Saturday, February 28, 2015

SALVATION: BELIEVING THE GOSPEL

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Gospel, that is, the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it.  It is this Good News alone that has the power to save you (Rom. 1:16)!  Yes, it is our faith in the truth of the Gospel message that saves us.  And having believed the Good News, our lives have been changed from within; we are new beings; we see things from a whole new perspective (2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; etc.)!  God has become our Father and He has taken it upon Himself to transform us into the very beings He created us to be (Rom. 8:15; Phil. 1:6; 1 Jn. 3:2; etc.)!  If you truly believe this message of the grace of God, you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are saved; John wrote:  "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." (1 Jn. 5:13)!  I have called salvation "the grace of God," because it is a gift, not something to be earned by your efforts to live a holy life (Rom. 5:15-18; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; etc.)! 

I want to pass on to you, that which is the most important, the most powerful, life-changing event in recorded history:  Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said He would (Ps. 22; Isa. 53; Lk. 24:25-27; etc.). He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said He would!  He was seen by Peter, and then by "the Twelve."  After that, He appeared to more than five hundred people who believe in Him, most of whom were still alive when the Apostle Paul wrote these facts (1 Cor. 15:6).  After that, He was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  Last of all, as though he had been born at the wrong time, Paul also saw Him.  Paul, humbled by his encounter with Jesus as he traveled to Damascus to catch believers in Christ (Acts 9:1-8), described himself as "the least of all the apostles" (1 Cor. 15:9).  He continued by saying, "In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church" (v. 9 - NLT).

The two paragraphs above are my interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:1-9.  A little over forty-four years ago, I, as a foolish atheist, also came to faith in Jesus Christ.  God had moved a young man in California to mail me a pocket New Testament; He had moved a middle-aged man to witness to me in Florida; and He made sure my children left the TV on a station with a church service on from Mobile (Alabama).  He moved the preacher to state that his sermon was from Matthew twenty-five, the one and only chapter of the Bible I had ever read, and "coincidentally," I had read it the night before! 

That definitely got my attention!  After listening to two more sermons by preachers, the last being Rex Humbard from the Cathedral of Tomorrow in Akron, Ohio, I knelt in my living room and placed my faith in Jesus Christ.  I immediately was aware of three things:  my sins were forgiven, the Bible was the Word of God, and that I would spent the rest of my life sharing Him with others.  I actually was able to attend Bible College and Seminary, and was called to be a pastor for a while.  Praise God for both the calling, and the release from it!

I am now retired due to health issues, but Lord willing, I will continue to share my faith through this miracle of the internet!  Please feel free to copy, to share, and to pray for my faithfulness in service to the King of kings and the Lord of lords!  God bless you and use you for His glory!  Amen!

Friday, February 27, 2015

THE END OF THE UNHOLY TRINITY (REV. 19:11-20:10)

THEN I saw heaven opened, and beheld a white horse. Its rider was named FAITHFUL AND TRUE, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war.  His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns.  A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself.  He wore a robe dipped in blood, and His title was THE WORD OF GOD.  The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses.  From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations.  He will rule them with an iron rod.  He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.  On His robe at His thigh was written this title:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!
THEN I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky:  Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared.  Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.
THEN I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the One sitting on the horse and His army.  And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast; miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his statue.  Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfurTheir entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the One riding the white horse.  And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.
THEN I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan, and bound him in chains for a thousand years.  The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished.
THEN I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge.  And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming THE WORD OF GOD.  They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.  This is the first resurrection.  The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.  Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.  For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years.  
THEN, when the MELLENNIUM comes to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison.  He will go out to deceive the nations, called Gog and Magog, in every corner of the earth.  He will gather them together for battle, a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city.  But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.
THEN the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

JESUS, OUR CREATOR, SAVIOR, LORD, AND THE SON OF GOD, WINS!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

DURING THE FIRST THREE AND A HALF YEARS

Many have been saying that the beheadings, crucifixions, and burning to death of Middle Eastern Christians, is proof that we are already living in the time of the Tribulation.  They support their claim by referencing Matthew 24:9 which says, "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake." 

But like most errors in Bible interpretation, they have failed to compare Scripture with Scripture.  Parallel versions of the Lord's Olivet Discourse clarify who the "they" are.  Mark 13:9 says, "But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them."  "They" refers to Jews who will be persecuting Christians, not in the Tribulation Temple, because, based upon the timing of these persecutions, it is not yet completed; hence, the attack on believers will take place in the synagogues! 

