THERE IS ONLY ONE GOSPEL

Earlier today, I had a discussion with a fellow on Facebook, concerning his false belief that the Apostle Paul preached a different Gospel, than did the other Apostles.  He used the fact that Paul called what he preached "my Gospel" (Rom. 2:16; 16:25; 2 Tim. 2:8).  He suggested that the rest of the Apostles were ignorant of the true Gospel, preaching instead, the Gospel of the Kingdom.  This is written as my response to him.

Of the ninety plus verses which contain the word "Gospel," at least seventy-five use the definite article "the" with the term.  The only time the indefinite article "a" is used, in the form of "another Gospel," is when Paul was rebuking those who insisted there is another Gospel (2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6)!  His actual words are: 

"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).

There is but one Gospel; it is the Gospel which God's Word tells us; it is the Gospel which has the power to save the lost!  Paul wrote:  "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" (Rom. 1:16).  Notice there is not a Gospel for the Jews, and a Gospel for the Gentiles!  While Peter was the Apostle to the Jews, and Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:8), they preached the same message!  The Gospel Paul preached, was the same Gospel Peter, James, John, etc., preached; it contained three important parts:  "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. 15:3-4).

If you believe the Lord Jesus died for you, call upon Him to save you!

 

GOD'S TIMING

God is the only One who can say His name is "I AM."  That is because He has always been, and He will always be (Ex. 3:14)!  Before creation actually began in Genesis 1:1, God already had chosen to do the things which were going to happen.  For instance, before the foundation of the world, Jesus, "the Lamb of God," was already counted as slain for a lost and dying world (Jn. 1:29, 36; 1 Pet. 1:19-20).  The names of those who would accept His sacrifice for them, were already written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4; Rev. 13:8; 17:8).  God predestined these things to happen (Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:5, 11)!  Isaiah 46:10 declares this:  "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure!"

Even though God is eternally Omniscient, He has chosen to reveal the truth in bits and pieces, when He determines the time is right.  We are told repeatedly in the Scriptures, that some truth has been temporarily hidden from mankind (Col. 1:26-27); God's Word describes these as "mysteries":

     *     His kingdom - Mt. 13:11; Mk. 4:11; Lk. 8:10.
     *     The blindness of Israel - Rom. 11:25.
     *     The Gospel - Rom. 16:25; Eph. 6:19.
     *     His wisdom - 1 Cor. 2:7.
     *     His will - Eph. 1:9.
     *     The gift of tongues - 1 Cor. 14:2.
     *     The Rapture - 1 Cor. 15:51.
     *     Christ's suffering - Eph. 3:3, 4, 9.
     *     God's comfort - Col. 2:2.
     *     Iniquity - 2 Thes. 2:7.
     *     The significance of faith - 1 Tim. 3:9.
     *     Godliness - 1 Tim. 3:16.
     *     The Incarnation - 1 Tim. 3:16.
     *     The identity of the stars - Rev. 1:20.
     *     The mystery of God is finished - Rev. 10:7.
     *     The harlot - Rev. 17:5, 7.

As you can see from this abbreviated list, many of the mysteries have already been revealed.  However, even though the majority of them are understood by born again believers, there are still a few which God will reveal in good time.  An example of those things which will one day be clear, is the blinded eyes of Israel being opened when they observe the Abomination of Desolation (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15).  And, in a sense, there will always be some mystery, even for the born again believer.  After all, 1 John 3:2 tells us that we will not know until we are with Him!

I long for the day I see Jesus!  Maranatha! 

    

SIGNS AND WONDERS

The word "signs," in the Bible, can serve as a reminder of an important occurrence from the past, it can serve as a guide in understanding the present, or it can refer to evidence of a pending future event.  For example, stones were piled upon one another as a sign, a memorial of some miraculous work of God, to teach future generations (Josh. 4:6).  Today, we have the celestial bodies which serve as signs to indicate our present times and seasons (Gen. 1:14).  And, signs can also serve to warn believers of what is about to take place (Mt. 24:3-8).

One of the most obvious characteristics of the Jews, is that they are always demanding a sign from those who speak to them about God (Deut. 6:22; Neh. 9:10; Jer. 32:20; Dan. 4:1-3; Mt. 12:38; Jn. 4:48; etc.).  In fact, the Word actually states this in 1 Corinthians 1:22, which says, "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom."  The Jews demanded, and still demand, "credentials."  That is why, during the first century Church, the Holy Spirit manifested signs; these signs were call the "signs of the Apostles" (2 Cor. 12:12).  God sent the Apostles to go first to Jerusalem and Judea with the Gospel (Acts 1:8).  And, for about twenty years, the Church was made up entirely of Jewish converts to Christ.   

While no Bible student would question that the Apostle Peter was the primary messenger to the Jews, and the Apostle Paul was chosen to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:8), the Apostle Paul had the habit of going first to the synagogues of the cities with his message (Acts 13:5; 14:1; 17:1; 18:19; etc.).  That is why God chose to work signs and wonders through him (Acts 14:8-10; 16:16-18; 20:9-12; etc.).  By the end of the period recorded in the Book of Acts, God's focus was no longer on the salvation of the Jews, but was, and has been for the past 2000 years, focused upon winning the souls of the Gentiles. 

Does that mean the signs, such as tongues, healing, and miracles has ceased?  Most conservative evangelical Christians would say yes.  However, I would ask two questions:  1) Is God still saving the souls of Jews (Rom. 1:16)?  And 2), has the Body of Christ achieved Christ-likeness, to the point that the gifts of the Spirit are no longer useful (Eph. 4:11-16)?  The answer to the first is a resounding yes; Jews for Christ is clear evidence of that!  And note the word "also" in the text!  The answer to the second is equally emphatic in that few, if any, would say the Church has arrived! 

My testimony is that I was an atheist; God provided me with undeniable evidence that the Gospel is true, and the moment I trusted in Jesus Christ, I was indwelt by the Holy Spirit!  No, I didn't speak in tongues, but I was a new creature!  Praise be to God alone for my salvation!  

