PROVERBS 31:10-31 - A GODLY WIFE

                 ¹⁰Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
                    She is more precious than rubies.
                ¹¹ Her husband can trust her,
                    and she will greatly enrich his life.
                ¹² She brings him good, not harm,
                    all the days of her life.

                ¹³ She finds wool and flax
                    and busily spins it.
                ¹⁴ She is like a merchant’s ship,
                    bringing her food from afar.
                ¹⁵ She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
                    and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

                ¹⁶ She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
                    with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
                ¹⁷ She is energetic and strong,
                    a hard worker.
                ¹⁸ She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
                    her lamp burns late into the night.

                ¹⁹ Her hands are busy spinning thread,
                    her fingers twisting fiber.
                ²⁰ She extends a helping hand to the poor
                    and opens her arms to the needy.
                ²¹ She has no fear of winter for her household,
                    for everyone has warm clothes.

                ²² She makes her own bedspreads.
                    She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
                ²³ Her husband is well known at the city gates,
                    where he sits with the other civic leaders.
                ²⁴ She makes belted linen garments
                    and sashes to sell to the merchants.

                ²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity,
                    and she laughs without fear of the future.
                ²⁶ When she speaks, her words are wise,
                    and she gives instructions with kindness.
                ²⁷ She carefully watches everything in her household
                    and suffers nothing from laziness.

                ²⁸ Her children stand and bless her.
                    Her husband praises her:
                ²⁹ “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
                    but you surpass them all!”

                ³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
                    but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
                ³¹ Reward her for all she has done.
                    Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

 

 

My wife is not perfect, but she has been there for me for fifty-three years!

OUGHT NOT CHRIST TO HAVE SUFFERED?

". . . on the first day of the week . . . behold, two of them (the Lord's disciples) went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them.  But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him."
"And He said unto them, 'What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?'"
"And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, 'Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass therein these days?'"
"And He said unto them, 'What things?'"

"And they said unto Him, 'Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet (they did not know He was the Son of God) mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:  and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.  But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.  Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not His body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive.  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not.'"
"Then He said unto them, 'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:  ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?'  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."
"And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and He made as though He would have gone further.  But they constrained Him, saying, 'Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.'  And He went in to tarry with them."
"And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.  And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight."
"And they said one to another, 'Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?'  And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, 'The Lord is risen indeed . . . '" (Luke 24:1, 13-34).

SALVATION RESULTS FROM FAITH IN CHRIST

"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).

"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).

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith" (Hab. 2:4).

"But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith" (Gal. 3:11).

"And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Phil. 3:9).

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (Heb. 10:35-39).

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:1, 6).

"That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (Jn. 3:15-18).

SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:  and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also" (Genesis 1:14-16).

"For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine" (Isaiah 13:10).

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come" (Joel 2:31).

"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).

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:  and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:20-21).

"And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood" (Revelation 6:12).

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads" (Revelation 12:1-3).

"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" (Revelation 21:23).

When the Lord brings into existence the new heaven, and the new earth,

there will no longer be a need for "signs in heaven." 

God will have "enlightened us!"

THE SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION

DANIEL 9:24-27 FROM THE LIVING BIBLE (TLB)

“The Lord has commanded 490 years of further punishment upon Jerusalem and your people. Then at last they will learn to stay away from sin, and their guilt will be cleansed; then the kingdom of everlasting righteousness will begin, and the Most Holy Place in the Temple will be rededicated, as the prophets have declared.  Now listen! It will be 49 years plus 434 years from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes!  Jerusalem’s streets and walls will be rebuilt despite the perilous times.  After this period of 434 years, the Anointed One will be killed, His kingdom still unrealized . . . and a king will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. They will be overwhelmed as with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.  This king will make a seven-year treaty with the people, but after half that time, he will break his pledge and stop the Jews from all their sacrifices and their offerings; then, as a climax to all his terrible deeds, the Enemy shall utterly defile the sanctuary of God. But in God’s time and plan, His judgment will be poured out upon this Evil One.”

 

OTHER REFERRENCES TO "HALF" OF THE SEVEN YEARS (KJV)

 

Daniel 7:25 - "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time" ("time" = 1 yr. "times" = 2 yrs.). 