And Luke's Gospel reads, "But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake" (21:12).  Here, Luke tells us that these persecutions happen BEFORE the rest of the signs of the end of the age and Christ's Second Coming.  That means they will occur following the Rapture; these believers, quite possibly, could be the members of the Laodicean Church mentioned in Revelation 3:14-22.  They, like many who sit in church pews every Lord's Day, are religious, members of the religion known as Christianity, but they are not born again.  When the Rapture occurs, the majority of professing Christians will suddenly realize that their religiousness was worthless.  They needed to trust in the finished work of Jesus, and not in their own religious "do's and don't's! 

The peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel, will allow them to have complete rule over their land (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:3-14; Rev. 6:1-12:1; etc.).  During that time, there will be two witnesses who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the first half of the Tribulation (Rev. 11:3).  We are told that the entire world is troubled by these two powerful servants of God, and they rejoice when they are killed (Rev. 11:9-10 - especially the Jews)!  However, after God raises them to life, and after they are "raptured," Then the Abomination of Desolation occurs and Israel's eyes are opened (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:1-18; etc.)!


What we see now, is persecution by Muslims, not Jews! 
The Rapture has not yet happened.  But it may soon, even today!


 

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

"DO" ALWAYS FALLS SHORT OF SALVATION

"There is a wide difference between your religion and mine," said a Christian lady to one in whose spiritual condition she had long been interested. "Indeed," said he, "how is that?" "Your religion," she replied, "has only two letters in it, and mine has four." It seems that this gentleman was one of that numerous class seeking to get to heaven by their doings, by attention to ordinances and ceremonies, by what the apostle, in the ninth of Hebrews, terms "dead works." But he did not understand about the "two letters" or the "four." His friend had often spoken to him, and on the occasion to which our anecdote refers she had called to take her leave of him for some time, as she was about to go from home. "What do you mean," said he, "by two letters and four?"
 
"Why, your religion," said the lady, "is d-o DO; whereas mine is D-O-N-E." This was all that passed. The lady took her leave; but her words remained and did their work in the soul of her friend--a revolutionary work, verily. The entire current of his thoughts was changed. Do is one thing; done is quite another. The former is legalism; the latter is Christianity. It was a novel and very original mode of putting the gospel; but it was just the mode for a legalist, and the Spirit of God used it in the conversion of this gentleman. When he next met his friend, he said to her, "Well, I can now say with you that my religion is d-o-n-e, DONE.." He had learned to fling aside the deadly doings, and rest in the finished work of Christ. He was led to see that it was no longer what he could do for God, but what God had done for him.
 
This settled everything. The four golden letters shone under the gaze of his emancipated soul, "d-o-n-e." Precious letters! Precious word! Who can tell the relief to a burdened heart when it discovers that all is done? What joy to know that what I have been toiling for, it may be many a long year, was all done nearly 2000 years ago, on the cross! Christ has done all. He has put away sin; magnified the claims of divine justice; vanquished Satan; taken the sting from death and the victory from the grave; glorified God in the very scene in which He had been dishonored; brought in everlasting righteousness. All this is wrapped up in these four golden letters, "d-o-n-e." Oh, who would not give up the two for the four? Who would not exchange "do" for "done"?
 
Reader, what say you to this? What of your religion? Does it consist of two letters or four? Is it still "do" with you? or have you found your happy portion and rest in "done"? Do you think of it, dear friend--think deeply--think seriously--and may God's Spirit lead you, this moment, to cease from your own "do," and to rest in Christ's eternal "done."                    
(by C.H.Mackintosh, 1820-1896)

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

THE GODHEAD: THE THREE IN ONE

Matthew 3:16-17 - "And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him:  and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 28:19 - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

John 14:16 - "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever."

Acts 2:32-33 - "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."

Romans 5:5-6 - "...the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - "Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."

2 Corinthians 13:14 - "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."

Ephesians 4:4-6 - "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

Philippians 3:3 - "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 - "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Quench not the Spirit."

Hebrews 9:14 - "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

1 John 4:2 - "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God."

1 John 5:7 - "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and THESE THREE ARE ONE!"

Monday, February 23, 2015

THERE IS BUT ONE GOSPEL

The ONE Gospel!
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein you stand; By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (The Gospel - 1 Cor. 15:1-4)!
 
The ONE Gospel which has the power to save the lost!
"So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:15-17)!

The ONE Gospel message of both Peter and Paul!
"The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And His name through faith in His name has made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance you did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you." (Peter -Acts 3:13-22).

"Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fears God, to you is the Word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre. But God raised Him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people." (Paul - Acts 13:26-31).

 
There is only ONE Gospel and only ONE Way to be saved:  Faith in Jesus!

 

Sunday, February 22, 2015

JESUS IS GOD

From http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/sonship/sonsh02.htm

If Jesus Christ is God, then He must be eternal. God has no beginning. There was never a time when He did not exist in all the fullness of who He is. "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalm 90:2).

Some heretical cults deny Christ's eternal existence, claiming that He was a created Being. In contrast to this false doctrine, the Bible presents Him as the uncreated Creator: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). In the beginning He was not created or made. In the beginning He already was (John 1:1-2)! The Apostle Paul declares that "He is before all things" (Col. 1:17).

The prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Who is this One that should be born? He is the One "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).

John the Baptist clearly pointed to the fact of the pre-existence of Christ: "John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me." This paradoxical statement can be understood only as we distinguish between the two natures of Christ. When viewed from the standpoint of His humanity He came after John the Baptist. Mary gave birth to Him six months after Elizabeth had given birth to John (Lk. 1:26). As the eternal Son of God He was before John the Baptist, eternally existing in the bosom of the Father (Jn. 1:18).

Perhaps the Savior Himself made the clearest statement of His pre-existence. Speaking with a group of unbelieving Jewish religious leaders, He said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad" (Jn. 8:56). These Jews were startled by these words, understanding Him to be saying that He and Abraham existed on this earth at the same time: "Then said the Jews unto  Him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham?" (Jn. 8:57). They knew that Jesus was not even half a century old and that Abraham had lived and died on this earth approximately 2000 years earlier! How could this Man claim to be 2000 years old? They were shocked and angered by the Lord's final words: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am" (Jn. 8:58). They considered this to be ultimate blasphemy and they "took up stones to cast at Him" (Jn. 8:59).

Only the eternal God could make such a claim. Indeed, Jesus could have said, "Before Adam was, I am!" He even could have said, "Before the universe was, I am!" In fact, He did make such a statement: "And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was...for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (Jn. 17:5, 24). God the Son basked in the sunlight of the Father's love before the world ever was! From everlasting to everlasting, He is the Son of the Father's love.

The eternal Son is worthy of all glory and praise and adoration!

Saturday, February 21, 2015

ROMANS ELEVEN TWENTY-FIVE

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits;
that blindness in part is happened to Israel,
until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." 

According to my understanding of the Middletown Bible Church's web site, Romans 11:25 may be understood as follows:

Paul did not want the Roman believers to be ignorant concerning the mystery of Israel’s partial blindness during this present age. A New Testament mystery is that which has been hidden, kept secret, and not made known to men in previous ages, but has now been made manifest, and made known, and revealed, in this present age by the New Testament apostles and prophets (see Rom. 16:26; Eph. 3:4-5, 9; Col. 1:26).

What Paul wanted the Roman believers to know was something about which believers in other ages knew nothing.  Neither Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, or Isaiah, knew anything about what Paul is speaking of here.  Paul is speaking about a special thing that God is doing among the Gentiles during this present age between the First and Second Advents of Christ (compare Acts 2:1-41; 15:14); that during this time, Israel is limited in its ability to comprehend, due to Israel’s blindness (see 2 Cor. 3:14-16). The blindness can be taken away from individual Jews today, if they believe the Gospel and turn to the Lord Jesus; the blindness will be taken away from the nation at the Second Coming as the nation turns to the Lord (compare 2 Cor. 3:16 and Rom. 11:26).
 
Paul did not want the Gentiles to be puffed up with pride "lest ye should be wise in your own conceits," and to prevent this, the Gentile believers needed to understand God’s present and future program for Israel.  Paul made two major points with respect to Israel’s blindness: 1) Her blindness is partial, not total.  Though most Jews are blind today, not all Jews are.   There are some Jews who see very clearly, because they have received Christ as their Messiah and Savior; 2) Her blindness is temporary, not permanent.  It will only last "until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in."

The fullness of Israel (v.12) will take place after the fullness of the Gentiles (v.25).  What is the "fullness of the Gentiles"? The NIV translation is helpful: "until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."  Today Christ is building His Church, made up primarily of Gentiles.  God is visiting the nations of the world to take out of them a people for His Name (Acts 15:14). At some time in the future (a time known only to God), the full number of Jews and Gentiles will have come in (that is, all those who believe will be gathered into the Church, by faith, and will be saved).  The rest of Israel will be saved when their eyes are opened at the time of the "abomination of desolation" (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; Rev. 13:1-18)!