HIS PLAN; HIS WORK; HIS CHILDREN

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."

God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)  For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.  So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God saved you by His grace when you believed.  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Thanks to the NLT for making it clear enough that a child can understand;

God loves us, and he adopts those who love His only begotten Son:  JESUS!

 

PLEASING GOD

God's Word tells us, using only nine words, how a believer can please Almighty God.  Micah wrote: 
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God" (Mic. 6:8)?

DO JUSTLY - "Do the right thing!"  Unfortunately, we often fail.  It is of extreme importance that we make "it right."  The Lord is so serious about this, that He insists a believer be in fellowship with other believers, before approaching Him.  Jesus taught:  "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Mt. 5:23-24).

LOVE MERCY - "Forgive as you would be forgiven!"  Just as we often fail to live as God would have us to live, our brothers and sisters in the Lord have the same problem.  We must be willing to show them mercy, and forgive them.  Jesus said:   "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mk. 11:25-26). 

WALK HUMBLY WITH THY GOD - living one's life under the Lordship of Christ, and living it as a servant of one's fellow man.  When one believes the Gospel, and desires to be saved, he calls upon Jesus, who is Lord!  Paul said it this way:  "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" (Rom. 10:9).

And, in submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we need to humble ourselves and become the servants of the brethren.  Jesus set the example for us:  "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:5-8).  John wrote:  "Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you" (Jn. 13:13-15).

"Love God; love man," is demonstrated by "serving God; serving man!"

THE DRAGON OF REVELATION

The dragon of the Book of Revelation, is mentioned by name in twelve verses.  From just these twelve verses, we know a great deal about our enemy.  And, he has aliases! 

"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" (12:3).
"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as (He) was born" (12:4).
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels" (12:7).
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (12:9).
"And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child" (12:13).
"And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth" (12:16).
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (12:17).

"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (13:2).
"And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" (13:4).
"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon" (13:11).

"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" (16:13).

"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years" (20:2).

Note:  As the dragon, he appears as empowering the antichrist from the mid-Tribulation, until he and the false prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire in Revelation 19:20.  As the serpent, Satan came on the scene in Genesis 3:1.  As the devil, he is first mentioned in Matthew 4:1.  In Revelation:
*     References to him as the serpent:  9:19; 12:9, 14, 15; 20:2.
*     References to him as the devil:  2:10; 9:20, 12; 16:14; 18:2; 20:2, 10.
*     References to him as Satan:  2:9, 13, 24; 3:9; 12:9, 14, 15; 20:2.

Regardless of his aliases, he loses!

THE SONS OF PERDITION

A PARABLE:  Picture in your mind that you are driving on Interstate 65, and the highway has three North-bound lanes and five South-bound lanes.  You are driving North in the center lane, with one lane on either side of your lane.  Suddenly, you notice that the lanes on both sides of your lane are exit-only lanes; the left exit-only lane has a sign that says "to South-bound Interstate 65," and the right exit-only lane has a sign that says "to South-bound Interstate 65."  At the point where both lanes exit, you look, and you realize that the South-bound side now has only three lanes, and your side is now a single lane road, still labeled "North Interstate 65."  What has happened?

The parable explained:  The North-bound highway represents the visible church, "heading toward Heaven."  The vehicles in the center lane are born again believers (Wheat - Mt. 13:24-30).  The vehicles on either side of your lane are those professing to be Christians, but they are not saved (Tares - Mt. 13:24-30).  When they find a convenient exit, they turn back, and join the rest of the traffic headed South toward Hell (1 Jn. 2:19).  You will remember that before their exit, your side of the highway was three lanes, and the South-bound side had three lanes.  The South-bound lane needed to be widened because of the added vehicles "the tares abandoning ship!"       

What causes members to suddenly depart from a local church?  There are all sorts of reasons; but most are really just excuses.  Some are legitimate, that is, God is leading them to serve Him elsewhere.  However, with those who are Christians in name only, something usually causes them to "show their true colors."  While there are far too many to detail here, I do want to suggest to you that a few of the "turncoats" leave for very sinister purposes:  they become "sons of perdition!"

There are only two specific examples of this "transformation" in the Scriptures, but I suspect there are hundreds which are not explained as such (1 Jn. 2:18).  A "son of perdition" is a human being who becomes possessed by Satan.  In John 13:27, we are told that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, and he then went and betrayed Jesus. 

The other individual is the Antichrist.  2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 says:  "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."  We know the "the son of perdition" mentioned here, is the Beast of Revelation 13, by the timing of his appearance, and by his actions.  Notice that after the head of the Beast receives a mortal wound, Satan not only re-animates him, he becomes his inner power to carry out the "abomination of desolation," even declaring himself to be god (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:3-8)!

Many will go to Hell; few will go to heaven;
fortunately, fewer still will become "sons of perdition!"

COMPARING SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Why did God save Noah and his family?

Because someone was needed for the genealogy of Jesus!

 

"Adam, Sheth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth" (1 Ch. 1:1-4).
"...which was [the son] of Noe, which was [the son] of Lamech, which was [the son] of Mathusala, which was [the son] of Enoch, which was [the son] of Jared, which was [the son] of Maleleel, which was [the son] of Cainan, which was [the son] of Enos, which was [the son] of Seth, which was [the son] of Adam, which was [the son] of God" (Lk. 3:38).

How did God save Noah and his family?

God saved them by His grace!

 



"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:8).
"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). 

Was Noah a just or righteous man?

He was after God imputed Christ's righteousness to him!  

"These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God" (Gen. 6:8-9). 
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God" (Rom. 3:10-11).
"For He hath made Him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).

Are you and I just or righteous?

We are after we trust in the Lord Jesus!

 

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17).

"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" (Rom. 10:9).

 

"As it was in the days of Noah," also applies to God's offer of salvation!