 

Daniel 12:7 - "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished."

 

Revelation 11:2 - "But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months."

 

Revelation 13:5 - "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months."

 

Revelation 11:3 - "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth." 

 

Revelation 12:6 - "And the woman 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."

 

A Jewish month = 30 days; a Jewish year = 360 days.

SAVIOUR - 24 N.T. VERSES -- LORD - 657 N.T. VERSES

Luke 1:46-47 - "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."
Luke 2:11 - "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
John 4:42 - "And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."
Acts 5:31 - "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."
Acts 13:23 - "Of this man's seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus."
Ephesians 5:23 - "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the Saviour of the body."
Philippians 3:20 - "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 1:1 - "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope."
1 Timothy 2:3 - "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."
1 Timothy 4:10 - "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe."
2 Timothy 1:10 - "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel."
Titus 1:3-4 - "But hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; to Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour."
Titus 2:10, 13 - "Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
Titus 3:4, 6 - "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour."
2 Peter 1:1 - "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 1:11 - "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 2:20 - "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
2 Peter 3:2 - "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 Saviour."
2 Peter 3:18 - "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen."
1 John 4:14 - "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."
Jude 1:25 - "To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

It was THE LORD JESUS who came to save us from our sins.

MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR: THE TRIBULATION

ISRAEL MISTAKES THE ANTICHRIST FOR THEIR MESSIAH

 

[3] And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be?  And what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?  [4] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  [5] For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  [6] And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars (hear but not experience): see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  [7] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  [8] All these are the beginning of sorrows.  [9] Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted (to Synagogues - Mk. 13:9; Lk. 21:12), and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake.  [10] And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  [11] And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  [12] And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  [13] But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  [14] And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations (Rev. 11:3-12); and then shall the end come.

 

ISRAEL'S EYES ARE SUDDENLY OPENED

[15] When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  [16] Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:  [17] Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:  [18] Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  [19] And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  [20] But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  [21] For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  [22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.  [23] Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
[24] For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  [25] Behold, I have told you before.  [26] Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  [27] For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  [28] For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

 

ISRAEL'S TRUE MESSIAH COMES FOR HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM

[29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:  [30] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (see Rev. 19:1 - 20:15).

 

Note:  Israel's blindness is removed at the Abomination of Desolation (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Rom. 11:25; Rev. 13:5-6)!

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING BIBLE PROPHECY

Daniel 2 [36]  This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
[37] Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.  [38] And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold (Babylon).  [39] And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee (Medo-Persia - see Dan. 5 & 8), and another third kingdom of brass (Greece - see Dan. 8), which shall bear rule over all the earth.  [40] And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron (Rome - see Dan. 9): forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.  [41] And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.  [42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.  [43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.  [44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom (Christ's Second Coming - Rev. 20), which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Daniel 5 [30] In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.  [31] And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Daniel 8 [20] The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
[21] And the rough goat is the king of Grecia (Alexander the Great): and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.  [22] Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it (Alexander's four generals took over at his death; Cassander, Thrace, Seleucus, and Ptolemy), four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

Daniel 9 [24] Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.   [25] Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  [26] And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off (Christ's First Coming), but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come ( the prince will be the Antichrist) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (Rome in A.D. 70); and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.  [27] And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (the seven-year Tribulation -Mt. 24 & Rev. 6 - 18): and in the midst of the week (after 3 1/2 years; 42 months, 1260 days, a time, times, and half a time) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The Book of Daniel is the foundation for understanding Biblical Prophecy!

SUBMIT AND OBEY

CHRISTIANS ARE TO SUBMIT

Romans 10:3 - "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
1 Corinthians 16:16 - "That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth."
Ephesians 5:21-22 - "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."
Colossians 3:18 - "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord."
Hebrews 13:17 - "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
James 4:7 - "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
1 Peter 2:13-14 - "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well."
1 Peter 5:7 - "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

 

CHRISTIANS ARE TO OBEY

Acts 5:29, 32 - "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.  And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him."
Romans 6:17 - "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you."
Ephesians 6:1 - "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."
Colossians 3:22 - "Servants (employees), obey in all things your masters (supervisors) according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God."
Titus 3:1 - "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work."
Hebrews 5:9 - "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."
1 Peter 1:22 - "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently."
1 Peter 3:1 - "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives."

