

5). The UN is starting to make demands that the citizens of the world should eat much less meat.(Prophecy in the making)-- They claim climate change is behind this, but it’s actually one of the many ways they are trying to take away our freedoms--

United Nations asking Americans to eat less meat in hopes of reducing greenhouse gas emissions - YouTube

“forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” (1Timothy 4:3)

NOTE: “forbidding to marry” has not been mentioned yet, but people are putting off marriage or choosing not to marry at all, so even though this prophecy is not taking center stage as of yet, we are seeing the stage being set for this prophecy to come to pass.—

Why are people not getting married anymore? (youtube.com)

For those not taken in the Rapture, (our rescue) life on earth will be a lot more like hell on earth--

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye not be troubled: for these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:6-8)

North Korea nuke threat (youtube.com)

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE TERRIBLE--BUT REMEMBER-- GOD’S PEOPLE ARE NOT UNDER HIS WRATH! WE DO NOT NEED TO LIVE IN FEAR, FOR HE WILL RESCUE US AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT MOMENT—

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thessalonians 4:16-18)

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1Thessalonians 5:9)

KJV

 ***Check out this story complete with beautiful illustrations. Available for free on Substack:

https://linzybruno.substack.com/p/clappy-the-smartest-clown-at-the

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.