THE CHURCH AGE

Many Bible scholars have seen a parallel between the seven churches of Asia, found described in Revelation 2:1 - 3:22, and the character of the Church during specific periods of time.  For example, they see the Church of Ephesus, described in Revelation 2:1-7, as typical of the Apostolic Church (circa A.D. 33-100).  The Apostle John described Ephesus as a church that had lost its first love.  It had already begun to be an organization, rather than an organism.

The other six churches are viewed as picturing the Church during these periods:

Smyrna - (Rev. 2:8-11) - The persecuted Church - (circa A.D. 100-312).
Pergamos - (Rev. 2:12-17) - The state Church, Satan's seat - (circa A.D. 312-606).
Thyatira - (Rev. 2:18-29) - Roman Catholicism, Jezebel - (circa A.D. 606-1520).
Sardis - (Rev. 3:1-6) - Protestantism as a Remnant - (circa A.D. 1520-1700).
Philadelphia - (Rev. 3:7-13) - Love of fellowship and soul-winning - (circa A.D. 1700-today).
Laodicea - (Rev. 3:14-22) - The Christ-less Church - (circa A.D. 1900-today).

Of course, the seven churches mentioned by John were literal churches in Asia Minor.  But, much like the seven Feasts of the Lord, found in Leviticus 23, God often has a double meaning for His Word.  Jesus fulfilled the Passover (1 Cor. 5:7); He was the Unleavened Bread (Jn. 6:48); rising from the dead, He was the First Fruits (1 Cor. 15:20).  The Feast of Pentecost was a feast of the harvest, and, since the Church began on Pentecost, and since our "job" is to harvest the fields ripe for the harvesting, the Church is the fulfillment of the fourth feast (Jn. 4:35).  I am 100% confident that Jesus will literally fulfill the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, with His Second Coming!

The reason that there are two churches co-existing at the same time, is that today, there is the organized religious church, professing faith in Christ while excluding Him from being Lord over their lives, and the Body of Christ, which is more an organism than an organization!  It is composed of genuine, born again believers, who recognize that Jesus is Lord of their lives.  According to Revelation 3:10, the genuine believers will be removed prior to the Tribulation via the Rapture of the true Church (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Thes. 4:16-17; etc.)!  The Church, as pictured in that of Laodicea, will continue to exist during the Tribulation, and many of the martyred will be members who finally realized they were not saved!

The Church Age ends with the beginning of Daniel's Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:27).

WAR WITHIN

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17).

In Romans 7:1-25, the Apostle Paul, using present tense verbs, describes his constant inward battle between the flesh and the spirit.  Paul's soul, that part of him which chooses his words and his actions, is influenced by both his spiritual nature, the part of him which wishes only to please God, and his physical nature, the part of him which always seeks to please oneself.  Freud would say that Paul's "Ego" was being torn between the opposing forces of his "Id" (self-pleasing) and his "Super Ego" (God pleasing).

Paul knew when he was walking in the flesh, because he listed those things which result from being out of fellowship with God.  They are:  

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which (practice) such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19-21).

Paul also knew that there was clear evidence to show when he was living in fellowship with God.  He wrote:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).

Notice that Paul emphasizes that the works of the flesh are just that:  works.  He does not speak of a single incident, but a continual practice of such things.  He also makes it clear that "the fruit of the Spirit" is not the result of works, but is the natural outworking of the Holy Spirit in a person's life.

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the secret to spirituality,

is to allow God to do "His thing!"

DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS DIED FOR YOU?

Salvation is a gift; You cannot earn it (Eph. 2:8-9)!  You simply must believe God offers it to you because of the finished working of Jesus Christ on your behalf!  By calling upon the name of the LORD Jesus, you WILL be saved (Rom. 10:9)!  Once you are saved, it is God's job to make you into His Son's image and likeness!  Allow Him to do His job!

"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. 1:12-13).

"No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day" (Jn. 6:44).

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (Jn. 14:17, 26).

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified" (Rom. 8:28-30).

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Heb. 13:20-21).

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen" (Jude 24-25).

Faith in the Father's love for you, results in your desire to please Him!

I AM TIRED!

They say you are as young as you feel.  If that is true, then I am 183!  I am worn out!  I would list all the physical ailments I have, but that is what old people talk about whenever they get together, and in spite of my "felt age," I am determined to think "young!"  At seventy-one and a half (see, I am trying to think like a teen), my "life experiences" have left me unable to dress myself, unable see clearly, and unable to remember what three degrees, and life itself, have taught me.  To be quite honest, if it were not for the various Bible helps that I rely upon every day, I would not even be able to write this blog.  Thank God for Blue Letter Bible!

But please do not feel sorry for me; unless the Rapture takes place prior to my demise, I will get to see Jesus before you!  The Word says that "the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Thes. 4:16)!  I am so looking forward to which ever comes first, me going to Him (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; etc.), or Him coming for us all (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; etc.)!  Either way, I will no longer have to dwell in this rickety old body, but will have been changed to be like Him (1 Cor. 15:35-58; 1 Jn. 3:2; etc.)!

Life has also taken its toll through years of concern for my mother-in-law, my wife, my children and their families.  That old adage is true:  "I don't care how old my daughters are, they will always be my little girls!"  They have had over twenty years (way over) since high school, and experience many of the same trials and tribulations, as their parents.  And like most children, they had to discover for themselves, how to handle each issue as it came up (one would have hoped they would have listen to their experienced parents, but we all know that never happens).  I finally had to get to the point that I would simply trust God to get them through, because He obviously loves them far more than we, as parents, do!  And, He is ALWAYS right, whereas, we almost never are!

As the end is near, based upon all of the signs that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled, I have to keep telling myself:  "Be patient" (1 Thes 5:14; Jam. 5:7; etc.)!  "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal. 6:9).  "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing" (2 Thes. 3:13).

Both patience and perseverance are virtues, but they must be motivated by love!