 
TIME IS SHORT!  TRUST IN JESUS WHILE YOU STILL CAN!

Friday, February 20, 2015

SIX REASONS LUKE 16:19 - 31 CANNOT BE A PARABLE

Many groups who deny the doctrine of eternal punishment (such as Jehovah's Witnesses, followers of Herbert Armstrong, some ultradispensationalists etc.) claim that this passage is a parable because they do not like what it teaches about Hades.  This passage clearly teaches that Hades is a place of conscious torment and suffering for the wicked. They think that if this passage is only a parable then they do not have to accept what it teaches about the condition of men following death. You will notice that the Lord did not say that it was a parable. Even if it were a parable, it would indeed be a unique parable for the following reasons:

1.  It would be the only parable in the Bible that describes certain things that are outside of the realm of human experience. All the other parables talk about things that we are familiar with such as birds, seed, fields, pearls, wheat, barns, leaven, fish, etc. (see Matthew 13, etc.).  This passage is different because it talks about what happens to two men after death, and this is a realm where none of us have had any personal experience. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly or spiritual significance but Luke 16 transcends the realm of the earthly.
 
2.  It would be the only parable in the Bible that uses a proper name (Lazarus).
 
3.  It would be the only parable in the Bible that makes mention repeatedly of a historical person--Abraham. Moreover, this historical person actually carries on a dialogue with the rich man! Indeed, mention is also made in this parable of  Moses, another historical character.  What other parable speaks of real, historical persons?
 
4.  It would be the only parable in the Bible that describes the places where the dead go (Hades, Abraham's bosom, a place of torment).
 
5. It would be the only parable in the Bible that makes mention of angels.  Compare Matthew 13 verses 24-30, 36-43, 47-49 where angels are mentioned in the explanation of the parable but not in the parable itself.
 
6. If Hades is not really a place of torment then this would be the only parable in the Bible where the Lord Jesus taught error instead of truth. GOD FORBID!


Thursday, February 19, 2015

MY VERSION OF ROMANS CHAPTER TEN

Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for all religious people to be saved.  I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.  For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself.  Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God, by trying to keep a set of rules and regulations, a Law!  They do not realize that Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which they strive so zealously.  Only those who believe in Him are made right with God.  Moses, for example, wrote that the Law's way of making a person right with God, requires obedience to ALL of its commands (Lev. 18:5).  The only person ever to accomplish that, was Jesus Himself (Heb. 4:15)! 

But faith's way of getting right with God says . . . If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  As the Scriptures tell us, anyone who trusts in Him will never be ashamed to declare Him as their Lord and Savior.  Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.  They can all have a relationship with the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him?  And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?  And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is why the Scriptures say, how beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring the Gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4), that is, the Good News!  But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, Lord, who has believed our message? (Isa. 53:1).  So, faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

But you might ask, "Have all the peoples of the world actually heard the message?"  The answer is YES, they have:  The message has gone throughout the earth, and the Word to all the world (Ps. 19:4)!  Does that include the people of Israel?  Did they really understand?  Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said, I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation.  I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles (Deut. 32:21).  And later, Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, "I was found by people who were not looking for Me.  I showed Myself to those who were not asking for Me" (Isa. 65:1).  But regarding Israel, God said, "All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious" (Isa. 65:2).


Do you believe in Jesus Christ?  Go TELL somebody!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

THE CHURCH WILL BE GONE BEFORE GOD'S WRATH IS POURED OUT

The Tribulation, God's judgment upon Israel and the rest of the world who rejected Jesus, is fittingly called "The Time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7), and "Daniel's Seventieth Week" (Dan. 9:27).  It is described in the sixth chapter through the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation.  Many false teachers of the Bible warn born again believers that they need to prepare for what lies in store for the world.  Some false teachers believe there will be a removal of Christians in the middle of the Tribulation (Mid-Tribbers), while others either believe in no removal of the Church at all, or that the Church rises to meet Jesus as He is returning to establish His Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 20:1-9).

However, there are passages of Scripture which clearly tell of the true Church (made up of born again believers) being removed prior to God's wrath being poured out.  John 14:1-3 says:  "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself (in the air); that where I am, there ye may be also."

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 says:  "Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says:  "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."

Then, there are these verses which teach that the wrath of God is not going to be poured out on the Church:  "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:8-9). 