REVELATION TWENTY (BASED UPON THE NLT)

CHRIST'S 1000 YEAR KINGDOM ON EARTH

REVELATION 20 -  "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan and bound him in chains for a thousand years. ³ 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. Afterward he must be released for a little while.

⁴ 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.
⁵ This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) ⁶ 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."

THE SATANIC TRINITY CAST IN THE LAKE OF FIRE

⁷ "When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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.

¹⁰ 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."

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT



¹¹ "And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. ¹² I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. ¹⁴ Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire."

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:  THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH

 



1 JOHN 5:1-13 - KJV and NLT

KING JAMES VERSION

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.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  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.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.  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.  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.  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, and that ye may (continue to) believe on the name of the Son of God.

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God.  And everyone who loves the Father loves His children, too.  We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey His commandments.  Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.  For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.  And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by His baptism in water and by shedding His blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with His testimony.  So we have these three witnesses—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.  Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God.  And God has testified about His Son.  All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true.  Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about His Son.  And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.  I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

THE DAYS OF NOAH, LOT, AND TODAY

THE WORLD AT CHRIST'S SECOND COMING

"Jesus said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.  And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in His day.  But first must He suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.  In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.  Remember Lot's wife" (Lk. 17:22-32).

NOAH'S DAY

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them" (Gen. 6:5-7).

LOT'S DAY

"And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot . . . pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.  But before they lay down, the men of the city . . . said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night?  Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  And Lot . . . said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly" (Gen. 1-6).  "And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath" (Deut. 29:23; see also Isa. 13:19; Jer. 49:18; 50:40; and Amos 4:11).

The resurrected and ascended Lord offers salvation to whomsoever will trust in Him!

WE ARE OVERCOMERS IN HIM!

The genuine born again believer struggles or battles against sin everyday!  We are at war with the world, with our flesh, and with Satan.  The Apostle Paul spoke of his own battle with the temptations of the flesh (Rom. 7:15-25).  And he also wrote of our enemies of this world, and in the spiritual realm.  Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places!"  It is because we cannot be perfect, that our victory, our overcoming, is the result of our faith in the One who conquered every enemy, including even death (Rom. 8:37; 1 Cor. 15:57).  The word "overcometh" appears in ten verses: 

 

1 John 5:4-5

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?"

 

Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26 

7 - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." 
11 - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." 
17 - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." 
26 - "And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations."

Revelation 3:5, 12, 21

5 - "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." 
12 - "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name." 
21 - "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."

Revelation 21:7

7 - "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son."

Thank God our success does not depend on us, but on Christ!

THE "DAY" OF ATONEMENT

I had hoped the Rapture would come on the Feast of Trumpets, because two of the passages which refer to the Rapture of the Church, mention a trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52 and 1 Thes. 4:16).  Well, we are still here, so as disappointed as I am, there are still six days before the Jewish Feast of Atonement, which I believe refers to the Tribulation.  IF the Tribulation will begin on the 23rd of this month, then the Rapture has to occur within a week!  That is because the Feast of Atonement is described as the wrath of God (Num. 16:46; Zeph. 1:15; Rom. 2:5; Rev. 6:17; etc.) and the Church will not be here according to 1 Thes. 5:9)!  Here are some references to the Day of Atonement:

"Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a Day of Atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you (Israel); and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD" (Lev. 23:27).

"Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the Day of Atonement shall ye (Israel) make the trumpet sound throughout all your land" (Lev. 25:9).

"And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you . . . And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you (Israel) . . . And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein . . . One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings" (Num. 29:1, 5, 7, 11).

 

"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.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we (the Church) shall be saved by His life.  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Rom. 5:8-11).

 

 

No wonder this dispensation is known as the Age of Grace!

 

 

 

THE BIBLE'S STRANGEST METAPHORS

Have you ever heard someone say that Christianity is a "bloody religion?"  They criticize us as being barbaric, and some even call us "cannibals" because we follow a man who said:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.  I am that bread of life.  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
"The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.  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.  He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.  As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever" (Jn. 6:47-58).