SALVATION, SONSHIP, AND AN INHERITANCE

According to Ephesians 2:8, salvation is offered as a free gift to those who are willing to accept it.  Romans 10:9 tells us that when a person believes in, and calls upon Jesus as his resurrected Lord, he is saved.  John 1:12 says that those who accept Jesus, are saved and become the children of God.  And, as a child of God, we will receive an inheritance from God, according to 1 Peter 1:3-12!  Like salvation is a gift from God, so also is our inheritance; neither is earned, but both are provided by Someone who love His children!

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, ⁴ and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. ⁵ And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

⁶ So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. ⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold, though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

⁸ You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. ⁹ The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰ This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. ¹¹ They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when He told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and His great glory afterward.

¹² They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.  (1 Pet. 1:3-12)

TWO BIRTHS? TWO DEATHS?

"Jesus answered and said unto (Nicodemus), 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'  Nicodemus saith unto Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?'  Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit'" (Jn. 3:3-8).

There are some similarities between one's physical birth and one's spiritual birth as taught by Jesus.  Both births are the result of the actions of others.   Our physical birth, described as being "born of water," happens due to the actions of our mother and our father.  Nicodemus asked Jesus how a man could re-enter his mother's womb; in the physical birth, the womb is basically a "balloon of water."  In order for a physical birth to take place, that "balloon" must break:  hence, one is born of water. 

Our spiritual birth happens due to the actions of the members of the Trinity!  The Word of God tells us that the Father draws lost mankind to Jesus (Jn. 6:44).  It also tells us that, because Jesus would be "lifted up" (Crucified), Jesus would draw all men unto Himself (Jn. 12:32-33).  And finally, Jesus taught His disciples the Comforter (Holy Spirit) would draw man to Jesus, by convincing them they were sinners, in need of a Savior.  The Holy Spirit would reprove the world (convict them) of their sin; of Jesus' righteousness; and of the judgment to come (Jn. 16:7-15).

So, just as with our physical birth, spiritual birth happens to us!  We, in turn, have the power to reject both births.  We can refuse to live, and end our life via suicide.   And we can also refuse to accept God's gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8).  The first refusal ends in physical death, and the second refusal ends in spiritual death.  The Book of Revelation calls the spiritual death, the "second death" (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8)! 

There is an old saying that sort of sums it all up: 

"Born once, die twice; born twice, die once!"

 

 

CONSEQUENCES

Have you ever noticed how a careless, or inconsiderate, or hateful word, can snowball into World War III?  The progression goes something like this:

*     The speaker has a lack of respect for the hearer.
*     The speaker shows disrespect with his words.
*     The hearer is grieved by the obvious lack of love on the part of the speaker.
*     The hearer begins allowing the hurt to accumulate.
*     Finally, in anger, the hearer confronts the speaker.
*     The speaker retaliates, adding to the wounds of the hearer.
*     The hearer breaks all contact with the speaker.

This kind of thing happens millions of times every day!  If it is simply two neighbors, they can cease to speak with each other.  However, if it is two family members, the consequences have a much greater effect; the conflict tends to cause family members to choose sides, and the battle lines are drawn!  If the conflict is between a husband and a wife, the resulting divorce even splits the "family tree."  Especially if there are children involved! 

This happened in the Bible.  In Genesis 16:1-16, a barren Sarah suggests Abraham "short cut" God's plan to give him a son, by him "taking" Hagar, Sarah's maid servant.  Abraham, lacking faith that God would produce a child from his wife, probably had little resistance to "lying with" the younger Hagar.  As soon as Hagar conceived, she began displaying a disrespectful attitude toward Sarah.  Later in Genesis 21:9-14, Sarah could stand it no longer, she demanded Abraham send Hagar and her son, Ishmael, away.  As a result, nearly four thousand years later, the children of Sarah and the children of Hagar, are still fighting!

The writer of the Book of Hebrews warned about allowing "wounds to fester."  He wrote:  "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:  looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Heb. 12:14-15).

 

As Barney Fife used to say, "Nip it in the bud!"

SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES

Most people understand that there are consequences for saying or doing the wrong thing.  The world says:  “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You receive from the world what you give to the world” (Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul).  Beware of Karma:  "Karma is the universal principle of cause and effect. Our actions, both good and bad, come back to us in the future" (Kia Stevens).  And of course, there is "What goes around, comes around" (A Proverb). 

Man's problem is that he thinks he knows what is best, and he leaves God out of the equation!  The Bible says it this way:

 

*     "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov. 16:25).

*     "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee" (Prov. 23:7). 

*     "Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes" (Deut. 12:8).

*     "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Jdg. 17:6).

*     "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise" (Prov. 12:15).

*     "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts" (Prov. 21:2).

*     "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good" (Ps. 14:1).

*     "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Rom. 1:22).

*      "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:7-8).

 

But God warns us; we can trust in Jesus and go to heaven, or we can reject His Lordship, and suffer the consequences:

 

"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)!

 

 

Choose you this day whom ye will serve!

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SEVEN

The Bible is beyond amazing - it is supernatural!  Authored by God and written by at least forty souls (2 Pet. 1:21) over a period of hundreds of years, its message remains constant:  God wants to share Himself in fellowship with man (1 Cor. 1:9).  However, God is holy (Ps. 99:9), and man is not (Rom. 3:23)!  So, God, motivated by His own nature (God IS love! - 1 Jn. 4:8), sent His Son who willingly exchanged His own righteousness for our sin (2 Cor. 5:21), so that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)!

It is interesting how a book, written by so many, over so long a period, can be studied for a lifetime, and still provide new and incredible things to its students!  For instance, today as I was preparing to write, I discovered the word "seven" appears fifty-four times in the last book of the Bible:  the Book of Revelation.  That is more times than all the rest of the New Testament books combined!  And ironically, it is the exact same number of times it appears in the first book of the Bible:  the Book of Genesis! 