And again:  "For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Th. 1:9-10).


The Church does not deserve to be protected from the Tribulation,
but by the grace of Almighty God, we will be! 
Praise the Lord for His unmerited favor on His Church!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

"Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent" (Jn. 6:28-29).

"And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:  who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:  and the prisoners heard them.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  And they spake unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house" (Acts 16:23-34).

"But what saith it?  The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the Word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:  for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:8-13).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).

Monday, February 16, 2015

WILL JESUS RETURN TO FIND FAITH?

Jesus, speaking of His Second Coming, asked this question in Luke 18:8 - "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?"  Even though the Church will have been removed from the earth seven years earlier, in what is known as "The Rapture of the Church," (Jn. 14:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 4:1), I believe the answer to His question is still yes.  Here is why.

Following the removal of the Church, there is to be a seven-year period called "Daniel's Seventieth Week" (also known as "The Tribulation" and "The Time of Jacob's Trouble," - Dan. 9:27; Jer. 30:7; Mt. 24:3-29; Rev. Ch. 6-18; etc.); when it occurs, it will be divided into two halves of 1260 days (Rev. 11:3; 13:6), or 42 months (Rev. 11:2; 13:5), or 3 1/2 years (Dan. 7:25; 9:27).  During the first half, Israel will believe that the Antichrist is their long-awaited Messiah.  He will come riding on a white horse (Rev. 6:2; 19:11).  He will promise to protect them for seven years.  Israel will actually have peace for the first three and a half years, only "hearing of wars and rumors of wars" (Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7).  During that time, they will persecute, in their synagogues, the few Jews who come to trust in Jesus, and for the first three and a half years, they will freely worship in their newly built temple (Mt. 24:9-10; Mk. 13:9-10; Lk. 21:12-13; etc.). 

Then, suddenly, the Antichrist will declare himself to be God and Israel's eyes will be opened (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rom. 11:25; 2 Th. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2; etc.).  They will flee into the wilderness, where God will provide for their protection and their needs; Revelation 12:6 says, "And the woman (Israel)fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."  We find this stated again in Revelation 12:14, which says, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."

The Tribulation ends with Christ's Second Coming (Mt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-20; etc.).  Christ's people, Israel, will be surrounded by the nations of the world, and in what has come to be called "The Battle of Armageddon," Israel is rescued and her foes destroyed.  Revelation 16:12-16 says:

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.  Behold, I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.  And He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

 
When Jesus returns, faithful Israel will welcome Him!

Sunday, February 15, 2015

FAITH IN JESUS HAS ETERNAL REWARDS

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (Jn. 3:14-15).

"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.  And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life" (Jn. 5:39-40).

"Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed" (Jn. 6:54-55; see 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

"From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (Jn. 6:66-69).

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:  and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand" (Jn. 10:27-28).

"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee:  as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.  And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (Jn. 17:1-3).

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." (1 Jn. 5:11-13).

Saturday, February 14, 2015

EVERY DAY SHOULD BE VALENTINE'S DAY

"For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Jesus, and have believed that He came out from God" (Jn. 16:27 PMV).

"Every man, according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity:  for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7 PMV).

"In this are the children of God made manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not live justly, is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother" (1 Jn. 3:10 PMV).

"Beloved, let us love one another:  for love is of God....  He that loves not, knows not God; for God is love.  In this was God's love toward us made manifest, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  This is genuine love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the payment for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1 Jn. 4:7-11 PMV).

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear:  because fear has torment.  He that fears is not made perfect in love.  We love Him, because He first loved us.  If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar:  for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loves God, loves his brother also" (1 Jn. 4:18-21 PMV).

"Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails..." (1 Cor. 13:4-8 PMV).

"For my brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For ALL OF THE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD, even in this; 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF'" (Gal. 5:13-14 PMV).

Friday, February 13, 2015

EPHESIANS CHAPTER ONE

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.  May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.  Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.  God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.

So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son.  He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.  He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us His mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill His own good pleasure.  And this is the plan:  At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.  Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.  God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.  And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you.  And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago.  The Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people.  He did this so we would praise and glorify Him.

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you.  I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.  I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance.  I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him.  This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.  God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the Church.  And the Church is His Body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

EVEN GOD'S WRATH IS MOTIVATED BY HIS LOVE

As horrible as the events listed in the Book of Revelation are, they are motivated by the love of God for His creation.  The warnings are, first of all, for the Church in chapters two and three.  Revelation 4:1 has been viewed as picturing the event to follow the Church Age; the Rapture, the removal of the Church from this earth, shows that God warns man for just so long, and then, when He decides mankind has had enough time to repent, He stops warning and acts!
 