By saying those things about believers, they show their ignorance of God's Word.  Jesus, at what is known as the Last Supper, indicated that when He has spoken of His disciples eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He was using metaphors.  Matthew wrote: 

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body.  And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Mt. 26:26-28)."

In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, the Apostle Paul also indicated that Jesus was being metaphorical.  He wrote:

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread:  and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.  After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come."

The blood represents the sacrifice of His life for us.  In Leviticus 17:11, Moses wrote:  "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."

Bread = His Incarnation; Blood = His Crucifixion!

Jesus came to die for the sins of the world (Jn. 1:14, 29; 3:16-17; 4:42; 1 Jn. 2:2)!   

CHRISTIANS SHOULD LONG TO BE LIKE CHRIST

Many born-again believers are disappointed today because we are still in our carnal, temporal bodies.  I know I am!  I had hoped that Jesus would return for His Church at the beginning of Israel's Feast of Trumpets.  Because "trumpets" is plural, many of us think that one of the trumpets is "the trump of God" from 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, which reads:

"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."

Some Christian students of Bible Prophecy has stated that because the Feasts of Israel are for Israel only, that the Feast of Trumpets could not be connected to the "trump of God."  I would remind those who hold this view, that we are in the Church Age, a parenthetical period interrupting the fifth Dispensation, the Law, which has seven years remaining before it ends (Dan.9:27 - the seven-year Tribulation (Israel's Day of Atonement), followed by the Millennial Kingdom of Christ (Israel's Feast of Tabernacles).  In addition, I would remind them that the Church Age began on one of Israel's feasts, the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2).  Therefore, having begun on a Jewish feast day, why could it not end on a Jewish feast day?

Others are critical of those of us who long to either be taken through death, or via the Rapture of the Church (Jn. 14:1-6, 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; etc.).  They say they do not want the Lord to return for us because they want to experience something important to them, such as enjoying retirement, or as seeing their grandchildren grow up, but my response to that is "Wouldn't heaven be better than an earthly retirement, and your grandchildren be happier in heaven?"  Another objection is those who desire to be in heaven, are being selfish, because the world has yet to hear the Gospel.  My response to that is, most have heard, and for those who have not, there will be two witnesses (Rev. 11) spreading the Gospel, and 144,000 Messianic Jews declaring Jesus as Lord during the Tribulation (Rev. 7).  Besides, if wanting to be with the Lord now is such a bad thing, then why did the Apostle Paul desire it?  Here is what he had to say on the subject: 

2 Corinthians 5:1-8  "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:  if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.  Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight):  we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

We shall be like Jesus:  sinless, immortal, and present with Him

(Rom. 8:28-29; 1 Cor 15:34-58; Phil 1:6; 1 Jn. 3:2; etc.)! 

 

CHRIST'S RETURN FOR HIS CHURCH

       "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.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.  Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?  Jesus saith unto him, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (Jn. 14:1-6).

       "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I shew 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 Cor. 15:50-54).

       "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.
       But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thes. 4:13 - 5:4).

All who have called upon Jesus as Lord and Savior, are about to leave this world!

GOD'S PLAN "PLAYED OUT"

Scene One:  Place:  the "Third Heaven" (2 Cor. 12:2).  Time:  before time began (Gen. 1:1-19; Jn. 17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8; 17:8; etc.).  A conversation takes place as though three Spirits are talking, and yet, there is but one Spirit present.  The first is identified as Father.  The second is identified as Son.  and the third is known as the Holy Spirit.

Father:  "Lucifer, the light-bearer, who We created perfect, has rebelled against Us, and he has taken one third of Our created angels with him" (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-18; Mt. 25:41; Lk. 10:18; Rev. 12:4; etc.).

Holy Spirit:  "Those angels who remain faithful are curious to know what We will do" (1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet. 1:12; etc.).

Son:  "That 'all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in Us, who created all things by Me:  to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church, Our manifold wisdom, according to the eternal purpose which We shall purpose in Me'" (Eph. 3:9-11).

Father:  "Agreed, then '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).