"Seven" is the number of wholeness; it always relates to something that is entirely complete.  God's Word begins and ends with two identical settings:  a perfect, complete home for mankind (the Garden of Eden - Gen. 1-2; the New Earth - Rev. 21-22)!  With that in mind, I wanted to look at what all the "sevens" in Revelation represent; here they are:

*     Churches/Candlesticks - 1:4, 11, 13, 20; 2:1.
*     Spirits - 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6.
*     Lamps - 4:5.
*     Stars/Angels - 1:16, 20; 2:1; 3:1; 8:2, 6; 15:1, 6, 7, 8; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9.
*     Seals - 5:1, 5.
*     Horns/Heads/Crowns/Mountains/Kings - 5:6; 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 9, 10, 11.
*     Eyes - 5:6.
*     Trumpets - 8:2, 6.
*     Thunders - 10:3, 4.
*     Thousand - 11:13.
*     Last Plagues/Vials - 15:1, 6, 7, 8; 17:1; 21:9.

Before you read the Book of Revelation again, you might want to study each of these "sevens" in order to better understand what God is saying through the Apostle John.  Revelation is filled with symbolism, but the vast majority of the symbols are explained or identified within the book itself.

Revelation was written to be understood (Rev. 22:6, 7, 10, 16, 18)!!!!!!!

HEADLINES: BILLIONS DIE

I know that by the time the Tribulation begins (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:3-29; Rev. 6 - 18; etc.), there man not be seven billion people living on this orb.  The Psalm 83 War, and the Ezekiel 38-39 War may reduce the population some before then, so for the purposes of this discussion, let's say there will be six billion people living at the beginning of the Tribulation [a.k.a. "Daniel's Seventieth Week" (Dan. 9:24-27), and "the Time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7)].  That is 6,000,000,000!

Revelation 6 tells of war (v. 2-4); famine (v. 5-6); sword, hunger, death by disease, and by wild beasts (v. 7-8); saying that the carnage will kill one fourth of the world's population!  That reduces the total population to 4,500,000,000.  That is not counting the massive earthquake and the falling "stars" which follow (v. 12-13)! 

Who knows how many are slain between Revelation 6, and Revelation 9, but we are told that, following months of being tormented by demonic creatures (v. 1-14), one third of the world's remaining population dies when an army of 200,000,000 troops attack from the East (v. 15-19)!  That third reduces the total population to 3,000,000,000!

Of course, this is all hypothetical, because the world's population may actually be less at the beginning of the Tribulation.  In Revelation 6:17, John wrote, "For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"  Notice that the day of God's wrath began in Revelation 6:1!  That is very significant because, according to Bible's teaching on the Rapture of the Church, declaring it to be prior to the day of the Lord's wrath (Jn. 3:36; 14:1-3; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 5:9; Rev. 3:10; etc.), millions of born again believers in Christ will have been removed.  God has not appointed His adopted children to experience His wrath; Jesus took our place, suffering His Father's wrath when He exchanged His righteousness for our sin (Rom. 1:18; 5:9; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Thes. 1:10; etc.)!

Regardless of the gigantic numbers involved, there is one person living today who needs to make a decision:  YOU!  Jesus came and took the place of all those who would trust in Him.  He died for you!  He was buried and rose again, according to the Scriptures, to be your Lord and Savior!  It is up to you whether or not you are saved from the wrath to come; you can accept Jesus Christ, or you can experience the most horrific seven years of man's history! 

If you believe and trust in Jesus, you will escape God's wrath (Rom. 10:9-10)! 

EITHER WATCH, OR WATCH OUT!

I served twenty years in the U.S. Navy, and over those years, I "stood watch" innumerable times.  And while I assumed it was my job to protect something from someone, no one ever told me exactly what I was watching, or for whom I was supposed to watch.  Mostly, I just watched the clock tick, and prayed for someone to call on the phone! 

A little over eleven years into my "career," I believed the Gospel, trusted in Christ, and was born again.  All of a sudden, I was "on watch" twenty-four/seven!  You see, the Gospel told me that although I was a sinner deserving God's "capital punishment," Christ died in my place (Rom. 5:8; 6:23; etc.)!  He was buried for three days, and He was raised from the dead by God, my Father (Mt. 12:40; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 4:6; etc.).  Then in Acts 1:9-11, Luke wrote of Jesus' Ascension, and said, "...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."  I have been watching ever since!

Much of Bible prophecy deals with the Second Coming of Christ.  And, if one does not carefully and rightly divide the Word, he will fail to realize that His Second Coming actually has two phases.  Yes, Jesus will return to establish His Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 20), but He will also come to gather His Church seven years or so earlier, in what is commonly referred to as the Rapture.  Jesus promised he would return to remove us prior to the wrath of God being poured out on those who rejected Him (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 5:9; Rev. 3:10; etc.)!  And so, believers long for His return.

Unbelievers are repeatedly warned to repent and be saved, because the Lord fully intends to return and to destroy those who oppose Him (Rev. 19:11-21)!  2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  That is why we read Christ's warning to the lost that His return will be sudden, and when they least expect Him; He will come as a "thief in the night" (1 Thes. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15; etc.)!

So, the bottom line is this:  if you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, you should be looking for what Titus 2:13 calls "that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ!"  If you refuse to believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you should be "on the lookout" for the coming of the "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:16)!

 Those who believe in His First Coming, look forward to His Second Coming!

A WARNING TO RUSSIA, IRAN, AND MUSLIMS EVERYWHERE

About twenty-seven percent of the Bible is prophecy, and of that twenty-seven percent, one hundred percent of those prophecies already fulfilled, were fulfilled literally.  One need only read Matthew's Gospel to find many examples; in fact, the word "fulfill" appears sixteen times, fourteen of which refer to an occurrence that was the literal fulfillment of something predicted in Old Testament prophecies (Mt. 1:22; 2:15, 17, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14, 35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:9, 35)!