Revelation Chapter Two
[5] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
[16] Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
[21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
[22] Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Revelation Chapter Three
[3] Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

This is also true for the lost (unsaved) billions who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Chapters nine and sixteen show that God's grace will, one day, give way to His judgments upon earth.

Revelation Chapter Nine
[20] And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
[21] Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Revelation Chapter Sixteen
[9] And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory.
[11] And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Call upon Jesus to forgive your sins, and call upon Him to be your Lord!
While there is still time!

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

OBSERVE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BELIEVER IS SPIRIT FILLED

The Apostle Peter is known for saying some pretty dumb stuff.  He even rebuked Jesus (Mt. 16:22).  He failed to wait for the Holy Spirit to indwell him, and as a result, he held a "business meeting" and attempted to replace Judas, even though God would choose another person (Acts 1:15-26; 9:15).  But on the Day of Pentecost, the common fisherman became God's powerful messenger: 

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be held of it.  For David spoke concerning Him,

'I foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved:  therefore did My heart rejoice, and My tongue was glad; moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope:  because Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.  Thou hast made known to Me the ways of life; Thou shalt make Me full of joy with Thy countenance' (Ps. 16:8-11).

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on His throne; He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, 'The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool' Ps.110:1).  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:22-47).

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

THE REAL LORD'S PRAYER: JOHN SEVENTEEN

"After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so He can give glory back to You.  For You have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him.  And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.  I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.  Now, Father, bring Me into the glory We shared before the world began.

I have revealed You to the ones You gave Me from this world. They were always Yours. You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your Word.  Now they know that everything I have is a gift from You,  for I have passed on to them the message You gave Me. They accepted it and know that I came from You, and they believe You sent Me.

My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You.  All who are Mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory.  Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are.  During My time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.

Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with My joy.  I have given them Your Word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.  I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.  They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your Word, which is truth.  Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.  And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.

I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message.  I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me.

I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are one.  I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love me.  Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they can see all the glory You gave Me because You loved Me even before the world began!

O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know You, but I do; and these disciples know You sent Me. I have revealed You to them, and I will continue to do so. Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them."

Monday, February 9, 2015

FAITH THAT SAVES IS A "KNOW-SO" KIND OF FAITH

Chapter Five of the First Epistle of John

[1] Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat, loveth Him also that is begotten of Him.
[2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.
[3] For this is the love of God, that we keep His Commandments: and His Commandments are not grievous.
[4] For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world:  and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
[5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
[6] This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
[7] For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
[8] And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood:  and these three agree in one.
[9] If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater:  for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son.
[10] He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:  he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.
[11] And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
[12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
[13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
[14] And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:
[15] And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
[16] If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death:  I do not say that he shall pray for it.
[17] All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
[18] We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
[19] And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
[20] And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God, and eternal life.
[21] (God's) Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

FAITH IS BELIEVING WHAT GOD SAYS IN HIS WORD

"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel" (Mk. 1:14-15).

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

"So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also.  For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:15-17).

"But what saith it?  The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:  that is, the Word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:8-13).

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:6-9).

Saturday, February 7, 2015

THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.  For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  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" (1 Th. 4:13-18).
 
There is much talk about the Rapture of the Church today, and yet, the word "rapture" does not appear in the King James Version of the Bible.  Ironically, non-Catholics have "borrowed" the term from the Latin Vulgate Version.  The Vulgate, a late fourth-century Bible, became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century; why it took them over a thousand years to claim it as their own, is a mystery to me.  We get the word "rapture" from the Latin "rapiemur," which is Latin for the Greek original:  ἁρπάζω. 
 
According to the Blue Letter Bible, the Greek ἁρπάζω (harpazō), is translated:  "caught up" (2 Cor. 12:2, 4; 1 Th. 4:17; Rev. 12:5), "take by force" (Mt. 11:12; Jn. 6:15; Acts 23:10), "catch away" (Mt. 13:19; Acts 8:39), "pluck" (Jn. 10:28, 29), "catch" (Jn. 10:12), and "pull" (Jude 1:23).  As a result, the Strong's Concordance defines harpazō  as: to seize, carry off by force; to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly; or to snatch out or away.  Young's Concordance simply says:  "to catch away."  Either way, the idea here is that those born again believers who are still living, will be taken up into the air to meet Jesus. 
 