Scene Two:  Place:  before the Great White Throne of God.  Time:  Immediately after Christ's one thousand year earthly kingdom (Rev. 20:1-15).  The Apostle John is caught up to heaven and saw a vision of the scene (Rev. 1:1; 4:1). 

John writes what he sees:  "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 11-15).

Scene Three:  Eternity.  Place:  The New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21:1-22:20)!

 

All angels and all men are without excuse before God (Rom. 1:16-21)!

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS

The Jewish Feast of Trumpets falls on September 13th of this year.  And based upon the fact that it is happening fifteen days before the last of the four blood moons in the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, many, including me, hope it will signal the Rapture of the Church, and the gathering of Israel to prepare them for a major war.  Following their declaring their independence in 1948, the following two years, 1949-1950, had a Blood Moon Tetrad (a blood moon on Passover in two consecutive years and on the Feast of Tabernacles those same two years); that tetrad marked their becoming a nation!

Then, in 1967-1968, another Blood Moon Tetrad occurred marking Israel's Six-Day War, in which they took possession of the City of Jerusalem.  Many believe that during the tetrad we are now in, will mark a war that will gain control of the Temple Mount, setting the stage for the building of the temple which is described as existing during the seven-year Tribulation (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:6; etc.).  The final blood moon will occur on the Feast of Tabernacles which falls on September 29th of this year!

With the entire world in chaos due to the declaration of war by Islam on all those who do not worship Allah, with the Pope declaring the Koran and the Bible are equal, with the collapse of all of the world's financial markets, with Russian troops landing by the thousand in Syria (Gog and Magog of Ezek. 38-39), it is very likely that this Feast of Trumpets will serve two purposes.  "Trumpets" is plural; I believe one trumpet is the "trump of God" from 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (a passage describing the Rapture of the Church (see also 1 Cor. 15:50-58 and Rev. 3:10; 4:1), and the other trumpets are for Israel to assemble for war:  here are verses from Israel's Torah, the Books of Moses:

Leviticus 23:24 - "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation." (Israel's New Year).

Numbers 10:2 - "Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps."

Numbers 10:8-9 - "And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.  And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies." 

 

Numbers 10:10 - "Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God." (another mention of the Jewish New Year).

 

Numbers 29:1 - "And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you." (again, Israel's New Year).

 

Numbers 31:6 - "And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand."

 

 

THE FORCES OF SATAN ARE VERY CLEAR

The Shoe Bomber was a Muslim!  The Beltway Snipers were Muslims!  The Fort Hood Shooter was a Muslim!  The underwear Bomber was a Muslim!  The U.S.S. Cole Bombers were Muslims!  The Madrid Train Bombers were Muslims!  The Bafi Nightclub Bombers were Muslims!  The London Subway Bombers were Muslims!  The Moscow Theatre Attackers were Muslims!  The Boston Marathon Bombers were Muslims!  The Pan-Am flight #93 Bombers were Muslims!  The Air France Entebbe Hijackers were Muslims!  The Iranian Embassy Takeover, was by Muslims!  The Beirut U.S. Embassy bombers were Muslims!  The Libyan U.S. Embassy Attack was by Muslims!  The Buenos Aires Suicide Bombers were Muslims!  The Israeli Olympic Team Attackers were Muslims!
The Kenyan U.S, Embassy Bombers were Muslims!  The Saudi, Khobar Towers Bombers were Muslims!  The Beirut Marine Barracks bombers were Muslims!  The Besian Russian School Attackers were Muslims!  The first World Trade Center Bombers were Muslims!  The Bombay & Mumbai India Attackers were Muslims!  The Achille Lauro Cruise Ship Hijackers were Muslims!
The September 11th 2001 Airline Hijackers were Muslims!