Dr. Hugh Ross wrote:  "Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur.  Approximately twenty-five hundred prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about two thousand of which already have been fulfilled to the letter—no errors."  One site, (http://bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm), lists three hundred sixty-five verses that were literally fulfilled with Christ's First Coming!  What God declares will happen, HAPPENS!

In light of this fact, I have a warning for Russia, Iran, and any of the dozens of nations which want to do Israel harm:  you do so at your own peril!  The Word of God says:

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:2-3).

"Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (Gen. 27:29). 

"He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee" (Num. 24:9).

Following Christ's Second Coming, He will judge the nations to determine which will be permitted to live on in His Millennial Kingdom, and which will be cast into hell.  His basis for deciding is found in Matthew 25:31-46.  Jesus will bless those who blessed His brethren (Israel), and He will curse those who cursed His brethren!

 

Let no man among you, when you stand before Jesus Christ, say you were not warned!

WARNING! LOOK UP!

The Word of God says that prior to the Second Coming of Christ, there will be evidence that His return is close.  In the Book of Daniel, Daniel was told to seal up the prophecy until the end times (Dan. 12:4).  The Bible describes civilization at the time of the unsealing of Daniel's prophecy as when "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."  For the first time in the history of mankind, transportation exceeded the "speed of the horse," with the invention of the railroads circa 1830.  That was the same time in which a man named John Darby discovered the dispensational approach to interpreting Scripture.  His discovery made it clear that the Bible needed to be "rightly divided" with regard to Israel and the Church.  And, with the invention of the computer, man's ability to access limitless amounts of information, increased knowledge as never before!

There has been much discussion of the end-times in this century.  The Mayan Calendar ending in 2012 got people talking.  The sudden resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of Pope Francis, added to the speculation; it seems that St. Malachy had prophesied nearly a thousand years earlier, that our new Pope would be the last, and that he would rule the Roman Catholic Church during the Tribulation.  Because the Bible describes the Church as "luke-warm," with Christ on the outside knocking to get in (Rev. 3:14-22), and with it being inundated with apostates (pro-abortion, pro-homosexuals, prosperity preachers, replacement theologians, and an epidemic of scoffers, etc.), the Church is no longer fit to serve as light or salt (Mt. 5:13-14; 2 Pet. 3:3)!

Recently, a fellow named Mark Biltz discovered there will be a "Blood-Moon Tetrad" occurring in 2014-2015, in which there will be a total Lunar Eclipse on the Feasts of Passover and Tabernacles (4-15-14 and 10-8-14; 4-4-15 and 9-28-15).  The last two times these occurred (only seven since the birth of Christ), Israel was fighting to keep control of the new nation, and Israel was fighting to capture Jerusalem!  Could the Tetrad beginning in about two weeks be associated with the Daniel 11 War, or the Ezekiel 38-39 War?  Stay tuned!

"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" (Gen. 1:14-16).

"And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come" (Joel 2:30-31).

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come" (Acts 2:20).

"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" (Rev. 6:12).

Too many signs occurring to be ignored; trust Jesus while you still have time!

OUR SIN KEEPS US HUMBLE

I have never met a born again believer who questioned the authenticity of the salvation experience of Saul of Tarsus.  While the three accounts given by Paul vary, they do not contradict (Acts 9:1-20; 22:1-15; 26:12-18).  In addition to healing the sick and raising the dead, he wrote half of the New Testament!  If any man was save, born again, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, or whatever terminology you want to use, Paul was!  And yet, Paul remained a sinner by practice.  Note the present tense in the following passage of Scripture:

"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Rom. 7:14-25).

The obvious reason why born again believers still sin, is because God is not finished making us into His Son's likeness.  Here are some passages that indicate believers still sin:
*     Romans 8:28-29 say:  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."
*     Philippians 1:6 says:  "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 
*     James 5:16 says:  "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
*     1 John 3:2 says:  "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

I thank God my salvation does not hang upon my ability to be sinless!

ONCE SAVED; ALWAYS SAVED

For the life of me, I cannot understand why born again believers need to continually defend the Bible's teaching on the preservation of the saints!  What part of ETERNAL and EVERLASTING do folks not understand?  Webster's New World Dictionary states the following definitions for both:

ETERNAL - "without beginning or end; existing throughout all time; everlasting."

EVERLASTING - "never coming to an end; lasting forever; eternal."

While Webster does use the words as interchangeable, there is a slight difference.  Something that is eternal, such as God, has no beginning; He has always existed, and hence, His name is "I AM!"  On the other hand, something that is everlasting, possibly had a beginning in time.  For example, the Man called Jesus, began His earthly life when He was born of the virgin Mary.  His human life had a beginning, but we know that, even though He was crucified and buried, He rose from the dead, never to die again!  Peter wrote:  "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:11).


But in the case of Jesus, the Bible declares Him to be God (Jn. 1:1, 14)!  And as God, He is also eternal.  When believers speak of the Incarnation of Christ, we are declaring that the eternal God sent His eternal Son to become a human being.  John wrote:  "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).

The words "eternal life" and "everlasting life," appear a total of thirty-seven times in the New Testament!  The born again believer possesses both!  How is it that we have both everlasting life and eternal life?  The answer lies in the fact that we are baptized into Him, that is, the Holy Spirit places us into the Son of God; hence, we are partakers of His eternal life (Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; etc.).  Because we are born again, that is, we have the eternal Spirit of God living within us from the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord, we also are partakers of our own everlasting life!  We will live forever with Christ!

What God has begun (Phil. 1:6), and what the Spirit has sealed (Eph. 1:13; 4:30),

Jesus will keep with Him forever (1 Thes. 4:17)! 