There are no signs or warnings that the Rapture is about to occur.  All the signs mentioned in the Bible (Dan. 9; Mt. 24; Rev. 6-18) are signs of Christ's Second Coming, an event which ends the Tribulation, and begins His 1000 year Millennial Reign on earth (Mt. 24:29f; Rev. 19:1f; etc.).  Because the Church Age is not mentioned in these passages, because Christ told His disciples that His coming for them would remove them from the earth, and because the Church is not going to be here when God pours out His wrath (1 Th. 5:9; Rev. 3:10; etc.), the Rapture must precede the Tribulation.  The signs we now see occurring in the news, are signs that the Church must be going up soon, since we leave before the actual seven-year Tribulation (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:3-28; Rev. 6-8)!
 
 
Praise the Lord that we will not get what we so obviously deserve! 

Friday, February 6, 2015

JESUS SAID "I AM"

"Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I Am"
(Jn. 13:13 - emphasis mine).

Master - 58 times in the Greek New Testament:  διδάσκαλος (didaskalos), which means:  "Teacher; One who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man."

Lord - 748 times in the Greek New Testament:  κύριος (kyrios), which means:  "He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which He has power of deciding."

I Am - 137 times in the Greek New Testament:  εἰμί (eimi), which means:  "To be or to exist."

To the Jews, for Jesus to call Himself the "I Am," was blasphemy.  The "I Am" was the name God gave for Moses to use when he spoke to Pharaoh and to his own people.  Exodus 3:14 says:  "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." 

Here are a few examples of what the Apostle John had to say in his Gospel, about Jesus being the "I Am":

     * 5:43 - "I Am come."
     * 6:35 - "I Am the Bread of Life" (also v. 48 & 51).
     * 7:29 - "I Am from God."
     * 8:12 - "I Am the Light of the world" (also 9:5 & 12:46).
     * 8:23 - "I Am from above."
     * 8:58 - "Before Abraham was, I Am."
     * 10:7 - "I Am the Door" (also v. 9).
     * 10:11 - "I Am the Good Shepherd" (also v. 14).
     * 11:25 - "I Am the Resurrection and the Life."
     * 13:19 - "I Am" (also 18:5, 6, 8).
     * 14:6 - "I Am THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life."
     * 15:1 - "I Am the True Vine" (also v. 5).
     * 17:10 - "I Am Glorified."
     * 18:37 - "I Am the King of the Jews (also 19:21).

"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11)!
 
 
ARE YOU READY FOR THE RETURN OF THE LORD?





Thursday, February 5, 2015

JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF

In the Bible, the book which reveals the truth about the hierarchy of authority, it amazes me that the word "authority" only appears in thirty-two verses of ten books in the New Testament.  However, the same word which is translated "authority," is also translated "power" sixty-nine times!  That is not unusual or strange, in that we use the words interchangeably today; the phrase "in power" refers to those who are currently "in authority."

At the time of Creation, it was God's intent that man would rule over the earth.  His exact words were:  "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:26).  But just as Esau would later sell his birthright for a "bowl of stew," Adam sold his for the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-34; 25:29-34).  Today, it is Satan that has authority over this world.  The Apostle Paul described him as "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). 

The "hierarchy of power" in Jesus' day: 
     *     God, the Father (Jn. 3:16).
     *     The Holy Spirit (Mt. 4:1; Lk. 1:35; Acts 5:3-4; 10:38).
     *     The holy angels (Heb. 1:6; 2:7, 9).
     *     Jesus, His obedient Son (Ps. 8:5; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:7-9).
     *     Satan (limited by Almighty God - Job 1:6-12; Lk. 4:8; Heb. 2:14).
     *     Human government (1 Tim. 2:2; Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

The "hierarchy of power" when time gives way to eternity:
     *     The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 5:7).
     *     Human government (1 Cor. 6:3).
     *     Angels (Heb. 1:13-14).

The Proud will be humbled; The Humble will be rewarded:
     *     The Proud:  (Ps. 119:78; Isa. 13:11; Mal. 4:1).
     *     The Humble (Mt. 18:4; Jam. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5).


"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:
but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn" (Prov. 29:2)!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

GOD IS CONSISTENT!

Most of us have heard the Bible verse which says, "Jesus Christ (is) the same:  yesterday, and today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8 - PMV).  The Bible also testifies to the immutability of God in many other passages as well; here are some examples:  Psalm 102:27 says, "But Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end."  Malachi wrote:  "For I am the LORD, I change not..." (Mal. 3:6).  And, James wrote, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (Jam. 1:17).