 Think of it:
Buddhists living with Hindus = No Problem
Hindus living with Christians = No Problem
Hindus living with Jews = No Problem
Christians living with Shintos = No Problem
Shintos living with Confucians = No Problem
Confusians living with Baha'is = No Problem
Baha'is living with Jews = No Problem
Jews living with Atheists = No Problem
Atheists living with Buddhists = No Problem
Buddhists living with Sikhs = No Problem
Sikhs living with Hindus = No Problem
Hindus living with Baha'is = No Problem
Baha'is living with Christians = No Problem
Christians living with Jews = No Problem
Jews living with Buddhists = No Problem
Buddhists living with Shintos = No Problem
Shintos living with Atheists = No Problem
Atheists living with Confucians = No Problem
Confusians living with Hindus = No Problem
Muslims living with Hindus = Problem
Muslims living with Buddhists = Problem
Muslims living with Christians = Problem
Muslims living with Jews = Problem
Muslims living with Sikhs = Problem
Muslims living with Baha'is = Problem
Muslims living with Shintos = Problem
Muslims living with Atheists = Problem
MUSLIMS LIVING WITH MUSLIMS = BIG PROBLEM

TWO GARDENS

It is ironic that on this day when the United States remembers the horrible events of 9/11, that Our Daily Bread has a devotional on the two gardens:  Eden and Gethsemane.  The evil that motivated nineteen Muslims to carry out such a dastardly deed, set in motion the attempted take-over of the entire world by a religion of hate, violence, torture, rape, and murder.  Not only are they insane, but they appear to have hearts like Satan himself (Jn. 10:10)!

Eden was a perfect utopia; even God walked there in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8).  Because Adam was a created being, he had no genetic flaws to blame for his disobedience.  Because he was in a perfect environment, he had no excuse for "going bad."  He was free to choose, free to listen to Satan, or obey his Creator.  We all know his choice, and because he trusted Satan rather than God, all of mankind now suffers the curse of death (Rom. 5:12).

Approximately four thousand years later, another "Adam" miraculously became flesh and dwelt among men:  Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 15:45-47)!  No one knows how long it took Adam to disobey God, but the "Last Adam," Jesus, obeyed His Father His entire life - Jesus never sinned (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15)!  The night before He was to be murdered, He knelt in another garden, Gethsemane, and unlike Eden, it was not in a perfect world!  By then, the world was filled with sinners, and even His disciples chose to sleep rather than pray with Him (Mt. 26:40).  Luke, who was not there (Mt. 26:37) but led of the Holy Spirit to write (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21), quoted Jesus as saying:  "...Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done" (Lk. 22:42).

Two gardens of decision.  Two "Adams."  Two horrible outcomes!  The first brought sin and death into a perfect world.  The second turned a sinless Man into sin itself (2 Cor. 5:21), resulting in His being separated from His Father (Mt. 27:46), and Him suffering humiliation and the torturous death of crucifixion (Mt. 27:27-54).  Why?  Because God loves us!  John wrote (Jn. 3:14-18):
 
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." 

One plan before creation began:  Two gardens - two "Adams" - two choices -

Revelation 13:8 or Revelation 17:8!

ROMANS FIVE - THE LIVING BIBLE

5 So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² For because of our faith, He has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.

 

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. ⁴ And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. ⁵ Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for Him. ⁷ Even if we were good, we really wouldn’t expect anyone to die for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. ⁸ But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since by His blood He did all this for us as sinners, how much more will He do for us now that He has declared us not guilty? Now He will save us from all of God’s wrath to come. ¹⁰ And since, when we were His enemies, we were brought back to God by the death of His Son, what blessings he must have for us now that we are His friends and He is living within us. ¹¹ Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins—making us friends of God.

¹² When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned. ¹³ We know that it was Adam’s sin that caused this because although, of course, people were sinning from the time of Adam until Moses, God did not in those days judge them guilty of death for breaking his laws—because he had not yet given his laws to them nor told them what he wanted them to do. ¹⁴ So when their bodies died it was not for their own sins since they themselves had never disobeyed God’s special law against eating the forbidden fruit, as Adam had. 

What a contrast between Adam and Christ who was yet to come! ¹⁵ And what a difference between man’s sin and God’s forgiveness!  For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this one man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God’s mercy. ¹⁶ Adam’s one sin brought the penalty of death to many, while Christ freely takes away many sins and gives glorious life instead. ¹⁷ The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but all who will take God’s gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life^[d] because of this one man, Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ Yes, Adam’s sin brought punishment to all, but Christ’s righteousness makes men right with God, so that they can live. ¹⁹ Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed.