FROM RANDY LOUDENSLAGER MINISTRIES

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NATIONS WHO WILL INVADE ISRAEL. EZEKIEL CHAPTERS 38 & 39

This map follows present day national boundaries. Ezekiel's prophecy named tribes and peoples descended from Noah's sons, Shem, Japheth and Ham. This map is to show Ezekiel's prophecy only. This map does not take into account that all of the nations of the earth will take part in Israel's invasion. It must be noted that the passages of Ezekiel 38 display a composite of the last 3.5 years. The initial plundering and occupation of Israel and the last day invasion that is halted by the coming of Jesus Christ. Daniel 11:25-12:3 presents a more detailed account of those events.

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Copyright 2001-2006 Randy Loudenslager Ministries

RUSSIA, THE UKRAINE, CRIMEA, AND TURKEY

Many students of God's Word, especially of the Bible's teachings on prophecy, have been discussing the Blood Moon Tetrad which is about to begin next month.  Briefly stated, a "Blood Moon Tetrad" is the name given to an extremely rare phenomena, which happens when there is a full Lunar eclipse on the Jewish Feasts of Passover and Tabernacles, on two successive years.  I have previously written about this topic on 8/24/13; 9/14/13; 12/5/13; and 3/12/14.  For a multimedia presentation of this information, I recommend Scottie Clarke's YouTube site:

 

  youtube.com/user/eternalrhythmflow   

As I have said, the first of the four "Blood Moons" will occur on Passover this year (April 15th). The other three will occur on Tabernacles (October 8, 2014), Passover (April 4, 2015), and Tabernacles (September 28, 2015).  

I noticed that the 1949-1950 Tetrad happened FOLLOWING the Independence of Israel in 1948. I have also noticed that the 1967 Six-Day War (June 5 - 10, 1967) occurred DURING or within the 1967-68 Tetrad. Is it possible that the war which will accompany the 2014-15 Tetrad will occur PRIOR to the next Tetrad? Could the Ezekiel 38-39 war begin between now and April 15th?  There is one thing that is absolutely certain:  we will know within the next eighteen days!

Most scholars believe that Gog, Meshach, and Tubal, refer to Russia (Ezek. 38:1-39:11), and with Putin "annexing" Crimea, putting the Ukraine in a vise that is sure to result in her surrender, the stage is set for Russia to swoop down through Turkey on its way to Israel.  It is interesting to note that the nations which will align with Gog (modern day Iran, Sudan, Libya, and Turkey), are all Muslim nations.  For a great presentation on this war, I recommend:

middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/ezek38.htm

 

I am a mere novice when it comes to explaining these things, but I am smart enough to know they are extremely important for born again believers to understand.  We need to warn the lost of their pending Tribulation and God's wrath which is about to be poured upon this cursed orb!  We will not have an opportunity once we are caught up to be with the Lord at the Rapture!

 

Today may be the last day we have to share the Gospel! 

 

BLESSED TO BE; MORE BLESSED TO SEE!

As a born again believer, I awake each day with mixed emotions.  On one hand, I am pleased that my work of spreading God's Word can continue, but on the other hand, I am very disappointed that I am not "present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8)!  A few years ago, I was hospitalized with dozens of blood clots in my lungs.  At first, I thought they would just "give me something" and send me home.  Four days later, I remained "a prisoner" of Clark County Memorial Hospital! 

Shortly after they admitted me, a task that required much convincing, a Pastor came to visit and pray for me (I have no idea who he was, or from what church).  By that time, the doctor's "scare-tactics" had been successful, and I realized I may not even survive the night.  When the Pastor asked me if he could pray for me, I remember telling him "yes, on one condition."  I told him that I only wanted prayer for healing IF he would pray that the Lord would provide me with some ministry; there wasn't much use for me to live, if I could not be useful to Him!  He agreed; he prayed; and here I am!

Later, when my Pastor came, I told him of the condition, and he, too, prayed that God would use me in His service.  A few weeks later, Pastor Brian called me and asked if I would be interested in writing a blog.  To this day, I am not sure what a "blog" is, but it sounded like a good idea.  After about an hour, he had helped me design "skipslighthouse," and with the very rare exception, I have "posted" something each day since then.  I praise the Lord for the time, the resources, and the desire God has given me to study and share His Word. 

That being said, if I am honest, I would prefer that I was finished with this temporary existence, and was dwelling where I will have just begun to sing after ten thousand years!  There are so many aches and pains in this worn-out body, that I cannot wait to be pain free, and healthy forever!  At seventy-one (and a half, as the teens like to say), the wear and tare on this "temple" indicates it's time to "rebuild!"  LOL. 

I will close this "self-pity" diatribe with my favorite verse of Scripture, 1 John 3:2:

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."   

SO YOU REALLY WANT TO PLEASE GOD?

The Word of God repeatedly tells us that God does not want us to rely upon our sacrifices for sin; He wants our obedience! 

*     "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22).
*     "To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice" (Prov. 21:3).
*     "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hos. 6:6).
*     "Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Mic. 6:6-8).
*     "But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mt. 9:13).
*     "But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless" (Mt. 12:7).

This is quite understandable!  When one considers the agony God suffered when He saw His Son offered up as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind!  Unfortunately, we do not obey Him, and even more unfortunate is the fact that all the sacrifices in the world can not adequately pay our sin debt!  So, God offered the ultimate sacrifice; He gave us His Son as our Savior.  So what does God want?

On one occasion, some men asked Jesus, "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 (Me, Jesus) whom He (God our Father) hath sent'" (Jn. 6:28-29; cp. Jn. 3:16).  In the Book of Acts, a jailer asked, "'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'  And they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...'" (Acts 16:30-31).  The Apostle Paul wrote that salvation is a gift that one must believe in, in order to be received, or better yet, believe in the One offering the gift.  His actual statement was:  "For by grace (unmerited favor) are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:9).  Paul also wrote speaking of salvation:  "...the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

You really want to please Him?  Accept Jesus as your risen Lord!