One example of God being consistent, is found in how He works.  He always has a plan, and His plan involves "site preparation," before He begins building His finished product.  In the Book of Genesis, where Moses wrote of the creation week, there is evidence of His way of doing things.  He always creates a "space" for something prior to creating that which He intends create.  On days one, two, and three (Gen. 1:1-13), He created the "space" for what He created on days four, five, and six (Gen. 1:14-31).  Day one, God created the heaven (v. 1); day four, He created the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars (v. 16).  On day two, God created earth's atmosphere and its seas (v. 6-7), and on day five, He created the birds and the animals of the seas (v. 20-21).  On day three, God created the land of the world (v. 9-12), and on day six, He created that which was to live upon the land:  both animals and human beings (v. 24-27).

When you think about it, He also used the same "building philosophy" when He began His creative work.  Before there was a creation, there was only God (Jn. 17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20; etc.).  God, being Omnipresent (Gen. 1:1; 1 Kg. 8:27; Ps. 139:7-10; Jer. 23:23-24; etc.), and God being Light (Jn. 8:12; 9:5; 1 Jn. 1:5; Rev. 21:23; etc.), had to voluntarily limit Himself to make "room" for a creation, and for darkness!  Not only that, prior to creation, EVERYTHING was done according to God's "perfect will"; once the angels and man were created, both having free will, God had obviously limited Himself by "creating" what we call His "permissive will."  So, in a sense, God was "decreasing" so that man might "increase" (exist)!  Not only that, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, both equal with the Father, have taken on "lesser roles" in Jesus becoming human, and the Spirit indwelling born again believers!  Oh, what a glorious, and self-sacrificing God we serve!

That being said, I would like to close with this word of encouragement.  The eternal God who changes not, has gone to prepare a place for us; He has promised to return for us: 

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn. 14:1-3).

MARANATHA:  COME LORD JESUS!  

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

HAVE YOU READ OR SEEN THE NEWS LATELY?

"And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father" (Gen. 49:1-2).

"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. 2:1-4; see also Mic. 4:1-3).

"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:16-18).

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

"This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:  that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:  knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation?" (2 Pet. 3:1-4).

"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 1:17-19).

Monday, February 2, 2015

GOD'S PLAN FOR THIS EARTH

God's plan for mankind involves ten major events that will take place before the end of this world (Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1).  The first five have already occurred:
 
     1) Christ's First Coming to be crucified (Dan. 9:26; Jn. 1:29; 19:17-37; 1 Cor. 5:7).
    
     2) Christ's burial (Jn. 19:38-42).
    
     3) Christ's Resurrection (Jn. 20:1-18).
    
     4) Christ's Ascension to heaven (Acts 1:1-11).
    
     5) The Holy Spirit came to indwell the Church (Jn. 14:17; Acts 2:1-47).

The next event on God's calendar is to be the removal of the Church in the Rapture:

     7) Christ's coming in the clouds (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Th. 4:16-17).

The Rapture will be followed by Israel's seven-year Tribulation:

     8) The wrath of God on rebellious Israel (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:3-28; Rev. 6 - 18).

The Tribulation will be ended by Christ's Second Coming and His Millennial Kingdom:

     9) Jesus will destroy Israel's enemies (Mt. 24:29-35; Rev. 19:11-21).
  
   10) Jesus will reign on earth 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-15).

Our current heaven and earth will be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth, and Jesus will then rule for eternity (Rev. 21:1 - 22:5).

 
Jesus died once for us, so that we could all live for Him!

Sunday, February 1, 2015

OUR FAITH IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt. 6:33).

"He that receives you (His disciples) receives Me (Jesus), and he (whomsoever - Rom. 10:13) that receives Me (Jesus) receives Him that sent Me (the Father - Jn. 3:16).  He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a Righteous Man (Jesus is the only Righteous Man who ever lived) in the name of a Righteous Man shall receive a Righteous Man's reward" (Mt. 10:40-41).

"He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made by Him (Jesus - Jn. 1:1-3), and the world knew Him not.  He came unto His own (the Jews), and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:  which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn. 1:10-13).

"But now the righteousness of God without (apart from) the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:  for there is no difference:  for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation ("paid in full") through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission (payment) of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus" (Rom. 3:21-26).

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation (the job of proclaiming the Gospel which, when believed, has the power to save - Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4); to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath (the Father) made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:18-21).


Trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus, for your sins, and you shall be saved!