²⁰ The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God’s laws. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us. ²¹ Before, sin ruled over all men and brought them to death, but now God’s kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

JOHN 3:1-21 AND JOHN 6:28-29

3 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. ² After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

 

³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

⁴ “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? ¹¹ I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. ¹² But if you don’t believe Me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.
¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

John 6:28-29 - “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” ²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One He has sent.”

ROMANS FIVE - INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S BIBLE

Right with God

5 We have been made right with God because of our faith. So we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy. And we are happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory. ³ And we also have joy with our troubles because we know that these troubles produce patience. ⁴ And patience produces character, and character produces hope. ⁵ And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out His love to fill our hearts. God gave us His love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.

⁶ Christ died for us while we were still weak. We were living against God, but at the right time, Christ died for us. ⁷ Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although perhaps for a good man someone might possibly die. ⁸ But Christ died for us while we were still sinners. In this way God shows His great love for us.  ⁹ We have been made right with God by the blood of Christ’s death. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger. ¹⁰ I mean that while we were God’s enemies, God made us His friends through the death of His Son. Surely, now that we are God’s friends, God will save us through His Son’s life. ¹¹ And not only that, but now we are also very happy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Jesus we are now God’s friends again.

Adam and Christ

¹² Sin came into the world because of what one man did. And with sin came death. And this is why all men must die—because all men sinned. ¹³ Sin was in the world before the law of Moses. But God does not judge people guilty of sin if there is no law. ¹⁴ But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, everyone had to die. Adam died because he sinned by not obeying God’s command. But even those who did not sin in the same way had to die.  Adam was like the One who was coming in the future. ¹⁵ But God’s free gift is not like Adam’s sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But the grace that they received from God was much greater. Many people received God’s gift of life by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. ¹⁶ After Adam sinned once, he was judged guilty. But the gift of God is different. God’s free gift came after many sins. And the gift makes people right with God. ¹⁷ One man sinned, and so death ruled all people because of that one man. But now some people accept God’s full grace and the great gift of being made right with Him. They will surely have true life and rule through the one man, Jesus Christ.

 

¹⁸ So one sin of Adam brought the punishment of death to all people. But in the same way, one good act that Christ did makes all people right with God. And that brings true life for all. ¹⁹ One man disobeyed God, and many became sinners. But in the same way, one man obeyed God, and many will be made right. ²⁰ The law came to make people (aware of) sin. But when people had more sin, God gave them more of His grace. ²¹ Sin once used death to rule us. But God gave people more of His grace so that grace could rule by making people right with Him. And this brings life forever through Jesus Christ our Lord.

ROMANS FIVE - THE JUBILEE BIBLE 2000

5 ¶ Justified therefore by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus, the Christ,

² by Whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and glory in hope of the glory of the sons of God.

³ And not only this, but we even glory in the tribulations, knowing that the tribulation works patience;

⁴ and patience, experience; and experience, hope;

⁵ and the hope shall not be ashamed, because the love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Who) is given unto us.

⁶ ¶ For the Christ, when we were yet weak, in His time died for the ungodly.

⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

⁸ But God increased the price of His charity toward us in that while we were yet sinners the Christ died for us.

⁹ Then much more now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from wrath by Him.

¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled with God by the death of His Son, much more, now reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

¹¹ And not only this, but we even glory in God through our Lord Jesus, the Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.

¹² Therefore, in the manner which sin entered into the world by one man, and because of sin, death; and so death passed upon all men in the one in whom all sinned.

¹³ For until the Law, sin was in the world; but the sin was not imputed, there being no Law.

¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even in those that did not sin after the manner of the rebellion of Adam, who is a figure of Him that was to come.

¹⁵ But not as the offense, so also is the gift. For if through the offense of that one many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one man, Jesus the Christ, has abounded unto many.

¹⁶ Nor was it in the same manner as by one sin, likewise also the gift; for the judgment truly came of one sin unto condemnation, but grace came of many offenses unto justification.

¹⁷ For if by one offense, death reigned because of one man; much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of gifts and of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus the Christ.

¹⁸ Therefore, in the same manner that by the iniquity of one guilt came upon all men unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of One, grace came upon all men unto justification of life.

¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.

²⁰ Moreover the Law entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,

²¹ so that in the same manner as sin has reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus, the Christ, our Lord.