THE NEW BIRTH CHANGES PEOPLE

On January 31, 1971, I knelt in my living room, and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  The day before, I had been an atheist, an alcoholic, and a man capable of committing every vile sin there is.  But on that morning, I became aware of three things:  the Bible was the truth, my sins were paid for, and I would become a preacher of the Gospel.  Although it took twenty years, I was called to be the Pastor of a small Baptist Church in Kentucky. 

But this post is not about me.  It is about my precious wife, Judy (it has taken me years to realize what a wonderful wife she is, and for that, I am truly sorry)! 

About six weeks after I accepted Christ, my wife realized that what had happened to me was different from any experience she had ever had.  She was raised a Roman Catholic, but she did not understand what had happened to me.  Don't get me wrong; I was still the same idiot she had tolerated for nine years, but the change in me had been significant enough to want the same in her life. 

On March 17th, she invited the Pastor of West Pensacola Baptist Church, David Shoffner, to come to our home to talk about what it means to be born again.  David showed Judy a penny.  He asked, "Whose penny is this?"  She said it was his.  Then he said, "I want you to have this penny."  He held it out to her, and she took it.  Then he said, "When did that penny become yours?"  She said, "When I took it."  Then David said that salvation, being born again, is like that.  Jesus offers to give us His righteousness, in exchange for our sin (2 Cor. 5:21).  Then he asked her, "If Jesus is offering to save you from your sins, and He is offering you eternal life, when do they become yours?"  Judy said, "When I accept them." 

That St. Patrick's Day, there in the same living room where I had knelt but weeks earlier, Judy placed her faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  She had always believed in Him, but she had never placed her full trust in Him.  That day, Judy changed.  When one is truly born again, he changes!  Oh, we don't become perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but God begins the process of changing us into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29; Phil. 1:6), a metamorphosis that culminates in our total transformation when we are finally face-to-face with our Lord (1 Jn. 3:2)!  I can't wait!!!!!!!

Today, I celebrate Judy's new birth with praise for the One who changes us!

IT IS SO SIMPLE, IT HAS TO BE WRONG; RIGHT?

The Apostle John wrote his Gospel to declare that Jesus is the Son of God (Jn. 1:34).  In fact, as the Son of God, Jesus actually IS God (Jn. 1:1, 14).  Even His enemies recognized Jesus was claiming to be God.  John wrote:  "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God" (Jn. 5:18).

John's declares the reason God sent Jesus:  "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" (Jn. 3:15-17).

In order for us to be cleansed from our sin, and be made the righteousness of Christ, God sacrificed Jesus to save us.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).  Jesus became our Passover Lamb, so that we might be saved by trusting in Him (Jn. 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7)!

So, how does one become a born again child of God?  You have heard the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."  Well, this is the greatest exception to that.  Read what Paul says in Romans 10:

[3] For they (the religious) being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.  [8] 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;  [9] 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.  [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

JESUS, ISRAEL'S MESSIAH, WILL REIGN FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS ON EARTH

REVELATION TWENTY:  [1] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  [2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [3] and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  [5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  [6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

[7] And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, [8] and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  [9] And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  [10] And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

[11] 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.  [12] 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.
[13] 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.  [14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Those who believe in Him now, will rule with Him then!

THE SEASONS ADDED TOGETHER MAKE A YEAR

Some view Winter as the starting point in the circle of the seasons; our calendar year starts in Winter.  But in "God's calendar," the Jewish year begins with Spring.  In fact, His first month, Nisan, is the month in which Jews celebrate the Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits; it occurs about the same time the Church celebrates the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus:  it begins with Spring.  And, in a sense, most cultures view Spring as sort of the "beginning of life."  It is when the trees begin to bud, the flowers begin to bloom.  The world is resurrected from the dead of Winter!

SPRING:  Many have written of their observation of a parallel between the four seasons in a year, and the four stages of one's life.  We can see the same thing in the pages of the Scriptures.  It describes spiritual life as one being born again (Jn. 3:3-8), and encourages "babes in Christ," to hunger for the nourishment of God's Word (1 Pet. 2:2).  Newborn children of God may not know much Scripture, but they do know what God did for them; He provided them with a testimony (Lk. 2:20; Acts 3:8-9; 8:39; etc.).

SUMMER:  Because the vast majority of temptation comes during one's youth, the period between being a childhood and being a mature adult, the heat of Summer best describes the passions of the second stage of a believer's life.  Our hunger for God's Word should increase!  Paul wrote of God's provision of leaders in the Church, to bring to maturity, those who belong to God (Eph. 4:11-15). 

FALL:  Fall is the season when the young men assume their role as spiritual warriors.  Having strengthen one's self by eating the "meat of the Word" (Heb. 5:12-14), they put on their armor and defend their brethren (Eph. 6:10-18)!  It is the young men who John describes as being victors over Satan (1 Jn. 2:13-14). 

WINTER:  It is the proven warrior who not only survives life's many battles with the enemy, but is viewed as qualified to instruct the young.  Elders were considered equal to the Apostles when it came to decisions in the early Church.  In the discussion which took place over the need for born again believers to be circumcised, the phrase "apostles and elders" occurs five times (Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23)!  Elders, as they were in the Jewish tradition, were typically men of age.  The qualifications for elders indicate they were to have a "proven track record" (1 Tim. 5:1, 17-25).

Regardless of which "season" you are in:  hungering, studying, fighting, or leading; one does not cease when the next begins; they continue together. 

Those in the "Winter of their lives," should be characterized by all four!

WHERE ARE THE SOULS OF THE DEAD?

Much of what Christians know about where the souls of the departed go after death, is found in Luke 16:19-31.  Some view this passage as a parable, and as such, they say it is not to be taken literally.  The following arguments explain why the passage is a description of reality:

 

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 with which we are familiar, such as birds, seed, fields, pearls, wheat, barns, leaven, fish, etc. (see Mt. 13).  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 is a divided place, with the two sides being called "Abraham's bosom" or "Paradise," and "Hell" or "the 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!

 

Born again believers "by-pass" Paradise, and go straight to heaven (2 Cor. 5:8)!